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Author: Dave Riggert

Royals send Broxton to Cincinnati for two minor league pitchers

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The Kansas City Royals acquired minor league left-handed reliever Donnie Joseph and right-handed starter J.C. Sulbaran from the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday in exchange for right-handed reliever Jonathan Broxton.

Joseph, 24, has appeared at both the Double and Triple-A levels in 2012, most recently recording a 4-1 record with five saves and a 2.86 ERA in 18 relief appearances for Louisville (AAA).  The 6-foot-3 southpaw was 4-2 with 13 saves and a 0.89 ERA in 26 outings for Pensacola (AA).  In 52.1 combined innings, the Buda, Texas native walked 17 and struck out 68, holding the opposition to a .188 batting average.  Originally a third-round selection by the Reds in 2009 out of the University of Houston, Joseph was the Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2010 and has appeared in Major League camp with Cincinnati the last two seasons.

The 22-year-old Sulbaran, whose full name is Juan Carlos but goes by J.C., is 7-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 starts for Pensacola this season.  In 104.2 innings, the 6-foot-1 right-hander has allowed 101 hits and struck out 111.  Born in Willemstad, Curacao, Sulbaran pitched for the Dutch National Team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.  He attended American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., where he was a teammate of Royals’ first baseman Eric Hosmer and went 11-1 in 2008 as the club won the state championship.  A pitcher on the World squad at the 2009 Futures Game, he has struck out 449 batters in his 413.2 minor league innings.  Sulbaran, who was ranked by Baseball America prior to the season as having the “Best Curveball” in the Reds organization, was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 30th round of the 2008 Draft.

Broxton, 28, was 1-2 with 23 saves and a 2.27 ERA in 35 relief appearances for the Royals after signing as a Major League free agent on November 30, 2011.

— Royals Media Relations —

Chiefs sign OT Ray Willis, waive FB Taylor Gentry

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday the club has signed offensive tackle Ray Willis and waived fullback Taylor Gentry.

Willis (6-6, 304) has played in 44 games (26 starts) in five NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2005-09). He joins the Chiefs after brief stops with the Miami Dolphins (2011), New Orleans Saints (2011) and the New York Jets (2012). The Angleton, Texas, native originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft pick (105th overall) of the Seahawks in the 2005 NFL Draft. Willis was a four-year starter at Florida State University and prepped at Angleton High School.

Gentry (6-2, 250) played in 44 games at North Carolina State, catching 38 passes for 313 yards (8.2 avg.) and recording 61 tackles (22 solo). He was a two-time all-conference and all-area selection and team MVP at Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, N.C., as a tight end, wide receiver, outside linebacker and defensive end. He originally joined the Chiefs as a rookie free agent in May.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

Western women’s basketball signs three more for 2012-2013

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Missouri Western women’s basketball coach Rob Edmisson announced the signing of three more student athletes to the National Letter of Intent for the 2012-2013 season. The Griffons welcome junior college transfers Casey Sobaski of Brighton, Iowa (Kansas City Kansas CC), Lanicia Lawrence of St. Robert, Mo. (Hutchinson CC), and freshman Madeline Baillie of Winfield, Ill. (Wheaton North HS) to next year’s squad.

They join junior college transfers Tiffanie Abrams of Detroit, Mich. (Connors State College), JaQuitta Dever of Tulsa, Okla. (Seminole State College), sisters Sharniece Lewis of Warrensburg, Mo. (Highland CC) and Jallisa Lewis of Warrensburg, Mo. (State Fair CC) and four year transfer Heather Howard of Shawnee Mission, Kan. (Oklahoma State University) who signed back in May.

Sobaski, a 5-6, guard from Brighton, Iowa transfers to Missouri Western from Kansas City Kansas CC. She played her high school basketball at Washington HS. While at KCKCC she averaged 12 points per game, four assists, three steals per game and four rebounds per game. In high school she was a two time Southeast Conference Most Valuable Player and named third team all-State. She plans on majoring in elementary education at Missouri Western.

Lawrence, a 5-6, guard from St. Robert, Mo. transfers to Missouri Western from Hutchinson CC. Last season she helped her team to 36-1 overall record with their lone loss coming in the Junior College National Championships game. She started all 37 games averaging 3.92 points per game, 2.95 rebounds per game, 3.43 assists per game and 0.97 steals per game. She played her high school basketball at Waynesville HS. She plans on majoring in video and theatre at Missouri Western.

Baillie, a 5-8, guard from Winfield, Ill. comes to Missouri Western from Wheaton North HS. During her high school career she averaged 15 points per game, eight assists per game and five rebounds per game. She finished 5th in the Illinois three point contest. She plans on majoring in criminal justice at Missouri Western.

“We are very excited to add these three student-athletes to our program,” stated coach Edmisson. “We feel they each will contribute to the success of our rebuilding efforts. These young ladies are all from programs that have had success and we fell that will be a positive factor,” commented Edmisson.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Former Mustang, Bearcat pitcher Chris Green signs with Orioles

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Former Northwest Missouri State pitcher, Chris Green, was offered a minor league contract by the Baltimore Orioles Monday and is expected to be designated for assignment later this week.

Green pitched for two seasons at Northwest and went 3-4 for the Bearcats during his senior season in 17 starts after battling back from Tommy John surgery. However, the right-handed pitcher showed no effects of the surgery mentioning his arm feels the best it ever has since high school.

Over the summer as a relief pitcher with the St. Joseph Mustangs, Green posted a 1.62 ERA allowing only nine hits in 17.1 innings out of the bullpen.

A trio of teams showed interest in Green during the summer, before Baltimore took a chance on the Joplin native. The call came shortly after helping the Mustangs to a win in the first round of the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita Sunday night.

The Mustangs claimed the MINK League North Division Title to earn a spot in the NBC World Series. Green was one of three Bearcats on the Mustangs roster during the summer which is under the direction of former Bearcat assistant coach, Matt Johnson. Outfielder Jake Kretzer and pitcher Carson Smith also played with St. Joseph.

Teams interested in Green included the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners throughout the summer; however, it was Baltimore who showed up in Wichita and offered Green a contract following Sunday night’s win.

“I knew I had a chance to make a team, but had to get my arm healthy,” Green said. “Just having teams interested was pretty exciting. It’s been an awesome summer making it to the World Series and now to keep playing baseball.”

St. Joseph will continue action at the NBC World Series facing a team from Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday night. A win would place the Mustangs just two wins away from the championship game in the double-elimination tournament, but they will have to do so without Green who was not ready for his season or career to come to an end.

“The way things were running down the end I was getting worried that it was coming to an end and I was getting ready to play my last couple games in the World Series. It coming at this time was really exciting for me. I wasn’t ready quit just yet.”

Green will travel to Sarasota, Fla., for a physical and Baltimore’s rookie team in the Gulf Coast League.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Chiefs sign LB Edgar Jones; put DB McCarthy on injured reserve

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that the club has signed linebacker Edgar Jones and placed defensive back Kyle McCarthy on injured reserve.

Jones (6-3, 262) spent the previous five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens after joining the club as an undrafted free agent from Southeast Missouri State University in 2007. He saw action in 41 contests with the Ravens, contributing as both a linebacker and tight end. He owns six tackles (three solo), 1.5 sacks (-4.5 yards) and one forced fumble. He appeared in 23 games on offense recording two receptions for 33 yards (16.5 avg.) and also played a role on the club’s special teams unit tallying 32 career tackles.

As a senior at Southeast Missouri, Jones was named a first-team All-American after leading Division I-AA with 12.0 sacks (-88.0 yards) in 2006. He was a two-time all-state selection as a defensive end at Rayville High School in Rayville, La.

McCarthy (6-1, 210) joined the Chiefs in February after spending the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. He appeared in 12 NFL games recording four tackles (two solo) and three special teams stops. McCarthy originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Broncos in 2010.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

Mustangs rally past Tulsa to win NBC opener Sunday

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The St. Joseph Mustangs overcame a 3-1 deficit after seven innings Sunday and won their NBC World Series opener at Wichita against the Tulsa Cardinals, 8-4.

St. Joe’s summer college team improves to 35-19 this season and they’re 3-0 all-time in NBC opening games.

The Mustangs struggled offensive against Tulsa starter Morgan Croft as they had just four hits through seven innings and trailed by two runs.

But the Cardinals then went to the bullpen and used three pitchers in the eighth and St. Joe put up six runs in the eighth and one in the ninth inning for just their second win this season when trailing after seven innings.

Kyle Simpson had an RBI single to make it a 3-2 game in the eighth and then Kris Koerper hit a sacrafice fly to tie the game.

Tanner Lubach then came to the plate with two outs and the two runners on base with the game tied.  He hit a line drive to center field that Tyler Lein dove for and missed and it rolled all the way to the fence.

Lubach raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run that broke the tie and put the Mustangs ahead 6-3.

Patrick Burkhart added an RBI single and Koeper drove in Simpson with a single in the ninth inning.

St. Joseph starter Cody Cunningham improved to 8-0 this summer as he went seven innings and allowed just two earned runs.  He struck out nine and walked one batter.

Simpson led St. Joe offensive as he went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI.  Lubach had two hit and three RBI.

St. Joe moves on to the second round as they’ll play Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Wichita against either the Tulsa Braves or the Kansas Cannons.  The game will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM.

Former Northwest LB Chad Kilgore signs with Oakland

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Former Northwest Missouri State linebacker, Chad Kilgore was signed by the Oakland Raiders the organization announced on Sunday.

Kilgore joins another former Northwest defensive star, Dave Tollefson, who signed with the Raiders as an unrestricted free agent during the off-season. Terms of Kilgore’s deal with the Raiders were not released.

He led the Bearcats in tackles the last two seasons and was a two-time All-America selection. He ranks fourth all-time at Northwest with 392 tackles and posted 2.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss as a senior.

The Raiders report to training camp in Napa, Calif., this weekend, as the team will hit the practice field for the first time on Monday. According to the team’s website the Raiders currently have 89 players under contract, one under the NFL limit for the pre-season. The pre-season opener for Oakland is set for Aug. 13 as the Raiders will host the Dallas Cowboys on ESPN.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

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