Jefferson Dragons Baseball

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Dragons Sweep Callaway in Elite 8...Headed to AAA Final Four!

The Jefferson Dragons hit the road again this week as they traveled down to Lagrange for the 3rd round of the AAA GHSA playoffs, the Elite 8 against the Callaway Cavaliers, the No. 1 seed out of Region 5 AAA. Coming off the excitement of last weeks big series win over Pierce County, the Dragons looked to carry that momentum in to the Elite 8. In an evening that turned into pitching and defensive duels, the Dragons came through to sweep the series taking Game 1 by a score of 5-3 in an 11 inning marathon and then taking Game 2 by a score of 3-0 earning the Dragons a trip to the Final Four in the state playoffs for the first time since 2007 and the first time at the AAA classification.

Game 1 started off as a battle from the start. The Dragons only managed 3 hits through the first 5 innings. Unable to produce much, Callaway carried a 1-0 lead off an unearned run in the 3rd into the 6th inning. Jefferson bats came alive in the 6th. #19 Christian Hutch (3-for-6 Run 2B) roped a double to left. #9 Jake Franklin (2-for-5 RBI 2Runs) immediately followed with an RBI Double scoring Hutch to tie the game a 1. After a Single by #22 Micah Carpenter (2-for-5 Run) pushed Franklin to 3rd, #7 Ethan Garner (1-for-3 SacF RBI) drove a Sacrifice Fly to center scoring Franklin giving the Dragons a 2-1 lead. The Cavaliers tied the game back up the bottom of the 6th off an RBI Single at 2-2. The game then carried into extra innings tied a 2. After turning a double play on a line out to Garner at 1st, the Dragons survived a bases loaded 1 out threat in the 10th to keep the Dragons alive. The Dragons came alive in the 11th. Franklin led off with a Single followed by Carpenter reaching on an error. Franklin later scored on a pass ball and Carpenter scored following an RBI Single by #12 Zack Boobas (1-for-5 RBI Run). Boobas moved around the bags on 3 wild pitches eventually scoring Jefferson's 5th run. Callaway pushed 1 run across in the 11th but could do more as the Dragons held on to take the win.
Micah Carpenter got the start for Jefferson on the hill. Carpenter pitched inning recording 7 Ks and allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits. #14 Asher Standridge came on in relief and carried the Dragons through extras. Standridge pitched 5 innings, also striking out 7 and allowing just 1 run in the 11th and 0 hits. Standridge shut down the Cavaliers to help secure the game 1 win.

Jefferson was home team for Game 2 and this game proved to be another pitching battle after the 1st. In the 1st, the Dragons jumped on the board right away with 3 crossing the plate. #20 Taylor Wilkes (0-for-2 Run) was hit by a pitch to lead off followed by #8 Hunter Thompson (0-for-3 Run) reaching on a Drop 3rd Strike. Christian Hutch (1-for-3 RBI Run) then followed with an RBI Double scoring Wilkes. Thompson and Hutch both scored later on pass balls giving the Dragons an early 3-0 lead. That was all that was needed as the Dragons bats were quiet the remainder of the game. Callaway was unable to get any thing going and failed score any runs in Game 2. Ethan Garner came on to pitch for the Dragons. Garner dominated the Cavaliers going 7 innings, recording 10 Ks and allowing just 3 hits helping to give Jefferson the win and sweep the series.

The Dragons have a combined season record of 26-5 for 2015. They will now travel into Atlanta to face Westminster on Monday in the AAA Semi-Finals (Final Four). The winner of this series will face-off against the winner of the Blessed Trinity vs Westside-Augusta series in the State Championship series.

Let's cheer on the Dragons and they make their run for the AAA State Title. Game updates will be posted on Twitter and Facebook through the series as before using #JeffersonDragons.
GO DRAGONS!

Dragons Sweep Callaway in Elite 8...Headed to AAA Final Four! - Series Pictures

Pictures from Elite 8 Callaway Series...

Micah Carpenter delivers the heat

Jake Franklin calls for the throw from Hunter Thompson

Taylor Wilkes

Jake Franklin

Christian Hutch fires across to 1st Base

Will Breese and Josh Cole track a fly ball in right field

Ethan Garner

Zack Boobas

Joshua Hutch

Jared Bates taking a lead a 2nd

Hunter McCaslin watches the pitcher from 1st

Asher Standridge delivering the power on the hill

Ethan Garner now going to work

Hunter Thompson

Christian Hutch

Taylor Wilkes and Jake Franklin celebrate after Wilkes scores

Hunter Thompson sliding into Home Plate

Micah Carpenter

Zack Boobas taking a breather on this long night behind the dish

Will Breese

Friday, May 8, 2015

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!