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Box Score 2 Faulkner (38-10, 21-3 SSAC) shelled Stillman to the tune of a combined 28-3 margin Saturday, wrapping up the SSAC sweep and sealing no worse than a tie for the regular season conference crown. The wins also guarantee Faulkner will be the No. 1 seed in the SSAC Tournament by virtue of the Eagles holding the tiebreaker over second place team Middle Georgia State.
FAULKNER 11, STILLMAN 1
After thrashing the Tigers 11-0 Friday night, Faulkner picked up Saturday where it left off. The Eagles scratched out a run in each of the first two innings for the early 2-0 lead. The big inning came in the second as the Eagles rallied for seven runs to put the game out of reach.
Hagen Holmstead (JR/Salt Lake City, Utah) hit a three-run homer to open the game up. Max Guzman (JR/Miami, Fla.) later blasted a first-pitch grand slam for the decisive blow. Myron Mebane (SR/Tallahassee, Fla.) went yard for a two-run shot in the fourth to set the final margin.
That was more than enough offense for Antonio Frias (JR/Panama City, Panama), who struck out 10 batters over five innings while allowing one hit. Jacob Hulcher (SR/Montgomery, Ala.) finished the game off with two innings while allowing one hit.
FAULKNER 17, STILLMAN 2
The offensive showcase continued in the second game Saturday as the Eagles hung seven runs in the first inning and three in the second to rush out to a 10-0 lead. Jacob Freeland (SR/Cape Coral, Fla.) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Marcus Ragan (SR/Vicksburg, Miss.) for the first run of the game. Te'kwaan Whyte (SR/Stone Mountain, Ga.) scored on a Troy Black (SO/Dayton, Ohio) single for the 2-0 lead. Guzman made it home on a Holmstead hit-by-pitch. Mebane singled in Freeland and Black scored on an error. Jonathan Villa (JR/Ensenada, Mexico)'s fielder's choice drove in Holmstead to make it 6-0 before Mebane scored on an error.
Guzman stroked a solo homer in the second. John Michael Mathews (JR/Birmingham, Ala.) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Black. Villa singled in Holmstead for the 10-0 advantage.
Ragan singled in Black and Mathews in the fourth for the 12-1 lead. Paulsen tripled in the sixth and scored on Freeland's sacrifice fly. Dejhard Kimbrough's grounder in the sixth scored Mike Battle (JR/Birmingham, Ala.). Whyte singled in Ben Hargis to push it to 15-2. Paulsen then blasted a two-run homer for the final runs.
Israel Fuentes (JR/Chino Hills, Calif.) started, going three innings while striking out four and scattering three hits. Zack Glines (JR/Dalton, Ga.) worked two scoreless innings. Brandon Suttles (SR/Panama City, Fla.) allowed one earned run in an inning of work. Alex Carrillo (SR/West Covina, Calif.) finished it with three strikeouts in the seventh.
Faulkner outscored Stillman 39-3 in the series and hit a total of six home runs over the three games. The Eagles wrap up the regular season home slate Tuesday when they host Point University at 6 p.m.