Yesterday, the Dragons varsity baseball team hosted their 515 rivals, the Gilmer County Bobcats, at Dragons Field in region action. Coming into the ball game, Pickens was looking to get back on track after two tough region road losses to Cartersville and Northwest Whitfield.Tyler Garner was tasked with the starting duties yesterday and found himself down early. Dylan Hatcher tripled and McKinley Chadwick brought him in with an RBI single to give the Bobcats the lead going to the bottom of the first, 1-0. Garrett Rigdon took the mound for Gilmer with the lead and looked to keep it that way.

Zack Hermann reached on an error, Cam Gregory and Garner both drew walks, then Dalton Presley doubled in Hermann and Gregory to give the Dragons a 2-1 lead. Walker Lawrence brought in Garner on a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 3-1 as we went to the 2nd. In the top half of the 2nd, Noah Ralston doubled then scored after a Dalton Stephens RBI single to cut the Pickens lead to 3-2. Gilmer could have gotten more in the inning, but left the bases loaded as we’d go to the bottom of the 2nd.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Zack Moore doubled, and scored after an RBI triple from Travis Huffman. Huffman came home after a Hermann RBI single to bring the Dragons lead to 5-2 going to the 3rd. The Bobcats threatened in the 3rd, but designated hitter Chad Watkins got caught in a “pickle”, and Stephens struck out to end the inning after a Noah Wilson two-out double. Pickens went quietly in the bottom of the 3rd as Rigdon had a 1-2-3 inning going to the 4th, still 5-2 Dragons.

In the 4th, Rigdon drew a walk and advanced to third on a pickoff attempt that got by first baseman Wyatt Gooch. Rigdon remained at third however as Gilmer was unable to bring him in. In the bottom of the 4th, Travis Seay started things off with a leadoff single and advanced to 2nd on a passed ball. Seay however stayed at 2nd as Pickens went in order after the single as we go to the 5th, 5-2 Dragons.

Chadwick got the 5th going for the Bobcats with a leadoff double and came home a Wilson sacrifice RBI cutting the Pickens lead to 5-3. In the bottom of the inning, Pickens had the bases loaded with one out looking to blow the game open. However, reliever Mayson Carver came in and got Gilmer out of the inning without any damage done to keep the score at 5-3. Stephens lead the 6th off with a single, but was left at 2nd as Garner struckout two Bobcats to send us to the bottom of the inning.

A Huffman single is all the Dragons got in the bottom of the 6th, but still held the lead 5-3 going to the 7th. In the 7th, Gilmer went in order as Garner struckout two in the inning to seal the win for Pickens, 5-3.

Tyler Garner struckout 9 Bobcats and gave up 3 runs on 8 hits in the complete game win while going 1-2 at the plate with a run scored

Travis Huffman went 2-4 with an RBI triple and a run scored

Dalton Presley went 1-2 with an RBI double and a walk

With the win yesterday, Pickens is now 7-6 overall and 3-2 in 7-AAAA. The Dragons have won four straight at home. Pickens will be back at home tomorrow as they host the Panthers of Ridgeland at Dragons Field at 5:30.