FARMVILLE, VA. — The High Point baseball team hit the road for their first Big South road conference series. Matching up with the Lancers of Longwood, the Panthers came up three runs short, 7-4, after the late game rain delay.
Javon Fields recorded his 200
th career hit in his first at bat of the game, becoming the second Panther this season to reach this milestone.
Site: Buddy Bolding Field
Score: High Point 4 , Longwood 7
Records: High Point (7-17, 1-6 Big South), Longwood (10-19, 1-0 Big South)
The Panthers got off to a solid start against the Lancers. Loading the bases in the top of the second inning,
Cael Chatham led off the inning with a single up the middle. Fields kept it going with a single to third base to advance Chatham.
Blake Sutton was walked to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout by the Longwood pitcher,
Patrick Matthews was also walked, which led to High Point's first run of the game.
The Lancers quickly answered back scoring their first run off back-to-back doubles. A two-run homer over left field created a 3-1 lead for Longwood.
High Point added an unearned run in the top of the third.
Charlie Klingler got on from a throwing error by the Lancers' right fielder to make it to second.
Adam Stuart followed with a single to place runners on the corners. A shot to second base by Chatham scored Klingler from third.
Extending the lead, Longwood hit their second home run of the game to bring in two runs.
In the top of the seventh the Panthers closed in on the Lancers' 5-2 edge with back-to-back doubles from Ahalt and Klingler to bring home a run.
Braden Halladay subbed in on the mound for starter
Gus Hughes after pitching six full innings.
With the score still 5-3 Lancers, the Panthers intentionally walked one of Longwoods players in the bottom of the seventh to load the bases with two outs. A single to right field led to the third out but before the out, Longwood was able to score two runs before the, 9-6-3-4 run-down put out.
With the score 7-3, High Point made it 7-4 with an unearned run in the top of the eighth before a rain delay in the bottom half of the inning. After an hour delay, the game resumed with one more at bat for the Panthers. Unable to add any more runs, Longwood took the 7-4 win.
Up Next: The Panthers and Lancers return to action on Saturday afternoon for game two of the weekend series. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
