May 19, 2024 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Former Cartersville High pitchers Mason Barnett and Logan Martin earned MiLB pitching wins this past week for their respective Kansas City Royals affiliates. Meanwhile, several local athletes participated in collegiate post-season softball and baseball action. MiLB MASON BARNETT — Northwest Arkansas Naturals (3rd-yr. pro; Kansas City Royals Double-A affiliate; Texas League; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … picked up his second pitching win of the season this past Sunday afternoon in a 4-⅔ inning relief appearance. He entered in the fourth inning of the Naturals’ 6-2 win at the Arkansas Travelers. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts in the victory. Barnett also made a 4-⅔ innings start last Tuesday with no decision in an eventual 5-4, 10-inning loss in the same series. Barnett (2-1, 5.02 ERA) gave up four earned runs on eight hits and one walk. He fanned eight of 23 batters faced last Tuesday. The Naturals went 3-3 against Arkansas last week. Northwest Arkansas (19-18) hosts the Amarillo Sod Poodles for a six-game series that begins on Tuesday through Sunday. LOGAN MARTIN — Columbia Fireflies (2nd-yr. pro; Kansas City Royals Single-A affiliate; Carolina League; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) …. made a five-inning start and picked up his first win of the season last Thursday as the Fireflies beat the visiting Charleston RiverDogs 2-1. He allowed one earned run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts dropping his season ERA to 3.91. Columbia went 3-4 against Charleston last week. The Fireflies (19-18) play a six-game series at the Delmarva Shorebirds this week that continues Tuesday through Sunday. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Somerset Patriots (7th-yr. pro; NY Yankees Double-A affiliate; Eastern League; Cartersville HS) … made four starts and six appearances last week in a home series against the Portland SeaDogs. The 24-year-old was 2-for-15 at the plate with two walks, one RBI, and two runs scored as the Patriots went 3-3 for the week. Somerset (19-19) plays a six-game series running Tuesday through Sunday at the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. UFL VIC BEASLEY, JR. — Arlington Renegades (10th-yr. pro; Clemson; Adairsville HS) … had one sack and was credited with one pass breakup Sunday but the Renegades lost at the San Antonio Brahmas 20-15. It marked Arlington’s seventh loss in eight games this season. Arlington has two games remaining this season. They host the St. Louis Battlehawks on Saturday and complete the season at the D.C. Defenders on Sunday, June 2. GOLF BUCK BRUMLOW — University of Georgia (Jr., Cartersville HS) … tied for 41st as an individual with rounds of 72-71-77 as the Bulldogs tied for seventh at the NCAA Austin Regional played on the University of Texas Golf Course. The top five teams — Texas, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Utah, and Wake Forest — advanced to the NCAA Championship later this month. SOFTBALL ANSLEY EVANS — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … went 0-for-6 in two losses at the NAIA Opening Round tournament in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Eagles (42-10) were eliminated in losses to William Carey (Miss.) and Indiana Southeast last Monday and Tuesday. Evans hit .331 in 180 plate appearances with one home run and 41 RBIs while appearing in 50 games in 2024. ERYN LEE — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … went 0-for-5 at the plate in losses to William Carey (Miss.) and Indiana Southeast last Monday and Tuesday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at the NAIA Opening Round. Lee hit .306 in 136 plate appearances with 15 RBIs. She appeared in 47 games in 2024. Reinhardt won the Appalachian Athletic Conference and finished the season with a 42-10 record. BASEBALL MICAH EARWOOD — Georgia State University (So., Cartersville HS) … made a two-inning relief appearance in the sixth and seventh innings last Wednesday in the Panthers’ 13-6 loss at USC Upstate. Earwood allowed one earned run on one hit, two hit batsmen, and two walks. Georgia State (25-31, 13-17 Sun Belt Conference) opens the post-season tournament on Tuesday in Montgomery against Coastal Carolina. COLT McKIBBEN — Lee University (So., Cartersville HS) … made two relief appearances in the NCAA D2 Regional at Tampa University. He closed out the final seven outs of a 24-7 win over Auburn Montgomery last Thursday. He also retired the final two outs of the eighth inning in last Saturday's 16-3 loss to regional champion Tampa. He allowed four earned runs on five hits and six walks in the three total innings on the mound. McKibben struck out two. He finished the season with 16 appearances (three starts) and an 8.00 ERA across 27 innings pitched. He struck out 23. HANK SMITH — Jacksonville State University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … made two appearances off the Gamecocks’ bench this past weekend in a series at Sam Houston State. He was 0-for-1 at the plate as a pinch hitter and was entered defensively at catcher. Jax State (18-34, 5-19 Conference USA) did not qualify for the CUSA eight-team post-season tournament. Smith made three starts this season and appeared in 12 games. He hit .091 in 13 plate appearances. STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Grad student, Cass HS) … in four games at the NCAA D2 Regional in Salisbury, North Carolina, Spell was 4-for-17 at the plate with a walk, one double, and two RBIs. He was hit by a pitch twice and scored two runs. The Mountain Lions (41-15) went 2-2 in the double-elimination bracket falling to host Catawba College in the championship round. Spell hit .314 this season in 56 starts and 257 plate appearances. He hit three homers with 41 RBIs. He also hit .314 for his career in 729 plate appearances with 11 home runs and 111 RBIs. COHEN WILBANKS — Georgia Gwinnett College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made three starts in the Grizzlies’ NAIA Opening Round tournament win at home. GGC went 4-1 in the double-elimination tournament and beat Faulkner University (Ala.) in the finals. The regional win advances Georgia Gwinnett to the NAIA World Series starting this Saturday in Lewiston, Idaho. Wilbanks went 3-for-13 with one walk, sacrifice, and RBI in last weekend’s tournament. The Grizzlies (51-7) are the No. 2 seed in the 10-team, double-elimination World Series bracket and will play the William Carey (Miss.) / Indiana Southeast winner on Saturday night. The national championship tournament, including Kansas Wesleyan, Arizona Christian, Hope International (Calif.), Reinhardt University, University of the Cumberlands (Ky.), and Tennessee Wesleyan, continues through the following Friday, May 31.

May 17, 2024 A walk-off single by Loganville’s Angel Quezada in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday afternoon left the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes on the wrong end of a 4-3 defeat in the deciding game of the GHSA Class 5A Championship series. For the Red Devils, it is their second three-peat of state championships over the past seven seasons. For the Canes, it is their second runner-up in two years and third since 2018. Loganville and Cartersville split a doubleheader on Thursday at the Gwinnett Stripers’ Coolray Field in Lawrenceville to begin their best-of-three series. The Red Devils won 5-3 in eight innings in the opener before Cartersville cruised to a 14-3 win in five innings in Game 2. Friday’s rubber game was slightly delayed at the beginning due to rain in the area and experienced a full rain delay of about an hour midway through the game. The MiLB stadium field crew covered the diamond with a tarp in the fourth inning while the Canes were leading 3-0. Cartersville built their early lead on Luke Miller’s three-run home run to right field in the top of the second. Tristan McKibben and Cole Crawford singled in front of Miller and scored on his blast. Nate Russell made the pitching start for the Hurricanes and kept Loganville off balance and the scoreboard through the first four innings.  When he returned to the mound after the rain delay, the Red Devils stirred their trouble. Loganville (26-12) utilized three walks, a single, a Canes’ error, and a wild pitch to knot the score. Sawyer Wilson was inserted on the mound and issued an intentional walk before getting a flyout to end the Red Devils’ threat. Cartersville went scoreless in the top of the sixth and seventh innings and Loganville was kept off the scoreboard in the sixth before setting up the walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh. An infield single, a throwing error, and two walks loaded the bases for the Red Devils with no outs setting up Quezada’s game-winning hit. Jaylen Jones (3.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 1K) was credited with the pitching win in relief of starting pitcher Layne Ayers (3.1 IP, 3ER, 4H, 2BB, 4K). Wilson (1.2 IP, 1ER, 4H, 4BB, 1K) was charged with the Cartersville pitching loss in relief of Russell (4.2 IP, 3ER, 2H, 5BB, 4K). Miller finished with two hits for Cartersville including his three-run homer. Caleb Daniel, Cameron Cochran, McKibben, and Crawford had the other Canes’ hits. Cartersville finished the year with a 32-7 mark and is 64-11 over the past two seasons.

May 16, 2024 Loganville and Cartersville split a doubleheader Thursday night at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville — home of the Gwinnett Stripers — and will square off in a deciding third game on Friday at noon to determine the GHSA Class 5A state championship. The Red Devils won the first game 5-3 in eight innings but the Hurricanes pounded out a dozen hits in Game 2 to win 14-3 in five innings. The doubleheader split forces a winner-take-all Game 3 scheduled for noon on Friday at Coolray Field although the weather forecast does not look favorable. Showers and thunderstorms are likely for Lawrenceville on Friday. GAME ONE:  LOGANVILLE 5, CARTERSVILLE 3 (8 innings) The Loganville Red Devils won a back-and-forth battle in the first game of the best-of-three series Thursday night outlasting Cartersville 5-3 in eight innings. The two teams traded first-inning runs. The Canes took a 2-1 lead in the second but Loganville tied it 2-2 in the third inning.  After the Red Devils went ahead 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Cartersville sent the game to extra innings with a run in the bottom of the frame. In the top of the eighth, Loganville took advantage of three singles, two walks, and three Canes’ miscues to go up 5-3. Cartersville loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning but failed to score. Loganville’s Tucker Segars and Canes’ ace Ryan Johnson made starts on the mound but neither received a decision. Segars allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five. Johnson worked seven innings for the Hurricanes and allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks. Johnson fanned eleven. J.P. Myers (2 IP, 0R, 2H, 3BB, 4K) collected the pitching win for the Red Devils in relief. Andrew Purdy (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 1K) was tagged with the Cartersville loss. Cameron Cochran had three hits and one RBI in the opening game for Cartersville. Purdy (RBI), Cole Crawford and Luke Miller (double, RBI) contributed two hits. Segars had three hits and one RBI for the Red Devils. Jordan Johnson followed with two hits. GAME TWO:  CARTERSVILLE 14, LOGANVILLE 3 The Cartersville bats powered past Loganville in Thursday’s second game to wallop the Red Devils, 14-3, in five innings. Eight different Canes contributed with at least one hit and had at least one RBI. Meanwhile, Cartersville pitcher Sawyer Wilson (5 IP, 3R, 2ER, 8H, 0BB, 4K) settled down after a three-run first inning to pick up the Canes’ victory. Tristan McKibben led the Cartersville offense with three hits including a clutch, base-clearing triple in the first inning. He finished with four RBIs. Aidan Larkin (double, two RBIs) and Purdy (RBI) produced two hits. Caleb Daniel (two RBIs), Miller (double, RBI), Charlie Rothschild (two RBIs), Turner Abernathy, and Crawford added one hit. Cochran drove in a run with a sac fly and Landon Cole contributed one RBI. ON DECK: Friday, May 17, noon Coolray Field, Lawrenceville Cartersville (32-6) vs. Loganville (26-13)

May 16, 2024 Georgia Highlands baseball started the day on Thursday needing to win both games of a road doubleheader to win the Appalachian District best-of-three championship series and the Chargers got it done. After dropping the series opener on Wednesday 3-2, the Chargers took care of business on Thursday winning 13-4 and 10-1. The Appalachian District title advances Georgia Highlands to the 10-team NJCAA World Series May 25-31 in Grand Junction, Colorado. It marks the first-ever trip to the national championship tournament for the GHC program. The bracket and matchups will be announced by the NJCAA on Tuesday, May 21. In the opener on Thursday, the Chargers raced to an 8-0 lead by the middle of the third inning. The Eagles cut the advantage to 8-2 in the bottom of the third but GHC added five more runs across the sixth and seventh innings to put the game away. Michael Sharman (10-2) earned the pitching victory with a strong eight-inning performance. He allowed just two earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four. Kyle Stephenson allowed a run in the ninth on one hit and one walk but closed out the final three outs. The Chargers enjoyed more of the same offensive success in the second game.  GHC scored six times in the top of the second inning to build a commanding lead. They added three in the fifth inning and one more in the eighth to lead 10-0. Dyersburg State hit a solo home run in the ninth inning but could do no more damage. GHC pitcher, Chandler Anderson (9-0), controlled the Eagles from the mound. He worked all nine innings allowing just one run on seven hits and two walks. He struck out eight. Luke Orfi (two doubles, four RBIs) and Barrett Eldridge (sac fly, RBI) paced the Chargers’ offense in the two games with four hits. Ryan Martin (homer, double, four RBIs), Ryan Wideman (RBI), and Ali Banks (three RBIs) finished with three hits. Clay Wiesen (homer, three RBIs) and CJ Blackwell (double, four RBIs) had two hits. Will Cawthon (RBI) and Grayson Godbee added one hit in the doubleheader. “I can’t say enough about this team and how they stepped up,” said an excited GHC coach Dash O’Neill Thursday night. “Losing that first game was such a gut punch, but our guys never blinked.  Michael Sharman and Chandler Anderson were lights out on the bump giving us two incredible starts.  Sharm went eight strong (innings) in the first game and Kyle Stephenson closed it out. Chandler nearly threw a shutout in the clincher. Just dominant performances from both guys.  The offense just did what it does and put consistent pressure on them the entire day.” The season ends for Dyersburg State with a 29-26 record and the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association championship. Georgia Highlands (53-8) adds the Appalachian District championship to their Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association regular season and tournament titles. The Chargers were ranked No. 3 nationally heading into post-season play.

May 15, 2024 The pitching was strong for both teams on Wednesday, but Dyersburg State outlasted the Georgia Highlands Chargers on the scoreboard, 3-2. The win put the host Eagles up 1-0 in the best-of-three NJCAA Appalachian District Championship series. Georgia Highlands will need to win two games in the series to advance to the NJCAA World Series while Dyersburg State needs just one more win. GHC jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. Luke Orfi singled and Clay Wiesen doubled to open the frame. Ryan Wideman grounded out to drive in Orfi and Will Cawthon followed with a run-scoring single. The 2-0 lead held until the Eagles’ third inning. Three doubles, a single, and an RBI groundout gave the Dyersburg State a 3-2 lead. Eagles’ pitcher, Jacob Sitton, took over from there. He blanked the Chargers for eight innings scattering nine hits and one walk. He recorded two strikeouts in his complete-game effort. Trip Dovale suffered the pitching loss for Georgia Highlands despite a strong outing. He yielded three earned runs on eight hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Kyle Stephenson (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 1K) and Andrew Arnold (1 IP, 0R, 1H) worked one scoreless inning. Wiesen, Cawthon (RBI), and Gray Wilson had two hits for the Chargers. Orfi, Grayson Godbee, and Ali Banks added one hit. Georgia Highlands (51-8) and Dyersburg State (29-24) are scheduled to complete the series on Thursday on the Eagles’ home field. A potential doubleheader (if needed) begins at noon EDT.

May 13, 2024 Charles Wilson BartowSportsZone.com This week’s edition of Athletes Beyond Bartow includes updates on the locals in Minor League Baseball plus three other professionals. Vic Beasley and the Arlington Renegades snapped a losing streak; A.J. Mosby and the Sudbury Five fell in the Basketball Super League playoffs; and Jason Bohn was in action at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham on the PGA Champions Tour. Former Adairsville standout, Nakiyah Washington, picked up Collegiate Conference of the South track and field honors while former Cass High pole vaulter, Stephen Smith, helped Kennesaw State win the Atlantic Sun Conference championship. Meanwhile, collegiate softball and baseball schedules have moved into post-season play at most levels with the Division I baseball teams finishing a final week of regular season play before starting their conference tournaments. MiLB MASON BARNETT — Northwest Arkansas Naturals (3rd-yr. pro; Kansas City Royals Double-A affiliate; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … made a 4-⅔ innings start at home last Wednesday and was tagged with the pitching loss in a 6-3 loss to the Springfield Cardinals. Barnett allowed six earned runs on seven hits and three walks. He hit one batter and struck out six. The Naturals (16-15) went 4-2 in their series with Springfield. They visit the Arkansas Travelers for a six-game series on Tuesday through Sunday. LOGAN MARTIN — Columbia Fireflies (2nd-yr. pro; Kansas City Royals Single-A affiliate; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) …. made a five-inning start with no decision last Friday at home against the Salem Red Sox in an eventual 5-4 win. Martin allowed no runs on two hits and one walk. The Fireflies were 3-3 last week against the Red Sox. Columbia hosts a six-game series with the Charleston River Dogs this Tuesday through Sunday. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Somerset Patriots (7th-yr. pro; NY Yankees Double-A affiliate; Cartersville HS) … in four starts last week, Seigler was 3-for-11 with two doubles and one RBI as Somerset went 4-1 at the Altoona Curve. The Patriots (16-16) host the Portland Sea Dogs for a six-game series on Tuesday through Sunday. UFL VIC BEASLEY, JR. — Arlington Renegades (10th-yr. pro; Clemson; Adairsville HS) … made two tackles and forced one fumble in the Renegades’ 47-23 home win this past Saturday over the Memphis Showboats. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak for Arlington. The Renegades (1-6) visit the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday. BASKETBALL SUPER LEAGUE A.J. MOSBY, JR. — Sudbury Five (6th-yr. pro; Alcorn State; Cartersville HS) … Sudbury lost its best-of-five playoff series with the London Lightning three games to one and was 1-2 in games last week. The Five’s only win in the series was last Wednesday at London, 128-118. The three losses were 106-101, 100-92, and 114-111. In the three playoff games last week, Mosby averaged 30.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. In 36 games this season, Mosby averaged 24.8 points and shot over 45 percent from behind the arc. Both numbers were good for third in the league. Sudbury finished with a 20-16 record. PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR JASON BOHN — Champions Senior Tour (Acworth, 50, 32-yr. pro; Cartersville CC member)  … carded rounds of 71-69-75-74 (289, 1-over) and tied for 46th place last Thursday through Sunday at the Regions Tradition at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham. The next senior PGA event is the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Michigan. TRACK AND FIELD STEPHEN SMITH — Kennesaw State University (Sr., Cass HS) … finished fourth in the pole vault at the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships last weekend in Conway, Arkansas. Smith cleared 15 feet and ¼ inch. As a team, the Owls won the conference championship with 252 points. Central Arkansas (157) and Eastern Kentucky (129) rounded out the top three teams. ERIC TOVIAVE — Belmont University (So., Cartersville HS) … qualified for the 400-meter hurdles final (55.66) and placed seventh in the event finals (55.02) at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships this past weekend at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. The Bruins finished sixth in the conference won by Indiana State. NAKIYAH WASHINGTON — Piedmont University (Grad student, Adairsville HS) … placed fourth in the shot put (40-07.50) and sixth in the Discus Throw (126-11) at the Lee University Last Chance Meet this past weekend. Washington earned Field Athlete of the Meet and Overall Athlete of the Meet for her work in the women’s throws at the Collegiate Conference of the South Meet. She was first in Javelin (33.92m), first in the shot put (12.48m), third in Hammer Throw (39.53m), and third in Discus (36.67m), The Lions finished second as a team behind Berea College (Ky,) in the conference championships hosted by Maryville College (Tenn.). COLLEGE GOLF BUCK BRUMLOW — University of Georgia (Jr., Cartersville HS) … the Bulldogs begin play in the 13-team NCAA Austin Regional on Monday at the par-71, 7,399-yard University of Texas Golf Club where the Bulldogs are seeded fourth.  The top five teams from the 54-hole event will advance to the NCAA Championships with the top five teams from five other regionals. Georgia is paired with Wake Forest and Notre Dame in the opening round. SOFTBALL ANSLEY EVANS — Reinhardt University (Jr., Woodland HS) … the Eagles have been assigned to the five-team double-elimination NAIA Opening Round tournament at William Carey University (Miss.). Reinhardt opens the tournament on Monday against the hosts. The other three teams in the tournament are Indiana-Southeast, Stillman College, and Jessup (Calif.). In 48 games this season, Evans has a .345 batting average with 41 RBIs. ANSLEY HIGHT — University of Southern Mississippi (Fr., Cass HS) … appeared as a pinch hitter last Wednesday in a 6-2 opening-round loss to James Madison at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in San Marcos, Texas. The Eagles finished the year with a 22-29 record. SADYE JOHNSON — University of North Georgia (Jr., Adairsville HS) … did not appear in the Southeast Region II games but the Nighthawks went 4-1 and advanced to the Southeast Super Regional against Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday and Wednesday. The winner of the best-of-three series advances to the NCAA D2 Women's World Series. ERYN LEE — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … the Eagles have been assigned to the five-team double-elimination NAIA Opening Round tournament at William Carey University (Miss.). Reinhardt opens the tournament on Monday against the hosts. The other three teams in the tournament are Indiana-Southeast, Stillman College, and Jessup (Calif.). In 45 games this season, Lee has a .319 batting average with 15 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. RACHAEL LEE — Gulf Coast State CC (So., Cass HS) … produced a .408 batting average in 55 games this season with 42 RBIs and 52 runs scored. She also stole 12 bases. The Commodores were 40-15 for the season and Lee was named to the All-Panhandle Conference First Team for the 2024 season. ALEXIS WOODS — Tennessee State University (Fr., Cass HS) … in four starts last week against Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, and Southern Indiana at the Missouri Valley Conferent Tournament, she was 1-for-10 at the plate with two walks, two runs scored, and one RBI. The Tigers finished the season with a 26-25 record. In her freshman season, Woods hit for a .225 average in 49 games and stole 11 bases. Her OPS was .568. BASEBALL DREW BILLINGS — Trinity Baptist College (So., Woodland HS) … was charged with four, unearned runs but retired the final five outs last Friday in the Eagles’ 8-2 loss to Bob Jones University. The loss eliminated TBC in the NCCAA South Region Tournament at Toccoa Falls. Billings allowed one hit, hit two batters, and fanned one. Trinity’s season ends with a 22-28 record. Billings made 16 appearances in 2024 working 21-⅓ innings. He was 4-4 with a 3.80 ERA. CURT BONNER — LaGrange College (So., Cartersville HS) … was 0-for-1 and was hit by a pitch in two tournament game appearances this past weekend. The Panthers went 4-2 in the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament and finished runner-up to Maryville (Tenn.). LaGrange was 26-17 this season. Bonner had a .266 batting average this season in 64 official at-bats with 14 RBIs. HARRISON CHILDERS — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … in a GCAA Tournament loss to South Georgia State last Wednesday, he was 2-for-5 at the plate with one double, one run scored, and one RBI. The Stallions concluded their season with a 19-31 mark. Childers appeared in 12 games as a freshman and hit .294 in 35 plate appearances with three RBIs. COLIN EATON — Gordon State CC (So., Cartersville HS) … made a five-inning start and was the winning pitcher last Wednesday in the Highlanders’ 13-1 GCAA Tournament win over South Georgia State CC. Eaton allowed just one earned run on seven hits and one walk. He struck out three. Gordon State was later eliminated by Georgia Highlands in the tournament finals. The Highlanders finished their season with a 33-22 record. Eaton was 5-2 on the mound in 2024 in 12 starts and 13 appearances. He compiled a 4.06 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched. KENNY JINKS — Wheeling University (R-Sr., Woodland HS) … made the pitching start and took the loss last Wednesday as the Cardinals fell in the first round of the Mountain East Conference Tournament to the University of Charleston, 10-0. Jinks allowed eight earned runs on seven hits, three walks, and two hit batsmen. He struck out two. He was 5-4 on the season with a 5.30 ERA in 12 starts and 13 appearances. He worked 69-⅔ innings and struck out 75. Wheeling finished the season with a 25-26 record. DREW ROTHSCHILD — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (So., Cartersville HS) … started all three GCAA Tournament games for the Stallions and went 3-for-12 at the plate with three runs scored and one RBI. ABAC defeated East Georgia in the opening round before falling to Georgia Highlands and South Georgia State. The Stallions finished the season with a 19-31 record, Rothschild hit .337 this season in 49 games and 202 plate appearances. He had five home runs and 48 RBIs. TREY SCOTT — Alabama A&M University (Jr., Cass HS) … made two brief relief appearances last week against Alabama State at home and on the road at Mississippi Valley. The right-hand pitcher allowed one earned run on three hits and two hit batsmen. The Bulldogs (13-36, 9-18 SWAC) host Murray State on Tuesday and entertain Jackson State in a three-game conference series on Thursday through Saturday. HANK SMITH — Jacksonville State University (R-Fr., Cartersville HS) … made a start at catcher last Tuesday in an 11-8 home win over UAB. Smith went 1-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice. He also scored a run. The Gamecocks (18-31, 5-16 Conference USA) visit Kennesaw State on Tuesday and play at Sam Houston State on Thursday through Saturday in their final regular season conference series. SCOTTY SMITH — Covenant College (Jr., Woodland HS) … made a 6-⅔ inning no-decision pitching start for the Scots in a 12-6 Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament game last Friday in Maryville, Tennessee. Smith allowed five earned runs on four hits, four walks, and two hit batsmen. He struck out four in the loss to Huntingdon College. Covenant’s season closes with a 16-26 record. Smith made 12 starts in 2024 and was 0-5 with a 7.39 ERA across 56 innings pitched. He struck out 33. STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Grad student, Cass HS) … although the Mountain Lions did not play last week, they were selected to the NCAA D2 postseason and were assigned to the three-team Southeast Regional #1 at Catawba College. YHC (39-13) plays UNC-Pembroke on Thursday in the first game of the double-elimination tournament. Spell has started all 52 games this season with a .321 batting average in 239 plate appearances. The third baseman has three homers and 39 RBIs with 18 extra base hits. He is also 14-for-14 in stolen base attempts. KADEN STEPHENSON — Piedmont University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … entered defensively in the ninth inning last Friday during the Lions’ 4-2 loss to LaGrange at the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament in Maryville, Tennessee. Piedmont lost two straight in the tournament to end their season with a 25-17 record. COHEN WILBANKS — Georgia Gwinnett College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice and a walk in the Grizzlies’ 13-0 conference tournament clinching win May 6 at home over Fisher College & University. The Continental Conference champs will host the five-team NAIA Lawrenceville Bracket that begins Monday through Thursday. Georgia Gwinnett (47-6) plays the Bushnell (Ore.) vs. Louisiana Christian winner on Monday at 5 p.m. Ottawa University Arizona and Faulkner (Ala.) are also in the Opening Round double-elimination tournament.

May 11, 2024 The top-ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes overpowered the Ware County Gators at the plate and on the mound on Saturday in a Class 5A state semifinal series sweep. The 11-2 and 10-0 wins in Waycross put Cartersville in the state finals for the eleventh time in school history. A seven-run second inning launched the Cartersville offense in the first game. In the second game, pitcher Sawyer Wilson tossed a six-inning, no-hitter and the Canes rattled off a dozen hits. Ryan Johnson made the pitching start in the opener for the Hurricanes and earned the win by striking out nine in five innings. He allowed just one earned run on seven hits with no walks. Logan Shrewsbury closed out the final six outs with no runs on one hit and one walk. The reliever struck out two. Caleb Daniel (home run, double, two RBIs), Andrew Purdy (double, four RBIs), and Cole Cochran (two RBIs) paced the Hurricanes’ offense with four hits in the doubleheader. Landon Cole (triple, RBI) followed with a three-hit day. Cole Crawford (home run, double, four RBIs), Luke Miller (double, RBI), Aidan Larkin (two RBIs), and Turner Abernathy (two RBIs) finished with two hits. Tristan McKibben (RBI) added one hit and Charlie Rothschild contributed one RBI. The season ends for the Gators with a 25-13 record. Cartersville (31-5) will face perennial power Loganville in the state championship best-of-three series. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Thursday at the Gwinnett Stripers Coolray Field. If a third game is needed it will be on Friday. Loganville (25-12) is the Region 8-5A champion. The Red Devils have gone 8-0 in the playoffs with series wins over Chapel Hill, Woodland, McIntosh, and Kell. Loganville defeated Kell 5-2 and 8-2 on Saturday and is playing in a state championship series for the eighth straight year.

May 11, 2024 The 2024 GHSA State Track and Field Championships concluded on Saturday with plenty of local athletes earning points. The local highlights included the Cartersville boys' 4x800 meter relay team placing second in Class 5A and Kaitlyn Godwin of Cass placing in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter sprints. Class 5A Boys in Carrollton Cartersville results in State Finals (16th, 18.50 points) 2nd — 4x800M Relay (Will Feuerbach, Barrett Stepp, Malachi Vosburgh, Carson Robinson) 5th — Kendrick Price — 100M Dash — 11.01 6th — 4x200M Relay (Bryson Everett, Khristian Lando, Tyon Coe, Brady Marchese) T6th — Monterius Tolbert — High Jump — 6-0 8th — Thoreau Lipscomb — Shot Put — 40-0.75 9th — Thoreau Lipscomb — Discus Throw — 139.0 T9th — Cam’ren Collum — High Jump — 6-0 6th * — 4x100M Relay (Kendrick Price, Brady Marchese, Stephen Rowser, Khristian Lando) 10th * — 4x400M Relay (Kemarie Mitchell, Jaiven Johnson, Will Feuerbach, Barrett Stepp) — 3:23.22 11th * — Will Feuerbach — 800M Run — 1:59.43 14th * — Kemarie Mitchell — 400M Dash — 50.22 16th * — Kendrick Price — 200M Dash — 22.65 * Preliminary Woodland results in State Finals (26th, 8 points) 4th — Zachary Wiggins — 300M Hurdles — 38.38 6th — Landon McSwain — 3200M Run — 9:38.11 12th — Jamarion Walker — Long Jump — 21-1.75 16th — Landon McSwain — 1600M Run — 4:49.61 13th * — Andy Forsyth — 800M Run — 1:59.81 13th * — Zachary Wiggins — 110M Hurdles — 15.27 * Preliminary Class 5A Girls in Carrollton Cass results in State Finals (22nd, 11 points) 3rd — Kaitlyn Godwin — 400M Dash — 56.46 5th — Kaitlyn Godwin — 200M Dash — 24.65 8th — Kaitlyn Godwin — 100M Dash — 12.33 14th — Nakayla KK Evans — High Jump — 4-6 13th * — 4x100M Relay (Markayla Sanford, Liala Webb, Nakayla KK Evans, Kaitlyn Godwin) * Preliminary Cartersville results in State Finals (32nd, 4 points) 5th —Allana Williams —Shot Put — 37-9.50 T9th — Laney Saunders — Pole Vault — 9-0 T12th — Elizabeth Hardy — Pole Vault — 8-0 Woodland results in State Finals (no points) 15th — Addison Brown — 3200M Run — 12:50.35 Class 3A Girls in Albany Adairsville results in State Finals (33rd, 2 points) 8th — Aliyah McBryde — High Jump — 4-10 8th — Nicole Perez — Discus Throw — 108-1 10th —Aliyah McBryde — 100M Hurdles — 16.59 Class 3A Boys in Albany Adairsville results in State Finals (34th, 2 points) 7th — Noah Matthews — Triple Jump — 42-9.50 T10th — Kenneth Wilkey — High Jump — 6-0 12th — Norman Poch — 400M Dash — 51.56 12th — Charles Coleman — Long Jump — 20-11 13th — Ben Abernathy — Triple Jump — 41-1.50 13th — 4x800M Relay (Logan Franklin, Aaron Souders, Norman Poch, Griffin Bozeman) — 8:52.02 16th — Logan Franklin —800M Run — 2:10.59 Results from ga.milesplit.com

May 9, 2024 It was an outstanding birthday gift for Georgia Highlands baseball coach Dash O’Neill on Thursday. The Chargers beat Gordon State for a second straight day to win the 2024 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association tournament championship on their home field in Cartersville. Georgia Highlands trailed 3-1 in the middle of the fourth inning but the Chargers smacked four home runs in the game and scored seven runs across their final three offensive frames to defeat the Highlanders, 10-3. On the mound, GHC’s Chandler Anderson tossed a nine-inning complete game. The Morgan County High School product allowed three earned runs — all on solo homers. His pitching line included six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. He improved to 9-0 on the season. Luke Orfi led the Georgia Highlands offense with three hits including a homer and three RBIs. Grayson Godbee (home run, two RBIs) and Ryan Martin (solo home run) finished with two hits. Ryan Wideman (double, RBI), Will Cawthon (solo home run), Ali Banks (two RBIs), and Barrett Eldridge (double) added one hit for the Chargers. The season ends for Gordon State with a 33-22 record. Georgia Highlands (51-7) advances to the NJCAA Appalachian District Championship Series after going 3-0 in the conference tournament this week. The best-of-three series for the District title is next Tuesday through Thursday. The games will be played at the site of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association champion. The TCCAA championship round is on Friday in Columbia, Tennessee. Dyersburg State needs one win on Friday to win that tournament. Cleveland State needs to beat Dyersburg State twice. The winner of the Appalachian District series next week advances to the 10-team NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado on May 25-June 1.

May 8, 2024 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Luke Orfi and Clay Wiesen both produced three hits including a home run and four RBIs and starting pitcher Michael Sharman tossed seven solid innings Wednesday afternoon as the Georgia Highlands Chargers defeated the Gordon State Highlanders 10-5 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference tournament in Cartersville. The Highlanders led in the first inning on a two-run homer by Kaleb Huffman but their advantage would be short-lived. Orfi blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning for a 3-2 Chargers lead and they would not trail again. Wiesen hit a three-run blast in the fourth and Davis Newman homered to right field in the fifth inning to build an 8-2 lead. Wiesen then singled into left field two batters later to make it 9-2. “Those guys (Orfi and Wiesen) are just playing their game and doing what they’ve done all year,” said Chargers’ coach Dash O’Neill. “They’ve produced and we’re fortunate to have good depth in our lineup. The guys at the bottom of the order do a great job turning the lineup over and creating chances for the guys at the top,” he added. The Highlanders narrowed the margin to 9-4 in the top of the seventh on a Casual Kay home run. In the seventh, Orfi drove in Gray Wilson with a single to round out the Georgia Highlands scoring. Mason Moore hit a solo home run in the eighth for Gordon State but that would also be the Highlanders final tally. Newman (homer, two RBIs) and Barrett Eldridge finished with two hits for GHC. Wilson, Grayson Godbee, and Ryan Wideman added one hit each to the Chargers’ 13-hit total. Sharman, an Etowah High School product, went seven innings on the mound to collect the pitching victory — his tenth of the year. He scattered eight hits and one walk while recording three strikeouts. O’Neill talked about his starting pitcher after the game. “Sharman has just been a pleasure to coach. He’s very consistent and reliable and he goes out and competes every week. I couldn’t be more proud of his progression and we have a ton of confidence when he is on the bump,” said O’Neill. Andrew Arnold retired the final six outs in the eighth and ninth innings. Arnold yielded one earned run on two hits with no walks and one strikeout. The win for Georgia Highlands was their 50th of the year and it places them in the conference championship round needing just one more win to capture the tournament title. The Chargers (50-7) already own the regular season title and are currently ranked No. 3 nationally in the latest NJCAA poll. When asked about the 50-win plateau, O’Neill deflected the reflection to the future. “That’s something I’ll have a chance to think about when the season is over, but right now this is really about the players and the opportunity they have created for themselves.” Gordon State defeated South Georgia State 14-5 in an elimination game later in the day on Wednesday to earn a rematch with the Chargers in the final round. The Highlanders (33-21) must defeat GHC twice on Thursday. O’Neill was asked about Thursday’s pitching assignments. “We haven’t made any decisions yet,” noted the coach. “We are going to see how the game tonight (Gordon v. South Georgia) goes and then decide how we want to attack the day tomorrow.”

May 7, 2024 Top-seeded Georgia Highlands College baseball took its first post-season step forward Tuesday afternoon on its home field in Cartersville, defeating ABAC 11-3 in seven innings in the second round of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. GHC had a first-round bye on Monday. Abraham Baldwin defeated East Georgia State 15-4 on Monday in the opening round. Trip Dovale tossed a complete game on the mound for the Chargers, Ryan Martin homered twice, and Clay Wiesen was 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. “The first inning was a big key for us today,” said GHC coach Dash O’Neill. “They got a lead-off hit but Dovale got out of it with a double play and a strikeout. (Luke) Orfi and (Clay) Wiesen then went back-to-back to start the game. It was a huge boost.” The Chargers posted four runs in the bottom of the first and added single runs in the second and third frames to build a 6-0 advantage. The Stallions hit solo home runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings to produce their runs. GHC made it 8-2 through six innings with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Chargers then ended the game by run rule in the bottom of the seventh by posting three more runs. Georgia Highlands outhit ABAC twelve to six and did not commit an error. Dovale (7 IP, 3ER, 6H, 0BB, 5K) fanned five and issued no walks to collect the pitching win. He improved to 11-1 on the season with his third complete game. Wiesen paced the offense with four hits including a homer, a double, and three RBIs. Orfi (solo home run, double), Ryan Martin (two solo homers), and Gray Wilson (two RBIs) had two hits each. Grayson Godbee (double, RBI) and Ryan Wideman (RBI) added one hit. Ali Banks chipped in with one RBI. ABAC (19-30) falls to the elimination round on Wednesday at 10 a.m. against the Gordon State / South Georgia State loser from Tuesday afternoon. Third-ranked nationally, Georgia Highlands (49-7) plays the Gordon State / South Georgia State winner on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The winner of that game advances to the conference championship round on Thursday needing just one additional win to take the title in the double-elimination tournament. Gordon State and South Georgia State were scheduled for a 3 p.m. start on Tuesday. “Both of those teams are good,” said O’Neill. “It will be a challenge whoever we face.”

May 4, 2024 The GHSA Track and Field State Sectionals were Saturday at various locations for all classifications. The top eight placers in each event have advanced to the State Finals for their respective classifications. The State Finals for Class 5A will be May 9-11 at Carrollton High School. The State Finals for Class 3A will be May 9-11 at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany. Note: For relay team members not listed, coaches are encouraged to supply that information to BSZ. Email Charles Wilson at BartowSportsZone@comcast.net. Class 5A Sectional B — Union Grove HS — McDonough, GA Cartersville State Finals Qualifiers 2nd — Boys 4x800M Relay — 8:11.16 -- (Will Feuerbach, Barrett Stepp, Malachi Vosburgh, Carson Robinson) 2nd — Kendrick Price — 100M Dash — 10.72 2nd — Elizabeth Hardy — Pole Vault — 8-6 2nd — Allana Williams — Shot Put — 39-6.50 4th — Thoreau Lipscomb — Shot Put — 47-6.75 5th — Kendrick Price — 200M Dash — 22.00 5th — Cam’ren Collum — High Jump — 6-0 5th — Monterius Tolbert — High Jump — 6-0 5th — Boys 4x400M Relay — 3:25.51 -- (Will Feuerbach, Kemari Mitchell, Jaiven Johnson, Barrett Stepp) 6th — Will Feuerbach — 800M Run — 2:00.13 6th — Boys 4x100M Relay — 42.15 -- (Stephen Rowser, Kendrick Price, Brady Marchese, Caleb Cooley, Quashawn Lopez) 7th — Laney Saunders — Pole Vault — 8-6 7th — Thoreau Lipscomb — Discus Throw — 136-0 7th — Boys 4x200M Relay — 1:29.38 -- (Tyon Coe, Brady Marchese, Khristian Lando, Bryson Everett) 8th — Kemarie Mitchell — 400M Dash — 50.45 Class 5A Sectional B — Union Grove HS — McDonough, GA Woodland State Finals Qualifiers 1st — Andy Forsyth — 800M Run — 1:57.91 2nd — Zachary Wiggins — 300M Hurdles — 38.61 3rd — Zachary Wiggins — 110M Hurdles — 14.72 3rd — Landon McSwain — 3200M Run — 9:45.20 4th — Jamarion Walker — Long Jump — 21-8.50 5th — Landon McSwain — 1600M Run — 4:27.97 8th — Addison Brown — 3200M Run — 13:18.83 Class 5A Sectional B — Union Grove HS — McDonough, GA Cass State Finals Qualifiers 1st — Kaitlyn Godwin — 200M Dash — 24.46 1st — Kaitlyn Godwin — 400M Dash — 58.69 6th — Kaitlyn Godwin — 100M Dash — 12.13 6th — Girls 4x100M Relay — 49.51 -- (Markayla Stanford, Nakayla (KK) Evens, Nyliah Woods , Kaitlyn Godwin) 8th — Nakayla KK Evans — High Jump — 4-10 Class 3A Sectional B — Franklin County HS — Carnesville, GA Adairsville State Finals Qualifiers 3rd — Noah Matthews — Triple Jump — 43-4 3rd — Aliya McBryde — High Jump — 4-10 4th — Norman Poch — 400M Dash — 51.19 5th — Ben Abernathy — Triple Jump — 43-0.25 5th — Nicole Perez — Discus Throw — 105-6 7th — Charles Coleman — Long Jump — 20-6.75 8th — Kenneth Wilkey — High Jump — 6-0 8th — Aliya McBryde — 100M Hurdles — 16.76 8th — Boys 4x800M Relay — 8:47.58 8th — Callie Viktora — 3200M Run — 13:08.54