COLLEGE STATION, Texas. — The Liberty softball team picked up a stunning 8-5 victory over top-ranked Texas A&M, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, in the winners bracket final of an NCAA regional Saturday.
It was the first time Liberty ever upset the top-ranked team in the nation.
Liberty (49-12) advanced to Sunday’s finals of the double-elimination regional, with the Aggies (46-10) dropping into Saturday night’s losers bracket final.
It was the first time a No. 1 overall seed lost in a regional since Wisconsin beat Oklahoma in 2019. It was the first time since 2012 that a No. 1 overall seed lost prior to the regional finals.
Down 5-3, the Flames scored five runs in the sixth inning. Savanah Whatley scored on a passed ball. Alyssa Henault hit a two-RBI single to give Liberty a 6-5 lead. KK Madrey belted a two-run homer.
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SOFTBALL
UVa 12, Elon 0
Eden Bigham and Savanah Henley combined on a three-hitter Saturday to lead the Cavaliers (38-18) to a seven-inning win over Elon (33-21) in an NCAA regional elimination game in Columbia, S.C.
Jade Hylton (Bassett) hit a solo homer for UVa, which played North Florida in the losers bracket final Saturday night.
TRACK AND FIELD
Hokies, Cavs win ACC gold
Virginia Tech’s Caitlyn Bobb won the 400 meters Saturday at the ACC outdoor championships in Winston-Salem, N.C.
She had a time of 51.11 seconds, breaking the school and Bermuda national records that she had set in Friday’s prelims.
UVa’s Margot Appleton won the 1,500 meters (4:11.28).
Celia Rifaterra of UVa won the high jump (6-1 1/4), with teammate Carly Tarentino tying for second (5-10 3/4).
UVa’s Christiana Ellina won the javelin (172-0).
Maya Rollins of UVa was second in the 100 hurdles (13.42).
On the men’s side, Virginia Tech’s Christian Jackson won the 800 with a time of 1:44.83. He broke the meet, Tech and ACC records. Teammate Nick Plant was third (1:45.99).
Virginia Tech’s Uladzislau Puchko took second in the men’s discus (199-1), while Tech’s Conner McClure tied for second in the pole vault (17-5).
UVa’s Alex Sherman was third in the 400 hurdles (49.98).
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Gettysburg 18, W&L 10
Julia Daly scored four goals Saturday to lead the sixth-ranked Bullets past the ninth-ranked Generals (18-5) in the round of 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament in Lancaster, Penn.
W&L saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end.
BASEBALL
Longwood sweeps Radford
The host Lancers (14-38, 8-16 Big South) beat the Highlanders (27-26, 13-11) twice on Saturday to sweep the three-game series.
Longwood beat Radford 15-8 in a game that was suspended by rain in the sixth inning Friday and concluded Saturday.
The Lancers then won the series finale 4-2.
Fourth-seeded Radford will face fifth-seeded Winthrop in the Big South tournament at 11 a.m. Wednesday in High Point, N.C.
MEN’S TENNIS
TCU 4, UVa 3
Lui Maxted won in doubles and singles to lead No. 2 overall seed TCU (26-3) to an NCAA quarterfinal win over No. 7 overall seed UVa (23-8) on Friday night in Waco, Texas.
With the teams tied at 3, Duncan Chan beat Jangjun Kim 7-6 (7-1), 1-6, 6-4 at No. 6 singles to clinch the match for TCU.
