HIGH POINT, N.C. – Freshman Spencer Angelis went 3-4 at the plate with his first career home run to lead the High Point University baseball team to an 11-6 win over Manhattan in the opening game of the weekend series. Freshman Joe Goodman pitched five innings of relief with a career-high six strikeouts for the win on Friday at Williard Stadium.
“I was glad to see our offense respond tonight,” said head coach Craig Cozart. “Manhattan scored four runs in the fourth but we answered in the very next inning with four runs and I knew then that we would win tonight. Malcolm Clapsaddle had a tough night but Joe Goodman was the story out of the bullpen. He was outstanding and gave us time to stack up hits.”
Goodman entered the game in the fourth inning, replacing HPU starter Malcolm Clapsaddle. Goodman gave High Point five innings of relief, allowing just one unearned run on three hits with six strikeouts for his second win of the season. His record stands at 2-0 for the year.
Angelis drove in five runs on the night, going 3-5 with the first home run of his career. He gave the Panthers a 6-5 lead in the fifth inning with a three-run homer to leftfield. He picked up two more RBI in the seventh inning with a single down the leftfield line that extended High Point’s lead to 10-6.
Clapsaddle lasted just 3-2/3 innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits with two strikeouts. The Jaspers took a 5-2 lead in the fourth to knock Clapsaddle out of the game with one runner on base. Goodman came out and recorded the final out of the fourth, stranding his inherited runner. He has stranded six runners on base this season, allowing just one inherited runner to score all year.
The Panthers answered with four runs in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 6-5 lead. Ryan Retz doubled and scored. Manhattan starter John Soldinger then walked Devin Bujnovsky and Scott Glover before giving up the home run to Angelis.
Manhattan briefly tied the game 6-6 with an unearned run in the sixth but the Panthers sealed the win with four runs in the eighth. Ryne Rush and Glover had RBI hits and once again Angelis had the big hit of the winning with a two-RBI single down the leftfield line.
Dan Feinberg took the loss for the Jaspers, allowing two runs in 1/3 inning of work. He falls to 0-1 this season.
Angelis finished the night 3-4 with five RBI and a run scored. Glover went 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored and Rush was 2-4 with two runs scored.
The Panthers improve to 9-7 this season while Manhattan drops to 1-9. The teams will play on Saturday at 2 p.m. Matt Armstead will start for High Point and the Jaspers will send senior right-hander Mike Giordano to the mound.