Axmen Go Down Against State Liners, 8-6
June 22, 2025 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release
KINGSPORT, TN - The Axmen squared off against the State Liners to kick off their second series of the season Saturday night. Kingsport gave up the early lead and couldn't recover despite a ninth inning surge to lose 8-6.
Burton Rawlings was the starter for Kingsport and after a walk-filled first inning, gave up two runs. However, Rawlings rebounded by keeping the next two frames scoreless.
The Axmen got on the board in the third, putting up two runs of their own to tie it 2-2. However, Bristol got hot and loaded up on the runs over the next three innings. In the fourth Bristol scored one and in the fifth as well as the sixth the State Liners put up two runs in each.
Over this time Jhoneidi Almonte and Matthew Bienvenu both pitched two scoreless innings of relief and each finishing with six strikeouts.
The 7-2 lead was cut into when a Colin Larson single cleared the infield and Landis Divila hit a sharp double in the gap. They both scored one run each.
Bristol was given an insurance run in the eighth when Collin Dodson scored on a fielding error by Kingsport third baseman Colton Sims.
Then in the ninth the comeback began. Blake Primrose smacked a leadoff double into left field to start the rally, then PJ Jones walked. Derrick Pitts pinch hit for Sims and dunked a ball in the outfield, scoring Primrose.
Alex Kelsey grounded out to first, but Jones scored from third to cut the lead to two. Larson reached on a walk and Davila stepped up to the plate with a chance to score Pitts from third. Davila smacked one into right field, but it just hung up in the air long enough for right fielder Olin Ward to get under it.
Bristol takes game one of the series, which will conclude tomorrow night in a seven inning Sunday showdown.
Almonte gets the win, Bienvenu the hold, Charlie Atkinson the save and Kingsport's Tait Anderson was given the loss.
Appalachian League Stories from June 22, 2025
- Axmen Shut out State Liners in Pitching Duel - Kingsport Axmen
- River Riders Hold off Johnson City to Secure 5-3 Win - Elizabethton River Riders
- Doughboys swept out on their field in a low-scoring loss to the River Riders - Johnson City Doughboys
- Flyboys Walk off River Turtles on Sunday - Greeneville Flyboys
- Doughboys Come Up Short Against River Riders - Johnson City Doughboys
- Axmen Go Down Against State Liners, 8-6 - Kingsport Axmen
- River Riders Hold off Doughboys, 11-8, in Thriller, Extend Win Streak to Four Games - Elizabethton River Riders
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