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ApL Elizabethton River Riders

Elizabethton Beats Burlington in Sudden Death

June 16, 2024 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Elizabethton River Riders News Release


The River Riders took the first game in Burlington, 7-7, winning on a tiebreaker.

Elizabethton starter Christian Pencek (Lincoln Memorial) pitched five innings with four strikeouts and one walk. Catcher Jayden Lobliner (Kansas State) hit two home runs and finished with five RBI.

Elizabethton (4-6) fell behind in the first inning to the Sock Puppets (5-5) after Ryan McCrystal (East Carolina) hit a double to right-center field. The River Riders answered in the third after Lobliner hit his first home run of the game, giving the River Riders a 3-1 lead.

In five innings, Pencek allowed seven hits and four earned runs.

Burlington answered in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to take the lead. Noah Murray (Duke) doubled to right center and McCrystal hit a two-run homer.

The River Riders got the offense going again with Lobliner reaching on an error that scored Trent Rice (Oakland) and tied the game. Lobliner scored on a groundout by Kade Huff (Arizona) to put Elizabethton back in front by a run.

Burlington struck for three more runs in the eighth inning. Joseph DeLanzo (Stony Brook) singled to score the tying run, and Brody Block (Reedley College) singled to left field to give Burlington the lead back.

In the ninth, down to their final two outs, Lobliner hit his second home run to tie the game at 7.

Burlington elected to hit for the tiebreaker and left the winning run at third base.

The River Riders threw five pitchers in the sudden-death victory. After Pencek, Gus Rogers (Gateway Community College) pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit, one walk with one strikeout. Caden Carroll (Kennesaw State) pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing two hits, three runs (none earned) and one walk with two strikeouts. Elijah Karney (New Orleans) pitched the ninth and the tiebreaker inning, allowing only two hits, one walk while striking out two.

Burlington also threw five pitchers throughout the night. Ryan Hench (North Carolina) pitched the first four innings, allowing three hits, three earned runs and four walks, while striking out two. Ty Panariello (Stony Brook) pitched two innings in relief, allowing only three hits without a run, striking out three. Payton Messer (Central Missouri) pitched an inning, allowing one hit, two runs (both unearned) and struck out one. Johnny Joseph (Queens University of Charlotte) pitched an inning, allowing only one walk and struck out one. Mason Yokum (North Carolina) pitched the ninth inning, allowing one hit, two earned runs with one walk and struck out two. Yokum and Messer were both tabbed with blown saves in the loss.

At the plate for the River Riders, Lobliner went 2-for-5 with three runs and five RBI. Rice went 3-for-3 with two walks and scored three runs. Carlos Irizarry (Penn State Harrisburg) went 0-for-3 but finished with a walk and scored a run, and Huff went 0-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.

For Burlington, Murray went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. McCrystal went 3-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI. Block went 2-for-4 with two RBI, and DeLanzo went 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run.

Elizabethton finished the night with eight hits and one error. Burlington finished with twelve hits and two errors.

The River Riders and Sock Puppets will meet again for the final time in the regular season Sunday at Burlington Athletic Stadium at 5:30 p.m. ET. More Stories River Riders drop series finale against Otterbots June 15, 2024 River Riders take series opener against Otterbots June 14, 2024 River Riders drop second game to Burlington June 13, 2024 More Elizabethton River Riders News ?

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