HPU Baseball Falls Late To Coastal Carolina, 6-4

• High Point gave up five runs in the eighth inning to drop the opening game of the weekend to Coastal Carolina, 6-3.
• Senior Josh Spano had a double and two RBI for HPU in the loss.
• Senior John McGillicuddy allowed one run in seven innings and struck out a career-best 10 CCU batters.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team dropped the first game of the weekend series against Coastal Carolina by a score of 6-4 on Saturday night at Williard Stadium. Senior John McGillicuddy struck out a career-high 10 CCU batters in the contest.

“We did not do a good enough job of getting separation in the middle innings tonight and that cost us,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “We went to our bullpen, which has been very reliable this year, and they got hammered. Credit to Coastal for getting it done late in the game. This was just game one so we have to figure out a way to bounce back and win the series.”

High Point led 3-1 heading into the eighth inning, but Coastal scored five runs in the frame to take a 6-3 lead. Michael Paez and G.K. Young hit back-to-back RBI doubles and David Parrett drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single. Zach Remillard then drove in two runs with an RBI double to put the Chanticleers up by three.

High Point scored a run in the bottom of the ninth on back-to-back throwing errors but senior Tony Fortier-Bensen was thrown out on the second error trying to advance to second for the final out of the night.

Redshirt-junior Joe Goodman took the loss for the Panthers, dropping to 0-1 on the season. Goodman gave up three earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two in two-thirds of an inning.

Bobby Holmes pitched 3-2/3 innings out of the pen and gave up one unearned run to improve to 3-0 for Coastal Carolina. Holmes allowed just one hit and struck out two.

The Panthers drop to 17-15 overall and 6-4 in the Big South with the loss. It is HPU’s first loss in a series opener in conference play. Coastal Carolina improves to 24-9 and 8-2 in the Big South.

High Point drew first blood with two runs in the third inning on an RBI double by senior Josh Spano. Fortier-Bensen reached on an error with two outs and freshman Hunter Lee walked to put two on for the HPU catcher. Spano hit a shot to the wall in the right-center gap, clearing the bases and putting HPU ahead.

The Panthers added a run in the following inning as senior Spencer Angelis led off the frame with a double and came in on a sacrifice fly by freshman Carson Jackson. The run pushed the High Point advantage to 3-0.

Coastal got on the board for the first time in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Young to pull to within two at 3-1.

McGillicuddy started for High Point and took a no-decision after allowing just one earned run on two hits and four walks in seven innings of work. The 10 strikeouts by the right-hander are a new career high, besting the previous best of eight, which he did twice including against Campbell earlier this season.

High Point and Coastal Carolina continue their three-game series on Sunday, April 12, at Williard Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.