Box Score BOX SCORE

The Liberty Flames chased HPU starter Jared Avidon from the game in the fourth inning and handed the High Point University baseball team a 9-0 loss Saturday at Williard Stadium. Liberty tied the Big South weekend series with the win.

“They outpitched us, outhit us and outscored us,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “All we can do now is focus on tomorrow and try and win the series.”

Liberty pitcher John Niggli allowed just three hits in eight innings with one walk and two strikeouts for his fourth win of the season. Avidon fell to 1-3 with the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits in 3-1/3 innings.

Liberty jumped on the board first in the top of the second when Tyler Bream led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a sacrifice fly to center field by Zack Haley. High Point limited the damage in the inning as catcher Kyle Mahoney caught the Flames' Jeff Jefferson trying to steal second to get out of the frame.

The Flames tacked two runs onto their lead in the top of the third inning as Justin Richardson hit a line drive double to the wall in right field to score Michael Robertson and Doug Bream and put Liberty up 3-0. Robertson reached on fielder's choice and moved to second on a single by Bream before Richardson drove them both in.

Liberty broke the game open in the top of the fourth inning with four runs to take a 7-0 lead. LU opened the inning with back-to-back doubles to left field by Jeff Jefferson and Haley putting the Flames up 4-0. LU then added three runs off reliever Corey Swickle to take a seven-run lead.

The High Point relief crew of junior Nick Schumacher, sophomore Steven Roche and freshman John Maloney kept Liberty off the board for three innings with Maloney picking up two strikeouts in his one inning of work.

The Flames tacked on two final runs in the top of the eighth, loading the bases for Doug Bream who then drove in two runners with a groundball through the right side of the infield to put the Flames up 9-0.

Drew Geissinger had two of HPU's three hits, singling in the fourth and eighth innings. Ryan Retz's single in the second inning was the only other Panther hit in the game. Mike Mercurio and Mike Gragilla each reached on a hit by pitch.

HPU (17-17, 4-7 Big South) will go for the series win against Liberty (16-16, 6-5 Big South) Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior Mike Caldwell will pitch for HPU against Liberty's Steven Evans.