Southern Maryland 2, High Point 0 (Game 1)
High Point 5, Southern Maryland 4 (Game 2)
 

WALDORF, Md. – The High Point Rockers and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs split a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium with Southern Maryland winning the first game 2-0 and the Rockers taking the nightcap 5-4. Blue Crab starter Mitch Lambson threw a three-hit complete game shutout in the opener to lead Southern Maryland.

With the split, the Rockers improve to 12-21 in the second half and 51-48 on the season.

In the first game, starting pitchers Ivan Pineyro (L, 4-3) of High Point and Lambson (W, 6-7) each came out firing. Pineyro did not allow a hit until SMD’s Alex Crosby reached on a Texas Leaguer to left in the fifth. But a Rockers double play eliminated the threat. High Point’s Ben Aklinski doubled in the first but the Rockers did not get another hit until Quincy Latimore doubled in the fifth.

Southern Maryland scored both of its runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Haug was hit by a pitch from Pineyro and Michael Baca singled to center to put runners on the corners. Jack Sundberg singled home one run and Ian Yetsko’s ground out scored Baca for a 2-0 Blue Crab lead.

Lambson put the Rockers down in order in the seventh to preserve the Southern Maryland win.

In game two, the Rockers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Tyler Ladendorf singled, moved to second on an infield grounder by Jay Gonzalez and scored on a single by Mike Gulino.

But the Blue Crabs scored four times in the second to taka a 4-1 lead. High Point starter Mitch Atkins, making his first start of the season and his first since Sept. 9, 2021, allowed a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases to start the inning. Jack Sundberg doubled home two runs, Michael Wielansky grounded out allowing a third run to score before Braxton Lee singled home the fourth and final run of the inning.

The Rockers pulled within a run after scoring twice in the fourth to make it a 4-3 game. Logan Morrison led off the inning with a single and Ladendorf followed with a double. Jay Gonzalez then produced a swinging bunt that was fielded by Southern Maryland pitcher Eddie Butler, allowing Morrison to score. Gulino’s sacrifice fly brought home Ladendorf.

Aklinski tied the game in the fifth when he doubled to bring home Michael Russell who had led off the inning with a single. High Point took a 5-4 lead in the sixth when Ladendorf doubled off reliever Dalton Geekie (L, 1-3), moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gonzalez and scored on Gulino’s sacrifice fly.

Tyler Higgins (W, 2-0) came on in relief and earned the last out of the fifth and set the Blue Crabs down in order in the sixth to earn the win.

Ryan Dull set the Blue Crabs down in order in the seventh to earn his 10^th save of the year.

Atkins went 1.2 innings in his season debut and allowed five hits and four runs while walking three.

The Rockers will return home to begin a three-game home series with South Division-leading Gastonia on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point with a fireworks show following the game.

Staten Island 9, Gastonia 7

The Staten Island Ferry Hawks scored seven runs after the fifth inning to win 9-7 against the Gastonia Honey Hunters on Thursday night.

The win at Caromont Health Park closed out the season series and salvaged a split of the final series between the two clubs.

Rusney Castillo led the 14-hit attack for the Ferry Hawks, going 3 for 4 with a pair of solo home runs in the win. Six players drove in runs for Staten Island during the contest, as the Ferry Hawks picked up their third win of the year against the Honey Hunters.

Staten Island, down 4-2 going to the sixth inning, were able to close the gap off Gastonia starter John Anderson, as Castillo hit the second of his two homers to trim the Honey Hunters lead to 4-3.

The homer chased Anderson from the contest, as Goose Gozzo brought on Euclides Leyer to maintain the lead.

The lead, however, would shift hands for good later in the frame as the Ferry Hawks scored three times in the sixth. Alfredo Reyes got the Ferry Hawks over the top with a two-run double to left, giving Staten Island the lead for good at 5-4.

Staten Island (32-67,14-19) scored three times in the seventh off reliever Tim Naughton to stretch the lead to 8-4 as seven men batted in the inning.

Gastonia (69-30,24-9) would rally for a pair of unearned runs in the seventh to cut the lead back to 8-6, but were never able to return the game to level terms, as Victor Capellan picked up his 14th save of the season.

Augie Sylk, recently acquired by the Lancaster Barnstormers, earned the win for Staten Island pitching five innings to claim his fifth victory of the season. Euclides Leyer took the loss, dropping his record to 3-2 on the year.

Joseph Rosa led the way on the night with a multi-hit game, part of a seven-hit attack for the Honey Hunters.  Zach Jarrett and Jake Skole doubled in the contest.

Gastonia will travel to High Point tomorrow to open a three-game set against the Rockers at 6:35 pm.

Lancaster 12, Long Island 10

A marathon between the Long Island Ducks and Lancaster Barnstormers on Wednesday evening was decided by Cedar Crest’s Joseph Carpenter.

Carpenter, 22, who was just signed by the Barnstormers on Wednesday, singled home two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to snap a 10-10 tie and send the Barnstormers to their tenth win in 11 games, 12-10.

 Trace Loehr opened the home eighth with a single to center field off Tyler Webb.  Melvin Mercedes laid down a bunt which was thrown away by first baseman Carlos Castro, putting runners at second and third.  Carpenter, pinch hitting for pitcher Dominic DiSabatino, grounded a single up the middle to score both runners.

 The cushion was enough for closer West Tunnell, who worked around a one-out ground rule double in the ninth for his eighth save.

 Ariel Sandoval singled home one run, and Anthony Peroni belted a grand slam in the first as Lancaster jumped ahead, 5-0.

 The Barnstormers pitching staff, however, had an incredible bout of wildness all evening.  Starter Erik Manoah yielded three runs in the third, two of which reached on walks.

 With Lancaster leading, 8-3, entering the fifth, the right-hander yielded back-to-back singles to Deibinson Romero and Castro but Romero was thrown out at third for the first out.  Castro took second on a passed ball, and Dustin Woodcock walked.  Joe DeCarlo brought home one run with a double to left.  Vladimir Frias followed with a walk to load the bases, and Matt Chamberlain made it 8-5 with a ground ball.  A walk to Phil Caulfield reloaded the sacks.  Donald Goodson replaced Manoah on the mound and yielded a two-run single to Lew Ford, the day before the Duck’s 46th birthday.  Pinch hitter Kevin Whatley walked, and Goodson hit Romero with a pitch to force home the tying run.

 Lancaster took the lead again in the bottom of the fifth.  Anderson Feliz led off with a single and was forced at second on a bunt by Peroni.  Jake Hoover advanced Peroni to second on a base hit to left.  Trace Loehr’s grounder to first was thrown away by Castro, trying to force Hoover at second, allowing Loehr to score.  Mercedes followed with a single to right for a 10-8 lead.

 Long Island caught up on seven walks and one more hit batter over the next two innings before Dominic DiSabatino (6-3) rescued the Barnstormers from a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh, retiring Caulfield on a fly ball to right.  The right-hander threw a scoreless eighth.

 On Friday, the Barnstormers will host the Lexington Legends to start a three-game series.  Nile Ball (6-3) will take the mound for Lancaster against Lexington right-hander David LeBron (5-2).  Fans may tune into the Barnstormers YouTube channel, starting at 6:25.

 NOTES:  Peroni’s slam was Lancaster’s third of the season…It was only his third homer as a Barnstormer…Lancaster picked up one-half game on Southern Maryland, who split a doubleheader against High Point…The club is a season best six games over .500 overall and 14 games over .500 in the second half…Anderson Feliz extended a hitting streak to seven…Andretty Cordero, who has started every game, was removed after the Barnstormers lost their DH in the fifth…Mercedes scored a run for the eighth straight game…The 16 walks by Lancaster was a season-high and four off the all-time record, set during the automated ball-strike era…Long Island’s 17 runners left on base were the most against Lancaster this season.

Charleston 11, York 1 (Game 1)

York 6, Charleston 2 (Game 2)

(August 11, 2022 – Charleston, WV):  Duke von Schamann was masterful in a spot start as the York Revolution salvaged their series finale with the Charleston Dirty Birds, taking the nightcap of Thursday’s doubleheader, 6-2 at Appalachian Power Park.  It was a big bounce back for the Revs who snapped a three-game skid after an 11-1 defeat in the opener. The Revs now return home to kick off a 12-game homestand beginning Friday night.