Dragons fall in regular season finale
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports April 19, 2024
Jasper, Ga — It was a beautiful day for high school baseball on Thursday, April 18th as the Pickens Dragons hosted the Dominion Christian Knights. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were 25-4 overall and 17-1 in 7-AAA. The Knights, came into the game 11-10 overall and 1-0 in the GIAA AAAA/AAA District 1 region. Prior to the game, the home run champ, Jake King, added to his ever growing total. As for the game, the Knights, scored 2 runs in both the sixth and seventh to pick up a 4-2 win.
In the top of the first, Dragons starter A.J. Rice, worked around a 1-out double as he picked up two strikeouts and a ground out. In the bottom of the frame, Trey Payne, would reach base after drawing a full count walk with 1-out. After the Knights got a strikeout for the 2nd out, Kam Jenkins would drive in Payne with an RBI double to make it 1-0 Dragons going to the second.
In the top of the second, Rice, would strikeout the side to push his total up to 5 for the game. In the bottom of the second, Kyle Grno, would reach on an infield single with 1-out. Christian Starks, would follow that with a single of his own to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Rice, would advance Grno to 3rd after a sacrifice fly. Starks and Grno, would pull off a double steal as Grno would come home to score after the throw down to 2nd to make it 2-0 Dragons.
Connor Shouse, would then be hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-out. The Knights, would get out of the second after a fly out to center to send it to the third with Pickens leading Dominion Christian, 2-0.
In the top of the third, Rice, kept his strong start to the game going as he struck out the side for the 2nd straight inning. That brought his total up to 8 on the night. In the bottom half of the third, the Knights, picked up their first 1-2-3 inning as got 2 pop outs and a fly out. Going to the fourth, Pickens led Dominion Christian, 2-0.
In the top of the fourth, Trae Wilson, would lead off with a single. His 2nd hit of the day. Starks, would make a nice sliding grab out in left for the first out of the inning. Jenkins, would then throw out Wilson attempting to steal 2nd as Shouse kept the tag on after Wilson came off the bag. Rice, would then pick up his 9th strikeout to send it to the bottom of the fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth, Grno, would look to get things going as he reached with a 1-out double. Grno, would be left stranded on base however as Knights starter Gabriel Buckner, picked up a fly out and a ground out to get out of the inning. Going to the fifth, Pickens still led Dominion Christian, 2-0.
Starks, would come on in relief of Rice in the top of the fifth. Starks, would get the Knights in order with a ground out, a pop out, and a fly out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, the Dragons, would also go down in order after two ground outs and a line out. Going to the sixth, Pickens led Dominion Christian, 2-0.
In the top of the sixth, Broughton Kelly, would lead off with a single. His pitch runner, Gabe Mercer, would advance to 2nd after Ben Esley laid down a sacrifice bunt. Mercer, would then move over to 3rd after a passed ball. Jake Jackson, would drive in Mercer with an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1. Jackson, would advance to 2nd after a wild pitch. Rice, prevented a possible run from scoring as he caught a line drive for the 2nd out.
Buckner, would bring Jackson with an RBI double to tie the ball game at 2. Canaan Bowen, would keep the inning going for the Knights as he reached with a 2-out single to put runners at 1st and 3rd. Starks and the Dragons, would get out of the inning with a fly out. In the bottom of the sixth, Tyler Payne looked to start a 2-out rally as he would reach on an error.
The Knights, would get out of the sixth after catching Dawson Holland in a run down. Going to the seventh, Pickens and Dominion Christian were tied at 2.
Skye Jackson, would lead off the top of the seventh by coming back from an 0-2 count to draw a full count walk. JP Nunn, who came on in relief of Starks to start the seventh, would get the next two batters via strikeout. Esley, would keep the inning alive for the Knights with a 2-out single that advanced Skye Jackson to 3rd. Jake Jackson, would bring in both Skye Jackson and Esley with an RBI double to make it 4-2 Knights.
After Trae Wilson was intentionally walked, Nunn would strike out Buckner to send it to the bottom of the seventh with Dominion Christian now leading Pickens, 4-2. Grno, would lead off the bottom of the frame by drawing a full count walk. Skye Jackson, who came on in relief of Jake Jackson, would then pick up a pop out and a fly out. Shouse, would keep the game alive for the Dragons with a line drive double that advanced Grno to 3rd.
The Knights, were able to get out of the jam as Jackson forced a fly out to right to seal the 4-2 win.
Stats for the Dragons:
Connor Shouse: 1-3 with 1 double and 1 hit by pitch
Trey Payne: 1 walk and 1 run scored
Kam Jenkins: 1-2 with 1 double and 1 RBI
Kyle Grno: 2-2 with 1 single, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 steal, and 1 run scored
Christian Starks: 1-3 with 1 single and 1 steal
A.J. Rice: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K on 53 pitches
The Dragons finish the regular season with a 25-5 overall record. They will now turn their attention to the 3A State Baseball Tournament as they get ready to host the Adairsville Tigers in a best of three series starting on Tuesday, April 23rd. Start times have yet to be determined as of this writing but stay tuned to #TamFYNSports socials for updates.
Dragons defeat Shiloh on Senior Night
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports April 18, 2024
Jasper, Ga — The rain held off long enough for there to be high school baseball on Wednesday, April 17th as the Pickens Dragons hosted the Shiloh Generals for Senior Night. Coming into the game, the Dragons were 24-4 overall, 17-1 in 7-AAA, and ranked #2 in AAA. The Generals, came into the game 5-19 overall, and 1-15 in 6-AAAAAA Sub-Region B. In something you don’t see everyday, the Dragons drew more walks (14) than they had hits (6) in their 11-1 win.
In the top of the first, Senior starter for the Dragons, James Tilley, needed just 8 pitches to get out of the inning as he picked up his 1st strikeout, and two ground outs. In the bottom of the frame, Senior Connor Shouse, Senior Trey Payne, and Cade Sutton, drew three straight walks to load the bases with no one out. Kam Jenkins, would drive in Shouse with an RBI ground out to make it 1-0 Dragons.
Senior Trace Ledbetter, would then reach on an error as both Trey Payne and Sutton would come in to score to make it 3-0. After Christian Starks and Senior Tyler Payne drew back to back walks to load the bases once again, Dawson Holland would bring in Ledbetter by drawing a walk on a full count to make it 4-0 Dragons, The Generals, would get out of the first by getting a double play. Going to the second, Pickens led Shiloh, 4-0.
In the top of the second, Tilley, tossed a scoreless inning as he forced a ground out, and picked up two more strike outs to send it to the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the second, Shouse, would reach by getting hit with a pitch. He would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. A single by Trey Payne, would put runners at the corners with nobody out. Sutton, would then draw his 2nd walk to load the bases.
Jenkins, would drive in Shouse with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 5-o Dragons. Ledbetter, would then draw a walk to load the bases with 1-out. Trey Payne, would come in to score after a wild pitch to make it 6-0. Starks, would bring in Sutton with an RBI ground out to make it 7-0. The Generals, would get out of the second with a fly out. Going to the third, Pickens led Shiloh, 7-0.
In the top of the third, the Generals, would have their first base runner of the game as Nathan Miller would reach after an error. Miller, would then be thrown out trying to steal 2nd. Tilley and the Dragons, would get out of the third after a ground out. In the bottom of the third, Holland would lead off with a single. Shouse, would reach base for a 3rd time with a 1-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd.
Trey Payne, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Holland would advance to 3rd, while Shouse would be forced out at 2nd. The Generals, would force a pop up to center for the third out. Going to the fourth, Pickens still led Shiloh, 7-0.
Senior Tate Hales came on in relief of Tilley in the top of the fourth. Anthony Vu, would look to get things going for the Generals as he led off with their first hit of the game. His courtesy runner, Brayden Brown, would then steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Brown, would then steal 3rd. Traden Davis, would then draw a walk to put runners at the corners with nobody out.
Davis, would be thrown out by Jenkins as he tried to steal 2nd. Kendrick Green, would then draw a walk on a full count to put runners at 1st and 3rd with 1-out. Green, would advance to 2nd after a wild pitch. Brown, would come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 7-1. Green, would advance to 3rd on the same pitch. Hales and the Dragons, would get out of the 3rd after a pop up to 1st and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ledbetter, would reach for the 3rd time as he drew his 2nd walk of the game with 1-out. Tyler Payne, would keep the inning going with a double to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2-out. The Generals, were able to force a fly out to get out of the fourth without any damage done. Going to the fifth, Pickens led Shiloh, 7-1.
Senior Cason Cannon, came on in relief of Hales in the top of the fifth. Cannon, would get the Generals in order as he picked up a ground out and two strikeouts. Going to the bottom of the inning, it remained 7-1 Pickens. In the bottom of the fifth, A.J. Rice, would lead off by reaching on a single. He would advance to 2nd on an error. After a fly out, Trey Payne and Sutton would both be hit by pitches to load the bases with 1-out.
Ledbetter, would come through for the Dragons as he drove in Rice and Payne with a 2-RBI single to make it 9-1. Sutton would advance to 3rd on the hit. Ledbetter, would move up to 2nd on a passed ball to put runners at 2nd and 3rd. The Generals, would force a pop out to send it to the sixth with Pickens leading Shiloh, 9-1.
Senior Brodie Keener came on in relief of Cannon in the top of the sixth. Keener, would work a scoreless frame with a strikeout, a pop out, and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Tyler Payne would lead off by drawing a walk on a full count. Daven Abernathy, would come in to pitch run for Tyler as he came out of the ball game to a nice ovation from the crowd.
Kyle Grno, who came on as a defensive substitution for Holland in the top of the inning, stayed in the game to hit and drew a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Jennings Allen, who came on to pitch hit for Rice, also drew a walk to load the bases. Coleman Keener, who came on as a defensive substitution for Shouse in the top of the inning, would bring in Abernathy after drawing a bases loaded walk to make it 10-1 Dragons.
Sam Dart, who came on as a defensive substitution for Trey Payne in the top of the sixth, would draw a walk on a full count to bring in Grno as the Dragons would get the win on Senior Night, 11-1.
Stats for the Dragons:
Connor Shouse: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, 1 steal, and 2 runs scored
Trey Payne: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, 1 hit by pitch, and 3 runs scored
Cade Sutton: 2 walks, 1 hit by pitch, and 2 runs scored
Kam Jenkins: 2 RBI
Trace Ledbetter: 1-2 with 1 single, 2 walks, 1 run scored, and 4 RBI
Christian Starks: 1 walk, and 1 RBI
Tyler Payne: 1-2 with 1 double, and 2 walks
Dawson Holland: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 1 RBI
A.J. Rice: 1-3 with 1 single, and 1 run scored
Coleman Keener: 1 walk and 1 RBI
Sam Dart: 1 walk and 1 RBI
Kyle Grno: 1 walk and 1 run scored
Daven Abernathy: 1 run scored
Jennings Allen: 1 walk
James Tilley: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K on 36 pitches
Tate Hales: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB on 24 pitches
Cason Cannon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K on 16 pitches
Brodie Keener: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 15 pitches
While it was Senior Night on Wednesday, April 17th, the Dragons will be right back on the turf of Dunn Field on Thursday, April 18th as they take on the Dominion Christian Knights in the final game before the 3A State Tournament. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.