Athletes Beyond Bartow: Fields concludes senior campaign, locals advance in NCAA baseball tourney
Kingston native Spencer Fields concluded his collegiate career with a final 10,000 meter run performance at the NCAA Division III National Championships and former Cartersville High School baseball standouts Elliott Anderson and Devin Warner will join their Auburn Tigers in the Atlanta Regional of the 2019 NCAA Baseball Tournament to highlight this week's edition of the 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' update.
Photos (L-R): Fields, Anderson, Warner
TRACK AND FIELD TERRY BERDIN — Reinhardt University (Fr., Cartersville HS)… along with his 4x100-meter relay teammates placed ninth in prelims at the NAIA track and field outdoor championships on Thursday in Gulf Shores, Alabama. That finish left them out of the top-eight positions which qualified for the finals. The Eagles’ 4x100-meter team did, however, set a new school record with a 41.35 finish.
SPENCER FIELDS — Rhodes College (Sr., Kingston, GA, Darlington HS)… capped his senior campaign with a 13th place finish in the 10K race Thursday at the NCAA D-III National Championships in Geneva, Ohio. His time was 31:26.45. Fields completed his career with the Lynx as the school record-holder in the 10K, 5K, and 3K.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Jr., LHP, Cartersville HS)… started last Tuesday’s game against Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The southpaw went four innings in a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks. He fanned six. Anderson left the game with his team up 2-1 and the Tigers went on to top the Vols 5-3. Auburn (33-25) was selected for an at-large berth in this week’s NCAA Division I Tournament and will be a No. 2 seed in the Atlanta Regional at Georgia Tech. The Tigers and top-seeded Yellow Jackets will be joined by 3-seed Coastal Carolina and No. 4 seeded Florida A&M. The double-elimination regional begins Friday.
CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Toccoa Falls College (Jr., Inf., Cartersville HS)… went 4-for-14 as his team went 2-2 at the National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship Tournament in Easley, South Carolina last Wednesday through Friday. He also had a walk and scored three runs. His best game in the tournament was a 3-for-4 performance including a double in a 6-4 win over Hiawassee College. The Screaming Eagles finished the 2019 season with a 26-25 mark.
MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech (R-Sr., OF, Woodland HS)… hit safely in both of the Bulldogs’ Conference USA Tournament games last week and was 3-for-7 with a double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Louisiana Tech lost both games, however, falling to Marshall and Rice to end the Bulldogs’ season and Robinson’s career. He finished his senior season with a .287 batting average that included three home runs and 24 RBI. Robinson hit .275 across his final two seasons with nine home runs and 60 RBI. DEVIN WARNER — Auburn University (Fr., Inf., Cartersville HS)… made one start and appeared in two of the Tigers’ three games last week at the Southeastern Conference Tournament. He flied out to center field in a seventh inning, pinch hitting appearance during an 11-1 loss Wednesday to 2nd-ranked Vanderbilt. Warner was then 1-for-3 Thursday in a start in right field. The Tigers were eliminated in the tournament by LSU 4-3. Auburn (33-25) was selected for an at-large berth in this week’s NCAA Tournament and will be a No. 2 seed in the Atlanta Regional at Georgia Tech. The Tigers and top-seeded Yellow Jackets will be joined by 3-seed Coastal Carolina and No. 4 seeded Florida A&M. The double-elimination regional begins Friday.
PRO BASEBALL
SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (6th yr. pro; LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League; Colorado Rockies’ organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… entered to retire the final two outs of the sixth inning and faced four batters in the seventh last Tuesday in a 9-2 loss at Las Vegas. Howard was charged with four earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Sunday night, he entered in the sixth inning with two outs and retired three of the five batters he faced working into the seventh. He allowed one earned run on one hit and one walk and struck out one in an eventual 16-8 home loss to Sacramento. In a Memorial Day home loss to Sacramento, Howard retired the final out in the ninth inning and allowed a hit in the two batters he faced. Howard has appeared in 18 games this season — all in relief — with a 6.04 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Albuquerque (24-28) is currently in third place in the PCL’s Pacific Southern Division and trails first place El Paso by 8 and 1/2 games.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (4th yr. pro; SS; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… in a five-game home series with Biloxi last week Justus was 2-for-16 with a walk, a stolen base, one RBI, and two runs scored. In 42 games this season, he has a .215 batting average with one home run and eight RBI. Defensively, he has made 25 starts at shortstop, eight at second base, and seven at third base and carries a .951 fielding percentage in 144 total chances. Justus has been part of 19 of the BayBears’ double plays. Mobile (19-30) is currently tied for fourth place in the five-team Southern League South Division. The BayBears trail division-leading Pensacola by 10 and 1/2 games.
