Reinhardt’s three-run homer propels Pittsfield baseball team into regional title tilt against Pleasant Plains

RIVERTON, Ill. — Clayton Reinhardt gave the Pittsfield baseball team’s regional title hopes a jolt.

It was more like a lightning bolt to right field.

Reinhardt helped erase a three-run deficit with a five-run rally in the fifth inning, capped by his go-ahead, three-run home run as fourth-seeded Pittsfield beat seventh-seeded Williamsville 7-5 in Wednesday’s semifinals of the Class 2A Riverton Regional.

The Saukees (22-10) advance to face top-seeded Pleasant Plains at 10 a.m. Saturday for the regional championship. The Cardinals (29-7) advanced with a 5-1 victory over Athens.

Williamsville led 3-2 going into the fifth, but the Bullets scored twice in the top of the inning on an error and a two-out single from Ryan Mendenhall. The Saukees started the bottom of the inning by loading the bases as Carter Frazier singled, Jacob Hull walked and Luke Saxe was hit by a pitch.

Kaden Ferguson’s infield single got one run home, while the second run scored on Hayden Gratton’s ground ball that led to a force out at second base. Reinhardt, the Saukees’ cleanup hitter, fouled off the first two pitches, watched Gratton steal second on the next pitch and then popped his home run.

The Bullets drew a one-out walk in the sixth inning, but Saukees reliever Draven Puterbaugh retired six of the seven batters he faced, including setting the side down in order in the seventh inning.

Saxe and Ferguson each had two hits, while Bobby Harris threw the first 4 ⅔ innings with two strikeouts and one walk. Ryan Harris got the final out in the fifth before handing the ball to Puterbaugh.