Canes' region win streak stopped by Troup

The Cartersville baseball team dropped a 5-1 decision to visiting Troup County Tuesday night at Richard Bell Field for their first loss of the year in Region 5-AAAA.

Troup County pitcher Colby Williams sparkled on the mound tossing a complete-game while scattering three hits and three walks. He struck out ten and allowed only one unearned run in the fourth inning.

The loss drops the Hurricanes into a tie with Troup for the top spot in the region standings, but 2nd-ranked Cartersville holds the tie-breaker over the Tigers if both teams win (or both lose) in their final region games on Thursday.

Cartersville defeated the Tigers 5-0 in LaGrange on March 23, meaning the Canes’ one run Tuesday night gives them the tie-breaker advantage. Troup County hosts last place Sandy Creek Thursday while Cartersville closes out the region slate at Central-Carroll. Both Cartersville and Troup are 10-1 in region play.

Troup senior shortstop Ryan Bliss hit the first pitch of the game over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead off Cartersville starting pitcher Levi Ayers. The visitors added another run in the top of the fourth for a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by Ethan Morton.

The Canes’ Ian Inaba singled home a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut Troup’s lead in half and the score remained 2-1 until a three-run seventh by the Tigers.

In the final inning, Morton singled off reliever Anthony Seigler and Brantly Robinson put down a sacrifice bunt. Seigler’s throw to first on the play got away and enabled Troup runners to reach second and third. Seigler walked Bliss to load the bases and after one run scored on a passed ball, Caleb McCurry delivered an RBI chopper that bounced over third base to give Troup a 4-1 lead.

Following another Cartersville pitching change, Colby Williams drove in the Tigers’ final run with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Bliss.

Morton (two singles) and Bliss (single, homer) led Troup with two hits and one RBI each.

The Canes were limited to only three hits — a double by Josh Davis and singles by Ian Inaba and Preston Welchel.

Ayers (4 IP, 2ER, 5H, 1BB, 4K) suffered the pitching loss. Jake Gooch (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 2K), Seigler (0.0 IP, 3R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB), and Cohen Wilbanks (1 IP) all pitched for the Hurricanes.

Troup County, ranked fifth in Class 4A, improved to 20-7 overall and 10-1 in region action.

Cartersville (22-7, 10-1) closes out the regular season Thursday at 5:55 p.m. at Central-Carroll.