The High Point University baseball team begins their 2023 season this weekend as they welcome Bryant University (0-0) back to Williard Stadium since playing the Bulldogs in the season opener in 2021. The teams open the series on Friday (Feb. 17) at 4 p.m. followed by a Saturday (Feb. 18) afternoon game at 2 p.m. The series finale will be played on Sunday (Feb. 20) at 1 p.m.
SERIES INFO
Friday, February 17th -- vs Bryant (High Point, N.C.), 4 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch | Series Notes
Saturday, February 18th – vs Bryant (High Point, N.C.), 2 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen | Series Notes
Sunday, February 19th – vs Bryant (High Point, N.C.), 1 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch | Series Notes
Matchup History
- High Point hosts Bryant for a three-game series for the second time in three years. The two teams opened the 2021 season against each other, first playing Friday's game at Truist Point before finishing up the series at Williard Stadium. The Bulldogs took two of those three matchups. Infielder Adam Stuart played in all three matchups against Bryant in 2021, going 3-8 at the plate during the series. Bryant's Jake Gustin is 4-12 with four RBI lifetime against High Point.
Across the Diamond
- Bryant finished the 2022 season with a 30-27 record on the year and 17-10 record in the Northeast Conference. The 2023 season will be the team's inaugural season into the American East Conference.
- The Bulldogs fell to Long Island University, 5-0, in game seven of the 2022 Northeast Conference Baseball Championships.
HPU Preview
It's baseball season in High Point as the Panthers are set to open with a weekend series versus Bryant on Friday, February 17th.
Sam Garcia has earned the Friday night starting slot with a big arm that can regularly throw in the 90s. Fans can expect to see
Brett Wozniak, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Golden West on the mound on Saturday.
Gus Hughes, a transfer junior from Gaston Community College, will round out the weekend rotation and be the Sunday afternoon starter.
On the mound, the Panthers return 11 pitchers, including all three of their weekend starters from the 2022 season. The first team All-Big South member Garcia is coming off a season in which he was second in the Big South in ERA and WHIP. His .98 WHIP was good for 19th in the nation. Second team All-Big South member Sean Duffy finished sixth in the Big South last season in ERA with a 3.45. As a staff, the Panthers pitched four shutouts in 2022, which led the Big South. High Point added five transfers to bolster its pitching staff, including Hughes (Gaston College) and Wozniak (Golden West College).
In the lineup, the Panthers return nine positions players, seven of which were starters during the 2022 season. Charlie Klingler and Peyton Carr finished ninth and 10th respectively in the Big South in hitting. Klingler hit .328 in 38 games while Carr played in all 56 contests and hit .327. Javon Fields led all Panthers in batting average during Big South play, hitting .383 in league play, primarily out of the leadoff spot. Cole Singsank led HPU in home runs with eight while also leading the team in doubles with 12, tying for a team-high in RBI with 33. High Point adds transfers Brett Ahalt and Cael Chatham. Ahalt played at George Mason last year, leading the Patriots in hitting at .329. Chatham is a graduate transfer from Divsion III LaGrange, hitting a career best .378 with five home runs and 60 RBI in 2022.
Panther Particulars
HPU Picked Third in Preseason Poll
High Point was tabbed third in the Big South preseason coaches' poll on January 26th. Campbell was the league favorite with six first-place votes and 93 total points in the poll.
Quartet of Panthers Highlight D1 Baseball Big South Prospects
D1 Baseball released its top 40 2023 draft prospects from the Big South. Out of the 40-man list,
Sam Garcia was ranked seventh, while pitchers
Gus Hughes and
Carter Sheppard were ranked 11th and 16th respectively. Outfielder
Brett Ahalt also made the listing and placed 26th.
D1 Baseball's Starting Pitchers
Garcia also made D1 Baseball's top 200 starting pitchers, coming in at 127.
New and Old Kids on the Block
High Point returns 11 pitchers and nine position players from last season, while adding 11 transfers and 10 freshmen to fill out the roster.
Last Season
High Point finished 2022 with a record of 22-33, 14-10 in Big South play finishing fourth in the Big South standings. HPU won 10 of its final 14 regular season games. The Panthers won 12 home games last season, doubling their home win total from the season before. High Point was eliminated by UNC Asheville in the 2022 Big South Tournament.
Big South Championship Next Three Years at Truist Point
The Big South Conference has formally announced a three-year extension with the
High Point Downtown Stadium Foundation to host the annual Big South Baseball Championship at the High Point Rockers' home ballpark of Truist Point in High Point, N.C., through the 2025 season.
#GoHPU x #WinTheDay
