TIFTON, Ga. - Faulkner (23-12, 9-7 SSAC) rallied late to take Game Two after dropping the opener to Abraham Baldwin (16-20, 6-10 SSAC) at Filly Field on Friday afternoon.
ABAC 8, FAULKNER 6
The bats got going early for the hosts, rocking both Addison Moseley and Reece Patterson to the tune of 12 hits, seven earned runs and three walks. An error got the leadoff Filly batter on base, and Carter Gore launched a full-count offering from Moseley past the center field fence for a 2-0 lead. Kelbi Johnson and Bailea Boone would tie it up in the top of the third, as they doubled and singled their way on base and were plated by singles from Boone and Sarah Williams, respectively.
ABAC got the runs back on an RBI double and single, which in combination with a hit-by-pitch and a walk ended Moseley's day. Patterson ended the threat by inducing a fielder's choice and a groundout. Madelyn Becker led off the fourth with a walk, and after stealing third, she slid home on an errant throw by the catcher trying to catch Becker stealing. Johnson then drew a walk and tied the game back on a Chloe Davidson double.
ABAC would respond in the fifth, as Kinley Snider singled to lead off and would later score on an RBI single by Ava Roland. Patterson then helped turn a double play to Anna Catherine Segrest at second and Johnson at first to escape the inning trailing by just a run. In the sixth, Abrianna Davis singled and Johnson reached on an error, prompting a pitching change from starter Tess Rollins, who had surrendered seven hits and two walks, with just two of Faulkner's six runners being earned. Segrest would then regain the lead for the Lady Eagles with a single to left that scored Davis and Johnson.
The home bats responded once more in the bottom half, utilizing four singles to the outfield, two fielder's choices and a walk to tie the game and then take a two-score lead on a pair of RBI singles. Faulkner was unable to cash in on a fielding error in the seventh, as that was the only thing keeping ABAC and reliever Robby Vann from a three-up-three-down frame to seal the Game One win.
FAULKNER 6, ABAC 5
The Fillies got its first baserunner in Ansleigh Darby on base via error in Game Two as well, and she would come home on a Snider single. Avery Goff then led off the second inning with a single, where she would advance to third on an Abbie Davis sac bunt and a Johnson groundout before scampering home on a wild pitch. Bailea Boone promptly singled as well and would give her team the lead on a Segrest single.
The score remained unchanged until the fourth inning, when Abbie Davis doubled and Boone walked before Segrest singled them home to make it 4-1 and end starting pitcher Lindsey Paul's day with six hits, four earned runs and three walks. Segrest would advance two bases on wild pitches before reliever Chloe Stone settled in and struck out Addyson Jarman to end the half-inning. Two singles and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for ABAC in the bottom half before a grounder scored one and the throw from second to first on the attempted double play for Faulkner sailed high to get the Fillies within one. The batter then stole second and got to third on a wild pitch before starter Abrianna Davis struck out the side.
ABAC shut out Faulkner in the top of the fifth. Its offense promptly loaded the bases with a walk, a single and a hard-hit ball to third before Hal Wynn swapped out Davis and Davidson's spots in the infield. It wouldn't stop there for the Fillies, as a bases-loaded walk tied the game, and a sac fly gave them the lead before Davidson struck out the side. In the top of the sixth, the Lady Eagles put together their rally. Boone walked and stole second before coming home on a Davidson double and tying the game back. Jarman then connected for her first hit of the day at the best possible time to plate Davidson and give her team the lead for good as Faulkner twice stranded a single to preserve the split.
Davidson has her third win in as many appearances in the circle but her first in relief, as she pitched three innings with two hits, a walk and a strikeout. Davidson, Segrest and Goff each went 2-3 with a walk, as Segrest scored three of her team's five RBIs after a two-RBI performance in Game One. Boone scored a hit on her one at-bat as she walked twice and scored three runs.
Faulkner heads northeast as it takes on Brewton-Parker Christian tomorrow at 1 and 3 pm.
