Cartersville Purple 8U wins GRPA Invitational

When Cartersville Purple 8U lost its opener last Friday in the 2015 Georgia Recreation and Parks Association Invitational in Gordon County, the long climb back through the losers' bracket had to appear extremely difficult, if not impossible. The team and its coaches did not panic, however, and put together a string of eight consecutive victories to capture the tournament crown. Calhoun 8U, who went 4-0 until the finals, opened the tournament by knocking off the eventual champions. After winning the opener over Cartersville Purple, Calhoun 8U defeated Bartow 8U, Dalton Red, and Cartersville White to reach the championship games unblemished. Meanwhile, Cartersville Purple had to battle back through the losers' bracket on Saturday and Sunday winning three games each day. Cartersville Purple had wins over Bremen, Gilmer, and Bartow 7U on Saturday followed by Sunday victories over Dalton Red, Gordon County 8U, and Cartersville White to reach Monday night's title games.

Due to Friday's loss to Calhoun, Cartersville Purple needed two wins Monday (June 15) over that same team to win the double-elimination event. That is exactly what they pulled off. Cartersville Purple won a pair of see-saw battles 17-16 and 12-10 to avenge their opening round loss and claim the GRPA Invitational championship. The offense was explosive in both games. Logan Shrewsbury led the team with 7 hits and 5 runs scored in the two championship games. He was followed by Jakeveon Porter, Cameron Cochran, and Julian Cline who totaled five hits each. Porter scored four runs, Cline five, and Cameron Cochran added a run scored. Thomas Peters, Logan Woody, and Casen Cochran had four hits each for Cartersville. Cochran crossed the plate three times in the title games. Peters and Woody scored four runs each. Tristan McKibben and Maddox Frazier had three hits apiece in Monday's games. McKibben scored a pair of runs and Luke Parker added a hit for Cartersville.

Cartersville Purple is coached by Robin McKibben, Luke Bunce, Geoff Shrewsbury, and Jay Frazier.