Lady Canes fall in rubber game of region playoff series

The Lady Canes were knocked out of the region playoffs Tuesday night at home with a 7-6 loss to Chapel Hill. The deciding game in the best-of-three Region 5-AAAA playoff series saw the lead swap hands four times with the visiting Panthers taking the lead for good in the top of the seventh and final inning.

Cartersville led 5-1 after two innings, but Chapel Hill scored three times in the third and two more runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.

The Hurricanes tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a Lauren McElhaney RBI double, but three singles and an infield error plated the go-ahead run for the Panthers in the top of the seventh. Cartersville got a leadoff hit by AnnaKate McElhaney to start their half of the seventh inning, but she was stranded at second following a line out and a pair of ground outs.

McKinley Chada (7 IP, 7R, 2ER, 9H, 5BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss for the Lady Canes although only two of the runs against her were earned.

Cartersville out hit Chapel Hill 10 to 9.

Lauren McElhaney (photo), who drove in three runs with an inside-the-park home run in the second inning, finished with four RBI. Cio Siegler had two hits including a double and two RBI. AnnaKate McElhaney and Elizabeth Nelson also finished with a pair of hits. Kiley Arnold contributed a double. Campbell Rogers had the other Canes’ base hit.

Cartersville’s season ends with a 14-13 mark.

Chapel Hill (7-21) advances to a Thursday single game for the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the state playoffs against Cedartown.