MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Chris Madera had three hits, including one of three Faulkner solo home runs, and added four RBIs as the top-ranked Eagles held off Bethel 7-4 here Friday night in the opener of a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series at Harrison Field

Faulkner, which also got solo shots from Nick Cain and Mike Correa, improved to 33-7 overall and 15-4 in the SSAC. The Wildcats dropped to 9-18 overall and 6-9 in the league.

The Eagles jumped on top in the second, with Cain's solo home run staking Faulkner to a 1-0 lead. Cody Sos then singled and after Alexis Torres walked, Madera doubled into the gap in left-center field to drive in two runs to push the advantage to 3-0.

Bethel scratched back in it in the top of the fifth. Michael Brasili's RBI double made it 3-1, and Kendall Adkisson's run-scoring single trimmed the Faulkner lead to one. Faulkner answered in its half of the inning, getting both runs back. Madera homered to make it 4-2, and Edgar Figueroa's run-scoring single gave the Eagles a three-run lead again.

The Wildcats scored twice in the eighth to pull to within a run. Adkisson was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Wes Warren followed with a bunt single to chase Arche. Reliever Patrick McGrady's pick-off attempt got away at first, allowing Adkisson to score. Sam Seaton's double one out later drove in Warren and the Faulkner lead was trimmed to 5-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, however, the Eagles added a couple of insurance runs. Correa's pinch-ht line drive home run over the left field wall made it 6-4, and Madera's two-out single resulted in his fourth RBI of the night. The senior center fielder had three hits on the night, while Robert Llera and Sos added two hits apiece.

"We scratched one out tonight, and obviously we relied on the long ball a bit," Faulkner head coach Patrick McCarthy said. "Chris played an incredible game, and it was great to see Nick and Mike get home runs too. I thought Correa's homer was key after they'd cut the lead back to one."

Arche, who scattered eight hits and allowed four runs in seven-plus innings of work, earned the victory to improve to 8-1 on the season. John Woodard, who allowed 11 hits but did strike out 12 Eagle batters, took the loss for the Wildcats to drop to 2-5. Alejando Castro retired all four batters he faced to earn his fourth save.

Faulkner and Bethel will conclude the series Saturday with a doubleheader at Harrison Field. The first game is set for a noon start.