High Point Baseball Drops Opener at Campbell, 4-2

• High Point was held to a season-low two hits in the series opener on Friday night at Campbell.
• Senior Hunter Lee reached base three times to extend his on-base streak to 34 consecutive games.
• The Panthers and Camels renew acquaintances in the middle game of the series on Saturday at 6 p.m.

BUIES CREEK, N.C – A bout of small ball in the home half of the fifth inning doomed the High Point University baseball team as Campbell grabbed the opening game of a pivotal three-game series, 4-2, on Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium.

High Point (23-19, 12-7) senior starter Andrew Gottfried had limited the Camels (25-18, 16-3) to a run on four hits in his first four innings of work and entered the fifth with a 2-1 lead. CU loaded the bases with nobody out against Gottfired (4-5) on a jam-shot infield single, hit batter, and fielder’s choice bunt attempt that went awry for the Panthers.

Senior Rion Murrah was summoned from the bullpen and struck out the first man he faced for the first out. However, a true suicide squeeze from Tyler Anshaw tied the game and a hit batter on the next pitch put CU up 3-2. Another suicide squeeze from cleanup hitter Christian Jones pushed the Camels in front 4-2.

High Point started out quick, plating two runs in the first inning on a sacrifice fly from redshirt-junior Daniel Millwee and a two-out RBI single from senior Carson Jackson. That would be the only offense the Panthers produced all night as HPU was held without a hit in its final eight innings.

Campbell starter Allan Winans tossed a complete game two-hitter while striking out 12. Winans (5-4) limited High Point to only three baserunners after the first inning on two hit batters and a walk.

Gottfried (4-5) was charged with four runs (three earned) on five hits in four-plus innings. Murrah and freshman Jacob Kates combined to toss four scoreless innings out of the bullpen for High Point.

The Panthers and Camels continue their three-game set on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.