Georgia sports for Wednesday, August 6th

Warner Robins Little League--

The little leaguers of Warner Robins have advanced to the semifinals of the Southeast Regional tournament in Gulfport, Florida. Warner Robins beat West Virginia 14-3 on Tuesday afternoon. They will now face Alabama this afternoon at 5pm. Today's winner would move-on to the regional championship Friday night.

Atlanta Braves--

The Braves bounced-back to the winning track with an 11-4 win over the Giants in San Francisco Tuesday night. Veteran pitcher Mike Hampton waited a long time to finally record another victory--almost three years. Hampton has made 3 starts since returning to action in July. Previous to his return, he's been rehabbing from an assortment of injuries. Last night, Hampton worked 7 innings with 4 hits and 2 runs allowed to post his first win since August 2005.

Braves/Skip Caray--

The family of late Braves broadcaster Skip Caray has announced plans for his memorial service. It will be held next Monday afternoon in Atlanta, 4pm, at Christ the King Cathedral.

In lieu of flowers, the Caray family has requested donations be made to any of the following charitable organizations: Camp Twin Lakes, Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, and the Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society.

Georgia sports for Thursday, July 17th

Atlanta Braves--

The Braves enjoy one more day off to round-out the baseball All-Star Break. The Braves’ schedule resumes tomorrow night back home in Atlanta, hosting the Washington Nationals. With 67 games remaining in the season, the Braves stand 6-and-a-half games out of 1st place in the NL-East division.

Braves/Mike Hampton--

There is yet another setback for oft-injured pitcher Mike Hampton. Pitching for the Braves’ Double-A Mississippi ballclub last night, Hampton tweaked his groin and had to leave after 2 innings. He has been pitching rehab assignments in hopes of returning from another injury--a strained pectoral muscle. Because of an assortment of injuries, Hampton hasn’t pitched in a major league game for the Braves since August 2005.

Pro hockey/Atlanta Thrashers--

The Thrashers have re-signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen to a 1-year contract.

Georgia sports for Thursday, May 1st

Atlanta Braves-

The Braves wrapped a subpar road trip with a 4th straight loss Wednesday afternoon in Washington D.C., a 3-2 loss in 12 innings. The Braves had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the 12th on Mark Kotsay’s RBI-single. But in the Nationals’ at-bat, they scored twice...the winner a Felipe Lopez RBI-single with the bases loaded. The Braves’ record fell to 12-15 overall in completing a 1-4 road trip. They fell to 0-9 in one-run games this season.

Braves notes--There has been yet another setback for pitcher Mike Hampton in his attempted comeback to the rotation. He had to leave a rehab start for Triple-A Richmond at Durham yesterday after 3-and-a-third innings. Hampton felt more discomfort with his left pectoral injury. It was that injury that prevented his season debut April 3rd. Hampton hasn’t thrown a major league game in 32 months due to an assortment of injuries.

Veteran pitcher John Smoltz says his return to the team from the disabled list will likely be as a reliever in the bullpen. Smoltz has been sidelined a second time with an ailing right shoulder. Smoltz served as the team’s closer in the bullpen in 3-and-a-half years through 2004, before returning to the starter’s role.

Atlanta Hawks-NBA playoffs—-

After 2 straight wins, the Atlanta Hawks lost Game-5 of their 1st round playoff series in Boston last night, 110-85. The Hawks trail the best-of-7 series 3 games to 2. Game-6 is tomorrow night back in Atlanta.

Georgia sports for Friday, April 4th

The Atlanta Braves hold a 1-3 record to open the season. Last night, they lost at home to the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 in 10 innings. Xavier Nady delivered an RBI-single off reliever Chris Resop for the winning margin in the 10th. The game marked the non-return of pitcher Mike Hampton. Primed to make his first start in a major-league game since August 2005, Hampton had to be scratched from the start last night when he experienced a left pectoral muscle strain in pre-game warmups. It's the latest in an injury-filled two-and-a-half years for Hampton, who's been trying to return from an assortment of problems, including a pair of left elbow surgeries.

The Braves tonight open a 3-game series in Atlanta against the New York Mets--Tim Hudson gets the Braves' pitching assignment.

Georgia sports for Thursday, April 3rd

The Braves scored their first win of the season, crushing the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-2 at Turner Field in Atlanta. Leading 3-2 in the last of the 8th inning, the Braves broke things open with 7 runs—Mark Teixeira and Yunel Escobar belted home runs in the inning. Atlanta rookie pitcher Jair Jurrjens got the win with a good 5-plus innings of work. Jurrjens allowed 7 hits and 2 runs in his time on the hill. The Braves and Pirates wrap the series tonight. It will mark the first pitching start for oft-injured Mike Hampton since August of 2005.

From pro basketball, the Atlanta Hawks continue their push to the playoffs with their 5th straight win, a 127-120 decision over the Toronto Raptors. The Hawks increased their lead to 4 games for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Georgia Tech’s football program is losing receiver James Johnson for the 2008 season. Johnson announced he will skip his final year of eligibility on the football field, but remain enrolled in school. The senior missed last weekend’s scrimmage with tendonitis in his knee. The news comes as two fellow receivers announced plans to transfer. Tech under new head coach Paul Johnson is expected to focus more on its running game within a revamped offense. Johnson in 2007 had 25 catches for 447 yards.

Georgia sports for Monday, March 24th

The Atlanta Braves are heading into the final week of spring training from Florida. Their season opener is ahead next Sunday. Yesterday, the Braves were 4-2 winners over the Houston Astros in preseason action. Pitcher Mike Hampton looked good again, throwing 6 innings and allowing only 2 runs. His ERA for the spring stands at 1.98.
One roster move of note from the weekend: The Braves said goodbye to catcher Javy Lopez. The 37-year-old was trying to complete a comeback to the Braves' roster, but the team decided to go with other options at backup catcher. After learning the news, Lopez announced he will retire from baseball. Lopez was a career .287 hitter. In his 12 year career with Atlanta that ended in 2003, he amassed 214 home runs with 694 RBI's.

Georgia's women's basketball team has advanced in the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs on Sunday beat Iowa 67-61. Georgia will face North Carolina in the 2nd round. Bulldogs' state rival Georgia Tech lost their first-round NCAA game Saturday to Iowa State.

Georgia sports for Wednesday, November 28th

Men’s college basketball action from last night: Georgia Tech lost on the road at #15 Indiana 83-79. Lewis Clinch led the Yellow Jackets with 18 points in the losing effort. Tech fell to 3-3 on the season.

From pro basketball, it was defeat on the road for the Atlanta Hawks, as they were tripped up at Chicago 90-78. Joe Johnson paced the Hawks with 21 points.

Offseason news for the Atlanta Braves: pitcher Mike Hampton suffered an immediate setback in his hopeful road back to the big league rotation. In the 1st inning of his first game of work in the Mexican Winter League, Hampton suffered a right hamstring strain. Braves GM Frank Wren told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that it would appear unlikely now that Hampton would get any off-season work in for the rest of the winter. Hampton has missed the last two full seasons recovering from a pair of elbow surgeries.