Tuesday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media

Mercer baseball to honor late Valdosta player who planned to become a Bear

          There will be more to Wednesday's game at OrthGeorgia Park than just a visit from in-state rival Georgia Southern.

          Mercer will honor Colton Shaw, a 14-year-old Valdosta student who died nearly three years ago after being hit in the head by a throw at a junior varsity game in Moultrie. He had planned to attend Mercer and major in physical therapy.

          Mercer will present his family with a team jersey and a memorial scholarship, and the family will throw out first pitches.

Luther Williams to host USA-Japan baseball

          All of the renovations taking place at Luther Williams Field for the Macon summer college team are paying off.

          The team announced Tuesday that the field will host a game between the USA Baseball Collegiate National team and the Japan Collegiate All-Star team.

          The game is set for 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 8.

          The teams will play two days earlier in Savannah, as well as in Durham, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., and Charleston, S.C.

          LSU head coach Paul Mainieri is the team's head coach, and the staff includes East Carolina head coach Cliff Godwin, New York Yankees special assistant Jim Hendry, Virginia head coach Brian O'Connor, St. Thomas (Fla.) University head coach Jorge Perez, and LSU assistant Trent Forshag.

          The teams are made up of college players in American and Japan not eligible for the major-league draft.

          Former players for the USA team include Jackie Bradley Jr., Dustin Pedroia, David Price, Kyle Schwarber, Max Scherzer, and Matt Wieters, to name a few.

          Macon 5, 10, and full season-ticket holders get first crack at tickets for $15 and $18. Groups of 10 or more can buy tickets. Sales to the public will follow.

          Ticket info is here.

Georgia set to hire Matta

          Thad Matta has been in Athens already - Mark Fox was fired only on Saturday - and indications are Georgia may make an announcement Wednesday.

          The 50-year-old was Georgia's first interview, and there are no reports of another candidate coming to visit. And reports Tuesday night are that Matta and his wife are back intown.

          Matta has also been linked to the opening at Pittsburgh. He is from Illinois, played at Butler, and his only coaching outside of the Midwest came in the mid-90s when he was an assistant at Western Carolina. But his brother Greg is head coach at North Cobb Christian.

          He is 439-154 (74 percent) as head coach at Butler, Xavier, and Ohio State.

          From the Athens Banner-Herald:

          From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

          Update, 10:30 a.m.: Apparently, Matta and the Mrs. have headed back to Indiana, and no press conference is set. Up next? Good question.

Central Georgia's only scoreboard is up to date

          The Daily Scoreboard has scores and details from high school baseball, soccer, tennis, and lacrosse - almost two dozen in all - and area/state college baseball and softball.