Box Score Sophomore first baseman Randy Schwartz drove in the game's only run as High Point evened their weekend series with Cincinnati earning a 1-0 victory on Saturday afternoon at George Erath Field.
The Panthers improved to 6-7 on the year with the win snapping a three-game losing skid, while Cincinnati fell to 3-5 halting a three-game win streak. The pair will play the rubber-game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
"This was an outstanding, gritty performance by our entire team," said HPU head coach Sal Bando, Jr. "We overcame so early struggles and got a hit when we needed to. Bubba O'Donnell stepped in and made it stand. This was a good win for us today."
The two teams sparkled defensively early in the game as each team recorded double-plays in the first and second innings. Cincinnati had runners on first and third with two outs in the third but HPU starter Tom Boleska induced a groundout to end the scoring threat.
The Bearcats loaded the bases in both the fourth and fifth innings but Boleska an reliever Bubba O'Donnell shut things down in both frames to preserve the scoreless play.
After getting the leadoff batter aboard in five of the first six innings, High Point finally capitalized in the sixth when Jeff Cowan drew a lead off walk and moved to second on a balk by Cincy starter Kyle Rapp. Chris Norwood moved Cowan to third grounding out to first and following a strikeout by Mark Shorey, Schwartz slapped a ball to left field scoring Cowan with two outs in the frame.
Cincinnati moved a runner to third in the seventh and had the bases loaded in the ninth but O'Donnell pitched out of both jams to secure the Panther victory.
Boleska and O'Donnell combined for High Point's first shutout this season. Boleska went 4.1 innings allowing three hits with six walks, while O'Donnell pitched the final 4.2 innings giving up just two hits and striking out three for his first win of the year. HPU walked 10 CU batters on the day but a pair of double-plays helped the team strand 15 Bearcat runners.
Cowan led the way at the plate for HPU going 2-for-3, six other players had a hit each with Schwartz driving in the lone run.
Rapp (1-2) took the loss for Cincinnati pitching 5.2 innings with four walks, four hits and just one earned run. Mark Muscenti recorded a pair of hits to lead the Bearcats at the plate.
Junior Matt Christie (RHP, 2-0, 2.41 era) takes the mound for the Panthers on Sunday in the series finale against UC's Glen Simon (RHP, 1-1, 5.87 era).
