THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Faulkner opened a weekend SSAC series with a solid Marco Ozuna outing and a strong bullpen performance for a 9-4 victory over Thomas. The Eagle ace worked around traffic in the first inning before surrendering his first run of the season in the second on an RBI double to left.
The Nighthawk run in the bottom of the second came while Ozuna was seeking a shutdown frame following a two-run top of the inning. Faulkner opened the scoring with a
Juan Trinidad RBI grounder that plated Eduarny Martinez.
Anthony Bassett Torres followed with a single to center to drive in
Tevin Landrum for the 2-0 advantage.
The Eagles moved it to a 3-1 lead in the third when
John-Michael Riley absorbed a hit-by-pitch, stole second base and scored on a
Jeyson Polanco double to center. Edrien Martinez then singled to right to get Polanco home for the 4-1 lead.
Ozuna turned in his best inning in the third when retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts. The Nighthawks got to Ozuna in the fourth when they strung together four hits to score two runs and cut it to 4-3.
Faulkner got one back in the fifth Edrien Martinez reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an Eduarny Martinez single to push the lead to 5-3. Polanco walked and scored in the seventh for the 6-3 margin.
Mat Mayer, who took over for Ozuna in the sixth and worked a clean inning, issued a pair of free passes to open the seventh and trigger the bullpen call for
Roberto Romero. One of the inherited runners scored for Thomas to cut it to 6-4.
Alonzo Castellanos entered to finish the seventh and preserve the Faulkner lead.
The Eagles added three runs in the eighth. Landrum scored on a wild pitch. Polanco drew a bases-loaded walk to push
Marlon Oviedo home before Lorduy hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Torres and stretch the lead to 9-4. Castellanos worked around a single in the eighth and another in the ninth for his second save of the season, finishing with two and a third innings and two strikeouts. The Faulkner bullpen combined to work four innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts and three hits allowed.
Ozuna (5-0) worked five innings with seven hits and two walks allowed. Faulkner (13-2, 4-0 SSAC) continues the series Saturday at noon against the Nighthawks.
