PULASKI, Tenn. - Chris Madera's two-run single in the top of the seventh tied it and Randy Joung followed with a single that gave Faulkner the lead, as the second-ranked Eagles battled from behind to edge Martin Methodist 5-3 here Friday evening in the first game of a Southern States Athletic Conference series at the East Campus Baseball Complex.

The Eagles (31-5 overall, 13-3 SSAC) trailed 3-1 heading into the decisive inning, but got the back-to-back, two-out hits gave Faulkner the lead for good. Patrick McCarthy's team added an insurance run in the eighth on a wild pitch. Faulkner starter Victor Arche won his sixth game of the season against only one loss, allowing just two earned runs and six hits in seven innings of work.

Alejandro Castro worked the final two innings, escaping a two-base runner jam in the ninth to earn his fourth save. Jake Shadix (0-1) took the loss for the RedHawks, who fell to 16-8 overall and 6-6 in the SSAC.

Madera and Joung both had two hits and two RBIs, with Madera scoring a pair of runs as well. Dennis Morton also had a pair of hits for the Eagles. Seth Staggs had two hits for Martin Methodist, which also got a solo home run in the sixth inning from Pat Lecroy that gave the RedHawks the 3-1 lead.

The series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader set to begin at noon.