Woodland sweeps Blessed Trinity; Cass, Cartersville split doubleheader
It was a busy night on softball diamonds for local Bartow County teams with new region rivals Cartersville and Cass splitting a doubleheader, Woodland earning a crucial region sweep over visiting Blessed Trinity, and Adairsville suffering a region loss at Rockmart.
CARTERSVILLE 6, CASS 4
Trailing 2-1 heading into the fifth inning at Cass Wednesday evening, the Lady Canes plated five runs to take a 6-2 lead and held on for a 6-4 victory in the opener of a Region 7-AAAAA doubleheader.
Cartersville pitcher McKinley Chada limited the Lady Colonels to only two earned runs on six hits and three walks. She fanned three while earning the victory in the circle.
The Hurricanes led 1-0 in the first inning on an RBI double by Amelia Elrod, but Cass grabbed a 2-1 lead with single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth frames.
Rachael Lee hit a sacrifice fly to drive home the Colonels’ Eryn Lee in the third and courtesy runner, Reese Howard, scored in the fourth when Haylee Dishmon reached on an infield error.
Cartersville took the lead for good in the fifth inning on four singles, a double, two walks, and a Cass miscue.
Campbell Rogers, AnnaKate McElhaney, Elrod, and Chada all had singles in the inning while Ava Perkins doubled home a run as the Canes staked themselves to a 6-2 lead.
Cass added two runs in the sixth inning on RBI singles by Haley Smith and Alex Woods but that was as close as the Colonels would get. McElhaney finished with three hits and one RBI for Cartersville. Elrod and Perkins had two hits each. Rachael Lee had two hits and one RBI for Cass. Woods (RBI), Smith (RBI), Kylee Hembree, and Macenzie Dougharty added one hit apiece. Hembree (4.1 IP, 6R, 5ER, 8H, 2BB, 1K) and Dougharty (2.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 4BB) shared the pitching duties for Cass.
CASS 12, CARTERSVILLE 9
For the second time this season, the Lady Colonels rallied late to overcome a local region rival to earn a doubleheader split.
In Game 2 Wednesday night, Cass trailed 5-2 early and was behind 9-4 heading to their home-half of the fifth inning.
The Colonels rallied, however, for three runs in the fifth on a Kendyl Hardin home run and five more runs in the sixth inning. The key blow in the sixth was a three-run double by Haley Smith. Kylee Hembree (6 IP, 7ER, 9H, 6BB, 2K) earned the pitching win for Cass in relief of starter Rachael Lee (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB).
Hardin sparked the Colonels’ offense with three hits including her three-run blast and a total of four RBIs. Smith also finished with three hits including a double and three RBIs. K Allen contributed a pair of hits and one RBI. Hembree had one hit and Alexis Woods drove in one run.
Cartersville totaled 11 hits led by three safeties from AnnaKate McElhaney including three RBIs. Ava Perkins finished with two hits including a triple and three RBIs. Mikey Lewis had two hits and one RBI and Amelia Elrod also had a pair of hits. Kiley Arnold doubled with one RBI on a sacrifice fly and Campbell Rogers tossed in one base hit.
Arnold (5.1 IP, 7R, 4ER, 9H, 1BB) and McKinley Chada (0.2 IP, 5ER, 4BB) shared the pitching duties for Cartersville in Game 2.
Cartersville (2-8, 1-3) travels to Blessed Trinity for a 5 p.m. start Thursday. Cass (7-3, 2-2) travels to Calhoun Thursday for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
WOODLAND 7, BLESSED TRINITY 0
Lainey Baker tossed a three-hit shutout Wednesday evening in the opening game of a Region 7-AAAAA doubleheader with Blessed Trinity as the Lady Cats cruised to a 7-0 victory. Baker struck out 14 and did not walk a batter in her seven innings of work in the circle. Woodland scored twice in the home half of the first inning, then added a single insurance run in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth.
Morgan Cooper paced the Woodland offense with two hits including a double. Ansley Evans also collected two hits with one RBI. Jessica Ryan (2 RBI) and Michiah Hicks (RBI) added the other Lady Cats’ hits. Kailey Baker contributed one RBI.
WOODLAND 7, BLESSED TRINITY 2
In Game 2 Wednesday night, Blessed Trinity grabbed an early 2-0 lead but the Lady Cats revved up the offense for seven runs over the next five frames for a 7-2 win and doubleheader sweep of the visiting Titans.
Meanwhile, Woodland pitchers Peyton Dorn (4 IP, 2R, 1ER, 5H, 0BB) and Lainey Baker (3 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 3K) kept Blessed Trinity off the scoreboard after the second inning with Dorn picking up the pitching win.
Kailey Baker (2 RBI) led three Lady Cats with two hits each. Michiah Hicks (RBI) and Ansley Evans also had two hits. Morgan Cooper (RBI) and Lainey Baker (RBI) both contributed doubles and Dylynn Motes ignited the Woodland offense with a solo home run in the second inning. Cassie Jones and Jessica Ryan added one hit each.
Sydney Lancaster had a three-hit game for the Titans. Blessed Trinity slipped to 3-2 overall and 2-2 in Region 7-AAAAA. Woodland (5-2, 3-1) will host Hiram in region action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and will play in the Allatoona Bucs Bash Friday and Saturday at Twins Creek and Adams Parks.
ROCKMART 8, ADAIRSVILLE 1
The Lady Tigers lost a Region 6-AAA matchup Wednesday evening at Rockmart, 8-1. The host Yellow Jackets led 3-1 after three innings and added four more runs in the fourth to take control 7-1. Rockmart added another insurance run in the sixth as they pounded out a dozen hits.
Sadye Johnson (double), Alyssa Jarrett (RBI), McKenzie Pullam, and Chelsea Batea had hits for Adairsville.
Gracey Arnold, Megan Johnson, and Alexis Teems combined for seven hits and six RBIs for the Rockmart attack. Arnold and Johnson homered for the Jackets.
Taylor Rhoades (3.1 IP, 7R, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss for Adairsville. Batea (2.2 IP, 1ER, 3H, 2BB) also pitched for the Tigers.
Rockmart improved to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in region play.
Adairsville (6-2, 2-2) travels to region foe Lafayette Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. start.
