• High Point dropped the series finale to UNC Asheville by a score of 3-1 on Saturday at Williard Stadium.
• Junior Austen Zente and redshirt-senior Tim Mansfield combined to go 4-7 at the top of the order for the Panthers.
• The Big South series win was the third-straight for HPU.
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University baseball team fell to UNC Asheville by a score of 3-1 in the weekend finale on Saturday at Williard Stadium. Junior Austen Zente finished 2-3 and drove in HPU’s only run in the contest.
“We won the series this weekend but it is a real shame we weren’t able to complete the sweep today,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “I knew based on the conditions of the day that runs were going to be tough to come by and we gave up three unearned runs in the third. That was essentially the ballgame. Matt Hodges gave us every chance to get back into the game but we didn’t have anyone step up and do anything offensively.”
Freshman Trevor Holloway was charged with the loss, dropping to 2-4 on the season. Holloway allowed three unearned runs on four hits and two walks in 3-1/3 innings of work.
Spencer Orr earned the win for UNC Asheville and improved to 2-3 on the year. Orr pitched into the eighth inning, allowing just one earned run on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 7-2/3 innings of work.
The Panthers fall to 19-16 overall and 7-8 in the Big South with the loss while the Bulldogs improve to 14-21 overall and 5-7 in conference play.
Asheville took advantage of several HPI miscues in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs loaded the bases before pushing three runs across on an RBI single, an error and a bases-loaded walk.
The Panthers scored their lone run of the day in the seventh when Zente hit a single through the left side to drive in sophomore Conner Dunbar who had reached with a double to the wall in right.
Zente reached base three times on the day, finishing 2-3 with a walk and an RBI. Redshirt-senior Tim Mansfield went 2-4, combining with Zente to go 4-7 at the top of the Panther order.
High Point remains home this week for a midweek game against inter-Triad rival UNC Greensboro on Tuesday, April 18. First pitch in the game is set for 6 p.m.