Adams' Blast Helps Softball Take Two From Grizzlies
By Brandon Wright, RU Athletics
WALESKA, Ga. – The 21st-ranked Reinhardt softball team had another excellent outing Saturday as it defeated 10th-ranked Georgia Gwinnett in both games at home, 6-1 and 2-1.
After dropping two games to the Grizzlies on Feb. 10, the wins today evened the season series against the in-state rival, 2-2. The two teams will meet again for the winner-take-all series on April 20, which are the last two games of the regular season for Reinhardt.
Today's victories also extend the Eagles' winning streak to six games and gives them a 16-4 record overall.
"We kicked it around a little bit too much on the defensive side, but we didn't let any of those errors escalate, and even got a couple double-plays to get out of the jams we put ourselves in," head coach Jade Geuther said. "Reagen and Whitney didn't have their normal strikeout numbers, but Gwinnett is a good hitting team. They both stayed in control, had a great pace to the game, located their pitches and got a lot of ground balls. Our offense got timely hits, and obviously, the big one came off of Emma's bat to give us the lead late.
"This was a big day for our team after Gwinnett took it to us at their place."
Game 1 (W, 6-1)
- Reagan Radke, who now has a 7-2 record on the year and a 1.65 ERA, got the start in game one of the afternoon where she allowed eight hits, but only one earned run while striking out two batters in a complete-game, 99-pitch near-shutout.
- The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the second inning when Megan Huss doubled to deep center, which was immediately followed by a Natalie Parlato's RBI-double to deep center to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead heading into the third.
- The Reinhardt bats came alive in the bottom of the third inning where they had a lead-off double from Lauren Parker, followed with three-consecutive singles by Alise Hooks, Emily Loveless and Jill Martinet. It was all capped off with two-consecutive walks resulting in three runs and a 4-0 lead heading into the fourth inning for the home squad.
- The final two Reinhardt runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning by way of a lead-off home run from Autumn Bible – her first of the season – Hooks reaching base on a walk and a Georgia Gwinnett error making the score 6-0 Eagles after four.
- The visitors got their only run of the day in the fifth inning after a few Reinhardt fielding miscues, but the Eagles remained strong and allowed only two more hits the rest of the way to secure a 6-1 victory over the 10th-ranked Grizzlies.
- Though no one player had a multi-hit game, seven different Eagles had knocks in the opener.
Game 2 (W, 2-1)
- Reinhardt freshman Whitney Shepherd took the mound in game two for the Eagles where she allowed just four hits, no earned runs or walks and struck out three batters.
- Reinhardt registered a hit in each of the first three innings, but could not capitalize, and left three runners on base as the game remained tied after five innings.
- A few singles by Georgia Gwinnett and a Reinhardt throwing error in the top of the sixth allowed the visitors to get the first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
- However, Reinhardt would not be down long as Emily Loveless reached on a walk followed by Emma Adams putting the Eagles ahead, 2-1, with a 2-run homer – her fifth of the season – over the left field fence.
- Three outs stood between a clean sweep on the day for the Eagles, and Shepherd answered the challenge beautifully by delivering those outs in the form of two strikeouts and a flyout to center; giving her team the 2-1 comeback victory.
- Bible was 1-for-1 in game two and 2-for-4 on the day with one home run, one run and an RBI.
- Hooks went 2-for-3 at the plate in game two and 3-for-6 on the day with two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
- Adams, who put the Eagles on top with her 2-run blast in the bottom of the sixth, was 1-for-3 in game two with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored.
The Eagles will be back in action at home on March 11 for a doubleheader versus USC-Beaufort (S.C.).
First pitch of game one is set for Noon.
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For more information on Reinhardt Softball, please click here.