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After dropping their conference opener Saturday at East Georgia CC, the Georgia Highlands College baseball team bounced back Sunday with a vengeance against non-conference foe Macomb (MI) CC, 24-7. The win completed a two-game sweep of the Monarchs by the Chargers and catapults GHC into a stretch of 19 straight conference games that extends into early April. The Chargers put 23 of their 24 runs on the scoreboard in the first four frames as they cruised to an easy win. A collection of five GHC pitchers limited the visiting Monarchs to only four although they did issue a dozen walks and hit a batter. Zach Fordham, Brady Barker, Cody Johnson, Jake Meyer, and Noah Bryant all toed the rubber for the Chargers. Georgia Highlands totaled sixteen hits and took advantage of 13 walks in the contest. Brandon Allen drove in four runs with two hits, including a double and a walk. Bryson Horne had three hits and two RBI. Blake Brady finished with two hits and three walks including a double and two RBI. Spencer Lewis added three RBI with a hit. Miguel Urbina also had three RBI. The Chargers (14-6, 0-1) open a four-game conference series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Wednesday at LakePoint and will play the final three games of the series in Tifton on Friday and Saturday.

The Athletes Beyond Bartow pro and college baseball update for the week ending Sunday, March 4. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING SAM HOWARD — Colorado Rockies (5th yr. pro; LHP; Georgia Southern University; Cartersville HS)… worked the third and fourth innings of the Rockies’ second Spring game of the year February 24 and was credited with the win as Colorado defeated Cincinnati 11-4. Howard allowed one hit, two walks, and hit a batter but did not allow a run. He fanned two Reds. Last Thursday, Howard worked the third and fourth innings of a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Cubs. He allowed a leadoff walk in the third inning and — after a lineout — a two-run homer to Cubs’ centerfielder Ian Happ. Howard then retired the Cubs in order in the fourth inning. The Rockies are 3-6-1 in Cactus League play through Sunday’s games. CONNOR JUSTUS — Los Angeles Angels (3rd yr. pro; SS; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… saw action at shortstop and went 1-for-2 with the major league Los Angeles Angels February 23 in a 9-8 spring training, opening day loss to the Oakland A’s. He also had an at-bat and played shortstop last Monday in a 10-4 loss to the San Diego Padres. Justus has played 8 and one-third innings with the major league club and has no errors in four defensive chances. The Angels are 5-5 through Sunday’s Cactus League games. COLLEGE BASEBALL BRANDON ALLEN — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., OF/P, Woodland HS)… had one plate appearance Friday in the Chargers 8-3 win over Macomb (MI) CC. GHC (13-5, 0-1) won two of three games over the weekend, but the loss was at conference foe, East Georgia on Saturday. On Sunday, Allen drove in four runs with two hits, including a double and a walk in a 24-7 win over Macomb. The Chargers play a four-game series with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with only Wednesday’s game at home. ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Soph., LHP, Cartersville HS)… picked up his second win of the season last Tuesday despite allowing two earned runs on a hit and a walk. He entered to work a scoreless seventh with the Tigers trailing 4-3 and his offense provided four runs in the top of the eighth for a 7-4 lead at the time. Anderson allowed a hit and a walk in the eighth and was removed. Those runners eventually scored, but the Tigers held on for a one-run win. In last Friday’s series opener vs. Brigham Young, he entered in the sixth inning and allowed a hit to the only batter he faced in the Tigers’ 4-3 win. Auburn (12-0) remains undefeated in 2018 and plays at UAB Tuesday night before hosting Northeastern in a weekend series Friday through Sunday. BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (Fr., 1B, Cass HS)… appeared in three games this past week and was 2-for-4 as a pinch hitter and DH replacement. The Mountain Lions were 2-2 for the week that included wins in two of three Peach Belt Conference games against 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. YHC (8-10, 4-5) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday before traveling to Augusta University Friday through Sunday for a three-game conference series. BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Limestone College (Sr., OF, Cass HS)… went 5-for-12 in a weekend series at Francis Marion University as the Saints won two of three games. Etheridge drove in two runs, scored four, and walked four times. The starting center fielder raised his batting average to .268 in 18 starts. He has walked nine times with four RBI and a pair of extra base hits. Limestone (10-8, 2-1) hosts Saginaw Valley State University in a pair of mid-week games Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to Emmanuel College (GA) for a three-game Conference Carolinas series Friday and Saturday. CODY JOHNSON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., RHP, Cass HS)… worked an inning and one-third Sunday in the Chargers’ 24-7 win over Macomb (MI) CC. He allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. Georgia Highlands (14-6, 0-1 GCAA) hosts Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College at LakePoint Wednesday in the first game of a four-game conference series that continues with a single game Friday and and doubleheader Saturday in Tifton. SEAN McDERMOTT — Mercer University (Jr., 1B, Adairsville HS)… went 1-for-6 in a pair of starts last Tuesday and Wednesday as the Bears swept a home-and-home series with Kennesaw State. Mercer (8-2) hosts a three-game series Sunday and Monday, March 4-5 with Holy Cross. HARRISON OSBORN — Point University (Fr., RHP, Cartersville HS)… earned his second pitching win of the year last Tuesday in an 8-4 Skyhawks win over visiting Tuskegee University. Harrison allowed four earned runs on five hits and a walk in five innings. He fanned three. Point (12-6, 3-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference) won all five games last week including a three-game sweep of Bluefield College (VA). The Skyhawks travel to Talladega College for a doubleheader Wednesday before hosting a three-game conference series with St. Andrews University (NC) Friday and Saturday. HUNTER REAID — Shorter University (Fr., C, Woodland HS)… drew a pair of walks and scored a run in a start Saturday as the Hawks lost 9-4 to visiting Mississippi College. He also had one plate appearance in a second game Saturday won by the Choctaws, 8-6. Reaid has a .267 batting average in 15 at-bats with one double, four walks, and one RBI. Shorter (9-10, 2-4 Gulf South Conference) travels to Florence, AL Saturday and Sunday for a three-game conference series at University of North Alabama. TRISTIN SMITH — Young Harris College (R-Jr., Inf., Adairsville HS)… In a start at second base, Smith coaxed a walk and scored a run in the Mountain Lions’ 10-4 win Saturday over 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. He ntered off the bench Friday and went 1-for-1 with two walks and scored a run in an 8-4 victory and was 0-for-1 but was hit by a pitch last Tuesday in a 5-4 loss to Truett-McConnell. YHC (8-10, 4-5 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday and plays a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Augusta University. TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… was 1-for-5 with a walk and a sacrifice in a pair of starts and wins Friday and Saturday against 21st-ranked UNC Pembroke. He also entered off the bench and went 2-for-2 last Tuesday in a home loss to Truett-McConnell. Washington has a .243 batting average in 37 at-bats with six walks and three RBI. YHC (8-10, 4-5) hosts Tusculum College Tuesday before traveling to Augusta University Friday through Sunday for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series.

Following a pair of come-from-behind victories Saturday, the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes baseball team moved up to No. 2 in the latest update of the Georgia Dugout Club’s high school baseball polls. Cartersville edged Class 6A top-ranked River Ridge 9-8 in extra innings Saturday and then scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat the host team, Class 7A 10th-ranked Forsyth Central 5-4. As a result, the Canes have won three in a row and and six of seven. Class AAAA Rankings (March 4 release) Blessed Trinity (7-1) Cartersville (8-3) Troup (6-1) Heritage-Catoosa (3-5) Stephens County (10-1) Columbus (6-2) Madison County (5-3) Jefferson (6-1) North Oconee (6-2-1) Woodward Academy (4-2) Others considered in AAAA: St. Pius X (7-2), Northwest Whitfield (3-6), West Hall (6-3), Chestatee (8-2), Perry (5-3), West Laurens (6-4), Eastside (6-1), Burke County (6-1), Upson-Lee (5-2), LaGrange (2-8). In Class AAA, Ringgold (6-3) in ranked No. 2 and Calhoun is No. 3 out of Region 6-AAA. Adairsville (6-2), Coahulla Creek (3-5), and Bremen (5-2) received consideration. Adairsville swept a home doubleheader with Armuchee Saturday 10-0 and 13-7. The wins snapped a brief two-game skid. The Tigers had opened the season with four straight victories. In Class AAAAA, Carrollton (7-3) is ranked No. 3 from the region that includes Woodland and Cass. Also from Region 7-AAAAA, Villa Rica (6-3) and Rome (3-3) received consideration.

The best local high school track and field performances of the 2018 season as reported through Saturday, March 3.

The Georgia Highlands College baseball team is off to arguably its best start in program history, but the Chargers stumbled out of the gate Saturday as they opened Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association conference play in Statesboro against East Georgia with a 13-5 loss. The Bobcats took an early lead over Georgia Highlands and the Chargers’ offense never caught up. East Georgia took a 7-0 lead after only two innings and extended that lead to 9-0 through five innings before the Chargers got on the scoreboard. GHC posted three runs in the sixth to pull within six, but the Bobcats — who pounded out 17 hits in the game — added runs in each of the next three frames for an eventual 13-5 win. Parker Stahlman, Drew Haywood, and Kevin Jimenez combined for 10 hits, six runs, and five RBI to lead the East Georgia offense. Haywood homered and doubled in a four-hit day. Pitchers Rhett Gay and Tyler Owens limited GHC to only two earned runs on seven hits and struck out 10. Zach Miller was the only Charger with two hits. Blake Brady (RBI), Nick Piccapietra (RBI), Skylar McPhee, Parker Orr (2 RBI), and Austin Foster had one hit each. Georgia Highlands’ starter Drew Wilson was touched for seven runs (three earned) on nine hits and one walk. Tyler Sellers (5 IP, 4R, 2ER, 8H, 3BB, 1K) and Matt Norton (1 IP, 2ER, 0H, 4BB, 2K) pitched in relief for the Chargers. Georgia Highlands (13-6, 0-1 GCAA) hosts Macomb (Mich.) Sunday at noon and will play a four-game series with conference foe Abraham Baldwin College Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesday’s game is at LakePoint. Friday’s game and Saturday’s doubleheader will be in Tifton.

The Woodland Lady Cats finished fourth and the Wildcats were 15th at the Nike Panther Relays Friday and Saturday at Starrs Mills High School in Fayetteville. There were 26 varsity teams in the event. Hoover (AL) won the girls varsity division with 107.33 points. They were followed by Shiloh (78.5), Alexander (41.5), and Woodland (40.5). Hoover (AL) also won the boys varsity title with 94.5 points. Archer (67), East Coweta (50.5), Peachtree Ridge (48), and Dutchtown (47) followed. Woodland finished with 13 team points. Top Woodland performances (Top 8 place in finals) Girls 1600M Run 4th — Carli Clymer (5:16.71) Girls 3200M Run 2nd — Carli Clymer (11:29.76) 3rd — McKenna Trapheagen (11:34.06) 4th — Angela Cochran (11:34.57) 5th — Lindsay Scifers (11:35.11) Girls Distance Medley 3rd — Woodland (Lindsay Scifers, Carli Clymer, Angela Cochran, McKenna Trapheagen) (13.02.76) Girls Pole Vault 6th — Brooke Cooper (8-06) Girls Discus Throw 5th — Skylar Chappell (97-10) Boys Pole Vault 2nd — Tommy Duke (13-00) 8th — Jimmy Davis (10-06) Boys Long Jump 6th — Markal Brown (20-04) Boys Discus Throw 8th — Kurtis Feanny (125-04)

The Cartersville boys track and field team placed sixth and the Lady Canes placed seventh Saturday at the Rome Invitational at Barron Stadium. The eleven school event was won by the Rome boys with 165 points, followed by Hillgrove (136) and Alcovy (76.5). Cartersville scored 44 points. Hillgrove won the girls championship with 227.5 points. Rome (105.5) was second with Alcovy (65) third. Cartersville scored 29 points. Top Cartersville performances (top 8 in finals) Girls 800M 7th — Kayla Carpenter (2:42.24) Girls 3200M 7th — Vanna Beach (13:20.93) 8th — Alex Machado (13:28.35) Girls 300M Hurdles 8th — Jessica Harris (56.55) Girls Pole Vault 8th — Ashlin Borkowsky (6-06) Girls Shot Put 1st — London Shaw (38-01.5) Girls Discus Throw 1st — London Shaw (107-09) 7th — Victoria Covington (81-11) Boys 100M 6th — Terry Berdin (11.38) Boys 200M 4th — Terry Berdin (22.70) Boys 1600M 4th — Max Florence (5:03.59) 5th — Bill Archer (5:05.79) Boys High Jump 7th — Brandon Martin (5-08) Boys Pole Vault 1st — Nick Bebko (12-06) 5th — Jack Merritt (9-06) Boys Long Jump 5th — Cecil Harrish (20-03) Boys Shot Put 6th — Jordon Wells (41-01) Boys Discus Throw 4th — Nick Root (123-03)

The Cass boys finished fifth, Adairsville boys sixth, Cass girls seventh, and Adairsville girls 11th Saturday at the 13-school Southeast Whitfield Track & Field Invitational. Dalton won the girls meet with 112 points. Heritage-Catoosa (77) was second followed by Gilmer (75) in third place. The Cass girls scored 40 points. Adairsville finished with 23.5. The Dalton boys also won with 106 points. Heritage-Catoosa (96) was second while Pickens and Calhoun tied for third with 70 points each. Cass finished with 63 points. Adairsville totaled 42. Top Local results: (placed top 8 in event finals) Girls 100M 8th — Ji’Leyah Mitchell, Adairsville (14.12) Girls 200M 3rd — Josie Turner, Cass (29.21) 5th — Ji’Leyah Mitchell, Adairsville (29.79) 7th — Keturah Redding, Cass (30.20) Girls 800M 6th — Charlotte Sturgeon, Cass (2:55) Girls 1600M 6th — Charlotte Sturgeon, Cass (6:30) Girls 4x100M Relay 2nd — Cass ‘A’ (55.03) Girls High Jump 2nd — Kyler Trouten, Cass (4-10.25) Girls Shot Put 1st — Chanel Clemmons, Cass (37-08) 3rd — Josie Summerville, Adairsville (33-05) 4th — Nakiya Washington, Adairsville (30-05.75) Girls Discus Throw 2nd — Nakiyah Washington, Adairsville (99-04) Boys 100M 3rd — Daylon Bailey, Adairsville (11.59) 4th — Tanayce Calhoun, Cass (11.59) Boys 200M 2nd — Tanayce Calhoun, Cass (23.76) 3rd — Daylon Bailey, Adairsville (24.31) Boys 110M Hurdles 2nd — Nigel Whittington, Cass (16.85) Boys 300M Hurdles 5th — Nigel Whittington, Cass (45.88) 7th — Shane Cooper, Cass (48.26) Boys 4x100M Relay 1st — Adairsville ‘A’ (45.03) 5th — Cass ‘A’ (46.93) Boys High Jump 2nd — Tavarus Varnum, Cass (6-02) 6th — Kamari Robinson, Cass (5-06.25) 6th — Ethan Belcher, Adairsville (5-06.25) Boys Pole Vault 1st — Steven Smith, Cass (12-06) Boys Long Jump 2nd — Daylon Bailey, Adairsville (19-09) 4th — Ethan Belcher, Adairsville (19-03.75) Boys Triple Jump 6th — Kamari Robinson, Cass (34-06.25) Boys Shot Put 4th — Brock Holland, Adairsville (40-01.25) Boys Discus Throw 4th — Ian Herman, Cass (110-00) 6th — Nathan Gant, Cass (102.02)

Class 4A third-ranked Cartersville lost a five run lead late in the game, but edged Class 6A top-ranked River Ridge Saturday 9-8 in extra innings to win the Canes’ first game of the day at Forsyth Central High School in Cumming. River Ridge scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead before Cartersville took advantage of six Knights’ errors, a walk, and a hit batsman to score eight runs in the top of the third inning. Mason Barnett had a hit in the inning and Devin Warner doubled home two of the eight runs for an 8-3 lead. River Ridge (6-2) added a single run in the sixth inning before tying the game with a four-run seventh. In the top of the eighth inning, Jake Gooch singled and J.P. Martin doubled to put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Curtis Wilkes was inserted as a courtesy runner for Gooch and scored on a wild pitch that gave the Canes the game-winning run. Levi Ayers (1.2 IP, 2ER, 3H, 1BB, 3K) picked up the pitching win for Cartersville by working a scoreless eighth inning. Martin (0.1 IP, 3ER, 1H, 3BB), Gage Morris (5.2 IP, 1R, 0ER, 2H, 0BB, 4K), and Cohen Wilbanks (0.1 IP, 2ER, 0H, 2BB, 1K) also took the mound against the Knights. Devin Warner had two hits including a double and two RBI. Anthony Seigler, Barnett, Gooch, Martin (double), Brant Smith, and Garrett Shelton added one hit each for the Hurricanes. Josh Davis added a pair of RBI. CARTERSVILLE 5, FORSYTH CENTRAL 4 Devin Warner singled on the first pitch of his at bat in the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday night to drive home the game winning run in walk-off fashion as Cartersville won at Forsyth Central, 5-4. The dramatic hit was set up by walks to Preston Welchel and Ian Inaba, followed by a game-tying RBI single by Mason Barnett. Cartersville trailed the Bulldogs 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh. Forsyth Central led 2-0 with single runs in their half of the third and fourth innings. Cartersville tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-RBI double by J.P. Martin. The Canes took their first lead in the sixth when Warner reached on an error, advanced to third with two outs, and scored on a passed ball for a Cartersville 3-2 lead. Josh Davis had a bunt single in the inning. The Bulldogs took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh on a walk and three errors in the frame, but the Canes’ bats came to the rescue in the bottom of the inning. Barnett, who was on the hook for the pitching loss when the Canes fell behind late on the two unearned runs, picked up the win as the fourth Cartersville pitcher of the game. Levi Ayers (3 IP, 1ER, 4H, 4K), Cohen Wilbanks (1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 1K), and Curtis Wilkes (2 IP, 0R, 0H, 3K) also pitched. Jake Gooch and Barnett (RBI) finished with two hits in the game. Martin (2 RBI), Wilkie, Davis, and Warner (GW-RBI) had one hit each for the Canes. Five different Bulldogs (9-2) had one hit each including doubles by Jacob Holton and A.J. Feichter. Cartersville (8-3) will open play Thursday in the 2018 Perfect Game High School Showdown at LakePoint in Emerson. The Canes will play Seminary (Louisiana) in the first round at 8:30 p.m. The Hurricanes will play four games during the three-day event. The championship is a 16-team, single-elimination bracket with consolation games for teams not reaching the finals.

The Adairsville baseball team swept a doubleheader with visiting Armuchee Saturday, 10-0 and 13-7. Kyler Pelfrey struck out 14 in six innings and tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout in the opening 10-0 victory. The Tigers then posted ten runs in the first three innings and had a dozen hits in their 13-7 win over the Indians. Garrett Mishoe (4 IP, 1ER, 2H, 3BB, 8K) picked up the pitching win for Adairsville in the second game of the day. BJ Roper (1R, 0ER, 1H, 1BB), Cody Henderson (1 IP, 2ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K), and Elijah Padgett (1 IP, 3ER, 2H, 2BB, 2K) also took the mound in Game 2. Mishoe was 5-for-6 in the doubleheader with one RBI. Roper was 4-for-7 with two RBI. Corey Nation was 3-for-6 with three RBI. Henderson was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Trace Still (2 RBI), Pelfrey (2 RBI), and Hunter Hice added two hits each for the Tigers. Armuchee slipped to 3-4 on the year with the two losses. Adairsville (6-2) plays at Carrollton Monday at 5:55 p.m., hosts Woodland Thursday at 5:30 p.m., and will entertain North Cobb Saturday at 1 p.m.

Kenny Jinks struck out nine and tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout in Game 1 and the Wildcats scored eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings for an 8-3 win in Game 2 as Woodland swept a doubleheader Saturday at Darlington. In Game 1, Woodland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and added three insurance runs in the top of the fifth to support Jinks’ pitching performance. PHOTO: Kenny Jinks Koby Stansell doubled and Bailey Ward drove him in with a pop fly single for the Wildcats’ opening run. Stansell singled again to leadoff the fifth, advanced to third with two outs, and eventually scored on a balk. Two more runs scored for Woodland in the inning on a wild pitch and an infield throw. Ward, Stansell, and Chris Mills all had two hits for the Wildcats in the first game. Tyler Dilcher and Scotty Smith (RBI) had two hits for Woodland in Game 2. Jordan Lee drove in three runs and had one hit. Garrett Cornett contributed a hit and two RBI. Titus Jones drove in a pair of runs and Bailey Ward had one hit. Bryce Evans (3 IP, 3ER, 3H, 6BB, 1K) and Peyton Posey (0R, 1H, 0BB, 3K) combined to limit the Tigers to three runs with Posey receiving credit for the win. Darlington falls to 2-6 on the year with the two losses. Woodland (5-4) hosts Rockmart Monday, plays at Sonoraville Tuesday and travels to Adairsville Thursday.

The Woodland girls tennis team placed sixth Saturday at the Kennesaw Mountain Invitational winning one of three matches on the day against some high quality competition. The Lady Cats were edged by Hillgrove 3-2 in the first round; defeated Harrison 3-2 in the consolation semifinals; and fell to Woodstock 4-1 in the consolation finals. In the loss to Hillgrove, Woodland’s Christy Turner won at Line 1 singles 6-2, 6-2 and the Line 1 doubles team of Breanna Shook and Becky Wesley won their match 7-5, 6-2. In the win over Harrison, Turner won again at Line 1 singles, 6-3, 6-2; Deanna Dodson won at Line 3 singles, 6-3, 6-3; and the Shook/Wesley Line 1 doubles team won 10-4 in a tie-breaker after splitting sets 1-6, 6-1. Kayla Gales and Becky Wesley of the Lady Cats won Woodland’s only match against Woodstock. The Line 2 doubles team won a 10-8 tie-breaker after splitting two sets, 6-4, 3-6.