Softball roundup: Lady Cats stay hot behind Baker's arm
Lainey Baker tossed a one-hit shutout Thursday night as the Woodland Lady Cats won their fifth straight Region 7-AAAAA game at Paulding County, 10-0.
Baker needed only 58 pitches in her five inning effort. She did not walk a batter and fanned eleven Patriots.
First baseman Autumn Romines managed the only Paulding County hit and was the Patriots only baserunner. Her hit was a two-out, ground ball single back through the middle in the second inning.
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ABOVE PHOTO: Ansley Evans -- who finished with three hits Thursday night tags out a Kell baserunner in a game earlier this season as Bella Carnes looks on.
Ansley Evans and Hannah Miller both had three hits and one RBI apiece for the Lady Cats. One of Miller’s hits was a double. Kendyl Hardin had a double and two RBI. The trio of Allyssa Motes, Cassie Jones, and Morgan Bailey contributed one hit and one RBI each. Bella Carnes added a base hit and Kailey Baker contributed a sacrifice hit and one RBI. Carnes, Jones, and Michiah Hicks each stole a base.
The loss drops Paulding County to 4-11 on the season and 2-6 in Region 7-AAAAA. Woodland (7-5, 6-2) moves into a second place tie in the region with East Paulding. Those two teams trail leader Carrollton who remains unbeaten in league play.
The Lady Cats play Cartersville Saturday morning in their opening game of the Bartow County Championship Tournament at Adairsville at 11 a.m.
CARROLLTON 5, CASS 2
Region 7-AAAAA leader Carrollton scored four runs in the top of the first inning at Cass Thursday night, then held off the Lady Colonels for a 5-2 region win.
The visiting Lady Trojans (13-1, 8-0) strung together six singles in the first inning to take their early lead, but Cass pitcher Kylee Hembree (7 IP, 5R, 4ER, 10H, 1BB) limited Carrollton to only one more run and four additional hits over the final six innings to keep the game close.
Rachael Lee had two hits for the Colonels. Hembree contributed a double and one RBI. Ansley Hight drove in a run and had one hit. Alexis Woods doubled. Kelly Young, who also stole a base, and Haley Smith added the other Cass base hits. Haillie Owens contributed a sacrifice.
Cass (6-6, 3-5) opens the Bartow County Championship Tournament Saturday morning at 9 a.m. against the host Adairsville Tigers.
CENTRAL-CARROLL 7, CARTERSVILLE 2
A four-run sixth inning for the host Lady Lions broke open a one-run game as Central-Carroll topped visiting Cartersville Thursday evening, 7-2.
Freshman Carley Fuller scattered seven Cartersville hits and struck out eight to earn a complete-game pitching victory.
Taylor Stevens had three hits for the Lions and drove in a run. Chelsea Jeffers finished with two hits and two RBI while Addi Lyle and Ava Tyson also contributed two hits apiece.
Ava Perkins (6 IP, 7R, 5ER, 11H, 0BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss for the Hurricanes. McKinley Chada had two hits to pace the Cartersville offense. Mattie Johnson had a double. Campbell Rogers, Lauren McElhaney, Hope Short, and Perkins had the other Canes’ base hits.
Central improved to 9-5 overall and continues to lead Region 5-AAAA with a 7-1 league mark. Cartersville (7-8, 4-4) will face Woodland at 11 a.m. Saturday at Adairsville as the four local teams play the 2019 Bartow County Championship Tournament.
ROCKMART 10, ADAIRSVILLE 3
The host Lady Tigers led Rockmart 3-2 Thursday night through three innings, but the visiting Yellow Jackets scored eight, unanswered runs in innings four through six to defeat Adairsville in a non-region game, 10-3. Rockmart out hit Adairsville nine to seven, but the Lady Tigers contributed to their own demise by committing eight errors. Carlee Graham (5 IP, 3R, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 4K) picked up the Rockmart pitching win in the circle. Gracey Arnold (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB) pitched in relief.
Graham was the only Yellow Jacket with two hits. Kinsey Jones drove in two runs.
Victoria O’Neal (4.1 IP, 5R, 3ER, 5H, 1BB, 3K) suffered the pitching loss for Adairsville. Taylor Rhoades (2.2 IP, 5R, 0ER, 4H, 1BB, 2K) pitched in relief.
Sadye Johnson (photo) led the Tigers offense with three hits. Chloe Souders hit a first inning, solo home run. Megan Gregory contributed a double. Alyssa Jarrett and Rhoades had the other Adairsville base hits. O’Neal had a sacrifice and drove in a run.
Rockmart, leaders of Region 7-AA, improved to 11-1 on the season. Adairsville (6-7, 3-1 Region 6-AAA) will host the Bartow County Championship Tournament Saturday and will play Cass in the first game at 9 a.m.
