Dragons run rule Phoenix to open season

Calhoun, Ga — It was opening day for the high school baseball season in the state of Georgia on Monday, February 10th as teams from around the state began their 2025 campaign. Two of those teams were the Pickens Dragons and the Sonoraville Phoenix. The Dragons, came in ranked 5th in AAA to start the season and were looking to continue the run of success they’ve built the past couple of seasons. Led by Auburn commit AJ Rice, and a offense that came out swinging, the Dragons, defeated the Phoenix 14-0 in five innings.

Rice and Christian Starks, would lead off the game by drawing back to back walks. Cade Sutton, would drive in Rice with an RBI double to give the Dragons an early 1-0 lead. Kam Jenkins, would follow that by knocking in Starks and Sutton with a 2-RBI double to make it 3-0 Dragons. The Phoenix, would get out of the top of the first with a pop out, and two strikeouts.

Rice, took to the mound in the bottom of the frame and started off sharp. Rice, would strikeout the side on 15 pitches to send it to the top of the second with the Dragons leading the Phoenix, 3-0.

Ezra Faber, would lead off the top of the second by getting hit with a pitch. Jennings Allen, would then reach on a fielder’s choice to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. A grounder by Rice, would move Faber and Allen to 2nd and 3rd with 1-out. Starks, would then bring in both Faber and Allen with a 2-RBI single to make it 5-0. Starks, would steal 2nd to advance into scoring position.

A grounder by Sutton, would move Starks up to 3rd. Starks, would come in to score after a pick off attempt went past the infield to make it 6-0. The Dragons, would then load the bases as Jenkins would reach on an error, Dawson Lowitt would draw a walk, and Dawson Holland would get hit with a pitch. The Phoenix, would get out of the jam after forcing a pop out to send it to the bottom of the second.

After Rice picked up his fourth straight strikeout to begin the bottom of the second, Hudson Kinman would reach base with a 1-out single. Rice, would work around that as he picked up his 5th strikeout and forced a line out to Starks. Heading to the top of the 3rd, Pickens led Sonoraville, 6-0.

Faber, would lead off the top of the third with a double. Allen and Rice, would then draw back to back walks to load the bases with nobody out. Starks, would draw a bases loaded walk to bring in Faber to make it 7-0. Sutton, would drive in Allen with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 8-0. After Jenkins would draw a walk to load the bases once again, Lowitt, would bring in both Rice and Starks with a 2-RBI single to make it 10-0 Dragons heading to the bottom of the third.

Jackson Nunn, would come on in relief of Rice in the bottom of the third. Nunn, would pick up a fly out, and two strikeouts as he worked around a 2-out single by Eli Bailiew to send it to the top of the fourth with the Dragons on top, 10-0.

Daven Abernathy, would lead off the top of the fourth by getting hit with a pitch after falling behind 0-2. Abernathy, would then take 3rd after a wild pitch. Rice, would draw another walk to put runners at the corners with 1-out. Starks, kept his big night going as he drove in both Abernathy and Rice with a 2-RBI double to make it 12-0. Starks, would then come into score on a throwing error to make it 13-0 Dragons heading to the bottom of the inning.

Nunn, on for his 2nd inning of relief, worked around a 1-out double by Will Patterson and a 2-out walk drawn by Sam Dixon to leave runners stranded at the corners. Heading to the fifth, Pickens led Sonoraville, 13-0.

Matthew Davis, would lead off the top of the fifth by drawing a walk. Coleman Keener, would then reach on a 1-out single. Rice, would drive in Davis with an RBI single to make it 14-0 Dragons. Sutton, would reach base on an error to load the bases with 2-out. The Phoenix, would pick up the strikeout to send it to the bottom of the fifth with the Dragons leading it, 14-0.

Chase Hulsey, would come on in relief of Nunn in the bottom of the fifth. Hulsey, would work around a lead off walk as he would force a ground out, and strikeout two to help seal the 14-0 win for the Dragons.

Stats for the Dragons:

AJ Rice: 1-2 with 1 single, 3 walks, 1 RBI, and 3 runs scored & 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K on 30 pitches

Christian Starks: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 2 walks, 1 steal, 5 RBI and 4 runs scored

Cade Sutton: 1-3 with 1 double, 1 walk, 1 sac fly, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-2 with 1 double, 1 walk, and 2 RBI

Dawson Lowitt: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 2 RBI

Matthew Davis: 1 walk and 1 run scored

Ezra Faber: 1-1 with 1 double, 1 hit by pitch, and 2 runs scored

Daven Abernathy: 1 hit by pitch, and 1 run scored

Jennings Allen: 1 walk and 2 runs scored

Coleman Keener: 1-2 with 1 single

Jackson Nunn: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K on 40 pitches

Chase Hulsey: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP, 2 K on 21 pitches

The Dragons, will be at Dunn Field for the 2025 home opener on Thursday, February 13th as they take on the Woodland Wildcats in non-region action. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.