Austin Love (West Rowan)

Staff report

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Austin Love (West Rowan) is pitching in relief for the Springfield (Mo.) Cardinals in Double A ball.

Love had some big seasons for UNC, leading the ACC with 10 wins in 2021. He was a third-round pick by the Cardinals and made his pro debut that summer, although the Cardinals were careful with his innings.

He pitched as a starter for Peoria in 2022. His 7-12 record and 5.73 ERA weren’t exciting, but he led the league with 151 strikeouts.

He returned to Peoria in 2023 and started two games before going on the IL.

He had Tommy John surgery in June 2023, missed the rest of that season and all of 2024.

So the 6-foot-3 26-year-old is just now coming back. He has pitched in nine games so far in short relief for Springfield. He’s struck out 13 in 11 2/3 innings, but he’s also walked eight. He has one save, his first since the 2020 season at UNC.

•••

Vance Honeycutt (Salisbury) is still trying to get untracked at Aberdeen, Baltimore’s team in advanced A ball.

Honeycutt, who also starred at UNC, is batting .204 after 29 games and still has only one homer and six RBIs. He has scored 15 runs, has drawn 18 walks and is stealing bases at a high rate. But he’s struck out 44 times in 125 plate appearances.

•••

It’s been a slow start for Cobb Hightower (East Rowan) for the San Diego Padres A ball team at Lake Elsinore. In a small sample size, Hightower is 4-for-22, although he does have a triple, four runs and two RBIs. The most encouraging stat is he’s walked six times while striking out three times.

•••

Owen White (Carson) is a new father. That’s the good news.

White was hit hard in his last start for the Charlotte Knights. He’s 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA and his strikeouts/walks ratio of 23/18 is not ideal.