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Author: Dave Riggert

Lorek to retire as Northwest head track and cross country coach

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MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State’s cross country and track & field head coach Scott Lorek announced Thursday he is retiring this summer.

Lorek has served as the women’s head cross country and track & field coach for 14 years and been in charge of the men’s programs since the 2008-2009 season.

“We wish Coach Scott Lorek and his family the best of luck in this next chapter of their lives,” said Interim Director of Athletics Andy Peterson. “The entirety of his service here was tremendous…he has positively impacted so many people’s and student-athlete’s lives here and made student-athlete experience special. He invested so much into these programs and his passion for track and field and cross country is second-to-none. We will miss him and his love for athletics, but we know he will be great in whatever he chooses to do next.”

Highlights of Lorek’s tenure include an NCAA Championship appearance for the men’s cross country team in 2016. That group earned a third place finish at the NCAA Regionals to secure their championship appearance in Florida, as well as a second place finish in the MIAA championships that fall. Also, a third place finish this spring with the women’s indoor track and field team highlight his track legacy.

Lorek has coached the top nine individual times for the women’s cross country 6,000 Meter event and 13 of 15 overall as well as eight of the top 15 times at the 5,000 Meter distance. In 2012, Ryan Darling broke his father’s 1978 10,000 Meter Cross Country school record by running 30:54.6 under Lorek’s tutelage. Lorek also guided Wick Cunningham to an individual appearance in the 2014 NCAA Championships and Angela Adams to become the first woman for the Bearcats to capture an MIAA Individual Championship in 2011.

Coach Lorek developed 13 track & field All-Americans in his time at Northwest who combined for 25 All-America honors. His athletes broke 21 different Northwest indoor track & field records and 18 Bearcat outdoor track & field records, including having all Top 10 marks in the women’s indoor pentathlon and 9 of the top 10 scores in the outdoor heptathlon.

A search for the new head cross country and track & field coach will begin immediately.

— Northwest Athletics —

Kick times set for first three games of 2018 Mizzou football season

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The start to the much-anticipated 2018 college football season is fewer than 100 days away, and the Missouri Tigers are busy preparing for the upcoming season with summer workouts and classes. The schedule for the early portion of the season took shape today, as the Southeastern Conference and television partner ESPN released game times and network information for the first three weeks of the season, giving fans the opportunity to start making plans for the fall.

Head Coach Barry Odom’s Tigers, fresh off a seven-win season and the program’s first bowl game since 2014, will start the year with a Labor Day Weekend tilt at home against UT Martin on Sept. 1. The game will kick at 3 p.m. (CT) from Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, and will be televised on the SEC Network alternate channel. Check with your provider for information on how to receive the SEC Network alternate channel, or visit http://getsecnetwork.com/channel-finder for more details.

The following week will see senior QB Drew Lock (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and company play host to the Wyoming Cowboys on Sept. 8, with a kick time set for 6 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised on either ESPN2 or ESPNU, with that determination to be made earlier that week. Lock, considered to be the nation’s top returning quarterback by many pundits, leads an experienced offensive attack which returns nine starters from last year’s bowl team. They’ll be facing a Wyoming squad which went 8-5 a year ago and closed their season with a win in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

With the 3 p.m. kick in week one and the 6 p.m. kick in week two, Mizzou is opening its home schedule with a game in each slot for the first time since 2013.

In week three, Mizzou will face its first road test of the young season, as they head to West Lafayette, Ind., to take on the Purdue Boilermakers. Game time for the Sept. 15 contest will be at 6:30 p.m. (CT), and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Tigers will look to even the score after a Purdue victory last season in Columbia, and they’ll be looking to senior DT Terry Beckner, Jr. (East St. Louis, Ill.) and his defensive teammates to lead the charge. Beckner returns for his final year in a Tiger uniform as one of the nation’s top defensive lineman and a candidate for national honors. He and his defensive teammates will look to build on the momentum created from last season’s six-game win streak which closed the regular season.

All remaining games will be subject to the 12-day advance notice window, per league policy, meaning game times and television information will be announced two Mondays prior to each contest. The rest of the 2018 home season includes exciting games in Columbia against the likes of Georgia (Sept. 22), Memphis (Oct. 20 – Homecoming), Kentucky (Oct. 27), Vanderbilt (Nov. 10) and Arkansas (Nov. 23 or 24).

— Mizzou Athletics —

K-State’s early season football game times, TV networks announced

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State’s September 8 matchup against Mississippi State will kick off at 11 a.m., on ESPN, while its September 15 contest against UTSA will start at 3 p.m., on FSN as the Big 12 Conference and its television partners have announced game times and TV designations for the first three weeks of the season.

The Wildcats’ season opener against South Dakota on September 1 – which will serve as the 10th-Annual K-State Family Reunion – will be shown world-wide on ESPN3 at a time to be determined.

K-State and Mississippi State will be meeting on the gridiron for a third time as the series is tied, 1-1, following two close matchups in the 1970s. The Wildcats were downed by MSU, 21-16, in Starkville in 1974. In 1977, the Bulldogs earned a 24-21 win on the field, but the game was later forfeited due to the use of an ineligible player.

The Wildcats won their only previous meeting against the Roadrunners, a 30-3 victory at the Alamodome in 2015. This year marks the fifth-straight year K-State will play a member of Conference USA with four of those contests being played in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

As in years past, all remaining Big 12 game times and television information will be selected on a 12- or six-day basis throughout the season.

Fan-favorite Harley Day is scheduled for the Mississippi State matchup, when 100-plus Harley Davidson motorcycles will make a thunderous lap inside the stadium just prior to the Wildcats taking the field. The game is also a Stripe Out. For just the second-time in stadium history, fans will wear purple or white shirts depending on their seat location. Information on the official Stripe Out shirt will be announced tomorrow.

The game against UTSA will serve as the annual Fort Riley Day.

— KSU Athletics —

Southwest Baptist leaving the MIAA in 2019

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA has announced that Southwest Baptist University has formally withdrawn from the conference and accepted an invitation from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The departure is effective August 1, 2019.

“We are disappointed to see Southwest Baptist leave the MIAA. They have been an outstanding representative of our conference since they joined the MIAA in 1986,” stated MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy. “We appreciate that SBU leadership has kept the conference informed about their membership study this past year, and we support SBU’s efforts to do what they believe is best for their programs and student-athletes. We wish them well and much success in the GLVC.”

Last January, the MIAA CEO Council appointed two task forces to take a strategic look at important issues facing the MIAA. One task force is working on football-related issues, including a study of various scheduling models to help strengthen MIAA football programs. The other task force is exploring membership issues, including the development of tools to help communicate the mission, alignment and value of the MIAA for member institutions and communities. “In an ever-changing climate in college athletics, the MIAA is committed to being proactive, resourceful and innovative in order to maintain our reputation as one of the most successful conferences in the NCAA,” Racy added.

— MIAA Press Release —

Kickoff times set for six Nebraska football games

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Nebraska will usher in the Scott Frost era under the lights at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 1 against Akron. The game, which will be televised nationally on FOX at 7 p.m., was one of six kickoff times for the 2018 season announced on Thursday by the Big Ten Conference and its television partners.

Nebraska also learned kickoff times for its three other September home games, as well as road games at Northwestern (Oct. 13) and Iowa (Nov. 23). Network assignments have been made for four games, including two appearances on FOX, one on ABC and one on BTN.

The primetime season opener marks the third consecutive season and sixth time in the past decade Nebraska has opened the season with a home night game.

The following week on Sept. 8, Nebraska will renew a matchup with long-time Big Eight and Big 12 foe Colorado with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium and the game televised by ABC. The Husker-Buff matchup will follow a long tradition of that contest being televised on ABC. The final 17 conference matchups (1994-2010) between the schools were televised by ABC.

The Huskers complete their non-conference schedule on Sept. 15 against Troy, with kickoff at 11 a.m. on BTN. Nebraska’s Homecoming game on Sept. 29, against Purdue will start at either 2:30 or 3 p.m., with the network to be determined.

The Huskers’ Oct. 13 road game at Northwestern will kick off at 11 a.m. CT, with the network determination made at a later date. The Huskers’ regular-season finale at Iowa on Black Friday is also set for an 11 a.m. kickoff with national television coverage on FOX.

Game times and television information for Nebraska’s remaining six games on the 2018 schedule will be made six-to-12 days in advance.

Nebraska 2018 Game Times/TV Information
Sept. 1 – Akron at Nebraska, FOX, 7 p.m. CT
Sept. 8 – Colorado at Nebraska, ABC, 2:30 p.m. CT
Sept. 15 – Troy at Nebraska, BTN, 11 a.m. CT
Sept. 29 – Purdue at Nebraska (HC), Network TBA, 2:30 or 3:00 p.m. CT
Oct. 13 – Nebraska at Northwestern (HC), Network TBA, 11 a.m. CT
Nov. 23 – Nebraska at Iowa, FOX, 11 a.m. CT

— NU Athletics —

Game times announced for four Kansas football games

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference released the early television broadcast assignments for the 2018 college football season, with Kansas being tabbed for live broadcasts in each of its first three games, plus its November 23 matchup with Texas.

Kansas will open the 2018 football season with a home game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium versus Nicholls State on Saturday, September 1 at 6 p.m. The KU-NSU game will be broadcast live on the Jayhawk Network in the state of Kansas and the Kansas City metro area and is available outside of the state lines to a national audience on ESPN3. More information on the Jayhawk Network (JTV) and its affiliates is available at KUAthletics.com/TV.

The Jayhawks have a road game on Saturday, September 8 at Central Michigan the second week of the season and the Mid-American Conference designated it for a 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) start time with a broadcast on ESPN+.

Additionally, the Jayhawks will host Rutgers in their third contest of the season on Saturday, September 15. KU-RU will be televised on Fox Sports Networks with kickoff slated for 11 a.m.

The Friday, November 23 home game against Texas (Senior Day) has been set for an 11 a.m. kickoff and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

Kansas made three appearances on FSN in 2017 and two on JTV. KU was featured on FS1 in three of its 2017 games, ESPNU in two games, ESPN for one game and kicked off one time on FOX.

Along with Texas, three other Big 12 rivals will visit Lawrence, including Oklahoma State (Sept. 29/Homecoming, K-Club Weekend), TCU (Oct. 27/Jayhawks for a Cure) and Iowa State (Nov. 3/Salute to Service.

— KU Athletics —

Mustangs open 2018 season with 4-3 win over the Midwest A’s

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The St. Joseph Mustangs opened their 10th season Wednesday night at Phil Welch Stadium with a 4-3 win over the Midwest A’s.

St. Joe’s collegiate summer baseball team is now 9-1 all-time in season opening games.

The A’s helped the Mustangs get off to a good start Wednesday as St. Joseph scored three unearned runs in the first inning on two Midwest errors.

Alex Phillips and Brady Garrison each had RBI singles in the first inning, while Colton Pogue added an RBI ground out.

The A’s came back to tie the game with two runs in the second and one more in the third inning, but the Mustangs broke the tied with a run in the fifth inning. Aaron Dees walked, stole second base, got to third on a balk and then scored on a wild pitch.

The St. Joseph bullpen then shut down the A’s as Jonathan Lynch and Preston Bailey each threw two scoreless innings. Joseph Hietpas earned the win as he allowed one earned run and four hits in five innings of work.

The Mustangs are back in action Thursday as they play a non-league game against the Kansas City Monarchs at 7:00 p.m. inside Phil Welch Stadium. The game will be broadcast on 680 KFEQ or you can click here.

Moustakas drives in four as KC hold on win series against Twins

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered, doubled and drove in four runs in the first two innings, Jorge Soler went 4-for-5 with a home run, but the Kansas City Royals nearly blew a nine-run lead before holding on for a 11-8 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Moustakas’ double in the first scored Jon Jay and Alcides Escobar.

Moustakas’ 12th homer was a towering two-run shot that just made it into the front row of the right-field seats and barely fair.

According to Statcast, it had a 46-degree launch angle, the highest in the majors this season, and carried 339 feet.

The Royals sent 11 men to the plate in a seven-run second. Soler nearly had a two-run homer in the inning, but after a review it was changed to a run-producing double. The second inning also included Ryan Goins’ two-run triple.

Every Royals starter had scored in the first two innings for a 9-0 lead, but it almost was not enough.

The Twins chipped away at the Royals’ lead, including bases-empty home runs by Brian Dozier and Ehrie Adrianza in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

Miguel Sano hit a two-run double in a four-run Twins’ sixth and scored on Eduardo Escobar’s two-out single, cutting the Royals’ lead to 9-8.

Sano had a RBI single in the third and has hit in 17 consecutive games with 30 RBI in that span.

Hunter Dozier led off the Kansas City seventh with his first career home run. Soler homered in the eighth for his fourth hit, matching his career high.

Kevin McCarthy (4-2), the fifth of seven Kansas City pitchers, retired all four batters he faced and earned the victory.

Kelvin Herrera protected the lead with a spotless ninth for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

Twins rookie right-hander Fernando Romero (3-2) retired only five of the 15 batters he faced. Romero allowed eight runs and nine hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly. His ERA jumped from 1.88 to 4.51.

Jay singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Jay finished May with a .368 average and leads the majors with 43 hits in the month.

ONE MORE OUT

Several Royals players began walking off the field in the fifth after turning a double play. The only problem was the inning was not over.

ROSTER MOVES

Twins: RHP Aaron Slegers was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. He came in after Romero’s early exit and allowed two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Royals: RHP Trevor Oaks was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. He gave up three runs and five hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings in his second big league appearance.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: CF Byron Buxton (fractured left toe) went back on the disabled list with the toe still impeding his game. … RHP Ervin Santana (hand) was recalled from his minor league rehab assignment with swelling and having trouble gripping the ball. He will be re-examined.

Royals: RHP Blaine Boyer (strained back) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. Boyer was 2-0, but had an 11.76 ERA in 20 relief appearances.

“When he’s right, he’s a productive bullpen piece,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “From the beginning on, it’s just been a struggle for him. He’s been dealing with foot problems and with back problems and continuing to try to pitch through it. We got to the point, where the best thing is just get Blaine healthy because he can help us when he’s healthy.”

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Jake Odorizzi is the scheduled starter as the Twins open a four-game series with AL Central leader Cleveland at Target Field. RHP Shane Bieber will start for the Indians, making his big league debut.

Royals: They have Thursday off before beginning a three-game series Friday with Oakland. Kansas City RHP Ian Kennedy will start the series opener.

— Associated Press —

Alex Reyes returns, pitches four scoreless innings in Cards’ loss

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — It was a memorable return for Alex Reyes. Same for Orlando Arcia, albeit for much different reasons.

Reyes pitched four scoreless innings for St. Louis in his return from Tommy John surgery, but Arcia hit a tiebreaking RBI single in Milwaukee’s two-run seventh and the Brewers held off the Cardinals for a 3-2 win on Wednesday.

“It was fun. It was fun knowing that I had the ball today,” Reyes said. “Being able to go out there that first inning and execute pitches pretty quickly and strike out two. It was huge.”

Making his first major league appearance since Sept. 29, 2016, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed 3 hits, struck out 2 and walked 2. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second.

“My job is to get outs,” Reyes said. “That’s what I was trying to do.”

Fatigue was a bit of a factor for the rookie.

“Not necessarily in the second, more in the third,” he said. “I felt a little fatigue. I try not to think about it much when I’m out there.”

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny noticed a change and went out to check on Reyes in the fourth.

“Saw a drop in velocity,” Matheny said. “Needed to go out, check out, see what was going on. He said it was nothing that he didn’t normally feel. It was just something that got us concerned.”

Reyes was done after throwing 73 pitches, 42 for strikes.

“Obviously, we’re going to be extra cautious with him,” Matheny said.

Reyes was 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA two years ago, striking out 52 in 46 innings. He felt pain during a pre-spring training bullpen session in February 2017 and was operated on by Cardinals physician Dr. George Paletta.

Reyes went 3-0 in four minor league injury rehabilitation starts this month at Class A Palm Beach and Peoria, Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. He struck out 44 in 23 innings.

“This was the first time he’s had to work,” Matheny said. “All those minor league rehab starts he had barely had anybody on base. So, he had to bear down. Didn’t give up any runs. His stuff looked right. His stuff looked good.”

Arcia was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs. He was sent down to work on his batting and was surprised at being recalled so soon.

“Things weren’t going my way and they wanted me to go down there to work on my hitting and reset everything.” Arcia said through an interpreter. “Thankfully, things were starting to go a lot better.”

He looked pretty good in the seventh. With two out and runners on first and second, Arcia stopped a slide of 0-for-15 with a base hit against Sam Tuivailala (1-1).

Jeremy Jeffress (5-0) got the win despite allowing two runs in the top of the seventh. Josh Hader struck out the side in the eighth and got two outs in the ninth, and Corey Knebel struck out Jose Martinez for his fifth save in seven chances.

Milwaukee went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but the NL Central leaders still improved to 19-8 in May, setting a team record for wins in the month. Christian Yelich homered for the Brewers, and Erik Kratz had two hits and scored a run.

Harrison Bader homered for St. Louis, and Dexter Fowler had three singles.

MAKING MOVES

Reyes was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. Right-hander Mike Mayers was optioned to Memphis, and right-hander Dominic Leone was transferred to the 60-day DL. Leone has been out since May 5 with right upper arm nerve irritation.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Fowler returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a bruised right knee. He was hit by a pitch Saturday at Pittsburgh. … LF Marcell Ozuna was a late scratch and replaced by Tyler O’Neill. Ozuna pinch hit in the ninth and walked.

Brewers: SS Tyler Saladino (left ankle sprain) was placed on the 10-day DL. He got hurt Tuesday night. Eric Sogard started in his place, and Arcia took over in the seventh.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (2-1, 2.15 ERA) is scheduled to make his third career start against Pittsburgh on Friday. RHP Trevor Williams (5-3, 3.43 ERA) starts for the visiting Pirates.

Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (4-3, 4.42 ERA) faces the Chicago White Sox on Friday night in the opener of an eight-game trip. He beat the White Sox 5-1 for Arizona in his major league debut on May 11, 2014.

— Associated Press —

Bishop LeBlond hires Mallory McCullough as new softball coach

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St. Joseph, Mo. – Bishop LeBlond High School Athletics Director Michael Evans has announced the hiring of Mallory McCullough to be the school’s softball coach for the 2018-19 school year.

McCullough, a 2008 Bishop LeBlond graduate, played softball all four years of high school and was on the team that finished second in state in 2004. She had numerous All-City, All-District and All-Regional awards while at LB. McCullough earned her bachelor of exercise science/kinesiology degree from Missouri State University, completed an alternative certification program in special education through Northwest Missouri State University, and her masters in special education through NWMSU. She has been working for the St. Joseph School District the past four years and is currently a special education teacher at Coleman& Pershing Elementary Schools. She was an assistant softball coach for LeBlond during the 2017 season.

McCullough replaces Kendra Hodgin, who had coached the softball team for one season. Hodgin recently accepted the Central softball coaching position.

Evans said he is excited for the passion for the sport and Bishop LeBlond that McCullough will bring to the position.

“Mallory brings a great deal of experience to the job. She was part of a team that finished second in state, so she knows how to win. She’s also been a part of teams that weren’t as successful, but that remained true to the mission and philosophy of Bishop LeBlond to use athletics and extracurricular activities to prepare young people for whatever life throws their way,” he said. “Some of the best lessons young peoplecan learn on the playing field are teamwork, self-sacrifice, and commitment. I know Mallory will make playing softball at LB a fun and meaningful experience.”

— Bishop LeBlond Release —

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