MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner dropped both sides of a SSAC doubleheader against Middle Georgia State Saturday.
MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE 8, FAULKNER 2
The Knights took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and stretched it to 5-0 in the top of the third. Faulkner got on the board in the home half of the third when
Campbell Hecklinski singled and came home on an
Addyson Jarman two-run homer to left. The Lady Eagles drew no closer as MGA added one in the fourth and two in the sixth for the 8-2 victory.
MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE 3, FAULKNER 2 (9 innings)
Faulkner dropped game two in controversial fashion as a disputed call resulted in the winning run crossing home in the top of the ninth. Madison Cosgrove tagged up and broke from second on a fly ball to center. An overthrow of third base allowed her to turn the corner and head home.
Madelyn Becker played the ball off the carom and fired home to catcher
Kensley Wesley, who caught the ball and dropped the glove in front of the plate. Cosgrove slid into home and appeared to make contact with the glove on the way, but the umpire declared that she swam by the tag and scored.
Faulkner originally took the lead in the third when Wesley singled through the left side to plate Jarman. MGA tied it in the fourth when Grace Avery singled to center to plate Carmen Phillips. Cosgrove reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth that allowed Caroline Albritton to score for the 3-2 lead.
The Lady Eagles rallied in the bottom of the seventh to tie it at three runs apiece as Becker hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate
Chloe Davidson. Second baseman
Kelbi Johnson preserved the neutral score in the eighth with a diving catch going toward the rightfield foul line. She held onto the ball as she hit the ground, popped up and fired to second to double off the runner that had left without tagging up. Faulkner got a walk in the eighth but could not push her into scoring position as she was caught stealing to end the inning. The Lady Eagles went in order in the ninth.
Despite taking the loss,
Hailey O'Brien turned in a workhorse performance as she threw 175 pitches and struck out eight batters over nine innings while allowing just one earned run.
Faulkner (16-10, 7-7 SSAC) travels to face Point University Friday before heading to Abraham Baldwin Saturday.
