Pickens wins first state title in any sport since 1974

Everett Grubbs made good on his second chance.

In Game 2 last week, with his team three outs from its first state title in any sport since 1974, the Pickens junior pitcher and third baseman was a principal character in his team’s collapse, as he failed to retire any of three batters in relief and committed an error.

In the deciding Game 3 on Monday, Grubbs got the ball again and delivered a historic gem – a six-hitter through 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 victory over defending champion Troup in the Class 3A final in Columbus. Robert Turner struck out the final batter with the bases empty.

“Everett has done that all year long, and we felt comfortable giving him the ball,” Pickens coach Adam Williams said. “We told him he gets something a lot of people done get - redemption. If he would go do what is is capable, he can make everyone forget about Saturday night.”

The last time this northwest Georgia school had won a state championship was 52 years ago. All of Pickens’ previous four championships came in girls basketball.

“This is the first state championship in a male sport at Pickens,” Williams said. “We have a wonderful community who loves their kids. I am so proud of Dragon Nation. They played a huge role in this historic win.”

Pickens’ runs in the clinching victory came on third baseman AJ Rice’s two-run double down the right-field line in the first inning. Rice, better known as the star pitcher who struck out 14 batters in Pickens’ Game 1 victory, has signed with Auburn.

Grubbs’ Game 2 struggles – he was the first of four relievers who saw eight runs score in an 8-1 defeat – proved to be a fluke. He retired Troup in order in the first inning. In the second, Troup had runners at first and second, and Grubbs ended the threat with a strikeout.

Troup had runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth when Grubbs got a fly out to center field.

Troup tried to score the tying run in the sixth on an infield single, but Pickens shortstop Jennings Allen threw the runner out at home to end the inning.

Grubbs finished the season 9-0 with a 1.06 ERA. He struck out 81 in 66 innings. He could not face the final batter after reaching the GHSA’s 120-pitch limit for the series

Turner, who got the Game 3 save, was a consistent performer. he scored four runs in the series as Pickens’ leadoff man and had eight putouts in center field.