Canes sweep Wayne County to reach Class 4A State Championship Series

May 13, 2025

Cole Crawford had five hits, including one double, two home runs (one grand slam), and eight RBI in the Hurricanes' two-game sweep at Wayne County.

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes swept a doubleheader at Wayne County Tuesday night and advanced to the 2025 GHSA Class 4A State Championship series next Thursday through Saturday at AdventHealth Stadium in Rome. 

The Canes, who won 14-6 and 7-2, will face the Blessed Trinity Titans for the state title. Blessed Trinity eliminated Allatoona Tuesday night in the other Class 4A semifinal, 3-0 and 3-2.

Cartersville trailed 5-2 through five innings in the first game, but erupted for eight runs in the sixth inning and added four more in the seventh to secure the win. Brayden Logan hit a sixth-inning grand slam, and Cole Crawford added a grand slam in the seventh.

The Hurricanes struck first in Game 2, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Yellow Jackets cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth, but Cartersville scored three unanswered runs the remainder of the game.

Crawford led the Hurricanes’ offense in the sweep with five hits, including a double, two home runs, and eight RBI.

Logan Shrewsbury picked up the pitching win in the opening game in relief of starter Nate Russell. Shrewsbury allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks in 2-⅓ innings. He fanned three. Russell worked into the fifth inning, allowing five earned runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

In Game 2, Andrew Purdy started on the mound and collected the pitching victory. Purdy went four innings and gave up two earned runs on seven hits and four walks with eight strikeouts. Maddox Frazier closed out the series-clinching win by working three scoreless innings of relief. Frazier allowed one hit and one walk while fanning six.

Logan finished with three hits in the series, including his grand slam and five RBI. Julez Pratt also had three hits, including one double and one RBI.

Tristan McKibben (double, RBI), Thomas Peters (double, two RBI), and David Vargas (double) had two hits in the doubleheader. Purdy (two RBI) and Cameron Cochran added one hit.

Wayne County finished the season with a 32-7 record.

Cartersville improved to 31-8 and will play in a state championship series for the fourth time in the last seven seasons.