MONTGOMERY, Ala. - After dropping the opener of the three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series to Mobile, top-ranked Faulkner rebounded with a pair of lopsided victories - the series clincher coming in an 11-3 rout Monday afternoon at Harrison Field.

The victory improved the Eagles' record to 31-7 overall and 14-4 in the league, and coupled with Brewton-Parker's split with Southern Poly Monday afternoon, gives Patrick McCarthy's team a 2 1/2 game lead over the Barons in the conference standings. Faulkner travels to Brewton-Parker next weekend for a key three-game SSAC series.

"The team responded again today, and if we keep winning series we'll be in good shape," McCarthy said. "We know we're getting everybody's best, and our guys are excited about the challenge that comes with that." 

Just as it had in the first two games of the series, Faulkner jumped out in front early, scoring twice in the second inning. Dauris Holguin doubled in the first run, and Luis Sanchez added a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Eagles' lead.

Faulkner increased its lead in the third, with Elvis Rodriguez's run-scoring single pushing the margin to 3-0. Holguin followed with a two-run single to extend the Eagles' lead to 5-0, chasing Mobile starter Jacob Knowles. Chris Madera welcomed Ram reliever Corey Hale with an opposite-field single, resulting in two more Faulkner runs and a 7-0 advantage through three innings of play.

Hale calmed the Faulkner storm for the next three innings, recording six strikeouts along the way. The Eagles finally got to the big left-hander in the seventh, with Madera's RBI double making it 8-0 and Paula's infield groundout with the bases loaded stretching it to 9-0. Rodriguez singled in the third run of the inning, ending Hale's afternoon with the Eagles on top 10-0.

Faulkner reliever Patrick McGrady relieved Kurt Lipscomb for the seventh, and he was touched up for two runs on three hits. Max Norwood pitched the eighth for the Eagles, allowing a run on two hits. Greg Howard singled in Faulkner's final run in the bottom of the eighth. Dustin Spruiell pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the Rams.

Lipscomb improved to 3-1 with the victory, scattering four hits and striking out two in six scoreless innings of work. Knowles took the loss for Mobile.

Faulkner travels to Talladega Tuesday to take on the Tornadoes in a doubleheader. The first game begins at 1 p.m.