Clutch moments help Dragons defeat Wolverines

Jasper, Ga — It was love and baseball on Saturday, February 14th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Walker School Wolverines for the third game of opening week. The Wolverines, were playing their second game of the day as they fell to North Atlanta 4-0. The Dragons, came in looking to complete a perfect week after defeating Northwest Whitfield and Sequoyah. Some late game offensive and defensive plays for the Dragons helped them pull away late and pick up a 5-1 win.

 

Jackson Nunn, got the start for the Dragons against the Wolverines. Nunn, would work around a 2-out single as he picked up a strikeout, a pop out, and a ground out in a scoreless top of the first. Robert Turner, would lead off the bottom of the frame with a single. After a line out and a fly out, Boogie Lowit, would reach with a 2-out walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. The Wolverines, would get out of the first with a fly out.

 

In the top of the second, the Wolverines, were able to plate a run on 1 hit, 1 HBP, 1 wild pitch, and 1 ground out. The Dragons, would go down in order in the bottom of the second. Heading to the third, the Wolverines, led it, by a score of 1-0.

 

M.T. Crenshaw, would come on in relief of Nunn in the top of the third. Crenshaw, would toss a scoreless frame to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the third, Drew Dunlap, would reach with a lead off single. Dunlap, would then advance to 2nd after a balk was called. Turner, would reach after his second hit of the game. After Turner was picked off at 1st, AJ Rice, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Dunlap would be thrown out at home.

A single by Kam Jenkins, would keep the inning alive for the Dragons. Lowit, would drive in Rice with a single to tie the game at 1. The Wolverines, would get out of the third with a ground out. Heading to the fourth, the game was now tied at 1 a piece.

 

Crenshaw, would keep the game tied after a scoreless top of the fourth with a strikeout and a pair of ground outs. In the bottom of the inning, Everett Grubbs, would try to start a rally by drawing a 2-out walk. Dunlap, would then reach by getting hit with a pitch. A wild pitch, would move the runners up a base. The Wolverines, would get out of the jam with a ground out as the game was still tied at 1 heading to the fifth.

 

Chase Hulsey, would come on in relief of Crenshaw in the top of the fifth. He would toss a scoreless frame with two strikeouts and a fly out. Rice, would lead off the bottom of the fifth by drawing a walk. After a line out, Lowit, would pick up his second hit of the game with a single. Truitt Grubbs, would come up with a clutch hit as he would drive in Rice with a 2-out RBI single to give the Dragons a 2-1 lead heading to the sixth.

 

Hulsey, on in his second inning of relief, worked around a lead off single and a 2-out HBP as he kept the Wolverines off the board in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Dunlap, would reach with a 1-out double. Christian Starks, would come in as a pitch runner for Dunlap. The Wolverines, trying a snap throw over to 2nd, allowed Starks to advance to 3rd. Turner, would then draw a walk after a great at bat.

Turner, would then steal 2nd to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1-out. Rice, would then draw his second walk of the game to load the bases. After an infield fly was called for the second out, Lowit, would come up big with a 2-out bases clearing double to give the Dragons a 5-1 lead heading to the seventh.

 

Elijah Barton, would come on in relief of Hulsey to try and close this one out. Barton, would work around a lead off walk and a 2-out HBP as he would pick up a ground out, a fly out, and a line out as the Dragons would come away with a 5-1 win.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Robert Turner: 2-3 with 2 singles, 1 walk, 1 run scored, and 1 steal

AJ Rice: 2 walks and 3 runs scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-4 with 1 single

Dawson Lowit: 3-3 with 2 singles, 1 double, 1 walk, and 4 RBI

Truitt Grubbs: 1-1 with 1 single and 1 RBI

Everett Grubbs: 1 walk

Drew Dunlap: 2-2 with 1 single, 1 double, and 1 HBP

Christian Starks: 1 steal and 1 run scored

Jackson Nunn: 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 HBP, 1 K on 30 pitches

MT Crenshaw: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K on 14 pitches

Chase Hulsey: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 HBP, 3 K on 35 pitches

Elijah Barton: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, on 17 pitches

 

The Dragons, will be on the road for the first time this season as they make the short drive up 515 to Ellijay to take on the Gilmer Bobcats on Monday, February 16th. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm.