MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A day after sweeping No. 23 Campbellsville, Faulkner softball split a doubleheader against a Brenau squad that is receiving votes in the national poll. The Lady Eagles were one disastrous inning away from a third consecutive sweep and six straight wins.
BRENAU 8, FAULKNER 6
The pivotal sequence in Faulkner's 8-6 loss to Brenau in game one came with two out in the second inning. After surrendering a leadoff single in top of the second,
Reece Patterson induced a flyball to center that
Addyson Jarman turned into a double play when she fired behind the runner retreating to first base. The Lady Tigers responded by getting the next nine batters on base as they plated eight runs with two away to take to 8-0 lead.
Faulkner started to get back into it in the home half when
Abby Terrell doubled home
Madelyn Becker to make it 8-1.
Chloe Davidson singled home Terrell to draw it one run closer.
Anna Catherine Segrest later got
Kelbi Johnson and Davidson across with a two-run single to cut it to 8-4.
A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Johnson in the third got
Gracie Pittman across the dish before
Mandi Hart singled in Becker to narrow it to 8-6. The Lady Eagles had the bases loaded with only one away and the top of the order due up but failed to score again in the frame. Despite getting runners aboard, they scarcely threatened again over the duration of the contest. Pittman started the seventh with a single to get the tying run to the plate, but Faulkner could not get another hitter aboard.
Lana Atkins handed the relief efforts by turning in five and a third innings of scoreless work.
FAULKNER 11, BRENAU 3 (5 innings)
Game two started shaky for the Lady Eagles as Brenau plated two in the top of the first to take the early lead. Undaunted, Faulkner fired right back in the home half as Davidson started the inning with a single to center. She moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Segrest before Jarman launched a two-run homer to tie the game. Pittman singled to left before scoring on a Terrell single to center for the 3-2 lead.
Sarah Williams then dropped a single into left field before
Kensley Wesley doubled in Terrell for the 4-2 advantage.
Faulkner added on in the second when Pittman doubled in Davidson. Jarman scored on a Pittman single in the fourth to make it 6-2. Williams then singled to left to get Pittman home for the 7-2 lead. Hart scored on an error to push it to 8-2.
Brenau got one run back in the fifth to narrow it to 8-3 before the Lady Eagles put together a three-run burst in the fifth to end the game via the run rule. Jarman singled home Davidson before a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Becker got Segrest home to make it 10-2.
Eavie Polk popped out into foul territory on the first base side, allowing Jarman to tag up and score from third to end the game.
Hailey O'Brien (4-1) had a strong bounce-back performance after surrendering four hits and two runs in the first inning. She settled in and limited Brenau to eight hits and only two earned runs while issuing no walks over five innings of work.
Faulkner (10-2) travels to the Gulf Coast Invitational where it will play five games this weekend. The Lady Eagles open play Friday with a pair of first-time matchups as they take on Nelson University at 1:30 p.m. and Texas A&M-San Antonio at 3:45 p.m. Faulkner then faces William Woods at 1:30 p.m. Saturday before challenging Lindsey Wilson at 3:45 p.m. The Lady Eagles wrap the trip Sunday at 11:15 a.m. against No. 7 Central Methodist.
