MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Faulkner found a way to win 10-8 Tuesday night at Harrison Field at the plate despite finding just two hits over 50 plate appearances. The Eagles drew 16 walks while four more were hit by pitches, when combined with six Skyhawk errors provided 28 base runners throughout the nearly four hour affair.
Down 8-5 in the eighth and staring down the barrel of a seven-game losing streak, Faulkner pushed five runs across on just one hit, coaxing three straight walks to load the bases.
Tommy Reyes-Cruz's pop fly to the left field line dropped in the Bermuda Triangle of Skyhawks untouched and scored
Ben Hargis who ran for
Justice Lucas.
Jack Brinkley earned his first RBI as an Eagle the hard way, being hit by a pitch to cut the deficit to one. After
Evan Gilliam tied the game with another walk, Sammy de la Cruz's sacrifice fly scored what proved to be the winning run from
Juan Trinidad who Reyes-Cruz pinch hit for earlier. Lucas drew his second walk of the inning and fourth of the night to plate an insurance run from Brinkley.
Brayan Garcia proved the move to the bullpen to be successful, striking out four over 1.1 innings and stranding two runners in each the eighth and ninth innings, earning his first win in Faulkner blue.
Defensively, gloves flashed with a handful of web gems, including a diving effort from Brinkley in right field, a challenging backhand play by de la Cruz at second and a seated rocket from shortstop
Shawn Ross.
Pinch hitters proved to be the lone tallies men from the dish with Reyes-Cruz and
Kam Wells combining for the only two hits. Wells's fifth inning knock scored
Kevin Saenz to knot the game at five after the Eagles surrendered a 3-0 lead acquired in the first inning.
Despite the six Skyhawk errors and just two Eagle hits, the hosts scored six of their runs earned in what was a wacky early season, midweek contest.
12 different pitchers threw in the contest between the two sides with six each taking the hill.
Faulkner snapped its longest losing streak since 2009 and looks to carry that momentum into a big four-game home series against No. 15 Indiana Wesleyan Friday and Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.
