Reinhardt Eagles sweep Bryan in Dayton doubleheader behind dominant Pettit, power from Hight

DAYTON, Tenn. — Reinhardt Softball rode a complete-game shutout from right-hander All-American Anslie Pettit in the opener and a five-RBI power surge from fellow All-American Ansley Hight in the nightcap to sweep a road doubleheader at Bryan College, 4-0 and 7-6, on Friday.

The decisive tone of the day was set early in Game 1, as the Eagles struck for three runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back behind Pettit's command in the circle. Emily Pettit opened the scoring with an RBI single that brought in Maggie English, and Hight followed with an RBI double to the gap to drive home Emily Pettit as part of the three-run frame. That early burst proved to be all the support Anslie Pettit needed in a wire-to-wire shutout.

Anslie Pettit went the distance in the opener, tossing seven scoreless innings while allowing just three hits, walking none, and striking out six on 88 pitches. The Eagles' defense backed her with an error-free effort, stranding four Bryan baserunners and denying the Lions any sustained rally. Bryan's starter, Maddie Lee, absorbed the loss despite working all seven innings, yielding four runs (three earned) on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Reinhardt added an insurance run in the sixth to cap the 4-0 win, finishing with six hits and three walks while leaving six on base. At the plate, freshman Emily Pettit led the Eagles' Game 1 attack, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Hight chipped in a 2-for-4 line that included an RBI double and a run. Bryan collected three hits but could not convert, as timely outs erased each potential scoring opportunity from Pettit and steady infield play.

Game 2 turned into a back-and-forth contest, but again it was Reinhardt that produced the decisive blows. The Eagles plated two runs in the first, with Hight driving in Emily Pettit on a two-run single to give Reinhardt an early 2-1 edge. In the third, Emily Pettit tripled and came around on Hight's first home run of the day, a two-run shot that pushed the margin to 4-3 and briefly quieted Bryan's offense.

After Bryan answered to keep the game tight, Reinhardt created separation in the sixth inning. Hight led off the frame with a solo home run to extend the lead to 5-3, then the Eagles turned to pinch-hitter Emma Scott, who delivered a key two-RBI single to stretch the advantage to 7-3. Bryan mounted a serious threat in the bottom half, scoring three runs and pulling within 7-6 on a two-run double by Kaycee Baldwin, but the tying run was left stranded as Reinhardt closed out the inning and then finished the 7-6 victory.

Hight headlined the Eagles' offensive performance in the nightcap, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs while scoring twice. Emily Pettit added a 2-for-4 effort with a triple and two runs scored, and Scott's pinch-hit single provided crucial late insurance. Reinhardt finished with nine hits, including two homers and a triple, and stole three bases, overcoming three errors in the field. Bryan tallied 12 hits but stranded nine runners. KP Smith took the loss for Bryan after working all 7.0 innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.

Anslie Pettit also contributed in relief during Game 2, striking out five over 3.2 innings while allowing four hits and two earned runs to help the Eagles navigate Bryan's late push. Combined with her complete-game shutout in the opener, she finished the day with 10.2 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, two earned runs, and 11 strikeouts. The doubleheader sweep gave Reinhardt a strong road result in Dayton as the Eagles carried both standout pitching and timely power into the heart of their schedule.

Next up for the Eagles is another AAC road weekend at Bluefield on March 13th and Union Commonwealth on March 14th. The Eagles' record goes to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play.