SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Wild Walk-off, Intimidators Win 11-10

Published on May 15, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


In the wildest game of the season, the Kannapolis Intimidators walk off with victory for the first time this year with an 11-10 victory against the Delmarva Shorebirds. Kyle Colligan got the game-winning hit, a two-run single, and Kannapolis resident Daniel Wagner scored the game-winning run in the ninth. The Intimidators (19-17) won three out of four against the Shorebirds (17-18) in this series.

Down 10-8 going into the bottom of the ninth, Kevin Dubler led the inning off with a hard-fought walk, followed by another walk by Jesus Villegas. With first and second, Wagner bunted down the left side of the infield and it stayed fair, allowing him to reach first without a throw. With the bases loaded, Shorebirds reliever James Brandhorst balked, allowing a run to score and Villegas and Wagner to advance to second and third. Colligan then hit a ground ball back up the middle, into shallow center, scoring the tying and winning run.

The Intimidators took the lead early in the ballgame as they scored one in the first and hit back-to-back solo home runs in the second inning. Brady Shoemaker and Jose Vargas hit the solo shots to give the Intimidators the 3-0 lead after two. However the Shorebirds struck back with four runs in the fourth, helped out by a Tyler Kolodny three-run home run, and three runs in the fifth to take a 7-3 advantage. Intimidators starter Matt Wickswat went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits before being relieved by Matt Hopps.

Down 7-3 in the fifth, Dubler and Villegas led off the inning with walks before an RBI-double down the line in left by Rafael Vera and a double off the wall in left by Colligan, scoring two more, before Colligan was thrown out at third trying to take the extra bag. The next batter, Ian Gac, hit a mammoth solo blast to left-centerfield tying the game at seven. The Shorebirds starter went five innings and allowed seven runs, six earned on seven hits.

The Shorebirds then regained the lead with two runs in the sixth to make it 9-7 and it stayed that way until the eighth inning. In the eighth, the Intimidators got a lead-off double by Gac and he was brought home on a single by Brady Shoemaker, setting up 1st and 3rd with no outs in a 9-8 game. The next batter Vargas struck out swinging and then Jake Oester popped into a double play with Shoemaker stealing on the pitch.

The Shorebirds added a run on a bases loaded wild pitch in the ninth before the Intimidators eventually scored three runs without recording an out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Garrett Johnson (2-0) picked up the win as he pitched the eighth and ninth and Brandhorst (1-3) took the loss.

The 11 runs are the most for the Intimidators this season as they belted out 13 hits. Colligan ties a season high with five RBI and Villegas scored three times.

The Intimidators will welcome their geographical rival the Hickory Crawdads to town for a four-game series beginning on Sunday at 5:05 and it's Bark in the Park where fans are encouraged to bring their dogs. Justin Collop (1-3) will start opposite lefty Robert Ross (4-3).

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 15, 2010


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