Lady Canes edge Woodland, 4-3

AnnaKate McElhaney scattered seven hits and four walks while tossing a complete-game and four different Lady Canes drove in one run each as Cartersville edged cross-town rival Woodland Thursday evening, 4-3.

McElhaney struck out five in earning the pitching victory.

After Cartersville scored a run in the opening frame, Woodland took a 2-1 lead after three innings and led 3-2 through five innings.

Cartersville came from behind, however, with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the victory. Mattie Johnson tripled home Brooklyn Pittman to tie the game 3-3 and scored on an RBI single to left field by Hope Short.

Woodland managed a pair of base runners with two outs in the top of the seventh, but McElhaney got a ground ball to Pittman at third for the final out to preserve the one-run decision.

Colbi Ballard drove in Cartersville’s first inning run with a single into centerfield. The RBI hit scored Short who led off the inning with a hit. Cio Segler had a sacrifice in the inning and McElhaney moved Short to third with a single.

Woodland tied the game in the second inning with a single by Hannah Miller, a pair of walks, and an RBI hit by Bella Carnes. The Lady Cats took a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Caroline Higdon and led 3-1 in the fifth on Higdon’s bases loaded groundout.

Cartersville narrowed the margin to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, RBI single by Presley Edwards.

Madi Bentley (5 IP, 2R, 1ER, 7H, 4BB, 5K) started in the pitching circle for Woodland. Sarah Baynard (1 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB) suffered the pitching loss in relief.

Carnes (RBI, stolen base), Evans (stolen base, scored twice), and Miller (scored one run) paced the Lady Cats offense with two hits apiece. Higdon added a hit and two RBI. Kailey Baker contributed a hit for Woodland.

Short (RBI, run scored), Johnson (RBI, run scored) and AnnaKate McElhaney had two hits each for Cartersville. Ballard (RBI, run scored, two stolen bases), Lauren McElhaney, and Edwards (RBI) produced one hit apiece for the Lady Canes.

Cartersville improved to 3-1 on the season with the victory. The Lady Canes host Troup County Saturday in a Region 5-AAAA doubleheader at 12:30 p.m.

Woodland (1-4) travels to Region 7-AAAAA foe Kell on Tuesday for a 5:55 p.m. first pitch.