Reinhardt Sweeps Bluefield Behind Pettit’s Dominant Doubleheader Effort

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Reinhardt University used a fast start in Game 1 and a late-inning surge in an extra-inning nightcap to sweep a doubleheader from Bluefield (Va.), winning 12-2 in five innings and 4-2 in nine on Friday at Graham Rec Park.

The opener was effectively decided in the first inning, when the Eagles exploded for five runs and never looked back. Reinhardt sent pressure early with quality at-bats and aggressive baserunning, building a 5-1 lead after one and extending it with three more runs in the second to seize control. The Eagles finished with 12 runs on 10 hits while capitalizing on five Bluefield errors in the run-rule victory.

Reinhardt's offense set the tone immediately. Eryn Lee scored one of her three runs as part of the five-run first, coming home when Ansley Hight was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Later in the inning, Molly Stevens dropped down a bunt single to the circle that helped plate Emily Pettit and Maddie Wright, underscoring the Eagles' ability to manufacture runs in multiple ways. In the second, Hight ripped a double down the left-field line to drive in Emily Pettit, and Kylie Freije added a run-scoring infield single to shortstop to push the margin to 8-1.

Lee continued to be a spark at the top of the order, finishing Game 1 with a double, three runs scored, two walks and a stolen base. Jaselyn Sarah Ann Couch added two hits, two runs and an RBI, while Stevens chipped in a hit, an RBI and a run scored. Reinhardt tacked on single runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth, with Emma Scott driving in a run in the final frame as the Eagles closed out their scoring. Bluefield's offense came almost exclusively from Chloe Dillow, who homered in the first and later doubled home a run in the fifth, accounting for both of the Rams' runs.

In the circle, Anslie Pettit was in control from start to finish in Game 1. The right-hander went the distance in the five-inning contest, allowing three hits and two earned runs with seven strikeouts and two walks. She faced just three batters over the minimum outside of Dillow's two extra-base hits, benefiting from clean defense behind her as Reinhardt committed no errors while limiting Bluefield to three hits and three runners left on base.

Game 2 presented a stark contrast, as Reinhardt had to claw back in a low-scoring, extra-inning battle before completing the sweep with a 4-2 win in nine innings. After early threats — including a leadoff double from Lee in the first — the Eagles trailed 1-0 when Dillow again struck for Bluefield with a solo home run in the fifth. Reinhardt finally broke through in the seventh, using a double to center by Hight to set up the tying run and send the game to extras.

The Eagles briefly moved in front in the eighth when Maddie Wright doubled to left-center to score Lee for a 2-1 advantage, but Bluefield answered with an unearned run in the bottom half to pull even at 2-2. Reinhardt responded once more in the ninth, producing the decisive rally. Hallee Shirley delivered a go-ahead RBI single, and an additional insurance run crossed on a wild pitch to make it 4-2, a lead the Eagles would not relinquish.

Pettit again played a central role in the outcome, turning in an even more dominant effort in relief in the second game. Working six innings, she yielded just three hits and one earned run while striking out 12 and walking two, leading a staff that recorded 15 strikeouts in the nine-inning contest. Lee added two hits, including a double and a run scored, while Wright's RBI double and Shirley's key run-scoring single highlighted a balanced offensive attack that produced nine hits. With the doubleheader sweep, Reinhardt carried momentum into its next scheduled twinbill, set for Saturday at Union College at 2 and 4 p.m.

Weather conditions were clear and cool in Bluefield, with temperatures in the upper 40s to upper 50s and light winds, providing a crisp backdrop for a day dominated by Pettit's pitching and timely Eagles hitting.