Athletes Beyond Bartow: College and pro baseball, softball updates

Connor Justus

Cartersville High School product Connor Justus has inked a minor league contract with the Charleston, West Virginia Dirty Birds to begin his seventh professional season. The former Canes' and Georgia Tech infielder made a big splash in a recent exhibition game with his new team smacking a pair of home runs. During his professional career, Justus has made stops at Orem, Burlington, Inland Empire, Mobile, Pensacola, and Jacksonville prior to joining the Dirty Birds. Also this past week, Sam Howard made his initial start in a rehab assignment for the Pirates' Bradenton Marauders in a 3-1 win over Lakeland. Howard only worked one inning with a pair of strikeouts, so it appears the southpaw is moving in the right direction in his efforts to return to the Major League club.

Editors note: A separate 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' report will be published later in the week with reports on other sports.

PRO BASEBALL

SAM HOWARD — Pittsburgh Pirates (9th year pro; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS) … made a one inning start Friday in a rehab assignment for the Bradenton Marauders as they beat Lakeland, 3-1. Howard faced just five batters and threw 16 pitches. He walked one and struck out two. The 29-year-old was shut down late in spring training due to back spasms but has now been cleared for this rehabilitation assignment. It is not clear when the southpaw will be able to make his season debut with the Pirates.

CONNOR JUSTUS — Charleston Dirty Birds (7th year pro; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS) … has signed a minor league contract with the High Class A Charleston West Virginia Dirty Birds of the South Atlantic League. In an exhibition game Saturday against the Road Warrior Black Sox of Pennsylvania, the infielder hit a pair of home runs. The Dirty Birds open the regular season Thursday night against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

ANTHONY SEIGLER — Tampa Tarpons (5th year pro; Cartersville HS) … after going 3-for-6 with a double and a home run in his first two starts, the switch hitting catcher was a combined 0-for-8 in a 7-3 loss last Thursday and a 6-3 loss Sunday to the Dunedin Blue Jays.

SOFTBALL

PRESLY EDWARDS — Wesleyan College (Jr., Cartersville HS) … saw action in five of the Wolves’ six games this past week as the team went 5-1 against Agnes Scott, Huntingdon, and LaGrange. The catcher was 5-for-14 at the plate with a walk, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Wesleyan (17-12, 8-6 USA South Athletic Conference) has a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at home against Fort Valley State before closing out the regular season with a conference doubleheader at Brevard College.

ANSLEY EVANS — Reinhardt University (Fr., Woodland HS) … in a pair of home doubleheaders last week against Point and Brenau, the Eagles’ third baseman went 1-for-11 at the plate with a walk, a run scored, and two RBIs. Reinhardt (26-13, 16-6) split with Point and swept Brenau. The Eagles host Columbia University Tuesday and play at Columbia International University Thursday.

BRIANNA HILL — Covenant College (So., Woodland HS) …. pinch hit in both games and saw some action at third base in a doubleheader sweep last Tuesday at Berea College (Kentucky). She was 0-for-1 with a walk. The Scots went 3-3 in doubleheaders with Berea, Maryville (Tennessee), and Piedmont. Covenant (19-14, 9-5 USA South Athletic Conference) wraps up regular season play Wednesday at home with a doubleheader against Agnes Scott.

SADYE JOHNSON —University of North Georgia (Fr., Adairsville HS) … made a defensive appearance at catcher Friday as the 12th-ranked Nighthawks won at USC-Aiken. UNG then lost the next two games of the weekend conference series to the Pacers. North Georgia (35-13, 17-4 Peach Belt Conference) has a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday at Emmanuel College.

LAUREN McELHANEY — University of West Georgia (So., Cartersville HS) … went 3-for-10 with a pair of sacrifice hits in five games last week — two at Georgia Southwestern and three at Alabama-Huntsville — as the Wolves suffered a winless week. UWG (11-29, 4-19 Gulf South Conference) hosts a non-conference doubleheader with Columbus State Wednesday afternoon before welcoming Mississippi College for a three game conference series Saturday and Sunday.

HOPE SHORT — Shorter University (So., Cartersville HS) … went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two walks, and three RBIs as the Hawks split a home non-conference doubleheader last Wednesday with Columbus State. Shorter (6-36, 2-21 Gulf South Conference) plays Mississippi College Wednesday in a doubleheader in Irondale, Alabama before hosting a three game conference series with Alabama-Huntsville Saturday and Sunday in Rome.

HANNAH TODD — University of Houston (Grad Student, Cartersville HS) … tossed all seven innings of a 7-3 home loss Friday to Wichita State when the Shockers scored four times in the top of the seventh. Todd allowed seven earned runs on 14 hits, four walks, and a hit batter while fanning six. The right hander also worked three innings of scoreless relief Saturday in a 7-6 loss. Todd surrendered a pair of hits and struck out one. The Cougars (23-19-1, 7-4-1 American Athletic Conference) play at Texas Wednesday night and will host a three game conference series with UCF Friday through Sunday.

ALEXA VARNER — Shorter University (So., Adairsville HS) … made a start at shortstop last Wednesday in the Hawks’ 7-6 home win over Columbus State. Varner was 1-for-3 at the plate and scored one run. Shorter (6-36, 2-21 Gulf South Conference) plays Mississippi College in Irondale, Alabama Wednesday before hosting Alabama-Huntsville Saturday and Sunday in a three game GSC series.

BASEBALL

MASON BARNETT — Auburn University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … picked up his second win of the 2022 season last Wednesday with a five inning home start to beat Samford, 4-1. The right hander scattered three hits and three walks with six strikeouts while allowing just one earned run. The Tigers (24-12, 8-7 SEC) host Alabama State Tuesday night, Kennesaw State Wednesday, and a three game SEC series with South Carolina Friday through Sunday.

MICAH EARWOOD — Georgia State University (Fr., Cartersville HS) … allowed a pair of hits but worked a scoreless eighth inning Friday at Georgia Southern in an 11-1 Sun Belt Conference loss. Georgia State (23-13, 10-5) hosts Kennesaw State Tuesday afternoon and has a three game conference series with Louisiana-Lafayette Friday through Sunday.

JAKE GOOCH — Central Alabama CC (So., Cartersville HS) … finished 2-for-6 in last Friday’s home doubleheader split with Marion Military. His two hits in the first game drove in three runs in a 12-2 victory. The Trojans (17-22, 6-12) had games Monday with Marion Military (results not available at publishing time). CACC has a home doubleheader Thursday with Southern Union CC.

BRYCEN JONES — University of West Georgia (Jr., Cartersville HS) … allowed one earned run on two hits and registered one strike out working the fifth inning of last Tuesday’s 11-6 home win over Emmanuel College. He then retired the final two outs and walked a batter in the eighth inning Saturday during a 4-3 conference loss at Alabama-Huntsville. West Georgia (19-18, 9-14 Gulf South Conference) plays at Georgia College Tuesday and then hosts conference foe Mississippi College Friday and Saturday in a three game series.

LOGAN MARTIN — Sewanee - Univ. of the South (Jr., Cartersville HS) … entered in the third inning and worked six innings on the mound in a 10-5 home loss Friday to Centre College. The right hander yielded three earned runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out ten. Sewanee (3-30, 0-18 Southern Athletic Association) has a home doubleheader with Brescia University Tuesday and wraps us the regular season Friday and Saturday with a three game series at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

MASON McBEE — Coastal Alabama South CC (Fr., Cartersville HS) … retired the final five outs and allowed no runs in the Sun Chiefs’ 10-5 home loss to Chattahoochee Valley CC Saturday. He surrendered a pair of hits and struck out one in the sixth and seventh innings. Coastal Alabama South (20-20-1, 10-10 Alabama Community College Conference) has a four game home-and-home conference series with Coastal Alabama North Thursday and Saturday.

GARRETT MISHOE — University of West Georgia (So., Adairsville HS) … faced four batters in the seventh inning last Tuesday during a Wolves’ 11-6 home win over Emmanuel College. Mishoe, who entered with his team up 10-4, gave up a pair of earned runs on a walk, hit batsman, and one infield single. West Georgia (19-18, 9-14 Gulf South Conference) plays at Georgia College and hosts Mississippi College in a three game GSC series Friday and Saturday.

SCOTTY SMITH — Covenant College (Fr., Woodland HS) … worked parts of the fifth and sixth innings last Tuesday and was tagged with the pitching loss in a 6-4 home loss to Berry College. Smith retired three of eight batters faced but allowed three earned runs on five hits. The Scots (15-17, 7-8 USA South Athletic Conference) host a three game non-conference series with Bob Jones University Friday and Saturday.

STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Jr., Cass HS) … in a single game last Tuesday at Carson-Newman and a three game home series with USC-Aiken, the Mountain Lions’ third baseman went 8-for-14 at the plate driving in seven runs with three walks, a double, and a home run in four wins and one loss Saturday to the Pacers. Spell lifted his season average to .328 in 34 games and 116 at bats with the hot week at the plate. He has three homers and 26 RBIs. YHC (28-13, 13-8 Peach Belt Conference) sits tied for second with Georgia College in the PBC behind Columbus State with two more conference weekends remaining. The Mountain Lions play non-conference games at Alabama-Huntsville Tuesday and at home against Carson-Newman Wednesday. They then host Lander University in a three game conference series Friday through Sunday.

PRESTON WELCHEL — Coastal Alabama South CC (So., Cartersville HS) … hit safely in all four games of a home-and-home conference series last week against Chattahoochee Valley CC. The Sun Chiefs’ outfielder went 7-for-12 with two walks, two doubles, and three RBIs. Coastal Alabama South (20-20-1, 10-10 ACCC) play a four game, home-and-home series Thursday and Saturday with Coastal Alabama-North.

COHEN WILBANKS — Georgia Gwinnett College (So., Cartersville HS) … in games played at Big League Camp in Marion, North Carolina, Wilbanks started three times as the Grizzlies designated hitter and went 4-for-8 with a pair of walks, two runs scored, and two RBIs in a loss to Montreat College and a pair of wins over Fisher College (Massachusetts). GGC (31-11) plays at 21st-ranked Middle Georgia State Tuesday and will host a three game series with Columbia International Friday and Saturday.

DAVIS WILLIAMS — Birmingham Southern College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … earned his fifth save of the season Saturday with a two inning effort at Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven. Williams, who entered with his team up 9-6, allowed one earned run on two hits facing eight batters. The Panthers play at Emory Tuesday afternoon before hosting Berry College Friday and Saturday in their final conference series of the regular season.

JORDAN WILKIE — Augusta University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … started all five games for the Jaguars last week as they won at Erskine College, lost at home to Anderson University, and won two of three games at home against North Georgia. Wilkie hit safely in all five games going 8-for-19 with a walk, a double, one RBI, a sacrifice bunt, and two runs scored. The Jags’ second baseman raised his batting average to .344 for the season in 128 at bats with 22 RBIs. Augusta (14-25, 6-15 Peach Belt Conference) hosts Francis Marion University Wednesday afternoon before heading to Americus for a three game series at Georgia Southwestern Friday and Saturday.

ZACH WILSON — Penn State Greater Allegheny (So., Woodland HS) … made a pitching start in the first game and started at first base in the second game of a Friday doubleheader loss at Penn State DuBois. On the mound, he went five innings allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 13 hits and two walks while fanning three. At the plate in Game 2, he was 1-for-3. Penn State Greater Allegheny (9-15, 5-5 PSUAC) hosts Clarion University Wednesday and plays a three game series with Penn State Mont Alto Friday and Saturday.