Thursday's News 'n Notes: Scoreboard; UGA-Arkansas, Pitt-Tech, Hawks; MLB, colleges, NFL, NBA, COVID
Thursday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
In Coverage: This week’s high school football scouting reports; Full Braves coverage; Maxwell Ratings predictions; The Sports Report picks
Coming Friday: Mercer takes hit from NCAA for cross country/track violations
Scoreboard
High School
Softball
ACE 6, Glascock County 0
Dixiana Sims threw a complete-game no-hitter, with eight strikeouts and two walks. Lizzy Mitchell had two hits and two RBI for the undefeated Gryphons.
Dodge County 10, Bleckley County 9
Deerfield-Windsor 6, FPD 5
The visitors scored the game-winner in the top of the seventh after FPD put up four in the bottom of the sixth to tie it. Cammie Frame had four hits and Kaylee MacDonald two for FPD.
Houston County 7, Northside 0; Houston County 15, Northside 0
The Bears, sparked by pitchers Ally Fleming and Jacy Harrelson, clinched second in Region 1-6A and will host in the first round of the GHSA playoffs. The Bears led 1-0 through five and pulled away in the first game, sparked by Abbie Havard’s two hits and three RBI. Six Northside errors and 10 walks made the nightcap easy. Harrelson, Havard, and Ariana Pham had two hits each for the Bears, with six players driving in two runs each. Harrelson struck out eight with a walk in a five-inning two-hitter.
Howard 9, Rutland 1
The Huskies took advantage of 12 walks along with eight hits. Kayla Roberts, Abby Davis, and Bailey Moon each had two hits for Howard. Lacey Caldwell had two hits for Rutland.
Mary Persons 15, 0
Stratford 3, Mount de Sales 2
Two runs in the six put the Eagles on top. Graci Kluge and Shorter McCook had two hits each for Stratford. Paige Gray got the complete-game win, with five Ks and a walk.
Tattnall 14, St. Vincent’s 0
The Trojans cruised on senior night to stay perfect in Area 1A Private play and 18-5 overall. St. Vincent’s had five errors, leading to nine unearned runs. Hailey Daughtry belted two homers and drove in four runs, while fanning seven with no walks in four innings. Gradie Appling added two hits and three runs, and Kaitlyn Hallman three RBI.
Volleyball
ACE 2, Greenville 0 (25-13, 25-8); ACE 2, Central 0 (25-13, 25-18)
ACE improved to 12-9 overall and 5-1 in region play. The Gryphons celebrate senior night on Tuesday with Jones County and Rutland at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Peach County 3, Mount de Sales 0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-20)
The Trojans closed out the regular season with a sweep to improve to 14-7. They play Upson-Lee at Jackson on Tuesday in the 2-AAA tournament at 6:30 p.m. The winner advances and qualifies for the GHSA tournament.
College
Golf
W-Johnie Imes Invitational, final round, Mercer
Volleyball
FVSU 3, Agnes Scott 0
Pro
MLB
Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3
Around/About Central Georgia
WSOC: Mercer has two conference home battles this weekend
Around/About Georgia
Deep ball a key to Arkansas upset hopes
Lanning gets a new contract, others’ pacts tweaked
Panthers shrug off last year’s win in Atlanta
Pitts already getting respect, if not targets
Collins set for long haul in Atlanta, new focus
Baseball
Big Hurt’s big buy (with help): Field of Dreams site
Carlson homers Cards past Brewers
Boston loses again to Baltimore, tied for wild card
Seattle MLB’s biggest surprise?
College Football/South
Heupel thankful for two years at Missouri
Column: Wilbon wrong about Kiffin
Saban’s radio show was filling
UAB, Birmingham ready for new stadium
Miami loses to Virginia on missed last-second FG
Odd law shortens Kiffin contract
College Football
Will Cincinnati-Notre Dame start foreshadowing Fickell’s future
NFL
Brady opens up on departure from New England
Cincinnati trails at halftime, beats Jacksonville on last-second FG
Cleveland’s McKinley moved by support
Giants signed troubled ex-UGA lineman Wilson
NBA/WNBA
Shaq blasts Irvin: ‘Get your ass up out of here’
Emiid unloads of Simmons’ holdout
Golf/Tennis
Odds of being 11 and hitting two aces in the same round?
Around the nation/world