The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs dropped the series opener against the High Point Rockers on Friday, falling 11-5. The Rockers’ bats struck early and often, chasing Mitch Lambson (L, 5-7) from the game after just five innings, allowing seven runs.
The High Point Rockers started the scoring in the second inning, when Giovanny Alfonzo drove in Quincy Latimore on a base hit to right. The Rockers tacked on another run in the second to go ahead 2-0. In the third, High Point scored three times. Ben Aklinski pulled a home run over the Mini Monster in left before Jay Gonzalez went the other way on a two-run shot, putting High Point ahead 5-0.
The homers kept flying for the Rockers. Tyler Ladendorf smashed his first home run of the game in the fourth, before Zander Wiel crushed a homer in the fifth. In the sixth, Ben Aklinski ripped a line drive to left, scoring Dakota Mulcay. By the end of the sixth inning, the Blue Crabs trailed 8-1.
Ivan Pineyro (W, 4-1) pitched six outstanding innings, allowing only one run on two hits. But he struggled in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Michael Baca struck a base hit to right, scoring two runs and cutting the deficit to 8-3. Two batters later, with runners on second and third, Jack Sundberg sliced a ball to left center, scoring Matt Hibbert and Michael Baca, trimming the Rockers’ advantage to 8-5. But that’s the closest the Blue Crabs would get.
In the ninth inning, Cody Strayer ran into trouble. After a pair of singles, Tyler Ladendorf crushed his second home run of the night, giving High Point an 11-5 lead. In the ninth Cole Aker sent down the Blue Crabs in order, giving the Rockers an 11-5 victory.
Southern Maryland moves to 61-26 on the year, and 13-8 in the second half. Southern Maryland is now tied for the North Division lead in the Second Half with the Lancaster Barnstormers. Southern Maryland will be back in action tomorrow at 6:35 pm at Regency Furniture Stadium.