BRUNSWICK — Senior Seth Suess twirled a complete game, three-hit shutout helping Ware County pick up a signature 5-0 win here Saturday over Class 4A second-ranked Cartersville.
The February 21 victory in the “Battle at the Beach” was the second in a row for the Gators (2-5) and first over a ranked foe. The Hurricanes (2-4) closed out the second week of the season with four consecutive losses, starting with an 8-4 setback Tuesday, February 17 to Class 6A top-ranked Etowah, who also has a victory (15-4) over Ware County.
Cartersville was blanked 1-0 Thursday, February 19 by Brunswick. The Hurricanes dropped an 8-7 decision to Class 5A Glynn Academy Friday, February 20.
Ware County will play a homeand- home series with the Pirates this week with a home game Tuesday, February 24, followed by a Thursday, February 26 trip to Brunswick.
Suess needed 86 pitches to silence the Carterville lineup, which did not get a runner past first until two outs in the bottom of the seventh. He fanned five and did not walk a batter.
The right-hander retired 20 of 21 batters after surrendering a second-pitch single in the bottom of the first. In the seventh, the Hurricanes got a two-out single and a pinch-hit double before a comebacker to the mound ended the game.
Cartersville used five pitchers who were tagged for 11 hits and four earned runs. The Hurricanes’ staff combined for seven strikeouts, walked one, hit two batters and threw 133 pitches.
The Gators scored the only run Suess would need in the first inning. Slade Sweat (1-for-3) legged out a leadoff single, swiped second and moved to third on a passed ball. Walker Hudson’s (3-for-4) grounder to short scored Sweat.
Ware County came right back with a three-run second extending the margin to 4-0. Collin Crawford (1-for-3) lined a leadoff double and scored when Blake Gunter’s (2-for-4) ensuing grounder was booted for a two-base error.
Consecutive run-scoring doubles by Keaton Holloway (2-for-3) and Colt Cox (1-for-2) in a five-pitch sequence capped the scoring before the first out was recorded.
The Gators’ final run came in the third inning on a Crawford squeeze bunt. Hudson opened the frame with a double, moved to third on Landon Smallwood’s (1-for-4) groundout, and raced home on Crawford’s first-pitch bunt.
Cartersville’s only other baserunner before the seventh inning reached on a leadoff error to start the third. Suess retired the next 14 batters.
Ware County stranded Suess (hit by a pitch) and Hudson (single) after both reached with two outs in the fourth. Smallwood led off the fifth with a single.
Cox was hit by a pitch starting the sixth and Hudson was left standing following a leadoff triple in the seventh.
