Tigers, Canes open 2020 softball campaigns with wins
The Cartersville softball team posted a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning Friday to capture a back-and-forth, season-opening win at Denmark, 8-6.
The Canes trailed 3-2 after one frame and were tied 4-4 after two innings before the Danes went ahead 5-4 in the third.
Cartersville scored twice in the top of the fourth to lead 6-5, but Denmark added a tying run in the bottom of the inning.
Both teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings before the Canes took the lead for good in the final frame.
McKinley Chada earned the pitching victory in relief with 5.2 innings in the circle. Chada allowed only two unearned runs and only one hit. She fanned four and did not issue a walk. Kiley Arnold was the Cartersville starter yielding four earned runs on four hits and a walk with one strikeout.
AnnaKate McElhaney led Cartersville at the plate with three RBIs and a pair of hits. Campbell Rogers, who scored four times at the top of the Canes’ lineup, added a hit and reached on a walk. Maggie Pruitt and Emery Jenkins had the other Cartersville base hits. Amelia Elrod drove in a run.
Cartersville led 3-0 in a second game Friday with homeruns by Rogers and Elrod, but inclement weather ultimately led to cancelation.
The Canes (1-0) return to the diamond Tuesday for a non-region game at home against Cedartown. Cartersville will then travel to Allatoona Thursday for a doubleheader.
ADAIRSVILLE OPENS SEASON WITH EXTRA INNINGS VICTORY The Adairsville softball team opened its 2020 campaign Thursday night with a nine-inning, 2-1 win over visiting Model.
Tigers’ senior Sadye Johnson homered to left field in the bottom of the first inning for Adairsville’s early lead and the pitching tandem of Taylor Rhoades and Victoria O’Neal almost made that single run stand up. Rhoades scattered six hits across five innings of work allowing a tying run in the fifth inning. She issued only one walk and fanned four. O’Neal picked up the pitching win in relief. She gave up a pair of hits and a walk while striking out eight. The Tigers’ winning run in the ninth inning came with two outs off the bat of Megan Gregory. A shallow fly ball to right field was dropped by the Blue Devils’ outfielder allowing Chloe Souders to score from second base. The miscue was Model’s fourth error of the game and handed the pitching loss to Claire Chamberlain who had worked the entire game in the circle for the visitors. Adairsville (1-0) hosts another non-region game Saturday at 10 a.m. with Armuchee.
