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The High Point University baseball team beat Towson Sunday 15-4, completing the sweep of the Tigers and securing HPU's sixth straight win. It is the longest winning streak for High Point since joining Division I in 1999. The Panthers improved to 7-2 on the season, the best start in Division 1 history.

“Today is a great indication of the maturity of this team,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “We let the game come to us offensively and we were very opportunistic at the plate. We put the game out of reach in the middle innings. Jared Avidon didn't have his best stuff but he battled for five innings and found a way to get outs. The difference for us in this game was hitting in RBI situations and it allowed us to get the sweep. I am very proud of the way the guys are playing but we have to keep it going.”

It is the first time since 2005 the Panthers have completed two series sweeps in a season and the first time in the Division I era that HPU has scored 10 or more runs in five consecutive games.

“As a team we are really coming together,” said senior outfielder Matt Gantner. “Everyone is doing their job. It is exciting to have a winning record and being playing well as a team. For me, personally, I am excited to be healthy and getting to play and it's great that I am hitting well.”

Avidon picked up his first win of the season, giving up two runs, one earned, on six hits with one strikeout through five innings. He gave up one run in the second inning, walking Ben Winter to start the inning. He got Steve Rice to hit the ball on the ground but an HPU error kept the inning alive with runners on first and second. With one out Andrew Parker lined out to left field, allowing Winter to tag up and score from third. It gave Towson a 1-0 lead, their first and only lead of the series.

In High Point's half of the third they put up four runs, to take back the lead. Steve Antolik started the inning with a double to right center, Pablo Rosario got to first after being hit by a pitch and Mike Mercurio singled to load the bases. Andrew Bartlett earned a walk to push home a run. Towson starter Drew Permison got two outs in the inning before Kyle Mahoney singled in a run, keeping the bases loaded. Gantner also earned a free pass, walking in the second run of the inning. The final run of the inning was brought home when Max Fulginiti was hit by a pitch.

Towson added one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings. Sophomore Al Yevoli made an appearance out of the bullpen in the sixth inning. Towson put runners on the corners and Nick Natoli reached on an error by third baseman Murray White IV, scoring the runner at third, Steve Rice. The next batter, Kevin Collins lined out to the short stop, Mercurio, who then got the ball to Bartlett at second base to catch Parker too far off the bag for the final out of the inning.

High Point broke the game open with a seven-run, sixth inning. Antolik, Rosario and Mercurio all singled to load the bases. Bartlett doubled to left center to clear the bases and give him a four RBI day. Mahoney doubled in two runners and Gantner and Antolik each picked up an RBI in the inning.

Freshman Wes Torrez made his first appearance of the season an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts in an inning of work.

“It felt like just another day out there,” Torrez said. “I was able to locate and fill the zone with strikes. It's always great to get the first game out of the way, of course there are first game jitters but after the first pitch it gets easier.”

Freshman Steven Schils, came in for the ninth inning, making his first collegiate appearance. He pitched a hitless inning, allowing one base runner with a walk but he was erased on a double play to end the game.

“It was my mission to throw hard, throw strikes and finish the game,” Schils said. “It felt good to get that first appearance out of the way and have that to build on for the season.”

White extended his hitting streak to a career-long nine games with a single in the seventh inning, he is the only Panther to get a hit in all nine games this season. Mahoney raised his batting average to .500 for the season, going 4-5 on the afternoon with five RBI and two runs scored. Antolik had a 3-4 day at the plate and scored two runs.

High Point will host Richmond on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday's game will start at 6 p.m.