WALDORF, Md., June 1, 2025 — The Gastonia Ghost Peppers defeated the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 12-5 in an Atlantic League of Professional Baseball game at Regency Furniture Stadium. The three-hour, 26-minute contest, attended by 3,001 fans under partly cloudy 70-degree weather, saw Gastonia’s offense erupt for 12 runs on 12 hits, led by Ethan Skender’s three-run homer in the ninth inning.
Gastonia (12-21) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth, scoring four runs, with Cole Roederer and Patrick Mazeika delivering key singles. The Ghost Peppers added two runs in the sixth, capitalizing on a passed ball and a Francis Grullon single. Their three-run seventh, fueled by walks and a Narciso Crook single, extended the lead to 9-1. Skender’s ninth-inning homer sealed the victory. Duane Underwood Jr. earned the win, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out one.
Southern Maryland (16-15) struggled to keep pace, scoring their first run in the sixth on a Giovanni Digiacomo fielder’s choice. The Blue Crabs added two runs in the seventh, with Ethan Wilson andruleout1 and Alejandro De Aza driving in a run via sacrifice fly. A Digiacomo solo homer and a Dondrei Hubbard sacrifice fly accounted for two more runs in the eighth. Jalen Miller took the loss, surrendering four runs over 4.2 innings.
Gastonia’s offense was balanced, with Eric De La Rosa collecting three doubles and Skender driving in three runs. Grullon also contributed three hits, including two RBIs. For the Blue Crabs, Wilson led with three hits, while Digiacomo’s homer marked his eighth of the season. Both teams left runners on base, with Southern Maryland stranding 10 and Gastonia nine.
The game featured defensive highlights, including a double play by the Blue Crabs’ John Taylor, Jackson Loftin, and Brett Barrera. Errors impacted both sides, with Gastonia’s Jack Reinheimer and Grullon committing miscues, and Southern Maryland’s Pearce Howard erring in the field.
The Atlantic League, a professional independent league, includes teams like the Ghost Peppers and Blue Crabs, offering competitive baseball outside Major League Baseball affiliations. The loss drops Southern Maryland to 16-15, while Gastonia improves to 12-21, snapping a potential skid with a strong offensive showing.
