The Kingsport Axmen crushed the Johnson City Doughboys by a final score of 10-1 on Friday night.
In the top of the first inning, Kingsport (20-7) had the bases loaded with Corbin Shaw up to bat. Shaw launched a two-strike pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam to make it 4-0.
The Doughboys (12-15) responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning, but they were held scoreless for the remainder of the night. Axmen starting pitcher Matt Cornelius (1-0, 4.74 ERA) recorded his first win of the season in a brilliant performance. Cornelius threw six innings, struck out three batters, allowed just two hits, two walks and one unearned run.
No runs were scored in the second and third innings.
In the top of the fourth, Kingsport scored on an Ian Riley RBI double, making it a 5-1 game. Riley has now recorded three hits in each of his last two games.
No runs were scored in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Riley drove in another run in the eighth and the Axmen scored four runs in the ninth, two of which came on a Shea McGahan two-run home run. This was McGahan’s first homer of the season.
In the 10-1 victory, the Axmen made no errors in the field and turned three double plays. Middle infielders Mayes White and Aaron Casillas took care of business at second base and shortstop.
Up next, the Axmen host the Elizabethton River Riders at Hunter Wright Stadium on Saturday night to open up a two-game series.
