Playing in his final collegiate game for Point, Woodland graduate Hunter Hardin created a memory that will last well beyond his playing days. A starting left guard for the Skyhawks, Hardin got to carry the football — not once, but twice. His second rushing attempt resulted in a 2-yard #BigManTouchdown. In the pro ranks, former Cartersville High hoops star A.J. Mosby debuted for the Shreveport Mavericks of The Basketball League. Shreveport played its first two games Friday and Saturday on the road, but Mosby made a great first impression on the Mavericks faithful, scoring a total of 53 points over the weekend. Elsewhere, ex-Adairsville High standout Lane Griffith went 5-for-10 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and four RBIs in a three-game sweep; Lindsey Bonner, a former Canes golfer, placed runner-up in a tournament Monday; and Woodland product Trevor Knowles racked up four total top-three finishes in his final home meet. SOFTBALL Skylar Chappell (Cottey College, So., Woodland HS)… homered, scored twice, and drove in three runs in a doubleheader Monday at Ecclesia College. The Comets (22-6) play at Science & Arts (Oklahoma) Thursday and will host Sterling (Kansas) in a doubleheader Sunday. Brianna Hill (Covenant, Fr., Woodland HS)… was 0-for-5 at Brevard last Wednesday as the Scots split a doubleheader. A pair of games scheduled with LaGrange on Saturday were canceled. Covenant (16-14, 5-3) hosts Piedmont in a doubleheader Saturday. PRO BASEBALL Sam Howard (Pittsburgh Pirates, 8th-year pro; Cartersville HS)… was called on with one out in the sixth inning Sunday and a man on first. He retired all three batters he faced, striking out two. The Pirates went on to beat the Cubs, 7-1. In five appearances this season, Howard has worked four innings and has a 1-1 record. He has recorded seven strikeouts with opponents hitting for a .154 average against him. COLLEGE BASEBALL Levi Ayers (Young Harris, So., Cartersville HS)… pitched in the final inning Sunday of an 11-8 home loss to 24th-ranked North Georgia. Ayers was entered with the Mountain Lions trailing 10-8 with a runner on first base. He walked a batter and allowed a hit that drove in the inherited runner. After an infield error, Ayers got a strikeout and a ground ball double play to end the frame. It was his seventh appearance of the season. Young Harris (18-10, 16-8) has a home Peach Belt Conference series with USC-Aiken Saturday and Sunday. Mason Barnett (Auburn, So., Cartersville HS)… worked the fourth and fifth innings of the Tigers’ 19-10 home loss Sunday to 4th-ranked Mississippi State. The right-hander faced 10 batters allowing two earned runs on four hits. He struck out one. Auburn (12-16, 1-11 SEC) plays at Georgia Tech Tuesday and at rival Alabama Thursday through Saturday in a three game series. Clifton Dempsey (Toccoa Falls, Sr., Cartersville HS)… went 1-for-4 with two RBIs last Tuesday in a 16-3 loss at Georgia Gwinnett. The Screaming Eagles (11-16) had a three-game series in Jacksonville vs. Trinity Baptist canceled last weekend but will return to the diamond Friday and Saturday in a three-game set at Bob Jones University. Jake Gooch (Central Alabama CC, Fr., Cartersville HS)… was 2-for-4 with two RBIs last Tuesday in a 6-4 home win over Chattahoochee Valley. The Trojans play at Chattahoochee Valley Wednesday and have a four game series with Snead State Thursday and Saturday. Lane Griffith (West Georgia, Sr., Adairsville HS)… went 5-for-10 with a double, a home run, three runs scored, and four RBIs in a three game conference series with visiting Union University Sunday and Monday. The Wolves travel to 19th-ranked Valdosta State for a three game series Saturday and Sunday. Kenny Jinks (Shorter, So., Woodland HS)… was utilized to retire the final two outs in Saturday’s 11-6 win at 3rd-ranked Lee University. He allowed no runs and one hit with one strikeout in the appearance but was not eligible for a save. The 24th-ranked Hawks will likely move up in the rankings after winning two of three Gulf South Conference games at Lee. Shorter (21-9, 18-9) has its next three game conference series Friday and Saturday at Alabama-Huntsville. Brycen Jones (Central Alabama CC, Fr., Cartersville HS)… pitched the fifth and sixth innings last Tuesday allowing no runs on two hits with three strikeouts as the Trojans defeated Chattahoochee Valley CC 6-4. CACC (19-19, 7-9) plays at Chattahoochee Valley Wednesday and has a four game series with Snead State Thursday and Saturday. Logan Nelson (Truett McConnell, Fr., Cass HS)… went 1-for-5 with a walk and scored two runs in one start and three game appearances last week. Nelson’s start was at Kentucky Christian where the Bears swept a three-game series. He also was entered and had single at-bats in a doubleheader last Wednesday at Union College (Kentucky). TMU (20-15, 10-10 Appalachian Athletic Conference) hosts Bob Jones University Tuesday and St. Andrews University (North Carolina) Friday and Saturday in a three game conference series. Preston Welchel (Coastal Alabama - Bay Minette, Fr., Cartersville HS)… finished 2-for-7 with a double and two RBIs Thursday in a home doubleheader loss to Coastal Alabama-Monroeville. In 37 games played, Welchel has a .275 batting average with two home runs and 21 RBIs. The Sun Chiefs (16-27, 8-12) play a four game series with Coastal Alabama-Brewton Thursday and Saturday. Jordan Wilkie (Augusta, Fr., Cartersville HS)… made a pinch hit appearance and played some second base in Friday’s 10-1 loss at USC-Aiken. The Jaguars won one of three games in the series and play a non-conference game at Erskine Wednesday. Augusta (5-22, 4-21 Peach Belt Conference) will also host new conference member Claflin Friday and Saturday in a three game set. Zach Wilson (Penn State-Greater Allegheny, Fr., Woodland HS)… went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and three RBIs in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader with PSU-Fayette. His team won 14-1 in five innings to complete a sweep. PSU-Greater Allegheny (9-4) hosts Penn State-Beaver Tuesday followed by a four game series with Penn State-Du Bois over the weekend. PRO BASKETBALL A.J. Mosby (Shreveport Mavericks; Cartersville HS) — Competing in the opening weekend of The Basketball League season, Mosby racked up a team-high 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the floor (3-for-6 3PT), while adding six assists and five rebounds, in a 97-93 triumph Saturday at Dallas. Mosby also paced Shreveport with 21 points during a 112-101 loss Friday at Little Rock. COLLEGE BASKETBALL Justice Hayes (South Georgia Tech Fr., Cass HS) — Hayes recorded a rebound in a Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association quarterfinal win over Southern Crescent Tech. He saw time in a semifinal loss to South Georgia. Jacquez Fountain (Albany Tech So., Cass HS) — After receiving an all-region nod last week, Fountain posted a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double in an overtime defeat against Central Georgia Tech in the GCAA quarterfinals. T.J. Horton (Georgia Highlands Fr., Cartersville HS) — In a loss to East Georgia in the GCAA quarterfinals, Horton scored six points and pulled down two rebounds. FOOTBALL Hunter Hardin (Point Sr., Woodland HS) — A starting offensive lineman, Hardin carried the ball twice for 2 yards each, with the second resulting in a touchdown as time expired in the first quarter of Point’s season finale Saturday at St. Andrews (North Carolina). Hardin’s score helped tie the game at 7-apiece, but the home team pulled away for a 62-20 win. Sean Holton (Davidson Sr., Cartersville HS) — Holton fair caught a kickoff during a 29-24 loss Saturday at Presbyterian. Jacob Potter (Kennesaw State Jr., Adairsville HS) — Competing for a Big South championship in the regular-season finale, Potter served as the long snapper in a 42-17 defeat Saturday at Monmouth. John Scifers (Incarnate Word Grad. Transfer, Woodland HS) — In a high-scoring affair, Scifers registered three touchbacks among nine kickoffs, averaging 56.7 yards per boot, in a 49-47 loss to Northwestern State Saturday at home. Jake Walker (Furman Sr., Cartersville native, Darlington HS) — Walker saw action but didn’t record any receptions during a 26-7 defeat Saturday at The Citadel. GOLF Lindsey Bonner (York Sr., Cartersville HS) — Bonner shot a one-over 74 to finish runner-up — one strike back of the champion — Monday at the Spartan Invite hosted by York College. Because she was playing as an individual, Bonner’s score didn’t contribute to York’s A team. Even still, the Spartans managed to win their fifth straight tournament title to begin the season, winding up four shots ahead of Stevenson at the Country Club of York. TENNIS Blake Bottegal (Shorter Jr., Woodland HS) — Bottegal and his Line 3 doubles partner fell 6-0 during a 7-0 loss last Wednesday at West Alabama. Connor Gunnell (Shorter Fr., Woodland HS) — During the loss to West Alabama, Gunnell dropped his Line 6 singles match by a 6-0, 6-0 score. Houston Medlock (Piedmont Jr., Adairsville HS) — Medlock came out on the short end of singles (6-1, 6-0) and doubles (8-3) action in a 5-4 defeat last Wednesday versus Covenant at home. Ashley Popham (Mercer Fr., Cartersville HS) — Popham dropped an 8-3 decision on Line 6 singles in a SoCon match Thursday at Furman. Bryce VanOrder (Piedmont Fr., Woodland HS) — Despite coming up short as a team, VanOrder emerged victorious on Line 2 singles against Covenant, earning a 6-3, 6-4 win. TRACK AND FIELD Parker Breedlove (Reinhardt So., Cartersville HS) — Competing in the 5000-meter race, Breedlove placed 31st Friday during the Berry Field Day Invitational in Floyd County. Trevor Knowles (Albion Sr., Woodland HS) — Knowles put together a remarkable all-around performance to help the Britons finish first overall during a senior day meet Friday at home. In addition to helping the 4x100-meter relay team earn a victory, Knowles placed second in the long and triple jump events, while coming in third in the high jump. VOLLEYBALL Nedu Evans (Augusta So., Cartersville HS) — Evans contributed a total of eight kills, five digs and two block assists, as Augusta went 3-0 last week with wins over USC Aiken, Lander and Young Harris. -- Nicholas Sullivan of The Daily Tribune News contributed to this report.

A pair of Ringgold pitchers — Kenyon Ransom and Eli Norris — combined to shutout Adairsville Tuesday night and limit the locals to a single hit. Ringgold, ranked No. 3 in Class AAA, put the game away with an eight-run fourth inning to defeat Adairsville 10-0. Evan Sanders had the lone Adairsville base hit. Ross Norman, Colin Mountjoy, Mason Parker, and Norris combined for six hits and seven RBIs for Ringgold. Ringgold (18-6, 11-0 Region 6-AAA) will host Adairsville (7-14, 2-9) Thursday at 5:55 p.m.

In an epic pitching duel Tuesday in Gordon County, Calhoun outlasted Woodland 1-0 in 11 innings to win the Region 7-AAAAA battle. Calhoun’s Hagan Banks and Bryse Ingle combined to limit Woodland to only three hits and one walk while striking out 22 Wildcats. Woodland’s Carter Heath and Peyton Posey were almost as good. Heath kept the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard for the first six frames scattering three hits and two walks. He fanned seven. Posey, who was tagged with the tough-luck loss, went four and two-thirds innings. He gave up the game’s lone run with two outs in the eleventh inning. He allowed three hits, all in the final frame, and one walk. Posey recorded one strikeout. Braden Saunders had the game winning RBI single for Calhoun. His two-out liner drove in Barrett Saunders who had doubled earlier. Chase Carson, Posey, and Drew Billings had one hit each for Woodland. Eighth-ranked Calhoun improved to 16-6 overall and 9-4 in region play with the victory. Woodland (8-18, 4-9) will host a doubleheader with the Yellow Jackets Friday starting at 5 p.m.

The Chargers trailed in both games Tuesday at South Georgia State but came out on top in both games of a conference doubleheader 7-3 and 11-4. Connor Todaro, Joe Sutton, and Palmer Sapp each had two hits to pace the Chargers’ offense in the first win. Todaro’s hits included a double and two RBIs. Sapp also drove in two runs. Max Kops and Trace Twardoski both contributed one hit and one RBI apiece. Brandon Prince and Gavin Harmon added one hit in Game 1 to round out the ten hit attack. Conner Perry (6 IP, 2R, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 4K) earned the pitching victory striking out four in six innings of work. Caleb Garner (3 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K) worked the final three innings on the mound for the Chargers and struck out two. The Chargers disposed of South Georgia in the second game, 11-4. Chase Townsend (4,1 IP, 4ER, 6H, 3BB, 2K) picked up the pitching win in a start. Matthew Silka (1,2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 3K) closed out the fifth and sixth frames. Ryan Suppa (1 IP, 0R, 0H) worked the final inning. Kops led the Georgia Highlands offense with two hits including a triple and three RBIs. Sapp also finished with a pair of hits. Prince contributed a double and three RBIs. Todaro tripled and had two RBIs for the Chargers. Joe Sutton, Twardoski, and Harmon chipped in with one hit each. The two losses drop South Georgia to 23-16 overall and 6-14 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association. Georgia Highlands (36-6, 15-3) hosts a doubleheader with South Georgia State Saturday at LakePoint.

The Cartersville High School golf team captured the Region 7-AAAAA championship and Area golf title Monday at Cartersville Country Club with a dominating 15-under-par team total. The Canes shot 273 and won by 52 shots over second place Calhoun (325) in an Area field of eleven schools that combined Region 7-AAAAA and Region 6-AAAAA. Grady finished third with a 341. Blessed Trinity (344), Woodland (353), and Cass (423) rounded out the top six teams. Cartersville’s Buck Brumlow, a future Georgia Bulldog golfer, fired an 8-under-par 64 to win low medalist honors. He was followed by teammates Jake Lawson and Camden Meadows who shot 67 and 69, respectively. Jake Wehunt had the other counting score for the Canes with a 73. Blaine Davis (75) and Anderson McCary (79) failed to have their scores count despite finishing ahead of a majority of the individual field. Daniel Nycum led Woodland with a 75. Evan Englin had the low score for Cass with a 97. The Class AAAAA Boys State Sectional Tournament is scheduled for Maple Ridge Golf Club in Columbus May 3-4. The Class AAAAA Boys State Championship tournament is scheduled for Green Island Country Club May 17-18.

Georgia Highlands College baseball swept a conference doubleheader Saturday at East Georgia winning 11-4 and 10-7. Although the Chargers remain unranked in the national JUCO polls, Georgia Highlands did receive votes in last week's poll and will give poll voters some more things to consider after another 4-0 week. The Chargers never trailed in the opening victory but overcame a 6-0 deficit in the second game by scoring ten runs over the final four frames. Johnny Dow tossed a nine inning complete game in the first game. The Lassiter High School product scattered 11 hits and a walk while striking out six. Only one of the four runs against him were earned. The Chargers banged out 15 hits including three home runs. David Smith had three hits to lead the GHC offense in Game 1 with a a walk, home run, and two RBIs included. Joe Sutton homered and drove in two with a pair of hits and Gavin Harmon finished with a pair of hits including a home run and two RBIs. Brandon Prince doubled twice and drove in one run. Palmer Sapp contributed two hits and one RBI and Connor Todaro also had a two hit game. In the second game, East Georgia led 6-0 through three innings and 7-2 through four frames, but the Chargers responded by scoring eight times in the fifth through seventh innings to pull our a 3-run win. Four pitchers worked Game 2 for Georgia Highlands including Ryan Suppa who collected the win in relief. Suppa took care of the final three innings allowing only one hit and one walk while fanning six. The Chargers produced a dozen hits, led by Ben Olson who went 3-for-4 including a three-run home run. Todaro had two hits and one RBI. Prince (double, 2 RBIs), Trace Twardoski (2 RBIs), Sutton (double, RBI), Palmer Sapp (RBI), Smith, Harmon, and Max Kops added one hit each. East Georgia falls to 22-15 on the season and 7-9 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association. Georgia Highlands (34-6, 13-3) stays on top of the GCAA standings and has a pair of conference doubleheaders this week with South Georgia State CC. The Hawks will host Tuesday in Waycross and the Chargers will host Saturday at LakePoint in Emerson.

Fifth-ranked Cartersville won twice Friday to wrap up the Canes’ participation in the 2021 Battle for Bartow with a 3-0 mark. The Canes, who beat Cedartown Thursday night, collected wins over Centennial and Johns Creek Friday. In other games involving local teams at the Battle for Bartow, Cass lost to Cedartown and Woodland suffered losses to Cedartown and Fellowship Christian. Elsewhere, Adairsville dropped a Region 6-AAA game to Sonoraville. CARTERSVILLE 6, CENTENNIAL 5 (9 inn.) Cartersville, playing as the visiting team, trailed 5-2 heading to the seventh inning Friday afternoon against Centennial but rallied for three runs in the inning to send the game into extra innings. After a scoreless eighth inning, Cartersville’s Hank Smith doubled into right field to drive home Curt Bonner for a go-ahead run and a 6-5 lead. Relief pitcher Cal Goss — who worked the final two innings on the mound — retired the Knights in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn the pitching win. Davis Williams (5 IP, 5R, 4ER, 6H, 0BB, 5K) made the pitching start for Cartersville with Gunner Millsap (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1K) working the sixth and seventh innings on the mound. Smith finished with two hits including the game-winning RBI. Blake Sutton also had two hits and one RBI. Bonner drove home a pair of runs and had one hit. Elliott Eastin contributed one hit and one RBI. Jake Brasfield had one hit and Colt McKibben drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Peyton Sperier had three hits for Centennial. The loss drops the Knights to 6-15 for the season. CARTERSVILLE 13, JOHNS CREEK 6 The Canes banged out 13 hits Friday night and led throughout in a 13-6 win over Johns Creek in both teams’ final game of the 2021 Battle for Bartow. Cartersville sent 19 different players to the plate and used five different pitchers in the win. Silas Freeman worked 2 and 2/3 innings on the mound to pick up the pitching win in relief recording three strikeouts. Freeman did not allow a run and yielded only one hit and two walks. Paul Gamble (2 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 2BB, 3K) started on the bump for the Hurricanes. Ryan Johnson (1.1 IP, 4R, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K) and Collin Eaton (1 IP, 1ER, 3H, 2K) also pitched for Cartersville. Four different Canes had two hits to lead the Canes’ offense. Jake Brasfield had two hits including a three-run home run. Drew Rothschild had two hits, a sacrifice fly, and two RBIs. Trey Holstein finished with two hits including a double and one RBI and Jimbo Gaines also added two hits. Parker McPherson (RBI), Ben Williams (RBI), Hank Smith (double), Landon Cole (double), and Trip Bradley contributed one hit apiece. The loss dropped the Gladiators to 6-16 for the season. Cartersville (19-7) returns to Region 7-AAAAA action Tuesday at Cass at 5:55 p.m. SONORAVILLE 6, ADAIRSVILLE 2 Adairsville led visiting Sonoraville 2-0 through four innings Friday night but the Phoenix scored two runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to down the Tigers, 6-2. Braden Powell suffered the pitching loss for Adairsville in relief of starter Evan Sanders. Powell gave up four earned runs on two hits and four walks. Sanders worked the first five innings allowing a pair of earned runs on six hits and four walks. Powell struck out three. Sanders fanned five. Powell and Logan Hunt paced the Tigers’ offense with two hits each. Powell had one RBI. Hunt’s two hits included a double. Jack Whitley and Sanders had one hit each for Adairsville. Elijah Padgett added one RBI. Sonoraville improved to 14-8 for the season and 8-4 in Region 6-AAA. Adairsville (7-13, 2-8) will host 6th-ranked Ringgold Tuesday at 5:55 p.m. CEDARTOWN 9, WOODLAND 8 Woodland trailed Cedartown 9-2 in the fifth inning Friday afternoon and rallied to pull within one run of the Bulldogs but came up short in a 9-8 loss during action at the Battle for Bartow at LakePoint. Cedartown led 3-2 after one inning and built a 9-2 lead with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. The Wildcats then scored six times — all with two outs — in the bottom of the fifth to narrow their deficit to 9-8. An error by Cedartown and a pair of walks contributed to the big inning, but Woodland bats also produced four hits in the frame. Julian Wright and Peyton Posey had singles. Carter Heath and Jacob Gravett both doubled in the inning. Unfortunately for Woodland, their bats would produce only one more hit over the final two innings — a one-out single by Trevor Collum in the sixth — and the Wildcats finished one run short. Nate Rosser (0.1 IP, 3ER, 0H, 4BB) was tagged with the pitching loss for Woodland. Scotty Smith (3.2 IP, 6R, 5ER, 9H, 2BB, 4K) made the pitching start for the Wildcats and Collum (3 IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB) retired the final nine outs. Cade Dingler, Denver Nale, and Corben Cuzzort combined for seven hits and four RBIs to lead the Cedartown offense. Peyton Posey led the Wildcats with three hits including a double and two RBIs. FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN 5, WOODLAND 3 Woodland out hit Fellowship Christian ten to six Friday night, but fell short on the scoreboard in a 5-3 loss during the Battle for Bartow at LakePoint in Emerson. The Wildcats led 2-0 through three innings but the Paladins scored three times in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Woodland tied the game 3-3 in seventh to send the game to an extra inning before Fellowship Christian posted two runs in the top of the eighth for a 5-3 win. Ayden Ray (4 IP, 2ER, 1H, 2BB, 4K) took the pitching loss for Woodland in relief of starter Drew Billings (4 IP, 3ER, 5H, 1BB, 2K). Carter Heath, Chase Carson, and Billings had two hits each. One of the hits by Billings was a double. Carson’s hits included a triple and one RBI. Jacob Gravett contributed a triple and one RBI. Julian Wright had a double. Trevor Collum and Ayden Ray both had one hit apiece. Fellowship Christian, ranked No. 3 in Class A Private, improved to 14-4 on the season. Woodland (8-17) travels to Calhoun Tuesday at 5:55 p.m. to resume action in Region 7-AAAAA. CEDARTOWN 5, CASS 2 The Colonels fell behind 3-0 in the first inning Friday afternoon and couldn’t catch the Cedartown Bulldogs in a 5-2 loss at LakePoint in the Battle for Bartow. Cass narrowed the lead to 3-1 in the second inning and narrowed the margin to 4-2 in the fifth inning but would get no closer. Jayden Smith (3 IP, 4R, 3ER, 5H, 1BB, 5K) was the losing pitcher for the Colonels. Jordan Gani (3 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB) pitched three innings in relief. Denver Nale and Eli Barrow combined for four hits and two RBIs to lead the Cedartown offense. Aidan Larkin had one hit and one RBI for the Colonels. Gani contributed a double. Bentley Markley and Hayden Cole finished with one hit each. Cass (6-15) returns to Region 7-AAAAA action Tuesday in a home game against 5th-ranked Cartersville at 5:55 p.m.

Adairsville lost a Region 6-AAA matchup with Sonoraville Thursday night while Woodland and Cass both dropped their first games in the Battle for Bartow at LakePoint. SONORAVILLE 9, ADAIRSVILLE 1 Sonoraville pulled away early with eight runs in the first three innings to defeat Adairsville 9-1 Thursday night in Region 6-AAA action. The Tigers scored a single run in the fourth inning when Chris Roper singled, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on a Logan Hunt RBI single into right field. Adairsville starting pitcher Jack Whitley (2 IP, 7R, 2ER, 4H, 1BB, 1K) was tagged with the loss. Three other pitchers — Brenden Carroll (1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 1K), Dawson Craig (1.1 IP, 0R, 0H, 3BB, 1K), and Easton Elrod (1.2 IP, 1ER, 2H, 1K) also pitched. Hunt finished with two hits. Kyler Smith, Evan Sanders, Dawson Craig, and Roper had the other Tigers’ hits. Cole Godfrey, Hayden Holsomback, and Zach Lyles combined for five hits and seven RBIs for the Phoenix offense. Lyles was also the winning pitcher, allowing one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work. Sonoraville (13-8, 7-4) plays at Adairsville (7-12, 2-6) Friday at 5:55 p.m. VALDOSTA 5, WOODLAND 3 In a battle of two teams called Wildcats, Valdosta held off a seventh inning Woodland threat to win Thursday night at LakePoint, 5-3. The two teams squared off in one of 14 games being played as part of the Battle for Bartow Classic. Valdosta also defeated Johns Creek earlier in the day at LakePoint, 5-2. Woodland took advantage of a pair of Valdosta errors in the second inning to grab a 2-0 lead and starting pitcher Peyton Posey made that lead stand up until he ran into trouble in the top of the fifth. Valdosta tied the score 2-2 on a single, two walks, and a two-run double. Valdosta took the lead for good in the sixth by adding three runs on two hits, a hit batsman, a walk, and an infield error. Woodland’s Scotty Smith doubled to drive in a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the locals would get no closer although they loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Carter Heath (3 IP, 3R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 6K) suffered the pitching loss for Woodland in relief of Posey (4 IP, 2ER, 4H, 4BB, 6K). In addition to Smith’s RBI double, Jakiyon Porter and Chase Carson added one hit apiece for Woodland. Valdosta improved to 15-9 for the season. Woodland (8-15) plays two more games in the Battle for Bartow on Friday. The Wildcats play Cedartown at 4 p.m. and Fellowship Christian, the No. 3 team in Class A Private at 7 p.m. NORTH PAULDING 15, CASS 0 North Paulding, the No. 4-ranked team in Class 7A, scored nine times in the top of the first inning and Wolfpack pitchers Jake Hembree and A.J. Ventry combined for a four-inning no-hitter Thursday night to shutout Cass, 15-0. North Paulding pounded out 15 hits in four offensive frames and improved to 15-7 on the season. Cass (6-14) concludes play in the Battle for Bartow Friday at 1 p.m. when the Colonels take on Cedartown.

A four-run fourth inning and single runs added in the fifth and sixth innings lifted the Class AAAAA 5th-ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes to a 6-3 win Thursday afternoon over Cedartown. The game was the first for both teams in the 2021 Battle for Bartow Classic being played at LakePoint in Emerson. Canes’ pitcher Phillip Schiltz earned the win on the mound with a five inning performance. The right hander allowed just two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out eight. Gunner Millsap (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 2K) and Silas Freeman (1 IP, 1ER, 0H, 1BB) worked one inning each to close out the win. Cedartown (11-8-1) led 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs added a single run in the fifth that narrowed the Cartersville lead to 4-2, but got no closer. Mississippi State commit Dylan Cupp had two triples and Reece Tanner drove home all three Bulldogs runs. Elliott Eastin and Harrison Childers had two hits each for the Cartersville offense. Curt Bonner, Hank Smith (triple), Parker McPherson, and Colt McKibben had one hit and one RBI each for the Canes. Blake Sutton contributed a double and Jake Brasfield finished with one base hit and a stolen base. For Cartersville, it was a third straight win to improve to 17-7 on the season. The Canes will play twice Friday in the Battle for Bartow at LakePoint. Cartersville takes on Centennial at 1 p.m. and Johns Creek at 7 p.m.

The 2021 Bartow County Little League Major Division had its Opening Day on Saturday, March 27 and was able to complete some limited play last week prior to the local school spring break period in the schedule. Results for the league's opening games are included below. Saturday, March 27th BRAVES 6, CUBS 0 Braves: Trenton Mealer one double; Zaylen Cochran, Preston Hazelwood, Mitchell Raughton one hit each. Pitching: Trenton Mealer, complete game no hitter, 12Ks. TIGERS 20, TWINS 2 Tigers: William Wilson three hits including two doubles; Huck Garlin two doubles; McCayden Hufstetler two doubles; Ben Wilson two hits. Twins: Noah Rogers one hit. CARDINALS 6, ORIOLES 3 Cards: Kasey Jacobs and Thomas Duncan one double each; Joseph Frederick, Dustin Wallin, Connor Corbin one hit each. Orioles: Lane Walker two hits including one double; Landon Farmer one hit. Monday, March 29th GIANTS 11, ORIOLES 0 Giants: Drazen Jones one double, one triple; Reese Pasley two hits; Drew Nida one double; Noah Janssen one hit. Pitching: Drew Nida complete game no hitter, 8Ks. GIANTS 13, TWINS 1 Giants: Raiden Sexton three hits including one double, one triple; Drazen Jones two doubles; Rush Faulk two hits; Hayden Miller one triple. Pitching: Noah Janssen complete game no hitter, 10Ks. Tuesday, March 30th BRAVES 8, CARDINALS 2 Braves: Matt Zander three hits; Zaylen Cochran two hits; Jaylen Flores one hit. Pitching: Matt Zander complete game no hitter, 14Ks. TIGERS 3, ORIOLES 2 Tigers: William Wilson two hits; Huck Garlin and Hunter Dudley one hit each. Orioles: Westin Barfield two hits including one double. Little League softball and baseball game results for Cartersville Little League and Bartow County Little League are provided by the respective leagues and are presented by CiCi's -- Beyond Pizza in Cherokee Place, Cartersville.

Georgia Highlands softball dropped both games of a home doubleheader Wednesday night with conference-leading Gordon State. The Chargers lost 8-0 in the opener and 8-6 in the nightcap. In the opener, Gordon State pitcher Faith Hager struck out eight and limited the Chargers to only two hits. Madison Bennett and Izzy Marcotte finished with one hit apiece in the shutout loss. Montana Ledbetter (5 IP, 8R, 6ER, 8H, 4BB, 5K) took the pitching loss for GHC. The second game went to extra innings tied 5-5 with the visiting Highlanders pulling out the win in the tenth inning. Izzy Marcotte homered for the Chargers in the third inning to narrow Gordon State’s lead to 4-3. In the fifth inning, Natalia Herrera singled and Marcotte walked to set up a pair of GHC runs. After Alexis Poole entered to run for Herrera, the two baserunners moved into scoring position on a groundout before both scored on the same wild pitch. Gordon State took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but Georgia Highlands tied the game again with a groundout RBI by Lacey Rutledge. Following a scoreless ninth inning, the Highlanders posted two runs taking advantage of two hit batsmen, a walk, a groundout, and an infield error. Madalyn Morton (9 IP, 2R, 0ER, 6H, 3BB, 9K) suffered the pitching loss in Game 2 in relief of starter Maggie Schandera (1 IP, 4ER, 5H, 2BB, 1K). Bennett, Herrera, Bradey Tharp, Halie Walther, and Marcotte (home run) accounted for the Chargers’ five hits. Georgia Highlands (8-15, 3-5 GCAA) and Gordon State (23-8, 12-0) will continue their conference series with a doubleheader Saturday in Barnesville.

For the second day in a row, Cartersville’s pitching grabs the headlines with the staff now compiling 14 consecutive shutout innings leading to back-to-back 2-0 wins. Wednesday evening the Canes’ Colt McKibben and Davis Williams teamed up to scatter two hits and four walks to win at Class AAA 6th-ranked Ringgold. The duo’s performance came on the heels of Micah Earwood’s seven inning, two-hitter Tuesday to beat Sandy Creek 2-0. McKibben (5 IP, 0R, 2H, 3BB, 3K) started on the mound Wednesday and went five innings striking out three. He had to settle for a no-decision since the game remained scoreless until the seventh. Williams (2 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 2K) worked the final two frames fanning two and picked up the pitching victory. Ringgold pitchers Robbie Bates (4.1 IP, 0R, 2H, 4BB, 3K) and Colin Mountjoy (2.2 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB, 1K) kept the Hurricanes off the scoreboard until the top of the seventh. A leadoff single by Elliott Eastin started the Cartersville seventh inning. It was followed by a pop out, two hit batsmen, and a line out to set up Blake Sutton’s ground ball single that pushed across the game’s only two runs. In addition to the two seventh inning hits by the Canes, Curt Bonner doubled in the fifth inning and Sutton had a base hit in the second. The loss drops Ringgold to 15-6 for the season. Cartersville (16-7, ranked No. 5 in Class AAAAA) will play Cedartown Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Battle for Bartow at LakePoint. The Canes will then play Centennial (1 p.m.) and Johns Creek (7 p.m.) Friday in the same event.