Canes split with Greenbrier, rubber game of series Tuesday

Caden Carroll tossed a three-hitter and struck out twelve as Cartersville won Game 2 of its Class 5A state quarterfinal series with Greenbrier Monday night.

After going hitless in the opening game of their Class 5A state quarterfinal best-of-three series with Greenbrier Monday night at Richard Bell Field, the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes produced a dozen hits in Game 2 for an 11-1 win.

The Cartersville victory extends the series to a deciding game Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. — again at the Cartersville Baseball Complex.

Greenbrier pitcher David Bell was the star of Game 1. The senior, committed to Georgia State, tossed a no-hitter as the Wolfpack won 3-0. He needed only 91 pitches and struck out seven in his complete game effort.

Cartersville starter, Ryan Johnson, was tagged with the loss in the opener. He allowed three runs — only one earned — on two hits and four walks. Geoffrey Gore worked three innings of scoreless relief surrendering just two hits while fanning two.

The Wolfpack scored their first two runs in the third on a hit batsman, a walk, and a two-run throwing error following a bunt attempt. They added an insurance run the next inning on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly.

Batting first as the visitors in Game 2, the Canes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never trailed as Cartersville’s starting pitcher — Caden Carroll — limited the Greenbrier offense to just three hits.

Carroll worked all seven innings yielding just one walk. He struck out twelve.

Curt Bonner singled to start the game for the Cartersville offense and Paul Gamble was inserted as a courtesy runner for the Canes’ catcher. After Elliott Eastin walked, the two baserunners swiped second and third on a double steal. A throwing error on the play allowed Gamble to score the opening run.

The Hurricanes added three more runs in the third inning. Eastin produced a two-run single and Harrison Childers later added an RBI base hit.

After Greenbrier (23-10) narrowed the margin to 4-1 in the bottom of the third, the Canes added on four more runs in the top of the fourth. Three hits, a pair of walks, and an infield error by the Wolfpack enabled Cartersville to build an 8-1 advantage. Eastin drove in a run with a groundout, Drew Rothschild doubled in a run and later scored on a wild pitch.

Smith, who finished the game with three hits, drove in another run with a single in the sixth inning to make the score 9-1 while Bonner produced a sac fly and Eastin another RBI single in the top of the seventh for the Canes’ final two runs.

Eastin totaled four RBIs on two hits and a sacrifice fly. Brasfield also had two hits.

Bonner (RBI), Caleb Daniel, Rothschild (double, RBI), Childers (RBI), and Blake Sutton had the other Canes’ hits.

Gamble, Smith, Eastin, Brasfield, and Sutton each stole a base in the victory.

The win improved No. 1-ranked Cartersville to 28-6 on the season.