The Ghost Peppers clinched the Atlantic League South Division second-half title and a playoff berth with a 13-4 decision over ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä on Thursday night at GoMart Ballpark.
Gastonia entered play Thursday with a magic number of two. Lexington, the Ghost Peppers’ closest pursuer, lost at Long Island 10-1. That game ended in the Empire State 21 minutes before things wrapped up at GoMart.
It officially sealed the fate of the Dirty Birds, last year’s league runner-up which will miss the postseason this year. ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä dropped its eighth straight game on Thursday.
Up 6-4 through seven innings, Gastonia broke free for five runs in the eighth to put it away.
Aaron McKeithan, the Ghost Peppers’ No. 8 hitter, busted out five hits – four singles and a double – and scored three runs.
Shed Long Jr., Cole Roederer and Eric De La Rosa each had two base knocks for Gastonia (35-22 second half, 63-57 overall), which produced 14 as a team.
Narciso Crook drove in three runs. Roederer, Justin Wylie, Jack Reinheimer and Carter Aldrete had a pair of RBIs apiece.
Ljay Newsome got the win, scattering seven hits across five innings and allowing three earned runs. He had four strikeouts and issued one walk.
James Nelson and Jaylen Smith had two hits apiece for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä (21-36 second half, 51-69 overall). Nelson homered and drove in three runs.
Luis de Avila took the Dirty Birds decision. He yielded five runs, all earned, on five hits, with seven strikeouts and four free passes.
ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s six-game set with the Ghost Peppers is scheduled to continue on Friday night.
Prep girls soccer
GEORGE WASHINGTON 3, OAK HILL 0: The Patriots’ Mia Lough scored twice and Ellie Pray tacked on a goal and an assist as GW prevailed on Thursday night in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
Pray’s goal was assisted by Mady Rothwell.
GW (10-2) allowed zero shots on goal to the Red Devils.
SISSONVILLE 2, CAPITAL 1: The Indians got a pair of goals from freshman Rylie Haynes to prevail on Thursday night at Joe Sawyer Field in Sissonville.
Freshman Blake Cruickshank dished an assist for the Indians (4-3). Cruickshank and sophomore Genna Ramsey swiped eight steals apiece.
The game was Sissonville’s seventh straight against a team in a larger classification to begin the season. The Indians meet their first fellow Class AA/A opponent on Saturday in Midland Trail.
