Sports stats



CarL Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Kannapolis Falls in Action-Packed Fashion 10-5 to Woodpeckers Friday

July 23, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - In a game that saw a combined 19 hits and six errors, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers dropped the first of nine straight home games at Atrium Health Ballpark, 10-5 to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Friday night.

Starter LHP Brooks Gosswein (L, 3-5) started on the bump for Kannapolis, tossing five innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking two and striking out five. RHP Lane Ramsey relieved Gosswein in his first rehab appearance with the Ballers, tossing a clean inning with a strikeout and a lone hit.

Joey Loperfido's big night at the plate began in the first inning when the former Duke Blue Devil reached on a fielding error, allowing Jaxon Hallmark to score. Following Loperfido, Logan Cerny ignited his large night of production with an RBI double, scoring Loperfido to give the Woodpeckers a 2-0 lead.

Wilfred Veras answered with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Andy Atwood and cutting the Fayetteville lead to 2-1.

The duo of Loperfido and Cerny continued the fun on offense for the Woodpeckers, with Loperfido smoking an RBI double into center field, followed by a Cerny RBI single, extending Fayetteville's advantage to 4-1.

Veras and Colby Smelley contributed in the bottom of the third inning, tallying RBI base hits of their own, pulling ever-so-close to the Peckers lead to 4-3.

Fayetteville rattled off a massive inning of offense in the seventh, with Loperfido again adding more with an RBI double. Later in the inning, Leosdany Molina drew a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Loperfido. Ramirez followed with a two RBI single, scoring Cerny and Tyler Whitaker for five total runs in the seventh. Later in the inning, a passed ball from Colby Smelley allowed Molina to cross the plate, completing the big offensive inning at 9-3, advantage Woodpeckers.

Kannapolis did not go down without a fight, tallying a run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch of Andy Atwood. The plunk of Atwood's shoulder handed a run to the Ballers, making it 9-4.

The ninth inning saw Fayetteville and Kannapolis trade runs, with Ramirez and Benyamin Bailey each adding an RBI on sacrifice flies for their respective teams, completing the evening's scoring at 10-5.

The two sides will go at it again on Saturday night in the second of three matchups at Atrium Health Ballpark this weekend. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. for the All-Holidays Night matchup. RHP Norge Vera (0-2, 2.65 ERA) will get the start for the Ballers, with RHP Miguel Ullola (1-0, 2.77 ERA) beginning the night for the Peckers on the mound.

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.

Check out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...

Carolina League Stories from July 23, 2022


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central