Box Score Box Score

The High Point University baseball team dropped the first game of the Saturday double header at Winthrop, 14-8. The Flames took a 6-0 lead in the first inning and HPU rallied to within two runs twice in the game but Liberty was able to extend its lead each time.

“We know where we are at as a team,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “The only bright spot today was Al Yevoli who did a tremendous job on the mound but we couldn't sustain it past that. Winning one game down here will be big. It will pay dividends later on in the season.”

Liberty jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning hitting two home runs off HPU starter Brian Jones. Jones lasted 1/3 of an inning, giving up five runs, four earned, on four hits. Matt Williams and Doug Bream went yard off Jones before he was removed from the game with only one out recorded. Sophomore Al Yevoli took the mound, allowing one unearned run on a sacrifice fly before he struck out Tyler Bream to end the inning.

High Point put up two runs with two outs in the third inning. Mike Mercurio led off the inning and reached base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Keegan Linza got two outs before hitting Nate Roberts to put runners on the corners. Kyle Mahoney singled through the left side to bring Mahoney home and Matt Gantner doubled off the wall in right center to score Roberts.
HPU pulled to within one run in the fifth inning, making it a 7-6 game. Pablo Rosario was hit by a pitch and Steve Antolik singled to shortstop to put two runners on for Roberts. Roberts hit his ninth home run of the season to left centerfield. The next batter, Gantner, singled up the middle and came around to score when Andrew Bartlett reached on a fielder's choice.

Yevoli shut down the Liberty offense after allowing one run in the second inning he pitched three scoreless innings. He scattered seven hits and stranded eight base runners in five innings of work. He got the first out of the sixth inning, then put runners on first and second before he was replaced by Spencer Andrews. Andrews gave up a single to P.J. Jimenez to load the bases, and a run scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Trey Wimmer.

Kyle Starnes came out of the bullpen for HPU, walking the first batter he faced and then Curran Redal bunted for a base hit to bring home one run. Starnes made a throwing error to first base on the play to score another run, unearned. Mahoney threw Redal out trying to steal second base to end the inning with the Flames ahead 10-6.

Gantner doubled in two runs in the top of the seventh to bring HPU within two runs again, 10-8 with one outs in the inning. Liberty went to the bullpen, bringing Justin Richardson out for his eighth appearance of the season. He got the final two outs of the inning to strand Gantner at second base.

Again the Flames extended their lead with a three-run seventh inning, scoring one run credited to Starnes and two off his replacement, Wes Torrez. The Flames led 13-8 at the end of the seventh inning.

Gantner went 3-5 with two RBI and one run scored and Roberts finished the day 2-3 with three hits and three runs scored.

High Point fell to 16-12 (3-5 Big South Conference) while Liberty improved to 18-8 (3-2 BSC). Jones got the loss (0-3) and Keegan Linza got the win (6-0) with Richardson getting the save, his second of the season.