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The High Point University baseball team fell to Western Carolina 11-0 Tuesday in Cullowhee, N.C.
Drew Dades took the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season.
“It is really tough to come on the road and not give yourself a chance to win with bad pitching early in the game,” said head coach
Craig Cozart. “But it is inexcusable not to engage in the game offensively. Western Carolina put it to us tonight and we better figure things out at the plate before we play Winthrop this weekend.”
The Catamounts jumped out to a 5-0 lead with one run in the second and four more in the third, knocking HPU starter
Drew Dades out of the game after 2-2/3 innings. With two outs Western Carolina scored three runs on two doubles and a walk. Dades appeared to be out of the inning with a ground ball to third but
Drew Geissinger bobbled the ball and the inning continued. Dykota Spiess doubled to left field to drive in the fourth run of the inning and force a Panther pitching change. Freshman
John Maloney came in to the game and on his first pitch got Macon Smith to ground out to second base to end the inning.
Maloney couldn't continue his success in the fourth inning, walking the leadoff batter and giving up two hits without recording an out. He was relieved by
Corey Swickle after giving up three runs on three hits. Swickle gave up three more runs on four hits before getting out of the inning.
High Point put the leadoff runner on in the second and third innings but couldn't push across a run. A two-out walk to
Ryan Retz in the fourth inning loaded the bases but Geissinger grounded out to end the threat.
The Panthers had runners on in every inning but the first, stranding 10 in the game.
Steven Roche, Nich Schumacher,
Mikel Rodenberg,
Al Yevoli and
Adam Pratson combined to allowed just one hit in the final four innings of the game.
Scott Glover finished the day 2-3 and Geissinger was 0-2 with two walks.
High Point is 15-12 (3-3 Big South Conference) with the loss and remains winless against the Catamounts in the Division I era.
After five straight road games, High Point returns to Williard Stadium this weekend for a Big South Conference series against Winthrop. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
