Box Score Faulkner was not without its opportunities Monday but fell short of staying in the winners bracket as it fell 4-3 to No. 2 seed Central Methodist in the Avista NAIA World Series.

The Eagles of CMU took advantage of miscues in the top of the first inning as Deshawn Cole and Kenny Otero both were hit by a pitch. It appeared Faulkner starting pitcher July Sosa might work his way out of the jam without any damage as he retired the next two hitters. Mason Schwellenbacher then hit an 0-1 offering over the left field fence for a three-run homer. 

Sosa settled in following the shot and kept Central Methodist off the board for the next five innings. Faulkner got its hurler some run support in the fourth inning as Sam Anthony busted it down the first base line on a grounder and helped force a throwing error. Anthony moved to second on a Jonathan Villa bunt and stole third. Shawn Ross fell behind 0-2 against Schwellenbacher, who had yet to give up a hit to Faulkner batters. Ross then fouled off five straight pitches before finding one he liked. The shortstop hit a single to left to plate Anthony and cut the deficit to 3-1. Alex Arauz followed with a single that advanced Ross into scoring position. Isaac Phillips then chopped a 1-2 pitch past the second baseman for his 19th postseason RBI, cutting the gap to 3-2. John Michael Mathews followed by taking an 0-2 pitch to deep right-center, plating Arauz to tie the game. 

Faulkner appeared poised to take the lead in the top of the sixth as Villa lined a ball that dropped in front of the centerfielder. As the CMU defender slid in to attempt a diving effort, the ball bounced off the grass and into his glove. The second base umpire ruled the play a catch and called Villa out. Ross followed with a single ahead of an Arauz walk to give Faulkner two on with one out. A wild pitch advanced Ross to third but left Arauz at first. A grounder to second two pitches later gave CMU the double play it needed to get out of the inning unscathed. 
Central Methodist broke through in the seventh as Max McCay reached on an error and gave way to courtesy runner Isaiah Davis. Deshawn Cole singled to left to plate Davis and put CMU up 4-3. 

Faulkner had another opportunity to in the eighth as Justin Lara singled to lead off the inning. He was then caught stealing at second ahead of an Anthony walk. The heart of the Faulkner order proved unable to deliver the run, sending the game to the ninth. 

After Sosa worked a perfect ninth, Phillips coaxed a one-out walk to put the tying run aboard. That forced CMU to the bullpen for the second time in the game as it turned the ball over to Sergio Macias, who struck out the next two hitters to end the contest. 

Sosa (7-3) worked a complete game with six strikeouts, four hits and three earned runs. The outing gives him credit for 10 of the 18 innings Faulkner has pitched so far in the 2021 NAIA World Series.

The loss moves Faulkner (39-11) to an elimination game Tuesday at 5 p.m. CDT against Indiana University Southeast.