MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner stranded 18 runners Saturday as the No. 13 Crusaders swept Saturday's SSAC doubleheader 4-2 and 8-0.
William Carey 4, Faulkner 2
The Eagles faced one of the premier pitchers in the country in Haley Nations in Saturday's opener and scattered 11 hits, but left 12 runners on as they dropped the opener. Each of the first five innings Faulkner left multiple runners on board.Â
Brianna Cagle's one-out double to left-center in the fourth inning parlayed with
Taylor Eddy's infield single set the stage for
Kendall Bennett's sacrifice fly plating Cagle to start the scoring in the game. Before that point, the combination of
Meagan Schwieterman and Nations deserted 12 runners to keep everything square.
Leading off the fifth, Anna Grace Cooley drew first base on catcher's interference before scoring on Dee Dee West's bases-loaded groundout. Carley Kidder drove in two more with a one-out double to take the lead for good.Â
Faulkner got one back in the bottom half of the fifth with Cagle's single plating
Colby Adams.
Brooke Tanner's single started a two-out rally before scoring on an error after stealing second.Â
Schwieterman struck out two and allowed just three hits in 4.1 innings.
Katelynn Inness fanned five over 2.2 and allowed three hits.Â
William Carey 8, Faulkner 0 (6 innings)
A big fifth inning for the Crusaders highlighted by Mary Grace Turner's two-run blast over the left field fence run ruled the Lady Eagles for just the third time this season.Â
William Carey hit two singles, two doubles and a triple in the frame to go along with the homer to score five.Â
Turner scored the first run off of West's third inning double. Faulkner stranded two in the bottom half putting the total for game two to four by the third. Turner drove in another run in the sixth before West delivered the eventual game-ender on the next at bat.Â
Julianna Thames struck out two in 4.1 innings of work in the loss.Â
Shelbie Burbage and
Caity Jo Lee each finished the day with three hits between the two games.
Taylor Eddy, Cagle, and
Ashton Fielding each had two.Â
The Lady Eagles welcome Talladega Tuesday for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.