The High Point baseball team scored four runs in the ninth inning but came up a run short, 6-5, in their upset bid against No. 2 seeded Winthrop on Wednesday afternoon at The Winthrop Ballpark in Big South Tournament action.

The Panthers (27-29), who are the No. 5 seed in the Big South Tournament, trailed 6-1 heading into their final at-bat but made things interesting against a collection of four Winthrop (32-25) relievers before dropping the hard fought decision.

"I thought it was an incredible effort by our guys late in the game," said HPU head coach Sal Bando, Jr. "I think our hitters did as good a job as they could do against this caliber of pitcher (Winthrop's Alex Wilson). We just came up one run short and we've gotta bounce back tomorrow and find a way."

Winthrop starter Alex Wilson (6-4) scattered six hits over eight innings of work giving up just one run while striking out six to earn the win. HPU starter Bubba O'Donnell (3-7) struck out four and allowed seven hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings.

The Eagles struck first pushing across a pair of runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Billy Froehlich led off with a single and Bryn Henderson followed with a single to put runners on first and second. Kevin Nolan plated the first score after reaching on a fielding error by HPU. The Eagles got their second run on an RBI groundout to short by Mike Honce.

The Panthers created their first scoring opportunity in the third as Robby Kuzdale got a two-out single and advanced to third on a double by Jeff Cowan. A ball slipped past the Winthrop catcher during the next at-bat but Kuzdale just missed beating the tag of the pitcher at the plate.

WU upped their advantage to 3-0 with a run in the bottom of the third. Tommy Lentz got a two-out double and scored on an RBI single by Henderson. Winthrop added another run in the fourth as Honce tripled to center with one out and crossed the plate a batter later on a sacrifice fly by John Murrian.

HPU posted its first run in the sixth inning taking advantage of a leadoff walk by Cowan. Cowan moved to second on a groundout and took third on a deep fly to centerfield before scoring on an RBI single from J. Williams.

Winthrop answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth to move in front 5-1. Kevin Nolan reached on a leadoff error and advanced to second on a groundout to short. A wild pitch allowed him to move to third and a Chris Carrara RBI single drove him in for the score. The Eagles added an insurance run and what proved to be the winning run in the seventh as Lentz started things off with a single and scored on a double by Eddie Tisdale.

Ryan Mullins started the ninth for Winthrop on the mound giving up back-to-back singles to Randy Schwartz and Williams before retiring Tucker Stobbe on a grounder to first that moved both runners up a base. The Eagles summoned Jonathan Settle from the bullpen and after recording a strikeout for the second out of the frame, Eric Marion drew a walk to load the bases and end Settle's stint.

Honce was the next to take the hill for Winthrop, surrendering a two-RBI single to Alfie Wheeler that pulled the Panthers to within three runs at 6-3. That brought Josh McDonald out of the WU bullpen and he was greeted by an RBI double from by Kuzdale. Wheeler was caught in a rundown between third and home on the hit but was sent home by the umpires after being interfered with by an Eagle fielder. Cowan then followed with a single that moved the tying run just 90 feet from home. McDonald induced a game ending grounder to send Winthrop through the bracket with a win and earn his second save of the year.

Williams went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead HPU at the plate. Kuzdale and Cowan both recorded two hits on the day.

High Point will next face UNC Asheville at 11 a.m. on Thursday in an elimination game. The Bulldogs, who are the No. 6 seed, defeated Charleston Southern on Tuesday before falling to No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina on Wednesday.