Photo Gallery | 2026 CUSA Softball Championship Central
 
NEWARK, Del. – For the third straight year, No. 3 Liberty will play for a CUSA Softball Championship after the Lady Flames (29-27) upset top-seeded Jax State, 7-2, in Friday’s first semifinal at the Delaware Softball Diamond.
 
Starting pitcher Camden Anders (15-6) improved to 3-0 on the week, striking out eight batters in a complete-game effort. She carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout into the final frame before the regular-season champions got on the board.
 
Anders remained composed in key moments, escaping a bases loaded jam in the fourth after she walked one batter and plucked two more. She manufactured a strikeout of Makalyn Kyser and got Ashley Phillips to pop out in the infield to close the frame.
 
Jax State ace Makenna Moore (16-2) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on five hits in 4.0 innings of work.
 
The Lady Flames’ offense posted back-to-back three-run innings in the fourth and fifth innings. After Jax State outfielder Haleigh Cushingberry robbed Savannah Jessee of a potential leadoff home run, Dani Lee belted a three-run homer that was certain to get out that opened the scoring.
 
In the following inning, Brynn McManus tacked on another long ball to extend the lead to 5-0, and Jessee capped the scoring with a sac fly that marked her seventh RBI of the tournament.
 
The top-seeded Gamecocks (43-14) will face an elimination game this evening versus No. 2 WKU.