NEW ORLEANS - Nick Cain's three-run homer highlighted a six-run second inning and Phillip Anderson cruised to his fifth victory without a loss as No. 2 Faulkner beat Loyola 8-3 here Friday night in the opener of a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series.

The victory was Faulkner's nation-leading 25th of the season and its seventh in a row, improving its overall record to 25-3 and its SSAC mark to 9-1. With the loss Loyola falls to 14-14 overall and 3-10 in the league.

Cain's blast was followed by a two-run single from Chris Madera and a run-scoring double from Alexis Torres, and that was more than enough support for Anderson (5-0), who scattered seven hits and allowed all three Wolf Pack runs in seven innings of quality work. Alejandro Castro and Patrick McGrady each tossed hitless innings to close it out.

Madera, after drawing a walk, stole second and then scored on a wild throw to push the lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth. Loyola finally got to Anderson in its half of the fourth. A pair of hits by Rawlings Elam and Alexander Lorenzo to open the inning got things started for the Wolfpack, with Elam later scoring on a wild pitch and Lorenzo coming across on an infield ground out to cut the deficit to 7-2.

Joseph Kuchler's RBI single in the seventh brought Loyola to within 7-3, but that's as close as the hosts would come. Faulkner closed out the scoring when Junior Santos crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

Cain had three hits and the three RBIs to lead the Eagles' attack, while Torres added a pair of hits. Madera scored twice and drove in two runs for Faulkner.

The Eagles and the Wolf Pack square off in a doubleheader Saturday, with the first game set to start at 1 p.m.