Box Score
Box Score:  High Point at NCCU


DURHAM, N.C. – The final contest inside the friendly confines of the Durham Athletic Park for North Carolina Central University was a back-and-forth affair through the middle portion of the contest, but four High Point University runs in the sixth and seventh frame gave the visiting Panthers the cushion necessary for the 7-4 victory on Tuesday evening.
 
NCCU threw the first blow in the bottom of the second inning when freshman backstop James Dey (Charlotte, N.C.) led the frame off with a single advancing to second on a Dylan Drayton (Raleigh, N.C.) sacrifice bunt, then moving to third on Mike Krumm’s wild pitch.  That’s when redshirt sophomore Eric Kimber (Greensboro, N.C.) recorded his first career RBI with a flyball to right field to grab a 1-0 advantage.
 
High Point answered back in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead on two hits including an RBI double by Willie Medina and a sacrifice fly by catcher Josh Spano.
 
Back-to-back hits by senior Akeem Hood (Raleigh, N.C.) and junior Tyson Simpson (Burgaw, N.C.) set up the situation that allowed the Eagles to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third on Troy Marrow’s (Lutherville, Md.) sacrifice fly to give him 28 RBI on the year.
 
HPU’s Cody Manzella ripped a one-out double down the left field line in the top of the fourth in which Scott Glover’s RBI single put the Panthers ahead at 3-2, but the Eagles answered back once again.
 
Christian Triplett’s (Wilkesboro, N.C.) sacrifice fly knotted the game up at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, and the maroon and gray offense got rolling in the fifth after Luis Diaz’s (Geneva, N.Y.) 11th double of the year to the wall in right center field.  That’s when Marrow ripped a single to left field giving the Eagles a 4-3 lead after five complete.
 
HPU threw its best punch in the sixth inning with three runs on four hits that included a two RBI double by Dane McDermott double to right center field to give the visiting Panthers the 6-4 lead and added a single run in the seventh off the bat of first baseman Spencer Angelis who crushed his first home run of the year over the right field wall to take a 7-4 lead.
 
From that point on, the maroon and gray managed just one hit as HPU reliever John Maloney came on and shut the door on the Eagles with a career high seven strike outs to earn his third save of the year in the 7-4 victory.
 
NCCU (25-26) recorded 10 hits in the loss while Hood was the lone Eagle to record two hits as every batter recorded at least one hit.  Marrow finished the evening 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBI.
 
HPU (24-24) was energized by McDermott’s 3-for-5 effort at the plate with the backbreaking two RBI double in the sixth inning.
 
The maroon and gray will hit the road for the regular season finale on Wednesday night, May 8 against the Wildcats of Davidson College at 6:00 from Wilson Field.
 
For more information about NCCU athletics, visit www.NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Sports Network app available in the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.