Flyboys jump out to early lead, hold off River Riders, 7-3

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. – The Greeneville Flyboys jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on the Elizabethton River Riders and didn’t look back, holding off a late charge to earn their third win of the season.

Brock Daniels (Missouri) recorded a one-out single in the top of the first and then reached third after a throwing error by Pepe Soto (Rogers State). Daniels came in to score and give Greeneville the early 1-0 advantage after a wild pitch by Trevor Callahan (Morehead State). Avery Collins (Cleveland Junior College) extended the lead for the Flyboys with an RBI single to score Aidan Cannaday (Catawba Valley CC), giving Greeneville the 2-0 advantage early.

After drawing three straight walks, the Flyboys (3-4) extended the lead to 3-0 in the top of the third, with a second wild pitch by Callahan scoring Will Taylor (Clemson). Despite Tom Jurack (Illinois) grounding out to short, Daniels was able to score off the infield nubber, swelling the lead to 4-0.

In the top of the fourth, Daniels came up big again for the Flyboys, scoring Shemar Dalton (North Carolina A&T) to pad the Flyboy bulge to 5-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Elizabethton (5-2) loaded the bases, following back-to-back singles by Owen Carapelloti (Georgetown) and Harrison Rodgers (Colorado Mesa), with Alex McCoy (Maryland-Eastern Shore) reaching on an error by Jurack. A wild pitch by Jack Liberio Jr. (RCSJ-Cumberland) gave the Riders their first run of the game. Zach Freeman (San Francisco) hit a ball to centerfield, allowing Rodgers to score on the sac fly and cut the Flyboy lead to 5-2.

The Flyboys answered in the top of the fifth with a Dalton RBI double, scoring Cian Sahler (Fordham) to put the lead back up to 6-2.

Both teams went quiet until the bottom of the seventh inning. The Riders cut the lead to 6-3, thanks to an RBI single by Isaac Williams (New Orleans) that scored Ty Peters (Liberty).

On a strange play, the Flyboys added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Sahler reached first on a dropped strike by Soto, and Cannaday came home to score, giving Greeneville a 7-3 lead.

After hitting the first batter of the ninth, Nate Kiser (USC-Salkehatchie) struck out Peters before forcing a 4-3 double play turned by Daniels and Cannaday to end the game and give Greeneville the 7-3 victory.

Caswell Smith (1-0) (College of Charleston) earned his first win of the season, going 2 1/3 innings, giving up one hit, one run, walking a pair and striking out three. Kiser earned his first save of the year, going 2 2/3 innings and striking out two. Liberio started the game for Greeneville, going four innings, giving up two runs, two hits, walking two and striking out three.

Callahan (0-1) was handed the loss, going 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs off two hits, walking six and striking out five. Jess Miller (Centre) went 2 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, one run and striking out two. Baker Cox (Spartanburg Methodist) went two innings, giving up one hit and striking out five. Ryan Widmeier (RCSJ-Glouchester) closed out the game, allowing one run, walking one and striking out a pair in an inning of work.

The Flyboys and the River Riders will meet again Thursday, June 9, to close out the two-game series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. Fans can tune into the Flyboys Broadcasting Network for all of the action beginning at 6:45 p.m. with the pregame show at flyboysbaseball.com.