GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time this season, the Elizabethton River Riders swept the Greeneville Flyboys in a two-game series, knocking off the Boys at Pioneer Park 6-3.
Greeneville (16-19) took an early lead in the bottom of the third as Andrew Pinkston (Northwestern) brought home Will Brown (Florida A&M) on an RBI single, giving the Flyboys a 1-0 lead.
The River Riders (16-17) exploded for three runs in the top of the fourth with three straight RBI singles off the bats of Regan Guthrie (Regis), Peyton Basler (Charleston Southern) and Brendan Jones (Kansas State) to give Elizabethton a 3-1 advantage.
The Flyboys earned a run back in the bottom of the fourth after an Aidan Cannaday (Catawba Valley CC) double brought home Jack O’Reilly (Villanova) to cut the lead down to 3-2.
Elizabethton got that run right back in the top of the fifth, as an RBI double by Brody Green (TCU) scored Brennan Orf (SIU Edwardsville) to double the Rider lead to 4-2.
After a two-out triple in the top of the sixth, Avery Owusu-Asiedu (SIU Edwardsville) came home to score on a wild pitch by Cade Nelson (Gateway CC) to swell the River Rider advantage to 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, O’Reilly hit his second home run of the season 422 feet over the left field wall, a solo shot that cut the Elizabethton lead to 5-3.
The River Riders added an insurance run in the top of the eighth, as an RBI single by Issac Williams (New Orleans) scored Jones to give Elizabethton the eventual 6-3 win and the sweep.
Every Elizabethton batter recorded a hit in the game. Jones went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Owusu-Asiedu went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Sean Hollister (Presbyterian College) (1-0) earns the win, going five innings, giving up two runs off seven hits, walking one and striking out three. Zachary Thornton (Grand Canyon) earns his first save of the season, going two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Cody Bowker (Georgetown) went two innings out of the pen, allowing one run off one hit, walking one and striking out two.
Finn Wall (UC Irvine) (0-2) was handed the loss, going four innings, allowing three runs off six hits, walking four and striking out two. Nelson went two innings out of the pen, allowing two runs off three hits, walking one and striking out two. Graham Breite (St. Charles CC) threw two innings in relief, allowing one run off two hits, walking one and striking out another. Nate Kiser (USC Salkehatchie) closed out the contest for the Flyboys, pitching the ninth inning, retiring the River Riders in order.
The Flyboys will head to Johnson City for a two-game set with the Doughboys, beginning Wednesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. Fans who cannot travel to TVA Credit Union Ballpark can tune into a free radio broadcast beginning at 6:45 p.m. at flyboysbaseball.com.
