Friday night baseball roundup: Canes clinch third consecutive region title and Adairsville locks up playoff spot
April 12, 2024
The No. 1-ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes swept a doubleheader at Cass Friday night and clinched their third consecutive region championship in the process. The Region 7-5A title is the 29th overall region championship for the Cartersville program.
Cartersville won the first game 10-1 with pitcher Sawyer Wilson picking up the Canes’ pitching win. Wilson completed five innings allowing just one, unearned run on two hits and one walk. He struck out six. Nicholas Hruby worked the final two innings allowing only one walk. Hruby fanned two.
In the second game, Cass led 2-1 through six innings before the Hurricanes broke it open with a five-run seventh inning. Cartersville took advantage of three walks, an error, a passed ball, and hits by Andrew Purdy and Landon Cole to post their runs.
Purdy collected the Game 2 pitching win in relief. He worked the final two innings without allowing a run or a hit. He had two walks and four strikeouts. Logan Shrewsbury (4 IP, 1ER, 2H, 0BB, 7K), Dawson Bishop (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB), and Maddox Frazier (2 BF, 1R, 0ER, 2BB) also pitched for Cartersville.
Cole had five hits including two doubles and two RBIs in the two games. Luke Miller (double, triple, home run, two RBIs) and Purdy (two doubles, three RBIs) finished with three hits in the doubleheader. Cameron Cochran (double, four RBIs) and Aidan Larkin (RBI) contributed two hits. Cole Crawford (home run, two RBIs), Nolan Elrod (double), and Caleb Daniel added one hit for the Canes.
Cass managed just four hits in the two games. Jesiel Moctezuma (double, RBI), Chase Tatum (solo home run), Devan Hutchinson, and Nic Wright contributed one hit for the Colonels.
Hunter Lovett (3 IP, 4R, 3ER, 1BB, 3K) suffered the Game 1 pitching loss. Justin Peace (2.2 IP, 5ER, 7H, 3BB) and Israel Contreras (1.1 IP, 1K) also pitched in the opening game.
Jacob Johnson (1.1 IP, 2ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K) was tagged with the Game 2 pitching decision. Trenton Payne (4.2 IP, 1ER, 3H, 3BB, 7K) made the start for Cass. Hutchinson (1 IP, 3R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 1K) also pitched.
Cartersville (21-4, 11-0) will host Cass (13-12, 4-4) in Game 3 of their series on Saturday at 10 a.m.
ADAIRSVILLE 13, COAHULLA CREEK 0 ADAIRSVILLE 11, COAHULLA CREEK 7
The Adairsville Tigers swept a Friday night doubleheader with Coahulla Creek winning 13-0 in five innings and 11-7. More importantly, the two wins have clinched a state playoff berth for the Tigers with two region games remaining on the schedule. Pitchers McCayden Hufstetler and Hudson Parr combined for a one-hitter that included six strikeouts in the first game. In Game 2, the Tigers trailed 7-5 through 5-½ innings but scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to escape with an 11-7 win. Hudson Parr picked up the pitching victory with 2-⅔ shutout innings of relief. He struck out four.
Five Tigers had three hits in the doubleheader.Jack Nelson (two doubles, four RBIs), Jarrett Scott (four RBIs), Peyton Bowen (two doubles, RBI), Ryan Farr (double, two RBIs), and PJ Weeks (RBI) finished with three hits.
Landon O’Neal (double, four RBIs) added one hit. Harrison Cole was credited with two RBIs and Lucas Henry contributed one RBI.
The losses dropped the Colts to 7-15 overall and 2-10 in Region 6-AAA.
Adairsville (15-7, 8-4) plays at 8th-ranked Bremen on Tuesday at 5:55 p.m. The two teams will play a second game in their series on Thursday at Adairsville.
CALHOUN 4, WOODLAND 3
Host Calhoun scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh Friday night to rally past visiting Woodland in walk-off fashion, 4-3.
The Wildcats took a 3-1 lead to the Yellow Jackets’ final frame but Calhoun took advantage of a pair of singles, a double, a sac bunt, an error, and two intentional walks to plate their come-from-behind runs.
Woodland scored all three of its runs in the top of the fourth inning. Logan Bentley doubled home two runs and Brett Good added a RBI single to build the Wildcats’ 3-1 lead.
Both teams finished with five hits in the game.
Mason Williams, Jake Clowers, and Connor Stermer (double) had the other Woodland base hits.
Ayden Ray (6.1 IP, 4R, 2ER, 5H, 3BB, 12K) struck out 12 but was tagged with the Wildcats’ pitching loss.
Woodland (12-12, 3-5) will host Calhoun (7-17, 3-5) in the third and final game of their series on Saturday at 3 p.m.
