TALLADEGA, Ala. -  The Talladega College baseball team split a non-conference home doubleheader with No. 10 Faulker University today. The Tornadoes are now 19-14 on the season while the Eagles are 24-10.  Talladega took game one 9-2 while falling 6-4 in game two.

The Tornadoes are back in action on Tuesday, April 2 at 1 p.m. when they travel to GCAC rival Tougaloo College.

Game 1: Talladega 9, Faulkner 2 – 7 innings
Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth, Talladega was able to capture the lead as it pushed six runs across the plate. It started when Eddie Velazquez walked and then stole second to lead things off. He later scored when Armando Jackson doubled to left center to tie the game at two. Jackson later came around to score when Jose Santiago belted a home run over the left field wall to put Talladega in front, 4-2. With no outs still, Jahir Cruz kept things moving as he walked and later moved to second when Victor Rivera singled to third. Darlin Fernandez reached first on a fielder's choice that sent Cruz to third. Rivera was out at second on the play.  Both Cruz and Fernandez scored when Miguel Oropeza doubled into the left-center field gap to make it, 6-2.  Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Isaac Guzman singled up the middle to score Oropeza to push the lead to 7-2 before the inning ended.

Talladega added a pair of runs in the sixth off of three hits to make it a 9-2 game for the Tornadoes.

Talladega reliever Ramses Ortega pitched two scoreless innings allowing just one base runner to reach while striking out two.

Starting pitcher Juan De Dios picked up his first win (1-1) of the season for the Tornadoes.  He allowed four hits through five innings while only giving up two runs (both earned) and fanning six in the process.

As a team, Talladega tallied five extra-base hits with four of them being doubles and one being a home run.

Fernandez and Oropeza combined going 4-for-8 with four RBIs, two runs scored, and two doubles.

Game 2: Talladega 4, Faulkner 6 – 7 innings
Talladega was able to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth when it used a pair of hits to push across its first run of the game to trail, 2-1.

Faulkner responded in the top of the fifth when it scored four runs on four hits and an error to take a 6-1 lead. The Tornadoes were able to get one of the runs back in the bottom half of the frame to make it a 6-2 game.

With Talladega down to its final six outs of the game, Guzman and Allen Morel drew back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the sixth. Both runners advanced 90 feet off a ground out to the catcher. 

With one down, Faulkner was able to get Talladega to fly out to right for the second out of the inning. Down to their final out, Cruz's two-run single up the middle scored both runners to make it 6-4 before the frame ended.

Talladega threatened in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on second and the tying run at the plate with one out, but Faulkner was able to get back-to-back ground outs to end the game.

Oropeza finished the game going 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, two stolen bases, and an RBI. Teammate Guzman tallied a pair of runs while going 1-for-3.

Starting pitcher Daniel Jose suffered the loss (3-1). He threw 4.1 innings while allowing six runs (all earned) on eight hits. He struck out seven in the process.