JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Johnson City Doughboys took back-to-back losses to the Elizabethton River Riders at home with a 5-3 loss in seven innings Sunday afternoon.
Elizabethton came out swinging early. In the second inning, Jaxon Berry led off with a single, and Brady Thompson worked a walk to follow. Then, a two-RBI double down the left-field line by Luke Donaghey gave the River Riders the first runs of the game. Things didn’t stop there, as Jordan Crosland hit a double of his own to left, scoring Donaghey and making it a 3-0 ballgame.
Elizabethton continued its onslaught in the fourth inning when Jack Ratcliffe led off with a single and Thompson worked his second walk. But ball four of Thompson's walk sailed to the backstop, allowing Ratcliffe to score unassisted. Donaghey then earned his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Thompson and making it a 5-0 game.
The Doughboys showed some life in the bottom of the fourth, as Nate Connor singled on a line drive to right, scoring Willie Hurt, who had previously reached on an error by the Elizabethton infield.
Johnson City found success again in the sixth, as Jose Fernandez smashed his second homer of the season the opposite way over the right-field wall to make it a 5-2 game heading into the final inning.
Johnson City mustered up another run after Ryan Jones was hit by a pitch, and a couple more infield errors by Elizabethton saw him cross home on a wild throw to third. Logan Dunn struck out shortly after, ending the ballgame.
The Doughboys will be back in action at 7 p.m. Tuesday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark, where they will be the away team in a two-game series against the Bristol State Liners.
