Athletes Beyond Bartow: MiLB seasons close, collegiate XC and soccer schedules get started

Minor league baseball season wound down to a close this past holiday weekend with former Cartersville High School players Sam Howard and Connor Justus wrapping up their summer schedules. Anthony Seigler's 2018 campaign came to a close two weeks back when he was shut down due to a reported concussion.

In collegiate cross country, three former Bartow County athletes made season opening appearances while several local soccer athletes contributed with their college teams.

NOTE: The college football update for Bartow County players was published separately this week at this LINK.

PRO BASEBALL

SAM HOWARD — Albuquerque Isotopes (5th yr. pro; LHP; Triple-A Pacific Coast League; Colorado Rockies' organization; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)... Howard had two starts for the Isotopes in the final eight days of the regular season, going six innings in each outing. In a home game no-decision against Reno on Aug. 27, Howard struck out six while allowing only one earned run on six hits and three walks. Saturday, he allowed only two runs on four hits and did not walk a batter, but he suffered the loss. He fanned four on Saturday. Howard finished the 2018 season with a 3-8 mark and a 5.06 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). His lone non-start was a scoreless, one-inning appearance with the MLB Rockies in June that was also his major league debut. In 21 starts for Albuquerque, he struck out 80 and walked 34 in 96 innings. Opponents hit .285 against him. Albuquerque (63-77) finished last in the Pacific Coast League’s Pacific Southern Division.

CONNOR JUSTUS -- Mobile BayBears (3rd yr. pro; SS; Double-A Southern League; L.A. Angels organization; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS)... In six games this past week, Justus was 3-for-18 (.167) with a walk and two RBI. He split time this season between the Advanced Class A Inland Empire 66ers and Mobile, playing 77 of his 124 games at the Double-A level. He finished the season with a combined 93 hits in 423 at bats, while slashing .220/.339/.312. He hit six home runs, drove in 47 runs and drew 64 walks. Defensively, Justus has maintained a .978 fielding percentage in 982 1/3 innings and 480 total chances with 22 errors. He has been part of 68 double plays. The BayBears (67-70) finished third overall in the Southern League’s South Division behind playoff qualifiers Biloxi and Pensacola.

CROSS COUNTRY

SPENCER FIELDS -- Rhodes College (Sr., Kingston, GA; Darlington HS)... placed 17th out of 172 runners in a season-opening meet in Memphis. The senior finished third on his team, helping Rhodes College finish fifth overall in the 18-team event. Fields completed the 4-mile race in 20 minutes, 52.21 seconds.

JAISON MORNING -- Valdosta State University (Sr., Cass HS)... took eighth-place in the VSU Border Clash men's 7.25k on Friday. He paced the Valdosta State team, which finished third overall, and crossed the finish line in 24 minutes, 40 seconds — ahead of 71 others racers.

LINDSAY SCIFERS -- University of South Alabama (Fr., Woodland HS)... finished fifth in her first collegiate race. Scifers narrowly missed out on fourth place and barely beat out a teammate for a top-five spot in Saturday's dual with Mobile. Scifers finished the 5k course in 20 minutes, 14 seconds.

SOCCER

KATELYNN HARBEKE -- Life University (Sr., Cass HS)... assisted on both goals for the Eagles in a 2-0 victory over Bryan (Tennessee) College last Tuesday. Harbeke also had a shot on goal in the win. She also started Life's 1-0 loss Saturday to Truett McConnell and 1-0 win Monday over West Virginia University Institute of Technology.

EMILY COLLUM -- Georgia Southwestern University (Fr., Adairsville HS)... started and played 72 minutes in her first collegiate game Saturday. However, Georgia Southwestern suffered a 4-0 loss to Emmanuel College in said game.

MARISSA MOWRY -- Anderson University (Fr., Cartersville HS)... saw action in both of Anderson's games last week. She came off the bench to play 20 minutes in her first college game and played 10 minutes in the second game. Both ended in 2-0 losses — the first to Georgia College and the second to North Georgia.

ANTHONY ROBLEDO -- Reinhardt University (Fr., Cass HS)... played in one of Reinhardt's three games to open the season last week. He didn't see the field in a 2-0 win over Martin Methodist (Tennessee) and 0-0 draw against Cumberland (Tennessee). He played 5 minutes, 48 seconds in a 2-0 victory against SCAD-Savannah on Tuesday.