Freshman Jeff Cowan singled in freshman Alfie Wheeler in the top of the 10th inning to lift High Point University to a 7-6 win over the Coastal Carolina University baseball team on Saturday evening the weekend series at one game apiece.

For the Panthers, the win snaps a seven-game losing skid and pushes their season record to 8-17 overall (1-1 Big South). Coastal Carolina, who had won eight straight versus HPU including yesterday's ninth-inning rally, drops to 6-13 (1-1 Big South) on the year.

High Point jumped out to a 3-0 lead, scoring once in the first and twice in the third. Singles by Chris Norwood and Mark Shorey put runners on first and second. Billy Aguiar then bounced to short, but a fielding error made everyone safe and plated Norwood. In the third, Cowan singled, moved to second on a Norwood walk and went to third on an error. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch from junior Kevin Marrie scored Cowan and put runners on second and third. Aguiar flew out to center, scoring Norwood and giving High Point a 3-0 lead.

Coastal would tie the game in the bottom of the third. Adam Vrable doubled to start the frame, Dom Duggan was then hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt from Chris Raber moved the runners up a base and junior Brant Peacher cleared them with a three-run shot to left field.

The Panthers would retake the lead in the fourth, scoring two runs on three hits. Randy Schwartz singled to open the inning. He moved to third on a throwing error from Marrie. Cowan brought Schwartz in on a groundout and Mark Shorey scored Wheeler with a single to right field.

In the fifth, Coastal scored an unearned run. Peacher started the inning by reaching on an error. He moved to second on a single from John Mariotti. Aaron Verrett sacrificed the runners over. HPU reliever David Parker then walked both Matt Sutton and Josh Eachues allowing Preacher to score.

HPU got that run back in the sixth. Singles by Cowan and Norwood were followed by a sacrifice fly from Shorey. Coastal answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth as a double from Peacher scored Duggan. Coastal had the bases loaded with one out, but Parker induced a pop out and a strikeout to end the threat.

Coastal knotted the game at six on Peacher's second home run of the game with one out in the eighth inning.

The Chanticleers mounted a final threat in the ninth with runners on the corners and two out. David Sappelt laced a bullet to left, but it was hauled in by Matt Gantner to send the game to extra innings.

In the 10th, Coastal retired the first two Panthers before a double by Wheeler set-up the game-winning single to left center by Cowan.

For High Point, Cowan and Shorey led the way at the plate as each recorded three hits and two RBIs. Shorey extended his season-high hit streak to seven games. Peacher finished 3-for-6 with five RBI and three runs scored in the loss for CCU.

Junior reliever Glenn Jones (1-0) earned the win in for HPU after going a perfect 1.1 innings of relief while Shorey picked up his first save of the year. With the save, he moves into sole possession of third-place on HPU's all-time career list with 10. Panther starter Matt Christie struck out five in 4.1 innings.

The loss was tagged to Kevin Salmon who gave up a run and two hits in 1.2 innings. Marrie went the first 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs while striking out a pair.

High Point and Coastal square off in the rubber game of the weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman Tom Boleska takes the hill for HPU while CCU counters with freshman Austin Fleet.