HIGH POINT, N.C. - High Point University baseball has been getting hot recently, as the side prepares for the second leg of its home-and-home series with triad rival UNCG in Greensboro.

HPU enters the midweek after winning its second straight Big South series this past weekend, taking two of three from a visiting Charleston Southern side. HPU bats collected 38 hits over the course of the series in addition to 14 stolen bases and four home runs. The Panthers have gone 5-2 since March 22nd, and hold a run differential of plus-21 over that span. 

After starting the season 13-4, UNCG has gone just 4-5 since St. Patrick's Day, harboring a series loss to Western Carolina in its most recent Southern Conference matchup. The Spartan pitching staff surrendered 31 runs in their three contests with the Catamounts, including a 24-4 loss this past Saturday.

The Panthers dropped their most recent contest against the Spartans back in February, falling in a 6-2 decision inside Williard Stadium. While UNCG owns the advantage in its all-time series record against High Point (19-11), the two sides have been highly competitive in recent years, each playing .500 baseball against one another since 2012. 

SERIES HISTORY (D1 Era): 
UNCG leads High Point: 19-11

WHAT TO KNOW
Who: UNCG
When: 6 PM, Wednesday
Probables: High Point: RHP Andrew Gottfried (0-4, 7.85) | UNCG: Colin Best (0-0, 7.71)
Where: UNCG Baseball Stadium | Greensboro, N.C.
Live Stats

AT THE PLATE
• Senior Daniel Millwee slashed .529/.579/.882 over four games last week, securing eight knocks on the weekend against CSU. He delivered seven RBI and seven runs scored against the Bucs, as he and teammate Travis Holt extended their on base streaks to 13 games
• In addition to tossing a quality start, right-hander Joe Johnson went 4-for-5 at the plate against the Bucs on Sunday, securing a .500/.500/.833 slash line over four games played last week
• The Panthers have hit eight of their 16 home runs this season in the past six games. Conner Dunbar, Travis Holt, Millwee and JJ Woodard all went deep on the Bucs this past weekend
• HPU tied a season-high in homers against CSU on Sunday (3), in addition to a campaign best 16 hits and five stolen bases
 
ON THE HILL
• Making his second weekend start of the season this past Friday, junior Grey Lyttle's 4.21 H/9 currently ranks sixth among all qualifying pitchers in Division I baseball, while his 0.90 WHIP sits in 41st
• Over two relief appearances this week, senior right-hander Jonny Vizcaino struck out 11 of the 19 batters he faced while keeping both NC Central and Charleston Southern scoreless over 5.1 innings of work
• Wednesday starter Andrew Gottfried has collected back-to-back relief appearances without an earned run surrendered, making his second midweek start of 2019 against the Spartans
• The Panther pitching staff has collected 38 strikeouts over HPU's last four games, with their 12 Ks against Charleston Southern on both Friday and Saturday coming one shy of tying a season-high

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
• The Spartans have recorded just three home runs in their past 15 games, in comparison to the eight the Panthers have had in their last six
• Wednesday starter Colin Best will be making just his fourth appearance on the mound this year. The freshman righty hails from High Point, N.C., playing his high school ball at High Point Christian Academy 
• Sophomore Coleman Sawyer is currently on a 12-game hitting streak for the Spartans. He leads UNCG with a .333 average, and has delivered a knock in every one of his 14 starts in 2019

COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers prepare for their fourth Big South series of the current campaign this Friday, traveling back to South Carolina for a three-game stint at Winthrop. After opening conference play 6-0, the Eagles were just recently swept at Radford, getting outscored 38-18 in that series. 

#GoHPU