MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Thomas Dorminy and Jeremy Holcombe turned in excellent pitching performances as top-ranked Faulkner rolled past Talladega 8-1 and 9-4 in a doubleheader here Saturday afternoon to sweep the season-opening series at Harrison Field.

In the opening seven-inning game Dorminy, a junior left-hander from Lutz, Fla., allowed no runs on only four hits in five innings of work to grab the win against the Tornadoes, the champions of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference last season. In the nine-inning nightcap Holcombe, a senior right-hander from Mount Olive, went 6.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits as the Eagles battled from behind to capture the victory.

"It was a good weekend to start the season," said Faulkner head coach Patrick McCarthy of his top-ranked Eagles. "We pitched the ball well again, and got hits when we needed them. It'll start getting tougher from here."

Faulkner scored four runs in the second and three more in the third and were never headed in Game 1. The Eagles pounded out 10 hits, with Faulkner's Elvis Rodriguez hitting the game's only home run for one of his two hits in the game. Edgar Figueroa added a pair of hits and Esteban Paula contributed two RBIs to the Eagles' effort.

In Game 2 Faulkner fell behind 3-1 after three innings but scored in each of the next five innings to win going away. Chris Madera had two hits, including his first home run, while Rodriguez and Dauris Holguin each had two hits as well. Holguin also drove in three runs for the Eagles.

Faulkner welcomes three nationally-ranked teams to Montgomery next weekend. The Eagles play games against No. 4 Missouri Baptist, No. 15 Lindsey Wilson and No. 10 Cumberland at Harrison Field. Faulkner and Missouri Baptist get things started Friday at noon.

"We're excited about hosting three of the best teams in the country," McCarthy said. "We'll all find out how we stack up early in the season. It should be fun."