Athletes Beyond Bartow: Collegiate and pro athlete updates for the week ending February 13

Local Bartow County collegiate athletes were busy on softball and baseball diamonds this past week with Division I schedules ready to begin this coming weekend.

Local college basketball players are winding down their regular seasons with conference tournaments on the horizon while swimming and the indoor season for track and field have reached their conference championships.

Meanwhile, Cartersville native Ashton Hagans continued solid work with the Toronto Raptors NBA G-League affiliate -- Raptors 905 -- including a double-double in points and assists Saturday.

NBA G-LEAGUE

ASHTON HAGANS — Raptors 905 (Cartersville native; University of Kentucky; Newton HS) … started at point guard and produced a double-double Saturday in a 109-104 win Saturday at the Delaware Blue Coats. Hagans finished with 17 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and three assists won for the fourth time in the last five games. He also came off the Raptors’ bench last Tuesday to score four points with three boards, two assists, and a pair of steals during a 110-99 win at the Cleveland Charge. Raptors 905 (13-4) leads the G-League’s Eastern Conference and plays at the Westchester Knicks Wednesday before hosting the Wisconsin Herd Thursday night back in Mississauga, Ontario.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

JUSTICE HAYES — South Georgia Tech (So., Cass HS) … came off the bench twice last week totaling five points, five steals, four rebounds, and one blocked shot in a pair of double-digit Jets’ wins over Gordon College Wednesday and at Albany Tech Saturday. SGTCC (16-10, 8-4 GCAA) hosts Central Georgia Tech Tuesday and plays at conference leading Georgia Highlands Saturday.

DiANTHONY HEATHCOCK — Columbia International University (So., Woodland HS) … averaged 20 minutes in three starts last week totaling 19 points, 13 rebounds, and two steals as the Rams went 2-1. CIU scored home wins over Johnson University (Tennessee) and Tennessee Wesleyan Tuesday and Thursday but lost in overtime at Truett McConnell Saturday. The Rams (15-11, 11-10 Appalachian Athletic Conference) travel to Knoxville to play at Johnson Monday. They then play at Montreat College Wednesday and finish up the regular season Saturday at home against Bluefield College (Virginia).

T.J. HORTON — Georgia Highlands College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made a start last Monday scoring seven points with one rebound, one assist, and one rebound in the Chargers’ 87-69 win at Gordon State. GHC also had wins over Southern Crescent Tech and Andrew College to complete a 3-0 week. The Chargers (17-8, 10-1 GCAA) host East Georgia State Tuesday, play at South Georgia State Thursday, and host South Georgia Tech Saturday.

JORDAN THOMPSON — Motlow State CC (Fr., Woodland HS) … scored 10 points with two steals, a pair of rebounds, and one assist in the Bucks’ 79-71 home loss last Wednesday to Cleveland State CC. Motlow State (3-18, 2-10) plays at Columbia State CC Saturday.

NOTE: Saturday game at Jackson State CC not included. Stats not available at the time of publishing.

JOSIE SUMMERVILLE — North Park University (Sr., Adairsville HS) … scored two points in each of a pair of road games Wednesday and Saturday at Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin University. She added 10 total rebounds in the two losses and one blocked shot. The Vikings (14-8, 7-7 IWCC) host Wheaton College (Illinois) Wednesday and play at Carroll University (Wisconsin) Saturday afternoon.

NAKIYAH WASHINGTON — Piedmont College (Jr., Adairsville HS) … scored 13 points with three rebounds last Wednesday in a 69-52 win at LaGrange College. She then finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in an 81-73 loss at Berea College (Kentucky). The Lions (20-4, 13-2) finish the regular season Wednesday night at home against Emory University and begin play in the USA South Conference tournament Saturday.

SWIMMING

GRAYSON BREEDLOVE — Lenoir Rhyne University (So., Cartersville HS) … placed 21st in the 200-yard backstroke and 23rd in the 100-yard backstroke at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championship last weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. Breedlove also swam a leg on relay teams that placed 12th in the 400-yard medley, 13th in the 200-yard freestyle, and 13th in the 400-yard freestyle relays.

TENNIS

EMILY SURCEY — Arkansas State University (Fr., Cass HS) … won her Line 3 singles match 6-0, 7-6 and paired with teammate Rebecca Brody in a 6-4 Line 3 doubles loss as the Red Wolves lost 5-2 Friday at Central Arkansas. Saturday against Kansas City University, the Surcey/Brody doubles team won 7-5 at Line 3 and Surcey fell 4-6, 6-2, 5-7 at Line 3 singles in a Red Wolves’ 4-1 win. At Missouri State Sunday, Surcey lost at Line 3 singles 4-6, 6-4, 4-6 and her doubles match with Brody was stopped with the pair leading 5-3 when the Red Wolves secured a team win. Arkansas State (2-3) plays Saturday at Arkansas.

BRYCE VAN ORDER — Piedmont College (So., Woodland HS) … lost his Line 2 singles match 6-4, 6-2 as the Lions lost to visiting Birmingham-Southern College this past Saturday afternoon. Piedmont (1-1) hosts Methodist University Saturday.

TRACK AND FIELD

TREVOR KNOWLES — Albion College (Grad Student, Woodland HS) … placed second in the high jump (1.86m), second in the long jump (6.69m), and second in the triple jump (13.68m) scoring 21 of his team’s 90 points in a third place finish by the Britons at WHAC v. MIAA Challenge in Grand Rapids. Next for Albion is the MIAA Indoor Championships February 26 in Angola, Indiana.

SOFTBALL

COLBI BALLARD — Shorter University (So., Cartersville HS) … pinch hit and played left field going 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk and a run scored in two plate appearances during last Saturday’s 17-6 loss to Carson-Newman at the Charger Chill-Out in Albertville, Alabama. The Hawks finished 1-4 at the tournament and are now 2-6 on the season. Shorter hosts Delta State in a three-game Gulf South Conference series Saturday and Sunday.

BELLA CARNES — Georgia College (So., Woodland HS) … was entered as a pinch runner and scored a run in Saturday’s 6-5 home win over North Greenville. The Bobcats (2-4) host West Georgia Tuesday and will play four games in the Red-White-Blue Classic in Columbus Saturday and Sunday.

MORGAN COOPER — Columbus State University (Fr., Woodland HS) … made her first plate appearance for the Cougars and coaxed a walk as a pinch hitter in Saturday’s 5-4 home win over Union University (Tennessee) during the Cougar Classic. Columbus State went 3-1 in the event with a win over Montevallo and two over Union. CSU (4-4) hosts the Red-White-Blue Classic this weekend and will play Auburn University-Montgomery and Wingate University in a pair of games each.

ANSLEY EVANS — Reinhardt University (Fr., Woodland HS) … in six games played last Friday through Sunday at the Georgia Gwinnett College Invitational in Lawrenceville, Evans made four starts at third base and went 3-for-12 at the plate including a double, one RBI, a walk, and three runs scored. The Eagles (4-4) host Bluefield University Saturday in a doubleheader.

BRIANA HILL — Covenant College (So., Woodland HS) … went 0-for-1 but scored a run in a 6-3 win Saturday as the Scots defeated University of the South 6-3 at the Mississippi University for Women Invitational. Covenant dropped its opener Friday at the tournament but won the final three games. Now 3-1, the Scots host a doubleheaders with George Fox University (Oregon) Wednesday and Thursday.

SADYE JOHNSON — University of North Georgia (Fr., Adairsville HS) … came off the bench in four games over the weekend and went 2-for-6 with one RBI and one run scored as the 4th-ranked Nighthawks went 6-0 hosting the Surf ’N Turf Classic in Dahlonega. UNG had a pair of wins each over 22nd-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce, Davis & Elkins, and Florida Southern. Now 8-2 on the year, North Georgia travels to Greenwood, South Carolina for the Bearcat Invitational Saturday and Sunday. They will face both USC-Beaufort and Chowan University in a pair of games each.

HANNAH TODD — University of Houston (Grad Student, Cartersville HS) … started in the circle tossing 3-and-1/3 innings with no decision in a Cougars’ 9-5 win Saturday over Texas-San Antonio. Todd allowed four earned runs on four hits, three walks, and a hit batsman facing 18 batters. Houston (4-1) also had wins during the Houston Invitational over Dayton and Texas Tech. The Cougars host Oklahoma, McNeese State, and Texas State this weekend in the Houston Classic.

BASEBALL

JAKE GOOCH — Central Alabama CC (So., Cartersville HS) … went 1-for-8 with two RBIs last week as the Trojans went 1-3 in a pair of home-and-home doubleheaders with Andrew College. Central Alabama (4-4) hosts John A. Logan CC Thursday and plays a doubleheader at Gordon State CC Saturday.

KENNY JINKS — Shorter University (Jr., Woodland HS) … closed out the sixth inning and retired one batter in the seventh last Friday afternoon in a 14-0 home win over Albany State. Jinks struck out two of the four batters he faced allowing one hit. He also hit a batter. The Hawks (5-2) play at Georgia College Tuesday and open Gulf South Conference play Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series against Delta State.

LOGAN MARTIN — University of the South (Jr., Cartersville HS) … the right-handed starter tossed seven innings Saturday without yielding an earned run, but received no decision in the Tigers’ 2-1 home win over Anderson University (Indiana). Martin scattered just two hits and issued no walks while striking out 13. He did hit two batters. His team led 1-0 when he left the game after seven innings, but had to regain the lead in the ninth inning for the victory. University of the South (2-1) hosts Millikin University (Illinois) in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday.

GARRETT MISHOE — University of West Georgia (So., Adairsville HS) … worked a scoreless eighth inning last Tuesday afternoon in the Wolves’ 11-1 win at Emmanuel College. Mishoe walked one and struck out one. West Georgia (5-1) also split a pair of games in South Florida this past weekend winning at Lynn University and dropping a game at Palm Beach Atlantic. The Wolves host Augusta University Tuesday and play a three-game Gulf South Conference series at West Florida Saturday and Sunday.

SCOTTY SMITH — Covenant College (Fr., Woodland HS) … faced six batters yielding three hits and a walk in the Scots’ 13-4 win Saturday at Emory University. Smith recorded one strikeout. The victory was Covenant’s lone win in the three-game series. The Scots (1-2) play a three game series Friday and Saturday at Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven.

PRESTON WELCHEL — Coastal Alabama - Bay Minette CC (So., Cartersville HS) … went 1-for-4, walked three times, scored four runs, and stole two bases in a pair of Sun Chiefs’ losses Friday at Pearl River CC. Coastal Alabama - Bay Minette (2-2) plays home-and-home doubleheaders Thursday and Saturday with Lawson State CC.

DAVIS WILLIAMS — Birmingham-Southern College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … made his debut entering in the sixth inning and worked the remaining four innings to pick up his first win — a 6-5 victory over Christopher Newport University. Facing 20 batters, he gave up one unearned run on four hits, two walks, and one hit batsman while striking out five. The Panthers (2-1) will host 9th-ranked Washington University (Missouri), 15th-ranked Trinity (Texas), and Lynchburg College Friday through Sunday in the Birmingham-Southern Classic.

JORDAN WILKIE — Augusta University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … went 6-for-12 with a double, two RBIs, and one run scored in three home games against UVA-Wise over the weekend. The Jaguars (4-3) play at West Georgia Tuesday and visit Mars Hill University Friday and Saturday for a three-game series.