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The High Point University baseball season ended with a 14-4 loss to No. 5Gardner-Webb in the opening round of the Big South Conference Tournament Tuesday in Lexington, Va. Senior Mike Caldwell took the loss, going just 1-1/3 innings.
The eighth-seeded Panthers finished the season 24-32 (9-18 Big South). Ryan Retz was 2-4 with two doubles and two RBI in the loss.
“Obviously this is a difficult way to end a very tough season,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “There were bright spots this season and I am very proud of our nine seniors. They will leave a legacy at High Point that they should be proud of. We will wake up tomorrow and start working toward next season.”
High Point jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning but it was short lived as Gardner-Webb took the lead in the second inning and broke the game open with five unearned runs in the fifth inning. Caldwell lasted just 1-1/3 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with one strikeout. He took the loss, finishing the season with a 5-3 record.
Caldwell got the first two outs of the game easily before giving up a single to Jake Watts. Dusty Quattlebaum hit a two-run homer to cut HPU's lead to 3-2. The Runnin' Bulldogs posted four more runs in the second inning. Zeke Blanton led off the inning with a single in the six-hole and John Harris executed a perfect hit and run to put two runners on with no one out. Blanton took off for second, bringing HPU shortstop Preston Packrall in to cover the base and Harris hit the ball right through the open space. Benji Jackson doubled in both runners and Jake Watts added a two-RBI double to put GWU ahead 6-3. Spencer Andrews came out of the bullpen and got the final two outs of the inning.
In the third inning Gardner-Webb scored five unearned runs on errors by Sal Pezzino at first base and Murray White IV at second. There was also a fly ball to left center field that was lost in the lights resulting in a run.
HPU's three runs in the first came off back to back hits from Mike Mercurio and Pezzino. Mercurio scored on a wild pitch and White drove Pezzino home with a sacrifice fly. Robbie Gilles earned a walk and came around to score on Retz's double to center field.
Gilles also earned a free pass in the third inning and scored on Retz's second double of the game, this one to left field.
Corey Swickle pitched 2-2/3 innings of relief, making his 81st career appearance, moving him in to third place all time in the HPU record book. Swickle tied his career high with six strikeouts. He did not allow a hit but walked two batters. Kyle Wigmore got the final out for HPU, striking out pinch hitter Danny Yelverton.
Steve Antolik had a ninth-inning double, his 20th of the season, to give him the fourth most in a single season at HPU. Gilles was walked four times in the game, tying HPU's single game record set by Nate Roberts last season against UNC Asheville.
