Williams? Solo Homer Highlights Four-Run Fifth In High Point?s 16-3 Win Over Duke

Wednesday, April 5

High Point, NC

3:00 PM

Duke University

High Point

Williams? Solo Homer Highlights Four-Run Fifth In High Point?s 16-3 Win Over Duke

4/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

HIGH POINT, N.C. ? Center fielder J. Williams crushed a solo home run over the right field wall to highlight a four-run fifth inning for High Point as the Panthers defeated the Duke Blue Devils, 16-3, on Wednesday afternoon at George S. Erath Field. The Blue Devils fall to 10-24 on the season while the Panthers improve to 15-20.

Leading 6-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, Williams hit a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right field to start the inning. Shortstop Alfie Wheeler added a two-run single and scored when catcher Billy Aguiar was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Panthers a 10-1 lead.

High Point took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Third baseman Jeff Cowan led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Three batters later, Aguiar laced an RBI-single to left to score Cowan.

The Panthers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 3-0. Williams singled up the middle to start the inning. After first baseman Randy Schwartz singled to left to give High Point runners on the corners, he advanced to second on a groundout by second baseman Dustin Holtzman. Left fielder Matt Gantner then roped a two-run single to left, scoring Williams and Schwartz.

Duke made it a 3-1 ballgame in the top of the third. After center fielder Jonathan Anderson lined out to the pitcher, right fielder Jimmy Gallagher drove a 3-2 pitch the opposite way for a solo home run.

Designated hitter Chris Norwood would score on a Duke error in the bottom of the third to give the Panthers a 4-1 advantage.

High Point grabbed a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run single by right fielder Mark Shorey.

First baseman Jonathan Nicolla had a solo home run and designated hitter Nate Freiman added an RBI-single in the sixth to make it a 10-3 ballgame. Nicolla crushed a 3-1 pitch over the scoreboard just beyond the left field wall for his fourth long ball of the season. Freiman capped the frame with an RBI-single to left.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wheeler lined an RBI-single to left, Gantner and Wheeler scored on two wild pitches and Justin Pinyan added an RBI-single to left to give the Panthers a 14-3 advantage.

Pinch hitter Eric Marion laced an RBI-double into the left field corner and Wheeler added an RBI-sacrifice fly to center in the seventh to extend High Point's lead to 16-3.

High Point starter Chris Marks improved to 3-3 on the season, holding the Blue Devils to one run on six hits in 5.0 innings of work. Marks, who registered three strikeouts in the win, got out of bases loaded jams in the first and fourth innings.

Duke starter Andrew Wolcott fell to 1-2 after allowing 10 runs on 12 hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Of the 10 runs charged to Wolcott, six were earned.

Gallagher led the Blue Devils at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored. Shortstop Brett Bartles also collected a pair of hits for Duke.

Gantner went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored to lead High Point. Cowan, Shorey, Williams and Wheeler all had two hits apiece in the win.

Duke will return to Jack Coombs Field on Friday for the start of a three-game series with No. 18 Virginia. Friday's first pitch is set for 7 p.m. while Saturday and Sunday's games will begin at 1 p.m.

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