FROM APRIL SHOWERS TO MAY FLOWERS: HOW THE CANNON BALLERS TURNED THEIR SEASON AROUND IN A MATTER OF WEEKS BY DAN HELOTIE THE VOICE OF THE CANNON BALLERS
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – After starting their season with a forgettable month of April, the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers played their brand of baseball, blinked, and found themselves suddenly in the mix for a potential playoff spot late in the first half. The Ballers began their season with a nine-game stretch at home, but struggled to maintain in games, falling to 2-7 in their first homestand. The team hit the road for the first time in Myrtle Beach, falling in four of their six games on the Grand Strand before their return to Kannapolis for six with Charleston. Another unfriendly homestand meant Kannapolis entered their final road trip of April/first trip of May in the basement. After dropping their series opener on April 28 against Augusta, the Ballers sat 10 games under .500 at 6-16, one of their worst starts in franchise history. After an almost four-hour rain delay in that series opener that saw the Ballers fall, 12-4, to the GreenJackets, the Cannon Ballers flipped a switch to win four of their next five against Augusta. Arxy Hernandez pummeled opposing pitching with eight hits, while RHP Marco Barrios shutdown GreenJacket bats in three innings with one unearned run allowed. The Ballers then returned home to face Columbia in a series that yielded some confidence. Kannapolis dropped their series opener for the second time in a row but then clobbered Columbia late in games to win three come-from-behind thrillers. Barrios put up another stellar week out of the bullpen, while wins from Max Banks and new bullpen arm Alexander Martinez helped the home side’s case. Kannapolis yet again won four of their next five to take their second series in a row. Despite struggling in their first six-game series against the Charleston RiverDogs, Kannapolis had new-found confidence with wins in eight of their last 10 over Augusta and Columbia entering the series. Kannapolis, yet again, dropped a series opener with a loss to start the week in Charleston. After the opener? More of the same from the last two weeks. The Ballers rattled off wins in four of their next five in Charleston, going to 10-5 in their first 15 games of the month of May.
Powered by FlippingBook