Box Score HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point baseball team welcomed the Spartans of USC Upstate to Williard Stadium for the second Big South series of the year. The Spartans took game one of the series, 15-2.
Site: Williard Stadium
Score: High Point 2 , USC Upstate 15
Records: High Point (7-14, 1-3), USC Upstate (14-9, 1-0)
Opening the game, the Panthers got off to a good start defensively, getting a quick three up three down in the top of the first inning.
Carter Sheppard started on the mound for High Point.
USC Upstate got things rolling for the Spartans in the second inning, cashing in the first run of the game off a double to right field. The Spartans brought in their second run just one inning later off a home run that tailed just over the left field fence, followed by a double to the right field corner to take the 3-0 lead.
Through the first three innings, High Point struggled to get the offense going, only registering one hit in their first three at bats.
In the top of the fourth, USC Upstate went on a hitting spree, collecting six runs off six hits to take a large lead of 9-0.
Rallying in the bottom of the sixth, back-to back singles from the top of the lineup,
Brett Ahalt and
Javon Fields placed runners on first and second.
Cael Chatham advanced Ahalt to third with a hit into a double play. With two outs,
Adam Stuart poked a base hit to left field to mark the first run on the board for the Panthers.
Holding the Spartans scoreless through three innings, USC Upstate snuck in three more in both the top of the eighth and ninth. Closing it out on the mound for the Panthers,
Will Burgess and
Patrick Libby finish the ninth.
HPU scored late in the bottom of the ninth after getting on with a walk for
Matthew Martinez II and a ground-rule double for
Braden Simpson.
Blake Sutton skied one into right field for a sacrifice hit to bring home Martinez II before the final out of the game.
Up Next: The Panthers and Spartans return for game two on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
