KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WHKY) — The Hickory Crawdads made another late push Friday night, but their ninth-inning rally fell one run short in a 4-3 loss to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Hickory outhit Kannapolis 9-7, but the Crawdads went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and stranded six. Kannapolis scored in each of the first three innings and added what proved to be the deciding run on Grayson Fitzwater’s solo home run in the fifth.

The Cannon Ballers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jaden Fauske led off with a double and scored with two outs when Stiven Flores doubled to center.

Kannapolis added another run in the second after Clay Burdette tripled and scored on Crew McChesney’s groundout. Flores struck again in the third, driving home Matthew Boughton with his second RBI double of the game to make it 3-0.

Hickory broke through against Kannapolis starter Fabian Ysalla in the fourth. Jay McQueen led off with a single before Deward Tovar connected on a two-run home run to right-center field. Tovar’s 15th homer of the season pulled the Crawdads within 3-2.

The Cannon Ballers answered in the bottom of the fifth when Fitzwater homered to center off Aneudis Mejia. The solo shot restored Kannapolis’ two-run advantage at 4-2 and ultimately provided the winning run.

Hickory’s bullpen kept the Crawdads within striking distance the rest of the way. Geury Rodriguez entered with two outs in the fifth and worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits without a walk while striking out two.

The Crawdads mounted one final threat in the ninth against Grant Cleavinger. McQueen opened the inning with his second hit of the game and, after Tovar struck out, Josh Springer doubled to center to bring McQueen home and cut the deficit to 4-3.

Cleavinger recovered, striking out Kolby Branch and pinch-hitter Pablo Guerrero to strand Springer at second and end the game. Cleavinger struck out three in the inning to earn his first save.

Tovar drove in two of Hickory’s three runs with his home run, while McQueen went 2-for-4 and scored twice. Yolfran Castillo also had two hits and stole his 49th base of the season. Springer doubled and drove in the other Hickory run.

Mason McConnaughey took the loss in his Hickory debut, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout over two innings. Keiber Armas surrendered one run over two innings while striking out four, and Mejia allowed Fitzwater’s home run in two-thirds of an inning before Rodriguez closed out the pitching effort.

Ysalla earned his first professional victory for Kannapolis after allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. Flores went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs for the Cannon Ballers, while Fitzwater finished 2-for-4 with the decisive home run.

The loss dropped Hickory to 66-43 overall, but 32-13 on the second half of the season while Kannapolis improved to 58-54, 25-21 on the second half. The teams continue the series Saturday night at Atrium Health Ballpark with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.