Athletes Beyond Bartow: Pro and College baseball update
The Athletes Beyond Bartow pro and college baseball update for the week ending Sunday, March 4.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING
SAM HOWARD — Colorado Rockies (5th yr. pro; LHP; Georgia Southern University; Cartersville HS)… worked the third and fourth innings of the Rockies’ second Spring game of the year February 24 and was credited with the win as Colorado defeated Cincinnati 11-4. Howard allowed one hit, two walks, and hit a batter but did not allow a run. He fanned two Reds.
Last Thursday, Howard worked the third and fourth innings of a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Cubs. He allowed a leadoff walk in the third inning and — after a lineout — a two-run homer to Cubs’ centerfielder Ian Happ. Howard then retired the Cubs in order in the fourth inning. The Rockies are 3-6-1 in Cactus League play through Sunday’s games.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Los Angeles Angels (3rd yr. pro; SS; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… saw action at shortstop and went 1-for-2 with the major league Los Angeles Angels February 23 in a 9-8 spring training, opening day loss to the Oakland A’s. He also had an at-bat and played shortstop last Monday in a 10-4 loss to the San Diego Padres. Justus has played 8 and one-third innings with the major league club and has no errors in four defensive chances. The Angels are 5-5 through Sunday’s Cactus League games.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
BRANDON ALLEN — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., OF/P, Woodland HS)… had one plate appearance Friday in the Chargers 8-3 win over Macomb (MI) CC. GHC (13-5, 0-1) won two of three games over the weekend, but the loss was at conference foe, East Georgia on Saturday. On Sunday, Allen drove in four runs with two hits, including a double and a walk in a 24-7 win over Macomb. The Chargers play a four-game series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with only Wednesday’s game at home.
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Soph., LHP, Cartersville HS)… picked up his second win of the season last Tuesday despite allowing two earned runs on a hit and a walk. He entered to work a scoreless seventh with the Tigers trailing 4-3 and his offense provided four runs in the top of the eighth for a 7-4 lead at the time. Anderson allowed a hit and a walk in the eighth and was removed. Those runners eventually scored, but the Tigers held on for a one-run win. In last Friday’s series opener vs. Brigham Young, he entered in the sixth inning and allowed a hit to the only batter he faced in the Tigers’ 4-3 win. Auburn (12-0) remains undefeated in 2018 and plays at UAB Tuesday night before hosting Northeastern in a weekend series Friday through Sunday.
BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (Fr., 1B, Cass HS)… appeared in three games this past week and was 2-for-4 as a pinch hitter and DH replacement. The Mountain Lions were 2-2 for the week that included wins in two of three Peach Belt Conference games against 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. YHC (8-10, 4-5) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday before traveling to Augusta University Friday through Sunday for a three-game conference series.
BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Limestone College (Sr., OF, Cass HS)… went 5-for-12 in a weekend series at Francis Marion University as the Saints won two of three games. Etheridge drove in two runs, scored four, and walked four times. The starting center fielder raised his batting average to .268 in 18 starts. He has walked nine times with four RBI and a pair of extra base hits. Limestone (10-8, 2-1) hosts Saginaw Valley State University in a pair of mid-week games Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to Emmanuel College (GA) for a three-game Conference Carolinas series Friday and Saturday.
CODY JOHNSON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., RHP, Cass HS)… worked an inning and one-third Sunday in the Chargers’ 24-7 win over Macomb (MI) CC. He allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. Georgia Highlands (14-6, 0-1 GCAA) hosts Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at LakePoint Wednesday in the first game of a four-game conference series that continues with a single game Friday and and doubleheader Saturday in Tifton.
SEAN McDERMOTT — Mercer University (Jr., 1B, Adairsville HS)… went 1-for-6 in a pair of starts last Tuesday and Wednesday as the Bears swept a home-and-home series with Kennesaw State. Mercer (8-2) hosts a three-game series Sunday and Monday, March 4-5 with Holy Cross.
HARRISON OSBORN — Point University (Fr., RHP, Cartersville HS)… earned his second pitching win of the year last Tuesday in an 8-4 Skyhawks win over visiting Tuskegee University. Harrison allowed four earned runs on five hits and a walk in five innings. He fanned three. Point (12-6, 3-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) won all five games last week including a three-game sweep of Bluefield College (VA). The Skyhawks travel to Talladega College for a doubleheader Wednesday before hosting a three-game conference series with St. Andrews University (NC) Friday and Saturday.
HUNTER REAID — Shorter University (Fr., C, Woodland HS)… drew a pair of walks and scored a run in a start Saturday as the Hawks lost 9-4 to visiting Mississippi College. He also had one plate appearance in a second game Saturday won by the Choctaws, 8-6. Reaid has a .267 batting average in 15 at-bats with one double, four walks, and one RBI. Shorter (9-10, 2-4 Gulf South Conference) travels to Florence, AL Saturday and Sunday for a three-game conference series at University of North Alabama.
TRISTIN SMITH — Young Harris College (R-Jr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… In a start at second base, Smith coaxed a walk and scored a run in the Mountain Lions’ 10-4 win Saturday over 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. He ntered off the bench Friday and went 1-for-1 with two walks and scored a run in an 8-4 victory and was 0-for-1 but was hit by a pitch last Tuesday in a 5-4 loss to Truett-McConnell. YHC (8-10, 4-5 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday and plays a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Augusta University.
TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… was 1-for-5 with a walk and a sacrifice in a pair of starts and wins Friday and Saturday against 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. He also entered off the bench and went 2-for-2 last Tuesday in a home loss to Truett-McConnell. Washington has a .243 batting average in 37 at-bats with six walks and three RBI. YHC (8-10, 4-5) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday before traveling to Augusta University Friday through Sunday for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series.
