Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University baseball team rallied to score three runs in the eighth inning but couldn't overcome a five-run deficit, falling to Charleston Southern 5-3 Friday at Williard Stadium. Senior Steve Antolik was 1-2 with two walks and a run scored in the loss.

“Often times when you have a week off for exams teams come out a little rusty and that is what we saw tonight for the first seven innings,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “We started to put together quality at bats late in the game but it was too late. Hopefully we will be able to carry some of that offensive momentum in to tomorrow's game.”

Cody Allen took the loss for HPU, throwing 7-1/3 innings with three walks and nine strikeouts. The junior allowed five runs, three earned, on nine hits and drops to 4-4 on the season. Allen threw first pitch strikes to 26 of the 34 batters he faced, including the first nine batters of the game. With nine strikeouts on the night he now has a Big South leading 81 for the season.

CSU's Stew Brase picked up his fourth win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits through seven innings. He walked three and struck out three in the game.

High Point trailed 5-0 in the eighth inning when Drew Geissinger singled and Steve Antolik followed with a double over the head of the center fielder to put two runners on for Ryan Retz. Retz singled to left field to put High Point on the board and force a Buccaneer pitching change, knocking Brase out of the game. Corey Deighan came in to pitch for Charleston Southern and allowed both inherited runners to score but stopped the rally with CSU ahead 5-3. Murray White IV and Scott Glover both picked up RBIs.

Deighan pitched a perfect ninth inning for his sixth save of the season.

Allen shut the Buccs out through four innings before Walt Quattlebaum led off the fifth with a double down the left field line. He scored on a sacrifice fly to put CSU on top 1-0. Charleston Southern loaded the bases in the sixth but Allen pitched out of the jam, striking out Quattlebaum and Matt Still to end the threat.

Allen ran in to trouble in the seventh, allowing two runs to score, one on an error by White. In the eighth inning Allen left the game with one out and two runners on. Both runners would score with Kyle Wigmore on the mound. Wigmore hit three batters to load the bases with two outs but Nick Schumacker got Jaren Sustar to fly out to center field on his first pitch to end the eighth.

Schumacher went 1-1/3 without allowing a hit. He recorded one strikeout.

Retz finished the night 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Antolik was 1-2 with a run scored and two walks.

High Point (21-24, 7-12 Big South) will try to even the series Saturday at 7 p.m. Senior Mike Caldwell will take the mound for HPU.