CLEVELAND, Ga. – In their long-anticipated season debut, the Faulkner Lady Eagles dropped both ends of a doubleheader to No. 14 Truett McConnell Saturday.

TMU 4, FAULKNER 3

The Lady Eagles fell behind 4-0 in game one of the day, committing five errors while issuing three walks and allowing four hits in a 4-3 loss. Jaden Morrison scored a pair of runs for Truett on what proved a two-hit day for her. Alicia Price singled and scored. Sara Sullivan singled and notched an RBI while Macey Dunaway also scored a run.

For its part, Faulkner got the offense going but struggled to cash in against Bethany Hyde, who limited the Lady Eagles to three runs despite their penchant for getting on base.

Ashton Fielding (SR/Rockford, Ala.), Abbigail Barron (SR/Panama City, Fla.) and Brianna Cagle (JR/Decatur, Ala.) scored the runs for Faulkner. Fielding, Taylor Parker (SR/Corner, Ala.) and Dakota Berry (SR/Milton, Fla.) had one RBI apiece. Faulkner tallied 10 hits and five walks in the loss.

Fielding and Barron had two hits each while Kendall Bennett (SR/Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.), Maggie Tipton (SR/Selma, Ala.), Madison McKee (SO/Wetumpka, Ala.), Julianne Wilkes (SR/Deatsville, Ala.), Parker and Berry each accounted for one hit.

Jeri Beasley (JR/Logan, Ala.) (0-1) took the loss, striking out four while scattering four hits and three walks in four innings of work. Bailey Whitfield (SO/Alabaster, Ala.) worked two perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts.

TMU 4, FAULKNER 2

The Lady Eagles fared little better in game two as they committed a pair of errors in a 4-2 loss. Bennett drove in Shelbie Burbage (JR/Prattville, Ala.) in the first inning and the fifth inning to account for both Faulkner runs. Barron notched two hits while Tara Ammons (JR/Prattville, Ala.), Burbage and Fielding each had one.

Truett got one run in the first and three in the second off Katelynn Inness (FR/Niceville, Fla.), who struck out two batters over four innings of work while allowing one earned run on three hits and five walks. Nicole Morrison (SO/Hueytown, Ala.) worked two scoreless innings while scattering a hit and two walks and striking out two.

Karley Hobbs made the Bears' offensive output stand up as she fanned four over seven innings while allowing five hits and four walks.

Faulkner (0-2) opens SSAC play Friday when its hosts Martin Methodist. The Lady Eagles are still working to reschedule their game with Talladega that was postponed last Thursday due to rain.