MONTGOMERY, Ala. – After a strong start, Faulkner succumbed to the midweek malaise Tuesday, giving up 12 unanswered runs to lose to No. 14 Reinhardt.
The Eagles started the scoring with a solo homer by
Jeyson Polanco in the first inning. After Reinhardt answered in the second,
Jordan Carter stroked a solo shot to left to put the home team up 2-1. Polanco then added with a three-run shot in the third that also drove in
Orlando Arellano and
Shaun Bridges.
Things looked good for Faulkner until the fourth when Ryan Stephens hit a three-run shot to cut it to 5-4. Reinhardt went on to add six runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to set the final margin.
An Edrien Martinez single in the seventh snapped a stretch of 11 straight Faulkner batters that failed to get a hit. Reinhardt then retired seven of the last eight Faulkner batters to end the game.
The Reinhardt relief corps struck out 13 batters in the game, highlighted by an eight-strikeout performance by Miles Morris who allowed only two hits in three innings. Faulkner used eight pitchers in the game.
Roberto Romero,
Winston Person and
Avery Shelton each turned in scoreless outings.
Faulkner (7-2) hosts another team receiving votes in the national poll Friday and Saturday when Indiana University Southeast visits Harrison Field. The Eagles play at noon and 3 p.m. each day.
