Ballers Fall in Strong Unanswered Offense Effort from Nationals
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers jumped ahead to a five-run lead after five innings, but ultimately gave up nine unanswered runs at the hands of the Fredericksburg Nationals to fall, 10-6, in the series opener Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. With the loss, the Ballers have their
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers jumped ahead to a five-run lead after five innings, but ultimately gave up nine unanswered runs at the hands of the Fredericksburg Nationals to fall, 10-6, in the series opener Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.
With the loss, the Ballers have their four-game losing skid snapped, falling to 64-57 on the season. The Nationals scoop their second win in a row, jumping to 69-52 in the 2024 Carolina League campaign.
George Wolkow and Ronny Hernandez pushed the Ballers ahead, 2-0 after the first inning with an RBI groundout and an RBI single, respectively.
The FredNats got on the board in the top of the fourth, scoring on one of three Brandon Pimentel RBI base hits with a double to score Seaver King and make it, 2-1.
Kannapolis added four runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring on a Nathan Archer RBI single and an Alec Makarewicz and a Wolkow RBI double to make it, 6-1, Ballers after five.
Fredericksburg leaped ahead with nine answered runs after the start of the sixth inning, climbing back in the sixth with a two-RBI triple from Cristhian Vaquero. King, Caleb Lomavita and Pimentel pushed the game to even at, 6-6, after seven with a barrage of RBI. In the ninth, Lomavita produced the necessary run in the top of the ninth, singling to center field before three more runs crossed on singles from Pimentel and Vaquero and a Brenner Cox hit-by-pitch to make it, 10-6, Nationals. The unanswered push from the visitors was too much for Kannapolis to rally from, handing Fredericksburg the win.
RHP Jake Peppers gets the start in the second of six games on the week between Kannapolis and Fredericksburg at Atrium Health Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the final Wieners and Wags Wednesday game of the season in Kannapolis.
Fans can purchase tickets for Saturday’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.