Faulkner swept 2018 Opening Round foe Talladega in a nonconference doubleheader Tuesday night at Harrison Field 5-4 and 11-1. 

Faulkner 5, Talladega 4

Troy Black (SO/Dayton, Ohio)'s walk-off single drove in John Michael Mathews (JR/Birmingham, Ala.) to take game one of the twinbill to halt a late rally from the visiting Tornadoes. Joseph Vargas (JR/Toja Balto, P.R.) turned in his best career performance in his first start in Faulkner blue. The lefty surrendered just two runs over five plus innings while allowing just four hits and a walk. 

Faulkner jumped to a quick 4-0 lead in the third inning. Te'kwaan Whyte (SR/Stone Mountain, Ga.) opened the scoring on heads-up baserunning scoring from first on a routine groundout gone wrong from Jacob Freeland (SR/Cape Coral, Fla.). With a hit-and-run on, Whyte rounded second easily by the time the ball was thrown from third to first to retire Freeland. Whyte took off for third when a wild throw from first allowed Whyte free passage home. 

Myron Mebane (SR/Tallahassee, Fla.) loaded the bases in the second inning outpacing a bunt single before Jonathan Villa (JR/Ensenada, Mexico) drove home Tyler Paulsen (JR/Jolliet, Ill.) on a groundout. Whyte found his RBI off a fielder's choice to plate Hagen Holmstead (JR/Salt Lake City, Utah).

Freeland's leadoff single, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Marcus Ragan (SR/Vicksburg, Miss.) set the stage for Troy Black to drive home the national player of the week in the thid inning to increase the Faulkner advantage to 4-0. 

The Tornadoes struck back with a run in the fourth. After a scoreless fifth, Talladega plated two in the sixth and one in the seventh to tie the game before Black ended the game with his walk-off single.

Heath Olive (JR/Birmingham, Ala.) picked up the win on the hill.

Faulkner 11, Talladega 1

Much like game one, Faulkner jumped to a 4-0 lead quickly in the contest, but were able to ice the game away with a late burst and excellent pitching. The Eagles scattered 13 hits while allowing just two from the guests. 

Mebane opened the scoring with an RBI single to score Freeland in the first. 

Freeland's infield single caused chaos once more in the second with two outs when Mike Battle (JR/Birmingham, Ala.) came home after the ball wasn't played quickly allowing more time for the speedy Battle to try to score from second. Battle was initially called out, but an appeal from head coach Patrick McCarthy initiated a conversation between the umpires regarding potential obstruction. After discussion, the umpires overturned the call and Faulkner continued the rally scoring two more on a Black single and an error on Talladega's second baseman. 

The fifth inning saw each team plate one run to set the score at 5-1. Faulkner delievered the knockout punch in the sixth with scoring six runs on six hits, a walk and an error highlighted by a double to left center from Ragan. 

Zack Glines (JR/Dalton, Ga.) was stellar in his first start for the Eagles allowing just one run and two hits over five innings while striking out three. Paulsen sealed the game with two innings of clean pitching, tallying two strikeouts and facing the minimum. 

Faulkner will return to SSAC play Friday against Loyola. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Harrison Field.