HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — After scoring nine runs across the first three innings Wednesday, the Johnson City Doughboys went scoreless the rest of the night in an 11-9 road loss to the Tri-State Coal Cats.
Things started slowly for both teams as Tri-State starter Mason Child and Doughboys starter Ashton Alston both got out of the first with no runs scored.
Johnson City scored first with a bases-loaded single by Ryan Jones, bringing Jose Fernandez across home. Things didn't stop there, as Trey Majette scored on a groundout by Jackson Reid. Logan Dunn followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Camden Kaufman and gave the Doughboys a three-run lead.
The Coal Cats responded right back in the bottom of the frame with two runs as Jackson Golden's groundout brought Jorge Gonzalez-Febo home and Luke Kosko scored from third on a wild pitch to the backstop.
Johnson City then exploded with a six-run third inning, with half of those coming from Logan Fyffe, who cleared the loaded bases with a three-RBI double to make it a 9-2 ballgame.
The Coal Cats did not back down, as a Ryan Maggy single and back-to-back doubles by Golden and Bishop Quarles cut the Doughboys' lead to two.
Tri-State wasn’t finished there, as it claimed the lead in the fifth inning off a pair of hits from Kosko and Quarles before Julio Solier topped it off with an RBI groundout, making it 11-9.
The lead remained in the hands of Tri-State as Cesar Gonzalez, Aiden Sites and Branson McCloud shut down Johnson City for the rest of the game. The trio combined for five scoreless innings to secure the victory for the Coal Cats.
Johnson City will be back at Jack Cook Field at 7 p.m. Thursday for the second matchup of a two-game road series against Tri-State.
