Crawford's two homers send Canes back to the state quarterfinals

April 30, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Cole Crawford blasted a pair of homers and drove in all three runs, lifting the Canes to a 3-2 series-clinching win over Ware County. PHOTO: RANDY PARKER / THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS

Cole Crawford hit a two-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday evening to lift the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes to a 3-2 win and a second-round state playoff series victory over visiting Ware County. It was Crawford’s second homer of the game and his third in the series.

The Canes and Gators split a doubleheader on Wednesday, sending the best-of-three series to a rubber game on Thursday at Richard Bell Field. 

Crawford’s first home run in the bottom of the first inning sailed over the centerfield wall, giving Cartersville an early 2-0 lead. Walker Hudson hit a solo home run for Ware County in the top of the fifth, and the Gators tied the game in the sixth inning on Landon Smallwood’s sacrifice fly to right field.

The game remained tied 2-2 for the next two innings until Crawford’s game-winning shot. His two home runs were the only hits the Canes managed in the game.

Logan Buchanan started on the mound for the Hurricanes and pitched the first five innings. He gave up two earned runs on four hits and two walks, striking out five. Crawford threw a scoreless sixth inning, and Nate Russell retired the next five batters in the seventh and eighth innings. Brayden Logan then came in with two outs in the eighth and induced a groundout to keep the Gators off the scoreboard, earning the win.

Ryder Kinnon (1 IP, 2 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K) started for the Gators on the mound. Slade Sweat (6.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 3 BB, 6 K) pitched the rest of the game, beginning in the second inning.

Ware County's season ended with a 21-14 record.

Canes' coach Kyle Tucker expressed his excitement following the dramatic win. "We’re all very proud of how our young men fought back after a defeat in Game 1 of the series. Ware County is a great team with great pitching, and we knew it would be very difficult to win two in a row. But our guys responded in an uncommon way, won last night and again today, and kept our season alive."

Cartersville (27-8) will host St. Pius X in a state quarterfinal best-of-three series that will begin on Wednesday, May 6, with a doubleheader. The Golden Lions (21-13) swept Central-Carroll in the opening round and Blessed Trinity in the second round to reach the quarterfinals.