McKENZIE, Tenn. - After dropping three straight games for the first time in 14 months, top-ranked Faulkner (38-8, 14-4 SSAC) flipped the switch in this afternoon's Southern States Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of Bethel (22-19, 8-10 SSAC) winning 9-6 (7) and 14-2 clinching the series.

The Wildcats took Game 1 yesterday after the Eagles allowed the home team to overcome an early 7-1 deficit and today's opener felt eerily similar near the midway mark.

John Price capped a five-run Faulkner second inning with a two-run shot to right field before Paolo Montezuma did the same to center field in the third.

Bethel responded with a six-run fourth, however, cutting the Eagle lead to a single run. 

Faulkner never faltered, though, and tallied two more runs on a lone hit in the sixth inning. 

The Eagles tightened the defense further in the final game which proved to be a completely lopsided affair.

A fractured third inning allowed the visitors to connect for eight runs on three Wildcat errors and two hits, one of which was a two-run bomb to left field courtesy of Tra'mayne Holmes.

Bethel gained two runs in the bottom of the same inning, but Faulkner quickly snuffed the flame and kept the home offense silence for the remainder of the day. 

The Eagles, meanwhile, continued to pile figures into he scoring column.

After scratching straight numbers in the sixth and seventh frames, T.J. Condon punctuated the day with a three-run homer in the four-run ninth inning.

Tyler Tungate moved to 7-0 after allowing six earned runs on six hits while striking out six batters over 4 2/3 innings in the seven-inning opener.

Tylier Campbell tossed a clean slate for the remainder of the outing.

Israel Fuentes (8-0) went eight innings against the Wildcats and surrendered as many hits while striking out seven batters to remain unbeaten on the season.

Dustin Hagy threw a no-hit ninth.

Price was perfectly consistent at the plate going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run in each game.

Condon closed the second contest 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs while Olivier Basabe produce two hits and scored.

Faulkner returns home for its final non-conference matchup of the year against Talladega on Tuesday. The doubleheader is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Harrison Field.