The High Point baseball team dropped its Big South opener Friday evening to Winthrop 4-3 at Coy O. Williard Stadium.

HPU (4-4, 0-1) got on the board first, putting one across in the bottom of the second inning.  Billy Alvino extended his hitting streak to 12-games leading off the inning with a single to right field.  He advanced to second base on a Jeff Cowan sacrifice bunt.  After a strikeout, Max Fulginiti doubled off the leftfield wall brining in Alvino for the early 1-0 lead.

Winthrop (8-2, 1-0) wasted no time responding in the next half inning started with back-to-back doubles Garrett Koster and Bryn Henderson.  Koster crossed the plate on Henderson's double to right-center.  He later scored on a Kevin Nolan single up the middle, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead after three.

The Panthers responded back again in the bottom of the fourth inning, once again started by Alvino who doubled down the leftfield line.  A good approach by Cowan at the plate allowed Alvino to advance to third when he hit a ball up the middle which the shortstop fielded for the out.  On the next play, Nolan was not able to handle a hard hit ball by Eric Marion, plating Alvino to knot the game at two apiece.

After two quick outs by the Eagles, they drew two straight walks and the runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.  Making up for his error which allowed HPU to tie the game, Nolan came through with a two-out, two-run single to right field.

High Point cut the deficit in half to 4-3 in the bottom half of the fifth inning.  Alfie Wheeler reached on an error and quickly scored, as Bill Manion drilled a fastball in the right-center gap allowing Wheeler to score all the way from first base.

The hosts had a couple of opportunities to get the equalizer, but couldn't get the big hit down the stretch.  With one out and two runners on in the second, Alvino grounded into a double-play thwarting the rally attempt.  Again in ninth inning, HPU got two back-to-back singles from Pablo Rosario and Wheeler with no one out.  Unfortunately, Manion grounded into a double play, but Rosario did advance to third.  Kyle Mahoney drew a walk, putting runners on the corners.  Winthrop closer Tyler Mizenko got Alvino to groundout and end the ball game.

Offensively for the Panthers, Manion delivered three hits, while Alvino, Fulginiti and Marion each had a pair.  Alvino has had a multi-hit game in six of the eight games on the year.  RJ Chlebnikow suffered his first loss as a starter, working 6.2 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits.  Jeremy Berg worked 2.1 innings of scoreless ball and has not allowed an earned run in his last 9.1 innings pitched. 

The Eagles were lead by Nolan who had three hits and three RBI.  Henderson and Eddied Tisdale also had two hits each.  Dominic Patterozzi threw 133 pitches in 7.1 innings of work.  He gave up three runs (two earned) on 10 hits while picking up eight strikeouts.  Mizenko picked up his first collegiate save; recording the final four outs of the ballgame.

The series continues tomorrow afternoon, March 7, at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m.  Probable starting pitchers for the contest will be Jamie Serber for High Point and he will be opposed by Matteo D'Angello.