NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: The GreenJackets put a man in scoring position in four of their first six innings, but could not turn their chances into big frames, going 1-10 with RISP in a 6-2 loss to Kannapolis Wednesday evening, Sept. 3.
Ethan Bagwell and Justin Sinibaldi each posted zeroes early, but did so in different ways. Bagwell retired each of the first nine men he saw, totaling four Ks and keeping the Cannon Ballers contained.
Augusta put a man on in the first only to watch Sinibaldi pick him off, and had two hits in the second before outs at second base and home plate ended the threat prematurely.
Bagwell fell apart in the 4th, as a rare lapse in command allowed a series of Ballers to reach and take the lead. Bagwell hit Jordan Sprinkle on the inning’s first pitch, then walked three straight to load the bases and bring in a run.
The starter induced back-to-back outs in play, one of which scored a run, before grooving a two-out fastball to Arxy Hernandez that was ripped into left for a two-run single and 4-0 lead.
Augusta had a prime chance to retaliate in the bottom half, as Tate Southisene singled and Owen Carey drew a hit by pitch to start the inning.
Sinibaldi retired back-to-back batters, but walked Douglas Glod to load the bases, before righting the ship and punching out Nick Montgomery to strand the bases loaded.
The GreenJackets cobbled together chances in the 5th and 6th, but scratched across just one run apiece in each. Augusta had the bases loaded and no one out in the 5th against reliever Jake Peppers, but Peppers K’d two of three hitters, with the lone run coming on a Carey fielder’s choice.
Another opportunity arose in the next inning, with two on and nobody out, and John Estevez parlayed that into an RBI single with two outs before the threat ended.
There would be no offense from there on out, as Kannapolis’ Liam Paddack turned in one of the most dominant relief performances of the year at the game’s end.
Paddack faced nine batters over three innings, and retired all nine while striking out eight. Estevez grounded out in the 9th, and that was the only ball in play in the final three innings.
RBIs from Sprinkle and Ely Brown in the 9th only sealed the win for the Ballers, who have now won 10 of 12 games down the stretch and both this week against Augusta.
The GreenJackets struck out 16 times in Wednesday night’s game, Sept. 3, the most in any contest this season. Augusta tries to turn the page Thursday night, as ace Cam Caminiti makes his final start of his debut season.
