Crabs Split Doubleheader with Gastonia

Crabs lose pitcher’s duel in game one, bats break out in game two

WALDORF, MD – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (26-20, 67-42) earned a doubleheader split with the Gastonia Ghost Peppers (25-22, 63-47) on Wednesday night at Regency Furniture Stadium. Gastonia got the better of a well-pitched game to start the night with a 3-1 victory. The Blue Crabs rebounded with an 11-3 win in the nightcap featuring a grand slam from Ethan Wilson.

Game One

W: Taylor Broadway (3-0) 

L: Jason Savacool (0-1)

SV: Jake Miednik (3)

Gastonia played as the home team as this game was originally scheduled to be played in North Carolina but was postponed.

The Ghost Peppers struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Cole Roederer started the inning with a walk against Blue Crabs starting pitcher Jason Savacool. Justin Wylie followed with a two-run home run to left field to give the Peppers a 2-0 lead.

Jackson Loftin responded for Southern Maryland on the first pitch from Gastonia starting pitcher Sterling Sharp in the top of the fourth inning. He drove a 361-foot solo home run to left field, his eighth home run of the season and his second in as many games, to bring the Blue Crabs back within a run at 2-1.

Savacool battled with his command, walking four batters and hitting one, and that caused his start to only last three innings. He allowed two runs and two hits in his workload with two strikeouts.

Gastonia got a key insurance run against Blue Crabs relief pitcher Ethan Hammerberg in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Wade Kelly RBI single. Gastonia relief pitcher Jake Miednik then pitched a scoreless top of the seventh inning to give the Ghost Peppers a 3-1 win.

Game Two

W: Anthony Borrero (2-2)

L: Eddie Leon (2-6)

The Ghost Peppers struck first again, this time in the top of the first inning. Wade Kelly and Justin Wylie reached on a single and a double, respectively. Grant Lavigne brought Kelly home with a sacrifice fly to put Gastonia in front 1-0.

Gastonia put up another run in the top of the second inning. Chris Proctor broke for home plate on a ground ball hit by Jack Reinheimer. A throw to the plate beat him, but Blue Crabs catcher Carlos Rojas dropped the ball to allow him to score to extend the Peppers lead to 2-0.

The Blue Crabs loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second inning, looking for a response. Dylan Hoy grounded into a double play which allowed a run to score. Later in the inning, an error by Gastonia third baseman Manny Garcia brought another run home. Southern Maryland made that miscue hurt. After loading the bases, Ethan Wilson hit a 391-foot grand slam to right field, his 11th homer of the season and the team’s second grand slam in as many nights. Phillip Sikes followed him with a solo home run, his team-leading 19th homer of the year, to give the Crabs a 7-2 lead.

Alejandro De Aza hit a milestone in the bottom of the third inning. An RBI single gave him 1,000 total bases in his Atlantic League career while also bringing the Blue Crabs’ lead to 8-2.

The Blue Crabs continued to pull away in the fifth inning. De Aza and Taylor Darden hit back-to-back RBI singles and Sikes chipped in with a sacrifice fly to stretch Southern Maryland’s lead to 11-2.

Gastonia managed one run in response on a Chris Proctor RBI groundout in the top of the sixth inning to bring the score to 11-3.

Blue Crabs starting pitcher Anthony Borrero settled in after a tough start. In his longest outing of the season, he allowed three runs, two earned, over 5.2 innings pitched. He allowed five hits and four walks with two strikeouts.

Donovan Burke recorded the final four outs in his Southern Maryland debut to finish an 11-3 win for the Blue Crabs.

The Blue Crabs continue their series against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers on Thursday, August 27 at Regency Furniture Stadium. First pitch is at 6:35 pm.

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The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been proud members of the Atlantic League since 2008, the fourth-longest tenured team in the league. With a proud tradition of success on and off the field, many players have found a home while playing in front of Crustacean Nation, the nickname for the Blue Crabs’ avid fanbase. A host of former Major Leaguers have played for the Blue Crabs, including Chien-Ming Wang, Pat Mahomes Sr., and team legend Daryl Thompson. Many players have also made it to the Major Leagues after playing with Southern Maryland, including Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2026 marks the 18th season of Blue Crabs baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium, where Clawsome Times Await.