HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point Rockers first baseman Luke Napleton hit for the cycle to lead a 13-hit attack as the Rockers closed the season with a 15-2 win over the Gastonia Ghost Peppers at Truist Point on Sunday afternoon.
Napleton singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, hit a solo homer in the fifth and then clubbed an RBI triple in the seventh inning. He finished four-for-five on the day with four RBI. His homer in the fifth inning was his league-leading 41st of the season. The 455-foot shot ensures Napleton finishes as the Atlantic League leader in home runs.
Gastonia scored an opening inning run off High Point starter Yuhi Sako (W, 8-11) when Wade Kelly led off the game with a triple and scored on an infield grounder to put Gastonia up 1-0.
The Rockers retaliated against Gastonia starter Braden Webb (L, 1-3) with seven runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by catcher Chris Brady’s first home run of the year, a two-out grand slam that accounted for the final four runs of the inning.
Chandler Seagle belted a solo homer in the second to pull the Peppers within five at 7-2.
The Rockers blew up for another six runs in the third with Hogan Windish hitting a solo homer, Napleton knocking a two-run triple and Ryan McCarthy adding a run-scoring double.
The Rockers finish with a final record of 26-37 in the second half and 55-71 for the full season. The Ghost Peppers wrap up their season at 33-30 and 71-55.
