HIGH POINT, N.C. – Senior Mike Krumm pitched a career-high 8-2/3 innings to help lead the High Point University baseball team to a 6-3 win over William & Mary on Saturday afternoon in Williard Stadium. The Panther win evens the weekend series at a game apiece.
“This was a good ballgame for us today,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “The four-run third inning was huge as it gave our pitchers a little breathing room. Mike Krumm was tremendous on the mound. He was very efficient and really battled well. Now we need to come out tomorrow, play well and try to win the series.”
Krumm allowed three runs on four hits while striking out a career-high five in his 8-2/3 innings pitched. The senior doubled his previous career-high of 4-1/3 innings pitched which he set last weekend against Mercer. Krumm earned his first win of the season and improved to 1-1 on the season. Junior Conor Lourey got the final out of the afternoon to earn his first collegiate save.
Mitchell Aker took the loss for William & Mary after pitching five innings and allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits and two walks while striking out two.
HPU improves to 2-3 on the season with the win while William & Mary drops to 3-2.
High Point broke out for four runs in the bottom of the third inning to go ahead 4-0. The inning was highlighted by a solo home run by junior Josh Spano, the first of the season for the Panthers. With one out in the frame, Spano hit 1-1 pitch deep over the left field wall for High Point’s first run of the game.
Following the home run, the Panthers quickly loaded the bases on back-to-back walks by junior Spencer Angelis and sophomore Brett Gemmell and a single by junior Cody Manzella. A fielding error by the William & Mary shortstop and a fielder’s choice allowed Gemmell and Angelis to score before freshman Chris Clare drove in the final run of the frame with an RBI single to plate Manzella.
William & Mary got a run back in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Willie Shaw but the Panthers answered right back with runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to build a 6-1 lead. Angelis scored his second run of the game in the seventh off a single by junior Dane McDermott and then drove in HPU’s final run of the game in the eighth with an RBI single to score junior Tim Mansfield from third.
William & Mary closed the gap in the top of the ninth with two runs on an RBI double by pinch hitter Devin White before Clare ended the rally with a diving snare of a line drive off the bat of Kevin Casey for the final out of the game.
Spano went 3-4 in the game with an RBI and a run scored. The catcher reached base in four of his five at bats with his only out coming thanks to a diving stop by the William & Mary third baseman. Angelis went 3-3 with an RBIU and two runs scored while Mansfield finished 2-5 with a run scored.
William & Mary second baseman Ryan Lindemuth continued to play well against High Point, going 2-4 on the day with two runs scored. Lindemuth was the only Tribe batter to record multiple hits on the day.
High Point and William & Mary will meet for the rubber game of the series on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m., in Williard Stadium. Freshman Andre Scrubb will make his second start of the season for the Panthers.