It was a tough week for the Dawson County baseball team. The Tigers dropped three Region 8-AA games last week.
On Tuesday, Head Coach Jimmy Pruett’s team played host to a very scrappy Fannin County club and lost 5-1. Friday the team traveled to Jefferson and dropped both games of a doubleheader, 6-0 and 7-6.
With the three losses, Dawson currently stands at 5-6 overall.
The Rebels from Blue Ridge jumped out to a quick 1-0 start in the first inning against Tiger pitcher Chase Gilreath. Fannin added two more runs in the fourth and sixth innings to hold a commanding 5-0 lead.
Dawson finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Shortstop Luke Williamson led off the inning with a walk and stole second base. Williamson scored on an RBI single back up the middle by Gilreath.
It was Dawson’s only run of the contest.
The hitting troubles continued on Friday against Jefferson. Dawson managed only six hits, while being shutout by the Dragons in the first game of a twin-bill.
Jefferson got on the scoreboard early. The team scored three runs off Tiger starter Chase Williams.
The Dragons added two more runs in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth inning to come away with the 6-0 win.
“Their pitcher, Jake Fields, is a tough pitcher and hitter,” said Pruett. “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively against him.”
Fields also added a 2-run homer for Jefferson (10-1, 7-0 in Region 8-AA).
The Tigers scrapped and fought in the second game.
The Tigers held a 2-1 lead after two innings off play.
Willams led off the inning with a walk. Olin Bearden added a single to put runners on first and second with only one out. Jacob Anglin and Willamson picked up RBI’s with hits to give Dawson the lead.
The Dragons scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning off of Tiger starter Ryan Morawsky to hold a 5-2 lead.
Pruett’s squad tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the seventh inning. Back-to-back doubles by Cody Marshall and Gilreath and a single by Austin Papaik tied the game.
Dawson’s come back fell short as Jefferson won the game on a homerun by Jake Fields in the bottom of the seventh inning off Tiger reliever Preston Adams.
Adams came on in relief in the fourth inning and only gave up three hits. Two of them were home runs.
Willamson had a big day at the plate for Dawson, He went 2-for-4 with three RBI’s.
We played better in the second game and had a chance to win. We just have to get that clutch hit which has eluded us all year,” said Pruett.
The Tigers were back in action today with a game against Union County in Blairsville. Scores were unavailable at press time.
Friday the team will travel to North Oconee to play a doubleheader against a very tough Titan team.
“This will be a tough week for us,” said Pruett.