Dragons defeat Shiloh in non-region action

PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports

Snellvelle, Ga — What a warm day for baseball it was on Wednesday, April 19th as the Pickens Dragons made the trip down to Snellville to take on the Shiloh Generals in non-region action. The Generals, are out of region 8 in the 6A classification.  The bats for the Dragons, were just as hot as the weather as they scored 10 runs in the 4th in route to a 13-2 win in 5 innings.

 

In the top of the first, Trace Ledbetter reached by drawing a 1-out walk. He would be left stranded as Generals starter Rodney Mudd, got a fly out and a ground out to go along with a strikeout to send it to the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the frame, Dragons starter Trey Payne, worked around DuShawn Andrews reaching on a dropped 3rd strike, and Nicholas Johnson getting hit by a pitch with 1-out, as he picked up his 1st strikeout and a ground out.

Going to the top of the second, the Dragons and Generals were tied up at 0.

 

In the top of the second, Dawson Holland led off with a single. He then advanced to 2nd on an error. Freshman Kam Jenkins, drove him in with an RBI single to make it 1-0 Dragons. After a 2-out single by Senior Young Harris commit Evan Giddens reached with a single, Colby Brooks would bring Jenkins in on the fielder’s choice to make it 2-0 Dragons going to the bottom of the second.

In the bottom of the second, Anthony Vu led off with a single. Vu, would advance to 2nd after a sacrifice bunt from Malcolm Robinson. David Johnson, drove in Vu with an RBI double to cut the Dragons lead down to 2-1. Jaden Mercedes, would move Johnson over to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt. Johnson, would come in to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2 going to the top of the third.

 

In the top of the third, the Dragons tried to get a little 2-out rally going as Holland would draw a full count walk, and Jenkins would get hit with a pitch on a 3-0 count. Mudd, got a pop up to 2nd for the third out to send it to the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the third, Trey Payne, worked around a lead off single by Andrews as he picked up 2 strikeouts and a ground out to send it to the fourth inning still tied at 2.

 

In the top of the fourth, the Dragons, broke the game open as they plated 10 runs on 6 hits, 3 walks, a balk, and a passed ball to lead it 12-2 going to the bottom of the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, Prep Baseball Georgia Player of the Week James Tilley, came on in relief of Trey Payne and picked up a 1-2-3 inning with a ground out, a strikeout, and a pop up to send it to the fifth with the Dragons leading, 12-2.

 

In the top of the fifth, Holland and Tilley both reached on 1-out walks. Giddens, drove in Holland with an RBI single to make it 13-2 Dragons going to the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Junior Ga Tech commit Connor Shouse, came on in relief of Tilley. Shouse, worked around a 1-out hit batter as he struck out 2 and induced a ground out as the Dragons defeat the Generals, 13-2 in 5 innings.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 2-4 with a single, a double, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored & 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 2 K on 13 pitches

Trace Ledbetter: 1-3 with a single, a walk, and 1 run scored

Trey Payne: 1-4 with 1 single, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored & 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K on 40 pitches

Harlan Will: 1 walk and 1 run scored

Dawson Holland: 2-2 with 2 singles, 2 walks, 1 RBI, and 3 runs scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-1 with 1 single, 1 HBP, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

Tyler Payne: 1 walk and 1 run scored

Christian Starks: 1 walk and 1 run scored

James Tilley: 1 walk & 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 7 pitches

Evan Giddens: 3-3 with 3 singles, 1 HBP, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored

Colby Brooks: 1 RBI, and 1 run scored

 

The Dragons, will be back home on Friday, April 21st as they will host the Tallulah Falls Indians at Dunn Field for Senior Night. It will be the final game of the 2023 regular season. The first pitch is set for 5:30 pm.

Dragons pick up series win against Indians

PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports

Dahlonega, Ga — The weather was touch and go, but the Pickens Dragons and the Lumpkin County Indians got the series finale in on Friday, April 14th. After the Indians took game 1 on Tuesday, the Dragons came back on Thursday to even up the series and to capture the 7-AAA region championship. In a game dominated by pitching, the Dragons got another great start from Freshman A.J. Rice as they won game 3, 2-1.

 

In the top of the first, Trey Payne, reached on a full count walk with 2-outs. Indians starter Alejandro Narvaez, got a fly out and 2 ground outs to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the inning, Narvaez led off with a double. After a strikeout by Dragons starter A.J. Rice, Narvaez advanced to 3rd on a fly out to left. Narvaez, would be left stranded at 3rd as Rice picked up his 2nd K to send it to the second with the game still scoreless.

 

In the top of the second, Dawson Holland led off with a single. Holland, would advance all the way to 3rd as Kam Jenkins laid down a bunt and Narvaez overthrew 1st and allowed Jenkins to advance to 2nd. James Tilley, kept the line moving as he drove in Holland with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Senior Young Harris commit Evan Giddens, brought in courtesy runner Tee Knight with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Dragons.

Colby Brooks, reached on a fielder’s choice as Tilley would be out at 2nd for the second out. Junior Ga Tech commit Connor Shouse, kept the inning alive with a double. Narvaez, would get out of the inning with just the 2 runs as they’d go to the bottom of the 2nd with the Dragons leading, 2-0. In the bottom of the second, the Indians loaded the bases with no one out after a lead off reach on error, a walk, and a hit by pitch.

The first out of the inning came when Rice got Dakota Bennett to ground into a fielder’s choice and Hayden Gilbert was thrown out at home. Rice, with the bases still loaded, picked up his 3rd and 4th strikeout to end the bottom of the 2nd and keep the Indians scoreless. Going to the top of the third, the Dragons led, 2-0.

 

In the top of the third, Tyler Payne, reached on a 1-out single. Holland, reached with a walk on 4 straight pitches. Jenkins, loaded the bases with a 1-out single. Narvaez, got Tilley to fly out to shallow right field for the 2nd out. A ground out to short ended the top of the third and the Dragons threat. In the bottom of the third, Adian Rogers, reached on a 2-out bunt single. He would be thrown out by Jenkins trying to steal 2nd to end the third.

Going to the fourth, the Dragons still maintained a 2-0 lead over the Indians.

 

In the top of the fourth, the Dragons got a 2-out single by Trace Ledbetter, but he would be left stranded as Narvaez got a line out to center for the final out of the top half of the fourth. In the bottom half of the fourth, Gilbert led off with a double. The Indians, would cut the Dragons lead in half as Mason Hester drove in Gilbert with an RBI double to make it 2-1.

Much like he’s done all season, Rice kept his cool and got back to back strikeouts to strand Hester and keep the Dragons ahead going to the fifth, 2-1.

 

In the top of the fifth, Narvaez picked up his first strikeout of the game and his first 1-2-3 inning of the game to send it to the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Narvaez, led off with a single. The Dragons, then turned a double play as Cooper Scott lined it to Giddens at 3rd and Giddens would toss it over to Ledbetter at 1st to get Narvaez. Rice, then got a fly out to right for the 3rd out to send it to the sixth with Pickens leading Lumpkin, 2-1.

 

In the top of the sixth, Narvaez, going over 100 pitches on the night, picked up his second straight 1-2-3 inning with his 2nd strikeout, a ground out, and a line out. In the bottom of the sixth, Rice, struck out the side for the 2nd time in the game to give him 10 on the night. Going to the seventh, the Dragons led it, 2-1.

 

In the top of the seventh, Scott, came on in relief of Narvaez and picked up where he left off as Scott got a pop up, a fly out, and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Junior Jacksonville State commit JP Nunn, came on in relief of Rice to try to pick up the save. Nunn, got a quick welcome to the game as Hester lined one right at him. Nunn, was able to catch the line drive for the first out.

Nunn, would go on to have a clean inning as he picked up a strikeout, and then a fly out to center as the birthday boy picked up the save and the Dragons got the win, 2-1.

 

Stats for the Dragons:

Connor Shouse: 1-4 with a double

Trace Ledbetter: 1-4 with a single

Trey Payne: 1 walk

Tyler Payne: 1-2 with a single

Dawson Holland: 1-2 with a single, a walk, and 1 run scored

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with a single

Tee Knight: 1 run scored

James Tilley: 1-3 with a single and 1 RBI

Evan Giddens: 1 sacrifice fly

A.J. Rice: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 10 K on 91 pitches

JP Nunn: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K on 8 pitches

 

The Dragons, finish up region play having won every series and with a record of 16-2. Overall their record is 24-4 on the season. Pickens, will finish up the regular season with a pair of non-region games. First up, a date with the Shiloh Generals on the road on Wednesday, April 19th. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.

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