Everett Teaford scattered six hits and allowed just three runs in six innings during his first collegiate start to lead Georgia Southern to an 8-3 non-conference win over High Point Sunday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium.

The Panthers now stand at 1-2 after a three-game set against the Eagles (2-1), who won 39 games a season ago and are picked to finish third in the Southern Conference in 2004.

Teaford fanned five and did not issue a walk during the 84-pitch outing before getting impressive relief to open the seventh from John Carroll, who earned his first save after surrendering only one hit in three shutout innings.

Brandon Burnsed paced Georgia Southern's offensive efforts with three hits, including a double, while James Payne added a pair of hits.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when James Payne reached first on a bunt single, moved to second on a passed ball and scored an out later on Grant Burruss' single to right off Bob Helman, who made his debut in an HPU uniform. 

High Point evened the contest in the top of third, using a RBI-single to rightfield by Matt Calcagni to score Josh Doane, who singled against Teaford and later stole second base. The Eagles quickly recaptured and extended the lead to 4-1 in the bottom half of the frame on Payne's run-scoring infield hit and a two-run homer over the rightfield wall off the bat of Greg Dowling.

The Panthers narrowed the deficit to 4-2 with a solo tally in the fourth. Corey Stang led off the inning with a double off the leftfield wall and scored an out later on Seby Renta's sharp single to right.

After the Eagles got a run-scoring hit from Burnsed in the bottom half of the fourth, High Point trimmed the margin to two, 5-3, in the top half of the fifth when Doane led off with a triple and scored when GSU shortstop Logan Phillips' relay throw sailed into the dugout.

The Eagles chased Helman with a three-run fifth inning. After a hit batsman and walk forced Helman's exit, HPU reliever Matt Christie issued a base on balls to Flint Wipke to load the bases. Phillips' groundball was misplayed by Calcagni for a 6-4 GSU lead before Brandon Ponder capped the scoring with a two-run single through the leftside of the infield for an 8-3 Eagle cushion.

Helman surrendered seven runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out three in four and one-third innings of work while Christie worked two innings and allowed a run on a pair of hits.

Doane led the Panthers offensively with two hits and two runs scored. Calcagni and Renta each had one of the Panthers' two RBI.

HPU visits Furman next weekend for a three-game series, beginning with a Saturday doubleheader at noon.