MARIETTA, Ga. -- On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, the Reinhardt College baseball team opened its 2010 season on the road with a 7-3 non-conference loss to the Southern Polytechnic State University Runnin' Hornets at Walter J. Kelly Jr. Field. Southern Poly, the preseason favorite to win the Southern States Athletic Conference, is ranked fourth nationally in the NAIA after posting a 53-10 overall record last year.  

The Runnin' Hornets, also playing their first contest of the season, scored once in the bottom of the first inning and added three more runs, all unearned, in the third. The hosts made it 6-0 by tallying a pair of runs in the fifth inning before Reinhardt began to claw back into the game with single runs in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth. SPSU posted another run in the bottom of the eighth inning to conclude the scoring.

Each team finished with nine hits, but the Eagles committed four errors and Southern Poly one. Reinhardt left 10 runners on base and the Hornets six.

Michael Willis hit a solo home run, accounting for the Eagles' lone RBI, plus doubled and scored twice to lead the guests while Jeremy Roberts also had two hits, including a double. Michael Lonati chipped in with a triple, a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.

On the mound for Reinhardt, Matt Carter started and took the loss, allowing four unearned runs with three strikeouts and one walk over three innings. Josh Wilson gave up one earned run over the next two innings, striking out two and walking none, while Drew Tyson pitched the final three innings, surrendering one run while fanning three and issuing one base on balls.

The Eagles will not play again until Friday, Feb. 12 when they host the Indiana University Southeast Grenadiers in their home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Jim & Syble Boring Sports Complex.