GREENSBORO, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team split the doubleheader with Rutgers in Greensboro on Saturday afternoon. HPU lost the first game, but beat the Scarlet Knights, 12-2, in the second game.
Game 1
Site: First National Bank Stadium
Score: High Point 4, Rutgers, 7
Records: High Point (3-11, 0-0), Rutgers (10-2, 0-0)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "I felt like we did a great job jumping ahead but missed out on a couple opportunities to really extend our lead. Credit Rutgers for finally getting to Wozniak who did a fantastic job through the first five innings. Our bullpen couldn't get us a couple zeros to keep us in the game and our late inning rally fell short."
Brett Wozniak got the ball to start the series and was stellar through five scoreless innings of work. Rutgers did not score a run until the sixth inning. Wozniak pitched 6.2 innings, allowing five runs, on seven hits, striking out seven batters.
High Point jumped out to an early lead in the second when
Sam Schner would hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that allowed
Brayden Simpson to tag up and score from third.
In the fifth,
Cael Chatham sent one to the right side as
Frank Kelly crossed the plate. HPU had a 2-0 lead heading into the sixth.
The Scarlet Knights brought it back to all square off a two-run homerun, and then took a 3-2 lead off a solo home run in the top half of the sixth inning.
Wozniak headed out to the mound for the seventh inning. Rutgers got to Wozniak a little more as they would have two more cross the plate in the seventh.
Jake Potts came in to relive Wozniak. Potts recorded two outs, allowing two runs, on three hits.
High Point stepped up to the plate in the eighth down 7-3.
Adam Stuart grounded out to shortstop allowing
Eric Grintz to come home and advancing Chatham to third.
Charlie Klingler then grounded to second for an RBI. High Point climbed back to 7-4.
Christian Baker came in to pitch the rest of the game. Baker's line was 1.2 innings, no runs, and no hits.
Rutgers put a stop to High Point's late rally as they would take game one of the doubleheader.
Game 2
Site: First National Bank Stadium
Score: High Point 12, Rutgers 2
Record: High Point (4-11, 0-0), Rutgers (10-3, 0-0)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "
Gus Hughes was fantastic. He was dominant from start to finish vs a strong Power 5 club. That is the type of pitcher he can be and gives us a good chance to win every time. Our offense was relentless the entire game… stacking at bats and taking what was given to us all night. We had some big hits (2 out rbi double by Klingler and the two homers- Chatham and Simpson) but I'm equally pleased with the constant pressure our hitters created by commanding the strike zone and forcing action. Finally, we had great baserunning plays all night that made a difference and allowed for us to build an insurmountable lead."
Game two started with a dominant performance from
Gus Hughes. Hughes was on it from the start as he went nine up, nine down to start the night. Rutgers did not record a hit until the fourth inning. Hughes ended up pitching eight innings, allowing two runs, on four hits, striking out six batters.
Once again, High Point would jump out to an early lead. This time, they never gave it back. In the first inning, HPU was up 4-0. Stuart started it off with a hit by pitch which scored Ahalt from third. Klingler then reached on a fielder's choice as
Konni Durschlag came in to score. Simpson then reached on a fielding error which allowed for Chatham to score.
Frank Kelly took a pitch and was drilled, as Klingler walked his way home.
In the second inning, Klingler shot one down the left field line on a 3-2 count. Chatham rounded third and came in to score. HPU had an early 5-0 lead.
Chatham, in the fourth kept the bats alive as he got all of one and sent it way over the fence as he hit his third home run of the season. With Ahalt on base, Chatham's home run put HPU out front 7-0.
In the same inning, Stuart knocked one down the left field line with two strikes as Durschlag scored the eighth run of the ballgame.
Rutgers got their first run across the plate in the top half of the seventh inning off a homer to right center.
Off a 2-0 count, Simpson saw a pitch he liked and blasted it over the left field wall. High Point extended their lead to 10-1 in the seventh. Kelly would then single one up the middle advancing to second on a fielding error. Schner into score to make it an 11-1 game.
In the top of the eighth, Rutgers tagged on another run off a fielder's choice.
Eric Grintz sent home the 12
th run of the game for HPU off a single to right field.
Tyler Romanias came into close Rutgers down in the ninth, striking out one.
Up Next: High Point will play the rubber match of this series on Sunday, March 10 at 1 p.m. in Greensboro.
#GoHPU
