Staff report

CHERRYVILLE — Kannapolis bounced back on Thursday morning from a lopsided loss and beat Rutherford County 9-4 in pool play in the American Legion State Tournament.

Kannapolis (12-6) can still advance to the semifinals. While Fuquay-Varina has wrapped up first place in the Stripes Pool, Kannapolis, 1-1 in the tournament, can take second place if it can beat Wilmington, also 1-1, in the 7 p.m. game tonight.

Rutherford County is 0-2 in the tournament. It still has a pool game left today with Fuquay-Varina, but can not advance.

Jacob Baucom (3-1) was the winning pitcher for Kannapolis. He had an 8-0 lead when he ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth. Brody Nelson relieved Nelson and was able to finish. He held Post 423 to two hits the rest of the way.

Kannapolis swung the bats with authority, pounding out 14 hits.

RBI doubles by Jake Dameron and Michael Gracer gave the Towelers a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Dameron smacked his first homer of the summer leading off the third inning for a 3-0 lead.

Catawba recruit Gracer had three hits. Dameron, Nick Alderfer, Cale Oehler and Chase Ervin had two hits each, as did Nick Alderfer. Alderfer returned to the lineup after missing several games with a finger injury.

Wilmington came into the tournament undefeated but suffered its first loss on Thursday to Fuquay-Varina.

The Kannapolis-Wilmington winner will take on Cherryville in a semifinal on Saturday.

 

Kannapolis   201  140  1   —   9   14   1

Rutherford   000 040  0    — 4   5     3