The Cartersville baseball team participated in the Perfect Game High School Showdown in Hoover, Alabama, starting on Thursday, March 7, and ending on Saturday, March 9. The Canes went 2-2 during the tournament with a 2-0 win over Bob Jones, an 8-4 win over Sumrall, a 2-0 loss to Blessed Trinity, and an 8-4 loss to Hoover. Cartersville took home the fourth place trophy and brought home a 9-3 record.

The Canes started the tournament on Thursday night as they took on Bob Jones, the second ranked 7A team in Alabama. Mason Barnett pitched for the Canes, throwing six strikeouts in five innings and hitting 93 MPH on his fastball. Center fielder Preston Welchel scored the first run of the night with a solo home-run, his second of the season. Right fielder Kolby Adams scored in the third inning after some pitches in the dirt brought him home. Senior pitcher Gage Morris closed the game out for Cartersville, throwing one strikeout and allowing no hits in two innings.

Cartersville continued tournament play on Friday afternoon as they faced off against Sumrall, the number one ranked 4A team in Mississippi. Logan Martin started on the mound for the Canes, throwing five strikeouts in five innings. With bases loaded in the second inning, second baseman Josh Davis hit a single over the head of the third baseman that scored two runners. Cartersville scored two runs in the third inning, with a single by Preston Welchel pushing in Jordan Wilkie and a single by Ian Inaba pushing in Welchel. The Canes scored four more runs, including three in the sixth, to move on to the semifinals against 4A rival Blessed Trinity.

On Friday night, senior Cohen Wilbanks was sent to the mound to face BT. Wilbanks pitched phenomenally, throwing nine strikeouts in 5 ⅓ innings. Unfortunately, the Canes couldn’t get on the board and only had two hits the entire game. Cartersville lost the game 2-0, earning the fourth place trophy for the tournament.

Cartersville had one more game to play before heading back home on Saturday morning. The Canes faced off against the number one ranked 7A team in Alabama: Hoover. Senior Kolby Adams was put on the mound for this game, throwing five strikeouts in three innings and giving up two runs. After Adams came out of the game, Cartersville was able to throw three pitchers: sophomore Davis Williams (1 ⅓ innings; 0 strikeouts; 4 runs allowed), senior Reece Thompson (⅔ inning; 0 strikeouts; 2 runs allowed), and junior Hayden Davidson (2 innings; 1 strikeout; 0 runs allowed). The loss was highlighted with Cartersville’s three home runs, with all of them being solo home runs to left field. Preston Welchel got it started with his third home run of the season, then JP Martin crushed his third homer of the season, and Brant Smith smacked his second of the season.

The Canes moved to 9-3 over the tournament and will play Alexander at home on Thursday, March 14.