TIFTON, Ga. - Faulkner rallied late around the relief work of
Lana Atkins to salvage a split on the road against Abraham Baldwin Saturday in the first two meetings against the Fillies with four runs in the last three innings.
ABRAHAM BALDWIN 2, FAULKNER 1
Faulkner found just five base runners in the first game in Tifton and could not overcome a couple of early miscues that allowed ABAC to take the early lead. In the first, a leadoff walk came back to roost as a two out single scored the first run and an error on the second inning came around with two outs again to make it 2-0.
The Lady Eagles' bats went cold after back-to-back singles in the second inning from
Kensley Wesley and
Abby Terrell with just
Madelyn Becker being hit by a pitch to interrupt what otherwise would have been 11 straight batters retired until
Anna Catherine Segrest's single sparked a rally in the sixth.
Addyson Jarman followed with a double to score Segrest before advancing to third the next at bat, but Faulkner could not find the other 60 feet needed to tie it up.
Reece Patterson allowed just one earned run with a couple of strikeouts while taking an unlucky loss in the circle.
FAULKNER 5, ABRAHAM BALDWIN 1
The Lady Eagles found plenty of traffic early but could not find the big inning to pull ahead until late but
Lana Atkins entered in the first inning again and put in work for the second straight day and did enough for the late runs to turn into the win. Atkins allowed one batter over the minimum in her outing.
Abraham Baldwin loaded the bases in the first inning when Atkins entered and walked the first batter for the Fillies to take the lead but the damage stopped there. In the top of the second, Faulkner loaded the bases but could not get a run home. In the third, Segrest and Becker got singles and Wesley drew a walk when Terrell drove in the tying run.
ABAC tried to answer back with a leadoff single, but was later doubled up to end the inning. It was the only hit Atkins gave up and would be the last base runner of the game for the hosts. Becker singled again, continuing a torrid weekend and was pinch run for by
Eavie Polk. The move paid off with a sacrifice and a groundout got Polk to third where
Sarah Williams singled the eventual game winning run home.
Campbell Hecklinski took advantage of a couple of Fillie miscues before coming in on a Jarman sacrifice fly with Wesley driving in
Chloe Davidson who reached earlier on a single to take a 4-1 lead in the sixth.
Hecklinski drove in Williams in the seventh to add the finishing touches.
Atkins worked six three-up, three-down innings while striking out five.
Faulkner sits in a tie for fourth with Mobile one game ahead of William Carey.
The Lady Eagles welcome US Sports Academy to Wynn Field Tuesday afternoon for a nonconference doubleheader at 1 p.m.
