DANVILLE, Va. — The Danville Otterbots took the lone completed game of a scheduled two-game weekend series against the Bristol State Liners before inclement weather forced the cancellation of Sunday’s finale.
Saturday, July 12 — Danville 7, Bristol 6
An action-packed contest ended with Danville in the win column as Bristol’s ninth-inning rally fell just short.
Both starting pitchers were sharp early, with Bristol’s Brandon Peterson tossing three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. The State Liners struck first in the fourth inning on a Jean Carlos Garcia-Chicano single.
Danville responded in the bottom of the inning with four runs. Jaxon Goldberg’s fifth double of the summer drove in three, and Elgin Bennett added a fourth run with a single up the middle.
Garcia-Chicano delivered again in the sixth with an RBI double, but Danville matched it in the bottom half with a Seth Smith run-scoring double to make it 5-2.
Both teams traded two runs in the seventh. Bristol’s Patrick Gillen hit an RBI single, and Chris Patterson added a sacrifice fly. In response, Danville padded its lead on a Garrett Shull double and a Charlie Carter groundout.
Bristol threatened again in the ninth, sparked by Gillen’s sixth double of the season and Patterson’s second hit of the night, but the rally stalled. Danville closer Ethan Knox recorded his third save of the summer to secure the win.
Danville starter Aaron Lewis improved to 2-0 after allowing just one run and striking out six over five innings. Peterson took the loss for Bristol, falling to 1-2.
Sunday, July 13 — Game canceled
The series finale was canceled due to weather after a storm system reached Danville in the fourth inning, making American Legion Post 325 Field unplayable. The game will not be rescheduled.
Both teams will return to East Tennessee on Tuesday. Danville will travel to Elizabethton for a two-game set, while Bristol will host Burlington for two games at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City.
