Chambers collects six RBIs as Elizabethton National flattens JCA

from staff reports

   Led by Drew Chambers, who 2-for-2 with six RBIs, Elizabethton National flexed its muscle on Thursday night in the 11-year-old Mid-Summer Classic, overpowering Johnson City American 15-5 at T.J. Burleson Field.
   Elizabethton wasted no time getting runs on the board, scoring four times in the first inning.
   Chase Depew reached on an error before Cody Hyder and Jacob Davis roped singles, bringing in Depew. Jake Hodge was then hit by a pitch before Chambers drilled a three-run double off the right-field fence.
   The Nationals tacked on seven more runs in the second inning. Depew and Jordan Hodges got things started with base hits, then Hyder reached on an error and Davis drew a walk.
   From there, Hodge tagged a double. The next batter was Chambers, who promptly sent a three-run homer out of the park.
   Elizabethton wasn't finished in the inning, though, as Matt Febuary singled and later scored on a Depew RBI.
   Johnson City American pushed across four runs in the third, without the luxury of a hit. Four walks, two errors and a hit batsman enabled JCA to do the damage.
   The Nationals put the 10-run mercy rule into effect in the fourth, scoring four unearned runs. Davis provided the highlight with a double.
   Davis finished at 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, while Febuary and Hyder had two hits apiece, and Depew reached base four times, scoring three runs.
   Hodges picked up the win on the mound, holding JCA to two hits. He struck out five.
   In other action from Thursday night, Johnson City National upended Fairview by a 14-2 score. Marcus Gregory, Alden Collins, Cody Wexler, Clinton Hall and Eric Shepard all had two hits for the winners.
   Tonight's semifinal action finds Elizabethton National taking on Johnson City National at 6, then Carter County American battling Unicoi County at 8.
   The consolation game begins Saturday at noon, with the championship set for 2 p.m.