RiverDogs Rally in Ninth; Fall to Kannapolis in Extras

The Charleston RiverDogs entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing by four runs and having mustered just one hit on the evening. Five hits and four runs later, the game was headed to extra innings. Despite the late heroics, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers scored two runs in the top of the tenth inning to escape with a 6-4 win and even the series. The game was played in front of a crowd of 5,067.

Kannapolis (1-1) enjoyed a quick start to the contest, scoring their first run of the season in the opening inning against Chandler Murphy. Rikuu Nishida opened the game by slapping a double down the left field line. Nishida moved to third on a tapper back to the mound by Albertsen Asigen. With the infield in, Caden Connor hit a bouncer to second baseman Narciso Polanco who immediately threw to the plate. Nishida narrowly avoided catcher Bryan Broecker’s tag to give the Cannon Ballers an early advantage.

The next seven innings were dominated by pitching. Lucas Glover tossed 5.0 scoreless innings for Kannapolis to maintain the lead. Meanwhile, Murphy scattered six hits, but never surrendered another run in 5.0 innings. The first two arms to emerge from either bullpen also kept the opposition off the board, setting the stage for a wild ninth inning.

In the top half, Nishida and Asigen began the inning with back-to-back singles. Connor followed with a double to score both and push the lead to 3-0. Finally, Ronny Hernandez tacked on an RBI single two batters later.

Odalys Peguero worked a leadoff walk in the bottom half and Tre’ Morgan followed with a base hit. With one out, Angel Mateo put the RiverDogs (1-1) on the board with an RBI single to left. Noah Myers rolled a base hit up the middle to move runners to the corners and allowed Carlos Colmenarez to drive in another run on a fielder’s choice groundball. Ricardo Gonzalex kept the line moving with an RBI single and suddenly the tying run was at second base. With a 3-2 count, Broecker guided a line drive into shallow right field to tie the game and move the winning run to third. However, Broecker was tagged out in a rundown between first and second to end the inning.

Two pitches into the extra frame, Kannapolis moved back in front for good with Mikey Kane’s single into left. Connor added a sacrifice fly before the inning concluded. Reliever Garrett Wright retired the side in order in the bottom half to end the game.

Nishida finished the night 5-5 with two runs scored. Connor added four runs batted in. The RiverDogs were outhit 15-6 on the night.

Engert Garcia worked 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Samuel Mejia added 1.0 inning of scoreless work. Owen Stevenson surrendered three runs on four hits in the ninth. Seth Chavez was dealt the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits.

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs first Saturday game of the season featured a replica 2023 championship ring giveaway presented by Nucor Steel Berkeley. The first 2,000 fans to enter the ballpark received a copy of the rings that team players and staff received to honor the third straight Carolina League championship last won last summer. Before gates opened, a line weaved down the street in front of the stadium as fans arrived early to claim their championship keepsake.

The rubber match of the opening weekend series is set for Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. RHP Owen Wild will take his turn in the rotation for the RiverDogs. Kannapolis will counter with RHP Jake Bockenstedt. Parking is free and kids are invited to run the bases following the game on MUSC Health Family Sunday. Fans 12 and under will receive a “Dog Dynasty” poster.