Cannon Ballers Tally 12 Runs in Massive Series Finale Victory over Down East Sunday 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Three Cannon Baller batters hit home runs in an offensive outburst at Atrium Health Ballpark Sunday, with Kannapolis clinching victory over the Down East Wood Ducks, 12-5.

LHP Tommy Sommer (W, 2-4) made his second start of the series Sunday, tossing another gem on the mound. The lefty from Carmel, Indiana fired five innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, walking one and striking out six. RHP Liam Jenkins relieved Sommer in the sixth, tossing one inning, allowing two hits, one run, one walk, and one strikeout.

Down East opened the scoring in the top of the second from an Efrenyer Narvaez RBI groundout, scoring Maximo Acosta to make it 1-0 Wood Ducks.

Following the single run from the visitors, Kannapolis took over on offense. In the bottom of the second, Benyamin Bailey tallied his first RBI of the day with an RBI single, scoring DJ Gladney to tie the game at 1-1.

Kannapolis took the lead with a big inning in the fifth. Nick Thornquist began the fun with an RBI triple that scored Samil Polanco, pushing Kannapolis ahead 2-1. Later in the inning, Wes Kath drove Thornquist home to extend the Ballers lead to 3-1.

Daniel Mateo cut into the lead for the Wood Ducks, making it 3-2 on an RBI single that scored Alejandro Osuna.

Bailey’s hot day on offense continued with a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Gladney and Wilfred Veras to push the Ballers ahead 6-2. Two batters later, Thornquist roped a line drive down the left field line over the fence to extend the lead to 7-2, advantage Kannapolis.

Down East fought back in the seventh, picking back-to-back RBI singles from Junior Paniagua and Osuna to inch closer to the Cannon Ballers lead, 7-4 Osuna later scored on a throwing error from Thornquist on a stolen base attempt at third base, making it a two-run ballgame at 7-5.

Veras joined in on the fun in the bottom of the seventh, crushing a three-run home run to center field, scoring Colson Montgomery and Gladney, pushing the Ballers ahead 10-5 after seven innings.

The Ballers added even more insurance in the eighth inning, with a RBI triple from James Beard and an RBI double from Kath, finishing the day ahead 12-5. With the 12 runs scored, Kannapolis overtook their run total from their previous five games of action, scoring only 11 total runs in five games.

Following the victory, the Cannon Ballers will take a much-deserved day off on Monday, before heading to Fayetteville to face off against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Low-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, at Segra Stadium June 14-19. Kannapolis returns home June 21-26 for a six-game set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Low-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

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