High Point Rockers 11, Lexington 7

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers scored in double figures for the third time in the last four games in subduing the Lexington Counter Clocks 11-7 on Thursday night at Truist Point. The win moved the Rockers into a tie for first in the Atlantic League’s South Division. The Gastonia Honey Hunters split a doubleheader at Lancaster on Thursday and both clubs share the top spot with matching 34-15 records.

Big innings were the rule of the day. The Rockers scored five runs in the first and four more in the second while the Counter Clocks countered with four in the top of the third.

High Point’s five-run first inning was highlighted by a two-run triple from Zander Wiel, an RBI ingle from Beau Taylor and a two-run single from Daikan Yoh. In the second, it was Taylor’s second grand slam of the season that brought in all four runs as the Rockers built an early 9-0 lead.

The Counter Clocks scored four times in the third off High Point starter Matt Solter (W, 3-1). Connor Owings drove in one run with a triple, J.C. Encarnacion delivered an RBI single and Thomas Dillard slammed a two-run homer.

The Rockers finished their scoring with a pair of runs in the third. Singles by Shed Long, Jr. and Michael Russell put two men aboard and Ben Aklinski was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Taylor then delivered a two-run single for his sixth and seventh RBI of the night.

Lexington starter J.C. Sulbaran (L, 0-1) allowed 12 hits and 11 runs in his two innings of work. He left the game in the top of the third when Russell hit a line drive off Sulbaran’s knee that went for an infield single.

Bryce Hensley, Cam Bedrosian and Jameson McGrane each threw a shutout inning in relief. Ryan Dull pitched the ninth for the Rockers and allowed three runs, all unearned, following an outfield error.

Russell, Wiel and Taylor all had three hits for the Rockers and Taylor’s seven RBI tied the club record set by Stephen Cardullo against Gastonia on Sept. 19, 2021.

High Point, which went  7-2 on the homestand, will head to Southern Maryland for a three-game series with the Blue Crabs starting Friday night.

Long Island 14, Staten Island 1

(Staten Island, N.Y., June 22, 2023) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Staten Island FerryHawks 14-1 on Thursday night in the rubber game of a three-game series at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park.

The Ducks struck for four first inning runs off FerryHawks starter Michael Byrne on a wild pitch that scored Ruben Tejada and a three-run double by Joe DeCarlo. Ruben Tejada's two-run double to left-center field in the second extended the Ducks lead to 6-0. A leadoff solo homer to left by DeCarlo and a two-run blast to left-center by Brantley Bell in the third made it a nine-run ballgame.

Bell added a two-out, two-run single to center in the fourth to make it 11-0 Long Island. Staten Island cracked the scoreboard in the fourth on an RBI double by Jack Elliott off Ducks starter Stephen Woods Jr. It stayed that way until the eighth when a two-run homer to left by Sam Travis increased the Ducks advantage to 13-1. Bell’s second homer of the night, a ninth inning solo shot to left, rounded out the scoring.

Woods Jr. (6-2) earned the win, tossing six innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out seven. Byrne (0-3) suffered the loss, surrendering nine runs (eight earned) on five hits and four walks over two innings with two strikeouts.

Bell led the Ducks offense with three hits, five RBIs and two runs. DeCarlo added three hits, four RBIs and two runs, while Travis chipped in with two hits, two RBIs, three runs and a walk.

The Ducks continue their road trip on Friday night when they open a three-game series against the Lancaster Barnstormers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium. Fans can follow all the action live on Flo Baseball by CLICKING HERE. Right-hander Robert Stock (1-0, 3.60) gets the start for the Ducks against Barnstormers righty Brandyn Sittinger (3-3, 4.38).

Long Island returns home on Tuesday, June 27, to begin a three-game set against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Game time is slated for 6:35 p.m., with the Fairfield Properties Ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Foam Fingers, courtesy of Drake’s Cakes. It’s also a Triple Play Tuesday! 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. Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.

Gastonia 4, Lancaster 1
Lancaster 6, Gastonia 2

LANCASTER, Pa. - Bret Clarke and three of his bullpen mates combined to check Gastonia on four hits in the second game as the Lancaster Barnstormers gained a split of a doubleheader with a 6-2 victory.

Ryan Conroy dazzled the Barnstormers in the opener, teaming up with Brian Blanton to deal a three-hitter as Gastonia captured a 4-1 win.

Sam Gaviglio (0-1) matched Clarke over the first two innings, retiring the first seven Lancaster batters before Jake Hoover doubled over the head of left fielder Zach Jarrett.  Yeison Coca picked up a walk to fill in first base.  Melvin Mercedes and Andretty Cordero each grounded a single into left to score a run.  One out later, Ariel Sandoval lined an RBI single into left for a 3-0 edge.

The Honey Hunters got one back off Clarke, who was making his first start of the season, with a leadoff homer to left center in the bottom of the third.  That run was matched by the Barnstormers, who were playing as the road squad, on a Jack Conley double in the top of the fourth.

Clarke left in the bottom of the fourth inning after hitting Luis Curbelo and yielding an infield single to Alexis Olmeda with one out.  Zach Warren took over and induced a 3-6-1 double play out of Davidson to get out of the threat.

Wilson Garcia put the game away with a two-run homer to right center in the fifth.

Mike Adams (2-2) was awarded the win, throwing two innings of one-hit relief.

Conroy (1-0) worked the first five innings of the opener, allowing two hits and a run while walking two and striking out four.  The only Lancaster run scored on a double by Sandoval and a pair of ground outs in the second.

Meanwhile, the Honey Hunters struck quickly off Nile Ball (2-2) in the top of the first.  After the right-hander retired the first two batters on grounders, Zach Jarrett picked up a walk and raced to third on a single by Carlos Franco.  Curtis Terry doubled to left driving home one, and Scott Manea produced a 3-0 lead with a single up the middle.

The final run of the game scored in the top of the third as Gastonia loaded the bases on singles, and Terry chopped into a 5-3 double play.

Blanton allowed a single to Conley and a pair of walks over the final two innings to notch his third save.

The Barnstormers will entertain Long Island Friday at 6:30.  Robert Stock (1-0) will make the start for the Ducks against fellow right-hander Brandyn Sittinger (3-3).  Fans may tune in on FloBaseball, starting at 6:25.

NOTES:  Sandoval hit safely in both ends of the doubleheader, and has now batted safely in six straight…He was 7-for-12 in the series…Garcia has homered in two of the last three games and went 4-for-7 in the Gastonia series…Yeison Coca was ejected from Game One for arguing a call at first base…Mercedes stole three bases in the doubleheader and is now 10-for-10 on the season…Jesus Liranzo struck out the side in his one inning for the third straight appearance, this time around one walk…He threw 17 pitches.

So. Maryland 2, Frederick 0
Frederick 5, So. Maryland 3

York at Charleston, postponed