Jasper, Ga — On Friday, March 21st, the Pickens Dragons welcomed the Lumpkin Indians to Dunn Field for the third and final game of their three game set. The Dragons, took game one on Tuesday, while the Indians, took game two on Thursday. The Dragons, would hang on for a 5-3 win after scoring five runs early on as the Indians tried to rally late.

In the top of the first, Dragons starter Christian Starks, picked up the first two outs of the inning via pop out and strikeout. Mason Hester, would keep the inning alive by drawing a walk. He would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Hester, would then attempt to steal 3rd, but would be thrown out to send it to the bottom of the frame. A.J. Rice, would lead off the bottom of the first with a single.

Rice, would then advance to 2nd on a passed ball. Starks, would bring in Rice with an RBI single to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead. Cade Sutton, would follow that with a single of his own to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. After Hester picked up a strikeout for the first out, Dawson Lowit, would drive in Starks with an RBI single to make it 2-0 Dragons.

Hester, would get out of the first after back to back pop outs. Heading to the second, Pickens led Lumpkin, 2-0.

In the top of the second, Starks, would toss a scoreless inning with a line out, a strikeout, and a pop out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the second, Ezra Faber, would lead off with a single. Jennings Allen, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Faber would be forced out at 2nd. After a pop out for the second out, Starks, would reach on a single and then advance to 2nd on an error which allowed Allen to come in to score to make it 3-0.

Sutton, would then get a hold of one and send it over the left field fence for a 2-run home run to make it 5-0 Dragons. Kam Jenkins, would keep the inning going after being hit with a pitch. Hester, would get out of the second with a pop out. Heading to the third, the Dragons led the Indians, 5-0.

Starks, would keep up the momentum built from the first two innings as he would toss a scoreless third with a pair of strikeouts and a ground out. In the bottom of the third, Hester, would toss his first scoreless frame with a pop out, a fly out, and a strikeout to send it to the fourth with the Dragons leading, 5-0.

In the top of the fourth, the Indians, would look to get something going after a lead off double and a walk. The Indians, would have another runner thrown out trying to steal 3rd for the first out. Starks, would then force a ground out to start a 6-4-3 double play to send it to the bottom of the fourth. Hester, would get out of the fourth with no harm down as he picked up a ground out, a fly out, and a strikeout to send it to the fifth with the Dragons still leading, 5-0.

In the top of the fifth, Matthew Mitchell, would lead off with a single. Mitchell, would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Jayzen Johnson, would then draw a walk to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Tyler Cortes, would then reach on a single to load the bases. Kendal Lee, would bring in Mitchell by drawing a walk to make it 5-1. Carson Horton, would bring in Johnson on the fielder’s choice to make it 5-2.

Cortez, would then advance to 3rd after a wild pitch. Cortez, would come in to score after a ground out by Aidyn Flanagan to make it 5-3. Starks and the Dragons, would get out of the fifth with a fly out. In the bottom of the fifth, Hester, would toss his third straight scoreless inning as he would pick up a line out and a pair of strikeouts to send it to the sixth with the Dragons leading, 5-3.

Jackson Nunn, would come on in relief of Starks in the top of the sixth. Nunn, would work around a 1-out walk by Adian Rogers as he would pick up a fly out, and a pair of strikeouts to send it to the bottom of the frame. Hester, who seemed to get better as the game went on, would toss his fourth straight scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth with a ground out and a pair of strikeouts. Heading to the seventh, Pickens led Lumpkin, 5-3.

Jenkins, would come on in relief of Nunn in the top of the seventh as he would look to close things out. Jenkins, would toss a scoreless seventh with a pair of pop outs and a strikeout to seal the win for the Dragons, 5-3.

Stats for the Dragons:

A.J. Rice: 1-3 with 1 single and 1 run scored

Christian Starks: 2-2 with 2 singles, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored & 5 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 H, 4 K, 4 BB on 79 pitches

Cade Sutton: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 1 HBP, 2 caught stealing, & 1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 K, 0 BB on 11 pitches

Dawson Lowit: 1-3 with 1 single and 1 RBI

Ezra Faber: 1-3 with 1 single

Jennings Allen: 1 run scored

Jackson Nunn: 1 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 K, 1 BB on 19 pitches

The Dragons, will continue region play next week as they will take on the Johnson-Gainesville Knights in a three game series. The first game, will be on Tuesday, March 25th in Jasper at Dunn Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:55 pm.