JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - A late-inning blunder would deem too much for the Doughboys falling, 6-5, to Bluefield.
The game was all Doughboys to start with a pair of triples with two outs from Noah Rabin and Gunner Boree before a Nate Conner double wrapped up a three-run first for Johnson City.
Colin Woodham settled in quickly on the mound for the Doughboys, not allowing a baserunner through his first two innings of work.
Bluefield responded with a triple of their own to lead off the inning, bringing in the run to shorten the Doughboys’ lead to two. Johnson City answered immediately, with more two-out hitting, this time Braden Spano would bring in the run with a single.
The Doughboys struggled to bring runners home, loading the bases in three consecutive innings and failing to score a run in any of the three situations.
Bluefield didn’t go quiet, adding another run in the fourth to make it a 4-2 Johnson City lead.
The Doughboys bullpen settled in, with Andrew McCormick grabbing three quick outs in the fifth inning. The sixth inning would bring a run from both teams, keeping it a two-run game with the Doughboys in the lead.
Both offenses were quiet...but then came the ninth.
The Doughboys have taken a lead into the final inning of the last three games, winning just one. Tuesday was not that one.
After the first hitter was retired, Bluefield strung together a pair of singles and a hit batsmen before scoring the go-ahead run on an error.
Johnson City didn't go down easy, putting the winning run on base in the ninth, but they didn't have enough. They left runners on first and second to end the game.
The loss pulls the Doughboys down to 1-5, and they will look for a series split against Bluefield on Wednesday.
