Cannon Ballers Open 2026 Season with 4-3 Loss to Howlers at Home

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers got ahead with a quick two-batter rally in the bottom of the first inning and held the Hill City Howlers without a walk at the plate, but the Ballers fell, 4-3, in their Opening Day contest Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.

With the loss, Kannapolis falls to 0-1 on the season and 2-4 all-time on Opening Days in the Cannon Ballers era, with Hill City now at 1-0 in their first season of their new identity, the Howlers.

RHP Max Banks shut out the visitors over four frames, allowing four hits with three strikeouts. RHP Riley Eikhoff (L, 0-1) allowed four runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings, struggling with against a potent Hill City offense.

After Jaden Fauske sliced a triple into the gap, Billy Carlson put the Ballers in front, 1-0 with an RBI single into center field. The top draft pick from the 2025 Draft for the White Sox produced a 1-for-3 night with his first-inning RBI and a walk in his professional debut.

Dauri Fernandez evened the game in the top of the fifth against Eikhoff, singling into center field to score Luis De La Cruz and make it, 1-1.

Kannapolis answered quickly in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs, jumping ahead, 2-1, on a Stiven Flores RBI single into right field. Later in the frame, Nathan Archer tripled into the gap in right-center, scoring Boston Smith in a highlight-reel play to put the Ballers in the lead, 3-1.

De La Cruz answered for Hill City in the top of the seventh, inching closer at, 3-2, with a ground-rule double into left field. Later, in the top of the eighth, Anthony Martinez smoked an RBI double to center field to tie the game at, 3-3, scoring Juneiker Caceres. Three batters later, Gabriel Rodriguez provided the winning run with an RBI single to drive in Martinez and give the Howlers a, 4-3, advantage that they did not surrender.

RHP Truman Pauley makes his White Sox organization debut in game two of the three-game weekend against the Hill City Howlers. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m., with postgame kids-run-the-bases on tap for postgame entertainment.

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.