McDermott stays hot, Osborn returns to winning ways -- baseball 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' upd

This week's 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' baseball report includes updates on 16 of the 25 former local high school baseball players currently contributing at their respective college programs across the country.

Hunter Osborn improved to 5-1 in eight starts for Reinhardt University with a five-inning performance last week and Sean McDermott continued his hot hitting trend with a 7-for-12 week for Cleveland State CC.

Bartow Sports Zone maintains a roster of local athletes competing currently on college or professional rosters. See the 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' page on this web site for more.

BASEBALL Week ending Sunday, March 27

CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Maryville College (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . the Scots second baseman was 1-for-3 with one RBI in an 8-3 home loss to Berry College March 22. He was 1-for-8 with a walk in a home, weekend conference series with Huntington. Maryville lost two of three and slipped to 19-9 overall and 9-6 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Dempsey has a .307 batting average in 27 games played. He has 10 RBI and seven stolen bases. The Scots host a doubleheader with Rust College March 28 and travel to Emory for a two-game set, April 2-3.

BO EDWARDS — University of North Georgia (Sr., Adairsville HS) . . . walked four times and drove in a run in a start as designated hitter March 26 as the Nighthawks lost 7-6 at Armstrong State. North Georgia won two of three in Savannah and also defeated University of West Georgia earlier in the week. UNG (16-13 overall, 8-10 in Peach Belt Conference) hosts Anderson University March 29 and has a home, three-game conference series with Lander University April 1-3.

TY FOWLER — Tennessee Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . allowed two hits and a walk, but no runs with five strikeouts in a two inning relief appearance March 23 at home during an 11-3 win over Midland (Neb.) College. Fowler has pitched seven and one-third innings in five appearances with a 2.45 ERA and a .267 batting average against. The Bulldogs host Cumberland (TN) University March 30 and play a three-game series at Montreat (NC) College April 2-3.

MICHAEL GOSS — UNC-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 2-for-4 in an 8-4 home victory over Georgetown March 25 and was 0-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch in a 5-4 win over the Hoyas March 26. Goss has a .321 batting average in 13 starts and 53 at bats. He has 2 homers and 13 RBI. UNCG (18-6) entertains North Carolina A&T March 29, travels to Campbell University March 30, and hosts a three-game conference series with Virginia Military Institute April 1-3.

ROBERT HARRIS — Troy University (Jr., Adairsville HS) . . . made two relief appearances allowing no runs or hits in three innings during the week. He pitched two innings in an 8-0 home win over Alabama A&M March 22 and worked an inning during an 11-8 loss at Arkansas-Little Rock March 24. Harris has pitched 16 and 2/3 innings in eight appearances this season with a 4.32 ERA and 16 strikeouts. Troy (13-12 overall, 3-6 in the Sunbelt Conference) hosts Alabama State March 29 and has a home, conference series with New Orleans April 1-3.

HARRISON HATFIELD — Shorter University (Soph, Cartersville HS) . . . entered to play second base March 23 in a home loss to Lincoln Memorial University and made a pinch hitting appearance in a loss to University of Alabama-Huntsville March 25. The Hawks lost three of four for the week. Shorter (11-19 overall, 5-13 in the Gulf South Conference) travels to University of West Georgia for a three-game, conference series April 2-3.

TRIPP JAMIESON — Univ. of the Cumberlands (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 1-for-4, scored two runs, and drew a walk in an 11-2 win at Union College (KY) March 23… he then went 1-for-3, scored three runs with a walk in a March 26 loss to Lindsey Wilson (KY). Jamieson has played in 23 games, starting 18 and has a .259 batting average. He has hit a pair of homers and driven in 14 runs. Cumberlands (20-13, 3-6 Mid-South Conference) plays at Berea College (KY) March 29, hosts Alice Lloyd College March 30, and travels to Cumberland University (TN) for a three-game, conference series April 1-2.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Georgia Tech (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . was 2-for-5 with a walk and scored three runs in a 13-2 win at Kennesaw State March 22. He was 1-for-12 and scored two runs in a three-game series at University of North Carolina March 24-26. The 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets’ shortstop has a .372 batting average and has started all 23 games. Justus has hit a pair of homeruns and has 13 extra base hits driving in 17 runs. Georgia Tech (18-5 overall, 5-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) hosts Georgia Southern March 30 and Duke April 1-3 in a conference, three-game series. CODY LEDBETTER — Young Harris College (Fr., Cass HS) . . . made his second appearance of the season March 26, retiring the only UNC-Pembroke batter he faced in two pitches with a fly out during a 10-3 loss. The Mountain Lions won one of three conference games over the weekend with the visiting Braves. Young Harris (10-19 overall, 5-13 Peach Belt Conference) plays host to Lee University March 29 and travels to Anderson University for a non-conference, three-game series April 2-3.

SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Fr., Adairsville HS) . . . went 7-for-12, scored four runs, and drove in three during a three-game, home series against Chattanooga State CC. McDermott has a .393 batting average in 26 games for the Cougars and has driven in 18 runs. Cleveland State (17-11 overall, 8-4 TCCAA) entertains the University of Cumberlands (KY) JV in a doubleheader March 28 and travels to Walters State CC April 1-2 for three games.

HUNTER OSBORN — Reinhardt University (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . bounced back from his only loss of the year with a 90-pitch, 5-inning winning performance at Milligan College (TN). The 3-2 win enabled the Eagles to salvage one game in the three-game, conference series. Osborn allowed only one run on two hits and five walks. He struck out seven, dropping his season ERA to 1.93. He has now pitched 42 innings and has a .188 batting average against. Reinhardt (22-12 overall, 6-6 Appalachian Athletic Conference) has a home, non-conference game with Georgia Gwinnett College March 29 and entertains a three-game, conference series with Point University April 1-2.

MASON ROBINSON — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Soph., Woodland HS) . . . was 1-for-7 with a triple as the Governors swept a doubleheader with Bishop State CC and lost on the road at Andrew College (GA). He walked three times and drove in three runs. Robinson has a .253 batting average with two homers, 10 RBI, 16 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 26 games this season. Wallace State-Dothan (18-11, 6-4 Alabama Community College Conference) takes a week off before playing again on April 4 at Central Alabama CC.

TRISTON SMITH — Young Harris College (Soph., Adairsville HS) . . . went 1-for-11 in a three-game, home conference series with UNC-Pembroke starting at shortstop and batting second in the order. He now has 11 starts and has appeared in 14 games for the Mountain Lions, carrying a .283 batting average. Smith has three RBI and five walks. The Mountain Lions won one of three conference games over the weekend with the visiting Braves. Young Harris (10-19 overall, 5-13 Peach Belt Conference) plays host to Lee University March 29 and travels to Anderson University for a non-conference, three-game series April 2-3.

JO JO UNDERWOOD — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . scored a run as a pinch runner in a 17-9 home win March 24 over Georgetown. Underwood added an RBI in a 5-4 win over Georgetown March 26 with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth to give the Spartans a win. He is 2-for-10 on the season with 3 RBI in 12 game appearances. UNCG (18-6) entertains North Carolina A&T March 29, travels to Campbell University March 30, and hosts a three-game conference series with Virginia Military Institute April 1-3.

TYLER WILL — Berry College (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made a one-inning relief appearance at Maryville College (TN) March 22 during an 8-3 win. He allowed no runs on one hit. Will has made eight appearance for the Vikings, striking out three. He has recorded one save in eight innings of work with a 3.38 ERA. Berry was 4-0 for the week with a conference sweep of Rhodes College. The Vikings (21-8 overall, 7-5 Southern Athletic Association) play at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta April 1-2 for a three-game conference series.

CHAZ WILSON — Columbus State University (Jr., Cass HS) . . . the right-hand reliever made an appearance at Flagler College March 25 and got out of a sixth inning jam with a pop up and a fly out. He then returned to the mound in the seventh and walked a batter before being lifted for a lefty-lefty matchup. Wilson has nine relief appearances with a 4.85 ERA. The Cougars won a home, non-conference game over Point University March 23, but were swept in St. Augustine by conference foe, Flagler College March 25-26. 17th-ranked Columbus State (22-10 overall, 9-6 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Auburn-Montgomery March 30 before traveling to Georgia Southwestern for a three-game, conference series April 1-2.