Canes sweep Panthers to clinch first round state playoff series

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes broke open the first game of their opening round playoff series with Chapel Hill late, but had little trouble in Game 2 as they completed a sweep in the best-of-three Class 5A state playoffs.

Cartersville, ranked No. 4 in Class AAAAA, will now hit the road for the second round and will travel to 2nd-ranked Decatur. The Bulldogs (28-4) swept Walnut Grove 11-1 and 10-5 Wednesday night.

The second game win by Decatur was in extra innings.

GAME 1: CARTERSVILLE 4, CHAPEL HILL 1

Micah Earwood improved to 8-1 on the season and tossed a three-hitter as the Canes won Game 1 Wednesday, 4-1.

The Canes won the first game of the series 4-1 on the benefit of a three-run sixth inning that broke open a 1-1 game.

Each team posted a single run early. Cartersville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and Chapel Hill tied the score 1-1 in the top of the third. The two starting pitchers kept the game close until the successful Cartersville sixth inning.

Micah Earwood, who won his eighth straight start and improved to 8-1 on the season, tossed a complete game three-hitter for the Canes. The Panthers’ lone run was unearned. Earwood walked two and struck out ten.

Chapel Hill starting pitcher Jamie Lawrence was almost as good.

Lawrence scattered seven hits and three walks working 5 and 2/3 innings. He allowed four earned runs and struck out seven. Phillip Barnhill retired the final out on the mound in the sixth inning.

Andrew Ferguson had a double and walked twice for the Chapel Hill offense. Scott Hrobowski and Lawrence added one hit apiece.

Harrison Childers had two hits including the go-ahead RBI single in the Canes’ sixth inning. Blake Sutton also had two hits, including a double. Drew Rothschild had a pinch hit, two RBI single in the sixth. Elliott Eastin and Parker McPherson had the other Cartersville base hits.

GAME 2: CARTERSVILLE 11, CHAPEL HILL 2

After trailing 2-1 early, Cartersville scored ten unanswered runs beginning in the third inning and pulled away for an 11-2 win in Game 2.

The win completed an opening round sweep and secured the Canes spot in the second round of the 2021 Class 5A state playoffs.

The Canes utilized a quartet of pitchers in the win.

Colt McKibben (2 IP, 2R, 1ER, 4H, 1BB, 3K) made an abbreviated start with Phillip Schiltz (3 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 4K) picking up the pitching victory in relief. Gunner Millsap (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 3K), and Davis Williams (1 IP, 1K) combined with Schiltz for five scoreless innings to close out the win.

Six different Canes finished with two hits each in the series clincher as the Hurricanes belted out 14 hits.

Hank Smith had a double and a triple with two RBIs. Parker McPherson and Harrison Childers finished with two hits including a double and two RBIs each. Blake Sutton and Jake Brasfield had two hits and one RBI each. Curt Bonner supplied two hits. Drew Rothschild smacked a two-run home run and Paul Gamble added a base hit.

With the playoff losses, the Panthers season ends with a 12-18 mark.

Cartersville (24-8) travels to Decatur for a Sweet Sixteen showdown beginning with a doubleheader Monday. If needed, a third game in the best-of-three series would be Tuesday — also at Decatur.