Box Score High Point scored two runs on just one infield hit, taking advantage of three walks to top UNC Asheville 3-2 in the first game of a three game Big South Conference series at Greenwood Field on Friday afternoon.
 
The first seven innings of the game featured a classic pitching dual between two of the top pitchers in the Big South. High Point's Eammon Portice (5-5) picked up the win throwing seven innings giving up two runs on five hits and striking out nine batters. Asheville's Alan DeRatt (4-4) suffered the loss going 7.1 innings giving up three runs on three hits and striking out four batters.
 
Asheville (17-25, 7-6 Big South) got on the board first scoring in the first inning. Kevin Mattison led off with his fifth triple of the season and scored on sacrifice fly by Matt Henson who drove in both Bulldog runs.
 
High Point (21-20, 7-6 Big South) tied the game in the third inning. Pablo Rosario had a lead off single and was sacrificed to second base. With two outs, Jeff Cowan singled home Rosario to knot the score at 1-1.
 
The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead in the fifth, John Whited walked and Steve Burnich was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with no one out. Mattison reached on a fielder's choice as Whited was thrown out at third base. Henson delivered a one out RBI single to score Burnish. An intentional walk to Rob Vernon loaded the bases with just one out, but Portice got a strike out and fly out to escape further damage. 
 
The Dogs threatened again in the sixth, Edmund Locklear was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Graham Baughn came into pinch run and was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Burnich singled to left field but Baughn tripped around third base not allowing him to score. A walk loaded the bases, but Henson lined out to first to end the inning.
 
High Point finally got to DeRatt in the eighth. With one out, Robby Kuzdale and Cowan worked back-to-back walks. Asheville brought in Ben Buchanan, who gave up an infield hit to Bill Manion to load the bases. Buchanan walked Randy Schwartz to tie the game and then Bill Alvino's sacrifice fly scored Cowan with the winning run marking the eighth time the Panthers have won a game when trailing after the sixth inning.
 
Tom Boleska pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save of the season.
 
HPU got single hits from four different players with Cowan scoring a run and driving in a run to lead the Panther offense.
 
The series shifts to McCormick Field for games two and three, with Saturday's game set to begin at 6 p.m.