Strong Two Innings Pushes High Point Past Charleston Southern

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University baseball team welcomed the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern to Williard Stadium for the first game of the series. Strong at bats in the second half of the game pushed the Panthers to the 7-2 victory.

Site: Williard Stadium

Score: High Point 7, Charleston Southern 2

Records: High Point 14-30 (7-11), Charleston Southern 20-22 (11-8)

Through the first three innings, the Panthers could only register one hit early in the first. Having an opportunity in the bottom of the third to score after reaching base on a walk and advancing to third on a pass ball and a ground out, HPU could not bring in the run.

In a similar situation in the bottom of the fourth, Patrick Matthews got on with a hit by pitch. Advancing to third on a throwing error by the first basemen back to the pitcher, followed by a single through the left side from Blake Sutton, HPU had a runner in scoring position on third. Attempting a sacrifice bunt, Matthews was out at home on the toss from the pitcher to the catcher. With two outs, High Point had runners on first and second but were unable to score in the action-packed inning.

One inning later, HPU took advantage of back-to-back walks. Double stealing, the Panthers had runners on second and third. Adam Stuart hit a shot to the second basemen which scored the first run of the game. Tricking the Charleston Southern defense, Matthews entered a run-down creating an overthrow error by the first basemen, bringing home another run for the Panthers.

Sutton capped off the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer over right center field, extending High Point’s lead to 4-0.

The Panthers opened the game up in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs off three hits to go up 7-0. A double roped down the left field line from Javon Fields scored the first run while a bomb off the scoreboard from Cael Chatham hit High Point’s second, two-run homer of the game.

In the top of the seventh, the Buccaneers scored one off a wild pitch. After getting in a pickle, freshman pitcher Dalton Williams entered the game with bases loaded and one out. Sitting down two back-to-back batters with strikeouts retired the side to go into the bottom half.

High Point took care of business in the final three innings only allowing one more run in the top of the ninth to take the 7-2 win in the first game of the weekend series.

Up Next: The Panthers and Buccaneers return to action on Saturday night for senior night at 6:00 p.m. at Williard Stadium.