FURMAN EDGES HIGH POINT 8-7 IN EXTRA INNINGS
High Point, N.C.--High Point pounded out twice as many hits as Furman, but the Paladins got an unearned run in the 11th and kept HPU off the board in the bottom of the inning to edge the Panthers 8-7 Wednesday afternoon at Erath Field.
The Paladins improve to 13-13, while HPU drops to 9-21 on the season.
HPU out-hit Furman, 16-8, but committed five errors to keep the Paladins in it.
In the top of the 11th with the score tied at 7-7, Furman’s Derek Norman hit a grounder to third, but a high throw by third baseman Matt Christie pulled first baseman Kemp Smith off the base and allowed Norman to reach base. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dominic Frankey. After Mark Shorey replaced Travis Motsinger (1-1) on the hill for HPU, pinch-hitter Drew Latora flew out, but pinch-hitter Matthew Betsill singled up the middle to score Norman and give Furman an 8-7 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Rey Rojas and Smith gave the Panthers runners at first and second with no one out. But Furman reliever Jon Stallsmith struck out Chris Draska and got Nick Thompson to ground out. The runners moved to second and third, but Stallsmith struck out Shorey to shut the door for his second save of the year.
David Mitchell (2-1) got the win in relief for the Paladins. Norman led Furman at the plate going 1-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The Paladins take on Wofford this weekend in a three-game Southern Conference
series in Spartanburg, S.C. The series begins with a double header on Saturday
at 12:00 p.m.