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May 15, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Purple Hurricanes' run in the state playoffs ended Thursday with a doubleheader loss to the Kell Longhorns at Richard Bell Field. Kell moved on to the Class 4A State Championship series by edging Cartersville 7-6 in the first game of the semifinal series, then clinched the spot with an 11-7 win in Game 2. GAME 1: KELL 7, CARTERSVILLE 6 Nolan Elrod had a first-inning hit in Game 1 on Thursday that helped build an early Canes' lead. He later added two hits and two more RBI in Game 2. / Russell Andrews Cartersville started strong and led 4-0 in the bottom of the first inning of the opener. Key hits by Nolan Elrod and Clint Hosea, along with a bases-loaded balk, put the Canes ahead. The Longhorns responded in the top of the fourth with their own four-run rally. Kaleb Narcisse hit a two-run homer, and Brock Burrus doubled home two more runs to tie the game at 4-4. Kell took the lead for good in the top of the sixth after two outs. The Longhorns got a man on base by error before Burris singled, and Preston Bottoms was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jayden Biddy hit a three-run double that cleared the bases for a 7-4 advantage. Brayden Logan crosses home plate in Game 1 on Thursday. The leadoff hitting right fielder had three hits and one RBI. / Russell Andrews The Canes scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't get any closer. Brayden Logan drove in a run with a ground ball to the right side, and David Vargas lined an RBI single into left field for Cartersville’s final run. Dominic Consolino pitched a complete game for Kell and struck out seven batters. The left-hander gave up eleven hits and one walk. Nate Russell started on the mound for the Hurricanes and took the loss, despite allowing only one earned run in six innings. Russell gave up five hits and six walks, and also struck out seven. Cole Crawford pitched a scoreless seventh inning, issuing one walk and striking out one. Logan (RBI) had three hits at the top of the Cartersville lineup. Vargas (RBI) and Hosea (RBI) produced two hits. Elrod (RBI), Crawford, Harris Turner, and James Manring each added one hit. KELL 11, CARTERSVILLE 7 The Longhorns and Hurricanes traded big innings early in Game 2, but it was Kell that scored at least one run in five of their six offensive frames to win 11-7 and clinch the state semifinal best-of-three series. Playing as the home team at the Cartersville Baseball Complex, Kell scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning that included a grand slam by Jayden Bibby and two Canes’ errors. Cartersville bounced back, however, with seven runs of their own in the top of the second. Two walks, three singles, and three doubles off Canes’ bats produced a temporary 7-6 lead. Kell tied the score at 7-7 in the bottom of the second with a leadoff double and a one-out sacrifice fly. The Longhorns' offense continued to produce over the next three innings, while the Canes were shut out for the rest of the game. The Longhorns capitalized on a Cartersville infield error and a passed ball to score two runs with just one hit in the third. They added another run in the fourth on a single base hit, taking a 10-7 lead in the inning. Kell’s final run came in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Preston Bottoms. Alec Seaman took over on the mound for the Longhorns in the second inning and earned the victory. The junior right-hander threw 5-2/3 hitless and scoreless innings, striking out five. Logan Buchanan (3 IP, 6 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K) was the losing pitcher for the Hurricanes, relieving Nolan Elrod (0.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H) and Collier Jordan (0.0 IP, 2 ER, 0 H, 1 BB) in the first inning. Brayden Logan pitched the final three innings for Cartersville, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, with two strikeouts. Elrod had two hits and two RBI for the Canes. David Vargas hit a double and drove in two runs. Cole Crawford, Cooper Reynolds, Clint Hosea, and Parker Lively each contributed one hit. Kell (25-15) advanced to the Class 4A State Championship series to play North Oconee (30-6) starting May 22. (Finals neutral site to be determined). The Titans won their state semifinal series over Benedictine, 6-2 and 2-1. Cartersville’s 2026 season ended with a 29-11 final record that included a 23-game win streak, a Region 7-AAAA title, and the Canes’ fourth trip to the Final Four in the past five seasons.

May 13, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Andrew Bishop hit a three-run home run in the top of the first inning on Wednesday, giving the Chargers an early lead. Photo: Russell Andrews Walters State Community College (TN) hit six home runs on Wednesday, including three by third baseman Holden Pantier, to power past and eliminate the Georgia Highlands College Chargers, 9-6. The Senators' win, combined with Tuesday's 12-4 victory over the Chargers, clinched the NJCAA Appalachian District best-of-three series and sent Walters State to the 2026 NJCAA World Series. It also marked the second consecutive season in which the Senators have eliminated Georgia Highlands in the postseason. Major Osbolt earned the pitching win for Walters State and improved to 8-1 on the season with a six- inning start. He allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three. Sam Martell pitched the final three shutout innings to earn a save, striking out five. Braxton Wade (2. 2.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 8 H, 2K) was charged with the loss for GHC in relief of starter Noah McMahon (2. 2.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2K). Jack Burns struck out two and faced the minimum, working from the sixth through the eighth innings. Cartersville product and GCAA Player of the Year, Aidan Larkin, had two hits in the Chargers' loss on Wednesday. Photo: Russell Andrews Georgia Highlands batted first in the second game of the series at Bentley Field on Wednesday and struck first with Andrew Bishop's three-run homer. Walters State responded with five runs across the first three innings for a 5-3 lead. Home runs by Miles Shore, Luke Graham, and two by Pantier built the lead. The Chargers regained the lead at 6-5 in the top of the fifth with three more runs. Aidan Larkin had an RBI single, and two more GHC runs scored when Mason Moore reached on an infield error. The Senators didn't back down. Drew Blalock homered in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game. An error and a fielder's choice pushed across another run, and Pantier' s third homer of the game gave Walters State a 9-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Kenton Collier collected three hits for Georgia Highlands. Aidan Larkin (RBI) and Caden Marcos each had two hits. Bishop (three- run homer) and Harper Davenport contributed one hit each. The Chargers’ season concluded with a 47-15 record and a GCAA conference title. Walters State (52-11) advanced to the NJCAA World Series, scheduled for May 23-29 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

May 12, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Georgia Highlands College softball team’s postseason run came to an end on Tuesday with two losses to Gaston College (NC) in the Mid-Atlantic District Championship Series at Carol Brown Field in Cartersville. The visiting Rhinos (60-4) won 9-2 and 9-1 on Tuesday and advanced to the 2026 NJCAA Division I Softball World Series, May 25-30 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. Emily Ferro (7 IP, 9R, 4ER, 8H, 6BB, 2K) went the distance in the circle in Game 1 for the Chargers and was charged with the pitching loss. Haley Curtis (1.2 IP, 9R, 1ER, 5H, 1BB) suffered the pitching loss in Game 2 for GHC. Athens Hudson (2.1 IP, 0R, 2H, 1K) worked the final 2-1/3 innings in the circle. Emma Darrow (double) had three hits in the doubleheader for the Chargers. Hudson (solo home run), Emmalee Freeman (RBI), CeCe Williams (triple), Gracie Azpeitia (double), and Anslee Logan each had one hit in the doubleheader. The season ends for Georgia Highlands with a 33-16 record and the program’s first conference championship.

May 12, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Georgia Highlands baseball fell behind early on Tuesday and could not recover, losing the first game of their best-of-three Appalachian District Championship Series to Walters State (TN) Community College, 12-4, in Cartersville. Both teams produced thirteen hits in the game, but Walters State’s offense was more productive. The visiting Senators scored five runs in the second inning, including Holden Pantier’s grand slam, and built a 7-1 lead after four innings. The Chargers narrowed the gap to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth, but Walters State responded with two runs in the sixth and added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth to seal the win. Jackson Berry led the Senators’ offense with four hits. Pantier contributed two hits and five RBIs, including his grand slam. Jaxon Walker also homered for Walters State. Brady Scott (7 IP, 4 ER, 12 H, 0 BB, 6 K) earned the victory on the mound and improved to 6-0 this season. Ryan Smith pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit with one walk and three strikeouts, closing out the game. David McKechnie (3 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 4 BB, 4 K) started for GHC and was charged with the loss. Jackson Scali (2.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K), Heath Whitlock (1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 K), Calvin Koo (1.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 K), and Marshall Flowers (0.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) pitched in relief. Carson Page had four hits, including two doubles and one RBI, for the Chargers. Andrew Bishop (RBI), Emiliano Dominguez, and Harper Davenport each contributed two hits. Caden Marcos (RBI), Kenton Collier, and Aidan Larkin (double) added one hit apiece. Georgia Highlands (47-14) and Walters State (51-11) will face off again in Game 2 on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Bentley Field in Cartersville. The Senators will advance to the NJCAA World Series with a win. GHC aims to force a decisive third game on Thursday at 1 p.m.

May 11, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com The Cartersville High School boys' track and field team celebrates its capture of the GHSA 2026 Class 4A State Championship at the University of Georgia in Athens. / Photo: Nick Johnson The Cartersville High School boys’ track and field team won the 2026 GHSA Class 4A championship on Monday at the University of Georgia Track & Field Complex in Athens. The Hurricanes finished with 70 points, finishing 22 points ahead of Benedictine Military and 33 points ahead of Southwest DeKalb. Union Grove and Creekside rounded out the top five. Cartersville’s Xavier Lowe won the high jump (6-8), and Thoreau Lipscomb captured the state shot put title (54-6) to earn 10 points each. The Canes’ 4x100-meter relay team, consisting of Bryson Everett, Brayden Doss, Madoxx Davis, and Tyon Coe (41.86), earned a state runner-up finish. Actavious Thompson joined Everett, Davis, and Coe (1:26.20) for a runner-up finish in the 4x200-meter relay. Cass' Adrian Dye won the Class 4A state title in the discus throw and was third in the shot put. / Photo: Cass High School Other placers for the Purple Hurricanes included Thoreau Lipscomb, who finished third in the discus throw (153-2), and Kenneth Wilkey had a fourth-place finish in the high jump (6-4). Actavious Thompson finished fifth (22-4.50) in the long jump. Ethan Empie earned a fifth-place (9:48.77) in the 3200-meter run. Madoxx Davis (10.75) was fifth in the 100-meter dash, and the Hurricanes’ 4x400-meter relay team of Braylon Hill, Kaiden Kent, Kayden Blackwell, and Hayden Empie (3:23.82) also placed fifth. Yosiah Gunn placed sixth (44-3) in the triple jump. Bryson Everett (21.78) was sixth in the 200-meter dash, and Henry Abernathy placed eighth (141-4) in the discus throw. Adrian Dye placed in two throwing events to carry the Cass boys to a 19th-place finish. Dye won the state title in the discus throw (159-10) and placed third (51-3.50) in the shot put. Woodland’s Rowen Lee earned one point for Woodland in the 400-meter dash (49.59). CARTERSVILLE GIRLS FINISH 19TH, WOODLAND 26TH The Cartersville Lady Canes placed 19th, and the Woodland Lady Cats were 26th on Monday at the GHSA State Track and Field Championships in Athens. Harris County won the girls’ Class 4A state team title with 82 points. Westminster (57), North Oconee (54), Pace Academy (47.50), and Stockbridge (38) rounded out the top five. Woodland’s Rowe Gentry cleared 5 feet, 2 inches to finish fourth, and teammate Cyler Williams cleared 4-10 to place sixth. Carder Brock finished fifth (122-3) in the discus throw and fifth (36-1) in the shot put. Laney Saunders also placed fifth (10-6) in the pole vault. Allana Williams finished seventh (35-4) in the shot put.

May 11, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Cartersville High product Anthony Seigler extended a seven-game hitting streak and hit his first 2026 home run last week for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. In college softball and baseball action, former Cartersville Hurricane Aidan Larkin was selected the GCAA Player of the Year, and at least four other local athletes are on teams advancing to national tournaments. MiLB MASON BARNETT — Las Vegas Aviators (MLB Athletics Triple-A affiliate; 5th-year pro; Auburn; Cartersville HS) … went six shutout innings last Thursday at home against the St. Paul Saints, but received no decision in an eventual 7-6 Aviators win. Barnett scattered three hits and one walk while striking out six. Las Vegas entered the week with a 19-17 record, tied with Sacramento for first place in the Pacific Coast League West. The Aviators play a six-game road series against the Reno Aces this week. LOGAN MARTIN — Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants Double-A affiliate; 4th-year pro; Kentucky; Cartersville HS) … collected his second pitching victory of the season last Friday by working 1-2/3 innings of middle relief during a 9-6 home win over the Akron Rubber Ducks. He allowed one unearned run on two hits and recorded one strikeout. The Flying Squirrels began the week with a 25-7 record, leading Harrisburg by seven games in the Eastern League’s Southwest Division. Richmond plays a six-game series this week at the Erie Sea Wolves. Anthony Seigler, Worcester WooSox ANTHONY SEIGLER — Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate; 9th-year pro; Cartersville HS) … hit safely in all three home starts last week against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders, extending his current hitting streak to seven games. The streak also includes at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games. Last week, the 26-year-old went 5-for-10 with four walks and his first home run of the year, raising his batting average to .309 in 55 official at-bats. Worcester entered the week with a 21-16 record and a three-game lead in the International League’s East Division. The WooSox play a six-game road series this week against the Buffalo Bisons. BASEBALL CALEB DANIEL — Georgia Tech (So., Cartersville HS) … appeared in two games and went 0-for-2 with one walk as the 3rd-ranked Yellow Jackets swept a three-game home series this past weekend with Duke. Georgia Tech hosts Mercer University on Tuesday night and wraps up regular-season play on Thursday through Saturday at Boston College. RYAN FARR — Kentucky Christian University (So., Adairsville HS) … made a two-inning relief appearance in the Knights’ 6-3 tournament loss to Grace Christian (MI) on May 6. Farr allowed two earned runs on two hits and one walk, striking out one. The Knights (22-24) also lost to Alice Lloyd College (KY) and were eliminated in the River States Conference playoffs. Aidan Larkin, Georgia Highlands College AIDAN LARKIN — Georgia Highlands College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … in five GCAA tournament games last week, Larkin went 4-for-19 with a grand slam, one double, five walks, six runs scored, and nine RBI. He was also honored as the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association’s 2026 Player of the Year. GHC ( ) went 4-1 and won the conference tourney. The Chargers will host Walters State CC (TN) in a best-of-three Appalachian District Championship series starting on Tuesday. Games 2 and 3 (if needed) are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. All start times are 1 p.m. in Cartersville. HUNTER LOVETT — Oglethorpe University (Fr., Cass HS) … made two relief appearances for the Stormy Petrels last Thursday and Friday in games at the Southern Athletic Association Tournament held at the Rome Emperors’ Stadium in Rome. Oglethorpe defeated Sewanee-University of the South, but lost to Centre College (KY) and Trinity University (TX) in the double-elimination tournament. Lovett faced five batters in the two outings and allowed one earned run on three hits. The Stormy Petrels completed the 2026 campaign with a 22-21 record. LUKE MILLER — Columbus State University (So., Cartersville HS) … went 0-for-4 in the Cougars’ 4-1 loss at Lander that eliminated CSU from the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. Miller appeared in 38 games in 2026 and hit .274 with three home runs and 28 RBI. Columbus State finished with a 30-22 record. HANK SMITH — University of West Georgia (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … made a start last Friday and went 1-for-3 at the plate in a 7-6 loss at Florida Gulf Coast University. Smith walked once and scored a run. The Wolves (13-38, 10-17 Atlantic Sun Conference) lost all three games in Fort Myers. UWG wraps up regular season play on Thursday through Saturday at the University of North Florida. DAVIS WILLIAMS — University of West Georgia (R-Jr., Cartersville HS) … made a two-inning relief appearance this past Sunday at Florida Gulf Coast University in a Wolves’ 5-2 loss. Williams entered in the seventh inning and allowed two earned runs on five hits. He recorded one strikeout. West Georgia (13-38, 10-17 Atlantic Sun Conference) completes the regular-season slate on Thursday through Saturday at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. SAWYER WILSON — Columbus State University (So., Cartersville HS) … made a six-inning start for the Cougars and took the loss in the final Peach Belt Conference Tournament game at Lander University. Wilson pitched into the seventh inning, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits, two walks, and one hit batter, while striking out four. Wilson made 14 starts for the Cougars in 2026, covering 76 innings. He was 6-4 with a 4.50 ERA. Columbus State finished the season 30-22. SOFTBALL JORDAN BISHOP — Virginia Tech (Fr., Cartersville HS) … was utilized as a pinch-runner in the sixth inning of the Hokies’ 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinal win last Saturday over 12th-ranked Duke. Virginia Tech also defeated Virginia in the quarterfinals, but lost to 10th-ranked Florida State 2-1 in the championship game. The Hokies (46-10) were assigned to the four-team Baton Rouge Regional, hosted by LSU. The double-elimination regional also includes Akron and South Alabama. HAYLEE DISHMON — Berry College (Jr., Cass HS) … was utilized three times as a pinch runner and scored twice as the Vikings went 4-1 last Thursday through Sunday to win the Southern Athletic Association Championship Tournament in Columbus, Georgia. Berry lost its opening game to Trinity University (TX) and then won four straight — beating Southwestern University (TX), Rhodes College (TN), and Trinity (TX) twice to capture the title. The Vikings (30-13) were assigned to an NCAA Division III Regional at Belhaven University (MS) where they will join Emory University and Westminster College (PA). The double-elimination regional runs Thursday through Saturday. RACHAEL LEE — Valdosta State University (Sr., Cass HS) … went 3-for-6 with one walk and one RBI in Gulf South Conference Tournament losses last week to the University of West Alabama and Alabama-Huntsville. Lee batted .261 in her senior season with four home runs and 25 RBI in 45 starts and 119 official at-bats. The Blazers finished 24-26. AVA PERKINS — Lander University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made starts against USC Aiken and the University of North Georgia last Friday and Saturday at the Peach Belt Conference Championship Tournament. She went 1-for-6 at the plate with one RBI as the Bearkats beat USC Aiken, but lost to UNG in the single-elimination semifinals. Lander (33-19) was assigned to the Southeast I NCAA Division II Regional at the University of North Georgia. The double-elimination tournament, set for Thursday through Saturday, also includes Lincoln Memorial University and Columbus State University. TENNIS EMILY BUSH — University of North Georgia (Sr., Cartersville HS) … won her Line 6 singles match 6-1, 6-0, but lost at Line 2 doubles with partner Linn Goerdes as the Nighthawks defeated 12th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional last Friday. Sixteenth-ranked UNG then lost 4-2 to 6th-ranked Catawba College in the second round. Bush and Goerdes lost their doubles set, but Bush won her Line 5 singles match 6-2, 6-4. She finished her senior season with a 13-4 singles record and was 13-8 in doubles. TRACK AND FIELD JUNE DeLAUDER — Reinhardt University (So., Cass HS) … finished seventh (16.38) in the 100-meter hurdles at the Lee University Last Chance Meet this past Saturday. ANDY FORSYTH — Berry College … placed eighth and ran a personal record 1:52.91 in the 800 meters at the Emory University Last Chance Meet on May 6. The Vikings’ next meet is the Augustana Twilight Last Chance Meet in Rock Island, Illinois.

May 9, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Georgia Highlands players celebrate as Athens Hudson completes her home run, giving the Chargers the 2026 GCAA conference championship. / Photos courtesy GHC Softball Facebook and GHCChargers.com. Athens Hudson hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning — her second of the game — and Emily Ferro pitched her third consecutive complete game from the circle, leading Georgia Highlands on Saturday to a 4-3 victory over Georgia Military College and securing the Chargers’ first-ever conference championship. Athens Hudson Georgia Highlands began play in the GCAA in 2013. GHC, hosting the double-elimination Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, went 3-0, including victories over Gordon State on Thursday and the top-seeded GMC Bulldogs on Friday and Saturday. Georgia Military led 2-0 on Saturday, heading into the bottom of the fourth inning when the Chargers cut that advantage in half. Anslee Logan singled to start the frame and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by CeCe Williams. Emmalee Freeman reached on an infield error, and Logan scored on the same play. Emily Ferro Hudson, a Calhoun product, led off the bottom of the fifth inning with her first home run of the day, and Logan’s sac fly later in the inning gave the Chargers a 3-2 lead. Kaiden Bradford hit a solo home run for the Bulldogs to knot the score at 3-3 in the top of the seventh, and Hudson’s second round-tripper won it for the Chargers. GHC pitcher Emily Ferro went the distance in the circle for a third-straight tournament game. She yielded eight hits and two walks while fanning three. Hudson’s two. Homers accounted for half of the Chargers’ hits in the decisive game. Logan (RBI) and Gracie Azpeitia had the other GHC hits. Coach Tanner Robertson reflected on the title run and the season. "I’m really proud of these girls and everything Team 13 has accomplished this season. This group has faced adversity, stayed together, and continued to compete every single day. They’ve bought into the culture we’re building here at Georgia Highlands, and winning the conference tournament is a reflection of the work they’ve put in all year." "What makes this team special is the toughness, resilience, and belief they have in each other," Robertson continued. "Watching this group grow throughout the season and accomplish something like this together has been really rewarding as a coach. This championship means a lot to our program, and I’m excited for these players to enjoy the moment they’ve earned." Georgia Highlands (32-16) advances to play a best-of-three series versus Gaston College (NC) for a spot in the NJCAA Women’s World Series. The Chargers and Rhinos will play a doubleheader on Tuesday, starting at 4 p.m. for the Mid-Atlantic District Championship. If a third game is needed, it will be on Wednesday at noon. Georgia Highlands will host.

May 9, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Gianni Gandy and his Cartersville teammates celebrate following his walkoff hit to win the Canes' state quarterfinal series versus St. Pius X Catholic. The Cartersville Hurricanes won the deciding game of their Class 4A quarterfinal series Saturday afternoon in dramatic fashion, earning a come-from-behind 4-3 walk-off victory over St. Pius X Catholic at Richard Bell Field. Cartersville trailed 3-0 through the first four innings, but rallied down the stretch to win Game 3 and capture the series, two games to one. Gianni Gandy / Photo: Russell Andrews, Sports Furnace Photography Two bases loaded walks in the bottom of the fifth cut the Golden Lions’ lead to 3-2. Nolan Elrod’s RBI single in the sixth inning tied, and Gianni Gandy drove home the walk-off run with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh. Elrod picked up the pitching victory by working a spotless top of the seventh. Logan Buchanan (4 IP, 3R, 2ER, 5H, 3BB, 4K) started and covered the first four innings. Cole Crawford struck out three and did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings. Crawford had three hits for the Canes’ offense. Harris Turner (RBI) and David Vargas each contributed two hits. Clint Hosea (double, RBI), Parker Lively (RBI), Elrod (RBI), and Gandy (RBI) had the other Cartersville base hits. Cartersville head coach Kyle Tucker commented Saturday night on his team’s tenacity in the series. “These last two games have had unbelievable endings for our team. We were down to our final out Friday night and got back-to-back hits to eventually tie it and take the lead. That was a credit to our team's competitive spirit. Today, down 3-0 in the fifth, and we battled to tie it, and the eventual walk-off has literally left me speechless. I have no explanation other than the young men keep competing and enjoy playing the game together. The best part is they’ll get to do it at least one more week.” The Golden Lions had their season end with a 22-15 record. The Canes (29-9) advance to the Class 4A semifinals for a third-straight season and will host the Kell Longhorns (23-15). The best-of-three series will begin with a doubleheader on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Richard Bell Field.

May 8, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com It took extra innings in the seventh game of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament in Tifton, but the Georgia Highlands Chargers walked off with a 9-8 win over South Georgia State on Friday afternoon to claim the 2026 title. The Hawks defeated Georgia Highlands 9-5 on Wednesday to reach the championship round unbeaten and send the Chargers into the losers’ bracket of the double-elimination tournament. GHC responded, winning three straight elimination games to add the tournament title to their regular-season championship. The Chargers beat Gordon State 12-2 on Wednesday evening and then edged South Georgia State 8-7 and 9-8 on Friday. Georgia Highlands’ deciding runs came on Carson Page’s sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning of Friday’s first win, and a tenth-inning RBI double by Gavin Savage to walk off the victory in the final game. The lead changed hands four times in Friday’s first game. The Hawks led 2-1 through four innings, but GHC scored six runs in the fifth to regain the lead. Aidan Larkin’s grand slam and a two-run single by Hayden Miller gave the Chargers a 7-2 lead, but the Hawks answered with five runs over the next four innings to knot the score heading into the ninth. In the final game, the Chargers led 8-0 through the first four innings, but the Hawks roared back with eight runs across the next three innings to tie the score. Jack Burns pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth innings of the first game, and retired the final two outs of the tenth inning in the second game to collect both pitching victories out of the bullpen. Matthew Perkins (3 IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 0BB, 1K) made the pitching start in Friday’s first game. Noah McMahon (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB, 1K) and Braxton Wade (3 IP, 5R, 1ER, 7H, 0BB, 2K) worked middle relief. Reed Thursby (5.2 IP, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 4K) made the pitching start in the final game and worked into the sixth inning. Jackson Scali (0.0 IP, 1BB), Evan Doss (0.2 IP, 2ER, 2H), and Heath Whitlock (3 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 2K) also pitched. Andrew Bishop paced the Chargers’ offense in the two championship round games with six hits, including a homer and two RBI. Harper Davenport followed with five hits. Mason Moore (four RBI) and Page (sac fly, RBI) each contributed three hits on the day. Emiliano Dominguez (RBI), Caden Marcos (RBI), and Kenton Collier each had two hits. Larkin (grand slam, five RBI), Miller (two RBI), and Savage (RBI) added one hit. "What an unbelievable display of guts and courage by these young men," said GHC coach Dash O'Neill on Saturday morning. "They held together when it would have been easy to give in and stayed resilient. I can’t say enough about the grit our pitching staff put on display and the way our offense found a way to get us exactly what we needed to win. Just an incredible day and an incredible performance. I’m just so proud of my players and my phenomenal assistant coaches for getting it done." The season ended for South Georgia State with a 34-26 record. Georgia Highlands (47-13) will host the NJCAA Appalachian District Championship Series against the Tennessee champion. The best-of-three series is scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday (if needed) with a 1 p.m. first pitch each day at Robert Bentley Field in Cartersville. The series winner advances to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, from May 23-30.

May 8, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com After losing Game 1 of their Class 4A state quarterfinal series against St. Pius X on Friday afternoon at Richard Bell Field, 7-1, the Purple Hurricanes rallied late to win Game 2, 3-1, setting up a decisive winner-take-all game on Saturday afternoon. Nolan Elrod struck out six and tossed a seven-inning complete game Friday night, sending Cartersville to a Game 3 showdown with St. Pius X in their Class 4A state quarterfinal series. Down a game in the series, the Canes trailed 1-0 heading into the seventh inning. Singles by David Vargas, Nolan Elrod, and Cooper Reynolds plated a run, and an error by the Golden Lions’ catcher allowed two more runs to score on the play. That was all Elrod needed on the mound. He struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to finish off a 3-1 win. Elrod scattered four hits and three walks while striking out six in his complete-game effort. Vargas had three hits for the Hurricanes. Elrod contributed two. Reynolds (RBI), Harris Turner, and Gianni Gandy each added one hit in the victory. Cartersville (28-9) and St. Pius X (22-14) will play a deciding Game 3 in the series on Saturday at 3 p.m. Kell awaits the series winner in the Class 4A semifinals starting next Thursday. The Longhorns defeated East Forsyth 10-0 and 2-1 in their quarterfinal series. ST. PIUS X 7, CARTERSVILLE 1 David Vargas had four hits in the first two games of the Canes' series with St. Pius X. The visiting Golden Lions rallied for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning on Friday afternoon to win Game 1 of their state quarterfinal at Cartersville, 7-1. The Canes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by David Vargas, but St. Pius X sent thirteen men to the plate in the top of the sixth inning to score seven runs. The Golden Lions’ big inning included an infield error, an intentional walk, a hit batter, and six singles. Colton Sumpter (6 IP, 1ER, 4H, 0BB, 9K) struck out nine in collecting the pitching win for St. Pius X. Connor Tysver closed out the final inning for the Lions on the mound and had one strikeout. Wyatt Earwood (0.0 IP, 4R, 3ER, 5H) was charged with the Canes’ pitching loss in relief of starter Nate Russell (5.1 IP, 3R, 2ER, 4H, 5BB, 7K). Collier Jordan (1.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 2K) pitched in the sixth and seventh innings. Vargas (RBI), Brayden Logan, Cooper Reynolds, and Parker Lively each had one hit for Cartersville in the loss.

May 8, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Georgia Highlands College softball pitcher Emily Ferro went the distance in the circle Friday afternoon as the Chargers defeated Georgia Military College 4-1 and earned a spot in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association’s championship round on Saturday. Ferro, a sophomore and Villa Rica product, scattered four hits and two walks to keep the Bulldogs off balance. She struck out five. The Chargers scored in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Emmalee Freeman. They later added three runs in the fourth on a solo home run by Ahmani Green, an RBI triple by Emma Darrow, and a line drive RBI single by Anslee Logan. Georgia Military put a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single together in the bottom of the fourth to cut the margin to 4-1, but got no closer. Freeman (two doubles, one RBI), Green (solo home run), and Darrow (triple, RBI) each finished with two hits in the game. Logan (RBI) and Gracie Azpeitia each added one hit. Georgia Military (38-15) will play the winner of Friday’s late game between Gordon State and East Georgia State in an elimination game on Saturday at 10 a.m. The survivor will then face Georgia Highlands in the championship round and must defeat the Chargers twice to win the tournament title. Georgia Highlands (32-15) will need one win on Saturday to take the double-elimination tournament crown. The championship round is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

May 7, 2026 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com Georgia Highlands pitcher Emily Ferro tossed a seven-inning, complete-game shutout Thursday night at Carol Brown Field in Cartersville to defeat Gordon State 5-0 in the Chargers’ first game of the GCAA Championship Tournament. Ferro scattered six hits and three walks and kept the Highlanders off the scoreboard. She struck out four. GHC scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take an early lead and added two insurance runs in the fifth. Mary Catherine Kimball and Emma Darrow doubled home runs in the second. Anslee Logan and Emmalee Freeman doubled home runs in the fifth inning. Freeman, Ferro, and Ahmani Green had two hits in the game. Kimball, Darrow, Grace Azpeitia, Anslee Logan, and Cece Williams each contributed one hit. The tournament host Chargers (31-15) will play top-seeded Georgia Military College (38-14) at 4 p.m. on Friday. The winner will advance to the championship round on Saturday at 1 p.m. and will need only one additional win in the double-elimination tournament to capture the conference title. The loser will play an elimination game on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.