Athletes Beyond Bartow update for week ending May 14
Except for Division I college baseball, the post-season for college sports has begun and Bartow County still has several athletes on teams either moving through the playoffs, competing in their championship meets, or preparing for their conference tournaments.
Also in MiLB action, Connor Justus has been hot at the plate recently and Sam Howard continues to perform at a high level.
MiLB
SAM HOWARD — Hartford Yard Goats - Double-A Eastern League - Colorado Rockies organization (4th year pro; LHP, Georgia Southern University; Cartersville HS). . . allowed only one earned run on three hits and two walks, but was saddled with the pitching loss for Hartford last Thursday. The Yard Goats rallied late, but lost at home to New Hampshire 4-3. Howard slips to 0-3 on the season, but has a solid 2.28 ERA through five starts this season in AAA Albuquerque and AA Hartford. He has pitched 23.2 innings and has fanned 23 with opponents batting only .176 against him. Hartford is 13-20 this season and 7.5 games behind Trenton (NYY) in the Eastern League’s Eastern Division.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Inland Empire 66ers - Class A Advanced - California League - Los Angeles Angels organization (2nd year pro; SS; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS). . . has hit safely in four straight games and eight of his last ten games for a .423 batting average over that stretch. The surge has lifted his season average to .229. He has two home runs - including one last Thursday night at home against Vis ?? and has 10 RBIs. The 66er’s shortstop has a .966 fielding percentage in 118 total chances this season and has been part of 19 double plays. Inland Empire (18-18) is currently in second place in the California League’s South Division, one game behind Dodgers’ affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
BASEBALL
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Freshman, LHP, Cartersville HS). . . made a pair of appearances for the Tigers this past week. He worked an inning and one-third Tuesday in an 8-2 loss at Alabama-Birmingham. He allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk. He fanned one Blazer. On Thursday, Anderson faced two batters in an eighth inning relief appearance at 10th-ranked LSU. He threw only three pitches yielding a hit and a groundout. He now has 11 appearances totalling 11 innings with a 7.36 ERA. Auburn (32-21, 14-13 Southeastern Conference) was 0-4 for the week after being swept at LSU. Auburn hosts Ole Miss this Thursday through Saturday and the SEC Tournament begins May 23 in Hoover, AL.
TY FOWLER — Tennessee Wesleyan College (Senior, RHP, Cartersville HS). . . Fowler and the Bulldogs are the No. 2 seed in the Kingsport (TN) Bracket and will play Indiana University Southeast on Monday at 2:30pm in their five team double-elimination NAIA Opening Round bracket. The tournament continues through Thursday with the winner advancing to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho May 26-June 2. Fowler has 12 appearances (3 starts) and has pitched 22.2 innings with a 2.78 ERA.
MICHAEL GOSS — UNC-Greensboro (Senior, 1B, Cartersville HS). . . hit a two-run homer Friday in a home loss to The Citadel and finished the weekend conference series 3-for-11 with a walk, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Goss is hitting .325 in 45 games (42 starts) with 157 at bats, 7 homers, 19 extra base hits, 43 RBIs, and a .548 SLG%. He also has a .996 fielding percentage in 373 chances. The Spartans (30-19, 13-8 Southern Conference) won two of three with The Citadel and close the SoCon regular season at Samford this Thursday through Saturday with the conference tournament in Greenville May 23-28.
SEAN McDERMOTT — Cleveland State CC (Sophomore, 1B, Adairsville HS). . . the Cougars were eliminated in the TCCAA playoffs last week, but the Mercer University signee was named First Team All-TCCAA with a .370 batting average, nine homers, and 36 RBIs for the year. He finished with a .438 on base percentage and a .656 slugging percentage that included 24 extra base hits.
HAYDEN SINIARD -- Chattahoochee Valley CC (Freshman, RHP, Woodland HS). . . worked the eighth inning Saturday allowing one hit, but otherwise retiring the side to complete a 13-5 win over Alabama Southern. CVCC (47-11) was eliminated in the ACCC tournament by Shelton State. Siniard has a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings of work this season with 13 strikeouts.
JO JO UNDERWOOD — UNC-Greensboro (Senior, 3B/C, Cartersville HS). . . started all three games of a home series with The Citadel this weekend and took advantage of the opportunity. The third baseman went 5-for-9 with a double, a sacrifice, a walk, and two RBIs hitting in the eight-hole. He now has appeared in 23 games with 12 starts. Underwood has a pair of home runs and eight RBIs and has raised his season average to .311. The Spartans (30-19, 13-8 Southern Conference) won two of three with The Citadel and close the SoCon regular season at Samford this Thursday through Saturday with the conference tournament in Greenville May 23-28.
TRACK AND FIELD
BREE COLE — Jacksonville State University (Freshman, Cartersville HS). . . finished 23rd (5:16.34) in the 1500 meters at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships in Oxford, AL where the Gamecocks finished seventh.
MILES BEARDEN — Kansas State University (Junior, Cartersville resident, Darlington HS). . . named the Big 12 Athlete of the Week last Wednesday by the conference office following his high jump victory at the Ward Haylett Invitational. Bearden cleared 2.15m/7-00.50 to win the Wildcats’ home meet. That gave him the third-best mark in the Big 12 and the 16th-best mark in the West Region heading into the Big 12 Championship. He finished eighth, earning one point for KSU Saturday at the Big 12 Championship in Lawrence, Kansas where the Wildcats were sixth headed into Sunday evening’s competition.
SPENCER FIELDS — Rhodes College (Sophomore, Kingston resident, Darlington HS). . . came within seconds of a new school record May 3 at the WashU Invite in St. Louis, MO with a time of 14:56.29 in the 5000 meters. Next for the Lynx is the Gregory Invitational May 19-20 in Naperville, IL followed by the NCAA D-III Outdoor Championships May 25-27 in Geneva, OH.
ANNA HIGHTOWER — Georgia Tech (Sophomore, Cartersville HS). . . placed 9th at the ACC Outdoor Championships hosted by Georgia Tech with a mark of 3.88 meters (12’-8.75”). Georgia Tech was 13th in the standings headed into Sunday evening.
SAMANTHA PATTERSON — Jacksonville State University (Junior, Woodland HS). . . . placed sixth in the pole vault with a mark of 3.26m/10’8.25” at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships. The Gamecocks finished seventh as a team.
BLAKE PERRY — Jacksonville State University (Junior, Cartersville HS). . . finished 11th in the 100 meter hurdles (14.95) and 12th in the triple jump (11.56m/37’11.25”) at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships. Her Gamecocks team finished seventh.
SOFTBALL
Reinhardt University, with local players Taylor Braselton, Sydney Flowers, Cassidy Howren, Hunter Irvin, and Taylor Weeks were assigned to the NAIA Sioux City Bracket that begins play Monday through Wednesday in Sioux City, IA. Reinhardt (41-14-1) is the No. 2 seed in the four-team Opening Round double-elimination tournament. Morningside (Iowa) is the top seed. Jamestown (ND) and Ottawa (KS) are the other two teams. Reinhardt opens play Monday at 2pm CST against third-seeded Jamestown.
BETHANY BALLARD — Armstrong State University (Senior, 1B/C, Cass HS). . . made a pinch hitting appearance Friday in the Lady Pirates 7-0 win over Young Harris in the Southeast Region Tournament in Savannah hosted by ASU. ASU (34-12) defeated Pfeiffer twice Sunday to advance to the NCAA D-II Southeast Super Regional May 18-19 at Peach Belt rival University of North Georgia.
