Liberty scored five runs combined in the first and second innings, surging to an 8-4, series-opening win against Kennesaw State on Saturday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.

Liberty improves to 26-12 overall with its 12th straight win, in game one of today’s doubleheader. The Lady Flames have tied their best start to conference play in program history at 10-0. Kennesaw State falls to 12-20, 4-6 in ASUN play.

Scoring Summary
KSU – 1st INNING – Cates singles, Greep scores, 1-0
Liberty – 1st INNING – Hudson triples to right, Howards scores, 1-1
Liberty – 1st INNING – Allan flies out to left, sacrifice fly, Hudson scores, 2-1
Liberty – 1st INNING – Canetto doubles to right center, Griffin scores, 3-1
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Hudson homers to right center, Hudson and Howard score, 5-1
KSU – 5th INNING – Anderson steals second, Hardeman scores on error, 5-2
KSU – 5th INNING – Cates flies out to right, sac fly, Anderson scores, 5-3
Liberty – 5th INNING – Soto reaches on fielder’s choice, Wilson out at second, Canetto scores on error, 6-3
KSU – 6th INNING – Hardeman singles to left, Galloway scores, 6-4
Liberty – 6th INNING – Hudson homers to center, Hudson and Howard score, 8-4

Notable Numbers
– KSU outhit Liberty 8-6 on the game, while Liberty committed a season-high four errors and the Owls recorded one error. Both teams stranded six runners.

– Karlie Keeney (14-6) earned her ASUN-leading 14th win of the season, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits, walking one and striking out seven.

– KSU’s Lindsey Kyte (0-5) drew the loss, allowing five runs on four hits, walking three in 1 1/3 innings pitched. Melanie Bennett pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits, walking four and fanning six.

– Caroline Hudson batted 3-for-4 with a triple, two homers, five RBI and three runs scored. Kara Canetto contributed an RBI double, while Lou Allan recorded a sacrifice fly. Devyn Howard drew three walks and scored three runs.

– Katie Greep batted 2-for-3 with two doubles and one run scored for the Owls, while Taylor Cates went 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Turning Point
– KSU struck first with a single run in the first inning, but Liberty quickly answered with three in the first and two in the second to take a 5-1 lead.

– The Owls sliced the deficit to two at 5-3 and again at 6-4, before Hudson’s second homer of the game, a two-run blast in the sixth, put the game out of reach.

Beyond the Box Score
– Liberty is now 13-6 all-time against Kennesaw State in softball, winning the last seven meetings in a row since a Kennesaw State doubleheader sweep on April 2, 2021.

– Liberty’s current 12-game overall winning streak is its longest winning streak since winning 17 straight games, April 3 through May 7, 2021.

– Liberty is 18-0 this season when scoring in the first inning in a game.

– The Lady Flames have won each of their last 23 ASUN regular-season games, a streak which started April 3, 2021 against Kennesaw State. Liberty is 42-7 all-time in ASUN regular-season games.

– Liberty has homered in eight straight games, its longest streak with at least one homer since Feb. 19 through March 12, 2021, when Liberty homered in 13 straight games.

– Hudson tied career high with two homers, three runs scored and five RBI. Her 11 total bases are one shy of a program single-game record of 12, held by Jessica Moore against Gardner-Webb, March 8, 2006.

– Howard drew three walks but saw her 12-game hitting streak come to a close. She has reached base safely in each of the last 13 games.