Losing the first two games in the series against East Hall didn’t dampen the Tigers’ spirit on senior night. The Dawson County High School varsity baseball team put on a show for everyone in attendance as the Tigers routed the Vikings 17-7 via the mercy rule in Friday night’s home victory.
Despite the win, the Tigers playoff chances took a big hit with the two losses to East Hall (2-1 and 5-2) earlier in the week. Dawson County (10-14, 7-8 Region 7-AAA) may not make the playoffs this season, but that doesn’t mean senior Palmer Sapp has enjoyed his senior year any less.
“I can sit here and tell you that it’s my senior year and it’s supposed to be fun and it’s supposed to be my final go and all that, but it’s not just that, it’s the guys,” said Sapp about his career at Dawson County. “Those are my brothers. You know, whether we make the playoffs or finish dead last and don’t win a game this season, you know I’m going to keep in contact with them until the day I die.
“It’s been a different, fun ride. I’ll tell you that I wouldn’t want to be with any other team. If I could’ve transferred to the No. 1 team in the country, I don’t think I could’ve done it. This is a very family bunch.”
Sapp got the scoring started for the Tigers with an RBI single in the first inning, just moments after taking part in the senior night pregame ceremonies. Fellow senior Connor Bearden put Dawson County up 4-1 after two innings with an RBI single of his own.
East Hall (12-12, 7-8 Region 7-AAA) looked like they were about to spoil the celebration for the Tigers with a six-run fourth inning to take a 7-4 lead, but Dawson County battled back with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth to retake the lead, 12-7.
Bearden started off the massive fourth inning for the Tigers with a two-run homerun and sophomore Hudson Sapp finished the inning with a three-run homerun. Dawson County didn’t let up and rode the wave of momentum with another five runs in the fifth to end the game early and send the seniors out with a win.
Dawson County is now tied with East Hall for the fourth and final playoff spot in Region 7-AAA with the Vikings now holding the tiebreaker over the Tigers due to their series win.
Making matters worse is that the Tigers’ last three games are against first-place North Hall, while East Hall plays its final three games vs. last-place Union County. But there is a chance and, after starting the region schedule 1-5, Coach Dwayne Sapp will take it.
“We started off at 1-5 in region and we’re still in it in the last series, so I can’t complain,” Sapp said. “These kids have competed, and if we’ve had this much energy all year, who knows. But it was fun and exciting tonight.”