DAYTON, Tenn. - Faulkner (21-13) blasted four homers in a midweek slugfest to take a 15-9 road win over Bryan (17-18) at Senter Field Tuesday afternoon.

On a field that has now seen 108 total home runs in 20 games this season, it stood to reason that the ball would leave the yard often and it did with the teams combining for seven in the game. 

However, the score opened with some station-to-station small ball. Jimmy Perez and Carter Schellsmidt drew walks to start the inning before a wild pitch allowed Anthony Bassett Torres to hit a sacrifice fly. Alex Gonzalez drove home another run to make it 2-0 and Dariel Colón brought him in with another single to up the score to three. Edrien Martínez doubled to make it 5-0 after Orlando Arellano scored on a passed ball. 

Bryan struck back in the third with a grand slam from Denajh Williams, who's second in the NAIA with 16 home runs. In the fourth, Bryan got runners on second and third with nobody out but Marshall Robinson prevented the tying run from making it the last 90 feet with a pair of punchouts and a popout. 

In the top of the fifth, Gonzalez blasted a three-run shot with two outs to go up 8-4. Collin Netto got around a leadoff single in the bottom half with a 3-6-3 double play ball with Gonzalez in the heart of it at first base. 

Jordan Carter added a solo big fly in the sixth to go up 9-4. In the bottom of the sixth, Bryan got a leadoff homer and loaded the bases with two outs, but Grant Blalock got a flyball to center to end the frame up 9-5. 

The Eagles poured it on in the seventh with Gonzalez getting his fifth RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly. Orlando Arellano drove in Bassett with a single before a walk put two on for Edrien Martínez who went yard making it 14-5. The Puerto Rican has 11 home runs this season with eight coming in the month of March. 

Bryan got a three-run homer after the stretch to cut the difference to six. In the top of the eighth, Marlon Oviedo hit a solo home run, his first of the season.

An eighth inning sac fly from Bryan made the score a little nicer for the home team but the Eagles had plenty of room to keep the season sweep over the Lions. 

Trevor Hamil (2-0) picked up the win in his first start since Feb. 10 against Stillman. 

Eight different Eagles picked up hits with all nine that bat reaching base. Gonzalez's five RBIs led the team. Faulkner stranded just five runners in the 14 run performance.

The Eagles welcome Thomas to Harrison Field for another pivotal SSAC series. The two are tied for fourth and just one game behind first and one game ahead of seventh. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Good Friday.  Read Full Article