MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The United States Sports University softball team fell 8-0 in game one before taking game two 5-2 against No. 25 Faulkner in Saturday's doubleheader at Wynn Field.
 
Game One | Faulkner 8, USSU 0
Faulkner (18-7) broke a scoreless tie in the second inning on an RBI single by Chloe Davidson to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Eagles (7-14) threatened in the second, drawing two walks and advancing a runner to third, but Faulkner escaped the inning with a double play to keep USSU off the board.
 
The game remained 1-0 until the fifth when Faulkner erupted for six runs. Addyson Jarman delivered an RBI double, Sarah Williams followed with an RBI single and Abby Terrell added an RBI double. Abrianna Davis drove in a run on a fielder's choice before Campbell Hecklinski capped the inning with a two-run single to extend the lead to 7-0.
 
Faulkner added one more in the sixth on an RBI single by Madelyn Becker to close the scoring.
 
Aralee Beene recorded the lone hit for the Eagles, finishing 1-for-2.
 
Breana Barnes (3-6) took the loss, allowing eight runs on 13 hits over 5.1 innings.
 
Game Two | USSU 5, Faulkner 2
USSU opened the scoring in the third inning. Morgan Courtney singled and later scored on an RBI double by Kassidy (Rowdy) New. Beene followed with an RBI groundout to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
 
Faulkner answered with two runs in the fifth, capitalizing on a pair of errors to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The game remained tied until the ninth when the Eagles broke through with three runs. Irina Sanford doubled and scored on an RBI single by New. Beene followed with a single, and Victoria Nunez reached on an error that allowed another run to score. Isabelle Calagaz added an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-2.
 
New led the Eagles with three hits and two RBIs while Beene added a hit and an RBI. Sanford scored twice and Calagaz drove in a run as USSU totaled nine hits.
 
Ryleigh Merritt (4-5) earned the win, tossing a complete game while allowing two unearned runs on four hits with eight walks and three strikeouts.
 
Up Next
The Eagles travel to play John Melvin Christian College (Winter Park) in a three-game series March 24-25.
 
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