Eagle Bats Can't Keep Pace With Bulldogs in Opener
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 4 |
|
|
0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 1 |
By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media
ATHENS, Tenn. – Reinhardt opened conference play on Saturday afternoon with a showdown of two ranked teams when it visited No. 5 Tennessee Wesleyan in the first of a three-game series.
Baserunning and mental mistakes played a crucial role in the outcome as the Eagles wasted multiple opportunities on the bases. These errors – as the 17th-ranked team in the country – were too much to overcome against a top five squad as the Bulldogs took the opener, 11-6.
"We really battled offensively today, but just made too many defensive and baserunning mistakes to beat a good team," head coach Jonathan Burton said. "Teams like this you have to be at your best. We clearly weren't at our best and they made us pay with some big innings. If we are going to have a chance tomorrow, we have to do the small things better."
The hometown squad had a prime chance to take an early lead in the second inning, but basepath mistakes turned directly into back-to-back outs. Tennessee Wesleyan then responded with a half-dozen tallies in the bottom of the second after five hits and a pair of errors by Reinhardt.
Slowly but surely, the Eagles (9-4, 0-1 Appalachian Athletic Coference) fought back with the big stick as Jackson Sisk and Xavier Arnette both homered, Gianmarco Marcelletti hit a 2-run blast and then Nick Sanders tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh with another 2-run shot.
The momentum didn't last long, however, as the Bulldogs hit a lead-off shot to regain the advantage for good. Tennessee Wesleyan would eventually add three more in the bottom of the seventh and another run in the eighth for the 11-6 outcome.
Marcelletti went 4-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, and three additional teammates posted two hits apiece.
Daniel Dolensky went six-plus innings in defeat and struck out nine.
It's back to the diamond tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
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