CONWAY, S.C. – The High Point Panthers could not hold on to an early lead as Liberty rallied for a 9-7 victory on Thursday night in second round action at the 2006 Bojangles' Big South Baseball Championship at Charles Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field on the campus of Coastal Carolina University.

The loss drops the fourth-seeded Panthers to 27-31 on the year and sends them into an elimination game versus UNC Asheville at 11 a.m., on Friday. With the win, No. 5 seed Liberty improves to 38-19, and advances to face the winner of the HPU-UNCA contest at 7 p.m., on Friday.

High Point jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, moving four runners across thanks to five hits.  The Panthers sent all nine hitters to the plate in the frame, loading the bases up twice.  Billy Aguiar posted two RBI in the inning, with Ryan Laboy and Dustin Holtzman each recording one RBI.

Liberty quickly answered back in the top of the second, scoring six runs on HPU starter Matt Christie to grab a 6-4 lead.  The Flames sent 10 players to the plate as Aaron Grijalva and Phil Larent each posted two run RBI knocks during the inning. LU's offensive showing also sent Christie, who took the loss falling to 3-3, to the showers after just one and two-third innings of work.

High Point knotted the score at 6 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Alfie Wheeler led the inning off with a single and moved to second on a single by Jeff Cowan.  The next batter, Chris Norwood, hit into a fielder's choice moving Wheeler to third.  Mark Shorey delivered an RBI-single that brought in Wheeler.  Aguiar was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, in front of an RBI-groundout by Schwartz that scored Norwood.

Liberty threatened in the fifth, putting runners on first and second.  However, HPU's Dustin Holtzman snared a line drive, stepped on second and tossed to first to turn the unexpected triple-play.

The Flames regained the lead in the sixth after plating two runners.  Derek Bennion led the inning off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Phil John.  The next batter, Errol Hollinger, moved Bennion to third and John to second on a bunt sacrifice.  Back-to-back wild pitch by High Point reliever Chris Marks allowed Bennion and John to score the eventual winning runs.

LU push across an insurance run in the seventh as Patrick Gaillard singled home Laurent, who had earlier recorded his third double of the night.

High Point made things interesting in their final at-bat of the night. HPU moved one across in the bottom of the ninth to move the score to 9-7 and had the tying run at second before a groundout ended the game and the threat.

Liberty's Ryan Page picked up the win and improves to 9-2, while High Point's Zach Scott took the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season.  Picking up the save for LU was Phillip Thomas, his fifth of the year.

Cowan, Shorey, Schwartz and pinch-hitter Matt Gantner all tallied two hits apiece to pace the Panthers while Aguiar and Dustin Holtzman both drove in a pair of runs. Laurent led a quintet of multi-hit Flame performers with his trio of two-baggers.

Winthrop and Coastal Carolina square off at 3 p.m., on Friday in the tournament's other game on day three.