Long ball lifts Cartersville to 12U district Little League title

Cartersville’s offense exploded for a 5-run fourth inning to take control of a close game in their 9-4 win over Rockmart Monday night at Rudy York Field in Atco.

The Game 3 victory in the best-of-five series secured the Georgia District 1 Little League crown and advanced Cartersville to the state tournament hosted by Athens Little League July 25 - August 1. Cartersville won the series three games to none.

Trailing Rockmart 4-2 going to the bottom of the fourth, Cartersville struck for back-to-back homeruns by Charlie Heidmann and Nick Bailey to tie the score at 4-4. Alex Freeman kept the inning alive with two outs when he reached on a dropped third strike and Ethan Wolfe walked. Both runners scored when Christian Martin’s grounder to shortstop was booted. Martin also later scored on an error by the Rockmart second baseman to give Cartersville a 7-4 advantage.

A second Bailey homerun of the game in the bottom of the fifth scored Heidmann who had doubled with two outs in the frame. It was Bailey’s third homer of the series.

Cartersville pitchers Micah Earwood and Heidmann limited Rockmart to four runs on three hits although they yielded five walks each. Heidmann struck out four. Earwood recorded one strikeout.

Cartersville scored twice in the second inning on a two-run double by Freeman. Matthew Surrett singled and Jackson Cline walked to set up the RBIs. Rockmart scored their four runs in the third to take a 4-2 lead.

Cartersville will open the state tournament in Athens on Saturday, July 25 against the District 7 champion.