Liberty University’s softball team defeated the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) 9-1 in six innings on March 20, hitting a season-high four home runs at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
The victory marks Liberty’s sixth consecutive win and clinches the series against UTEP. The Lady Flames improved their record to 13-15 overall and 6-2 in Conference USA play, while the Miners dropped to 9-18 overall and 1-7 in conference games.
Liberty took an early lead, scoring in the second and third innings before Brynn McManus hit a solo home run in the fourth. The game’s turning point came in the fifth inning when Paige Doerr hit a three-run homer, followed by Maci Strickland’s solo shot on the next pitch. Aubrey Fulcher added a pinch-hit home run in the sixth inning, her first career homer. Kenna Carranza provided UTEP’s only run with a solo home run.
Camden Anders earned her fifth win of the season for Liberty, allowing one run on three hits over four and one-third innings. Gabby Mike pitched one and two-thirds innings of relief. For UTEP, Arianna Flores took the loss after giving up five runs—four earned—in just under four innings.
Several players contributed offensively for Liberty: McManus went two-for-three with a homer and two RBI; Strickland was two-for-three with a homer; Ella Fox had two hits and an RBI; Doerr drove in three runs with her home run; Fulcher became the eleventh active Lady Flame to hit at least one career home run this season. The team has now scored eight or more runs in each of its last six games—a feat not achieved since April 2010.
The series concludes tomorrow as Liberty faces UTEP again at Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
