Athletes Beyond Bartow: Justus continues productive start, local collegiate players pick up honors
In professional baseball this past week, Connor Justus continued to be productive at the plate for the Triple-A Charleston (West Virginia) Dirty Birds while Sam Howard was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers organization. Howard was placed on the Tigers’ 40-man roster, but has been assigned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens for now. On the pro hardwoods of The Basketball League, Cartersville product AJ Mosby and the Albany Patroons continue to lead their division heading into the home stretch of the regular season.
In college softball, former Hurricanes pitcher Hannah Todd finished off her grad student season with the University of Houston while collegiate baseball pitcher Logan Martin and Davis Williams earned all-conference honors. Former Cass standout Steven Spell played a role in Young Harris College’s Peach Belt Conference tournament championship and local golfers compete in their runs at NCAA and NAIA national titles.
PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
SAM HOWARD — Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A affiliate, Detroit Tigers; 9th-yr. pro; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS) … was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers last week after being designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 29-year-old southpaw has been added to the Tigers’ 40-man roster but has currently been assigned to the Triple-A Mud Hens. Howard made three appearances with the Pirates in late April totaling two innings with a 9.00 ERA.
CONNOR JUSTUS — Charleston Dirty Birds (Triple-A, Independent; 7th-yr. pro; Georgia Tech; Cartersville HS) … in six games last week — three at home against the High Point Rockers and three at the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs — the shortstop hit safely in every game and was 8-for-23 at the plate including a pair of doubles, two walks, four RBIs, and three runs scored. The Dirty Birds are 11-11 and currently third in the Triple-A Atlantic League’s South Division trailing the Gastonia Honey Hunters by five games. Charleston plays at the Wild Health Genomes (Lexington, KY) Tuesday through Thursday and at Gastonia Friday through Sunday.
ANTHONY SEIGLER — Tampa Tarpons (Class A; NY Yankees affiliate; 5th-yr. pro; Cartersville HS) … went 3-for-15 last week in five games at the Dunedin Blue Jays with a double, six walks, and two RBIs. The catcher is currently hitting .257 with three homers and 13 RBIs through 23 games in the Florida State League. The Tarpons (14-18) host the St. Lucie Mets this week.
SOFTBALL
HANNAH TODD — University of Houston (Grad Student, Cartersville HS) … was the pitcher of record in both of the Cougars American Athletic Conference Tournament games last Thursday and Friday in Greenville, North Carolina. Houston beat Tulsa 5-2 in the opening round before falling to top-seeded UCF 4-2 Friday in extra innings in the single-elimination semifinals. Todd worked four innings in relief Thursday facing 21 batters for her 11th win of the year. The righty gave up two earned runs on five hits, two walks, and two hit batters. She struck out two. She then worked 2-1/3 innings in relief in the loss to eventual tournament champion UCF allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks (one intentional) with one strikeout. Houston finished its season 27-27-1 and was not selected to the NCAA Tournament. Todd finished her grad season 11-10 in 36 appearances. She worked 127 innings recording 64 strikeouts with a 2.54 ERA.
BASEBALL
MASON BARNETT — Auburn University (Jr., Cartersville HS) … made a start last Friday against visiting Alabama and worked into the sixth inning but received no decision as the 19th-ranked Tigers went on to defeat the Crimson Tide 3-2. Barnett allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks while facing 22 batters in 5-1/3 innings. He recorded four strikeouts. The right hand hurler is 2-1 this season in 15 appearances and 10 starts with a 4.13 ERA and 59 strikeouts. Auburn (35-16, 15-11 SEC) plays Samford Tuesday in Hoover before hosting Kentucky in a three game conference series that begins Thursday.
KENNY JINKS — Shorter University (So., Woodland HS) … faced just four batters in the fifth inning last Tuesday but was saddled with the pitching loss as the Hawks fell in the championship round of the Gulf South Conference tournament to Lee University, 19-8. Jinks allowed two earned runs on three hits as Shorter fell behind 6-5. The southpaw finished the season 2-3 in 14 appearances with a 7.13 ERA. The Hawks finished the season with a 29-22 mark.
LOGAN MARTIN — Sewanee, University of the South (Jr., Cartersville HS) … received the Southern Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year award. The right-hander, who also earned first-team all-conference honors, finished the season with a 3.89 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He posted 98 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings. Martin recorded nine-plus strikeouts in eight of his 11 appearances. He announced over the weekend that he will continue his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky.
STEVEN SPELL — Young Harris College (Jr., Cass HS) … was only 1-for-11 at the plate in three games over the last weekend, but the third basemen and the Mountain Lions won all three games to win the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 2 Southeast Regional at Wingate, North Carolina. Spell walked twice in the tournament, scored twice, and drove in two runs. Heading into the national tournament, he is hitting .323 and has started all 48 games for the Mountain Lions with three home runs and 31 RBIs. YHC (38-17) opens the regional Thursday against 5th-ranked Wingate. The regional, which continues through Saturday, also includes 9th-ranked Columbus State and Belmont Abbey.
PRESTON WELCHEL — Coastal Alabama South (So., Cartersville HS) … in three playoff games during the Alabama Community College Conference tournament, the Sun Chiefs’ outfielder went 5-for-9 with a pair of home runs, three walks, and three RBIs. Through Saturday’s victory, Welchel is batting .342 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs in 54 games. He also has nine stolen bases. Note: Coastal South had tourney wins Sunday and Monday over Coastal-North and Wallace State-Hanceville before falling to Wallace State-Dothan Monday night. The stats from those game were not available at the time of this release. Those wins advanced Coastal-South to the final three of the double-elimination tournament. BSZ will edit this entry when those stats become available.
DAVIS WILLIAMS — Birmingham-Southern College (Fr., Cartersville HS) … helped 3rd-ranked Birmingham-Southern to the Southern Athletic Association conference championship May 9 recording the final six outs of the title-clinching win over Millsaps College. The freshman was also recognized as an Honorable Mention selection for the All-Conference team. The Panthers (38-8) will play Earlham College (Indiana) Thursday in the opening round of the Lynchburg, Virginia NCAA D-III Regional. Salve Regina University (Rhode Island) and University of Lynchburg are also in the four-team regional that continues through Sunday.
PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL
AJ MOSBY — Albany Patroons (5th-yr. pro; The Basketball League) … scored 5 points Sunday on 1-for-13 shooting from the floor in a 106-99 loss Sunday to Syracuse. He also had three steals, two assists, and four rebounds. Game stats from a Patroons 133-114 win Saturday over the Tri-State Admirals were not available on The Basketball League’s website. Albany (16-2) continues to lead the Northeast Division by 3-1/2 games over the Atlantic City Gambits.
GOLF
BUCK BRUMLOW — University of Georgia (Fr., Cartersville HS) … shot an opening round, 2-over-par 74 helping the 13th-ranked Bulldogs to fourth place through the first round of the NCAA Bryant Regional being held at the 7,146-yard, par-72 Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas. Brumlow is tied for 36th individually in the 75-player field. With two rounds remaining, Georgia (7-under team score) trails Arizona (12-under), Pepperdine (9-under), and Texas A&M (8-under). Georgia seeks to top five finish in the regional to advance to the NCAA National Championship Tournament May 27-June 1 on the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. SMU (Even par), Oregon State (1-over-par), and Kansas (1-over-par) hold positions five through seven in the 18-hole standings.
DALTON HENSON — Reinhardt University (So., Cartersville HS) … scheduled to start as one of the 15th-ranked Eagles’ five players at the 19-team NAIA Men’s Golf Championship Tuesday through Thursday on the 6,691-yard, par-71 TPC at Deere Run course in Silvis, Illinois. The field will include 156 players.
CHANC WILLIS — Reinhardt University (So., Cartersville HS) … scheduled to start as one of the 15th-ranked Eagles’ five players at the 19-team NAIA Men’s Golf Championship Tuesday through Thursday on the 6,691-yard, par-71 TPC at Deere Run course in Silvis, Illinois. The field will include 156 players.
TRACK AND FIELD
TREVOR KNOWLES — Albion College (Sr., Woodland HS) … placed third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump at the Carius/Gregory Invitational hosted by North Central University last Thursday and Friday in Napierville, Illinois. Knowles cleared 23 feet, 1.75 inches in the long jump and cleared 43 feet, 3-3/4 inches in the triple jump finals.
STEPHEN SMITH — Kennesaw State University (So., Cass HS) … cleared 15 feet, 3-3/4 inches to finish third in pole vault at the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship last Friday in Jacksonville, Florida. The Owls finished the meet as conference runner-up behind Liberty University.
