HPCA falls in season-opener
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer
HIGH POINT — High Point Christian had some good plays and some hiccups, but that’s to be expected in its season opener.
The Cougars gave up a couple runs early, battled back to tie it before allowing one late run in falling 3-2 against SouthLake Christian in nonconference baseball Tuesday at Oak View Baptist Church.
“Growing pains,” HPCA coach Corey Gesell said. “The guys are very excited about the season, they’ve worked really hard. We just have some inexperienced players right now, and so we’ve got to continue to grow and get better and get in a routine of playing and practicing and teaching.”
Sam Sapp had a hit and an RBI, Noah Hill had a double and Eli Crump tallied an RBI on a bases-loaded walk to lead the Cougars (0-1), who, after winning the NCISAA 3A state championship in 2019, only played six games last season before stopping play in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Crump also pitched solidly despite taking the loss. He struck out 10 and scattered four hits in six innings while walking four and hitting one. A couple fluke plays helped stake the Eagles to a two-run lead early and then regain the lead in the latter innings. But other than that Crump was pretty strong.
“Eli’s great. He’s a tough left-hander,” Gesell said. “He mixes his pitches up, and when he does that he’s really tough. He’s a senior leader for us, and the team expects him to come out with efforts like that.”
SouthLake scored a run in a hitless first — reaching on a hit-by-pitch and later scoring on a sacrifice fly. It added another run in the fourth on a walk, bloop single and a soft infield single — the throw to first sailing wide of the bag.
But in the fifth, HPCA, with two on and no outs, scored one on an RBI single by Sapp. Then, with the bases loaded and one out after Carter Bass drew a hard-fought walk, added another run on a walk by Crump to tie it.
SouthLake, however, answered in the top of the sixth. The leadoff batter doubled on a fly ball along the right-field line that hit off the outfielder’s glove. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a ball down the left-field line.
The Cougars went 1-2-3 in both the sixth and seventh. Matthew Asuma got the win for the Eagles (1-0) in 22/3 innings in relief of lefty Tyler Herkey. Gavin Fragale had a double, a sacrifice fly and an RBI to highlight the offense.
Not many of HPCA’s slip-ups were egregious — and those plays should improve with game experience, Gesell said — but an extra base here and there added up.
“There’s nothing like game situations,” he said. “Coaches can hit fungos all day long, but it’s seeing balls off the bat from the hitter where outfielders have to judge the ball.
“That’s a lot different than a coach hitting fungos. So, it’s early in the season. We’ve had a lot of rain. We have been on the field some, but we’ve just got to keep getting better.”
The Cougars will play again Thursday at home against Providence Day.
“I’m very hopeful, because the kids practice hard, they listen, they do everything we ask of them,” Gesell said. “Right now, I think every day and every game is really going to help because we’re young.”
mlindsay@hpenews.com | 336-888-3526 | @HPEmichael
SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN 3, HP CHRISTIAN 2
SLC 100 101 0 – 3 4 1
HPCA 000 020 0 – 2 4 1
WP – Asuma (2 2/3 IP, 2K, 1BB, 0H, 0R); LP – Crump (6IP, 10K, 3BB, 4H, 3R, 3ER)
Leading hitters – SLC: Fragale (1-3, 2B, SF, RBI); Campbell (1-3, RBI); Herkey (1-2 RBI); HPCA: Sapp (1-3, RBI), Crump (0-2, RBI), Hill (1-3, 2B)
Michael Lindsay | Enterprise Sports Writer
HIGH POINT — High Point Christian had some good plays and some hiccups, but that’s to be expected in its season opener.
The Cougars gave up a couple runs early, battled back to tie it before allowing one late run in falling 3-2 against SouthLake Christian in nonconference baseball Tuesday at Oak View Baptist Church.
“Growing pains,” HPCA coach Corey Gesell said. “The guys are very excited about the season, they’ve worked really hard. We just have some inexperienced players right now, and so we’ve got to continue to grow and get better and get in a routine of playing and practicing and teaching.”
Sam Sapp had a hit and an RBI, Noah Hill had a double and Eli Crump tallied an RBI on a bases-loaded walk to lead the Cougars (0-1), who, after winning the NCISAA 3A state championship in 2019, only played six games last season before stopping play in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Crump also pitched solidly despite taking the loss. He struck out 10 and scattered four hits in six innings while walking four and hitting one. A couple fluke plays helped stake the Eagles to a two-run lead early and then regain the lead in the latter innings. But other than that Crump was pretty strong.
“Eli’s great. He’s a tough left-hander,” Gesell said. “He mixes his pitches up, and when he does that he’s really tough. He’s a senior leader for us, and the team expects him to come out with efforts like that.”
SouthLake scored a run in a hitless first — reaching on a hit-by-pitch and later scoring on a sacrifice fly. It added another run in the fourth on a walk, bloop single and a soft infield single — the throw to first sailing wide of the bag.
But in the fifth, HPCA, with two on and no outs, scored one on an RBI single by Sapp. Then, with the bases loaded and one out after Carter Bass drew a hard-fought walk, added another run on a walk by Crump to tie it.
SouthLake, however, answered in the top of the sixth. The leadoff batter doubled on a fly ball along the right-field line that hit off the outfielder’s glove. He moved to third on a groundout and scored on a ball down the left-field line.
The Cougars went 1-2-3 in both the sixth and seventh. Matthew Asuma got the win for the Eagles (1-0) in 22/3 innings in relief of lefty Tyler Herkey. Gavin Fragale had a double, a sacrifice fly and an RBI to highlight the offense.
Not many of HPCA’s slip-ups were egregious — and those plays should improve with game experience, Gesell said — but an extra base here and there added up.
“There’s nothing like game situations,” he said. “Coaches can hit fungos all day long, but it’s seeing balls off the bat from the hitter where outfielders have to judge the ball.
“That’s a lot different than a coach hitting fungos. So, it’s early in the season. We’ve had a lot of rain. We have been on the field some, but we’ve just got to keep getting better.”
The Cougars will play again Thursday at home against Providence Day.
“I’m very hopeful, because the kids practice hard, they listen, they do everything we ask of them,” Gesell said. “Right now, I think every day and every game is really going to help because we’re young.”
mlindsay@hpenews.com | 336-888-3526 | @HPEmichael
SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN 3, HP CHRISTIAN 2
SLC 100 101 0 – 3 4 1
HPCA 000 020 0 – 2 4 1
WP – Asuma (2 2/3 IP, 2K, 1BB, 0H, 0R); LP – Crump (6IP, 10K, 3BB, 4H, 3R, 3ER)
Leading hitters – SLC: Fragale (1-3, 2B, SF, RBI); Campbell (1-3, RBI); Herkey (1-2 RBI); HPCA: Sapp (1-3, RBI), Crump (0-2, RBI), Hill (1-3, 2B)
