Down East Wood Ducks Split First Two Games of Season Against Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
KINSTON, NC – The Down East Wood Ducks opened their season with a thrilling three-game series against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The teams split the first two games, with the Cannon Ballers taking game one, 5-4, and the Wood Ducks bouncing back for a dominant 10-1 win in game two.
In the series opener, the Cannon Ballers took an early lead when Camilletti crossed the plate on a bases-loaded RBI walk to Logan. The Wood Ducks struggled at the plate initially, with no hits through the first three innings against Kannapolis starter Tyler Schweitzer. However, they found their rhythm in the fourth inning, scoring two runs to tie the game. Despite taking the lead in the sixth, the Wood Ducks ultimately fell short, losing 5-4 after a three-run homer by Tim Elko in the seventh inning.
Game two began with a 10-minute rain delay but quickly heated up as Aidan Curry took the mound for the Wood Ducks. Curry started strong, retiring two of the first three batters on strikeouts. The Woodies' offense backed him up, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a two-RBI double from catcher Tucker Mitchell. Curry left the game in the fourth inning, finishing with an impressive seven strikeouts in his season debut.
The Wood Ducks continued to pile on the runs, scoring in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to extend their lead to 10-1. The pitching staff held the Cannon Ballers to just one hit after Curry was relieved, with standout performances by Jackson Kelley, who picked up the win with three strikeouts, and Adrian Rodriguez, who closed the game with six straight outs, two being strikeouts.
The series finale is set for Saturday, April 8th, with the first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. The first 1,000 fans will receive a Kinston retro jersey sponsored by Pepsi. With the series tied at 1-1, both teams will be looking to secure the early-season series win in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
*** UPDATE!!! Game 3 postponed due to rain
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