Eagles and Blue Raiders Each Grab One Win Sunday

Eagles and Blue Raiders Each Grab One Win Sunday
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February 2, 2020

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

Photo Courtesy of Greg Spell/G-RoxPhotos.com

WALESKA, Ga. – A wild day on the diamond resulted in a doubleheader split for Eagle baseball against Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) on Sunday evening after Reinhardt earned the series win against the Blue Raiders, 7-4, before dropping the finale, 8-7, in nine innings.

The hometown club (2-1) came from behind to take game one and then tried to do the same in the final contest, but five tallies from the visitors in the ninth frame proved-to-be too much to overcome as the door was slammed on the Eagles with a called strike three with bases loaded to end the day.

"Disappointed for our team that we couldn't come through in some big situations to finish off a sweep," lead Eagle Jonathan Burton said. "We fought really hard today and showed a lot of fight, which is something we have worked hard on this fall and winter. Those big hits will come soon, we just have to keep working on the small things. This is a good baseball team and I am confident we will only get better moving forward."

Lindsey Wilson jumped out to a 4-1 lead, including three runs in the top of the first inning, to stand tall on the road. A bases-loaded walk from Reinhardt's Xavier Arnette was doubled-up in the bottom of the fifth with another RBI after he singled to bring in the second run for the Eagles.

Now down, 4-2, Reinhardt scored three more tallies in the bottom of the seventh on three hits, including a single from Albert Mora and a 2-RBI double from Chris Basilio to take the lead, 5-4. A groundout and an error would add two more scores to the Eagle total in the eighth as the comeback was complete.

Mora and Andres Ugarte both had two of the 10 overall hits in the triumph, and Chandler Gant got the win in relief in the opener.

Reinhardt also caused havoc on the bases with four steals.

Another comeback would be needed in game two if the Eagle were to go 2-0 on Sunday, after the Blue Raiders netted three tallies in the third inning on three knocks, including a homer. Two frames later, however, the game was tied following a Ben Heideman blast and a Ugarte 2-RBI double to right-center.

The hosts would squander opportunities to take the lead before the ninth inning – which was extra baseball – during a scheduled seven-inning contest. The scoreboard would then lose control in the ninth frame after Lindsey Wilson came across home plate five times after three hits and an error.

All would seem lost, but Reinhardt would grab momentum and keep the ball rolling with four quick tallies to put major pressure on the Blue Raiders after a 2-RBI triple from Michael Convery and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Isaiah Arnold.

Two walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bags for Ugarte, but a called strike ended the threat just one run short.

Four players netted two hits in defeat, and two others snagged a pair of RBIs each. 

Forecasted weather issues have pushed up Reinhardt's matchup with No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan to tomorrow afternoon on the road at 2 p.m.

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