The Liberty softball team has been invited to compete in the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational, Feb. 13-16. The Lady Flames will face three 2019 Women’s College World Series competitors, including defending national champion UCLA, while also taking on Missouri and 2018 national champion Florida State.
The tournament, held at Eddie C. Moore Complex, showcases some of the best teams in NCAA Division I softball. Select games will be broadcast nationally on the ESPN family of networks.
The opponents that Liberty will face at the tournament have an average end-of-season RPI from 2018 of eight, in UCLA (2), Washington (3), Florida State (5), Alabama (6) and Missouri (26). The Lady Flames will meet the last two national champions in back-to-back games to close out the invitational.
Liberty went 40-22 last season, finishing second in ASUN standings at 16-5 in its first year in the conference. The Lady Flames swept through the Lynchburg Regional to claim their second NISC Regional title, earning a spot in the NISC Championship Round. Liberty returns three-time All-Region second baseman Amber Bishop and two-time All-Region selection Autumn Bishop among a talented group of returnees. The Lady Flames, who graduated eight players in 2019, welcome 10 freshmen and junior college transfer Megan Johnson.
Liberty’s full 2020 season schedule will be released later this fall.