Dawson defeats Union 7-3
Five-run fourth thwarts Panthers
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Cody Graham slides safely into second base with a double.

For six of the seven innings the Panthers played against the Dawson County Tigers Tuesday, they matched them pitch for pitch, swing for swing, catch for catch.

But a five-run fourth inning gave the Tigers all they would need to overcome the Panthers.

The game got off to a good start for the home team, as Union looked as if it might jump out to a big lead early. Walks to Kody Owenby and Cody Shook, and a single by Cody Graham loaded the bases with only one one in the first inning, before Dawson managed to turn a double play to get out of the jam.

Dawson put a runner of their own on in the second inning, but a big catch by Cody Graham and a double play turned by Cody Adams kept the Tigers from scoring as well.

The Tigers threatened again in the third inning, putting two runners on base before a pop out and ground out spoiled their scoring opportunity.

The contest remained scoreless until the fateful fourth inning, when Dawson loaded the bases with one out. Adouble brought two men to the plate, and Union dropped what would have been the third out of the inning, allowing two more runners to score. The Tigers would come up with one more RBI double in the inning, giving them a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Kody Owenby avoids the tag as the throw goes up the line.

Union was able to get one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning, after Cody Graham came up with a two out double. He later scored on an RBI single by Eric Seabolt.

Dawson scored another run in the top of the fifth, but left a runner stranded at third when Chaiz George struck out the batter for out number three. They added one final run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly to lead 7-1.

In the bottom half of the inning the Panthers looked like they might have a chance to get back into the game as some help from the Dawson defense allowed them to load the bases with no one out.

Dawson picked up one out on a pop out, then on a very unusual play, Chaiz George hit a sharp line drive to the shortstop near second base, who snagged the ball and threw to first base

The Tigers ran off the field believing they had a double play, but after the umpires spent several minutes conferring, they ruled that only one out was recorded. Union picked up one more run in a botched run-down, cutting the deficit to the 7-3 margin that would end up as the final score.

Prior to the varsity game, the junior varsity squad was edged 3-2 by the JV Tigers in yet another outcome that was determined in the fourth inning. Union held a 2-1 lead going into the fourth, when it appeared that the Tigers hit a 2- run homerun to take a 3-2 lead.

But the Panthers appealed the call, tagging home plate. The umpire signaled that the runner did not touch home, and it was ruled an out.

The Tigers still managed to get those two runs, albeit using small ball instead of the long ball. After an extrabase hit tied the game 2-2, a squeeze bunt brought the go-ahead run across the plate.

Dawson kept Union off the board in the fourth and fifth, and the game ended after five innings of play.