Dragons score 21 runs in series opener against Dawson
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports April 2, 2024
Dawsonville, Ga — There was Monday Night Baseball on Monday, April 1st as the Pickens Dragons traveled to Dawsonville to take on the Dawson Tigers in game one of their 3-game series. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were ranked #2 in 3A, 18-3 overall, 11-1 in 7-AAA, and riding a 9-game win streak. The Tigers, came into the game ranked 7th in 3A, 14-6 overall, and 8-4 in 7-AAA. The Dragons, scored 9 runs in the second inning on the way to a 21-2 win.
In the top of the first, Tigers starter Chase Gravitt, got the Dragons in order with a ground out, a fly out, and a strikeout to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Jacson Rickett reached with a 1-out double. Julian Horner then reached to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Rickett and Horner, would then advance on a wild pitch. Elijah Odom, would bring in Rickett with an RBI ground out to make it 1-0 Tigers.
Davis Glass, would drive in Horner with a single to make it 2-0. Dragons starter Connor Shouse, would force a ground out for the 3rd out to send it to the second inning with Dawson leading Pickens, 2-0.
Kam Jenkins, got the top of the second started with a lead off single. Trace Ledbetter, would follow that up with a single of his own to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Dawson Holland, would then reach on an infield single to load the bases with nobody out. Tyler Payne, would draw a walk with the bases loaded and courtesy runner JP Nunn would come in to score to make it 2-1.
Christian Starks, would be hit with the first pitch he saw and Ledbetter would come in to tie the game at 2. A.J. Rice, would reach on an error, which would allow Holland to come in and score to give the Dragons a 3-2 lead. Shouse, would keep the line moving as he drove in pitch runner Coleman Keener and Starks with a 2-RBI single to make it 5-2. Rice, would come in to score to make it 6-2 after Trey Payne was thrown out on a dropped 3rd strike.
Jenkins, after starting the inning, came back up to bat with 2-outs. Jenkins, would get his 2nd hit of the frame as he sent one over the fence for a 2-run home run driving in Shouse and himself to make it 8-2. Ledbetter, in his 2nd at bat of the inning, hit his 2nd home run of the season to put the Dragons up 9-2. After Holland got hit with a pitch, the Tigers would finally get out of the inning to send it to the bottom of the second, Pickens leading Dawson, 9-2.
In the bottom of the second, Shouse, got the Tigers in order with 2 pop outs and a strikeout to send it to the third with Pickens leading Dawson, 9-2.
In the top of the third, Starks, would lead off with a single. After Rice flew out to right for the 1st out, Starks, would steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Shouse, would be hit with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. Starks, would come around to score from 2nd after Trey Payne reached on an error. Shouse and Payne, would pull off a double steal to advance to 2nd and 3rd.
Cade Sutton, would drive in both Shouse and Payne with a double to make it 12-2. Sutton, would advance to 3rd after a ground out by Jenkins. Ledbetter, would reach base after being hit with a pitch to put runners on the corners with 1-out. Holland, would bring in Sutton with an RBI double to make it 13-2. A single by Tyler Payne would drive in both Ledbetter and Holland to make it 15-2 Dragons going to the bottom of the third.
In the bottom of the third, after two quick outs, Horner, kept the inning alive by drawing a walk. Odom, then reached on a single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Horner and Odom would then advance to 2nd and 3rd after a wild pitch. The Tigers, would leave those runners stranded as Shouse would pick up a strikeout to send it to the fourth with Pickens leading Dawson, 15-2.
Rice, would lead off the top of the fourth by drawing a walk on a full count. Rice, would then advance to 2nd on a passed ball. After another passed ball, Rice, would find himself at 3rd. Trey Payne, would bring in Rice with an RBI ground out to make it 16-2 going to the bottom of the fourth. The bottom of the fourth was much like the previous inning as the Tigers were looking to get something going with 2-outs.
Trey Harvey, would draw a walk on a full count to reach base. Preston Bannister, would also reach base by drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Sawyer Bearden, would draw the 3rd walk of the inning on a full count to load the bases. Shouse, got out of the jam as Rickett flew out to center for the 3rd out. Going to the fifth, Pickens led Dawson, 16-2.
Kyle Grno, would come on to hit for the Dragons to lead off the top of the fifth and he would reach base on an error. Dylan Walls, would reach after a 1-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. A grounder by Sam Hammontree would advance both Grno and Walls to 2nd and 3rd with 2-outs. Starks, would draw a walk on a full count to load the bases. Rice, would also draw a walk to bring in Grno to make it 17-2 Dragons.
Shouse, would clear the bases after a grand slam to make it 21-2 Dragons. The Tigers, would get out of the fifth after a fly out. Going to the bottom of the fifth, Pickens led Dawson, 21-2. Tate Hales, came on in relief of Shouse in the bottom of the fifth. Hales, would toss a scoreless frame with 2 ground outs and a fly out as the Dragons would take game 1, 21-2 in 5 innings.
Stats for the Dragons:
Connor Shouse: 2-4 with a single, a home run, 1 HBP, 1 steal, 3 runs scored, and 6 RBI (4 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 6 K, on 85 pitches)
Trey Payne: 1 steal, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI
Cade Sutton: 1-4 with 1 double, 1 run scored, and 2 RBI
Kam Jenkins: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 home run, 1 run scored, and 2 RBI
Trace Ledbetter: 2-3 with a single, a home run, 3 runs scored, and 1 RBI
Dawson Holland: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 1 HBP, 2 runs scored, and 1 RBI
Tyler Payne: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 3 RBI
Christian Starks: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 3 runs scored, and 1 RBI
A.J. Rice: 2 walks, 3 runs scored, and 1 RBI
Dylan Walls: 1-1 with a single, and 1 run scored
Kyle Grno: 1 run scored
Coleman Keener: 1 run scored
JP Nunn: 1 run scored
Tate Hales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, on 12 pitches
With the win, the Dragons run their win streak up to 10 games. The series will now shift over to Jasper as game 2 will be played at Dunn Field on Thursday, April 4th. First pitch time set for 5:55 pm.
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