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Later Gators, the Canes sweep into the state finals

May 11, 2024


Sawyer Wilson tossed a no-hitter in Game 2 as the Hurricanes swept a best-of-three series at Ware County.

The top-ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes overpowered the Ware County Gators at the plate and on the mound on Saturday in a Class 5A state semifinal series sweep. The 11-2 and 10-0 wins in Waycross put Cartersville in the state finals for the eleventh time in school history.


A seven-run second inning launched the Cartersville offense in the first game. In the second game, pitcher Sawyer Wilson tossed a six-inning, no-hitter and the Canes rattled off a dozen hits.


Ryan Johnson made the pitching start in the opener for the Hurricanes and earned the win by striking out nine in five innings. He allowed just one earned run on seven hits with no walks. Logan Shrewsbury closed out the final six outs with no runs on one hit and one walk. The reliever struck out two.


Caleb Daniel (home run, double, two RBIs), Andrew Purdy (double, four RBIs), and Cole Cochran (two RBIs) paced the Hurricanes’ offense with four hits in the doubleheader. Landon Cole (triple, RBI) followed with a three-hit day.


Cole Crawford (home run, double, four RBIs), Luke Miller (double, RBI), Aidan Larkin (two RBIs), and Turner Abernathy (two RBIs) finished with two hits. Tristan McKibben (RBI) added one hit and Charlie Rothschild contributed one RBI.


The season ends for the Gators with a 25-13 record.


Cartersville (31-5) will face perennial power Loganville in the state championship best-of-three series. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Thursday at the Gwinnett Stripers Coolray Field. If a third game is needed it will be on Friday.


Loganville (25-12) is the Region 8-5A champion. The Red Devils have gone 8-0 in the playoffs with series wins over Chapel Hill, Woodland, McIntosh, and Kell. Loganville defeated Kell 5-2 and 8-2 on Saturday and is playing in a state championship series for the eighth straight year.

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