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Morris

CIU narrowly overcome by No. 2 Eagles in bracket game

May 03, 2023

By: hwilkerson
Box Score

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Following a Tuesday win over the No. 7 seed in the play-in game of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament, CIU took the field against No. 2 Reinhardt Wednesday afternoon for their first game in the double-elimination round since 2021. In their conference series earlier this season, the Rams fell 0-3 to the Eagles. Today's game was much closer than earlier in the season, but Reinhardt staved off a CIU comeback to pull out a win once again. 

CIU 4 RU 6: The first two and a half innings went by quickly, as neither team surrendered a hit until the bottom of the third inning. Reinhardt took an early lead, scoring five runs off of five hits. The Eagles added another run in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead 6-0, but this was the last time they would score. Carter Willis broke up the no-hitter to lead off the fifth inning, who then scored on a single from Britton Morris. CIU threatened to score another in this inning after a double from Brandon Arnold and a single from Tanner Martinez, but a flyout ended the inning. Morris added two more runs for the Rams with a two-run shot in the top of the seventh to cut the Eagles lead 6-3. CIU added a fourth run, thanks to a sac fly from Morris to score Shane Hammonds in the eighth. The Rams threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth after getting the two runners on with no outs, but a double play and flyout ended the possibility of a comeback. 

Box Score Highlights: 

  • Morris was perfect at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk, his 12th homerun, and four RBI. 
  • Willis and Martinez were the only Rams to collect multiple hits, with three others notching one. 
  • Noah Moody and Brett Collins closed the game for the Rams, allowing only two hits in 3.1 innings pitched with a combined four strikeouts. 

What Coach Jonathan Johnson is saying: "Hard-fought loss for the guys today. They continue to show heart as they brought the winning run to the plate in the 9th after falling behind 5-0 early. We will show up and be ready to give a tough Bryan team all we have tomorrow."

Up Next:  CIU falls into the losers bracket, where they will face No. 3 Bryan College (Tenn.) tomorrow, May 4, at 9 AM. The Rams are now in a lose-or-go-home situation. 

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