Hartman Ks a dozen, Peppers use 6th-inning rally to take Game 1
AtL Gastonia Ghost Peppers

Hartman Ks a dozen, Peppers use 6th-inning rally to take Game 1

Published on September 20, 2025 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Gastonia Ghost Peppers News Release


GASTONIA, N.C. - Matt Hartman allowed a two-run homer in the first inning off the bat of Evan Edwards.

The ALPB Pitcher of the Month of July proceeded to retire the next 16 High Point batters he faced, including a streak of nine consecutive punchouts.

Hartman cruised through the sixth inning, and the Ghost Peppers plated five in the sixth to defeat the Rockers 6-4 in Game 1 of the South Division Championship Series on Saturday night.

The right-hander was outstanding, using a heavy dosage of curveballs to record the nine straight Ks - striking out the side in both the fourth and fifth. He ended with 12 strikeouts, not walking a batter through six.

But Hartman trailed for his entire outing, as Fin Del Bonta-Smith had a dominant start for the majority of his outing. The Rockers' Game 1 starter was perfect through four innings and faced the minimum through five.

Entering the bottom of the sixth, it remained a 2-0 High Point lead from the first-inning long ball.

The Peppers scored five runs on six hits in the frame, connecting on three straight RBI doubles from the top of the order - Shed Long Jr., Justin Wylie and Cole Roederer. Gastonia took the lead on Roederer's two-bagger - a bullet deep to right that went off the end of Luis Gonzalez's glove.

Carter Aldrete followed up the three doubles with a two-run homer to left - a moonshot that eventually landed in the parking lot beyond the fence. Aldrete ended the season with nine more RBIs than games played, and he recorded a pair of RBIs with one swing to make it 5-2 Ghost Peppers.

Jack Reinheimer tacked onto the lead an inning later, bringing in Eric De La Rosa with a groundout to short. De La Rosa bunted his way aboard, swiped second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher Nolan Watson. The captain made it 6-2 Gastonia after seven.

Nick Horvath and Tyler Wilson combined for a 1-2-3 eighth, finishing off a stretch where Gastonia pitching retired 22 straight hitters.

High Point rallied in the ninth, scoring two and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. But Sam Bordner got Alex Dickerson to chase a pitch low and fly out to deep center field to end the ball game.

Gastonia held on for the 6-4 victory, taking the opening game of the series. Game 2 of the South Division Championship Series also takes place at CaroMont Health Park, with first pitch on Sunday at 4 p.m.

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Atlantic League Stories from September 20, 2025


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