Elrod’s shutout heroics force Game 3 showdown

April 30, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

Nolan Elrod tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout Wednesday night, sending the Purple Hurricanes to a deciding third game in their series with Ware County. PHOTO: Russell Andrews, Sports Furnace Photography.

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes split their best-of-three home Sweet Sixteen series against Ware County on Wednesday night at Richard Bell Field. Ware County took the first game 19-6, but the Canes tied the series with a 6-0 victory in the second game, led by Nolan Elrod’s three-hit shutout.

Elrod went the distance in Game 2 and struck out ten. He scattered three hits and two walks in his complete-game performance. Ware County got two-out triples by Walker Hudson in the second inning and Seth Suess in the third, but Elrod stranded both.

“Nolan Elrod is a great competitor who is having a great season, said Canes’ coach Kyle Tucker on Thursday morning. “With our season on the line, he threw a complete game shutout to give us a chance in Game 3. He’s been the MVP of the 2026 Hurricanes, and we hope his season continues past today.”

On offense for the Hurricanes, Cole Crawford hit a three-run homer in the top of the first inning (Cartersville batted first in Game 2), and Brayden Logan made it 5-0 in the second inning with his two-run blast. Harris Turner singled and scored an insurance run in the sixth inning on an infield hit by Gianni Gandy.

The opening game of the series featured a late offensive surge by the Gators, though the lead changed hands four times. The Canes’ loss snapped a 23-game win streak and was Cartersville’s first loss since February.

The Canes led early on a three-run homer by Cooper Reynolds, but Ware County responded with four runs in the third — including a three-run home run by Isaiah White. Cartersville regained the lead, 6-5, in the fourth inning on a walk, hits by Logan, David Vargas, and Elrod, and a sac fly off the bat of Crawford. The Gators changed the course of the game, however, posting seven runs in the fifth and sixth frames for a 19-6 final score.

Ware County piled 15 hits in the opener, and all nine batters in the order had at least one hit. The Gators also took advantage of two Cartersville miscues that led to eight, unearned runs. White (four RBI) and Landon Smallwood (RBI) finished Game 1 with three hits, while Slade Sweat doubled, homered, and drove in five runs.

Seth Suess (4 IP, 6ER, 6H, 3BB, 3K) collected the Game 1 pitching win for the Gators, but it was relievers Sweat  (1 IP, 2K) and Ashton Suess (1 IP) who shut out the Canes in the fifth and sixth innings to secure the win.

Logan (0.1 IP, 4ER, 2H, 2BB, 1K) was the pitcher of record for the Hurricanes in relief of starter Nate Russell (4 IP, 5ER, 3H, 6BB, 4K). Wyatt Earwood (1.1 IP, 9R, 2ER, 8H, 1K) and J.B. Nichols (0.1 IP, 1ER, 2H) also pitched for Cartersville.

Reynolds (home run, three RBI) and Logan (home run, double, two RBI) led the Canes’ bats in the doubleheader with three hits each. Vargas (double, RBI) had two hits. Crawford (homer, sac fly, four RBI), Elrod (RBI), Gandy (RBI), and Turner each contributed one hit.

Ware County (21-13) and Cartersville (26-8) will play the deciding game in their series on Thursday at Richard Bell Field at 5 p.m. The winner will advance to face St. Pius X in the Class AAAA quarterfinals. The Golden Lions eliminated Blessed Trinity on Wednesday, winning 3-0 and 7-2.