CARTERSVILLE — A first inning threerun homer by Cartersville’s Cole Crawford was more than enough run support for Nolan Elrod, who tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory to even the Round 2 series.
The fifth-ranked Region 7 champion Hurricanes (25-7) bounced back from their first loss since February 28, a 19-6 loss in Game 1 of the April 29 doubleheader, which ended a 22-game winning streak.
Seth Suess, Slade Sweat and Walker Hudson recorded the Gators’ (21-13) only hits off Elrod (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 10 K, 2 BB, 1 HBP).
Ware County had just two innings with two runners on base — the fifth and sixth innings — and left Suess and Hudson on third in the second and third inning after legging out two-out triples. Sweat was also left standing in scoring position in the sixth.
Cartersville jumped on Tanner Larisey (0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 R, 0 K, 1 BB) chasing him after three batters. The Hurricanes got a leadoff double, walk and a three-run homer off the bat of Cole Crawford (1-for-3). Cartersville also got a three-run homer in the first inning of the series opener.
Ware County’s Collin Crawford reached in the Gators’ first inning when his leadoff popup was misplayed.
The Hurricanes capitalized on a one-out, Ware County miscue in the second to score twice for a 5-0 lead. The error was followed by a Brayden Logan (2-for-3) two-run homer off Ashton Suess (2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 BB).
Hudson was left stranded in the bottom half of the frame following his two-out triple into right field.
Isaiah White (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 4 BB) allowed just one run in his longest outing of the season, shutting down Cartersville over the final five innings.
The Hurricanes’ run came with one out in the sixth via a single, walk and an infield single.
Meanwhile, Suess laced his first-pitch, two-out triple in the third followed by a 1-2-3 fourth — all on groundouts. Hudson started the fifth with a walk and was later retired. Garrison Joyner was hit by a two-out pitch.
Sweat reached with a one-out single in the sixth with Landon Smallwood following with a walk before Elrod set down the next two batters and the side in order in the seventh.
