The No. 1 ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes finished off their Class 5A state semifinal series Saturday night by completing a doubleheader sweep of visiting Apalachee at Richard Bell Field. The locals won the opening game 3-2 and secured the second game with an 11-8 victory. Cartersville (31-6) advances to the baseball program’s tenth state championship series since 2001 next Saturday (if needed game Monday, May 23) at the Rome Braves’ AdventHealth Stadium. Cartersville will be seeking a seventh state title in school history against 3rd-ranked Loganville. Loganville (30-8) defeated Decatur in two straight games Saturday in the other state semifinal. Cartersville took an early 6-0 lead midway through the third inning of the series-deciding game Saturday night. Drew Rothschild doubled home the Canes first run in the top of the first. Jake Brasfield, Curt Bonner, and Caleb Daniel all produced RBI hits in the second and Blake Sutton singled home two more runs in the third. Apalachee narrowed the lead to 6-4 with three runs in the bottom of the third and one more in the six. Traver Park singled home Zack Bowman who had tripled to open the frame. Colby Sikes then followed with a two-run homer. In the sixth, Park drove in Bowman with another hit. The Canes appeared to seal the win with a five-run seventh. Harrison Childers doubled and scored on a home run by Jacob Ray that made the score 8-4. A single by Sutton, an infield error, and a walk preceded a two-RBI single by Elliott Eastin. That gave Cartersville a 10-4 lead before Daniel added another run with a sacrifice fly. The Wildcats did not go away easily however. Apalachee sent nine men to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and had the potential tying run at the plate before Canes’ pitcher Phillip Schiltz ended the threat with a strikeout. Caden Carroll (5.2 IP, 4ER, 6H, 3BB, 5K) started and earned the Cartersville pitching win. Schiltz (1.1 IP, 4R, 1ER, 4H, 2BB, 3K), who got the win in Game 1, retired the final four outs of Game 2. The Hurricanes finished with fourteen hits in Game 2. Childers had three hits including a pair of doubles. Sutton also totaled three hits. Ray produced two hits including his two-run homer. Rothschild also produced two hits including a double and one RBI. Eastin (2 RBIs), Daniel (2 RBIs), Bonner (RBI), and Brasfield (triple) added one hit each. GAME ONE: CARTERSVILLE 3, APALACHEE 2 (8 innings) Cartersville won the opening game when pinch runner Miles Owen scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. The extra inning, walk-off run was the result of Blake Sutton’s leadoff double and an ensuing sacrifice bunt by Jake Brasfield. Owen was inserted as a runner for Sutton after his safety. With a 1-0 count to batter Elliott Eastin, the pitch went to the backstop allowing Owen to cross with the game-winner and a 3-2 final score. Apalachee took a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run single by Ethan Middlebrooks in the top of the third inning. Cartersville tied the score 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Hank Smith walked to open the Canes’ fourth and Paul Gamble was entered as the catcher’s courtesy runner. Harrison Childers then reached on an infield error with Gamble moving up ninety feet. Blake Sutton singled to load the bases and Jake Brasfield followed with an RBI single into left field that kept the bases loaded. The Canes’ second run crossed when Curt Bonner was hit by a pitch. Manning West (7.2 IP, 3R, 2ER, 7H, 3BB, 7K) was the hard luck losing pitcher for the Wildcats. He went the distance scattering seven hits and three walks. He struck out seven. Phillip Schiltz (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB, 2K) worked two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth to collect the Cartersville pitching victory. He allowed just one hit and struck out two. Ryan Johnson (2.2 IP, 2ER, 4H, 2BB, 2K) started on the mound for the Hurricanes and Geoffrey Gore (3.1 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 3K) kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard for 3-1/3 innings of middle relief. Middlebrooks, Traver Park, and Ashton Sapp had two hits each to lead the Apalachee offense. Childers and Sutton paced the Canes with two hits apiece including one double each. Bonner (RBI), Caleb Daniel, and Brasfield (RBI) had the other Cartersville base hits.

Georgia Highlands pitchers Eric Moore and Cason Rich combined for a nine inning shutout of South Georgia State Thursday afternoon as the Chargers captured the 2022 GCAA and Region 17 championship with a 14-0 victory over the Hawks. The Chargers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by David Smith and a sacrifice fly by Parker Poteet. After going up 3-0 on a groundout, Ethan Anderson hit a two-run home run in the fifth for a 5-0 advantage. Four more runs in the seventh opened the flood gates and a five run eighth for the Chargers put the game away. Georgia Highlands (44-9), ranked No. 16 in the latest NJCAA poll, finished off the conference and regional championship tournament going 3-0 in the double-elimination format with a win over Gordon State and two wins over the Hawks. The Chargers now advance to play a best-of-three series next Tuesday through Thursday at No 1-ranked Walters State (55-5) in Morristown, Tennessee. The winner of that series will advance to the NJCAA World Series May 28-June 4 in Grand Junction, Colorado. “I really proud of these guys,” said Georgia Highlands head coach Dash O’Neill following the victory. “We are going to get after them up there next week.” Moore scattered four hits and a pair of walks in the first five innings on the mound Thursday. He struck out five. Rich followed on the mound with four shutout frames. He yielded just three hits and no walks while striking out four. Conner Todaro was 4-for-6 at the plate with three doubles and three RBIs. Zayd Brannigan had three hits including a double with one RBI. Poteet finished with four RBIs off a double, a home run, and a sac fly and Caden Smith also had a two hit day that included a double, two walks, and one RBI. David Smith (RBI), Ben Olson, Anderson (2 RBIs), and Mick Moody (double, 2 RBIs) rounded out the Chargers’ 15-hit attack.

Ethan Anderson’s three run home run in the second inning vaulted Georgia Highlands to an early lead Wednesday afternoon and the Chargers went on to defeat South Georgia State 8-4 in third round action of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament at LakePoint in Emerson. Anderson also tripled in the fourth inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Caden Smith. David Smith blasted a two run homer in the fifth inning and Ben Olson added a solo shot for the Chargers who out hit the Hawks eight to seven. Georgia Highlands led 7-0 through five innings and added one more run in the sixth on an RBI double by Zayd Brannigan. South Georgia’s two runs came in the top of the sixth and top of the eighth. Starter Zachary Murray (5 IP, 2ER, 3H, 3BB, 3K) earned the pitching win for the Chargers with five innings on the mound. Caleb Garner (3 IP, 2R, 0ER, 4H, 2K) worked three innings of middle relief and Hunter Goodwin (1 IP, 0R, 0H) retired all three batters he faced to close out the ninth. The win advances Georgia Highlands (44-9) to the championship round Thursday at 1 p.m. needing just one more win over South Georgia State to capture the GCAA title. South Georgia (37-19) bounced back later in the day Wednesday by defeating ABAC 9-1 in eight innings to also qualify for the conference championship round. The Hawks must defeat the Chargers twice Thursday to win the tournament.

Bartow County Little League Majors baseball summaries for games played May 2-5. MONDAY, MAY 2 BRAVES 7, RANGERS 0 BRAVES: Huck Garland and Elijah Bryant two hits each; Matt Zander, Coleman Stubblefield, Mitchell Raughton, Aiden Pike, and Jonathan Hicks one hit each. Pitching: Coleman Stubblefield (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 3K); Huck Garland (2 IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 4K); Matt Zander (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K). RANGERS: Logan Smith, Blaine Groce, Declan Parker one hit each. Pitching: Caleb Sorrell (2 IP, 4R, 5H, 1BB, 4K); Logan Smith (2 IP, 3R, 4H, 0BB, 2K). TUESDAY, MAY 3 CARDINALS 4, TWINS 3 CARDINALS: Parker Rampley two hits; Easton Mullinax, Bryce Patterson, and Amari Williams one hit each. Pitching: Bryce Patterson (4.1 IP, 3R, 4H, 3BB, 5K); Cooper Rampley (1.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 4K). TWINS: Cade McCorkle and Noah Rogers two hits each; Jaxon Durham, Jackson Watts, and Javonni Delgado one hit each. Pitching: Houston Walden (5 IP, 3R, 5H, 1BB, 4K); Noah Rogers (1 IP, 1R, 0H, 0BB, 2K). THURSDAY, MAY 5 TWINS 5, TIGERS 0 TWINS: Houston Walden two hits; Noah Rogers, Jaxon Durham, and Karsin Darby one hit each. Pitching: Cade McCorkle (2.1 IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB, 3K); Noah Rogers (3.2 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 9K). TIGERS: Jaxton Huskins one hit. Pitching: Lucas Andrew (3 IP, 4R, 4H, 3BB, 1K); Jaxton Huskins (3 IP, 1R, 1H, 2BB, 5K). BRAVES 9, GIANTS 4 BRAVES: Huck Garland three hits; Coleman Stubblefield two hits; Matt Zander, Grayson Isham one hit each. Pitching: Gunner Pullen (1 IP, 3R, 4H, 1BB, 1K); Mitchell Raughton (4 IP, 1R, 1H, 1BB, 11K). GIANTS: Noah Janssen two hits; Parker Rampley, Bryce Weaver, and Kamdyn Rowland one hit each. Pitching: Noah Janssen (4 IP, 9R, 8H, 3BB, 6K). Little League Major results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Cartersville Little League and Bartow County Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by The Benefit Consulting Group of Cartersville and George F. Willis Realty.

With the final five games remaining, former Cartersville standout A.J. Mosby and the Albany Patroons continue to lead the Northeast Division of The Basketball League with a 14-2 record. In collegiate track and field action, Woodland product Trevor Knowles won two events at the MIAA outdoor championships. The baseball (pro and college) and softball updates were published earlier this week at this link -- -- Baseball and Softball update published earlier this week -- PRO BASKETBALL A.J. Mosby (Albany Patroons, The Basketball League; Alcorn State, Cartersville HS) — Despite a rough showing from 3-point territory, Mosby flirted with double-doubles in each of Albany's two wins last week. In a 147-103 blowout May 5 of Connecticut, the 6-foot-3 guard posted 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds. He improved in each of those categories during a 100-92 triumph against Syracuse. That May 7 victory saw Mosby, who finished a combined 2-for-12 from deep across the two games, record 18 points, dish out nine assists and pull down eight boards. TRACK AND FIELD Bill Archer (Montevallo Fr., Cartersville HS) — Archer placed eighth in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase and finished 19th in the 1500 during the Gulf South Conference outdoor championship meet May 5-7 in Clinton, Mississippi. Trevor Knowles (Albion Grad Student, Woodland HS) — Knowles won the high jump (7.04 meters) and triple jump (13.56 meters) titles during the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association outdoor championship May 6-7 at home. The former Woodland standout also landed fourth-place showings in the high jump and 4x100 relay. -- Nicholas Sullivan of The Daily Tribune News contributed to this update.

Cartersville won the rubber game of its best-of-three state quarterfinal series with Greenbrier Tuesday night, 6-4, to advance to the GHSA Class 5A Final Four. The visiting Wolfpack and Hurricanes split Monday’s doubleheader with Greenbrier winning the first game 3-0 and Cartersville forcing the deciding game with an 11-1 victory. The two teams traded runs early before a three-run fourth inning built the Canes a 6-2 lead. That’s where the score remained until the Wolfpack threatened in the top of the seventh with two runs. Reliever Phillip Schiltz got back-to-back fly outs, however, to close out the win. Colt McKibben started on the mound for Cartersville and left after three innings with the Canes leading 3-2. McKibben gave up a pair of earned runs on five hits with no walks. He recorded one strikeout. Schiltz took over the pitching duties in the fourth and worked three straight scoreless innings before the late rally attempt by the Wolfpack. Schiltz hit a batter in the fourth inning, but otherwise faced the minimum in his first three frames while registering six of his seven strikeouts. The three hits surrendered by Schiltz all came in the top of the seventh. Harrison Childers had two hits, was hit by a pitch, and drove in a run for the Canes. Hank Smith produced a two RBI single in the fourth inning and walked twice in three plate appearances. Blake Sutton drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning and contributed an infield hit in the fifth. Elliott Eastin added the other Cartersville base hit and reached base three times with a pair of walks. Greenbrier’s season ends with a 23-11 record. Top-ranked Cartersville (29-6) advances to host Apalachee Saturday at Richard Bell Field in the state semifinal series. It will be the Canes' 13th state semifinal appearance. The two teams will play a doubleheader to open the Final Four series. If a third game is needed, it will be played next Monday — also at the Cartersville Baseball Complex. (Game times TBA) The Wildcats (23-14) edged Wayne County 10-9 in the third game of their state quarterfinal series. Apalachee defeated Chapel Hill in the opening round in two straight games and won a third game against Whitewater in the second round.

The 16th-ranked Georgia Highlands College Chargers trailed Gordon State 4-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday afternoon before sending fourteen men to the plate and scoring ten runs on their way to a 13-11 second round win at the GCAA Tournament held at LakePoint in Emerson. The Chargers had a first round bye as the No. 1 conference seed. Gordon State defeated East Georgia State Monday in the opening round. Five different Chargers’ hitters finished with two hits each in their eleven hit attack. David Smith doubled and hit a grand slam home run to produce five RBIs. Conner Todaro (3 RBIs including a sac fly), Max Kops (2 RBIs), Caden Smith (RBI), and Zayd Brannigan also finished with two hits. Ben Olson added a solo home run for Georgia Highlands. Cason Rich (1.2 IP, 2ER, 1H, 1BB) picked up the GHC pitching win in relief of starter Gage Vailes (5.1 IP, 4R, 3ER, 8H, 2BB, 7K). Hunter Goodwin (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB) and Chandler Wood (1 IP, 4R, 1ER, 3H, 2BB, 2K) closed out the pitching duties. The second round win in the double-elimination tournament advances the Chargers to face South Georgia State Wednesday at 1 p.m. at LakePoint where the winner will move into the championship round. South Georgia defeated ABAC Tuesday in five innings, 14-4.

While the Division I teams of the NCAA are entering the final week of the regular season, all of the other levels of college baseball and softball are either well into or entering the 2022 post season. Former Cartersville pitcher and current University of Houston grad student, Hannah Todd, posted a pair of outstanding performances in the circle for the Cougars last Wednesday against Texas A&M. The right hander worked the final 9-1/3 innings of a doubleheader to pick up a Game 1 save and an extra innings win in Game 2 over the Aggies. On collegiate baseball diamonds, four local pitchers and four other position players saw action this past week -- some in post-season play. At the professional baseball level, Connor Justus continued to hit over .300 in Triple-A while Anthony Seigler hit safely in each of his starts during the week. Meanwhile, Sam Howard has been designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. PRO BASEBALL SAM HOWARD — Indianapolis Indians (9th year pro; Pittsburgh Pirates organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS) … the southpaw was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis May 2 ahead of the Pirates’ roster reduction to 26 players. He has since been designated for assignment and dropped from the Pittsburgh 40-man roster this past Saturday. CONNOR JUSTUS — Charleston Dirty Birds (7th year pro; Triple-A Independent Atlantic League; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS) … had a solid week at the plate going 6-for-19 with a double, one home run, two walks, three runs scored, and five RBIs. The shortstop has a .308 batting average through 16 games and 64 plate appearances this season. The Dirty Birds are 9-7 and currently third in the South Division of the Triple-A Atlantic League behind Gastonia and High Point. ANTHONY SEIGLER — Tampa Tarpons (5th year pro; NY Yankees organization; Cartersville HS) … the switch-hitting catcher hit safely in all five games started last week going 5-for-18 with a double, one home run, four walks, and five runs scored. He also stole one base as the Tarpons went 4-2 at the Bradenton Marauders. Tampa (13-13) is in fourth place in the Florida State League’s West Division. The Tarpons play a six game series at the Dunedin Blue Jays Tuesday through Sunday. SOFTBALL MORGAN COOPER — Columbus State University (Fr., Woodland HS) … was utilized as a pinch runner Saturday in a 6-5 Peach Belt Conference tournament win over Flagler College. The Cougars also beat Lander in the semifinals before falling to North Georgia in the championship game. Columbus State (30-24) also finished second in the PBC regular season but the Cougars did not receive an NCAA D2 National Tournament at-large bid. PRESLY EDWARDS — Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … the Wolves’ catcher went 1-for-4 as her team was swept by Piedmont in the best-of-three championship series of the USA South Athletic Conference. Wesleyan (24-16) had its season end after not being selected for an NCAA D3 at-large bid. HANNAH TODD — University of Houston (Grad Student, Cartersville HS) … enjoyed an outstanding day in the circle last Wednesday during a Cougars’ doubleheader sweep of Texas A&M. The righty retired the final five outs and earned her second save of the season in the Cougars first 3-2 home win over the Aggies. Todd entered in the sixth inning with one out yielding just one hit, an intentional walk and no runs while fanning two of seven batters faced. She then started the second game of the doubleheader — another 3-2 win — and worked all eight innings. Todd scattered five hits and one intentional walk giving up just two earned runs for her tenth win of the year. Houston (26-26-1) will play next in the American Athletic Conference single-elimination tournament that begins Thursday in Greenville, North Carolina. BASEBALL MASON BARNETT — Auburn University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made a four inning start last Friday giving up a pair of earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out five with no decision in the 18th-ranked Tigers’ eventual 11-8 home loss to 3rd-ranked Arkansas. Auburn (32-16, 13-11) plays at Troy Tuesday before hosting a three game series with Alabama Friday through Sunday. JAKE GOOCH — Central Alabama CC (So., Cartersville HS) … hit safely in all five games last week and finished the stretch 6-for-12 with two doubles, four walks, two runs, and six RBIs. The Trojans were 2-3 falling at Wallace-Dothan and splitting a four game series with Wallace State-Hanceville. CACC did not qualify for the conference post season tournament and finished the season 24-31 overall and 12-20 in the Alabama Community College Conference. KENNY JINKS — Shorter University (So., Woodland HS) … struggled in a pitching start as the Hawks’ lost their Gulf South Tournament game to No. 1-seed Delta State, 13-0, Friday at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. The southpaw faced just six batters surrendering five earned runs on three hits and two walks. The Hawks (29-21) bounced back to defeat Auburn-Montgomery, Valdosta State, and Lee to reach an fourth straight elimination game Tuesday against Alabama-Huntsville. In Monday’s 11-1 win over Lee, Jinks entered in the third inning and worked four shutout innings to earn the pitching victory. He scattered three hits and one walk while striking out three. Tuesday’s Shorter/UAH winner will play Lee for the GSC’s automatic bid to the NCAA D2 National Tournament. MASON McBEE — Coastal Alabama - South (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made a pair of relief appearances last week at home against Enterprise State CC. The righty worked the sixth inning, facing five batters in a 3-1 loss last Thursday. He allowed one earned run on a walk and two hits. Saturday, McBee entered in the fifth inning and did not allow a run in 1-1/3 innings yielding one hit and one walk in a Sun Chiefs’ 10-9 win. Coastal (29-23-1, 19-13) has a play-in game Thursday against Bevill State for the ACCC Tournament that continues through Tuesday, May 17 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Jr., Cass HS) … went 3-for-10 with a sac fly and two RBIs as the Mountain Lions won their best-of-three conference tournament play-in series against visiting Flagler College. Spell reached base six times overall in the series by adding two walks and was hit by a pitch. YHC (35-17) opens the Peach Belt Conference four-team, double-elimination bracket against top-seed Columbus State Friday afternoon in Columbus. PRESTON WELCHEL — Coastal Alabama - South (So., Cartersville HS) … in a four game series last week with Enterprise State, the Sun Chiefs’ outfielder went 6-for-14 at the plate with a walk, two runs scored, and three RBIs. Coastal (29-23-1, 19-13) has a play-in game Thursday against Bevill State for the ACCC Tournament that continues through Tuesday, May 17 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. COHEN WILBANKS — Georgia Gwinnett College (So., Cartersville HS) … entered as a defensive substitute at catcher Sunday in the eighth inning of the Grizzlies’ 9-1 home win over Fisher College (Massachusetts) in the Continental Athletic Conference Tournament. Georgia Gwinnett (42-14) won the GAC title with a 5-2 victory over Fisher Monday. The Grizzlies will host the NAIA Opening Round starting Monday May 16. DAVIS WILLIAMS — Birmingham Southern College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … closed out the final two innings Monday of the Panthers’ Southern Athletic Association Championship series clinching win over 6th-ranked Millsaps College. Williams faced nine batters allowing one earned run on no hits and three walks to finish off an 8-3 win. Coupled with Sunday’s 14-4 win, 3rd-ranked Birmingham Southern (38-8) won the best-of-three series and will head into the NCAA D3 National Tournament as SAA champs.

The Cartersville boys golf team placed third out of 19 teams in the North Georgia Classic May 6-7 at Achasta Golf Course in Dahlonega. Lambert High School won the 36-hole event followed by Oconee Academy with the Hurricanes completing the tournament with a 10-over-par score. The Cartersville team fired an impressive even-par 288 in the second round. Cartersville’s Jake Lawson placed second individually out of 116 players. The senior fired rounds of 67-69 for an 8-under-par total. Jake Wehunt finished tied for 19th with a four-over 148. Andrew Lutjens and Camden Meadows both shot seven-over to tie for 27th.

After going hitless in the opening game of their Class 5A state quarterfinal best-of-three series with Greenbrier Monday night at Richard Bell Field, the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes produced a dozen hits in Game 2 for an 11-1 win. The Cartersville victory extends the series to a deciding game Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. — again at the Cartersville Baseball Complex. Greenbrier pitcher David Bell was the star of Game 1. The senior, committed to Georgia State, tossed a no-hitter as the Wolfpack won 3-0. He needed only 91 pitches and struck out seven in his complete game effort. Cartersville starter, Ryan Johnson, was tagged with the loss in the opener. He allowed three runs — only one earned — on two hits and four walks. Geoffrey Gore worked three innings of scoreless relief surrendering just two hits while fanning two. The Wolfpack scored their first two runs in the third on a hit batsman, a walk, and a two-run throwing error following a bunt attempt. They added an insurance run the next inning on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly. Batting first as the visitors in Game 2, the Canes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never trailed as Cartersville’s starting pitcher — Caden Carroll — limited the Greenbrier offense to just three hits. Carroll worked all seven innings yielding just one walk. He struck out twelve. Curt Bonner singled to start the game for the Cartersville offense and Paul Gamble was inserted as a courtesy runner for the Canes’ catcher. After Elliott Eastin walked, the two baserunners swiped second and third on a double steal. A throwing error on the play allowed Gamble to score the opening run. The Hurricanes added three more runs in the third inning. Eastin produced a two-run single and Harrison Childers later added an RBI base hit. After Greenbrier (23-10) narrowed the margin to 4-1 in the bottom of the third, the Canes added on four more runs in the top of the fourth. Three hits, a pair of walks, and an infield error by the Wolfpack enabled Cartersville to build an 8-1 advantage. Eastin drove in a run with a groundout, Drew Rothschild doubled in a run and later scored on a wild pitch. Smith, who finished the game with three hits, drove in another run with a single in the sixth inning to make the score 9-1 while Bonner produced a sac fly and Eastin another RBI single in the top of the seventh for the Canes’ final two runs. Eastin totaled four RBIs on two hits and a sacrifice fly. Brasfield also had two hits. Bonner (RBI), Caleb Daniel, Rothschild (double, RBI), Childers (RBI), and Blake Sutton had the other Canes’ hits. Gamble, Smith, Eastin, Brasfield, and Sutton each stole a base in the victory. The win improved No. 1-ranked Cartersville to 28-6 on the season.

All four local high schools had athletes competing in GHSA State Track and Field Sectionals Saturday with the Class 5A schools -- Cartersville, Cass, and Woodland -- participating at Apalachee High School in Winder while Adairsville competitors were in action at a Class 3A Sectional at Greater Atlanta Christian in Norcross. Eric Toviave of Cartersville qualified for the GHSA State Finals in four events while Tre Mitchell of Adairsville qualified for the GHSA State Finals in three events. Kaitlynn Godwin (Cass), Anna Grace Boone (Cartersville), Kendrick Price (Cartersville), and Tyler Jones (Woodland) earned finals spots in two events each. Class 5A State Sectional at Apalachee High School in Winder. Locals with Top Eight finishes: 2nd - 300M Hurdles - Cartersville - Eric Toviave - 39.49 2nd - 110M Hurdles - Cartersville - Eric Toviave - 14.75 3rd - Boys 4x800M Relay - Woodland - 8:17.07 (McKinley Chappell, Tyler Jones, Drew Thayer, JT Forsyth) 3rd - Boys Pole Vault - Woodland - Noah Baer - 11-06 4th - Girls 100M Dash - Cass - Kaitlyn Godwin - 12.54 4th - Girls High Jump - Cartersville - Anna Grace Boone - 4-10 4th - Girls 4x800M Relay - Cartersville - 10:12.72 (Mason Cline, Trinity Atkins, Anna Grace Boone, Elizabeth Nelson) 6th - Girls 3200M Run - Woodland - Rylee Evans - 11;36.06 7th - Boys 3200M Run - Woodland - 9:58.51 7th - Girls Shot Put - Cass - Raziyah Ware - 34-06.05 7th - Boys 4x100M Relay - Cartersville - 43.34 (Eric Toviave, Stephen Rowser, Khristian Lando, Kendrick Price) 7th - Boys 4x400M Relay - Cartersville 3:31.75 (Kemari Mitchell, Will Feuerbach, Kendrick Price, Eric Toviave) 7th - Girls 100M Hurdles - Woodland - Kiconco Bassler - 16.89 8th - Girls 200M Dash - Cass - Kaitlyn Godwin - 26.22 Class 3A State Sectional at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross. Locals with Top Eight finishes: 2nd - Boys 400M Dash - Adairsville - Tre Mitchell - 50.02 4th - Boys High Jump - Adairsville - Tre Winters - 6-00 5th - Boys 200M Dash - Adairsville - Tre Mitchell - 22.46 7th - Boys 100M Dash - Adairsville - Tre Mitchell - 11.33 7th - Girls 100M Hurdles - Adairsville - Aliya McBryde - 17.08

Conner Todaro and Caden Smith produced four hits each to lead a Georgia Highlands College 23-hit attack Thursday afternoon as the Chargers homered six times and beat visiting Gordon State, 27-13. The win clinched the No. 1-seed for Georgia Highlands (42-9, 18-7) heading into next week’s GCAA playoff tournament at LakePoint in Emerson. The tournament will run Monday through Thursday (May 9-12). Georgia Highlands will begin tournament action Tuesday at 1 p.m. against Monday’s Gordon State/East Georgia State winner. Todaro singled in the second, singled in the third, homered in the fourth, and singled in the fifth to help pace the GHC offense to their 42nd win of the season Thursday. Caden Smith also had a double and a home run with three RBIs in his four hits. Parker Poteet, who finished with three hits, started the Chargers’ scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1. After that, the Chargers scored three runs or more in each succeeding frame including eight runs in both the third and sixth innings. David Smith contributed three hits including a pair of home runs and seven RBIs for Georgia Highlands. Max Kops finished with three hits including a double, one home run, and four RBIs while Ethan Anderson tossed in his own three-hit performance including a double, one home run and three RBIs. Zayd Brannigan (RBI), Mick Moody, and Ben Olson had the other GHC base hits. On the mound, the Chargers utilized five different hurlers. Cason Rich was the only Georgia Highlands pitcher to work a scoreless outing. He closed out the final four outs of the sixth and seventh innings allowing just one hit with one strikeout. Gordon State finished fourth in the conference and 21-24 on the season heading into post-season play.