LOCAL ROUNDUP: HPU parts ways with Cozart

Jun. 4—HIGH POINT — High Point University will have a new baseball coach next season.

The university said in a statement late Wednesday that it and head coach Craig Cozart had mutually agreed to "a change in the leadership of the baseball program" effectively immediately.

The move comes after the Panthers ended last season by losing their last 10 in a row and finished with a 14-31 record, Cozart's worst in 13 seasons at HPU, and a 12-26 mark in the Big South that left them far short of qualifying for the conference championship tournament.

The late dive left Cozart with a career mark of 339-337 overall and 163-140 in the league, leaving him with most wins in both categories in the Division I era.

HPU was plagued by struggles on the mound this season, finishing with a 5.97 ERA with only one regular pitcher with an ERA under 5.00, and a porous defense that committed 75 errors. The pitching staff also issued 200 walks, uncorked 76 wild pitches and hit 48 batters.

Cozart enjoyed eight seasons of finishing .500 or better and helped resurrect a program that did not have a winning season over the 18 before he arrived.

Cozart's first season extended the string to 19 before he posted a 31-29 mark in 2010.

But, he did not win a Big South regular season or tournament championship, finishing in at least a tie for second in the regular season just twice and reaching the tournament championship game just once.

PREP BASEBALL BISHOP McGUINNESS, MOUNT AIRY

MOUNT AIRY — Bishop McGuinness beat rival Mount Airy 7-4 in Northwest 1A Conference baseball Wednesday at Mount Airy. The Villains, who scored four runs over the final two innings to lead, improved to 4-7 overall and 3-6 in the conference. Cian Hogan went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run. He also closed out the game on the mound, striking out three in two shutout innings.

TENNIS BISHOP McGUINNESS, SOUTH STOKES

WALNUT COVE — Bishop McGuinness swept South Stokes in Northwest 1A Conference girls tennis Wednesday at South Stokes to complete an undefeated run through the conference.

Lindsey Bergelin, Lourdes Lopez, Izzy Ross, Allison Dennen and Nina Holton won in singles for the Villains (12-0 overall, 10-0 conference). Dennen/Ross and Caroline Gregory/Holton won in doubles.

RAGSDALE, SOUTHEAST GUILFORD

JAMESTOWN — Ragsdale beat Southeast Guilford 8-1 in nonconference girls tennis Wednesday at Ragsdale. The Tigers improved to 6-3 overall.

THOMASVILLE, LEXINGTON

LEXINGTON — Thomasville lost 9-0 against Lexington in Central Carolina 2A Conference girls tennis at Lexington. The Bulldogs dropped to 0-9 both overall and in the conference.

TRACK AT NORTH STOKES

DANBURY — Bishop McGuinness' girls and boys teams both took second place during Wednesday's four-team meet at North Stokes. North Stokes won the girls team total with 90 points, followed by Bishop (80), South Stokes (42) and Millennium Charter (13). North Stokes won the boys team total with 80, followed by Bishop (66), South Stokes (62) and Millennium Charter (27). Winners for the Villains were: Charley Chappell (200m — 30.29), Sofia Wolff (800m — 2:39.64), CJ Pacholke (800m — 2:09.13), and the girls 4x100 (59.92), girls 4x200 (2:06.26), girls 4x400 (5:20.94), girls 4x800 (11:08.39), boys 4x100 (49.09), boys 4x200 (1:42.93), boys 4x800 (9:13.56) relays.

THOMASVILLE — The HiToms defeated the Carolina Disco Turkeys 10-2 in an exhibition game Wednesday at Finch Field. Luke Spiva, a former Ledford and Post 87 standout, went 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs to lead High Point-Thomasville, which pulled away with six runs in the sixth inning. Maddux Holshouser got the start on the mound, striking out seven, before handing off to six relievers — including former Ledford and Post 87 standout Avery Cain.