Jasper, Ga — It’s time for region baseball in 7-AAA as the Pickens Dragons hosted the Wesleyan Wolves at Dunn Field on Wednesday, March 6th. The Dragons, were coming off a successful trip to Hoover, Alabama where they went 3-1 against some of the top teams in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The 3-game series against the Wolves, was set to begin on Tuesday, March 5th, but the rain forced it to be moved to a doubleheader on Wednesday. The Dragons, used a good combination of hitting and pitching as the #2 team in AAA swept the doubleheader.

Game 1:

The Dragons, were classified as the “away” team for game one since these two teams didn’t get to play at Wesleyan on Tuesday. Cade Sutton, got on with a 2-out walk, but that would be it for Pickens in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning, Dragons starter Connor Shouse, worked around a 2-out walk as he struck out two and forced a ground out to send it to the second with the score tied at 0.

In the top of the second, the Dragons would go down in order after a pair of ground outs and a pop out. In the bottom half of the frame, Shouse would pick up his 3rd strikeout. The inning ended when catcher Kam Jenkins threw out a runner attempting to steal 3rd. Going to the top of the third, the game was still scoreless.

To begin the third inning, Trey Payne was able to leg out an infield single for the Dragons first hit. AJ Rice, followed by drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. On the very next pitch, Shouse, sent a screaming line drive home run over the left center field wall to put the Dragons up 3-0. Trace Ledbetter, followed that up with a double and Sutton reached with a single.

Dawson Holland, kept the train moving as he drove in pitch runner Sam Dart with an RBI single to make it 4-0. Christian Starks, would bring in Sutton with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 5-0. The Wolves, were able to get out of the top of the third with the Dragons leading, 5-0. After giving up a double and a single with 1-out, Shouse was able to get out of the inning with no damage done. Going to the fourth, Pickens led Wesleyan, 5-0.

The Dragons, worked a little 2-out magic in the top of the fourth as Ledbetter drew a walk, looking to start a rally. He would then advance all the way to 3rd as the catcher overthrew the first baseman trying to throw out Ledbetter. Sutton, added to his day as he drove in Ledbetter with an RBI single to make it 6-0. Shouse, threw a clean inning in the bottom of the fourth as he picked up a fly out, and his 7th and 8th K of the game. Going to the fifth, the Dragons led, 6-0.

Starks, started off the top of the fifth by drawing a walk. Jenkins, followed that up with a single. Tyler Payne, would then bring in Starks with an RBI single to make it 7-0. Later on, Ledbetter, would draw a bases loaded walk that brought in courtesy runner JP Nunn to make it 8-0 Dragons. The bottom of the fifth was another clean inning for Shouse as he picked up his 9th and 10th K’s of the game. Going to the sixth, Pickens led Wesleyan, 8-0.

Holland, began the sixth with a single to reach base. Jenkins, would then reach on an error as both he and Holland would advance on the play. James Tilley, would bring in Holland with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 9-0. Tate Hales, came on in relief of Shouse in the bottom of the sixth and worked a scoreless frame to send it to the seventh with the Dragons leading, 9-0.

The Dragons, would go down in order in the top of the seventh after two ground outs and a fly out. Starks, came on in relief of Hales in the bottom of the seventh and he was able to close things out to give the Dragons the win in game 1, 9-0.

Stats for the Dragons in game 1:

Connor Shouse: 1-5 with a home run, 3 RBI, & 1 run scored (5 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 10 K on 76 pitches)

Trace Ledbetter: 1-3 with a double, 2 walks, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI

Cade Sutton: 2-3 with 2 singles, 1 walk, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI

Dawson Holland: 2-4 with 2 singles, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI

Christian Starks: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 walk, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, on 12 pitches)

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with a single and a sacrifice bunt

Tyler Payne: 1-1 with 1 single, and 1 RBI

James Tilley: 1 RBI

Trey Payne: 1-3 with a single, a sacrifice bunt, and 1 run scored

AJ Rice: 2 walks, and 1 run scored

Sam Dart: 1 run scored

JP Nunn: 1 run scored

Tate Hales: 1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 HBP, 1 K on 11 pitches

Game 2:

Game 2 began with James Tilley on the mound for the Dragons. After giving up back to back hits to start the first inning, he was able to pick up 2 k’s and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the inning, Connor Shouse led off with a single. He then stole 2nd to get into scoring position. After a grounder by Trace Ledbetter, Shouse held up in a rundown long enough for Ledbetter to reach 2nd.

Dawson Holland, would drive in Ledbetter with an RBI double to make it 1-0. Christian Starks, followed that up with a single to put runners at the corners with 2 out. As Starks attempted to steal 2nd, the ball got through the infield which allowed Holland to score to make it 2-0. Kam Jenkins, would bring in Starks with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Dragons going to the second.

In the top of the second, Tilley, worked around a pair of hits to strikeout the side to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the inning, the Dragons, would go down in order on 2 k’s and a fly out to send it to the third with the Dragons still leading the Wolves, 3-0.

In the top of the third, Tilley, had his first clean inning as he picked up his 6th K of the game and a pair of ground outs to keep Wesleyan scoreless. In the bottom of the third, the Dragons would go down 1-2-3 on two pop outs and a strikeout. Going to the fourth, the Dragons led the Wolves, 3-0.

In the top of the fourth, Tilley, worked around a hit and a stolen base to pick up a ground out, and his 7th and 8th K. The Dragons, would add to their lead in the bottom of the inning as Jenkins would reach on a single with 1-out. His courtesy runner, JP Nunn, would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Designated hitter Tyler Payne, would drive in Nunn with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Dragons going to the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, the Wolves would cut into the lead as they scored a run after three straight hits. Tilley, did a good job of limiting Wesleyan to only the one run as they headed to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Shouse, led off with a single. After Shouse stole 2nd and 3rd, Ledbetter drove him in with an RBI double. Cade Sutton, would bring pitch runner Sam Dart in with an RBI single to make it 6-1 Dragons going to the sixth.

In the top of the sixth, the Wolves would once again cut into the lead as they would score a pair of runs on a couple of hits. Going to the bottom of the inning, Pickens now led Wesleyan, 6-3. In the bottom of the sixth, the Dragons would get back to back hits by Trey Payne and AJ Rice to pur runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. The Wolves, were able to get out of the jam with a double play to send it to the seventh with the Dragons leading, 6-3.

JP Nunn, came on to close it out in the top of the seventh and he would do just that. Nunn, sat the Wolves down in order on just 6 pitches to get the save and preserve the 6-3 win for the Dragons.

Stats for the Dragons in game 2:

Connor Shouse: 2-4 with 2 singles, 3 stolen bases, and 1 run scored

Trace Ledbetter: 1-3 with a double, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Cade Sutton: 1-3 with a single and 1 RBI

Dawson Holland: 1-2 with a double, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Christian Starks: 1-3 with a single, and 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 2-3 with 2 singles, and 1 RBI

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

Trey Payne: 1-3 with a single

AJ Rice: 1-3 with a single

Sam Dart: 1 run scored

James Tilley: 5 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 H, 9 K on 66 pitches

Brodie Keener: 1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 K on 25 pitches

JP Nunn: 1 run scored and 1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB on 6 pitches

With the sweep of the doubleheader the Dragons take their first 7-AAA series of the season. The 3-game set against Wesleyan will conclude with game 3 on Thursday, March 7th at Wesleyan. First pitch set for 5:55 pm.