Zdunich has a Game to Remember at Bluefield

Zdunich has a Game to Remember at Bluefield
Box Score
March 23, 2023

Bluefield, VA - Tucker Zdunich probably had no idea what kind of day he would have when he woke up Thursday morning getting ready for his game against Bluefield. It turns out, he would have one of the best starts as a baseball player as he would hit three straight home runs in his first three at-bats helping the Eagles get out to an early lead on the Rams. The Eagles would go on to win in the eight-inning shortened game, 14 to 1. 

The Eagles are really hot right now. The bats have been producing all season with various players like Jarrett Burney, Lance Dockery, Zach Rabe, Jacob Profit, and many others stepping up to get runs for the Eagles. To start the season, Tucker Zdunich was absent from some of the early stats - which is very rare for a Reinhardt Eagle baseball game. Last season, he was definitely the MVP of the team and he was rewarded by the NAIA naming him second-team All-American. Fast forward to this season and Zdunich was receiving the much-deserved preseason accolades of being named a Preseason All-American.

The start was slow this season, but Zdunich has got things going in a big way. All of his numbers are up and he is being put in different spots in the lineup to see where he can help the team the most. He has many new bats in the lineup like Rabe, Nash Crowell, and Dylan Lewis - which gives Coach Burton several options. He has the freedom to move Zdunich around depending on where the other hot bats are hitting and this makes the Eagles' lineup very lethal. Tucker Zdunich is still the leader of this team, but it just so happens he has a solid crew around him that can scare opposing teams.

In today's game with Bluefield, Zduinich was joined by Dawson Johns again in the home run department. The duo homered in the game with Faulkner on Tuesday and both went 3 for 4 in today's game. Zdunich's homers happened in the first, third, and fourth innings while Johns' homer came as the fourth as well. Zdunich ended up with four RBIs and Johns ended up with two. Lewis had three RBIs, and Nash Crowell, Jarrett Burney, and Zach Rabe all had one RBIs each.

BATTING HIGHLIGHTS vs Bluefield

Sac Fly: JARRETT BURNEY
 
Ethan Foley got the start in game one of the Bluefield series and he is starting to move back to the form he had all of last season. Foley is a top pitcher for the Eagles with a strong arm and is easily one of the best pitchers in the AAC. In today's game, he pitched a solid seven innings striking out two batters and scattering four hits over those innings. He only allowed one run for the Rams. Hunter Paulsen came in the seventh inning to relieve Foley and he kept the Rams off the board. Paulsen held Bluefield to just one hit in his two innings. 
 
It was a great all-around performance by the Eagles both offensively and defensively. They will need to continue to keep things going as they will play a doubleheader on Friday with a chance to sweep another AAC series and work their way up the standings. The Eagles are currently tied for second place in the AAC standings with Bryan and Tennessee Wesleyan is sitting at the top undefeated in conference play.