LYNCHBURG, Va. — Louisiana Tech University completed a statement weekend on the road Sunday, rallying from an early four-run deficit to defeat Liberty University 9-7 and finish a three-game Conference USA softball sweep of the Flames.
The Bulldogs (26-23, 12-12 CUSA) scored nine unanswered runs after trailing 4-0 in the fifth inning, handing Liberty its first conference series sweep in 11 years and first since joining Conference USA. Louisiana Tech also became just the second team to take a CUSA series from the Flames.
Coach Josh Taylor praised his team’s response throughout the weekend.
“Once again, we showed a ton of resilience and fight today,” Taylor said after Sunday’s win. “Being down 4-0 going into the fifth, we were able to apply pressure and find a way to score runs. Today, as well as this entire weekend we played great team softball and had contributions in all phases of the game.”
Liberty grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning Sunday and added two more in the third before Tech answered with six runs in the fifth.
Reese Torres and Jina Baffuto opened the inning with walks, and Elena Heng followed with a single to load the bases. Gracie Flores then lined a single to left to drive in two runs. Later in the frame, Reagan Marchant delivered a go-ahead single to right, and Torres added a sacrifice fly for a 6-4 advantage.
Tech added two more runs in the sixth before Liberty trimmed the margin to 8-7 on a three-run homer in the bottom half. Marchant answered with a solo home run in the seventh — her 16th of the season — before Bryannah Campos closed the door with a perfect final inning.
Campos earned the win in relief, her second victory of the series. Marchant finished with two hits and three RBIs, while Flores added two hits and two RBIs.
The Bulldogs opened the series Friday with a 7-2 victory in nine innings. Tied 2-2 entering the ninth, Tech erupted for five runs on three hits and two Liberty errors.
Aleah Brooks started the rally with a leadoff single, and Baffuto followed with the go-ahead RBI hit. Gallaway later added an RBI, and Alannah Rogers capped the inning with a run-scoring double. Rogers led the offense with four hits and two RBIs.
Laney Johnson earned the win with four scoreless innings of relief, allowing only two hits.
Saturday’s middle game required patience as much as execution. The Bulldogs endured two weather delays totaling 3 hours, 46 minutes before pulling away for a 10-0 shutout that clinched the series.
Taylor said the Bulldogs handled the long day impressively.
“We were incredibly resilient tonight,” he said. “Sitting through two long weather delays and maintaining our energy throughout the day was incredible. I am really proud of today’s win for so many reasons.”
Ruby Fidge made her second start of the season and held Liberty to two hits over three innings. Campos again starred in relief, tossing four scoreless innings.
Tech broke open the game with four runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by doubles from Flores and Bradi Gallaway. Torres added a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh as the Bulldogs finished with 10 hits.
The weekend surge pushed Louisiana Tech back to .500 in conference play at 12-12 and provided momentum entering the final stretch of the regular season.
Flores extended her hitting streak to 15 games, while Marchant tied the Conference USA single-season record for home runs in league play with 13.
