Cartersville softball sweeps Madison County to reach Class 4A Elite Eight State Tournament

October 20, 2024

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Coach Glen Woodard talks offensive strategy with Addi Burns and Miley Jo Williams.

The Cartersville Lady Canes softball team won both games of their Class 4A Sweet Sixteen playoff series Monday night over the Madison County Raiders, winning 10-0 and 3-0 behind the strong pitching of Presley Crabbe and Zoie Shiflett.

The doubleheader sweep in the best-of-three series earned the Lady Canes a trip to the Final Eight State Championship tournament in Columbus which begins October 29 at the Olympic Softball Complex.

Shiflett tossed all seven innings of Game 1, scattering three hits and two walks. She struck out six. Crabbe worked all five innings of Game 2 in the circle. She scattered four hits with no walks and three strikeouts to shut out Madison County.

The opener remained scoreless through the first 5-½ innings Monday night before the Lady Canes posted all three of their runs in the bottom of the sixth. Shiflett, who started the Canes’ sixth with a double, later retired the Raiders in order in the seventh to earn the win.

In Game 2, Cartersville posted five runs in the top of the second to gain control. The Lady Canes added two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to close out the series.

LaKiaya Banks (sac fly, two RBI), Sam Porter (double), and Taryn Bradley led the Cartersville offense with three hits each in the series. Shiflett (double, two RBI), Kennedy Crenshaw (double, two RBI), Sophia Harper (double, RBI), and Addi Burns (two RBI) produced two hits. Carder Brock (RBI) and Miley Jo Williams (RBI) contributed one hit, while Kinsey Woodard added one RBI in the doubleheader.

Cartersville (29-4) will open the double-elimination Class 4A Elite Eight Tournament October 29 against Kell (26-3) on Field 2 in Columbus at 1:15 p.m.