COCHRAN, Ga. - For the eighth time in the
Patrick McCarthy era, the Eagles are champions of the Southern States Athletic Conference after winning Saturday's first game 7-6 against Middle Georgia and Loyola dropping its series finale at UT Southern. With the results, the worst that can happen would be a tie with Loyola and/or William Carey who Faulkner owns the tiebreaker over both.
FAULKNER 7, MIDDLE GEORGIA 6
The Eagles, once again, found a way to win late as they survived a late Middle Georgia charge in the seventh to win their fifth one run ball game in the last nine league games.
Leading 5-3, Eduarny Martinez launched a two run homer in the top of the seventh to add a couple of massive insurance runs. In the bottom half, Middle Georgia got the first batter on base via error before the third batter hit a one out single to put two on for a three run blast to cut the lead to 7-6. The Knights kept rolling as the next batter singled. A walk and a stolen base put runners on the corners with one out and the tying run 90 feet away, but
Samir Rojas coaxed a double play ball to strand the runner and wrap up the series win.
Jorge Lucero started the party with a second inning sacrifice fly to score Martinez. After the Knights answered back in the bottom half,
Johnny Lopez delivered another sacrifice fly to score
Orlando Lorduy and take a 2-1 lead in the third. MGA answered right back and tied it at two in the bottom half again.
Two runs scored as chaos on the basepaths brought in
Juan Trinidad and
Johnny Lopez to take a 4-2 lead in the fifth. The Knights again answered the call but got just one run in the bottom half that
Evan Gilliam erased in the sixth with a solo homer to take a 5-3 lead.
Mose Hayes (5-1) delivered a fantastic start going 6.0+ innings and striking out five while allowing just three runs to pick up the win.
Rojas, who pitched for the first time since March 16, earned his first save as an Eagle.
Martinez ended 3-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Wesley Estrella also picked up two hits.
MIDDLE GEORGIA 19, FAULKNER 1
With the Loyola result going final between the games and the number one seed under wraps, the celebrations were hard to shake off as the Knights needed an important win for the SSAC standings.
Lopez put the Eagles ahead first in the first inning to score Gilliam who drew a leadoff walk. The rest of the game was a little rough for Faulkner as the Knights scored 19 runs on just 15 hits as three errors and seven free passes gave Middle Georgia a comfortable win.
The Eagles will now get their choice of when they want to play in either the second or fourth game each day in pool play at the SSAC Baseball Championship in Jackson, Tenn.
Faulkner welcomes Point for the final SSAC regular season series Thursday and Friday.
