SPORTS BRIEFS: Deerfield-Windsor baseball opens first round of state tournament

DWS Baseball opens state tournament play on Thursday

Deerfield-Windsor will open the first round of the Georgia Independent Schools Association Class AAA state baseball tournament on Thursday. The Knights will open the best-of-three series by playing host to Bethlehem Christian with a doubleheader on Thursday starting at 4 p.m. The third and deciding game if necessary would be be played at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Terrell Academy will play its first round game at Trinity Christian in Sharpsburg. Game 1 of the series will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Game 2 will be played at 11 a.m. on Saturday with a third game to follow if necessary.

The second round of the Georgia High School Association state tournaments start today.

Lee County will play host to top-ranked Walton. The first game of the doubleheader is 5 p.m. with Game 2 to follow. If a third and deciding game of the best-of-three series is needed, it would be played at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.

Baconton Charter will play host to Trion in the Class A public school tournament. The Blazers open a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. with a second game to follow. If a third game is needed, it would be played at noon on Thursday.

Knights of Columbus to host May 7 golf tournament

The 19th annual Knights of Columbus charity golf tournament will be held May 7 at the Griffin Bell Golf Course in Americus. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by door prizes at 8:00 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The format is a four-player scramble and each player’s tee shot must be used twice. The $60 entry fee includes golf, cart, range balls, lunch and drinks. Mulligans are available for $5 each.

To register as a player or to become a hole sponsor or prize donor, please contact Ron Akerman at 229-942-1653 or email [email protected].

Reader’s Cup Golf Tournament to be held May 16

The fifth annual Reader’s Cup Golf Tournament will be held May 16 at the River Pointe Golf Course. Registration begins at 11 a.m. followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. The format will be a four-person scramble.

The $60 entry fee includes golf and range, prizes, lunch, beverages (tea/coffee) and snacks at award ceremony.

Contact Jerry Wessels ([email protected]) or Andrea Smith ([email protected]) at (229) 638-2104 for more information.

Pastner makes two support-staff hires

Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner has made two non-coaching hires — operations director Julian Swartz and video coordinator Tyler Benson. Both Swartz and Benson worked with Pastner at Memphis.

Swartz was Pastner’s director of player development at Memphis. Benson was video coordinator at Memphis.

Swartz has an unusual background — he first played at Wisconsin before leaving to treat his obsessive-compulsive disorder. He transferred to a Division III school and later became a graduate assistant at Marquette and earned a master’s in school counseling. He was a school counselor in Wisconsin 2009-2012 while serving as an assistant high-school basketball coach. Pastner hired him in 2012.

Swartz’s responsibilities at Memphis included recruiting operations and on-campus visits, academics and Pastner’s youth camps. Operations directors can handle a variety of responsibilities, including game scheduling, team travel, budgeting, academic, NCAA compliance and equipment.

Benson worked for Pastner for two seasons. He played collegiately at St. Bonaventure.