ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. - The River Riders scored seven runs in the sixth inning and overpowered the Axmen, 15-6, at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. Elizabethton keeps sole possession of first place in the West Division with the win.

How it Happened:

Initially, Kingsport had the advantage. Miles Davis drove in Antonio Fawcett with a sacrifice fly, Cash Williams smoked a 411-foot-solo-homer and Dylan Passo scored off a throwing error from Brady Richardson. The Axmen led 3-0 after the top of the first.

Later in the first inning, Richardson made up for his throwing error with a two-RBI single to cut the Axmen advantage to 3-2.

Then in the second, the River Riders took their first lead. Nick Riordan roped an RBI double, Carter Johnstone added a sacrifice fly RBI and Jackson Reardon beat out a throw from Axmen second baseman Davis. Elizabethton was up 5-3 after two innings.

Kingsport immediately got the game tied. Collin Sullivan grounded a two-RBI single to center to knot things up at five through three.

The River Riders offense caught fire from the fourth on, scoring the next nine runs. The run started in the fourth. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kyle Boylston scored during a six-four-three double play. Elizabethton left some meat on the bone, but earned a 6-5 lead after four.

Then in the fifth, Terrance Bowen scored due to Keegan Roach's failed pickoff attempt ending up in center field. The River Riders were up 7-5, but the real onslaught was coming up.

Elizabethton scored half of their runs in the sixth. First, Rardon rolled an RBI single to center, Cole Pladson drew an RBI walk and Bowen sent a two-RBI single to center.

Roach was taken out of the game after the first four runs, but things weren't much better with Jack Cecil. A wild pitch by Cecil allowed Pladson to score, Bo Strickland got an RBI walk, and Riordon scored off a double play ball to balloon the score to 14-5 through six.

Sullivan earned his third RBI off a double in the seventh for Kingsport, and Boylston got a sacrifice groundout in the eighth for Elizabethton to finish the scoring at 15-6 in favor of the River Riders.

Game Notes:

• Elizabethton drew 16 walks as a team.
• The Axmen outhit the River Riders 10-6.
• Of the nine batters for Elizabethton, five of them drew multiple walks.
• The River Riders used three pitchers; all three pitched exactly three innings.

Up Next:

The red-hot River Riders (12-9) will once again face off against Kingsport (10-11), this time at Ballad Health Field. First pitch is set for July 1 at 7 p.m.