Lady Canes finish third at Class 5A state softball tournament
October 31, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
The Cartersville Lady Canes’ state playoff run ended Saturday with a 4-2 loss to Central-Carroll in the Class 5A tournament at the Columbus Softball Complex.
Cartersville had two wins to begin the Elite Eight double-elimination bracket, but fell to finalists Jefferson and Central-Carroll in the next two rounds to place third.
The Lady Lions opened the scoring on Saturday with a solo home run by starting pitcher Adisyn Phillips. Central followed with an unearned run after stringing together a walk, a single, and a Canes’ infield error to take a 2-0 lead.
Cartersville cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first. Izzy Tummins led off with a double, and the Lady Canes loaded the bases by drawing two walks. Kennedy Crenshaw was hit by a pitch, making the score 2-1.
The Hurricanes tied the score at 2-2 in the second inning. Carder Brock reached on an infield error, moved to second on a single by Tummins, and scored on an RBI hit by Zoie Shiflett.
The tie didn’t last long. Central’s Karley Widener followed Lily Grooms’ two-out single with a home run over the left-field fence, giving the Lions a 4-2 lead that held through the finish.
Phillips pitched all seven innings for Central, allowing just one earned run on six hits and two walks. She struck out seven. Widener (two RBI) and Lyndi Parker combined for four of the Lions’ seven hits.
Presley Crabbe took the pitching loss for Cartersville, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and one walk. She fanned two. Shiflett pitched the final three shutout innings, giving up two hits and recording five strikeouts.
Tummins had two hits for the Lady Canes. Sam Porter, Brock, Shiflett, and Crenshaw each added one hit.
Cartersville head coach Glen Woodard reflected on the season.
"We did so many things well this year. 32-4, most wins in school history, 18-0 region champs. Finished third in all of 5A. We went 62-10 in the last two years. This senior class made it to the Elite Eight three of four years. The team hit 49 home runs and 75 doubles. Both starting pitchers had sub-zero ERAs going into the Elite Eight. That’s just a few of the numbers. I am just super, super proud of how these young ladies competed. We had two walk-off wins this year in Columbus and had chances in both of the other games. I’m blessed to have coached this group."
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