A five-run eighth inning was not enough to propel the High Point baseball team past Winthrop to complete the weekend sweep of the Eagles as HPU dropped the contest, 10-9. Sam Garcia recorded six of HPU's 12 strikeouts in a season-high 4.2 innings pitched. 

Garcia picks up his ???? strikeout of the day as we head to the bottom of the 3rd!#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/0K9c2O9DAl

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
Site: Williard Stadium (High Point, N.C.)
Score: High Point 9, Winthrop 10
Records: High Point (9-15, 4-2), Winthrop (6-16, 1-2)
W: Dalton Mims (1-1) L: CJ Neese (0-1) S: Aaron White (1)
 
Panther Particulars
The Panthers got out to a hot start in the first as Adam Stuart recorded his third straight double of the weekend before advancing to third base on a wild pitch. Stuart scored on Peyton Carr's sacrifice hit to give HPU the early 1-0 lead.

Carr drives in @AJStuart20 to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead!#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/IcB8cZOjUn

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
The Eagles answered in the top of the second as two runs scored on a single to right field and a sacrifice hit to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
 
High Point tied the game in the bottom of the third Miggy Echazarreta drew a lead-off walk before Jackson Melton reached base on an error. Charlie Klingler advanced the runners with a sacrifice hit while Stuart was credited with an RBI-single through the left side that scored Echazarreta.

Stu drives in a run for the Panthers and we are tied at 2??#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/JqcJnBBwUq

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
Winthrop opened up a three-run fourth inning, drawing a lead-off walk before another batter reached on a fielder's choice with an error that allowed runners on the corner with no outs. A double to center field score on run before a sacrifice hit plated another run. With a single through the left side, Winthrop took the comfortable 5-2 lead.
 
Klingler chipped away at the Eagle advantage with a solo home run in the fifth, the first of his career.

pic.twitter.com/P0Nj92rc9S

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
As Winthrop outscored the Panthers 4-1 over the next three innings, as Stuart managed to score one of his three runs on the afternoon, the Eagles held a commanding 9-4 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
 
Down to their last six outs, Josh Deslauriers led off with a single before David Coleman singled to center field to put runners on first and second with no outs. With a double play, Deslauriers was left on third base with two outs. Nine-hitter Melton came up clutch, hitting his first home run of the season and adding two runs to the HPU effort.

pic.twitter.com/VsvmWjAoCy

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
Klingler continued the two-out rally with a single to left center while Stuart singled up the middle and reached base for fifth time before both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With two runners in scoring position and a full count, Carr singled to third base, scoring Klingler and pulling HPU back within 9-7. Cole Singsank reached base on an error that allowed Stuart to score and kept Carr safe at second base.

Carr keeps the rally going and drives in another Panther run!#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/bKwdpSIFQk

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
Despite an 0-2 count, Blake Sutton singled through the left side and Carr scored to tie the game at nine runs apiece with an inning to play.

HPU TIES IT! @blakesutton10 hits an RBI single and scores @CharlieKlingle1 #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/nDmh6alj8q

— High Point Baseball (@HPUBaseball) March 27, 2022

 
The Eagles led off with a single and the runner advanced on a passed ball before scoring on a single through the left side to take the 10-9 lead.
 
HPU nearly rallied again, as Coleman reached base after being hit by a pitch and advanced on Echazarreta's single to right field. But the next three batters went down in order to smother the Panther rally.
 
Up Next: High Point baseball hosts Elon in their first game to be played at Rockers Stadium this season. First pitch at Truist Point is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29^th.