ApL Kingsport Axmen

Kingsport Walks off Princeton in Extra Innings

Published on June 30, 2021 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Kingsport Axmen News Release


KINGSPORT, TN - Extra innings have become routine at Hunter Wright Stadium.

For the fourth straight home game, Kingsport treated its fans with free baseball.

After allowing a pair of runs in the top of the 10th inning, the Axmen rallied. Kingsport loaded the bases and scored two runs to level the game, setting up Will Spears.

Spears delivered a walk-off base hit to left, giving Kingsport an 8-7 victory over Princeton Tuesday night.

"It's a mind-blowing moment. You always work for that," Spears said. "I saw Matt Taylor with the water jug so I took off running. It was an unreal experience."

Spears' teammates chased the Axmen second baseman into rightfield, ripping his jersey off and dousing him with water.

Kingsport (10-12) has three walk-off wins in as many games on its home field.

"We've got a bunch of gritty guys on this team. We have a lot of guys that show up and like to work," centerfielder Connor Milton said. "With this team, never count us out."

Despite squandering a lead to Princeton (13-8) in the ninth, and yielding two runs in extras, Kingsport kept fighting.

Pablo Ruiz and Hunter Fitz-Gerald were placed on first and second, respectively, to begin the bottom of the frame.

Rightfielder Nick Barnes led off the inning and was plunked with a pitch before MJ Rodriguez followed with a walk to pull the Axmen within one.

With the bases juiced, Milton was also hit, tying the game, 7-7, bringing Spears to the plate.

"I knew my guy was going to come through," designated hitter JonJon Berring said of Spears. "Malik [Binns] and I were talking, saying, 'It was his time.' We spoke it into existence."

One inning earlier, up 3-2, Kingsport was two outs away from beating the top team in the Appalachian League.

With the tying run 90 feet away and the go-ahead run on first, WhistlePigs first baseman Tre Morris tied the game with a bloop single into right.

The throw back into the infield trickled up the third baseline. Princeton's AJ Jones raced around from first, forcing an errant throw that rolled behind home plate. Morris hustled out of the batter's box, rounding the bases for a Little League home run.

Even though the Axmen watched their ninth-inning lead evaporate, Kingsport remained poised.

Down to its final two outs, Berring smacked a two-run blast over the rightfield wall to even the score, 5-5.

"To be honest, I wasn't seeing the ball well all night," he said. "I said to myself, 'one pitch.' He left the slider up and I took a good hack at it."

Earlier in the game, the Axmen saw their 2-0 advantage erased.

Princeton's Dylan Rogers ripped a game-tying two-run double in the sixth but the Axmen answered immediately.

Milton swung at the first pitch in the bottom of the inning, sending a missile over the leftfield fence, putting Kingsport ahead, 3-2.

For Milton, the solo shot was even sweeter because his parents, Howard and Barclay, were among the 1,408 fans in attendance.

"My parents haven't seen me play too much baseball the last two years," Milton said. "To do that in front of them is extra special. I'm so happy they're here. Doing that in front of them makes me speechless."

Left-hander Tyler Clayton (1-0) was credited with the win, pitching the final two innings.

Starter Cole Kirschsieper extended his scoreless streak to 16 innings with four shutdown frames. Kirschsieper surrendered just two hits and struck out four.

Kingsport's offense provided the Illinois hurler with early run support, scratching across a run in both the first and second.

As strong as the Axmen started, it was their resolve and fight that was most impressive.

"Finishing games like this can really spark a streak," Berring said. "This team is really starting to come together."

The Axmen will look to sweep the two-game series from the WhistlePigs Wednesday at Hunter Wright Stadium. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

All Kingsport Axmen games are broadcast here with a video stream available online for home games.

Check out the Kingsport Axmen Statistics

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Appalachian League Stories from June 30, 2021


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