Misson Complete: Reinhardt Wins 2024 Softball Tournament Championship

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Reinhardt returned to the top of the mountain on Friday as it won the 2024 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Softball Tournament championship.

A perennial favorite to capture the green banner, this is the first time since 2017 that Reinhardt won the tournament championship. The Eagles went 4-0 in this year's tournament, defeating third-seed Tennessee Wesleyan 9-1 in the championship game.

The four-day event is being held at the Brickyard Ball Fields in Kingsport, Tenn.

Tennessee Wesleyan advanced to the championship game with a 6-0 win over No. 2 seed Johnson earlier in the day.

The title game could not have started better for Reinhardt as Emily Loveless led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run over the left-field fence.

Tennessee Wesleyan evened the ledger in the top of the third thanks to a Macy Chastain single in a run. However, Reinhardt seized control of the game in the bottom of the frame. Molly Stevens and Jill Martinet each drove in a run to put Reinhardt up 3-1, and a Stevens sac fly allowed Taylor Wade to score in the fourth to make it a three-run game.

Alexis Teems drove in a run in the fifth, and the Eagles went on a four-run rally in the sixth to lock up the 9-1 win and the championship. Loveless sealed the deal with a two-run single.

Loveless, who was named the AAC Player of the Year earlier this week, earned Tournament MVP honors. The senior shortstop had two home runs, three runs scored, six RBI, and a stolen base during the tournament.

Joining her on the All-Tournament Team are Taylor Wade, Eryn Lee, and Whitney Shepherd of Reinhardt; Chastain, Bailee Phillips, and Taylor Penning of Tennessee Wesleyan; Megan Armstrong and Audrey Moorhouse of Johnson; Hannah Patridge and Ava Moon of Brenau; and Hope Azurdia of Columbia.

Both Reinhardt and Tennessee Wesleyan receive automatic berths to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. The NAIA Opening Round brackets will be announced on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET.

Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, April 30
Game 1 - No. 5 Brenau (27-15) def. No. 4 Truett McConnell (25-17), 12- 4 (box)
Game 2 - No. 1 Reinhardt (39-8) def. No. 8 Bryan (17-21), 5-3 (box)
Game 3 - No. 2 Johnson (24-13) def. No. 7 Union (15-25), 9-1 (5 innings) (box)
Game 4 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (25-11) def. No. 6 Columbia (24-21), 8-0 (6 innings) (box)

Wednesday, May 1
Game 5 - No. 4 Truett McConnell (26-17) def. No. 8 Bryan (17-22), 5-0 (box) - Bryan eliminated
Game 6 - No. 6 Columbia (25-21) def. No. 7 Union (15-25), 8-6 (box) - Union eliminated
Game 7 - No. 1 Reinhardt (40-8) def. No. 5 Brenau (27-16), 8-0 (5 innings) (box)
Game 8 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (26-11) def. No. 2 Johnson (24-14), 4-3 (8 innings) (box)

Thursday, May 2
Game 9 - No. 5 Brenau (28-16) def. No. 6 Columbia (25-22), 10-9 (box) - Columbia eliminated
Game 10 - No. 2 Johnson (25-14) def. No. 4 Truett McConnell (26-18), 1-0 (box) - Truett McConnell eliminated
Game 11 - No. 1 Reinhardt (41-8) def. No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (26-12), 7-6 (box)
Game 12 - No. 2 Johnson (26-14) def. No. 5 Brenau (28-17), 5-3 (box) - Brenau eliminated

Friday, May 3
Game 13 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (27-12) def. No. 2 Johnson (26-15), 6-0 (box) - Johnson eliminated
Game 14 - Championship Game 1 - No. 1 Reinhardt (42-8) vs. No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (27-13), 9-1 (box) - Reinhardt wins the championship