Cartersville Little League Rookie team advances to state tournament
The Cartersville Little League baseball Rookie League team won the 2021 Northwest Georgia Section Tournament Tuesday night with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Smyrna Little League Blue at Brinkley Park in Cobb County.
The 8U Northwest Georgia Section Tournament winners will now represent Georgia Little League Districts 1-4 at the Rookie State Tournament in Warner Robins over Father’s Day weekend.
Cartersville and Smyrna Blue advanced to Tuesday night’s championship game by finishing in first and second place in pool play games completed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Smyrna Blue was undefeated in pool play with an 8-5 win over Cartersville and a 15-14 victory over Smyrna Red. Cartersville earned its spot in the title game by defeating Smyrna Red, 15-8.
In Tuesday night’s championship game, Cartersville and Smyrna Blue exchanged the lead three times before Cartersville won in the bottom of the sixth inning, 7-6.
With the game tied 6-all, the locals loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single for Sawyer Ezell who coaxed a walk-off base on balls for the game-winning RBI.
Maddox Henderson and Hayden Stewart pitched three innings each and combined for four strikeouts in the victory. The duo allowed just three earned runs on eight hits and four walks.
Harris Pressley and Henderson had two hits each for Cartersville. Sawyer White finished with one hit and one RBI. Hayes Burris and Jordan Cooley added one hit each.
In Saturday’s 15-8 win over Smyrna Red, Pressley contributed two hits and three RBIs. Henderson also finished with two hits including a double and two RBIs. Micha Mitcham had a double and two RBIs. Burris added a hit and one RBI while Ezell and White had one hit apiece.
Henderson and Stewart limited Smyrna Red to six runs (two earned) over the first four frames. Henderson fanned four and Stewart struck out two. Pressley and Mitcham both pitched in the fifth inning to close out the contest.
During Cartersville’s opening pool play loss to Smyrna Blue, Colby McMillan had the only base hit for the locals. McMillan, Ezell, and Mitcham were each credited with one RBI. Stewart worked the first three innings on the mound allowing just one earned run in his stint. Ezell and Pressley combined to close out the fourth inning.
ROSTER: Hayes Burris, Sawyer Ezell, Jordan Cooley, Henry Culverhouse, Maddox Henderson, Barron Jordan, Micha Mitcham, Colby McMillan, Benny Powell, Harris Pressley, Hayden Stewart, and Sawyer White. COACHES: Ty Mitcham, Mike Ezell, Charlie Culverhouse, and Andy Burris.
Information for local Little League softball and baseball updates along with updates from Georgia Recreation and Parks Association baseball and softball tournaments are provided by the Cartersville and Bartow County Recreation Departments and the respective Little League Baseball and Softball organizations. The updates are presented by CiCi's of Cartersville located in the Cherokee Crossing shopping center.
