Top-ranked Canes bounce back with doubleheader sweep of Blessed Trinity

After dropping their first region game of the year Tuesday night at 6th-ranked Blessed Trinity, the top-ranked Cartersville Purple Hurricanes responded with a doubleheader sweep of the Titans Friday night at Richard Bell Field.

Cartersville scored at least two runs in each of the first four frames to win the first game 11-1 in five innings. The Canes then took a 4-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2 and held on to edge the Titans, 4-3.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes’ pitching was fantastic.

Caden Carroll (5 IP, 1ER, 2H, 11K) worked a complete game in the opener tossing a two-hitter with no walks and eleven strikeouts.

In Friday’s second game, Colt McKibben (4.1 IP, 3ER, 2H, 2BB, 5K) picked up the win and worked on the mound into the fifth inning. Phillip Schiltz (2.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 7K) took over in the fifth and closed out the Titans.

Drew Rothschild paced the Canes’ offense in the doubleheader with four hits including two doubles and six RBIs. Elliott Eastin (RBI), Hank Smith (double, RBI), and Caleb Daniel finished with two hits each. Jacob Ray (double, 2 RBIs), Blake Sutton (2 RBIs), Harrison Childers (RBI), and Jake Brasfield contributed one hit apiece. Curt Bonner added one RBI.

Blessed Trinity slips to 13-8 overall and 7-2 in Region 7-5A.

Cartersville (13-4, 6-1) travels to Calhoun for a region doubleheader next Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.

The Canes will then play non-region games against Sandy Creek and North Paulding April 8 at Lakepoint as part of the 2022 Battle for Bartow Classic. Cartersville will also face Locust Grove Saturday April 9 in the Battle for Bartow.