West Virginia Swept in Sunday Doubleheader
May 27, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release
CHARLESTON, WV - After Kannapolis shut out West Virginia in game one, 11-0, Evan Piechota turned in a brilliant start in game two, but it was not enough as the Power fell to the Intimidators, 2-1, in eight innings to complete a doubleheader sweep for Kannapolis on Sunday afternoon at Appalachian Power Park.
GAME 1: KANNAPOLIS 11, WEST VIRGINIA 0 (F/7)
Hunter Stratton (1-2) struggled in his fifth start of the season for West Virginia (25-20), allowing a leadoff home run to Luis Gonzalez as Kannapolis (30-17) took an early 1-0 lead. Two innings later, Gonzalez ignited a three-run frame for the Intimidators, as he drew a walk and moved to third on a single from Laz Rivera. Craig Dedelow then stroked the first pitch he saw from Stratton to right-center for a three-run homer, pushing Kannapolis in front 4-0.
The Intimidators tacked on two more in the fifth, as Gonzalez roped a double to right before scoring on an errant throw from Stratton. Three batters later, Anthony Villa singled in Rivera to make it 6-0 Kannapolis.
Sergio Cubilete relieved Stratton to start the sixth, making his second career relief appearance. The Dominican native set down the Intimidators 1-2-3 in the sixth, but was roughed up in the seventh inning. Cubilete ceded five runs (one earned), with Evan Skoug crushing a three-run homer while the other two runs scored on a throwing error by Oneil Cruz.
On the other side, Blake Battenfield (5-1) stymied the Power, holding West Virginia's offense to three hits. The righty tossed six innings, walked two and struck out seven over 87 pitches. Deon Stafford, Kyle Watson and Chris Sharpe were the only Power batters to record hits against Battenfield, as Stafford singled in the fourth, Watson doubled in the fifth and Sharpe singled to begin the sixth.
William Kincanon spun a scoreless seventh to finish off the shutout, as he worked around a one-out single from Brett Pope and an error by Rivera that allowed Watson to reach.
GAME 2: KANNAPOLIS 2, WEST VIRGINIA 1 (F/8)
Piechota dominated in his third start of the season for West Virginia, tossing 6.2 innings for the second straight outing while allowing just one run on six hits and striking out a career-best nine batters. The righty ceded just two walks over 97 pitches (72 for strikes), lowering his season ERA to 1.96.
Piechota surrendered his only run in the third, as Gonzalez tripled to begin the inning and scored on Rivera's base knock to make it 1-0 Kannapolis (31-17).
Meanwhile, Intimidators starter Yosmer Solorzano baffled the Power (25-21) bats, giving up two hits through four innings and fanning four. Kannapolis starting pitching tallied 10 scoreless innings during the doubleheader.
Stafford leveled the score in the sixth against Jake Elliott, stroking a hard grounder to short that brought Sharpe home to tie the game at one. However, West Virginia left the go-ahead run on third when Yoel Gonzalez grounded into a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning.
In the top of the 8th, the Intimidators were able to score their inherited runner, Rivera, on a one-out single from Tate Blackman off Beau Sulser (2-3), who suffered the loss despite allowing just one hit through 1.1 innings of work.
The Power had a chance to tie the game in bottom of the eighth, as Cruz ripped a single to center field that sent Sharpe racing around third trying to score. Kannapolis centerfielder Tyler Frost then made a perfect throw to the plate, beating Sharpe by a step and snuffing out the tying run.
Tyler Johnson (4-0) earned the win after twirling a scoreless seventh while Cameron Seitzer (S, 1) notched the save with a pair of strikeouts in the eighth.
West Virginia concludes their series against Kannapolis Monday, with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. RHP Max Kranick (0-0, 0.00 ERA, second SAL start) will toe the rubber for the Power while the Intimidators counter with left-hander John Parke (4-2, 3.02 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 1:45 p.m. on The Jock 1300 and 1340 AM, as well as online at www.wvpower.com and via the TuneIn Radio App and MiLB First Pitch App.
Family Buck Day wraps up the Power's final May homestand, with $3.00 box seats and $1.00 general admission tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and 12-ounce Pepsi beverages available for purchase. Also, as part of MiLB's Cover Your Bases Sun Safety Initiative, the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a sample of Blue Lizard Australian sunscreen. For tickets and more information, call the Power at 304-344-2287 or visit wvpower.com.
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