Greeneville, Tenn – Six lead changes made for a wild game, but fortunately the Elizabethton River Riders came out on top by a score of 12-7 on Monday night at Pioneer Park.
Harrison Rodgers came a home run tie of the cycle while Issac Williams knocked in four runs to power the River Rider offense to seven runs in the final two innings, as the club tied a team game-high in runs with 12.
Elizabethton got on the board first as Williams knocked in a run on the fielder’s choice. Following a 2-1 lead for Greeneville in the third, the River Riders plated two runs on an error to go back ahead.
After a two-run home run by Greeneville in the fourth inning, Morgan Colopy knotted the game up at four with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Starter Collin Rothermel lasted five innings, allowing four runs and striking out five. He gave way to the bullpen in the sixth inning, and Greeneville tacked on two more to re-take the lead at 6-4.
Ty Peters drive in a run on a fielder’s choice in the seventh, But Greeneville answered with one in the bottom of the inning and led 7-5 after seven innings.
In the eighth inning however, things completely changed. Greeneville went to the bullpen and following two four-pitch walks to Marcus Sanders and Brendan Jones, Peyton Basler was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That presented an opportunity for Rodgers, whose star shined even brighter in the big spot. He laced a double to left-center to tie the game. Elizabethton then took the lead on a wild pitch to score Basler, and added another to end the inning with a throwing error and re-took a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, Greeneville managed to load the bases with two outs, but a ground ball to Sanders thwarted the threat. In the ninth, the River Riders continued to expand the lead. Jones hit a double to deep left-center to score Cayden Phillips, and then later in the inning, Williams drilled a two-run single to right field to officially break the door down. Jacob Shapley then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for a two-inning save and the River Riders wrapped up a 12-7 victory.
Elizabethton will wrap up the series with Greeneville tomorrow at 7 p.m. as the River Riders look for the sweep. You can listen to all the action at https://www.appyleague.com/elizabethton/audio.
