PULASKI, Va. —- Opening day has finally arrived for the Appalachian League, and the season got off to a hot start with a thrilling 10-run comeback victory for the River Turtles, defeating Kingsport, 10-10, in a sudden-death extra inning.
The Axmen got the bases loaded early and a passed ball led to the first run of the Axmen season with DH Brogan Jones stepping on home plate. The pitching woes for Pulaski continued as the Axmen tallied nine runs in the first frame on only one hit, a three-RBI triple from Kam Durnin.
Kingsport added one more run on another passed ball with Jones coming around to score in the third inning. Axmen starter Daniel Koppisch had a strong start knocking the first three innings out with ease.
Pulaski finally answered the call in the fourth with a bases-loaded base-clearing double for C Tyler Sparrer to make the score 10-3.
However, the tide began to shift when, in the fifth, Brayden Ricketts crushed a three-run homer to cut the deficit to four. Four batters later, Pulaski second baseman Noah Toole stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered a moonshot over the right field wall to tie the game.
A pitching duel ensued down the stretch with excellent relief pitching from both squads. The River Turtles had a chance to walk it off, but Chris Cespedes struck out the side in the ninth to send it to extras.
The River Turtles elected to play in the field in the sudden death extra-inning. The bases were loaded on reliever Daylinh Nguyen-Brown, but a cleanly fielded ground ball by SS JT Taylor led to the final out, after beating the runner to second base, ending the game.
