JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Bristol State Liners spoiled the Johnson City Doughboys' comeback efforts late in the game as Bristol defeated Johnson City, 11-9, on Saturday.
The State Liners came back from their road trip ready to hit, as designated hitter Brooks Wright launched his second homer of the year over the left-field wall. Wright scored Prince DeBoskie and Patrick Gillen to give Bristol an early lead.
Johnson City matched the energy in the bottom of the first. After Logan Fyffe roped a leadoff double, Trey Majette brought him home with an RBI single into right. Paris Pridgen followed it up with a single of his own before Jose Fernandez took the lead back by crushing a home run to left field. Fernandez's third homer gave the Doughboys the lead back at 4-3.
Bristol wouldn’t back down, as Beau Revord scored Cole Young on an RBI single and Brooks tallied his fourth and fifth RBIs on a double down the left-field line, scoring DeBoskie for a second time, as well as Collin Dobson. Bristol wasn’t done there, as Jaxon Walker hit a sharp line drive into center to score Brooks and Gillen.
The State Liners continued their hit parade in the third as Revord got his only hit of the night, a single to right, and saw Young cross home yet again. Dobson then mashed his second homer of the season to left-center field, scoring Revord and giving Bristol a 10-4 lead.
Dane Morrow answered back in the bottom of the third, as he turned on the first pitch he saw and cranked his first homer of the season over the scoreboard to add another run for the Doughboys.
Gillen doubled in the fifth for his second hit of the night, bringing DeBoskie across home a third time after he reached on a walk.
Johnson City headed into the eighth inning trailing the State Liners, 11-5, before Fernandez got his fourth RBI on the night with a double into right-center field, scoring Majette. Brandon Chang followed it up with a sacrifice fly to center, bringing home Pridgen, who had singled earlier in the inning.
Logan Dunn kept the rally going with his first home run of the season, a 326-foot shot over the left-field wall, putting the comeback in motion for the Doughboys.
Unfortunately, it would not be enough to complete the comeback. With two outs and a runner on second, Pridgen struck out looking against Bristol closer Chase Atkinson to end the ballgame.
Johnson City will host Bristol at TVA Credit Union Ballpark again at 5 p.m. Sunday for a seven-inning game.
