High Point Baseball Runs Away With A 12-2 Home Win Over UNCG

• High Point evened its series against UNCG at a game apiece with a 12-2 home win over the Spartans.
• Senior Dane McDermott went 3-4 with two RBI and four runs scored for the Panthers.
• Junior Tyler Britton pitched five innings and allowed two runs, one earned, in his first HPU start

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team evened its record at 1-1 with a 12-2 win over UNCG on Saturday afternoon at Williard Stadium. Senior Dane McDermott went 3-4 with two RBI and four runs scored to pace the Panthers.

“I think it started on the mound and defensively today,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “Tyler Britton competed very well on the mound and we turned three double plays. Those are the things we need to do to be successful. Offensively I have been very pleased with what we are doing. We continue to manufacture runs. It was also good to see Conor Loure shut things down out of the bullpen and to see Joe Goodman return to the mound today.”

McDermott reached base in four of five trips to the plate out of the leadoff position and scored every time he reached. Sophomore Josh Greene also had a multi-hit day, going 3-6 with an RBI and a run scored while senior Spencer Angelis went 1-3 with three walks and two RBI.

Eric Kalbfleisch was the only UNCG hitter to finish with multiple hits, going 3-4 with a run scored. Collin Woody picked up the Spartans only RBI on the day while going 1-3 at the plate.

Junior Tyler Britton earned the win on the mound for the Panthers in his first HPU start. The right-hander pitched five innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk while striking out one.

Brennen James started for UNCG and took the loss. James pitched just three innings and gave up three unearned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two.

High Point pushed a run across in each of the first three innings to go ahead early in the contest. McDermott scored the first run of the game on a muffed play at second with two outs in the first and after a sacrifice fly by Woody tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second, the Panthers scored on a bases-loaded walk in the second and a wild pitch in the third to go up 3-1.

UNCG scored another run in the top of the fourth when Tyler Long scored on a bases-loaded double play but HPU came right back with two runs in the top of the frame to extend its lead to 5-2. Senior Josh Spano drove in McDermott for the first run with a grounder to the UNCG second baseman behind the bag and Josh Greene followed with a single to drive in senior Brady Williamson.

High Point added two runs in the seventh and five in the eighth to pull away for the 12-2 win. McDermott singled to drive in the first run in the seventh then came home on a fielding error. The Panthers’ first two runs in the eighth came when Manzella was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and senior Tony Fortier-Bensen scored on a wild pitch. McDermott drove in one with an RBI double, Williamson had a sacrifice fly and Angelis had an RBI double to drive in the final three runs.

The win by High Point evens the home-and-home weekend series between the two inter-Triad rivals at a game apiece.

The Panthers and Spartans will wrap up the three-game series on Monday, Feb. 16, when they meet at UNCG Baseball Stadium in Greensboro, N.C., at 4 p.m.