Jasper, Ga — The 3A State Baseball Tournament began on Tuesday, April 23rd as the Pickens Dragons welcomed the Adairsville Tigers to Dunn Field for a double header as part of a best of three series. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were 25-5 overall, the #1 seed out of 7-AAA, and ranked #2 in AAA. The Tigers, came into the game 15-9 overall, and the #4 seed out of 6-AAA. The Dragons, were able to pull out a sweep to advance to the Sweet 16.

 

Game 1:

Dragons starter Connor Shouse, got off to a good start in the top of the first as he forced a line out, and two ground outs to send it to the bottom of the frame. Shouse, would lead off the bottom of the first by lacing a double down the left field line. Trey Payne, would follow that by reaching on an error to put runners at 1st and 3rd. As Payne stole 2nd, the throw got through the infield which would allow both Shouse and Payne to score to make it 2-0 Dragons.

Later on in the inning, Trace Ledbetter, would reach with a 2-out single. Christian Starks, would follow with a single of his own. Kyle Grno, drove in Ledbetter with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Dragons. Starks would advance to 3rd and Grno would advance to 2nd on the play. Starks, would come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 Dragons going to the second.

 

After Shouse the first two outs to start the top of the second, Ryan Farr, would pick up the first hit for the Tigers with a 2-out double. Shouse, would work around that as he forced a grounder to 1st for the third out. A.J. Rice, would lead off the bottom of the second with a single. Rice, would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Payne, would move Rice over to 3rd with a 1-out single.

Cade Sutton, would drive in Rice with an RBI single to make it 5-0 Dragons. The Tigers, would get out of the second with a double play. Going to the third, Pickens led Adairsville, 5-0.

 

In the top of the third, Harrison Cole, would reach with a 1-out walk. Cole, would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Peyton Bowen, would bring in Cole with an RBI single to make it 5-1. Jarrett Scott, would be hit with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-outs. The inning would come to an end as Braxton Ryan would be called out due to running inside the baseline.

Ledbetter, would lead off the bottom of the third by legging out a triple. Grno, would bring in Ledbetter with an RBI ground out to make it 6-1 Dragons. Dawson Holland, would keep the inning alive for the Dragons as he would lace a 2-out triple to center. The Tigers, would force a pop out to get out of the third and send it to the fourth with Pickens leading Adairsville, 6-1.

 

In the top of the fourth, Jack Nelson, would lead off with a ground rule double. Farr, would then draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Landon O’Neal, would then reach on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Hayden Blalock, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Nelson would come in to score to make it 6-2. After Shouse picked up a strikeout, the Dragons turned a 5-2-3 double play to send it to the bottom of the fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth, after two quick outs, Sutton would draw a walk on a full count to reach. Kam Jenkins, would then be hit with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-outs. The Tigers, would force a line out to left to get out of the fourth. Going to the fifth, Pickens led Adairsville, 6-2.

 

In the top of the fifth, Cason Cannon came on in relief of Shouse. Scott, would reach with a 1-out single. Cannon, would pick up a fly out and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the inning. Starks, would lead off the bottom of the fifth by lining one to center and coming in to score for an inside the park home run to make it 7-2. Rice, would reach with a bunt single with 2-out to keep the inning going.

Shouse, would then hit his 2nd double of the game as he drove in Rice to make it 8-2 Dragons going to the sixth.

 

In the top of the sixth, Cannon, on for his second inning of relief, picked up the first two outs of the inning via strikeout and line out. Blalock, would keep the inning alive for the Tigers as he reached with a 2-out single. Blalock, would be forced out at 2nd as Shouse just beat Blalock to the bag. Sutton, would lead off the bottom of the sixth by reaching on an error. Jenkins, would also reach on an error to put runners at 1st and 2nd with no one out.

Ledbetter, would then lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Sutton over to 3rd, and courtesy runner Ezra Faber over to 2nd. A 1-out single by Starks would drive in both Sutton and Faber to make it 10-2 Dragons. The Tigers, would get out of the sixth with a double play. Going to the seventh, Pickens led Adairsville, 10-2.

 

JP Nunn came on in relief of Cannon in the top of the seventh. Nunn, would pick up a strikeout and a fly out for the first two outs. Scott, would then reach by drawing a 2-out walk. Nunn, would close it out with a strikeout as the Dragons took game one, 10-2.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 2-4 with 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 steal, and 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 1 K, on 68 pitches

Trey Payne: 1-4 with 1 single and 1 run scored

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

Kam Jenkins: 1 hit by pitch

Trace Ledbetter: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 triple, 1 sacrifice bunt, and 2 runs scored

Christian Starks: 3-4 with 2 singles, 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Kyle Grno: 1-4 with 1 single and 1 RBI

Dawson Holland: 1-2 with 1 triple, and 1 walk

A.J. Rice: 2-3 with 2 singles and 2 runs scored

Ezra Faber: 1 run scored

Cason Cannon: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 33 pitches

JP Nunn: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K on 20 pitches

 

Game 2:

For the second game, the Dragons would be labeled as the “visitors”. Connor Shouse, would lead off by drawing a a full count walk Shouse, would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Trey Payne, would follow by also drawing a walk on a full count to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. In what looked like an attempted hit and run situation, Shouse would be thrown out at 3rd, while Payne would steal 2nd.

Cade Sutton, would then draw the third full count walk of the inning to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Kam Jenkins, would move the runners over after a ground out to 3rd. Trace Ledbetter, would then be hit by a pitch to load the bases with 2-out. Ledbetter, would be forced out at 2nd as the Tigers got out of the inning with no damage done. In the bottom of the first, Dragons starter James Tilley, would pick up a fly out and a strikeout for the first two outs.

Jarrett Scott, kept the inning going for the Tigers with a 2-out single. Tilley, would get out of the first with his 2nd strikeout. Going to the second, Pickens and Adairsville were tied at 0.

 

In the top of the second, Dawson Holland, would be hit by a pitch with 1-out. Holland, would have to exit the game and Kyle Grno would come in to replace him. A.J. Rice, would lace a 1-out double to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. The Tigers, would then choose to intentionally walk Shouse to load the bases. Trey Payne, would draw his 2nd walk of the game as Grno would come in to score to make it 1-0 Dragons.

Jenkins, would drive in both Rice and Shouse with a 2-RBI single to make it 3-0. Payne, would be thrown out at home trying to score from 1st. In the bottom of the second, Landon O’Neal, would draw a 2-out walk to reach. Hudson Parr, would follow by drawing a full count walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Harrison Cole, would draw the third straight 2-out walk to load the bases.

PJ Weeks, would drive in courtesy runner Evan Hardin and Parr with a 2-RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2. Weeks, would then steal 2nd to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. Peyton Bowen, would draw the fourth walk of the inning to load the bases. Tilley and the Dragons, would get out of the second after a ground out. Going to the third, Pickens led Adairsville, 3-2.

 

In the top of the third, Tyler Payne kept the inning going by getting hit by a pitch with 2-outs. The Tigers, would get out of the third with a ground out. Tigers starting pitcher Jack Nelson, would reach in the bottom of the third with a 1-out single. Ryan Farr, would then follow with a single as courtesy runner Dutch Hernandez would advance to 2nd. O’Neal, would ground out to 1st, moving the runners over to 2nd and 3rd.

Tilley, would get out of the jam by picking up a strikeout to send it to the fourth with Pickens leading Adairsville, 3-2.

 

Rice, would lead off the top of the fourth with his 2nd hit of the game. Rice, would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. After a ground out, Trey Payne, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Rice would be forced out. Payne, would then advance by stealing 2nd. Payne, would get thrown out trying to steal 3rd to send it to the bottom of the fourth. Cole, would lead off the bottom of the fourth by reaching on a single. An error would advance Cole to 2nd.

After a pop out and a ground out, Scott would drive in Cole with a single to tie the game at 3. Braxton Ryan, would then be hit with a pitch to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. Nelson, would help himself out as he drove in pitch runner McCayden Hufstetler with an RBI double to make it 4-3 Tigers. Brodie Keener, would come on in relief of Tilley and would get out of the fourth with one pitch. Going to the fifth, Adairsville led Pickens, 4-3.

 

In the top of the fifth, Jenkins, would reach by drawing a 1-out walk. Ledbetter, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as courtesy runner JP Nunn was forced out at 2nd. Nelson, would force a ground out to get out of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Keener, working his first full inning of relief, forced a ground out and two pop outs to send it to the sixth with Adairsville leading Pickens, 4-3.

 

In the top of the sixth, Rice, would reach on an error with 2-outs. Shouse, would move Rice to 3rd with a double. Nelson and the Tigers, would get out of the jam with a fly out to center. Weeks, would lead off the bottom of the sixth by drawing a full count walk, Bowen, would move Weeks over to 2nd after a sacrifice bunt. After intentionally walking Scott, Keener, forced a pop out and a line out to send it to the seventh, Tigers leading 4-3.

 

In the top of the seventh, Jenkins, would make it to 2nd on an error with 1-out. Ledbetter, would advance courtesy runner Ezra Faber, over to 3rd after a ground out. Christian Starks, would sneak a single past the diving first baseman to bring in Faber to tie the game at 4. In the bottom of the seventh, Cason Cannon, came on in relief of Keener. Cannon, picked up a fly out and two strikeouts to send it to the eighth, all tied up at 4.

 

In the top of the eighth, Rice, would draw a walk with 1-out. Shouse, would then be intentionally walked to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Trey Payne, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Shouse would be forced out at 2nd. Rice, would come home to score after an error on the play to make it 5-4 Dragons. Payne, would end up at 2nd on the play. Sutton, would be hit with a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-out.

The Tigers, would get out of the eighth with just the one run scored as they forced a fly out. In the bottom of the eighth, Cole, would lead off by drawing a walk. After a fly out by Weeks for the first out, Cole, would move into scoring position after stealing 2nd. Bowen, would then draw a walk to put the potential game winning run on. JP Nunn, would come on in relief of Cannon to try to close it out for the Dragons.

As Nunn, picked up a strikeout for the second out, Cole would steal 3rd to put runners at 1st and 3rd with 2-outs. Nunn, would pick up his 2nd strikeout to close it out for the Dragons as Pickens took game two, 5-4 in eight innings.

 

Stats for the Dragons in game 2:

Connor Shouse: 1-2 with 1 double, 3 walks, 1 steal, and 1 run scored

Trey Payne: 2 walks, 2 steals, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Cade Sutton: 1 walk and 1 hit by pitch

Kam Jenkins: 1-4 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 2 RBI

Trace Ledbetter: 1 hit by pitch

Christian Starks: 1-3 with 1 single

Tyler Payne: 1 hit by pitch

A.J. Rice: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 steal, and 2 runs scored

Ezra Faber: 1 run scored

Brodie Keener: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB on 19 pitches

Cason Cannon: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K on 28 pitches

JP Nunn: .2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K on 8 pitches

 

With the sweep of the best of three series, the Dragons move on to the Sweet 16 where they will host the Hebron Christian Lions. The Lions, are the #2 seed out of region 8-AAA. The Lions, had little trouble in their first round series sweeping Cedar Grove. The best of three series is set to begin with a double header on Monday at Dunn Field. The “If” game, will be on Tuesday. That game will also be at Dunn Field.