Eagles Drop Doubleheader on the Road at Brenau

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Reinhardt opened the day with an early lead in Game 1 and mounted a late push in Game 2, but Brenau completed a doubleheader sweep Tuesday at Brenau University, winning 8-4 in the opener and holding off the Eagles 7-6 in the nightcap.

The decisive stretch of the first game came after Reinhardt struck first in the top of the first inning. Emily Pettit delivered an RBI single to score Taylor Wade for a 1-0 lead, but Brenau answered with two runs in the second and added two more in the third to seize control. The home side kept pressure on through the middle innings, then created separation with two-run frames in the fifth and sixth. Whitney Hulsey did much of that damage, finishing with three hits, three RBIs and a home run, while Dayton Power added three hits, including a double and a triple, and scored twice.

Reinhardt finished with nine hits in Game 1 and played error-free defense, but Brenau's 13-hit attack proved too much to overcome. Wade paced the Eagles with three hits and two runs, and Reinhardt added single runs in the fifth and a two-run burst in the sixth to trim the margin. In the circle, Brenau starter Riley Walker went the distance, allowing two earned runs over seven innings. Reinhardt starter Anslie Pettit was charged with the loss after working six innings.

Game 2 turned on Brenau's fast start. The hosts scored two runs in each of the first three innings and built a 6-0 lead before Reinhardt's offense came to life. Emma Folds opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first, Dayton Power continued another strong game with three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Riley Smith added a two-run single in the third to help Brenau extend the margin.

Reinhardt answered with its best inning of the day in the fourth. The Eagles scored three times to get back into the game, with the rally highlighted by a two-run homer from Shelbie Hutto. Reinhardt kept the pressure on with two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, turning a six-run deficit into a one-run game. Emily Pettit led that effort with three hits, two runs and two doubles as Reinhardt finished with 10 hits and five stolen bases in the second game.

The comeback, though, stopped one run short. Brenau scratched across an insurance run in the sixth and then held Reinhardt scoreless in the seventh to finish off the 7-6 win. Brenau was charged with six errors in Game 2, but limited the damage enough to secure the sweep. The two losses came in Reinhardt's final scheduled road stop before returning home later in the week.