Athletes Beyond Bartow: This week's baseball, softball update

This week's 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' report on local baseball and softball athletes in the college and pro ranks. This edition covers the week of February 24-March 1. A separate report for college basketball, tennis, track & field, and swimming may be read at this LINK.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

SAM HOWARD — Pittsburgh Pirates (7th yr. pro; LHP; Georgia Southern; Cartersville HS)… entered a 3-3 game in the seventh inning last Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox but only recorded two outs and gave up a three-run home run to Josh Ockimey following two walks. He also entered in the sixth inning Sunday against the Detroit Tigers during a 3-3 game allowing a hit, three walks, and a run. It was an eventual Pirates’ 8-4 loss. Pittsburgh is 2-7-1 in Grapefruit League spring training games this year. The Pirates have games this week in Florida with Toronto, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and the New York Yankees.

ANTHONY SEIGLER — New York Yankees (3rd yr. pro; C; Cartersville HS)… In the highlights of several recent articles regarding the switch hitting backstop, Bronx Baseball Daily projects Seigler as the Low Class-A Charleston River Dogs 2020 starting catcher. He was recently listed as the Yankees’ 15th-ranked overall prospect by Bleacher Report and 18th-ranked prospect by The Athletic. Seigler will look to stay healthy in 2020 to move up the Yankees’ farm system. He suffered season-ending injuries in 2018 and 2019.

SOFTBALL

SKYLAR CHAPPELL — Cottey College (Fr., C/1B, Woodland HS)… made a pinch hitting appearance but did not reach base Sunday in the Comets’ 13-9 second game win over Missouri Valley College. Cottey (12-4) has an unusual three week gap in the schedule before hosting Central Christian (Kansas) for a doubleheader March 25.

PRESLY EDWARDS — Wesleyan College (Fr., C, Cartersville HS)… went 0-for-3 Sunday in a pair of home losses to Pfeiffer University. She made an appearance as a pinch hitter in the opening game and started as the designated player in Game 2. This week, the Wolves (3-3) will host doubleheaders with Fort Valley State Tuesday and Agnes Scott Friday before traveling to Reinhardt Sunday afternoon for a twinbill.

Former Cass standout Sarah Fox went 6-for-11 at the plate over the weekend to raise her season batting average to .524 through the first nine games.

SARAH FOX — Agnes Scott College (So., SS, Cass HS).. finished 3-for-6 with a walk and scored two runs in a home doubleheader loss to Salem College Sunday. Fox was also 3-for-5 and scored a run Saturday as the Scotties dropped a pair of games at home to Pfeiffer University. Through the first nine games, Fox is hitting .524 with a .600 on-base percentage. She has three RBI and five stolen bases. ASC (2-8) hosts Mississippi University for Women Tuesday and makes the trip to Wesleyan College Friday. Both dates are doubleheaders.

PARIS POSTON — Columbus State University (So., OF, Cartersville HS)… in a home, doubleheader split with Wingate University Saturday, Poston was 2-for-6 including a solo home run. Columbus State (7-8) will host Erskine College, Lynn University, and University of West Alabama Friday and Saturday in the Cougar Red-White-Blue Classic.

Columbus State's Paris Poston homered and went 2-for-6 Saturday in a doubleheader split at home with Wingate University.

HANNAH TODD — Kansas University (Jr., P, Cartersville HS)… entered in the fifth inning Sunday and allowed a pair of earned runs on three hits and a walk in the Jayhawks’ 6-3 loss to host Texas A&M Sunday in the Reveille Classic. In the same event Saturday, Todd struck out the only batter she faced in the sixth inning in a 7-6 loss to the host Aggies. Kansas was 2-2 in the event with both wins coming over Southeastern Louisiana. Kansas (8-11) will host the Rock Chalk Challenge Friday through Sunday and will play Wichita State twice, Kansas City, and Drake twice.

BASEBALL

LEVI AYERS — Georgia Highlands CC (So., Cartersville HS)… doubled home three runs Wednesday in the Chargers’ 20-0 win over Point University JV. He also faced five batters while closing out the eighth and ninth innings Saturday in a 7-2 win over Sinclair CC (Ohio). He retired the final two outs of the seventh inning but allowed an earned run on two hits in Sunday’s 8-3 win over Sinclair CC. GHC (19-4) hosts a doubleheader with Grand Rapids CC Thursday afternoon at LakePoint.

MASON BARNETT — Auburn University (Fr., RHP, Cartersville)… struck out two and walked one in closing out the ninth innings for the 20th-ranked Tigers last Tuesday in a 10-0 win over Alabama A&M. Barnett also walked one and fanned two in closing out the ninth inning of Sunday’s 6-0 home win over Wright State. Auburn (10-3) has now won five straight and hosts Samford Tuesday night prior to a three-game series Friday through Sunday with Chicago State.

BAILEY CAMPBELL — Young Harris College (Jr., 1B, Cass HS)… made a pinch hitting appearance and was hit by a pitch in Sunday’s 24-13 win at Francis Marion. The 33rd-ranked Mountain Lions (9-5, 3-3 Peach Belt Conference) host Tusculum Tuesday and will entertain UNC-Pembroke in a three-game series Friday through Sunday.

JAKE COLLUM — Snead State CC (Fr., RHP, Cass HS)… worked the final inning and one-third Sunday and picked up the pitching victory as the Parsons came from behind to beat East Mississippi CC 5-3. Collum fanned three of the five batters he faced. Snead State (10-2) has won five straight has four conference games with Marion Military Institute this week — a doubleheader at home Thursday and a doubleheader at MMI Saturday.

CLIFTON DEMPSEY — Toccoa Falls College (Sr., Inf., Cartersville HS)… in four games last week, Dempsey was 4-for-15, hit by a pitch, scored two runs, and stole a base. The Screamin’ Eagles lost to 22nd-ranked Middle Georgia State and won one of three at USC-Beaufort. Toccoa Falls (4-9) plays at Truett McConnell University Tuesday and travels to Edward Waters (Florida) for a three-game series Friday and Saturday.

CARRINGTON EVANS — Augusta University (Jr., OF, Cartersville HS)… went 2-for-15 in four games last week with a double, run scored, walk, and one RBI. Augusta beat Coker Wednesday and won one of three games at Flagler College over the weekend. The Jaguars (4-12, 2-7 Peach Belt Conference) host Saint Rose College (NY) Wednesday and a three-game series with Columbus State Friday through Sunday.

Lane Griffith hit .400 for the weekend as West Georgia swept a three-game Gulf South Conference series at Shorter.

LANE GRIFFITH — University of West Georgia (Sr., C, Adairsville HS)… help the Wolves sweep a three-game series at Shorter over the weekend by going 4-for-10 at the plate with a walk, two RBI, three runs scored, and a sacrifice fly. Following the productive weekend, Griffith is hitting .245 through 16 games with six RBI. West Georgia (12-4, 7-2 Gulf South Conference) hosts Wingate in non-conference games Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to Pensacola for a three-game conference series at University of West Florida Saturday and Sunday.

HUNTER HICE — Georgia College (So., Inf., Adairsville HS)… in a start as designated hitter Friday, Hice went 1-for-3 with a walk as the 8th-ranked Bobcats topped the 20th-ranked Nighthawks 7-4. Georgia College swept the three-game Peach Belt Conference series in Dahlonega to improve to 11-1 on the season and 7-1 in conference action. The Bobcats travel to USC-Aiken for a PBC three-game set Friday through Sunday.

KENNY JINKS — Shorter University (So., LHP, Woodland HS)… worked the ninth inning allowing only one hit and no runs Saturday in the Hawks’ 15-12 home loss to West Georgia. Shorter (11-4, 1-4 Gulf South Conference) has a home game with Morehouse College Tuesday before hosting conference-foe Mississippi College in a three-game series Friday and Saturday.

LOGAN MARTIN — Sewanne: University of the South (Fr., RHP, Cartersville HS)… suffered his second pitching loss of the season Sunday as the Tigers fell to Centre College (KY) 7-2. Martin, in his fourth start of the year, went five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits, three walks, and a hit batsman. He struck out six. Sewanee (7-3-1, 1-2 Southern Athletic Association) plays at Covenant College Tuesday before hosting a non-conference, three-game series with Rose-Hulman Tech (Indiana) Saturday and Sunday.

HUNTER OSBORN — Point University (Jr., RHP, Cartersville HS)… worked the eighth inning Sunday of the Skyhawks’ 15-3 home win over Bluefield College (Virginia). Osborn allowed a hit, but retired the side facing only four batters as Point completed an Appalachian Athletic Conference three-game sweep of the Rams. The Skyhawks (11-2, 3-0) travel to Auburn University-Montgomery Tuesday, host Tuskegee University Wednesday, and will entertain NAIA top-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan in a three-game AAC series Friday and Saturday.

Former Cartersville Hurricane Devin Warner went 6-for-11 with a pair of homers, three doubles, three walks, and four RBI in a weekend series sweep of Carl Albert State.

DEVIN WARNER — Grayson CC (So., OF, Cartersville HS)… enjoyed a productive weekend series as the Vikings swept Carl Albert State (Oklahoma) in a three-game series. Warner was 6-for-11 with a pair of home runs, three doubles, three walks, six runs, and four RBI. He also had an 0-3 game last Monday in a 4-2 loss to Navarro CC. Grayson (11-2) plays San Jacinto CC at Sam Houston State Monday and has a Friday-Saturday, home-and-home with Murray State (Oklahoma).

PRESTON WELCHEL — University of South Alabama (Fr., OF, Cartersville HS)… made a start as designated hitter Saturday and went 1-for-4 scoring one run in the Jaguars’ 13-3 loss to visiting Gonzaga. He also made unsuccessful pinch-hitting appearances Tuesday in a 5-0 win over New Orleans and in a 2-0 win Friday over Gonzaga. South Alabama (7-6) is scheduled to play at Alabama Tuesday and will play a three-game series at Arkansas Friday through Sunday.

CAUY WILLIAMS — Wallace State-Dothan CC (So., RHP, Woodland HS)… faced the minimum and closed out the seventh inning on the mound Saturday as the Governors beat Pensacola State CC 12-4. Wallace State-Dothan (8-6) takes a four-game winning streak into Tuesday’s home game with Grand Rapids CC. The Governors then play a four-game, home-and-home series Thursday and Saturday with Lurleen B. Wallace CC.