Baseball team upended by Tennessee Wesleyan in AAC road game; squads meet again on Saturday for conference doubleheader

ATHENS, Tenn. -- In an Appalachian Athletic Conference road game on Friday that featured 10 home runs, including eight by the winners, the Reinhardt University baseball team was upended 15-7 by the Tennessee Wesleyan College Bulldogs at Jack Bowling Field. Tennessee Wesleyan received 16 points in the latest NAIA poll to rank 33rd nationally.

 

The Bulldogs produced two runs in the first inning before each club scored once in the second. In the third inning, Reinhardt trimmed the lead to 3-2 but TWC came back with three runs in the bottom half. The hosts increased the margin to 9-2 with three more runs in the fifth inning and at the end of six, the score was 11-3. The Eagles pulled to within 11-6 with a three-run eighth inning but Tennessee Wesleyan responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Reinhardt concluded the scoring with a run in the ninth inning.

The Eagles were outhit 16-12 and made four of the contest's six errors. The Bulldogs left eight runners on base and Reinhardt seven.

At the plate for the Eagles, Michael Lonati finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI while freshman Tucker Adams was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Zach Kles went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs while freshman Phillip Bates ended 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit three-run homer.

Josh Wilson was Reinhardt's starting and losing pitcher, going four innings with five strikeouts. Kendric McDonald, freshman CJ Oliva and Kles each pitched in relief.

The Eagles are 16-28-1 overall and 8-9-1 in AAC play while TWC improves to 31-18 overall, including 13-6 in the conference. The same teams meet on Saturday at Tennessee Wesleyan for an AAC doubleheader at 1 p.m.