HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The Tri-State Coal Cats dropped two of three over the Fourth of July weekend to a red-hot Kingsport Axmen squad, falling to 9-16 on the season after a frustrating stretch at Jack Cook Field.
Game 1 – July 4: Kingsport 12, Tri-State 1
The series opener on Independence Day was all Kingsport from the jump. The Axmen hacked their way to a 5-0 lead early and never looked back, cruising to a 12-1 victory. They outhit Tri-State, 12 to three, and controlled the game from start to finish.
Tri-State’s lone run came in the sixth inning, when Michael Rodriguez singled home Cesar Gonzalez, helping the Cats avoid a shutout in an otherwise one-sided affair.
Game 2 – July 5: Tri-State 5, Kingsport 5 (tiebreaker)
Tri-State bounced back Saturday night with a dramatic 5-5 win, decided in the Appalachian League’s unique tiebreaker format.
After falling behind in the first inning, 4-0, the Coal Cats responded with three runs in the third—highlighted by an RBI single from Sal Mineo, who finished 3-for-5 on the night. Sam Winsett tied the game in the ninth with a clutch RBI single, sending the contest to the tiebreaker frame.
Mineo eventually came around to score the winning run, sealing a much-needed victory for Tri-State over a quality opponent. The night concluded with Jack Cook Field’s first-ever fireworks show.
Game 3 – July 6: Kingsport 3, Tri-State 1
Sunday’s rubber match featured minimal offense. Kingsport struck early again, with three runs in the second inning, and the Coal Cats couldn’t recover. Tri-State’s lone run came on a solo homer by Ryan Maggy—his third of the season—but the Cats stranded five runners and couldn’t string together timely hits. Kingsport starter Jacob Gholston allowed just two hits and one run over 4 1/3 innings, and the bullpen kept the Cats off the board the rest of the way.
With the series win, Kingsport improved to 15-11 and sits second in the Appalachian League West. The Axmen rank fourth in team batting average and lead the league in OPS, showcasing their offensive firepower by scoring 20 runs across the three-game set. Tri-State, meanwhile, remains last in the league in total runs scored (119) through 26 games, and sits at the bottom of the Appalachian League East.
The Coal Cats now head into a critical six-game road trip with stops in Bristol, Pulaski and Johnson City, before returning home next Tuesday. First pitch against Bristol is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Tuesday at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.
For more information about the Tri-State Coal Cats, visit appyleague.com/tri-state or follow @TriStCoalCats on X and Instagram.
