MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Eagles (10-4, 1-0 SSAC) scored seven runs between the fifth and seventh innings to back a stellar start from
Samir Rojas to a 7-5 SSAC opening win over Brewton-Parker (7-12, 0-1 SSAC) Friday night at Harrison Field.
The Eagles and Barons entered a classic pitching duel with Rojas and the Barons' Steven Trinidad combining to strike out nine over the first three innings and allowing just a single base runner with highlight reel plays including a diving grab from
Jordan Carter along the right field line.
BPC got on the board when a leadoff double in the fourth ended up coming around, aided by an error. In the fifth,
CJ Robertson and
Anthony Bassett Torres drew back-to-back walks before a sacrifice bunt from
Orlando Arellano set the table for
Jeyson Polanco. The Dominican second baseman grounded through the left side of the instepped infield to bring two runs in and take the lead while extending his hit streak to all 14 games. Edrien Martínez reached on an error and got all the way to third as Polanco came in to score the third run. Dariel Colón's sacrifice bunt brought home Martínez to take a 4-1 lead into the sixth.Â
Rojas worked a quick inning around a double to bring the bats back to
Carter Schellsmidt who blasted a home run off the scoreboard to make it 5-1.Â
In the 7th,
Brandon Napier tossed a three-up, three down inning with a pair of strikeouts to get the bats back to the Eagle dugout. Polanco singled and stole second before a walk from Martínez set
TJ Blackmon up for his first at bat as an Eagle. Blackmon saw one pitch and took it down the right field line for an RBI, plating Polanco. Martínez scored on a Schellsmidt fielder's choice to make it 7-1.Â
The Barons got a couple back in the eighth, but
Mat Mayer entered with two on and the tying run on deck, threw two pitches and got a flyball to Colón to end the threat.Â
BPC hit a two-run homer in the ninth, but
Marshall Robinson closed the door with a strikeout to give Faulkner the win.Â
Rojas (3-0) ended the night with eight strikeouts over six innings and no earned runs while scattering four hits and three walks.
Faulkner and Brewton-Parker play two more tomorrow starting at 1 p.m.
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