KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Axmen dropped their second straight sudden death game losing, 3-3, after failing to score in the tiebreaker.
Kingsport had a late lead that fell apart in the final inning. Leading, 3-2, Landon Waugh had gotten two outs in the seventh, needing one more to secure the victory.
A routine ground ball was hit to short and it looked like the Axmen would improve to two games above .500. However, Kyuss Gargett didn’t get his glove far enough down, as the baseball bounced out of the leather.
Still with a man on first and two down Kingsport had the advantage. Gabe Tanous stole second during the next at bat putting the tying run in scoring position.
Waugh then had Kenyon Hughes Jr. down to his final strike. His next pitch was grounded to second for what looked to be another routine play. But for the second at bat in a row the baseball got under the glove of second baseman Phoenix McFarland, leaking into the outfield to allow the tying run to cross the plate.
Waugh did close out the top of the seventh, but the Axmen bats were subsequently shut down, sending the game to the tiebreaker inning.
Kingsport elected to hit, still facing Justin Smarr. Smarr struck out the first batter of sudden death and got the next batter out on a grounder.
Out number two was a productive one in that it moved the winning run into scoring position for Gargett. Gargett turned on the first pitch he saw lining it sharply into right. Nate Eisfelder got to the ball in the nick of time, robbing Gargett of a walk-off.
While the Axmen did have a late collapse, the contest was not without its highlights.
Kade Durnin had his best start of the season, tossing five innings, giving up two runs with only one earned. Niko Janssens earned his third hold, tossing a scoreless sixth, and Garrett Luett continued his fantastic season going 2-for-2 at the dish with an RBI.
Up next, the Axmen will rest Monday, then get ready to host Danville for their first doubleheader of the season.
