Liberty University opened its title defense on May 6 with a decisive 9-0 victory over seventh-seeded Louisiana Tech in the first round of the 2026 Conference USA Softball Championship at Delaware Softball Diamond.
The win brings Liberty’s season record to an even 27-27 and marks their fourth consecutive victory. Louisiana Tech, which entered the game after an eight-game winning streak and a play-in win against FIU, moves into the losers’ bracket following this defeat.
Key moments included a strong third inning for Liberty, where Brynn McManus doubled and Savannah Jessee followed with a two-run homer. Alexia Carrasquillo then hit back-to-back home runs to extend Liberty’s lead to four runs. The Lady Flames added five more runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by hits from Whatley, McManus, and Jessee.
Pitcher Camden Anders delivered her second shutout of the season for Liberty, allowing just three hits while striking out six batters. Offensively, Jessee led with two hits—including a double and a home run—and drove in five runs. McManus also contributed two hits and two RBI. Carrasquillo hit her twelfth home run of the year.
This victory gives Liberty a 12-3 advantage over LA Tech in their all-time series. The Lady Flames are now undefeated against LA Tech in Conference USA Tournament play and have recorded their seventh shutout of the season—six coming against conference opponents. Notably, it was Liberty’s first instance since May 7, 1999 that they hit back-to-back home runs during a conference tournament game.
Looking ahead, Liberty will face No. 2 seed Western Kentucky tomorrow at 2:30 p.m., continuing their pursuit of another conference championship.
