WALDORF, Md. — The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs played a back-and-forth game with the High Point Rockers on Saturday night. The Rockers scored the first six runs before the Blue Crabs stormed back with eight.
Ultimately, a late push from the Rockers was enough for them to pick up the win.
The Rockers got the bats going against Adrian Cook in the first three innings. After walking in a run in the first, Michael Russell added an RBI single in the second and came around to score on a ground out, putting the Rockers ahead 3-0.
In the third inning, High Point added three runs on an RBI-double and defensive miscues.
In the bottom of the third, the Blue Crabs responded. Michael Baca reached on an error before Jack Sundberg walked.
Two batters later, Braxton Lee hit a three-run home run over the Mini Monster in left field, cutting the deficit to 6-3. In the fourth inning, Mike Falsetti picked up his first hit of the year when he smashed a three-run shot over the wall in left-center.
Braxton Lee kept the bats moving in the fifth off of Nathan Bates (W, 1-0). With Wielansky on first, Lee blasted one off the Mini Monster, scoring Wielansky, to give the Blue Crabs their first lead of the night.
Jared Walker later drove in Lee, giving the Blue Crabs an 8-6 edge.
Dalton Geekie (L, 1-2) got the final two outs in the fifth inning but struggled in the sixth. The High Point Rockers scored three runs to take a 9-8 lead. After Patrick Baker pitched a clean seventh, he surrendered three runs, giving the Rockers a 12-8 advantage.
The Blue Crabs rallied in the ninth off of Ryan Dull. The first two batters reached for the Blue Crabs. After Dull retired the next two batters, Matt Hibbert belted a line drive into the left field corner, scoring two runs.
Mat Latos then pinch-hit for the Blue Crabs, as no position players remained on the bench. Latos lined one to center field, but Ben Aklinski made a diving catch to save the game for the Rockers.
The Blue Crabs fall to 61-27 with the loss and fall to 13-9 in the second half.
The Blue Crabs look to avoid the sweep tomorrow in game three against the Rockers.