Dragons hold on to take series from Lumpkin
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 22, 2025
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.
Dragons drop game two against Indians
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 21, 2025
Dahlonega, Ga — The weather was cooler and the wind was howling at times as the Pickens Dragons made the trip to Dahlonega for game two between the Lumpkin Indians on Thursday, March 20th. The Dragons, were looking to win the series after taking game one on Tuesday. The Indians, were looking to tie the series heading into the series finale. The Indians, would do just that as they took game two, 14-2 in five innings.
In the top of the first, Christian Starks, would draw a 1-out walk, but be left stranded at 1st as Indians starting pitcher Jayzen Johnson, would force three fly outs to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the first, Aidyn Flanagan, would lead off by getting hit with a pitch. Flanagan, would then steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Tyler Boggs, would drive in Flanagan with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
Mason Hester, would follow that up with a single to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Adian Rogers, would then reach on an error that would allow Boggs to come in and score to make it 2-0. An RBI single by Matthew Mitchell, would drive in Hester to make it 3-0 Indians. Rogers, would advance to 3rd on the play. After a fly out for the first out, Mitchell, would steal 2nd to get into scoring position.
Chase Smith, would then draw a walk to load the bases. After a strikeout, Carson Horton, would draw a bases loaded walk that would bring in Rogers to make it 4-0 Indians heading to the second.
Dawson Lowit, would look to start a potential rally for the Dragons as he led off the top of the second with a double. A grounder by Dawson Holland, would move Lowit over to 3rd. Lowit, would come in to score on an RBI ground out by Matthew Davis to make it 4-1. Johnson, would get out of the inning with a line out to left to send it to the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the second, Hester, would reach on a four pitch walk with 1-out. Rogers, would follow with a single. Hester, would then come in to score as Mitchell reached on an error. Rogers, would advance to 3rd on the play. Rogers, would then come in to score on a passed ball. Mitchell, would move up to 2nd on the same play. Johnson, would drive in Mitchell with a double to make it 7-1 Indians heading to the third.
In the top of the third, A.J. Rice, would reach with a 1-out double. He would be left stranded as Johnson would force a pair of fly outs to send it to the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the third, Flanagan, would reach with a 1-out single. He would be thrown out attempting to steal 2nd. The Dragons, would get out of the third with a ground out to send it to the fourth with the Indians leading, 7-1.
Kam Jenkins, would lead off the top of the fourth with a single. after back to back fly outs, Davis, would reach with a 2-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Johnson and the Indians, would get out of the fourth as Davis would be forced out at 2nd. In the bottom of the inning, Hester, would reach by drawing a lead off walk. Rogers, would follow by drawing a walk of his own to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out.
Hester and Rogers, would then move up a base on a passed ball. Mitchell, would draw the third straight walk to begin the inning to load the bases. After a strikeout, Smith, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Hester would be thrown out at home. Matthew Brooks, would draw a 2-out, bases loaded walk that would bring in Rogers to make it 8-1. A 2-out, 2-RBI single by Horton, would make it 10-1 Indians.
An error would allow a run to score from 2nd, and Horton to make it all the way to 3rd. Flanagan, would then draw a walk to keep the inning going. Horton, would come in on a wild pitch. a little later in the inning, Rogers, would bring in a pair of runs to make it 14-1 Indians heading to the fifth.
Jennings Allen, would lead off the top of the fifth with a double. The fourth straight inning the Dragons lead off man had reached. Allen, would then advance to 3rd on a passed ball. Rice, would drive in Allen with an RBI ground out to make it 14-2. Johnson, would finish off the complete game with a pop out and his first strikeout of the game to seal the win for the Indians, 14-2.
Stats for the Dragons:
A.J. Rice: 1-3 with 1 double and 1 RBI
Christian Starks: 1 walk
Kam Jenkins: 1-2 with 1 single
Dawson Lowit: 1-2 with 1 double and 1 run scored
Matthew Davis: 1-2 with 1 single and 1 RBI
Jennings Allen: 1-2 with 1 double and 1 run scored
The series finale between these two teams is set for Friday, March 21st back in Jasper at Dunn Field as the series win will be up for grabs. The first pitch, is scheduled for 5:55 pm.
Region 7AAA Standings Heading Into The Final Week Of March
Team FYN Sports March 25, 2023
Region 7AAA- There are ultimately three giants standing atop the Region 7AAA standings as of March 25th. The Pickens Dragons, Lumpkin County Indians, and the Dawson County Tigers are looking down on the rest of Region 7AAA with a smile on their face as at least 3 games separate them from the 4th place team.
The rich get richer, as Pickens will have last place Gilmer County this coming week for their three game series, and the Dragons will look to extend their win streak to 12 games before taking on Dawson in April.
The upcoming week for Lumpkin will be a bit trickier, as they will host third place Dawson for their 3 game series.
REGION 7AAA RANKINGS 3/25/23
1. Pickens
2. Lumpkin
3. Dawson
4. Wesleyan
5. White County
6. West Hall
7. Gilmer