Baseball team swept in doubleheader by 13th-ranked Faulkner on Bill Popp Day, begins play at AAC Championship next Tuesday

WALESKA, Ga. -- On Bill Popp Day, the Reinhardt University baseball team was swept in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday by the Faulkner University Eagles, who are ranked 13th nationally in this week's NAIA poll. At Ken White Baseball Field, Reinhardt lost 9-1 in the first game and 7-0 in the second.

 

Following Reinhardt's final regular season home games of 2011, Eagles head coach Bill Popp was honored as he prepares to step away from coaching to focus on his role of athletic director in Reinhardt's growing athletic department. Popp started the University's baseball program and is in his seventh year at the helm. Associate head coach John Ihlenburg will officially take over as head coach on July 1.

In Tuesday's opening contest, Faulkner scored once in the second inning before Reinhardt tied it in the bottom of the fourth. The guests took control in the later innings with two runs in the fifth, five in the sixth and one run in the seventh.

Faulkner had a 13-6 advantage in hits with Reinhardt making all three of the errors in the game. Faulkner left eight runners on base and Reinhardt four.

Jay Huffman went 2-for-2 and was hit by a pitch for Reinhardt while Don DiPetta finished 2-for-3. Josh Wilson ended 1-for-3 with an RBI while freshman Andy Pringle went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

On the mound for Reinhardt, Ricky Johnson was the starter and took the loss. He pitched six innings, allowing four earned runs with two strikeouts and a walk. Kendric McDonald threw the final inning.

Faulkner tallied four runs in the top of the first inning of game two and added single runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth.

The visitors outhit Reinhardt 11-1 and there were no errors in the contest. Faulkner stranded eight base runners and the hosts two.

At the plate for Reinhardt, Huffman managed the squad's only hit, a single.

Taylor Smith was Reinhardt's starting and losing pitcher after tossing one inning with a strikeout. Cory Cox struck out two over 2 1/3 innings while freshman CJ Oliva pitched the last 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one run with four strikeouts and two bases on balls.

Reinhardt is 16-32-1 overall while Faulkner improves to 44-10. Reinhardt begins play at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championship tournament next Tuesday, May 3 in Kingsport, Tenn.