Flyboys hold on, take second straight from Kingsport 

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Despite loading the bases with one out in the top of the ninth, the Kingsport Axmen were unable to score the tying runs as the Greeneville Flyboys held on for the 5-3 win on Saturday.

For the second straight night, the Axmen (25-12) took the lead, as a bases-loaded walk drawn by Henry Hunter (UAB) in the top of the fourth scored Jake Perry (Minnesota) to make it a 1-0 lead for Kingsport.

Maddox Mihalakis (Arizona) took the lead right back from the Axmen in the bottom of the fourth, as his RBI triple scored Dub Gleed (UC Irvine) to tie the game. A Will Brown (Florida A&M) RBI single later in the frame brought home Mihalakis to give Greeneville (18-21) the 2-1 advantage.

The Flyboys extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth after a David Bishop (TCU) single brought home Brock Daniels (Missouri) to push the lead to 3-1. Mihalakis recorded his second RBI of the night, an RBI single to score Ian Daugherty (Oklahoma State) and make it a 4-1 ballgame. Brown recorded another RBI single later in the frame to score Bishop, swelling the Flyboy bulge to 5-1.

The Axmen offense woke up in the top of the eighth after a Sam Petersen (Iowa) double brought home Perry to cut the lead to 5-2. Petersen scored himself later in the inning off an RBI single by Hunter to make it 5-3.

Kingsport opened the top of the ninth inning with back-to-back singles by Gunnar Gouldsmith (Sacramento State) and Ian Riley (Dallas Baptist), but Shane Tucker (LIU) struck out Corbin Shaw (Walters State CC) to get the first out of the inning. After intentionally walking Perry, Tucker struck out Petersen before forcing a flyout by Payton Allen (Kansas) to end the ballgame and give Greeneville their fourth straight win over the Axmen.

Mihalakis finished a home run short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and a run scored. Brown went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Jack Liberio Jr. (RCSJ-Cumberlands) (3-0) earned the win, going five innings, allowing one run off six hits, walking two and striking out five. Tucker earned his first save of the season, going 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, walking one batter and striking out three. Nate Kiser (USC-Salkehatchie) went 2.1 innings in relief, allowing two runs off four hits and striking out two.

Brady Tedesco (Campbellsville University) (0-1) was handed the loss, going four innings, allowing two runs off nine hits and striking out four. Walker Trusley (ETSU) went two innings in relief, going two innings, allowing three unearned runs off four hits and walking one batter. Anthony Imhoff (Pima CC) closed out the contest for Kingsport, going two innings, allowing one hit, walking one batter and striking out five.

The Flyboys and the Axmen will close out their three-game series Sunday in a seven-inning contest. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. from Pioneer Park. It’s Kids Club Sunday, as kids can run the bases following the game. Tickets are available at flyboysbaseball.com.