TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Faulkner cruised from the jump against Stillman in both games of the SSAC season opening doubleheader Friday afternoon to claim the series win against the Tigers.
FAULKNER 6, STILLMAN 1
The Eagles controlled the first SSAC game of the season from the jump and rode a complete game effort on the bump from
Marco Ozuna to control the seven inning contest of the doubleheader.
Christian Webb led off with a single before
Tuane Cope came in as courtesy runner and did
Tuane Cope things, stealing second before coming home on an
Evan Gilliam sac fly to open the Eagles' account.
Orlando Lorduy and
Johnny Lopez touched the plate off a
Wesley Estrella triple to triple the visitor's advantage to give plenty of cushion for Ozuna before he even took the mound.
Ozuna faced the minimum in five innings in seven total innings, throwing just 81 pitches on the hill and struck out eight Tigers while allowing just four hits. The right handed hurler from Casa Grande, Arizona improves to 3-0 on the year with a 1.13 ERA and a .161 batting average against on the season with 21 strikeouts and no walks.
Cope drove in
Juan Trinidad in the third inning to increase the Faulkner lead to four before
Jose Vargas launched a two run blast to left to make it 6-0.
FAULKNER 12, STILLMAN 3
The Eagles took control from the very first pitch as
Juan Trinidad led off with a solo shot to left and the Eagles did not slow down, scoring in six innings to wrap up the series win.
Estrella scored later in the first inning on a Lorduy sac fly to make it 2-0 to, similarly to the first game, give plenty of wiggle room for
Nicholas Graham before he took the mound.
Gilliam was hit with a pitch to get on board to start the second and promptly swiped second before getting to third on a wild pitch. Cope drove him in with a grounder to take a 3-0 lead. Graham responded by striking out the side.
Webb got aboard via bruise in the fourth before scoring on a wild pitch. Soriano also made the Tigers pay for missed pitches, scoring on another wild pitch after reaching via walk to make it 5-0. Trinidad made the free passes hurt more as he drove in
Jack Brinkley and
Tuane Cope who acquired first without having to put a ball in play to go up seven.
Lorduy drew a two-out walk and stole second before scoring on
Jose Vargas's single in the sixth. Stillman drew two back in the home half and Faulkner equaled it in the seventh as
Francisco Soriano scored on a passed ball and Brinkley on a sac fly to make it 10-2. The Tigers got one back in the bottom half.
In the eighth, Webb doubled home Lorduy and
Zakary Farris scored on a wild pitch to take a 12-3 lead and Stillman got one back.
Graham got the win striking out eight and allowing just one earned run.
Hunter Dupuy,
Avery Shelton,
Avery Shelton,
Evan Valencia and
Henry Thornton closed things out with just one hit allowed and one earned run over 3.1 innings as
Jack Brinkley snagged a driving grab with two outs and bases loaded in the ninth to end it.
Faulkner returns to Stillman Saturday to go for the season sweep at 1 p.m. central.
