MOBILE, Ala. - Elvis Rodriguez smashed a two-run homer to break a tie in the top of the sixth inning to lift Faulkner to a 4-2 victory here Saturday afternoon over Spring Hill and a split of its Southern States Athletic Conference doubleheader at Stan Galle Field.

The Badgers won the first game 4-3 in extra innings. Saturday's split allowed the Eagles to take two-of-three games in the SSAC as they improved to 19-5 overall and 7-2 in the conference.

A Rodriguez RBI double and Esteban Paula's run-scoring single staked Faulkner to a 2-0 lead in the nightcap, but the Badgers (16-8 overall, 7-5 SSAC) touched up Eagles' starter Julian Esquibel for two runs in the bottom of the third to tie it. Mykol Sostarich homered with one out, and Taylor Eads doubled in the second run later in the inning for Spring Hill.

Paula began the Faulkner sixth with an infield single before Rodriguez provided the game-changer one out later. Patrick McGrady (4-0) earned the victory in relief for Faulkner, while Kurt Lipscomb earned his second save of the season. Jack Howard took the loss for Spring Hill.

In Game 1, scheduled for seven innings, Roy Moulder singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Badgers. Brian Sims and Eads singled off of Faulkner's Labradford Griffis to open the decisive rally and, after Griffis balked the runners to second and third, Kyle Freeman was intentionally walked. Moulder's base hit got by the Eagles' drawn in infield to end it.

Faulkner lost despite another strong pitching performance from Jeremy Holcombe, who had allowed only one run and two hits through five innings. With the Eagles on top 2-1, Spring Hill rallied. With one out in the sixth, Sostarich drew a walk, which was followed one out later by an Eads' homer to centerfield that gave Spring Hill a 3-2 advantage. 

The Eagles tied it in the top of the seventh, when Robert Llera doubled in Luis Sanchez, who had singled. The run was the first allowed all season by Badger closer Keller Douglas, who ended up with the victory after three innings of solid relief work.

Faulkner hosts Point Monday afternoon at 2 at Harrison Field.