Jasper, Ga — It was a great day for high school baseball as the Pickens Dragons welcomed the Hebron Christian Lions to Dunn Field for a doubleheader in the 3A State Baseball Tournament Sweet 16. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were 27-5 overall and the #1 seed out of region 7. The Lions, came into the game 18-13 overall and the #2 seed out of region 8. The Dragons, picked up a 1-0 win in game 1, while the Lions picked up a 4-3 win in 11 innings in game 2.

Game 1:

The Lions, started off the game by getting a lead off single from Devon Caldwell. Caldwell, would advance to 2nd as Dragons starter A.J. Rice just barely beat Sebastian Daigle to 1st on the sacrifice bunt attempt. Rice, would then pick up his 1st strikeout of the game for the 2nd out. Kam Jenkins, would throw out Caldwell trying to steal 3rd to send it to the bottom of the first.

Connor Shouse, would lead off the bottom of the first by reaching on an error. Lions starter Leyton Jones, would catch Shouse in a rundown and he would be tagged by the 1st baseman for the first out. Jones, would then force back to back ground outs to send it to the second with the score still tied at 0.

In the top of the second, Rice, tossed a 1-2-3 frame as he forced a ground out, and picked up his 2nd and 3rd strikeouts. In the bottom of the frame, Trace Ledbetter would reach with a 1-out single. Christian Starks, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Ledbetter would be forced out at 2nd. Jones, would get out of the 2nd with a ground out. Going to the 3rd, the game was still deadlocked at 0.

Rice, worked around a 2-out single from Tyler Rogers in the top of the third as he forced a fly out to left, and picked up his 4th and 5th strikeout of the game. In the bottom of the inning, Kyle Grno led off with a single. Rice, would move Grno over to 2nd after a sacrifice bunt. Grno would then take 3rd on a passed ball. Shouse, would bring in Grno with an RBI ground out to make it 1-0 Dragons.

Trey Payne, kept the inning going for the Dragons as he reached on a 2-out single. Payne, would then advance to 2nd on a passed ball. Jones, would force a ground out to end the third and send it to the fourth with Pickens leading Hebron Christian, 1-0.

Rice, would work around a lead off single from Daigle in the top of the fourth as he picked up a fly out and two pop outs. In the bottom of the fourth, Ledbetter would draw a 1-out walk to reach base for a 2nd time. The Lions, would turn a double play to get out of the fourth and send it to the fifth with Pickens still leading Hebron Christian, 1-0.

Barrett Bruce, would begin the top of the fifth by leading off with a single. Jenkins, would throw out Bruce trying to steal 2nd. Rice, would then pick up back to back strikeouts to send it to the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Sam Hammontree would lead off with a single. After a strikeout, the Lions would force their second straight inning ending double play to send it to the sixth with Pickens leading Hebron Christian, 1-0.

In the top of the sixth, Rice, would continue to roll as he struck out the side to send it to the bottom of the frame. Shouse, would lead off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Cade Sutton, would then reach with a 1-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Shouse, who looked like he got back in time, was called out at 2nd after a pick off move for the 2nd out. Jenkins, would keep the inning alive with a 2-out single.

Ledbetter, would draw a walk on a full count to load the bases with 2-out. UGA commit Dean Livingston, who came on in relief of Jones in the bottom of the sixth, would force a pop out to 1st for the 3rd out of the inning. Going to the seventh, Pickens led Hebron Christian, 1-0.

Rice, still out there to start the top of the seventh, got the first two outs of the inning via strikeout. Dimitri Watts, would keep the Lions alive with a 2-out double. Rice, would pick up his 13th strikeout of the game to finish off the complete game shutout and seal the 1-0 win for the Dragons.

Stats for the Dragons in Game 1:

Connor Shouse: 1-3 with a single and 1 RBI

Trey Payne: 1-3 with a single

Cade Sutton: 1-3 with a single

Kam Jenkins: 1-3 with a single

Trace Ledbetter: 1-1 with a single and 2 walks

Sam Hammontree: 1-2 with a single

Kyle Grno: 1-2 with a single and 1 run scored

A.J. Rice: 1 sacrifice bunt (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K on 98 pitches)

Game 2:

For the second game of the doubleheader, the Dragons were designated the “away” team. Lions starter Daniel Barwick, got the Dragons in order on a fly out, a ground out, and a strikeout in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning, the Dragons, went with Freshman Dylan Walls as the starter as the plan was to use the bullpen for the most part in game 2. Caldwell, much like he did in game 1, led off with a single.

Walls, did a good job of working around that lead off hit as he picked up a strikeout, a fly out, and a ground out to send it to the second with the score tied at 0.

Jenkins, would lead off the top of the second by reaching 2nd on a 2-base error. Hammontree, would draw a 2-out walk to keep the inning going for the Dragons. Barwick, would force a ground out to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the second, Watts, would lead off with a home run to left field to make it 1-0 Lions. Walls, would come back with a strikeout, a fly out, and a ground out to send it to the third with Hebron Christian leading, 1-0.

In the top of the third, Rice, led off with a single. The Lions, would then turn a double play. Barwick, would force a line out to 2nd for the 3rd out. Rogers, would lead off the bottom of the third by drawing a walk on a full count. Caldwell, would move Rogers over to 2nd with a sacrifice bunt. Walls, would then pick up a strikeout for the 2nd out. Cason Cannon, would come on in relief of Walls and force a pop out to send it to the fourth, Lions leading, 1-0.

Jenkins, would be hit with a pitch in the top of the fourth with 1-out. Ledbetter, would follow that with a single that would advance courtesy runner JP Nunn to 2nd. Starks, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Nunn would be forced out at 3rd. Barwick, would force a fly out to center for the third out to get out of the jam. In the bottom of the fourth, Cannon, got the first two outs via line out and strikeout.

Bruce, would keep the inning going for the Lions with a 2-out double to left. Thomas Stallworth, would then be intentionally walked. Cannon, would pick up his 2nd K of the frame to send it to the fifth, Hebron Christian leading Pickens, 1-0.

Shouse, looked to start a rally in the top of the fifth as he reached with a 2-out single. Barwick, would force a fly out to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the fifth, Caldwell, would reach with a 1-out single. Daigle, would then draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. Cannon, would pick up a strikeout and force a fly out to center to send it to the sixth with Hebron Christian still leading Pickens, 1-0.

In the top of the sixth, Sutton, led off with a single. Jenkins, would advance Sutton to 2nd on a ground out. Ledbetter, would then reach with a 1-out single to put runners at the corners. Jennings Allen, would come in to pitch run for Ledbetter. Starks, would then drive a double down the left field line that would bring in Sutton. Allen, would be tagged out at 3rd trying to get back to the base.

Barwick, would get out of the sixth with a fly out. Going to the bottom of the inning, Pickens and Hebron Christian were tied at 1. Watts, would lead off the bottom of the sixth by being hit with a pitch. Cannon, would then force a pop out for the first out. Stallworth, would then draw a full count walk. Pitch runner Anthony Ponzio, would move up to 2nd.

JP Nunn would come on in relief of Cannon to try to get out of the sixth. Pitch hitter Aubrey Willbanks, would drive in Ponzio with an RBI single to make it 2-1 Lions. Rogers, would follow with a bloop single to right that would score Stallworth to make it 3-1 Lions. Jenkins, would then throw out Willbanks, who was trying to steal 3rd for the 2nd out. Nunn, would strike Caldwell out to send it to the seventh with Hebron Christian leading Pickens, 3-1.

Tyler Payne, would come on to pitch hit for Grno to start the seventh. He would reach with a lead off single. Grno, would then come in to pitch run for Payne. Rice, would follow that with a single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Shouse, would reach with a single of his own to load the bases with nobody out. Trey Payne, would reach on a fielder’s choice as Grno would be thrown out at home.

After a strikeout by Barwick for the 2nd out, Jenkins stepped up to the plate. Jenkins, would drive in Rice and Shouse with a 2-RBI single to tie the game at 3. Jenkins would head to 2nd on the throw to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2-outs. Ledbetter, would then be intentionally walked to load the bases. Barwick, would force a fly out to right for the 3rd out. Going to the bottom of the seventh, the game was all tied up at 3.

Nunn, would sit the Lions down in order in the bottom of the seventh with a strikeout, a line out, and a ground out. Going to the eighth, Pickens and Hebron Christian were tied at 3.

In the top of the eighth, Grno would reach by drawing a 1-out walk. Barwick, who was still in the game, forced a fly out and a pop out to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Nunn, would get Watts to strikeout for the first out as Jenkins made a great play to get the out after dropping the 3rd strike. After Bruce was hit by a pitch, Jenkins would throw him out trying to steal 2nd.

Nunn, would strikeout Stallworth to send it to the ninth with the game tied at 3.

The Dragons, would go down in order in the top of the ninth as Livingston would come on in relief for the 2nd consecutive game. Nunn, would strike out Destin Matthews to begin the bottom of the ninth. Rogers, would reach with a 1-out single. Caldwell, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Rogers would be forced out at 2nd. Daigle, would then ground out to short for the 3rd out. Going to the tenth, the game was still tied at 3.

In the top of the tenth, Starks would reach by drawing a 1-out walk. Starks, would advance to 2nd after a wild pitch with 2-out. Grno, would draw another walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-out. Livingston, would force a pop out to 2nd for the 3rd out. Livingston, would lead off the bottom of the tenth with a single. Nunn, would then strike out Sam Mitchell for the first out.

Watts, would line a double that would bounce off the glove of Sutton at 3rd. Starks, the left fielder, got to the ball quickly and looked to have thrown out Livingston at 3rd. After appeals, the call stood and Livingston was safe putting runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1-out. Shouse, would come on in relief of Nunn to try and keep the game tied. Shouse, would get Bruce to strikeout for the 2nd out.

After the decision was made to intentionally walk Stallworth to load the bases, Shouse would strike out Matthews to get out of the jam and send the game to the eleventh still tied at 3.

In the top of the eleventh, Trey Payne would reach by getting hit with a pitch with 1-out. After Livingston forced a pop out to 2nd for the second out, Payne would steal 2nd to get into scoring position. Jenkins, would then draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 2-out. Livingston, would force a pop out to short for the 3rd out to send it to the bottom of the inning.

In the bottom of the eleventh, Caldwell would reach with a 1-out single. Caldwell, would then move up after stealing 2nd. Daigle, would follow by drawing a walk. Caldwell, would advance to 3rd on a wild pitch. Daigle, would then steal 2nd to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1-out. Livingston, would drive in Caldwell with an RBI single to give the Lions the 4-3 win in game 2.

With the two teams splitting the doubleheader, it sets up a deciding game 3 on Tuesday, April 30th with the winner moving on to the Elite 8 where the winner will take on the Harlem Bulldogs. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.