High Point Baseball Drops Home Opener to Charlotte, 12-3

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team opened its 2013 home schedule with a 12-3 loss to Charlotte on Wednesday evening in Williard Stadium. Senior Ryan Retz and sophomore Josh Spano each went 2-4 with an RBI in the loss.

“This was obviously a disappointing loss tonight,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “This is only game four of 56. The game of baseball is a daily grind and you can’t ever think you have this game figured out. Our job is to learn from our mistakes here, but also to have a short memory so we can get ready for this weekend.”

Charlotte took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but High Point came back to take the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. All three runs came with two outs after a throwing error by 49er third baseman Justin Roland. Graduate student Adam Barry started a string of three-straight RBI hits with an opposite-field single to left to score sophomore Spencer Angelis, who had reached on the error. Spano followed and hit a scorching double down the left field line to score Barry then scored himself on a single by Retz.

Charlotte tied the game with two runs in the fifth and took a slim lead with runs in the sixth and seventh. The game broke open in the top of the eighth when the 49ers took advantage of three HPU errors to score seven unearned runs and build a 12-3 lead.

Senior Zach Haile got the start for High Point and pitched 4-2/3 innings. The right hander allowed three runs on five hits while striking out one. Haile was strong early, retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced in the second through fourth innings.

Junior Mike Krumm relieved Haile and took the loss in his first HPU appearance, pitching 1/3 of an inning and allowing one earned run on a hit and a walk.

Hunter May got the win for Charlotte with 3-2/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of starter Jason Harris. Harris went 4-1/3 innings in his first start for Charlotte and allowed three unearned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two.

Retz and Spano both finished with two hits and an RBI for High Point. Barry went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored and also reached on a hit by pitch.

High Point continues its current five-game home stand on Friday at 4 p.m., when it opens a three-game weekend series against LIU Brooklyn. The Blackbirds have yet to play a game and will kick off their 2013 campaign at Williard Stadium. The three-game series will be the first-ever meeting between the two squads.