GAME NOTES (pdf)
LIVE STATS
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Friday's Starting Pitchers
HPU: Sr., RH Jamie Serber
EKU: So., RH Matt Harris
Saturday's Starting Pitchers
HPU: Jr., LH Brian Jones
EKU: Jr., RH Stephen Hefler
Sunday's Starting Pitchers
HPU: Fr., RH Jared Avidon
EKU: Fr., RH Anthony Bazzani
The Series: HPU hosts Eastern Kentucky for a three-game weekend series. It is the first meeting between the two teams in High Point’s Division I era. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Opponent: Eastern Kentucky currently has a four-game win streak, with midweek wins over North Carolina A&T and UNC Greensboro. Last weekend they dropped the first game in the series at Presbyterian but came back to win on Saturday and Sunday. All three EKU starting pitchers will be making their third starts of the season, with Friday’s starter Matt Harris still looking for his first win of the season. Third baseman Jayson Langfels is batting .450 with three homers and 10 RBI and first baseman Anthony Ottrando is hitting .355 with five homers and 13 RBI.
Last Series: High Point split a midweek series with Richmond, picking up a 5-4 win on Tuesday before falling 2-1 on Wednesday. Kyle Starned picked up his first win on Tuesday, pitching 1-1/3 scorless innings in relief of starter Mike Caldwell. Caldwell gave up three runs in 5-2/3 innings and had a career high seven strikeouts. Murray White IV went 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored. In the second game five errors hurt the Panthers, as they lost 2-1 and both runs were unearned. In his first start freshman Zach Haile pitched five innings, giving up one unearned run on five hits. Wes Torrez picked up the loss. Matt Gantner had the lone RBI in the game. With his ninth double of the season he scored Nate Roberts for HPU’s only run.
Pitching Staff: Senior Jamie Serber will continue his run as HPU’s Friday starter. He picked up his first win last Friday against Towson, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits. In his start against Fairleigh Dickinson he posted a career high seven strikeouts. Junior Brian Jones will be the Saturday starter after pitching 3-2/3 innings last Saturday in his second start of the season. Freshman Jared Avidon picked up his first career win last Sunday, pitching five innings and allowing two runs on six hits and three walks.
Watch List: Junior catcher Kyle Mahoney was named to the 2010 Coleman Company Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The award is given annually to the top Division I catcher. Mahoney is the second Panther to be named to the watch list. Billy Alvino was named to the watch list from 2007-09 and was a semifinalist last year. He currently leads the team with a .452 batting average and 19 hits. He has 12 RBI and six stolen bases. He has thrown out six base runners and has one pick off.
Roberts hits three homers against Towson: Roberts hit three home runs on just five pitches and added two singles to finish the Friday’s game against Towson 5-5 with six RBI. He is the first Panther since Josh Cotton to hit three home runs in one game. Cotton did it on March 15, 2005 at East Carolina. Two of the homers went over the left field wall and one was hit to the scoreboard in right field.
Big South Honors: Nate Roberts was named Big South Player of the Week on March 8 after hitting .615 in the Towson series. He had three homers in the opening game of the series, to different parts of the stadium. He posted a 1.308 slugging percentage and .688 on base percentage for the weekend.
HPU win streak record: With Wednesday’s loss to Richmond the Panthers snapped a seven-game win streak. It is the longest win streak in the Division I era. High Point also set the record for consecutive games with 10+ runs scored, scoring at least 10 runs in five straight games this season. The Panthers 8-3 start is the best in Division I history.
Shutout: Three pitcher combined for a three hit shutout on Friday. It was the first shutout for HPU since April 5, 2008. Jamie Serber started the game, throwing seven innings with Corey Swickle and Zach Haile each pitching an inning of relief.
Welcome Back: Matt Gantner is back for his senior season after missing the 2009 campaign with an injury. The left fielder is hitting .343 and hit his first carer homer against FDU. He is tied for the league lead in doubles (9) and second in RBI (18) and walks (10). 10 of his 12 hits are for extra bases.
Hit Streaks: Murray White IV has a career-long 11 game hit streak. He is the only Panther to get a hit in all 11 games this season.
Stolen Bases: With 31 stolen bases already this season the Panthers are already more than half way to the total from 2009. HPU had 44 stolen bases last season. Nate Roberts leads the team with 10 stolen bases. Kyle Mahoney has six stolen bases. The team record for stolen bases in a season is 108 in 2004 and the individual record is held by Joe Garbarino who stole 45 in 1977.
In Relief: Junior Corey Swickle is 2-0 on the season with both his wins coming in relief. He leads the team with seven appearances, having pitched 12-2/3 innings with 20 strikeouts and four walks.
Home Sweet Home: HPU plays 31 games at Williard Stadium this season, including 18 of the first 21 games. The Panthers are 8-2 at home and play three more games at Williard Stadium before going to NC A&T on Match 16 for just the second road game of the season.
HPU Fifth in Preseason Poll: The Panthers were picked to finish fifth in the Big South Preseason Poll. HPU was ranked behind (1) Coastal Carolina, (2) Liberty, (3) Winthrop and (4) Radford. VMI was picked sixth behind HPU with (7) Charleston Southern, (8) Gardner-Webb, (9) Presbyterian and (10) UNC Asheville rounding out the conference. HiPU finished the 2009 season in sixth place with a 21-32 (11-12) record.
Coach Cozart: Craig Cozart is in his second season as the head coach of the HPU baseball team. He came to High Point after 12 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Central Florida. In his career, 31 of Cozart’s pitchers have signed professional contracts, including 26 in the Major League Draft. In his first season at High Point, closer Jeremy Berg signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. Cozart helped guide the Knights to a 455-274 overall mark and five NCAA Tournament appearances during his 12 seasons.
Last Season: In 2009, the first season under head coach Craig Cozart, the Panthers went 21-32 (11-12 Big South Conference) with two wins in the Big South Tournament, a first for the program. The Panthers had two wins over No. 14 Coastal Carolina during the regular season and defeated No. 4 North Carolina, the highest ranked opponent High Point has ever beaten. The Panthers set school records in hits (605) and doubles (118). The team’s .317 batting average was its best since joining Division I and improved from .276 in 2008.
Up Next: High Point will have a road game for just the second time this season, going to North Carolina A&T Tuesday for a 3 p.m. game. On Wednesday High Point will host East Carolina at 6 p.m. to make up the game that was canceled due to snow on March 2.