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Author: Dave Riggert

Royals lose ninth straight, get swept by Rangers

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Austin Bibens-Dirkx earned his first victory of the season, shutting down a struggling Kansas City Royals squad that’s wondering when it will get its next win.

Bibens-Dirkx pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Rougned Odor homered and the Texas Rangers extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night.

Bibens-Dirkx (1-1) allowed one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings for his first win since last Sept. 6 in a relief appearance at Atlanta — and sent the Royals to their ninth straight loss.

“The first two starts didn’t quite go as I had wanted,” Bibens-Dirkx said, “so to get another opportunity and to come out here and do what I feel like I can do on a pretty consistent basis was nice.”

Kansas City’s slump is its longest this season, and the Royals have dropped 15 of 16 overall and been outscored 102-38 while losing 16 of 18 in June. Their worst June in franchise history was 7-19 in 1970, the team’s second year in existence. The Royals will wind up June with nine games against the Astros, Angels, Brewers and Mariners, clubs above .500.

Bibens-Dirkx, a 33-year-old right-hander, spent 12 years in the minors, including two seasons with independent league teams before making his big league debut last year. He was called up to replace Yohander Mendez, who was sent to Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday after violating team rules.

Jake Diekman worked the ninth for his second save, but not before yielding a leadoff homer to Mike Moustakas. The game ended when Hunter Dozier was thrown out at second on a delayed steal.

“It’s perfect timing,” Royals manager Ned Yost said to steal. “You probably haven’t noticed that we’ve been having trouble bunching some hits together. It’s a chance to maybe hopefully catch them by surprise and get into scoring position and one hit will tie the ballgame up and keep us going.”

Yost acknowledged that Isiah Kiner-Falefa making his first big league start behind the plate factored into the decision to send Dozier. His throw nearly hit Diekman in the head.

“It was kind of scary, a crazy, crazy way to end the game,” Kiner-Falefa said. “It worked out. Everything worked out. That was close. I was kind of in shock that he was out. I was just glad it didn’t hit Jake, honestly. I tried to adjust my throw last second and saw it bounce, but that was close.”

Diekman just avoided being hit.

“I was shocked — that the ball was thrown, that he was running at all — but it was my bad for not getting out of the way,” Diekman said. “It ended the game and it didn’t hit me, so we’re good.”

Odor homered into the Royals’ bullpen with two outs in the sixth on a 1-2 pitch from Royals starter Jakob Junis, who has lost his last five starts and has not won since May 18. Junis (5-8) has given up 19 home runs to tie for the American League lead. He allowed three runs and five hits with four walks and a hit batter.

“I’ve given up a lot of home runs this year,” Junis said. “It’s something I’m conscious about. I’m trying to keep in the ball park because when I do that’s when I have more success. I can’t pinpoint on it on one exact thing.”

Shin-Soo Choo led off the game with a single, extending his on-base streak to 34 games. He stole second, moved to third on Elvis Andrus’ high chopper back to Junis and scored on Nomar Mazara’s fly out to center,

The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs in the second on singles by Jurickson Profar and Odor and Joey Gallo’s first of three walks. The Rangers, however, converted that into only one run when Kiner-Falefa grounded into a double play.

Alex Gordon singled with one out in the Kansas City second and scored on Dozier’s double.

HYPHENATED BATTERYMATES

Bibens-Dirkx and Kiner-Falefa became the first starting pitcher and catcher in big league history with hyphenated last names.

WHO’S CLOSING?

After the Royals traded closer Kelvin Herrera to Washington, who will inherit that role? “All of them,” Yost said of his relievers. “Opportunity exists down there. We’ll have to see who takes advantage of it. I’ll look at different guys, but I would prefer one guy to emerge, take advantage of the opportunity. But it’s wide-open right now.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: LHP Martin Perez (elbow discomfort) threw batting practice to C Robinson Chirinos and OF Carlos Tocci. He is hopeful to begin a minor league rehab assignment Monday. “There were some quality pitches inside the set, like a guy that was getting ready to take the next step of the rehab process,” Banister said. … RHP Chris Martin (right calf strain) also threw to hitters. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Friday. “He’s close,” Banister said.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Off on Thursday before opening a weekend series Friday at Minnesota with LHP Mike Minor (4-4, 5.35) starting.

Royals: Travel day on Thursday to Houston, where LHP Danny Duffy (3-7, 5.55) will start the series opener Friday.

— Associated Press —

Aussie Spirit adds four games at Griffon Spring Sports Complex

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ST. JOSEPH – Fastpitch softball fans will not have to wait as long to see the return of National Pro Fastpitch to St. Joseph and Missouri Western. Aussie Spirit has moved games on June 27 and 28 to the Spring Sports Complex on the Missouri Western campus as well as additional games July 11 and 12.

Spirit will face the Cleveland Comets on both nights with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans will be able to purchase tickets online from the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau website. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate each night. Youth softball players under the age of 18 will be admitted free if wearing their team’s jersey.

Aussie Spirit, which is calling Missouri Western home for the summer, had played all its home games at various venues around the Midwest since opening the 15th season of NPF at Missouri Western in May. Spirit is also scheduled to play Cleveland in a doubleheader at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph on June 29. The team will next play at Missouri Western on July 11, 12 and 13 before finishing out the remaining schedule away from St. Joseph.

For more information on Aussie Spirit and the NPF, visit the league’s official website profastpitch.com.

— MWSU Athletics —

St. Louis drops series finale at Philadelphia

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Odubel Herrera smiled when told he was being compared to Ichiro Suzuki and Vladimir Guerrero. He has potential to be known by his first name just like Ichiro and Vlad, too.

Herrera hit a tiebreaking, solo homer in the seventh inning, Cesar Hernandez hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Wednesday to win their third straight series.

“What he’s doing is special,” manager Gabe Kapler said, adding that Herrera reminds him of Suzuki. “It’s elite.”

Herrera is batting .419 (13 for 31) with two doubles, five homers and eight RBI in the last seven games.

“He’s a different breed,” starter Jake Arrieta said before mentioning Guerrero’s name with Herrera. “When he gets hot, he’s fun to watch.”

Herrera had a tough stretch after an excellent start before finding his stroke again.

“It’s very satisfying to be compared to two legends,” he said.

Yadier Molina hit a pair of homers for the Cardinals, who lost starter Michael Wacha to injury.

Philadelphia’s beleaguered bullpen tossed three scoreless innings after Arrieta had another so-so outing, giving up both of Molina’s homers. Edubray Ramos (2-0) got five outs and Adam Morgan retired the last two batters with the tying run on second for his first career save.

“It was cool to go out there and succeed,” Morgan said.

The Phillies took two of three to win a series against the Cardinals for the first time since August 2014.

Arrieta gave up three runs and four hits in six innings to remain winless in June after posting a 0.90 ERA in five starts in May. Arrieta, who is earning $30 million this season as part of a three-year, $75 million contract, has a 6.97 ERA in four starts this month.

Wacha left in the fourth with a left oblique strain. The right-hander allowed three runs — one earned — and six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He’ll have an MRI on Thursday.

“Feeling a little bit better,” Wacha said. “I’m hoping for the best.”

Herrera ripped a 91 mph slider from Sam Tuivailala (1-3) off the scoreboard on the facing of the second deck in right field to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Herrera has a homer in four straight games.

Pinch hitter Jedd Gyorko hit a one-out double off Victor Arano in the ninth. Morgan entered to get Matt Carpenter on a foul pop and Tommy Pham on a grounder.

Molina drove a 3-2 pitch the opposite-way into the seats in right-center for his fifth career multihomer game in the sixth to tie it at 3.

A throwing error by Carpenter led to a pair of unearned runs in the fourth. Jorge Alfaro reached with one out when Carpenter’s throw pulled first baseman Jose Martinez off the bag. With two outs, Hernandez lined a 1-2 change-up to the seats in right for a 3-1 lead.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the first after Rhys Hoskins hit a single, advanced to third on Herrera’s double and scored on Carlos Santana’s sacrifice fly.

Molina crushed Arrieta’s first pitch in the second inning to left to tie it at 1.

Wacha worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third by striking out Scott Kingery and retiring Nick Williams on a bouncer.

CLUTCH

Seven of Herrera’s 12 homers have given Philadelphia a lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

PHILLIES: INF J.P. Crawford was placed on the 10-day disabled list after breaking his hand Tuesday night. INF Mitch Walding was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace him. … Williams returned to the lineup after he broke his nose in the field on Monday night.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (3-3, 2.73 ERA) takes the mound for the start of a four-game set at Milwaukee. He’s 6-4, 1.95 vs. the Brewers.

Phillies: After a day off, RHP Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series at Washington on Friday night. Eflin has never faced the Nationals.

— Associated Press —

Mosaic Life Care secures naming rights for MWSU practice fields

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ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western State University is pleased to announce Mosaic Life Care has secured naming rights for the football practice fields used by the Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Western athletic teams. The fields will be officially named, “Mosaic Training Fields.”

Missouri Western is the summer training camp home of the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Mosaic Life Care is dedicated to supporting the strength and vitality of the communities we serve through our ongoing partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs,” Michael Pulido, chief operating officer, Mosaic Life Care said. “Mosaic Training Fields is another way to support the University and strengthen our partnerships, as we promote health and wellness.”

“We are fortunate to have an outstanding medical community, led by Mosaic Life Care, right here in St. Joseph,” Missouri Western director of athletics Josh Looney said. “Whether it is their talented team of physicians providing the best possible healthcare for Missouri Western student-athletes, or their commitment to community health and wellness, we are proud to expand the visibility of Mosaic’s positive impact on our campus.”

Mosaic Life Care is a presenting partner and the official health-care provider of the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp. In its ninth summer at Missouri Western, camp will feature open practices and events for the public to enjoy. More information about the team, tickets, scheduling and more can be found on the Kansas City Chiefs website.

— MWSU Athletics —

St. Joseph knocks off first-place Sedalia 6-4 Tuesday

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The St. Joseph Mustangs won their third consecutive game Tuesday as they defeated Sedalia 6-4 inside Phil Welch Stadium.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team improves to 12-6 and they’re now 10-5 in the MINK League. With the win the Mustangs have pulled to within 1.5 games of the Bombers in the North Division

St. Joseph fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, but then scored six unanswered runs over the next seven innings to take control of the game.

Ronnie Wigginton started for the Mustangs and earned the win. He allowed just two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.

Zach Smith had a big night offensively for St. Joe as he went 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and one RBI. Smith also had three stolen bases. Mason Janvrin and Colton Eremian added two hits each.

The Mustangs remain at home Wednesday as they host Chillicothe at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium.

Royals fall to Texas again as losing streak reaches eight

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Hamels allowed four hits over seven innings, Delino DeShields doubled home two runs and the Texas Rangers beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games.

The Royals have lost eight straight, matching their season high, and 14 of 15. They own a major league-worst 10-28 home record and their 22-51 overall mark is the worst in franchise history after 73 games.

Hamels (4-6) picked up his first win since May 22. The run off him in the fifth was unearned and he has yet to allow an earned run in 20 innings over three starts at Kauffman Stadium.

Keone Kela pitched a spotless ninth for his 17th save in as many chances.

DeShields’ second-inning double scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Robinson Chirinos.

Kiner-Falefa, who had three hits and walked, doubled home Adrian Beltre in the third. Jurickson Profar scored the second run of the inning after Mike Moustakas’ fielding error to make it 4-0.

Royals starter Jason Hammel (2-8) was removed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks. Hammel is 0-6 in nine home starts since an Aug. 20 victory over Cleveland.

Rosell Herrera’s two-out double in the fifth scored Alex Gordon with the Kansas City run.

Whit Merrifield led off the Royals’ first with a walk, took second on a wild pitch and stole third with none out, but did not score. Salvador Perez grounded into his 12th double play after Moustakas walked to end the inning.

Alex Gordon picked up his seventh outfield assist of the season, throwing out Elvis Andrus trying to score from second on Profar’s ninth-inning single.

GAME TWO TIDBITS

The Rangers have more than half of their 31 victories in the second games of series. They are 16-8 in Game 2s.

JUST LIKE DAD

Adalberto Mondesi doubled off Rangers RHP Bartolo Colon on Monday. His father Raul Mondesi went 2 for 11 off Colon. The Mondesi family is the fourth father-son combo to each record a plate appearance against the 45-year-old pitcher.

ROSTER MOVES

Rangers: LHP Yohander Mendez was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after violating team rules. RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx was recalled from the same club.

Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he was 4-5 with a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts. He will be used in relief.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 1B Lucas Duda (right foot plantar fasciitis) went 2 for 5 with a three-run homer and a double in Omaha’s 9-2 victory Tuesday in Reno in his second minor league rehab game. OF Jorge Bonifacio, who is suspended for the first 80 games for violating the MLB’s drug policy, is hitting .448 in seven games with Omaha.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Bibens-Dirkx (0-1, 6.55) will start the series finale. He went 2/3 with a 4.47 ERA in 11 starts with Round Rock.

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (5-7, 4.43) has lost his past four decisions. He has never faced the Rangers.

— Associated Press —

Carpenter leads Cardinals past Phillies 7-6

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit a tiebreaking solo homer with two out in the ninth, helping the St. Louis Cardinals edge the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 on Tuesday night.

Carpenter also had a tying two-run double in St. Louis’ four-run seventh. Tommy Pham homered and singled for the Cardinals, and Kolten Wong also went deep.

Odubel Herrera and Carlos Santana connected for the Phillies.

Seranthony Dominguez (1-1) struck out the first two batters in the ninth and had Carpenter in a 0-2 hole. But Carpenter lined the next pitch, a 98-mph fastball, over the wall in right to extend his homer streak to three games.

The Cardinals trailed 4-2 before rallying against Vince Velasquez and Tommy Hunter.

Velasquez got the first out of the seventh before a single and hit batsman brought manager Gabe Kapler to the mound. Hunter got pinch-hitter Greg Garcia to line out to left before Carpenter doubled, Pham singled and Jose Martinez made it 6-4 with another two-run double.

The Phillies tied it in the eighth on Rhys Hoskins’ two-run double. Austin Gomber started the inning, but was lifted for Jordan Hicks (3-1) with two out and runners on first and second. Three of Hicks’ four pitches to Hoskins were fastballs that registered at least 100-mph, but the slugger drove the final 101-mph heater into the gap in right-center.

Hicks pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two, to secure the victory.

Carpenter has hits in 12 straight road games and is batting .412 with six homers and 11 RBI over that streak.

The Phillies opened the scoring with Santana’s RBI groundout in the first. Pham extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games with a two-out homer to deep left in the third, tying it at 1.

Herrera continued his hot hitting against St. Louis by driving the first pitch he saw in the third, a 79-mph curveball, into the seats in right for a 2-1 Phillies lead. Herrera is batting .360 with five homers and 21 RBI in 25 career games against the Cardinals.

Cesar Hernandez’s bases-loaded walk in the fourth made it 3-1, but Philadelphia wasted a chance for more when Luke Weaver got Hoskins to pop out to shortstop before fanning Herrera to leave the bases full.

The Cardinals’ rally took Weaver off the hook. Weaver was in line for his fifth straight loss when he left after permitting four runs and six hits in five innings.

Velasquez was charged with four runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Matt Bowman (blister right hand) was placed on the 10-day disabled list and replaced by RHP Greg Holland. Holland pitched a perfect seventh with a pair of strikeouts.

Phillies: Infielder J.P. Crawford left after running the bases in the fourth inning and was replaced at third base by Maikel Franco. Crawford was hit on the left hand by a Weaver pitch. . OF Nick Williams suffered a broken nose in the field on Monday night, but he was available to play on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (8-2, 3.24 ERA) will oppose Phillies RHP Jake Arrieta (5-5, 3.33 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday afternoon. Wacha had his career-best eight-game winning streak snapped in a 13-5 loss to the Cubs in his last start. Arrieta will try to help the Phillies win their first series over St. Louis since August 24, 2014.

— Associated Press —

Kansas City’s skid continues as they lose series opener to Rangers

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bartolo Colon earned his 244th win, passing Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for the most by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic, and the Texas Rangers beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Monday night.

Adrian Beltre hit a three-run homer for the Rangers, who won their third straight game. The 45-year-old Colon (4-4) allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings to break a tie with Marichal on the career wins chart.

Only right-hander Dennis Martinez has more victories among pitchers from Latin America. Martinez, a native of Nicaragua, won 245 games in the majors.

The Royals have lost seven straight and 13 of 14. They’ve dropped 27 of 37 games at Kauffman Stadium, the worst home record in the majors. Kansas City is 2-14 in June, having been outscored 95-35.

Colon was 1/3 with a 9.51 ERA in his five previous starts. Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but the portly and popular right-hander affectionately nicknamed Big Sexy got out of the inning when Hunter Dozier grounded into a double play.

Keona Kela tossed a spotless ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances.

Beltre homered in the third off Ian Kennedy, with Elvis Andrus and Nomar Mazara aboard, to give the Rangers a 5-0 advantage. Mazara had three hits.

Kennedy (1-7) is 1-13 in his last 28 home starts. He is winless in 13 starts since an April 7 victory at Cleveland.

The right-hander gave up a home run to Shin-Soo Choo on his fourth pitch, a drive that just cleared the Royals’ right-field bullpen fence. Choo reached base five times, including a double and three walks.

Kennedy yielded five runs on four hits, two of them home runs, and three walks.

Adalberto Mondesi had a run-producing double in the Kansas City third and scored on Mike Moustakas’ sacrifice fly.

Rosel Herrera had a run-scoring triple in the fourth for his first extra-base hit and RBI, trimming the lead to 5-3.

Delino DeShields’ bunt single in the eighth scored Jurickson Profar for the final Texas run.

STRUGGLING

Royals SS Alcides Escobar is in a 3-for-45 drought in his past 12 games.

ROSTER MOVES

Rangers: Andrus was activated after missing 59 games with a broken right elbow. RHP Ricardo Rodriguez was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, where he had allowed one unearned run in 13 1/3 innings. C Jose Trevino was optioned to Double-A Frisco after hitting a game-ending, two-run single in the ninth on Sunday. RHP Deck McGuire was designated for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Whit Merrifield was in the lineup as the designated hitter after leaving in the second inning Sunday with a bruised left knee after fouling a pitch off his leg.

UP NEXT

Rangers: LHP Cole Hamels (3-6, 3.69 ERA) starts Tuesday night at Kansas City.

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (2-7, 4.89) is winless in his last eight home starts.

— Associated Press —

Cardinals rally, then blow 10th inning lead at Philadelphia

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Left fielder Marcell Ozuna dived for and missed Aaron Altherr’s two-run double with two outs in the 10th inning, allowing the Philadelphia Phillies to rally for a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

Tommy Pham hit a solo homer in the top of the 10th, one inning after a wild pitch on a strikeout kept the game going. But the Phillies rallied.

Rhys Hoskins hit a bloop single to start the bottom of the 10th off Matt Bowman (0-2). Odubel Herrera dived headfirst into first to seemingly beat out an infield single, but the play was overturned by a video review. After Carlos Santana was intentionally walked, Bowman struck out Jesmuel Valentin.

Altherr then hit a sinking liner that appeared to skip off Ozuna’s glove before bouncing to the wall.

On a day former closer Hector Neris was sent to the minors, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler’s aggressive use of the bullpen nearly cost him. Seranthony Dominguez — the team’s best reliever — wasn’t available after pitching 2 1/3 innings in the previous two games. So Kapler turned to Victor Arano and Adam Morgan in the ninth to protect a 4-2 lead. Neither pitcher has ever earned a save.

Yadier Molina hit a one-out single in the ninth off Arano, and Jedd Gyorko followed with a double. Arano struck out Harrison Bader and fanned Yairo Munoz, but Munoz reached when catcher Andrew Knapp failed to block the wild pitch and a run scored.

Morgan came in and allowed a tying single to Kolten Wong.

Pham hit a deep drive off Jake Thompson (1-1) for his 11th homer.

Matt Carpenter and Yadier Molina also hit solo homers for St. Louis.

Herrera hit a three-run homer for Philadelphia.

The Phillies’ bullpen wasted a strong start from Nick Pivetta. He had a career-high 13 strikeouts, allowing two runs and four hits in 7 1/3 innings in his best outing since May 21. Pivetta lost his previous four starts, posting a 7.11 ERA in those games.

Pivetta left after Carpenter hit a double high off the fence in right to put runners at second and third. Right fielder Nick Williams exited with a bloody face after the ball hit him on the carom.

Edubray Ramos entered and struck out Pham and Jose Martinez swinging at sliders.

The Phillies have won six of eight games while the Cardinals have lost six of eight.

Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas gave up four runs and six hits in five innings.

ROSTER MOVE

Neris was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and lefty Austin Davis was recalled. Neris had a 6.00 ERA in 30 appearances, going 1/3 with 10 saves in 13 chances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

CARDINALS: 1B Martinez returned to the lineup after missing three games on paternity leave. 1B Luke Voit was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

PHILLIES: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right hand) is set to throw a bullpen session Tuesday. … Righty reliever Pat Neshek is scheduled to throw live batting practice Wednesday in the minors.

UP NEXT

RHP Luke Weaver (3-6, 4.52 ERA) starts for the Cardinals and RHP Vince Velasquez (5-7, 4.74) goes for the Phillies on Tuesday night. Weaver has lost both of his career starts vs. Philadelphia. Velasquez is 1-1 vs. St. Louis, including a victory earlier this season.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western announces women’s basketball recruiting class

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ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western women’s basketball head coach Rob Edmisson has finalized his 2018-19 signing class. The class features six newcomers total, three from the high school ranks and three transfers.

The common thread in the incoming group: winning. Combined, the six incoming student-athletes played on basketball teams that went 137-37 in 2017-18.

“This recruiting class is comprised of players who have won state championships and national championships,” Edmisson said. “They all are from winning programs and have an expectation to win!”

JILL RUMPF | 5-7 | GUARD | AGENCY, MISSOURI | MID-BUCHANAN HIGH SCHOOL
Edmisson: “Jill will be an exciting player to watch as she starts her basketball career here at Missouri Western. She has accumulated numerous local and state level awards. Her quickness, athleticism and basketball IQ will allow her to make an impact on our program. She is from a very successful program”

SHANNON DANDA | 6-0 | FORWARD | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO | RAMPART HIGH SCHOOL 
Edmisson: “Shannon will add a high-skill level in our wing-forward positions. Her skill set and talent will allow her to make an immediate impact in our program. Her ball handling and shooting abilities will make for a tough match-up with her size and length.”

KAMERON FREEMYER | 5-11 | FORWARD | CONCEPTION JUNCTION, MISSOURI | MOUND CITY HIGH SCHOOL
Edmisson: “Kameron is a player we believe will develop into a good player for us. She is athletic and long. She has the ability to play several positions. She is a hard-nose kid who will work hard and comes from a very successful program. She knows how to win.”

KYLEE WILLIAMS | 5-7 | GUARD | ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI | JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Edmisson: “Kylee is a multi-purpose type player. She has a high basketball IQ and knows how to be productive and successful. She is an impact three-point shooter who can really stretch the floor. She is a stat sheet filler who will do more than just hit threes. She knows how to win and knows what it takes to win!”

ANASTACIA JOHNSON | 5-8 | WING | AURORA, COLORADO | WESTERN NEBRASKA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Edmisson: “Anastacia is a big-time athlete with a tremendous defensive skill set. She will impact our team with her speed and toughness. She can get to the rim and score on the perimeter. She comes from a highly successful program and knows what it takes to play at a high level.”

OLIVIA USHER | 5-10 | FORWARD | FAIRFAX, IOWA | KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Edmisson: “Olivia is a tough, versatile player who can play several positions. She is from a highly successful program and knows what it takes to win championships. She’s also stat filler who can do a lot of things well. She will be an extremely tough match up with her abilities.”

The six new Griffons will join nine returners for the 2018-19 season.

— MWSU Athletics —

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