BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Elizabethton never trailed in a series clinching 10-6 win over Bluefield at Bowen Field on Saturday night. With the win, the River Riders are a half game away from a playoff spot in the West Division.
How it Happened:
The first runs for Elizabethton came when Jackson Reardon smashed a two-run homer to left field in the second inning.
In the third, the Ridge Runners responded with a sacrifice fly RBI from Ryan Morel. The score was 2-1 by the end of the inning.
Then, Elizabethton pulled away for good in the fourth. Bo Strickland lined an RBI single, Miles Shore roped an RBI single, and Eli Evans smashed a two-run single to left. Mason Ault did score in the bottom of the inning for Bluefield while a double play was occurring, but it was not enough to prevent a comfortable lead for the River Riders after four innings in the books, 6-2.
Matthew Robaugh notched an RBI single for the Ridge Runners in the sixth, before Elizabethton added three more runs in the seventh. Nick Riordan drilled a two-run double, and JT Darden hit an RBI single for the River Riders. Bluefield added a groundball RBI single from Andrew Cross, but the lead still grew to 9-4 by the end of the seventh inning.
The cherry on top for Elizabethton came in the eighth. Austin Rose crushed a solo homer to right field, adding on for his team-leading total with his seventh home run, giving the River Riders their 10th run.
Chancellor Jennings scored off of a passed ball in the eighth, and Alex Myers earned an RBI single in the nineth for Bluefield. That was nowhere near enough for a comeback for the Ridge Runners, as Elizabethton sealed a much-needed series victory.
Game Notes:
- JT Darden had his best day for the River Riders as he went 4-for-4 with his first RBI of the year.
- Connor Sims obtained the win, pitching the first five innings with five strikeouts.
- Elizabethton outhit Bluefield, 12-9, in the game.
- The River Riders used five pitchers in the matchup.
Up Next:
Elizabethton (21-21) will go for the sweep against the Ridge Runners (18-22) at Bowen Field. First pitch for the seven-inning Sunday matchup is set for 5:30 p.m.
