Canes' championship chase ends with Final Four loss to Kell

May 15, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

The Purple Hurricanes' run in the state playoffs ended Thursday with a doubleheader loss to the Kell Longhorns at Richard Bell Field. Kell moved on to the Class 4A State Championship series by edging Cartersville 7-6 in the first game of the semifinal series, then clinched the spot with an 11-7 win in Game 2.

GAME 1:  KELL 7, CARTERSVILLE 6

Nolan Elrod had a first-inning hit in Game 1 on Thursday that helped build an early Canes' lead. He later added two hits and two more RBI in Game 2. / Russell Andrews

Cartersville started strong and led 4-0 in the bottom of the first inning of the opener. Key hits by Nolan Elrod and Clint Hosea, along with a bases-loaded balk, put the Canes ahead.

The Longhorns responded in the top of the fourth with their own four-run rally. Kaleb Narcisse hit a two-run homer, and Brock Burrus doubled home two more runs to tie the game at 4-4.

Kell took the lead for good in the top of the sixth after two outs. The Longhorns got a man on base by error before Burris singled, and Preston Bottoms was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jayden Biddy hit a three-run double that cleared the bases for a 7-4 advantage.

Brayden Logan crosses home plate in Game 1 on Thursday. The leadoff hitting right fielder had three hits and one RBI. / Russell Andrews

The Canes scored twice in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't get any closer. Brayden Logan drove in a run with a ground ball to the right side, and David Vargas lined an RBI single into left field for Cartersville’s final run.

Dominic Consolino pitched a complete game for Kell and struck out seven batters. The left-hander gave up eleven hits and one walk. 

Nate Russell started on the mound for the Hurricanes and took the loss, despite allowing only one earned run in six innings. Russell gave up five hits and six walks, and also struck out seven. Cole Crawford pitched a scoreless seventh inning, issuing one walk and striking out one.

Logan (RBI) had three hits at the top of the Cartersville lineup. Vargas (RBI) and Hosea (RBI) produced two hits. Elrod (RBI), Crawford, Harris Turner, and James Manring each added one hit.

KELL 11, CARTERSVILLE 7

The Longhorns and Hurricanes traded big innings early in Game 2, but it was Kell that scored at least one run in five of their six offensive frames to win 11-7 and clinch the state semifinal best-of-three series.

Playing as the home team at the Cartersville Baseball Complex, Kell scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning that included a grand slam by Jayden Bibby and two Canes’ errors.

Cartersville bounced back, however, with seven runs of their own in the top of the second. Two walks, three singles, and three doubles off Canes’ bats produced a temporary 7-6 lead.

Kell tied the score at 7-7 in the bottom of the second with a leadoff double and a one-out sacrifice fly. The Longhorns' offense continued to produce over the next three innings, while the Canes were shut out for the rest of the game.

The Longhorns capitalized on a Cartersville infield error and a passed ball to score two runs with just one hit in the third. They added another run in the fourth on a single base hit, taking a 10-7 lead in the inning. Kell’s final run came in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Preston Bottoms.

Alec Seaman took over on the mound for the Longhorns in the second inning and earned the victory. The junior right-hander threw 5-2/3 hitless and scoreless innings, striking out five.

Logan Buchanan (3 IP, 6 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K) was the losing pitcher for the Hurricanes, relieving Nolan Elrod (0.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 H) and Collier Jordan (0.0 IP, 2 ER, 0 H, 1 BB) in the first inning. Brayden Logan pitched the final three innings for Cartersville, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, with two strikeouts.

Elrod had two hits and two RBI for the Canes. David Vargas hit a double and drove in two runs. Cole Crawford, Cooper Reynolds, Clint Hosea, and Parker Lively each contributed one hit.

Kell (25-15) advanced to the Class 4A State Championship series to play North Oconee (30-6) starting May 22. (Finals neutral site to be determined). The Titans won their state semifinal series over Benedictine, 6-2 and 2-1.

Cartersville’s 2026 season ended with a 29-11 final record that included a 23-game win streak, a Region 7-AAAA title, and the Canes’ fourth trip to the Final Four in the past five seasons.