Dalton Melnyk and Tyler McKeever, both of Atlanta, hold the first round lead of the 50th Georgia Four Ball Championship being hosted this weekend by Cartersville Country Club for the Georgia State Golf Association. Melnyk and McKeever fired an opening round 62 (10-under-par) on the 6,988-yard par-72 layout to lead fellow Atlantans Franco Castro and Tyler Gruca by one shot. Bob Royak of Alpharetta and Robert Sheats of Atlanta shot 64 and are tied for third with Brennan Manson (Dunwoody) and Davis Brainard (Brookhaven). A pair of teams with local connections are tied for fifth with four other pairs. Chad Branton (Cartersville) and Christian Raynor (Kennesaw) shot 65 along with Greg Johnson (Cartersville) and Cres Dodd (Calhoun). Other notable local scores: T15 - Kyle Hosick (Cartersville) and William Hamilton (Calhoun) 67 T41 - Andy Burris (Cartersville) and Chase Jones (Cartersville) 70 T41 - Blane Davis (Cartersville) and Brendan Hughes (Dalton) 70 T63 - Justin Johnson (Cartersville) and Jeremy Rieger (Canton) 72 T76 - Clay Heath (Cartersville) and Josh Ledford (Canton) 75 The 80 two-man teams will play their second round of the GSGA Four-Ball Championship Saturday with the low 30 teams and ties advancing to Sunday’s final round.

The Adairsville Tigers dropped their season finale’ Friday night at Rockmart, 8-1. Rockmart (20-6, 15-1) posted three runs in the third inning, three more in the fourth, and added two insurance runs in the sixth to lock down the win. The lone Adairsville run came in the third inning. The Yellow Jackets, who secured the No. 1 seed from Region 6-AAA, out hit the Tigers twelve to seven. PJ Weeks and Jack Whitley had two hits each for the Tigers. Dawson Craig, Landon O’Neal, and Grayson Belcher added one hit apiece for Adairsville. The Tigers finished the year with an 11-14 record. Adairsville finished 6-10 in region play.

In the second of four games with the Gordon State Highlanders this week, Georgia Highlands baseball lost at Barnesville Friday afternoon, 14-4. The Chargers scored twice in the top of the first inning for an early 2-0 lead but the Highlanders scored six runs in the fourth to take a lead they would not relinquish. GHC narrowed the score to 6-4 in the fifth but got no closer. A seven run seventh by Gordon ended the contest. Caden Smith homered for the Chargers in the loss. Ben Olson had a double and two RBIs. Conner Todaro finished with a hit and one RBI. Mick Moody, Parker Poteet, and Max Kops added one hit each. With the week-long series tied and one game each, Georgia Highlands (37-7, 13-5) and Gordon State (18-20, 8-10) will complete their series Saturday in Barnesville with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Georgia Highlands College softball split a doubleheader at Andrew College Friday. The Chargers lost the first game 7-3 and responded with an 8-0 win in Game 2. Haley Robinson tossed a complete game three hitter to pick up the Chargers’ pitching win in the second game. Robinson walked two and struck out one. The Chargers scored two runs in each of the first two innings to take an early 4-0 lead and added on runs in the fourth and sixth innings to secure the win. Hailey Cronic had three hits in the game including a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Annsley Todd and Madison Dennis contributed one hit and one RBI each. Taylor Justice added a double for the GHC offense. In the opening game loss for the Chargers, Allison Deweese had two hits including a solo home run. Robinson doubled and homered. Todd contributed two hits. Kyndal Brown tossed in one hit and Justice added one RBI with a sacrifice fly. Gracee Ellis (6 IP, 7R, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss. Georgia Highlands (11-31, 3-10) hosts ABAC Sunday at Stars Field in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

Rockmart pushed across a pair of come-from-behind runs in the top of the seventh inning Thursday night at Adairsville to edge the Tigers, 5-4. Adairsville led 4-3 after three innings and the lead held until the final frame when a Yellow Jackets base hit, a hit batsman, an error, and a pair of passed balls put Rockmart ahead to stay. Braden Powell (2 IP, 2R, 0ER, 1H, 1BB, 4K) suffered the tough-luck pitching loss in relief of starter Brenden Carroll (5 IP, 3ER, 7H, 1K). PJ Weeks had three hits and drove in one run for Adairsville. Chris Roper and Evan Sanders finished with two hits each. Powell contributed one hit, a sacrifice fly, and two RBIs. Jack Whitley added a double and Peyton Bowen was credited with one RBI. Adairsville (11-13, 6-9) concludes the season Friday at region-leading Rockmart (19-6, 14-1).

Cartersville baseball entered the final week of the regular season ranked No. 1 in Class 5A and will head into the 2022 state playoffs in that position following a three-game sweep of the Hiram Hornets. The Canes, who blanked the Hornets at home Tuesday night 15-0, swept Thursday night’s doubleheader at Hiram 19-0 and 12-2. Cartersville also wrapped up the No. 1 seed from Region 7-5A in the upcoming GHSA State Playoffs. As a top seed, the Hurricanes will be guaranteed to host at least the first two rounds of the state playoffs should they get through the opening round. The losses dropped the Hornets to 2-25 on the year and 0-15 in region play. In Thursday evening’s first game, Cartersville pitchers Caden Carroll (2 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 5K) and Cal Goss (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K) combined for an abbreviated three inning no-hitter. Elliott Eastin had three hits including a double and two RBIs in the opener. Caleb Daniel followed with two hits including a double and four RBIs. Drew Rothschild also contributed two hits including a double with three RBIs. Harrison Childers smacked a grand slam home run in the second inning and Blake Sutton blasted a three run home run in the first inning. Hank Smith (RBI) and Paul Gamble added one hit each for the Canes. In Game 2, Hiram took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before the Canes erupted for a dozen unanswered runs over the next four frames. Starting pitcher Colt McKibben (3 IP, 2R, 1ER, 1H, 1BB, 5K) plus relievers Geoffrey Gore (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 1K), and Tyler Williams (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 2K) combined to strike out eight in five innings. Trip Bradley had a double and a triple in the second game with two RBIs. Jimbo Gaines also had two hits and one RBI. Isaac McNair-Seigler (double, 2 RBIs), Gavin Shrewsbury (double, RBI), Miles Owen (RBI), Pearse Mullinax (RBI), and Ryan Johnson contributed one hit each. Kaden Stephenson and Landon Cole added one RBI apiece. Cartersville (23-5, 14-1) will host the No. 4-seed from Region 5-5A, the Chamblee Bulldogs (15-12), next Wednesday in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. The best-of-three series will begin with a doubleheader. If a third game is needed, it will also be hosted at Richard Bell Field on Thursday. Start times for all games will be determined later this weekend.

Woodland’s Ayden Ray and Cass’ Bentley Markley both homered and drove in two runs each, but it was a walk-off fielder’s choice off the bat of Jakiyon Porter in the bottom of the seventh that lifted host Woodland past Cass 3-2 in Thursday evening’s first game. The win by the Wildcats secured a Class 5A state playoff berth for Woodland and eliminated the Colonels from state playoff contention. Chase Carson, who also finished with two hits, scored the game winning run on Porter’s ground ball to short. Conner Stermer also had two hits including a double for the Wildcats. Stermer (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB) collected the pitching win by working a scoreless top of the seventh. Hunter Shirley (6 IP, 2ER, 4H, 2BB, 5K) started on the mound for Woodland and struck out five. Hayden Cole (1.1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K) took the pitching loss for Cass in relief of starter Cayden Roberts (5 IP, 1ER, 4H, 2BB, 2K). Cole, Chase Botts, and Andrew Middleton added one hit each for the Colonels. In Game 2, Woodland scored nine runs in the first two innings then added four runs late to complete a three-game sweep of Cass 13-6. Rowan Billings had two hits including a double and three RBIs to lead the Woodland offense in the nightcap. Nine other Wildcats added one hit each including Hunter Shirley, Jacob Gravett (double, 3 RBIs), Jakiyon Porter, Julian Wright, Zach Lambert (RBI), Conner Stermer, Bret Good, Austin Sanders, and Noah Herring. Nate Rosser drove in one run. The Woodland pitching duties were spread among seven different hurlers. Nate Rosser (0.2 IP, 1ER, 0H, 4BB), Logan Bentley (1.1 IP, 1ER, 2H), Jacob Gravett (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 2K), Jackson Rutledge (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB), Ayden Ray (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 2K), Coby Barrett (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1K), and Austin Sanders (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 0H, 2BB, 2K) all pitched for the Wildcats. Aiden Larkin had two hits for Cass in Game 2 including a triple. Connor Jenkins hit a solo home run in the second inning. Carson Hill (RBI) and Hayden Cole contributed one hit each. Nic Wright, Wesley Collins, and Chase Botts added one RBI apiece. Similar to Woodland, Cass utilized five pitchers in the finale’. Chase Botts (1 IP, 6ER, 2H, 3BB, 1K), Devan Hutchinson (1.2 IP, 3R, 1ER, 3H, 1BB, 2K), Aiden Larkin (1.1 IP, 0R, 3H, 1K), Hunter Lovett (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K), and Connor Jenkins (1 IP, 3R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 3K) all pitched for the Colonels. Cass finished the season 5-25 overall and 4-11 in Region 7-5A. Woodland (14-16, 7-8) advances to the GHSA State Playoffs as a No. 4 seed. The Wildcats will open the state playoffs next Wednesday at St. Pius X. The Golden Lions (20-9, 15-1) are the Region 5-5A champions. The best-of-three first round series will begin with a doubleheader. If a third game is needed, it will be played at St. Pius X on Thursday. Starting times will be determined later this week.

Senior Camden Meadows paced the Hurricanes with a 2-under-par 70 Thursday at Fields Ferry Golf Club in Calhoun as the Cartersville boys golf team won the Area Golf Championship for a third consecutive year. Meadows was the tournament’s individual low medalist and Cartersville won the team title over runner-up Midtown by 10 shots. Anderson McCary shot 73 while Andrew Lutjens and Jake Lawson followed with 75s for the Canes’ 293 team total. Jake Wehunt and Brody Tidwell fired rounds of 79 and 80, respectively, to round out the Cartersville scoring. The Area win by Cartersville secures a berth in the Class AAAAA State Championship Tournament May 16-17 at Okefenokee Country Club in Waycross and allows the Canes to skip the State Sectional Tournament hosted at Cartersville Country Club May 2.

Georgia Highlands College softball lost a pair of games Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader at Walters State in Morristown, Tennessee. The Chargers lost the first game 10-0 with the Senators taking Game 2, 13-5. Madison Dennis and Allison Deweese had the only Georgia Highlands hits in the first game. Haley Robinson (3.1 IP, 5ER, 9H, 2BB, 1K) suffered the pitching loss splitting the circle duties with Katie Traynor (2 IP, 5ER, 3H, 2BB, 1K). In the second game, Dennis and Deweese both homered but the Chargers fell behind early and could not catch up. The Senators led 7-0 after just two innings and out hit GHC thirteen to eight. Dennis finished with two hits and two RBIs. Haley Overton also had a two-hit game including a double. Annsley Todd (RBI), Taylor Justice (double), and Bradey Tharp added hits for the Chargers. Emma Veitch (0.2 IP, 6R, 4ER, 6H, 1BB) was saddled with the pitching loss. Gracee Ellis (1.2 IP, 3ER, 4H, 1K), Maggie Schandera (0.0 IP, 1ER, 3BB), and Katie Traynor (2.1 IP, 3ER, 3H, 1BB) also pitched in the loss. Georgia Highlands (10-30, 3-9 GCAA) plays a conference doubleheader Friday at Andrew College and will host conference foe ABAC Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.

The four local teams in the GHSA state tennis tournament Tuesday all lost their opening round matches and only one of the four teams winning any line decisions. The Cartersville girls pushed Chamblee to the very end falling 3-2, while the Cartersville boys, Adairsville girls, and Cass girls all fell 3-0. The Hurricanes fell to St. Pius X with the Lady Tigers dropping a decision to Oconee County and Northview defeated the Lady Colonels. The Lady Canes’ Emily Bush won her Line 1 singles match 6-2, 6-2 and the Cartersville Line 2 doubles team of Anna Ramey and Sofia Motuba won a three-set match 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 for the other team point for the Cartersville girls.

The two teams combined for 30 hits including 10 for extra base hits Tuesday, but it was Georgia Highlands who outscored Gordon State 16-9 in a GCAA battle at LakePoint in Emerson. The host Chargers finished with 17 hits led by Parker Poteet (three doubles, 4 RBIs) and Zayd Brannigan (two doubles, 3 RBIs) with four hits each. Conner Todaro followed with three hits including a double and two RBIs for GHC. Austin Tienda (double) and David Smith both contributed two hits each. Zack Valentine (4.1 IP, 4ER, 7H, 2BB, 5K) picked up the pitching win in relief of starter Baylor Akin (1.2 IP, 5ER, 5H, 4BB, 3K). Caleb Garner (1 IP, 0R, 2H) and Hunter Goodwin (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 4K) also pitched for the Chargers. Georgia Highlands (37-6, 13-4) snapped a three game skid with the victory. The loss dropped Gordon College to 17-20 on the season and 7-10 in GCAA action. The two teams will continue their four-game conference series in Barnesville with a single game Thursday and a doubleheader Saturday.

Woodland’s Rowan Billings and Conner Stermer combined on the mound Tuesday night to limit Cass to just one hit in a 3-0 shutout of the Colonels at the Colonels’ Athletic Complex. Meanwhile, the Wildcats finished with nine hits and scored single runs in the second, fifth, and seventh innings. Stermer, who finished with two hits, singled home a run in the second inning. Jakiyon Porter drove in a run with a groundout in the fifth and hit a solo home run in the seventh inning. Porter also doubled in the third inning. Chase Carson, Ayden Ray, Jackson Rutledge, Austin Sanders (double), and Billings contributed one hit each for the Wildcats. Billings started on the mound for Woodland and struck out seven in the first six innings. He walked one and allowed just one base hit to the Colonels’ Bentley Markley in the fourth inning. Stermer needed just 11 pitches to work through a scoreless and hitless seventh inning to earn a save for the Wildcats. Carson Hill (6 IP, 2R, 1ER, 8H, 1BB, 5K) was tagged with the pitching loss for Cass. Devan Hutchinson (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 1K) pitched in the seventh inning for the Colonels. The three game region series now moves to Woodland for a doubleheader Thursday at 5 p.m. Woodland (12-16, 5-8) needs one win Thursday to secure the final state playoff berth from Region 7-5A. Cass (5-23, 4-9) could snatch the final state playoff berth with a doubleheader sweep Thursday evening.