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The High Point University baseball team dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Richmond Wednesday at Williard Stadium. Panther pitchers held Richmond to two unearned runs but five HPU errors were the difference in the game. Freshman Wes Torrez got the loss (0-1) while Richmond's Shawn O'Neill picked up his first win of the season and Billy Barber earned his first save of the season.

“It was a tough ball game tonight,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “We just didn't do anything tonight to win the game. It is unusual that two unearned runs will beat you but that it what happened. I have to give Richmond credit, they are a great ball club and they played a clean game tonight. We got quality pitching from some of our freshman but the hits just didn't come.”

HPU put two runners on base in the top of the ninth but couldn't bring either of them in to score. With one out, Steve Antolik reached on an error and Pablo Rosario earned a walk to put runners on first and second. Barber pitched out of the jam, getting Sal Pezzino to fly out to left field and Andrew Bartlett to strike out swinging to end the game. High Point left nine runners on base in the game.

Richmond took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, scoring an unearned run on an error and a wild pitch. Adam McConnell singled to short stop Mike Mercurio but Mercurio's throwing error moved him to second base. HPU starter Zach Haile had a wild pitch that allowed McConnell to advance to third and he scored on a single by Andrew Lowry.

Haile pitched five innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks in his first collegiate start.

The Panthers answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Nate Roberts walked and stole second before scoring on Matt Gantner's ninth double of the season. Gantner picked up his team-high 18th RBI.
Richmond threatened to break the tie in the sixth inning. Freshman Jaime Scultz put runners on the corners before junior Spencer Andrews came out of the bullpen. He got a strikeout and a ground ball to end the inning and strand the runners.

“Obviously the game didn't turn out the way we wanted,” Andrews said. “I am very impressed with Zach Haile. He threw well in his first start but we didn't score when we had chances. It is time to move on to this weekend.”

Wes Torrez took the mound in the seventh inning for High Point, striking out the first batter he faced before walking McConnell. Sophomore Al Yevoli relieved Torrez after the walk but had a throwing error on a failed pickoff move to first that allowed McConnell to move to second. Barber entered the game for Richmond as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle for the game-winning RBI.

“It was a hard fought game,” said junior catcher Kyle Mahoney. “Our pitchers gave us a chance to win this one but the bats just weren't there. We will put this one behind us and get it going again this weekend.”

The Panthers fall to 8-3 on the season, ending an HPU Division I record seven-game win streak. High Point will host Eastern Kentucky this weekend for a three-game series at Williard Stadium. Friday's first pitch will be at 6 p.m.