Johnson City falls short in close battle with Pulaski
July 16, 2025 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Johnson City Doughboys News Release
PULASKI, Va.- The Johnson City Doughboys drop a close, low-scoring game against the Pulaski River Turtles on Wednesday, 3-1.
From the first pitch, it was a duel between the starters for each team. Eli Baker for the River Turtles pitched through the first five innings of the game, giving up no runs scored on three hits while striking out two batters. Doughboys starter Bryson Thacker followed closely, going four and two-thirds of an inning, giving up a single run on two hits and setting down five batters on strikes.
The single run given up by Thacker was the first of the ballgame. In the bottom of the fifth, Jonathan Holt reached first on a single before Lukas Buckner blasted a double off the center field wall to bring Holt in to score.
The Doughboys tied it up in the top of the very next inning, Landon Smelser led off with a line drive single before working his way to third. Paris Pridgen brought Smelser home on an RBI sac fly to right fielder, Ty Wisdom.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Smith had the bases loaded and two outs before a wild pitch to the backstop saw Brayden Ricketts come sliding across home to give Pulaski the 2-1 lead.
In the very next inning in another bases loaded situation, Ricketts then worked a walk with the bases load,ed which had Holt come home and put the River Turtles up by two.
Johnson City couldn't come up with a comeback in the ninth as the River Turtles sat down the three outs they needed in four batters and secured themselves a win, 3-1.
Johnson City will travel back to their own home field for a new series on Thursday against the Danville Otterbots. First pitch at TVA Credit Union Ballpark set for 7:00 p.m.
Appalachian League Stories from July 16, 2025
- River Riders Blasted in Lopsided Loss to Otterbots - Elizabethton River Riders
- Johnson City falls short in close battle with Pulaski - Johnson City Doughboys
- 28 Appalachian League Alumni Selected in 2025 MLB Draft - ApL
- Flyboys Stymied by Kingsport on Tuesday - Greeneville Flyboys
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