On a day where not many teams around not just 6-4A but north Georgia got to play due to rain, the Pickens Dragons baseball team were thankful to have their new all-turf field as they got their game in with the Southeast Whitfield Raiders to begin region play Tuesday, March 3. During region play, teams play three-game sets. For the Dragons, the series got off on the right foot as they were able to defeat the Raiders 13-2 in five innings.

Colby James on the mound for Pickens.

In the top of the first, Oglethorpe commit Colby James picked up his first strikeout and needed just 11 pitches in a scoreless half of an inning. In the bottom of the inning. the Dragons scored four runs on one hit. Brady Moore and Hunter White started the half inning with back-to-back walks, Tyler Vreeland reached on a fielder’s choice, Chad Pacas walked, Austin Chester  got hit by a pitch that brought in Moore, Vreeland came in after Seth Densmore walked, Pacas came in after James hit into a fielder’s choice, finally, Drake Sutton knocked in courtesy runner Jarod Whitmore. Going to the second inning, Pickens held an early 4-0 lead over Southeast Whitfield.

In the top of the second, James did give up one hit, but struck out one more Raider to bring the Dragons bats up to the plate. Much like the bottom of the first, the bottom of the second saw Pickens be patient and reap the rewards. Vreeland hit a one-out single, Pacas walked, Chester got hit by another pitch, Vreeland came in after Densmore was hit by a pitch, and Pacas came in after James was plunked by a pitch. Courtesy runner Whitmore and Densmore also came in to score during the frame to give the Dragons an 8-0 lead over the Raiders going to the third inning.

Austin Chester at the plate for the Dragons.

In the top of the third, James went to work on the mound. He needed just nine pitches to get three outs, which included two more strikeouts. In the bottom of the inning, Moore started it off with a lead off double, White moved him over to third, Vreeland brought him in with a sacrifice fly, Pacas then singled, Chester singled, and Densmore brought in Pacas with an RBI single to make it 10-0 Dragons going to the top of the fourth.

In the top of the fourth, the Raiders took advantage of several miscues by the Dragons defense and plated two to make it 10-2. In the bottom of the fourth, Alex Snelgrove led off with a double, Moore then drew a walk, and Vreeland brought both of them in with a two-RBI single. Pacas brought in Vreeland with an RBI single to make it 13-2 Dragons going to the top of the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, starting second baseman Drake Sutton came on in relief of starter Colby James. Sutton needed eight pitches to collect two strikeouts and to close the game out as the Dragons took Game 1 of the three-game series with Southeast Whitfield 13-2 in five innings.

Stats:

• Brady Moore: 1-for-2 with one double, two walks, and three runs scored.
• Tyler Vreeland: 2-for-3 with two singles, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
• Chad Pacas: 2-for-2 with two singles, one RBI, and three runs scored.
• Austin Chester: 1-for-1 with one single, and two hit-by-pitch.
• Seth Densmore: 1-for-1 with one single, one walk, one hit-by-pitch, and one RBI.
• Colby James: 1-for-2 with one single, one hit-by-pitch, one RBI. Four innings pitched with one hit, no earned runs, and four strikeouts on 51 pitches.
• Drake Sutton: 1-for-2 with one single, one walk, and two RBIs. One inning pitched, zero hits, no earned runs, and two strikeouts on eight pitches.
• Alex Snelgrove: 1-for-2 with one double, one walk, and one run scored.
• Jarod Whitmore: Two runs scored.

With the win, the Dragons are now 9-1 on the season and 1-0 in 6-4A play. Game 2 of the series is set for Thursday, March 5, at Southeast Whitfield. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m.