ApL Johnson City Doughboys

Doughboys Walk off Pulaski in Tiebreaker

Published on June 16, 2023 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Johnson City Doughboys News Release


JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The first tiebreaker of the season went in favor of the Doughboys, who won in the extra innings to finish off the sweep of Pulaski on Friday.

For the first time all week, the game started without a Doughboys run in the first inning. Neither team would start very fast, as only one baserunner would reach for either team in the opening two innings of the ballgame.

Pulaski would strike first, using a Kyle Cincinnati double to bring in their first run of the day. The scoring did not end there, as Ethan Belk tripled, eventually scoring himself as well, to make it 3-0.

Johnson City would threaten, but still be unable to push anything across in the opening five innings of the ballgame.

Pulaski piled it on even more in the fifth, as the Doughboys' pitching issued a walk and hit a pair of batters, helping Pulaski to a pair of runs, pushing the Johnson City deficit to five.

The sixth inning would be the first time the Doughboys would show life offensively. Jonathan Xuereb doubled to lead off the inning. Colby Backus would trade places with Xuereb, putting up the first run of the night for Johnson City.

Runs continued for the Doughboys in the sixth, with Braden Spano driving in a run. The Doughboys would use Pulaski mistakes to their advantage, pushing across another run via a balk.

The scoring in the inning would finish off with Christian Toledo driving in the fourth run of the inning, bringing it to just a one-run Johnson City deficit.

Johnson City's bullpen hunkered down, allowing just two baserunners for the rest of the game after the fifth inning.

The Doughboys would continue the scoring in the seventh, as Colby Backus would send a towering fly ball into left, getting misplayed by the left fielder, and dropping for a game-tying double.

The ninth would give an opportunity to walk off winners for the second time this week. Kyle Harbison started the inning with a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a single to put the winning run on third with only one out.

The Doughboys were unsuccessful scoring the run from third, sending them to the first tiebreaker of the season.

The Doughboys went 5-1 in tiebreakers in 2022, with all five wins coming on defense, but that trend wouldn't stay true as Johnson City would choose offense.

A Braden Spano groundout would bring up Christian Toledo with two outs and a runner on third. Toledo would deliver, sending a ground ball into center, scoring Caleb Marmo to win the game.

The walk-off, the second of the week for the Doughboys, closed out the team's fourth consecutive win. The win moved the Doughboys to 7-3 on the season, good for first place in the Appalachian League West by two games.

Up next, the Doughboys will close out the season-long homestand, looking to sweep all five games Saturday against Kingsport.

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Appalachian League Stories from June 16, 2023


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