Southern Poly signs three Tigers

Friday, January 1, 1904

Southern Polytechnic coach Marty Lovrich confirmed Wednesday that three Chattanooga State sophomores would be joining his program in the fall. The three are middle infielder Tyler Garner and pitchers Alex Ridge and Colton Kinnamon. Garner, a former Boyd-Buchanan player, hit .321 and stole six bases at Chattanooga State. Kinnamon, a Dalton graduate, was the Tigers' No. 3 starter and went 6-4 in 54 innings. In limited time as a reliever, Ridge, a standout at Ridgeland, posted a 1-2 record.

• Tennessee Temple University baseball coach Greg Bartley thinks he has met some specific needs with the seven recruits he's signed for 2013-14, particularly in adding pitching depth. "We had seven or eight guys on our staff last year, and a couple of injuries really hurt us," he said Wednesday. "Five of the seven we've signed can pitch, although most of them play other positions, too. We're going to be more athletic, but most importantly these are good kids who wanted to be in a Christian environment." The seven include two from Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe already reported: right-handed pitcher and third baseman Cole Ellis and middle infielder Bradley Travis. The others are Jan Ramirez from The First Academy in Orlando, Fla., a left-handed pitcher and batter who also plays outfield and first base; right-hander and first baseman Bryant Martin from Faith Baptist School in Fredericksburg, Va.; Gordon Lee catcher Tanner Sexton; Marion County pitcher and third baseman Austin Layne; and LaFayette pitcher, shortstop and outfielder Micah Wyatt. Wyatt "is very athletic," Bartley said, noting that he'll probably play primarily in the outfield. "We needed to sign a catcher, and getting Sexton was a big surprise. He's a huge plus for us," Bartley said. "Layne isn't a big kid but has a good arm. He's probably under the radar, but I feel he's going to help us." Layne said he believed Temple was "a good fit" for him. He also talked to Maryville College, where he would have played one position, and he likes Bartley and the chance to play multiple spots for the Crusaders. Sexton, who also visited Shorter, noted Bartley's professional playing background in addition to his Christian approach, and the member of Parkway Baptist Church said he thought Temple "is going to be a great school for me, both studying about God and playing baseball." Ramirez and Martin both picked TTU because of its national reputation as a Christian school, Bartley said. "It's very satisfying to get those two guys," he added, "and we always want to get good local kids."

Golf

• Sewanee sophomore Emily Javadi will face local veteran Carlene Ryon for the Chattanooga Women's Golf Association city tournament championship this morning at Eagle Bluff, after Javadi beat Rosalie Basten 7 and 5 and Ryon edged another youngster, Rachel Rebne, 2 and 1 in Wednesday's semifinals. Virginia Reedy and Kathy Vaughn will meet for the first-flight title, and Sonja Herring will face Gail Gain in the second-flight final.

Swimming

• The Sewanee men's and women's swimming and diving teams each was announced Wednesday as a CSCAA Team Scholar Academic All-American award winner. The men had an aggregate 3.40 grade point average for the spring semester, the school's 39th semester in a row with CSCAA academic recognition, while the female Tigers combined for a 3.24 GPA. Sara Neil, Phillip Link and Brian Glatt were firist-team Academic All-Americans.

Softball

• The Frost Falcons girls' fastpitch softball team directed by Steve Frost won the state ASA tournament for the third year in a row last weekend -- the second time as a 12-under squad. The Falcons went 4-0 with a 27-0 run differential. Shelby Walters pitched a perfect game in a 6-0 semifinal win when Cheyenne Lindsey went 3-for-4 and scored three runs and Hannah Kincer and Haley Smith each had a two-run hit. Kincer pitched a two-hitter in the final, when Lindsey went 4-for-4, Trinity Liner homered, Meagan Beasley tripled and scored and Smith and Breanna Vinson doubled in runs. Other team members are Lillian Berger, Emerald Frost, Mallory Lowe and Alexis Trimiar. The team takes a 70-7-1 season record into the ASA 12-under nationals starting July 29 in Chattanooga.