Canes collect non-region win; Wildcats complete series sweep of Hiram

Three Cartersville pitchers combined to shutout Class 6A Alexander Thursday afternoon at Richard Bell Field and the bats provided enough offense as the Class 4A 2nd-ranked Hurricanes won a non-region contest, 3-0.

Starting pitcher Mason Barnett (4 IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 2K) and reliever Cohen Wilbanks (2 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 1K) turned the mound over to closer Gage Morris (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 1K) in the seventh as the Canes offense posted a single run in the third inning and two more in the sixth. Barnett was credited with the pitching win. Morris earned a save.

Jordan Wilkie had two hits for Cartersville including a double. Ian Inaba (photo) contributed a hit and two RBIs. Preston Welchel had a double and one RBI and Alan Thacker doubled.

Luke Townsend had two of the Cougars three hits.

The loss for Alexander (10-2) snapped a 10-game winning streak. Cartersville (10-3) is scheduled to play Sonoraville Saturday at the Rome Braves’ State Mutual Stadium in Rome at 10 a.m.

WOODLAND 7, HIRAM 2

Hiram scored twice in the home half of the first inning Thursday evening, but Woodland followed with seven unanswered runs which was plenty for Wildcats’ pitcher Ben Ammons to defeat the Hornets 7-2 in a Region 7-AAAAA contest. Marco Haro hit a two-run home run in the third inning to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead and Koby Stansel — who finished with two hits — hit a solo shot in the fifth to give Woodland a 5-2 advantage.

Scotty Smith finished with two hits including a double and two RBIs. Dallas Adams also had two hits for the Wildcats.

Fisher Davis added a hit and one RBI. Bailey Ward contributed a double and Peyton Posey had the other Woodland base hit.

Ammons (photo) tossed a complete game for the Wildcats' victory scattering nine hits and a hit batsman. He did not issue a walk and fanned six. With the loss, the Hornets (0-10, 0-6) remained winless on the season. Woodland (5-8, 3-3) opens a home-and-home region series at Cass on Monday.