COCHRAN, Ga. - Faulkner concluded regular season play winning every series of league play with a Friday split against Middle Georgia, dropping the first game 7-6 in extra innings before exploding late to win the nightcap 8-0.
MIDDLE GEORGIA 7, FAULKNER 6 (9 Inn.)
A back-and-forth contest ended with Middle Georgia walking the game off with a Blake Metcalfe single to finish a game with three lead changes in the regularly scheduled seven-inning contest that went into extras.
Alex Arauz started the scoring with a two-RBI single in the third.
Justice Lucas led the fourth off with a solo shot to go up 3-0 before doubles from
Jordan Funk and
Jack Brinkley brought Funk home to increase the lead to four.Â
Things unraveled in the bottom half of the fourth as the Knights scored five, but Lucas tied the game back up in the fifth with a double to cash in a couple walks.
Evan Gilliam put the Eagles ahead in the top of the ninth, but the defense couldn't close the door to seal the win.
Brinkley went 3-4 and Lucas 2-4 with a homer and double.Â
FAULKNER 8, MIDDLE GEORGIA 0
Alexis Saldana threw another gem that looked potentially in jeopardy as run support came late as the Eagles took the series win. Saldana struckout 10 and allowed just five hits and three walks in the complete game shutout in the seven inning game after theÂ
Justice Lucas scored on
Kevin Saenz's fielder's choice batted ball in the second, but no other runs came until the sixth when Lucas was hit by a pitch and replaced by Hargis. A single from Gilliam preceded Saenz being hit by a pitch. Brinkley singled down the right field line to drive in two more to create a little breathing room 3-0.
Lucas got two more RBIs with a single before Gilliam added another with a sac bunt to score Arauz. Saenz's double added the seventh and Brinkley's single the eighth.Â
The Eagles take the top seed in the SSAC Baseball Championship in Columbus, Ga. and will take on eight-seed Talladega in a game scheduled for 7 p.m. eastern Wednesday, but is the fourth game of the day.Â
