High Point downed Atlantic Coast Conference foe, Duke, 5-1, on Wednesday at Jack Coombs Field. The Panthers improve to 2-1 with the win while the Blue Devils fall to 0-1.

High Point grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second and held the lead for good the rest of the afternoon. Right fielder Chris Norwood led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Dustin Holtzman. Center fielder Ryan Laboy drew a walk in the next at-bat to give the Panthers runners on the corners. High Point scored the first run of the game when catcher Billy Aguiar grounded out to third, scoring Norwood. Laboy advanced to second on Aguiar's groundout and then advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a bunt single by shortstop Alfie Wheeler.

Duke made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI-single by designated hitter Javier Socorro. Shortstop Brett Bartles singled to left to start the inning and then advanced to second on a walk to center fielder Jimmy Gallagher. Bartles then reached third base on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Nate Freiman before Socorro laced the RBI-single to left field.

The Panthers scored a run in the sixth on an RBI-single from center fielder J. Williams and added two runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. After designated hitter Chris Marks was retired on a fly out to left to start the inning, Norwood reached first after being hit by a pitch from freshman Jimmy Saris. Norwood then stole second to give High Point a runner in scoring position. Holtzman followed by drawing a walk to give the Panthers runners at first and second.

After Laboy was retired on a called third strike, Aguiar laced a two-out RBI-single up the middle, scoring Norwood and advancing Holtzman to third. Wheeler followed with an RBI-double down the right field line, scoring Holtzman to give High Point the 5-1 lead.

Panthers starter Matt Christie (1-0) earned his first win of the season, holding the Blue Devils to one run on four hits in 5.0 innings of work. Duke starter Tony Bajoczky (0-1) suffered his first loss of the year, allowing two runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings pitched.

Socorro led the way for Duke, going 3-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Third baseman Jonathan Nicolla added a 2-for-4 performance while Bartles and Gallagher added one hit apiece.

Aguiar and Wheeler each had two hits and two RBI to lead High Point. Third baseman Jeff Cowan and first baseman Randy Schwartz also collected two hits apiece for the Panthers. Norwood, who was 1-for-2 on the day, scored two of High Point's five runs.

Reliever Nolan Mulligan pitched 2.0 scoreless innings for the Panthers, allowing two hits while striking out three. Marks added 1.1 perfect innings to close out the game, retiring all five Blue Devils he faced.

Saris recorded a team-high three strikeouts in his first collegiate appearance for Duke while junior Danny Otero pitched a scoreless ninth for the Blue Devils. 

High Point will return to the field on Friday in Charleston, S.C. for the first of a three game series with College of Charleston. Game one is set for 5 p.m. with games two and three set for 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Full box score can be found by clicking here.