Late Push from Cannon Ballers Offense Falls Flat in 7-5 Loss to Fireflies Tuesday

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Every batter in the order for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers reached base in their series opener with the Columbia Fireflies, but the Ballers fell, 7-5, to the Fireflies on Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the loss for Kannapolis and win for Columbia, both teams shift to 2-2 in the second half of the season, with the Cannon Ballers having an overall record of 43-27. The Fireflies jump to 37-32 on the season, five games over .500.

RHP Jake Bockenstedt struggled in his second start of the year against Columbia, allowing six runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks. The righty tossed 3.2 innings on Tuesday, one of his shorter outings of the year. Out of the bullpen, RHP Connor Housley tossed a solid 1.1 innings in his Ballers debut, striking out one and walking one.

A throwing error in the infield by the Cannon Ballers gave Columbia their first run of the night in the top of the first inning, allowing the Fireflies to jump ahead, 1-0.

Luis Pineda cranked his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the second, lifting an opposite-field home run to knot the game at, 1-1, after two.

Austin Charles, who notched a four-hit night with a pair of RBI, drove in his first run in the top of the third, pushing Columbia ahead, 2-1. The next two batters in Hyungchan Um and Erick Pena also collected RBI on a single and a two-run home run, respectively. The big inning in the third for the Fireflies pushed the visitors ahead, 5-1, after three.

A bases-loaded walk of Charles in the top of the fourth handed Columbia another run, gifting the Fireflies a, 6-1, lead after four.

The Ballers found life at the plate in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on a throwing error by Blake Mitchell and an RBI single from Arxy Hernandez to slice into the deficit at, 6-3, after five.

Pena earned another insurance run in the top of the seventh for the Fireflies, doubling to right field to score Charles and extend Columbia’s lead to, 7-3, after seven innings.

Kannapolis made a late push, inching to within two in the bottom of the eighth on back-to-back RBI singles from Drake Logan and Luis Pineda. The Ballers failed to complete the comeback, however, leaving four on-base in the final two innings combined to fall in the series opener.

RHP Jake Peppers gets the start for the Cannon Ballers on Wednesday in the second of a six-game series between Kannapolis and Columbia at Atrium Health Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m. in the Wieners and Wags Wednesday tilt.

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