RADFORD, Va. – The High Point University baseball team broke two program records as they defeated Radford, 32-8, on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers hit 11 total home runs, breaking the single game home run record, most previously set at nine, and scored 32 runs, which shattered the most runs scored in a single game by seven runs.
Site: Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium
Score: High Point 32, Radford 8
Records: High Point (19-8, 5-0), Radford (12-13, 3-2)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Proud of our guys from start to finish.
Brayden Simpson set the tone in the first and the rest of our guys continued being locked in and had professional at bats all day long. Too many individuals to point out but I'm also proud of the guys that came off the bench and competed in their opportunities as well. It can be tough to stay focused and pitch on a day like that but I thought Story and the relievers did a good job! Just like we would on a tough loss, we talk about being able to turn the page and focus on finishing the weekend tomorrow."
The bats were hot for the Panthers this afternoon as the home run seemed to be the story of the day.
Brayden Simpson hit three home runs, driving in eight runs as he started the scoring with a three-run bomb in the first inning.
Jackson Melton added to the HPU early lead after hitting his fifth home run for a two-run shot in the second inning. The runs kept coming as the Panthers added seven runs in the third inning on a three-run double from KonnI Durschlag, an RBI ground-rule double by
Landen Johnson, and another three-run home run from Simpson. High Point led 12-2 after three frames.
The runs did not slow down as the Panthers tacked on five more in the fourth inning off four hits.
Christian Smith started it off with a solo home run, followed by a two-run RBI from Johnson, and Simpsons third homer of the game blew open the lead. The Highlanders worked their way to two runs in the bottom of the fourth to slowly put some runs on the board.
The fifth inning saw Smith hit his second homer of the game, as well as
Jake McCarter sending his eighth long ball of the season over the fence for two more runs.
It was only a matter of time until Durschlag joined the home run parade as he smoked a three-run homer in the sixth inning to give High Point its 25th run.
After 2.5 scoreless innings from
Brent Herrmann and
Cohen Harris,
Jack Clark scored
Jace Kohler on an error by the center fielder to add to the HPU total. Melton followed with a bases clearing single, scoring Clark and
Caleb Hammond for the teams 28th run.
Three more home runs in the top of the ninth added to the Panthers run total and team home runs.
Frank Kelly led oft the inning with a solo shot, followed by
Oliver Cush hitting his first career home run.
Caleb Hammond followed with one of his own to keep the home run train moving.
Radford added a few late runs in the bottom of the ninth before recording their last out to hand HPU a, 32-8, victory on Saturday afternoon.
Eight different Panthers hit one out of the park today as Simpson hit three of them, and Smith had two of those eight. Six of the nine hitters in the lineup recorded three or more hits in tonight's contest to add to a total of 28 hits.
Up Next: High Point and Radford will play game three of the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
