June 29, 2024
News
Gastonia wins first half South Division pennant
GASTONIA, N.C. – With Gastonia Baseball Club’s win Friday night in Lexington, the team has clinched a playoff spot in the ALPB Playoffs. Gastonia sits atop the league’s South division and will host playoff games at CaroMont Health Park in September. This marks the team’s third playoff appearance in a row.
Following its inaugural season in 2021, Gastonia has made two trips to the postseason and will make a third this September. The last time Gastonia won the first half was in 2022, cruising to a league-best 88-44 record before falling in the South Division Championship Series to High Point.
In 2023, Gastonia eliminated High Point in the first round, making its first ALPB Championship Series appearance in the team’s third year of existence. Gastonia held a 2-1 series lead before dropping the final two games to Lancaster, as the Stormers repeated as league champions.
The Club has been very effective in the first half of the season – Gastonia leads the ALPB in home runs (100), OPS (.863) and SLG (.494). It holds a league-best 40-17 record, has recorded seven walk-off victories and owns a 5-1 record against the rival High Point Rockers.
Gastonia had the most wins in the Atlantic League in 2022 (88) and 2023 (79). The team looks to follow suit this season, after becoming the first club to 40 victories. A 17-15 win over Lexington on Friday night secured the postseason berth for Gastonia.
Gastonia manager Mauro “Goose” Gozzo: “I think it starts with (general manager) Brady Salisbury recruiting players, along with myself, and getting good quality guys. Getting an athletic group of guys out there and putting it together, making it into a family atmosphere, and the boys responded.”
Although the playoff spot is locked up, Gozzo stressed that the team’s mentality will remain the same.
“We’re not gonna let the foot off the gas or anything like that,” Gozzo said. “We still have an expectation to win, we go out there to win every game… We still do have half of our games left for the season. So, yes it’s good that we’ve accomplished making the playoffs, however we’re not done yet. And our main goal is to bring a championship back to Gastonia.”
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