MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On one of the nicest days weather-wise you could ask for, things looked real dreary for the Eagles through the first four-and-a-half innings trailing 10-0 until an 11 run fifth inning opened the skies for a 16-13 win Tuesday afternoon at Harrison Field over the (RV) Talladega Tornadoes. The comeback was fueled by an unreal performance from the bottom third of the lineup who reached base 13 times on five hits drawing six walks and a hit by pitch, amounting to eight runs.

Talladega went into cruise control early in the contest, plating three runs and escaping a couple of defensive jams to take a 3-0 lead into the top of the fifth where the Tornadoes stormed on seven runs to take a 10-0 lead highlighted by a three-run homer from Armando Jackson and a two-run double from Miguel Oropeza. 

The rally started in the bottom half as a grounder from Daniel Lizarraga was dropped at first to get the leadoff man aboard. Anthony Bassett and John-Michael Riley drew walks to load the bases. The pivotal at-bat of the afternoon came one batter later when Juan Trinidad faced a full count and one out. The first baseman launched a bases-clearing double into right centerfield to make the comeback chance feel real and it did not slow down from there. With two outs and two on, Dariel Colón ripped a pinch-hit double down the left field line to plate two more. Kenny Di Clemente kept the carousel revolving with an RBI single to make it 10-6 before back-to-back walks drawn by Lizarraga and Bassett loaded the bases again. Riley, who received his second at-bat of the inning initially entering as a pinch hitter, was hit by a pitch to make it 10-7 and Jeyson Polanco drew a walk to cut the deficit to two. A wild pitch scored Bassett and a walk drawn by Trinidad set the table for Orlando Lorduy who cut a single through the right side to score two and take the lead. 

Faulkner lost the lead in the top of the sixth when a couple of free passes came back to roost on a Jonathan Williams triple, but Mat Mayer escaped the inning with just a one run deficit, stranding runners on the corners. 

Edrien Martinez and Di Clemente started the bottom half with a couple of walks before Lizarraga's sacrifice ended with everyone safe to load the bases. Bassett delivered again with a single to go station-to-station and tie the game. A couple more pitching gifts from the Tornadoes drove in three runs from a walk, hit by pitch and wild pitch to take the lead for good.

Bassett added a little more insurance in the seventh to score Di Clemente before Jordan Destefano closed out the game with two innings of work and collecting four strikeouts. 

The statistical difference came from the free passes category with Talladega's pitching staff issuing 10 walks and hitting four batters, all over the last five innings while Faulkner's pitchers scattered four walks and two hit batsmen over the contest. 

Faulkner has now won 27 of the 29 matchups with Talladega at Harrison Field dating back to 2001. 

Faulkner is set to play Abraham Baldwin in SSAC action this weekend with times certain to be impacted by the looming weather. Follow FaulknerEagles.com or @FaulknerATHL for those updates as the become official.  Read Full Article