MONTGOMERY, Ala. - No. 5 Faulkner relied on two explosive innings and another strong performance from starting pitcher Phillip Anderson to blast Blue Mountain 12-0 here Friday in the opener of a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series at frigid Harrison Field.

The Eagles (12-1 overall, 3-1 SSAC) scored four runs in the third inning and six more in the sixth in support of Anderson (3-0), who scattered six hits in six innings of work in a game called after seven due to the 10-run rule. Colin McCrory (1-3) took the loss for Blue Mountain (7-5 overall, 1-3 SSAC), surrendering five earned runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

"It's always good to start a league series off with a victory," Faulkner head coach Patrick McCarthy said. "Blue Mountain has a good club, but were just able to take advantage of some situations in the game to score some runs. And Phillip was really good again."

In the third inning, Alexis Torres singled in two runs and Randy Joung added an RBI single of his own as the Eagles took charge and never looked back. After scoring a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings Faulkner supplied the knockout blow in the sixth, sending 11 batters to the plate against a pair of Topper relievers. Four walks and an error aided the Eagle uprising, with Joung's two-run double the big hit in the frame.

Anderson struck out five and walked only one in earning the victory, with Jackson Webb finishing Blue Mountain off by pitching a hitless seventh. Joung had three hits and four RBIs for Faulkner, which got a pair of hits apiece from Chris Madera and Cody Sos. Torres had three RBIs, while Madera and Junior Santos each scored twice.

The two teams play a Saturday doubleheader, with the first game set for a 1 p.m. first pitch.