Ex-Greenbrier baseball player walks on at ASU

Among the traits Justin Thigpen showed Augusta State University coaches during a tryout in May, one of the best was obvious: his love of baseball.

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Thigpen, a former Greenbrier High School third baseman, tried out for the Jaguars baseball staff after graduating in May.

"I had the best tryout of my life," Thigpen said.

As part of the tryout, Thigpen took ground balls at third and second, and did some work behind the plate. Thigpen played catcher for his travel ball team, and Augusta State wanted a look.

After the tryout, a coach told Thigpen it was obvious he loved the game.

"I told him that was true," Thigpen said. "He told me he'd love for me to come back and play for him."

Thigpen was told there was no more scholarship money available, but that if he joined the team as a preferred walk-on, there was a good chance he could start at third and, with a good showing, eventually earn some athletic money.

Thigpen accepted and will begin working out with the team as a freshman this fall.

"I'm excited," Thigpen said. "Hopefully, we can make it to the playoffs this year."

Among the other schools Thigpen considered were Darton College and Georgia Southwestern. He was offered a 50-percent scholarship to catch at Darton, in Albany, Ga. But receiving the HOPE Scholarship and playing closer to home were incentive enough for Thigpen.

"My ultimate goal is to be the starting third baseman and just contribute any way I can to help us make it to playoffs, because that would be awesome," Thigpen said. "People kind of look down on Augusta State now because they haven't been the best these past couple years."

Area junior wins

Bartram Trail event

Evans resident Taylor Gove won the Bartram Trail Junior Classic held Aug. 1-2.

Gove fired rounds of 68-69 to win the Boys 16-18 division of the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour event.

Among those he beat out was fellow Evans resident and Greenbrier High teammate Jonathan Lilly.

Evans resident Evan Usry won the Boys 13-15 division by two shots after rounds of 72-68.

Walter Bottomley, also of Evans, finished second in the Boys 10-12 division.

Fort Gordon to hold exhibition

Evans-based Champions Made From Adversity and The Sergeant Audie Murphy Club have organized a wheelchair basketball exhibition Aug. 26 at Fort Gordon.

The Mighty Seated Sergeants and Augusta Bulldogs will face off at 7 p.m. in gym No. 3. Admission is free, and donations will be accepted.