... - Sports - Preps - Clover

Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007

Clover's Long chooses baseball, will attend The Citadel

Clover High School two-sport standout Jeremy Long is one of six players to sign national letters-of-intent to play baseball at The Citadel.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Long is a pitcher who earned letters in baseball and football. He was the 2007 Region 3-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year in helping coach Jet Turner's team to the Class AAAA Division II state championship.

Long, the son of Jack and Denise Long, joins five other prospects for the Bulldogs' 2009 program. Also signing were infielder Damon Ardis of Goose Creek, pitcher Zach Garrett of Alpharetta, Ga.; infielder David Greene of Columbia; outfielder-pitcher Jim Johnson of Charleston and outfielder-catcher Justin Mackert of Westlake, Ohio.

• CLEMSON: Former Tigers linebacker Leroy Hill scored his first NFL touchdown last Sunday in Seattle's 27-6 victory over Baltimore.

Hill scooped up a second-quarter fumble by Ravens running back Mike Anderson, a Winnsboro native who played at Fairfield Central. Hill returned the fumble 20 yards with 5:57 left before halftime for his first professional TD.

Hill had not scored a touchdown since his sophomore year at Baldwin (Ga.) High, when he took an interception back.

• COASTAL CAROLINA: Chanticleers senior outfielder Tommy Baldridge, a former Fort Mill standout, was named to the Louisville Slugger preseason All-America team by Collegiate Baseball.

The left-handed Baldridge led the Chanticleers with a .383 batting average last year. He had 15 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and 58 RBIs. He was named to the All-Big South Conference team and was the MVP of the BSC tournament.

Baldridge and two teammates, pitcher Bobby Gagg and outfielder David Sappelt, were chosen. Baldridge and Gagg were named to the second team and Sappelt to the third team.

South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak and third baseman James Darnell were picked to the second team.

• MIAMI: Ex-Hurricanes linebacker Rocky McIntosh is lost to the Washington Redskins for the remainder of the NFL season after tearing his left ACL and MCL against the New York Giants.

McIntosh, a former Gaffney stalwart, will have surgery and may miss between nine and 12 months. He had 87 tackles, three sacks and three forced fumbles this season.

• PRESBYTERIAN: Blue Hose freshman guard Katlin Moore, a Fort Mill native, scored a career-high 19 points in PC's recent 68-61 loss to Stetson.

The 5-7 Moore, who played at Charlotte Catholic, is averaging 9.2 points and 2.4 rebounds a game.

Moore is the daughter of Mark and Beth Moore of Fort Mill.

• USC: Cincinnati second-year defensive back Johnathan Joseph, a former Gamecocks and Northwestern standout, recorded the fourth interception of his career last week.

The 5-11, 193-pound Joseph intercepted quarterback Derek Anderson's pass, intended for tight end Kellen Winslow, in the Bengals' 19-14 victory over Cleveland. The win prevented the Browns from clinching a playoff spot.

Joseph, the Bengals' first-round draft pick in 2006, intercepted the pass with 7:35 left in the game.

He has four interceptions this year and in his career, returned for 76 yards and one touchdown. He carried back a Chad Pennington pass for a 42-yard TD on Oct. 21 for his first pro interception and TD.

• WINTHROP: Ex-Eagles pitcher-infielder Jason Colson has been acquired in a trade by Brockton of the independent Can-Am League.

The Rox picked up Colson and pitcher Christopher Schutt from Calgary of the Golden Baseball League in exchange for pitcher Jon Huizinga, infielder Jose Mejia and a player to be named later.

Colson batted .290 with 16 homers and 89 RBIs last season for Calgary when the Vipers were members of the Can-Am League.

Colson was a three-time All-Big South selection from 1999-2001. He was the league's MVP in 2001 and began his pro baseball career in the Toronto organization.