By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

CARTERSVILLE – Colby Williams, as has been the case throughout his remarkable high-school career, rose to the occasion in a big game.

Williams, Troup’s junior pitcher, threw a complete-game three-hitter to lead his team to a 5-1 road win over Cartersville in a Region 5-AAAA showdown.

Troup and Cartersville are tied for the first place at 10-1, and they both have one region game remaining.

If they finished tied at the top, Cartersville would be the region’s number one seed based on run differential in the two games against Troup.

Cartersville beat Troup 5-0 earlier this season, so it would win the tiebreaker by one run.

Williams wasn’t on the mound for the first game against Cartersville, but he got the ball for the rematch, and he was brilliant.

Williams, who also beat Cartersville twice last season, threw a complete-game three-hitter with 10 strikeouts, and the lone run he allowed was unearned.

Ryan Bliss continued his phenomenal senior season with two hits, including a leadoff home run that gave Troup the lead in the first inning.

Ethan Morton had two hits and an RBI, Caleb McCurry and Williams each had a hit and an RBI, and Kenly Bridwell and Cooper Doughman had one hit apiece.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead, Troup pushed three key insurance runs across in the seventh inning, and Williams set Cartersville down in order in the bottom of the inning.

Troup hosts Sandy Creek on Thursday in its final region game. Cartersville finishes its region schedule with a game at Central-Carroll on Thursday.