Reagan will get the opportunity to host a highly anticipated rubber match against West Forsyth on Tuesday night.

After storming back to score nine unanswered runs in a 9-4 win over Asheville, the Raiders are off to the third round.

The heart of Reagan’s order went 4-for-11 with a home run, and four runs driven in. Not only was Jacob Smith a part of that trio, he was the winning pitcher after tossing 3.2 innings of shutout relief with five strikeouts and only two hits allowed.

Charlie Stogner couldn’t quite match the thrill of his walk-off grand slam from round one, but he went yard for a second straight game to help put things out of reach. Mason Middleton helped fuel a six-run second inning with a big RBI double, he also brought home a run in the fourth via sacrifice fly.

The Cougars struck first with four runs off of starter John Lobs. Trent Maybin started off the game with a single, and scored two batters later on a Jay Secretarski double to left. WIlkin Lurie traded places with Secretarski following back-to-back doubles to give Asheville a 2-0 lead after one.

Isaiah Mingus slapped a two-run single up the middle in the top of the second to allow Tae Trantham and Leo Justen to cross for a 4-0 advantage.

Reagan answered back with six to take the lead for good. Graham Wagoner got the Reagan offense going with a single to left to score Smith. Stogner scored on a Hudson Tuttle fielder’s choice then watched Wagoner score on a Mason Neuhoff ground out.

Gabe Deibler tied things up with a sacrifice bunt, Cole Rice then singled and scored on a Brady Marshall RBI single the other way. Middleton’s double closed out the scoring at 6-4.

Stogner went yard to start the third and push the lead to 7-4. A sacrifice fly, and Smith double added two more runs in the fourth.

Leading 9-4, Cole Rice and Sam Rice combined to slam the door with 2.1 no-hit innings to close out the game.

After the Mingus’ single in the top of the second, Asheville only managed one more hit for the remainder of the evening.

The Raiders return home on Tuesday to settle the season series with West Forsyth in one of the biggest ways. The Titans enter having won six straight games. The first meeting of the regular season series was a 5-3 victory for West, but two days later Reagan responded with a 2-0 win.

Throughout the postseason, HighSchoolOT has live brackets with scoring updates from across the state as they happen. Follow along with baseball, softball, and lacrosse HERE:

Source: highschoolot.com