River Turtles outscore Elizabethton, 13-10
The Pulaski River Turtles tied up the series with the Elizabethton River Runners in an offensive barrage, 13-10. The win was thanks to a five-run sixth inning. Pulaski has now scored at least five runs in a single inning in six of the past seven games. Elizabethton now falls to 18-16 while Pulaski now stands at 22-13, still atop the East.
Pulaski would get on the board first in the second off a 2 RBI double by Josh Rolling and make it 2-0 after two. Elizabethton would then explode for four runs in the third and three runs in the fourth to take a hold of a 7-2 lead.
But that wouldn’t stop Pulaski from answering back, scoring four in the fourth and one in the fifth. A sac fly RBI by Ross Lovich with bases loaded would start the scoring off in the fourth. In the next at-bat, Jackson Beaman would follow that up with an RBI double and make it 7-4. In the following at-bat, Ryan Johnson would continue the scoring with a sac RBI and make it 7-5. Cameron Leary capped off the scoring in the fourth with an RBI single and made it 7-6 Elizabethton.
Pulaski would tie it up in the fifth thanks to a sac fly by Conner Gore to bring in John Bay and make it 7 apiece after five.
Wouldn’t take long for the tie to be broken as Elizabethton would put up two runs in the top of the sixth and make it 9-7.
Just like earlier in the game Pulaski would find a way to fight back, this time with a five-run sixth. Jackson Beaman would start the scoring off with a bang, with a one-run home run to left-center field. Pulaski would then find four straight batters with an RBI hit: Mark Trotta with an RBI triple, RBI double by Bay, RBI single by Rice, and an RBI double by Conner Gore. This flurry of runs would put Pulaski up 12-9.
Pulaski would then add an insurance run in the seventh, off an RBI single by Leary to make it 13-9.
Elizabethton would threaten late, scoring a run in the eight and having the game-tying run at the plate in the ninth but couldn’t find a way to bounce back.
The win would go to reliever Caleb Pittman as he went 2 innings, allowed three hits, two earned runs, walked three, and struck out four. The loss would go to Luis Gonzalez, who went 0.2 innings, allowed five hits, five earned runs, walked none, and struck out one.
Player of the game would go to Conner Gore, as he went 3-4, had two runs, and batted in three.
Elizabethton now travels back home to face the newly formed Road Warriors for a weekend series. Pulaski continue their six-game home stand Saturday with a series against the Bluefield Ridge Runners, the first time they will be facing them at home this season.
By KYLE MANALO