Lady Canes edge Cedartown to capture No. 3 seed heading into state playoffs

Cartersville pitcher, Hannah Todd, has been the backbone of the Lady Canes success all year.

The strong pitching performances and timely hitting of the University of North Carolina signee have kept Cartersville in games or won games for them throughout the year.

Thursday night, in a game to determine the third and fourth seeds for next week’s Class AAAA state tournament from Region 5-AAAA, Todd delivered yet another stellar pitching performance.

Colbi Ballard of Cartersville singled home the game tying run in the top of the sixth inning and Hope Short doubled home Tara Mathis with the eventual game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning as the Lady Canes edged rival Cedartown 2-1 to claim the No. 3 seed.

Cartersville and Cedartown were scoreless until the home Bulldogs scratched out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead.

A single to centerfield, a bunt single to third, and a two-out error enabled the lone Cedartown unearned run off Todd.

Todd allowed only three hits and two walks in the contest while striking out 15 Bulldogs.

Paris Poston and Molly Wilson both had two hits for the Lady Canes. Todd, Mathis, Madison McKinney, Ballard and Short had the other Cartersville hits.

McKinney also contributed with a pair of sacrifices. Cio Seigler also added a sacrifice.

Ole Miss commit, Ava Tillman, was tagged with the pitching loss for Cedartown. She did not walk a batter and struck out eight.

Tillman, Tia Covington, and Allie Dodd had the only Cedartown hits.

Cartersville (18-11) will travel to the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAAA for a best-of-three series that begins next Wednesday with a doubleheader. If a third game is needed, it will be played on Thursday.

Cedartown will now travel to face the No. 1 seed from Region 7-AAAA in their opening round series, also on October 12-13.