YORK, Pa. – The High Point Rockers scored seven runs in the first inning of their nightcap at York and forged a doubleheader split on Thursday. After the Rockers dropped the completion of Wednesday’s suspended 2-1 in 11 innings, High Point bounced back to take the second game, 7-3.
York claimed the opener 2-1 in 11 innings when Colton Welker hit a soft ground ball up the first base line that brought home Matt McDermott with the winning run. In the night cap, High Point jumped to a 7-0 lead and lefty Jonah Scolaro turned in a complete game effort in downing the Revs 7-3 in seven innings.
York starter Will Stewart lasted just two-thirds of an inning in the nightcap as the Rockers tallied seven times, sending 11 hitters to the plate. Gilberto Jimenez singled and took second on a wild pitch. Connor Owings roped an RBI double for a 1-0 Rockers lead. Quincy Latimore’s two-run homer put High Point ahead 3-0. Evan Edwards followed with a single before newcomer Trey Martin, acquired on Wednesday in a trade with York, drew a walk. With two on, Brian Parreira doubled home both runs to make it a 5-0 advantage. Clayton Mehlbauer then singled home Parreira before scoring on a Martin Figueroa single for a 7-0 advantage.
Scolaro (W, 4-1) went all seven innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out six. It was the first complete game turned in by a Rockers starter since Mickey Jannis in 2023.
The Rockers and Revolution started the day at 11 a.m. by completing the game that started Wednesday night and was suspended due to rain. Scoreless through three innings, Rudy Martin, Jr. put the Revolution up 1-0 in the fourth inning with a solo homer
High Point tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth when Ben Aklinski drew a walk to start the frame. After stealing second, Aklinski moved to third on a single by Connor Owings and then scored when Quincy Latimore bounced out to third.
Cooper Casad started for the Rockers on Wednesday night and kept York scoreless into the third. Lefty Nate Espelin finished off a scoreless third on Thursday morning and pitched until turning it over to Kyle Halbohn in the sixth. The veteran righty loaded the bases in the seventh before striking out Zander Wiel and Alfredo Reyes then escaping unharmed by getting Alex Pantojoa to ground out to second. Halbohn did not allow a hit in his two innings of work.
Will Carter took the mound for the Rockers in the eighth and kept the Revs scoreless through his two innings of work while striking out three.
York’s Aaron Fletcher went six innings and allowed three hits and four walks before exiting prior to the 10th. Aaron Holiday inherited the “ghost” runner on second in the form of D.J. Burt. After Burt stole third and Ben Aklinski drew a walk, Holiday fanned Connor Owings before walking Latimore to load the bases.
In the eleventh, Welker hit a soft roller up the first base line that neither first baseman Evan Edwards or pitcher Dakota Chalmers (L, 0-1) could reach in time to make a play. That allowed Matt McDermott to score from third with the winning run.
The Rockers will start a six-game homestand at Truist Point when they entertain the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs on Friday at 6:35 p.m. The homestand continues next week when Gastonia visits for three games from Tuesday, July 23 through Thursday, July 25.
NOTES: Owings went five-for-nine in the two games on Thursday… He recorded 13 base hits on the six-game road trip with three home runs and eight RBI… He leads the Rockers with a .380 batting average away from home… Mickey Jannis threw the last complete game by a Rocker, going seven innings in an 8-2 win at Gastonia on Sept. 5, 2023… Trey Martin started both games for the Rockers, playing left in the first game and center in the nightcap when Ben Aklinski played second base… Former Rocker Zander Wiel went one-for-seven in the two games and was picked off second base by Scolaro in the nightcap… High Point outfielder Gilberto Jimenez picked up an assist when he threw York 1B David Washington out at first base from right field for a 9-3 putout in the seventh inning of the second game.
