Athletes Beyond Bartow: Pro and college baseball weekly update
At the professional level, Connor Justus hit .333 for the week to improve his season batting average and Sam Howard remains inactive on the Albuquerque disabled list.
On the collegiate diamonds, several teams and a handful of local athletes at the NCAA Division I level await their post-season fate with the Field of 64 field to be announced Monday at noon.
The pro and college baseball weekly update for the week ending Sunday, May 27.
MiLB
SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (5th-yr. pro; LHP; Colorado Rockies organization; Georgia Southern University; Cartersville HS)… remains listed on the Isotopes’ 7-day disabled list and has not pitched since injuring his throwing shoulder May 12 during a baserunning slide at home plate against Salt Lake. Based on scheduled starters on the Albuquerque web site, Howard is not scheduled to start again until at least after Thursday’s game. The southpaw has a 2-3 record this season in seven starts. He has a 5.01 ERA and 30 strikeouts in just over 32 innings pitched.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (3rd-yr. pro; MIF; L.A. Angels organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… finished the week with a flurry Sunday by going 3-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in a 6-3 home loss to division-leading Biloxi. Justus was 6-for-18 for the week (.333) with one RBI, four runs scored, and three walks as the BayBears went 4-3 to remain 3.5 games behind Biloxi in the Southern League’s Southern Division. His batting average is now up to .216, the best it has been since the third week of the season. Mobile (26-23) starts a five-day, five-game series at the Tennessee Smokies Tuesday before playing at the Chattanooga Lookouts Sunday through June 7.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (So., LHP, Cartersville HS)… struck out the only batter he faced this week during a 7-0 SEC Tournament game loss to 4th-ranked Ole Miss. 23rd-ranked Auburn went 2-2 in the tournament with wins over Ole Miss and 26th-ranked Kentucky. The Tigers (39-21), who will find out their NCAA Regional assignment Monday, had SEC tourney losses to Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech (R-Jr., OF, Woodland HS)… went 2-for-11 in three Conference USA tournament games Saturday and Sunday in Biloxi, Mississippi. Robinson had one RBI in the Bulldogs’ 7-5 win over Florida International Saturday. Louisiana Tech (39-20) also had C-USA tournament losses to Rice and Florida Atlantic. The Bulldogs, who entered the week on the bubble of qualifying for their second NCAA Tournament in the past three years, will now await Selection Monday to see if their season will be extended.
