CARTERSVILLE — Isaiah White and Slade Sweat each belted threerun homers and lined run-scoring doubles in Ware County’s 19-6 Game 1 second round Class 4A victory here Wednesday over fifthranked Cartersville.
The Gators (21-12), buoyed by consecutive seven-run innings, set a program playoff record for most runs in a game in the April 29 series opener, eclipsing the mark of 15 set in a 15-0 victory over Tucker in the opening game of the first round in the 2024 playoffs.
The 25 combined runs trails only the 35 runs scored between Ware County and Alcovy (21-14 loss) in Game 3 of the second round during the 2010 playoffs.
White’s (3-for-4) two-out, threerun homer in the third inning, his second of the year, gave the Gators a 4-3 lead helping wipe out an early 3-0 deficit. His two-out, run-scoring double capped a seven-run uprising in the sixth pushing the lead to the final 19-6 margin.
Sweat (2-for-2, two stolen bases) laced a two-out, two-run double capping a seven-run fifth inning as Ware County overcame a 6-5 deficit to take a 12-6 lead. He blasted a two-out, three-run homer in the sixth, his 10th roundtripper of the year, staking the Gators to an 18-6 advantage.
Three other players also recorded multi-hit games. Landon Smallwood went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Seth Suess was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Garrison Joyner finished 2-for-4 with three ribbies.
Suess (4 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 K, 3 BB) drew the Game 1 starting assignment. Sweat (two strikeouts) and Ashton Suess each worked a hitless and scoreless inning in relief.
The Hurricanes (24-7), who had a 22-game winning streak snapped, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning getting a two-out, three-run homer from Cooper Reynolds.
Ware County scored four times in the second after two outs and nobody on base. Seth Suess doubled off an 0-2 pitch to keep the inning alive.
Sweat worked an eight-pitch walk ahead of Smallwood’s run-scoring single, cutting the lead to 3-1. White followed, launching the seventh pitch of the at bat over the fence in left giving the Gators a 4-3 lead.
Ware County plated a run in the top of the fourth upping the margin to 5-3. A leadoff walk to Walker Hudson, who stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, would come home to roost.
Collin Crawford (1-for-2) kept the inning moving drawing a twoout walk. Ashton Suess, who replaced Hudson at third as a courtesy runner, raced home on a wild pitch.
Cartersville responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking a short-lived 6-5 lead. The Hurricanes scored on a one-out double following a walk and a single. A sacrifice fly tied the game at 5-apiece. A run-scoring single finished off the five-batter sequence.
The Gators answered with a seven-run fifth in taking the lead for good at 12-6. They sent 11 batters to the plate with eight reaching.
Walks to Sweat and White were sandwiched around a Smallwood single loading the bases three batters in. Hudson’s oneout, infield hit scored Sweat tying the game at 6all.
A balk allowed Smallwood to walk home with the go-ahead run. Colt Cox (1-for-4) then laced an 0-2 pitch for a two-run single giving Ware County a 9-6 lead.
Joyner’s infield hit scored Cox, who raced to second on the throw home to try and nail Hudson and stole third. Crawford sacrificed Joyner to second with Suess following with a single off an 0-2 pitch. Sweat doubled three pitches later driving an 02 pitch to left-center for the final two runs of the inning.
The Gators opened the sixth with consecutive singles by White and Keaton Holloway (1-for-5) starting a string of 11 batters coming to the plate for a second straight inning.
A one-out error on a ball hit by Cox loaded the bases. Joyner followed with a first-pitch, two-run single pushing the lead to 14-6. Crawford legged out his ensuing sacrifice bunt re-loading the bases.
A Suess run-scoring groundout was followed by Sweat’s three-run homer giving Ware County a 17-6 advantage. A single by Smallwood and a runscoring double by White capped the scoring.
