19-Year Run as Intimidators Comes to an End on Labor Day in Maryland

SALISBURY, MD - Sporting the Intimidators name for the last time after a 19-year run, the Intimidators dropped the final game of the 2019 season to the Delmarva Shorebirds 9-5 on Labor Day.
Delmarva jumped on the scoreboard first, using a Ryne Ogren single and a Shayne Fontana double (5) to right field to go up early on Kevin Folman and the Intimidators.
Next inning, the Shorebirds used two walks and a double from Alexis Torres to create a bases loaded scenario for Johnny Rizer. After getting behind in the count 3-1, Folman threw a strike but then walked Rizer on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, scoring Delmarva's second run.
Over the next two innings, Folman cruised through the Delmarva batters, allowing only one runner to reach base. For the Intimidators, they had at least one batter reach through the first four innings, but failed to bring anyone in. That changed in the top of the fifth.
Just over the halfway point, Lenyn Sosa homered (7) to left-center field on a 2-0 pitch off Delmarva's Juan Echevarria to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Alex Destino followed up Sosa's homer with his second single of the day, but after two groundouts, the Shorebirds kept their lead heading into the bottom half of the frame.
With Folman still on the bump for the Intimidators, Delmarva's Rizer singled on a groundball through the right side, as he then moved to second on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt from Gunnar Troutwine. After a flyout off the bat of Ogren to send Rizer to third, Cody Roberts singled on a 2-2 pitch up the middle to give Delmarva a 3-1 lead.
The Intimidators (64-74) leaned on Wilber Perez to keep the game close heading into the sixth, however, the first batter, Doran Turchin, homered (6) to left-center field to extend the Delmarva lead, 4-1.
Down by three runs, Kannapolis used a single from Ramon Beltre and a double (38) from Ian Dawkins to get things started in the seventh. With Beltre at third, Sosa hit a ball deep enough to center field to score Beltre and cut the Delmarva lead in half, 4-2.
One batter later, Destino grounded out to second base but scored Dawkins in the process to get Kannapolis within one run, 4-3. With no runners on, Tyler Osik homered (5) to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch to tie the game, 4-4.
Kannapolis called on Hansen Butler to keep the game scoreless after the stretch, but the Shorebirds had other plans. Delmarva capitalized on four singles, two walks, and two errors to score five runs in the inning to blow the game open, up 9-4.
In the top of the ninth, Destino captured his third hit of the game with a solo shot (17) to right-center field, proving to be the last run in Intimidators team history.
The Intimidators finished with 11 hits and four errors. Every player for Kannapolis reached base on Monday, with eight players recording at least one hit.
The Intimidators have now officially played their last game with that identity. The team will be unveiling the new team name at the GEM Theatre in Downtown Kannapolis on October 23 before they move to the new Sports and Entertainment Venue in April 2020.