Pitcher's Duel Slips Away as Axmen Top Flyboys
ApL Greeneville Flyboys

Pitcher's Duel Slips Away as Axmen Top Flyboys

Published on July 10, 2026 under Appalachian League (ApL)
Greeneville Flyboys News Release


GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Greeneville dropped its third straight game as the Kingsport Axmen came into town and earned an 8-3 road victory Friday night.

Greeneville opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when shortstop Gabe Gray hit a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Amari Jefferson from third base, giving the Flyboys a 1-0 lead after a close play at the plate was ruled in Greeneville's favor.

The Flyboys added another run in the bottom of the third after catcher Matt Cash singled to right field, allowing right fielder Olin Ward to score in yet another close play at the plate.

Both teams were locked in a pitcher's duel until the eighth inning. Dillon Kirksey made his sixth start of the season, pitching six innings while allowing four runs in the longest outing by a Flyboys pitcher this year.

Kingsport starter Jameson Napper pitched five innings of two-run ball as the Flyboys handed the Axmen right-hander his toughest outing of the Appalachian League season.

Hudson Johnson came on in relief as Greeneville managed a short-handed pitching staff. The right-hander tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout after making his first start of the season just a few days earlier in Greeneville's Game 1 win over Bluefield.

New Kingsport addition Cole Royer entered in relief and immediately ran into trouble, walking the first three Greeneville batters he faced to load the bases with no outs. Moments later, second baseman Jackson Berry grounded into a 5-3 double play, but one run scored to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Jaden Hill relieved Johnson in the top of the eighth, hoping to keep Greeneville within striking distance. However, right fielder Jacob Parr led off the inning with a solo home run off Hill to extend the Axmen lead to 5-2.

Hill settled in by forcing catcher Carter Geffre to line out and striking out shortstop Kyus Gargett. However, three singles allowed another Axmen run to score, extending Kingsport's lead to 6-2.

The Flyboys answered in the bottom half of the inning to make it 6-3, but they could not solve Axmen reliever Rocco Loffredo, who tossed two scoreless innings in his third appearance of the season.

Kingsport added two more runs in the top of the ninth. Geffre drove in first baseman Dylan Passo with a sacrifice fly after Passo walked to make it 7-3. Moments later, Gargett singled to right field to score designated hitter Myles Davis, pushing the Axmen lead to 8-3.

Brody Carr came on to close out the game, retiring the Flyboys in order to secure the Axmen victory.

With the win, Kingsport moved into first place in the Appalachian League West at 18-13, while Greeneville fell to 14-15.

Up Next

Greeneville travels to Kingsport on Friday, for Game 2 of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Flyboys then return home Sunday for a seven-inning matchup against the Elizabethton River Riders, with the season series on the line.

Tickets are available at flyboysbaseball.com or by calling 423-609-7400. Follow @gflyboys on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates and weather information.

Check out the Greeneville Flyboys Statistics

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Appalachian League Stories from July 10, 2026


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