Cartersville Little League 11U in final three at state tourney
Cartersville Little League’s 10 and 11 year old all star baseball team has advanced to the final three teams at the Georgia Little League 10/11 state tournament.
The double elimination format tournament is being hosted by Toccoa Little League at Doyle Street Park in Toccoa.
Cartersville defeated Smyrna 14-4 and Hart County 8-7 last weekend, before losing to Northern Little League of Columbus 14-0 Monday night (July 13).
Tournament games were rained out Tuesday, so the locals awaited the Wednesday night survivor from the losers’ bracket.
Cartersville will play Oconee County in an elimination game Thursday (July 16) at 7pm with the winner advancing to the state finals against unbeaten Northern. Northern needs only one win to secure the state championship. The Cartersville/Oconee winner will need two wins over Northern to take the title.
Cartersville struck for eight runs in the second inning Saturday (July 11) and cruised to a 14-4 win over Smyrna.
Jake Lawson (2 RBI) , Phillips Schiltz (2 RBI with a triple) , and Jake Parker (RBI) had two hits each to lead the Cartersville attack. Ben Williams had a 2 RBI with a double and Colin Eaton drove in a run with a double. Blake Sutton and Elliott Eastin had the other Cartersville hits.
Schiltz (2IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 4K), Parker (1.1IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 3K) , Lawson (0.2IP, 0ER, 0H, 1BB, 1K), and Williams (1IP, 0R, 0H, 2K) took care of the Cartersville pitching duties in the tournament opener.
Cartersville fell behind 7-1 to Hart County Sunday (July 12), before coming from behind to win in extra innings, 8-7. Cartersville rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fourth and got the game winner in the bottom of the seventh on a walk off single by Parker.
Williams and Jaylon Akins walked to start the Cartersville seventh. Schiltz singled to left field to load the bases and Parker delivered the game winner.
Drew Rothschild (2 RBI), Parker (2 RBI), Eastin (RBI), Lawson (RBI), and Schiltz had two hits apiece to lead Cartersville’s 12-hit attack. Sutton and Williams (2 RBI) both added a hit.
Schiltz (2IP, 1H, 3K), Rothschild (0.2IP, 1H, 3ER, 2BB, 1K), Lawson (1.1IP, 6H, 4ER, 1BB, 1K), and Williams (3IP, 3H, 0ER, 1BB, 1K) were the Cartersville pitchers against Hart County.
The Georgia Little League 10/11 state tournament finals are scheduled for Friday night (July 17) at 7pm. If the Cartersville/Oconee winner knocks off Northern Friday night, a second final round game would be Saturday (July 18) at noon.
Photo courtesy: Toccoa Little League
