Softball Dominates West Virginia Tech in Home-Opening Sweep
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
WALESKA, Ga. – After a strong showing over the weekend in the Grizzly Open, Reinhardt softball came home for the first time in 2020 and put together two stellar performances in a pair of inning-shortened victories over West Virginia Tech – 10-2 and 9-1 – both in five frames on Sunday.
The Eagles moved to 6-2 and have won six out of seven contests after outscoring the Golden Bears, 19-3.
"We did what we were supposed to today and after a long night last evening and a quick turnaround today, I'm really proud of how we came out and put 10 solid innings together," head coach Jade Geuther said.
West Virginia Tech got right on the scoreboard in the first stanza on a single up the middle and a throwing error to jump ahead, 2-0. The hometown team would get within one tally on a sacrifice fly by Kayla Laukka. The Golden Bear bats would go silent the rest of the way and Reinhardt would heat up – scoring runs in every inning – including a pair in the second, fourth and fifth.
In the third stanza, the Eagles added a trio of runs.
Megan Huss would bring home the game-clinching runs on a 2-run double for a 3-2 lead after two at-bats. In the third, another double – this time from Brooke Ramey – add two more scores and pushed the advantage to 6-2.
Another miscue in the field and a bases-loaded walk in the fourth moved the scoreboard to 8-2, then fast forward to the fifth inning, where JJ Trowell brought in a teammate on a double and then scored the winning run on a SAC fly by Emma Adams.
Huss was out-front offensively with a 3-for-4 day and two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Adams and Ramey both notched a pair of hits as well.
Ansley Byers allowed one earned score and struck out three in the triumph.
Eight tallies in the second and third innings combined propelled the hometown club to another five-stanza contest in the rubber match, completing the sweep with an eight-run win.
Alise Hooks hit a SAC fly in the first, and then was backed up by three teammates crossing home plate – first on another SAC fly (Emily Loveless) – followed by a 2-RBI single from Adams. The game was again blown wide open compliments of a five-run third that ended the sweep early.
Hooks would score on a single to left by Witney Bones, who would also come home on a bases-clearing triple by Huss. Loveless earned another RBI on an additional SAC fly to push the cushion to 9-0.
West Virginia Tech would try its best to avoid early elimination by bringing in a run on a single to left in the top of the fifth, but a popout and punchout would end the threat.
The scoresheet in game two was headlined by Huss, who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a trio of RBIs. Adams brought in a pair of two hits as well.
In the circle, Reagen Radke dominated from start-to-finish by surrendering just five hits and one run while striking out seven.
The homestand continues on Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader against William Carey (Miss.) beginning at 1 p.m.
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