Woodland softball wins county title

Woodland softball captured the 2018 Bartow County Softball Championship Tournament Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Crossing Park with an 11-3, five-inning defeat of Cartersville in the title game.

Caroline Higdon (photo right) paced the Lady Cats at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance that included a first inning, two-run home run and five RBI. Sarah Baynard (5 IP, 3R, 0ER, 6H, 2BB, 1K) went the distance in the circle for Woodland to earn the pitching victory.

Woodland, who topped Adairsville in Friday’s semifinals, opened with three runs in the first inning and four more in the second to take an early 7-0 lead.

Cartersville narrowed the margin to 7-3 in the top of the third inning, but the Lady Cats scored four more times in the next two frames for the eight-run win.

Cio Seigler finished with two hits for the Lady Canes. Hope Short had a double and one RBI. Presley Edwards contributed a hit and two RBI. AnnaKate McElhaney and Lauren McElhaney added one hit apiece for Cartersville.

Jordan Duck had two hits for Woodland. Morgan Cooper (double), Hannah Miller (double), Allyssa Motes (2 RBI), Kendyl Hardin (RBI), and Ansley Evans contributed the other Lady Cats’ hits.

With the loss, Cartersville is now 7-7 overall. The Lady Canes (3-3 in Region 5-AAAA) play at Cedartown Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and will host Central-Carroll Thursday. Both games are league contests.

Woodland (10-5, 4-2) returns to Region 7-AAAAA action Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. at Hiram and will host Paulding County Thursday.

Photo courtesy TC Pics Photography.

ADAIRSVILLE 9, CASS 4

Adairsville and Cass softball traded the lead Saturday in the third place game of the 2018 Bartow County Championship Tournament, but it was the Lady Tigers who ultimately pulled away for a 9-4 win at Hamilton Crossing Park.

Adairsville led 3-1 through two innings before the Lady Colonels struck for three runs in the third to take a temporary 4-3 lead. The Lady Tigers responded with four runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth for their five-run win.

Natalie Burrow (3 IP, 4ER, 5H, 2K) and Victoria O’Neal (4 IP, 0R, 3H, 7K) split the pitching duties for the Tigers with Burrow picking up the victory.

Cass also utilized a pair of hurlers, Rachael Lee (3 IP, 7R, 3ER, 7H, 5BB, 1K) and Kylee Hembree (3 IP, 2ER, 5H, 2K).

Sadye Johnson paced Adairsville with three hits including a double and two RBI. Bree Wilson added two hits including a third inning, two-run home run. Taylor Rhoades also had two hits including a double and one RBI.

Havyn Isaac, Sierra Tanner (triple), and Burrow contributed one hit and one RBI each. Chloe Souders and O’Neal also finished with one of the Tigers twelve hits.

Saydee Najarro posted two hits and two RBI for Cass. Brylie Sanford also had a pair of hits.

Haley Smith contributed a double and two RBI for the Colonels. Kaila Carson, Hollie Elrod, and Lee added one hit apiece.

Adairsville, who won the Bartow tournament last season, improved to 3-14 with the victory and will return to Region 6-AAA action Thursday at Sonoraville.

Cass (2-10, 2-4) has road games in Region 7-AAAAA Wednesday at 5:55 p.m. at East Paulding and Thursday at Carrollton.