JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Doughboys clinched their spot in the 2026 Appalachian League playoffs as they mercy-ruled the Greeneville Flyboys, 11-1.

The Flyboys put runners on base in the first inning after center fielder Matthew Kerrigan walked and second baseman Deacon Nelson singled. Third baseman Levi Pinder struck out before first baseman Ruben Zuany grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Greeneville held Johnson City scoreless in the bottom of the first as starting pitcher Jaden Hill escaped a bases-loaded jam after a wild pitch stayed near home plate, allowing catcher Nelson Grajales-Vazquez to record the force out on center fielder Eli Thurmond at the plate.

Greeneville's offense continued to struggle in the second inning as Grajales-Vazquez worked a leadoff walk, but three consecutive strikeouts by designated hitter Beau Revord, right fielder Amari Jefferson and left fielder Mark Sackermann stranded the runner.

Johnson City capitalized in the bottom half when first baseman Patrick Walsh launched a solo home run to left field to put the Doughboys in front, 1-0. The Doughboys threatened again with back-to-back singles from second baseman Noah Cox and shortstop Gabe Tanous, but Hill limited the damage by inducing a groundout and a pop out to end the inning.

The Flyboys went down in order in the third as shortstop Gabe Gray, Kerrigan and Nelson were retired on just eight pitches. Hill answered with another scoreless frame, working around a leadoff walk and a stolen base by left fielder Nate Eisfelder to keep Greeneville within a run.

Pinder recorded Greeneville's first hit since the opening inning with a leadoff single in the fourth. Still, the Flyboys were unable to capitalize after a pop out and consecutive strikeouts ended the threat. Trey Tarkington took over on the mound in the bottom of the inning and escaped a leadoff double by catcher Anthony Temesvary, retiring the next three batters to strand the runner at third.

Jefferson singled to begin the fifth but was caught trying to steal second before Gray added another base hit later in the inning. Once again, Greeneville came away empty-handed. Johnson City doubled its lead in the bottom of the fifth after Eisfelder reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Right fielder Jackson Geiger followed with an RBI triple to center, making it 2-0 before Mason Tidwell struck out the final two batters of the inning.

The Doughboys broke the game open in the sixth. Temesvary led off with a single before two wild pitches, a pair of walks and a hit batter forced home a run. Eisfelder then delivered the knockout blow with a grand slam to left-center, extending Johnson City's lead to 7-0. Another wild pitch later in the inning allowed Geiger to score, capping a six-run frame and giving the Doughboys an 8-0 advantage.

Greeneville finally got on the board in the seventh after Grajales-Vazquez reached on a throwing error and pinch hitter Bryson Boyd ripped an RBI double to left, trimming the deficit to 8-1.

Johnson City wasted no time answering in the bottom half. After loading the bases, Geiger lifted a sacrifice fly that, coupled with a throwing error, brought home two runs. Pinch hitter Rinaldo Matti followed with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 11-1 and ending the game via the run rule.

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Greeneville ends the regular season with a 20-26 record under first-year manager Turner Ward. The Flyboys finished in fourth place in the Appalachian League West Division behind the third-place Elizabethton River Riders, second-place Johnson City Doughboys and first-place Kingsport Axmen. Greeneville's two-year playoff streak comes to an end as the Flyboys look to return to the postseason in 2027.

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