MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The final 2021 home series for Faulkner got off to a near disastrous start. However, a changeup at the mound and a combined 16 hits and 14 stolen bases sparked a major comeback and walk-off win over the Judson College Eagles in extra innings before the hosts run-ruled the visitors in the nightcap at Wynn Field.  

FAULKNER 7, JUDSON 6

Facing a full count with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning while trailing by one, Caity Jo Lee's single to right-center scored Taylor Eddy, in the final homestand of the latter's career, to tie Judson and send it to extra innings. After exchanging runs in the eighth and keeping Judson from a run in the ninth, Eddy's bunt pushed Shelbie Burbage, Faulkner's tiebreaking baserunner, to third. Kendall Bennett's single promptly scored Burbage to avoid an upset to a team that the Lady Eagles swept by a combined 31-1 last week in Marion, Ala., and have never lost to.

Nicole Morrison got the start at pitcher, but surrendered four hits and all of the visiting Eagles' runs in 3.2 innings. Charlie Sturdivant was hit by the first pitch of the contest and, following a Morrison catching error and an Ashley Duke walk that loaded the bases, scored with Laura Maguire's hit-by-pitch. Kaylen Holtzapfel then doubled her team's score on a fielder's choice that got Duke out. The home Eagles, meanwhile, claimed their first hit in the bottom of the third and still could not generate an answer.

Brianna Cagle's error in right field extended the top of the fourth, allowing Hannah Gibson to score. Anna Kate Moore and Sturdivant both reached home to stake Judson to a 5-0 lead, with four of the runs unearned. Morrison was then pulled for Katelyn Inness, who stayed for the remainder of the game, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Eddy responded with a single and stolen base, her first of four for the contest, before advancing to home off Kendall Bennett's grounder, and Ashton Fielding was then plated by Colby Adams's ground-out.

In the bottom of the sixth, with runners on second and third, Savannah Stamps walked Lee on a full 3-2 count to load the bases. Madison McKee then made base on a fielder's choice, but Fielding was forced out at home. Cagle ground out to second, leaving all three runners stranded.

Faulkner left two Judson batters on base to begin the home half of the seventh in a must-score situation. Burbage came alive with a single and two stolen bases, and Eddy's walk and stolen base combined with Bennett's walk loaded the bases. Fielding's sac fly plated Burbage before Tara Ammons was struck out to set up the tying sequence for Lee.

FAULKNER 11, JUDSON 2

The Lady Eagles learned their lesson from game one and made sure that the seniors in their final home game got a fitting sendoff.

Burbage opened the scoring, after walks and steals for her and Eddy, on Bennett's single. A wild pitch allowed Eddy to get home from third, before a wild throw by catcher Lucy Williams gave Bennett a window to claim the run. Erika Mitchell's RBI single to left brought Fielding home, and Morrison's single to the mound, resulting in an injury timeout for Stamps, scored Ammons before Judson had even tallied an out. Three more stolen bases from the duo of Burbage and Eddy opened the home half of the second, and each were scored by sac flies from Bennett and Fielding, respectively. Three consecutive walks in the third bottom frame loaded the diamond, leading the way for Bennett to double, narrowly missing a homer, and place Cagle, Kaileigh Harrison and Markie Hicks in the scoring column. Bennett later got her point off of Fielding to wrap up the scoring, and Coach Hal Wynn then substituted freely before Faulkner wrapped it up in the middle of the fifth.

Jeri Beasley manned the pitcher's mound in her final game at Wynn Field, allowing just four hits and one earned run. Fielding concluded her home career with 41 RBIs this season, while Bennett did the same with 33 RBIs, and five in the second game, for the 2021 campaign.

Faulkner (27-11) goes on the road to finish the regular season, with a doubleheader Friday at Mobile before a series at conference-leader William Carey on Saturday, leading up to the conference tournament in Decatur, Ala.