Bartow, Cartersville teams earn GRPA District 5 wins; more action Tuesday

A pair of Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District 5 baseball tournaments got underway Monday night with five local teams in action. Cartersville defeated Bartow County 6-1 in the opening game for both 14U teams in action at Heritage Point Park in Dalton while two of three local 10U teams won first round games at their District 5 tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County. Bartow Blue 10U outlasted Rome-Floyd 5-3 and Cartersville Purple 10U edged Rockmart Black 4-3 while Cartersville Gold 10U fell to Rockmart Gold 18-2.

CARTERSVILLE 14U 6, BARTOW 14U 1 In Monday’s 14U action, Cartersville’s Sawyer Wilson tossed five innings and allowed only one unearned run on three hits and one walk. He struck out ten in picking up the victory. Justin Peace fanned one in retiring the final three outs for Cartersville on the mound.

Ten different Cartersville players had at least one hit each as the winners racked up 13 hits. Ayden Ray (RBI), Colt Williams, and Luke Altizer had two hits each. Wilson, Gabriel Cox, Trenton Payne (RBI), Geoffrey Gore, Tripp Bradley (RBI), and Turner Abernathy added one hit apiece.

Connor Wright had two hits for Bartow County 14U. Israel Contreras added the other hit. Corey Brookshire (1.2 IP, 3ER 5H, 1BB, 2K), Cadyn Wade (2 IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 2K), and Steven Rivera (1.1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K) pitched for Bartow in the loss.

Cartersville 14U advances to face Whitfield County in the second round of the double-elimination tournament Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. at Heritage Point Park. Bartow County 14U plays in an elimination game Tuesday night at 8 p.m. against Dalton at Heritage Point Park.

BARTOW BLUE 10U 5, ROME-FLOYD 3

Bartow Blue 10U trailed early, but took the lead for good with a three-run second inning and added single runs in the third and fourth innings to secure the opening round 5-3 win over Rome-Floyd County Monday at Westside Park in Whitfield County.

Gatlin Fair doubled and drove in a run for the Bartow offense. Maddox Raughton also doubled and scored a run. Jackson Jarrett added one hit and scored a run. Trenton Mealor picked up the pitching win for Bartow. Preston Hazelwood closed out the win on the mound.

Austen Kerce paced Rome-Floyd’s offense with a double, walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Joe Johnson also had an RBI hit. Bartow Blue advances to play Cartersville Purple Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. at Westside Park.

CARTERSVILLE PURPLE 10U 4, ROCKMART BLACK 3

Cartersville Purple was out hit by Rockmart five to three Monday night at the GRPA District 5 tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County, but the locals still managed a 4-3 first round win. Both teams scored single runs in the opening inning, but Cartersville Purple took a 4-1 lead in the second inning. Rockmart scored twice in the third inning and had the tying run at third base, but Cartersville pitcher Fisher Nelson got a strikeout to end Rockmart’s threat. Ramsey Dunn picked up Cartersville’s pitching win with two innings of work. He fanned four, allowing one unearned run on a walk and two hits. Nelson (1.2 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB, 5K) and Avery Slye (0.1 IP, 0R, 1H) also pitched for Cartersville Purple to close out the win.

Braden Slocumb had a double, drove in one, and scored a run for the Purple offense. Dawson Ray added a hit, one RBI, and stole two bases. Nelson added a base hit.

Cartersville Purple plays Bartow Blue in the second round Wednesday night at 6:15 p.m. at Westside Park.

ROCKMART GOLD 10U 18, CARTERSVILLE GOLD 2

Rockmart scored eight runs in the second and third innings Monday night to take control on their way to an 18-2 defeat of Cartersville Gold 10U at the GRPA District 5 tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County. Cartersville Gold managed single runs in the first and third innings. Matthew Cook had two hits including a double and two RBI to lead the Cartersville offense. Declan Asay and Emory Weaver had the other Gold 10U hits. Cartersville Gold 10U slips to the elimination bracket of the double-elimination tournament. They will play Rockmart Black 10U Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. at Westside Park.

FIVE OTHER LOCAL TEAMS START TOURNEY PLAY TUESDAY

Five other local teams begin GRPA District 5 tournament play Tuesday. Cartersville Gold 12U squares off with Bartow White 12U in the opening round of the 12U Traditional Tournament at Calhoun Park. Bartow Blue 12U also begins the same double-elimination tournament at 6 p.m. against host Calhoun. The Bartow 10U girls machine pitch softball team begins its district tournament at Westside Park at 7:30 p.m. Bartow plays Summerville in the first round of the double-elimination tournament.

Bartow 14U girls fast pitch softball also opens GRPA District 5 play in Rockmart Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Whitfield County.

Little League results are provided to Bartow Sports Zone by Bartow County Little League and Cartersville Little League. The game data is shared by the leagues via GameChanger reports from the respective teams and/or leagues. GRPA tournament team results are also provided by the Cartersville Parks and Recreation Department and the Bartow County Parks and Recreation Department or the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association. Results and capsules are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports and CiCi's - Beyond Pizza, both located in the Cartersville Main Street - Cherokee Place Shopping Center.