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Frederick 6, Lancaster 1

After 13 straight losses to begin the year, Frederick finally found themselves in the win column on Friday night, knocking off Lancaster by a score of 6-1. 

The star of the show on the mound was David Kubiak, who tossed 6.1 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out seven. 

The Frederick bats got off to a hot start in Friday’s game against righty Jacob Lemoine. After Scott Kelly and Luke Becker reached to start the game, Craig Dedelow drove them both in with a two run double to open the scoring. For Dedelow, it was RBIs number 13 and 14, and it was his first extra base hit since his five-game home run streak to begin the year. 

One batter later, Jose Marmolejos doubled in Dedelow to make it a quick 3-0 lead for Frederick. 

Neither team was able to cook up anything offensively until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Kole Cottam led off the frame by launching his second home run of the year to dead center field, making it 4-0. 

In the seventh inning, Lancaster finally chased Kubiak after getting on the board thanks to a double by Trayvon Robinson to score Ariel Sandoval. Jeff Johnson relieved Kubiak, and before he even delivered a pitch, he was able to pick off Robinson for the second out of the frame, before getting Chris Proctor to ground out to the shortstop. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Frederick delivered the biggest blow of the night, again courtesy of Marmolejos, who drove a two run shot to center, putting his team ahead 6-1. 

After Jack Weinberger hit the first batter he faced in the eighth inning, he retired the next three to complete a scoreless frame. The third out came from a web gem from first baseman Luke Becker, who fielded a slow roller and dove to the first base bag just ahead of the speedy Shawon Dunston Jr to retire the side. 

In the ninth inning, it was Arnaldo Hernandez to close the door with a strikeout and two groundouts to give Frederick their first win in franchise history. 

Frederick will look to continue their momentum into Saturday when they send right-hander Dustin Beggs to the hill with a 6:00 PM first pitch. It is also the first Fireworks Super Show of the season, presented by Floor and Décor. For more information on tickets, visit bit.ly/frederickbaseball 

Take advantage of the Mattress Warehouse Pajama Party for $5 general admission tickets for the remainder of the homestand. 

High Point 8, Gastonia 5

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers used a six-run outburst in the third inning to take an 8-5 win over Gastonia on Friday night in front of 2,592 fans at Truist Point. The win came in the opening game of a three-game weekend series.

High Point’s Zander Wiel and Ben Aklinski hit back-to-back homers in the third as the Rockers used a walk and five consecutive hits, three for extra bases, to build their 6-0 lead.

The game was scoreless until the Rockers blew up in the bottom of the third. D.J. Burt started the rally by receiving a lead-off walk. After Gastonia starter Zach Godley struck out John Daly, Michael Russell singled to put runners on the corners. Both scored on Beau Taylor’s double into the right field corner. John Nogowski then beat out an infield hit before Wiel cleared the bases with a three-run blast to left, his third homer of the year. Aklinski immediately followed with a solo shot, his fourth of the season to give the Rockers a 6-0 lead.

High Point starter Neil Ramirez was cruising along with the game well in hand, striking out five and allowing just one hit. But after J.C. Escarra flew out to start the fourth, Ramirez came out of the game with some discomfort in his shoulder. Jeremy Rhoades came on in relief and put down the Honey Hunters in the fourth.

“Part of it was that Neil came out right after that long inning,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “Everything’s fine. It’s been two years since he’s been a starter. We’re excited that he’s on our side.”

The Honey Hunters got a run back in the top of the fifth when Steven Sensley hammered his third home run of the year well over the right field wall. Gastonia added another run in the sixth off reliever Bryce Hensley when Escarra doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Zach Jarrett.

John Nogowski continued his hot hitting, slapping a two-run single to center to give the Rockers an 8-2 lead and increasing his season RBI total to 20 as Burt and Daly both scored.

In the seventh, Gastonia’s Curtis Terry led off the inning with a single off Kyle Halbohn. Terry moved to third on a pair of ground outs before scoring on a wild pitch as Gastonia cut the Rockers’ lead to 8-3. Gabriel Castellanos allowed a pair of runs to Gastonia in the ninth before closing out the 8-5 win.

“This was a big game,” said Keefe. “Game one. Last year, we only won one of the first 12 games that we played them. These guys were a real thorn in our side last year and it was nice to get the first one at home. Being able to put the ball in play like we did tonight, that was more (the way we play) than the three days we were in Lexington.

“The crowd tonight was outstanding,” said Keefe. “It was beautiful. They made a lot of noise, and we were able to feed off that energy.”

The win opens a 2.5 game gap between High Point (12-2) and Gastonia (9-4) as the Rockers continue to hold onto first place in the Atlantic League’s South Division.

The Rockers and Honey Hunters will meet again on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. The Rockers will send lefty Brandon Leibrandt (0-0, 1.08) to the mound to face Gastonia lefty Ian McKinney (0-1, 4.82). It will be Veterans Appreciation Night with all military veterans receiving four complimentary tickets by showing their military ID at the Truist Point Box Office.

York 4, So. Maryland 3

(Friday, May 12^th, York) With the York Revolution and the Long Island Ducks trailing the Blue Crabs by just two games in the North Division, the Crabs had a chance to extend their lead. The Left-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic, Sando Cabrera, was assigned to be the starting pitcher for the Blue Crabs. 

York scored the first run in the bottom of the first inning off no hits, as the Revs worked a couple of walks before the sacrifice fly by Nellie Rodriguez to make it 1-0. The Crabs would score a couple of runs in the third as Jack Sundberg collected his second hit and an RBI as Fox Semones crossed the plate. Michael Baca made it a two-run inning after a wild pitch from J.T. Hintzen.     

With a runner on base, Trent Giambrone hit a slider over the left field wall to put the home team back in front of Southern Maryland; the very next half-inning saw Michael Wielansky hit his fourth home run the opposite way to tie it up at three.     

Bottom of the seventh, a leadoff double by Trey Martin set the table, as a ground ball by Troy Stokes Jr disappeared by the Crabs bullpen down the third base line that turned into a run due to the automatic double.    

Top of the ninth, Alex Crosby walked with one out and represented the tying run. Victor Capellan would induce two groundouts to end the game and give the Revolution a series-opening win of 4-3. The Crabs are now 9-4 on the year and head back to York for game two. Ian Kahaloa will pitch the second game tomorrow; the first pitch is scheduled for 6:35; all action will be streamed on FloSports.

Long Island 3, Staten Island 2

(Staten Island, N.Y., May 12, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Staten Island FerryHawks 3-2 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park.

The Ducks broke a scoreless deadlock in the top of the fifth inning when a leadoff solo homer by Dustin Woodcock and a two-out RBI double by Daniel Murphy gave the Flock a 2-0 lead. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Mitchell Piatnik in the bottom of the inning closed the gap to 2-1. However, back-to-back two-out doubles in the seventh from Adeiny Hechavarria and Murphy gave the Ducks their two-run lead back at 3-1.

Staten Island closed to within 3-2 in the eighth on a sac fly to left-center by Adrian Sanchez. Jose Jose would follow by getting the final out of the inning, and Kevin Quackenbush would retire the side in order to end the game.

Ducks starter Stephen Tarpley (1-0) earned the win, tossing six and one-third innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out five. FerryHawks starter Austin DeCarr (0-2) took the loss, giving up two runs on three hits and four walks over four and two-thirds innings with four strikeouts. Quackenbush picked up his second save with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out one.

Murphy led the Ducks offensively with two hits and two RBIs. Woodcock added two hits, an RBI, a run and a walk.

The Ducks and FerryHawks continue their three-game set on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. Fans can follow all the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Justin Alintoff (0-0, 0.00) takes the mound for the Ducks against FerryHawks righty Ivan Pineyro (0-0, 2.89).

Long Island returns home on Tuesday, May 16, for another three-game set with the Revolution. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). It’s a Triple Play Tuesday at the ballpark! If the Ducks turn a triple play during the game, one lucky fan will win $25,000. Simply sign up prior to first pitch at the Ticket Kiosk on the main concourse to be eligible.

Lexington 5, Charleston 2