Reinhardt Rides First-Inning Surge and Logan Lynch Gem Past CIU

Columbia, SC - Reinhardt Baseball seized control in the first inning and never let go Friday, beating CIU 4-1 behind a complete-game effort from Logan Lynch and an early three-run burst that set the tone.

The Eagles did most of their damage immediately. Aiden Robles walked and later scored on Cade Chamlee's sacrifice fly as Reinhardt opened a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The inning kept moving from there, and Louis Dion reached on a fielding error that brought home two more unearned runs for a 3-0 advantage. That cushion proved more than enough for Lynch, who worked all nine innings and allowed just two hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out seven on 102 pitches.

CIU starter Campbell Denton kept the game from getting away after the rough opening frame. Denton went eight innings and gave up seven hits and four runs, though only two were earned, while striking out three and throwing 126 pitches. Reinhardt did not break through again until the eighth, when Robles helped spark another scoring chance, and Jackson Rains drove him in with a double to right-center, extending the lead to 4-0.

Robles finished with two runs scored, a hit, a double, a walk and a hit by pitch, continuing to pressure the defense each time he reached base. Rains went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored, a double and a walk. Chamlee added a hit, a double and the sacrifice fly. As a team, Reinhardt collected seven hits, drew four walks, stole two bases and finished with three doubles.

Lynch carried a shutout into the ninth before CIU finally broke through. Jennings Greene doubled and later came home on a sacrifice fly by Corbin Wright, trimming the margin to 4-1. Lynch closed out the rest himself, finishing the complete game as Reinhardt improved to 9-10 in AAC play, and they sit in eighth place in the conference standings.  Lynch has proven himself to be the ace of the staff this season and is putting up all-conference type numbers.

Reinhardt (GA)Pitchers

The Eagles and Rams will battle it out again on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 pm. Reinhardt needs to take both games in order to keep pace in the standings and possibly move up a few more spots as the season comes to the final two weeks of the regular season.