MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner fell victim to the big inning in game one of a Saturday doubleheader against Middle Georgia State before salvaging a split in the nightcap. The results kept Faulkner two games above .500 in the overall record and left the Eagles at 3-3 in SSAC action.

MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE 7, FAULKNER 5

Two third-inning pitches made the biggest difference in the first game of the day as Ryan Wilson hit a three-run homer and Brian Herrera belted a two-run shot three batters later. The five spot anchored a Knight offensive performance that included a run in the second and one in the sixth. Following the second homer, Nicholas Graham found a rhythm on the mound and retired eight of the next nine MGA hitters to give his team a chance.

Faulkner began taking advantage of that opportunity in the third when Evan Gilliam singled to drive in Jose Vargas. Cristian Martin's single drove home Jorge Lucero to cut the deficit to 6-2. Vargas had the biggest hit of the contest for Faulkner when he doubled down the leftfield line in the fifth to drive in Jack Brinkley, Francisco Soriano and Juan Trinidad, cutting the deficit to 6-5. A pair of errors early in the sixth proved costly for the Eagles as they set up J.T. Rice to score without the benefit of a hit to push the margin to 7-5.

FAULKNER 8, MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE 2

Faulkner got the bats working early in game two and stayed locked in throughout most of the contest. Drew Mackie's RBI grounder in the first cashed in a Gilliam double to put the Eagles on the board first. A pair of wild pitches in the second allowed Josh Smith and Soriano to score to move the lead to 3-0.

Middle Georgia got on the board in the third before Zakary Farris went yard in the fourth to get the run back. The Knights added one in the sixth to briefly cut into the deficit again before Kendall Reese singled in Trevor Torppa in the sixth. Juan Trinidad then scored on a passed ball later in the frame. Gilliam capped the scoring with a double that plated Lucero.

Alexis Saldana (4-0) notched the win, striking out seven batters over five and a third. Hunter Dupuy, Chance Denson and Iroel Ruiz combined for three and two-thirds innings of shutout work to slam the door.

Faulkner (12-10, 3-3 SSAC) travels to Point University Tuesday at 4 p.m. before heading to Talladega College next weekend. The Eagles do not play another home game until March 31.