Canes rally for walk off win over Ringgold

The Purple Hurricanes gave up the lead late Wednesday night to visiting Ringgold at LakePoint and managed only three hits in the game but Cartersville took advantage of two walks and a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh to sneak out a 5-4 non-region win over the Tigers.

Ringgold scored a single run in the top of the first and maintained that lead until the Canes scored three times in the bottom of the fifth.

Starting pitchers Ross Norman of Ringgold and Ryan Johnson of Cartersville kept their opponents off balance in the early going. Norman (4.2 IP, 3R, 0ER, 3H, 5BB, 7K) struck out seven and Johnson (5 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 6K) fanned six.

Geoffrey Gore (1.2 IP, 3ER, 1H, 3BB, 3K) worked into the seventh inning for the Canes with Collin Eaton (0.1 IP, 1BB, 1K) picking up the win by retiring the final out.

Cartersville grabbed a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning with just two hits.

Harrison Childers and Miles Owen singled to start the frame before Blake Sutton reached on an error to load the bases. Childers was cut down at home plate trying to score on a wild pitch but Owen scored to make it 1-1 on an ensuing wild pitch. After Curt Bonner and Elliott Eastin both walked, Caleb Daniel reached on a ground ball to score Sutton. Drew Rothschild then drew the third walk of the inning to force in Cartersville’s third run.

The Tigers took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh on just one base hit. A hit batsman and four walks in the inning gave Ringgold the lead prior to the Purple Hurricanes’ comeback.

Bonner reached on a ground ball error to start the Canes’ half of the seventh inning. That was followed by consecutive walks to Eastin and Rothschild to load the bases. Hank Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice that drove in a run making the score 4-4 and then Eastin scored the game winning run when Childers’ grounder was misplayed by the Tigers’ shortstop.

Ringgold’s loss drops the Tigers to 3-7 on the season.

Cartersville (7-2) plays at Harrison Friday at 5:55 p.m.