Box Score (PDF)

• High Point scored seven runs in the fifth inning to pick up an 8-2 win at inter-Triad rival Elon on Tuesday.
• Sophomore Carson Jackson finished a double short of the cycle, going 3-5 with a home run, a triple and four RBI.
• Freshman Cooper Jeffers struck out six and allowed one unearned run in six innings to earn his second win of the season.

ELON, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team picked up an 8-2 road win at inter-Triad rival Elon on Tuesday night to finish off a five-game road swing. Sophomore Carson Jackson finished a double short of the cycle, going 3-5 with four RBI in the win.

"It's always tough to come in and play Elon," head coach Craig Cozart said. "We got good defense, great pitching and a big inning tonight. Carson Jackson's grand slam was pretty much the ballgame. I am proud of our guys effort. This was a real solid baseball game tonight."

The Panthers took control of the game thanks to a seven-run fifth inning, which broke a 1-1 stalemate and put HPU in front by a score of 8-1. Jackson delivered the biggest blow of the frame with his first collegiate grand slam. High Point loaded the bases on a single by junior Drew Fopeano and back-to-back walks, forcing a pitching change by Elon. Junior Chris Clare met the new pitcher with an RBI single for the first two runs then after a walk to junior Josh Greene reloaded the bases, senior Dominic Fazio hit an RBI single to score one before Jackson cleared the bases with his third home run of the season.

Elon got a run back in the eighth on an RBI single by Nick Zammarelli, but that would be it for the Phoenix as High Point picked up the six-run win.

Freshman Cooper Jeffers allowed just one unearned run in six innings to improve to 2-0 on the mound this season. The left-hander gave up just three hits and three walks and struck out six. Senior Michael Hennessey pitched the final three innings to get the save.

Michael Elefante took the loss for the Phoenix, dropping to 0-1 on the year. Elefante gave up four earned runs on three hits and two walks over 4-1/3 innings of work and struck out three.

High Point finished its five-game road stint at 4-1 and is now 16-5 on the season. Elon drops to 9-12 with the loss.

Senior Tim Mansfield scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly after reaching with his team-best fourth triple of the season in the second. Sophomore Austen Zente followed Mansfield to the plate and hit a fly ball to bring home Mansfield and put HPU in front, 1-0.

Elon got the run back in the third inning as the Phoenix took advantage of two HPU errors to tie the game. Jeffers' missed on a throw to first, which let Austin Leeney move to third then Fazio mishandled a swinging bunt with two outs, allowing the Elon catcher to come home.

Jackson finished one hit shy of the cycle for the second-consecutive game, going 3-5 on the night with a home run, a triple and four RBI. Clare also finished with multiple hits, going 2-5 on the day with a double and two RBI. Eight different batters scored a run in the game for the Panthers.

High Point returns home for a three-game series against Winthrop starting on Thursday, March 24. The Panthers and Eagles will play at 6 p.m., on Thursday and Friday and at 3 p.m., on Saturday.

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