Norris lifts Rockers to win
Oct. 10—LANCASTER, Pa. — Randy Norris lined a pinch-hit single up the middle in the top of the ninth inning to score Quincy Latimore with the go-ahead run and the High Point Rockers defeated Lancaster 4-3 over the Lancaster Barnstormers Saturday night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
With one out in the ninth, Quincy Latimore doubled into the leftfield corner and then stole second. Norris battled reliever Logan Sawyer (0-1) before lining a single up the middle to score Latimore and give the Rockers a 4-3 lead.
The win was High Point's 64th of the season, assuring the Rockers will finish with the second-most overall victories in the Atlantic League in 2021. However, High Point's playoff hopes will be determined on Sunday, the final day of the ALPB regular season, by outcomes of games involving Long Island and Southern Maryland.
The Ducks and Blue Crabs ended Saturday tied for the lead in the North Division second half. For the Rockers to qualify for the postseason,Long Island must win and Southern Maryland lose on Sunday, which would give the Ducks the second half title to go with its first-half crown and open a wild-card berth in the playoffs, which the Rockers have clinched.
If the Blue Crabs win, they get in as the second-half winner.
On Saturday, Southern Maryland swept a doubleheader from Lexington by scores of 7-4 and 2-1 while. Long Island defeated York 2-0, which eliminated the Revolution from second-half contention.
Lexington and Charleston have qualified from the South Division.
Latimore, Jerry Downs, Quincy Nieporte and Logan Moore each finished with a pair of hits as High Point touched Lancaster pitchers for 14 hits.
High Point took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Jared Mitchell led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch by Lancaster starter Zach Smith then stole third. Moore then flew out as Mitchell scored on the sacrifice fly.
The Rockers added a pair of runs in the third. Johnny Field drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jay Gonzalez. Downs singled, moving Field to third before Nieporte singled to center, scoring Field and moving Downs to second. Mitchell then followed with a single to left that scored Downs and gave the Rockers a 3-0 lead.
Kelly Dugan homered for Lancaster in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 3-1. It was Dugan's 15th homer of the year.
Lancaster pulled to within a single run at 3-2 in the fourth when Blake Allemand walked. Anthony Peroni laid down a sacrifice bunt but Nieporte had a throwing error allowing Allemand to score from first.
Allemand scored the tying run in the sixth. After a walk, Allemand moved to second on a single by Peroni and scored on a double by Cleuluis Rondon to knot the game at 3-3.
High Point starter Tyler Garkow went four innings and struck out seven but was not involved in the decision. Ryan Dull (1-1) earned the win by striking out two in throwing a scoreless eighth inning. Kyle Halbohn earned his 13th save of the year by striking out the side in the ninth.
High Point will close the regular season on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against. the Barnstormers at Regency Furniture Stadium.
