FINAL STRETCH
♦ Rockmart, Cedartown head into last region contests with momentum
The final week of the 2024 regular high school baseball season comes at the right time for both the Cedartown and Rockmart varsity squads.
Cedartown won back-to-back shutout games against Region 7-4A foe Southeast Whitfield last week, while Rockmart continued its dominance in Region 7-AA with a sweep of a threegame series against Haralson County.
Both teams will face a tough task as they look to round out the region slate and head into the state playoffs next week.
Cedartown entered the week at 7-4 in the region, holding a close lead over Central-Carroll for third in the region with an opportunity this week to possibly move up into second and secure a home series in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to start the week on Monday by hosting Sonoraville at The Dawg House for Senior Night starting at 5:10 p.m.
Next will be the rescheduled third game at Southeast Whitfield on Tuesday, followed up by a doubleheader on Thursday at Sonoraville. Sonoraville (11-13, 4-8) is looking to finish strong and possibly squeak into one of the top four spots for a berth in the state playoffs.
Rockmart, meanwhile, came into this week with a 12-game winning streak and a perfect 15-0 mark against Region 7-AA teams, setting up a showdown with second-place Model in the Jackets' final series of the regular season.
The Blue Devils are 19-7 overall with a 13-2 region record having lost a game each to Haralson County and Fannin County. Rockmart (21-6) will be trying to capture its fifth region title in the last seven full seasons.
Cedartown (9-16) has played some tough non-region opponents this season and that challenge showed through in it's two games against the Raiders last week.
The Bulldogs defeated Southeast Whitfield 10-0 in five innings at home last Monday and then had to wait five days for the wet weather to clear out
and pick up the series Saturday in Dalton where Cedartown rolled to a 16-0 run-rule victory in five innings as well.
The road win was head coach Gevin Johnson's 100th career win as a head coach.
Senior pitcher Xavier Holiday threw a one-hit shutout in the series opener, striking out 11 and walking two in last Monday's game. Daylon Holiday went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, while Tony Ware had a two-run double.
An eight-run third inning boosted Cedartown to its shutout victory Saturday against the Raiders, with Jay O'Neal getting the start on the mound and pitching three innings of one-hit ball with no walks and three strikeouts.
Xavier Holiday went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Ace Allen went 2-for3 with four RBIs. Bobby Jones had an RBI double.
Rockmart got its series with Haralson County started last Wednesday at home with a hard-fought 4-3 win that saw the Jackets score two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead.
Hunter Atkins got the win with a complete game effort on the mound as he recorded 13 strikeouts.
The series concluded with Rockmart sweeping a doubleheader in Tallapoosa on Friday, 5-0 and 16-0. Trey Luke got the win in Game 1 with 11 strikeouts, while Seth Hamrick was the standout in Game 2 by getting four RBIs on two hits.