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HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead as the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team fell to the Panthers, 6-4, on Saturday afternoon at Williard Stadium in the second game of this weekend’s series.

Leading 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth, junior Paul Duncan allowed the first two batters of the inning to reach base, and then gave up a two-run triple to Max Fulginiti into the gap in right center. A single by Steve Antolik then scored Fulginiti to make it 6-4.

The Colonels got two runners aboard in the top of the ninth, but sophomore Michael Garcia went down on strikes to end the game.

Duncan (1-1) received the loss for EKU. Junior Stephen Hefler delivered a quality start for the Colonels, going 6.1 innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits.

Corey Swickle (3-0) came on in relief in the fifth inning and got the win for HPU, working 3.1 innings and allowing two runs on two hits.

All of the Colonels’ first four batters in the lineup recorded two hits on the day. Junior Jayson Langfels led EKU with three RBI, two of which came on a home run off Swickle in the fifth.

Fulginiti led the Panthers offensively, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs scored.

Three potential Colonel rallies were stymied by double plays in the first three innings. Sophomore Jacob Daniel singled in the first inning but was doubled up at first base after Langfels flew out to right field. The second inning saw the first two EKU batters reach base; however, sophomore Dustin Dunlop laced a hard groundball that was converted into a 6-4-3 double play. In the third inning, the Colonels loaded the bases with one out, but when Langfels popped out in foul territory, junior Bryce Labhart was thrown out at the plate trying to score.

Meanwhile, High Point manufactured a run in the first and another in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, however, the Colonels finally rallied as Labhart walked to lead off the inning and went to second on a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt by sophomore Brian Shrimpton. Daniel then continued to torch the Panthers as he crushed a double off the wall in left field that scored Labhart and pulled EKU to within one. Following an HPU pitching change, Langfels blasted the first pitch he saw over the wall in left to give EKU the lead, 3-2.

Langfels drove in another run in the top of the seventh with a double into the gap in right center that plated sophomore Richie Rodriguez and expanded the lead to 4-2.

HPU threatened in the bottom half of the inning as the Panthers loaded the bases with just one out. However, sophomore Eric Sanders relieved Hefler and limited the damage, holding HPU to just one run by getting pinch hitter Sal Pezzino to ground out to first base and Murray White IV to hit into a fielder’s choice.

The Panthers took the lead in eighth, though, when Fulginiti roped a two-run triple into left center. Fulginiti then came home on a single by Antolik, making the score 6-4 heading into the ninth.

The Colonels will play High Point in the final game of this weekend’s series tomorrow, March 14, at 1:00 p.m.