SERIES INFO
Friday, February 25 -- vs. UNCG (Truist Point, High Point, N.C.), 12 p.m.
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
Saturday, February 27 -- vs. UNCG (Truist Point, High Point, N.C.), 5 p.m.
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
Sunday, February 28 -- vs. UNCG (Truist Point, High Point, N.C.), 2 p.m.
Live Stats | Game Notes
 
The High Point University baseball team (1-2) returns to Truist Point this weekend (Feb. 26-28) for a three-game set against Triad-rival UNCG (3-1). Friday's game (Feb. 26) was originally scheduled for 4 p.m. but will now begin at noon to try and beat inclement weather headed towards the Triad Friday afternoon.
 
Matchup History

• High Point and UNCG have met 32 times in HPU's Division I history, most recently in the Panthers' last game in 2020 before the season's cancellation.
• The Spartans hold a 21-11 record over the Panthers and are currently on a five-game winning streak in the series.
• This weekend will mark the first time the two teams have met away from their campuses

 
Across the Diamond

• UNCG comes to High Point with a 3-1 record in the young season, most recently knocking off No. 11 N.C. State with a 16-13 win on Tuesday (Feb. 23) in Raleigh.
• Despite winning the regular season each of the last eight years, the Bulldogs' last NEC Tournament Championship came in 2016.
• The Spartans went down 7-0 before scoring 16 runs in the game's final five frames to complete the comeback upset. Prior to Tuesday's win, UNCG picked up two wins over Elon in their opening weekend series.
• Through the first week of the season, the Spartans currently boast the 34th-best on base percentage in Division I with a .407 mark.
• Redshirt freshman outfielder Pres Cavenaugh has been leading the way at the plate for the Spartans through four games with a .467 batting average, picking up a hit in every game so far this season.
• Redshirt junior first baseman Josh Madole has also been getting the job done at the plate for the Spartans, going 5-for-15 in the box thus far, collecting two RBIs for UNCG.
• Redshirt sophomore infielder Zack Budzik has been a problem for opposing pitchers and catchers early on, already swiping four stolen bases in as many games.

 
Panther Notes
Last Time Out
High Point opened its season last week with a three-game series against Bryant. The Bulldogs took the first two games but HPU bounced back with a victory in the series finale on Sunday (Feb. 21). Eight different Panthers took the mound in the win, with graduate student Chris Apecechea ending as the pitcher of record for the Purple and White.
 
WHIP it Real Good
HPU leads the Big South in WHIP entering the second weekend of the season, allowing 0.93 walks and hits per inning pitched over the three games with Bryant, putting the Panthers in 16th place in the country.
 
Going Streaking
Joe Johnson picked up a hit in all three games over opening weekend, extending his hitting streak to 10 straight games dating back to last season, a career-high for the graduate student. The streak started on Feb. 25 last year meaning Johnson has gotten a hit in every game he's played in for High Point over the last calendar year.
 
Darling Debut
Cameron Irvine made his debut in the Purple and White on Saturday (Feb. 20) and immediately made an impact with three hits in four at bats.
 
You'll Always Remember Your First
After not picking up a hit in all of 2020, redshirt freshman Justin Wilkins knocked two base hits in Sunday's win for the first two of his career. To cap it off, his second hit was an RBI single, driving in the first run of the game.
 
One-Run Games
Two of HPU's opening three games were decided by one run, something the Purple and White only had two of in last year's shortened season.
 
Deja Vu
High Point was shutout in the season-opener on Friday (Feb. 19) in a 2-0 loss. The last time the Panthers were shutout in a game was last season in a 14-0 loss to No. 13 North Carolina - also on Feb. 19.
 
POINTing Out History
Friday's season-opener marked the first NCAA Division I baseball game played at Truist Point. The two-year-old park and home of the High Point Rockers has hosted Division III games in the past but never a D1 contest until this past weekend. Now the Panthers are back for three more at Truist Point with their set against UNCG.
 
Game One, B.C.
High Point and UNCG met at Williard Stadium on March 10, 2020 - the final High Point  Athletics sporting event before the COVID-19 Pandemic ground the sports world to a halt.
 
Familiar Faces
After being granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, four of last year's seniors are back for 2021 - Chris Apecechea, Joe Johnson, and Grey Lyttle return as graduate students while Ryan Russell returns as a redshirt senior for HPU. 
 
Fresh Faces
2021 welcomes 18 newcomers to the Panthers' roster, including 13 freshmen and 5 transfers. The incoming class includes seven North Carolina natives and players from six different states and Canada.
 
Big South Changes
In a year where things look a little different, the Big South announced the 2021 Big South Tournament will feature just the top four teams from the regular season. The tournament is scheduled to take place May 27-29 at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C.
 
 
Up Next: Conference action is already upon the Panthers as HPU's first Big South series of the season is next weekend when Winthrop comes to town. The teams are scheduled to play once on Friday (March 5) and then have a doubleheader on Saturday (March 6).