High Point's baseball team used strong starting pitching and timely hitting to earn a Big South Conference doubleheader sweep of UNC Asheville at Greenwood Field Sunday afternoon. The Panthers won the first game, 5-3 and the nightcap, 4-1.

In the first game, HPU starter Eammon Portice (5-1) and reliever Mark Shorey teamed up to give the Panthers the victory. Portice pitched 6.2 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs, two earned, walking five but striking out seven. Shorey earned his first save of the year by going 2.1 innings, striking out three and not allowing a hit.

In the second game, Matt Schlanger (3-3) pitched the first eight innings for High Point. Schlanger scattered seven hits and allowed just one run. Matt Kniginyzky pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth save of the year.

The teams play the third and final game of their series Monday afternoon at UNC Asheville. First pitch at Greenwood Field is set for 2:00 pm.

The first game was tied 3-3 entering the seventh inning when the Panthers (14-17, 3-5 BSC) scored an unearned run to take the lead for good at 4-3. Dustin Holtzman delivered a sacrifice fly to drive in Jeremy Neyra to put the Panthers in front. Holtzman added an RBI-double in the ninth to pad the lead to 5-3.

High Point scored twice in the first to grab a 2-0 lead. Holtzman drove in his first run on a run-scoring single, followed by a bases loaded walk to Brett Lazar.

The Bulldogs (9-18, 1-7 BSC) battled back to tie the game with a run in the first as Tony Campana scored on a passed ball. Elliott Arrington's RBI-single in the third knotted the game at 2-2.

The Panthers went back in front, 3-2 with a run in the fifth on Seby Renta's RBI-double. UNC Asheville's Nathan Durham tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the frame with a solo homer.

The tough-luck loss went to freshman right-hander Chris White (2-2). He pitched seven innings, allowing four runs, three earned, three hits, striking out six but walking eight.

Game Two:
High Point took the lead in the second with two runs to lead 2-0. The first run came on a solo homer from Holtzman and the second scored on an error.

UNCA closed to 2-1 in the third on a RBI-single from Josh Coyle, but the Panthers scored one run in the fourth and fifth to build the lead back to 4-1. Lazar hit a solo homer in the fourth. Randy Schwartz had a run-scoring single in the fifth.

The Bulldogs had several threats in the game but hit into four double-plays. Freshman left-hander Tim Johnson (0-3) took the loss for the Bulldogs.