MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner split a non-conference doubleheader Saturday, taking game one in run rule fashion before hitting just .129 as a team in a game two loss.
FAULKNER 8, USSU 0 (6 innings)
The Lady Eagles opened the doubleheader with a run-rule victory spurred by a six-run fifth inning. Faulkner opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when
Chloe Davidson singled home
Madelyn Becker for the 1-0 lead. That margin held until the fifth when
Addyson Jarman doubled in Davidson to push it to 2-0. At that point, the Lady Eagles were just getting started.
Sarah Williams singled to right to plate Jarman before
Abby Terrell's double to right center drove in
Abbie Davis.
Abrianna Davis later dropped down a bunt to get Becker home to make it 5-0.
Campbell Hecklinski then singled to center to drive in Terrell and
Abrianna Davis for the 7-0 advantage. Faulkner ended the game in the sixth when Becker's single to center got
Mandi Hart home for the game-sealing run.
The effort was more than enough for
Reece Patterson, who entered in relief with runners on the corners and nobody out in the second inning. She struck out the first hitter she faced and induced a first-pitch groundball double play against her second hitter. Patterson never saw trouble again as she retired the first 11 batters she faced before giving up a leadoff single in the sixth. The runner never got past first base, allowing Patterson (6-1) to lower her season ERA to 1.11 and her WHIP to 0.99.
USSU 5, FAULKNER 2
Game two of the day told a much different tale as USSU's Ryleigh Merritt proved to be the dominant force. She faced the minimum through the first three innings before working around a pair of walks and an error in the fourth. Faulkner trailed 2-0 before it finally got its first hit. That moment occurred, in large part, because of an error allowed
Bailea Boone to reach to extend the inning. Davidson followed with a single to break up the no-hitter and drive in Boone. After a walk to
Anna Catherine Segrest, Jarman doubled to center to tie the game.
The Lady Eagles went on to draw a total of three walks in the sixth and seventh innings, but failed to push a run across. Becker singled to open the eighth and gave way to Hecklinski as a pinch runner. Merritt responded with a strikeout and a pair of pop-outs to end the threat.
USSU finally broke through in the ninth with a trio of runs to grab a 5-2 advantage. Boone singled to lead off the ninth ahead of a Davidson walk. With the tying run at the plate on three separate occasions, Merritt induced a strikeout, a fly out and a pop out to ice the win.
Faulkner (18-7, 4-2 SSAC) returns to conference action next weekend with a trip to No. 18 Mobile Friday and a visit to No. 22 William Carey Saturday.
