Athletes Beyond Bartow: Baseball, softball update for week ending March 3
Former Cartersville Hurricanes Connor Justus and Sam Howard have already seen action with their respective Major League clubs in spring training action while another former Canes star, Anthony Seigler, continues to be considered one of the highest rated prospects in baseball. At the collegiate level, a trio of local baseball players -- Bailey Campbell (Cass), Tristin Smith (Adairsville), and Tyler Washington (Adairsville) -- helped Young Harris to a 5-1 week, while Elliott Anderson earned his second win of the year for Auburn and former Woodland standouts Mason Robinson and Cauy Williams had productive weeks. In college softball, former Cartersville outfielder Paris Poston played a key role for Columbus State as the Cougars went 5-0 for the week.
ABOVE PHOTO: Connor Justus (left) and Sam Howard (right) have already seen action with the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies, respectively, during MLB Cactus League games this spring. NOTE: The remainder of this week's 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' will be published separately and may be viewed at this LINK.
PRO BASEBALL
SAM HOWARD — Colorado Rockies (6th yr. pro; LHP; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… the non-roster invitee saw his first mound time last Monday working the fifth inning in the Rockies’ third game of the Spring Training schedule — a 12-5 win over Kansas City. Howard entered with Colorado up 9-3 and gave up an earned run on two hits (including a solo home run to Bubba Starling) and two walks. He struck out one. The Rockies are 2-7 in the Cactus League and have nine games this week including a pair of split-squad contests. CONNOR JUSTUS — L.A. Angels (4th yr. pro; MIF; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… Justus saw his first action of Spring Training 2019 with the MLB club last Monday when he was inserted to play second base during a 4-3 Angels’ win over Milwaukee. He was 0-for-1 but coaxed a walk in a pair of plate appearances. Last Thursday he entered again at second base and went 1-for-2 with a double and scored a run during a 10-6 loss to the Texas Rangers. He was 0-for-1 in a pinch hitting role during an 11-2 win Saturday over the Cincinnati Reds and finished 0-for-2 in a start at shortstop Sunday — a 4-1 win over Oakland. The Angels are 7-3 through their first ten games of Cactus League action with nine games including a pair of split squad contests scheduled this week.
ANTHONY SEIGLER — N.Y. Yankees (2nd yr. pro; C; Cartersville HS)… listed as one of the Yankees ten best prospects this past week as Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America, and Keith Law released their farm system rankings for 2019. The Yankees ranked between 12th and 20th overall, depending on the rankings of your choice. Seigler finished the 2018 season with the Rookie League Pulaski Yankees after a promotion from the Gulf Coast League Yankees West. He was the 23rd overall pick in the June 2018 MLB draft and is the first catcher drafted in Round 1 by the Yankees since 2004. During the MLB Winter Meetings, Yankees executive and Director of Scouting Damon Oppenheimer said the switch-hitting backstop projects with power from both sides of the plate and is a “plus” defender. MLB.com has only one Yankees’ prospect ranked ahead of Seigler heading into 2019. In 95 plate appearances in Rookie ball last year, he hit for a .266 average. Seigler will be assigned to his first full season of professional baseball following Spring Training — potentially with the Class A South Atlantic League Charleston River Dogs.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
SARAH FOX — Agnes Scott College (Fr., Inf., Cass HS)… played in three of the Scotties’ four games this past week, but was 0-for-5 at the plate. Fox did draw one walk in a 3-0 home loss Friday vs. Greensboro. Agnes Scott (2-8) was 0-4 for the week and is now idle until Wednesday, March 13 when the Scotties travel to Birmingham Southern.
SIERRAH GANI — Georgia Highlands CC (So., Inf., Cass HS)… started both of the Chargers’ games at second base Saturday as GHC split a doubleheader at East Georgia State CC. The Chargers won the opener 4-1, but dropped the second game 4-0. Gani, who has a .500 batting average with 18 RBIs through 16 games, was 0-for-5 Saturday with one run scored. Georgia Highlands hosts a pair of conference doubleheaders this week against visiting Gordon State Wednesday and Georgia Military College Saturday. SYDNEY HODORFF — LaGrange College (Sr., C/Inf., Woodland HS)… the Panthers finally got their season started last Wednesday, but failed to score in either game of a doubleheader at Birmingham Southern. Hodorff started at catcher in the opener, but was 0-for-3. LaGrange (0-2) had four more games postponed for weather over the weekend. The Panthers are schedule to play at Piedmont Thursday and host Fontbonne University (MO) Friday. HANNAH KNAPP — Talladega College (Jr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… went 1-for-5 and was hit by a pitch in a pair of starts last Wednesday at Bryan College (TN). The Tornadoes split a doubleheader with the Lions. Talladega had two other games cancelled for weather last week. The Tornadoes (3-7) host Ave Maria University Tuesday and travel to Brenau University Wednesday.
PARIS POSTON — Columbus State University (Fr., OF, Cartersville HS)… helped the Cougars extend their current win streak to eight games with a 5-0 week. Poston, a starter in right field hitting .289 for the season, was 6-for-15 with four doubles and one RBI in the five games. She also scored four runs and was hit by a pitch. CSU won at University of Montevallo last Wednesday and then defeated Lynn University, Barry University, King University, and Coker College over the weekend during the CSU Classic at Cougar Field. Columbus State (13-6) entertains Palm Beach Atlantic Tuesday and Nova Southeastern Wednesday before traveling to Lincoln Memorial University Friday. The Cougars will then play four games Saturday and Sunday in the Tusculum University Invitational.
HANNAH TODD — Kansas University (So.,, P, Cartersville HS)… entered in the fourth inning Saturday and recorded one out during the Jayhawks’ 8-7 nine-inning loss to Duke at the N.C. State/Duke Invitational. Todd allowed one earned run on two hits. Kansas finished 1-4 in the tournament with other losses to N.C. State, Mississippi State, and Campbell before a win over Charleston Southern. KU (4-14) hosts the Jayhawk Invitational Friday through Sunday where they will face Southeast Missouri twice, Maine twice, and Missouri-Kansas City. TAYLOR WAITS — Brewton-Parker College (Jr., OF, Cartersville HS)… entered as a pinch runner and scored a run in a 12-0 rout of visiting Fort Valley State last Wednesday. She then started in left field in the second game of a doubleheader and was 1-for-2 in a 5-2 win. The wins snapped a six-game losing streak for the Barons. BPC (4-8) hosts USC-Beaufort Wednesday and NAIA 8th-ranked University of Mobile for four games Friday and Saturday.
ANNALYN YANTIS — Samford University (Sr., P, Cartersville HS)… started in the circle and was tagged with the loss in a five inning performance against Houston Baptist Friday during the Bulldogs’ Invitational Tournament in Birmingham. Yantis allowed on two earned runs (five runs total) on five hits and a pair of walks. She fanned one in the 6-2 loss. She also tossed four innings in relief during an 8-1 loss to Western Kentucky. Against the Hilltoppers, Yantis allowed two earned runs on six hits and one walk. Samford was 1-4 for the week with a win over Jackson State and losses to Jacksonville State, Houston Baptist, Evansville, and Western Kentucky. The Bulldogs (6-15) play at Troy Wednesday before traveling to the Murray State Racer Invitational Friday through Sunday to face the hosts, Northern Iowa, and Purdue-Fort Wayne.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Jr., LHP, Cartersville HS)… made his fifth appearance of the season Saturday and picked up his second win of the year as the Tigers beat visiting Cincinnati 9-5. Anderson entered in the fourth inning and did allow his first and only earned run of the season working into eighth inning. He yielded three hits and a walk while striking out six. For the season, the southpaw has a 0.68 ERA with 17 strikeouts in just over 13 innings on the mound. 19th-ranked Auburn (9-2) has home games Tuesday and Wednesday with UT-Martin and will host a three-game weekend series with Texas-San Antonio.
BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (So., 1B/DH, Cass HS)… made five starts and one pinch hitting appearance last week as the Mountain Lions completed a 5-1 week. YHC swept a home doubleheader with Clark Atlanta last Tuesday, beat visiting Cedarville Thursday, and won two of three games over the weekend at UNC-Pembroke. Campbell was 8-for-19 for the week with a walk, a double, a home run, and five RBIs. He was also hit by a pitch twice. Through 14 games, he has a .396 batting average with a pair of homers and 20 RBIs. The Mountain Lions (11-7, 4-3 Peach Belt Conference) host Carson-Newman Tuesday, Southern Indiana Wednesday, and a three-game PBC series with Augusta University Friday through Sunday.
CARRINGTON EVANS — Augusta University (R-So., OF, Cartersville HS)… started three of four games this past week for the Jaguars in left field. He was 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and one RBI during a 14-6 win Tuesday at Coker College. Evans then went 0-for-7 in the first two games of a three-game series at Columbus State where Augusta was swept. The Jaguars (8-10, 3-9 Peach Belt Conference) entertain Erskine College Tuesday, Saint Rose University Wednesday, and play a three-game conference series at Young Harris College Friday through Sunday.
JOHN REED EVANS — Shorter University (Fr., C/OF, Cartersville HS)… did not have an at-bat, but entered the lineup in left field Saturday during a 13-3 home Gulf South Conference loss to NCAA D-II top-ranked Delta State. The Hawks dropped three of four games during the week with their lone win coming in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Shorter (8-7, 3-5) hosts a doubleheader with Morehouse College Wednesday and a three-game GSC series with Christian Brothers University Saturday and Sunday.
LANE GRIFFITH — University of West Georgia (Jr., C, Adairsville HS)… came off the bench to catch and finished 0-for-3 last Wednesday in a 14-inning, 6-3 home loss to North Georgia. It was the Wolves’ only game of the week with their home conference series with University of West Alabama pushed back to Monday and Tuesday. UWG (4-11, 2-4) travels to Cleveland, Mississippi this weekend for a three-game set at No. 1 Delta State University.
HUNTER HICE — University of South Caroline-Upstate (Fr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… seeing time as a second baseman, designated hitter, and in a pinch-hitting role, Hice appeared in all four Spartans’ games last week as USCU went 3-1 with a win at Davidson and took two of three at home against Ohio University. Hice was 1-for-6 for the week with a walk and a run scored during the week. The Spartans (5-6) travel to Wofford Tuesday and host a three-game series with Rutgers this weekend.
HARRISON OSBORN — Point University (So., RHP, Cartersville HS)… started Saturday in the final game of a home conference series with Union College (KY) and was saddled with the pitching loss as the visiting Bulldogs avoided a series sweep. Osborn allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits and a walk through four innings. He recorded four strikeouts. 22nd-ranked Point (14-5, 2-1 Appalachian Athletic Conference) plays a doubleheader at Talladega College Tuesday and will host a three-game conference series with Montreat College (NC) Friday and Saturday.
MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech (R-Sr., OF, Woodland HS)… started in right field for all four of the Bulldogs’ wins last week. He was 1-for-5 with a sacrifice in a 5-3 win last Tuesday at Arkansas-Little Rock and finished 4-for-10 incuding a triple, homer, walk, HBP, three runs scored, and two RBIs in a three game home sweep of Arkansas State. Through 11 starts, Robinson has a .362 batting average with two home runs and eight RBIs. Louisiana Tech (9-2) hosts Northwestern State (LA) Tuesday before hitting the road for a three-game series at University of Arkansas this weekend.
TRISTIN SMITH — Young Harris College (R-Sr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… started all six games for the Mountain Lions last week at second base as YHC won five of six. Smith hit safely in five games and was 8-for-24 for the week with a home run and two doubles. He added a walk, was hit by a pitch three times, and had seven RBIs. The Mountain Lions swept a doubleheader with Clark Atlanta, beat Cedarville University, and took two of three at 40th-ranked UNC-Pembroke. Young Harris (11-7, 4-3 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Carson-Newman Tuesday, Southern Indiana Wednesday, and a three-game PBC series with Augusta University this weekend.
TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… started three games and appeared in five of the Mountain Lions games last week. He completed the week 2-for-12 at the plate with a walk, sacrifice bunt, and two runs scored. YHC was 5-1 for the week and improved to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in the Peach Belt Conference. The Mountain Lions host Carson-Newman, Southern Indiana, and conference foe Augusta University this week.
CAUY WILLIAMS — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Fr., RHP, Woodland HS)… entered to pitch the fifth and sixth innings last Tuesday and picked up his first collegiate win in relief during a 6-5 victory at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Williams allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk and fanned one. He now has three appearances this season with a 3.60 ERA in five innings on the mound. The Governors (11-3) have won four straight and have games this week at home against Grand Rapids CC (MI), at Coastal Alabama-North CC Thursday, and at home against Coastal Alabama-North CC on Saturday.
