Local college softball players Sierrah Gani and Paris Poston continue to be key offensive producers for their respective teams at Georgia Highlands College and Columbus State University while MLB spring training continues and multiple local players contribute on the college baseball diamonds. Auburn pitcher Elliott Anderson was credited with his third win of the season this past week and former Woodland standout Mason Robinson had a solid week at the plate for Louisiana Tech. At the professional level, Anthony Seigler (photo) is dealing with a quad injury while Sam Howard made another Cactus League appearance with Colorado and middle infielder Connor Justus continues his reserve role with the Los Angeles Angels. SOFTBALL SARAH FOX — Agnes Scott College (Fr., Inf., Cass HS)… finished the week 2-for-13 this past week as the Scotties struggled on offense as a team. Fox scored a pair of runs and walked three times with a stolen base. Agnes Scott lost eight games, falling in doubleheaders at Birmingham Southern, at Pfeiffer, at home to West Georgia Tech, and at Salem College. The Scotties (2-14) play at Piedmont College Wednesday before hosting Brevard College and Maryville (TN) College over the weekend. SIERRAH GANI — Georgia Highlands CC (So., Inf., Cass HS)… went 4-for-5 with a double and a walk in a doubleheader at Andrew College Saturday driving in six runs and scoring three. She then went 2-for-5 with one RBI as the Chargers split a conference doubleheader at ABAC. GHC (12-12, 5-5 Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association) has a conference doubleheader at West Georgia Tech Saturday. PARIS POSTON — Columbus State University (Fr., OF, Cartersville HS)… was 3-for-13 last week with a walk, two doubles, and two RBI as the Cougars won three of four road conference games. CSU swept Peach Belt foe USC-Aiken Friday and split at Lander University on Sunday. Poston is hitting .253 with a SLG% of .387 and an OPS of .716 through 26 appearances this season with 75 at-bats. Columbus State (20-9, 3-1) hosts Emmanuel College Wednesday before traveling to Augusta University for a PBC doubleheader Sunday. HANNAH TODD — Kansas University (So., P, Cartersville HS)… made a pair of one inning appearances Friday and Saturday against Tulsa. She gave up three earned runs on three hits and a walk Friday with one strikeout. Saturday Todd worked a shutout frame with a walk and two strikeouts. The Jayhawks were 2-2 for the weekend against Tulsa and Nebraska in the Rock Chalk Challenge. Kansas (7-19) has a final week of tuneups before beginning Big 12 Conference play. They host Omaha Monday, travel to Wichita State Wednesday, and entertain University of Green Bay Friday and Saturday. ANNALYN YANTIS — Samford University (Sr., P, Cartersville HS)… started, but received no decision in three innings of work during a 6-5 win last Monday over Northern Iowa. Yantis also started and worked two innings in a 15-2 loss at Ole Miss last Friday. She gave up six earned runs on six hits and hit two batters. Samford (9-21) hosts Tennessee Tech Tuesday afternoon before opening Southern Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at UNC-Greensboro. PRO BASEBALL SAM HOWARD — Colorado Rockies (6th yr. pro; LHP; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… worked a successful eighth inning allowing no base runners and struck out two in a 2-1 win over Kansas City last Friday. Howard has a 2.25 ERA in four innings of work this spring in three relief appearances with a WHIP of 1.75. The Rockies are currently 10-12 in Cactus League action. CONNOR JUSTUS — L.A. Angels (4th yr. pro; MIF; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… was 0-for-1 but scored a run last Thursday in a 7-7 tie with the Milwaukee Brewers. Justus entered off the bench to play second base. He also entered defensively at third base and started a double play, but did not have a plate appearance in Friday’s 2-1 win over Arizona. Saturday he again entered to play third base and was 0-for-1 at the plate. This spring with the MLB club, the 24-year-old is 5-for-16 (.313 BA / .353 OBP / .853 OPS). ANTHONY SEIGLER — N.Y. Yankees (2nd yr. pro; C; Cartersville HS)… Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reported last week that Seigler is dealing with a quad strain and may be held back in extended spring training to start the year. The report also states that he would have likely opened the year at Low-A, but this injury will delay his full-season debut. COLLEGE BASEBALL ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (So., LHP, Cartersville HS)… made three appearances last week for the 12th-ranked Tigers who were 4-0 for the week including a home, three-game SEC sweep of Tennessee. Anderson worked two innings allowing three hits with six strikeouts Tuesday in a 6-2 win at South Alabama. He then picked up his third win of the year in the series opener with the Vols on Friday. The southpaw entered in the seventh inning with two outs in a scoreless game and walked a batter before the next hitter reached on an error. On the same play, however, the lead runner was cut down trying to advance to third to end the inning. Auburn went ahead in the bottom of the frame with Anderson as the pitcher of record. In Saturday’s win, he retired the final four outs without a run. He allowed a pair of hits and a walk while fanning one. Auburn (18-2, 3-0) has now reeled off 13 straight wins and plays at Alabama-Birmingham Tuesday night prior to a trip to Mississippi State this weekend for a three-game conference series. CARRINGTON EVANS — Augusta University (R-So., OF, Cartersville HS)… entered off the bench in four games last week, Evans walked twice and scored a run in a 6-5 home win over Newberry. He doubled and was hit by a pitch with two RBI and two runs scored in a 19-10 win over Paine College on Wednesday. In his only plate appearance Friday, the outfielder walked in a 17-6 home conference win over Flagler College while Saturday he entered to play centerfield and failed to reach in his only at-bat during a 13-1 loss. The Jaguars (13-12, 4-11 Peach Belt Conference) play at Anderson University Wednesday and travel to Dahlonega for a three-game set at University of North Georgia this weekend. LANE GRIFFITH — University of West Georgia (Jr., C, Adairsville HS)… went 3-for-12 last week in four games with the Wolves. UWG lost to 24th-ranked Columbus State last Wednesday, but swept a three-game Gulf South Conference series with Alabama-Huntsville over the weekend. Griffith scored three runs, walked twice, and drove in a pair of runs across the four games as well. West Georgia (10-15, 7-7) plays at Emmanuel College Wednesday then takes on University of Montevallo in a three-game GSC series this weekend. HARRISON OSBORN — Point University (So., RHP, Cartersville HS)… had a rough outing Sunday in a 12-4 loss at Truett-McConnell University. Osborn allowed five runs in the first inning and did not record an out in the second of his seventh start of the year. He finished the day with seven earned runs allowed on nine hits. For the season, Osborn is 3-2 with a 6.55 ERA in 33 innings. The Skyhawks (18-10, 4-5) host NAIA 3rd-ranked Faulkner University Tuesday and travel to Milligan College this weekend for a three-game Appalachian Athletic Conference series. MASON ROBINSON — Louisiana Tech (Sr., OF, Woodland HS)… Robinson fared much better than his Bulldog squad this past weekend. Louisiana Tech was swept by Southern Miss in a Conference USA opening series, but did manage a mid-week win Tuesday over Sam Houston State. Robinson finished the week 5-for-15 with two walks, a stolen base, and two RBI in the four games. The Bulldogs (11-8, 0-3) host Mississippi Valley State Tuesday and travel to Middle Tennessee for a three-game conference series this weekend. TRISTIN SMITH — Young Harris College (Sr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… went 5-for-16 in five games last week for the Mountain Lions. His production included a double, four RBI, and two runs scored. YHC was 4-1 for the week with a doubleheader sweep at Lee University and two wins in a three-game home Peach Belt Conference series with Francis Marion University. Young Harris (17-8, 6-4) hosts Lee Wednesday before traveling to St. Augustine, Florida for a three-game PBC series at Flagler College over the weekend. TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… was 1-for-4 in Saturday’s 10-4 loss to Francis Marion. He then had a pinch hit appearance, was hit by a pitch, and played left field in Sunday’s 14-0 win over the Patriots. Washington also entered as a pinch runner and played the outfield in a 6-3 win in Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader with FMU. Young Harris (17-8, 6-4) went 4-1 for the week and will now host Lee Wednesday prior to a trip to Flagler College this weekend for a three-game conference series.

Georgia Highlands College softball won three of four conference games on the road this past weekend sweeping Andrew College 16-1 and 8-0 on Saturday, before splitting a doubleheader with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Sunday. In the two wins over Andrew, the Chargers’ bats exploded for 28 hits. Right fielder Jazzmyn Shelton paced GHC with six hits and one RBI in the twinbill. Kayla Laukka finished the day with four hits including a home run, two doubles, and six RBI. Sierrah Gani had four hits including a double and six RBI. Mya Adams also contributed a four-hit day with four RBI. ____ PHOTO: Freshman pitcher Kara Kight earned all three pitching wins for the Chargers on last weekend's conference road trip._____ Kara Kight (RBI), Lexi Palazzo (double, RBI), Sydney McDonald (RBI), and Alexis Davis (double, RBI) all finished the doubleheader at Andrew with two hits apiece. Emma McDonald (2 RBI) and Deyonce Lewis added one hit each. In Sunday’s win over Abraham Baldwin, Laukka had one hit and two RBI. Gani had one hit and one RBI. Palazzo and Mallory Alford had the other Chargers’ hits. In the loss to ABAC (19-13, 7-3 GCAA), Palazzo hit a two-run home run. Adams, Gani, Laukka, Davis, Shelton, and McDonald finished with one hit each. Kight, a freshman right-hand pitcher from Flowery Branch High School, picked up all three pitching wins for the Chargers over the weekend. Haley Robinson suffered the loss in the circle at ABAC, but also earned a save in one of the two wins at Andrew. Georgia Highlands (12-12, 5-5) travels to West Georgia Tech this Saturday at 2 p.m. for a conference doubleheader before hitting the road for trips to NAIA Thomas University JV Monday and conference foe South Georgia on Wednesday.

It required extra innings in the nightcap, but Georgia Highlands baseball earned a doubleheader split Sunday with a 4-3 win over West Georgia Tech at LakePoint in Emerson. West Georgia Tech, playing as the home team this weekend at LakePoint, won the first game Sunday 6-4 with a pair of late runs. The Chargers returned the favor in the second game on Keith Lyle’s RBI double that scored Blake Brady and also earned Georgia Highlands a split in the four-game series this week with the Knights. In Game 1, the Chargers held leads of 1-0 after one inning and 3-1 through four, but three runs by West Georgia Tech in the fifth and two more in the sixth broke a 4-4 tie and lifted the Knights to their win. Anthony Reneo (1 IP, 2ER, 3H, 0BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss for Georgia Highlands in relief of starter Stevie Szucs (5 IP, 4R, 2ER, 7H, 0BB, 6K). Justin Guyton led the Knights’ offense with three hits including a triple and two RBI. Brady and Bryson Horne had two hits each for the Chargers. Lavoisier Fisher hit a two-run home run in the loss. In Game 2, Logan Ward (3 IP, 0R, 0H, 3BB, 4K) picked up the pitching win for the Chargers in relief of starter Jacob Meyer (6 IP, 3ER, 5H, 1BB, 8K). Ward got a game-ending double play to retire the side in the ninth after the Knights put the potential tying run on base with only one out. Keith Lyle led the GHC offense with three doubles and three RBI. Skylar McPhee had a two-hit game that included a double and a triple. Malik Spratling had the other Chargers’ RBI with one hit. With the Sunday and series split, West Georgia Tech is now 12-14 overall and 3-6 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association. Georgia Highlands (18-10, 6-3) starts a four-game conference series with Gordon College Tuesday in Barnesville.

The Adairsville girls soccer team played non-region Southeast Whitfield to a 1-1 draw Saturday in Dalton. The Lady Tigers’ season scoring leader, Cat Wheeler, gave the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute off an assist from Sadye Johnson. Adairsville then carried that one goal advantage to halftime, but the Lady Raiders knotted the score in the 56th minute off a direct free kick. Adairsville keeper Havyn Isaac made 12 saves in the contest. The Lady Tigers (7-2-1) will host North Murray Tuesday before traveling to Ringgold on Thursday. Both are Region 6-AAA contests. Adairsville also has Model on the schedule for a non-region home game on Friday.

Cass baseball fell behind early and was not able to recover in an 11-7 home loss to Rome Saturday. The Wolves scored nine runs in the first two innings and although Cass narrowed the margin to 9-4 in the middle innings, Rome was really never threatened. Three Rome pitchers — Hayden Filetti, Tristan Tillery, and Knox Kadum — combined to limit the Colonels to six hits and six walks while fanning ten. Kadum, Sevie Andrews, and Alden Astin combined for six hits and seven RBI for the Wolves. Cass starting pitcher Jayden Smith (1 IP, 8R, 5ER, 7H, 1BB, 1K) suffered the loss on the mound. Trey Scott (2 IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 4K), Jordan Gani (3 IP, 2ER, 2H, 1BB, 2K), and Thomas Botts (1 IP, 0R, 1H, 1K) also pitched for the Colonels. Blaine Ingram and Matt Shook both doubled and drove in two runs apiece for Cass. Bryson Markley added two hits. Clay Means finished with one hit and two RBI. Gani had one hit and Sam Melton drove in one run. Rome improved to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in Region 7-AAAAA. Cass (7-7, 3-3) starts a region home-and-home series with Woodland Monday at 5:55 p.m. at the Cass Athletic Complex. The second game of the series will be Wednesday at The Ballpark at Woodland.

Georgia Highlands held a 5-1 lead at one time and carried a 5-4 lead into the sixth inning Saturday evening, but a three-run sixth by host West Georgia Tech handed the Chargers a 7-5 defeat at LakePoint in Emerson. As a result, the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference series stands at one game each heading into Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader back at LakePoint. The weekend games were moved from Carrollton to LakePoint earlier in the week. Chargers’ pitcher Trace Twardoski (0.1 IP, 3R, 3ER, 0H, 4BB) was saddled with the pitching loss in relief of starter Dalton Rhadans (5 IP, 4R, 3ER, 6H, 0BB, 5K). Ryan Smithson (0R, 4H, 2K) worked across the final three innings. Malik Spratling homered and doubled twice with two RBI to pace the GHC offense. Lavoisier Fisher had two hits. Skylar McPhee drove in a pair of runs and had one hit. With Saturday’s win, West Georgia Tech improved to 11-13 overall and 2-5 in conference. Georgia Highlands is 17-9 overall and 5-2 in GCAA games.

With winter sports now posted by the Georgia Athletic Directors’ Association, the 2018-19 Directors’ Cup standings are updated with only this spring’s sports remaining. Schools earn points toward the Directors’ Cup standings by their final placement in the state playoffs. Cartersville currently stands sixth in Class 4A to lead all local schools in their respective classifications. The Cartersville boys are fifth in the classification and the girls’ sports for the Lady Canes are in ninth place. Cartersville has earned points in football, girls and boys cross country, wrestling, cheerleading, volleyball, and boys basketball. Class 4A is currently led by St. Pius X with Marist, Blessed Trinity, Woodward Academy, and North Oconee rounding out the top five. Woodland is 16th overall in Class 5A with Cass currently 34th. Lady Cats’ sports are 15th in the classification and Woodland boys’ sports are 18th. Cass girls are 28th with the boys in 38th place. Woodland has earned points for wrestling, girls and boys cross country, cheerleading, and softball. Cass was credited points for wrestling, cheerleading, and girls basketball. Starr’s Mill leads Buford and Carrollton at the top of Class 5A. Adairsville is 34th overall in Class 3A. The girls sports at Adairsville are currently 28th and the boys sports are 45th in the classification. Adairsville earned points in wrestling, cheerleading, volleyball, and girls swimming. Jefferson holds a slight edge over Westminster and Calhoun to lead Class 3A. For a complete look at all standings, use this LINK.

The Hurricanes posted six runs in the top of the first inning Saturday morning on their way to an 8-1 non-region victory over Sonoraville at State Mutual Stadium in Rome. That turned out to be plenty of offense for a quintet of Cartersville pitchers who combined to allow only two hits by the Phoenix and no earned runs. Logan Martin (3 IP, 0R, 2H, 0BB, 1K) earned the pitching win in a starting role. J.P. Martin (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 1K), Reece Thompson (1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 0H, 2BB), Ian Inaba (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 1K), and Hayden Davidson (1 IP, 0R, 0H) all pitched in relief. Sonoraville leadoff hitter Wyatt Castoe had both Phoenix base hits. The Cartersville offense produced eleven hits. Inaba had two hits including a double, a walk, and one RBI. Josh Davis (photo) also had a perfect day at the plate with two hits, a pair of walks, and one RBI. Jordan Wilkie contributed a pair of hits. Kolby Adams (RBI), Mason Barnett (RBI), Preston Welchel (RBI), Alan Thacker, and Gage Morris finished with one hit each. Brant Smith drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and J.P. Martin tossed in an RBI after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the opening inning. The loss dropped Sonoraville to 6-6 on the season. Cartersville (11-3) opens play in Region 5-AAAA Monday at LaGrange at 5:55 p.m. The Canes and Grangers will play the second game of their two-game series Wednesday at Richard Bell Field.

Woodland finished fourth in the Class 4A-5A division at the inaugural GHSA Game Day Invitational cheer competition on February 23 in Eatonton. The members of the Wildcats cheer team are Abi Adams, Madison Carter, Madison Cornwall, Braden Foster, Lily Gartin, Megan Gilstrap, Gabe Jones, Jaylee Kilgo, Molly Plott, Gracen Pruitt, Paige Reaves, Xavier Rosario and Aspen Sorrells. The squad is led by head coach Lori Kilgo and assistants Kathi Shedd and Carole Payne. Woodland competed in the Class 4A-5A division of the first-ever Game Day Invitational February 23 at Putnam County High School in Eatonton. The preliminary round included sections of crowd-leading cheer, band chant and fight song. Five of the 11 teams advanced from the preliminary round to the finals, and scores were reset for the final round. In the finals, a situational segment was also added, forcing the team to make a split-second decision about which cheer to do based on what an announcer called out. Joining Woodland in the top five of the 4A-5A division were champion Denmark, Wayne County, Mary Persons and Carrollton. Morgan County won the Class A- Class 3A championship and North Gwinnett was the 6A-7A champ.

Adairsville baseball opened region play this past week and suffered one-sided losses to both Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe on Wednesday and Calhoun on Friday. The Tigers only trialed 3-1 through four innings Wednesday and out hit the Warrors 12-11, but eventually committed six errors and fell 16-8. Calhoun blanked the Tigers Friday at LakePoint, 14-0. In the loss to LFO, Wade Conduff had three hits and one RBI. Trace Still followed with a pair of hits, including a three-run home run. Landon Ayers finished with a double and one RBI. B.J. Roper, Kyler Smith, Elijah Padgett, Levi Blackwell, Jacob Ray, and Logan Hunt (RBI) had the other Tigers’ hits. Padgett (4 IP, 5R, 3ER, 4H, 3BB, 4K) started on the mound for Adairsville against the Warriors and suffered the pitching loss. Braden Powell, Noah Simpson, and Conduff all took pitching duties. Although the Tigers were shutout by Calhoun Friday, they managed seven hits. Smith and Padgett had two hits apiece. Jacob Ray, Chase Horn, and Simpson each added singles. Brady Drummond (5 IP, 0R, 7H, 0BB, 4K) earned the pitching win for the Yellow Jackets. Conduff (3.1 IP, 12R, 8ER, 9H, 2BB, 5K) was the Adairsville starter. Roper (0.2 IP, 1ER, 1H, 3BB, 1K), and Simpson (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 1BB, 1K). pitched in relief. Adairsville (1-6, 0-2 Region 6-AAA) plays at Haralson County Tuesday, hosts Sonoraville Wednesday, and travels to North Murray Thursday.

The Northwest Georgia Tip-Off Club senior girls all-star team including Bartow County players won their game Thursday night at Georgia Highlands College 92-79. The team, mentored by Cass girls head coach Burt Jackson, included Cass players Amber Brittian, Sharia Wade, Payton Stoddard, and Alexis Ware. Nakiyah Washington of Adairsville and Madgie Robinson of Woodland were also on the team Megan Kent of Model scored a team-high 16 points and was named MVP of the game. Among the locals, Washington finished with 13 points. Wade scored seven. Ware and Stoddard totaled five each. Brittian and Robinson added four and one point, respectively. Twenty-four senior girls and twenty-four senior boys were selected from a group of 26 different schools in the Rome area to participate in the event. Local senior boys in the all-star game included Perignon Dyer and Isaac Gridley of Cartersville; Jacquez Fountain of Cass; and Hunter Johnson of Woodland. No game report for the boys contest was available.

The Cass girls soccer team traveled to Hiram Friday night and evened their overall season record with a 4-0 blanking of the Lady Hornets. Logan Vermaas (photo) scored all four Cass goals with Briana Ochoa assisting twice and Leidi Toribio and Maddie Shook also contributing assists on goals. Jailyn Padilla and Yecenia Hernandez split time at goalkeeper and shared the Lady Colonels’ first shutout of the season. Cass (4-4-1, 2-3 Region 7-AAAAA) hosts Villa Rica next Friday at 6 p.m.