ATHENS, Tenn. - Top-ranked Faulkner (36-7) erupted early taking a sizable lead, but a six-run eighth inning by No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan (30-12) was more than enough to sever a late-game stalemate and catapult the home team into an 18-12 victory here this evening.

The Eagles held a 6-0 advantage after their first two at-bats, a scoring explosion anchored in part by homers from T.J. Condon and John Price.

The home team answered in with five runs on three hits in the bottom of the second frame, however, transitioning the once lopsided contest into a back and forth battle that carried though seven innings. 

The Bulldogs delivered five home runs in the game, but none bigger than the two bombs in the eighth inning that ushered in five of the team's final six runs.

Dan Ward ultimately proved the determining factor in the outcome after driving in six runs on three homers he produced in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings. He was 4-for-6 on the night.

Condon was 4-for-6 with two RBIs and a run and Price had two hits, one RBI and scored twice.

Olivier Basabe went 3-for-4 for, knocked in a run and scored.

Paolo Montezuma, Reid Long and Austin Paschke each had two hits in the game. Long scored twice, Pashchke knocked in a pair and Montezuma offered up the same numbers in both columns.

Both teams worked extensively in the bullpen with Faulkner utilizing seven arms overall in the outing while Tennessee Wesleyan tossed six.

Junior Ramirez got the start for the Eagles and allowed five earned runs on a pair of hits in 1 1/3 innings of work.

The loss fell on Tra'mayne Holmes who allowed three earned runs on four hits over the same span on the mound beginning with the final out in the sixth inning.

Kolby Green, Jose Agosto, Braden Olive, Long and Austin Moreland also made appearances from the middle of the diamond.

Faulkner resumes Southern States Athletic Conference play this weekend when it travels to McKenzie, Tennessee, to take on Bethel. The three-game series starts at 5 p.m. on Friday with a doubleheader following at 1 p.m. on Saturday.