High Point and East Tennessee State combined for 46 hits and 33 runs and played for over four hours on Sunday afternoon, as ETSU edged HPU 17-16 in 11 innings to take the weekend series at Coy O. Williard, Sr. Stadium.

The Panthers (8-11) finished the day with a season-best 22 hits including nine extra-base blasts while the Bucs (12-6) collected 24 hits with 21 singles. The two teams stranded 28 runners on base and sent 13 pitchers to the mound.

ETSU scored in seven of 11 innings starting with a pair of runs in the first inning. The Bucs tallied three hits in the frame. High Point answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning with the first four batters hitting for the cycle. Robby Kuzdale led off with a triple, followed by a homer by Jeff Cowan, a Chris Norwood single and a double by Billy Alvino.  That start chased East Tennessee State starter Todd Caldwell before he even recorded an out.

HPU pushed their lead to 4-2 with a run in the second. Max Fulginiti recorded an infield single and moved around to third on a pair of groundouts. Cowan plated the run with an RBI double.

The Bucs posted three runs in the third to regain the lead at 5-4, but it was short-lived as High Point posted three runs of their own in the bottom of the frame to go back in front 7-5. The Panthers recorded three hits including a homerun by Randy Schwartz to earn their runs.

ETSU pulled to within a run, 7-6, adding a score in the fourth inning. HPU added a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth when Schwartz swatted his second homer of the day over the center field wall to make the score 9-6.

East Tennessee knotted the score at 9 with three runs in the sixth inning. ETSU tallied three hits and were aided by an HPU throwing error. High Point extended their lead to 11-9 with a pair of scores in the bottom of the inning. Matt Schlanger singled and J. Williams belted his first homer of the year for the Panthers. With four homeruns on the day, HPU doubled their season total of dingers.

A pair of runs for ETSU in the seventh tied the score at 11. The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Bucs reliever Caleb Glafenhein got Alvino to line out then induced a double-play ground ball from pinch hitter Tucker Stobbe.

ETSU seemed to gain the momentum with three runs in the top half of the eighth to take a 14-11 advantage. However, HPU refused to quit rallying for three runs in their eighth inning at-bat. Williams led off the frame with a triple followed by an RBI double from Schwartz. Schwartz moved to third on a groundout then scored on a single by Alfie Wheeler. Kuzdale followed with a single and both runners moved up a base on a passed ball. Cowan singled to right field pushing across the tying run. After loading the bases with an intentional walk, Glafenhein again squirmed out of trouble recording an infield fly and a strike out.

After a pair of scoreless innings for both teams that included just one base runner, the offense's got rolling again in the 11th. The Bucs struck for three runs in the top of the frame knocking five consecutive hits to move ahead, 17-14.

Alvino blistered a one-out double to the gap in right center to start the rally for High Point in the 11th inning. Following a flyout, Williams scorched a single through the right side to put runners on the corners with two outs. Williams took second base on defensive indifference and Schwartz followed with a single to centerfield driving in a pair of runs and cutting the deficit to 17-16. Fulginiti laced a ball to the left side, but the ETSU third baseman stabbed it out of the air for the final out.

"I thought our guys showed an unbelievable amount of resiliency, fight and faith," said HPU head coach Sal Bando, Jr. "They continue to impress me day-in and day-out. This was one of those games where I don't think either team deserved to lose, but I don't think either team deserved to win with the way it was played. That's just how the ball rolls sometimes."

All nine HPU batters recorded a hit on Sunday with six players posting multiple hits in the contest. Schwartz led the way with a career best 5-for-7 performance that included two homeruns, seven RBI and three runs scored. Williams was 4-for-7 with five runs scored and two RBI while Cowan finished with five RBI and a 3-for-4 outing at the plate.

HPU used eight different pitchers in the game with Zach Scott (0-1) suffering the hard luck loss in relief allowing three runs and five hits in 3.1 innings of work.

ETSU designated hitter Justin Aughey paced the Bucs offense going 6-for-7 with six RBI and three runs scored with Anthony Russell scoring four times while going 3-for-5 at the plate. Glafenhein (6-1), who appeared in all three games on the weekend and factored in each of the decisions earning a save, a loss and a win, pitched the final five innings giving up eight hits and five runs to capture the victory.

High Point continues its current seven-game home stand on Tuesday against Triad-rival North Carolina A&T at 2:30 p.m. HPU is scheduled to host Lafayette College in a three-game series next weekend.