Gastonia, NC (Tuesday, September 12, 2023) – In a crucial late-season matchup, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs clinched a 5-3 victory against the Gastonia Honey Hunters on Tuesday, narrowing their gap to 1.5 games behind the Lancaster Barnstormers in the North Division of the Atlantic League.
Liam O’Sullivan, the starting pitcher for the Blue Crabs, contributed seven solid innings before passing the reins to Andre Scrubb and Bruce Rondón, who took care of the eighth and ninth innings. The win marked an important rebound for the Blue Crabs, who entered the series after suffering a sweep.
The match took off with Jimmy Kerrigan of the Blue Crabs smacking a ball into left field, setting the stage for teammates Alex Crosby and Joe DeLuca. Crosby and DeLuca then hit hard ground balls that scored Kerrigan, giving Southern Maryland an early 1-0 lead.
The Honey Hunters responded swiftly, as Eric De La Rosa leveled the score with a solo home run. Gastonia then surged ahead with back-to-back doubles from the bottom of their lineup, leading 2-1. However, Gastonia’s lead was short-lived.
In the top of the sixth inning, Southern Maryland staged a rally that saw four runners cross the plate. Crosby’s soft liner was instrumental in retaking the lead for the Blue Crabs. Adding to that, Zach Jarrett of Gastonia hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Honey Hunters ahead.
As the teams head into the final games of the regular season, the pressure is mounting. With just five games remaining, the Blue Crabs remain 1.5 games back of the Lancaster Barnstormers for the top spot in the North Division. Both teams are looking to secure a strong position for the upcoming postseason, and each game becomes increasingly critical.
Tonight, the Blue Crabs aim for a series win against the Honey Hunters, with Tony Dibrell scheduled to return to the rotation. The first pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. For those unable to attend in person, the game will be live-streamed and available for viewing on FloBaseball.
As the Atlantic League’s regular season reaches its crescendo, fans are gearing up for what promises to be an enthralling end to the league competition. The stakes are high and the tension palpable, but if last night’s game was any indication, both teams will give their all as they chase the ultimate prize: a division championship.