LOCALS IN COLLEGE NOTES: Grimm Fine-Tuning His Game In Cape Cod League

BY TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier
The next 12 months promise to be eventful for Justin Grimm.

The former Virginia High star is prepping for his junior season at the University of Georgia, and many experts are predicting he’ll be a first-round selection in the 2010 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

The former Bearcat is spending this summer pitching in the Cape Cod League, the top wooden-bat league for college prospects.

He’s 0-4 with a 3.16 ERA in seven starts thus far for Cotuit and has been working on fine-tuning his change-up, a pitch that will complement his blazing fastball.

“I’ve heard a lot of things and, you know, that’s why this summer, I am just working on my weaknesses,” Grimm said. “A lot of guys want to come up here and have a good summer. I’m just trying to work on my weaknesses to go along with my strengths and come out and have a good year.”

After struggling with his control and going 0-1 with a 10.91 ERA as a freshman at Georgia, Grimm was impressive last spring.

He went 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 15 starts and became Georgia’s most reliable pitcher during the final month of the season.

“I just came out throwing strikes, getting ahead of hitters and getting in pitchers’ counts,” Grimm said. “At the first of the year, [Georgia coach David Perno] told me he wanted me to be the Sunday guy, and I worked really hard.”

Grimm had wins in the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Tournament.

Summer league stuff
Here is a look at how some other local college players are faring in baseball leagues this summer:
--- Tennessee High graduate Marcus Nidiffer is also in the Cape Cod League, playing for the Harwich Mariners. Nidiffer, who will be a senior at the University of Kentucky, is hitting .169 with one home run and nine RBIs.

--- Former Sullivan East High School star Jason Trivett helped lead the Tennessee Tornado to the Southern Collegiate Baseball League regular-season and tournament titles.
Trivett went 0-1 with nine saves and a 2.81 ERA in 15 relief outings. He’ll be a junior at Milligan College next season.
Meanwhile, King College first baseman Bart Roark hit .302 with two homers and 19 RBIs for the Tornado.

--- Zak Messer (Virginia High) is hitting .285 with two homers and 18 RBIs for the New Market Rebels of the Virginia-based Valley League. Messer just completed his sophomore season at Walters State Community College.

--- Tennessee Tech pitcher Matt Shepherd (Sullivan East) is 0-3 with a 2.40 ERA in eight appearances for the Waynesboro Generals of the Valley League.

--- Scott Cole went 2-3 with a 3.23 ERA in five starts for the Martinsville Mustangs of the Coastal Plains League. The pitcher at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise saw his stint in the league cut short due to an injury.

--- The Virginia Storm is currently in Fort Myers, Fla., competing in the 19-under AAU Baseball National Championships.
Abingdon native Justin Malone, who just completed a strong freshman season at Georgia State University, is playing for the Storm.
Other local graduates on the team include Brandon Arnold (Virginia High), Tyler Arnold (Virginia High), Josh Arnold (Sullivan Central), Cody Compton (Lebanon), Jordan Estepp (Gate City), Cody Hyden (Sullivan Central) and Joseph Timp (John Battle). The team is coached by Don Butcher.

Tech’s top athlete
The awards and honors keep piling up for Tennessee High graduate Stephanie Place.

The cross country and track star was recently named Tennessee Tech’s Outstanding Female Athlete for 2008-09.

“I’m real honored to be chosen for the award,” Place said in a press release issued by the school. “I certainly wasn’t expecting it. I’m happy for it, but also for my fellow candidates because they also had excellent years.”

Place won the Ohio Valley Conference cross country title, competed in the NCAA South Regional meet, set a school record in the 3,000-meter run during the indoor season and anchored the winning distance medley relay team in the OVC indoor championships. She missed the outdoor season with a back injury.

“She has really raised the bar for this program,” Tennessee Tech cross country and track coach Tony Cox said. “She’s the best distance runner this school has ever had. She’s won a lot of races and has impressed a lot of people, not only at Tech, but also in the conference. She’s really a tough competitor and she’s a smart racer. She knows how to win races.”

A back injury forced Place to miss the outdoor track season, but a medical redshirt will allow her to compete during the outdoor season next spring for the Golden Eagles.