'Athletes Beyond Bartow' baseball update for week ending April 17

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.

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

CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Maryville College (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . the Scots second baseman went 3-for-4 with a walk and scored four runs in the regular season finale’ against Centre College (KY) April 12. In the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament in Wilson, NC April 14-17, Dempsey was 2-for-6, scored three runs, and had 2 RBI as the Scots beat Methodist (NC) and Averett (VA) to reach the conference best-of-three championship series. In the finals series, Dempsey was 4-for-11 with a walk, two runs scored, and one RBI. Maryville won the first game 9-2, but lost the last two games, 1-0 and 9-8 to finish conference tournament runner-up. Dempsey has a .331 batting average with 18 RBI in 43 games this season. The Scots (29-15) set a school record for wins in 2016 and await a potential at-large bid to the NCAA D3 Tournament. The field will be announced on Sunday, May 8.

BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Georgia Highlands CC (Soph., Cass HS) . . . went 3-for-15 with a walk and two runs scored as the Chargers dropped three of four games with South Georgia State CC in a Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference series. Etheridge has a .283 batting average for the season with 15 RBI and eight stolen bases in 41 games played. GHC (23-21, 8-8) plays a four-game series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College that begins April 19 at LakePoint in Emerson and includes three road games in Tifton April 22-23.

TY FOWLER — Tennessee Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made an eighth inning home appearance April 15 allowing a pair of unearned runs with two walks and a strikeout as the 6th-ranked Bulldogs defeated Truett-McConnell College 12-7. Fowler now has seven appearances and nine innings pitched. He has a 1-0 record and a 2.00 ERA with opponents hitting only .229 against him. Tennessee Wesleyan (33-9 overall, 19-2 Appalachian Athletic Conference) plays a three-game conference series at Point University (GA) April 22-23.

MICHAEL GOSS — UNC-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 3-for-6, scored twice, and drove in two runs in a home-and-home split April 12-13 with Wake Forest. The Deamon Deacons won 6-4 at home and the Spartans won in a home rout,18-3. He was 2-for-12, including an RBI double, with a walk and two runs scored as the Spartans won two of three games with conference foe Furman April 15-17. Goss has a .330 batting average with 15 extra base hits, including three homers, in 26 starts. UNCG (28-10 overall, 7-2 Southern Conference) play a non-conference game at Elon (NC) April 20 and host a three-game conference series with East Tennessee State April 22-24.

ROBERT HARRIS — Troy University (Jr., Adairsville HS) . . . made a pair of two-inning relief appearances against Jacksonville State (April 12) at home and at Arkansas State (April 15). He allowed two hits, a walk, and one earned run in an 8-7 loss to Jacksonville State. He also allowed an earned run on three hits in an 11-1 win at Arkansas State. Harris struck out seven in the four innings of work. He has pitched 23 and 1/3 innings with a 5.79 ERA in 14 appearances. The Trojans (22-15, 8-7 Sun Belt Conference) play at Alabama April 19 in a non-conference game before hosting a three-game conference series with UT-Arlington April 22-24.

HARRISON HATFIELD — Shorter University (Soph, Cartersville HS) . . . had a ninth inning, pinch hit single in an 8-0 loss at University of West Alabama April 17. He has 19 appearances for the Hawks this season, including seven starts. The Hawks suffered four losses during the week. Shorter (13-28 overall, 6-21 Gulf South Conference) plays at Southern Wesleyan University April 20 in a non-conference game and plays at University of West Florida in a three-game conference series April 23-24.

BRADLEY HOOD — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . made a one inning relief appearance April 15 during an 11-1 loss to South Georgia State CC. He walked one and allowed one hit. Hood has pitched 12 and 2/3 innings in 11 appearances for Georgia Highlands with 10 strikeouts and a 2.84 ERA. The Chargers (23-21, 8-8) play a four-game series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College that begins April 19 at LakePoint in Emerson and includes three road games in Tifton April 22-23.

TRIPP JAMIESON — Univ. of the Cumberlands (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 1-for-3 in a 5-0 win at Alice Lloyd (KY) April 13 and went 2-for-9 with one RBI in a three-game, home series sweep of St. Catharine (KY) April 15-16. Jamieson has a .256 batting average with two home runs and 16 RBI in 31 games. He has started 26 games, usually as designated hitter. The Patriots (29-18 overall, 7-11 Mid-South Conference) play a doubleheader at Milligan College (TN) April 19, host Asbury University (KY) April 20, and play a three-game conference series at University of Pikeville (KY) April 22-23.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Georgia Tech (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 2-for-8, coaxed six walks, scored three runs, and collected three RBI as the Yellow Jackets won one of three games in a conference series with NC State April 15-17. He was also 0-4 in a 3-1 loss to Georgia April 12. Justus has a .375 batting average with 18 extra base hits, including a pair of homeruns, and 24 RBI in 35 starts this season. His slugging percentage is .559 and he has seven stolen bases. The shortstop also has a .948 fielding percentage in 174 chances. Georgia Tech (24-11 overall, 8-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) hosts Mercer April 19, plays at Georgia State April 20, and travels to ACC rival, Clemson, April 22-24.

SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Fr., Adairsville HS) . . . had one hit and two RBI as the Cougars split a doubleheader at Tusculum College JV April 13. He also went 5-for-10 with two homeruns and a double with three RBI in a three-game conference series at Columbia State CC April 15-16. McDermott is hitting .400 for the season with 11 homeruns and 35 RBI through 40 games. The Cougars (27-16 overall, 14-7 TCCAA) host Dyersburg State CC in a three-game Tennessee Community College Athletic Association series April 22-23.

CHRIS MORTON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . pitched 1 and 2/3 innings of relief April 16 in a 9-6 loss to South Georgia State CC. He allowed a pair of hits and a pair of runs, although only one run was earned. Morton recorded one strikeout. He recorded two outs, including one strikeout, in a relief appearance April 15 during an 11-1 loss to SGSCC. He has now made seven relief appearances with 4 and 2/3 innings pitched. He has a 1.93 ERA and five strikeouts. The Chargers (23-21, 8-8) play a four-game series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College that begins April 19 at LakePoint in Emerson and includes three road games in Tifton April 22-23.

HUNTER OSBORN — Reinhardt University (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . made his 11th start of the season April 16 at home against St. Andrews (NC) in a 5-2 loss. He pitched five innings, allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out three. Osborn has a 6-3 record with 59 innings pitched and a 2.75 ERA. Reinhardt (27-20 overall, 8-13 Appalachian Athletic Conference) was swept in a three-game home series with St. Andrews College (NC) April 16-17. The Eagles play at Georgia Gwinnett College April 19 and will host a three-game conference series with Bluefield College (VA) April 23-24.

MASON ROBINSON — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Soph., Woodland HS) . . . went 4-for-13, scored two runs, and drove in two as Wallace State-Dothan split a four-game, conference series with Jefferson Davis CC April 15-16. Robinson has a .298 batting average and a .484 slugging percentage in 38 games for the Governors. He has two homeruns, 19 RBI, and has stolen six bases. WSCC-Dothan (26-15 overall, 12-8 Alabama Community College Conference) plays Central Alabama CC at Ozark, AL April 18 and plays a four-game, conference home-and-home series with Faulkner State CC April 21 and 23.

TRISTON SMITH — Young Harris College (Soph., Adairsville HS) . . . had one hit and scored a run in an 11-2 loss at Montevallo April 17. He also made four other starts during the week as the Mountain Lions suffered losses to Tusculum and Lee in non-conference games and were swept at Montevallo. Smith has a .195 batting average with four RBI in 22 games for the Mountain Lions. YHC (12-30 overall, 6-18 Peach Belt Conference) hosts University of West Georgia April 19, Brevard College (NC) April 20 and travels to Georgia College April 22-24 for a three-game conference series.

JO JO UNDERWOOD — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made a pinch hitting appearance and was hit by a pitch during an 18-3 home win over Wake Forest April 13. He also entered to play third base in a 9-7 loss at Wake Forest April 12. Underwood has a .182 batting average with three RBI in 11 at bats and has appeared in 20 games for the Spartans. UNCG (28-10 overall, 7-2 Southern Conference) play a non-conference game at Elon (NC) April 20 and host a three-game conference series with East Tennessee State April 22-24.

CHAZ WILSON — Columbus State University (Jr., Cass HS) . . . has worked 16 and one-third innings in 12 relief appearances for the Cougars with 16 strikeouts and a 6.06 ERA. He made an eighth inning relief appearance April 16 at Augusta University with CSU leading 2-1 at the time. He allowed a single to the only batter he faced, but the Cougars rallied to win 7-2 and eventually swept the three-game conference series. Columbus State (33-10 overall, 18-6 Peach Belt Conference) has won 11 straight and currently sits atop the conference standings. The Cougars host Armstrong State for three PBC games April 23-24.

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