High Point powers past Charleston Southern, 11-1

Wes Brundridge homered on Friday

CHARLESTON, S.C. - High Point belted four homeruns and Eammon Portice tossed a complete game as the Panthers rolled to an 11-1 win over Charleston Southern in the first game of a three-game Big South Conference series on Friday afternoon at Buccaneer Field.

High Point improved to 5-1 in Big South play and 13-19 overall with the win while the Buccaneers dropped to 10-21 overall, 4-6 in Big South play. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11 am.

Portice cruised through eight innings with a shutout before allowing a Wes Brundridge solo homer in the bottom of the ninth. The sophomore right-hander improved to 3-4 on the season, allowing six hits and striking out seven.

The first four hitters in the HPU order belted homeruns as the Panthers tallied 16 hits on the day. Third baseman Jeff Cowan, designated hitter Chris Norwood and rightfielder Mark Shorey all had homeruns and three hits each. First baseman Randy Schwartz also had three hits and catcher Billy Aguiar had two hits, including a homerun.

High Point scored three runs in each of the first two innings for a 6-0 lead early. The Panthers put the game away with a three-run sixth, adding single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

CSU starter DJ Throneburg (1-4) took the loss, allowing three runs and five hits in 1/3 innings. Brundridge and Justin Fyle had two hits each to pace the Buccaneers offensively.