DECATUR, Ala. – Faulkner's opener in the 2023 SSAC Softball Championship Tournament ended in heartbreaking fashion Thursday morning as Stillman walked off a 2-1 victory over the Lady Eagles.
The decisive moment in the contest game with one away in the home half of the seventh inning. Following a Savannah Mayes single and a Anniston Jones sacrifice, Katelyn Lankford stepped in as a pinch hitter and singled to right center to drive in pinch runner Anna Johnson for the victory.
In a well-pitched game by both sides, the plate remained untouched until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Tigers broke through. Mackenzie Kirby hit a sacrifice fly to right that allowed Madison Bubel to tag up and reach home.
Gracie Pittman evened things up for Faulkner in the sixth when she doubled down the left field line to score
Chloe Davidson. Pittman appeared poised to score the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice before being thrown out at the plate.
Katelynn Inness (7-7) threw well in her first action in a month, striking out seven batters while allowing four hits and two earned runs over six and a third innings of work.
Faulkner (26-20) puts its season on the line Friday at noon in an elimination game.
