NOTEPAD: A breakdown of Mercer pitcher’s MLB stats, info on new MGA hoops coach and more

Mercer grad Sawyer Gipson-Long returned to the majors this month and appears to be embracing a long relief role with the Detroit Tigers.

The right-hander had a long, winding road back to the big leagues, as he was initially drafted by Minnesota out of Mercer in 2019 before getting traded to Detroit in 2022 and eventually debuting in the majors there in 2023. Gipson-Long struck out 23 batters in a September cup of coffee that season while maintaining a 2.70 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

Then injuries struck in 2024. Gipson-Long initially hit the IL with a groin strain, but went down again after just one rehab start in April and needed Tommy John surgery. Thus began the long wait en route to recovery.

Gipson-Long returned in a game against the Chicago White Sox on June 5, getting the start and pitching three innings while allowing three runs on five hits and striking out three.

“I could’ve made a few better pitches, for sure,” Gipson-Long told MLB.com after the game, “but I’m grateful to even be back out there and pitching again. I definitely have stuff to work on, but I can put this one in the rearview mirror and say, ‘I made it back,’ and just keep building.”

Gipson-Long has made two appearances since that start, both in relief, and appears to be settling in. He tossed 4 ⅔ innings against the Baltimore Orioles on June 10, allowing only one run while striking out five. 

Gipson-Long then worked in relief on a schedule, coming into a game against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday to toss three innings after another pitcher was the opener. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out a pair of batters.

The two relief outings brought Gipson-Long’s ERA down below 4.00, and the pitcher seems primed for more bullpen work with the Tigers with his lengthy recovery finally complete.

Not only are Gipson-Long’s traditional stats and eye test performances encouraging, some deeper statistics tracked by Baseball Savant favor the former Bear even further. Though he is not yet qualified in most stats, he boasts an elite walk rate of just 4.3% in his limited work thus far, and also done well at limiting opposing hitters’ exit velocities.

The most intriguing stat by far, however, is Gipson-Long’s extension — how far away a pitcher is from the rubber when they release the ball. The Mercer alum gets 7.4 feet of distance between himself and the slab before he lets the pitch fly, ranking in the 98th percentile league-wide in that statistic, according to Baseball Savant.

Gipson-Long’s fastball hovers around 93 mph — a fairly low radar gun tally compared to pitchers across the league — so extension is crucial for shortening the distance between him and the batter, making his fastball appear to reach the plate quicker.

Some other elite extension pitchers include Mariners star Logan Gilbert, former Brewers closer Devin Williams and Dodgers hurler Tyler Glasnow.

MGA introduces new basketball coach

The Middle Georgia State Knights introduced a new women’s basketball head coach Monday, as coach Steven Rhodes took the reins of the program.

The move comes after former head coach Anderson Ligon became a full-time faculty member at the university. Rhodes will join the Knights following a gig as the Associate Head Coach at the University of South Carolina-Upstate. 

“We expected significant interest in our position and we were fortunate to interview a high number of outstanding candidates. Throughout that process we witnessed Steven and his vision for the future of the Knights women’s basketball program really stand out,” Middle Georgia State athletic director Michael Brown said in a press release.

“His vision of a holistic approach to coaching and student-athlete development provided our search committee with a vision for a bright future for MGA women’s basketball and we can’t wait to have him and his family on campus in Cochran,” he said.

Rhodes spent time at North Carolina A&T and Radford before spending three years on the staff at USC-Upstate. NCA&T was the most successful program he worked with, as the Aggies won the MEAC regular season championship and conference tournament while he was on the staff.

“I’m incredibly honored to be named the head women’s basketball coach at Middle Georgia State University,” Rhodes said in the MGA press release. “I want to thank President Blake for his leadership and vision and extend my heartfelt gratitude to Michael Brown and the rest of the search committee for their belief in me. I’ve always believed that you win with people, and what makes Middle Georgia truly special is the genuine care, passion, and momentum that’s building across campus and throughout the athletic department.”

Rhodes fills the slot just as the school makes the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II in all athletics.

“As we step into this exciting new chapter with our transition to NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference, I’m committed to building a championship culture rooted in hard work, connection, care, and the holistic growth of our student-athletes,” Rhodes said. “We will strive to make Middle Georgia not just a place to play basketball, but the best place in the country to grow, compete, and thrive. This is a family journey for me, and I’m so grateful to my wife, Gissell, and our daughter, Liliana, for their constant support as we take this journey together. We’re thrilled to be joining the MGA community.”

Northeast announces Raiderfest

Northeast High School announced via social media that it will host a fan party, Raiderfest, later this year.

The event will take place at the school on August 9 from 9 a.m. to noon, according to a post by Northeast on X.com. The post included a link and a QR code to a Google Form allowing services like food vendors, religious organizations, civic groups and more to apply to partner with Northeast for the event.

Mercer golfers earn honors

Two Mercer men’s golfers, Trey Mixon and Nathan Trodd, earned spots on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Men’s At-Large team, the university announced Tuesday.

The team spots are awarded to players with the best combination of on-field prowess and performance in the classroom. Mixon, a senior, logged a GPA of 3.73 and had a 74.14 stroke average across 29 rounds this season for the golf squad. He also shot one-under at the Southern Conference championship this season, good for a team-high 17th place finish.

Trodd is a junior from South Africa who had a 3.50 GPA in his first year at Mercer. Trodd posted a 72.97 stroke average over 29 rounds on the course and also finished in the top five twice on the season, placing third at the Cullan Brown Collegiate and fifth at the Palmetto Intercollegiate.