KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The Flyboys got runners to second and third base, but a ground out by Ian Daugherty (Oklahoma State) with two outs in the extra inning frame ended the game and gave the Kingsport Axmen the 6-6 tiebreaker victory.
The Flyboys (24-26) scored first, as a sacrifice fly by Jack O’Reilly (Villanova) scored Daugherty in the top of the second to put Greeneville up 1-0. Two pitches later, David Bishop (TCU) hit his second home run of the season over the left field wall, a solo shot to put Greeneville ahead 2-0.
Another sac fly for the Flyboys came off the bat of Dub Gleed (UC Irvine) in the top of the third, scoring Myles Smith (UC Irvine) to push the Flyboy bulge to 3-0.
Kingsport (34-14) got on the board with authority in the bottom of the fifth, as Aaron Casillas (Cal Poly) hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to cut the Flyboy lead down to 3-2.
Greeneville earned both of those runs back in the top of the sixth, as a two-run bomb by Cameron LaLiberte (Arizona) pushed the Flyboys ahead 5-2.
Kingsport began to rally in the bottom of the sixth, as a Payton Allen (Kansas) RBI-single scored Logan Poteet (Vanderbilt) to cut the lead down to 5-3.
The Axmen tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, as an RBI-groundout by Ian Riley (Dallas Baptist) scored Casillas and then with the bases loaded, Nate Anderson (Gardner-Webb) stole home to square the game up at five runs apiece.
For the second straight night, Will Brown (Florida A&M) came up big for the Flyboys, as his RBI-double scored Avery Collins (Cleveland State JC) to put Greeneville up 6-5.
However, an error by Bishop in the bottom of the ninth allowed Casillas to score from second off an Anderson double to tie the game, but the TCU third baseman recovered later in the frame, gunning out Anderson at home on a tag up to send the game to the extra inning frame.
A leadoff single by Smith started the extra inning for the Flyboys' offense, but a bunt by Gleed allowed Anthony Imhoff (Pima CC) to gun out Alex Diaz (Cloud County CC) at third. Imhoff then struck out LaLiberte, but Smith stole third to put runners on the corners with two outs for Daugherty. On a 1-2 count, Daugherty softly hit a ball to Mayes White (UAB) who fired the ball to first base, ending the game and giving Kingsport the 6-6 tiebreaker.
No stats are kept for either side after the ninth inning. No pitcher earns a win or is handed a loss.
Ryan Murphy (JMU) started the game for Kingsport, going six innings, giving up five runs, four earned, off five hits, walking one and striking out four. Croix Jenkins (NJIT) went 1.2 innings in relief, giving up one hit and striking out three. Imhoff went 1.1 innings, allowing one run off a hit and striking out three batters.
Finn Wall (UC Irvine) started the game for the Flyboys, going six innings, giving up three runs off four hits, walking two and striking out three. Cade Nelson (Gateway CC) finished the game for the Flyboys, going three innings giving up three runs off three hits, walking three batters and striking out one.
The Flyboys and Axmen will close their three-game set with a seven-inning contest at Pioneer Park in Greeneville tomorrow. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. It’s Sunday Funday, with kids’ club members having the opportunity to run the bases after the game. Fans can purchase tickets at flyboysbaseball.com
