LANCASTER, Pa. – The High Point Rockers battled tooth and nail for 10 innings on Wednesday night but a controversial call at the end resulted in Lancaster taking a 3-2 win at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
The game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th and Austin Glorius (L, 3-6) was on in relief for the Rockers. His first pitch hit Jake Hoover to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third before Glorius fanned Trace Loehr. Anthony Peroni then singled to left to tie the game and leave runners at the corners. Lancaster’s Devon Torrence sent a grounder to second where it was fielded by Tyler Ladendorf who flipped to Giovanny Alfonzo at second for the second out. Alfonzo’s relay to first was ruled not in time, allowing Hoover to score the winning run in Lancaster’s 3-2 victory.
The ending was a disappointment for the Rockers who never relented in their quest to end what has become a seven-game losing streak to start the second half of the ALPB season.
Trayvon Robinson staked the Barnstormers to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer off High Point starter Jonah Scolaro in the second inning. The Rockers answered back in the third when Logan Morrison hit a two-out solo homer off Lancaster starter Oscar De La Cruz to knot the game at 1-1. It was Morrison’s ninth homer of the year.
Scolaro struck out a career-high eight in his six innings of work while allowing just three hits and walking three. De La Cruz also allowed three hits and fanned six in his five innings.
Four Lancaster hurlers held the Rockers to just two hits after the sixth inning. Bryce Hensley shutout the Barnstormers in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings while striking out four and giving up just two hits.
In the 10th, High Point’s Tyler Ladendorf started the frame at second base. Ben Aklinski struck out before Ladendorf moved to third on a passed ball by Lancaster catcher Anthony Peroni. Morrison was intentionally walked and Zander Wiel sent a sac fly to center to score Ladendorf and put the Rockers ahead 2-1.
High Point and Lancaster will play the final game of the three-game series on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
