Yesterday evening, the PHS Dragons varsity baseball team were back home at Dragons Field as they hosted the Woodland-Cartersville Wildcats out of the 5-A classification. Pickens, came into the game 3-2 on the season, & looked to get back on the winning track after a tough weekend.

In the top of the 1st, Dragons starting pitcher, Colby James, got off to a good start to his day. In the bottom half of the 1st, Pickens got a two out walk, but that would be it as we would head to the 2nd, still deadlocked at 0. In the top of the 2nd, the Wildcats, made James work. James, with a little help from the defense behind him, did a great job getting out of trouble as Woodland would only plate a single run. In the bottom of the 2nd, Pickens answered the Wildcats run with 2 runs of their own to take a 2-1 lead to the 3rd.

The top of the 3rd saw the Wildcats plate two runs themselves as they would retake the lead from the Dragons. James, in what would be his final inning of work, did a good job of settling down and getting out of another high pressure situation. Pickens, had it’s chance to tie the game in the bottom of the frame, but Woodland was able to get out of a tough spot of their own, to send us to the 4th, Wildcats leading the Dragons, 3-2. In the top of the 4th, Dylan Huffman came in to pitch for Pickens & needed only 10 pitches to get out of his first inning of work. The bottom of the inning saw the Dragons retake the lead from Woodland after scoring two runs. We would go to the 5th, Dragons on top, 4-3.

In the top of the 5th, Huffman worked out of a jam after the Wildats had threatened to either tie it or take the lead. Pickens, would go down in order in the bottom of the 5th, to send us to the 6th, Dragons still leading Woodland, 4-3. As was the case in the 5th, the 6th saw the Wildcats threaten to score. Huffman and the Dragons were able to escape it, & send us to the bottom of the frame. Pickens, again went in order in the bottom of the 6th, to send us to the 7th, Dragons clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Brady Moore came on in relief of Huffman in the top of the 7th. Moore, was able to settle down after walking the 1st two batters to strike out the final two batters he faced to close this one out & seal the Dragons win, 4-3.

Stats

Colby James: 3IP, 2K, 80 pitches, & 1-2 with a single

Dylan Huffman: 3IP, 5K, 45 pitches, & 1 run scored

Brady Moore: 1IP, 2K, 19 pitches, & 1-3 with a single & 1 run scored

Tyler Vreeland: 1-2 with a single

Joseph Gossett: 1 RBI

Pickens, will take to the road on Thursday afternoon as they will head to Woodstock to take on the Wolverines out of the 7-A classification. First pitch is scheduled for 5:55 pm.