LYNCHBURG, Va. – High Point plated four runs in the first five innings to go on to hand Gardner-Webb a 4-1 loss in the semifinals of the 2018 Big South Conference Baseball Championship.
 
With the loss, Gardner-Webb's season ends at 31-27, while High Point improves to 34-21 overall and moves on to Saturday's championship game.
 
The Panthers scratched first in the bottom of the third inning on a RBI single to the right field gap by Austin Zente.
 
High Point added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to lead off the frame by Tanner Wells to take a 2-0 lead.
 
HPU once again produced runs in the fifth on a RBI sacrifice bunt by Travis Holt, followed by a RBI single to right field by Hunter Lee.
 
Gardner-Webb got on the board in the top of the eighth as Mickey Dugan belted a solo home run over the right field fence, his eighth home run of 2018, to set the score at 4-1.
 
Jarrett Thompson (1-2) took the loss for the Runnin' Bulldogs, giving up four runs on five base hits with a pair of strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.  Wil Sellers was sharp in relief, allowing no base runners with five strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work.
 
Harrison Smith (2-4) earned the win for the Panthers, tossing six scoreless frames, scattering four hits with eight strikeouts.  Cooper Jeffers worked the final three innings, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
 
Gardner-Webb had six base hits, with Dugan (2-for-4, HR) and Mason Fox (2-for-4, 2B) each having multiple hit outings.
 
High Point had five hits, paced by Lee (2-for-4, RBI).