KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Flyboys unleashed the bats as Greeneville snapped a five-game losing streak with a 9-8 victory over the host Kingsport Axmen.
Dillon Kirksey got the start once again, making his second consecutive appearance against the Kingsport Axmen and doing what he does best: carving up lineups.
Kirksey allowed just one run through his first five innings, with the lone run coming after left fielder Antonio Fawcett knocked a leadoff double toward the right-field wall. Fawcett later came around to score after third baseman Garrett Luett delivered an RBI single.
Greeneville had multiple opportunities with runners in scoring position during the second and fourth innings thanks to a couple of walks issued by the Axmen. Still, Kingsport held on to a 1-0 lead heading into the sixth inning.
The Flyboys' offense exploded in the sixth as right fielder Matthew Kerrigan smashed a 400-foot leadoff home run to tie the game at one. After two consecutive walks, a wild pitch and a hit batter by Collin Sullivan, Greeneville found itself with the bases loaded and nobody out.
After a popout by first baseman Ruben Zuany and a sacrifice hit by second baseman Deacon Nelson, Greeneville took its first lead of the game and never looked back.
Center fielder Amari Jefferson reached on an error by shortstop Trey Jozwiakowski, allowing two more Flyboys runs to score and extending the lead to 4-1.
The next batter, catcher Nelson Grajales-Vazquez, crushed his first home run of the season into left field, bringing home two more runs and pushing the advantage to 6-1.
After a pitch hit shortstop Gabe Gray and Kerrigan singled, the inning finally came to an end after a close play at first base resulted in a groundout from left fielder Nolan Behm.
Kingsport mounted a furious comeback beginning in the bottom of the sixth. Second baseman Myles Davis scored on a wild pitch before right fielder Jacob Parr and Jozwiakowski ripped back-to-back RBI doubles.
Designated hitter Seth Farni added an RBI single later in the inning, cutting what had been a five-run Greeneville lead down to 6-5. Bryson Boyd entered in relief and stopped the rally by striking out center fielder BJ Gibson to preserve the one-run advantage.
The Flyboys responded immediately in the seventh as designated hitter Owen ten Oever reached on a center-field error, advanced to third and scored on third baseman Levi Pinder's groundout to make it 7-5.
Greeneville added two more insurance runs in the eighth when Grajales-Vazquez led off with a double and scored on Gray's RBI single. Gray later stole second and third before scoring on a Kingsport throwing error, extending the Flyboys' lead to 9-5. Boyd then worked around a two-out double by catcher Caden Reeves in the eighth to keep the four-run cushion intact.
The drama was not over. Kingsport loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth as Gibson walked before Fawcett and pinch hitter Cash Williams followed with singles. Luett lifted a sacrifice fly to score one run, and a throwing error on a pickoff attempt brought home another.
Parr delivered his second RBI double of the night to pull the Axmen within 9-8 and put the tying run in scoring position. With the crowd on its feet, Boyd induced Jozwiakowski to line out to right fielder Ben Timblin for the final out, allowing Greeneville to survive the late scare and escape with a thrilling 9-8 victory.
Up Next:
Greeneville will face off against the Axmen tomorrow night at Eastman Credit Union Field to finish the two-game series between the two sides. After that, the Flyboys will host the Elizabethton River Riders on Sunday, July 19, before welcoming the visiting Burlington Sock Puppets early next week.
Tickets are available at flyboysbaseball.com or by calling 423-609-7400. Follow @gflyboys on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates and weather information.
