Canes, Colonels win region openers

Cartersville scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning Tuesday evening to defeat the Calhoun Yellow Jackets, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game Region 7-5A series this week.

Calhoun led 2-0 early, but the Canes used two hit batsmen, a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, a wild pitch, an RBI groundout, four consecutive singles, and a passed ball — all in the fourth inning — to take the lead for good.

Cartersville pitchers Ryan Johnson (5 IP, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 2K) and Phillip Schiltz (2 IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB, 3K) combined to limit Calhoun to a pair of earned runs on seven hits and two walks. The Canes’ hurlers combined for five strikeouts. Johnson earned the win with Schiltz picking up a save.

Hank Smith, who finished with two hits, Harrison Childers, Jacob Ray (RBI), and Blake Sutton (RBI) strung together the fourth inning hits for the Hurricanes.

Curt Bonner, Elliott Eastin, Jake Brasfield, and Caleb Daniel added one hit each for Cartersville. Daniel also drove in a run with a groundout in the decisive fourth inning.

Calhoun, who entered the week ranked No. 4 in the Class 5A Georgia Dugout Club poll, slips to 10-3 overall and starts region play 0-1.

Cartersville, ranked 5th, improved to 8-3 and 1-0 in the region.

The two teams continue the series Friday in Calhoun with a doubleheader scheduled for 5 p.m.

CASS 7, HIRAM 1

Cass pitchers Carson Hill and Devan Hutchinson combined on a one-hitter Tuesday night as the Colonels opened Region 7-5A play over Hiram at LakePoint with a 7-1 win.

Hill started on the mound and struck out 12 in six innings of work. Only two Hornets reached base during his stint, one on a second inning single and the other on a hit batsman in the fourth.

Hutchinson did not allow a hit or a walk but the Hornets scored an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh on a pair of infield errors and a dropped third strike putout at first base.

Aidan Larkin led the Colonels’ offense with three hits including a double and one RBI. Wesley Collins and Andrew Middleton contributed one hit and one RBI each. Connor Jenkins tripled, Hayden Cole doubled, and Chase Botts finished with one hit for Cass.

The loss drops Hiram to 1-11 on the season and 0-1 in Region 7-5A.

Cass (2-11, 1-0) will host the Hornets in a region doubleheader Friday starting at 5 p.m.

BLESSED TRINITY 6, WOODLAND 3

After the visiting Wildcats grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, 7th-ranked Blessed Trinity scored twice in the bottom of the frame and added single runs in the third through sixth innings to top Woodland Tuesday night, 6-3.

Max Puckett had three hits including a double, a home run, a walk and two RBIs to lead the Titans’ offense.

Jake Lankie and Porter Buursema combined on the mound for Blessed Trinity limiting the Wildcats to a pair of earned runs on eight hits and one walk. The Titans’ hurlers struck out seven.

Chase Carson had three hits including a leadoff first-inning double for Woodland. He scored the Wildcats’ first run on a Blessed Trinity infield error.

Jakiyon Porter finished with two hits for the Wildcats. Austin Sanders doubled in the top of the fifth and scored Woodland’s second run. Ayden Ray doubled in the sixth and later scored on a groundout double play. Jacob Gravett contributed one hit and Julian Wright was credited with one RBI.

Ray (5 IP, 5ER, 5H, 7BB, 4K) started on the mound and took the loss. Coby Barrett (1 IP, 1ER, 3H) pitched the sixth inning for the Wildcats.

Blessed Trinity (7-6, 1-0) and the Wildcats (7-6, 0-1) will continue the Region 7-5A series Friday with a doubleheader at Woodland starting at 5 p.m.