The High Point University baseball team fell 12-3 against Wake Forest on Tuesday night in the squad's first night game of the year at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium.

High Point (3-10) tallied eight hits including three by junior catcher Billy Alvino in the loss. Wake Forest recorded 15 hits in improving to 8-5 on the year.

Alvino went 3-for-4 on the night with two singles and a double. Ben Terry led a group of five Wake Forest multi-hit performers going 3-for-6 at the plate with three RBI.

The Panthers struck first plating a run in their opening at bat. Max Fulginiti got a one-out single and then stole second setting up Alvino for an RBI single to right giving HPU the early 1-0 advantage.

Wake Forest got on the board in the fourth pushing across three runs. Allan Dykstra led the frame off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Mike Murray. Weldon Woodall followed with an RBI double down the leftfield line putting runners on second and third. Dustin Hood laced a single to right chasing both runners home moving WFU in front 3-1. The Demon Deacons had the chance for more after loading the bases but Bubba O'Donnell came on in relief and induced a flyout to end the threat.

The Deacs added four more runs in the fifth taking advantage of a pair of two-out extra base hits. Evan Ocheltree plated a pair with a triple to the gap in right center and Terry added a two-run double to left giving WFU a 7-1 advantage.

Brandon Johnson (1-0) exited after five innings of work on the mound for the Demon Deacons. Johnson allowed just one run on three hits while striking out six to earn his first victory of the year.

Three hit batters and a fielding error in the top of the seventh allowed Wake Forest to add another run for an 8-1 lead. High Point answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Randy Schwartz reached base on a fielding error then crossed the plate on an RBI triple by Robby Kuzdale. Murray White followed with a groundout to short scoring Kuzdale to trim the deficit to 8-3 for the Panthers.

WFU closed the scoring tacking on four runs in the eighth behind seven hits including RBI knocks by Murray, Woodall, Tyler Smith and Terry putting the Deacons up 12-3.

Zach Scott (0-3) suffered the loss for the Panthers allowing three runs on six hits in three innings as the starter. Seven different pitchers saw time on the mound for HPU in the game.

High Point next heads out of town for a five-game road swing beginning on Wednesday at North Carolina A&T (6 pm) and including a four-game weekend set at Furman from Friday to Sunday