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Friday Starters:
HPU: So., RH Andrew Gottfried
SU: Jr., RH Brooks Wilson

Saturday Starters:
HPU: Fr., RH Trevor Holloway
SU: So., RH Jack Perkins

Sunday Starters:
HPU: Fr., RH Drew Daczkowski
SU: TBA

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team heads to Florida this weekend for a three-game set at Stetson starting on Friday, Feb. 24, at 6:30 p.m. The Panthers have won two-straight coming into the weekend, including an extra-inning win at Davidson Tuesday.

Series History: The weekend series is HPU's first-ever series against the Hatters in the Div. I era and the Panthers' second-straight weekend series against an A-Sun team to start the 2017 campaign.

The Opponent: Stetson sits at 1-3 to start the season. The Hatters were swept at home over the weekend by Southern Illinois but bounced back with a win over Sienna on Tuesday. Freshman outfield Andrew MacNeil has become an immediate impact player for Stetson, leading the Hatters with a .429 batting average (3-7) and five RBI. Two other Stetson players are batting over .300 so far this season as Mike Spooner is hitting .357 (5-14) and Jorge Arenas is hitting .333 (5-15). Junior right-hander Brooks Wilson will make his second start of the season on Friday and sophomore Jack Perkins will get the ball on Saturday. Wilson lasted four innings in his first start of the season, allowing two earned runs and striking out eight. Perkins allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out six in 7-1/3 innings in his first start of the season. Stetson was picked to finish sixth out of seven teams in the A-Sun this season and junior catcher Austin Hale was named preseason Defensive Player of the Year and a preseason All-Conference team selection.
 
Probable Starting Pitchers:
• Friday: Sophomore right-hander Andrew Gottfried will take the mound on Friday for his second start of the season. Gottfried got the win in the Panthers' season opener on Saturday with five scoreless innings of work. The right-hander gave up just one hit and two walks in the outing.
 
• Saturday: Freshman right-hander Trevor Holloway is slated to get the start on Saturday for the Panthers. Holloway lasted three innings in his first collegiate start and took the loss after allowing two runs on one hit and six walks while striking out three. 
 
• Sunday: Freshman right-hander Drew Daczkowski will close out the series for High Point with a start on Sunday. Daczkowski took a no-decision in his first start after giving up four runs, two earned, on six hits and three walks in 2-1/3 innings.
 
HPU vs. the Atlantic Sun: High Point is 3-2 in the Div. I era against teams currently in the Atlantic Sun. The Panthers are 2-1 this season after winning the season-opening series against NJIT. The only two previous games against Atlantic Sun teams was two games against USC Upstate in 2008.

Last Time Out: High Point earned a dramatic 12-11 win in 10 innings at Davidson on Tuesday. Junior Carson Jackson continued his hot start to the season, going 5-6 at the plate with a home run, a double and five RBI. High Point held a one-run lead in both the eighth and ninth innings but was unable to hold onto the advantage either time. In the 10th, junior Spencer Brown came through with a bases-loaded single to put HPU in front in the top of the inning then sophomore Matt Hodges got the final three outs in the bottom of the frame to earn the win. High Point hit three home runs in the win and now have nine home runs this season. In addition to Jackson's home run, juniors Austen Zente and Jordan Sergent each hit their second round-tripper of the season.
 
Last Weekend: High Point picked up a win in a season-opening series for the first time since 2012, winning two of three games against NJIT at Williard Stadium over the weekend. High Point won the first game of a Saturday doubleheader by a score of 11-0 but dropped the nightcap to the Highlanders by a score of 4-2. The Purple & White scored five unanswered runs to come from behind for the 6-5 win in the rubber game of the series on Sunday. The High Point outfield was dominant throughout the week led by junior Carson Jackson who went 5-11 at the plate with three home runs, five RBI and five runs scored to lead the Panthers. Senior Tim Mansfield went 5-11 with a home run three RBI and two runs scored while junior Austen Zente finished the weekend going 5-10 with a double, a home run, five RBI and three runs scored. The Panther bullpen combined to throw 16-2/3 innings in the three games, allowing just one earned run while striking out 18.
 
Carson Jackson Named National POW: Junior Carson Jackson was named one of Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week on Feb. 20 after helping to lead the Panthers to a weekend series win over NJIT. Jackson went 5-11 at the plate with three home runs, five RBI and five runs scored. He had two home runs in High Point's come-from-behind win on Sunday making him the 15th player in HPU's Div. I history to record a multi-HR game.
 
Panthers launch four HRs Sunday: High Point hit four home runs in the come-from-behind win over NJIT on Sunday. It was the most home runs in a game by the Purple & White since 2010 and one shy of the Panthers' Div. I single-game record. Junior Carson Jackson had two home runs and juniors Jordan Sergent and Austen Zente both had one. All six High Point runs in the game came by way of the long ball, including two on Zente's home run in the eighth inning that put HPU in front.
 
HPU in Season Openers: With the win over NJIT in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, HPU improved to 6-12 in season openers since joining Division I in 2000, with a 5-3 record in season openers at Williard Stadium.
 
Gottfried Sole All-Conference Survivor: Andrew Gottfried is the only Big South All-Conference pitcher from last season to return in 2017. Gottfried was named second-team All-Big South after finishing the 2016 season with a 6-5 record and a 2.65 ERA. He had 48 strikeouts in 71-1/3 innings and held opponents to a .238 batting average. The right-hander allowed just 12 extra base hits all season and finished his freshman campaign with a 1.14 WHIP.
 
Purple & White Picked First: For the first time in program history, the Panthers have been picked first in the Big South Preseason Coaches Poll. High Point received four first-place votes and 92 total points to finish atop the preseason poll. The previous high for HPU in the preseason poll was second place in 2015. The Panthers were followed in the poll by Campbell, Liberty and Winthrop.
 
The New Guys: High Point welcomes 15 newcomers this season comprised of 10 freshmen and five junior College transfers. Several of the newcomers are expected to have an immediate impact. Freshmen Trevor Holloway and Drew Daczkowski will start the season in the weekend rotation and junior college transfers Zack Gray, Ryan Mason and Jordan Sergent are all expected to be in the lineup on Saturday. Junior Rion Murrah and freshman Grey Lyttle will both be key late inning relievers who will compete for the closer job.
 
Long Joins HPU Staff: Pat Long joined the HPU baseball staff as the new volunteer assistant coach in August of 2016. Long served as the volunteer assistant at UT-Martin for the 2015 and 2016 seasons during which time he oversaw the instruction of the outfielders and hitters. Long played for seasons of collegiate baseball at Georgia Tech from 2007-2010 as an infielder and right-handed pitcher. He played in 150 games with 95 career starts and finished his collegiate career hitting .275 with 44 RBI and 80 runs scored. On the mound, Long appeared in 38 games and went 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched.
 
Last Season: High Point posted its third-straight winning season and its fourth since joining Div. I. The Panthers finished 32-24 overall and 14-10 in the Big South, tying for second in the conference. The Purple & White claimed weekend series wins over Marist, Dayton, Rider, UNC Asheville, Winthrop, Maryland, Longwood, Radford and Liberty as well as midweek series against Wright State and La Salle.

Pipeline to the Pros: Three members of the 2016 HPU baseball team were drafted to MLB in June giving the Panthers 11 MLB draftees in eight seasons under head coach Craig Cozart. Scrubb was drafted in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clare was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 21st round and Britton was drafted in the 23rd round by the Houston Astros. 
 
Allen Reaches World Series with Indians: Former HPU pitcher Cody Allen enjoyed a banner season with the Cleveland Indians in 2016, helping the club reach the World Series. Allen finished the 2016 regular season with a 3-5 record and 32 saves. He appeared in 67 games and posted a 2.51 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 68 innings. In the playoffs, Allen had a 0.00 ERA in 10 postseason games with 24 strikeouts in 13-2/3 innings.
 
Up Next: High Point plays two midweek games next week, starting with a home contest against North Carolina Central on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The Panthers will then head to nearby Greensboro, N.C., to take on inter-Triad Rival UNCG on Wednesday, March 1.

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