Faulkner's run in the 2019 Avista NAIA World Series was a brief one as the Eagles took an 11-8 loss to No. 21 Bellevue in an elimination game Saturday. Faulkner took an early 5-0 lead and then gave up 11 unanswered in the defeat.

The bulk of the Eagles' offense came in the top of the second inning. Sam Anthony (JR/Columbus, Ga.) reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a balk and stole third before finding his way home on a wild pitch. Te'kwaan Whyte (SR/Stone Mountain, Ga.) later singled in DeJhard Kimbrough (JR/Atlanta, Ga.) to make it 2-0. Jacob Freeland (SR/Cape Coral, Fla.) then doubled in Whyte and Marcus Ragan (SR/Vicksburg, Miss.) for the 4-0 lead. Hagen Holmstead (JR/Salt Lake City, Utah)'s single to right plated Freeland and the Eagles appeared to be in business.

As the rain poured down in the bottom of the second, the Bruins' offense obliged in opening the flood gates. Austin Alexander hit a two-run homer. J.T. Patterson drew a bases-loaded walk to force home Stuart Eurich. Brandon Sparks found his way home on a Cody Banks ground ball. Riley Baasch singled to right to drive in Banks and Kory Longaker to put Bellevue up 6-5.

The third proved no better for the Eagles. Bruin bats tallied five hits and five runs in the frame to put the game squarely in the rearview.

Still, Faulkner would not be without its chances. The Eagles put two runners on but failed to score in the fifth. Faulkner loaded them with one out in the sixth before grounding into a double play. John Michael Mathews (JR/Birmingham, Ala.) cashed in Troy Black (SO/Dayton, Ohio)'s leadoff walk with a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the seventh to narrow the gap to 11-6 but Faulkner stranded two more runners in the frame. The Eagles hit into another inning-ending double play in the eighth, their fourth twin-killing of the game.

The Eagles mounted one last stand in the ninth. Bo Seccombe (JR/Tallahassee, Fla.) drew a leadoff walk and gave way to Sam Anthony as a pinch runner. Mathews and Jonathan Villa (JR/Ensenada, Mexico) then stroked back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out. Ragan then drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Anthony, cutting the deficit to 11-7. Freeland singled to right to drive in Mathews and make it 11-8 but Faulkner could draw no closer.

Faulkner compiled 15 hits and 12 walks in the game, yet the Eagles stranded 15 baserunners against Bellevue and a total of 26 during their two-game tournament stay.

Faulkner ends the season at 49-12 after making its seventh consecutive appearance in the Avista NAIA World Series.