Baseball roundup: Canes win eighth straight, Tigers earn road win
Cartersville won its eighth straight game and improved to 7-0 in Region 5-AAAA with a 7-3 win Friday night at Richard Bell Field over Sandy Creek.
The Canes led 3-0 through three innings only to have the visiting Patriots stir up three runs to knot the game 3-3 in the fourth.
Cartersville added two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to secure the win. Gage Morris (4 IP, 0R, 1H, 1BB, 5K) came in to relieve starter Kolby Adams (3 IP, 3ER, 4H, 2BB, 5K) to lock down the victory.
Connor Housely (5.2 IP, 7R, 6ER, 8H, 3BB, 6K) suffered the pitching loss for Sandy Creek. John Marant and Aaron Hackett led the Patriots at the plate with two hits each.
Mason Barnett had two hits, including a double and one RBI for the Hurricanes. Jake Gooch and Ian Inaba also finished with two hits and one RBI each. Jordan Wilkie drove in a run with one hit and Josh Davis contributed a double.
The Canes also took advantage of the Patriots on the base paths by stealing six bases in the game. Wilkie swiped two bags while Barnett, Davis, Preston Welchel, and LaDarius Winburn added one each.
The loss keeps Sandy Creek (7-11, 1-7) at the bottom of the region standings.
Cartersville (18-5, 7-0) steps out of region action next week to host Troy (OH) Tuesday at 5 p.m. and travel to Lassiter Thursday at 5 p.m.
ADAIRSVILLE 6, LAKEVIEW-FT. OGLETHORPE 3
The Adairsville Tigers took over sole possession of third place in Region 6-AAA Friday night with a 6-3 win at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
The Tigers hold a one-game lead over LFO and Calhoun following the first complete rotation through the region schedule.
Adairsville took a 3-0 lead through the first four innings and extended their advantage to 6-1 in the sixth inning on a three-run homer by Hunter Hice. LFO, who out hit Adairsville seven to five, scored a single run in the seventh but Adairsville reliever Levi Blackwell got out of the inning.
Kyler Pelfrey (6 IP, 1ER, 5H, 2BB, 11K) went six complete innings to pick up the pitching win. Blackwell (1 IP, 1ER, 2H) pitched the seventh for the Tigers.
Five different Adairsville players finished with one hit each including Noah Dutton (double), Pelfrey (double), Hice (HR), Garrett Mishoe, and Trace Still. Hice also added a sac fly RBI.
The loss drops LFO to 12-6 overall and 5-4 in Region 6-AAA.
Adairsville (13-6, 6-3) travels to top-ranked and region-leading Ringgold Tuesday for a 5:55 p.m. start and will host North Murray Thursday at 5:55 p.m.
VILLA RICA 1, WOODLAND 0
Kenny Jinks tossed a complete-game two-hitter Friday night with a walk and four strikeouts, but was saddled with a tough-luck loss as Woodland fell at Villa Rica, 1-0.
Logan Smallwood of Villa Rica was even better on the mound. The senior tossed a complete-game no-hitter and issued only one walk while striking out seven.
Noah Best (double) and Smallwood had the only hits in the game. Parker Wells drove in the game’s only run with a fourth inning groundout after a walk, an error, and Smallwood’s base hit.
Villa Rica evened their overall record at 10-10 and improved to 3-4 in region play.
Woodland (10-12, 3-4) will host Villa Rica in a rematch Monday at 5:55 p.m.
ROME 10, CASS 8
Cass fell behind early Friday night to visiting Rome and never recovered in a 10-8 Region 7-AAAAA loss at the Cass Athletic Complex.
The Wolves scored five runs in the top of the first inning and the Colonels tried to chase them down the remainder of the evening.
Cass narrowed Rome’s lead to 5-3 in the second inning, trailed 7-4 after three innings, and got within two runs twice more but could not overcome the Wolves’ fast start.
Rome used three pitchers with Kade Garrard picking up the win in middle relief. The Wolves tallied 14 hits led by Alden Astin’s three hits and Kade Garrard’s three hits and three RBI. Xavier Roberts-Donaldson, Chandler Bridges, and Braden Hyde each contributed two hits and one RBI.
Steven Spell had two hits including a double and one RBI for the Colonels. Evan Hinton and Gavin Young both added two hits. Nathan Smith had a double and one RBI. Matt Shook had one hit, a sac fly, and three RBI. Clay Means finished with one hit and one RBI with a sac fly while Logan Nelson added a hit. Austin Baker drove in a Cass run with a sacrifice fly.
Rome moved to 10-8 overall and continued to hold down second place in Region 7-AAAAA with a 5-2 mark.
Cass (9-12, 3-6) lost its fourth straight game, all in region action. The Colonels travel to Rockmart Saturday at 1 p.m. and visit Rome Monday at 5:55 p.m.
