By Camden Connolly 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – After being shut out in back-to-back games, the High Point Rockers purged their memories by beating the Gastonia Ghost Peppers 12-5 Wednesday night at Truist Point. A season-high 10-run second inning helped pave the way to the victory.

The Rockers had dropped a 12-0 decision to Lancaster on Sunday and were blanked 2-0 in a rain-shortened five inning game on Tuesday night.

Wednesday’s game was decided shortly after it started. High Point’s 10-run second inning was its biggest single inning offensive explosion since tallying a 14-run ninth inning against the Spire City Ghost Hounds on July 29, 2023.

The inning was highlighted by a two-run single from Luis Gonzale, a three-run homer from Drew Mendoza, a two-run homer by Ben Aklinski and topped off by Braxton Davidson’s solo homer off the video board.

The Rockers are now 39-20 on the season. Wednesday’s win marked the 400^th win in Rockers history and also the 400^th win for Jamie Keefe as the Rockers manager.

Nate Scantlin put the first two runs on the board for Gastonia in the second inning by slamming a two-run triple off High Point starter pitcher Cooper Casad (W, 3-2), giving Gastonia a 2-0 lead.

Trailing 10-2, the Ghost Peppers were able to slightly bridge the gap in the fifth inning as Justin Wylie singled, knocking in Scantlin. The Ghost Peppers’ Narciso Crook drove in Wylie, pushing the Ghost Peppers to within six at 10-4.

The Rockers are slated to play the rubber match against the Ghost Peppers Thursday at 6:35 pm. The Rockers largest fireworks show of the year will follow the game.

NOTES: Rockers outfielder Jordan Luplow was acquired by the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican Baseball League on Wednesday.  Luplow played 14 games for High Point, hitting .255 with four homers and 13 RBIs while drawing eight walks and scoring nine runs. He spent part of seven seasons in Major League baseball, primarily with Pittsburgh and Cleveland, before joining the Rockers. Luplow is the seventh Rocker to have their contract purchased this season and the 46th in club history.

By Camden Connolly 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Gastonia Ghost Peppers took a 2-0 win from the High Point Rockers in a rain-shortened game at Truist Point on Tuesday night.

The Ghost Peppers gained a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Kevin Watson Jr. launched a two-run double, knocking in Brian O’Grady and Cole Roederer off Rockers starting pitcher Tommy Dole (L, 1-3)
Gastonia’s starting pitcher Nick Wells left after the first inning after absorbing a line drive hit by Drew Mendoza that deflected to second baseman Ethan Skender who threw Mendoza out at first. Wells threw several warm-up pitches and remained in the contest but John Wilson (W, 2-1) entered the game in the bottom of the second and held the Rockers to just one hit over the final four innings.

The game was called in the top of the sixth inning when a thunder storm settled over Truist Point. The game was called after a 40-minute delay.

High Point collected just three hits with Max Viera hitting a double in the first, a single from Ben Aklinski in the second and a double by Braxton Davidson in the fifth.

The Rockers are slated to play their second game of a three-game series against the Ghost Peppers on Wednesday at 6:35 pm.

NOTES: Gastonia’s lead-off hitter, Nate Scantlin, doubled to right to start the sixth and Cole Roederer had a full count when the skies opened and lightning was detected in the vicinity of the ballpark . . . The Mexico City Diablos Rojos purchased the contract of Rockers LHP Kent Emanuel on Tuesday . . . The Rockers released LHP Braeden Ogle and signed Fin Del Bonta-Smith who was most recently pitching with Pittsburgh’s AA club in Altoona in June.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers won the Atlantic League’s South Division first half championship with a 5-3 win over the Lancaster Stormers on Saturday night at Truist Point. The Rockers win combined with Southern Maryland’s loss to Lexington gave the Rockers the championship.

High Point (38-18) wins the division over the second place Blue Crabs (31-25). It is the second South Division first half title for the Rockers in the last three years. As first half champions, the Rockers have earned a berth in the ALPB League Championship Series against the second half South Division champion.

The Rockers fell behind 1-0 when Lancaster’s Evan Alexander opened the game with a walk and scored on an infield ground out by Joseph Carpenter.

High Point put up four runs in the third to take the lead. After a solo homer from Braxton Davidson knotted the game at 1-1, Drew Mendoza blasted a three-run shot for a 4-1 advantage.

The lead grew to 5-1 in the fifth when Davidson walked and scored on an infield grounder from Max Viera.

The Stormers rallied in the eighth, touching High Point reliever Stevie Branche for a pair of runs on a two-run double by Mason Martin. Jameson McGrane came on and got the Rockers out of trouble before pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his third save of the season.

Rockers starter Jonah Scolaro (W, 3-2) went five innings and allowed just one hit despite walking five and striking out three. The Stormers did not get another hit until the eighth and the Rockers staff finished with a two-hitter.

Lancaster starter Max Green (L, 0-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing five hits and five runs with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Luis Gonzalez and Mendoza each finished with a pair of hits and Mendoza led all players with three RBI.

The Rockers are slated to take on the Stormers in the series closer on Sunday at 4:05 pm.

By Camden Connolly

HIGH POINT, NC- Jordan Luplow hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a six-run rally and give the High Point Rockers a 7-4 win over the Lancaster Stormers in front of a crowd of 2,023 on Friday night at Truist Point.

The win leaves the Rockers with a magic number of two and they could clinch the Atlantic League’s South Division first half title with a win on Saturday night at Truist Point. Any combination of two Rockers wins and/or two losses by the second place Southern Maryland Blue Crabs would give High Point its second first half title in the last three years.

Trailing 4-1 entering the ninth inning, the Rockers put together four hits and took advantage of a pair of walks to post their second walk-off win of the season.

Ben Aklinski started the rally by drawing a walk from Lancaster’s Cody Stashak. A Jack Conley single put two aboard. After Stashak fanned Aidan Brewer for the first out, he walked Braxton Davidson to load the bases. The Stormers went with lefty Phil Diehl who induced a ground out to second by Luis Gonzalez to bring home Aklinski and cut the deficit to 4-2. A single by Max Viera plated Conley before Drew Mendoza added a single to tie the game. Luplow then hit a 2-2 pitch from Diehl deep over the fence in left to give the Rockers the 7-4 win.

Lancaster starter Noah Bremer shutout the Rockers through the first seven innings and only giving up three hits while his teammates built a 3-0 lead. All three runs came in the third inning off Rockers starter Pat Gardner who went six innings. The Stormers used sac flies from Yeison Coca and Nick Lucky along with an RBI double from Joseph Carpenter to take the lead.

The Rockers finally got on the board in the eighth when Brewer singled and moved to third on an error by Lancaster first baseman Mason Martin. Drew Mendoza then singled off Lancaster reliever Gerson Moreno to drive in Brewer.

The Stormers appeared to add an insurance run with a sacrifice fly from Alex Isola in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 4-1.

The Rockers will meet the Stormers at Truist Point on Saturday night at 6:35 p.m. for the second game of the three-game series. It will be Strike Out Cancer night at Truist Point. Fans can follow all the action on FLOBASEBALL.tv and on the Mixlr app.

GASTONIA, N.C. – The High Point Rockers scored nine runs over the fourth and fifth innings and went on to post a 12-6 win over the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Thursday night at CaroMont Health Park. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Rockers.

The Rockers dropped their magic number to clinch the Atlantic League’s South Division title to three as High Point returns home to open a three-game series on Friday against the Lancaster Stormers.

High Point owns a six-game lead over the second place Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The Rockers can clinch the title with any combination of three High Point wins and/or Southern Maryland losses.

The game was tied 3-3 after three innings when the Rockers opened the flood gates.

The Rockers put a pair of runners on board to open the fourth when Aidan Brewer and Luis Gonzalez each singled. A third straight single by Max Viera plated Brewer and put Gonzalez at third. Drew Mendoza hit into a 6-4-3 double play but Gonzalez crossed the plate to put High Point up 5-3. After another single by Jordan Luplow, Alex Dickerson slammed a homer to right to extend the Rockers lead to 7-3.

Mendoza grounded out to short in the bottom of the fifth, bringing home Isaiah Mirabal to give the Rockers an 8-3 lead. After Gastonia reliever Jackson boss walked Luplow, Dickerson delivered his second homer of the night, a grand slam, to increase High Point’s lead to 12-3.

High Point starter Cooper Casad (W, 2-2) went six innings, allowed eight hits and five runs while walking one and striking out four. Gastonia starter Justus Sheffield (L, 5-2) allowed 11 hits and seven runs, six earned over his four innings of work.

High Point host the Lancaster Stormers in their only visit to High Point this season. The three-game series starts on Friday night at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point. Rockers fans can follow the action on FLOBASEBALL.tv and on the Mixlr app.

NOTES: Casad is in his fourth stint with the Rockers having pitched in 2021-22 and 2024-25 . . . The win was his 12^th career victory as a Rocker putting him in fourth place in career wins . . . Dickerson’s grand slam was the eighth of the season for the Rockers, setting a club record for slams in a season . . . The 2019 and 2023 Rockers clubs each hit seven grand slams . . . Luis Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 13 straight games with a fourth inning single.