Baseball season at Luther Williams starts Monday with Middle Georgia State and NAIA action

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The baseball season at Luther Williams Field gets going on Monday with the Macon Bracket of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national baseball tournament gets underway.

          Second-seeded Middle Georgia State is hosting the five-team bracket, with two Midwestern teams, a Florida visitor, and a team that traveled 14 hours by plane – slowed by a delay in Houston – from British Columbia, a trip of about 2,900 miles.

          Fourth seed Huntingdon (Ind.) faces fifth seed British Columbia in the first game, Monday at 11 a.m. in a play-in.

          MGSU takes on Rio Grande (Ohio) at 2:30 p.m. in a battle of 2 vs. 3, with top seed Southeastern (Fla.) playing the first-game winner.

          Games on Tuesday are at 11 a.m. (elimination game), 2:30 p.m., and 6 p.m. (elimination game). Wednesday’s times are 11 a.m. (elimination) and 2:30 p.m. The championship game is Thursday at noon.

          Southeastern is the top hitting team with a .345 average, also owning the top ERA with a 3.36. MGSU is third with a .313 average and last – by nearly a run – with a 5.17 ERA.

          Records and number of appearances: Southeastern, 48-10, fifth; MGSU, 39-14, fourth; Rio Grande, 38-19, fourth; Huntingdon 26-14, fourth; BC, 29-20, eighth; appearance. MGSU.

          Georgia Gwinnett and Thomas University are also in the tournament, playing in Lawrenceville and Miami Gardens, Fla.

          The Knights feature several players from Central Georgia: Houston County alum Blake Jackson; junior infielder Luke Parks of Perry; sophomore infielder Colby Owens of East Laurens; junior pitcher Drew Martens of Perry; senior pitcher Preston Sparks of Veterans; freshman outfielder Tyler Flood of Northside; sophomore infielder Thomas McKinney of Rutland; freshman pitcher William Wethington of Central Fellowship, and senior former Hawkinsville pitcher – and Crisp County grad – Witt Campbell.

          Jackson is batting .310 with a team-high 14 homers and second-best 57 RBI. Park has played in 36 games and is hitting .279. Owens has played in 18 games and Owens 14.

          Sparks is 6-3 with 3.67 ERA and team-high 71.1 innings. Martens has 11 appearances and is 1-0.