'Athletes Beyond Bartow' baseball update for week ending May 1

This week's 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' baseball report includes updates on 15 of the 24 former local high school baseball players currently contributing at their respective college programs across the country. A few schools have completed their 2016 season, while others are wrapping up their regular seasons. Still other programs are moving into post-season play at conference or regional tournaments.

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

BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Georgia Highlands CC (Soph., Cass HS) . . . was 5-for-16 in a four game series with Gordon State College last week. He scored three runs with a triple and a pair of walks. Etheridge has a .290 batting average for the season with 35 runs, 16 RBI, and eight stolen bases in 49 games. The Chargers split the four game set with Gordon and currently sit fourth in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association standings with a final regular season series this week against West Georgia Tech CC. GHC (26-26, 11-13) travels to LaGrange for the series opener Tuesday afternoon and will host the final three games May 6-7 at LakePoint in Emerson. Friday’s game is at 6pm. The Saturday DH starts at 1pm.

MICHAEL GOSS — UNC-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 3-for-5 and scored twice with a triple, two doubles, and two RBI April 26 in a home, non-conference win over Campbell. Goss was then 3-for-10 and scored two runs with one RBI in a three game home, conference series sweep of Samford. He has a .338 batting average with 19 extra base hits and 27 RBI through 34 games played. The Spartans (33-13 overall, 11-4 Southern Conference) currently lead the conference by 1.5 games over Mercer and Western Carolina. UNCG has a conference series this week at Wofford, May 6-8.

ROBERT HARRIS — Troy University (Jr., Adairsville HS) . . . made a pair of relief appearances in Sun Belt Conference games at Texas State. He earned a save April 29 by recording the final out in a 12-8 win on only four pitches. He also worked a one inning stint May 1 during a 4-1 loss. He allowed a pair of hits, but finished a shutout inning. Harris has pitched 25 and 2/3 innings in 17 appearances with 26 strikeouts and a 5.61 ERA. The Trojans (25-19, 11-10) play a non-conference game at Alabama State May 4 and host a conference series with University of Louisiana-Monroe May 6-8.

HARRISON HATFIELD — Shorter University (Soph, Cartersville HS) . . . went 5-for-9 in a pair of starts and one substitute appearance April 30 and May 1 as the Hawks swept a three-game, Gulf South Conference series at home over Christian Brothers University. Hatfield scored five runs, drove in three, stole a base, and had a sacrifice during the series. He had a .195 batting average for the season in 21 game appearances. He started at second base 11 times. Shorter finished the season with a 17-32 mark and was 9-24 in the GSC.

BRADLEY HOOD — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . made a one inning relief appearance April 26 during a 16-8 home loss to Gordon State College. He yielded four runs on a pair of hits and three walks. He struck out two. Hood has made 13 relief appearances for the Chargers this season and pitched 14 and 2/3 innings. He has 12 strikeouts and carries a 6.75 ERA. GHC (26-26, 11-13 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) travels to West Georgia Tech Tuesday and hosts the Golden Knights for a single game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday at LakePoint in Emerson.

TRIPP JAMIESON — Univ. of the Cumberlands (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 0-for-4, but scored a run in a 15-5 home loss to 5th-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan on April 26. Jamieson was then 2-for-7, including a walk, a run scored, and one RBI as the Patriots were knocked out of the Mid-South Conference playoffs in a pair of losses at Lindsey Wilson (KY). In 36 games (31 starts), Jamieson had two homers and 19 RBI with a .253 batting average. The Patriots finished the year 33-23, 9-12 in the Mid-South Conference.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Georgia Tech (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 1-for-4 with a walk and one RBI during a 13-5 loss at Georgia April 26. Justus then went 2-for-11, including a walk, three runs, and three RBI in a three-game, non-conference sweep of Coastal Carolina in Atlanta. Justus leads the No. 25 Yellow Jackets with a .368 batting average in 44 games started at shortstop. He has six homeruns, 23 extra base hits, and 33 RBI. He has stolen eight bases and carries a .591 slugging percentage with an on base percentage of .486. Justus also sports a .944 fielding percentage. Georgia Tech (30-14 overall, 10-10 ACC) returns to conference play May 7-9, hosting Miami.

SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Fr., Adairsville HS) . . .went 2-for-14 with one double and two RBI as the Cougars won two of three conference games at Roane State CC April 29-30. McDermott has a .369 batting average with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, and 34 runs scored through 46 games. CSCC (30-19 overall, 17-10 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association) enter their conference tournament at Columbia State CC as the 3rd-seed. Cleveland State plays Jackson State CC on Monday, May 9 in both team’s TCCAA tournament opener.

CHRIS MORTON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . . made a one inning relief appearance April 26 during a 16-8 home loss to Gordon State College. He walked two batters, but tossed a shutout frame. Morton has made eight relief appearances this season for the Chargers, pitching 5 and 2/3 innings. He has five strikeouts and a 1.59 ERA. GHC (26-26, 11-13 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) travels to West Georgia Tech Tuesday and hosts the Golden Knights for a single game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday at LakePoint in Emerson

HUNTER OSBORN — Reinhardt University (Soph., Cartersville HS) . . . made his 13th start of the season April 29 at 21st-ranked Bryan College (TN) in a 7-5 loss. He pitched 2 and 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and five walks. He struck out one. Osborn finished the season with a 6-5 mark in 66 and 2/3 innings with a 3.51 ERA. Reinhardt (29-25 overall, 10-17 Appalachian Athletic Conference) concluded its third winning season in a row and the best three-year run in program history with a record of 94-78.

MASON ROBINSON — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Soph., Woodland HS) . . . went 6-for-11 with a home run, five RBI, two walks, four runs scored, and one stolen base as the Governors won three of four games in a conference, home-and-home series with Wallace State-Selma April 28-30. He was also 0-for-4 in a 5-2 home loss to Gulf Coast State College April 25. Robinson has a .303 batting average with three homers and 27 RBI through 47 games. He has scored 27 runs and has eight stolen bases. Wallace State-Dothan (31-20, 16-12) is fourth in the Alabama Community College Conference and concludes regular season play May 5-6 with an ACCC series vs. Enterprise State CC.

TRISTON SMITH — Young Harris College (Soph., Adairsville HS) . . . scored one run on a walk and stole a base in four plate appearances April 29-30 at home against Georgia Southwestern. Smith started 27 games and appeared in 34 games for the Mountain Lions. He finished with a .208 batting average, five doubles, and four RBI. YHC concluded the season with a 12-37 overall record and 6-23 in the Peach Belt Conference.

JO JO UNDERWOOD — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made defensive appearances at third base during a 10-2 home win over Campbell April 26 and a 10-2 home conference win over Samford April 29. The Spartans (33-13 overall, 11-4 Southern Conference) currently lead the conference by 1.5 games over Mercer and Western Carolina. UNCG has a conference series this week at Wofford, May 6-8.

ASA WILLIAMS — Reinhardt University (Sr., Cartersville HS). . . went 0-for-2 in a start at catcher April 29 during a 7-5 loss to 21st-ranked Bryan College (TN). Williams finished with a .189 batting average in 16 game appearances. He had six RBI and started 13 games. Reinhardt (29-25 overall, 10-17 Appalachian Athletic Conference) concluded its third winning season in a row and the best three-year run in program history with a record of 94-78.

CHAZ WILSON — Columbus State University (Jr., Cass HS) . . . tossed a shutout ninth inning April 30 (video above) as the Cougars clinched the Peach Belt Conference regular season title with a home win over UNC-Pembroke. Wilson has made 14 relief appearances, working 19 and 1/3 innings with 17 strikeouts. He has a 5.59 ERA and opponents have a .197 batting average against him. Columbus State (39-11 overall, 23-7 PBC) will be the top-seed at the eight-team Peach Belt Conference tournament May 11-14 in Florence, SC.

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