Late-Inning Power Lifts Reinhardt in Game Three Decider at Bryan
DAYTON, Tenn. — Brock Sisson's solo home run in the top of the ninth capped a furious late rally as Reinhardt Baseball erased a five-run deficit to defeat Bryan College 10–8 on Saturday afternoon at Senter Field. The Eagles take the series two games to one.
Down 8–3 after five innings, the Eagles scored seven unanswered runs over the final four frames to secure the nonconference victory. Reinhardt chipped away with a four-run sixth, tied the game on Miguel Salazar's solo homer in the seventh, and then delivered the decisive blow when Sisson drove a pitch out in the ninth to break an 8–8 deadlock.
Reinhardt built an early cushion with three runs in the top of the second, highlighted by a two-run single from leadoff hitter Cedric Cullars as part of a three-RBI frame. The Eagles added a run in the fifth to make it 4–2, but Bryan answered with a power surge of its own. Morgan Halliday and Brodie Genter hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth to trim the margin to 3–2, and the Lions exploded for six runs in the fifth, capped by Halliday's grand slam that pushed Bryan in front 8–3.
Reinhardt responded immediately in the sixth, taking advantage of defensive miscues and timely contact to swing momentum back. The Eagles plated four runs in the inning, including a sacrifice fly from Charles Smith, and used multiple runs generated around Bryan errors to pull within 8–7. That set the stage for Salazar in the seventh, when he launched a solo shot to even the score and complete the comeback from the early five-run hole.
Sisson then delivered the final swing in the ninth. The Eagles' right-handed hitter, who finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two walks, turned on a pitch and drove it out to give Reinhardt its first lead since the early innings at 10–8. Reinhardt's pitching staff, which combined for 11 strikeouts while allowing just five hits over nine innings, made the advantage stand up by keeping Bryan off the board over the final four frames.
Cullars set the tone at the top of the order for Reinhardt, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a double, two walks, and two stolen bases as the Eagles finished with 11 hits and nine walks. Salazar added two hits, two RBIs, a home run, and a sacrifice fly, while Reinhardt stranded 10 runners but consistently applied pressure throughout the game. The Eagles also showed resilience on the mound, working around eight walks and the three Bryan home runs to limit further damage after the fifth inning.
Halliday led Bryan's offense with a standout performance in the loss, going 2-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs, and two runs scored. Despite the Lions' three-homer day and a big fifth inning, Bryan's staff could not quiet Reinhardt's late push, surrendering 10 runs on 11 hits and nine walks. The win marked a gritty road result for the Eagles on a stormy day in Dayton and underscored the team's ability to generate offense up and down the lineup while closing out a tight game in the final inning.
The Eagles have a single game on Tuesday against Faulkner at home, followed by the weekend AAC series at home against Milligan. Reinhardt extends their conference record to 4-5 and their overall record to 8-14 as they push to get back to .500.
