BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team picked up a 10-2 win over Campbell on Monday afternoon in Buies Creek, N.C. to earn a series win over the Camels, two games to one. Freshman Chris Clare went 3-3 at the plate and recorded a career-high four RBI in the win.
“This was the most complete game we have played in a very long time,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “It is a tremendous boost to get a series win here in Buies Creek. Andre Scrubb gave us a great start and offensively we were really locked in. Kyle Brandenburg
Freshman Andre Scrubb earned the win on the mound for High Point, improving to 2-4 on the season. Scrubb pitched seven innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out five.
Andrew Witczak took the loss for Campbell to drop to 2-2 on the season. Witczak pitched four innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits while striking out one.
The Panthers’ series win was their fourth of the season. HPU improves to 14-12 overall and 4-5 in the Big South with the victory. Campbell drops to 19-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play.
High Point struck for the first run of the game in the top of the first inning, taking an early 1-0 lead. The Panthers had runners at second and third with one out after senior Kyle Brandenburg was hit by a pitch and freshman Josh Greene hit a double to the left field corner. Junior Spencer Angelis followed Greene and hit a sacrifice fly to center to put HPU in front.
After Campbell tied the game in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly by Matt Nadolski, HPU came right back with two runs in the second to go ahead 3-1. Junior Brady Williamson led off the frame with a double and was followed by junior Cody Manzella who was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third for Clare who hit a sacrifice fly to foul territory in right, scoring Williamson. Manzella then came home on a throwing error by the Campbell pitcher.
Campbell scored again in the bottom of the second with a home run by Clayton Brown to make the score 3-2. The Panthers picked up the first two outs of the inning with a double play before Brown hit a high fly ball that carried just over the fence in left.
High Point scored one run in the fourth and two more in the fifth, all off the bat of Clare to push its lead to 6-2. In the fourth, junior Tony Fortier-Bensen led off with a double to center and took third when the CU fielder bobbled the ball. Clare then followed with a fly ball to center to score Fortier-Bensen. Clare continued his hot hitting in the following inning when he came up with the bases loaded and two outs and hit a single to left to score both Williamson and junior Josh Spano.
Angelis continued to expand the Panther lead in the sixth inning with a three-run home run, his first of the season. Brandenburg and Greene led off the inning with back-to-back singles ahead of Angelis. The HPU first baseman got ahold of a 2-0 pitch and hit a line drive over the wall in left.
Brandenburg picked up an RBI with his team-best third triple of the season in the seventh, scoring Clare and putting the Panthers ahead 10-2. Clare reached with a one-out single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before coming around to score on the Brandenburg three-bagger.
Brandenburg finished the game hitting 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. The senior went 10-15 in the three games with seven runs scored and two RBI. Junior Brady Williamson went 4-5 with two runs scored and Angelis finished 1-3 with four RBI and one run scored.
High Point next returns home to open a midweek home-and-home series against Wake Forest on Tuesday, April 1 at Williard Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. The game will be the fourth for the Panthers in three days.