Site: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, N.C.)
Score: High Point 3, No. 9 North Carolina State 18
Records: High Point (0-4), No. 9 North Carolina State (4-0)
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The High Point University baseball team fell to No. 9 North Carolina State in midweek baseball action, 18-3. Four Panthers recorded a hit in the effort while
Teddy Merritt took the loss on the mound.
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Head coach
Joey Hammond: "Obviously not the result we were hoping for. But that's a really good team. They ran some really good arms out there and they swung the bats really well, took advantage of the mistakes we gave them. We gave them a couple of easy ones there early on, but credit to them, that's what good clubs do, they take advantage of that. We purposely schedule games like this so that our guys get exposed to environments like this. I think they were affected by that early on, we talked about that but that's the purpose of doing this early on so that we can get past this. It's a teachable moment that we can learn how to show up and prepare and be professional about how we go about our business and compete and take the fight to our opponent. I think we'll learn from this, it was good to see some young guys and some other guys get opportunities today. And again, I felt like our effort was fine which is always good to see. But again, this is what happens when you play against a really good team and you make it a little bit easier for them and they take advantage, and that's exactly what they did."
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Blake Sutton was hit by a pitch in the top of the first and took second on a groundout as the Panthers' first base runner of the night, but another groundout would end the half inning for HPU.
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The Wolfpack struck first in the bottom half of the frame, as the leadoff batter reached on an error and the two-batter singled up the middle, advancing the runner. The lead runner advanced to third on a sacrifice flyout to right field before scoring on the fielder's choice error.
Teddy Merritt forced the flyout and pop up to end the inning as State led, 1-0.
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After two Panther groundouts to start the second,
Javon Fields and
Jackson Melton drew back-to-back walks. But Wolfpack pitcher Logan Adams god the strikeout to end the inning, holding HPU scoreless.
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The Wolfpack offense exploded in the bottom half of the second as the first four batters recorded hits, including a lead-off double from JT Jarrett. The third single of the inning scored two runners, giving State the 4-0 lead. Merritt caught the next batter looking as he recorded his first strikeout of the afternoon.
Parker Dean took over on the mound for the purple and white after Merritt hit the next batter, loading the bases. Dean walked in another run before forcing an RBI-flyout to right field. Jarrett came up big again for the Wolfpack as he homered to left field, picking up 3-RBI on the play. The next batter lined out to centerfield to end the inning, but the Wolfpack recorded a healthy 9-0 lead by the end of the inning.
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Adam Stuart singled up the middle to leadoff the third, but Sutton hit into the 4-6-3 double play before a Singsank strikeout retired the side.
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Dean, however, made quick work of the Wolfpack in the third inning, recording two flyouts and a groundout to end the frame.
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HPU had another quick inning in the top of the fourth with a groundout and two strikeouts. After giving up a leadoff single,
Jack Nathan came in to relieve Dean on the mound. While the next batter recorded an RBI-single through the right side, Nathan would retire two of the next three batters. A fielder's choice at second base ended State's threat in the fourth.
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Fields led off the fifth with a ground-rule double as his hit to the shallow corner in right field bounced over the wall. Melton was credited with a single to the shortstop, but Fields was ruled out as he made contact with the ball in attempt to dodge the play. Two more Panther strikeouts ended the top half of the frame.
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Griffyn Shelton took the mound for HPU in the bottom of the fifth and got the leadoff batter to pop up to
Justin Ebert at second base. But State responded with a solo-home run, a single, and an RBI-double down the left field line to take the 12-0 lead. Two walks combined with an RBI-sacrifice fly and a two-RBI double to left field pushed the Wolfpack lead to 15-0.
Dylan Decker finished off the inning on the mound for the Panthers, getting the strikeout to close the fifth.
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Sam Zayicek headlined the sixth inning for the Panther offense as he rocketed a two-out, two RBI homer to right field, scoring pinch runner
CJ Neese.
The Panthers substituted nearly every position by the bottom of the sixth, leaving only Fields and Stuart as the remaining starters in the lineup. With
Reid Viar on the mound, HPU recorded two quick outs before giving up an RBI-single up the middle. While State hit another double, the runner was picked off at second on the throw from
Brady Pearre to Stuart.
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Fields once again found himself in the leadoff position entering the seventh and drew a walk, but Ebert lined out and Pearre hit into a double play to end the inning. State scored their final runs of the game in the bottom of the frame off a two-RBI home run to left field. Before
Everett Vaughan forced the groundout and struck out the next batter swinging.
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Stuart reached base on an error in the eighth and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but the next three Panthers struck out.
Sam Garcia took the mound to close out the game for HPU and did so effectively, forcing a flyout, a pop out, and a foul out as the Wolfpack went three up, three down in the inning.
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The Panthers did not quit fighting until the end, as
David Coleman and
Tyler Leach drew walks and
Charlie Klingler reached on a fielder's choice. With runners on the corners, Ebert grounded out to the second baseman but recorded the RBI as Coleman scored. Pearre ended the game with a pop up to shallow right field, giving the Wolfpack the 18-3 win.
Up Next: HPU hosts Toledo this weekend for four games at Williard Stadium. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon.Â
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