GULF SHORES, Ala. - After earning a bye as the top seed in the Silver Bracket of the Gulf Coast Invitational late Saturday evening, Faulkner battled through Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 4-1 in the semifinals before knocking out No. 2 Lindsey Wilson in the title game with the same score.

The Lady Eagle pitching core was stellar throughout the six-game weekend and this afternoon's performances were crowing jewels in Faulkner's 5-1 showing.

Freshman Caitlin Perry (2-4) shredded the Culver-Stockton (4-4) offense with eight strikeouts while allowing just two hits and no earned runs.

Hayden Strickland (2-2) earned her second consecutive victory with her defensive mastery against the high octane Lindsey Wilson (11-5) offense. The junior scattered eight hits over seven innings and gave up no earned runs in the upset.

An infield error in the second inning of Game 1 allowed Faulkner to take a 1-0 lead before three RBI singles courtesy of Jessica Butterworth, Holli Brooks and Katie Goodson moved the team into a 4-0 cushion.

The Wildcats then delivered a single to hard right field that ushered in a run in the third. Culver-Stockton ultimately stranded a pair of runners in scoring position, however, as Perry's work in the circle wrecked any hope of maintaining an offensive tempo.

Armed with the victory, Faulkner went to work against one of the nation's top programs. The Blue Raiders struck in their first trip to the plate, but the remainder of the offensive production in the outing belonged to the Lady Eagles.

Faulkner crept into a narrow lead on a wild affair in the bottom of the first inning. Sophie Slemp dropped a short hit just beyond second base which left a pair of Lady Eagles scrambling between bases. A wild throw to third in an effort to get lead runner Makenzie Anthony struck her in the arm instead and ricocheted toward the Blue Raider dugout. Anthony never shifted gears as she rounded the base en route to her game-tying score. An additional run was then tallied on a base advance awarded when the ball rolled into the dugout and out of play.

Hannahlee Harris extended the lead in the second inning with an RBI single to right-center field.

Anthony's well-executed bunt scored an additional run while her speed delivered her safely to first base leaving an additional out to work with. The Lady Eagles continued to make contact at the plate but were unable to bring in the two remaining base occupants.

Lindsey Wilson did spark in the do-or-die seventh inning, but heads-up defensive work snuffed the fire before any damage was done.

Top offensive performances on the day included Brooks and Butterworth who were both 2-for-4 in the opener. Brooks scored twice and drove in a run while Butterworth had and RBI and a run.

Goodson was an impressive 3-for-3 against the Blue Raiders and scored.

Faulkner improved to 7-5 on the season and will next open Southern States Athletic Conference play when it hosts Middle Georgia State on Friday. The double header is slated for 2 p.m. at Wynn Field.