MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Faulkner split a midweek, non-conference doubleheader against SSAC foe Mobile Tuesday at Harrison Field. The Eagles' rally fell short in game one before Faulkner finally stunted a Mobile effort at the end of game two.
MOBILE 7, FAULKNER 4
The Eagles looked to mount a rally late after falling behind 6-1. A no-doubt solo homer from
Juan Trinidad in the fifth narrowed it to 6-2 briefly before Rams' starter Stephen Poche' limited further damage by working around and error and stranding a pair of runners. Mobile fired back in the top of the sixth to move the lead back to 7-2 where it remained until the home half of the seventh.
Orlando Lorduy doubled with one way in the seventh and scored on an Eduarny Martinez homer that narrowed it to 7-4. After
Wesley Estrella chased Poche' with a single, Nate Anderson (1) came in to nail down the save by striking out the lone hitter he faced on three pitches.
Poche' (1-0) worked 6.2 innings and allowed four earned runs for his first win of the season.
Alexis Saldana (1-2) covered four frames in the loss.
FAULKNER 12, MOBILE 9
The Eagles got the bats working late in game two. After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Vargas reached on an RBI fielder's choice that allowed Martinez to score and tie the game in the second. Lorduy put his team in the lead in the third with a double that plated
Juan Trinidad.
Wesley Estrella followed with a single to right to drive in Lorduy and put the Eagles up 3-1.
Lorduy struck again in the fifth with a mammoth solo homer down the rightfield line that made it 4-1.
Evan Gilliam singled in Martinez and
Darius Anderson to move it to 6-1. Lucero capped the scoring in the fifth with a double to left center that pushed
Jack Brinkley and Gilliam across for the 8-1 advantage.
Estrella added to the advantage in the sixth when he singled in
Tuane Cope before Vargas ripped a three-run shot to left center to set the margin at 12-2. Mobile rallied for seven runs in the seventh to narrow it to 12-9 before Faulkner recorded the last out to end the game.
Evan Valencia (1-0) struck out one over 3.2 innings of work for the win.
Faulkner (11-4) returns to action Tuesday in Jackson, Miss. when it faces Tougaloo for a doubleheader.
