BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – A matchup of two of the top arms in the Southern States Athletic Conference produced a slugfest of a baseball game Friday as Faulkner beat Blue Mountain Christian 14-8.

The Eagles ran starter J.C. Toro out on the Hill, getting six innings out the senior even though the Toppers got to him for eight runs, seven of which were earned. For its part, the Faulkner offense put plenty of pressure on BMC's No. 1 pitcher, Josh Smith. Eagle bats tagged him for 12 hits and 12 earned runs over four innings of work.

The Toppers got a run in the home half of the first to take a lead that lasted until the third when Evan Gilliam singled in Jack Brinkley to tie the game. Drew Mackie added a single to plate Trevor Torppa and give Faulkner the lead. Jose Vargas then stroked a three-run double to drive in Gilliam, Mackie and Francisco Soriano for the 5-1 advantage.

The lead proved short-lived as the Toppers battled back with four runs in the home half of the inning including a two-run homer off the bat of Easton Rainer that proved to be the first of five longballs on the day.

Gilliam's grand slam in the fourth vaulted Faulkner back into the lead at 9-5. Jorge Lucero piled on with a three-run shot later in the frame.

Austin Beech blasted a two-run homer in the fifth and the Toppers added another run in the seventh to cut it to 12-8.

Cristian Martin doubled in Mackie in the eighth before Torppa dealt the final shot of the game with a solo homer in the ninth.

Chance Denson worked two scoreless innings of relief for the Eagles while Iroel Ruiz worked one.

Faulkner (14-14, 5-5 SSAC) returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it opens a doubleheader against the Toppers.