Parade of HPU Baseball Panther Pitchers Shuts Down A&T, 3-1

• Nine different High Point pitchers combined to hold North Carolina A&T to an unearned run on five hits.
• Junior Conner Dunbar provided the big blow with a go-ahead two-run, two-out double in the last of the sixth inning.
• Senior Jordan Sergent and freshman Tanner Wells extended their hitting streak to 10 and nine games, respectively.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team showed off its depth on the mound with nine pitchers combining to spin a five-hitter in a 3-1 triumph over North Carolina A&T on Wednesday night at Williard Stadium. HPU completed the season sweep of A&T with the win.

“This was a nice ballgame tonight,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “It was great to see us roll a bunch of guys out on the mound and compete. JJ Woodard and Conner Dunbar came up with the big RBI’s, and defensively, we turned four double plays, which is great. This is a good win against a solid A&T ballclub.”

High Point (22-18) entered the night with a plan of one pitcher per inning. Sophomore Muhammed Eid led things off and ceded an unearned run in the first inning after a two-out error. The Aggies (22-19) would be held off the board for the rest of the night.

The Panthers utilized four double plays, induced by senior Matt Hodges in the second inning, freshman Jacob Winger in the third, freshman Jacob Kates in the sixth, and sophomore Garrett Letchworth in the seventh. Additionally, junior Cooper Jeffers picked off a baserunner after a leadoff single in the top of the fifth inning. Kates (1-2) was credited with his first collegiate win by virtue of pitching the top of the sixth before HPU took the lead in the home half.

HPU had tied the game in the home half of the fifth on a leadoff solo homer from junior JJ Woodard. In the sixth inning, senior Jordan Sergent and freshman Tanner Wells collected back-to-back one-out singles to extend their hitting streaks to 10 and nine games, respectively. After a strikeout, junior Conner Dunbar came through with a two-run double to the left-center gap to put the Panthers ahead 3-1.

Nursing a two-point lead, High Point turned to senior Rion Murrah with a runner at first and one out in the eighth. Murrah struck out back-to-back hitters to erase the threat and then worked around a pair of baserunners in the ninth, completing the game with a looking strikeout to pick up his fourth save of the campaign.

High Point’s nine pitchers allowed only six balls to leave the infield all night, including just one flyout. The group combined for five strikeouts and forced 16 groundouts.

HPU will take the weekend off for final exams before retuning to action on Tuesday at home against Wake Forest. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.