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Author: Dave Riggert

Mizzou opens 2012 football season with three night games

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As countdown to kickoff for the much-anticipated 2012 Mizzou Football season draws nearer, the Tigers found out kick time and television information for their first three games.  As announced today by the Southeastern Conference office, Mizzou’s Sept. 1st season opener against Southeastern Louisiana will kick at 6 p.m. (central) and be televised on a pay-per-view basis (affiliate details to be determined).

After that, Mizzou’s SEC debut against Georgia on Sept. 8th, and a rematch with Arizona State on Sept. 15th, have both been chosen for telecast by ESPN2.  Both contests will be night games at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium, with the Georgia game set for a 6:45 p.m. (central time) kickoff, while the Arizona State game will kick at 6 p.m. (central).

The entire slate of 2012 conference games will be televised by one of the SEC’s television partners – CBS Sports, any of the ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ESPN3.com), CSS or FOX Sports South.  The majority of television selections for the remainder of the season will be selected by SEC partners on a 12-day advance notice, with the potential for selections to be made on a 6-day advance notice.    Here’s a look at the 2012 full schedule:

Sept. 1 vs. SE Louisianna  6:00 PM  PPV
Sept. 8 vs. Georgia  6:45 PM  ESPN 2
Sept. 15 vs. Arizona State  6:00 PM  ESPN 2
Sept. 22 at South Carolina  TBA
Sept. 29 at Central Florida  TBA
Oct. 6 vs. Vanderbilt  TBA
Oct. 13 vs. Alabama  TBA
Oct. 27 vs. Kentucky  TBA
Nov. 3 at Florida  TBA
Nov. 10 at Tennessee  TBA
Nov. 17 vs. Syracuse  TBA
Nov. 24 at Texas A&M  TBA

— MU Sports Information —

Kansas State’s Brown added to third preseason watch list

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Kansas State senior linebacker Arthur Brown was named to his third preseason watch list on Monday as he is a candidate for the 2012 Butkus Award, which is presented to the nation’s best linebacker, the Butkus Foundation announced.

Brown, who was named to the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy watch lists last week, picked up K-State’s eighth preseason honor as Collin Klein (Maxwell), Nigel Malone (Bednarik, Nagurski, Thorpe) and BJ Finney (Rimington) have also been named to preseason watch lists. The eight honors by K-State for major college football awards are the most since the 2000 squad also had eight. The 1998 team holds the school record at 12.

A native of Wichita, Kan., and former transfer from the University of Miami, Brown was one of 51 players nationally named to the watch list for the Butkus Award, which includes three other Big 12 linebackers. Brown, who was also a preseason candidate for the award last year, adds to a long list of Wildcats who have been candidates for the Butkus Award as his distinction is the 20th in school history. Of the 20, four have reached semifinal status for the honor, including 1999 runner-up and 2012 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Mark Simoneau.

Brown’s multiple honors this offseason is due to the year he turned in during his first season in Manhattan. As a junior, Brown was one of the Big 12’s best linebackers as he carded 101 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, and he helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the AT&T Cotton Bowl. The linebacker picked up numerous distinctions following the 2011 campaign, including All-America honors from Sports Illustrated and Big 12 Defensive Newcomers of the Year accolades from the league’s coaches, Associated Press, Kansas City Star, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and ESPN.com.

The fourth annual K-State Family Reunion kicks off the 2012 season on September 1 as the Wildcats host Missouri State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

— KSU Sports Information —

St. Joseph falls at Sedalia for fourth straight MINK League loss

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The st. Joseph Mustangs suffered their fourth consecutive MINK League loss Sunday as they fell at Sedalia, 9-4.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team drops to 30-14 and 25-14 in the MINK League.

They have now lost four straight league games after going 24-6 during a 30-game stretch against MINK opponents.

Sedalia knocked around Mustangs’ starter Aaron Baker Sunday night.  Baker had done at least eight innings in four straight starts and hadn’t give up any more than seven hits in those games.

On Sunday, Baker allowed eight runs and 14 hits in six innings of work as he is now 4-2 this season.

St. Joseph fell behind 3-0 after two innings thanks in part to three errors, but they did strick in the third to pull within one run.  Mark Robinette and Carlos Rodriguez each had an RBI single.

Sedalia’s Dylan Mays then answered in the bottom of the third with a two-run home run and St. Joe woudn’t get any closer the rest of the way.

Robinette, Jordan Guida and Tanner Lubach had two hits each and they all had one RBI.  Robinette scored twice to lead the Mustangs.

St. Joseph is back on the road Monday for a doubleheader at Joplin.  The first pitch of game one is set for 6:00 p.m.

Kansas City comes up short and loses to Chicago, 2-1

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Chris Sale was short of his All-Star best. He was still good enough to win his eight straight decision.

Adam Dunn homered in his third straight game and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 Sunday.

Sale (11-2) is 8-0 with two no-decisions since a May 12 loss to the Royals.

He allowed one run and scattered a season-high 10 hits eight innings to lower his earned run average to 2.11, which ranks second on the American League. He struck out four and walked none.

”Obviously, a lot of hits,” Sale said. ”You just try to brush that off and keep going about what you need to do and have that mindset and go out and still make pitches.”

Sale, who is from Florida, liked the 94 degree temperature for the first pitch.

”I’ve always said I like pitching in warm weather way better than cold. It’s definitely nice to have some heat out there today.”

Sale threw 115 pitches, but manager Robin Ventura had no qualms about sending him out for the eighth inning.

”It was his game,” Ventura said. ”He finds a way to get himself into trouble and out of trouble, too.”

Dunn, who leads the league with 28 home runs, drilled a 2-0 pitch from Luis Mendoza (3-6) just inside the right-field pole in the first inning. Dunn has 65 hits overall this season, meaning 43 percent of them have been home runs.

”On 2-0, I was geared up for a fastball and it was a changeup,” Dunn said. ”I just caught it out in front. I don’t hit many of those line drive home runs. I could have easily hooked it foul. That was obviously a positive thing. That’s what we’ve been working on all spring to stay inside of it.”

Addison Reed, who blew a save Friday, worked a scoreless ninth for his 14th save in 16 opportunities.

The White Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the second when Alex Rios singled, A.J. Pierzynski was hit by a pitch and Dayan Viciedo hit an infield single. They converted that into just one run when Rios scored as Alexei Ramirez grounded into a double play. Mendoza threw but seven pitches to five batters that inning.

Mendoza allowed just one hit after the second inning, but took the loss. He gave up two runs on four hits in 7 1-3 innings, while striking out six and walking four.

The Royals avoided a shutout when Mike Moustakas, who led off the fifth with a single and advanced to second on a Sale wild pitch, scored on a Chris Getz single.

Getz moved to third on Alex Gordon’s single, but was stranded when Alcides Escobar struck out and Butler grounded out.

The Royals went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position against Sale.

”We knew who we had to face today and he was as good as advertised,” Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. ”He has his fastball in the 86 to 95 range and a change of pace and the slurve. His speed is all over the place. With him it’s hard to get that gapper. You’ve got to be patient. You can’t be trying to kill if or he’ll get you with that off-speed every time.”

The AL Central leading White Sox are 7-2 in their past nine games. The Royals lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals lose Sunday and get swept by Cincinnati

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Scott Rolen hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning Sunday night, sending the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-2 victory and three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Reds’ sixth straight win matched their best surge of the season, moved them a season-high 12 games over .500, and jumped them a game ahead of Pittsburgh for the NL Central lead. St. Louis fell 4 1/2 games back.

Rolen’s two-out single off Mitchell Boggs snapped a 2-all tie and provided a satisfying moment for the 37-year-old third baseman, limited all season by a bad shoulder and back. Jake Westbrook (7-8) set up the winning rally with a walk, a wild pitch and a hit batter.

Homer Bailey (8-6) went eight innings during a fill-in start for Johnny Cueto, sidelined by a blister.

With the 39,280 fans on their feet chanting ”sweep,” Aroldis Chapman fanned the side in the ninth for his 13th save in 17 chances. The hard-throwing left-hander pitched in all three games of the series – only the second time he’s gone three days in a row during his career. The other time was in 2010, when he helped the Reds on their push to the NL Central title.

Bailey was scheduled to start next Tuesday, but got pushed up two days after Cueto developed a blister on the index finger of his pitching hand during a bullpen throwing session. It was a break for the Cardinals – Cueto leads the Reds with 10 wins and is third in the NL with a 2.39 ERA.

Joey Votto singled and had an RBI double, his first hits of the series. Votto hasn’t gone more than two games without a hit this season.

Yadier Molina had a single, a run-scoring double and his second homer of the series, getting loudly booed as he rounded the bases in the sixth after tying it at 2. Molina has been booed during every at-bat since his fight with Brandon Phillips in 2010 at Great American Ball Park.

The solo shot made it 68 straight games with a homer at the ballpark, the longest streak since there were 80 consecutive games with a homer at Coors Field in 2002-03.

Matt Holliday had a pair of hits and extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest by a Cardinal this season.

Cardinals first baseman Lance Berkman made his first start since tearing cartilage in his right knee on May 19. He reached on first baseman Votto’s error in the first inning, then came all the way around to score standing up on Molina’s double to the gap in left-center.

Berkman slowed to a walk once he crossed the plate and got teased by teammates when he reached the dugout after his first-to-home dash.

Molina undercut the rally by getting caught trying to advance to third base on a pickoff throw.

— Associated Press —

St. Joseph rallies Saturday but loses to Clarinda in 10 innings

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The St. Joseph Mustangs lost their third consecutive MINK League game Saturday as they fell at home to Clarinda in 10 innings, 5-4.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team falls to 30-13 this season and 25-13 in the MINK League.

Clarinda scored single runs in the first, third, sixth and seventh innings as they built a 4-0 lead on the Mustangs.

St. Joseph rallied in the seventh as they scored three runs.  Tanner Lubach scored on a wild pitch, Patrick Burkhart scored on a Clarinda error and Mark Robinette drove in Maxime LeFevre with an RBI single.

St. Joe tied the game in the eighth inning as Lubach scored another run on another Clarinda error.

Chris Green was able to send the game to extra innings as he came on in relief in the ninth inning after the A’s loaded the bases against Phillip Wilson.

Green struck out three consecutive batters to keep the game tied 4-4.

Green stayed on for the 10th inning and did take the loss as Clarinda scored on a double steal.

Kyle Jackson started the game and went 6.2 innings as he allowed seven hits and four runs.

Burkhart led the Mustangs with two of their six base hits, including a double.

St. Joseph is back on the road Sunday as they play at Sedalia.  The first pitch is at 7:00 PM and it can be heard on 680 KFEQ.

Mustangs blow three-run lead but score in 9th to defeat NKC

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The St. Joseph Mustangs bounced back from back-to-back losses Thursday night at Ozark with a 5-4 non-league win Friday against North Kansas City at Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team blew a two three-run leads but scored a run in the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie and get the victory.

The Mustangs jumped out to a quick lead again as they scored two runs in the first inning.  Jordan Guida had an RBI single and Kris Koerper scored on a double steal.

St. Joe led 3-0 after two as Kyle Simpson drove in Maxime LeFevre with a single, his team-leading 38th RBI this season.

North Kansas City answered with one run in the third before St. Joseph put the lead back to three as Tim Caputo scored on an Apartment error.

Bubba Blau made the start for the Mustangs and he allowed just one run on five hits in seven innings, but North Kansas City got to the bullpen in the eighth inning.

Jonathan McCann gave up three runs on two hits without retiring a batter as NKC tied the game 4-4.

In the ninth inning, LeFevre led off with a walk and eventually Kris Koerper drove him in with a single to win the game.

LeFevre led the way with three hits in the game, while Koerper, Guida and Patrick Burkhart had two hits each.

Mark Robinnette earned the win in relief as he recorded the three outs in the ninth inning all on strickouts.

The Mustangs improve to 30-12 this season as they are back at home Saturday for a 7:00 p.m. first pitch with Clarinda.  The game can be heard on ESPN 1550 AM.

Northwest Missouri State football tickets go on sale Monday

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With reporting day for fall camp less than a month away, it is time to secure your season tickets for the upcoming 2012 Northwest Missouri State football season.

Tickets officially go on sale Monday, July 16 at 8 a.m. at the Student Services Center on the first floor of the Administration Building and online at www.nwmissouri.edu/tickets.

Membership in the Bearcat Booster Club is a requirement to purchase football season tickets during this period.  When you join the booster club, you are supporting each and every Bearcat student-athlete.  In addition, you will have the opportunity to receive a wide variety of benefits and special offers based on your membership level.

Another benefit of booster club membership is access to Fall Classic XI tickets in the Northwest allotment on July 16 as well. The tickets reserved for Northwest fans will be on the south side of Arrowhead Stadium as Northwest will be the home team during this year’s game on Oct. 13.

The Bearcats will take on the defending national champion Pittsburg State Gorillas and are looking to rebound after last year’s last second loss at Arrowhead. Non-booster club members can begin purchasing tickets in the Northwest allotment on Aug. 20.

In total, Northwest will host five home games at Bearcat Stadium in 2012.  The Bearcats kick off the regular season at home against East Central (Okla.) on Thursday, Aug. 30. Fort Hays State makes their third straight trip to Maryville on Sept. 15 for a 1 p.m. start.   New MIAA member Northeastern State (Okla.) comes to town on Sept. 29 for Family Weekend. The late September showdown against the Riverhawks will also be broadcast regionally on the MIAA TV Network.

After more than a month away from Maryville the Bearcats will return home for their final two games of the regular season.  The annual Homecoming game will be Nov. 3 against Emporia State and the regular season wraps up on Nov. 10 against rival Missouri Western.

The Bearcats are coming off their eighth straight NCAA II Playoff appearance, the longest current streak in Division II. Northwest finished the 2011 season 11-3 and captured two come-from-behind road playoff wins before falling to eventual national champion Pitt State in the National Quarterfinals.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Missouri State hires Derrick Tilmon to finalize men’s basketball staff

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Missouri State men’s basketball head coach Paul Lusk officially completed his coaching staff Friday (July 13) with the addition of Derrick Tilmon as an assistant coach.

A native of Clarksdale, Miss., Tilmon has spent the last three years as an assistant for coach Rodney Watson at the University of Southern Indiana. The Screaming Eagles won the 2012 GLVC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament. USI was 72-16 during Tilmon’s three seasons at the Evansville school with 24 wins in all three campaigns while producing nine all-conference picks and three All-Americans.

“We’re very excited about adding Derrick to our staff,” said Lusk. “He has done an excellent job as an assistant at Southern Indiana and provided so much value to that program and to Coach Watson. He played in The Valley and brings valuable experience to our staff. We are fortunate to have Derrick and his family joining the MSU family, and we look forward to having him here.”

Tilmon started his collegiate career as a player at Hiawassee Junior College in Madisonville, Tenn., before three seasons at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. At 6-foot-7, he was a three-year starting forward and center for the Salukis, ending his career as SIU’s 13th all-time leading shot blocker with 58.

He played 82 games in his career in Carbondale and scored 605 points. The Salukis were 20-13 and advanced to the second round of the 1998 NIT during Tilmon’s senior year where he played alongside former MSU assistant Kent Williams that season.

After his playing days at SIU, Tilmon spent five years playing professionally in Europe with stops in Austria, and the Netherlands. He earned a spot on the Netherlands All-Star team and was part of the Netherlands championship series.

After his playing career ended in 2005, he spent one year as an assistant coach at Shorter College in Rome, Ga., before a three-year stint as assistant at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Ky., from 2006-09.

Tilmon graduated from SIU with a bachelor’s degree in health education in 2000. He and his wife Nicole have two sons, Derrick Jr., and Darren.

The 36-year-old replaces Kyle Smithpeters on the MSU staff. Smithpeters departed July 3 to accept the head coaching job at John A. Logan College. Tilmon’s hire is pending formal approval by the Missouri State Board of Governors at its next meeting, Aug. 3.

— MSU Sports Information —

St. Joseph drops two games at Ozark Thursday

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The St. Joseph Mustangs suffered back-to-back losses for first time since the first week of the season as they were swept in a doubleheader at Ozark Thursday.

St. Joe’s summer college baseball team lost game one, 8-7, and they fell in the nightcap, 7-3.

In the opener, Mustangs’ 3B Carlos Rodriguez broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run home run, but Ozark responded on their last at bat.

Darrin Francis hit a walk-off three-run homer off Phillip Wilson to win it for the Generals.

Rodriguez had three hits in his first start, while Mark Robinette and Jordan Guida each hit a home run and added two hits a piece.

In game two, St. Joseph jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first after an RBI single by Robinette and a two-run home run by Kris Koerper.

After that, it was all Ozark.

The Generals scored seven unanswered runs, including two each in the fifth and sixth innings to break a 3-3 tie.

The Mustangs had only three hits after the first inning as Ozark starter Zac Butler threw a complete game.

Tim Caputo had two of St. Joe’s six hits.

Staten Jones fell to 4-1 as he allowed five hits and four runs in four innings.

The Mustangs drop to 29-12 this season and 25-12 in the MINK League. They return home Friday to entertain North Kansas City at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

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