ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — There’s nothing quite like the start of a new baseball season — the atmosphere of the ballpark, the shared excitement from players and fans alike and the opportunity for teams to start fresh with renewed hope.

For the Tri-State Coal Cats, Thursday’s Opening Day contest marked an important step in the right direction, as the team earned its first win of the season, defeating the Elizabethton River Riders, 6-4, on the road at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.

Behind a balanced offensive performance and a healthy rotation of pitchers, the Coal Cats pounced out to an early lead and maintained control through much of the game.

Tri-State’s starting pitcher, Ryan Brown, set the tone on the mound, delivering three strikeouts while allowing just two hits in his season debut. Unfortunately, Brown’s outing was cut short after facing just eight batters due to an arm injury, forcing the Coal Cats to turn to Mason Child. Despite initial control struggles, Child steadied himself to limit the damage, allowing one run on one hit and two walks while striking out two across his appearance to earn the win.

The Coal Cats' bats were lively, racking up 10 hits, including six doubles. Coupled with eight earned walks and two untimely errors by Elizabethton’s infield, Tri-State controlled much of the contest early on. Tri-State struck first in the top of the third inning, with Sam Winsett driving in the season’s first run on a clutch RBI single. The offense continued to shine, erupting for five runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Standout performances from Jackson Golden, Sal Mineo and Winsett were instrumental at the plate, each contributing to the offensive outburst.

Elizabethton managed to cut into the lead with a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh and later added two more runs during a bases-loaded jam, but the Coal Cats’ pitching staff remained composed, limiting further damage. Joe Gomez closed the game, earning the save by striking out three batters without allowing a hit.

While it’s only game one of 48, starting the season in the win column provides a much-needed boost for a team looking to rewrite its narrative from the prior season. Tri-State will aim to clinch its first series victory on Friday in Game 2 of the series against Elizabethton. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.