The Lynchburg College softball team stayed alive in the NCAA Division III tournament Friday afternoon, and Liberty managed to do the same in the Big South tournament despite a heartbreaking loss to Radford.
LC, the top seed in the Salisbury (Md.) region, lost to Bridgewater 2-1 in the first game Friday in the NCAA Division III tournament, but it came back with a 1-0 win over Christopher Newport later in the day to avoid elimination.
Rachel Gallagher hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth, and Barbie Miles (17-5) allowed only four hits in the pitcher’s circle to help the Hornets (38-7-1) advance.
LC will play Bridgewater again today at 10 a.m.
The Hornets only managed four hits against the Captains (36-8), but they mustered enough offense to hand CNU hurler Kristen Rowe (20-3) only her third loss of the season.
In the first game, Bridgewater’s Kaitlyn Bowman hit an RBI double in the top of the seventh to score Mallory Sandridge with the winning run.
Pitcher Ashley Gills subbed for Becky Schmidt after only one out in the first and held the Hornets to two hits in six and 2/3 innings.
Brittany Allsop, who recently earned her third straight CoSIDA first-team academic all-district honor, scored LC’s only run.
Liberty picked up a major win Friday against Winthrop but fell 2-1 to host Radford later in the day.
The Highlanders (39-12), who won on Jenn Everhart’s two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, advance to the championship game, which will be played today at a yet to be determined time.
Liberty (24-34) is still alive for the championship. It will play the winner of today’s Gardner-Webb-Charleston Southern game for the right to play Radford in the title game.
First baseman Beth Bennett went 1 for 3 with an RBI for the Flames, and J’Nae Jefferson scored their run, which held up until Everhart’s walk-off hit.
Liberty beat second-seeded Winthrop 5-1 earlier in the day in a game that was suspended Thursday because of rain.
It was the Flames first win against the Eagles in their last eight meetings. Kelly Strickland went 2 for 4 with a run and three RBIs, and Kelly McMillan was 2 for 3 with a run and RBI.
Liberty pitcher Tiffani Smith allowed five hits and one run in seven innings in improving to 11-12 on the season.
Today’s Big South Schedule
1. Charleston Southern vs. Gardner-Webb (halted at start of bottom of eighth), noon
2. Liberty vs. Game 1 winner, 30 minutes after Game 1
3. Radford vs. Game 2 winner, 30 minutes after Game 2
4. Radford vs. Game 2 winner (if necessary), 30 minutes after Game 3
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