Canes' Barnett, Smith take top individual awards at Toyo Tires Battle for Bartow Classic

The Cartersville baseball team finished a perfect 3-0 this past weekend at LakePoint to win the inaugural Toyo Tires Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic and the Purple Hurricanes dominated the individual awards as well. Cartersville had five total players named to the All-Tournament Team including the top two individual awards. Canes’ starting pitcher and Auburn commit Mason Barnett blanked Class 7A Kennesaw Mountain for five innings Friday night to receive the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award. Meanwhile, clean-up hitter Brant Smith hit .571 and produced five RBIs across the three wins to earn the tournament’s Most Outstanding Hitter award. Barnett did not allow a run to Kennesaw Mountain while scattering two hits, two walks, and a hit batsman. He struck out eight in five innings of work. Smith had nine plate appearances in the tournament, but only seven official at-bats. He finished with a home run and three doubles among his four hits. He also coaxed one walk and was hit by a pitch. The Canes’ power hitter scored two runs and drove in five producing a slash line of .571 BA / .667 OBA / 1.429 SLG / 2.096 OPS.

The Canes also had infielder Josh Davis, outfielder Preston Welchel, and relief pitcher Gage Morris named to the All-Tournament Team. The remainder of the All-Tournament Team includes: Dalton Bowman and Tyler Gosdin (Cedartown); Brooks Hardie and Jimbo Brown (Bremen); Gage Moses and Wesley Wade (Pepperell); Justin Barnes and Grant Moody (Kennesaw Mountain); Bailey Ward (Woodland); Blaine Ingram (Cass); and Landon Ayers (Adairsville).