HPU Baseball Clinches Weekend Series With 9-0 Win Over LIU Brooklyn

• High Point clinched the weekend series against LIU Brooklyn with a 9-0 win over the Blackbirds on Sunday.
• Sophomore Chris Clare matched his career high with four hits, including his first collegiate home run.
• Redshirt-junior Scot Hoffman pitched five shutout innings with seven strikeouts to earn his first HPU win.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Sophomore Chris Clare matched his career high with four hits and knocked out his first collegiate home run as the High Point University baseball team clinched its weekend series against LIU Brooklyn with a 9-0 win on Sunday at Williard Stadium.

“Today was a game we have been looking for all season,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “I love that we came out and got 14 hits and put nine runs on the board. On the mound, any time you throw a shutout you feel good about yourself. That wasa solid team performance that we need to continue to build on as we prepare for four tough games this week.”

Clare went 4-4 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored, including a solo home run in the third, the Panthers’ first of the season. Clare previously had four hits in High Point’s win over North Carolina A&T last April.

Redshirt-junior Scot Hoffman tossed five shutout innings in his third start of the season to earn his first HPU win. Hoffman allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out seven in his five innings of work. Sophomore Cas Silber, senior Will Resnik, sophomore Andre Scrubb and redshirt-junior Joe Goodman combined to throw four shutout innings in relief, allowing just one hit.

Nick Freijomil took the loss for the Blackbirds, dropping to 0-1 on the season. The right-hander allowed seven earned runs on nine hits while striking out one in 3-2/3 innings of work.

The series win is the first of the season for the Panthers, who improve to 4-9 on the season. LIU Brooklyn falls to 3-3 with the loss.

High Point scored the first run of the game in the second inning on an RBI single by freshman Carson Jackson. Senior Spencer Angelis led off the frame with a double to the wall before coming around to score when Jackson sent a single through the left side of the infield.

The Panthers doubled their lead in the next inning on Clare’s first career home run. The HPU second baseman turned on an 0-2 pitch and sent it over the wall in left to put HPU in front, 2-0.

High Point broke the game open with five runs in the fourth to go ahead, 7-0. Senior Tony Fortier-Bensen drove in the first run with an RBI groundout and was followed by an RBI double by senior Josh Spano, an RBI single by Clare, an RBI double from freshman Hunter Lee and an RBI single by senior Dane McDermott.

HPU added two runs in the eighth to push its lead to 9-0. Clare and Lee hit back-to-back one-out singles and came around to score on an RBI double by junior Dominic Fazio and an RBI single by senior Cody Manzella.

Lee went 2-5 out of the leadoff spot and finished with an RBI and two runs scored for the Panthers. Jackson also finished with multiple hits, going 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Tommy Jakubowski continued his strong weekend and was the only Blackbird player with multiple hits, as he went 2-3 with a walk on the day.

High Point hits the road for four-straight beginning with a midweek contest at Charlotte on Tuesday, March 10. First pitch in the game against the 49ers is set for 4 p.m.