LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Top-ranked Faulkner (29-3) utilized efficiency at the plate and on the bases to topple No. 6 Georgia Gwinnett (23-9) 7-1 in Game 1 of the three-event series here this evening.

Austin Paschke's double in the second inning drove in the first run of the ball game before John Price and T.J. Condon extended the advantage by two more runs on an base hit and sacrifice fly in the third inning, respectively.

The Grizzlies secured their lone run of the outing on an RBI knock in bottom of the third, but Faulkner was far from done.

A Ryan Rosa RBI double in the sixth and a score on a wild throw in the eighth pushed the lead to 5-1.

Reid Long and Oliveir Basabe then capped Faulkner's scoring efforts with RBIs on a single and sac fly in the team's final at-bat.

Faulkner produced its seven runs on nine hits while stealing six bases.

Ivan Pelaez (7-1) was nothing short of brilliant from the mound for the Eagles. The senior left-hander allowed just a single earned run on seven hits while striking out six batters and walking a pair over 8 1/3 innings.

Jose Agosto booked the final two outs of the game and tallied a strikeout.

The two teams will battle in doubleheader action beginning tomorrow at 2 p.m.