Rains Fuels Win Over Faulkner With Timely Bat, Aggressive Baserunning

WALESKA, Ga. — Jackson Rains delivered the decisive blow with a two-run double in the seventh inning as Reinhardt University pulled away and held off a late Faulkner rally for a 6-3 win Wednesday afternoon at Ken White Field.

The Eagles built an early cushion with small-ball pressure and opportunistic baserunning, then used Rains' extra-base hit to break open a one-run game. Leading 3-1 in the seventh, Reinhardt loaded up the offense again, and Rains doubled to right-center to drive in two runs and push the advantage to 5-1. Cade Chamlee followed with a sacrifice RBI to cap a three-run frame that ultimately provided the winning margin.

Reinhardt first scratched across a run in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Catcher Charles Smith was hit by a pitch, moved up, and later came home when a pitch skipped to the backstop for a wild pitch and a 1-0 lead. The Eagles added on in the third with an aggressive sequence on the bases, highlighted when Rains stole home for an unearned run as part of a two-run inning. Smith added an RBI single in the frame, giving Reinhardt a 3-0 advantage.

Faulkner's first answer came in the fifth when Jordan Carter turned on a pitch from Gray St. Amant and lifted a solo home run, trimming the deficit to 3-1. Carter finished 2-for-3 with the homer, an RBI, a run scored, and a hit-by-pitch, while Alex Gonzalez added two hits, a stolen base, and was also hit by a pitch as the visitors collected eight hits but stranded eight runners.

Reinhardt's offense proved more efficient despite recording just six hits. The Eagles drew eight walks and stole four bases to keep constant pressure on Faulkner's pitching and defense. Rains finished with two runs scored, a double, two RBIs, a walk, and two stolen bases, while Smith reached three times on a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, driving in one and scoring once. The Eagles left nine on base but came through in the key moments, particularly in the third and seventh innings.

Faulkner mounted one last push in the ninth, trailing 6-1. The visitors manufactured two runs on an RBI sacrifice fly by Anthony Bassett Torres and an RBI groundout from Orlando Arellano, cutting the margin to 6-3 and bringing the potential tying run closer to the plate. Reinhardt closed the door, however, recording the final outs to secure the win and finish off a game in which each side committed one error.

The Eagles had eight pitchers take the mound in the midweek game. Each pitched one inning, besides Pedro Luciano, who allowed only one hit and zero runs in his two innings of work. Tyler Peterson came in at the top of the second, relieving starter Ryan Mahoney. Mahoney, Peterson, Luciano, Brock Weiss, Ryle Gaskins, and Dawson Radik held Faulkner to zero runs.  Gaskins did not allow a hit or run in his inning of work.

Reinhardt (GA)Pitchers

With the nonconference victory, the Eagles showed a balanced formula of pressure on the bases, timely hitting, and enough run prevention to withstand Faulkner's late surge. Reinhardt will look to build on the efficient offensive approach and aggressive baserunning in its next outing at Ken White Field.  The Eagles will not turn their focus to the AAC weekend series with the Buffaloes of Milligan University.  The series is set for one game on Friday at 4 pm and then the doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 pm.