Bartow County takes District 1 Junior Little League series opener with Cartersville
Bartow County Junior Little League (14U) took the first game of a best-of-three series 7-5 over Cartersville Junior Little League Sunday afternoon at Perry Park as the two local leagues play for the Georgia Little League District 1 championship and a berth in the Georgia Junior Little League state tournament.
Trevor Collum (photo left) was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and allowed only one earned run in three and one-third innings on the mound to help lead Bartow County.
Collum (3.1 IP, 3R, 1ER, 3H, 1BB, 4K) started on the mound and was relieved in the fourth inning with a 6-1 lead and the bases loaded. Middle reliever Nick Bailey allowed a two-run double, but fanned the next two batters to escape the inning with Bartow holding a 6-3 lead. Bailey (1.2 IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 5K) worked a scoreless fifth inning and gave way to Jordan Jonathan (2 IP, 2ER, 3H, 1BB, 2K) who allowed a pair of late runs before closing out the game.
Charlie Hideaman (1 IP, 4ER, 1H, 4BB, 2K) started for Cartersville and was saddled with the pitching loss. Micah Earwood (6 IP, 3R, 2ER, 8H, 1BB, 2K) worked the final six innings on the mound.
Hideaman (photo left) also led Cartersville at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance. Earwood finished with a double and two RBIs. Isaiah Davis and Jackson Norris both doubled and scored a run. Jessie Grogan tripled, walked, and scored twice. Blake Sutton added one hit and Tyler Putz drove in a run in the seventh with a sac fly.
Bartow’s nine hits were all singles. They also swiped a dozen bases in the game on thirteen attempts while Cartersville stole eight on eleven tries.
Collum scored twice for Bartow on a walk and three hits with one RBI. Bailey (photo right) drove in three runs and had one hit. Jordan Gani (RBI), Jordan Jonathan, Alex Freeman, Colin Eaton, and Patrick Shelley finished with one hit apiece. Bryce Richards scored twice and collected a base on balls. T.J. Grimes, Gani, and Shelley scored the other Bartow runs.
Bartow will attempt to close out the best-of-three series Monday night at Perry Park at 7 pm. A win by Cartersville forces a third game on Tuesday. The series winner advances to the Georgia Junior Little League State Tournament that begins Saturday, July 22 in Athens.
Bartow County Little League, Cartersville Little League, and Bartow County and Cartersville Recreation youth softball and baseball updates are provided by the respective leagues and recreation departments. Game results are sponsored on Bartow Sports Zone by Play It Again Sports - Cartersville - 410 Cherokee Place.
