plus three

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which might have appeared on the brink of collapse, has announced the addition of three schools for next season to replace the group that will bolt for the Southern States Athletic Conference next year. Joining Tougaloo and three other holdovers in the new-look GCAC will be Voorhees (South Carolina), Fisk (Tennessee) and Edward Waters (Florida). This is the final season in the GCAC for Belhaven and William Carey, two of the league’s dominant programs. Tougaloo, which has won just one league game in four years, should be more competitive in the GCAC next season.
P.S. Former Mississippi State star Paul Maholm has made four starts for Pittsburgh this spring — two each against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. In those four games against the Beasts of the AL East, Maholm has a 2.70 ERA. His next start will be Wednesday against the Red Sox. “It’s fun,” Maholm told The Associated Press. “It keeps you working.” … Florida optioned former Warren Central star Taylor Tankersley to Triple-A New Orleans today. He had to know it wouldn’t be easy reclaiming a big league job following elbow surgery. … Pittsburgh sent Itawamba Community College alumnus Jonathan Van Every, a non-roster invitee, to its minor league camp.