SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The High Point University baseball team defeated USC Upstate 7-5 in game three on Sunday afternoon in Spartanburg.
Site: Harley Park
Score: High Point 7, USC Upstate 5
Records: High Point (11-9, 1-2), USC Upstate (10-11, 2-1)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Big win that we needed to have. Aidan [Paul] gave us 14 outs and a chance to win the game and then Noah [Zimmerman] was incredible and the difference in the outcome for sure. Proud of the fight from our guys. Nothing was easy and we didn't play well this weekend - and Upstate played solid all weekend without making mistakes and getting big hits. It's positive to know that we were in position and chances to win a series on the road, vs a tough opponent, that played really well - even tho we didn't play well. I'm excited to get back home and clean some things up heading into next week."
After drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second,
Willie Ponce came around to score on a
Landen Johnson RBI groundout to open the scoring for HPU.
USC Upstate answered in the second with a three-run home run to take the lead. Johnson responded in the fourth, launching a solo home run over the right-center wall - his 100th career hit in a Panthers uniform - to cut the deficit to 3-2.
In the fifth inning,
Jack Clark stayed back on an off-speed pitch and lined it to center field to score
Frank Kelly and tie the game. Upstate regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning, plating two runs on three hits to go ahead 5-3 before
Noah Zimmerman entered in relief of
Aidan Paul.
HPU evened the score again in the sixth.
Jace Kohler ripped an RBI single up the middle, and Kelly later beat out a fielder's choice that allowed
Jake McCarter to cross the plate and tie the game at five.
After Zimmerman retired seven consecutive batters, the Panthers broke through in the eighth. With two outs, Ponce drove a triple to right field, clearing the bases as Kohler and E'Mar Fleming II scored to give HPU a 7-5 advantage.
Zimmerman was dominant out of the bullpen, earning the win with 4.1 innings of relief, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out six to secure the 7-5 victory on Sunday afternoon.
Kohler and Ponce each recorded two hits, while Ponce and Johnson drove in two runs apiece to help lift HPU to the game three win in Spartanburg.
Up Next: High Point will return to Williard Stadium on Tuesday, March 17 at 6:00 p.m. when Appalachian State University comes to town for a mid-week contest.
#GoHPU
