(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
NORTH AUGUSTA – Ethan Bagwell tossed his third quality start in five tries, silencing the red-hot Kannapolis offense as the GreenJacket bats did just enough for Augusta to secure a 4-3 win at home Friday night.
It was a pitchers’ duel right from the start at SRP Park, as Bagwell and Kannapolis’ Riley Eikhoff matched each other inning for inning as they traded zeroes in the early portion of the contest. Bagwell allowed a bit of traffic in his first two innings, but used a pair of caught-stealings to keep Kannapolis off the board, and then settled in.
Eikhoff scattered just two hits while tying his career high in strikeouts at seven, but was lifted after five innings as his pitch count began to rise. Bagwell, meanwhile, outlasted his counterpart and breezed through a 1-2-3 sixth to secure another quality start, his league-leading third in less than a month of baseball.
The GreenJacket offense came alive in the sixth against Choyce Diffey, grateful to face anyone besides Eikhoff. Diffey found trouble immediately, allowing singles to Cooper McMurray and Joe Olsavsky at the bottom of the order to set the table. A wild pitch broke the scoreless tie, and Tate Southisene followed with a single to load the bases. From there, it was a bout of situational hitting, as Alex Lodise dropped a single into right before Luis Guanipa lifted a sacrifice fly. With two outs and two strikes, Juan Mateo continued his torrid start with an opposite-field double to give the Jackets a 4-0 lead.
Bagwell departed after six innings, and just like the Jackets, the Cannon Ballers were less than kind to the first reliever. Lewis Sifontes, who was recalled today from the FCL, gave up the first run of the day for Augusta via a triple from Marcelo Alcala and a sacrifice fly from D’Angelo Tejada to put the Ballers on the board.
Kannapolis threatened even more in the eighth inning, as Sifontes’ command betrayed him once again. Sifontes issued a leadoff homer to Matthew Boughton to open the frame, and then walked two before being pulled with no outs. Drew Christo was tasked with an intensely tough task, and nearly fumbled the lead, allowing a double to Arxy Hernandez that scored one run and nearly another. That run was cut down, however, on a perfect relay throw from center field, retiring Stiven Flores and keeping the Jackets in front.
Christo allowed a pair of baserunners in the top of the ninth, but struck out Jaden Fauske to strand the tying run at second base and give the GreenJackets their second win of the week. Augusta has now evened the season with the Cannon Ballers, and improve to 14-11 on the year.
The Jackets will look to guarantee a series split Saturday, hosting a 6:05 p.m. game with fireworks to follow. It will be Star Wars Night at SRP Park, with the team donning Mandalorian-inspired jerseys that will be auctioned off during the game. Zach Royse will start for Augusta, opposite Max Banks, who has been Kannapolis’ most consistent arm in the rotation.
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