ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — The Greenville Flyboys clinched the season-opening series against the Elizabethton River Riders in a 19-4 victory at the Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. The Flyboys' offense was unconscious throughout, and proved to be too much for the River Riders to handle.

How it Happened

Greeneville wasted no time, growing a big lead before Elizabethton could earn a single out to open up the ballgame. Nolan Behm drove in a two-RBI double, Owen ten Oever blasted a two-run home run to center field and Carson Ray hit an RBI single before the River Riders forced their first out of the ball game on a fielder's choice ground ball by Gabe Gray that still drove in a run to make it 6-0.

Starting pitcher Codi Scott was pulled immediately after the first out, and the Flyboys added another run off a fielder's choice grounder from Bryan Williams before the River Riders even had an opportunity on offense.

The Flyboys continued to add to their lead early. In the second inning, Matthew Kerrigan hit an RBI single to make it 8-0. In the top of the third, Williams hit an RBI double, Collin Dobson had a sac fly RBI to center and Behm had a sacrifice groundout to make it 11-0. Elizabethton eventually got on the scoreboard in the third thanks to a solo home run by Anthony Grippo, but the score remained 11-1 through five innings.

The River Riders added two runs in the sixth, thanks to a fielding error from Carter Johnstone off a ground ball from Matt Evans and a sacrifice ground ball from Grippo. That made the score 11-3 before another scoring avalanche from the Flyboys. Greeneville scored seven runs in the top of the seventh. Dobson had a RBI walk, Behm followed that up with a RBI single and ten Oever got himself a RBI walk. Next, Kerrigan hit an RBI single to center, Olin Ward earned an RBI single, Ray added on another RBI walk and Levi Pinder had a sac fly to left field that brought in Kerrigan.

Grippo drove in an RBI single to center for the River Riders in the seventh, and Gray finished out the scoring in the ninth by blasting an RBI double to give the Flyboys their 19th run.

Game Notes

• Tyler Kupos went three innings with five strikeouts and no runs, the best pitcher for Elizabethton.
• The Flyboys outhit the River Riders, 20-9.
• Six of the nine batters for the Flyboys had a batting average at .400 or above in the game.
• The River Riders used six pitchers for the second game in a row, both losses.

Up Next

The River Riders (0-2) will look to salvage a game at Northwest Community Credit Union Ballpark against the Greeneville Flyboys on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.