FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
HIGH POINT ROCKERS 6, GASTONIA GHOST PEPPERS 5
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point Rockers rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to post a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Wednesday night at Truist Point. The win evens the Rockers record on the season at 1-1.
Trailing 5-3 entering the ninth, Gastonia reliever Blake Brown (L, 0-1) walked the first four men he faced, throwing 17 consecutive balls, forcing home a run and briningg the Rockers to within 5-4. Rockers DH Nick Longhi then flew out to right, allowing Ethan Skender to tag and score from third to tie the game. After Max Viera beat out an infield single to re-load the bases, Aidan Brewer lined out to center with a sacrifice fly, allowing Murphy Stehly to tag up and score the game-winning run.
The walk-off sac fly was the first of Brewer’s career as a Rocker.
Fin Del Bonta Smith made his first trip to the hill in 2026 and delivered an impressive outing, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out four.
The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Gastonia cleanup hitter Grant Lavigne broke the deadlock with a two-run double, driving in Nate Scantlin from third and Anthony Prato from second to give Gastonia a 2-0 lead. Lavigne later came around to score on a fielder’s choice, capping off a three-run sixth inning.
High Point responded in the bottom half of the sixth, capitalizing on control issues from the Gastonia bullpen, which issued four consecutive walks to begin the inning. Viera then drove in Skender via a sac fly to pull the Rockers within one run at 3-2.
Gastonia answered back in the seventh, sending seven hitters to the plate and extending the lead. Trendon Craig delivered an RBI single to score Jack Reinheimer from second and Lavigne added his third RBI of the night with a sac fly that plated Scantlin, pushing the lead to 5 to 2.
DJ Burt provided a spark for the Rockers offense in the seventh, doubling and later scoring to trim the deficit to 5 to 3. High Point threatened to do more damage after loading the bases with no outs, but Halton Hardy came out of the bullpen and shut the door, striking out all three batters he faced to end the inning and strand the tying runs.
Gastonia skipper Goose Gazzo went to Brown in the ninth with a save opportunity in sight. Brown was unable to find the zone as he walked the first four batters he faced.
Rookie righty Duncan Howard W, 1-0), from Kernersville, tossed a scoreless top of the ninth, striking out two and working around a triple, to earn his first professional win.
The rubber match of this three game set is slated to start at 6:35 pm on Thursday night. High Point will send southpaw Ben Wereski (0-0) to the hill to face off against Ljay Newsome (0-0).
