Dragons Eliminate Pierce County in 3 Games....ELITE 8 BOUND!!!

The Jefferson Dragons hit the road this week, traveling 250 miles south to Blackshear, GA where they took on the Pierce County Bears in the AAA Sweet 16.  The stage was set for a great series between two of the states best teams.  Pierce County packed the stands with what seemed to be the entire county and the Dragons brought their small, but mighty and loud contigent along to cheer them on.  The best-of-3 series started with a Double-header on Wednesday night.  Jefferson took Game 1 of the series by a score of 2-0 score giving Pierce County their first home loss of the season.  The Bears edged out the Dragons in Game 2 by a score of 3-2 sending the series to Game 3 on Thursday evening.  Game 3 did not dissappoint as the game sailed into a 10 inning marathon that saw Jefferson prevail by an 8-7 score to take the series win and advance in the state playoffs.

Game 1 was all about pitching and defense.  The offenses of both teams were kept fairly quite for most of the game.  The Dragons managed just 3 hits through the first 5 inning, but were unable to capitalize.  That ended in the 6th inning however.  #9 Jake Franklin (0-for-2 Run BB) led the inning off with a walk, followed by a Single by #22 Micah Carpenter (1-for-2 Run) where Franklin advanced to 3rd.  #7 Ethan Garner (0-for-1 2SacBunts RBI) drove in the first run, Franklin, on a ground out to Shortstop.  #10 Joshua Hutch (2-for-3 RBI) followed with with an RBI Single to left scoring Carpenter giving the Dragons a 2-0 lead, which is was all they need.  Micah Carpenter got the start on the mound for the Dragons.  Carpenter throw a complete game, 7 innings where he recorded 9 Ks and scattered 5 hits, allowing 0 runs, securing the win for Jefferson in Game 1, 2-0.

Game 2 also saw solid pitching and defense once again with a slightly different result, but tight score.  Pierce County struck first with 1 run in the 2 taking an early 1-0 lead.  The Dragons tied the game the 4th at 1-1.  Pierce County tacked on 2 runs in the 5th to regain the lead by a 3-1 score.  Jefferson tried to rally in the 7th pushing 1 run across, but could not no more and fell by a score of 3-2.  The fist run came in the 4th for the Dragons when Jake Franklin (1-for-3 Run) reached base on an infield bunt single..  After stealing 2nd base, Franklin scored when Micah Carpenter (1-for-2 RBI BB) drove a RBI Single to left.  Jefferson's only other run came in the 7th after #18 Will Breese (2-for-3 Run) drove a single to left center.  Breese then stole 2nd Base and later scored after #8 Hunter Thompson reached base on a Pierce County Error.  Ethan Garner started the game off on the hill.  Garner threw 5 1/3 innings for the Dragons, recording 7 Ks and allowing 3 runs on 3 hits.  #14 Asher Standridge came on in relief 6th for Jefferson.  Standridge kept the Bears quite the rest of the game in 1 2/3 innings of work with 1 K and allowing just 1 hit.  The set the stage for a wild finish to the series on Thursday.

On Thursday night, the atmosphere was even more intense and hyped up as the series moved into the decisive Game 3.  Pierce County fans came with their noise makers and Jefferson fans pulled out all the stops to ensure they were heard as well with their small contigent.  The Bears jumped on the board right away in the 1st inning bringing 3 runs across the plate.  Jefferson answered right back in the 2nd however pushing 4 runs across the plate.  After the first 3 batters reached on walks and an error, the Dragons capitalized when Joshua Hutch (2-for-3 2RBI Run) reached on an 1st base error allowing Micah Carpenter (3-for-5 3Runs) and Ethan Garner (0-for-3 RBI BB Run) both score.  Will Breese (2-for-5 RBI) then drove an RBI Single to left scoring #12 Zack Boobas who reached base on a Fielders Choice.  Joshua Hutch then scored when #20 Taylor Wilkes (2-for-6 RBI) drove an RBI Single to center, which gave the Dragons a 4-3 lead.  Jefferson added 2 more runs in the 3rd after Garner drove a RBI Sac Fly to Center scoring Jake Franklin (1-for-3 Run) who had walked previously.  The 2nd run came an RBI Single from Joshua Hutch drove in Carpenter who reached on Double to left.  Jefferson held a 6-5 lead going to the 7th, where they tacked on 1 more run after Carpenter scored on a bases loaded walk to Joshua Hutch.  The answered in the bottom of the inning however with 2 runs to send the game to extra innings tied 7-7.  The scored still notted at 7 goint to the 10th inning, Jefferson broke the tie after Asher Standridge (1-for-1 Run) reached on a lead off Single.  Taylor Wilkes then drove an infield Single, pushing Standridge to 3rd who then scored on an RBI Single by Hunter Thompson giving Jefferson an 8-7 lead. 
On the mound for Jefferson, Jake Franklin got the start.  Franklin pitched 2 2/3 innings with 1 K and allowing 5 runs on 4 hits.  Taylor Wilkes came on in relief throwing 4 1/3 innings where recorded 4 Ks and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits.  Moving to extra innings, it was all Asher Standridge on the hill.  Standridge recorded 2 Ks in 3 innings of work and did not allow any hits keeping the Bears off the board in extras and securing the series win for the Dragons with an 8-7 final.

This series win sends the Jefferson Dragons to the Elite 8 in their first year as a AAA school and the first time in any classifcation since 2008.  Jefferson will travel to Hogansville on Tuesday, May 12 to kick off a Best-of-3 Series with Callaway High School.  For those that cannot attend.  You can follow #JeffersonDragons on Twitter and Facebook or Richard's Twitter Handle, @PatriotRich, where score updates will best posted as the series rolls on.  Good luck to the boys in the next round! 

Also good luck to Jackon County, Oconee County, and Hart County who also advanced to the Elite 8 which is dominted by Region 8AAA this year.

Oh, and Atta boy Chaz!