In the bottom of the seventh, the Cyclones found themselves trailing Sullivan East by two runs with two outs on the board.
With things looking bleak, Elizabethton needed something big from Cyclones Ethan Eggleston. And they got just what they needed.
Eggleston, with the bases loaded, ripped a double into left field, clearing the bases for three runs and a 9-8 win sending the Cyclones into a frenzy.
The win puts the Cyclones in the winner’s bracket finals where they will face Sullivan South Wednesday.
“We have always said that you cannot beat a team of destiny,” said Eggleston about his team’s current position. “We really do feel like we have something special going on here.”
The Cyclones faced several last strikes Monday, and Elizabethton head coach Ryan Presnell said that it those type of tight situations that his team works on all season.
“We work and work and work on hitter’s counts and hitter’s situations,” said Presnell. “I am never going to take the bat out of that young man’s (Eggleston) hand because I trust him. I trust these guys one through nine that they are going to do what we need them to do.”
Coming into the sixth inning, the Cyclones held a 6-4 lead over the Patriots before the Pats posted two runs to tie things up. In the top of the seventh, Sullivan East would put Elizabethton in a tough spot as the Patriot’s Alex McCracken brought in two runs with a single to put East up 8-2 heading into the bottom of the frame.
The Cyclones finished the day with 12 hits. Elizabethton’s Corey Russell, Michael Robinson, Evan Carter and Brodie Adams all had two hits each. Adams and Eggleston both had three RBIs apiece.
On the mound, Russell picked up the win for the Cyclones as he tossed the final inning.