News digest, March 22

N.C. junior college program threatened

Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. has been one of the top Division II baseball programs in NJCAA Region 10 in recent seasons. Now, the  program is facing being cut because of financial issues. Red Hawks coach Marshall McDonald recently sent out a letter to boosters soliciting funds to keep the program going. Catawba Valley regularly plays several of the Division I junior college teams in South Carolina. I've seen nothing to indicate this issue affects other athletic programs in North Carolina community colleges.
CVCC

Briefly

* Former Furman player Eli Weisner got into Charlotte's 6-2 win over South Carolina as a pinch-runner.
* There has been some kind of "bug" going through Georgia's roster. The Bulldogs plan to take three busses to the weekend series at Auburn instead of the normal one in an effort to address the issue.

Polls

* NCBWA Division II:
National: 1. North Greenville. 9. Newberry.
Southeast Region: 1. North Greenville. 2. Newberry. 5. USC Aiken.

The JBB NJCAA DI: 1. Central Florida. 8. Florence-Darlington Tech.

Honors

* NCBWA co-hitter of the week: Matt Hogan, Oral Roberts (transfer from South Carolina).

* NCBWA Southeast Region player of the week: Dale Francis Jr. Erskine.

* Conference Carolinas
Player of the week: Dale Francis Jr. Erskine.
Pitcher of the week: Reece Fields, North Greenville.