Eammon Portice struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings and Randy Schwartz hit his first collegiate home run to lead High Point to a 7-4 win over Liberty Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game Big South Conference baseball series at Erath Field.

With the win, the Panthers (11-15, 1-3 Big South) matched their win total from the entire 2004 season. Liberty dropped to 13-7 (0-4 in Conference play). 

Portice (4-1) got the win for HPU, while David Bechtold (4-2) took the loss for the Flames. Matt Kniginyzky fanned five in 2 1/3 innings of relief for his team-leading third save of the year.

P.K. Keller and Adam Kearney homered for Liberty in a losing cause.

High Point opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second off Bechtold. Dustin Holtzman drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on Nick Thompson's single up the middle. After a sacrifice bunt by Ro Castro moved the runners over, Anthony Bell drove them both home with a double to right-center for a 2-0 Panther lead.

The Flames drew even in the top of the third on Keller's two-out, two-run homer to left-center which plated Michael Just.

HPU came back with another pair in the bottom of the inning on Schwartz's two-run blast to right which scored Josh Cotten and put the Panthers back in front, 4-2.

Liberty pulled within 4-3 on Kearney's solo shot to left-center in the fifth, but the Panthers pushed the lead back to two runs in the sixth when Jeremy Neyra drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk from Todd Mittauer which brought home Thompson.

The Flames edged within 5-4 on an RBI double by Patrick Gaillard in the seventh which brought home Aaron Grijalva. Liberty loaded the bases, but Kniginyzky came in and struck out Keller to end the threat.

HPU added a pair of unearned insurance runs in the eighth when Castro and Matt Christie scored on a two-out error by the Liberty second baseman.

Portice scattered eight hits and four runs over 6 2/3 innings, while Bechtold allowed five runs and six hits while striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings of work.

The teams will play a doubleheader at 11:30 am Saturday.