Holly Springs, NC - In the unbearable heat on Tuesday night, the Tri-City Chili Peppers were no exception. The team travelled to Holly Springs to face off against the Salamanders after an off day on Monday. Despite falling 7-4, the Chili Peppers battled until the end.

The first run of the game came in the bottom of the second with a Salamanders home run, but the Chili Peppers wasted no time getting themselves on the scoreboard. Brandon Eike (UNC) kicked things off for Tri-City in the second. He came up as the first batter of the inning and hit a home run. Coastal Carolina's Derek Bender hit a home run of his own for a 2-1 Chili Peppers lead after the top of the second.

Holly Springs battled back in the same inning with two runs to retake the lead. Both teams failed to score in the third or fourth. After four innings at the mound, Connor Handy (University of New Orleans) was replaced by Rojo Prarie (College of William & Mary) as the Tri-City pitcher.

Prarie held the Salamanders to no hits or runs in the fifth, during which neither team scored yet again. Willie Havens of Elon started the sixth with a double, but nothing more came of the Chili Peppers offense in the sixth. The Salamanders batted three up, three down for a quick end to the sixth inning.

Tri-City followed in Holly Springs' footsteps, also batting three up, three down in the top of the seventh. Colin Yablonski (Coastal Carolina) had his chance on the hill in the seventh, giving up a run after two consecutive walks, a single, and then another walk. After two more runs by the Salamanders, Yablonski was replaced by Terrell Hudson (University of New Mexico), who allowed another run for a 7-2 Holly Springs lead after seven.

Despite a single by Vanderbilt's Kenny Mallory Jr. to start the eighth, the Chili Peppers failed to lessen their deficit. Branden Blankenship (Morehead State University) came out of the bullpen for Tri City in the eighth, pitching three up, three down.

In the last chance for a Chili Peppers comeback, Michael Dolberry of Longwood started things off for the offense with a single. Bender hit his second home run of the night, allowing he and Dolberry to score. Tri-City continued to battle. Kyle Jenkins (Mars Hill) walked and then stole second before Mallory Jr. walked as well. Despite this tough battle, the Chili Peppers fell 7-4.

Tri-City will return to Shepherd Stadium on Thursday for their Mardi Gras Thirsty Thursday matchup against the Peninsula Pilots.