HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Nolan Watson hit a bases-loaded double in the top of the ninth inning to break up a one-run game and lead the High Point Rockers to a 9-5 win over the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars on Tuesday night at Meritus Park.
With the Rockers holding onto a 6-5 lead in the ninth, High Point’s Hogan Windish started the rally with a single to center. Ethan Skender followed with another single before Boxcars reliever Rafael Sanchez walked Bryson Parks to load the bases. That’s when Watson lined a double into the left-center gap to score all three runners and extend High Point’s lead to 9-5.
Kyle Halbohn pitched around a base hit in the ninth to seal the win.
The win puts the Rockers at 14-14 in the second half and 43-48 for the full season. Hagerstown is now 11-17 and 52-39.
High Point took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning behind a double from Luke Napleton and an RBI single off the bat of Ivan Melendez.
The Rockers grew the lead top 4-0 with a three-run third. A lead-off triple by Aidan Brewer was followed by a walk to Ty Hubbard. With runners on the corners, Napleton bounced back to the mound and pitcher Robbie Baker’s toss to the plate was not in time to get Brewer. Hogan Windish drew a walk to load the bases and Ethan Skender’s sac fly to center plated Hubbard for a 3-0 lead. Braxton Davidson singled past the second baseman to drive in Napleton and leave the Rockers with a 4-0 lead. That lead grew to 5-0 in the fourth inning as Hubbard singled, moved to third on another double by Napleton and scored on a wild pitch by Baker.
The Boxcars tallied once off High Point starter Matt Colucci (W, 4-4) in the fifth. Cristhian Rodriguez belted a triple to start the inning and scored when Jordan Peyton bounced out to Aidan Brewer at shortstop.
Colucci went 5 1/3 innings and held the Boxcars to two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three.
Hagerstown added a pair of runs in the sixth to close the gap to 5-3. Colucci hit Noah Smith leading off the frame and then departed after retiring Leobaldo Cabrera. Nick Timpanelli came on in relief and recorded one out before giving up a two-run homer to Darick Hall.
The Rockers added a run in the seventh to push the lead to 6-3. Skender singled off the glove of pitcher Rafael Sanchez and then stole second. Skender moved to third on a single by Davidson. Brewer lined a double off the wall in right, scoring Skender, but Davidson was cut down trying to score from first.
Jesse Hahn set down the Boxcars in order in the bottom of the seventh but Hagerstown rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth off Ryan Chasse. Jared Carr walked and scored on a single by Cabrera. Alex Isola singled to left to score Cabrera and leave the Rockers with a 6-5 lead.
Game two of this three-game series is slated for a 6:30 p.m. start on Wednesday at Meritus Park. Rocker fans can follow the action live on DugoutTV.org or the audio broadcast on the free app MixLR.
NOTES: The Rockers on Tuesday signed INF Hogan Windish, a former UNCG infielder . . . He was in the starting line-up as the DH . . . CF Bryson Parks returned from an injury on Tuesday. He had been sidelined since June 17 . . . D.J. Burt was placed on the injured list retroactive to August 2 . . . The Rockers over the weekend released INF Kyle Singer and LHP Cody Whitten and traded OF Chase Nixon to the Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League.
