Thursday's Central Georgia Daily News 'n Notes: Big money for Smart, Ryan, GHSA update, honors galore for area college softball/baseball players, Braves roll
Thursday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
Cha-ching 1: Georgia makes Kirby Smart richer
Kirby Smart has about doubled his salary.
And the top 10 moneymakers are?
Cha-ching 2: Atlanta makes Matt Ryan richer
Matt Ryan doesn't have a Super Bowl ring, but his financial advisors are happy.
Highest-paid ... for now
Kaboom: Braves hammer Mets
Julio Teheran had a no-hitter into the seventh and Atlanta belted four homers in thumping the Mets 11-0.
GHSA pushes Class A public baseball playoffs to next week
The GHSA doesn't expect to hear a ruling Friday on an injunction regarding the Class A public baseball playoffs, and has pushed the second round to next week.
From the GHSA: "GHSA has been advised that a ruling from Georgia Court of Appeals will most likely not be rendered until sometime tomorrow, Friday. In fairness to the schools traveling, Class A-Public 2nd round Baseball playoffs are postponed to May 7 & 8. Third round to be moved to May 11 & 12."
Georgia College softball players take conference honors
Five Georgia College players made the first or second team All-Peach Belt team, released Thursday night.
Second baseman Baylee Hall and outfielder Holland Coursey made the first team, while Sarah Couch, Jessie Morris, and Caroline Snider made the second team.
Columbus State's Elizabeth Perdue was hte player of the year and Kylee Smith of North Georgia the top pitcher.
Amber Coy, Hannah and Holland Coursey, Hall, Nicole Humphries, Deja Lester, Kayla Price, and Snider made the softball all-academic team for the Bobcats.
Coy is a sophomore infielder from Houston County and Snider a junior outfielder from Brentwood.
College Baseball: Sasser leads Georgia to road win
Adam Sasser tied a school record in helping No. 20 Georgia past Missouri 10-6 on the road.
Sasser's three homers led the Bulldogs to improve to 31-14 overal and 13-9 in the SEC, while Missouri fell to 30-16 and 9-13.
College Baseball/Softball: Middle Georgia State falls
Mobile topped Middle Georgia State 13-6 in the SSAC Tournament.
Mobile scored 5 in the first and fifth, MGSU countering with 5 in the fourth but not much else.
The Knights play Blue Mountain at 11 a.m. Friday. ...
Blue Mountain topped Middle Georgia State 4-1 in the SSAC softball tournament.
College Lacrosse: Mercer advances to conference title
Mercer scored 10 goals in the second half to knock off top-seeded Detroit Mercery 18-17 in the SoCon women's lacrosse tournament semifinal at Five Star Stadium.
Mercer plays either Central Michigan or Furman at noon Saturday in the championship.
The daily scoreboard is above with college and pro baseball. GHSA playoff results and pairings are posted
This week's signings
Val'Dazia Todd of Houston County has signed to play soccer at Agnes Scott in Decatur. ...
Four more Warner Robins football players signed letters of intent at a ceremony on Monday at the school. See story in This Week's Coverage. ...
Perry's Charisma Walker will take her softball pitching skills down the road to Middle Georgia State, signing last week.
This week's honor roll
Margaret Simmons of Middle Georgia State was named the SSAC softball player of the year and freshman of the year.
Simmons started in 46 games, batted .383 with 12 doubles, 11 homers, and 27 RBI.
Madison Bivings made the second team.
All-academic honorees for the Knights: Maggie Burkhalter, Meagan Coleman, Harley Roberts, Madison Staniloiu, Brittany Wilt, Manuela Bedoya, Sam Silva, Alejandra Wahn, and Mary Zimmerman. ...
Georgia College's Pedro Ecenarro was named the ITA Player of the year for the Southeast Region.
He went 14-4 at No. 1 singles and 14-8 in doubles. He has been ranked in the top 20 in the last four polls. ...
Middle Georgia State placed six players on the Southern States Athletic Conference all-conference baseball team, led by Houston County grad Blake Jackson and Jones County's Crandall Poole.
Joining Jackson on the first team: pitcher Austin Goff, catcher Dayton Beasley, second baseman Jacob Durant, infielder Trenton Nash, and outfielder Zach Cornell.
Second-teamers along with Poole is outfielder MJ Rookard.
Austin Goff earned a gold glove and Jackson Braden made the all-freshman team, and Nash made the Champions of Character team.
Cornell, Kevin Smith, Alex Snider, Preston Sparks of Veterans, and Jacob Walden made the all-academic team.
The conference tournament begins Wednesday. 14th-ranked MGS tied with Mobile for second and is the third seed. The Knights play Blue Mountain at 1 p.m.
The tournament is in Montgomery, Ala. ...
Former FPD standout Wesley Hanson of Valdosta State was named the Gulf South Conference freshman golfer of the year.
He tied for 25th in the conference championship and helped the Blazers to third in the tournament. ...
Two Peach Belt players of the week are from Georgia College.
Jessie Morris is the softball freshman of the week, going 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA and 10 Ks in 12.2 innings, including a solid outing against Columbus State
Charlie Hecht is the baseball pitcher of the week after throwing his second career complete-game shutout, over No. 5 Columbus State, with 10 strikeouts.