GULF SHORES, Ala. - Campbellsville softball eked out a 3-2 win in the opener on Day 2 of the Gulf Coast Classic against Faulkner, but could not close the deal, losing to No. 6 Belhaven, 4-3, in the nightcap.



Campbellsville 3, Faulkner 2

Campbellsville needed a single in the eighth by Emma Napier to slip by Faulkner University 3-2 Saturday night and avoid two losses in a row for only the second time this season.

The International Tie Breaker was in effect after the teams were tied at two apiece at the end of seven. Faulkner's Abbie Pierce lined into a double play in the top of the eighth to give CU an unencumbered opportunity at the win.

With Brooke Boils at second, Napier singled to center ... scoring Boils and ending the game.

Campbellsville (13-7) managed but five hits off Faulkner's Mattie Dotson. Three CU pitchers worked for the Lady Tigers, with Courtney Turpin picking up the win with two innings of no-hit ball. Martina Riney threw five frames of three-hit ball, but gave up four free passes. Taylor Wroe didn't give up a hit in one inning of work.

Two of Riney's walks helped accounted for Faulkner's two spot in the top of the fifth that tied the game at 2-2. Heather Smith doubled in two runs, one of only three hits for Faulkner (2-5).

CU got on the board in the third when Alyssa Barker singled, was sacrificed to second by Boils and scored when Kacie Vincent's grounder was misplayed. Barker scored on the play and Vincent took second. Kristin Benton's single pushed across the second run.

Other hits came from Jennifer England and a second single by Benton.

Belhaven 4, Campbellsville 3

The Lady Tigers out-hit Belhaven 10-8, but could not win the stat that mattered, losing 4-3.

Belhaven got on the board first with two runs in the first. That lead was good until the fourth when, after scoring a run in the second on a Courtney Turpin double, CU (13-8) scored again when Heather Oakley scored on a misplayed ball by Brooke Boils.

Belhaven tacked on two more runs in the fifth, but Campbellsville could not overcome the two-run deficit. Alyssa Barker doubled in Kara Reese, who was running for Kristin Benton, in the sixth.

The Lady Tigers had a runner on third with two outs in the seventh, but could not push across a score.

Turpin (6-6) took the loss with a seven-inning eight-hitter. She fanned five and walked two.

Oakley had three hits and Benton and Bailey Dillender two each. Emma Napier hit safely as well.

Campbellsville, with a 2-2 record in Gulf Coast Classic play, moves to Day 3 with games on Sunday against teams that will be announced later tonight, or early tomorrow.