Axmen Drop Sunday Showdown with Johnson City
ApL Kingsport Axmen

Axmen Drop Sunday Showdown with Johnson City

Published on July 19, 2026 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Kingsport loses the third straight game after dropping a nail-biter to Johnson City 3-2. The Axmen have hit a bit of a rut heading into the final full week of the season.

Johnson City held a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Hunter Crain had shut down the Axmen bats all day, earning a chance at starting his first complete game.

All he needed was three outs, but Kingsport went into desperation mode and attacked out of the gate. Crain recorded one out but gave up three hits in a row, the final one being an RBI single from BJ Gibson.

With Gibson's single, the score now read 3-2 in favor of Johnson City, and it also put Cash Williams at third base.

The tying run stood 90 feet away for the Axmen, and Johnson City decided to put in a new arm to slow down the Kingsport rally.

Garrett Mackowiak emerged from the bullpen and the lefty was poised to end Kingsport's chance. He did just that against the first batter Antonio Fawcett, striking him out.

Mackowiak then moved to face the dangerous bat of Seth Farni, who now had Gibson in scoring position after he stole second in the last exchange.

Farni drew the walk, loading the bases for Axmen slugger Carter Geffre. With the tying run at third Geffre trailed in the count 1-2 but miraculously drew the encounter along, somehow working his way to a full count.

A walk scored a run just as much as a single, and Geffre poked the payoff pitch from Mackowiak into right field, unfortunately right into the glove of Brennan Seigler.

Johnson City maintained the win, but this was Kingsport's game to lose.

Axmen starter Dalyn Ellison began the day on fire, tossing five scoreless innings, his longest start of the season. Ellison was given one run to protect in the second inning when Easton Beach drove in Jacob Parr for the first run of the game.

Ellison did just that then passed the torch to the new arrival Wilman Herrera, from the Dominican Republic.

Herrera retired the first two batters he faced in the sixth, but with two outs the heart of Johnson City's order decided to do some damage.

A Nate Eisfelder double started the rally, who in turn scored on a single from Eli Thurmond-with the game tied, Patrick Walsh delivered a clutch double into left center, bringing in the go-ahead run.

Herrera made it out of the sixth and took the deficit into the seventh, where after getting one quick out, Seigler scorched one of his offerings into center field.

Gibson gave chase and tried to make a diving grab; however, the ball bounced over his glove and rolled to the warning track. Seigler wasn't satisfied with a double or triple and flew around third base.

A late throw had no chance of beating the legs of Seigler as he triumphantly slid into home plate for the Little League home run.

The Axmen still managed to make it a close game, but that is now four games the Axmen have lost this week that were within one run, which is troubling to see as we get closer to the playoffs.

Still, the Axmen do have a half-game lead over Johnson City heading into the final week.

Check out the Kingsport Axmen Statistics

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Appalachian League Stories from July 19, 2026


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