The High Point University baseball team surrendered six runs in the eighth inning as Dayton rallied for a 7-4 victory in the series finale between the two squads on Sunday at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium.

High Point (3-5) led 3-1 through seven innings behind strong pitching from senior Bubba O'Donnell, but was unable to hold the lead as Dayton (3-2) tallied five of their eight hits for the day in the decisive inning.

O'Donnell, who recorded his second consecutive solid start this season, allowed just two runs (one earned) in seven innings of work with seven strikeouts and three walks. Jamie Serber allowed four runs on four hits in a third of an inning of relief for HPU suffering the loss to slip to 1-1 on the season.

"I thought (Bubba) O'Donnell threw exceptional," said HPU head coach Sal Bando, Jr. "But, I thought Dayton outplayed us in every phase of the game. Whether or not they were better than us who's to say, but they played the game much better than us all weekend. That's what it is really all about. It's not about talent, it's about how you play the game. We just didn't play real well. We are scuffling right now and luckily for us tomorrow is another day."

Dayton starter Chris Beesley worked just four innings and left the game due to a high pitch count with the score tied a one. HPU touched Flyer reliever Burny Mitchem for two runs on five hits over two innings but Jake Hoover followed with 2+ innings of one-run relief to earn the victory (1-0). Lucas Farden, who pitched in all three games of the weekend series, got the final two outs for Dayton to earn his first save.

At the plate, High Point saw three players record two hits on the day including Robby Kuzdale, Jeff Cowan and Randy Schwartz. Scott Dunwoody went 3-fo-5 for Dayton as the lone batter with multiple hits.

After three innings of scoreless play, High Point got on the board first in the fourth when Cowan led off with a double to right and moved to third on a flyball by Bill Manion. Cowan later scored when the Dayton second baseman threw the ball by the first baseman following a grounder by Max Fulginiti.

Dayton answered with a run of their own in the top of the fifth to even the score at 1-1. Ryan Nevill reached on a throwing error and moved to second on a walk by Max Navalinski. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt in front of an RBI groundout for Kevin Miller that plated Nevill.

HPU picked up single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to open up a 3-1 lead. Freshman Drew Geissinger posted an bases-loaded RBI single to push across the run in the sixth while Kuzdale scored the run in the seventh after Billy Alvino laced a ball between the legs of the Dayton shortstop.

O'Donnell issued a walk to open the eighth and was replaced by Serber, who allowed the runner to advance to second after a failed pickoff attempt at first. Dunwoody then followed with an RBI single to make the score 3-2. Marshall MacDonald singled in front of a well placed bunt single by Hoover, who had moved from right field to the pitcher's mound in the top of the seventh, loading the bases. Cole Tyrell then doubled to right center scoring a pair of Flyers to earn a 4-3 advantage. Nevill followed with a sacrifice fly scoring the fifth Dayton run. Jimmy Roesinger plated a run on a groundout and Miller finished the scoring surge with an RBI single.

High Point attempted a comeback scoring a run in the ninth and getting a pair of runners on base with one out before Farden closed the game out for Dayton.

The Panthers will hit the road for a game against longtime rival Elon on Tuesday before returning home to host Appalachian State on Wednesday at 4 p.m.