Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University baseball team got a run from senior Matt Gantner in the top of the ninth but couldn't overcome a three-run deficit and took a 7-5 loss to No. 25 East Carolina on Tuesday night in Greenville, N.C. The Panthers split the season-series with the Pirates after a 13-12 win at Williard Stadium on March 17.

“Take nothing away from East Carolina, they came out to win the game,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “We have yet to play with the same energy on the road as we do at home which makes me questions the make-up of this team. We have some answers we need to figure out. With our next three weekends on the road. We better get some answers soon.”

The Panthers trailed 7-4 going into the ninth inning when Gantner walked to lead it off. A ground out by senior Max Fulginiti moved Gantner to second before sophomore Robbie Gilles hit a two-out, pinch-hit double down the left field line to score Gantner. Freshman second baseman Andrew Bartlett hit a fly out to end the game. It was the second game in a row that Gilles got a pinch-hit RBI in the ninth inning.

HPU starter Mike Caldwell took the loss after pitching 5-1/3 innings and allowing five runs. Caldwell dropped to 0-2 with the loss. Freshman Jaime Schultz pitched the rest of the game, getting five strikeouts while allowing a pair of runs in 2-2/3 innigs of work. East Carolina reliever Jake Harris earned his first win of the season with 2-2/3 scoreless innings and Seth Simmons pitched the last 2-1/3 and picked up his sixth save.

For the Panthers, both Nate Roberts and Gantner went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk and Murray White and Steve Antolik each had a pair of hits.

East Carolina scored the first hit of the game when shortstop Dustin Harrington homered in the bottom of the first inning. HPU tied it up when White singled home Bartlett in the top of the third, but the Pirates scored two runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead back.

High Point University grabbed its first lead of the game with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. A Bartlett walk followed by singles by Pablo Rosario and White loaded the bases with no outs. Roberts singled in a run, which chased East Carolina starter Joseph Hughes. Harris came in relief for ECU and struck out Kyle Mahoney, but then threw a wild pitch that scored Rosario. Gantner hit a sacrafice fly to left field that scored White and made it 4-3 in favor of HPU.

The Pirates chipped away at the lead, getting an RBI double from Corey Thompson in the fifth and a homer from Philip Clark in the sixth to take the lead back for good. They added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth, which proved to be the difference.

High Point University will be back in action on Wednesday evening when the Panthers host Wake Forest at Williard Stadium at 6 p.m.