Lady Flames split doubleheader

Softball team takes game one against Virginia, falls short in game two

Game 1: Liberty 3, UVA 2
In game one of a doubleheader Wednesday April 22, the Liberty Flames softball team defeated the Virginia Cavaliers 3-2 to earn their fifth-straight victory.

The Lady Flames were led by redshirt junior pitcher Chandler Ball’s complete game in which she allowed two runs on six hits.

Wednesday at Liberty Softball Stadium was also “Strikeout Cancer” day. The Lady Flames were dressed in pink jerseys and wore pink batting helmets to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Liberty took the early 2-1 lead in the first, but after the third inning, the Lady Flames and Cavaliers were deadlocked at 2-2. Not until the sixth inning was another run scored as the Lady Flames got the eventual game-winning run when junior center fielder Blair Lawrence scored on a passed ball with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Game 2: UVA 4, Liberty 2
Despite an RBI double from junior first baseman Katie Han, the Liberty Flames softball team fell to the Virginia Cavaliers, 4-2, in the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday evening.

The Lady Flames (27-25, 12-9 Big South) concluded their home schedule, finishing with a 13-10 record at Liberty Softball Stadium, which opened in mid-March.

The Lady Flames have been plagued by multiple injuries lately and have had to play many players out of position. Wednesday was no exception. Freshman catcher Alexia Taylor was moved to shortstop and freshman Jessica Cicerchia took the field at second base Wednesday.

Coach Dot Richardson said she is pleased with her team’s effort through the unexpected circumstances.

“I am very proud of the team … with a lot of freshmen (and) a lot of players playing out of position,” Richardson said. “There are a lot of good things.”

Lawrence has been a first-hand witness of the tenacity of the Lady Flames.

“I think the team is showing great leadership,” Lawrence said. “ … We have four or five starters out, and everyone is just picking each other up.”

Wednesday afternoon, the Lady Flames found themselves down early, 1-0, after a fielding error in the second. After the Cavaliers tacked on two more runs in the fourth, the Lady Flames responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth.

However, the Cavaliers were not done. An RBI single by Virginia pitcher Aimee Chapdelaine in the top of the fifth gave the Cavaliers a 4-1 advantage.

Lady Flames starting pitcher Abby Tincher pitched 4.1 innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs before redshirt sophomore Kenzie Freisen was brought in for relief.

The Lady Flames added a run in the bottom of the sixth as Lawrence scored on a fielder’s choice by freshman Madison Kotchey. However, the Lady Flames were never able to overcome the early deficit.

The Lady Flames were unable to keep any momentum from the Virginia series, as they were swept by Winthrop over the weekend of April 25 to finish their Big South schedule (12-12).

RODRIGUEZ is the news editor.