Box Score (PDF)

• High Point picked up its third-straight win with a 6-4 victory over Rider on Friday.
• The Panthers scored five runs with two outs in the seventh to take control of the contest.
• Sophomore Austen Zente went 3-4 with two doubles, including a bases-clearing double to drive in three in the seventh.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – A five-run seventh inning lifted the High Point University baseball team to a 6-4 win over Rider on Friday at Williard Stadium. The win is the Panthers' ninth in the past 10 games.

"This was a real tough game tonight," head coach Craig Cozart said. "Rider came out and played extremely hard. I was proud that we kept things close and then got a five-run inning, all with two outs. We always talk about how two-out RBI win ballgames and tonight showed that. Austen Zente came through with a huge double to put things out of reach. Scot Hoffman pitched well tonight but Tyler Britton was absolutely gutsy. He wanted the baseball and secured the win for us."

Senior Tyler Britton improved to 3-0 on the mound this season after allowing two unearned runs on four hits over 3-2/3 innings of relief with five strikeouts. Redshirt-senior Scot Hoffman got the start and pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing just two earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four.

Nick Margevicius took the loss for Rider, dropping to 0-3 in 2016. The left-hander gave up four earned runs on eight hits and two walks in 6-2/3 innings of work and struck out six HPU batters.

The win was the third in a row for High Point and it improves the Panthers record to 10-4 on the season.  Rider falls to 0-9 with the loss.

High Point took a quick 1-0 lead on an RBI single by sophomore Carson Jackson in the first, but Rider came back with a run in the third and another in the sixth to go ahead, 2-1.

Trailing by one in the seventh, the Panthers pulled even on a two-out RBI single by junior Josh Greene. The RBI hit by Greene forced Margevicius from the game with two on and two outs in the frame. Senior Dominic Fazio greeted reliever Josh Sharik with an RBI single on the right-handers first pitch. After a four-pitch walk to Jackson loaded the bases, sophomore Austen Zente delivered the decisive blow with a bases-clearing double, his second of the night.

Rider tacked on two unearned runs in the ninth and had the go-ahead run at the plate in the form of Jake Bender, but Britton closed the door as he got Bender to pop up for the final out.

Zente finished 3-4 at the plate with two doubles and three RBI. He has recorded hit in each of his past six games and is now hitting .385 for the season. Junior Chris Clare also finished 3-4 at the plate with a walk and a run scored.

High Point and Rider will play two to finish the three-game series on Saturday, March 12, at Williard Stadium. The first game will start at 2 p.m., with the second following 45 minutes after the first's conclusion. Saturday will also be the first of four "Home Runs with our Heroes" games for HPU. Active military personnel will attend the game and have the opportunity to hit batting practice with the team prior to the game. They will also throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the contest.

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