High Point scored an unearned run in the 10th inning and broke an eight-game skid with a 3-2 win over Big South-leading Winthrop Saturday afternoon at Erath Field.

Mark Shorey (1-1) got the win in relief for the Panthers (13-35, 4-11 Big South), while Ryan Chenard (1-1) was the hard-luck loser for the Eagles (31-19, 12-4).

Chenard relieved Winthrop starter Kevin Slowey in the bottom of the 10th and hit Kemp Smith to lead off the inning. Shorey then hit a slow ground ball to Eagle shortstop Matt Repec, whose throw to second base was high and wide of Ben Ehrlich. The throw rolled past first base and just left of the HPU dugout as Smith came around third and slid home with the winning run just ahead of the tag from WU catcher Chris LeRoux.

The wild finish overshadowed the second stellar pitchers' duel between the teams in as many days. Slowey went nine innings, striking out 10 and allowing two runs and 11 hits. HPU starter Kevin Burch gave up just one earned run in eight innings, striking out four and walking just one.

Winthrop drew first blood with an unearned run in the fourth. Jacob Dempsey doubled with one out and advanced to third when Daniel Carte reached on an error by HPU second baseman Rey Rojas. Dempsey scored on a base hit by David Scoggin to give the Eagles a 1-0 advantage.

The Panthers tied things up in the sixth when Shorey doubled, advanced to third on a bunt single by Nick Thompson, and scored on a base hit by Matt Richardson.

HPU then took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Shorey's sacrifice fly scored Colin Cronin.

Winthrop re-knotted the game at 2-2 in the top of the ninth. After a pair of singles by Carte and Scoggin gave the Eagles runners at the corners with no outs. Shorey relieved Burch and got pinch-hitter Matt Matkovich to fly out, but Repec's deep fly ball to center scored Carte to tie things up before HPU's dramatic rally in the bottom of the inning gave the Panthers their first win since April 19 (a 3-2 victory over Coastal Carolina).

The Panthers will go for their second series win over Winthrop in as many seasons tomorrow in the rubber game of the series. First pitch is set for 1:00 pm at Erath Field.

Five High Point seniors -- Burch, Cronin, David Hilfstein. Chris Hyatt, and Smith -- will be honored before the game.