Athletes Beyond Bartow: Updates for locals in collegiate softball, golf, tennis, track & field
Distance runner Spencer Fields helped lead Rhodes College to a SAA Championship and tennis standout Peyton Gollhofer helped lead her Ball State team as the Cardinals qualified for the MAC Championship Tournament.
SOFTBALL
Sierrah Gani (Georgia Highlands Fr., Cass) — Gani went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday with South Georgia State College. She went 0-for-2 with a walk in the second game. Georgia Highlands split the two games, winning 7-6 and falling 5-4.
Sydney Hodorff (LaGrange Jr., Woodland) — Hodorff has doubled in each of her last three games. She finished the week 4-for-10 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBIs. LaGrange went 2-2 for the week.
Cassidy Howren (Reinhardt Sr., Adairsville) — Howren went 0-for-2 in both games of a doubleheader last Wednesday against Milligan College. Reinhardt will face Milligan again in the opening round of the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament this Wednesday.
Hannah Knapp (Coastal Alabama CC So., Adairsville) — Knapp went 2-for-7 with a run and an RBI during Coastal Alabama’s four games this past week.
Kailah Rain (Embry-Riddle Sr., Cartersville) — Rain finished 1-for-2 with a walk in her only appearance during Embry-Riddle’s three-game series with Barry over the weekend.
Taylor Waits (Brewton-Parker So., Cartersville) — Waits went 2-for-3 with a run in a 6-4 win over Martin Methodist in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday.
Annalyn Yantis (Samford Jr., Cartersville) — Yantis started two games this week, finishing with an 0-1 mark as Samford split the two games. In a 4-1 loss to Austin Peay, she went four-plus innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with one strikeout. She started again against Mercer but lasted just two-plus innings. Yantis gave up three earned runs on four hits and a walk, but Samford came back to earn a 7-3 win.
GOLF
Lindsey Bonner (York College Fr., Cartersville) — Bonner placed 11th in the Capital Athletic Conference championship at Cape Charles, Virginia. York finished second in the three-team tournament to cap its first varsity season.
TENNIS
Eric Dunlap (Montreat College So., Cass) — Dunlap landed on the all-Appalachian Athletic Conference academic team.
Peyton Gollhofer (Ball State Jr., Cartersville native) — Gollhofer helped the Cardinals qualify for the MAC tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Akron in Line 2 action Sunday. Ball State will host the tourney, opening against No. 3 seed Toledo at 2 p.m. Friday.
TRACK AND FIELD
Spencer Fields (Rhodes College Jr., Kingston resident) — Fields dominated in the distance events at the Southern Athletic Association Championship at Sewanee, Tennessee. He won the 10k and the 5k, while finishing third in the 1500 meter. His contributions helped the Lynx capture their first conference title since 2014.
Anna Hightower (Georgia Tech Jr., Cartersville) — Hightower place sixth in the pole vault during the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend.
Trevor Knowles (Albion College Fr., Woodland) — Knowles took fifth in the triple jump at the Don Kleinow Invitational in Adrian, Michigan. He also placing 10th in the high jump and 13th in the 100-meter dash at the event this past weekend.
