River Riders bats go cold, fall To Doughboys

Published 8:19 am Thursday, July 20, 2023

By Ron Marvel

Star Correspondent

The River Riders were held to just five hits Wednesday night (three in the final inning) and even fewer scoring opportunities, and when those scarce opportunities came, lady luck would turn a cold shoulder for most of the evening.

The Doughboys would draw first blood on the night when Colby Backus would drive a ball to left fielder Hayden Moore to plate Caleb Berry making the score 1-0 Johnson City after the first inning. The Doughboys would then pick up two more runs on back-to-back singles from Logan Sutter and the red-hot Backus, to make the new score 3-0 after two innings. It would take the River Riders until the fourth inning before a single base runner would get in scoring position, and that was due in part to the wheels on River Riders center fielder Skylar King who would steal second and then scamper to third on the overthrow. But just as things started to look up for the River Riders, the door would slam shut when DJ Dilehay would blister a ball to Doughboy shortstop Cody Miller who would make a gem of a play on the liner to take away a run from the River Riders.

The Doughboys would add a couple of insurance runs in the fifth when first baseman Jack Pokorack would hit a towering fly ball off the top of the 20-foot wall in center for a double, plating two more runs and putting the Doughboys up 5-0. The Doughboys scoring would be complete in the bottom of the eighth when Caleb Berry would hit a ground ball past River Riders shortstop Trey Fenderson to plate Hayden Moore putting the Doughboys up 6-0 going into the ninth. The River Riders would finally get going offensively and put an end to the shutout when DJ Dilehay and Trey Fenderson would hit back-to-back doubles and Keaton Cottom would hit a single to fuel the two run inning to make the final score 6-2. The loss drops the Rivers Riders to 18-17 on the season, while the first place Doughboys improved to 27-8.

Sean Holister would take the loss for the River Riders giving up four runs in five innings, while Justin Guilano would pick up the win, pitching a gem for the Doughboys, going six innings and giving up no runs while allowing only one hit. River Riders shortstop Trey Fenderson would pick up a base hit on the night and an RBI. The River Riders will be at home for the next four games against Danville and JC before taking a break for the Appalachian League All-Star Game on Tuesday, which will be held at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport.