Dragons open series with big win against Dawson

Jasper, Ga — It was another beautiful day for high school baseball as the Pickens Dragons welcomed the Dawson Tigers to Dunn Field on Tuesday, March 4th for game 1 of 3 in 7-AAA. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were in 1st place in 7-AAA and had won 12 games in a row. For the Tigers, they came into the game in 3rd place in 7-AAA having taken 2 out of 3 from Lumpkin last week. The Dragons, got some great hitting and some clutch pitching down the stretch to take game 1, 5-3.

 

In the top of the first, Dragons starter Connor Shouse, sat the Tigers down in order with a fly out, a ground out, and a strikeout to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Shouse led off with a double. Trace Ledbetter, followed that up with a single. Trey Payne, brought in Shouse with the RBI ground out to make it 1-0 Dragons going to the second.

 

In the top of the second, Shouse got 2 quick outs with a pop up to 2nd and strikeout. The Tigers, got their first base runner of the game after being hit with a pitch. Shouse, got out of the top of the second on the very next pitch with a fly out to center. In the bottom of the second, James Tilley led off by drawing a walk. Christian Starks, then moved him over with a sacrifice bunt. Evan Giddens, drove in Tilley with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 2-0 Dragons.

Colby Brooks, kept the inning going by reaching on a bunt single. He would then find himself in scoring position after stealing 2nd base. Tiger starter Trey Harvey, got out of the second as he induced a grounder to 3rd for the final out. Going to the third, the Dragons led the Tigers, 2-0.

 

In the top of the third, the Tigers picked up their first hit of the game with a 1-out single. After Shouse struck out his 4th batter of the game, the Tigers got another base runner after a hit by pitch. Shouse, picked up his 5th K of the game as he ended up striking out the side in the top of the third. In the bottom half of the inning, Trey Payne reached with a 1-out single. He then made it all the way to 3rd after a throwing error on a pick off attempt.

Tyler Payne, then brought in Trey Payne with the RBI ground out to make it 3-0 Dragons going to the top of the fourth.

 

In the top of the fourth, the Tigers led off with back to back singles. The 6th strikeout from Shouse was the first out of the inning. A wild pitch brought the Tigers first run of the game to make it 3-1 Dragons. A sacrifice fly RBI to center brought in the Tigers 2nd run of the inning to make it 3-2. The Dragons, got out of the inning with a ground out. Going to the bottom of the fourth, it was now 3-2 Dragons.

In the bottom of the fourth, Tilley led off by reaching on an error. Starks, followed that up by reaching on a single on the very next pitch. Giddens, laid down a great sacrifice bunt to move them over to 2nd and 3rd. Harvey, then got Brooks to pop out for the 2nd out. The Tigers, then chose to intentionally walk Shouse to load the bases. The Tigers, got out of the jam with a grounder to 1st. Going to the fifth, it was still 3-2 Dragons.

 

In the top of the fifth, the lead off man for the Tigers reached on a single. Shouse, who was still on the mound, forced a grounder that went to shortstop A.J. Rice, who took it himself to 2nd and then fired to 1st base for the double play. Shouse, then got a fly out to right on the next pitch to send it to the bottom of the frame. Trey Payne, led off the bottom of the fifth with his 2nd single of the game. The Tigers, then got a double play of their own for the 1st and 2nd out.

Kam Jenkins, kept the inning alive for the Dragons with a 2-out single. Tilley, drew his 2nd walk of the game to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2 outs. The Tigers, got a grounder to 3rd for the third out of the frame. Going to the sixth, the Dragons were still holding on to a 3-2 lead.

 

In the top of the sixth, the Tigers had batters hit with back to back pitches to begin the inning. JP Nunn, then came on in relief of Shouse to try to keep the Dragons in the lead. Nunn, picked up a strikeout, then got a come backer and the out at 2nd for the second out, then a fly out to right for the 3rd out and to keep the lead intact for the Dragons. In the bottom of the sixth, Giddens, reached on a lead off full count walk.

Brooks, then moved Giddens over with a sacrifice bunt. Shouse, was then rung up on a pitch that looked to be outside for the 2nd out. Ledbetter, was then hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive. Tee Knight, then came in to run for Ledbetter and he and Giddens advanced after a passed ball. Trey Payne, came up with a massive hit for the Dragons as he drove in both Giddens and Knight with the 2-RBI single to make it 5-2 going to the seventh.

 

In the top of the seventh, the Tigers got their lead off man on with a single. After a long at bat, the Tigers picked up a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. The Tigers, followed those up with a single to load the bases with no outs. A grounder to 2nd led to a run scoring for Dawson making it 5-3. After Nunn picked up his 2nd K for the second out, the Tigers would again load the bases after a hit by pitch.

With the bases loaded, 2-outs, and his team up by 2 runs, Nunn locked in and picked up the 3rd and final out of the game with a strikeout on 3 pitches to preserve the 5-3 win for the Dragons.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 1-3 with a double, 1 walk, and 1 run scored & 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 HBP, 6 K on 77 pitches

Trace Ledbetter: 1-3 with a single, and 1 hit by pitch

Trey Payne: 3-4 with 3 singles, 3 RBI, and 1 run scored

Tyler Payne: 1 RBI

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with a single

James Tilley: 2 walks and 1 run scored

Christian Starks: 1-2 with a single and a sacrifice bunt

Evan Giddens: sacrifice fly, sacrifice bunt, 1 walk, 1 RBI and 1 run scored

Colby Brooks: 1-2 with a single, and a sacrifice bunt

JP Nunn: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K on 30 pitches

Tee Knight: 1 run scored

 

The Dragons, will be back on the ball field on Wednesday, April 5th as they head to Dawsonville to take on the Dawson Tigers in game 2 of the series. First pitch is set for 5:55 pm.