{"id":46403,"date":"2025-05-21T00:18:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T00:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/46403\/"},"modified":"2025-05-21T00:18:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T00:18:09","slug":"liberty-stuns-top-overall-seed-texas-am-in-the-ncaa-softball-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/46403\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberty stuns top overall seed Texas A&M in the NCAA softball tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the first time in DI softball history, the top overall seed in the tournament has failed to advance from its own regional. It’s the doing of the Liberty Flames, who\u00a0stunned No. 1 Texas A&M at home in College Station 6-5 in a Game 7.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:\u00a0Women’s College World Series scores, bracket schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

The game was the second matchup between the two programs on Sunday evening after Texas A&M stayed alive with a 14-11 win in Game 6.<\/a>\u00a0Game 7 presented a winner-takes-all matchup, and it didn’t disappoint.<\/p>\n

The Aggies jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings and held the Flames scoreless through four innings. Liberty finally got on the board thanks to a solo home run from\u00a0Rachel Roupe in the fifth inning that hit the left field videoboard, giving the underdogs hope entering crunch time.<\/p>\n

getting on the board by hitting the board >>> pic.twitter.com\/3xdHaThilm<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Then came the sixth inning.<\/p>\n

Liberty was at the plate first, and the top of the sixth got off to a wild start \u2014 literally. After KK Madrey walked on a 4-1 count, she then advanced into scoring position at second base thanks to a wild pitch. A few batters later,\u00a0Savannah Jessee\u00a0was up at the plate with two outs. She went yard, 248 feet, to tie up the game.<\/p>\n

JESSER SUE TIES IT UP! pic.twitter.com\/ruasSYg0S5<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

BRACKET:\u00a0Click or tap here for the DI softball interactive bracket<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas A&M pitcher Emiley Kennedy walked the next batter before she was taken out of the game for Grace Sparks after Kennedy came in for starter Sydney Lessentine in the fifth inning. If not for the mound change, you might have seen deja vu later in the sixth inning when Roupe was up to bat, now with two runners on base.<\/p>\n

It was a different pitcher and a different number of runners on base. Yet, it was the same batter, the same amount of outs (two), and the ball went in the same location \u2014 the videoboard.<\/p>\n

ROUPE DOES IT AGAIN \ud83d\udc4f pic.twitter.com\/y61SyrFDZV<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The home run gave Liberty a 6-3 lead with 1.5 innings to play. However, Texas A&M wasn’t going to let its season end without a fight. Allie Enright hit a solo home run of her own in the bottom of the sixth before Kramer Eschete reached home plate later in the inning to make the score 6-5 Flames entering the seventh.<\/p>\n

start chippin’ \u26cf\ufe0f@allieenrightt<\/a> | #GigEm<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4eVr7J7RHO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

one run game!@KokoWooley<\/a> | #GigEm<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nO9ubqKf9Q<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Liberty wasn’t able to add to its lead in the top of the seventh after a 1-2-3 inning. Then, Texas A&M was at the plate needing one run to save its season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Aggies got two runners on base before\u00a0Eschete was at the plate, facing a 3-2 count with two outs. Liberty’s Kaylan Yoder was at the mound at the ball left her hand, finding the back of the catcher’s mitt. The Flames pulled off the top upset of the first round, knocking off Texas A&M and advancing\u00a0to its first-ever Super Regional round in its softball program’s history.<\/p>\n

YODER GETS IT DONE!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com\/OlaHPJJqLB<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Liberty Softball (@LibertySB) May 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC\/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions.<\/p>\n