MOBILE, Ala. - The Eagles completed the sweep over in-state SSAC foe Mobile Saturday with a 6-4 win on the road at Mark Jacobs Field with clutch playslate from the top of the lineup and a big fourth inning.
Sammy de la Cruz finished his massive weekend with another stellar performance in the leadoff spot. He sprinted home on a wild pitch in the eighth to break a 4-all deadlock and then delivered an RBI double in the ninth to score an insurance run by
Jordan Funk who laced a double himself to start the inning.
The bullpen pulled through clutch again with
Nicholas Graham striking out the side in the eighth and
Brayan Garcia catching two looking before coaxing a groundout in the ninth to earn his second straight save.
Down 2-0,
Alex Arauz started the fourth with a double to right as
Evan Gilliam's single caused problems as an error plated
Ben Hargis, the courtesy runner for the backstop. Another error got
Peyton Davis on board. Funk's fielder's choice scored Gilliam as a sac bunt from Brinkley allowed de la Cruz to hit a sac fly to score Davis and take the lead. Mobile leveled it back out in the next half inning to knot the game up.
Saldana allowed just two earned in the no decision start as
Ford Hilyer pitched 2.1 of two hit ball in relief to set up a solid performance from
Hunter Dupuy who entered with two on and two out in the sixth in a tied game and struck out the first batter faced to get out of the inning before allowing just one base runner in the 1.1 inning of work.
The Eagles took a one game lead in the SSAC with a 5-1 league record. Faulkner will take a reprieve from conference play over spring break as they head to Lawreneceville, Ga. to play Toccoa Falls (Ga.), Tennessee Wesleyan and Georgia Gwinnett March 18-19.
