GRPA tourney updates: Cartersville, Bartow 12U teams stay unbeaten to square off Friday
The Bartow County Blue 12U and Cartersville Gold 12U baseball teams will square off Friday night at Al Rollins Park in Dalton as the last two teams in the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association District Five double-elimination tournament without a loss.
Bartow County edged Rome #1 by an 8-7 score Thursday night for its second win in the tournament while Cartersville Gold defeated Rome #2, 13-6. It was also a second consecutive win for Cartersville Gold.
Preston Hazelwood worked 4-1/3 innings on the mound for Bartow and struck out a dozen in a no-decision start. Weston Wilson benefitted from Bartow’s walk-off win in the final frame and picked up the pitching win by retiring the final two outs in the fifth inning — one by strikeout. Braxton Elrod led the Bartow 12U offense with four hits including the walk-off, game-winning RBI to score Dakota Keane. Wilson and Gatlin Fair had two hits and one RBI each. Kasin Miller contributed one hit and one RBI. Mitchell Raughton added one hit.
In the win by Cartersville Gold 12U, the locals pounded out 13 hits and stole 10 bases.
Deion Winters had three hits including a double and two RBIs. Cash Priest followed with three hits of his own including a double and one RBI. Matthew Cook finished with two hits including a double. Drake Bailey drove in two runs and had one hit. Bryce Barkley contributed a hit and one RBI. Emory Weaver, Max O’Bryant, and Darren Cole added one hit each while Blake Lutjens was credited with a pair of RBIs.
Priest, Weaver, and Lutjens each took the mound for Cartersville Gold in the victory and combined for six strikeouts.
Cartersville Purple 10U wins third straight District tourney game
The Cartersville Purple 10U baseball team won its third straight game at the GRPA District Five Tournament Thursday night at Hamilton Crossing Park. The win advances Cartersville Purple 10U to a matchup against Bartow County Blue Friday night with both teams assured of top three finishes in the district. Tyler Hickman was solid on the mound for Cartersville Purple 10U giving up a lone, earned run while scattering three hits and two walks in the first four innings. He struck out eight. Colt Priest worked a spotless fifth inning to close out the game striking out two.
On offense, Hickman finished with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Braxton Mealer contributed one hit and one RBI. Parker Huth and Will Groce chipped in with one hit each and Demetrius Wynn added one RBI.
The Cartersville Purple / Bartow Blue winner Friday moves into the championship round needing only one more win to take the District Five title. The loser falls into the elimination bracket and will need three straight wins to win the tournament.
Bartow Blue 8U remains unbeaten at District
The Bartow County Blue 8U baseball team is one win away from reaching the GRPA District Five finals after pulling out an exciting 17-16 win Thursday night over Fannin County at Calhoun Park.
Bartow Blue 8U is assured of a top three finish in the tournament and will play Calhoun, the only other unbeaten team, Friday night with the winner securing a spot in the District Five championship round and needing only one more win for the title.
Eli Brownlow and Tallan Bradley led Bartow Blue Thursday with four hits each. Jasper Lovett, Noah McDurmon, August Blasengame, and A’Nias Law followed with three hits apiece. Kobe Holcomb contributed a pair of hits while Messiah Carter, Easton Young, and Bryson Johnson finished with one hit each.
Cartersville 8U Gold moves into District Five final four
The Cartersville 8U Gold coach pitch team beat Dalton Thursday night to stave off elimination and move into the final four of the GRPA District Five 8U Tournament in Calhoun.
Cartersville 8U Gold, now 2-1 in the tournament, pounded out 27 hits in the 18-8 win. Harry Baker (4 RBIs), RJ Perkins (2 RBIs), and Evan Blankenberger (2 RBIs) led the way with four hits each. Jon Ryder Myers (8 RBIs), Micah Tatum, and Tate Warlick (2 RBIs) had three hits apiece. Camden Johnson contributed a pair of hits while Jack Turner, Weston Shirley, Connor Murphy, and Linkoln Crump added one hit each.
Cartersville 8U Gold plays Rome Friday night at Calhoun Park in another elimination game in the double-elimination tournament.
Gordon County rallies in final inning to eliminate Cartersville Gold 10U at District
Playing in an elimination game, the Cartersville Gold 10U baseball team held a 7-1 lead at one time Thursday night before falling to Gordon County 8-7. Cartersville Gold 10U raced to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and added two more runs in the third, but it was a six-run, fourth inning by Gordon County that ended the local’s tournament run.
Alek Higgins started on the mound for Cartersville Gold 10U and allowed just one run on one hit and two walks in the first two innings. He struck out two.
Zeke Brown had two hits and drove in one run for Cartersville Gold. Owen Morneault contributed a hit and one RBI. Jax Huskins, Hudson Lovett, Brentley Glass, and Ben Milam each added one hit.
Cartersville Gold 10U finished the District Five Tournament with a 1-2 mark. Other players on the team included: Christopher Parker, Jaxon Boomer, Landon Hamilton, and Lukas Andrews.
Bartow County 10U softball stays unbeaten
The Bartow County 10U softball team won its third straight game at the GRPA District Five tournament in Rockmart. The 20-0 win Thursday night over Gordon County sends Bartow 10U to the championship round next Tuesday needing only one more win to capture the district title.
Bartow 10U pitcher Jayda White has worked in the circle in all three Bartow wins, striking out 37. She has also been one of the team's leading hitters. Jayda White, Karlee Christianson, Casey Evans, Avaree Sellers, and Addison Reed have also been among the top Bartow hitters.
Bartow County 10U Machine Pitch Softball team advances
The Bartow County 10U machine pitch softball team won a second straight elimination game at their District Five tournament at Heritage Point Park in Dalton. Bartow lost its tournament opening game Tuesday to Whitfield County, but now has wins over Dalton (18-0) and Trion (14-13) to stay alive in the elimination bracket. Bartow 10U machine pitch is scheduled to play Murray County Friday in an elimination game with the winner advancing to face Summerville. Whitfield County awaits the survivor in the finals scheduled for Monday. Bartow County 12U softball finishes third The Bartow County 12U softball team finished third at the 2021 GRPA District Five tournament at Westside Park in Whitfield County.
Bartow 12U finished 2-2 in the tournament eventually won by host Whitfield County.
Bartow had wins over Rome (18-3) and Cedartown (10-3) before falling to Whitfield (11-5) and Cedartown (19-7).
The Bartow County 12U softball roster includes: D’Ambria Callahan, Emma Cortes, Tinsley Evans, Kyleigh Gunter, Alexis Henson, Annabelle Mitchell, Rainey Parham, Lily Powell, Jennlyn Shuler, Makayla Terc, Ansleigh Tilley, Bella Turner, and Natalie Wofford.
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.
