Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University baseball team took a 10-3 loss to Charleston Southern Saturday at Williard Stadium. Senior Mike Caldwell battled for six innings but took the loss, dropping to 4-2 this season.

The Buccaneers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never relinquished it, breaking the game open with six runs in the seventh inning. Caldwell allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in six innings.

“Caldwell fought through six innings and put us in a position to win this game,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “Other than that we didn't have a lot going on tonight. There is no possible way our offense can continue to struggle this badly. Eventually we will have an offensive explosion and hopefully it comes tomorrow so we can try to salvage a game out of this series.”

Ali Williams pitched 4-1/3 innings of relief for the winfor CSU, improving to 2-1 this season and Charlie McCready picked up his fifth save of the season.

The Panthers pushed across two runs, one in the first inning and one in the fourth, without the benefit of a hit. Drew Geissinger reached on a fielder's choice in the first and scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth inning Kyle Mahoney reached on an error by the Charleston Southern shortstop and scored when Sal Pezzino reached on an error by the second baseman.

High Point didn't get its first hit of the game until the seventh inning when Geissinger doubled down the left field line. Mahoney and Pezzino had HPU's only other hits in the game.

Caldwell gave up two runs in the first. Jaren Sustar and Walt Quattlebaum each had RBI hits in the frame. Tom Burkett scored an unearned run in the third inning to give the Buccs a 3-1 lead.

High Point was down 3-2 entering the seventh inning, despite not having a hit when Charleston Southern put up a six spot. Caldwell gave up a hit and then hit a batter before he was relieved by Spencer Andrews. Mahoney picked off the runner at second but Caldwell's runner at first scored and Andrews gave up five runs of his own.

Each team scored a run in the ninth. Preston Packrall walked to lead off the inning and Steve Antolik drove him in on a sacrifice fly. Charleston Southern added an unearned run off Mikel Rodenberg who struck out the side to end the inning.

High Point falls to 21-25 (7-13 Big South) while Charleston Southern improves to 24-23 (11-9 Big South)

The final game of the series will be played Sunday at 1 p.m. at WIlliard Stadium. HPU will honor Antolik, Andrews, Rodenberg, Caldwell, Mahoney, Geissinger, Robbie Gilles, Corey Swickle and Murray White IV before the game.