Reinhardt Takes Two From Rio Grande (Ohio) Sunday in Series Sweep
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
WALESKA, Ga. – Rio Grande (Ohio) had no answers for No. 17 Reinhardt on Sunday after the Eagles soared their way to a doubleheader sweep over the RedStorm with 9-4 and 11-1 (8 innings) final scores.
The hometown team went through a grueling stretch in recent days, but came out on the other side with a 9-3 mark.
"So proud of our group this weekend," head coach Jonathan Burton said. "Five nine-inning games in a three-day span in February is not easy, and then to win each one of them makes it even more satisfying. It takes a lot of focus and resolve to fight through that, but it's also what an opening round is like.
"Now, the real season begins as we approach conference. We have a tough mid-week game followed by a tough conference opponent. This week will require us to be at our best, but that's also what you want as a competitor."
Game 1 (W, 9-4)
- Reinhardt garnered 11 hits and received three gifts in the form of errors in the opening battle with Rio Grande, one that saw the hosts grab three tallies in the opening inning compliments of a bases-clearing triple from Albert Mora.
- The RedStorm got on the board in the second frame, but gave it right back in the bottom of the stanza after Nick Sanders bunted for a base knock on a squeeze play. After another Rio Grande RBI-single in the third and two more runs in the fifth, the score was all-square at 4-4.
- Gianmarco Marcelletti hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth that started a stretch of five unanswered runs that resulted in the 9-4 series-clinching victory. Andres Ugarte followed with a 2-RBI single in the sixth before Mora put an exclamation point on the scoring with a 2-run blast.
- Ugarte (two stolen bases) was 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored, while Mora collected five RBIs to lead the way.
- Ryan Semon got the victory in relief after three innings of work and a trio of strikeouts.
Game 2 (W, 11-1)
- The RedStorm got a SAC fly in the top of the first but mustered only a pair of hits the rest of the way as they watched their hosts put up three tallies in a trio of innings – including the first two stanzas – to run away with victory.
- Andres Ugarte continued to stay hot at the plate as he came through with a 2-RBI double in the bottom of the first to help the Eagles take the early advantage and never look back. Albert Mora made it 3-0 before two runners touched home plate after an error in the second inning (5-0), and then Dalton Turnbow got into the action himself with an RBI hit.
- Single tallies in the third and fourth frames made it 8-0 before things got interesting in the bottom of the eighth. A walk, hit-by-pitch and wild pitch set up Jackson Bowers for a deep out that brought in another run on a SAC fly.
- Two more walks later by Rio Grande loaded the bases, and Louie Kessinger then sent the home folks home happy with a 2-RBI single up the middle to end the contest.
- Eagle batters walked eight times and Parker Miller got the win on the mound after six innings and foursome of strikeouts.
A game at No. 22 Middle Georgia State is up next on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
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