MOBILE, Ala. - Faulkner turned to the longball early in its Friday doubleheader in its first games outside the top-25 since 2010 to knock off Mobile 4-2 and 7-5 on the road. After falling to a 2-7 record to start the season, the Eagles are 8-2 in their last 10 to increase to 10-9 overall and 4-1 in SSAC play.

FAULKNER 4, MOBILE 2

Sammy De La Cruz's leadoff homer backed by another shutdown performance from July Sosa propelled the Eagles to the series opening win. The second baseman's blast to left put Faulkner ahead 1-0 early as Sosa held the Rams in check through the first half of the game. 

In the fourth, the Eagles turned two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch into three runs to push the game open. Jack Brinkley was hit with bases loaded to plate Justice Lucas who delivered a leadoff single. The next at bat, de la Cruz laced a single to plate Evan Gilliam and Ben Hargis to push to a 4-0 lead. 

With two outs in the seventh, Mobile sparked a little rally that came up just shy as a double, walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases. An error allowed two runs to score and set the tying run on board, but a groundout ended the game. 

Sosa scattered just two hits over the seven inning complete game striking out eight for his third win of the year. 

The top two in the lineup, de la Cruz and Juan Trinidad, each turned in 2-4 performances. 

FAULKNER 7, MOBILE 5

Shawn Ross's fifth home run of the season scored Trinidad in the first inning to jump ahead 2-0 as the Rams flirted with, but never came to a comeback as Faulkner improved over .500 for the first time since February 6. 

Gilliam delivered a homer of his own in the second before Trinidad drove in de la Cruz to go up 4-0. Mobile drew one back in the third, but Faulkner answered with two more in the fourth to put the game out of reach with doubles from Justice Lucas, who scored two on the hit, and Alex Arauz, who cashed in the first baseman. 

Mobile scored three runs on two homers in the seventh and eighth innings as well as an RBI single to make things interesting, but Nicholas Graham and Brayan Garcia shut the door with five strikeouts combined, including Graham fanning the next three after giving up the two-run homer. 

J.C. Toro picked up the win allowing three runs over 6.1 while Garcia got the save with two strikeouts in the ninth. 

Arauz tallied three hits while Trinidad got two more.

The Eagles go for the sweep Saturday at 2 p.m. at Jacobs Field in Mobile.  Read Full Article