JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Johnson City Doughboys dropped Game 2 of their series to the Greeneville Flyboys, 10-5, on Wednesday night, after the bats could only garner two total hits over the final five frames.
The Flyboys got out to a good start after dropping the first game of the series the night prior, scoring two runs in the first inning. Bryan Williams Jr, after not playing in the first game, started his amazing night at the plate with a single and a stolen base.
Two errors from the Doughboys brought him in after Levi Pinder and Danny Wallace both reached on defensive miscues. Williams Jr. and Pinder then scored to make it 2-0 early, before the Flyboys stranded two on base.
Greeneville added onto the lead with another run in the top of the third, after Williams Jr. singled for the second time in the game. After a throwing error, Matt Cash drove him in with an RBI fielder’s choice to second.
After three scoreless innings for Johnson City, the offense finally came alive with a five-run fourth as they grabbed the lead in this one. After Eli Thurmond got hit by a pitch and Brennon Seigler singled, Zach Porter drilled his third homer of the season, 409 feet to tie it up at three runs apiece. Kenyon Hughes Jr. then walked for the fourth Doughboy hitter in a row to reach base. Then, Gunner Skelton hit yet another home run. He now leads the Appy League comfortably with five in seven games and has hit a bomb in three games in a row.
Felix Ong and Colin Carney both bounced back during the contest, with Ong getting the start and only giving up one earned run on four hits. The duo combined for four strikeouts and kept the lead for Johnson City going into the fifth.
But after the Flyboys tied the game with another Williams Jr. hit, this time a double, Greeneville took the lead and ran with it in the sixth. A five-run and five-hit inning gave the Flyboys all the momentum Johnson City had just built up.
Nolan Behm led off things with a double, Deacon Nelson drove him in with his first RBI of the summer, and both Carson Ray and Matthew singled. Then, Williams Jr. continued his career night with a 402-foot three-run moonshot to left center, putting the Flyboys up, 9-5.
Four different pitchers for the Flyboys had scoreless outings and combined for seven strikeouts: Bradley Coulter, Blane Metz, Evan Williams and Trey Tarkington. Johnson City scored zero runs over the final five frames with only two hits and seven base runners stranded.
Doughboy reliever Julian Hachem looked great once again, this time in his fourth appearance of the season. Hachem went 2 1/3 innings with no runs, two hits, two strikeouts and no walks.
After the Flyboys scored an insurance run in the seventh on no hits and four walks, the Doughboys had no answer. Johnson City put runners on first and second, but Tarkington ended the hopes of the home crowd and secured the victory for Greeneville.
Notables:
● Skelton hit another home run, this time 424 feet and 103 mph off the bat, finishing with a 2-for-5 line and two RBI.
● Porter blasted his third homer of the season, finishing 1-for-5 with three RBI coming on the blast.
● Holden Pantier continued his blazing start to the season, going 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
● The Doughboys left 12 runners on base and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, with the fifth inning being the only frame they managed to score runs in.
Up Next:
Game 3 of the series and the rubber match await the Appalachian League West rivals on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Pioneer Park. The winner will break the three-way tie for first in the division and take the season series early in the summer.
Then, the Doughboys are set to return home on Friday for Star Wars Night. You can get your tickets at https://www.appyleague.com/johnson-city/tickets and keep up with all the Johnson City action on our Instagram, @jc_doughboys.
