The Next Level: Graduated athlete roundup (Aug. 22)

Many athletes who spent their high school years in Fayette County have moved on to play for college or professional teams. Below are the athletes who recently made headlines.

Spencer Patton • Pitcher • Northwest Arkansas

•Aug. 18 – Patton, a South Central graduate, pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief during a 4-2 loss against San Antonio. The Kansas City Royals prospect allowed an earned run on a hit for the Class AA Naturals.
•Aug. 14 – Patton pitched three innings of relief during a 1-0 win against Corpus Christi. He struck out three and allowed one hit and one walk.

Tanner Bushue • Pitcher • Tri-City ValleyCats

•Aug. 19 – Bushue, a South Central graduate, struggled in a start against Vermont. The Houston Astros prospect allowed six earned runs on five hits and a walk over two innings of work during a 7-2 loss for the Class A Short-Season ValleyCats.
•Aug. 14 – Bushue took the loss after pitching four innings of relief in a 4-2 loss at Connecticut. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks.

Logan Mahon • Pitcher • Gateway Grizzlies

•Aug. 18 – Mahon, a St. Elmo graduate, pitched two innings of relief during an 8-1 win at Evansville. The independent Frontier League player struck out two in his outing.
•Aug. 15 – Mahon pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief during a 6-4 loss to River City. He allowed an unearned run on one hit.

Kinzie Neilson • Sophomore • Lincoln Land

•Neilson, a South Central graduate, and the Lincoln Land Community College volleyball team is ranked No. 12 in the National Junior College Athletic Association pre-season poll. Neilson will be an outside hitter for the Loggers, who made the national tournament last season. The season opens on Friday at the Florida State Tournament, with a 1 p.m. game against Daytona State College and a 5 p.m. game against Indian River College.