LaGrange, Ga — It was win or go home for both the Pickens Dragons and Troup County Tigers on Wednesday, May 14th as they were set to do battle in a series deciding game three. The winner, would go on to the AAA State Championship series where they would meet Cherokee Bluff. In a back and forth battle with a ton of drama and emotion, it was the Tigers that would come away with a 7-6 victory in 8 innings.

The Dragons, would go down in order in the top of the first after a strikeout, a ground out, and a fly out. In the bottom half of the frame, D. Moncus and C. Walker would reach with back to back 1-out singles. After a line out, C. Wilson, would drive in Moncus with an RBI single. The Dragons, would get out of the first with a line out. Heading to the second, the Tigers led it, 1-0.

In the top of the second, Dawson Lowit, would reach on a two base error. The Tigers, would get out of the second with a strikeout and a line out. In the bottom of the inning, J. Perry, would draw a lead off walk to reach 1st. Perry, would then advance to 2nd on an error. Perry, would then move up to 3rd after a ground out. T. Delaney, would bring in Perry with an RBI single to make it 2-0 Tigers.

Delaney, would then advance to 2nd on a wild pitch. A single by G. Edwards, would put runners at the corners with 1-out. Moncus, would drive in Delaney with an RBI single to make it 3-0. Edwards and Moncus, would then execute a double steal to advance to 2nd and 3rd. A sacrifice fly RBI by Walker, would bring in Delaney to make it 4-0. The Dragons, would get out of the second with a strikeout as the Tigers led 4-0 heading to the third.

In the top of the third, Matthew Davis, would lead off with the Dragons first hit of the game. He would be left stranded as the Tigers picked up a pop out, a line out, and a fly out. In the bottom of the third, Daven Abernathy, who came on to record the final two outs of the second, worked around a 2-out walk and hit batsman to keep the Tigers scoreless. Heading to the fourth, the Tigers still led the Dragons, 4-0.

Cade Sutton, would lead off the top of the fourth with a single. Kam Jenkins, would follow that up with a single of his own to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. After a strikeout, Christian Starks, would load the bases with the 3rd hit of the inning. Sam Hammontree, would put the Dragons on the board as he brought in Sutton with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 4-1.

Courtesy runner Drew Dunlap and Starks, would then move up a base after a balk was called. Davis, would draw a walk to load the bases with 2-out. Dawson Holland, would drive in both Dunlap and Starks with a 2-RBI single to make it 4-3. A.J. Rice, would bring in Davis with an RBI single to tie the game at 4. The Tigers, would get out of the fourth with a strikeout.

In the bottom of the inning, Abernathy, would toss a 1-2-3 frame as he picked up a fly out, a ground out, and a strikeout. Heading to the fifth, the game was tied at 4.

In the top of the fifth, Lowit, would look to get something going with a 2-out single. The Tigers, would get out of the fifth after a dropped 3rd strike. Abernathy, continued his stellar outing in relief in the bottom of the fifth as he picked up a fly out and a pair of ground outs to send it to the sixth with the score still deadlocked at 4.

In the top of the sixth, Davis, would draw a four pitch walk to reach 1st with one out. Holland, would then reach on a fielders’s choice as Davis would be forced out at 2nd. Rice, would keep the inning going by drawing a full count walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Holland and Rice, would then move up a base after a wild pitch. Jennings Allen, would draw a walk to load the bases.

The Tigers, would get out of the bases loaded jam by forcing a fly out. T. Dean, would lead off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Dean, would advance to 2nd after a sacrifice bunt. Delaney, would drive in Dean with an RBI single to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead. The Dragons, would get out of the sixth after a fly out and a ground out. Heading to the seventh, the Tigers led it, 5-4.

In the top of the seventh, Lowit, would pick up his 2nd hit of the day with a 1-out single. Starks, would follow that up with a double for his 2nd hit of the day. Down 0-2, Hammontree, would clutch up and drive in both pitch runner Ezra Faber and Starks with a 2-RBI single to give the Dragons a 6-5 lead. Davis, would then reach on an error to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out.

Holland, would pick up his 2nd hit of the day to load the bases. The Tigers, would yet again get out of a bases loaded jam after forcing a pair of fly outs. Heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Dragons led it, 6-5. Jenkins, would come on in relief of Abernathy for the bottom of the seventh. F. Baltzell, would draw a lead off walk to reach 1st. Jenkins, would pick up a strikeout for the first out.

C. Mosley, would then draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out. Dean, would bring in Baltzell with an RBI single to tie the game at 6. The Dragons, would get out of the seventh as Jenkins would pick up his 2nd strikeout and a fly out. Heading to the eighth, the game was tied at 6.

The Dragons, would go down in order in the top of the eighth after a pair of fly outs and a ground out. In the bottom of the inning, Edwards, would draw a lead off walk to reach 1st. Moncus, would follow that up with a double to put runners at 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. After an intentional walk, Baltzell, would then reach on a fielder’s choice as Edwards would be forced out at home. B. Willis, would bring in Moncus with an RBI single to give the Tigers the 7-6 win in 8 innings.

Stats for the Dragons:

A.J. Rice: 1-4 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 1 RBI

Jennings Allen: 1 walk

Cade Sutton: 1-5 with 1 single and 1 run scored

Dawson Lowit: 2-4 with 2 singles

Christian Starks: 2-4 with 1 single, 1 double, and 2 runs scored

Sam Hammontree: 1-3 with 1 single, and 3 RBI

Matthew Davis: 1-2 with 1 single, 2 walks, and 1 run scored

Dawson Holland: 2-4 with 2 singles, and 2 RBI

Ezra Faber: 1 run scored

The Dragons end their season at 32-7 having made their deepest run in the State Tournament in school history. The Seniors, have been a part of building a program that has seen its most successful run to date. They leave not only the most winningest class in Pickens baseball history, but a standard for the classes after them to follow. Congratulations to the Pickens Dragons baseball team on a memorable season.