Four Run 10th Inning Propels High Point to 7-5 Big South Conference Baseball Victory

RADFORD, Va. – High Point University plated two runs in the top of the 10th inning, highlighted by catcher Jayson Hoffman’s double down the left field line, to lift the Panthers to a 7-5 Big South Conference baseball victory Friday afternoon at Dedmon Center Park. (Box Score)

After RU plated five unanswered runs over the final three innings, Hoffman delivered Nick Thompson from second as he singled to lead off the inning and was moved to second by a sacrifice bunt. Matt Christie’s single up the middle scored Hoffman for an insurance run. The victory raised HPU’s record to 10-21 on the season and 1-5 in league action, while RU dropped to 5-15 overall and 1-5 in Big South play.

Ray Rojas, Kemp Smith, Nick Thompson and Mark Shorey each collected two hits in the Panthers 13 hit performance, while Clayton Gordner scattered four hits over the final 3.2 innings to improve to 3-0 on the season.

For the Highlanders Mark Fleisher, Ryan Wetzel and Scott Gvozdas has two hits apiece as Brett Leiberman (0-2) worked the final two inning to suffer the loss. RU starter Justin Tubb worked seven complete innings allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits while striking out three for a no-decision.

Trailing 5-0 in the seventh, RU broke through for four run in the bottom of the frame to pull within 5-4. In that inning Shortstop Stuart Ritchie led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Moving over to third on a ground out by Fleisher, Ritchie plated the first RU run courtesy of a Wetzel single to left.

A Wetzel stolen base and a Shaun House bunt single sandwiched around a Gvdzdas walk loaded the bases for the Highlanders with one out. HPU would leave starter Kevin Burch in the game to face Steve Mignogna who drove Burches 3-1 offering into left scoring, cutting the Panther lead to 5-3. An RBI ground out to third by catcher Dean Altivilla drew RU within one, 5-4 entering the eighth.

RU freshman reliever Justin Morgan struck out two in a perfect eighth inning allowing, Gvozdas RBI single to right in the bottom of the inning to pull RU even at 5-5.

High Point plated two runs in the second when Matt Richardson delivered a two-out single to left. Adding a single run in the third, on Matt Gorman’s bunt single, Thompson drove a two-out seventh inning Tubb offering over the right-center fence for a 5-0 Panther lead.

The Highlanders and Panthers play game two, of the three game series, tomorrow here at Dedmon Center Park. First pitch schedules for Noon.