Ballers Drop Series Opener at Home Against Augusta Tuesday Night 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Despite outhitting their opponent and a five-RBI night from Brooks Baldwin, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers dropped their series opener with the Augusta GreenJackets, 11-7, Tuesday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

LHP Tyler Schweitzer had an up-and-down night on the mound, tossing five strikeouts, but allowing three runs and four hits, walking three along the way in a no-decision. RHP Manuel Veloz followed Schweitzer on the bump, earning a blown save in 3.1 innings, walking two and striking out three, allowing two runs on three hits.

Baldwin’s great offensive night started in the bottom of the first with an RBI double to right field, scoring Mario Camilletti to put Kannapolis on top 1-0 early.

Augusta answered with a run of their own in the top of the third on a Jair Casanova solo home run to right-center, tying the game at 1-1. Jeremy Celedonio added a two-run shot later in the game in the fourth to hand Augusta their first lead of the game, scoring David McCabe and thrusting the GreenJackets ahead at 3-1.

In what was a back-and-forth ballgame, Tim Elko continued his hot-hitting ways with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth, inching Kannapolis closer to 3-2. Later in the inning, Baldwin notched his second and third RBI of the night on a single to center, scoring Camilletti and Elko to push the Ballers in front 4-3 after five innings.

It did not take long for the GreenJackets to answer, with Dawson Dimon tallying an RBI sacrifice fly to knot the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth. Two batters later, Casanova blooped a single into left, allowing Justin Janas to cross the plate and change the lead again at 5-4, advantage Augusta.

In a late-game situation where the Ballers needed a run desperately, Johnabiell Laureano came in clutch in the eighth inning, smoking an RBI double to center with Troy Claunch at first base. Using every ounce of speed he had, Claunch hustled around the bases to score from first and even the matchup at 5-5. The two sides did not find offense in the ninth, sending the Ballers to their first extra-innings matchup of the year.

With Billy Seidl (L, 1-1) on the bump, Augusta took advantage of a wild tenth inning, scoring six runs on just two hits in the frame. After Ethan Workinger drew a walk and Janas was plunked by a fastball with the bases loaded to produce two runs, Dimon added an RBI single of his own to push the GreenJackets to an 8-5 lead. Three more runs crossed the plate in the inning, with one coming from an E.J. Exposito RBI groundout and another single for Casanova, completing the big inning of offense with an Augusta 11-5 advantage.

Baldwin and the Ballers put up a fight in the bottom of the tenth, with the former UNCW Seahawk crushing his third hit of the night into the stands in right field, scoring Elko to inch closer to the lead at 11-7. Despite the valiant effort, Kannapolis fell short late, allowing Augusta to snap their three-game losing skid.

LHP Shane Murphy (0-1, 2.40 ERA) gets the start in the second of six games between the Ballers and the GreenJackets, with the two sides getting a quick turnaround for an 11:00 a.m. first pitch on Wednesday at Atrium Health Ballpark. RHP Seth Keller (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the start for Augusta.

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.