MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner took both ends of a doubleheader Saturday to notch its first SSAC series win of the season in a sweep of Blue Mountain.

FAULKNER 7, BLUE MOUNTAIN 2

Despite mustering only three hits, Faulkner put together enough run support to back starting pitcher Heath Olive (SR/Birmingham, Ala.) for a 7-2 win in the day's first game. Olive struck out six batters over five innings of work while scattering five hits and allowing one earned run. Mike Battle (SR/Birmingham, Ala.) worked the final two scoreless frames to polish it off.

Shawn Ross (JR/Fajada, Puerto Rico) scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. He drew the first of four consecutive two-out walks. The last of which resulted in an RBI for Mario Moralez Jr. (JR/Houston, Texas)

Luke Miller singled to open the Blue Mountain half of the second and later scored on an Anyelo Sanchez grounder to tie the game. That proved only a brief reprieve for the Toppers as Faulkner retook the lead in the home half of the frame. Tommy Reyes-Cruz (JR/Quebec, British Columbia) and Justin Lara (SR/Coconut Creek, Fla.) each walked before scoring on a Ross single to put the Eagles up 3-1.

Deonteau Rieves reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the Topper part of the third inning and scored on a passed ball to narrow the gap to 3-2. The game stayed there until the bottom of the fifth when the Eagles scratched out three runs.

John Michael Mathews (SR/Birmingham, Ala.) absorbed a one-out hit-by-pitch to start the rally. He swiped second base and advanced to third on a Moralez fly to center. Mathews then made it home on a two-out error to move the Faulkner lead to 4-2.

Eriq White (SR/Snellville, Ga.) reached on the error and later stole second base. Reyes-Cruz followed with a single to right-center to plate White for the 5-2 lead. Villa later singled in Reyes-Cruz to set the lead at 6-2.

Faulkner found one more run in the sixth when Sam Anthony (SR/Columbus, Ga.) walked and gave way to pinch runner DeJhard Kimbrough (SR/Atlanta, Ga.) who later scored the final run of the game.

FAULKNER 7, BLUE MOUNTAIN 5

The Eagles finished off the sweep in the nightcap with a 7-5 win that came on the strength of standout performances by Villa and Collier Rutledge (JR/Sarasota, Fla.). That tandem combined for five hits and four RBIs in the victory.

Faulkner started the scoring with a three-run bottom of the second. Mathews opened the frame with a single and Reyes-Cruz followed suit two batters later. Rutledge doubled to left-center to drive in that duo for the 2-0 lead. Valla later singled home Rutledge to put Faulkner up 3-0.

Blue Mountain fired back in the third as Will Garriga doubled in Rieves and Isaac Williams to narrow the gap to 3-2. Miller later singled to plate Garriga and tie the game. The Toppers took the lead in the fourth as Noah Hill walked and later scored on a Williams grounder.

Faulkner bounced back in the home half of the fourth Trystin Raikes (SR/Ottawa, Ill.) singled and then scored on a Villa double to tie it. Villa gave way to Kimbrough as a courtesy runner. He stole third and later scored to put Faulkner back on top 5-4

The Eagles added to the lead in the sixth as Rutledge singled to left-center to open the frame before scoring on a Moralez walk. White helped the Eagles stretch the lead in the seventh when he took a hit-by-pitch and scored on a walk to Anthony.

Sanchez scored the final run of the game in the top of the eighth for Blue Mountain before Willy Taveras (JR/Bronx, N.Y.) slammed the door. He struck out two and scattered three hits while allowing no runs over two innings of work. Zack Glines (SR/Dalton, Ga.) got the win after striking out two and allowing one earned run over four innings of relief.

Faulkner (18-4, 4-2 SSAC) returns to action Friday when it hosts SSAC foe Martin Methodist at 6 p.m.