Athletes Beyond Bartow: Local college and pro update for week ending March 7

With college basketball season winding down, there were some bitter ends to promising campaigns for local hoops products this past week. However, there were also some career highlights.

Former Cass standout Jana Morning played well on her senior night for Berry College. The point guard racked up eight points, eight rebounds and six assists in a winning effort.

Some players experienced both the highs and lows that come with being a collegiate athlete.

Furman junior Jaylon Pugh, a Cartersville High graduate, earned his first career start in the quarterfinals of the SoCon tournament, but the No. 3 seed Paladins lost an overtime heartbreaker.

Adairsville High product Jose Summerville produced a double-double in the quarterfinals of her conference tournament only to see North Park eliminated in the semis. Summerville's high school teammate, Nakiyah Washington scored 20 points in a semifinal win for Piedmont in the USA South divisional tournament. But the Lions ultimately came up short in the title game.

PRO BASEBALL

Sam Howard (Pittsburgh Pirates; Cartersville) — The southpaw made his second, one-inning appearance of the 2021 spring training slate Thursday in the Pirates’ 6-1 win over Atlanta. Howard walked two and struck out two, while facing five batters in the sixth inning.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Mason Barnett (Auburn So., Cartersville) — Barnett earned his first win of the season Saturday, tossing 5 1/3 innings as the Tigers routed Boston College, 16-1. Barnett allowed only two hits, a pair of walks and one unearned run. He struck out three of the 20 batters he faced. Auburn (7-4) was set to play Tuesday at UAB and host Little Rock in a three-game series Friday through Sunday.

Bailey Campbell (Young Harris Jr., Cass) — Campbell appeared as a pinch hitter in Game 1 Saturday and started as the Mountain Lions’ designated hitter in the second game at UNC-Pembroke. Campbell went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a run scored. He suffered a foot injury during the series and is expected to be out for up to six weeks. Young Harris (4-6, 4-5 Peach Belt Conference) travels this weekend to St. Augustine for a three-game conference series at Flagler College.

Clifton Dempsey (Toccoa Falls Sr., Cartersville) — The Screaming Eagles’ shortstop went 0-for-3 with a walk in last Tuesday’s 13-4 home loss to Truett McConnell. Dempsey then bounced back, going 4-for-12 with a two-run home run, a triple, a double, a walk, five runs scored and five RBIs as TFC swept a three-game weekend series with visiting Bob Jones. Toccoa Falls (7-10) will play in the PBR College Classic Tuesday and Wednesday at LakePoint and will host a three-game series Friday and Saturday with Edward Waters.

Jake Gooch (Central Alabama CC So., Cartersville) — Gooch went 2-for-6, scored a run and drove in a run in an 11-2 win Friday at Andrew College. CACC (10-7) was scheduled to play host Tuesday to Wallace State-Dothan CC Tuesday, play a doubleheader Thursday at Marion Military and host the Tigers Saturday to complete a four-game series.

Lane Griffith (West Georgia Sr., Adairsville) — Griffith started twice and appeared in all three games of a weekend series at Shorter, going 2-for-8 with a double and two runs scored. The Wolves took two of three games in the series. West Georgia (7-8, 7-8 Gulf South Conference) play Wednesday at ninth-ranked Columbus State.

Hunter Hice (Georgia College R-So., Adairsville) — Hice went 0-for-2 in the eighth-ranked Bobcats’ 11-2 win Wednesday at Anderson. Georgia College also won two of three games in a home Peach Belt Conference series over the weekend against USC-Aiken. The Bobcats (8-2, 7-2) travel Friday and Saturday to conference foe UNC-Pembroke for a three-game set.

Kenny Jinks (Shorter So., Woodland) — Jinks retired the final two outs of a 10-4 win Saturday in the southpaw’s first appearance of 2021. He got a groundout and a strikeout facing the minimum in his stint. The Hawks (9-6, 6-6 Gulf South Conference) travel Friday and Saturday to West Alabama for a three-game conference series.

Kyler Pelfrey (Georgia College Fr., Adairsville) — Pelfrey made a start on the mound last Wednesday, retiring the only two batters he faced before being lifted.

Jordan Wilkie (Augusta Fr., Cartersville) — Wilkie entered to play third base in the fifth inning and flied out to right field in his only plate appearance as the Jaguars lost 11-1 Saturday at ninth-ranked Columbus State. Augusta (1-6, 1-5 Peach Belt Conference) was set to host Emmanuel College Tuesday and play at North Georgia in a three-game conference series Friday and Saturday.

BASKETBALL

Jacquez Fountain (Albany Tech So., Cass) — Fountain scored a team-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds, two steals and a block in Albany’s lone game of the week, an 89-72 loss last Tuesday at Georgia Highlands.

Justice Hayes (South Georgia Tech Fr., Cass) — Across three games — two wins and an overtime loss — this past week, Hayes totaled four points, three rebounds and a steal.

Jana Morning (Berry Sr., Cass) — Playing on her senior night, Morning totaled eight points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals in a 63-44 win Friday over Covenant.

Jaylon Pugh (Furman Jr., Cartersville) — Making his first career start, Pugh finished with nine points (3-of-7 shooting), one rebound and one steal in 26 minutes of action during a 91-90 overtime loss to VMI in the quarterfinals of the SoCon tournament Saturday in Asheville, North Carolina.

Josie Summerville (North Park Jr., Adairsville) — Summerville posted a double-double in the quarterfinals of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin league tournament. Her 10 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks helped North Park eliminate Carthage with a 55-50 win Thursday at home. However, Summerville managed just one point and two rebounds in a 53-42 semifinal loss to Illinois Wesleyan Saturday at home.

Alexis Ware (Piedmont So., Cass) — Ware played 3 scoreless minutes in an 88-63 win over Brevard in the semifinals of the USA South divisional tournament last Wednesday at home. She didn’t make an appearance in a 68-62 loss to Maryville in the finals Sunday at home.

Nakiyah Washington (Piedmont So., Adairsville) — Washington racked up 20 points in the semifinal victory. The former Tiger added five rebounds and an equal number of steals. Limited to just 18 minutes in the finals, Washington posted five points, four rebounds and four steals.

FOOTBALL

Terry Berdin (Reinhardt Jr., Cartersville) — Berdin rushed once for a 5-yard gain in a 57-16 win over Union Saturday in Barbourville, Kentucky.

Bryce Burgess (Reinhardt Jr., Adairsville) — Burgess totaled 25 yards in the lopsided victory. He ran three times for 9 yards and hauled in a 16-yard pass.

Hunter Hardin (Point Sr., Woodland) — In a game in which both teams, ironically, managed 266 total offensive yards, Point pulled off a 28-23 win Saturday at Bluefield.

John Scifers (Incarnate Word Graduate Transfer., Woodland) — Scifers recorded two touchbacks among his six kickoffs, which averaged 62.8 yards, in a 42-20 win Saturday at Lamar.

Jake Walker (Furman Sr., Cartersville native) — Walker saw action but didn’t record any stats in Furman’s 44-37 overtime win over Samford Saturday at home.

Bryce Wilkins (Reinhardt Jr., Cartersville) — Wilkins saw action in Saturday’s win that improved Reinhardt to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Mid-South Conference.

SOCCER

Russell Shealy (Syracuse R-So., Darlington, Cartersville native) — Shealy recorded four saves in a 3-1 loss Sunday at top-ranked Clemson.

SOFTBALL

Colbi Ballard (Shorter So., Cartersville) — Ballard started the first game of a Saturday home doubleheader with West Georgia and was 0-for-2 at the plate with one putout in right field. Shorter (4-10, 0-6 Gulf South Conference) travels Friday and Saturday to West Alabama for a three-game conference series.

Bella Carnes (Georgia College Fr., Woodland) — Carnes started in left field and was 0-for-2 at the plate during a 9-1 win Saturday over Barton. Sunday, Carnes was utilized as a fourth-inning pinch runner in a 14-3 win over Mount Olive. The Bobcats (4-8) have a doubleheader Wednesday at West Georgia and a doubleheader Saturday at Augusta.

Skylar Chappell (Cottey College So., Woodland) — Chappell saw action in six of the Comets’ eight games this past week, going 5-for-11 with a home run and five RBIs. Chappell currently has a .462 batting average, with two homers and six RBIs for the season. Cottey went 6-2 for the week and stands 12-2 for the season. Cottey will play host Friday to Jamestown (North Dakota) and play a doubleheader Saturday at Southwestern (Kansas).

Presly Edwards (Wesleyan So., Cartersville) — The Wolves catcher was 2-for-6 with a pair of RBIs, but LaGrange lost both games of a doubleheader at Covenant College Saturday. Wesleyan (2-8) plays a four-game series this weekend at Huntingdon College.

Brianna Hill (Covenant Fr., Woodland) — Facing Edwards, Hill had a sixth-inning, pinch-hit sac fly that tied the opening game at 4-4 on the Scots way to a 6-5 win. Hill then started at first base in Game 2 and went 1-for-3 at the plate, as Covenant swept Wesleyan with a 10-2 win. Covenant (6-10) hosts a doubleheader Thursday against Emory and travels Saturday to Brevard.

Lauren McElhaney (West Georgia Fr., Cartersville) — McElhaney took full advantage of her first collegiate appearance Saturday as a pinch hitter with a walk. The Wolves then batted around in the inning and gave McElhaney a second at bat in the frame. She lined a bases-loaded triple down the right-field line that gave the Wolves a 15-3 lead. West Georgia (9-3, 7-2 Gulf South Conference) hosts Georgia College in a conference doubleheader Wednesday and West Alabama Friday and Saturday in a three-game GSC series.

Hannah Todd (Kansas Sr., Cartersville) — Todd made a pair of seventh-inning appearances over the weekend as the Jayhawks played in the University of Arkansas Woo Pig Classic. Todd allowed one earned run on three hits and struck out one to close out a 10-5 win over Drake Friday. In Saturday’s 5-0 win over Northwestern State, she allowed two hits but no runs. The Jayhawks went 4-1 in the tournament with two wins over Drake, two wins over Northwestern State and a loss to host Arkansas. Kansas (9-5) hosts South Dakota State in a doubleheader Thursday and will entertain Northern Iowa and South Dakota State Friday and Saturday in the Rock Chalk Challenge.

TENNIS

Houston Medlock (Piedmont Jr., Adairsville) — Medlock was shut out on Line 1 singles and dropped an 8-1 decision on Line 2 doubles in a 7-0 loss Sunday at Methodist.

Bryce VanOrder (Piedmont Fr., Woodland) — VanOrder came the closest of anybody on Piedmont’s team to picking up a win against Methodist. On Line 2 singles, the former Woodland star fell by a 7-5, 6-3 final score.

TRACK AND FIELD

Trevor Knowles (Albion Sr., Woodland) — Competing in the MIAA Indoor Championships Saturday in Angola, Indiana, Knowles recorded three top-five finishes. The former Wildcat was runner-up in the triple jump, fourth in the high jump and fifth in the long jump. Overall, Albion placed fifth in the meet to end the indoor season.

VOLLEYBALL

Nedu Evans (Augusta So., Cartersville) — Playing in Augusta’s first match since Dec. 7, 2019, Evans totaled one kill and three block assists in a hard-fought, five-set loss Saturday at Flagler.

— Nicholas Sullivan of The Daily Tribune News contributed to this report.