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The High Point University baseball team opened the 2014 season with a 5-2 loss to Mercer in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Macon, Ga.  Sophomore Brett Gemmell drove in both runs in the game for the Panthers.

"John McGillicuddy was really good on the mound today," head coach Craig Cozart said. "He gave us a quality outing and got us deep into the game. Unfortunately we just didn't catch the baseball today. If we make the plays we have made all fall and early spring then we win this game. We need to bounce back and play better defense in the second game today."

Junior John McGillicuddy took the loss for High Point in his Panther debut. The right hander pitched seven innings and allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits and three walks while striking out two.

Brandon Barker took the win for Mercer after pitching five innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out six. Stephen Glaze earned the save for the Bears, picking up the final out of the game.

High Point jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with three-straight two-out singles. Junior Tony Fortier-Bensen reached with a single up the middle and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by junior Spencer Angelis. The shortstop came around to score on a single up the middle by Gemmell.

After Mercer tied the game on an error in the bottom of the second, HPU pulled right back ahead in the next half inning on Gemmell's second RBI single of the day to put the Panthers up 2-1. The sophomore drove in Angelis from second after the first baseman reached on a fielder's choice and advanced while junior Dane McDermott was caught in a rundown.

Mercer scored three times in the bottom of the third to take its first lead of the contest, 4-2. A leadoff single and a throwing error by Fortier-Bensen gave the Bears runners on first and third with no outs. Mercer's Nick Backlund then drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI double to left. McGillicuddy came back with two-straight strikeouts before a bloop into left by Michael Massi plated two runs for the Bears.

The Bears added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Massi to make the score 5-2.

Gemmell went 2-4 in the game with two RBI singles. Fortier-Bensen and Angelis each scored a run for HPU. The Panthers struggled with runners on bas, stranding 10 on the afternoon.

Massi finished with a team-high three RBI for Mercer. Nate Moorhouse went 3-4 from the leadoff spot in the game while Chesney Young went 2-3 with two runs scored.

The second game between High Point and Mercer is underway in Macon, Ga., with senior Mike Krumm taking on Grant Papelian of Mercer.