GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Elizabethton never trailed in a much-needed 12-3 victory against Greeneville at Eastman Credit Union Ballpark. The River Riders won their first game since July 9th.
How it Happened:
Both teams scored their first runs in the second inning. Eli Evans rolled an RBI groundout for Elizabethton, and Mark Sackermann got a big bounce off a chopped ball in the infield for an RBI single. The 1-1 score did not last for long.
In the third, Miles Shore skied a sacrifice fly ball to center. The Flyboys could not respond later in the inning, and the River Riders took a 2-1 lead at the end of the third.
Then, a massive rain delay occurred in the top of the fourth. Heavy rain arrived in Greeneville, but it eventually passed over, allowing the field to be dried off. After two hours and 13 minutes passed, the game continued, and Bo Strickland added a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 3-1 through four.
The turning point happened in the fifth. Trey Tarkenton came into the game for the Flyboys and struggled. The first seven batters he saw reached base, which included RBI walks from Jackson Reardon and Caden Clifford alongside a two-RBI double from Cole Pladson. An RBI walk later in the inning from Terrance Bowen gave Elizabethton a commanding 8-1 lead after the fifth inning.
The River Riders added insurance in the sixth. Strickland knocked a two-RBI single, and Bowen roped an RBI single. The Elizabethton lead grew to 11-1 heading into the seventh.
Per Appy League rules, all Sunday games only go seven innings. Cole Pladson lined an RBI single to give the River Riders extra insurance. An RBI single from Olin Ward, combined with an RBI walk from Deacon Nelson, were nowhere near enough for the Flyboys to come from behind.
Game Notes:
- Elizabethton jumped Greeneville for third in the West Division.
- Strickland and Pladson both had three RBI.
- Clifford earned his first two hits for the River Riders.
- The total game time for the seven-inning matchup was four minutes and 46 seconds.
Up Next:
Elizabethton (18-20) will take a day off before kicking off a three-game home series against Danville. First pitch for game one is set for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
