Eagles Drop Game One of Cumberlands Series

Waleska, GA - Reinhardt Baseball dropped game one in Waleska to the visiting NAIA-ranked #6 University of the Cumberlands Patriots. The game was a tale of two sides, with Cumberlands getting out to a big early lead, capitalizing on almost all their runners on base, and the Eagles could not quite put it together.

The Patriots got out to an early 6-0 lead on the backs of a Derick Andiarena 2-run shot in the first, and 1B Ronald Almanzar's 2-run homer in the 2nd inning. Reinhardt's starting pitcher was tagged for 7 earned across 4 innings of work, leaving the game with a 7-2 deficit. Pedro Luciano followed him in relief, posting 1 inning of work, surrendering 2 runs of his own to extend Cumberlands' lead to 9-2. True freshman Chris Oates followed Luciano in relief, posting 4 shutout innings, with 4 strikeouts on no walks, and allowing no hits.

Oates kept the Eagles in the game, and in the bottom of the 8th, Louis Dion cut the deficit to 6, mashing a 430' home run into the North Georgia night sky. In the bottom of the 9th, Eagles outfielder Jackson Rains hit a bomb of his own, escaping over the left-center field wall, coming off the bat at a scorching 105 mph. 

The late offense proved to not be enough, as the Patriots wrapped up a Friday night win with a score of 9-4. Reliever Brayden Stewart earns the win, entering in the 5th inning for starting pitcher Wesley Culley, posting 2 earned runs across 4.2 innings of work, racking up 5 strikeouts and no walks. Starter Logan Lynch is dealt the loss, posting 7 earned across 4 innings, allowing 8 hits while walking 3, and striking out one.

The Eagles are slated for a 1 pm first pitch tomorrow, Saturday, Feb 28, to begin a double-header and wrap up the series vs the Patriots. Probable starting pitchers are currently unknown, as we will play 9 innings in game 1, followed by a 7-inning match in game 2.

- Tyler Waddell, student assistant