AtL Gastonia Ghost Peppers

Sweepin' the Stormers: Gastonia Stays Red-Hot, Winning 9 of Past 10 Games After Lancaster Series

Published on May 23, 2024 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Gastonia Ghost Peppers News Release


The Baseball Club is the hottest team in the Atlantic League.

Gastonia swept Lancaster in three games at Clipper Magazine Stadium, and have now won nine of its past 10 games.

Game 1:

233 days after Game 5 of the Atlantic League Championship Series, Gastonia and Lancaster reunited for the start of the three-game set in Pennsylvania.

Gastonia trailed 5-2 entering the eighth inning, and proceeded to score six runs on five hits in the frame against the Lancaster bullpen, propelling the Club to an 8-5 victory on Tuesday.

Eric De La Rosa, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, tied the game at 5 with an RBI single in the eighth. After a wild pitch gave Gastonia the lead, Dean Miller extended the lead with a two-run double.

Although Gastonia severely struggled against Lancaster starter Nile Ball, mustering up just one run on two hits and striking out 11 times, the Club broke through against the Stormers 'pen.

Entering the series, Lancaster starters were not the issue for the team. The main weakness had been the bullpen.

Starters: 8-5, 3.36 ERA

Relievers: 1-8, 8.57 ERA

And that trend continued on Tuesday.

After Ball's great start, four relievers all allowed at least a run against Gastonia, as the offense got going for the Club in the seventh and especially the eighth.

The Game 1 win kept Gastonia tied for first in the South, as the Club searched for their fifth straight series win on Wednesday.

Game 2:

Patrick Mazeika blasted two home runs to right field and helped Gastonia take the series, winning 7-4 on Wednesday.

Mazeika went 3-for-4 with a three-run shot in the third and a solo homer in the eighth, ending the contest with six homers on the season. The catcher finished the day tied for the team lead in homers with Josh Stowers and Jake Gatewood.

Dean Miller followed up Mazeika's second bomb with one of his own in the eighth inning.

Gastonia and Lancaster were tied at 4 entering the frame, before Mazeika and Miller visited the right-field seats.

Zac Lowther got the start for Gastonia, allowing four runs in five innings.

Nate Peden then came on in relief and was dominant.

The right-hander threw two perfect frames in the sixth and seventh, striking out three Stormers. Peden has now allowed just one run in 11 innings pitched this season.

Gabe Klobosits picked up his second save of the season, as the Club secured their fifth consecutive series victory.

Game 3:

Dean Miller hit a two-run homer and another Gastonia batter hit two homers in the game.

Sound familiar?

Well, it happened Wednesday and also took place on Thursday when Gastonia finished off the sweep of Lancaster, winning 5-1.

The other Gastonia batter was Jake Gatewood, who teed off with a solo shot in the fourth and two-run dinger in the sixth.

Gatewood homered on back-to-back pitches he saw, and now leads the team with eight on the season.

Miller's long ball came in the fourth, just a few batters after Gatewood's, to give the team a 3-0 lead after three scoreless frames.

Gatewood gave the Club a 5-0 lead in the sixth, and they cruised to a sweep of the Stormers.

Ryan Conroy had a stellar start on Thursday, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven.

The top of the Lancaster order went 0-for-9 with three Ks against Conroy.

After his spectacular outing, Trent Fennell came on in relief and allowed one run over three innings.

Fennell pitched the final three innings of the game, so he was credited with the save - his first of the season. The right-hander now has a 1.68 ERA in 16 innings this year.

Gastonia improved to 17-8 after the three-game sweep.

The Club is now alone in first place in the South Division, 1.5 games above High Point and Charleston, who both sit at 15-9.

Gastonia will head back home to host Southern Maryland for a four-game Memorial Day Weekend series, starting on Friday at 7 p.m.

Check out the Gastonia Ghost Peppers Statistics

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Atlantic League Stories from May 23, 2024


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