Cartersville Purple, Cartersville Gray advance to meet at GRPA District 5 tourney

Cartersville 10U Purple defeated Cartersville 10U White Saturday afternoon by an 11-5 score to advance in the GRPA District 5 tournament in Ellijay. Meanwhile, Cartersville 9U Gray knocked off Bartow Blue and Calhoun to also advance to a showdown with their familiar Purple Cartersville opponents. Both Cartersville teams remain the only unbeatens as the tournament takes a day off on Sunday.

Cartersville Purple and Cartersville Gray will face off Monday at Ellijay's River Park at 7:45pm. Monday's winner in the double-elimination format will move into the District 5 championship game(s) and will need only one more victory to win the tournament. The loser on Monday will not be eliminated, but will need three straight wins to take the district title. Cartersville Purple (post game photo shown) took a 9-0 lead after the first two innings Saturday against Cartersville White and held on for their second win in the tournament. Thomas Norris, Trip Bradley, and Paul Gamble shared the pitching duties for Cartersville 10U Purple. The pitching trio scattered four hits and had five strikeouts going less than two innings each. Hunter Kelly had two hits including a homerun and 2 RBI, while A.J. Christina was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead the offense. Gamble (2 RBI) and Norris also had two hits apiece. Bradley (RBI), Avery Higgins, Will Litton, and Brice Craig each added a hit. Nicholas Kennedy drove in a run.

Cartersville 10U White plays again Monday at 6pm at River Park Field in Ellijay in an elimination game against Bartow 10U Blue. The Cartersville White roster includes: Brody Tidwell, Cole Jackson, Chandler Mathison, Silas Freeman, Kaden Stephenson, Gabriel Cox, Carson Horn, Knox Neal, Jack Chatman, Jordan Hall, Collin Genrich, and Joshua Clay. The manager is Ben Genrich and the coaches are Steven Chatman and Brian Cox. Cartersville 9U Gray defeated Bartow 10U Blue 9-4 Saturday and followed that with a victory over Calhoun. The win over Calhoun was Cartersville Gray's third straight win in the district tournament. The roster for Cartersville 9U Gray includes: Nicholas Hruby, Joseph Womack, Caleb Daniel, Gavin Shrewsbury, Grant Knight, Miles Owen, Connor Stermer, Hayden James, Turner Abernathy, Andrew Stiles, Ayden Ray, and Coby Barrett. The manager is Daniel Knight and the coaches are Richard Daniel and Justin James.

Following their earlier defeat on Saturday, Bartow 10U Blue held off Pickens County 7-4 to avoid elimination. The Bartow White/Haralson County winner (in progress Saturday night) plays Calhoun Monday at 6pm at the Gilmer Co. High School softball field. Monday’s game is also an elimination game.