The Columbus Clingstones (3-4, 32-39) travel to Tennessee to start their final series against the Knoxville Smokies (6-1, 44-32), and the drop the first game of the series by a score of 12-3.
Decisive Plays: Patrick Clohisy scored in the top of the first inning, just two batters into the game on a Kyle Farmer groundout to take an early 1-0. Jordan Groshans (13) missiles a ball over the left field wall just a few batters after the first run scores and that would be the last time the Stones scored until the eighth inning on a Luke Waddell RBI groundout.
The Smokies scored two runs in the first on a two-run shot from Alex Ramirez in the bottom of the first and wouldn't let up from there.
Knoxville scored in every inning except the second and eighth, including three multi-run innings with just six runs coming in the sixth and seventh innings.
Columbus ended the ninth inning with the bases loaded and dropped the series opener at Covenant Health Park by a score of 12-3.
Key Contributors: Groshans (1-for-4, HR, RBI), Farmer (1-for-4, RBI) and Waddell (0-for-4, RBI) score the lone runs for the Clingstones. For Knoxville, Alex Ramirez (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) scored a third of the Smokies runs on Tuesday night.
Notable: Columbus falls to 4-10 in series openers in the 2026 season, and 2-6 on Tuesdays. The Clingstones finish the month of June with a record of 9-13.
Next Game (Wednesday, July 1): Columbus at Knoxville, 7:00 p.m. ET at Covenant Health Park. RHP Cedric de Grandpre (1-1, 11.57 ERA) starts for Columbus against RHP Brooks Caple (2-1, 3.63 ERA) for Rocket City. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. ET on SportsVisions 92.1 FM. Stream: Bally Sports Live.