Box Score

The High Point University baseball team fell to Troy in 10 innings Saturday in the first game of a double header. HPU took a 7-6 lead in to the ninth inning but the Trojans tied the game to force extra innings. Sophomore Kyle Wigmore walked two batters and hit the third to load the bases in the 10th and a sacrifice fly gave Troy the 8-7 win.

“This was a tough loss,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “I was proud that our team came out with aggression and belief today after last night's loss but we made too many small mistakes. We can't give up two-out walks or throw the ball around and expect to beat a good Troy team.”

Wigmore took the loss for HPU, allowing one run in 1-1/3 innings with two walks. Tyson Workman got the win for Troy with 2-1/3 scoreless innings of relief. He allowed one hit and had four strikeouts.

Workman also had the game-winning sacrifice fly to center field to score pinch-runner Hayden Hillyer in the 10th.

In the ninth inning Mikel Rodenberg walked the leadoff batter, T.J. Rivera, and was taken out of the game and replaced by Wigmore. After retiring the first two batters Wigmore gave up a double off the bat of Tyler Hannah that tied the game 7-7.

High Point overcame an early 6-2 deficit with a five-run eighth inning. Robbie Gilles had a pinch-hit single deep behind second base that brought home two runs, and cut Troy's lead to 6-5. Mike Mercurio singled to center to tie the game and Murray White IV put HPU ahead with an RBI single. HPU led 7-6 at the end of eight.

The Panthers took an early lead in the opening game of the double header. Steve Antolik doubled in White to put HPU on top 1-0 in the first inning. Antolik doubled off the left centerfield wall, scoring White who had singled earlier in the inning.

Antolik extended HPU's lead to 2-0 with a solo home run in the third inning. He took the 2-1 pitch from Ryan Sorce over the left field wall for his first home run of the season.

Jared Avidon had two outs on his first two pitches of the game, inducing ground ball to the left side of the infield from the first two batters, Adam Bryant and Tyson Workman. A fly ball off the bat of T.J. Rivera ended the first inning.

Troy tied up the game with a two-run third inning. Workman doubled with two outs and Avidon walked Rivera to bring up Boone Shear. Shear doubled down the left field line to tie the game 2-2.

The Trojans went three up, three down in the fourth inning before opening up a three-run lead in the fifth. Avidon walked Daniel Peterson to lead off the inning. Peterson scored on a double by Bryant but Avidons got the next two batters out. A two-out walk to Shear kept the inning alive and Blake Martz singled in a run. Avidon came out of the game and was replaced by Spencer Andrews. Andrews gave up a double to the first batter he faced, Tyler Hannah which plated a run before getting out of the inning with a strikeout. Troy led 5-2 at the end of the fifth.

Avidon lasted 4-2/3 innings in his first start of the season, allowing five runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Andrews pitched 2-1/3 innings of relief, allowing one unearned run with four strikeouts.

Antolik finished the day 4-5 with a home run and two RBI.