Monday’s Central Georgia Daily News 'n Notes: Bacon, Braves, Hawks, Falcons, NBA, and more
Monday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
Four Macon players on Coastal Plain “Select” team
An all-star team from the Coastal Plain League will play the USA Collegiate National Team on July 1 in Cary, N.C., and four Macon players will make the trip.
Catcher Alec Cargin, outfielder M.J. Rookard, shortstop Jared Miller, and pitcher Cort Roedig are on the team, which includes two players from each position, three DH/utility players, and nine pitchers.
Rookard, of Middle Georgia State, leads the CPL with a .410 average, is tied for second in RBI.
The college team consists of players from mostly power-5 conferences, as well as from East Carolina, Dallas Baptist, UC Irvine, St. Mary’s, and Florida International.
Georgia pitcher Cole Wilcox is the lone player from the Peach State, college or high school, on the team.
This is the fifth year of the series, the college team winning 3-2 last year. Atlanta first-round draft picks Braden Shewmake and Shea Langeliers were both on the college team last year.
The national team is led by Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, with Tony Skole of the Citadel an assistant.
Braves Report
Chicago changed the tempo from a pitchers duel to a hole for Atlanta with a big fifth inning en route to a 8-3 win over the Braves in a series opener at Wrigley Field.
Willson Contreras got the blood pumping for both sides with his second-inning home run and joyously eventful home run trot that led to some emptying of the dugouts.
The lead grew to 7-0 before the Braves got two in the top of the sixth. Julio Teheran left with a 6-0 deficit in the fifth, a five-run inning for the Cubs in which nine went to the plate, getting three singles and two doubles along the way.
Dansby Swanson hit a solo homer to lead off the eighth, and but former Brave Jason Heyward countered with a solo shot in the bottom half.
Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies had two hits each, and Nick Markakis two RBI.
The Braves’ bullpen hit a hot streak of retiring 10 straight until Heyward’s blast. That was the only run given up by the pen, by Touki Toussaint.
Next: Tuesday, at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m., FSSE; Wednesday, at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m., MLB/FSSE; Thursday, at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.; FSSE; Friday, at NY Mets, 7:10 p.m., MLB/FSSO; Saturday, at NY Mets, 4:10 p.m., FSSO; Sunday, at NY Mets, 7:05 p.m., ESPN
Running away with the division (in June)?
Around/About Central Georgia
Former Georgia College assistant Wagoner tapped by Reinhardt
Toby Wagoner, who served former Georgia College basketball head coaches Maurice Smith and Terry Sellers, is the new head women’s basketball coach at Reinhardt.
Wagoner has been an assistant on the Georgia Southern women’s staff for four seasons, and the Eastern Illinois grad replaces Lindsey Huffman, who resigned in April after seven seasons to take the top job at Young Harris. She went 137-88.
Macon nips Gastonia in seven
A run in the sixth was the difference as Macon edged host Gastonia 2-1 in seven innings, the game called after seven because of weather.
Alec Cargin led Macon with two of its five hits. Ryan Kouba whiffed six with a walk in five innings. Kyle King (Georgia College) went six and got the loss.
Macon hosts Gastonia on Tuesday, is at Lexington County on Thursday and hosts Lexington County on Friday, the last home game until July 3 against Lexington County, a fireworks night.
Around/About Georgia
The Hawks were stressin’ waiting to get Reddish
Ryan ready for Super Bowl return
NCAA sanctions put heat on Savannah State football
United’s Martinez makes all-star roster
Georgia Southern golfer earns national honor
Atlantan Williams NBA’s top sixth man again, Doncic top rookie (all winners)