• High Point clinched the series against the College of Charleston with a 6-5 win in Charleston, S.C., on Sunday.
• Senior Josh Spano and freshman Carson Jackson both had two hits for the Panthers in the win.
• Redshirt-junior Scot Hoffman earned the win on the mound to improve to 2-2.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The High Point University baseball team clinched its second series of the season with a 6-5 win over the College of Charleston on Sunday afternoon in Charleston, S.C. Senior Josh Spano and freshman Carson Jackson each had two hits in the win.
“This is a very difficult place to come in and win a series,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “Our guys are becoming battle tested. I am very proud of our effort today. Hoffman battled and Scrubb was tremendous out of the bullpen. I was very pleased with our calmness and confidence when the game got tight late. This is an outstanding way to head into conference play.”
Redshirt-junior Scot Hoffman started and pitched five innings to earn his second win of the season, improving to 2-2. Hoffman gave up four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out three.
Sophomore Andre Scrubb earned the save after pitching four innings in relief. The right-hander allowed just one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out five.
Nathan Helvey took the loss for the Cougars, dropping to 2-3 on the season. Helvey pitched six innings and allowed six runs, two earned, on six hits and one walk while striking out two.
High Point has won five of its past seven games and is now 7-10 on the season. The College of Charleston drops to 10-6 with the loss.
The Panthers came out swinging in the game as freshman Hunter Lee singled on the first pitch and stole second on the next pitch. Spano then hit a double just inside the third-base bag to score Lee and give HPU the early 1-0 lead.
High Point exploded for five runs in the third to extend its lead to 6-0. The first two runs scored when a bases loaded shot to third by senior Spencer Angelis hit off the Cougar fielder’s glove. Jackson followed with an RBI single to score two runs and then came around to score on an RBI single by senior Brady Williamson.
The College of Charleston trimmed into the Panther lead, scoring one run in the third, two runs in the fourth and a run in the fifth to pull to within two at 6-4. Carl Wise drove in the first run with a ground ball to third, Champ Rowland and Ryan Brown had RBI in the fourth and Wise hit a solo home run in the fifth.
CofC scored one run on a sacrifice fly to pull to within one at 6-5 in the ninth inning and had the winning run on first when Scrubb got a fly ball to right to seal the win.
Spano finished the game going 2-4 at the plate with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Jackson went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Lee went 1-2 with two runs scored and was hit by a pitch twice.
Wise went 1-4 with two RBI and a run scored and Phillips went 2-5 with a run scored for Charleston.
High Point returns home to Williard Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, to play host to North Carolina A&T. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.