The Bats Were HOT in Doubleheader Day at Montreat; Seven Total Home Runs!

Montreat, NC - Reinhardt Baseball opened its Friday doubleheader day with an offensive barrage, then backed it up with timely hitting and steady pitching in the nightcap, beating Montreat 12-7 in Game 1 and 7-4 in Game 2 at Montreat, N.C.

The decisive stretch of the opener came early. After a scoreless first inning, the Eagles broke through with three runs in the second and kept piling on from there. Ryan Stephens started the surge with a run-scoring double to left-center, and the inning grew after a wild pitch and a solo home run from Juan Pablo Morales. Reinhardt added two more runs in the third on solo shots by Jackson Rains and Cade Chamlee, then effectively took control with a four-run fourth. Rains delivered a two-run single in that inning, and Cannon Dorsey followed with a two-run homer to right-center for an 11-3 cushion.

Chamlee headlined the Game 1 offense, going 4-for-5 with four runs and two homers. Rains finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Stephens drove in three runs, including a two-run homer in the seventh that provided more insurance. Reinhardt totaled 15 hits, 11 RBIs and six home runs in the opener. Montreat answered with three home runs of its own, including Tommy Ramos' three-run shot in the third, but the Eagles maintained separation throughout. Matthew Brunner homered in the fourth, and Jason Brulport added a pinch-hit two-run homer in the ninth before Reinhardt closed out the 12-7 win.

The pitching duo of Logan Lynch and Ryan Mahoney got the job done on the mound for the Eagles. Lynch picked up his third win as a starter this year, going five innings while striking out six Cavaliers.  Mahoney came in to pitch the final four innings and he kept things under control as the team did its damage offensively.  Manhoney struck out two batters and was awarded a save in the game.

The second game followed a different script, but the result stayed the same. Reinhardt scored in the first inning and never trailed in a 7-4 victory at Newell Field. Morales supplied the early jolt with a first-inning home run to right, helping the Eagles build a 2-0 lead before Montreat answered with a solo homer from Justin Austin. Reinhardt then added two runs in the third and three more in the fourth, with Rains delivering the key swing, a two-run double to left that stretched the lead to 7-2.

Ty Pangborn gave Reinhardt the platform it needed in Game 2. The right-hander worked five innings, allowed three hits and two earned runs, and struck out eight on 64 pitches. Montreat managed six hits in the game, but Reinhardt limited the damage until the seventh, when Daniel Restrepo's two-run homer trimmed the margin. Morales finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Rains went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Even with only five hits in the second game, the Eagles capitalized on their chances and took advantage of four Montreat errors. Attendance for the nightcap was 35.

Across the doubleheader, Reinhardt scored 19 runs and hit seven home runs while improving its day with two road wins in difficult conditions. The weather was listed as thunderstorms with temperatures around 32 degrees and 18 mph wind, but the Eagles still generated consistent offense, especially in the opener, and got the pitching they needed in the second game. The two teams will face each other on Saturday for the series finale.  The Eagles will have a chance to sweep the Cavaliers and extend their current win streak to four games!

photos courtesy of student photographer, Tyler Waddell