NOTEPAD: Macon RBI baseball teams make World Series, Mercer named SoCon football favorite

Macon’s Nike RBI baseball and softball teams participated in the program’s tournaments recently, winning some games by impressive margins but ultimately falling out of the program’s Southeastern tournament before reaching the World Series.

The teams were back again this year after Macon’s 15U team made the Nike RBI World Series last season, going 5-0 in Southeastern region play to advance to the biggest stage before losing in the quarterfinals. The team got stories on MLB.com during its underdog run.

This time around, teams were on the lookout for the scrappy team from Macon as the Southeast tournament began in Florida last weekend. The teams faced other squads from Jacksonville, Miami, Montgomery and Atlanta.

Macon RBI’s softball team was the story of the tournament, as the squad went 4-0 over the tournament’s first two days before losing 5-1 against Atlanta in the Southeast championship matchup. The softball team’s run included a first day where they did not allow a single run, followed by day two where they notched two victories in close one-run contests.

The 15U and 18U baseball teams each came up just one game short of championship appearances. They each finished with 2-2 marks.

Mercer a SoCon favorite

The Bears emerged as the preseason pick to win the Southern Conference’s football championship this week as the conference’s football media day began Tuesday.

The coaches picked Mercer to win the conference with six votes, with Chattanooga following in second place and Western Carolina in third. The Bears are the defending conference champions after a program-best finish atop the league in 2024.

Mercer defensive end Andrew Zoch was also named the conference’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He won the SoCon’s Freshman of the Year award last season after a stellar effort that saw him rack up 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

Coaches also voted on the preseason all-conference teams. The Bears had 11 players named to the honorary squads, tied for the most in the SoCon with Western
Carolina.

Mercer had four other players — lineman Xavier Jennings, receiver Adjatay Dabbs and return specialist Brayden Smith — make All-SoCon first team along with Zoch. Running backs CJ Miller and Autavius Ison, lineman Tyler Murray, receiver Adonis McDaniel, linebacker Donovan Watkins, punter John McConnell and long snapper Jaiden Hamilton all made the second team.

The Bears return 12 starters this year, five on offense, after their 11-3 season last year that earned them a top-10 finish in multiple year-end FCS polls. They were ranked No. 10 in the Lindy’s Magazine FCS preseason Top 25 and will open their season against another highly-touted team, UC Davis, in the annual FCS Kickoff game Aug. 23.

Central hoops making noise in offseason

Several Central Chargers basketball players, both boys and girls, have earned shoutouts on social media for their summer performances.

Central’s girls team has been one of dynastic proportions in recent seasons, as the Lady Chargers have taken the region title multiple times and put together a Final Four run in the 2023-24 season.

The players have fittingly earned recognition as they play in different summer leagues, as Georgia high school basketball outlet Sandy’s Spiel recognized a pair of young Chargers on different player rankings via X. Caylin Mathis, a guard, and wing Jamyree Simmons made the Sandy’s Spiel Class of 2028 positional rankings.

Sandy’s Spiel showrunner Kyle Sandy also gave a shoutout to Kacie Reeves on the platform.

“(Reeves) has made some nice reads in the open floor,” Sandy wrote on X.com about her performance at an Atlanta basketball event. “Pitch ahead passes leading to easy buckets. Just scored on a fluid catch, behind-the-back dribble and-1.”

Central boys sophomore Jarvis “Juju” Williams also earned a social media shoutout, as Hypesouth Media and Athletics recognized him for a 33-point effort in an Atlanta tournament last week. Williams, a freshman phenom for the Chargers last year who should have an even bigger impact this season, made 16 shots from 3-point range across five games in the event, according to Hypesouth.

Mercer infielder inks deal with Milkmen

Mercer first baseman Parker Lester, who spent 2024 and 2025 with the Bears as a key hitter, signed a deal with the Milwaukee Milkmen, a team in the American Association, on July, the league announced via X.

Lester bashed in his junior year at Mercer, hitting .307 with an OPS just over 1.000 and 15 home runs. He was a solid contributor again last year in his senior season, notching 11 home runs with a .254 average.

The left-handed hitter has already recorded three hits with the Milkmen, including an RBI single that garnered a video highlight from the American Association. The league features 12 teams, split evenly between a West division and East division.