Poythress shines for Georgia

On Tuesday night, the University of Georgia's baseball team took on No. 24 Georgia Tech in the annual spring Classic for Kids.

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Each year, the two rivals play one of their games at Turner Field to raise money for charity. Georgia's offense got on track as they pounded out 10 runs and knocked off the Yellow Jackets, 10-7.

An event-record crowd of more than 21,000 people attended.

Former Greenbrier star Rich Poythress rose to the occasion for the Bulldogs. The 6-3, 238-pound first baseman was 3-for-5 with a single, double and triple and scored two runs for Georgia.

Since coming back from an offseason knee injury, true freshman Poythress has taken over as first baseman and cleanup hitter. He is second on the team with a .316 batting average and has two home runs and 11 RBI in 90 at bats.

Pressley to play with independent team

Former Evans first baseman Ryan Pressley has signed to play with the Anderson Joe's for 2007. The Joe's are part of the new South Coast Independent Professional Baseball League.

The talent level should be very good in the league, as several former Major Leaguers and Major League prospects will play.

The 6-6, 250-pound Pressley was selected in the 17th round (523rd overall) in 2005 by the Los Angeles Angels but was released.

The Joe's open their season May 18 as they begin a three-game series with the Aiken Foxhounds.

Lions go for three-peat

Augusta Christian's baseball team is set to begin yet another playoff run this week. The Lions are the two-time defending state champions in the South Carolina Independent Schools Association.

This season, ACS took a smart approach to preparing for the challenge of trying to three-peat. The Lions played as tough a schedule as they could assemble. They squared off with public schools Lexington and North Augusta, perennial powers in Class AAAA.

While the Lions managed only a 1-4 mark vs. those opponents, this type of competition can only help them as the playoffs loom. They defeated Strom Thurmond 9-4 and narrowly lost a 4-3 decision to an always tough Lexington bunch.