Box Score

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – When Eastern Kentucky and Liberty met on Friday the two teams combined for 23 runs. On Sunday the two teams totaled only five runs. Liberty scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to squeeze out a 3-2 victory in the consolation game at the Campus Suites Spartan Classic hosted by the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Eastern Kentucky (0-4) plated the game’s first run in the first inning. Diane Gallagher led off with a single to left field. She stole second and third base, and then scored on a ground out by Raquel Howes. Liberty (3-2) responded in the bottom half of the inning and took a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

The Colonels tied the score in the fourth on an RBI double by senior Jena Handley. A lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh got the winning run on base for Liberty. With two outs and the runner at second, Danielle Howard doubled down the left field line to plate the game-winner.

Junior transfer Noelani Esperas (0-2) allowed three runs on six hits over six and two-thirds innings of work for Eastern Kentucky. She struck out four.

Handley earned a spot on the all-tournament team after batting .333 with seven RBIs in four tournament games.

The Colonels will return to South Carolina next weekend for the Kickin’ Chicken Classic hosted by Coastal Carolina. EKU will play Jacksonville on Friday at 11 a.m., and Canisius at 1:45 p.m.