Jasper, Ga — It was another gorgeous day in Jasper, Ga on Friday, March 24th as the Pickens Dragons hosted the West Hall Spartans for the 3rd and final game of their 7-AAA series. The Dragons, came in tied for first with Lumpkin and on an 8-game win streak. The Spartans, looked to play spoiler and get the last game of the series. The bats stayed hot for the Dragons and AJ Rice, Tate Hales, and JP Nunn shut down the Spartans for a 10-0 win in 6 innings.

In the top of the first, Dragons starter AJ Rice, worked around a 2-out double as he picked up a grounder to 3rd, and 2 K’s to send it to the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the frame, Ga Tech commit Connor Shouse led off with a single. Trace Ledbetter and Dawson Holland then followed with back to back walks. Tyler Payne, drove in both Shouse and Ledbetter to make it 2-0.

Trey Payne, then brought in Holland with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Dragons. James Tilley and Young Harris commit Evan Giddens, reached base on back to back walks. Colby Brooks, drove in Trey Payne with an infield single RBI to make it 4-0. Shouse, who led off the inning, kept it going with a 2-RBI double bringing in Tilley and Giddens to make it 6-0 Dragons going to the second.

After giving up a bloop single to begin the top of the second, Rice got some help from Shouse as he made a diving stop on a grounder to start a 6-3 double play. Rice, ended the top of the second with his 3rd strikeout to send it to the bottom the inning. In the bottom of the second, the Dragons got a 2-out walk from Trey Payne, but that would be all as they headed to the third, with the Dragons leading the Spartans, 6-0.

In the top of the third, Rice picked up his 4th and 5th strikeout for the first 2 outs of the inning. After giving up a 2-out single, catcher Kam Jenkins, made a great toss to Shouse who applied the tag to the runner attempting to steal 2nd for the final out of the top half of the third. In the bottom of the third, the Dragons got a 2-out walk from Brooks, but that was it. Going to the fourth, the Dragons still led the Spartans, 6-0.

The top of the fourth was the last inning for Rice. He would pick up his 6th and 7th strikeout and a ground out in a scoreless fourth to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, the Dragons got back to back 2-out hits from Harlan Will, and Trey Payne. They would be left stranded at 2nd and 3rd and they’d head to the fifth with Pickens leading West Hall, 6-0.

Tate Hales, came on in relief of Rice in the top of the fifth and looked impressive in his one inning of work. Hales, sat down the Spartans in order on just 7 pitches as he picked up a strikeout, and 2 ground outs to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Tilley led off by being hit with a pitch. Brooks, laid a bunt down the 1st base line and was able to avoid two tags to reach on the single.

Shouse, drove in Tilley on the fielder’s choice to make it 7-0. Shouse, would eventually come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 8-0 Dragons going to the sixth inning.

Jacksonville State commit JP Nunn, cam on in relief of Hales for the top of the sixth. After the lead off for the Spartans led off by getting hit with a pitch, Nunn settled in and struck out the side in his one inning of work. In the bottom of the sixth, Will and Trey Payne both reached by getting hit with pitches. Jenkins, then followed that up by drawing a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

Giddens, drove in Davin Abernathy on the sacrifice fly RBI to make it 9-0 Dragons. The game came to an end after Brooks hit a single to right field that brought in Payne to give the Dragons a 10-0 win in 6 innings.

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 2-4 with a single, a double, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Trace Ledbetter: 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, and 1 run scored

Dawson Holland: 1 walk and 1 run scored

Tyler Payne: 1-2 with a single and 2 RBI

Harlan Will: 1-1 with a single and a hit by pitch

Trey Payne: 2-2 with 2 singles, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Kam Jenkins: 1 walk

James Tilley: 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, and 2 runs scored

Evan Giddens: 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Colby Brooks: 3-3 with 3 singles, 1 walk, and 2 RBI

Davin Abernathy: 1 run scored

A.J. Rice: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K on 60 pitches

Tate Hales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 7 pitches

JP Nunn: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP, 3 K on 20 pitches

7-AAA Baseball Standings:

Pickens: 16-3 (8-1)

Lumpkin: 15-2 (8-1)

Dawson: 10-7 (6-3)

Wesleyan: 6-6 (3-3)

White County: 6-10 (1-5)

West Hall: 3-13 (1-8)

Gilmer: 6-10 (0-6)

The Dragons, will continue 7-AAA play next week as they will begin a 3-game series with their 515 rivals, the Gilmer Bobcats, on Tuesday, March 28th in Ellijay. First pitch is set for 5:55 pm.