ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — The River Riders fought hard, but came up just short against the Burlington Sock Puppets in Burlington on Thursday night. Elizabethton had the lead in the bottom of the ninth, but the Sock Puppets tied the game up and won the tiebreaker to earn the victory.

How it Happened:

Burlington struck first, thanks to Deacon Pomeroy scoring a run off a wild pitch from Connor Sims to make it 1-0 Sock Puppets after one inning.

The lead then tripled for Burlington in the second due to fielding errors from the River Riders. An errant throw from Sims on a pickoff attempt to first base allowed Devin Mitchell to score from third, and a throwing error from the catcher Anthony Grippo on an attempt to catch Braden Maranto stealing second opened the door for Cuyler Baxter to score to make it 3-0 through two innings of play.

Then Elizabethton's offense came to life in the third. Nick Riordan scored off a wild pitch from Kyle Pearcy, Cole Pladson smacked an RBI double and Pladson proceeded to score on a passed ball to tie the ballgame up at three runs apiece.

The Sock Puppets were then able to score on the first at bat of the bottom of the third, when Brandon Novy homered to left center to make it 4-3 entering the fourth.

Terrance Bowen scored after stealing third, then came home after a throwing error by catcher Vincent DeCarlo knotted things up at 4-4 through four innings.

The Sock Puppets proceeded to score the next three runs in the game. Mitchell crushed a two-run home run and Maranto hit an RBI double in the fifth, then Novy collected his second RBI with a double in the sixth to make it 7-4 Burlington.

No runs were scored in the seventh before the River Riders flipped the script in the eighth. Bowen smoked a line drive, three-run triple, and Bo Strickland drove in Bowen on a groundout to give Elizabethton their first lead of the game, 8-7.

That score would hold until the bottom of the ninth. With the River Riders two outs away from the win, Orlando Fernandez knocked a clutch RBI single to tie things up at eight. Then the next two batters failed to reach base, and the game needed a tie breaker to be resolved.

The Sock Puppets manager, Mickey Tettleton, decided to play offense in the sudden death extra-inning, betting that his bats would drive in a run required to win the matchup. His decision was the correct one, as DeCario laced a walk-off homer to left field, winning the game for Burlington.

Game Notes:

• This was the first game for the River Riders that was not decided by at least eight runs.
• No decision was given to any of the pitchers for Elizabethton.
• Bowen collected his first three RBI of the 2026 season.
• The Sock Puppets out hit the River Riders, 12-6.

Up Next:

Elizabethton (2-4) will look for revenge on Friday against the Sock Puppets at Burlington Athletic Stadium. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.