Spencer Steedley belted his and Charlotte's first home run of the season in the loss. |
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Charlotte Loses Late Lead to Fall Versus High Point
Feb. 4, 2007
Greensboro, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers responded to being held to one hit on Saturday with a ten-hit effort on Sunday, but after gaining a 6-2 lead, the High Point Panthers scored five unanswered runs to win 7-6 at First Horizon Park in Greensboro in college baseball action. The teams split the weekend series to finish 1-1 to start the season.
Senior second baseman Cory Lane and sophomore third baseman Aaron Bray had three hits each to lead the offense, but the Niners bullpen could not hold the lead in the late innings.
Charlotte jumped out to a four-run lead in the second inning. Bray led off the inning with a single, followed by a walk to senior catcher Kris Rochelle. A wild pitch from High Point starter Matt Christie, moved the runners to second and third before first baseman Alex Burt singled to left, bringing home Bray. Sophomore shortstop Alex Chapman lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Rochelle. Doubles by Lane and pitcher/designated hitter Spencer Steedley scored the other two runs for Charlotte.
High Point answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning, but Steedley belted a two run home run to right field, his first of the season, in the fourth to get Charlotte back out to a 6-2 lead. Steedley led the Atlantic 10 conference last season with 13 home runs. Charlotte only had three hits the remainder of the game, setting up the High point comeback.
In the seventh inning, Charlotte trotted out three different pitchers, who gave up four runs on four hits, all singles to the Panthers. The Niners also committed two errors and hit a batter to help out the Panthers.
Charlotte reliever Sam Pierce took the loss. He faced two batters in the seventh, hitting one and allowing a single to the other. The game-winning run, charged to him, was unearned due to the pair of seventh-inning errors on Charlotte.
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Tony Flores of High Point came on in relief of Christie. He lasted five innings, scattering five hits, including the Steedley homer, giving up just the two runs to stop the bleeding for High Point and hold the Niners in check while the offense made the comeback. Reliever Bubba O'Donnell threw the last two innings with the one-run lead to notch his first save of the season.
Steedley tossed the first five innings for Charlotte with scouts in attendance. He allowed three runs, two of them earned, striking out four and walking one. He left with a 6-3 lead, but got a no-decision for his effort. He stayed in as the designated hitter and finished two-for-four at the plate, with one runs scored and three RBI.
Only two Panthers had more than one hit. Leadoff hitter Robby Kuzdale had a pair of hits and runs for HPU, and third baseman Chris Norwood recorded a pair of singles, including a two-RBI hit in the third.
The 49ers will play next Friday and Saturday at Campbell University. The Friday game starts at 3 p.m., while the Saturday contest begins at 2 p.m.
