Battle for Bartow Classic: Woodland tops Adairsville, Cedartown reaches tourney finals

When the Adairsville Tigers and the Woodland Wildcats both dropped their opening round games of the Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic Thursday night at LakePoint, it meant the two would square off in a consolation game in both teams’ second games of the event.

Woodland, who lost to Cedartown in the Wildcats’ tourney opener, bounced back in the nightcap to defeat county rival Adairsville 11-3. The Wildcats took a 9-0 lead through three innings and were really never threatened. Woodland starting pitcher Trent Porter (3.2 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K) picked up the win on the mound. Phoenix Cramer (2 Ip, 1ER, 3H, 0BB, 3K) and Jackson Rutledge (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 0BB, 1K) closed out the contest for the Wildcats. Adairsville starter Wade Dooley (1.2 IP, 5R, 4ER, 2H, 3BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss. Grayson Belcher (1.1 IP, 4R, 2ER, 3H, 2BB, 1K) and Jack Whitley (3 IP, 2R, 1ER, 4H, 0BB, 5K) also took the mound for the Tigers.

Cramer had two hits for Woodland including a double. Jacob Gravett added a double. Chase Carson (RBI), Rutledge, Drew Billings, Zach Wilson, Carter Heath (RBI), and Jakiyon Porter (2 RBI) added one hit apiece for the Wildcats. Peyton Posey drove in a run.

Adairsville, who lost their tournament opening game to Rome, got two hits from Chris Roper in the loss to Woodland. Jack Whitley (RBI), Evan Henry (RBI), Jacob Ray (RBI), Logan Hunt, and Braden Powell had hits for the Tigers.

ROME 9, ADAIRSVILLE 3

In both teams’ Battle for Bartow opener, Rome grabbed a 5-0 lead through five innings and held off Adairsville for a 9-3 win. The Tigers scored three times in the sixth inning to narrow the Wolves’ lead to 5-3, but Rome responded with a four-run seventh to put the game away. Hayden Filetti (6 IP, 3R, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 10K) was solid on the mound for Rome and fanned ten in earning the pitching win. Jonathan Vigoa closed out the seventh inning.

Brayer Cowan had three hits to pace the Wolves’ offense. Tyler Strickland added two hits.

Starting pitcher Gunner Millsap (2.1 IP, 2ER, 4H, 4BB, 3K) took the loss for the Tigers. Braden Powell (2.2 IP, 3R, 2ER, 3H, 2BB, 3K), Eli Agnew (1 IP, 4R, 2ER, 1H, 3BB, 2K), and Jacob Ray (1 IP, 0R, 1BB, 2K) all pitched for Adairsville.

Ray had the Tigers’ only two hits.

Adairsville (2-4) will play in the Battle for Bartow Classic seventh place game Saturday at 9 a.m. at LakePoint.

CEDARTOWN 6, WOODLAND 0

Cedartown pitchers M.J. Holiday (4 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 3K) and Reece Tanner (3 IP, 0R, 3BB, 2K) combined to limit Woodland to only two hits as the Bulldogs won 6-0 in both teams’ opening round game of the Battle for Bartow Classic at LakePoint Thursday night.

The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the third inning and added a run in the fifth to build a 3-0 lead heading into the final seventh. Cedartown, who out-hit Woodland 13 to two, plated three insurance runs in the seventh inning to secure the win. Carter Heath and Scotty Smith had the Woodland base hits.

Easton Oxenreider, Dylan Cubb (RBI), Jacob Bradshaw (double, RBI), and Reece Tanner (RBI) led Cedartown’s offense with two hits each.

Smith (6.1 IP, 6ER, 11H, 5BB, 5K) suffered Woodland’s pitching loss. Trevor Collum (0.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 1K) closed out the final inning for the Wildcats.

Woodland (4-3) will play in the Battle for Bartow fifth place game Saturday at 12 noon.

CEDARTOWN 7, ROME 6

In Thursday night’s Bracket #1 semifinal game of the Battle for Bartow Baseball Classic at LakePoint, Cade Dingler singled home Cedartown’s walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh as the Bulldogs reached the tournament’s championship game for the second straight year. Dingler led the Cedartown offense with three hits.

Rome will play in the third place game Saturday at 3 p.m. at LakePoint. Cedartown will play in the tournament’s championship game Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Battle for Bartow Classic continues Friday and Saturday at LakePoint. Friday, Cartersville will play Riverside (Greer, SC) and Cass will play Pepperell at 5 p.m. The winners will play one another at 7:30 p.m. in Semifinal #2. The losers will square off in a consolation game.

All eight teams will play again on Saturday. The tournament's seventh place game will be at 9 a.m.; fifth place game at 12 noon; third place game at 3 p.m.; and championship game at 6 p.m. For a complete look at the tournament schedule, brackets, and field assignments, please click HERE.