High Point's baseball team picked up its first win of the season Saturday afternoon by grabbing a 9-5 victory in the second game of a doubleheader with Furman in Greenville, S.C. The Paladins took the opener by a 15-3 count.

It was opening day for the Paladins (1-1), while the Panthers (1-4) began the season last weekend at No. 2-ranked Miami.

Chris Ramirez and Dustin Holtzman  clubbed two-run triples to help the Panthers rally for the win. Brandon Moore  pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory.

Holtzman's two-out, two-run triple off Furman pitcher David Mitchell (0-1) highlighted a three-run eighth inning to give High Point a 6-5 lead.

The Panthers added three runs in the ninth on a two-run triple by Ramirez. Jeremy Neyra then followed with a sacrifice fly for the Panthers' final run of the frame.

Matt Kniginyzky pitched a scoreless ninth to wrap things up for the Panthers. Moore (1-0) allowed just two hits and struck out three in relief of starter Eammon Portice (5 2/3 innings, three strikeouts). 

Ramirez and Matt Christie each had a pair of hits in the contest for HPU.

In game one, Case Cassedy, Sam McLain and Matthew Betsill pounded out three hits each to spark a 17-hit Paladin attack. Sam Perry (1-0) pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs to earn the victory.

Trailing 2-1, Furman struck for six runs in the third inning on five hits off Panther starter Rob Bland (0-2) to take a 6-3 lead.

Mark Shorey hit his first home run of the season (a solo shot in the fifth) and drove in two runs for the Panthers. Neyra also had two hits.

The teams will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at 1:00 pm. Click here for live stats.

HPU's home opener is set for Tuesday against Elon (2:30 pm).