HIGH POINT, N.C. - Host High Point scored three runs in the first inning and the Panthers (6-5) held off visiting Binghamton baseball (2-6) 5-2 in the second game of the weekend series Saturday afternoon at Williard Stadium.

Sophomore left fielder Grant Hunter belted two solo home runs and five Bearcats had two hits apiece as Binghamton outhit High Point 10-9. But the Bearcats left 10 stranded, including the final two in the eighth inning. 

Binghamton grabbed a quick 1-0 lead on Hunter's first blast with one out in the first. But HPU countered with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Neither team scored in five of the next seven innings as the pitchers took control. Each team plated a run in the fifth and the Panthers added an insurance run in the seventh. 

Hunter hit his second home run with one out in the fifth, taking the first pitch he saw and sending it over the wall in right to bring the Bearcats to within one, 3-2. After HPU restored its two-run lead in the bottom of the fifth, Binghamton brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh and eighth innings but couldn't convert a timely hit.

In addition to Hunter's two big rips, sophomore first baseman Steven Kraus, sophomore DH Andrew Heppner, junior catcher Zach Anderson and sophomore second baseman Sean Sweeney each recorded two hits. 

On the mound, sophomore starter Conner Griffin (4.0 IP, 5K), junior Ryan Bates (2.0 IP, 1 run) and sophomore Aiden Milburn (2.0 IP, 1 hit) held HPU in check.   

The teams will play the rubber game at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.