Kannapolis Offense Stumbles against RiverDogs in Loss Wednesday

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers fell for a third straight game in Carolina League action on Wednesday night, scoring two runs on eight hits in a, 5-2, defeat to the Charleston RiverDogs at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the loss, the Cannon Ballers drop to 17-26 in the second half, still seven games over .500 at 58-51 on the season. Kannapolis has scored two runs over their last 25 innings of competition dating back to Sunday in Columbia. Charleston’s win serves as a monumental one, moving the RiverDogs to .500 at 53-53. It is the first time Charleston has been at .500 since they were 6-6 through a series and a half in April.

RHP Carlton Perkins turned in career highs in innings in 4.1 and strikeouts with six, but the righty failed to keep the RiverDogs off the basepaths. Perkins allowed one earned run, two total, on seven hits with one walk. RHP Luke Bell followed in relief, walking one and striking out two in 1.2 shutout innings.

Charleston struck first for the second time in the series, scoring their first of five runs on an Enzo Paulino RBI single in the top of the second. The lone run gave the RiverDogs a, 1-0, lead after an inning and a half.

Alec Makarewicz tallied the first run driven in of the night for the Ballers, lining an RBI single in the bottom of the second to score Jeral Perez and make it, 1-1, after a pair of innings.

2024 second-round pick Emilien Pitre drove in Charleston’s second run of the night in the top of the fourth, handing the RiverDogs a, 2-1, lead on an RBI groundout.

Three more runs crossed the plate for the RiverDogs in the final third of the game, with Connor Hujsak doubling in a run in the seventh, followed by a wild pitch and an RBI double from Aidan Smith to push Charleston ahead, 5-1 headed into the final half-inning of the game.

Kannapolis put a couple of runners on base late, even adding a run with Ronny Hernandez scoring a wild pitch. Despite the late effort, the Ballers failed to make a comeback, falling for the third game in a row.

The Ballers and RiverDogs square off for a third time this week on Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. in the Country Western Night showdown, with the premier pitching matchup of RHP Jake Peppers (5-5, 4.00 ERA) and RHP Gary Gill Hill (4-1, 2.40 ERA) taking center stage.

Fans can purchase tickets for Thursday’s game or any remaining Cannon Ballers home games at kcballers.com or at the F&M Bank Box Office located at Atrium Health Ballpark.