Cartersville 10U Purple wins state GRPA title

Cartersville Purple 10U exploded for six runs in the fifth inning against Clayton County to break open a tight game and seize the 2015 GRPA state championship in Savannah.

The state GRPA title comes on the heels of a Georgia District 1 championship and berth in the Georgia Little League state tournament.

The state championship game was tied 1-1 going to the bottom of the fifth when the Cartersville offense caught fire to capture a 7-1 victory.

Hunter Kelly started the rally with a leadoff double to right field before Will Litton doubled him in with the go-ahead run making the score 2-1. Avery Higgins reached on a bunt single that moved Litton over and Higgins eventually scored to make it 3-1. Brice Craig singled to move Higgins to second in front of JaKiyon Porter’s RBI single that scored HIggins and advanced Craig to third. After Paul Gamble walked, Craig scored on a sacrifice fly by Drake Carver.

Cartersville added a final run and made it 7-1 on a hit by Trip Bradley and an error on the Clayton County defense.

Six of Cartersville’s nine hits in the game came in the fifth inning surge.

Cartersville trailed Clayton County 1-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning.

Drake Carver tripled with one out and Isaac McNair-Seigler drove him in with a single to tie the score.

Kelly was the only Cartersville player with two hits. In addition to his fifth inning double, he singled in the second inning.

Paul Gamble scattered five hits and allowed only one run for a complete game pitching victory. He struck out eight and walked two.

Cartersville rolled through the double elimination tournament undefeated with victories over Savannah Hot Rods, Sumter County, and twice over the Clayton County A’s.

Cartersville will now play in the Georgia Little League 9/10 state tournament beginning Monday at 5:30pm at Midway Heights Little League in Decatur.