JACKSON, Miss. - Top-ranked Faulkner relied on a four-run ninth inning to capture a 7-3 victory over Belhaven here Saturday in the nightcap of their Southern States Athletic Conference doubleheader and a sweep of their three-game series at Smith-Wills Stadium.

The Eagles (38-8 overall, 20-4 SSAC) won Saturday's opener 7-2. The pair of victories allowed Faulkner to stay within striking distance in the league standings of No. 14 Auburn Montgomery, which swept No. 22 Mobile this weekend. Next weekend Faulkner hosts Middle Georgia and AUM travels to Blue Mountain before the two teams meet at AUM in the regular season's final series April 23-24. The Warhawks currently have a three-game lead over the Eagles.

Faulkner trailed 3-0 in the second game before chipping away. Edgar Figueroa singled in Dennis Morton, who had doubled, with the Eagles first run in the fourth that trimmed the deficit to 3-1. Patrick McCarthy's team tied it in the seventh, with Randy Joung and Figueroa both supplying run-scoring base hits.

In the decisive ninth inning, Nick Cain and Chris Madera both had RBI singles and Cody Sos added a sacrifice fly to complete the comeback. After Faulkner starter Phillip Anderson lasted only 1.1 innnings and allowed all three Blazer runs, Eagle relievers Brian Bass and Alejandro Castro combined for 7.2 scoreless innings, scattering a combined seven hits. Castro pitched the final two innings to earn the victory, his third against only one defeat. Zach Osha took the loss to drop to 3-6 for Belhaven (28-20 overall, 10-16 SSAC).

Morton had three hits and two runs scored in Game 2, while Cain, Figueroa and Madera all added two hits apiece.

In the opener, Victor Arche (9-1) was again dominant on the mound for the Eagles, allowing two runs and seven hits in a complete-game victory in the seven-inning affair. And he got all the run support he'd need in the top of the first when Faulkner erupted for four runs. The Eagles took advantage of a pair of walks and a hit batsman in the inning, getting a run-scoring double from Joung and an RBI single from Cain to highlight the uprising.

After Belhaven cut the lead to 4-1 in its half of the first, Faulkner's Robert Llera singled in a run in the second to push the margin back to 5-1. Leading 5-2 in the seventh, Joung doubled in another run and Alexis Torres added a sacrifice fly to provide the final margin.

Joung had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs in the victory, while Llera added a pair of hits and RBIs. Madera also had two hits and scored twice for the Eagles.

Faulkner travels to Lawrenceville, Ga., Tuesday night to face No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. central time.