Jasper, Ga — It was a gorgeous day to play two on Tuesday, March 12th as the Pickens Dragons hosted the White County Warriors for a doubleheader in 7-AAA action. Coming into the game, the Dragons were 9-3 overall, and 2-1 in region play. The Warriors, were 8-4 overall, and also 2-1 in region play. Dragons starters Connor Shouse and James Tilley, were masterful in both games as they both threw complete game shutouts in a pair of 4-0 wins.

Game 1:

Shouse, started game 1 of the doubleheader and he pitched beautifully. In the top of the first, Shouse fired a 1-2-3 inning on 9 pitches to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Trace Ledbetter reached base with a 1-out single. He would be left stranded and they would head to the second, tied at 0.

In the top of the second, Shouse picked up his 2nd and 3rd strikeout, as well as a ground out in a scoreless frame. The Dragons, would go down in order in the bottom half of the inning. Going to the top of the third, Pickens and White County were still tied at 0.

Shouse, threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third as he tossed two more Ks and forced a grounder. In the bottom of the third, the Dragons, got back to back hits from Christian Starks and AJ Rice to start the frame. Rice, would then steal 2nd to put a pair of runners in scoring position. The Warriors, were able to get out of it with a ground out, a pop out, and a strikeout. Going to the fourth, Pickens and White County were still tied at 0.

In the top of the fourth, Shouse, tossed a scoreless inning on 8 pitches recording two strikeouts and a ground out. In the bottom of the fourth, Tyler Payne led off with a single. That would be all for the Dragons in the fourth however as they’d head to the fifth, tied at 0.

In the top of the fifth, Shouse, had a 9-pitch frame with a fly out and two more strikeouts to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom half of the fifth, Trey Payne would lead off with a single. Payne, would then advance to 3rd on a 2-base error by the catcher. Starks, would drive in Payne with an RBI single. Rice, would follow with a double. Shouse, would the hit a double down the left field line to score Starks and Rice.

After a sacrifice bunt from Ledbetter moved Shouse to 3rd, Cade Sutton would drive Shouse in with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Dragons going to the top of the sixth.

In the top of the sixth, on a 3-2 count, Shouse, threw what looked like strike 3, but it was called a ball for a lead off walk. Up until then Shouse had been perfect. The next batter would be hit by the first pitch. Shouse, would settle down and come back by striking out the side. In the bottom of the sixth, Starks, reached on a 2-out error. He would be left stranded at 2nd. Going to the seventh, Pickens led White County, 4-0.

In the top of the seventh, Shouse, finished off a complete game no hit shutout with two ground outs to Sutton and a fly out to Holland on three consecutive pitches as the Dragons took game 1 of the doubleheader, 4-0.

Stats for the Dragons in game 1:

Connor Shouse: 1-3 with a double, 2 RBI, 1 run scored & 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 12 K on 73 pitches

Trace Ledbetter: 1-2 with a single and a sacrifice bunt

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

Tyler Payne: 1-3 with a single

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

Christian Starks: 2-3 with 2 singles, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

AJ Rice: 2-3 with a single, a double, and 1 run scored

Game 2:

James Tilley started game 2 of the doubleheader for the Dragons and he tossed a heck of a game. In the top of the first, Tilley worked around a 1-out error to strikeout the side. In the bottom of the inning, Connor Shouse led off by reaching on an error. Shouse, would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Trace Ledbetter, would advance Shouse to 3rd on a grounder. After Cade Sutton reached on a fielder’s choice, Tyler Payne would bring in Shouse on a grounder.

After advancing to 3rd on the Payne ground out, Sutton, would come into score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Dragons going to the top of the second.

In the top of the second, Tilley would work around a lead off single as he struck out 2 and forced a fly out in a scoreless frame. The Dragons, would go down in order in the bottom of the second as they would go to the third with Pickens leading White County, 2-0.

In the top of the third, Tilley, threw a 1-2-3 inning as he got two pop outs and his 6th strikeout of the game. In the bottom half of the frame, AJ Rice, would lead off with a single. Shouse, would follow that up with a single as Rice would advance to 3rd. Shouse, would then steal 2nd to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. The Warriors, would turn a double play as Ledbetter would be thrown out on a dropped 3rd strike, and Rice would be thrown out trying to score.

Shouse, who never stopped running on the play, took 3rd, then had the presence of mind to go home as nobody was covering the plate. Going to the top of the fourth, Pickens led White County, 3-0.

In the top of the fourth, Tilley, struck out the side in-between a catchers interference ruling to bring his total up to 9 on the night. In the bottom of the inning, Kam Jenkins reached after a 1-out double. Trey Payne, would bring in Jenkins’ courtesy runner JP Nunn, with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Dragons going to the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, Tilley, got around a 1-out double to pick up his 10th strikeouts, a ground out, and a pop out to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the fifth, Shouse, would lead off with a single. After the Warriors got Ledbetter to fly out to center, they forced an inning ending double play to send it to the sixth with Pickens leading, 4-0.

In the top of the sixth, Tilley, tossed another scoreless inning as he picked up his 11th and 12th strike out, a long with a fly out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, the Dragons would go down in order on a ground out, a fly out, and a line out. Going to the seventh, Pickens led White County, 4-0.

In the top of the seventh, Tilley finished off a masterful start by striking out the side to give him 15 on the night. The Dragons, take game 2, 4-0, to sweep the doubleheader.

Stats for the Dragons in game 2:

Connor Shouse: 2-3 with 2 singles and 2 runs scored

Cade Sutton: 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with a double

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

AJ Rice: 1-2 with a single

JP Nunn: 1 run scored

James Tilley: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 15 K on 101 pitches

With the sweep of the doubleheader, the Dragons take the series from the White County Warriors. The third and final game of the series will be on Thursday, March 14th in Cleveland, Ga. First pitch set for 5:55 pm.