Eagles Celebrate Senior Day with Doubleheader Wins Against CIU!
Waleska, GA - The 2025 Reinhardt Baseball season has come down to just one series with the CIU Rams. The Eagles are currently in first place of the AAC standings, but they have Tennessee Wesleyan right on their heels, trying to get a share of the title. The Eagles kept the pressure on by winning games one and two against the Rams in Waleska on Friday. Game one was a run-ruled game at 11-1 in favor of the Eagles, and game two was much closer at 6-4. The two wins extend their overall record to 37-9 and 23-6 in conference play. Reinhardt has one more game on Saturday afternoon at 1 pm at Ken White Field, where they can lock down the AAC regular season title for the second year in a row.
GAME ONE
Adrian Vargas and Jacob Mantooth set the tone for game one by hitting back-to-back home runs in the first inning. Vargas topped this by hitting another home run in the third inning and bringing his season total to four home runs. He had four RBIs in the game to help the Eagles end the game in the seventh inning by the ten-run rule.
Contributions came from all corners, including Robert Phelps, who crossed home twice, and Louis Dion, who not only scored but also knocked in two runs. Phelps was 2 for 4 in the game with an RBI to go with his two runs scored.
Luca Boscarino had a double in the game, hitting 1 for 3 in the game.
Andrew Herbert took the mound as the starting pitcher, and his performance did not disappoint, marking his 35th career win, a record-setting achievement for Reinhardt Baseball. This was Herbert's 11th win of the season, which has him tied with six others in second place of the top ten in NAIA Baseball.
The game was Herbert's last appearance for a regular season game at Ken White Field, where he recorded six strikeouts and controlled the game, scattering eight hits against him. The Rams were only able to get one run across the plate, and that came early in the game. There is a chance that Reinhart Baseball will host the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament, so this will give the fans another shot to see this All-American take the mound.
Reinhardt (GA)Pitchers
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Herbert (W, 1-0) | 7.0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Totals | 7.0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
GAME TWO
Game two of the day was a much closer ballgame that the previous. The Rams kept things close in the end after it seemed that the Eagles might runaway with another win. The Eagles slowly worked up a good 6-2 lead which lasted most of the game, but the sixth inning brought things close again when the Rams put two runs on the board.
Robert Phelps led the offense, scoring two runs while going 3 for 3 with a homer that left the field in the first inning. He also had a double in the game. Nash Crowell matched Phelps' run score, contributing two runs himself and hitting two doubles in the game.. Adrian Vargas and Cedric Cullars each added runs, rounding out the scoring for the Eagles.
Besides Phelps' contribution, key RBIs were secured by Jacob Mantooth, who notched three, and Barry Eiseman, who earned one.
Starting pitcher Adam Christoph held the Rams at bay, pitching four innings striking out two Rams. Logan Lynch, Hunter Paulsen, and Brett Allen Christopher's win was his seventh of the season.
Reinhardt (GA)Pitchers
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Christopher (W, 1-0) | 4.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Logan Lynch | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hunter Paulsen | 0.1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Brett Allen (Sv, 1) | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Totals | 7.0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
As the Rams sought a comeback by tightening the score with two runs in the sixth inning, tension built. However, closer Brett Allen stepped up magnificently, seizing control of the game. His efforts not only averted a shift in momentum but also culminated in his 11th save of the season, setting a new Reinhardt University record for saves in a single season. Allen is currently in first place in the NAIA by himselft with eleven saves.
Reinhardt will take this two wins into Saturday's final regular season game against the CIU Rams again. There is much riding on the game so the Eagles will have their best effort in attempts to close out the 2025 regular season with a win and a possible AAC regular season title. The AAC Tournament will take place next week in Kingsport, Tennessee where Reinhardt could be the top seed going through. More info to come next week on the AAC Tournament.
