HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team swept Charleston Southern in the opening weekend of conference play. HPU defeated the Buccaneers, 6-3, in the first game, and, 8-5, in the second game of today's double header.
Game 1
Site: Williard Stadium
Score: High Point 6, Charleston Southern 3
Records: High Point (14-5, 2-0), Charleston Southern (12-5, 0-2)
Game 2:
Site: Williard Stadium
Score: High Point 8, Charleston Southern 5
Records: High Point (15-5, 3-0), Charleston Southern (12-6, 0-3)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Incredible day. A really long day and I appreciate all the student-athletes on both teams. On a day like today, it's challenging. You're here early in the morning and you're here late at night. That is really difficult, and it pays a toll on your bodies. Credit to everybody for playing two really good baseball games. I'm especially proud of our guys. I could tell fatigue was setting in. Our swings started to get long, but we were battling through it. So proud of our guys for digging deep and pulling on. All the training that we've put in, to stack an inning at the end to put the game away, that doesn't happen without Howell (Polk) doing what he did. A remarkable job to go four and 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to steady the game, it kept us right where we needed to be. Credit to Charlie (Jones) for coming in, and I appreciate Joey (Tuttoilmondo) going out there for the second time today. To get two wins and the sweep in the conference opening series against a team that was coming in red hot, with a good record, is something to build upon. We can continue to put a stamp on the type of club that we can be. We're going to enjoy these next couple days to recover our bodies, and I can't say enough good things about our pitching staff all day long. They did a fantastic job, and our offense is just relentless. At some point in time, if you just keep building innings, the dam's going to break. It typically does for us, and it did in both games. We're really proud to get out of this weekend 3-0 and we can now get healthy and recover."
In game one of the series, High Point capitalized in bottom of the first inning to get on the board after
Miggy Echazarreta singled scoring
Konni Durschlag from third. Two more runs came home to make it a 3-0 ball game after
Christian Smith sent a high fly ball over the right center wall for his second long ball of the year.
The Buccaneers tallied their first run off a wild pitch in the third inning, before scoring another in the top of the fourth on a bases loaded walk. High Point answered in the bottom of the frame after
Justin Ruiz found himself in a rundown allowing
James Murphy to cross the plate with ease.
Three clean frames from both sides took the game to the eighth inning as CSU cashed in on a solo home run to center field to bring the Panthers lead back to one run, 4-3. Once again, the Panthers answered as Murphy poked one over the left field wall for a solo shot to extend the High Point lead to two.
After Durschlag was intentionally walked, Echazarreta made the Bucs pay as he doubled to left field scoring Smith from second.
Joey Tuttoilmondo came in and pitched the ninth to record his third save of the season giving HPU the, 6-3, win to clinch the series win.
Adam Grintz was given the win to improve his record to 3-0 after pitching four innings, allowing just one run, on three hits in relief.
Charlie Jones recorded his first collegiate save to clinch the series sweep for High Point in game two. Following a masterful performance from
Howell Polk out of the bullpen as he kept the game steady. Polk pitched 4.2 innings, only allowing two hits as he earned his first win of the year.
Once again, HPU capitalized early and took the lead in the first inning after Johnson scored on a wild pitch followed by
Brayden Simpson smacking a solo home run to right center.
The Buccaneers came up in the fourth and took the 4-2 lead after recording four runs, on two hits, and one error. High Point responded with Smith legging out a triple down the right field line, before the freshman,
Jack Clark scored Smith on a grounder to shortstop to tie the game at four.
A four run eighth inning for HPU scored the insurance runs they needed as Simpson, and
Three Hillier recorded RBI's.
Frank Kelly reached on a throwing error which brought Hillier home to score the eighth run for High Point.
The Bucs put up a fight in the top of the ninth as two guys walked before a single to left center scored the fifth CSU run. Jones followed by pitching to a double play, and then a ground out to earn his first career save and hand HPU the series sweep over Charleston Southern.
Up Next: High Point will play a mid-week matchup at Elon University on March 18. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
