Former Cane, Adam Clark, featured in this week's baseball 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' updat

Former Cartersville High School pitcher, Adam Clark, worked seven innings in the championship game of the Association of Independent Institutions tournament as the Grizzlies advanced to the NAIA National Tournament this past week.

At the peak of the season, there were 23 locals contributing in various programs around the country. Many of those players' seasons have now concluded. The weekly report for local baseball 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' includes update capsules for the college players that wrapped up their seasons in the past week or continue in D-I or post-season play. Michael Goss (UNC-Greensboro), Robert Harris (Troy University), Connor Justus (Georgia Tech), and Jo Jo Underwood (UNC-Greensboro) each have one more weekend, regular season conference series remaining before their respective conference tournaments begin the following week. Chaz Wilson (Columbus State University) is a relief pitcher with the Cougars who won the Peach Belt Conference regular season and conference tournament titles. CSU will host the Southeast Regional of the NCAA D-II Tournament May 19-22. Clark (Georgia Gwinnett College) along with Ty Fowler (Tennessee Wesleyan) are on teams in the NAIA National Tournament. The opening round begins at nine sites May 17. Meanwhile, Mason Robinson (Wallace State-Dothan CC) remains in contention in the Alabama Community College Conference tournament. Week ending May 16:

ADAM CLARK — Georgia Gwinnett College (Sr., Cartersville HS) . . . tossed seven innings in the finals of the Association of Independent Institutions tournament as the Grizzlies won the title May 10. Clark allowed a run on two hits and a walk. He struck out six to pick up the win. He is 6-1 on the year with a 3.24 ERA in 13 starts. He was pitched 66 and 2/3 innings and collected 47 strikeouts. Opponents have a .236 batting average against him in 2016. Georgia Gwinnett (55-4) has won 13 striaght and is hosting the 5-team Lawrenceville Bracket in the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament May 17-20. BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Georgia Highlands CC (Soph., Cass HS) . . . went 2-for-11 with three walks and scored twice in the GCAA post-season tournament last week. The Chargers defeated Gordon State College in the opening round, but lost to Darton State and East Georgia State. Etheridge hit .278 in 56 games, scored 39 runs with 18 RBI and nine stolen bases. Georgia Highlands finished the season with a 28-31 record. TY FOWLER — Tennessee Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . made a one inning relief appearance in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament May 11 in Kingsport, TN during a 16-7 win over Union College (KY).. He allowed three unearned runs off two hits and three walks. Fowler has made nine appearances for the Bulldogs, pitching 11 innings with a 2.45 ERA. Opponents have a .244 batting average against him. Tennessee Wesleyan (45-12) won five of six games in the tournament to capture the AAC title. The Bulldogs are the top seed at the NAIA Opening Round in Kingsport, TN May 17-20. MICHAEL GOSS — UNC-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 0-for-5 with a pair of walks and scored a run in a weekend Southern Conference series with Western Carolina. The Spartans dropped two of three games to the Catamounts and slipped to 36-17 overall and 14-7 in conference. Goss is hitting .316 on the year in 40 starts with three homers and 19 extra base hits. He has driven in 27 runs and stolen three bases. UNCG hosts SoCon co-leader, Mercer, May 19-21 in both teams’ final conference series prior to the Southern Conference Tournament in Greenville, SC May 24-29. ROBERT HARRIS — Troy University (Jr., Adairsville HS) . . . pitched the final inning of a 9-3 win at Georgia State May 14 as the Trojans swept a three-game series in Atlanta. Harris has worked 32 innings in 20 appearances. He has 30 strikeouts and a 6.19 ERA. Troy (30-23 overall, 15-12 Sun Belt Conference) hosts South Alabama for the final conference weekend of the season May 19-21. The Sun Belt Conference Tournament begins May 25 in San Marcos, TX. CONNOR JUSTUS — Georgia Tech (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . went 2-for-12 with one RBI and scored a run in a three game series over the weekend at Virginia. The Yellow Jackets’ shortstop has a .352 batting average and a .471 on-base percentage for the year that includes 14 doubles, three triples, six homers, 51 runs, and 36 RBI. Georgia Tech (33-18, 12-14 ACC) was 2-2 last week with a win over Savannah State and won one of three at Virginia. The 25th-ranked Jackets play Georgia at Turner Field May 17 and host Boston College May 19-21 in the final ACC regular season series. The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament is in Durham, NC May 24-29. SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Fr., Adairsville HS) . . . went 1-for-8 with one RBI as the Cougars were knocked out of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Tournament May 9-10 by Jackson State and Motlow State. McDermott hit .357 for the season in 48 games. He hit 12 home runs, scored 34 runs, and drove in 39. Cleveland State finished the year 30-21. CHRIS MORTON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., Cass HS) . . .the Chargers’ lefty pitched one inning against top-seeded Darton State in the GCAA tournament May 12. He yielded a pair of runs on two hits and two walks. He recorded one strikeout. Morton logged 7 and 2/3 innings across 10 relief appearances for the year. He had a 5.87 ERA with six strikeouts. Georgia Highlands (28-31) won one of three games at the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. MASON ROBINSON — Wallace State-Dothan CC (Soph., Woodland HS) . . . hitting .299 through 51 games for the Governors with a .375 on-base percentage. He has three homers and 23 extra base hits along with nine stolen bases. Wallace State-Dothan defeated Lawson State, Shelton State, and Calhoun College in the preliminary rounds of the Alabama Community College Conference Tournament before losing to Chattahoochee Valley May 16 in the double-elimination portion of the tournament. WSCC faces Calhoun College in an elimination game May 17 with the winner needing two wins over Chatt Valley for a conference title. JO JO UNDERWOOD — University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Jr., Cartersville HS) . . . played in all three games of the Western Carolina series May 13-15 with one official at bat. He now has 27 appearances as a catcher, third baseman, or pinch hitter. The Spartans dropped two of three games to the Catamounts and slipped to 36-17 overall and 14-7 in conference. UNCG hosts SoCon co-leader, Mercer, May 19-21 in both teams’ final conference series prior to the Southern Conference Tournament in Greenville, SC May 24-29. Did we miss someone? If so, please let us know. Use the contact page of this web site or Email: bartowsportszone@comcast.net