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Sophomore Ryan Retz hit two home runs and drove in five while Corey Swickle pitched six scoreless innings to lead the High Point University baseball team in an 8-2 win over Virginia Commonwealth Wednesday at Williard Stadium.

“This was a great win all around,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “We had timely hitting tonight. We didn't stack together a bunch of hits but Retz came up with two home runs and Corey Swickle had one of the best performances of his career. It is a great win to propel us in to Big South Conference play this weekend.”

Swickle pitched six inning, the longest outing of his career, to earn the win over the Rams and move to 1-1 for the season. He scattered four hits with one walk and four strikeouts without allowing a run.

Retz hit his first of two two-run homers in the first inning, scoring Mike Mercurio who led off the game with a walk. Retz took the 1-0 pitch from Rams' starter Ryan Morrison over the left centerfield wall to give HPU a 2-0 lead. High Point has scored in the first inning in 13 of 19 games this season.

Retz picked up his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the third inning to score Mercurio who had walked for the second time.

VCU reliever Michael Graham gave up Retz's second home run of the game, this time with Sal Pezzino on first after a leadoff single. Retz took Graham's 2-0 pitch over the wall in the same spot in left centerfield to put the Panthers ahead 5-0.

Swickle allowed a base runner in every inning but the fourth but stranded all five to hand the shutout over to the bullpen in the seventh. Nick Schumacher took the mound in the seventh, giving up a walk and a single to put runners on the corners with one out. Kyle Wigmore came out to relieve Schumacher, getting a strikeout and a groundball to get out of the inning without a run scoring.

The Panthers added three runs in the eighth, two of them scoring on wild pitches after the Rams intentionally walked Robbie Gilles to load the bases. Spencer Andrews drove in the third with a groundout to plate Gilles.

VCU avoided the shutout with two runs, one earned, in the ninth off Retz.

Retz finished the night 2-2 with five RBI and three runs scored. Mercurio walked three times and scored two runs.

High Point (12-7) begins Big South action this weekend against Presbyterian College. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.