Cartersville Little League 10U falls to Virginia in Tournament of State Champions semifinals

The Cartersville Little League 10U team lost Tuesday morning to Loudoun South American Little League of Loudon County, Virginia in the semifinal round of the Southeast Region Tournament of State Champions being held in Greenville, North Carolina.

The 24-10 loss eliminated the Georgia state champions and ended their tremendous tournament run this summer. The Canes were district and state champions and were one of only four teams to qualify for the single elimination playoffs at the Tournament of State Champions.

Cartersville 10U went 5-1 to win the Georgia title and finished 2-2 at the 10U Tournament of State Champions.

The two teams that defeated Cartersville at the TOSC will play for the tournament championship Wednesday at 11am at Elm Street Park in Greenville. Loudon South American Little League will meet Northwood Little League of Taylors, South Carolina in the finals. Northwood edged Plant City, Florida in the other semifinal on Tuesday, 2-1.

Loudon South, the Virginia state champions, scored four runs in the top of the first inning Tuesday to take a lead on Cartersville they would not yield.

Cartersville responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 4-3, but Loudon South added a run in the second inning and four more in the third inning to extend their advantage to 9-3.

Cartersville again narrowed the margin to 10-7 after four innings, but Virginia exploded for 14 runs in the top of the fifth to put the game out of reach.

Loudon South’s huge inning came on 11 hits that included a pair of double and a three-run homer. There were also four walks and three Canes’ errors in the frame.

For Cartersville, Connor Brasfield blasted a pair of homeruns — one in the first inning and another in third inning. Miles Owen also hit a first inning homerun.

Four Canes had two hits, including Brasfield (4 RBI) and Owen (2 RBI). Hayden James and Gavin Shrewsbury also had a pair of hits. Caleb Daniel (RBI), Ayden Ray (RBI), and Joseph Womack contributed one hit each.

Shrewsbury was the Cartersville starting pitcher and was saddled with the pitching loss. Womack, Brasfield, and Easton Elrod pitched in relief.

The Cartersville Little League 10U all-stars roster:

Easton Elrod, Nicholas Hruby, Joseph Womack, Gavin Shrewsbury, Connor Brasfield, Hayden James, Turner Abernathy, Miles Owen, Ayden Ray, Caleb Daniel, Charlie Rothschild, and Coby Barrett. Manager: Richard Daniel. Coaches: JJ Jones and Joe Owen.