Baseball update for 'Athletes Beyond Bartow'

Former Cartersville baseball players Sam Howard and Connor Justus continue to perform with their respective MLB rosters in Spring Training games in Arizona while several locals also contributed with their college baseball programs around the Southeast.

The baseball update for 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' for the week ending Sunday, March 18.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING

SAM HOWARD — Colorado Rockies (5th yr. pro; Georgia Southern Univ.; Cartersville HS)…faced 11 batters and tossed three scoreless innings in the Rockies 13-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday, March 11. Howard entered in the fifth inning with the Rockies trailing 13-4. He allowed a couple of hits with no walks and struck out four. The southpaw also picked up his second hold in Cactus League action by recording two outs in the eighth inning without allowing a run in a 10-8 loss last Thursday to the L.A. Angels. Howard is 1-0 in five relief appearances this Spring with two holds, a 1.86 ERA, three walks, 10 strikeouts, and 9.2 innings of work. Opponents have a .171 batting average against him and his WHIP is down to 0.93. The Rockies are 9-14 in Cactus League play through Sunday’s games.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Los Angeles Angels (3rd year pro; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)… Justus entered as a pinch runner in the sixth inning, remained in the game at shortstop, and had a hit in his plate appearance but the Angels lost last Thursday to the Chicago White Sox 7-2. Justus is now 2-for-8 for a .250 batting average with the major league club in Cactus League games. The Angels are 10-15 this Spring through Sunday’s games.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

BRANDON ALLEN — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., OF, Woodland HS)… scored a run in three game appearances and three at-bats in last week’s four-game series with West Georgia Tech CC. The Chargers (20-8, 6-3 GCAA) dropped last Tuesday’s series opener, but won the last three games of the series. GHC plays four games with Gordon State this week. The Chargers are scheduled to host Gordon State Tuesday at LakePoint and play a single game Thursday in Barnesville and a doubleheader on the road Saturday.

ELLIOTT ANDERSON — Auburn University (Soph., LHP, Cartersville HS)… worked 3 and one-third innings last Tuesday to earn a pitching win in relief over Georgia Tech. Anderson allowed three earned runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batsman. He entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the second inning and recorded one out in the fifth. Anderson fanned three of the 13 Yellow Jackets he faced. Saturday, he entered in the fifth inning of an 11-5 Southeastern Conference win over visiting Texas A&M. The southpaw recorded two outs in the fifth and one more in the sixth allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk. Auburn (19-2, 2-1) play at Georgia Tech Tuesday night and travel to Kentucky for a three-game SEC series Friday through Sunday.

BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (Fr., 1B/DH, Cass HS)… delivered a two-RBI pinch hit double Sunday in his only plate appearance of the week. The sixth inning hit put the Mountain Lions ahead 4-3 at the time, but Francis Marion came-from-behind to win 7-6 in 10 innings. The loss left YHC 2-2 for the week with a non-conference home win over Lenoir-Rhyne and a win in one of three Peach Belt Conference games at Francis Marion. Young Harris (12-13, 7-8) travels to Truett-McConnell Wednesday and hosts 6th-ranked Flagler College Friday through Sunday.

BRANDON ETHERIDGE — Limestone College (Sr., OF, Cass HS)… went 2-for-9 with a double in this past weekend’s home three game series with Belmont Abbey College. He scored one run and walked twice in the series as his Saints were swept. Etheridge has a .263 batting average in 26 starts and 80 at-bats this season. Limestone (11-15, 3-6) has lost eight of the last nine games and will try to bounce back this week with a home game against Anderson (SC) University Wednesday night and a trip to Wilson, NC to take on Barton College in a three-game series Friday and Saturday.

CODY JOHNSON — Georgia Highlands CC (Fr., RHP, Cass HS)… recorded the final three outs last Tuesday in a 16-6 Chargers’ loss at West Georgia Tech. Johnson allowed four runs (none earned), on a pair of hits and two walks. GHC responded Friday and Saturday to win the next three games and take three of four in the GCAA series. GHC (20-8, 6-3) plays four games with Gordon State this week. The Chargers are scheduled to host the Highlanders Tuesday at LakePoint and play a single game Thursday in Barnesville and a doubleheader on the road Saturday.

SEAN McDERMOTT — Mercer University (Jr., 1B/DH, Adairsville HS)… sharing some time at first base, McDermott had one hit in six at-bats across three game appearances this past week. The hit came last Wednesday in an 11-8 home win over Georgia Southern. He also saw action in two of the Bears’ three weekend wins over Eastern Kentucky. Mercer (16-5) plays at Georgia Tech Wednesday night before opening Southern Conference play with a home weekend series with Wofford.

HUNTER REAID — Shorter University (Fr., C, Woodland HS)… started Friday’s 9-2 loss and Game 1 of a doubleheader. He also appeared in Saturday’s game with West Georgia as the Hawks lost two-of-three in the Gulf South Conference series. Reaid was 1-for-4 at the plate and scored one run in the series. His season batting average is now .318 in six starts and 22 at-bats. Defensively, the catcher has not made an error in 51 total chances. Shorter (10-15, 3-9) entertains Emmanuel College Tuesday afternoon and will travel to Cleveland, MS for a three game series at No. 1-ranked Delta State University Saturday and Sunday.

SAM SEAMAN — Gordon State CC (Fr., Inf./DH, Adairsville HS)… went 2-for-8 with a walk and scored two runs in a pair of starts as designated hitter for the Highlanders last Tuesday and Thursday. He also stole a base. Gordon lost both games, but evened the series with ABAC with wins in the second game of a doubleheader Thursday and on Saturday. GSCC (17-12, 3-2) has a four-game conference series with Georgia Highlands this week. Tuesday’s game is at LakePoint in Emerson. Thursday’s game and Saturday’s doubleheader will be in Barnesville.

TYLER WASHINGTON — Young Harris College (Sr., OF, Adairsville HS)… hit safely in three of four games this past week and was 3-for-10 at the plate with a double, a sacrifice, three walks, and a run scored. The Mountain Lions defeated Lenoir-Rhyne last Wednesday and won one of three conference games over the weekend at Francis Marion. Washington’s batting average is currently .246 in 20 starts and 57 at-bats. Young Harris (12-13, 7-8 Peach Belt Conference) makes the short trip to Truett-McConnell University Wednesday for a non-conference game and hosts 6th-ranked Flagler College Friday through Sunday in a three-game PBC series.