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Lowell, NWMSU run away with title at Avila Invite

Just like the 13 other varsity sports at Northwest Missouri State the Bearcat women’s golf team hopes to be peaking at the right time. That time may be right now and it couldn’t be more perfect, as the Bearcats ran away with the Avila Invitational title Tuesday at the Fred Arbansas Golf Club.

Northwest took a one stroke lead into Tuesday’s second round and extended its lead to a 15 stroke victory after the dust had settled giving the Bearcats their second straight tournament win.

Cassie Lowell continued her stellar play firing her second straight round of 76 to finish with a 152 and claiming the individual title, her first of the spring and third of her sophomore season. Lowell stayed six shots better than teammate Steph Charteris who battled to shoot a second round 78 for a two day score of 158 and finish second.

Three of the Bearcats five players to record scores finished in the top five led by Lowell and Charteris. Kristian D’Angela continued her solid spring season with an 81 each day to finish at 162 and in fourth place.

Taylor Gard and Jacy Gasper tied for 17th as the duo both finished at 178.

Competing as an individual, Tess Edwards also fared well for Northwest as she shot a second round 84 to finish at 171 and tie for eighth.

Missouri Western faltered on Tuesday, as they sat just one stroke behind the Bearcats after Monday’s first round. Northwest has now finished better than their MIAA rival in the last three tournaments of the spring and hope to continue that momentum into next week’s MIAA Championships.

The MIAA Women’s Golf Championships are set for April 16-17 at Paradise Point Golf Course in Smithville, Mo.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Lohse, two home runs lead St. Louis past Cincinnati

They lead the majors in homers. Their starting rotation is one of the NL’s best. So far, the defending World Series champion Cardinals don’t seem to miss Albert Pujols all that much.

Carlos Beltran and David Freese homered again on Tuesday night, and Kyle Lohse provided another stingy performance, leading St. Louis to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cardinals are off to a 5-1 start for the first time since 2008, playing like champions in the season’s first week. No letup at all.

“If those guys keep doing that, we’re going to have a pretty good club,” first-year manager Mike Matheny said.

Beltran, counted on to help make up for the loss of Pujols, hit his third homer off Mike Leake (0-1). Freese, the World Series MVP, added a two-run shot off Leake — also his third.

St. Louis came into the game leading the majors with nine homers. It has five in its first two games at Great American Ball Park, which is one of the majors’ most homer-friendly places.

But it’s the pitching that’s getting the most plaudits.

Lohse (2-0) has made impressive starts in Florida’s summery warmth and Cincinnati’s April chill. He took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 4-1 win in Miami last Wednesday, allowing only one run and two hits.

With temperatures in the 40s on Tuesday night, he was in control again, allowing Joey Votto’s sacrifice fly and four hits in six innings. Lohse took a little while to adjust to the vastly different conditions in his second start.

“It’s tough,” Lohse said. “You’re not going to get the same feel of the ball. You get a feel for what the ball is going to do. It was cold and a little windy.”

Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte retired the last nine batters in order, with Motte getting his second save in two chances.

The Cardinals rotation has been sensational so far, going 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA.

“Thank you!” Freese said. “It’s unbelievable. We’re going to win a ton of games when our starters are doing that.”

The Reds handed out another big contract before the game, giving second baseman Brandon Phillips a deal through 2017 worth $72.5 million. It came only five days after Votto got an additional 10 years and $225 million, looking to turn the 2010 NL Central champions into a consistent contender.

Phillips got a cramp in his left hamstring during a 7-1 loss to the Cardinals on Monday night and is expected to miss several days.

For the second game in a row, the Cardinals got to a Reds starter before he could break a sweat. They hit three homers in the first inning off Homer Bailey on Monday night.

Beltran hit Leake’s fifth pitch into the stands in right field. Leake escaped another big Cardinals first inning by getting Yadier Molina to ground into a double play with the bases loaded. Molina also grounded into a double play with two runners aboard in the eighth.

Lance Berkman, who has the most homers by a visiting player at Great American, tripled into the right-field corner in the sixth. Freese followed with his third homer, a drive that bounced off the top of the wall in right field and caromed up into the stands.

Leake thinks the Cardinals are just as formidable without Pujols, who left as a free agent for the Angels after the World Series championship.

“It’s still a difficult lineup,” Leake said. “They lost a big name, but they’re still a threat.”

Berkman left the game in the eighth with tightness in his left calf, which started bothering him after he ran out his triple.

Zack Cozart hit his second triple of the season in the bottom of the inning and scored on Votto’s sacrifice fly, making it 3-1.

— Associated Press —

Western tennis gets shutout by William Jewell

The Missouri Western tennis team fell to 3-8 on the season with a 9-0 defeat against the Cardinals of William Jewell. The Griffons won games in every set of the match but two.

The Griffons closest doubles match came at No. 3 as Alecia Jenkins and Erin Ward fell 8-5 against Hana Lindblom and Carolyn Klenda. Ceara Boldridge and Kayla Dysart fell 8-3 at No. 1 doubles while Nicole Kerr and Katie Field fell 8-2 in No. 2 doubles.

In singles matches Dysart played the closest match falling 6-1 and 6-3 against Lindbloom at No. 3 singles. Kerr fell 6-1 and 6-2 againt Paula Peters at No. 1 singles while Boldrige fell 6-1 and 6-2 against Carli Bisesi at No. 2 singles.

The Griffons return to MIAA action on Friday, April 13 hosting the Truman State Bulldogs at 4:00 pm.

William Jewell 9, Missouri Western State 0

Apr 10, 2012 at Kansas City, Mo (Clayview Country Club)

Singles competition

1. Peters, Paula (WJC) def. Kerr, Nicole (MWSU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Bisesi, Carli (WJC) def. Boldridge, Ceara (MWSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Lindbloom, Hana (WJC) def. Dysart, Kayla (MWSU) 6-1, 6-3
4. Baker, Jaimie (WJC) def. Ward, Erin (MWSU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Dinkel, Chelsea (WJC) def. Jenkins, Alecia (MWSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Hazelrigg, Connor (WJC) def. Field, Katie (MWSU) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Peters, Paula/Lehenbauer,Katy (WJC) def. Boldridge, Ceara/Dysart, Kayla (MWSU) 8-3
2. Hazelrigg, Connor/Hazelrigg, Loree (WJC) def. Kerr, Nicole/Field, Katie (MWSU) 8-2
3. Lindbloom, Hana/Klenda, Carolyn (WJC) def. Jenkins, Alecia/Ward, Erin (MWSU) 8-5

— MWSU Sports Information —

MWSU men’s golfers finished 12th at Washburn

The Missouri Western men’s golf team struggled on day two of the Washburn Ichabod Invitational firing a final round 330 which dropped them to 12th place. The Griffons fired a two day total of 644 which was seven strokes back of Southwest Baptist’s 637 (311-326) for 11th place.  The winner of the event was Central Missouri firing a two day total of 599 (302-297).

Lindenwood finihsed in second place just one stroke back firing 600 (300-300) while host school Washburn finihsed third with a 604 (301-302). Day one leader Fort Hays State dropped to 4th tying with Pittsburg State with 610’s.

Senior Logan Gilliland led the way for Western firing a 158 (77-81) while junior Tyler Gast fired a 159 (78-81). Kenny Stone fired 160 while Scott Sheldon who played as an individual shot 161. Derek Hawkins and James O’Brien wrapped up the scoring for the Griffons with 167 and 169 respectively.

The winner of the event was Bryan Steele of Southwest Baptist with a 2-under 140 (69-71).

The Griffons wrap up the season next Monday and Tuesday taking part in the MIAA Championships in Smithville, Mo. at Paradise Pointe Golf Course.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri State spring football game set for Saturday

The Northwest Missouri State football team enters its final week of spring practice at Bearcat Stadium prior to Saturday’s annual Green and White Spring Game at 5 p.m. The Bearcats will continue with practice Tuesday and Wednesday before taking Thursday and Friday off in preparation for Saturday night’s scrimmage.

Teams will be split into green and white squads via a draft and rosters will be announced in the middle of this week. The teams will play three quarters with a running clock and the fourth quarter will be played under regular season rules.

Several activities are planned Saturday throughout the afternoon on campus. The Bearcat Zone officially opens at 12 p.m., but will have a new location for this year’s Spring Game. Fans are encouraged to tailgate near Bearcat Field for Saturday’s softball doubleheader with Fort Hays State beginning at 12 p.m. Gates to the football stadium open at 4 p.m. and at 4:30 p.m. fans are invited on to Mel Tjeerdsma Field to interact with the football team prior to kickoff.

Throughout the game, fans will be randomly selected to participate in activities such as calling plays, kicking field goals and catching punts. Tickets to the Green and White Spring Game will be available for purchase on Saturday for only $5. Bearcat students can gain admission with the donation of a canned food item. All tickets and donations can be purchased or dropped off at the west entrance.

Fans will also be able to purchase the 2011 Bearcat Football Highlight DVD to relieve all the exciting action from last season. The DVD will be on sale on the concourse under the west grandstands for $20 courtesy of Mile Marker 8 Productions.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western tied with Northwest after day one at Avila

Paced by junior Natalie Bird, the Missouri Western women’s golf team is just one stroke back of the lead firing an opening round 325 in the Avila Invitational at the Fred Arbansas Golf Club.

Bird continued her solid play with 76, her lowest round of the 2011-12 season. She fired a front nine 34 and finished up her round with a 42 on the back nine. Northwest Missouri State’s Cassie Lowell shares the first round lead with Bird as she also finished with a 76.

The Bearcats sit just one stroke ahead of the Griffons in first place at 324. Western is 28 strokes better than third place William Jewell while host Avila sits in fourth.

A pair of Griffons join Bird near the top of the leaderboard as Casi Webb and Darcy Smith closed out day one in fourth and sixth place respectively. Webb shot a first round 81 while Smith fired an 83.

Shelby Stone capped the Griffon scoring with an 85 while Kristen Cooley fired a first round 86.

The Griffons will try and catch the Bearcats in round two as teams return to the course Tuesday morning for a final round shotgun start.

2 Missouri Western St. 325
T 1 Natalie Bird             34- 42     76
T 4 Casi Webb              41- 40     81
T 6 Darcy Smith            42- 41     83
T 10 Shelby Stone        42- 43     85
T 12 Kristen Cooley     43- 43     86

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcat softball gets swept by Central Missouri

Timely hitting pushed Central Missouri to a sweep of Northwest Missouri State as the Jennies used two late inning comebacks to take game one 6-4 and the nightcap 11-8 in MIAA women’s softball action Monday evening.

Northwest fell to 14-24 on the year and 4-9 in league play as last place UCM improved to 18-24 and 4-10 in conference action. The Bearcats continue a busy week as they host non-conference Drury on Wednesday before a home conference series with Washburn and Fort Hays State on the weekend.

Game one saw the Bearcats come back from a 3-0 deficit to score four runs in the third inning taking a 4-3 lead. A home run from Rachael Schmitz gave Northwest its first run followed three batters later by a Kristen Uthe sacrifice fly.

Kayli Schurman blasted her 12th home run of the season, a two-run blast to left giving Northwest the 4-3 lead. The homer also moved Schurman into second for most home runs in a season and just three home runs shy of the single season record.

Starter Jenna Creger, who came off an injury over the weekend, recovered from the three early runs to pitch four scoreless innings for the Bearcats. However, Creger ran into trouble in the top of the seventh allowing three Jennie runs.

Northwest was unable to comeback in the bottom half of the inning falling 6-4.

The nightcap saw the Bearcats again use a big sixth inning rally scoring five runs to take an 8-5 lead. This time it was the Northwest bullpen that was unable to hold UCM as the Jennies scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and plated another three in extras for the win.

Uthe would go 2-for-4 in the second game adding two RBIs thanks to a third inning home run, her sixth of the season.

Jordan Ereth also went 2-for-4 in the loss with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

Northwest had managed to put the Jennies down to their final out after a double play ball erased a UCM runner. However, a single and a Bearcat error combined with a walk loaded the bases for the Jennies setting up their comeback.

A bases clearing double from Jordan Marble tied the game in the seventh and UCM put the go-ahead run across on a sacrifice fly in the eighth. UCM added two more runs on a home run and another double for insurance runs, as the Jennies out-hit Northwest 18-6 in game two.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Royals get blanked 1-0 in first game at Oakland

Tommy Milone experienced a most unusual wait to make his debut with the Oakland Athletics.

As in one trip to Japan and back before he eventually started Game 5 of the season.

Milone allowed three hits over a career-high eight innings in an impressive outing his first time out with his new team, and the A’s beat the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Monday night.

“Obviously, especially when you get named the No. 3 starter you want to go out and pitch,” Milone said. “The scheduling was a little different. It’s something you’ve got to adjust to and roll with it.”

Milone (1-0) faced the minimum in five of his innings, including getting through the fourth despite throwing only two strikes among his 10 pitches.

Perhaps for a night, Milone made it easier for the small group of fans who turned out at the Coliseum to picture life without lefty Gio Gonzalez. The A’s acquired Milone from the Nationals in December, sending All-Star Gonzalez to the nation’s capital.

Milone won his sixth career start after the Nationals won all of his five starts last season. Grant Balfour finished the three-hit shutout for his second save in as many chances.

Milone started the game by allowing a leadoff double to Jason Bourgeois, who was then thrown out on an impressive double play in which right fielder Josh Reddick caught Lorenzo Cain’s liner and fired to third baseman Josh Donaldson, who backhanded the short one-hopper and put the tag on from his knees.

“It was one of those things he threw it right on the base and I really didn’t want him to get to the bag,” Donaldson said. “I used my catcher instincts.”

Donaldson also delivered an RBI single in the second that held up for Milone. The A’s missed chances to add on that inning, then Donaldson struck out swinging with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Luis Mendoza hung tough through 5 2/3 innings in the opener of Kansas City’s lone trip to Oakland this year. The right-hander (0-1), who went 4-0 with a 0.47 ERA in six spring training starts, allowed one earned run on five hits, struck out two and walked four.

Those two strikeouts were impressive just based on who they were against — new A’s cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes, who hit three home runs in his first four games that were all against Seattle, also drew a walk and grounded out. Coco Crisp, who moved to left field so Cespedes could start the year in his familiar center field spot, singled in the seventh then stole his first base of the year. Kurt Suzuki added three hits for the A’s.

After a day off Sunday following two home games with the Mariners to wrap up a season-opening series that began with two games in Tokyo, the A’s were returning to a more regular regimen.

“It felt a little weird,” said manager Bob Melvin, who took in the Masters on Sunday. “We’re back on our routine.”

Royals manager Ned Yost sat Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon for the opener of the three-game series after Moustakas went 1 for 11 and Gordon 0 for 13 in Kansas City’s winning series to open the year at Los Angeles. Yost said both would be back in the lineup Tuesday night.

Bourgeois led off in Gordon’s spot and gave Kansas City more production there in one at-bat than it got in the entire three-game series against the Angels.

The Royals had three runners thrown out on the bases.

“That’s the way we play. We play aggressive and we play to win,” Yost said. “We don’t play safe. We pick our spots, and give them credit, they executed.”

Kansas City is eager to return home this weekend considering the Royals haven’t been back since before spring training began in February.

The A’s announced late in the game that right-handed reliever Joey Devine would undergo right elbow surgery Tuesday performed by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. Devine had “Tommy John” reconstructive surgery in April 2009.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals win series opener at Cincinnati

With Albert Pujols gone, the St. Louis Cardinals see themselves as less of a power-driven team defending their World Series championship.

Could’ve fooled Homer Bailey.

Matt Holliday, David Freese and Yadier Molina homered off the Reds starter during the St. Louis Cardinals’ biggest first inning of the season, and Jake Westbrook found his control after a rough start, beating Cincinnati 7-1 on Monday night.

The Cardinals improved to 4-1 with an offense that hasn’t missed Pujols so far. They’ve piled up three homers in an inning twice already this season, with nine overall.

And they’ve done it without really trying.

“I don’t see us as very much of a home run-hitting team,” Freese said.

Manager Mike Matheny sees the homer spurt as more of a good start than the start of a trend.

“That’s a tough pace to keep up, but you take ’em when you can get ’em,” Matheny said. “Guys are having some good at-bats.”

Only 20 pitches into the game, Bailey (0-1) had his hands on his hips and a 4-0 deficit that the Reds couldn’t overcome. Molina broke the game open with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

Westbrook (1-0) overcame an early bout of wildness, allowing only three hits and one unearned run in seven innings. The right-hander slimmed down in the offseason and had an impressive spring training, getting the sink back on his fastball.

Both starters had a rough time early on a windy, 64-degree evening. Matheny said the Cardinals batting-practice pitchers had trouble getting a grip on the ball in the crisp conditions.

“I know exactly what was going on with him early,” Matheny said. “That’s the first time we’ve had that really dry air. The ball felt like it has Vaseline on it. He couldn’t grip it.”

Westbrook was pitching for the first time in nine days. Ten of his first 12 pitches were out of the strike zone. He walked four of the first 10 batters he faced, but didn’t allow a hit until Brandon Phillips singled with two outs in the fifth.

Phillips came around to score when Zack Cozart hit a comebacker that Westbrook knocked down with his glove. Westbrook retrieved the ball, but threw wildly toward first base for an error that allowed Phillips to score.

The All-Star second baseman got a cramp in his left hamstring as he scored and left the game as a precaution.

Westbrook got a better feel for his pitches after the second inning.

“It took me a little while to get going,” he said. “Once I figured it out, I pitched the way I’m capable of throwing. I just zoned it in.”

Bailey retired the first two Cardinals, then came apart. Holliday homered, Lance Berkman walked and Freese homered. Molina also homered on the next pitch, prompting Bailey to stand by the side of the mound with both hands scrunched on his hips in disbelief.

Freese, the World Series MVP, has hit safely in every game this season.

“I just got a little passive,” Bailey said. “I got the two quick outs and I didn’t say aggressive. Once you open that can of worms, it’s kind of hard to shut it. Plus the wind was blowing out. After that, I just wanted to go deep into the game. A couple of the balls they hit out were hit really solid.”

After the bad opening inning, Bailey settled in and allowed only two more hits while pitching into the sixth inning. Molina broke the game open with his double off Jose Arredondo in the eighth, which brought boos from the crowd of 16,909 that remembers his role in a brawl with Phillips two years ago.

Berkman wasn’t in the Cardinals’ original lineup because of a sore right hand. He took a few swings pregame and felt fine, getting back in the lineup at first base. He singled, struck out twice and walked twice.

The Cardinals wanted Berkman in the lineup — he has 23 homers at Great American Ball Park, the most by a visiting player.

— Associated Press —

Kansas suspends running back James Sims for three games

Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis announced here Monday afternoon that rising junior running back James Sims has been suspended for the first three games of the 2012 season for a violation of team rules.

“Every player on our team knows and understands our rules and regulations,” said Weis. “They also know the consequences for violations.”

Sims was the top rusher for the Jayhawks in 2010 and 2011. The Irving, Texas native has compiled 1,469 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in his two seasons at KU, including five games with 100 or more yards rushing.

— KU Sports Information —

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