South Atlantic League honors Intimidators pitcher

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen Kannapolis starter Johnnie Lowe became the first Intimidators player to earn a league honor this season after he was named the South Atlantic League’s pitcher of the week. The 23-year-old righthander did not give up an earned run in 12 innings over two appearances for the period between April 28 and May 4, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out 10 batters. Lowe, a sixth-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in the 2007 Draft, opened the week with six... 

Trojans in, Wonders out

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen Kannapolis’ two high school baseball teams wrapped up their regular-season schedules this week heading in opposite directions. While A.L. Brown’s players are packing up their gear, Northwest Cabarrus is looking to turn its fortunes around entering the state 3A playoffs. The Trojans wrapped their season at 14-9 and 10-8 North Piedmont Conference, good for a third-place tie with South Rowan in the league standings. That was also good enough to give Northwest one... 

Wonders’ playoff hopes fading

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen A.L. Brown head coach Empsy Thompson has a simple message for his seniors this week — it’s your time to shine. The Wonders will need their upperclassmen to step up big this week, as Brown closes out its season still holding a slim chance to earn one of the South Piedmont Conference’s playoff berths. “We’ve got an opportunity in front of us,” Thompson said. “We’ve still got a chance. … We need a little help, but we’ve got to take care of things... 

I’s send Persichina to Double-A club

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen The Kannapolis Intimidators have seen their roster swell through the first three weeks of the South Atlantic League season as players were called up from extended spring training. Now the Intimidators have sent their first player of the season up the minor-league ladder, with infielder Joe Persichina getting promoted to Birmingham (Ala.), the Chicago White Sox’s team in the Double A Southern League. The 23-year-old Persichina was a free-agent signee out of Arizona... 

NWC still has chance at 2nd

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen Life for Northwest Cabarrus’ baseball team right now is like walking on a tightrope. If the Trojans can put their inconsistency behind them and play three solid games, they could find themselves climbing back up the North Piedmont Conference standings. But if Northwest lets its recent up-and-down play become the rule rather than the exception, then the Trojans could find themselves scrambling to hold onto one of the league’s playoff berths. Northwest Cabarrus,... 

I’s shuffle roster, add 2 players

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen The Chicago White Sox made even more roster moves with the Kannapolis Intimidators last week, adding two players from the club’s extended spring training program. Joining the Intimidators were relief pitcher Daniel Albritton and catcher-infielder Danny Jordan. To make room for the roster additions, the team placed pitcher Justin Klipp and catcher Matt Inouye on the disabled list. Albritton went 1-3 with three saves in 20 appearances for Bristol (Tenn.), the ChiSox’s... 

Wonders’ struggles continue

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen A.L. Brown head coach Empsy Thompson is the first to admit that his players had a rough time on the field last week. Things don’t get any easier for the Wonders over the next two weeks as they try to move into position to earn one of the South Piedmont Conference’s five playoff berths. Brown, which was 6-10 overall and 4-7 in the SPC entering Tuesday’s game against Parkwood, had lost four straight and tumbled to eighth in the league standings. The Wonders struggled... 

Finishing second not acceptable

By Cathy Elliott Contributing NASCAR columnist The racing season, even with the successful implementation of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, still relies heavily on consistency. Strong finishes in the first 26 races can pretty much guarantee that a driver will be in the championship battle during the final 10 weeks. So I must admit to some eye-rolling at times when, at the end of a given race, the second-place finisher was interviewed and came across as being slightly peevish over... 

Wonders hold SPC rival Spiders hitless

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen A.L. Brown head coach Empsy Thompson isn’t ready to say that Mother Nature isn’t a baseball fan. But the recent spate of wet weather hasn’t done the Wonders much good, as a lack of quality practice time has hampered Thompson’s young team entering the final month of the South Piedmont Conference season. “We just haven’t had a whole lot of practice time,” Thompson said. “It seems like any day we’re not playing, it’s raining. There’s only so much... 

I’s add pair of pitchers

By Bill Kiser Kannapolis Citizen The Kannapolis Intimidators picked up two more pitchers from the Chicago White Sox’s minor league spring training camp last week. However, when the two will be able to make any contribution to the team is still a question. As the Intimidators were preparing for their season opener in Greensville (S.C.), White Sox officials announced April 3 that pitchers Juan Moreno and Willy Mota had been added to the roster, with both immediately going on the seven-day disabled... 

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