Photo Gallery | 2025 CUSA Softball Championship Central
 
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – For the second-straight season, top-seeded Liberty hoisted the trophy at the CUSA Softball Championship after an 8-0, run-rule victory over Jax State on Saturday at the WKU Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Flames become the first CUSA program to win back-to-back tournament crowns since East Carolina in 2010-11 and join DePaul (2002-05) and Southern Miss (2000-01) as the only other repeat champions in league history.
 
The icing on the cake came via a Savannah Woodard grand slam with one out in the third inning to give the Lady Flames (47-12) the necessary cushion to initiate the run rule. Liberty had loaded the bases for the third-straight inning, leading to a relief appearance by Kat Carter. Woodard gave Carter’s first pitch a ride to clear the bags and put her team ahead 8-0.
 
CUSA Pitcher of the Year Elena Escobar (22-3) added CUSA Championship MVP to her trophy case after going 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA, 20 strikeouts and just four walks this week. She saved her most efficient performance for Saturday, striking out nine with no walks and allowing just two hits in a shutout.
 
Nearly 15 hours after she recorded the final out of a 10-inning complete game effort, CUSA Pitcher of the Year Elena Escobar showed no signs of wear by striking out six-straight batters after giving up a leadoff single to Emma Elrod.
 
The Lady Flames jumped out to an early lead in the opening frame after loading the bases with no outs and driving in a pair on a Brooke Roberts sac fly and an RBI single from Paige Doerr.
 
In the second inning, Liberty drew three-straight walks – the last of which came with the bases loaded to extend the lead to three.
 
The scoring run continued into the third inning, when KK Madrey reached on a single and worked her way around the bases before scoring on a Rachel Craine single to push the lead to 4-0.
 
Liberty will learn its regional placement on the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Selection Show at 6 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN2.
 
2025 CUSA Softball All-Tournament Team
C: Makalyn Kyser, Jax State
DP: Amber Reed, Jax State
IF: Savannah Woodard, Liberty
IF: Claire Raley, LA Tech
IF: Reagan Marchant, LA Tech
IF: Annie White, WKU
OF: Paige Doerr, Liberty
OF: KK Madrey, Liberty
OF: Emma Elrod, Jax State
P: Elena Escobar, Liberty (MVP)
P: Kat Carter, Jax State
P: Alyssa Martin, LA Tech