• Senior Hunter Lee extended his hitting streak to 28 games with a first-inning double and finished the day with a pair of hits.
• Sophomore Muhammed Eid established a new career high with five strikeouts in three innings while getting the start for HPU.
• The Panthers return home on Friday at 6 p.m. to open up a pivotal three-game series with Big South rival Liberty.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A four-run bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the difference on Tuesday night at Hayes Stadium as the High Point University baseball team dropped a 5-2 decision at Charlotte.
High Point (20-16) took care of a pair of personal streaks early as senior Austen Zente singled to lead off the game and extend his hitting streak to 12 games. After a double play, senior Hunter Lee doubled into the right field corner to push his streak to 28 games, the second-longest in the nation this year.
After a scoreless first three innings, HPU moved ahead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. With two on and one down, freshman Tanner Wells, the reigning Big South Freshman of the Week, roped an RBI double inside the third base bag for a 1-0 advantage. Wells finished with a pair of hits on the night, his ninth multi-hit game of the season. The Panthers would get another run in the frame on a balk to move in front 2-0.
Sophomore Muhammed Eid started for High Poitn and held Charlotte (19-17) at bay for the first three innings, allowing only one baserunner on a strikeout passed ball. Eid punched out a career-high five batters in his three hitless frames.
The 49ers got their first hit on a one-out bunt single in the last of the fifth tinning that spurred a four-run rally. HPU had an opportunity to escape the inning still ahead 2-1, but a pop-up that dropped on the infield and rolled foul to extend an at-bat turned into a hit batter. Following a pitching change, Charlotte plated three runs on back-to-back singles to take a 4-2 lead.
Charlotte added a run on a bases loaded walk in the last of the eighth to make it a three-run game. The Panthers were held to seven hits, snapping a streak of eight straight games with double-digit knocks. The seven hits were the fewest for High Point since March 27, a span of 11 games.
Jordan Sergent (1-3) was dealt the loss in relief after being charged with four runs on two hits and two walks in 1.2 frames. Colby Bruce (4-1) pitched four scoreless relief frames for Charlotte to earn the win.
HPU returns home on Friday to open up a crucial three-game series with Big South rival Liberty. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. with 1 p.m. starts on Saturday and Sunday.