Bill Manion's two-run single in the 8th inning gave High Point a 10-9 lead as the Panthers came out on top 11-9 in a back-and-forth battle with #5 North Carolina Tuesday night at Boshamer Field.  The win is the seventh for HPU in the past eight games and second in a row.

High Point (14-17) got things going early with back-to-back singles from Jeff Cowan and Alfie Wheeler followed by a RBI double from Bill Manion, plating Cowan for the game's first run.  Billy Alvino and Kyle Mahoney each brought in a run on groundouts, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead.

North Carolina (27-10) responded right back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs to take a 4-3 lead after one.  Ryan Graepel got it going drawing a one-out walk.  He was forced out on a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning.  Kyle Seager was hit on a full-count, putting runners on first and second.  Garrett Gore singled through the left side plating Dustin Ackley.  Mark Fluery flared a ball into rightfield for a single and was able to reach second on a bobble in the outfield.  Gore and Seager were both able to score on the play as a result.  After moving up in a wild pitch, Fluery scored on a single by Levi Michael.

Wheeler laced a one-out double off the left-centerfield to get things going for HPU in the third inning.  After a groundout moved him up to third base, the shortstop scored on a wild pitch, knotting the score at 4-4.  They threatened again in the fourth inning, but Matt Harvey came on in relief to get the final out of the inning, stranding two runners on base.

The Tar Heels took the lead an inning later again, which started off with Fluery drawing a walk.  After a popout, Mike Cavasinni executed a hit-and-run, putting both runners in scoring position.  Jacob Stalllings hit a sacrifice fly and Ben Bunting singled up the middle bringing in the two runners, for a 6-4 UNC advantage.

The two sides traded runs in the fifth inning keeping North Carolina ahead 7-5.  Cowan reached on a fielding error followed by a single by Wheeler.  Manion grounded into a double-play forcing out Wheeler, but Cowan got to third on the play.  Alvino singled to the second baseman on a hard hit ball, plating the Panthers run.  For the Tar Heels, a double and single brought in their run in the bottom half of the inning.

High Point erupted for three runs in the seventh, all before a single out was recorded.  Cowan reached on another error and stole second base.  Wheeler brought him in on a single up the middle.  After nearly missing an extra-base hit down the leftfield line on a ball called foul, Manion singled through the right side, putting runners on first and second.  Alvino double off the centerfield wall, bringing in both runs for an 8-7 HPU lead.

North Carolina would score two runs in the bottom half of the inning while recording just one hit.  After a walk and a fielder's choice, Gore got the only hit of the inning on a ball hit to rightfield which hit the glove of a sliding Spencer Andrews, but popped out.  Three straight walks forced in the two runs for UNC.  Jeremy Berg came on in relief and got pinch-hitter Brett Thomas to line into a double player to get out of the jam.

Once again, the Panthers had an answer for the nationally ranked hosts.  A single, walk and single from Eric Marion, Drew Geissinger and Cowan, respectively, began the eighth inning for the visitors.  That set-up Manion's game-winning single through the right side, plating Marion and Geissinger, and allowed Cowan to get to third base.  It was Manion's third game-winning hit of the year.  Another single from Alvino plated Cowan for an 11-9 HPU edge.

Berg closed the door on the Tar Heels offense, striking out the side in the eighth and allowing a two-out single before a groundout right back to him sealed the victory.  Berg got the win working 2.2 innings of scoreless ball improving to 3-1 on the season.  Corey Swickle was also solid out of the bullpen work two shutout innings, issuing one walk and not allowing a hit.  Starter Brian Jones worked four innings giving up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits and three walks.  He also struckout three batters.

The top of the line-up paced the offense all game long with the top four hitters going 12-for-20, scoring nine runs and driving in nine runs.  Wheeler top the hit list with four, Alvino and Manion picked up three hits apiece and Cowan, Max Fulginiti and Marion picked up two each.  Fulginiti extended his team season-long hitting streak to 21 games.  Alvino upped his to 10-games, while collecting his ninth straight multi-hit game and fifth straight three-hit game.  During this streak he is hitting 25-for-39 (.641).  Cowan is now 13 hits away from breaking the school's all-time hits mark and continued his hitting streak to eight games.  It was the first victory for the Panthers over UNC since 1976 and their first since joining the Division I ranks.

Logan Munson suffered the loss dropping his record to 1-1 allowing the only batter he faced to score.  Cavasinni, Fluery and Gore led the offensive charge for the Tar Heels picking up a pair of hits each.  Michael was the only hitter to drive in more than one run for the hosts.

High Point returns to action tomorrow night, April 15th when it hosts another ACC member, Virginia Tech, at Coy O. Williard Sr. Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.