Hillcats, Kannapolis Split Doubleheader

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CarL Lynchburg Hillcats

Hillcats, Kannapolis Split Doubleheader

April 12, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Lynchburg Hillcats News Release


The Lynchburg Hillcats and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers split their doubleheader on Saturday at Bank of the James Stadium.

Game one erupted for a combined 27 runs in the 16-11 Kannapolis victory. The Hillcats would rebound in game two for the 8-2 win.

The Hillcats erupted early and often in the first inning of game one, accounting for four runs, capitalized by a two-run single from Yanki Baptiste. Lynchburg would score two more in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of Yaikel Mijares driving home a run, followed by Alberto Mendez with an RBI of his own.

After Baptiste would touch home in the bottom of the third inning, the Hillcats led 7-0.

From there, the floodgates opened up, with Kannapolis scoring 16 unanswered runs over the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, the Cannon Ballers put a five-spot on the board to cut the deficit to two.

In the fifth, they would erupt for an 11-run inning, with the first 11 hitters of the frame all coming around to score. Nine of the runs were scored before any Cannon Baller was retired.

Down 16-7, Lynchburg would recover to do some damage in the sixth with a second four-run inning. Jose Pirela would scrape across three with a triple in the gap, putting the exclamation mark on the frame. However, it was too little, too late, as the Hillcats would drop game one.

Game two would start nearly identically to the first, with Lynchburg plating four runs in the frame. Jeffrey Mercedes would drive home two on a single to right. Jose Pirela followed suit with an RBI single as well, followed by a wild pitch to make it a four-run advantage.

Kannapolis would inch their way back courtesy of Jordan Sprinkle. In the second inning, he would ground a single to center. Then in the sixth, Sprinkle would return with a double in the gap to bring the deficit back to two.

However, the sixth would then turn to the favor of the Hillcats. A passed ball early in the frame would allow Garrett Howe to score after he knocked his first career extra base hit at the start of the frame. Carlos Gutierrez and Welbyn Francisca would each plate a run with a single, extending the lead back up to five.

Then, after Kannapolis brought in a position player to pitch, the umpires would call a balk, plating the eighth and final run of the game, allowing Tommy Hawke to touch home.

Combined, the doubleheader saw 37 combined runs, 36 combined hits, 35 combined strikeouts, 23 combined walks, and five separate times where a team hit through the order.

Lynchburg and Kannapolis will finish up their series on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Bank of the James Stadium. Tickets are available at Lynchburg-hillcats.com.

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