Wolverines Drop Series With Pepperell Dragons
By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports Writer
The Dade County High School Wolverine baseball team hosted the Pepperell Dragons on Monday, April 5 in a key Region 7-AA game. The teams came into the game with just one loss each in region play.
Brett Kay struck out the first three batters to get the game off to a good start for Dade. Nolan Heath singled for the Wolverines in the bottom of the first then the Pepperell pitcher issued three straight walks to score Dade’s first run of the game. A fielder’s choice scored another run and the Wolverines led 2-0.
Kay struck out the first batter in the top of the second for his fourth in a row and after a fly–ball out the Dragons got their first base runner of the game on a hit batter, but a ground out ended the threat.
In the bottom of the second DCHS added two more runs on three hits to take a 4-0 lead after two innings of play.
The third inning was scoreless then the Dragons got their first hit of the game in the fourth after a walk and a single. A double then scored two runs to cut Dade’s lead in half, 4-2.
The determined Wolverines came right back in the bottom of the fourth with two big runs on a single by Brayden Nethery with the bases loaded to put them up 6-2.
Both teams then went scoreless in the fifth inning, but Pepperell managed another run in the top of the sixth to make it a 6-3game.
In the bottom of the sixth the Wolverines got a single from Colton Emmett, a triple from Nethery and a sacrifice fly from Eli Kimball for two more runs to make it an 8-3 game.
Brodie Swader pitched the seventh and retired the Dragons in order for the big 8-3 win for Dade.
Kay picked up the win for the Wolverines pitching 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits striking out seven and walking just one.
Heath had two hits and scored a run while Emmett had two hits and scored a run; Nethery had two hits, scored a run, and had three RBI’s; Landon Williams had one hit and two RBI’s; Kay had one hit and scored one run and Kaden Moore had one hit, scored one, and had one RBI.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Pepp. 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 03 07 02
Dade 2 2 0 2 0 2 X 08 10 00
On Wednesday, the Wolverines traveled to Pepperell High School for a double header to finish out the three-game series. They had high hopes of a fourth series win after the big first win on Monday but that was not in the cards.
The Wolverines got a first inning single from Kay but that was all they were able do.
The Dragons came to bat and got back-to-back singles before a DCHS error allowed a run to score. After two strikeouts Pepperell got another hit and two more runs to take a 3-0 first inning lead.
In the second inning the Wolverines got hits from Emmett and Williams but was unable to score.
The Dragons added three more runs in the second inning on three hits, a hit batter and two walks to take control of the game, 6-0.
Dade struggled at the plate going down in order over the next three innings while Pepperell continued to produce runs.
They scored four runs in the third inning on a pair of walks and three hits to put the game away, 10-0.
Swader took the loss giving up six runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks. Kimball pitched two innings and Emmett pitched one.
The Wolverines managed just three hits in the game by Kay, Williams, and Emmett.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Dade 0 0 0 0 0 X X 00 03 02
Pepp. 3 3 4 0 X X X 10 09 00
In the second game the Wolverines’ bad day continued. After failing to score in the top of the first inning the Dragons put six runs on the board on pair of walks, a hit batter, two errors, and four hits before Dade could get them out.
The Wolverine bats never got going in the second game as they managed just three hits over the five innings, Pepperell scored 11 total runs, taking the second game 11-1. The Dragons won the series two games to one and handed the Wolverines their first series loss of the season.
Nethery took the loss pitching four innings. Heath, Swader and Williams had hits for the Wolverines.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Dade 0 0 0 0 0 X X 01 03 02
Pepp. 6 1 2 2 X X X 11 10 00
This week the Wolverines were scheduled to travel to Gordon Central on Tuesday for the first game of their three-game series. Today DCHS will host Fannin County to make up a game that was rained out earlier in the season. Game time has been set for 5 p.m.
On Friday, the Wolverines will host Gordon Central in a double-header with the first game set to begin at 5 p.m. with the second game to follow.
Next week Dade will host Model on Monday and Friday and travel to Model on Wednesday for the final Region 7-AA series before starting the state playoffs.
Get out and support the Wolverine baseball team as they head to the playoffs!