UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC – The Charlotte Knights offense fired on all cylinders in the first game of a day-night doubleheader that, due to weather, became the home season finale, which saw the Knights win 10-1 over the Buffalo Bisons.
Designated hitter Tim Elko continued his electric week, going 3-4 with his first triple of the season, along with two runs scored and three runs batted in.
The first run came in the bottom of the first inning when Elko came through with an RBI single, followed by an RBI groundout by Jake Cave to put Charlotte ahead 2-0 in the opening frame. Rikuu Nishida brought home the next run on a groundout, and then a two-run homer, crushed 387 feet over the right-field wall, extended the Knights' lead to 5-0 at the end of the second inning.
Buffalo had their first response in the third inning with a solo homer by Davis Schneider, but an RBI double by Andy Weber matched that run, moving the Knights' lead to 6-1 through three.
In the fourth inning, Elko added two more RBI to his name with a double, and then Caden Connor brought home another run with a sac fly as Charlotte moved their lead to 9-1.
The next insurance run came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Cave lined a hard-hit single to right field, bringing home Elko to make it 10-1.
On the mound, the Knights went with a bullpen game that started off with two shutout innings by Peyton Pallette, then followed by Garrett Schoenle, who surrendered one run on two hits over 2.1 innings of work.
Jaden Woods got the win after throwing 1.2 innings of shutout baseball, and Jordan Morales made his Charlotte debut, closing it out with a perfect inning.
The second game of the doubleheader made it into the second inning before the skies opened up and forced the game to be canceled.
The Knights' home season wrapped up with a 4-1 series win over the Bisons, and they will hit the road, taking on the Norfolk Tides for their final six games of the season, with Tuesday’s first pitch set for 6:35 pm.