KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers only mustered three hits, falling in their third straight game to the Columbia Fireflies Thursday night, 7-3.
RHP Truman Pauley (L, 1-7) was dealt the loss in his 14th start of the season. Pauley hurled five innings, allowing six hits, three runs, two earned, two walks and six strikeouts. RHP Anthony Patterson followed him up with three innings of work, giving up three runs on three hits, walking two and punching out a trio of Fireflies. RHP Jesus Mendez made the last appearance for Kannapolis in the ninth inning, giving up two hits, one run and a walk on the way to three strikeouts.
The Ballers drew first blood, coming home on a Columbia error in the bottom of the first inning on a ground ball in play by Stiven Flores. The fumble from Yandel Ricardo allowed Jaden Fauske to cross the plate and give Kannapolis a, 1-0, lead.
In the top of the third, Sean Gamble ripped a two-run triple to right-center field to kickstart the Fireflies offense. The visitors brought home another later in the frame with a Hyungchan Um groundout to go ahead, 3-1.
Kannapolis got one back in the bottom of the third after a Matthew Boughton leadoff double, who came around to score later in the inning on a Nick McLain RBI groundout.
The Fireflies got back to scoring in the top of the sixth. Jhosmmel Zue stayed hot, lacing an RBI single to right field. Ivan Sosa drove in another with an RBI groundout. Josh Hammond knocked in the third run of the frame with another base hit.
In the bottom half, the Ballers scratched one back on a Leandro Alsinois base hit that he converted into a run with another RBI groundout in the Ballers lineup.
Gamble tacked on another RBI with a bloop single in the top of the ninth to score Hammond, putting Columbia ahead, 7-3, a lead too large for Kannapolis.
The Ballers look to snap their three-game skid Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark in game four of their series against the Columbia Fireflies. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. on Princess Night, with RHP Gabriel Rodriguez getting the start for Kannapolis.
The 2026 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers season is underway at Atrium Health Ballpark! Single-game tickets, season ticket packages, group experiences and 10-game mini plans for the 2026 season are available for purchase now. Call the Cannon Ballers ticket office at (704) 932-3267 or visit kcballers.com for more information.