HPU Baseball Clinches Series Against Bowling Green With A 4-2 Win

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team clinched its weekend series against Bowling Green with a 4-2 win over the Falcons on Sunday afternoon in the first half of a double header at Williard Stadium. Junior Tony Fortier-Bensen delivered the big hit for the Panthers with a three-run home run.

“This was a tough ballgame,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “I am glad to see Tony Fortier-Bensen come up in a big situation and come through with the bat. We were opportunistic on offense today. Krumm was very good on the mound once again on the mound and I am very excited about his outing. We are in position to sweep now and that is what we need to focus on.”

Senior Mike Krumm earned his team-best third win of the season, improving to 3-1 in 2014. Krumm pitched six innings and allowed just four hits while striking out a career-high seven. Senior John Maloney pitched the final 2-1/3 innings to earn his second save of the season. Maloney allowed two unearned runs on 1 hit and two walks.

Mike Frank took the loss for Bowling Green despite a strong performance on the mound. Frank allowed four earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three. The BGSU starter allowed just three hits and one run before surrendering the home run to Fortier-Bensen in the seventh.

High Point improves to 10-5 on the season with its ninth win in its last 10 games. Bowling Green drops to 2-9 with the loss to the Panthers.

The Panthers broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a run on a sacrifice fly by senior Kyle Brandenburg. Freshman Chris Clare led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a walk by juniorDane McDermott and a fly out by Fortier-Bensen. The second baseman then came home on the fly ball by Brandenburg to put the Panthers ahead, 1-0.

In the seventh, High Point had the first two players reach when junior Cody Manzella walked and Clare singled. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners into scoring position, Fortier-Bensen got a hold of the first pitch by Frank and hit it over the wall for a three-run shot. The home run was the first of the season for the junior and it gave HPU a 4-0 lead.

Bowling Green scored unearned runs on an error by freshman Josh Greene in the eighth and an RBI single by Jake Thomas in the ninth before a double play and a fly out to center ended the contest with the score 4-2.

Clare finished 2-4 at the plate with two runs scored while Fortier-Bensen went 1-3 with three RBI and a run scored.

Game two of Sunday’s double header between Bowling Green and High Point is now underway at Williard Stadium.