MONTGOMERY, Ala. - In a tough battle against a game squad from Bryan College (14-13, 7-5 AAC), Faulkner (15-10, 5-4 SSAC) came out on top 8-5 at Harrison Field in a Johnny Wholestaff game for both teams for just its second midweek win of the season and its first since February 10 against Stillman.
After two walks on resulted in the Lions scoring first, starter Preston Steiner induced a flyout and a strikeout to strand two runners. The Eagles left bases loaded with a run in the bottom of the first before Steiner forced a lineout and struck out two for a three-up three-down frame. Anthony Bassett Torres then led off the bottom of the second before coming home on a Jordan Carter RBI single. As Lion pitcher Joshua Leek then tried to pick Carter off first, the throw went past first base into foul territory, enough time for Carter to make it all the way home for a 2-1 lead.
Leadoff hitter Cyrus Campos started the third frame with a walk to end Steiner's day and eventually scored on a fielding error to tie the game again. Dariel Colón and Carter Schellsmidt then led off the bottom with singles. Colón came home on an Alex Gonzalez single before Bassett Torres laced a double to right center to score Tevin Landrum, Schellsmidt's courtesy runner, and Gonzalez. Orlando Arellano then got aboard with a walk, and after he and Bassett Torres utilized a double steal, Carter scored both on a two-RBI single to put Faulkner ahead 7-2 at the end of three.
Winston Person earned the win, his first as an Eagle, by stranding two runners in the fourth after a pair of walks, one from the previous pitcher. However, the Lions would go on to get three back in the fifth on Malachi Bailey with an RBI single scoring one and a fielding error bringing in two unearned runs. Bailey kept the score from getting any closer than the two-run difference with a swinging strikeout, and Bracken Rice proceeded to force a flyout and strike out two looking in the sixth.
Carter led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk and touched home off a fielder's choice. Grant Blalock then struck out three looking on four batters faced in the seventh to end a threat caused by a three-base knock. In the top half of the eighth, Roberto Romero limited the damage from a leadoff walk with a strikeout and flyout before Collin Rittenberry entered and delivered a swinging strikeout to preserve a three-run lead. Carter walked in the bottom half, giving way to Edrien Martínez, who lofted a homer to right for the 10-5 margin. Then, after a pair of flyouts to open the final frame, Rittenberry logged one more K to strand a pair of singles, the second save in five days for the Georgia Gwinnett transfer after the series clincher at William Carey on Saturday.
Carter had a perfect day at the plate with two hits and two walks with three RBI and three runs scored. Martínez walked three times to go with his home run. Colón and Gonzalez each went 2-4 with a run scored. Bassett Torres had a hit and walk with two RBI and two runs scored.
Faulkner is back home this weekend for an SSAC series against Point, with the first game on Friday at 4 pm.
