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.

WALDORF, Md. – The High Point Rockers jumped off to an early 3-0 lead, fell behind, and rallied for a 6-4 win on Opening Night in the Atlantic League on Friday at Southern Maryland.

HIGHLIGHTS

Impressive pitching from the Rockers bullpen paved the way for the win along with timely offense. Lefty Jacob Edwards (1-0) earned the win with four innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit. Newcomer Tommy Doyle, a former Major League reliever with Colorado, pitched the final two innings, striking out five of the seven hitters he faced while pitching around a single. On the night, the Rockers’ staff allowed just four hits while striking out 10.

The Rockers sprinted to an early 3-0 lead. After Southern Maryland starter Shawn Semple struck out lead-off hitter Cody Wilson, Luis Gonzalez drew a walk. With two outs, Evan Edwards blasted a home run to right to stake the Rockers to a 2-0 lead. DH Max Viera then slapped his first professional base hit to left. He moved to third on a single by Drew Mendoza and scored on a single by D.J. Burt.

High Point starter Kyle Barraclough drew the Opening Night start and allowed only one hit while striking out three through the first two innings. But he ran into trouble in the third as he allowed the first five Blue Crabs to reach base on a single, two walks and two hit batters. Two more walks each forced in a run before Sam Dexter lifted a sac fly to give SMD a 4-3 lead.

High Point’s Ben Aklinski tied the game at 4-4 when he led off the fifth with a solo homer to left. Southern Maryland reliever Jalen Miller then walked Evan Edwards and hit Viera with a pitch to put two runners on. Drew Mendoza blooped a single to right to load the bases before catcher Isaiah Mirabal drew a walk to force in Evan Edwards and give the Rockers a 5-4 lead. Jacob Edwards entered in the fourth and went four strong innings, shutting down Southern Maryland.

The Blue Crabs brought in Rafi Vasquez in the eighth inning and Viera greeted him with a lead-off homer to left for his first professional homer and a 6-4 Rockers lead.

Doyle was nearly unhittable over the eighth and ninth innings, fanning five and earning the save in his Rockers debut.

NOTES:  For the first time in Rockers history, manager Jamie Keefe started two professional rookies on Opening Night . . . DH Max Viera and catcher Isaiah Mirabal each made their professional debut . . . Viera collected his first professional hit and his first career homer . . . The Rockers on Thursday signed reliever Tommy Doyle, an MLB veteran, who made his ALPB debut on Friday night.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers and the Gastonia Ghost Peppers played to a 3-3 tie on Saturday night at Truist Point.

The Rockers tallied a pair of runs in the first inning when Luis Gonzalez doubled and was followed by Ben Aklinski’s two-run homer. High Point added a run in the second on an Aidan Brewer single and Gonzalez’s RBI single.

Gastonia tallied a solo run in the third on a sac fly from Dalton Guthrie. The Peppers added a pair of runs in the third on an RBI single from Eric De La Rosa and a sac fly off the bat of Gavin Stupienski.

The Rockers used six pitchers on the night. Starter Brandon Backman went three innings and Sonny Fauci tossed the fourth and fifth innings. Each recorded three strikeouts. Akeel Morris, Cole Roland and Jared Henry each tossed one inning while Jeff Heinrich closed out the game in the ninth. Heinrich allowed a lead-off double but then struck out the side.

“We saw exactly what we thought we’d see, two good teams going at it,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “Our pitching was good and we had some young guys out there really battling. The next three days will be crucial (leading up to cut down day). We have some really tough decisions ahead of us.”

The Rockers will continue to practice at Truist Point during the coming week before heading to Southern Maryland for the season opener on Friday, April 25. The Rockers open at home on Friday, May 2 against the Lexington Legends.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – The High Point Rockers won their third straight game, defeating the Long Island Ducks 4-1 on Thursday night to keep the Rockers’ postseason hopes alive. D.J. Burt drove in a pair of runs to lead High Point’s offensive charge.

With Charleston losing at Gastonia on Thursday afternoon, the Rockers inched closer to earning the Atlantic League’s wild card spot in the playoffs. The Rockers can earn the league’s wild card berth if Gastonia wins the next three games against Charleston. That would give Gastonia both the first and second half South Division pennants. In that case, the next team to get into the playoffs would be the Rockers who have the league’s third-best full season overall record.

But in order for the wild card team to get an invite, Gastonia will need to defeat Charleston three more times over the weekend.

The Rockers took care of their end with Thursday night’s 4-1 win over the Ducks.

High Point opened the scoring with a run in the third against Long Island starter Mitchell Senger (L, 0-2). D.J. Burt hit a solo homer, putting the Rockers up 1-0.

High Point extended its lead in the top of the seventh when Quincy Nieporte doubled just inside the left field line and then scored on Michael Martinez’s double to right center to put the Rockers in front 2-0. Burt then knocked in his second run as he lined a single up the middle as Martinez came around to score to put the Rockers on top 3-0.

The Rockers opened up a 4-0 gap in the eighth when Ryan Grotjohn drew a walk from Long Island reliever Al Alburquerque. Ben  Aklinski’s grounder to short resulted in a throw to second that Grotjohn beat to put two runners on. Grotjohn moved to third when Evan Edwards grounded to first. When Edwards tried to steal second, catcher Aaron Antonini throw to second sailed into center field for an error, allowing Grotjohn to score.

High Point starter Mickey Jannis (W, 3-0) went five innings, scattering eight hits while shutting out the Ducks on five strikeouts. Dakota Chalmers threw shutout the Ducks through the sixth and seventh innings while striking out three.

Long Island broke up the shutout in the bottom of the eighth against High Point reliever Will Carter. Antonini singled and was replaced by pinch-runner J.C. Encarnacion. Encarnacion stole second and third then scored on a single by Taylor Kohlwey before Carter pitched himself out of trouble.

Burt was the only Rocker with two hits on the night. Long Island was led by Yonny Hernandez who had three hits while Kohlwey had a pair of hits and the lone RBI.

On Friday, the Rockers will send lefty Derrick Adams (2-3, 4.37 ERA) to the mound to face Ducks’ righty Sal Romano (2-0, 4.12 ERA).

NOTES: Thursday’s win was Mickey Jannis’ 18^th win as a Rocker, extending his career wins record.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – High Point first baseman Evan Edwards hit a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in leading the Rockers to a 7-2 win over the Long Island Ducks at Fairfield Properties Ballpark on Wednesday night. The win keeps the Rockers’ hopes for an Atlantic League postseason berth alive.

The Rockers (34-25) are tied for second in the South Division along with Gastonia. Charleston, which took an 8-4 decision from Gastonia on Wednesday, leads the division at 37-22. Both High Point and Gastonia are three games back with four contests remaining.

Edwards hit a solo homer leading off the third inning then added a three-run homer in the seventh. He added an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Each team loaded the bases in the first inning but only Long Island was able to capitalize. With two outs, Joe DeLuca lined a single to center to score Taylor Kohlwey and put the Ducks on top 1-0.

High Point tied the game at 1-1 with two outs in the second when D.J. Burt doubled to left and scored when Martin Figueroa lined a double into the rightfield corner.

Evan Edwards blasted a homer to right leading off the third to put the Rockers in front 2-1.

Long Island used back-to-back two-out hits to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth off High Point starter Yuhi Sako. Kole Kaler singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Nick Heath.

High Point took a 3-2 lead in the fifth. With two outs, Ben Aklinski doubled to left. Edwards then ripped a shot to the right side that Ducks’ second baseman Alexis Pantoja dove and stopped but his throw to starting pitcher Nick Tropeano (L, 4-2) covering first pulled him off the bag. Aklinski never stopped running and scored without a throw. Connor Owings then blooped a base hit to right that fell in and Edwards was able to score while Owings took second on the throw to the plate.

Edwards struck again with a three-run homer in the seventh, plating both Martin Figueroa and Ryan Grotjohn who each drew a walk from Ducks reliever Justin Alintoff. Edwards’ blast put the Rockers up 7-2.

Sako went 4.1 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs while walking three and striking out eight. Justin Lewis (W, 1-0) tossed 1.2 innings of hitless relief while Zach Vennaro put the Ducks down in order in the seventh. Austin Warner allowed one hit and a walk while striking out four in his two innings of work to close the game.

Edwards was three-for-four on the night with five RBI while Figueroa and Owings each drove in a run. Owings and Figueroa each had three hits to contribute to High Point’s 12-hit attack. DeLuca led the Ducks with a pair of hits and an RBI.

Thursday the Rockers will send knuckleballer Mickey Jannis (2-0, 4.26) to the mound to face Long Island’s Mitchell Senger (0-1, 7.10). Game time is 6:35 p.m. at Fairfield Properties Ballpark.