In a game delayed at the start by one-hour due to thunderstorms in the Triad area, the High Point baseball team slugged its way to an 18-8 victory over Charleston Southern on Saturday night at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium.

The Panthers (25-26, 10-10 Big South) pounded out a season-high 18 runs on 16 hits to snap a four game losing skid. CSU (18-32, 3-14) committed four errors and tallied 12 hits in the loss.

Eleven pitchers were used by the two squads and the game also had 37 players see playing time. The contest last three hours and 44 minutes and was played under heavy fog during the final two innings.

CSU scored a run in the first on back-to-back doubles from Chris Krogmeier and Anthony Hayes to take the early 1-0 lead.

HPU answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Robby Kuzdale drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a single by Jeff Cowan. Bill Manion followed with an RBI single to knot the score at 1-1. Big South RBI leader Randy Schwartz added to his total with an RBI groundout to second giving High Point a 2-1 advantage.

The Panthers pounced on the Bucs for seven runs in the second inning highlighted by a grand slam by Kuzdale. Tucker Stobbe led off with a walk followed by a single by Billy Alvino. Alfie Wheeler executed a sacrifice bunt but reached first when the CSU pitcher threw wide to third loading the bases for Kuzdale. After the base-clearing blast, Cowan walked and moved to third on a double by Manion. Another CSU error allowed Cowan to score and Chris Norwood followed with a sacrifice fly to center. Alvino plated the final run of the frame with his second single of the inning.

Charleston Southern got a pair of runs back in the fourth as HPU starter Brandon Moore surrendered three straight walks to open the frame. After a pop out, Krogmeier singled to drive in two runners cutting the CSU deficit to 9-3.

HPU moved in front 10-3 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. J. Williams drew a one-out walk and reached third after stealing second and advancing on an errant throw by the catcher. Williams would score moments later as a pickoff move bounced past the firstbaseman for an error.

High Point extended its lead to 14-3 with four runs in the fifth. HPU got three hits and benefited from three walks for the scores. CSU made it 14-5 after a two-run homer in the sixth by Hayes, but HPU scored twice in the sixth as well on a triple by Manion and an RBI single from Schwartz.

After a scoreless seventh inning, Hayes tallied an RBI single for the Bucs driving in pinch hitter Michael Obuchowski, who had led off with a double.

Max Fulginiti and Cowan earned back-to-back walks to open HPU's half of the eighth followed by a single from Manion that loaded the bases. Schwartz then grounded into a double-play forcing in a run. Williams then launched a ball into the outfield that got lost in the fog allowing him to speed around the bases with an RBI triple for the Panthers final score.

CSU added a pair of runs in the ninth on a trio of fog-aided doubles marking the final margin.

High Point reliever Zach Scott (4-1) picked up the win allowing two runs on three hits in 2.2 innings of work. Moore departed after 3.1 innings on the hill for the Panthers giving up three runs with six strikeouts and five walks. Jamie Serber pitched two innings for HPU and senior Matt Christie made his return to the mound for the first time since Feb. 28, pitching the ninth and recording a pair of strikeouts.

Manion led the Panthers at the plate finishing with a 5-for-6 performance with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was just a homer short of hitting for the cycle. Kuzdale led HPU with four RBI on the night with Schwartz finishing the contest with three. All nine High Point position starters registered a hit in the game.

Charleston Southern starter D.J. Throneburg (2-10) suffered the loss going just one inning on the night and allowing seven runs on four hits along with three walks. CSU pitchers issued 13 walks in the game.

HPU and CSU conclude their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game marks the Big South and regular season home finale for the Panthers.