Honey Hunters Rally to Top Rockers
August 24, 2021 - Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release
GASTONIA, N.C. - The Gastonia Honey Hunters scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 6-6 tie and went on to post a 10-6 win over the High Point Rockers Tuesday night at CaroMont Health Park.
Randy Norris led the Rockers with a pair of hits, including a home run, and four RBI. Jared Mitchell added a pair of hits for High Point.
Cooper Casad started for High Point but did not factor in the decision, leaving after seven innings with the score tied at 6-6. Joey Hennessey (1-2) relieved Casad in the eighth and allowed four runs on three walks. Gastonia reliever Kaleb Earls got the win to improve to 6-1.
The win moved Gastonia a game in front of the Rockers in the Atlantic League South Division standings for the second half. Gastonia is 12-6 while the Rockers fell to 11-7.
High Point took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Norris lined a homer to right to score Stuart Levy ahead of him.
Gastonia got one run back in the bottom of the second on back-to-back doubles by Josh Sale and Reece Hampton.
The Rockers added a run in the third when Johnny Field singled, advanced to third on an error and scored on a single by James McOwen.
Gastonia knotted the game at 3-3 in the fourth when Josh Sale, the Atlantic League's home run leader, blasted his 25th of the year with one aboard.
Gastonia tallied three times in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Casad retired the first two hitters in the inning before Jason Rogers and Emmanuel Tapia each singled and Ryan Cordell hit a three-run homer.
High Point cut the deficit to a single run at 6-5 with two runs in the sixth. Back-to-back singles by Stuart Levy and Giovanny Alfonzo put runners on the corner. Norris' sacrifice fly scored Levy and Mitchell's double to left scored brought home Alfonzo.
The Rockers tied the game at six with a run in the top of the seventh. Jay Gonzalez walked, moved to second on a walk and scored on a Norris infield single.
Gastonia went ahead 9-6 in the bottom of the eighth, scoring four runs on six walks, a pair of Rockers errors and a wild pitch. With one out, Jake Skole walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch by Hennessey. Manual Geraldo then grounded to J.R. DiSarcina at second who threw to the plate but Levy missed the catch allowing Skole to score. Brian Clark relieved Hennessey and induced a ground ball to second. DiSarcina stepped on second for the out but his throw to first was wild and two more Gastonia runs came across to give the Honey Hunters a 9-6 lead. Gastonia then was able to load the bases on a pair of walks and Clark walked in the final run.
High Point and Gastonia will play the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday starting at 6:50 p.m. at CaroMont Health Park.
Atlantic League Stories from August 24, 2021
- Barnstormers Fall to Lexington, 12-10 - Lancaster Stormers
- Homers, Strong Effort on Mound Lead Revs to Series Opening Win at Long Island - York Revolution
- Honey Hunters Rally to Top Rockers - High Point Rockers
- Power Take Series Opener with Late-Inning Offense - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- DeLeon Fans Nine But Revs Take Series Opener - Long Island Ducks
- High Point Rockers Add East Forsyth's Dull, Brazoban - High Point Rockers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
