COLUMBUS, Ga. - For the first time since 2009, Faulkner softball took the field for the NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic at the South Commons Complex in Columbus, Ga. With first pitch delayed more than three hours due to weather and opponents' previous games running long, the Lady Eagles (5-3) opened their stay in the event on Friday with a bang, taking their first lead of the tournament with a walkoff bases-clearing double by Chloe Davidson to knock off the No. 4 team in the NAIA in Georgia Gwinnett (7-8) before dropping the Field One nightcap to Johnson (Tenn.) (2-3).
Faulkner 2, #4 Georgia Gwinnett 1
The Lady Eagles were down to their last hope entering the seventh inning, in a game in which the 4th-ranked Grizzly defense, particularly the infielders, had let nothing get past them.
This one was a defensive showdown, starting with starting pitcher Addison Moseley inducing a groundball fielder's choice to escape a bases-loaded situation in the first inning. From there, the freshman from Opp, Ala., threw a trio of three-up-three-down innings and faced just one over the minimum in two more frames. She held the GGC bats to just two hits in 23 at-bats while striking out three and walking three with just an unearned run keeping her from a shutout. It proved to be just enough to pick up a struggling Faulkner offense and earn her the first win of her college career in just her second complete game.
The only inning after the first in which Moseley faced five batters was the fourth, in which a leadoff single and consecutive groundouts advanced Sara Roussel to third base. Faulkner was set to get out of the inning unscathed until an error via a dropped popup scored Roussel. Moseley proceeded to force a grounder that she threw to first to escape down just one run.
It seemed that would be enough for the Grizzlies, however, as Tatum Helsom held Faulkner to two hits through five innings, and the rest of the defense kept reading the Eagle bats like a book. Faulkner found some foothold in the sixth with two hits before coming up empty once again. After conceding a leadoff walk, Moseley battled and produced a groundout and a pair of fielder's choices to leave the score 1-0.
From there, the bats finally came to life. Abby Terrell started the bottom of the seventh with a hard-hit single to Helsom before Kelbi Johnson got on and advanced her right fielder to second as Helsom mishandled a ball to almost the same spot. A popup and strikeout made things look bleak once more with leadoff hitter Davidson stepping to the plate. A wild pitch advanced the runners 60 feet, which would come back to bite GGC. Davidson then delivered a beauty over the head of the center fielder to complete the incredible comeback. The senior second baseman finished as the only Lady Eagle with more than one hit, coming up with two in the final two frames and the only two RBI.
Johnson 4, Faulkner 2
Fresh off the walkoff, Davidson kept the party going as she led off Game 2 with a home run to deep right. However, Anna Catherine Segrest, Addyson Jarman and Madelyn Becker all struck out in short order as Alyssa Nicely went the whole way for Johnson in the circle and threw a gem, tallying 13 Ks with just four walks, two hits and two runs on 23 at-bats for her first win of the season.
The Lady Royals responded with a pair of leadoff hits. A groundout and a third single gave the Appalachian Athletic Conference side a 2-1 lead. In the third, Nicely worked around consecutive walks to strike out three once more. Then, in the bottom half, Reece Patterson forced a pair of groundouts, assisting the second one to Davidson at second and Kelbi Johnson at first.
After conceding a single and a reach on a fielding error at third, Patterson induced a lineout to Davidson to keep the damage at a minimum. However, in the next frame, Kadie Presley reached on a bunt to Patterson before stealing second, advancing to third on a flyout and scoring on a Reese Burns single. After a leadoff hit in the fifth, Patterson gave way to Abrianna Davis, who sat down the required three via groundout, flyout and fielder's choice, but not before an Autumn Caywood RBI double made the score 4-1.
Segrest laced a double down the left field line to open the sixth. Nicely proceeded to strike out Jarman before plunking Becker. Sarah Williams then flew out to right, and the Lady Royals made an unsuccessful attempt to tag Becker out heading second, allowing Segrest to come all the way around and get a run back. Nicely answered once again by getting Terrell swinging. Davis then worked around a pair of walks in the bottom half as she struck out two and forced a flyout to Abbie Davis in right field.
After yet another strikeout by Nicely on Avery Goff, Abbie Davis showed patience and walked before a popup and flyout sealed the upset win for the Lady Royals. The loss was the first for Patterson this year, as eight hits and four earned runs went on her record with a strikeout in four innings. Abrianna Davis helped steady the ship with a pair of strikeouts and one hit in two innings, but it wasn't enough.
The Lady Eagles are back at it today at 1:30 CT against No. 15 Reinhardt, who took down GGC 4-2 in the window before Faulkner played the Grizzlies, and at 4 pm versus (RV) Campbellsville.
