JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — The Kingsport bats stayed hot after their Game 1 win, putting up a season-high in runs with a narrow 11-8 victory over Johnson City to close out the series Friday night.
The Axmen entered the bottom of the eighth up 11-5 holding on to a commanding lead. Undeterred, Johnson City battled back with only two frames remaining.
Eli Thurmond tripled to lead off, and was driven in two batters later by Kenyon Hughes Jr. The Axmen retired two batters after letting up the run, but Holden Pantier kept the inning going on an opposite field hit that scored Dallas Brooks.
The Doughboys had scored two runs already and had another 90 feet away. During the next at bat, pitcher Landon Waugh’s offering made it past Kingsport catcher Tanner Kilgore. Waugh jogged to home plate to cover but briefly hesitated.
In the hesitation Hughes Jr. took off down the third base line bearing down on the plate. Waugh was too late to react, leaving Kilgore to dive after the runner and attempt a tag. Hughes Jr. slid in safely cutting the lead to three and getting the 4,000 fans in attendance on their feet.
Waugh was able to earn the strikeout to end the eighth, however, but the Johnson City crowd had gotten back into it.
Kingsport was held scoreless in the top of the ninth inning and just needed three more outs. Michael Savarese, out of Pitt, entered the contest and struck out the first two batters he faced.
Savarese walked the next batter, placing a runner on the bases. Johnson City got aggressive, giving Eli Thurmond the green light to steal second, where he slid in safely.
With a run in scoring position Brooks could have continued the comeback effort, but Savarese’s slider got him chasing to end the contest.
Savarese earned the save with Blaine Larkin earning the win.
Larkin struggled in his first inning giving up two two-run homers to the Doughboys in the third, when Johnson City took a 5-2 lead.
For Kingsport, Garrett Luett mashed his first home run of the season on a solo shot in the fifth. The home run seemed insignificant, especially as the next batter was retired to give the Doughboys two outs.
However, Johnson City couldn’t manage to find the last out, giving up five more runs in the fifth on four hits including the final two runs coming from a single off the bat of BJ Gibson.
Larkin collected himself for the next three innings, notching five strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
Up next, Kingsport turns its attention towards Bluefield as they look for revenge for their first two losses at the hands of the Ridge Runners.
