HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University baseball team used strong pitching and timely hitting to earn a, 3-0, victory over Saint Joseph's University on Saturday afternoon in game one of the doubleheader clinching the series win over the Hawks. HPU fell, 6-1, in game two of the afternoon. 

Site: Williard Stadium
Score: High Point 3, Saint Joseph's 0
Records: High Point (2-0), Saint Joseph's (0-2)

Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Happy to come out of the weekend with a series win. I don't want to minimize that, but that is not the way to finish. That's not what championship team do, so I'm disappointed at the opportunity in the last game. I felt like we pitched well all day. Obviously in the first game, Tyler [Brachbill], Dalton [Hitt], and Dylan [Story] were incredible. It was one of the best pitching games we've had. We had timely hits when we needed it as Lane [Allen] had a big hit to come through. It was nice to get a win in the first game."

The game remained scoreless through the first five innings as both pitching staffs controlled the action. High Point starter Tyler Brachbill worked six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out nine to earn the win.

The Panthers broke through in the bottom of the sixth inning when Willie Ponce singled and stole second before scoring on an error to give High Point a 1-0 lead.

High Point added insurance in the eighth, as Christian Smith walked to lead off the inning, and Ponce followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Lane Allen then delivered a two-run single to center field, extending the Panthers' lead to 3-0.

Dalton Hitt tossed a scoreless seventh inning in relief, and Dylan Story closed out the final two innings to earn the save, striking out three and allowing just one hit.

Ponce finished 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Allen drove in both runs in the eighth, while High Point drew six walks and played clean defense turning three double plays.

Game two:

Site: Williard Stadium
Score: High Point 1, Saint Joseph's 6
Records: High Point (2-1), Saint Joseph's (1-2)
 
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "I thought Aidan [Paul] pitched well too. Some bad luck on the first batter in the first inning. He gave up a couple of other solo home runs, but I felt like he gave us a great chance to win and it got away from us a little bit. More so towards the tail end, but kudos to them. They got big hits in situations when we couldn't. I felt like we hit the ball hard just had some bad luck, that's baseball. We'll get back to work and be ready because we have good stuff on Tuesday at Wake Forest. I expect our two-strike approach to be significantly better by then."

High Point struck in the bottom of the first inning as Christian Smith led off with a solo home run to right-center, tying the game at one. The Panthers threatened again in the second, putting two runners on with singles from Frank Kelly and Smith, but were unable to add on.

Saint Joseph's took the lead in the third on a solo home run and added another in the fourth to go up 3-1. High Point starter Aidan Paul worked five innings, striking out nine while allowing three runs on four hits.

The Hawks extended the lead in the sixth with a sacrifice fly and broke the game open in the seventh with a two-run double, pushing the margin to 6-1.

High Point finished with five hits, led by Smith's 2-for-4 day and Jace Kohler's single in the sixth.

Up Next: High Point will play its first road contest on Tuesday, February 17 at Wake Forest University. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.