MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner softball opened the 2025 season Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of in-state foe Oakwood. The Lady Eagles got the pair of wins on the strength of complete game performances from Reece Patterson and Hailey O'Brien.
FAULKNER 3, OAKWOOD 0
Anna Catherine Segrest scored the first run of the season for the Lady Eagles when she made it home in the bottom of the first. She swiped third on the front end of a double steal with Addyson Jarman as the trail runner. An errant throw from the catcher allowed Segrest to make it in for the 1-0 lead.
After being handed the lead, Patterson walked the first batter she faced in the second inning before locking in. She proceeded to retire 11 consecutive hitters before surrendering an infield single in the fifth.
The Lady Eagle bats rewarded their hurler in the home half of the inning by hanging two insurance runs. Chloe Davidson singled to center before Segrest followed with another to right field. When Jarman reached on an error, Davidson and Segrest each scored for the 3-0 lead.
That proved plenty for Patterson as she retired the side in order in the sixth and worked around a leadoff double in the seventh with a strikeout and a game-ending double play.
Faulkner recorded six hits in the game, with Segrest and Jarman accounting for two each. Abby Terrell also had a basehit for Faulkner.
Patterson (1-0) scattered three hits and two walks over seven innings of shutout work. She also struck out five while throwing only 81 pitches.
FAULKNER 8, OAKWOOD 2
Game two shaped up entirely differently for Faulkner as Oakwood got the leadoff hitter aboard and home in the first inning to go up 1-0. The Ambassador advantage proved short-lived as Faulkner fired back in the home half of the frame.
Davidson opened the bottom half of the first with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Segrest. Jarman absorbed a hit-by-pitch before the Lady Eagles executed a double steal. Sarah Williams later roped a single to center to drive in the pair and put Faulkner up 2-1.
From there, O'Brien looked little short of dominant. She struck out the side in the second inning and one more to start the third, recording her first seven outs of the game via the "K".
The run support continued to flow in the bottom of the second as Faulkner hung a three-spot. Davidson reached on a fielder's choice and stole second before scoring on Segrest's double. Jarman singled home Segrest to make it 4-1. Kensley Wesley then singled to third to plate Jarman for the 5-1 margin.
Faulkner added on in the fourth as Davidson singled and stole second before advancing to third on a Jarman single. The duo then pulled off a delayed double steal that plated Davidson. Williams then singled home Jarman for the 7-1. The Lady Eagles tacked on one more in the fifth as Eavie Polk reached by hit-by-pitch and scored on a Jarman single.
Faulkner totaled 11 hits in the game with three apiece from Davidson and Jarman pacing the field. Williams had two hits while Segrest, Wesley and Allie Wesmer had one each.
O'Brien (1-0) shined for seven innings in the circle, scattering four hits and issuing no walks while striking out 11 for the victory.
Faulkner (2-0) opens SSAC play this weekend when it travels to Tennessee Southern for a doubleheader Friday and to Blue Mountain Christian for a doubleheader Saturday.
