WALDORF, Md. – The High Point Rockers had their three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday afternoon in a 5-1 loss to Southern Maryland at Regency Furniture Stadium.
Ben Aklinski led the Rockers with three hits as part of High Point’s seven-hit attack. Aklinski had a triple in the eighth inning and his solo homer leading off the sixth was the only run on the afternoon for the Rockers.
The Rockers are now 46-43 overall and 7-16 in the second half of the Atlantic League season.
Southern Maryland took a 1-0 lead in the first when Alex Crosby hit a three-run homer, scoring Jared Walker who had walked, and Michael Wielansky who had singled. The Blue Crabs extended the lead to 4-0 in the fourth on a Matt Hibbert double and an RBI single from Michael Baca.
Aklinski pulled the Rockers to within 4-1 with his solo homer leading off the sixth inning. It was Aklinski’s 15th homer of the year.
Neil Uskali (L, 3-3) started for the Rockers after being activated from the Injured List earlier in the day. It marked Uskali’s first appearance since June 17. Uskali went three innings and allowed four hits and three runs while walking three. Knowing he was on a shortened pitch count, Rockers manager Jamie Keefe opted not to use a DH and Uskali singled in his lone at-bat.
Mickey Jannis, a knuckleball-throwing righthander who made one start in the Major Leagues with the Baltimore Orioles in 2021, went three innings for the Rockers in his first appearance. He allowed just one run and three hits over three innings while striking out three.
High Point reliever Gabriel Castellanos allowed a run in the seventh when Alex Crosby hit an RBI single to score Braxton Lee who had reached on a fielder’s choice.
Southern Maryland’s Eddie Butler (W, 9-2) tossed 7.1 innings and struck out five while walking only one.
The Rockers will enjoy an off-day on Monday and then begin a three-game homestand with the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.
