GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Kingsport got one back Saturday night, shooting down the Flyboys 19-6 for its 23rd win of the season.
The Axmen had revenge on their minds after letting one slip away the night before. Kingsport wasted no time applying pressure, opening the game with three consecutive walks to load the bases.
The Axmen pushed across the game's first run when center fielder Jacob Parr lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. With Tre Jackson in a bit of trouble, the Flyboys escaped further damage as first baseman Ruben Zuany made a leaping grab to rob third baseman Garrett Luett of a hit before Jackson struck out left fielder Brock Silvers to end the inning.
Greeneville went down in order in the bottom of the first as Jackson returned to the mound. The right-hander then struck out the side in the second inning, extending his streak to five consecutive strikeouts.
Kingsport added another run in the top of the third after back-to-back walks by designated hitter Seth Farni and catcher Cash Williams set up another sacrifice fly by Parr, his second RBI of the night.
After third baseman Mark Sackermann struck out to begin the bottom of the third, second baseman Jackson Berry drew a walk to bring Gabe Gray to the plate.
On the first pitch of the at-bat, Gray launched a towering drive to left field for a two-run home run, tying the game at two. The Flyboys threatened to take the lead later in the inning as catcher Matthew Cash and left fielder Deacon Nelson both reached base, but the Axmen stranded both runners to extinguish Greeneville's momentum.
Neither team scored in the fourth despite Kingsport putting runners in scoring position. However, the game unraveled for Greeneville in the fifth.
The Axmen sent 16 batters to the plate and erupted for eight runs. A combination of five walks, three hit batters, two wild pitches and just one hit through the first eight batters allowed Kingsport to erase the tie before Farni delivered the knockout blow with a three-run double to center field. Kingsport added another run on a wild pitch to cap the inning and extend its lead to 10-2.
The offense never slowed down in the sixth, plating another eight runs behind RBI doubles from second baseman Trey Jozwiakowski and Farni. At the same time, Williams, Parr, Luett and shortstop Easton Beach each drove in runs as the Axmen ballooned the advantage to 18-2.
Right fielder Olin Ward provided a bright spot for Greeneville with a solo home run to center field, his fourth of the season, trimming the deficit to 18-3.
Greeneville showed some fight in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases before Zuany was hit by a pitch to force home a run. Ward followed with a ground ball that resulted in two more runs scoring after a throwing error by Beach, cutting the deficit to 18-6.
However, the comeback never materialized as the Flyboys managed just one baserunner over the final two innings. Jozwiakowski added a solo home run in the ninth to give Kingsport its final run of the night, while Greeneville stranded Cash at third base in the bottom of the ninth as the Axmen closed out the 19-6 victory.
Up Next:
Greeneville will take on the Kingsport Axmen one final time Sunday in a seven-inning matchup to decide the season series, with both teams entering tied at three games apiece. Following an off day Monday, July 27, the Flyboys will host the Johnson City Doughboys for a three-game series before closing out the regular season on the road in Johnson City on Thursday, July 30.
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