MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner used another Antonio Frias gem and big rallies in three innings to beat Middle Georgia State 18-2 Thursday night. The Eagles sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second to score seven runs. Shawn Ross drilled a double to left-center to score Justice Lucas, Sam Anthony and Isaiah Brooks for the 3-0 lead. Isaac Philips then doubled home Ross to push the lead to 4-0. John Michael Mathews later singled in Alex Arauz and Phillips to push it to 6-0 before making his way home later in the inning.

Faulkner carried a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth when it sent 10 players to the dish again. A bases-loaded walk to Tommy Reyes-Cruz scored Arauz before Lucas coaxed a free pass of his own to score Phillips. Justin Lara singled home John Michael Mathews before a hit-by-pitch on Jonathan Villa pushed Reyes-Cruz home. Lucas later scored the final run of the inning to make it 12-1.

Faulkner pushed the game completely out of reach in the fifth when it sent 11 men to the plate to score six more runs. Phillips tripled and scored on a Mathews RBI grounder. Anthony later hit a grounder to plate Reyes-Cruz before Isaiah Brooks scored on an error. Bo Seccombe drove in Lara with a single. Nes Tavarez singled in Kelton Pilkinton before Tyler Paulsen's grounder plated Seccombe.

For his part, Frias (9-0) worked six innings of one-run ball while walking two and striking out five.  

Faulkner (31-6, 15-4 SSAC) hosts Middle Georgia State for games two and three of the series Friday beginning at 1 p.m.