KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (May 19, 2026). – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (18-20) dropped the first game of the six game set against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (19-21) 3-1 at Atrium Health Ballpark on Tuesday night.
LHP Pierce Coppola (0-2, 3.46) received the loss for the Pelicans but tallied a career-high nine strikeouts over five and a thirds innings of three-run ball while walking three.
Kannapolis started the scoring in the bottom of the fourth. Abraham Nunez walked and then stole second and third base. A batter later Stiven Flores hit a sacrifice fly to score Nunez and give the Cannon Ballers a 1-0 lead.
The Cannon Ballers added to their lead in the sixth inning. Nunez walked and then moved to second on a single from Billy Carlson. Following a pitching change, Javier Mogollon roped an RBI double to increase the lead to 2-0. The next batter Flores reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Carlson to give the Cannon Ballers a 3-0 advantage.
Myrtle Beach scratched a run across in the top of the seventh. Josiah Hartshorn worked a walk and then moved to second on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Two batters later, Jose Escobar lined a single to score Hartshorn to make the game 3-1.
RHP Riley Eikhoff (2-4, 4.46) received the win for the Cannon Ballers. LHP Jordan Morales (S,2) received the save.
Myrtle Beach will continue their six-game roadtrip against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Wednesday May 20 at Atrium Health Ballpark. First pitch is slated for 7:00 PM. RHP Dominick Reid (1-2, 2.88) will start on the hill for Myrtle Beach. RHP Max Banks (2-0, 1.42) gets the nod for the Kannapolis.
For tickets and more information, visit MyrtleBeachPelicans.com/Tickets