Gastonia Honey Hunters hit new high with ALPB championship berth
An opportunity to play for an Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) title wasn’t getting away from the Gastonia Honey Hunters this time around.
The Honey Hunters secured a spot in this week’s ALPB championship series, claiming a 9-3 win over rival High Point in a winner-take-all Game 5 for the South Division title.
Gastonia is making its first appearance in the ALPB championship series, doing so in the franchise’s third year of existence. The Honey Hunters also scored a measure of revenge on High Point, which eliminated them last fall for the division title.
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Down 2-1 in the top of the fifth, Gastonia pulled even on a David Washington RBI double. It took the lead for good the following inning, a Jason Rogers line drive to left field clearing the fence for a home run.
An RBI double by Jake Hoover in the seventh gave the Honey Hunters a 4-2 advantage in the seventh. Gastonia poured it on in the eighth, its lead ballooning to seven runs. In the frame, Rogers hit his second home run of the game, a Braxton Davidson double brought two more around scored two in addition to a Washington RBI base hit.
Washington also brought in Gastonia’s final run with a bases loaded walk.
Rogers (3-for-5, 2 HR) led the Honey Hunters’ hit parade, with Zach Jarrett (2-for-4, HR), Edwin De La Rosa (2-for-5, 2 R), Washington (2-for-4, 3 RBI) and Hoover (2-for-4, RBI) also earning multi-hit games.
Gunnar Kings earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked none. Zack Mort pitched the last four innings, allowing a run on four hits with six strikeouts.
Gastonia will take on the Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers in the best-of-five ALPB championship series, set to begin Tuesday. Lancaster will also host Game 2, with first pitch both nights at 6:30 p.m.
The series shifts to Gastonia for Game 3 on Friday night, start time set for 6:35 p.m. If necessary, games 4 and 5 will also be at CaroMont Health Park on Saturday and Sunday, first pitch at 6:35 p.m. and 3:35 p.m., respectively.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia Honey Hunters to play for Atlantic League baseball title
