HICKORY, N.C. (Interstat) — The Hickory Crawdads host the Charleston RiverDogs on Sunday evening at L.P. Frans Stadium, looking to build on a 23-18 record that has them atop the division. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. under cloudy skies with a temperature of 63 degrees.

Charleston (23-20) will send left-hander Dominic Fritton (0-2) to the mound. Fritton has struggled this season, posting a 5.40 ERA over his last three starts. The RiverDogs have dropped four of their last five meetings with Hickory, including a 5-3 loss Friday and a 5-2 defeat Thursday. Charleston’s only win in the current series came Wednesday, a 5-4 decision.

Hickory counter with right-hander Kamdyn Perry, who has been sharp in recent outings. Perry (1-1) threw 4⅓ innings Friday against these same RiverDogs, allowing two earned runs while striking out six in a 5-3 win. He has held opponents to a .202 batting average over his past three starts.

Players to Watch

Charleston INF Aidan Cremarosa — The 22-year-old is slated to start Sunday. Over his last four outings, Cremarosa has a 1.64 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23⅔ innings. He tossed a nine-inning no-hitter on May 8 against Augusta.

Hickory RHP Kamdyn Perry — The 21-year-old has a 1.80 ERA over his last two appearances, limiting opponents to nine hits across nine innings.

Series Summary

Hickory has taken three of the first four games in this five-game series, outscoring Charleston 26-14. The Crawdads’ offense has been led by road wins Tuesday (11-5) and Friday (5-3). Saturday’s game ended in a scoreless tie.

Outlook

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-3 Hickory victory. The Crawdads have won six of their last seven home games against Charleston dating back to last season. Charleston is 9-12 on the road.

Following Sunday’s contest, Hickory travels to Salem for a six-game series starting Tuesday. Charleston heads to Columbia for a six-game set.