Early Offense from Hot Bats Spark Ballers 11-4 Win over Carolina on Starry Night 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – A five-run first inning and a four-run second inning set the table for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Saturday night, with the Ballers winning 11-4 over the Carolina Mudcats at Atrium Health Ballpark.

LHP Shane Murphy made his Ballers debut Saturday in a start, tossing two innings, allowing two hits, one run and one walk. RHP Manuel Veloz (W, 2-0) tossed a masterful third outing for Kannapolis, striking out five, walking none and allowing two runs on three hits.

The Ballers jumped out over Carolina with a big first two innings of offense. Tim Elko began the night with an RBI single, scoring Brooks Baldwin. Later in the inning, Samil Polanco cleared the loaded bases with a hard hit double into right field, scoring Troy Claunch, Elko, and Jacob Burke to put Kannapolis ahead 4-0. Misael Gonzalez completed the first inning with an RBI double of his own, allowing Polanco to cross the plate and hand the Ballers a big 5-0 lead.

Carolina put a run on the board in the top of the second inning on a Hedbert Perez RBI single. The base knock from one of the top prospects in the Brewers system put the Mudcats behind at 5-1.

Kannapolis’ party continued into the bottom of the second inning, with Brooks Baldwin kicking off the frame with an RBI single, scoring Jordan Sprinkle. Polanco tallied his fourth RBI of the evening with a sacrifice fly, putting the Ballers ahead 7-1. Jayson Gonzalez’s first hit of 2022 as a Cannon Baller capped off a four-run inning, notching an RBI double to bring Claunch home and extend the lead to 9-1.

Gonzalez’s night continued in the bottom of the fourth, adding an RBI single to cross Jacob Burke home, putting the Ballers ahead 10-1.

Misael Gonzalez capped off the evening of offense in the bottom of the sixth, crushing an RBI double to extend Kannapolis’ lead to 11-1.

The Mudcats stormed back in the top of the seventh with a Branlyn Jaraba home run, scoring Perez to inch closer at 11-3. Luis Castillo gave Carolina another run in the top of the eighth, adding an RBI single to score Mendez, making it 11-4, a lead that the Mudcats could not climb back from.

The Ballers and Mudcats will complete their six-game set at Atrium Health Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m., with RHP Jonathan Cannon, the White Sox third round pick from Georgia, will get the start on Sunday, making his Kannapolis debut against Carolina’s RHP Max Lazar, making a rehab start for the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

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