ELIZABETHTON, TENN. - Johnson City went on the road for the first time this season as the Doughboys traveled to Elizabethton on Monday.
The game was much of the same as the previous four for Johnson City, as they scored a run in the first inning for the fourth time in five games. However, the River Riders scored seven unanswered to win 7-4.
Johnson City didn’t waste any time turning on their offense as the very first pitch of the game, Isaiah Frost sent it into center field to get the hitting going. Michael Moss would drive a ball into the left field corner, scoring a pair of runs, the fourth time of the season the Doughboys would hit the scoring column in the first inning.
Jacob Bockenstedt was the starting pitcher for the Doughboys, and he started off on fire. Bockenstedt’s first five outs were via the strikeout, en route to eight strikeouts on the day. Doughboys starting pitching has given up three or less runs in four of five games, and that would reign true tonight as Bockenstedt would go four scoreless innings, leaving the ballgame with a 4-0 lead.
The fifth inning would bring more runs for the Doughboys as Harris Celata hit a solo home run, the first longball of the year for the Doughboys, to extend the lead to three. The scoring would continue with a Matt Miceli single, and a Jayden Melendez double to drive in Miceli. The RBI would be the fourth in the last three games for Melendez.
As it had been for multiple games this season, the Doughboys’ bullpen just wouldn’t be able to hold on to the lead.
The bases got loaded to start the fifth and in came Jackson McDavid. McDavid would be able to get out of the bases loaded, no out jam unscathed, giving the Doughboys a bit of hope that this game would turn out differently than the four others.
The second inning of work wouldn’t bring the same success for McDavid.
Elizabethton opened the scoring with a two-run home run by Harrison Rodgers, then the walk bug would bite the Doughboys. A pair of walks and a double with a throwing error tied the ballgame in the bottom of the sixth.
The Doughboys would run into a similar situation again in the seventh, as Elizabethton would load the bases with nobody out, and the River Riders would take their first lead of the game off a pair of bases-loaded walks.
The Johnson City bullpen did a good job at minimizing damage. Brogan Beckner came in and was able to get all three outs without allowing another run, leaving the bases loaded. Following the fifth inning, the Doughboys would only have one runner reach scoring position, and none in the final three innings of the game.
The lack of hitting and pitching falling off towards the end of the game pushed the Doughboys to 0-5 on the season.
Up next, Johnson City continues the road trip Tuesday against the River Riders. First pitch is at 7 p.m. and you can listen to the action live on www.jcddoughboys.com.
