Shorebirds Fall Short in Comeback Effort

Kannapolis Holds Off Delmarva in Ten Inning Thriller

Shorebirds Fall Short in Comeback Effort

*SALISBURY MD: *The Delmarva Shorebirds (4-2) fell just short on Thursday night as the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (2-3) survived a late Delmarva rally to take game three of the series, 6-5 in ten innings.

Kannapolis took the lead in the first on a bases-loaded walk to Troy Claunch. They'd score again in the second on an RBI single by Jordan Sprinkle to grab a 2-0 edge after two innings.

It would stay 2-0 into the fifth inning when the Cannon Ballers added another run on a base-hit by Bryce Willits to score Tim Elko, upping the Kannapolis lead to 3-0.

Entering the bottom of the sixth, the Shorebirds did not have any hits but snapped that on a single by Stiven Acevedo to begin a rally. After a hit by Anthony Servideo, Douglas Hodo kept the line moving with a single into center field to bring home Acevedo, making it a 3-1 game. Another run would score on a passed ball as Servideo touched home from third to cut the deficit to 3-2.

In the next inning, Delmarva would take the lead as Creed Willems drilled a two-run homer over the left-field wall to put the Shorebirds ahead for the first time in the game at 4-3.

The Cannon Ballers quickly grabbed the lead back in the top of the eighth as Jordan Sprinkle tripled home the tying run, he would score one pitch later on a single by Mario Camilletti to give the advantage back to Kannapolis at 5-4.

It would stay 5-4 into the bottom of the ninth inning. After a lead-off walk to Jackson Holliday, he would move up to second base on a groundout by Creed Willems. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Stiven Acevedo poked a single into right field that scored Holliday to even the game at five. The next batter, Elio Prado looked to end things as he hit a hot liner to right, but Johnabiell Laureano made a spectacular diving catch to save the game and force extras.

In the tenth, Kannapolis pushed the go-ahead run ahead on a sacrifice fly by Camilletti to plate Wilber Sanchez, making it 6-5 Cannon Ballers.

Delmarva would get the tying run to third base with two outs, but Billy Seidl stuck out Carter Young to end the game as Kannapolis held on to win 6-5 in extra innings.

Billy Seidl (1-0) earned the win for the Cannon Ballers with Yaqui Rivera (0-1) taking the loss for Delmarva.

Stiven Acevedo headlined the offense on Thursday night as he matched his career high with three hits, including his knock in the ninth that tied the game. Acevedo now has multiple hits in the first three games of the series. Creed Willems cranked his second homer of the series and third of the year with his go-ahead blast in the seventh. Douglas Hodo collected his first multi-hit game of the year along with an RBI as he reached four times total by also drawing two walks.

The series continues on Friday as the Shorebirds send Alfred Mega to the mound for his first start against Drew McDaniel for Kannapolis with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.