Box Score Emerson, GA - Seventh ranked Patriots baseball pulled together one of their most impressive offensive outings on Wenesday afternoon, edging out 23rd ranked Reinhardt 6-4 at LakePoint Sports Complex. The victory completes a stretch in which the Pats have beaten four ranked opponents within a five day span. The Patriots get set to return to conference action with a record of 23-3 on the season, 2-1 in MSC play. 

Ray Villanueva tallied three hits, scoring two runs on the day while Candido Encarnacion swung for three hits, including a double, totaling three RBIs. Pedro Nazario laced a pair of RBI doubles and scored a run in the win as well.

The Patriots took an early lead, clubbing a hit and a run in the first inning made possible by Villanueva who reached on a leadoff single, later scoring on Encarnacion's RBI double to deep right-center field. Villanueva got his second hit of the ballgame in the third but would be forced out at second as part of a double play.

Reinhardt remained scoreless until the third, where they strung together a series of good at-bats to score three runs on a hit, leading 3-1 heading into the fourth. UC answered in the top of the fifth with an explosive inning that featured four hits and three runs. Mitch Osbourne, who slugged his first home run of the season on Monday against Georgia Gwinnet, led off the inning with a single to left field. Villanueva stepped up with one out and poked his third hit of the day, putting runners on first and second before Nazario crushed a two-RBI double to tie the game at 3-3. Bryan Leef later scored on Encarnacion's second RBI of the day to make it 4-3 UC.

In the sixth frame, the Patriots made it 5-3 as Noah Davis, pinch running for Osbourne who singled, scored during a run-down situation before the final out was recorded. The Eagles answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame to make it a one-run ballgame.

In the top of the ninth, the Patriots swung for three hits and tacked on an insurance run, sparked by Nazario's second double of the day to put a runner in scoring position. On the next at-bat,  Leef roped a double down the left-field line, scoring Nazario and making it 6-4. The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the final inning but would leave two runners on as the Patriots held on to win.

Walter Hernandez got the call to start for UC, going five innings giving up three runs on three hits to earn his fourth win of the season. Garrett Vathroder gave the Patriots two and two-thirds shutout innings, giving up a single hit and striking out five. Jacob Ayala closed it out for UC, hurling one inning and not allowing a run.

Patriots baseball returns to conference play on Friday, March 13^th as they travel to Crestview Hills, KY to take on Thomas More. First pitch against the Saints is slated for 1PM.