JEFFERSON got another complete game from freshman Micah Carpenter and another grand slam from the middle of its batting order as the Dragons rolled to an 8-4 win over no. 7 North Oconee Monday at home.
Carpenter went the distance for the second time in five days, allowing five hits, four runs, three walks and striking out eight as Jefferson (7-6, 3-3) earned a split in the series with the Titans.
“He’s such a dang competitor that he figures out a way to get people out,” Jefferson coach Tommy Knight said of Carpenter. “He’s one of the most competitive kids I’ve been around in a while and that’s a lot of fun.”
Similar to Andrew Bartek five days earlier against Jackson County, Tyler Cole belted a grand slam to get the Dragons off to a fast start. Jefferson loaded the bases in the first inning and Andy Nicolas drew a walk to bring home the first run. Cole then lowered the boom by tattooing a first-pitch offering from Blake Gaubert over the left field wall to put the Dragons up 5-0.
“Tyler Cole steps up and hits a rocket,” Knight said. “That got us going. That’s such a huge momentum builder.”
Gaubert would exact revenge, smashing a third-inning grand slam off Carpenter to cut Jefferson’s lead to 5-4. But Carpenter shutdown the Titans the rest of the way, allowing just two hits over the last four innings.
Jefferson — which lost to North Oconee 6-1 Friday — added two insurance scores in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from Carpenter and a run off an error.
The Dragons were able to rough up Gaubert for seven runs (six earned) in just four innings of work. Knight was impressed with what his lineup was able to produce against a pitcher of Gaubert’s caliber.
“Gaubert is a very good pitcher — a very good pitcher,” Knight said.
The Dragons scored again in the bottom of the sixth off reliever Zack Hammond when Andrew Bartek scored off a wild pitch.
Jefferson finished with 12 hits, led by Austin Thompson, Max Ford and Carpenter, who all went 2-for-4.
With the win, Jefferson handed North Oconee (9-3) its first loss in subregion play and moved to 6-1 at home. Knight said his team definitely seems to play better within the confines of Horace J. Jackson Field. In fact, he joked that perhaps some creative scheduling could eliminate the “away” games from these home-and-away series.
“Maybe we need to negotiate some contracts where we get people to come here for two games,” he said, laughing.
The Dragons are now off — much to Knight’s chagrin — until Monday when they face Oglethorpe County at home.
On the heels of such a big win, this is not the time for a break from the schedule, he said.
“You want it (the off dates) to come after something doesn’t go your way,” Knight said. “Not after something like tonight.”
Still, Jefferson will put the down time to good use.
“We’ve got some things we’ve got to work on,” Knight said. “So we’ll take the week and get better at some things.”
DRAGONS LOSE SERIES OPENER
Jefferson dropped the first game of this series Friday with a 6-1 road loss to North Oconee.
Andrew Bartek (2-for-4) homered in the third inning for the Dragons' only run. North Oconee scored three times in the first inning and added three more insurance scores in the fifth.
Jefferson was limited to just five hits. North Oconee scored its six runs on just four hits.
