GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – In another wild game between the Kingsport Axmen and the Greeneville Flyboys, a dropped ball at home by Logan Poteet (Vanderbilt) allowed David Bishop (TCU) to slide underneath the tag, giving Greeneville the 8-7 win over Kingsport.
Greeneville fell behind early to the Axmen once again in the top of the first inning after a Corbin Shaw (Walters State CC) two-run triple gave Kingsport (16-5) the 2-0 lead. Shaw scored later in the frame on a passed ball by Avery Collins (Cleveland State JC) to move the lead to 3-0 in favor of Kingsport.
Bishop brought in the first two runs of the game for the Flyboys in the bottom of the third, scoring Will Taylor (Clemson) and Dub Gleed (UC Irvine), making it a 3-2 game.
After opening the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single, Aidan Cannaday (Catawba Valley CC) tied the game later in the frame, scoring off a wild pitch by Ja’Heim Brown (NC A&T).
Kingsport broke the tie in the top of the fifth after a Nick Block (Walters State CC) single brought home Nate Anderson (Gardner-Webb) to retake a 4-3 lead.
The Flyboys (10-11) exploded for the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, tying the game first with an RBI single by Collins to score Myles Smith (UC Irvine). Ian Daugherty (Oklahoma State) hit his second home run of the year, a two-run blast to left field, to give Greeneville the 6-4 lead. On the very next pitch, Jack O’Reilly (Villanova) hit his first home run of the season over the video board in left field to push the lead to 7-4.
Down to their final out, Sam Petersen (Iowa) struck out, but Cameron LaLiberte (Arizona) could not find the ball in the dirt, allowing the inning to continue. Jake Perry (Minnesota) made the Flyboys pay with a two-run single to make it a one-run game. Shaw came through again for the Axmen, recording his third RBI of the game, bringing home Petersen to tie the game at seven.
After a leadoff single by Bishop and a double by Smith, O’Reilly chopped a ball to third basemen Cole Hales (Caldwell Tech CC) with the bases loaded, who gunned the ball to Poteet at home. Poteet dropped the ball and Bishop tagged home, scoring the game-winning run, and giving the Flyboys their fourth straight win and their second straight series sweep.
The loss is Kingsport’s first road loss of the season as the Axmen were 9-0 prior to the end of tonight’s contest at Pioneer Park.
Despite blowing the save, Brian Yetter (Marist) (1-3) earned the win, giving up one hit off two runs, walking one and striking out three in an inning of work. Riley Taylor (Oklahoma State) started the game for the Flyboys, giving up four runs, three of which were earned, off seven hits, striking out six and walking two in six innings. Andrew Morones (San Joaquin Delta JC) allowed one hit, walked one and struck out two in an inning out of the pen, while Shane Tucker (LIU) struck out a pair of batters on six straight pitches in one inning. Caswell Smith (College of Charleston) allowed two runs and walked two batters in the ninth inning.
Liam O’Brien (Pima CC) (2-2) was handed the loss, going one inning, and giving up two hits, the game-winning run that was unearned, walking two and striking out two. Matthew Cornelius (Pima CC) started the contest for the Flyboys, going 3.1 innings, giving up three runs off four hits, walking three and striking out two. Brown gave up two runs off two hits in four innings of work, walking one and striking out four. Isaac Gonzales (UNC Asheville) gave up two runs off three hits, including back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning.
The Flyboys will look for their fifth straight win tomorrow, June 25, as they take on the Elizabethton River Riders. It’s Star Wars Night at Pioneer Park as Luke, Leia, Obi-Wan and others will be walking the concourse before the game as we travel to a galaxy far, far, away. First pitch is set for 7 p.m., with tickets available at flyboysbaseball.com.
