GASTONIA, N.C. – Brandon Backman tossed four-hit ball over six innings while striking out 10 to lead the High Point Rockers to a 4-2 win over Gastonia on Saturday night at CaroMont Health Park.

Backman (W, 2-0) was outstanding all night, yielding a first inning walk but not allowing a hit until the fourth inning. He fanned eight of the first 10 batters he faced before exiting after six innings.

Nolan Watson gave the Rockers a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when his sacrifice fly brought home Nick Longhi who had singled and then moved to third on a double by Drew Mendoza.

A pair of defensive mishaps led to High Point taking a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Mendoza’s line drive to right was dropped by Eric De La Rosa. When Mendoza took off to steal third, the throw from catcher Patrick Mazeika skipped into the outfield, allowing Mendoza to trot home, giving High Point a 2-0 lead.

Gastonia then applied the same tactics as the Rockers had in scoring twice in the fourth inning. Justin Wylie doubled and stole third and when Nolan Watson’s through got away from Mendoza at third, Wylie scored to cut the lead to 2-1. With two outs in the fourth, Narciso Crook doubled to left and Dalton Guthrie did the same, plating Crook with the tying run at 2-2.

High Point took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when, with one out, D.J. Burt singled to left. He then stole both second and third without a throw. After Watson drew a walk from Gastonia reliever Parker Kruglewicz (L, 0-1), Watson stole second, drawing a throw from Mazeika. But Burt took off for the plate as soon as Mazeika threw to second and recorded a steal of home.

Ben Aklinski hit a solo homer with one out in the seventh off reliever Ryan Hennen to stake the Rockers to a 4-2 lead. It was Aklinski’s fourth homer of the year.

Backman went six innings, striking out 10 while allowing just four hits and two runs with a lone walk. Jonah Scolaro came on to start the seventh and put the Peppers down in order. He exited with two on and one out in the eighth, yielding to Tommy Doyle who induced a 5-4-3 double play from Wylie, preserving High Point’s 4-2 lead and earning his third save of the season.

Gastonia starter Connor Grey allowed just three hits over his five innings but walked four with three strikeouts.

High Point plays the final game of the series at Gastonia on Sunday at 4 p.m.

NOTES:  Backman’s 10 strikeouts broke his previous club season high of eight set against Southern Maryland on April 27.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers swept a doubleheader from the Lexington Legends on Sunday afternoon in front of 2,034 fans at Truist Point, winning by scores of 5-0 and 3-1.

In the opener, Rockers starter Kent Emanuel (W, 1-0) went six innings and yielded just four hits while striking out two in earning his first win of the season. Center fielder Cody Wilson gave the Rockers all the runs they would need with a lead-off homer. High Point added two more runs in the first when Luis Gonzalez singled, move to third on an errant pickoff throw from Lexington starter Colton Eastman (L, 1-1), and scored on a wild pitch. Luke Napleton followed with a single and scored on a base hit by D.J. Burt.

High Point added a run in the third on a double by Ben Aklinski and an RBI single from Napleton. The hit was the 500^th of Aklinski’s career in the Atlantic League including his four seasons with the Rockers and the 2021 campaign with Lexington.

The Rockers final run came in the fifth when Aidan Brewer walked, moved to second on a Lexington error and scored on Aklinski’s sac fly.

Emanuel didn’t allow a baserunner to reach second base until the Legends loaded the bases in the fifth on a double, a single and a walk. But he was able to strike out Andy Atwood and got out of the inning on a tremendous defensive play by Drew Mendoza at third base.

High Point overcame a 1-0 deficit in the nightcap after Lexington’s Brian Fuentes homered in the first off Rockers starter Brandon Backman. The Rockers scored all three of their runs in the third off Lexington starter Tanner Tully (L, 0-2). Catcher Nolan Watson hit his first homer as a Rocker to start the frame before Aidan Brewer beat out a bunt hit. Wilson singled as did Aklinski to load the bases. Evan Edwards then delivered a two-run single to put the Rockers ahead for good at 3-1.

Backman went 3.2 innings before giving way to Matt Frisbee (W, 1-0) who allowed just one hit in his 1.1 innings of work. Tommy Doyle (S, 2) worked the final two innings, allowing a single hit with one strikeout.

The Rockers are now 7-2 and sit on top of the Atlantic League’s South Division by a full game over 6-3 Lexington.

The Rockers will enjoy an off day on Monday then return to action at 11:05 am on Tuesday against Gastonia.

GASTONIA, N.C. – Gastonia ended High Point’s five-game winning streak with an 11-2 win on Tuesday night at CaroMont Health Park.

Tied 1-1 in the second inning, Gastonia scored five times including back to back home runs from Jack Reinheimer and Ethan Skender. The Peppers add another four runs in the seventh.

Taylor Guerrieri took the loss for the Rockers, falling to 0-1. He allowed six runs and eight hits over 3.1 innings. He walked two and struck out five. Ryan Hennen earned the win for Gastonia, throwing 2.2 innings of two-hit baseball in relief of starter Matt Hartman.

The Rockers were led by Luke Napleton who had three hits including a solo homer leading off the second inning. Drew Mendoza added three hits while Cody Wilson smacked a single and a double.

The Rockers will enjoy a brief two-day respite before playing their home opener at Truist Point on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. against the Lexington Legends. There will be a fireworks show following the game.

GASTONIA, N.C. – The High Point Rockers swept a doubleheader from the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Monday at CaroMont Health Park, taking the opener 3-0 behind Matt Solter’s one-hitter, then claiming a 7-4 win in the nightcap.

The sweep puts the Rockers at 5-0 on the season, tying the club mark for the best start to a season. Following Tuesday’s series finale at Gastonia, the Rockers will prepare for their home opener on Friday, May 2 at Truist Point against the Lexington Legends.

In the opener, High Point’s Matt Solter (W, 1-0) came within a strike of throwing a no-hitter, settling for a one-hitter after allowing a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh. Solter’s one-hitter was the first complete game one-hitter in Rockers history.

Gastonia’s Patrick Mazeika doubled to right on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the seventh to break up the no-hit bid. When the next batter, Narciso Crook, grounded out to Aidan Brewer at shortstop, Solter had secured a one-hitter.

“Matt commanded the zone really well today,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “He moved the ball in and out and just threw the ball fantastic.”

The Rockers scored all of their runs in the first inning when, with two outs, Ben Aklinski and Evan Edwards reached on singles before catcher Luke Napleton hit a three-run shot, his first homer as a Rocker. Kevin Smith (L, 0-1) took the loss despite holding High Point to four hits with six strikeouts.

In the nightcap, the Rockers built a 5-0 lead before the Ghost Peppers rallied late. Aidan Brewer hit a sac fly in the second to put High Point up 1-0. The lead grew to 3-0 when Aklinski hit a two-run homer. The homer marked Aklinski’s 74^th as a Rocker and tied him with Zander Wiel for the club career record.

The Rockers tacked on two more in the fourth on a two-run single by D.J. Burt in the fourth. Burt then reached in the seventh on a three-base fielding error that brought home Cody Wilson. Burt would score on a wild pitch to extend the Rockers lead to 7-2.

Gastonia’s Richie Martin hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Ghost Peppers within three at 7-4 but Akeel Morris was able to close out the High Point win.

High Point starter Erich Uelmen went four innings and struck out five while allowing just one hit. Matt Frisbee (W, 1-0) came on in the fifth and struck out four over his two innings of work to earn the win. Akeel Morris allowed a pair of runs in the seventh. The Rockers scored three runs off Gastonia starter Adam Scott (L, 0-1) who struck out two in his three innings of work.

NOTES: Solter is the first Rocker pitcher to throw a complete game shutout in club history . . . It also marked the first time in 107 meetings that High Point had shutout Gastonia . . . Ben Aklinski’s third inning homer in the nightcap was the 74^th of his career, tying him with Zander Wiel (2022-24) for the franchise record . . . 1B Evan Edwards has hit safely in all five games this season after finishing the 2024 season with a three-game hitting streak . . . He has hit four homers in the first five games of the season as has OF Luis Gonzalez . . . In Tuesday night’s series finale, the Rockers will send RHP Taylor Guerrieri to the mound to face Gastonia’s RHP Matt Hartman . . . High Point’s 5-0 start matches the best start in club history along with the 2024 club.

WALDORF, Md. – Evan Edwards (Southern Guilford HS/NC State) hit for the cycle and Luis Gonzalez blasted a pair of home runs as the High Point Rockers finished off a sweep of Southern Maryland with a 17-10 win on Sunday afternoon at Regency Furniture Stadium.

The Rockers now head south to play a doubleheader at the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Monday starting at 12:30. After a Tuesday night game at Gastonia, the Rockers will play their home opener on Friday night at Truist Point.

High Point pounded out 16 hits including three doubles, a triple and four home runs on the day.

Edwards had a lead-off double in the second, a two-run single in the third, a three-run homer in the sixth and a run-scoring triple in the ninth. He added an RBI groundout in the eighth to drive in seven runs.

The Rockers hit four homers in the game as Luis Gonzalez blasted two more round-trippers including a solo shot leading off the fifth and a decisive three-run homer in the ninth.

After building a 12-4 lead behind brilliant pitching from starter Brandon Backman (W, 1-0) and a pair of scoreless innings from the bullpen, the Blue Crabs exploded for six runs in the eighth to make it a 12-10 game.

Southern Maryland broke the ice when Ethan Wilson hit a two-run homer in the first. The Rockers knotted the game at 2-2 in the second on an RBI single by Max Viera and a run-scoring double from Drew Mendoza. High Point went up 4-2 in the third on a two-run single by Evan Edwards but Wilson re-tied the game with his second two-run homer of the day in the bottom of the third.

From that point on, the Rockers dominated offensively, scoring four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Gonzalez led off the fifth with a solo homer, his fourth of the season. Mendoza added a three-run homer in the fifth then Edwards blasted a three-run shot in the sixth.

Backman (W, 1-0) made his first start of the year and went five strong innings, allowing four runs while walking just one and striking out eight. Stevie Branche, signed on Saturday, pitched a 1-2-3 sixth with a pair of strikeouts. Zach Vennaro shut out the Crabs in the seventh but Southern Maryland came to life in the bottom of the eighth, tallying six times to pull to within two at 12-10. Alejandro De Aza had a two-run triple and Sam Dexter knocked a two-run homer to key the rally.

The Rockers called on Tommy Doyle who needed just nine pitches to put the Crabs down in order and preserve the win.

The Rockers are now 3-0 on the season for the second consecutive season.

After the three-game set at Gastonia, the Rockers host the Lexington Legends on Friday, May 2 at 6:35 pm at Truist Point in the home opener. Tickets are available including a special four tickets for just $24 at the Truist Point Box Office.

NOTES: Evan Edwards became just the second Rocker to hit for the cycle, joining Michael Russell who did it against Lexington on July 20, 2022 . . . Luis Gonzalez became just the second Rocker with multiple homers in back to back games, along with Richie Shaffer who did it in 2019 . . . The Rockers scored 37 runs in the three game series, tying the club record for runs in a series, previously set against Gastonia in 2021.