Going to the seventh inning stretch on Saturday, things did not look good for the Stetson baseball team in their game against High Point at Melching Field.
 
The visiting Panthers had just plated three runs in the top of the inning to take a 4-0 lead, but Stetson coach Steve Trimper's message to his club about winning in the late innings resonated with the Hatters.
 
Stetson scored four times in the frame to tie the game and then went on to win 5-4 on a walk-off error in the 10^th. The win evened the weekend series after High Point took Friday's game 4-3 in 10 innings. The rubber game of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
"To build off last night, I told the team that we had to find a way to win those games," Trimper said. "This team has great fight, coming back from down four. Jack Perkins pitched a great game, but he got some pitches up in the seventh and credit High Point because they were able to get some hits and score three runs."
 
For the second straight game, Stetson's starting pitcher established a new career-high for strikeouts but, for the second straight day, there was no decision at the end of the good work. Perkins allowed a solo home run to High Point (4-2) leadoff hitter Austen Zente to open the game, but did not allow another hit until the seventh.
 
The Panthers ended that run with four straight hits to open the seventh and plate three runs. Mitchell Senger came on out of the Stetson bullpen to prevent further damage. Perkins finished with nine strikeouts and two walks.
 
Stetson (3-4) had little luck against the Panthers' starter, Trevor Holloway, managing just two hits over 5.2 innings.
 
With High Point up 4-0 at the stretch, Stetson's Jorge Arenas got the Hatters going with a leadoff walk off reliever Cooper Jeffers. Another freshman, Austin Bogart, followed the walk with a two-run homer to cut the deficit in half.
 
"Obviously, the two freshmen getting on base, one with the home run, was big, but the bigger thing was continuing to grind it out after that," Trimper said.
 
The Panthers brought in Joe Johnson to pitch, and Colton Lightner greeted him with a double to the gap in left. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with one out for another freshman, Andrew MacNeil. He worked a full count against Johnson before getting called out on a questionable third strike.
 
"Everyone in the park thought the pitch was a little outside, but it is what it is," Trimper said. "Mike Spooner then picked us up with a big two-out RBI single to knot it back up for us. That got the momentum back for us."
 
It was Spooner again in the 10^th inning who had a big hand in scoring the winning run. He led off the inning by working a full count against HPU's Grey Lyttle (0-1).
 
"There was a big difference from last night to tonight," Trimper said. "Spooner came up in that situation on Friday and tried to hit a home run. Today, we talked about it, and he became a good three hitter. He fell behind 0-2 but battled back in the at bat to draw a walk."
 
Nico Torino followed Spooner with a walk after trying to get a bunt down, bringing Arenas back to the plate.
 
"We were in a mover situation and I told him he had to make the third baseman field the ball to give us a chance," Trimper said. "He got down two strikes, but he still had to find a way to move them over. I left it up to him and he got the two-strike bunt down. It was risky, but he got the job done."
 
Lyttle fielded the bunt but had a moment of indecision as to what to do with it. He looked at third before turning and firing wildly toward first base. As the ball rolled down the right field line in foul territory, Spooner raced around from second with the winning run.
 
Sophomore Joey Gonzalez (1-0) was the beneficiary of the Hatters' rally. He worked three scoreless innings on the mound for Stetson, allowing two hits with three strikeouts to get the win.
 
Arenas and Bogart had two hits each to lead the Hatters. Zente and Zack Gray had two hits each for the Panthers.
 
"We found a way to win this game, so there will be a lot on the line tomorrow," Trimper said. "This is not about pressure, it is about rewards. We have to get our record back to .500, we have to win a series at home and learn how to win a series, and a win tomorrow would vault us into this next week.
 
"I want to see how this young team reacts to all the ups and downs. Now we are on an up, and we don't want it to be a one-hit wonder. This was the first errorless game we have had, but we have to come back tomorrow and play even better."
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.