COLUMBUS, Ga. -- On Thursday night in the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament, the No. 6 seed Reinhardt College baseball team dropped a 12-2 decision to the No. 2 seeded Southern Polytechnic State University Runnin' Hornets, ranked sixth nationally in the NAIA. The eight-team, double-elimination event is taking place at the Golden Park Complex.  

Southern Poly scored two runs in the first inning, four in the second, four in the fourth and two more in the sixth, building a 12-0 lead. Reinhardt got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth inning.

The Hornets outhit the Eagles by a 16-9 margin and did not commit an error. Reinhardt made two errors and stranded six base runners while SPSU left eight on base.

Robby Hearn led the Eagles by going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run while Brad Blalock was 2-for-4 with a double. Brent Martin also had two hits in four at-bats while Daniel Hester finished 1-for-3 with a walk. Jarrod Willis and Brett Flick each singled while freshman Michael Lonati added a run scored.

On the mound for Reinhardt, freshman Cory Cox started and was tagged with the loss. Brian Wallace pitched 2⅔ innings in relief before giving way to freshman Mick Emanuel, who went one inning. Ryan McDowell tossed the final three innings, allowing just two hits and no runs with three strikeouts.

The Eagles fall to 29-22 overall while Southern Poly moves to 45-7. Reinhardt will continue in tournament play on Friday at 1 p.m., taking on the top-seeded Berry College Vikings, ranked No. 4 in the nation, in an elimination game.