Starks Ks 10 as Dragons defeat Wildcats

Jasper, Ga — After opening up the 2025 season with a road win at Sonoraville on Monday, February 10th, the Pickens Dragons, were home for the first time as they took on the Woodland Wildcats in non-region action. The Wildcats, were coming off a 14-0 win over the Rome Wolves on Monday. Behind a stellar performance on the mound by Christian Starks, and a 4-RBI night by Sam Hammontree, the Dragons, were able to pick up a 12-2 win in 5 innings.

Starks, started off the ball game hot as he would strikeout the side on 12 pitches in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the first, Auburn commit A.J. Rice, would just barely miss a lead off home run as he would slide in for a triple. Starks, would then help himself out as he would bring Rice in on an RBI ground out. Back to back singles from Cade Sutton and Kam Jenkins, would put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out.

Sutton, would advance to 3rd after a fly out by Dawson Lowit. Sutton, would then come in to score after a throwing error by the pitcher. Courtesy runner Coleman Keener, would make it all the way to 3rd on the error. Jennings Allen, would drive in Keener with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Dragons. Hammontree, would make good use of the wind as he belted a 2-run home run over the left field fence to make it 5-0 Dragons heading to the second.

It was more of the same for Starks in the top of the second as he would again strike out the side to send it to the bottom of the inning with the Dragons leading the Wildcats, 5-0. In the bottom of the second, Rice, would reach by drawing a full count walk with 1-out. Rice, would then advance to 2nd after a pick off throw got past the 1st baseman. Rice, would then steal 3rd. Rice, would score after Sutton would reach on a 2-base error to make it 6-0 heading to the third.

Starks, facing the bottom of the Wildcats order in the top of the third, would again strike out the side to bring his total up to 9 for the game. In the bottom half of the third, Lowit, would reach after getting hit with a pitch. Allen, would reach base after a fielder’s choice as Lowit would be forced out at 2nd. Dawson Holland, would reach with a 2-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd.

The Wildcats, would force a pop up to end the potential scoring threat. Heading to the fourth, the Dragons, led Woodland, 6-0.

Starks, started off the top of the fourth by recording his 10th strikeout in a row. He would end his outing by forcing a pair of ground outs to send it to the bottom of the frame with the Dragons still leading, 6-0. Rice, led off the bottom of the fourth with a double. Starks, would then reach base after getting hit with a pitch. A grounder from Sutton, would move Rice and Starks over to 2nd and 3rd.

Jenkins, would then be hit with a pitch to load the bases with 1-out. Lowit, would be hit with a pitch for the second time as Rice would come in to score to make it 7-0. The Dragons, would leave the bases loaded as Woodland would force a pop out, and a ground out to send it to the fifth with Pickens leading the Wildcats, 7-0.

Ezra Faber, would come on in relief of Starks in the top of the fifth. The Wildcats, would get on the board as they plated 2 runs on 1 hit, 1 hit by pitch, and a couple of walks to cut the Dragons lead down to 7-2. Holland, would lead off the bottom of the fifth by drawing a walk. Faber, would follow that up by also drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Rice, would advance Holland over to 3rd after a fly out to right.

Starks, would drive in Holland with an RBI single to make it 8-2. Faber and Starks, would then pull off a double steal to advance to 2nd and 3rd. A wild pitch, would allow Faber to score and move Starks over to 3rd. After Jenkins would draw a walk, Lowit, would be hit by a pitch for the third straight at bat to load the bases. Allen, would then draw a bases loaded walk to make it 10-2 Dragons.

Hammontree, would come up to bat looking to potentially end the ball game with a walk-off. He would do just that as he would split the left center gap with a 2-RBI double to give the Dragons a 12-2 win in five innings.

Stats for the Dragons:

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

Christian Starks: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 HBP, 1 steal, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored & 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K on 55 pitches

Cade Sutton: 1-4 with 1 single, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 HBP, and 1 walk

Dawson Lowit: 3 HBP, and 1 RBI

Jennings Allen: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 walk, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Sam Hammontree: 2-4 with 1 home run, 1 double, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Dawson Holland: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 1 run scored

Ezra Faber: 1 walk, 1 steal, and 1 run scored

Coleman Keener: 1 run scored

The Dragons, will be back on the road on Friday, February 14th as they head up to take on the Bruins of Northwest Whitfield in a battle of old region rivals. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.