Reinhardt Finishes Third at NAIA Baseball World Series

LEWISTON, Idaho - Reinhardt completed its historic season with a strong postseason run, finishing third at the 2024 NAIA Baseball World Series.

The Eagles finished the season 44-18 overall and went 25-5 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play, finishing as the regular-season champion and tournament runner-up.

Reinhardt was the last undefeated team at the World Series as it won its first three games. On Friday, May 24, Reinhardt opened with a 7-5 win over Hope International (Calif.) before posting a 30-13 win over Arizona Christian on Monday. Reinhardt followed that with a 6-4 win over Georgia Gwinnett on Tuesday.

However, the Eagles' luck ran out as they lost conference rival Tennessee Wesleyan in back-to-back games, falling 6-2 decision on Wednesday and 3-2, 11-inning battle on Thursday.

GAME 1 - REINHARDT 7, HOPE INTERNATIONAL 5

Reinhardt rallied late to record the program's first-ever win at the World Series.

Down 5-2 in the seventh, Tucker Zdunich evened the ledger with a three-run home run. Jarrett Burney put the Eagles ahead with a run-scoring single in the eighth. Lance Dockery scored on a wild pitch for the 7-5 cushion.

GAME 2 - REINHARDT 30, ARIZONA CHRISTIAN 13

Reinhardt scored early and often in a wild 17-run win over Arizona Christian. The Eagles scored seven runs in the second, seven in the third, and six in the fourth in building a 22-6 lead.

Arizona Christian pulled within 22-13 after six innings, but Reinhardt scored the game's final eight runs to make the final 30-13.

Zdunich went 6-of-7 with three home runs, five runs scored, and nine RBI. Meanwhile, Dylan Lewis and Dockery each had six RBI.

GAME 3 - REINHARDT 6, GEORGIA GWINNETT

A late push sent Reinhardt past Georgia Gwinnett in the winners' bracket finale.

Tied at 2-all, a Luis Mendoza two-run home run put the Eagles up 4-2 in the seventh. Zdunich and Lewis each drove in a run in the eighth for a four-run advantage. Georgia Gwinnett scored twice in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.

Brett Allen went the distance to get the win, tossing 151 pitches. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts.

GAME 4 - TENNESSEE WESLEYAN 6, REINHARDT 2

A late rally sealed the win for Tennessee Wesleyan.

Reinhardt led 2-1 after the third thanks to a Burney RBI single and a Dockery run-scoring double. However, Braxton Turners drove in a run in the fifth to pull Tennessee Wesleyan even before lining a three-run double in the eighth to secure the win for Tennessee Wesleyan.

GAME 5 - TENNESSEE WESLEYAN 3, REINHARDT 2 (11 innings)

Reinhardt led twice during the night, but it was Tennessee Wesleyan who came away victorious.

Dockery homered in the third for a 1-0 Reinhardt lead. After Tennessee Wesleyan tied the game in the fourth, Matt Maurer singled in a run to give Reinhardt a 2-1 lead in the seventh. However, Tennessee Wesleyan tied the game in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. In the 11th, Kruise Newman singled in a run to give Tennessee Wesleyan the win.

Despite the loss, Andrew Herbert pitched well as he allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings of work.