Hot bats for McDermott, Etheridge, and Goss highlight baseball edition of 'Athletes Beyond Barto

Former Adairsville Tiger, Sean McDermott, had four, two-hit games for Cleveland State CC last week. Former Cass standout, Brandon Etheridge, had a 7-for-13 week for Georgia Highlands CC, and former Hurricane, Michael Goss, had a walkoff hit for UNC-Greensboro during a six-hit week in the 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' baseball update for the week ending March 13.

This week's report includes updates on 17 of the 24 current, former local high school baseball players contributing at their respective college programs across the country.

BASEBALL Week ending Sunday, March 13

CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Maryville College (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . was 2-for-10 in a home weekend series against Averett. Dempsey is hitting .375 for the season with 5 RBI in 19 games. The Scots are 16-4 overall and 7-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Maryville College has a home game March 14 against Emory & Henry, travels to Sewanee March 15, and has a three-game conference series at Ferrum March 19-20.

BO EDWARDS — University North Georgia (R-Sr., Adairsville HS) . . .started as DH for the Nighthawks March 12 in a 14-3 home conference win over UNC-Pembroke. Edwards has two doubles in 19 at bats this season in eight appearances. UNG is 13-8 overall and 6-6 in the Peach Belt Conference after taking two of three from UNC-Pembroke over the weekend. The Nighthawks play at University of West Georgia March 16 before traveling to University of South Carolina-Aiken for a three-game conference series March 18-19.

BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Georgia Highlands CC (Soph., Cass HS) . . .went 7-for-13 with two walks and scored three runs in four weekend games for the Chargers. The GHC outfielder’s batting average is up to .311 with five extra base hits and six RBI. Etheridge sports a .415 on base percentage hitting usually in the two spot and has six stolen bases through 26 games. The Chargers dropped three of four over the weekend and slipped to 15-13 overall. They open conference play in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association this week with a four-game series against Darton College. The Chargers host March 15 and play three games in Albany March 18-19.

TY FOWLER — Tennessee Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made a one inning relief appearance in a 14-5 non-conference win over Madonna (MI) March 7. Fowler allowed four hits and two earned runs. He has now worked five innings in three appearances on the season with a 3.60 ERA and a .286 batting average against. TWC is 14-5 overall and 5-1 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs entertain 7th-ranked Lindsey Wilson March 16 and host Reinhardt University March 18-19.

MICHAEL GOSS — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . had a walk-off single in a 5-4 Spartans 10-inning victory over Illinois March 12. . . Goss was also 3-for-6 in a 20-9 win over Illinois March 11; 1-for-4 with a run scored in a 4-2 win over Coastal Carolina March 11; and 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI in an 8-4 loss at UNC-Wilmington March 9. He has a .319 batting average (15-for-47) in 11 games with a .532 slugging percentage and .418 on base percentage. UNC-Greensboro (11-5) was 3-1 on the week with a pair of wins over Illinois and another over Coastal Carolina. The Spartans host University of Maryland-Eastern Shore March 16 and a three-game series with Marist March 18-20.

ROBERT HARRIS — Troy University (Jr., Adairsville HS) . . . made a relief appearance at Samford March 8 allowing five earned runs on a pair of walks and four hits as the Trojans lost 20-6. Harris, who carried a 0.87 ERA prior to the outing, has now worked 11 and 2/3 innings in seven appearances for the Trojans. Troy (10-8, 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference) went 2-3 in games last week, winning one of three in a conference series with 16th-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette and picked up a win at Jacksonville State March 9. The Trojans play a three-game conference series at Georgia Southern March 18-20.

HARRISON HATFIELD — Shorter University (Soph, Cartersville HS) . . . had two hits, scored a run, and drove in two runs in four games last week. The Hawks second baseman carries a .963 fielding percentage in 27 chances. He has a .111 batting average in 18 at bats and five starts. SU went 0-4 last week with a non-conference loss at Lincoln Memorial and was swept at home by Valdosta State. Shorter (10-13 overall, 4-8 in the Gulf South Conference) entertains Lee University in a three-game conference series March 19-20.

BRADLEY HOOD — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . the right hand pitcher was called on to retire one batter in the fifth inning March 8 in a 6-3 victory over Wallace State-Hanceville dropping his season ERA to 3.38 in eight innings and eight appearances for the Chargers. GHC was 2-4 for the week and is now 15-13 overall. Highlands begins Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association play this week with a four-game series against Darton College. The Chargers host March 15 and play three games in Albany March 18-19.

TRIPP JAMIESON — Univ. of the Cumberlands (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 1-for-5 and scored a run in one start and a pinch hit appearance March 11 against 19th-ranked Campbellsville University. The Patriots (18-5, 2-1 in the Mid-South Conference) were 4-1 for the week and have a three-game series March 14-15 at 3rd-ranked Faulkner University before hosting conference foe, Shawnee State University for three games March 18-19.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Georgia Tech (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . .went 4-for-15, scored two runs, and drove in three in a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Florida State March 11-13. Justus now has a .393 batting average, 9 extra base hits, 12 RBI, and carries a .471 on base percentage through 15 games as the 9th-ranked Jackets shortstop. Georgia Tech (12-3, 0-3 ACC) hosts Auburn March 15 and ACC-rival, Virginia Tech, for a three-game set March 18-20.

SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Fr., Adairsville HS) . . . had four, two-hit games and went 9-for-15 with seven RBI in five games last week as the Cougars went 4-1. He also scored five runs. McDermott swept a doubleheader with Clark State CC and won two of three against Jackson State (TN) CC. He has a .361 batting average, one homer, and 12 RBI for the season. CSCC (11-9 overall, 4-2 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association) hosts Tusculum College March 16 for a doubleheader and plays a three-game series at Southwest Tennessee CC March 18-19.

CHRIS MORTON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . made his fourth pitching appearance of the season March 8 in a 4-2 loss to Wallace State-Hanceville. Highlands (15-13) begins Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association play this week with a four-game series against Darton College. The Chargers host March 15 and play three games in Albany March 18-19.

HUNTER OSBORN — Reinhardt University (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . the RHP is 4-0 in six starts for the Eagles. He has recorded 23 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched with a 1.13 ERA. He went 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits and five walks with seven strikeouts in a 7-2 win March 12 over Montreat College. The Eagles won two of three over Montreat and swept a doubleheader with Viterbo University during the week to improve to 20-6. RU is now 5-1 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. Reinhardt entertains Middle Georgia March 16 and plays at Tennessee Wesleyan College in an AAC three-game series March 18-19.

MASON ROBINSON — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Soph., Woodland HS) . . . hit safely in three games of a four game series with Alabama Southern CC. Has a .197 batting average in 18 games with a homerun, six RBI, seven runs scored, and five stolen bases. WSDCC is 13-8 overall and 2-2 in the Alabama Community College Conference. The Governors entertain Black Hawk College-Moline (IL) March 15 and play a four-game series with Chattahoochee Valley CC March 17 (away) and 19 (home).

TRISTON SMITH — Young Harris College (Soph., Adairsville HS) . . . had a pinch hit appearance March 8 in a 5-2 loss at Tusculum College. Smith is now 6-for-18 (.333) with four runs scored and an RBI in six appearances and four starts for the Mountain Lions. Young Harris was 2-2 for the week with both wins in conference against Flagler College. YHC (8-13 overall, 3-9 in the Peach Belt Conference) hosts Mars Hill College March 15-16 and travels to PBC-rival Francis Marion for a three-game series March 18-20. JO JO UNDERWOOD — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . entered as a pinch runner and catcher March 11 and entered to play third base March 12 as the Spartans won a pair of games over Illinois. Underwood also had a plate appearance in a March 9 loss at UNC-Wilmington. He has one double in eight at bats in eight games played. UNCG (11-5) plays host to University of Maryland-Eastern Shore March 16 and has a three-game home series with Marist March 18-20.

CHAZ WILSON — Columbus State University (Jr., Cass HS) . . . made one relief appearance last week allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in one of the two slugfest wins over visiting Peach Belt Conference foe, Georgia College. Wilson is one of four Cougar relievers with seven or more appearances. CSU swept the March 11-13 series, winning 14-13, 18-17, and 9-0. Columbus State also pounded Tuskegee 17-1 March 9 to go 4-0 for the week. CSU (20-4, 8-1 PBC) travels to Stillman College March 15 and hosts Lander University March 18-20.