HPU Baseball Falls On The Road at Presbyterian College, 7-2

CLINTON, S.C. – The High Point University baseball team opened Big South play on Friday with a 7-2 loss to Presbyterian College in the first game of a three-game series on Friday afternoon in Clinton, S.C. Senior Devin Bujnovsky and sophomore Josh Spano each went 1-3 with a run scored in the loss.

“We got beat by what our baseball philosophy is,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “They executed in RBI situations and we failed to make big pitches. For whatever reason we were tight and were not relaxed in the dugout or on the field. We got to get back to enjoying the game and play a relaxed aggressive form of baseball if we do that then we will perform a lot better tomorrow.”

High Point took the first lead of the game with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to jump ahead 2-0. The Panthers loaded the bases with one out when Bujnovsky reached on an error and both Spano and senior Ryan Retz walked. Sophomore Spencer Angelis drove in the first run with a line drive single back up the middle and redshirt-junior Sean Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to right to drive in the second.

Presbyterian College came right back in the bottom of the frame with three runs hits to take a 3-2 lead. Brad Zebedis hit an RBI double to drive in the first run then scored the second on a single by Brandon Paul. HPU cleared the bases with a double play on a lineout to second but Nathan Chong hit a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to put the Blue Hose in front by one.

Presbyterian College added two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a single by Aaron Preston and a run on a throwing error by Adam Barry then scored two in the eighth on a double to center by Ryan Hagan.

Newberry pitched 5-2/3 innings for HPU and took the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits while striking out three.

PC’s Beau Dees went the full nine innings to get the win for Presbyterian College. Dees allowed just two runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

High Point and Presbyterian College will return to the PC Baseball Complex on Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m. for the second game of the three-game series. Redshirt-junior Sean Townsley will get the start for HPU.