Athletes Beyond Bartow: Anderson, Tigers reach CWS as Seigler debuts with Charleston
Elliott Anderson and the Auburn Tigers advanced to the College World Series Monday as fellow former Hurricanes' baseball standout Anthony Seigler was assigned by the New York Yankees' organization to join the Class A Charleston RiverDogs for their series with the Rome Braves.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Jr., LHP, Cartersville HS)… made a pair of appearances in the Tigers’ Super Regional series win at North Carolina. The 23rd round selection of the Kansas City Royals just over a week ago, Anderson picked up the pitching win in Game 1 with the Tar Heels with and two inning relief appearance. Anderson worked the sixth and seventh innings for the Tigers allowing one earned run on a pair of hits and no walks. The junior southpaw struck out one of the seven batters he faced. Anderson took the mound with Auburn trailing 4-2 and trailed 5-2, but was the benefactor of the Tigers’ five-run top of the eighth inning when the Tigers to a 7-5 lead over the Tar Heels. Teammate Cody Greenhill closed out the final two frames in the 11-7 win. Anderson also entered in the seventh inning of Sunday’s 2-0 loss. The lefty entered the game with the Tigers trailing 2-0 and worked the final three frames. He allowed no runs on two hits and two walks. He fanned two of the 12 batters faced. Auburn (38-26) scored 13 runs in the top of the first inning Monday on their way to a 14-7 win to secure a berth in the College World Series which begins Saturday in Omaha.
PRO BASEBALL
SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (6th yr. pro: LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League: Colorado Rockies’ organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… made a pair of one inning, scoreless relief appearances last week. Howard gave up a hit but fanned two batters in the eighth inning of a 5-1 loss last Wednesday at Omaha. The southpaw was then called upon to walk two batters intentionally in the tenth inning Saturday night before getting out of the frame as the Isotopes went on to defeat the Iowa Cubs 8-7 in 12 innings. Albuquerque (30-34) remains in third place in the PCL’s Southern Division 11.5 games behind first place El Paso.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Mobile BayBears (4th yr. pro; SS; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels’ organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… saw action in four games last Monday, through Wednesday at Chattanooga and Sunday at home against Birmingham. He was 3-for-10 with five walks and three RBI. He scored three runs and stole his sixth base of the season. Justus has a .193 batting average with a homer and 11 RBI through 52 games and 151 official at-bats this season. As a defender, the infielder carries a .949 fielding percentage in 178 total chances with 28 starts at shortstop 12 at third base and 11 at second base. Mobile (23-37 is fourth in SL South 13.5 games behind first place Biloxi.
ANTHONY SEIGLER — Charleston RiverDogs (2nd yr. pro; C; Class A South Atlantic League; N.Y. Yankees’ organization; Cartersville HS)… Bartow Sports Zone spoke briefly with Anthony Seigler Sunday morning and confirmed the former Cartersville High School catcher will be playing with the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League Monday night when they play at the Rome Braves. Charleston plays a three-game series at Rome Monday through Wednesday. The games Monday and Tuesday night are set for 7 p.m. Wednesday’s game is a 1 p.m. start. Seigler, who was drafted in the first round one year ago by the New York Yankees, has been working in extended Spring Training this April and May for the Yankees’ organization in Tampa. The new RiverDogs’ catcher joins a team that is currently in first place in the SAL Southern Division with a 34-28 record in the first half. Charleston leads the Lexington Legends by 1-1/2 games with Rome in fifth place at 7-1/2 games back. The SAL first half schedule finishes up next Sunday (August 16). The second half league schedule runs June 20 through September 2 with playoffs continuing in early September. Seigler, who will turn 20 on June 20, played 24 games in 2018 — twelve each with the Gulf Coast League Yankees West and Rookie League Pulaski Yankees. He hit .266 with one home run and nine RBI. As a professional, Seigler has a .379 on-base percentage, .342 slugging percentage, and an OPS of .721 in 79 official at-bats.
