HIGH POINT, N.C. --- University of Lynchburg's baseball team set a new standard for wins in a season Thursday, as the Hornets opened NCAA tournament play with a 4-1 win over LaGrange at Truist Point in High Point, N.C.
It was the Hornets' 35th win of the season, eclipsing the mark set in 2012, also the last year that Lynchburg reached the national stage.
The Hornets (35-13) fell behind early, as LaGrange scored a first-inning run to take a 1-0 lead.
But that was all the Panthers bats could muster against Lynchburg starter Zack Potts. The sophomore went 7 ⅔ innings and allowed just one earned run on eight hits, punched out four and did not issue a walk to earn his seventh win of the year.
"It felt great", the 6-foot-3 right-hander said. "I loved having the fan atmosphere and being in those high-pressure situations."
Grayson Thurman threw the final inning and one-third as the senior only allowed two base runners and struck out three to earn his third save. Bailey Coleman took the loss for the Panthers.
Lynchburg's offense broke through in the fourth. Sophomore Avery Neaves sent a one-out double to left, and then after a Cameron Lane single, freshman Gavin Collins plated Neaves with a sacrifice fly to right to knot the contest at 1-1.
With two away in the fifth, senior Parker Shaffer singled through the left side to give Lynchburg a baserunner. With Shaffer on first, junior Garrett Jackson slugged a fastball over the left-field wall to put Lynchburg up 3-1. Then in the sixth, Holden Fiedler singled to right field, and after a Panthers' miscue, Collins came around to score Lyncburg's fourth run.
With the win, Lynchburg set a new program record for wins in a season with 35.
"It's special," said head coach Lucas Jones. "Especially doing it in this format against a really good team in a really good college baseball game. I'm proud of that mark."
The Hornets return to the diamond for the second round of the High Point Regional Friday, May 28 as Lynchburg takes on the Birmingham Southern Panthers. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.