HIGH POINT, N.C. – After earning back-to-back come-from-behind wins against Old Dominion last week, High Point University was unable to triplicate its previous performance, falling to triad rival UNCG by a final of 6-2.
The Panthers surrendered runs in the first inning for the third time this year, spotting the visiting Spartans an early 3-0 lead in the opening frame. The visitors tacked on an additional run in the following inning before the Panthers’ bats would get going in the fourth.
Stepping into the box for his second at bat of the night, sophomore Travis Holt laced a two-out double down the right field line to get High Point into scoring position for the first time. After a Daniel Millwee walk gave the Panthers a pair of runners, Holt crossed home on the following at bat with Joe Johnson’s single to left field. The designated hitter extended his hitting streak to three straight games with his fourth inning-knock, giving him a total of five RBI on the year thus far.
The Purple & White cut the Spartans’ lead to two in the fifth, on Tanner Wells’ first RBI-knock of 2019. After reaching on a fielder’s choice, freshman Trent Harris bolted to second on a UNCG fielding error, before a shot up the middle from Wells brought the young infielder home.
With both teams going scoreless in the proceeding frames, the Spartans added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the eighth to go ahead by a count of 6-2, proving to be the ultimate scoreline at the end of the contest.
Righty Muhammed Eid took the loss in his first start for the Panthers in 2019, giving up four earned runs over seven innings of work. The junior settled in after a rough start to the contest, allowing just three base runners from the third to seventh innings. Eid finished his night with three strikeouts in all, without walking a single batter during his time on the bump.
“Yeah Muhammed [Eid] had a tough first inning – gave up a three-run home run, but then gets through seven innings, [putting us] in a position to win,” said Head Coach Craig Cozart. “So you can’t ask for more than that. I was very impressed with him figuring out a way to get us deep into the game and still in a position to win…”
The Spartans’ two runs in the eighth would both go down as unearned as Nick Niarchos, Jack Nathan and Chris Apecechea closed out the Panthers’ night on the mound. Nathan made his collegiate debut two outs into the eighth, as he and Apecechea both made scoreless appearances at the tail end of Tuesday’s contest.
>> Holt finished the night 2-for-4 with a run scored, while freshman Evan Bergman collected the first knock of his career at High Point in the seventh
>> The Panther pitching staff gave up just a single walk combined, the least they’ve given up all year
>> With Millwee’s walk in the fourth, the senior has reached base safely in every game to start the 2019 season
COMING UP NEXT
The Panthers will stay at home to host Saint Joseph’s as HPU matches up with the Hawks in a weekend series for the first time in Division I history. The series is slated to start this coming Friday at Williard Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 4 PM.