BY NIC MILLER

STAR CORRESPONDENT

 

KINGSPORT- the Elizabethton Cyclones baseball team traveled to Kingsport Friday evening to take on the Dobyns-Bennett Indians in an old-fashioned rivalry affair.

Elizabethton hoped to take down a potent D-B baseball team in the non-conference matchup.

Behind a powerful hitting performance by the Indians, D-B took control of the game early while Elizabethton wasn’t able to match the caliber of the Kingsport team’s offensive play.

From the start, the Cyclones weren’t able to find their rhythm right away.

With Jake Timbes on the mound for Dobyns-Bennett, the first three of Elizabethton’s batters went down quickly.

The Indians were able to start the game with a score as a result of an RBI-single by Derek Thurston.

It seemed as if Elizabethton was getting warmed up in the second inning as Evan Perkins started off the inning by using his speed to beat a throw to first on a swinging bunt.

Perkins was eventually able to come across the plate as a wild throw to first allowed senior Lawson Wagner to advance to second.

In the home portion of the frame, the Indians began their barrage of runs bringing five runners across the plate.

After bringing Carter Williams to the mound to replace starter Ashton Wilson, ‘Betsy was able to put an end to DB’s scoring party, leaving the score at 6-1.

With two quick outs in the third, Elizabethton was finally able to put a dent into the Indian deficit with an RBI-single to center by senior Matthew Dailey.

In the bottom of the third inning, Dobyns-Bennett was just getting started as they were able to bring four more runs across the plate with two hits driving in two runs apiece.

The Cyclones were in a hole and needed to dig themselves out quick as the game was now a 10-2 affair.

In the top of the fourth, the Cyclones were in a position they haven’t seen themselves in yet this season.

Down by eight runs, ‘Betsy was once again unable to get anything to go their way. The first three batters in the order for Elizabethton were sat down quickly with three straight outs.

D-B had a stranglehold on this game and they didn’t look back.

Already up by eight runs, the Indians once again brought their A-game to the plate scoring seven additional runs in an already lopsided game.

Facing a mercy rule ending, ‘Betsy needed to dig deep and try to spark a late-game rally.

The Cyclones had three outs left in the top of the fifth inning to make something happen. But as it had happened all night long, Elizabethton couldn’t get the baseball to drop for them.

Down by fifteen runs, the umpires were forced to call the game with a final score of 17-2 in favor of the Indians.

‘Betsy squared off against Science Hill Monday at Joe O’Brien Field.