Thursday's Central Georgia Daily News 'n Notes: Russell Henley; Alumni updates for Tattnall, Jones County; Gann has good day at state am; Braves Report; Georgia College; UGA, Hawks, Falcons & more
Thursday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media. Updates will be noted, so check back.
Updated with the Bacon, Russell Henley status
Henley off to a solid start at John Deere Classic
After a stretch of not making it to Saturday, Russell Henley is high on the leaderboard after one round of the John Deere Classic.
The Stratford grad is tied for second with Adam Long, two strokes back of Roberto Diaz’s 62.
Henley appears to be quite a safe bet to break his streak of missing four straight cuts and six of the last eight.
Entering this week, though, Henley has been under par in three of his last four rounds.
Henley’s 64 is his best of the season, which started in October. He shot a first-round 65 in the Zurich Classic of New Orlens in mid-April, and finished tied for 18th.
He matched that a few weeks later at the RBC Canadian Open, but a 74 led to missing the cut.
It’s his best round since a 63 in the fourth round of the Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in July, 2018.
He had four birdies on the first nine and a bogey and four birdies on the second nine.
Henley last played in the John Deer Classic in 2014 and finished tied for 27th with a 10-under 274.
Alumni update: Tattnall alum takes top program honor
Allie Gordon’s next three years at Belhaven? They’ll be really good news for the Blazers if they’re anything like her first one.
The Tattnall grad added the athletics program’s female athlete of the year to a bursting resume.
Already on the resume: National Christian College Athletic Association first-team All-American, NCCAA Mideast Region player of the year, NCCAA Mideast All-Region team, and American Southwest Conference third-team all-conference.
She led the Blazers in batting average (.378), slugging percentage (.551), home runs (5), RBI (25) and an on-base percentage of .433.
She and Belhaven top male athlete Alex Hale are nominees for the ASC athletes of the year.
"Allie is a phenomenal player who stepped in as a freshman and made an immediate impact on our program,” head coach Kevin Griffin said in a release. “Coming out of high school … she had numerous opportunities to play at larger schools, but chose Belhaven and I believe that this was absolutely the best place for her.
“While she played predominately at third base for us this year, she is capable of playing any position on the field. After a great freshman year, she is capable of winning this award every year that she is in our program because of her attitude and work ethic.
“I'm very glad that she is a part of our family."
Alumni update: Jones County grad Gore on the move
It isn’t expected to be official until Friday that Terrance Gore is off the Kansas City Royals’ MLB roster, except Gore’s Twitter on Thursday may have foretold a move with “New chapter awaits” and a hands-in-prayer emoji.
The Royals announced that outfielder Bubba Starling is being promoted from Omaha for Friday night’s game and that a “corresponding 40-man roster move will be announced tomorrow.”
The Jones County grad has played in 37 games this season with the Royals and is batting .275. He has 14 hits and 13 stolen bases, tying him for 14th in all of baseball, with Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna in that group at 14.
The 28-year-old has 100 major-league games under his belt and a career .224 average with 40 stolen bases.
Gann has good first round at state amateur
One Central Georgia competitor in the Georgia State Golf Association’s state amateur tournament is in the hunt after the first day with the area’s lone under-par performance.
Stan Gann of Warner Robins shot a 1-under 71, thanks to one more birdie and bogey and a steady back nine at Ansley Golf Club/Settindown Creek.
That put him in a tie for 14th, five back of Andy Mao. Spencer Ball trails by one, with five more at 4 under with 68s.
Wilson Andress of Macon (and Georgia Southern) started with a bogey, settled down, and then hit consecutive bogeys on the back nine and then a double bogey to finish tied for 24th with a 1-over 73.
FPD’s Luke Dasher struggled to a 4-over first nine - a 7 on 16 hurt – but he calmed down on the second nine to stay at 4 over and in a tie for 58th.
Steve Welsh is 5 over at 77, in a tie for 75th.
Allen Peake and John Walker have a battle going lower on the leaderboard. The Maconites each shot a 78, and are tied for 85th.
Dodge County grad Michael Clardy battled five double bogeys to finish 10 over at 82, in a group at 123rd out of 144 golfers.
The cut is at 70 players and ties after Friday’s round.
Braves Report
What did those preseason scouting reports say?
Next: Friday, at San Diego, 10:10 p.m., MLB/FSSO; Saturday, at San Diego, 8:40 p.m., FSSO; Sunday, at San Diego, 4:10 p.m., FSSO; Monday, at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m., FSSE; Tuesday, at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m., FSSE; Wednesday, at Milwaukee, 2:10 p.m., FSSE; Thursday, vs. Washington, 7:20 p.m., FSSE
Around/About Central Georgia
Macon takes two from Florence
Five runs was enough twice for Macon to top Florence, 5-3 and then 5-1 in a pair of seven-inning games at Luther Williams Field.
Small-ball execution was solid in the opener with seven Bacon players getting a hit, Jared Miller driving in a pair of runs.
Starter Chace Harris went five innings, with five strikeouts and three runs, three hits, and three walks. Chris Rolick (Georgia College) got his fifth save.
A three-run second inning was enough for Macon in the nightcap.
Nathan Schreckengost went 3-for-4 and Calvin Estrada 2-for-4 while Cory Bivins (GMC) scored twice.
Four pitchers teamed for nine strikeouts, five walks and a four-hitter for Macon. Keegen Meyn got the win.
Georgia College men’s basketball takes academic honor
The National Association of Basketball Coaches has given Georgia College’s men’s team its Team Academic Excellence Award, for the second time.
The Bobcats were also named in 2012-13, the first year for the award.
Teams – in the NCAA, NAIA and junior college association – that had a 3.0 GPA or better are honored.
Ex-Georgia College pitcher an all-star
Former Bobcat All-American Michael Antonini was picked to the Atlantic League All-Star game, played Thursday night in York, Pa.
He’s been an elite closer in the league for Somerset (Pa.), currently with 25 saves, and is among the leaders with 29 appearances and as 2.17 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 29 innings.
