High Point left 12 men stranded on base as they dropped a 9-5 contest to Gardner-Webb in a Big South match-up Sunday afternoon at Masters Field.

Gardner-Webb jumped out early scoring the game's first six runs of the contest.  They got single runs in the second and third inning, Kurt Fulginiti providing the one run in the second on a solo homerun.  In the third, Daniel Cooke hit a two-out double followed by a Justin Lloyd double bringing in the second run of the contest.

After a flyout to start the fourth inning, Aaron Miller and Jon Ahearn reached on back-to-back singles.  Another flyout ensued before three straight singles brought in four more runs capped off by a Cooke single to leftfield. 

High Point clawed its way back into the contest by scoring a run in the fifth and four in the sixth.  Spencer Atwood walked to begin the fifth and moved up to third on a balk and sacrifice bunt.  Alfie Wheeler singled through the right side to bring him in cutting into the deficit.  Bill Manion followed with another single putting runners on the corners.  A double-play ended the chance to trim the lead some more.

Max Fulginiti jumped started the big inning in the sixth by reaching on a fielding error.  Kyle Mahoney ripped a double to right-centerfield on a hit-and-run play scoring M. Fulginiti all the way from first.  Pablo Rosario was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.  After a strikeout, Atwood laced another single to rightfield loading the bases.  Jeff Cowan drew a walk to force in Mahoney.  A sacrifice fly from Wheeler and a RBI single from Manion closed out the scoring.

The Runnin' Bulldogs quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homerun from Cooke to left-centerfield putting the GW lead at 8-5.  Ty Boyles hit a leadoff homerun in the seventh inning making it 9-5 and closing out the scoring in the ballgame.

HPU did try to make one final push in the eighth and ninth innings which began with two straight singles from Atwood and Cowan.  Wheeler flied out to rightfield and Atwood tried tagging up on the play, but was thrown out.  A strikeout followed thwarting the scoring opportunity.  Again in the ninth the Panthers started off with back-to-back singles but the next three were retired in order ending the game. 

Four different Panthers picked up multiple hits on the afternoon led by Atwood going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.  He also drew a walk and scored two runs while Wheeler drove in a pair of runs.  Manion extended his hitting streak to 16 games with his two hits.  Alvino moved into third on the career hits list at High Point, standing at 229 with his two hits this afternoon.  Brian Jones suffered the loss dropping his mark to 2-6 on the season.  The southpaw surrendered six runs in four innings of work.

Tyler Johnson and Cooke both picked up three hits on the afternoon and all but one of the GW starters had at least one hit.  The Runnin' Bulldogs had three homeruns on the afternoon.  Jonathon Ban picked up the win, upping his record to 3-1.  He tossed four scoreless innings giving up just three hits and one walk.

High Point returns to the diamond on Tuesday when it takes on Elon at Latham Park.  First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.