KINGSPORT, Tenn. - An eight-run third inning from Kingsport was enough to take the series over Elizabethton, 11-6, at Ballad Health Field. With the loss, the River Riders were eliminated from postseason contention.

How it Happened:

Elizabethton started out with a sense of urgency. Bo Strickland scored off a throwing error from Tanner Kilgore, Nick Riordan came home after an error from Garrett Luett, Mikey Vanderheyden skyed a sacrifice fly RBI, and Jackson Reardon rolled a broken-bat RBI single. After the first, the River Riders took a 4-0 advantage.

In the second, Nick Riordan's swinging bunt down the first base line drove in a run. Then in the third, Auston Rose knocked an RBI single down the middle. Elizabethton got off to a perfect start, earning a 6-0 lead after the top of the third.

Everything started to go wrong for the River Riders in the bottom of the inning, however. Two fielding errors, one from Luke Billings on a routine play in right field and the other on a potentially inning-ending double play grounder from Eli Evans, gave the Axmen life. Luett lined an RBI single, Cash Williams added a sacrifice fly to center, and Luett scored off a wild pitch.

Starting pitcher Luis Rosario was pulled, but Luis Blanco struggled when put in the game. Colin Sullivan grounded a sacrifice RBI, BJ Gibson smashed a two-RBI double, and Luett got two more RBI in the third with a single. Kingsport pulled an uno reverse card in the third, turning a 6-0 deficit into an 8-6 lead entering the fourth.

There was hope that Elizabethton could turn things around in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs. Fortunately for the Axmen, relief pitcher Ruped Blackwood locked in, striking out Vanderheyden, Rose, and Reardon to prevent the River Riders from scoring. No one would proceed to score until the sixth.

Kingsport got insurance with an RBI single from Williams. The 9-6 score was not threatened until the eighth.

If Elizabethton was going to pull off a comeback, the eighth inning was their best opportunity. Strickland and Riordan drew walks, and Luke Billings bagged a single to load the bases with no outs. Unfortunately for the River Riders, they once again failed to score. Caden Clifford struck out before Vanderheyden grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Jacob Parr added a two-RBI double later in the eighth inning for the Axmen. That was more than enough insurance for Kingsport to seal the series, as they prep to face Johnson City at home tomorrow in the playoffs.

Game Notes:

• With the Doughboys' win against Greeneville, Elizabethton would have missed the playoffs with a win.
• Both teams had exactly eight hits.
• Colin Bolla was the best pitcher for the River Riders, four strikeouts to one walk.
• Elizabethton used six pitchers in the loss.

Up Next:

The River Riders' (23-23) season is over.