HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – A five-run top of the sixth inning for Liberty, including back-to-back-to-back home runs, pushed the Flames past James Madison softball, 9-8, on Tuesday evening at Veterans Memorial Park.
JMU (12-11) finished with eight runs on 11 hits and no errors, while Liberty (8-15) recorded nine runs on five hits and zero errors.
Kylee Gleason led the Dukes at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing, her first three-hit outing of the 2026 season. Emily LeGrand finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, while Kendra Lewis swatted her team-leading sixth long ball of the campaign.
Alexia Carrasquillo, Savannah Jessee, and Brynn McManus all hit home runs for the Flames, with three of their five hits coming via the long ball. Camden Anders (3-1) picked up the win in the circle, going the final 3.1 innings.
How It Happened
Liberty 9, James Madison 8
• Liberty opened the game with three runs in the first inning to take an early 3–0 lead.
• The Dukes quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning. Payton List sparked the rally with a two-run double to right center, scoring LeGrand and Gleason.
• Moments later, Kira Ortega singled to center to bring List home and tie the game at 3–3.
• Liberty regained the lead in the third inning with a run to go ahead 4–3.
• JMU responded in the fourth with a big offensive frame. Kendra Lewis launched a two-run home run to right field, scoring Emma Jo Evans to give the Dukes a 5–4 advantage. Later in the inning, Kylee Gleason added an RBI single through the right side to plate Cali Legzdin, extending the lead to 6–4.
• Liberty surged back in the sixth inning, using three homers to take a 9-6 lead.
• In the seventh, LeGrand crushed a two-run homer to cut the deficit to 9–8, but the Dukes Madison could not complete the comeback.
The Dukes are set to open Sun Belt Conference play in Statesboro, Ga., against Georgia Southern. The three-game set will commence on Friday, March 13, at 6 p.m.
— JMU Athletics —
