PULASKI, Va. – A big sixth-inning run by Greeneville broke the squad’s stalemate with the River Turtles, giving the Flyboys the 9-4 win over Pulaski on Tuesday.
The Flyboys found themselves behind on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning after a Christian Smith (Vanderbilt) home run to right-center field gave the River Turtles (8-10) a 1-0 lead.
Greeneville’s first burst of offense came in the top of the fourth after a single by Beau Ankeney (Grand Canyon) brought in Jack O’Reilly (Villanova) to tie the game at one run apiece. Shemar Dalton (NC A&T) continued his strong play at the plate, as an RBI ground out scored Myles Smith (UC Irvine) to give the Flyboys (7-11) their first lead of the night. David Bishop (TCU) brought home Ankeney to close the inning and push the Greeneville lead to 3-1.
Pulaski answered back with authority in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run home run by Ryan Moerman (Illinois), tying the game again at three.
The Flyboys took advantage of two more errors by the River Turtles in the top of the sixth to load the bases. Dalton came through again for Greeneville with a two-run single to score O’Reilly and Smith and give the Flyboys a 5-3 lead. Cameron LaLiberte cleared the bases later in the inning with a three-run double, swelling the bulge to 8-3.
Alec DeMartino (UNC Wilmington) got a run back for the River Turtles with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to cut the Flyboy lead in half to 8-4.
Greeneville got the run back in the top of the ninth with a sac fly by Brock Daniels (Missouri) to score Will Taylor (Clemson) and give the Flyboys a five-run advantage.
After a leadoff walk, Shane Tucker (LIU) struck out the next three batters to end the game and give Greeneville the 9-4 win.
Dalton ended the night going 1-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Bishop went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
David Vizcaino (UC Irvine) (1-0) earned the win, going five innings, allowing three runs off four hits, walking one and striking out seven.
Brian Yetter (Marist) went two innings, allowing two hits and striking out a pair. Carson Jacobs (Gateway CC) allowed one run off one hit, walked one and struck out two in an inning of work. Tucker closed the game with one walk and three strikeouts in the ninth.
Seth Tomczak (San Joaquin Delta JC) (0-1) was handed the loss, going five innings, giving up six runs, only two of which were earned, off five hits, walking four and striking out five. Patrick Sherron (Monroe CC (N.Y.)) went three innings, giving up two runs off three hits and walking a batter. Brody Wilson (Texas Southern) closed out the game for the River Turtles, giving up one run off two hits and walking a batter in his inning of work.
The Flyboys and River Turtles will close their two-game series tomorrow, with the first pitch set for 7 p.m. Fans that can’t make the trip to Calfee Park can tune in to a live radio broadcast on the Flyboys Broadcasting Network beginning at 6:45 p.m. at flyboysbaseball.com.
