The Ware County Gators saw their postseason run come to a close on Thursday, April 30, 2026, in a tightly contested Game 3 of the GHSA Class AAAA State Playoffs second-round series against the Cartersville Hurricanes. In a game that featured strong pitching, timely hitting, and dramatic moments throughout, Cartersville secured a 3-2 victory with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Cartersville struck first in the opening inning, using an early swing to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Despite the quick deficit, the Gators remained composed and leaned on their pitching staff to keep the game within reach.
Ware County broke through in the top of the fifth inning when Walker Hudson delivered a solo home run to left field, cutting the deficit to one. The Gators continued to apply pressure in the sixth, manufacturing the tying run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Landon Smallwood to even the score at 2-2.
From there, both teams relied heavily on their arms. Ware County pitchers combined for eight strikeouts and consistently worked out of tough situations, while Cartersville’s staff limited scoring opportunities down the stretch.
Ryder Kinnon got the start for the Gators, battling through the first inning, while Slade Sweat delivered a strong performance in relief, tossing 6.2 innings and allowing just one hit while striking out six. His effort kept Ware County in position to compete late into extra innings.
Offensively, Seth Suess led the way with two hits, while Hudson and Smallwood each recorded an RBI. Defensively, the Gators were flawless, not committing a single error, with Hudson leading the team in fielding chances.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Cartersville capitalized on a single swing, sending a solo home run over the outfield wall to bring the game—and the series—to an end.
The loss concludes a strong season for the Gators, who finished as Region 1-AAAA Runner-Up and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs.
Ware County Athletics extends a big congratulations to Coach Ammons, his coaching staff, and all of the student-athletes for an outstanding season and a deep playoff run. The future remains bright for Gator Baseball.