Baseball club loses pair of games to No. 9-ranked Southern Poly, on road to play Southern Wesleyan this Friday

WALESKA, Ga. -- On Tuesday in non-conference play, the Reinhardt University baseball team lost both games of a doubleheader to the visiting Southern Polytechnic State University Runnin' Hornets, who are ranked No. 9 nationally in the NAIA. Reinhardt fell 6-1 in the opening contest and 7-4 in the second at Ken White Baseball Field.

 

In the first game, Southern Poly went on top 6-0 with a run in the top of the first inning, four runs in the third and another in the fourth. Reinhardt got on the scoreboard with a run in the sixth inning.

The Runnin' Hornets outhit the Eagles 8-5 and each squad made two errors. SPSU left nine runners on base and Reinhardt four.

Brett Flick drove in the Eagles' lone run and went 1-for-3 while Jay Huffman doubled in three at-bats. Cory Cox, Billy King and Zach Kles each finished 1-for-3.

In the pitching department, Chris Fletcher started and took the loss for Reinhardt after throwing three innings. Kendric McDonald pitched an inning before freshman Jeff Roberts came on and worked the final three innings, allowing just one hit and no runs with two strikeouts and no walks.

Each team scored a run in the first inning of game two before Southern Poly went ahead 3-1 with a pair of runs in the fifth. The Eagles trimmed the lead to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning but the Hornets tallied another run in the sixth, making the score 4-2. The hosts rallied to tie the contest by scoring twice in the bottom of the sixth inning but SPSU responded with a three-run seventh to post the sweep.

Each club ended with seven hits and Reinhardt committed six of the game's nine errors. The Eagles gave up three unearned runs and Southern Poly one. Reinhardt stranded eight base runners and the guests six.

At the plate for the Eagles, freshman Phillip Bates was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored while Ethan Starr went 1-for-1. Michael Lonati finished 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored while Flick went 1-for-3 with a walk. Don DiPetta doubled and collected an RBI while Huffman chipped in with a run-scoring single.

Reinhardt used five pitchers in the contest with freshman CJ Oliva getting the start. Olivia went 4 1/3 innings, surrendering two hits and one earned run. Ben Gonglach was the loser in relief after tossing 2/3 inning.

The Eagles drop to 3-7 overall while the Hornets are 12-3. Reinhardt plays a non-conference game at the Southern Wesleyan University Warriors on Friday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. in Central, S.C.