CLEMSON, S.C. – The High Point University baseball team finished its season on Sunday afternoon as Coastal Carolina came out with a, 6-5, victory at the NCAA Regionals in Clemson.
Site: Doug Kingsmore Stadium
Score: High Point 5, Coastal Carolina 6
Records: High Point (35-27), Coastal Carolina (36-24)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Obviously very emotional right now. That is a heck of a baseball game, two real good teams fighting till the end. No team lost the game per say, one team got a big hit and made some plays. We came up a little short, but I'm so incredibly proud of all these guys. To be able to be with these guys is what it is all about. It's emotional right now, it is raw. I think there wil be a time where we can be reflective and think back at some of the things that we accomplished this year. Now is probably not the time for that and it's okay, it's because it matters. I am a better person when I am around these guys."
The Panthers wrapped up the 2024 season in Clemson as the Chanticleers came out on top handing HPU its second loss of the tournament.
Eric Grintz went 4 for 5 with a home run and two RBI's as
Brayden Simpson had two hits and also drove in a pair of runners.
Coastal Carolina jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first off a three-run home run to left field.
HPU erased the three-run deficit in the second inning as
Eric Grintz got a run back for the Panthers with a solo home run to left field.
A battle of the arms between Coastal and High Point as
Adam Grintz relieved Olsovsky in the second inning. Both pitchers put up three innings of zeros on the scoreboard before
Brayden Simpson earned an RBI in the sixth as he reached on a fielder's choice to score Grintz.
A sacrifice fly to right field scored the fourth run for Coastal in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Panthers took their first lead of the afternoon in the seventh as they worked their way to score three runs. Grintz,
Miggy Echazarreta, and Simpson all earned RBI's.
Coastal Carolina took the lead right back in the bottom of the seventh as a two-run homer was hit to right field to take the 6-5 lead. The one run lead led the Chanticleers to a victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers finished their season with an overall record of 35-27, and 17-7 in the Big South. With 35 wins, it set a new program record of Division I wins in program history in a single season. As well as breaking the record for all-time home runs hit in a single season with 92 homers. The previous record was 77 home runs hit in 1975. Most importantly, the Panthers won its first Big South title in program history as well as winning an NCAA Regional game against Vanderbilt University in their first appearance in a college baseball regional.
This season will go down in the history book of High Point Baseball. Coach Hammond and his team have set the new standard for Panther baseball.
#GoHPU
