Chris Leroux went 3-for-4 and scored twice to lead Winthrop to a wild 12-9 win over High Point Friday night in Big South Conference baseball action in Rock Hill, S.C.

The Panthers (5-20, 0-4 Big South) trailed 12-3 before mounting a huge comeback which fell short. The host Eagles improved to 12-10 (1-0).

Anthony Bell led the Panthers at the plate (2-for-4, two runs scored, a lead-off home run in the eighth inning).

Matt Kniginyzky (1-3) took the loss for HPU. 

The Panthers took an early 1-0 lead when Nick Thompson tripled in the top of the second and then stole home off Winthrop starter Chase Edwards. But the Eagles responded with three in the bottom of the frame -- including a two-run homer by Daniel Carte -- to grab a 3-1 advantage.

After Rey Rojas led off the third with a solo home run to left to cut Winthrop's lead to 3-2, the Eagles scored three more times in the bottom of the inning and added a solo run in the fourth for a 7-2 lead.

High Point's Seby Renta forced in a run in the fifth when he was hit by a bases-loaded pitch by WU's Mike Honce. Corey Stang scored on the play to get HPU within 7-3. But after four Winthrop runs in the bottom of the inning and an insurance run in the seventh, the Eagles took a 12-3 lead and looked to be in control.

The Panthers were far from finished, though. HPU put together a five-run eighth inning to claw back within 12-8. The frame began with Bell's first-career homer, a solo-shot to dead center, and continued as Matt Keever singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Matt Richardson. After Rojas walked, Josh Doane singled to load the bases, and a wild pitch scored both Rojas and Richardson scored. Stang then drew a walk, and Doane came home on another wild pitch by WU reliever Chris Carter.

After Clayton Gordner threw a scoreless eighth in relief for HPU, the Panthers made a final rally in the ninth and got within 12-9 when Bell reached on a lead-off single, advanced to second on a groundout, to third on a throwing error and scored on an RBI groundout by Keever. But Jonathan Settle was able to shut the door by striking out Richardson to end things.

Winthrop out hit the Panthers by a 15-11 count. The Panthers left nine men on base, while the Eagles stranded 10 runners.

The teams play again Saturday at 2:00 pm. Bob Helman is scheduled to start for HPU against Winthrop's Kevin Slowey. Click here for live stats, and click here for live audio and video (audio is free, video is $4.95 per game).