Canes earn a doubleheader split, force a winner-take-all state title game on Friday
May 16, 2024
Loganville and Cartersville split a doubleheader Thursday night at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville — home of the Gwinnett Stripers — and will square off in a deciding third game on Friday at noon to determine the GHSA Class 5A state championship.
The Red Devils won the first game 5-3 in eight innings but the Hurricanes pounded out a dozen hits in Game 2 to win 14-3 in five innings.
The doubleheader split forces a winner-take-all Game 3 scheduled for noon on Friday at Coolray Field although the weather forecast does not look favorable.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely for Lawrenceville on Friday.
GAME ONE: LOGANVILLE 5, CARTERSVILLE 3 (8 innings)
The Loganville Red Devils won a back-and-forth battle in the first game of the best-of-three series Thursday night outlasting Cartersville 5-3 in eight innings.
The two teams traded first-inning runs. The Canes took a 2-1 lead in the second but Loganville tied it 2-2 in the third inning. After the Red Devils went ahead 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Cartersville sent the game to extra innings with a run in the bottom of the frame.
In the top of the eighth, Loganville took advantage of three singles, two walks, and three Canes’ miscues to go up 5-3. Cartersville loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning but failed to score.
Loganville’s Tucker Segars and Canes’ ace Ryan Johnson made starts on the mound but neither received a decision.
Segars allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five. Johnson worked seven innings for the Hurricanes and allowed one earned run on five hits and two walks. Johnson fanned eleven.
J.P. Myers (2 IP, 0R, 2H, 3BB, 4K) collected the pitching win for the Red Devils in relief. Andrew Purdy (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 1K) was tagged with the Cartersville loss.
Cameron Cochran had three hits and one RBI in the opening game for Cartersville. Purdy (RBI), Cole Crawford and Luke Miller (double, RBI) contributed two hits.
Segars had three hits and one RBI for the Red Devils. Jordan Johnson followed with two hits.
GAME TWO: CARTERSVILLE 14, LOGANVILLE 3
The Cartersville bats powered past Loganville in Thursday’s second game to wallop the Red Devils, 14-3, in five innings.
Eight different Canes contributed with at least one hit and had at least one RBI.
Meanwhile, Cartersville pitcher Sawyer Wilson (5 IP, 3R, 2ER, 8H, 0BB, 4K) settled down after a three-run first inning to pick up the Canes’ victory.
Tristan McKibben led the Cartersville offense with three hits including a clutch, base-clearing triple in the first inning. He finished with four RBIs.
Aidan Larkin (double, two RBIs) and Purdy (RBI) produced two hits. Caleb Daniel (two RBIs), Miller (double, RBI), Charlie Rothschild (two RBIs), Turner Abernathy, and Crawford added one hit. Cochran drove in a run with a sac fly and Landon Cole contributed one RBI.
ON DECK: Friday, May 17, noon Coolray Field, Lawrenceville
Cartersville (32-6) vs. Loganville (26-13)
