Canes' bats, arms top defending Class AAAAAA champs

The Cartersville bats were hot early Wednesday night at LakePoint in Emerson as the Purple Hurricanes won their fourth straight to open the 2017 campaign and topped the preseason No. 9 team in the nation according to Perfect Game USA.

Cartersville defeated the Class 7A Walton Raiders in impressive fashion, 10-1.

Walton won the 2016 Class AAAAAA title and was ranked No. 1 preseason in the state's largest classification.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Walton, but was moved to LakePoint due to wet field conditions at the Cobb County school.

The Canes posted six runs in the first two frames and added four more in the fifth inning as they cruised to victory.

Cartersville pitchers Curtis Wilkes (1.2 IP, 0R, 0H, 4BB, 1K) Levi Ayers (2.1 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K), and Ian Inaba (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 2K) combined to limit the Raiders to only one run on three hits through six innings.

Anthony Seigler entered to close out the seventh on the mound. He yielded a pair of hits, but also struckout two to wrap up the Canes’ nine-run win.

Jake Gooch drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single and J.P. Martin followed with a three-run homer in the top of the first inning to launch the Hurricanes’ offensive barrage.

In the second, Seigler singled and Devin Warner followed with a two-run blast that put the Canes up 6-0.

After Walton scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, Cartersville logged four more runs in the fifth.

The Canes scored two runs in the inning on bases loaded walks drawn by Preston Welchel and Seigler, a third run on a sacrifice fly by Warner, and a fourth run on a Noah Daniel RBI single.

Cameron Bloodworth was saddled with the pitching loss for Walton who eventually used four hurlers.

Seigler led the Canes’ 12-hit attack with a 3-for-3 performance. He also walked twice, scored two runs, and drove in a run.

Tee Webb and Daniel (RBI) both had two hits. Brant Smith, Gooch (RBI), Inaba (double), Martin (HR, 3 RBI), and Warner (HR, 3 RBI) had the other Cartersville hits.

Walton, who had previous wins over McEachern, North Cobb, and Calhoun, slipped to 3-1 on the season.

Cartersville (4-0) plays Parkview and Collins Hill Saturday at Parkview High School. The game with Collins Hill is scheduled for 3pm with the Parkview game to follow.