Lady Canes advance; Lady Cats eliminated at Class 5A Super Regionals

Cartersville softball, with a 13-5 win over Centennial on Monday, advanced to the second day of the Super Regional hosted by the Lady Canes as one of two unbeaten teams. The Lady Canes will face Jefferson in the next round on Tuesday at 3 p.m. with the winner advancing to the 7 p.m. championship round needing only one more win to advance to the State Tournament’s Final Eight in Columbus.

The Cartersville/Jefferson loser will need three straight elimination game wins to advance.

Meanwhile, at the Villa Rica Super Regional, Woodland was eliminated in two straight games — falling to Cambridge 6-3 and host Villa Rica, 5-3.

CARTERSVILLE 13, CENTENNIAL 5

The Lady Canes not only broke open a close game Monday with a nine-run fifth inning but also ended the game by run-rule in a 13-5 first-round Super Regional win at home over the Centennial Knights.

Centennial and Cartersville were tied 4-4 heading to the fifth inning. The Knights then took a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth. The Lady Canes then blew the game wide-open with eight hits in their final frame including a home run, triple, double, and five singles.

Zoie Shiflett collected the pitching win and hit a home run as Cartersville won a first-round game in the Class 5A Super Regional in Atco.

Zoie Shiflett (5 IP, 5R, 4ER, 10H, 1BB, 4K) collected the pitching victory for the Hurricanes.

Erin McCrary had three doubles and drove in three runs to pace the Cartersville offense. Jordan Bishop also had three hits including a triple and two RBIs.

LaKiaya Banks finished with two hits including a double and one RBI. Shiflett homered to begin the fifth-inning rally. Allana Williams (triple, two RBIs), Kennedy Crenshaw (two RBIs), Reese Dumas (RBI), Addi Burns, and Layne Callan added one hit apiece.

The Lady Canes (19-8), who host all games in their Super Regional, advance to face Jefferson (18-6) on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Centennial (11-18) slipped to the elimination portion of the bracket to play Creekside Monday night.

Jefferson defeated Creekside 15-0 in Monday’s other opening-round game.

The double-elimination tournament concludes Tuesday with games at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. if needed.

CAMBRIDGE 6, WOODLAND 3

In both teams’ opening game at the Villa Rica Super Regional on Monday, Cambridge took a 3-0 lead through the first five innings then held on to defeat Woodland, 6-3.

Peyton Dorn

Woodland narrowed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Mackenzie Araya but the Bears answered with a two-run homer and one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to build a 6-2 lead.

The Lady Cats added a run in the top of the seventh but got no closer.

Peyton Dorn (6 IP, 6ER, 12H, 4BB, 4K) worked all six innings for Woodland in the circle and had two hits in the loss. Alana Carnes (RBI) and Jordan Hammonds had the other Lady Cats’ hits.

VILLA RICA 5, WOODLAND 3

Kamryn Smith

In an elimination game featuring two teams named Wildcats, Super Regional host Villa Rica downed Woodland 5-3.

The two teams were tied 3-3 through five innings before Villa Rica grabbed the lead on pitcher Chloe Smith’s two-run home run to center field in the bottom of the sixth.

Woodland loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh but was not able to push across any runs.

Ashlynn Baines (6 IP, 5R, 4ER, 6H, 6BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss for the locals.

Kamryn Smith finished the game with two hits including one double and one RBI for Woodland. Alana Carnes hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Jordan Hammonds and Baines (double) added one hit each.

Villa Rica (23-7) advances in the elimination portion of the double-elimination bracket to play on Tuesday.

Woodland’s season comes to a close with a 20-11 mark.