KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Elizabethton River Riders dropped their fourth straight game in a 7–3 loss to the Kingsport Axmen on Saturday night at Hunter Wright Stadium. Elizabethton walked 14 batters, allowing Kingsport to score seven runs in the fourth inning and take control of the game.

Elizabethton (2–7) jumped ahead in the top of the first when Donte Lewis singled, stole third and scored on Hudson Brown’s RBI single. Crosland added an RBI single in the fifth to bring his team-leading RBI total to six, but the River Riders could not keep up with Kingsport’s run production.

Kingsport (5–3) capitalized on free passes in the fourth, drawing four walks and scoring seven times on four hits, and one error.

Elizabethton used five pitchers in the contest. Starter Justyn Hart (0–2) was charged with four earned runs over 3 1/3 innings. The bullpen walked nine across 4 2/3 innings of relief, with Andrew DuMont delivering two scoreless frames.

The River Riders added a run in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch from Aidan Hayse that plated Dickerson for the second time. Ultimately it was too little too late for Elizabethton as they were blanked in the eighth and ninth, falling to the Axmen by a final score of 7-3.

Stat of the Game:

14 – The River Riders issued 14 walks on the night, their most in a game this season.

Notes:

• Crosland extended his team lead in hits (12) going 2-for-5 with an RBI
• Lewis swiped his first base of the year and scored in the opening frame
• Brown and Crosland each recorded their first two-out RBIs of the season
• Elizabethton went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position but left seven men on base
• Dickerson reached base twice (walk, hit-by-pitch, and two runs scored) despite not recording a hit
• The River Riders have now dropped four consecutive games and allowed 10+ free passes in two straight contests

Next Up:

Elizabethton (2–7) continues the weekend series in the finale vs. Kingsport on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. It will be a seven-inning contest. The game will be streamed live on AppyLeague.com.