Kannapolis Seals Fourth Consecutive Win in 22-1 Final over Woodpeckers Wednesday

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers scored 22 runs on 15 hits and 17 walks in their, 22-1, victory over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Wednesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the blowout victory, Kannapolis is winners of their last four, moving into a tie with the Columbia Fireflies for first place in the Carolina League South division at 18-16. Fayetteville falls out of first place in the division with their second loss in the week to the Cannon Ballers at 18-17, just a half game behind.

The Ballers’ 22 runs in a single game are the most ever by the franchise since their move from Spartanburg before the 1995 season. It is also the most in recent Kannapolis baseball history since the Kannapolis Intimidators put up 20 runs on the Greensboro Grasshoppers on June 28, 2008.

RHP Jake Peppers tossed six solid innings on the mound for his second win of the year, striking out five with one run on six hits, walking one. The bullpen held strong after Peppers’ departure, tossing three shutout innings with the combo of Connery Peters, Christian Edwards and Luke Bell.

Kannapolis scored six in the second inning, two in the fourth, five in the fifth, eight in the sixth and one in the seventh in the huge win. The Ballers found success with a barrage of multiple-RBI games from Caden Connor with four, Ryan Galanie and Ronny Hernandez with three and Albertson Asigen and Arxy Hernandez with two.

Ryan Burrowes and Drake Logan each tallied three hit nights, while Galanie added a home run in the seventh inning for the lone run of the seventh inning. Every batter in the starting lineup tallied a hit in the win, with the Ballers totaling four multi-hit games.

Fayetteville used six arms in total in the ballgame, including two catchers as position players pitching. The last arm of the game in Juan Santander tossed two shutout innings for the Woodpeckers, one of only two arms in the game to not allow a run.

The Cannon Ballers will look to continue their hot stretch at home in the third of six games with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., with newly minted Chicago White Sox Top-30 prospect RHP Aldrin Batista taking the mound for Kannapolis.

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