MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The High Point University baseball team fell to the University of Minnesota, 8-2, in game three on Sunday afternoon.
 
Site: U.S. Bank Stadium
Score: High Point 2, Minnesota 8
Records: High Point (17-7, 3-0), Minnesota (11-11, 2-4)
 
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Obviously a disappointing way to end the trip. Just didn't do enough in any facet today. Honestly, I got to tip my hat to their pitcher. I just didn't think we made any adjustments offensively. We tried to stack bats at the end of the game, but it's just too late. Our pitchers tried to keep us in it, and I felt like they did for the majority of the game. Just a disappointing way to finish up, we had a real opportunity here and we'll learn from it. Control the things that we can control and come back and be a better team afterwards."
 
Both starting pitchers were dealing through the first 2.5 innings not allowing either offense to get comfortable. With two outs in the bottom of the third, Minnesota rallied to score its first run of the afternoon following an RBI single up the middle scoring the runner from second.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth followed up with an RBI single scored the second run for the Golden Gophers to take the 2-0 lead. Adrian Montenegro relieved Dalton Hitt in the fourth with two runners on after Hitt went 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits. After an HPU double play, a two out single down the right field line for the Gophers scored their third run of the day.

Another leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth led to a sacrifice bunt turning into the fourth Gopher run. Three Hillier fielded the bunt and threw an errant throw to first base allowing the runner to round third and score.

Minnesota extended its lead to six in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run after Joey Tuttoilmondo took over out of the bullpen.

A pinch-hit infield single from Caleb Hammond put a runner on before Jake McCarter roped a double down the line to put two runners in scoring position. Hammond came home to score on a dribbler giving Miggy Echazarreta the RBI and scoring the first HPU run. McCarter was then able to score as he tagged up on a SAC fly to left field hit by Landen Johnson.

The Golden Gophers tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, to send HPU down six runs into their last at-bats. High Point fell, 8-2, in game three to the Golden Gophers on Sunday afternoon.

Up Next: HPU will head to Boone, N.C. to face Appalachian State University at 6:00 p.m. on March 25.