• High Point lost at home to Gardner-Webb, 7-2, to even the weekend series with the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
• Junior Carson Jackson went 2-4 with his sixth home run of the season in the loss.
• Freshman Drew Daczkowski took the loss on the mound despite matching career highs with seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts.
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team fell to Gardner-Webb by a score of 7-2 on Saturday at Williard Stadium to even the weekend series at a game apiece. Junior Carson Jackson went 2-4 with a home run in the loss.
“This was just one of those games where we weren’t able to generate much,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “We have to do a better job finishing pitches. We need to make more quality pitches when we are in control of an at bat and keep the ball in the park. At the plate, we need to get something going when our starter settles in. Now we need to come out tomorrow and attempt to win the series.”
Freshman Drew Daczkowski matched career highs with seven innings pitched and seven strikeouts but took the loss to drop to 2-3 on the season. The right-hander allowed four earned runs on seven hits and two walks.
Bradley Hallman allowed two run, one earned, in seven innings to pick up the win for Gardner-Webb. Hallman allowed five hits and two walks while striking out four in his seven innings of work.
The Panthers drop to 12-14 overall and 2-6 in the Big South while GWU improves to 13-15 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Gardner-Webb’s Collin Thacker gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the first to score Mickey Dugan who reached on a check-swing single. Gage Parham then doubled the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ lead with a solo home run in the fourth to put GWU up 2-0.
Jackson put the Panthers on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, his sixth of the season. The outfielder hit a 1-1 pitch out to the deepest part of the park to cut the HPU deficit in half.
A two-run home run by Gardner-Webb’s Danny Sullivan put HPU down 4-1 in the fifth, but the Panthers got a run back in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from junior Austen Zente.
Sullivan padded the GWU lead in the ninth with a three-run home in the ninth to bring the final score to 7-2.
Jackson finished 2-4 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored and junior Clake Schunk went 2-4 with a run scored.
High Point and Gardner-Webb wrap up their weekend series on Sunday, April 2, when the two teams meet at Williard Stadium for the third and final game. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.