Two teams that have been defined by their offense all year looked toward the hill Tuesday to find victory.

Fifth-seeded Reinhardt Eagles downed second-seeded Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies 6-4 in the winner’s bracket final of the Avista NAIA World Series at Harris Field.

Eagles’ starter Brett Allen went the distance and struck out 11 batters to help stifle the usually potent Grizzlies lineup.

“It’s baseball. You score 30 the day before and baseball comes back because you’re playing a really good team against a really good pitcher,” Reinhardt coach Jonathan Burton said. “(Georgia Gwinnett coach Jeremy Sheetinger) does a heck of a job with that team over there. We’re going to see them again, there’s no doubt in my mind. … On the mound, we have our guy who’s been our closer for us all year step up and give us nine (innings). Not ideal on the pitch count. But this time of the year, he’s earned that trust.”

Reinhardt (44-16) set a World Series single-game record Monday by putting up 30 runs. The encore wasn’t nearly as explosive, but the Waleska, Ga., team still had some juice left in its bats for its in-state opponent.

Lewis, Meguiar keep the bats popping

Georgia Gwinnett shortstop Jackson Cobb scored on a throwing error in the second inning to give the Grizzlies an early 1-0 advantage. It took a bit, but Reinhardt eventually retook the lead and added its 10th and 11th home runs in the last two games, much to the delight of the 1,095 in attendance.

Designated hitter Dylan Lewis went around the bases for the 24th time this year in the bottom of the fourth — a two-run shot that gave Reinhardt a 2-1 lead over Georgia Gwinnett (53-8).

The Eagles’ second long ball of the game came in the bottom of the seventh. It was a two-RBI shot from shortstop Luis Mendoza, his eighth time going yard this season. Mendoza’s homer broke a tie and gave Reinhardt a 4-2 lead.

“The most important thing is that we move forward,” Burton said. “These guys never stopped believing and we found ways to get the big hits.”

The Eagles got their last two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of an RBI sacrifice fly from right fielder Tucker Zdunich and an RBI single from Lewis.

Grizzlies make it interesting

The Grizzlies on Monday came back from a 4-0 deficit to down Tennessee Wesleyan 12-6. And they nearly did it again against Reinhardt.

Georgia Gwinnett needed four runs in the ninth to keep the game going and loaded the bases with one out. Designated hitter Henry Daniels cracked a two-run single that cut the deficit to 6-4. Allen fanned shortstop Jackson Cobb for his 11th and final strikeout of the game, and the Grizzlies had runners on second and third with two outs.

Third baseman Paul Winland Jr. flew out to Zdunich in right field, allowing the Eagles to secure their spot as the lone unbeaten left in the Series.

The two runners left stranded in the ninth gave Georgia Gwinnett 11 total for the game.

Allen gets it done

Allen for the whole year has been used primarily as a closer for Reinhardt. The Newcastle, Australia, native made just his third start of the year on Tuesday.

Allen outlasted another solid starter in the Grizzlies’ Tyler Clayton — who went seven innings and absorbed his first loss of the year.

When Zdunich made the final out, Allen and catcher Matty Maurer took a celebratory bow to each other, adding a final punctuation to a solid pitching effort in a Series that’s been filled with them.

The junior righty’s outing against the Eagles’ Peach State counterparts leaves the pitching staff with some fresh arms in the final stretch of World Series. Reinhardt will take on a familiar foe, Tennessee Wesleyan, at 6:35 p.m. today.

“Starting wasn’t uncomfortable for me,” Allen said. “I’ve done it all growing up as a little kid in Australia. It really just felt like another time. The biggest thing I had to do was just get the first out. Every inning, try and get the first out. And that was the best way to get through it.”

Final field of four set

The final field of four is set. Tennessee Wesleyan, Reinhardt, Georgia Gwinnett and Hope International (Calif.).

If Reinhardt wins today, it will advance to its first World Series championship game in program history on Thursday against the winner of Hope International and Georgia Gwinnett.

The Eagles the last two days have earned their one-game advantage over the rest of the field and will have a fresher pitching staff than expected and an offense that is already a Series all-timer.

“It’s definitely an advantage, but we know who we’re going to see,” Allen said. “We’re going to see those guys again or we’re going to see somebody we’ve played our whole entire season, Tennessee Wesleyan. So, it’s anybody’s ball game. But it’s good to be in the final four.”

Kowatsch can be contacted at 208-848-2268, tkowatsch@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch.

STARS OF THE GAME

Reinhardt’s Brett Allen went the distance and fanned 11 batters and gave up three earned runs and walked two for his sixth win of the year. The Eagles’ Dylan Lewis had three RBI on two hits, including a two-run home run in the fourth — his 24th homer of the year.

QUOTE OF NOTE

“We knew (it was going to be competitive). They’re a really, really good team. Hats off to Georgia Gwinnett, they’re unbelievable. But, the better team wins and our team is unbelievable. I think we’re too good.”

— Reinhardt pitcher Brett Allen.