Hamilton pitcher Zane Strand is used to getting a start every week. So Tuesday afternoon was nothing out of the ordinary for him. Outfielder Jason Reynolds? That's another story.

Strand tossed five good innings before tiring and Reynolds took advantage of a rare starting role with key at-bats and baserunning in leading Hamilton to a 7-5 victory over Chandler in a Division I game at Hamliton High.

Hamilton reeled off its 12th consecutive win and no doubt will maintain the top spot in the D-I baseball rankings. The Huskies are 18-2 overall and 9-1 in power-ranking games. Chandler is in a different position in the power rankings as the season hits its midpoint for most teams in power-ranking contests. The Wolves entered play Tuesday No. 24 in the power rankings. The top 24 teams qualify for the state tournament. Chandler slipped to 13-6, 5-4 prg, but not before making their rival to the south sweat the outcome when it appeared the game might only go five or six due to the potential of the 10-run rule.

Strand, a junior right-hander who has thrown a no-hitter this season, flirted with a no-no again in winning his sixth game against one loss. He retired the first 13 hitters in order before Chandler's Gavin Reichmuth lined a double to left-center in the fifth. At that point Hamilton owned a 7-0 lead so all it meant for a moment was no no-hitter.

Hamilton's 7-0 lead was jump-started by Reynolds. Reynolds, a senior, did not make the team as a junior. Reynolds tried out again this year and Hamilton coach MIke Woods decided to award him a spot at the end of cuts

"This was his first start of the year I believe," Woods said. "He made the most of it. He's got speed, he's a good outfielder. He can do little things and he did those today."

Reynolds got the game's first hit in the last of the third with double just fair down the right-field line off Chandler starter Hayden Dirkiewicz. Reynolds was at third with two out in the inning and a teammate at first. A double steal ensued with Reynolds making a nice slide at home around the attempted tag of Chandler catcher Austin Shoemaker. Cameron Cruz capped the inning with an RBI single.

The bottom of Hamilton's order was pesky in the last of the fourth, with plenty of help from Chandler, in rolling out a five-run rally. Logan Boyer was hit by a pitch with a two-strike count and Zach Pederson reached on an error at shortstop. Reynolds laid down a bunt that should have been thrown to first for a sure out. The throw went to third and the runner ruled safe on a bang-bang play to load the bases. No. 9 hitter Cole Bellinger followed with a two-run single and Drew Swift, Dylan Enwiller and Cruz added RBI to complete the rally.

Chandler appeared to be done at the point, but a two-out single by Thomas Fritz and a pinch-hit, two-run homer by Derek Hayenga pumped life into Chandler in the top of the fifth off Strand. Strand got the final out of the fifth, but left wobbly after allowing three hits in the frame.

Strand took the hill to open the sixth, but two hits, a walk and throwing error to begin the inning made the score 7-5. Chandler had a runner at third and no outs. That finished Strand and senior Nick Ohanian got the call to restore order.

Ohanian fanned the first hitter and got a nifty double play to exit the frame with the 7-5 lead intact. Hamilton center fielder Cameron Cruz had time to delay the catch of a fly to center, giving the illusion he'd caught it before he actually did. Chandler's runner at third tagged early and was doubled up on appeal. Ohanian pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to earn a save.