Napleton's Bat Propels Rockers over Long Island
Published on September 7, 2025 under Atlantic League (AtL)
High Point Rockers News Release
HIGH POINT, N.C. - High Point's Luke Napleton tied a club record with three doubles and four extra base hits in leading the Rockers to a 6-2 win over the Long Island Ducks on Sunday afternoon at Truist Point. The win gave the Rockers a win in the three-game series.
The Rockers improved to 70-47 overall and 29-25 in the second half of the Atlantic League season. Long Island fell to 67-50 overall and 32-22 in the second half.
The Rockers remain three games behind Gastonia (32-22) with nine games left to play in the regular season. High Point, by virtue of its first half South Division championship, has already secured its berth in the Atlantic League postseason.
Napleton tied a club record shared by three others with three doubles in the contest. He added a triple to tie the franchise mark with four extra base hits in a game. As a team, the Rockers hit seven doubles on Sunday, one shy of the team record.
High Point took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Napleton hit his first double of the day and moved to third on a single by Max Viera. When Viera stole second, the throw from Long Island catcher Ronaldo Florest sailed into centerfield, allowing Napleton to score and Viera to advance to third. Aidan Brewer then doubled home Viera for a 2-0 advantage.
Two more doubles in the third gave the Rockers a 3-0 lead. Ben Aklinski drilled a one-out double into the left field corner and then scored on Napleton's second double of the day.
Brewer singled in the fourth and scored on a double by Drew Mendoza for a 4-0 lead which grew to 5-0 in the fifth when Napleton tripled and scored on a sac fly to left by Viera.
Rockers starter Ben Wereski (W, 3-4) tied his season strikeout high with eight for the third straight game. He went five innings and allowed just two hits and did not issue a walk.
Long Island got on the board in the sixth against Rockers reliever Scott Rouse. Kole Kaler drew a lead-off walk and Troy Viola singled before both runners came home on a two-run double by Cody Thomas.
High Point's final rune came in the seventh when Alex Dickerson walked and scored on (you guessed it) a double by Napleton to put the Rockers up 6-2.
Long Island starter Tim Melville (L, 5-5) allowed nine hits and five runs over his five innings of work with one walk and two strikeouts.
Kyle Halbohn and Jameson McGrane pitched the final two innings for High Point and did not allow a run while each yielded a single hit.
Napleton finished the day with four hits, two runs scored and two RBI. Brewer also had a pair of hits as part of the Rockers' 10-hit attack.
The Rockers will have a day off on Monday before heading to Waldorf, Md. on Tuesday to being a six-game series with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. High Point will return home for their final three home games of the season on September 16 as they host the Charleston Dirty Birds. The Rockers will open the South Division Championship Series on September 20. High Point will be at home in Game 3 of the Division Championship Series on Tuesday, September 23 at Truist Point.
NOTES: Rockers OF Ben Aklinski played in his 600th Atlantic League game on Sunday. He is just the 32nd player in league history to reach 600 games played.
Atlantic League Stories from September 7, 2025
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- Ducks Drop Rubber Game Down in North Carolina - Long Island Ducks
- De La Rosa joins 20-40 club in series win over Blue Crabs - Gastonia Ghost Peppers
- Napleton's Bat Propels Rockers over Long Island - High Point Rockers
- Stormers End Series With Loss - Lancaster Stormers
- Truist Point to Host Annual Climb to Remember - High Point Rockers
- Southern Maryland Falls, 7-5, on Saturday - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
- Two-Out Magic Lifts Ducks to Extra Inning Victory - Long Island Ducks
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