GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - The River Riders were unable to keep up with the Greeneville Flyboys, falling in the series finale, 11-1.
Elizabethton starter Colin Murphy (Lincoln Memorial) pitched four innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. Right fielder Leandro Perez (Bethune-Cookman) finished with a double, while shortstop Austin Hartsell (Boston College) finished with two walks and a run scored.
Elizabethton (0-2) fell behind early against Greeneville (2-0) after second baseman Tyler Inge (Michigan) hit an RBI triple to right field in the second inning. Later in the inning, Dylan Jackson (Ventura Junior College) doubled to right field to make it a 2-0 game. Mycah Jordan (Virginia Tech) led the third inning off with a home run to extend the lead.
Greeneville added another run in the fifth inning off of a sacrifice fly from Nicklas Williams (Michigan State). The River Riders were unable to answer until the seventh inning after Hartsell scored on a wild pitch.
The River Riders used up five pitchers throughout the night, with the starter Murphy going the furthest at four innings. Myles Green (Southwest Mississippi Community College) went two innings in relief late in the game.
The Flyboys offense exploded in the seventh inning, striking for six runs. By taking advantage of only three hits and three errors in the inning, the Flyboys stretched their to 10-1. Brodie Johnston (Vanderbilt) singled, Inge picked up another hit with a single to right field and Jordan singled as well, bringing home another run. Greeneville added another run in the eighth inning on another single from Inge.
Zach Leduc (Indiana State) got credit for the win for Greeneville. As the starter, he pitched five innings, allowing three hits, four walks and striking out six batters. Murphy was tabbed with the loss for the River Riders, pitching four innings, allowing five hits, three runs and one walk with seven strikeouts.
After Murphy, the River Riders also got one inning from Caden Carroll (Kennesaw State), one inning from Jace Behnke (Chandler-Gilbert Community College) and two innings from Green.
Aside from Leduc for Greeneville, the Flyboys got 1 2/3 innings from Ryan Reynolds (CSU Bakersfield), an out from Blake Julius (Oklahoma State) and two innings from Tyler Jackson (College of the Canyons).
At the plate for the River Riders, Hartsell went 0-for-2 but walked twice and scored a run. Perez went 1-for-3.
For Greeneville, Jordan went 3-for-5 in the leadoff spot with two RBI and three runs scored. Inge also went 3-for-5, scored one run and finished with four RBI. Johnston and Williams both went 2-for-4 and Jackson went 2-for-5.
Elizabethton finished the night with four hits but made four errors. Greeneville finished 13 hits and only one error.
The River Riders will come home for the first time this season as they take on the Bristol State Liners in the first of three games on Friday at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. The first pitch is set for 7 p.m. ET.
