Riders rally past Kingsport
Published 11:26 am Tuesday, July 1, 2025
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Star Correspondent
Australian native and River Riders right fielder Luke Donaghey broke out in a big way on Tuesday night as the Elizabethton River Riders rallied from a 2-0 deficit to knock off the Kingsport Axemen 3-2 on Tuesday night at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
Donaghey finished four-for-four, driving in the tying and winning runs with a ninth-inning double.
“I was sitting on a fastball,” Donaghey said. “I had fouled off a couple of breaking balls and I felt that he would challenge me, and he did. I’m just trying to pick the team up, and the team rallied.”
A pitcher’s duel between Riders right-hander Miguel Bonilla and Axemen starter Ronin Vicente went on until the fifth inning with neither team able to break through for a run.
Bonilla pitched four innings, giving up no runs on one hit with eight strikeouts and three free passes. Vicente lasted five innings, giving up no runs on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
Charlie Spoonhour came on for the Riders (9-12) in the fifth, and he gave up a leadoff single to Colton Sims, but Spoonhour got Alex Kelsey to hit into a 5-4-3 double play before Colin Larson singled. The Axemen were retired on a ground ball to first base off the bat of Landis Davila.
“This is the kind of game you want to be in,” said River Riders manager Jeremy Owens. “Hats off to both teams. I think every team in the league is striving for consistency, and it’s coming. Teams are starting to gel, and I think that’s true for my team as well.”
Things remained scoreless until the top of the eighth, when Cesar Garcia ran into some trouble of his own making as Larson drew a walk and moved to second on a single from Davila.
Garcia then attempted to pick Larson off second base, but his throw went into center field, moving both runners up a base. A wild pitch plated Larson and moved Davila to third. He scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 Axemen advantage.
Micah Wells came on for Kingsport (11-9) and pitched a scoreless eighth, retiring Jordan Crosland — the Riders’ leading hitter — along with Donte Lewis and Tua Wolfgramm on fly balls to right field.
Demarques Thompson came on in the ninth and had a one-two-three inning, setting up the bottom of the ninth.
Wells plunked Cadyn Karl with a pitch to open the frame, and catcher Lenox Lively doubled to center field to put runners on second and third. ETSU standout Jackson Berry struck out, but Josh Owens drew a walk to load the bases.
Jack Ratcliffe’s sacrifice fly to center field brought home Karl to make it a 2-1 game, and Donaghey delivered his game-winning hit to center that plated both pinch runner Terrance Bowen and Owens for the win.
Owens, who spent a few days last week at the MLB Combine, described his experience there, saying, “I did well, but the biggest thing was the experience and being around some of the best talent in the country. I thank the Lord for the experience, and it was a really cool feeling to be included in this and being able to play the game I love.”
River Riders 3, Kingsport 2
Kingsport 000 000 020 — 2 5 0
River Riders 000 000 003 — 3 8 1
W — Thompson (2-0)
L — Wells (0-1)
