LEWISTON, Idaho - Faulkner starter Jack Charleston was brilliant once again, scattering seven hits in a complete-game performance as the Eagles knocked off Vanguard (Calif.) 4-1 here Saturday at Harris Field to move into the winners' bracket of the 59th annual Avista-NAIA World Series.

The second-seeded Eagles (49-13) will now face sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle (Fla.), which won its opener Friday over Tabor (Kan.), Monday afternoon at 5 central time. Vanguard (39-21) will battle for its post-season life Monday morning at 11 central against St. Thomas (Fla.) in the double-elimination event.

Faulkner managed just seven hits of its own against three Lion pitchers, but three of them came in a decisive second inning that saw the Eagles score three times. It was more than enough for Charleston (10-1), who got stronger as the game went on. The sophomore right-hander allowed only three hits over the last six innings and retired Vanguard in order in the ninth to end it. For the game, the Gainesville, Fla., native struck out four and did not walk a batter.

"This was just so exciting, I really don't have many words to describe it," Charleston said. "I just pitched to contact and allowed our defense to take care of things behind me. Vanguard has a good-hitting team, and they were hitting some balls hard. I just knew I had to keep it down and find my spots, and we'd be alright. I was able to settle in and do that.

"Once we got ahead early, I think all of us calmed down a little."

Nick Cain had three hits, scored a run and drove in another to pace the Faulkner attack. Dennis Morton and Cody Sos each had RBI base hits, while Edgar Figueroa added a hit and scored a run. Charleston was the beneficiary of three double plays by the Eagle defense.

"Our guys were a little tight, but that's understandable with it being our first game of the tournament," said Faulkner head coach Patrick McCarthy, referring to the fact that the Lions had already played a game - a 3-1 victory over Lindsey Wilson Friday. "I know our guys were chomping at the bit to play a game, having been here three days already. It's so important to win that first game because I think it allows your guys to settle down a bit and relax.

"As far as Jack, well, he was Jack. He's a horse, and we rode him. I thought we squared up on some balls today that the wind held up, so I was pretty pleased with how we swung the bats too."

After Charleston wiggled his way out of a mini-jam in the bottom of the first, the Eagles jumped on top in the second. Randy Joung opened the inning with a walk, and scored when Lion rightfielder Brock Eissman misplayed a single by Figuera, who made it all the way to third on the error. Cain then followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0, and he later scored on a Sos single for a 3-0 Faulkner advantage.

The Eagles added to their lead in the sixth. Robert Llera doubled with one out, and courtesy runner Greg Howard scored one out later on Morton's single to center that resulted in a 4-0 Faulkner lead. A walk to Figueroa chased Vanguard starter Scott Torrey (6-2), bringing on Marshall McKinnon. The senior right-hander, after surrendering Cain's third hit of the game to load the bases, prevented any further damage by coaxing Sos into a fielder's choice ground out to end the inning.

The Lions got the run right back in the bottom half of the inning, with Brandon Sandoval leading off the frame with his third straight single. After stealing second, he moved to third on a misplayed grounder by Eagle second baseman Dario Polanco. With runners at the corners and nobody out, Charleston got Eismann to hit a ground ball toward second that Figueroa fielded, stepped on the bag for one out and then threw to Sos at first for a double play. Sandoval scored, but Charleston retired the next batter to close the threat.

Charleston allowed only two more baserunners the rest of the way, allowing the Eagles to win their World Series opener for the second straight year. Sandoval finished the night with four hits for the Lions, with the other three coming from three different players.