MONTGOMERY, Ala. - High-drama filled all 18 innings of baseball Saturday at Harrison Field that saw the 10th-ranked Eagles dig deep to win both and sweep the SSAC Series of the Week as clutch relief outings and finding ways to take come-from-behind wins over Thomas. Inspiring the efforts were some key relief outings from Evan Valencia and Hunter Dupuy to allow the Eagles a chance to get back into it. "We ask guys all the time to be patient. You're going to be in a spot where you're going to have to pitch big for us," Head Coach Patrick McCarthy said. "They threw their bullpens, threw their scrimmages and were ready to pitch."

FAULKNER 9, THOMAS 6

Down 6-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning things looked bleak for the Eagles in the seven inning contest. However, an eight run sixth highlighted by back-to-back home runs gave the Eagles the series win. 

A fifth inning solo home run from Christian Webb gave the Eagles a lifeline to help prop Evan Valencia's incredible outing from the bullpen to steady the ship and allow just two base runners in 4.1 innings allowing a comeback opportunity. Eduarny Martinez got aboard with a hit by pitch to lead off the sixth. After a fielder's choice from Evan Gilliam, Francisco Soriano singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Jack Brinkley delivered a double to score Gilliam. Wesley Estrella drew a walk to load the bases for Tuane Cope who faced a new pitcher in Tyler Marczak. Cope drew a pinch hit walk to score Soriano and make it 6-3. Webb's grounder to short scored Brinkley but put the second out on the board. Orlando Lorduy was hit by a pitch forcing a second pitching change in the inning with bases loaded and Juan Trinidad at the plate. Trinidad greeted former Faulkner Eagle Sam Odiorne with a grand slam to left center to take the lead 8-6. The next at bat, Martinez punished a baseball for existing with a mammoth shot to left field to make it 9-6.

"It was good to finally see [the timely hits]. You have to play in close games to get experience. You have to have success in really tight games to get confidence so hopefully we can build from that and know we can come back with any score."

Valencia worked around the one hit he surrendered in the seventh to close the game and get the win. He only faced two above the minimum in relief to earn his second win of the season. 

Lorduy finished the game 3-3 and Soriano 2-3. 

FAULKNER 12, THOMAS 11 (11 Inn.)

The second extra innings game in just over 24 hours finished in dramatic fashion as the Eagles had their backs against the wall but found a way to take the win for the sweep. 

Despite taking a 3-0 lead after back-to-back hits to start the game, the hosts eventually saw themselves down 8-3 in the bottom of the fourth fueled by a seven run top half. Jorge Lucero's sacrifice fly and a Webb single cashed in a pair of runs to cut the deficit to 8-5, but the Night Hawks got those two right back in the fifth with a two RBI single to once again lead by five. Trinidad scored on a Martinez single in the sixth to cut the deficit to four. 

Hunter Dupuy entered the game in the top of the sixth in a 10-6 Night Hawk lead with two on and nobody out and struck out the side before a solo shot from Jorge Lucero in the bottom half cut it to just three. Dupuy retired the next three in order to head to the stretch. "The end of the game when we needed lights out pitching, Dupuy comes in and they don't get near a ball. His slider was so good," McCarthy said. "He says 'give me the rock, coach.'" In the eighth, Thomas got one back with a stolen base and a pair of throwing errors to lead by four. Dupuy worked three innings and allowed no earned runs. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Zakary Farris singled, Wesley Estrella drew a walk and Jorge Lucero singled to load the bases before Webb, who caught all 576 pitches from the Eagles' pitching staff this weekend, delivered a bases-clearing double to cut the deficit to one. Trinidad delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game. 

Jordan Destefano worked around a double in the ninth and a hit by pitch for a pair of effective innings with a duo of strikeouts. In the 11th, Francisco Soriano moved from third to the mound and worked a one-two-three inning to get the bats back in his team's hands. Trinidad laced a one out single through the left side to spark the game ending sequence. He earned second via balk before stealing third off a walk drawn by Gilliam with Trinidad the lone runner on second during the at bat. Trinidad later saw a wild pitch skip up the first base line and went for home. The play looked to have him dead to rights, but the Night Hawks could not complete the run down as Trinidad was able to come home and finish the sweep over the new league foe. "You don't really prepare for those [types of hung up on a wild pitch scenario]." McCarthy said. "That's a really hard read. When he saw it wasn't far from the grass he had to check up and fortunately for us, their guy didn't make the throw. It's not really how you'd draw it up, but we'll take the win."

Webb, who caught 32 innings in barely over 24 hours, finished strong with a 3-5 game with four RBIs. Trinidad and Farris each had multiple hits.

Soriano picked up the win on the mound after pitching the 11th with a strikeout. Tyberius Correa was solid the first three innings on the hill before running into trouble in the fourth and ended with six strikeouts and just three earned runs. Alexis Saldana and Destefano each added two punchouts. Dupuy led the pitching staff with seven strikeouts as the staff sat down 18 and the bats struckout just thrice. 

The Eagles (16-5) lead the SSAC by one game over WIlliam Carey and Loyola (15-6) with three series to play. 

Faulkner welcomes Blue Mountain to Harrison Field Friday at 6 p.m. for the first of three SSAC games. Read Full Article