Wylie Walk-Off Winner Caps off Wild Doubleheader Split against Legends

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AtL Gastonia Ghost Peppers

Wylie Walk-Off Winner Caps off Wild Doubleheader Split against Legends

May 22, 2025 - Atlantic League (AtL)
Gastonia Ghost Peppers News Release


GASTONIA, N.C. - After blowing a late 6-2 lead in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader, Gastonia came from behind and won via Justin Wylie's three-run walk-off homer in the seventh inning of Game 2, leading the Ghost Peppers to an 8-7 win and a series win over Lexington.

Wylie sent everyone home with his team-leading eighth homer of the season off Jonathan Haab while Gastonia was trailing by two in the bottom of the seventh. The slugger has now driven in 26 runs this year to go along with the eight long balls.

The opposite-field walk-off homer capped off a long day of baseball at CaroMont Health Park; a day that featured Gastonia surrendering a combined eight seven-inning runs to the Legends.

The Ghost Peppers allowed five runs in the final inning of Game 1, with the No. 9 hitter Andy Atwood hitting the game-winning three-run home run to put Lexington on top 7-6. Bryan Blanton gave up a two-run shot to Curtis Terry before Nick Snyder allowed the long ball off the bat of Atwood.

Game 1 featured five Gastonia errors, three of them charged to shortstop Jack Reinheimer. However, Reinheimer produced at the plate, hitting a two-run homer to tie the game at 2 in the third. He also walked and scored one of four Ghost Peppers runs in the fifth, giving the team the 6-2 lead they eventually surrendered.

The Ghost Peppers won in come-from-behind fashion in Game 2, as the team trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the fifth; the lone run coming from Narciso Crook's fourth homer of the season and second in as many days.

Alan Alonso hit his first homer of the year to lead off the fifth, and after Kevin Watson Jr. doubled he was brought in by a Dalton Guthrie single. Guthrie plated three with a two-bagger in Game 1, so he collected 4 RBIs on Wednesday.

Gastonia threatened down 4-3 in the sixth, with Cole Roederer and Crook starting off the frame with singles. Ethan Skender laid down a bunt to advance the runners and Alonso struck out, setting up two on with two out. Henderson Perez, who was making his Ghost Peppers debut, walked to load the bases for Reinheimer.

The shortstop hit a gapper to right-center field, plating Roederer and Crook before Perez was thrown out at the plate. Reinheimer gave Gastonia a 5-4 lead heading to the seventh.

But as they did in the first game Wednesday, Lexington wasn't ready to go down without a fight. However, the Legends didn't need to do much fighting. Between southpaws Justus Sheffield and Adam Scott, Gastonia pitching issued five walks in the seventh inning. This included a string of four walks in a row, two of them bringing in a run. Lexington scored three in the frame to take a 7-5 lead.

Haab, who allowed a solo shot to Wylie the day prior, was on for the Legends in the bottom of the inning. He walked Watson Jr. and allowed a single to Guthrie before facing Wylie once again.

Wylie was behind in the count 1-2 when he got a fastball over the outside corner. And he didn't miss it. In fact, he crushed it to right field and gave right fielder Dylan Rock no chance to try making a play. All Rock could do was watch it sail over the wall, giving the Peppers an 8-7 win, a doubleheader split and a series victory.

Gastonia improved 9-15 on the season following a chaotic day of baseball; one that featured one comeback in Game 1 and comebacks from each team in Game 2. The Ghost Peppers will host High Point for three games during Military Appreciation Weekend, starting on Friday at 7 p.m.

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