Liberty University Flames

Well 1 seed Liberty began its comeback through the losers’ bracket, overcoming 5-0 and 8-4 deficits on the way to a 13-10 victory to eliminate UTEP from the 2024 CUSA Softball Championship, Thursday at NM State Softball Complex.

With the win, Liberty (33-23) advances to face No. 3 seed Louisiana Tech in an elimination game tomorrow at 4:30 pm ET.

Meanwhile, UTEP finishes its season with a 26-21 record. The Miners qualified for the CUSA Softball Championship for the first time since 2019.

Scoring Summary
UTEP – 1^St INNING – Morales homers to left, 1-0
UTEP – 1^St INNING – Allen singles up the middle, Hogan advances, Richard scores, 2-0
UTEP – 1^St INNING – Garcia walks, Sample and Allen advance, Hogan scores, 3-0
UTEP – 2^n.d INNING – Hogan homers to left center, Richard scores, 5-0
LIBERTY – 2^n.d INNING – Craine singles to center, out at second, Fortner advances, Madrey scores, 5-1
Liberty – 2^n.d INNING – Wilson singles through the right side, Fortner scores, 5-2
Liberty – 2^n.d INNING – McManus doubles to right center, Roupe and Wilson score, 5-4
UTEP – 4^Th INNING – Crouwel homers to left, Hogan and Morales score, 8-4
Liberty – 4^Th INNING – McManus homers to right, 8-8
Liberty – 5^Th INNING – Roupe walks, Wilson and Heidorn advance, Roberts scores, 9-8
Liberty – 5^Th INNING – Jessee singles to right center, McManus advances, Wilson scores, Roupe scores on throwing error, 11-8
UTEP – 6^Th INNING – Crouwel grounds out to third, Hogan and Rebolledo advance, Scott scores, 11-9
UTEP – 6^Th INNING – Allen singles, Hogan advances, Rebolledo scores, 11-10
Liberty – 6^Th INNING—Roberts homers to center, Fortner scores, 13-10

Turning Point

• UTEP led 8-4 after Marijn Crouwel’s three-run homer in the fourth. Liberty rallied in the home half, as Brooke Roberts led off with a single. A one-out double by Mary Claire Wilson put runners at second and third. After UTEP intentionally walked Roupe to load the bases, McManus tied the game on the next pitch with a grand slam.
• The Lady Flames added three in the fifth, on a bases-loaded walk by Roupe and a Savannah Jessee RBI single. UTEP narrowed the gap to 11-10 with a two-run sixth, but Brooke Roberts’ two-run blast set the final score at 13-10.

Notable Numbers

• Liberty recorded season highs in both runs (13) and hits (!3), while committing two errors. UTEP scored 10 runs on 10 hits with one error. The Lady Flames left seven runners on base, while the Miners stranded five.
• Elena Escobar (12-5) earned the win, allowing seven runs (five earned) on eight hits, striking out three in 6 1/3 innings. Paige Bachman started and pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking two and striking out one.
• Annika Litterio (2-3) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking two while not retiring a batter in the fifth inning. Faith Aragon yielded eight runs on nine hits, walking five in four innings. Zaylie Calderon gave up two runs on two hits, walking one and fanning one in two innings’ work.
• Liberty’s Brynn McManus went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one homer, and a career-high six RBI and one run scored. Mary Claire Wilson batted 3-for-5 with a double, one RBI and three runs scored. Rachel Roupe batted 1-for-2 with two walks, one RBI and three runs scored. Brooke Roberts went 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Rachel Crain batted 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
• UTEP’s Ajia Richard went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Marijn Crouwel batted 1-for-4 with a homer, four RBI and one run scored. Ashlynn Allen went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Lexi Morales batted 2-for-4 with a homer, one RBI and two runs scored. Halle Hogan also homered for the Miners.

Beyond the Box Score

• Liberty leads the all-time series against UTEP 4-1, including 3-1 this season.
• Liberty will look to make its way through the losers’ bracket. When the Lady Flames captured the 2011 Big South Championship, they opened with a loss to the host team, Winthrop before winning four elimination games over the next two days to claim the tournament title.
• Roupe has reached base safely in each of her last 17 games, the longest reached-base streak by any Lady Flame so far this season.
• McManus extended her hitting streak to eight games.
• Roupe passed seven players on the program’s all-time runs scored list today. She is now ninth with 116 career runs scored. Wilson scored game 123^rd career run, ranking eighth in program history.
• Roupe’s 39 walks this season are the second most by a Lady Flame in a single season, trailing only Jessica Moore’s 46 in 2007.
• Roupe is tied with former teammate Caroline Hudson (2020-23) for seventh in program history with 135 career RBI.
• McManus’ six RBI tied the single-game record for any Conference USA Softball Championship game. The last player to record six RBI in a CUSA Tournament game was Ashley Perez of UTEP against Tulsa, May 8, 2008.
• McManus’ grand slam was the third all-time by a Lady Flame in conference tournament play and first since Madison Kotchey against Coastal Carolina during the 2015 Big South Softball Championship.
• Roupe and Wilson both scored three runs, tying the program’s single-game record for runs in a conference tournament game. Roupe was the last Lady Flame with three runs scored in a conference tournament contest, May 14, 2022 at North Florida.
• Liberty’s 13 runs scored today were the most by the Lady Flames in any conference tournament game all-time.