Dragons split doubleheader with Tigers; force deciding game three

LaGrange. Ga — The Final Four kicked off on Tuesday, May 13th as four teams were just two wins away from the AAA State Championship series. For the #8 seeded Pickens Dragons, they made the couple hour trip down to LaGrange to take on the #4 seeded Troup County Tigers. The Tigers, would take game one of the doubleheader, 8-0. Just when it looked like the Tigers were on the verge of a sweep, the Dragons would make a late come back to take game two, 5-4.

Game One:

The Dragons, would go quietly in the top of first after a ground out, a fly out, and a strikeout. In the bottom half of the frame, D. Moncus would reach with a 1-out double. C. Walker, would follow that up with a single to put runners at 1st and 3rd. F. Baltzell, would then draw a walk to load the bases. B. Willis, would bring in Moncus with an RBI single to make it 1-0 Tigers.

An RBI sacrifice fly from C. Mosley, would drive in Walker to make it 2-0. Baltzell, would be thrown out at home as the Tigers attempted a double steal. Heading to the second, the Tigers led it, 2-0.

In the top of the second, Dawson Lowit, would draw a full count walk to reach base. Christian Starks, would follow that up with a double. Lowit, would be thrown out at home trying to score from 1st. The Tigers, would get out of the second with a ground out. In the bottom of the inning, Dragons starter Jackson Nunn, would toss a scoreless inning with a pop out, a fly out, and a ground out. Heading to the third, the Tigers still led it, 2-0.

Matthew Davis, would lead off the top of the third with a lead off single. The Tigers, would get out of the third after a strikeout, a line out, and a ground out. In the bottom of the third, Moncus, would reach with his 2nd hit of the day. He would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. After a line out, Baltzell, would be intentionally walked. Willis, would then draw a walk to load the bases with 2-out.

Moncus and Baltzell, would both come in to score after an error to make it 4-0 Tigers heading to the fourth.

The Dragons, would go down in order in the top of the fourth after a pair of strikeouts and a line out. In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers, would extend their lead by plating 4 runs on several hits, a walk, and a hit batsman. Heading to the fifth, the Tigers, led the Dragons, 8-0.

In the top of the fifth, Sam Hammontree, would reach with a 1-out single. After a strikeout, Dawson Holland, would keep the inning alive with a 2-out single. Both runners would advance a base after a passed ball. The Tigers, would get out of the fifth with a pop out. In the bottom of the inning, Ezra Faber, who came on in relief of Nunn in the fourth, would work around some trouble to send it to the sixth with the Tigers still leading it, 8-0.

In the top of the sixth, Cade Sutton, would draw a 1-out walk. Kam Jenkins, would follow that with a single to put runners at 1st and 3rd with 1-out. The Tigers, would get out of the sixth with a double play. In the bottom of the inning, Faber, would work around a 2-out hit batsman and a wild pitch to keep the Tigers scoreless. Heading to the seventh, Troup led Pickens, 8-0.

Starks, would lead off the top of the seventh with his 2nd hit of the day. The Tigers, would turn their 2nd double play in as many innings to clear the bases. A 2-out single by Davis, would keep the inning going. The Tigers, would end the game with a strikeout as they would take the first game by a score of 8-0.

Stats for the Dragons in Game One:

Cade Sutton: 1 walk

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with 1 single

Dawson Lowit: 1 walk

Christian Starks: 2-3 with 1 double and 1 single

Sam Hammontree: 1-3 with 1 single

Matthew Davis: 2-3 with 2 singles

Dawson Holland: 1-3 with 1 single

Game Two:

The Dragons, were the home team for the second game. In the top of the first, C. Walker, would reach with a 2-out double. F. Baltzell, would drive in Walker with an RBI single. Baltzell, would be thrown out at 2nd trying to stretch it into a double. In the bottom of the first, A.J. Rice, would draw a lead off walk to reach 1st. After a pop out, Rice, would advance to 2nd on defensive indifference. Rice, would be thrown out at 3rd trying to swipe the bag.

The Tigers, would get out of the first with a fly out. Heading to the second, the Tigers led the Dragons, 1-0.

Rice, the Dragons starter for game two, would keep the Tigers scoreless in the second as he picked up a ground out, as well as his 2nd and 3rd strikeout to send it to the bottom of the frame. The Dragons, would go down in order in the bottom of the second with a pair of fly outs and a ground out. Heading to the third, the Tigers still led it, 1-0.

In the top of the third, the Tigers, would extend their lead with 3 runs on 2 hits, 2 passed balls, 2 steals, and 1 hit by pitch. Heading to the bottom of the third, the Tigers now led the Dragons, 4-0. In the bottom of the inning, Dawson Holland, would reach with a 1-out single. After a strikeout, Rice, would keep the inning alive with a 2-out knock. Christian Starks, would then draw a walk to load the bases.

Holland, would come in to score as Cade Sutton would draw the bases loaded walk to cut the lead to 4-1. The Tigers, would get out of the third with a fly out to send it to the fourth with Troup leading Pickens, 4-1.

In the top of the fourth, Rice, would work around a 1-out walk to pick up a ground out, a strikeout, and a fly out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Dawson Lowit, would draw a lead off walk. The Tigers, would turn their third double play of the series for the first two outs. A ground out, would send it to the fifth with the Tigers still leading it, 4-0.

Rice, would keep the Tigers at bay in the top of the fifth as he would work around a 2-out single to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the inning, Jennings Allen, would reach with a 1-out single. Rice, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Allen would be forced out at 2nd. Starks, would keep the inning going with a 2-out single. Sutton, would then draw his 2nd walk of the game to load the bases.

The Tigers, would escape the bases loaded jam with a ground out. Heading to the sixth, the Tigers, still led the Dragons, 4-1.

In the top of the sixth, Rice, still on the mound nearing 100 pitches for the game, worked around a 1-out walk to strike out the side to bring his total to 9 on the night. In the bottom of the inning, Lowit, would lead off by getting hit by a pitch. Sam Hammontree, would then draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Matthew Davis, would bring in Lowit with an RBI double to cut the lead to 4-2.

Holland, would follow that up with a 2-RBI double that would score pitch runner Ezra Faber, and Davis to tie the game at 4. After a strikeout, Holland, would move up to 3rd on a passed ball. Rice, would draw a walk to put runners at the corners with 1-out. Starks, would bring in Holland with an RBI ground out to give the Dragons a 5-4 lead. The Tigers, would get out of the sixth with a strikeout. Heading to the seventh, the Dragons led it, 5-4.

Rice, nearing the limit for pitches, came out to start the seventh, he would pick up his 10 strike out for the first out. G. Edwards, would reach with a 1-out single. Dylan Walls, would come on in relief of Rice to try and close things out. Moncus, would reach on an error to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. Walls, would come back to pick up a strikeout and a ground out to seal the 5-4 win for the Dragons and force a deciding game three.

Stats for the Dragons in Game Two:

A.J. Rice: 1-2 with 1 single, 2 walks, & 6.1 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 10 K on 118 pitches

Christian Starks: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 1 RBI

Cade Sutton: 2 walks and 1 RBI

Dawson Lowit: 1 walk, 1 HBP, and 1 run scored

Sam Hammontree: 1 walk

Ezra Faber: 1 run scored

Matthew Davis: 1-3 with 1 double, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Dawson Holland: 2-3 with 1 single, 1 double, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Jennings Allen: 1-3 with 1 single

Dylan Walls: 0.2 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K on 8 pitches

The third and final game of the series will take place on Wednesday, May 14th. The winner, will go on to the AAA State Championship series where they will take on the winner of game three between Cherokee Bluff and Peach County. First pitch time for game three between the Dragons and the Tigers is scheduled for 5 pm.