Four-Run Sixth Lifts Eagles Past Freed-Hardeman, 6-4

Waleska, GA - Reinhardt Baseball used a four-run sixth inning, capped by Sam Holthaus' pinch-hit, go-ahead single, to rally past Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) 6-4 on Monday afternoon at Ken White Field in Waleska, Georgia.

Trailing 4-2 after surrendering a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth, the Eagles' offense came alive in the sixth. With the deficit still at two, Reinhardt strung together a key rally that started with traffic on the bases and turned when Brock Sisson lined a two-run single to left to pull the Eagles even at 4-4. Moments later, Holthaus came off the bench and delivered the decisive blow, shooting a two-run single that pushed Reinhardt in front for the first time at 6-4.

From there, the pitching staff made the lead stand. Right-hander Miles Morris earned the win in relief, working 2 1/3 innings and allowing just two hits with four strikeouts and two walks. After Morris bridged the middle and late innings, Austin Puett took the ball in the ninth and closed the door, tossing a scoreless final frame to record the save and seal the comeback victory.

Freed-Hardeman threatened throughout the afternoon but left 16 runners on base despite pounding out 11 hits and drawing eight walks. The Lions jumped on top quickly in the first inning when Hunter Ryan singled to left with two outs, driving in two runs for a 2-0 lead. Reinhardt answered in the bottom half as Cannon Dorsey reached on a fielder's choice that turned into a run when an error extended the play. In the second, Sisson shot a single to right to score Easton Sears and tie the game 2-2.

Freed-Hardeman reclaimed the lead in the fifth, taking advantage of defensive miscues. Two unearned runs came across, including one on a ball put in play by Tyree Claxton and pressure on the bases involving Brennan Petersen, to give the visitors a 4-2 cushion. Reinhardt's pitching, however, limited further damage, holding the Lions scoreless over the final four innings despite continued traffic.

Offensively, Reinhardt made the most of its six hits. Sisson finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, driving in runs in both the second and sixth innings. Holthaus delivered in his lone plate appearance, going 1-for-1 with two RBIs in the key pinch-hit spot. As a team, the Eagles drew five walks and were hit by two pitches, turning limited contact into timely production in front of an announced crowd of 50.

The Eagles' pitching staff stepped up after going down 2-0 in the first inning. Ryan Mahoney came in for relief in the second inning and had a solid two innings, helping to bring the game back to even at 2-2.  The lead slipped once again in the fourth, where the Lions went up by two again. Reinhardt went with Miles Morris, Riley Gaskins, and Austin Puettt to finish out the game, and the trio kept Freed Hardeman scoreless and allowed the offense to make their comeback. In total, the Eagles had thirteen strikeouts, with four each coming from Mahoney, Morris, and Puettt. Carter Crumley got the start for the Eagles, and Morris picked up the win.

For Freed-Hardeman, Ryan went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two stolen bases, while Trace Anderson added a 3-for-5 day with a run scored, a hit-by-pitch, and a stolen base. Despite that output, Reinhardt's staff piled up 13 strikeouts and allowed only two earned runs over nine innings, overcoming three Eagles errors. The win gave Reinhardt a resilient, come-from-behind result at home, highlighted by clutch hitting in the sixth and shutdown work from Morris and Puett down the stretch.

The Eagles will spend the remainder of the week building on this win and preparing for the upcoming series at Montreat University as the AAC slate continues.  The first game will be the single game on Friday at 3 pm and then the doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon in North Carolina.