ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. òòò½ÊÓƵ” The Tri-State Coal Cats opened the season with a 6-4 victory over the Elizabethton River Riders on Thursday in Appalachian League baseball at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
Tri-State built a 6-1 lead through the top of the sixth inning and held on.
Michael Rodriguez, Jorge Gonzalez-Febo and Sam Winsett drove in one run apiece in the three-run seventh.
Sam Winslett singled in Sal Mineo in the third to put the Coal Cats up 1-0. Elizabethton tied it in the fourth when Tuòòò½ÊÓƵ™alau Wolfgramm doubled home Josh Owens.
Rodriguez doubled to score Marshall University catcher Jackson Golden with the winning run in the fifth. One inning later, Goldenòòò½ÊÓƵ™s base hit sent Cesar Gonzalez home and Tri-State led 3-1.
In the seventh, Winslettòòò½ÊÓƵ™s single plated Mineo to start the three-run spurt.
Winslett was 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. Mineo went 2 for 4. West Virginia Universityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Ryan Maggy drew three walks. Mason Child earned the win in three innings of relief of starter Ryan Brown, a former Boyd County High School star. Joe Gomez picked up a save.
Wolfgramm went 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs.
TRI-STATE 01 011 300 òòò½ÊÓƵ” 6 10 0
ELIZABETHTON 000 100 120 òòò½ÊÓƵ” 4 5 2
Brown, Child (3), LaFine (6), Sylvest (8), Gomez (8) and Gonzalez; Yeager, D. Thompson (4), Bailey (5), Slaby (6), Spoonhour (8).
Hitting: (TS) Winslett 2-5 2 RBIs, Golden 2-4, Mineo 2-4 2 2B, Rodriguez 2B, Gonzalez-Febo 2B, Murray 2B; (E) Wolfgramm 2-4 2 2B 2 RBIs.
KHSAA state games postponed
Inclement weather on Friday in Lexington, Kentucky, pushed back state tournament games involving Lawrence Countyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s softball and Boyd Countyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s baseball teams.
The Bulldogsòòò½ÊÓƵ™ first-round fixture with Marshall County was postponed from Friday night to Saturday at 1 p.m. at the University of Kentuckyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s John Cropp Stadium.
The Lionsòòò½ÊÓƵ™ quarterfinal date with Wolfe County has been moved to a scheduled first pitch of 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Kentucky Proud Park.
Herdòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Parker HOF nominee
Former Marshall University running back Chris Parker is on the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Parker starred for the Thundering Herd from 1992 through 1995, setting a program record with 5,924 yards rushing. Parker also owns the season record for rushing yards with 1,833 yards in 1995, total touchdowns (71), rushing touchdowns (68), points (428) and total yards 7,145).
Parker, who also ran track and field at Marshall, was inducted into the Herdòòò½ÊÓƵ™s hall of fame in 2000. He played in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Also on the ballot are former West Virginia University player Aaron Beasley and coach Jim Carlen, as well as former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis.
Notre Dame wins state title
Portsmouth Notre Dame (26-3) won the Division VII state state softball championship on Thursday, beating Monroeville 9-1 at Firestone Park.
The Titans put the game away early, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. They added one in the second, one in the fourth and two in the sixth before the Eagles (27-4) broke up the shutout in the sixth.
Kate Entler hit a three-run home run. Audrey Back knocked in two runs. Maddie Entler and Kennedy Lyon each went 2 for 4. Ava Rush was the winning pitcher, allowing five hits, striking out nine and walking three.
Taryn Tyler was 2 for 3 for Monroeville.
Kinsey hosting basketball camp
NBA G-League star and former Marshall University standout Taevion Kinsey is leading a basketball camp from 10 a.m. to noon June 18-19 at Complex 7/Boombox in Proctorville, Ohio.
The camp is for players in kindergarten through 12th grade.
To register, go to .
Payne wins on Senior Series
Former Marshall University golfer Harold Payne of Hurricane, West Virginia, won the Silver Gross division of the òòò½ÊÓƵGA Senior Series golf tournament Tuesday at the Valley View Country Club.
Payne shot 5-over par 77.
