Axmen down Doughboys to reach Appy League title game

KINGSPORT — Following an eight-week dash to the postseason, only the Doughboys and Axmen were left standing in the West division on Friday for a winner-or-go-home bout. In a strong contest, top-seeded Kingsport held strong over Johnson City to take the playoff game and advance to the league's championship game, 5-2. The hosts won the regular season series five games to three, but all of the games were won by the visiting team until the playoffs. The Axmen had momentum from the early going. After the Doughboys were retired in order in the top of the first, Kingsport didn't waste much time putting pressure on Johnson City thanks to a Garrett Luett sacrifice fly to right field. In the third, Carter Geffre added on to the Kingsport advantage, launching a two-out, two-run home run 418 feet to center field, making it a three-run advantage for the regular season division champions. Johnson City showed life in the middle innings in its second time facing Axmen starter Dalyn Ellison on the night. In the top of the fourth, most of the contact in the frame was solid, including a 103-mile-per-hour double off the bat of Nate Eisfelder that was followed by an RBI single by Jackson Geiger that clocked in with an exit velocity of 93 miles per hour. Ellison only allowed one run in the frame, though, getting a double play to escape the inning. Kingsport threatened to get the run back in the bottom of the frame, as Trey Jozwiakowski walked to lead off the inning before getting to third base with two outs. But, switch pitcher Justin Smarr got a strikeout to end the inning. Again, the Axmen put traffic on the base paths in the fifth, loading the bases with one out. However, reliever Daniel Quintero put out the flames with back-to-back strikeouts, keeping the Doughboys within two runs. Ellison ended up holding strong with a two-run lead, as he went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and a run with three strikeouts. In the seventh, Johnson City posted its own major threat by loading the bases with two outs. Kenyon Hughes Jr. cashed in with a walk to bring in one, but Brody Carr escaped the jam courtesy of a web gem by Easton Beach at shortstop. It was 3-2 Kingsport at the stretch. After preventing a run in the top half of the inning, Beach drove in a massive insurance run with a double to right center field. He was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple after he slid off the bag. Seth Farni added another run with a two-out base hit with runners on the corners to make it a three-run affair through seven stanzas. The Doughboys looked to get back into the game in the eighth, but left a runner stranded at second. They then got a leadoff walk in the ninth, but once again couldn't do much with it, ending the game and season. Beach led the Axmen offense with three hits, while Jacob Parr and Farni each posted a pair of knocks. Jackson Geiger had two hits for Johnson City. Up Next Kingsport will play for the Appalachian League championship on Saturday night, traveling to Pulaski.