 The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team dropped a pair of conference games against Pittsburg State in Maryville, Mo.The Bearcats fall to 20-17 overall and 15-8 in conference while the Gorillas improve to 24-13 overall and 16-9 in conference play. Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 3, Pittsburg State 16) – After an out, Rycraft singled to the second baseman and advanced to third on a double to left center by Bilodeau. Rycraft would come in to score on an out and conclude the scoring for the Bearcats. – Handzlik started the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and advanced to second on an error. He would then advance to third on a wild pitch and come in to score when Nick Howard reached safely on an error. Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 0, Pittsburg State 5) Up Next — Northwest Athletics — |
Author: Dave Riggert
St. Louis rolls past Cincinnati 13-4 in series opener
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jose Martinez drove in six runs Thursday night and Yadier Molina homered in his return from a one-game suspension, powering the St. Louis Cardinals to a 13-4 victory that left the Cincinnati Reds mired in their worst start since 1955.
The Cardinals homered a season-high four times while piling up a season high in runs. The Reds helped by walking 11 batters, three of them with the bases loaded.
The Reds fell to 2-10, the worst record in the majors and their worst start since an identical mark in 1955.
Infielder Cliff Pennington pitched the ninth for Cincinnati and gave up a pair of walks and Martinez’s second RBI single of the game.
Paul DeJong’s solo shot deep into the upper deck in center off Austin Brice (0-2) snapped a 4-4 tie in the sixth. Martinez and Molina hit back-to-back drives in the seventh, when St. Louis put it away with seven runs. Martinez added a two-run double in the inning.
Michael Wacha (2-1) went five innings and extended his streak of beating Cincinnati. The right-hander is 9-1 career against the Reds. The Cardinals have won Wacha’s last 11 starts against the Reds since Sept. 20, 2014.
Molina served a one-game suspension on Wednesday for making contact with plate umpire Tim Timmons during an altercation with Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. Molina singled home a run in the first inning off Sal Romano and connected for his fourth homer in the seventh.
Marcell Ozuna also had a solo shot that extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
VOTTO RESTS
Joey Votto was out of Cincinnati’s lineup for the first time since Sept. 2, 2016, ending his streak of 202 consecutive games started. It was the longest for the Reds since Pete Rose started 370 straight games from 1973-76. Manager Bryan Price decided that Votto, who turns 35 in September, should get an occasional day off this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: RH Sam Tuivailala went on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Tuesday with a strained left knee. RH Mike Mayers was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to take his spot in the bullpen. Mayers pitched the last three innings for his first save.
Reds: LH Brandon Finnegan expects to be activated and join the rotation. He has been sidelined since spring training with a strained left biceps, but had no issues in a rehab appearance this week. “I threw 98 pitches and I came out feeling good,” Finnegan said Thursday.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RH Luke Weaver (1-0) won both of his starts against the Reds last season, allowing two earned runs and fanning 13 in 11 innings.
Reds: RH Tyler Mahle (1-1) gave up a career-high five runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday.
— Associated Press —
Northwest softball takes two from Nebraska-Kearney
The Northwest Missouri State University softball team swept a double header against Nebraska-Kearney in Maryville, Mo.
The Bearcats are now 20-12 overall and 11-5 in conference, while Nebraska-Kearney falls to 13-26 overall and 9-13 in conference play.
Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 5, UNK 4)
– Northwest scored two runs in the first, two in the third adn one in the fifth inning. The Lopers scored two in the first adn two in the third inning.
– The Bearcats had five runs on seven hits and one error. Nebraska-Kearney scored four runs on nine hits and two errors.
– Kaitlyn Weis was perfect from the plate going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBIs, a double and a homerun.
– Abigail Gilson finished 2-for-3 with one RBI.
– Erin Keeney went 1-for-2 and drew one walk.
– Jessica Rawie was 1-for-3.
– Regan Thompson picked up the win for the Cats after she threw 4 scoreless innings and did not allow a hit.
Game One Key Innings
– In the bottom of the first after an out, Jaedra Moses drew a walk and Weis hit a single through the right side. Both runners advanced on a fielding error to put runners on second and third. Moses came in to score on a wild pitch and Weis would come in to score on the next wild pitch to make the score 2-2.
– Sydne Brashear started the inning off when she reached safely on an error and moved to second on a dead ball. She would come around to score on a line drive homerun over the right field fence by Weis to tie the game at four.
– After an out, Weis started the hitting with a double to center field and Keeney drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Weis came in to score on a single through the left side by Gilson to give the Bearcats the lead.
Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 3, Nebraska-Kearney 2)
– The Bearcats scored one run in the third and two in the fifth inning. UNK scored one in the first and one in the seventh inning.
– Northwest had three runs on six hits and no errors. The Lopers had two runs on ten hits and one error.
– Rebecca Maher finished 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI.
– Moses went 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
– Brashear was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
– Kiana Baderdeen finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
– Rachel Smith picked up the win after throwing five innings striking out five batters and allowed one run.
– Holly Posegate claimed her first save of the year after throwing two innings and allowing one run.
Game Two Key Innings
– Baderdeen reached on a fielder’s choice and with one out Maher sent a single up the middle to score Baderdeen to tie the game at one.
– To start the fifth inning, Baderdeen hit a single past the third baseman, Maher had a bunt single to the pitcher and Moses reached safely on a bunt to the third baseman to load the bases. Weis would then hit a deep sacrifice fly to right in foul territory to score Baderdeen from third. Keeney drew a one out walk to load the bases again for the Bearcats. Brashear hit a soft grounder to the short stop to score Maher and put the Bearcats up 3-1.
Up Next
– Northwest will take on Fort Hays State, Friday, April 13 in Maryville, Mo., at 10 a.m.
— Northwest Athletics —
Griffons fall at home to Northwest Missouri State 13-9
ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western baseball team lost to Northwest Missouri State Wednesday at the Griffons Spring Sports Complex 13-9. The Griffons fall to 18-17 and 11-11 in the MIAA, while the Bearcats improve to 20-15 and 15-6 in league play.
The rivals combined for 33 hits, 22 runs and 12 pitchers used in the three hour and 42 minute game.
Missouri Western trailed by four runs heading into the eighth inning but started the inning with a strong rally. An error allowed Maurice Bruce to reach base in the first at-bat of the inning and a Casey Danley single put runners on board with no outs. Brooks Day doubled down the left field line to score both runners and cut the Bearcat lead to 11-9. Back-to-back base hits from Dusty Stroup and Nolan Meyer loaded the bases with no outs. However, NWMSU escaped the threat with three straight outs.
The Griffons had timely hitting in the first inning as they got back-to-back RBI singles with two-outs. MWSU hit three home runs, the second most in a game this season. Casey Danley hit his sixth home run in the second inning and has now homered in five of the last six games.
NOTABLES
- 15 hits by the Griffons are tied for the most this season
- Missouri Western had five players record multiple hits
- Casey Danley was 3-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs
- Nolan Meyer went 3-for-5 on the evening with two RBIs and a run scored
- Ryan Smith scored two runs and drove in one run on a 3-for-4 batting performance
- Both teams combined to make six errors
UP NEXT
Missouri Western opens a three-game series with Lindenwood Thursday. Game one begins at 6 p.m. from the Spring Sports Complex.
— MWSU Athletics —
Royals lose second straight to Seattle
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Scott Servais reclined in a chair in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium, a big smile on the Seattle manager’s face, and spoke before the first reporter could ask a question.
“Long road trip, happy road trip,” he said. “Cold road trip.”
Most of it.
The weather finally turned Wednesday and gave Seattle a warm, sun-splashed afternoon in Kansas City, and Servais’ club made sure to relish the spring-like temperatures. Kyle Seager hit a go-ahead homer with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Mariners held on to beat the Royals 4-2 to wrap up a winning seven-game journey that covered 10 days and about 5,200 miles.
Seattle went 4-3 on its visits to San Francisco, Minnesota and Kansas City.
“I thought we played really good baseball, and getting these wins the past two games really sets the pace for us going home,” said James Paxton, who matched a career-best with 10 strikeouts over six sharp innings before turning the game over to the Seattle bullpen.
Nick Vincent (1-0) worked a perfect seventh, and Juan Nicasio retired three in a row after putting runners on the corners, before closer Edwin Diaz entered for the ninth.
Diaz worked around shortstop Jean Segura’s second error of the game to earn his fourth save.
“Our guys up and down the lineup, but probably the top of the lineup, have been outstanding, really driving the train for us,” Servais said. “I like where we’re at.”
The Royals’ Danny Duffy and Brad Keller turned a 2-2 game over to reliever Justin Grimm (0-1), and he quickly got the first two outs in the eighth. But after walking Mitch Haniger, the reliever hung a 1-1 pitch that Seager popped into the Royals’ bullpen in right field.
Seager also drove in a run with sacrifice fly in the first to provide most of Seattle’s offense.
“After the first inning really good, but you don’t get to subtract any inning from any outing,” Duffy said. “When I take the ball, I expect the bullpen not to be used much, and that hasn’t been the case. I was off in the first inning. There was no excuse for that.”
What turned into a pitchers’ duel Wednesday looked as if it’d be a high-scoring affair early.
Duffy gave up a single, walked three, withstood an ugly error by his catcher and at one point loaded the bases, only to escape the inning having surrendered just two runs.
Paxton countered by walking his first batter and allowing a single, but came through unscathed when Jon Jay was thrown out trying to steal third and Cheslor Cuthbert grounded out to end the inning.
The Royals eventually knotted the game at 2 in the fourth on Paulo Orlando’s two-out double.
Duffy’s pitch count did him in, and the left-hander was lifted after getting the first out in the fifth inning. He allowed four hits and three walks but also struck out seven.
Paxton scattered six hits and a walk while keeping the Royals at bay.
“Paxton did a great job of bearing down when we got runners in scoring position. We were 1-for-11,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Not real productive in that phase of our game today.”
STATS AND STREAKS
The Mariners’ Dee Gordon extended his hit streak to 16 games dating to last season. … Seager had four go-ahead homers in the eighth inning or later last season. … The Royals fell to 3-7, their worst start through 10 games since 2012. They’ve allowed 42 runs in their seven losses and no runs in their three wins. … The Royals’ Mike Moustakas went 2 for 4, his fourth straight multi-hit game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: DH Nelson Cruz (sprained ankle) did some running before the game. Servais said he hopes Cruz will be able to return to the lineup this weekend.
Royals: RHP Nate Karns (elbow inflammation) continues to throw side sessions, and Yost said the last hurdle to his return is some fluid on the outside of his elbow dissipating. Yost says that Karns will likely head to the bullpen when he returns.
UP NEXT
Mariners: After a day off, RHP Mike Leake takes the mound Friday night when the Mariners open a seven-game homestand with three games against the Oakland Athletics.
Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy tries to build on a solid start to his season when the Royals begin a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.
— Associated Press —
Chiefs’ preseason opponents set for 2018
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Football League officially announced its 2018 preseason schedule on Wednesday.
The Kansas City Chiefs will kick off their preseason slate at Arrowhead Stadium against the Houston Texans followed by back-to-back road contests against the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears. Kansas City will close out the preseason at home against the Green Bay Packers.
Dates and times will be announced as soon as they are finalized.
CHIEFS 2018 PRESEASON OPPONENTS
Game #1 vs. Houston
Game #2 at Atlanta
Game #3 at Chicago
Game #4 vs. Green Bay
— Chiefs Public Relations —
Cardinals drop series finale to Milwaukee 3-2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Following a pair of extra-inning games, the Milwaukee Brewers hoped to establish a decent margin in their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Matt Albers held on to a one-run lead in the ninth inning to earn his first save for Milwaukee, retiring Kolten Wong and Dexter Fowler to strand a pair of runners, and the Brewers beat the Cardinals 3-2 Wednesday.
“These games are fun,” relief pitcher Dan Jennings said. “It seems like we were just here a few hours ago after that tough one last night so it’s a good way to bounce back.”
Milwaukee had a two-run lead when Tommy Pham led off the bottom of the ninth with a drive against Josh Hader that hit a railing above the fence in left-center. The play originally was ruled a double by second base umpire Lance Barrett, but the call was overturned on a video review.
Albers relieved and allowed singles to Marcell Ozuna and Jose Martinez, then retired Wong on a foulout and struck out Fowler, who was pinch hitting, for his third big league save. He got his first two for Washington last year.
“I did like Matt against those two right-handers,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. “I thought that was a real good matchup for us. They got base hits but he made some great pitches to Fowler especially.”
Junior Guerra (1-0) allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings in his first start this season.
Adam Wainwright (0-2), making his second start after a stint on the disabled list caused by a strained left hamstring, allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings.
“That’s how I expect to go out and carry us deep into the game,” said Wainwright, who threw 91 pitches. “Two of those three runs I made pitches just how I wanted to. I made a bad pitch to Hernan Perez, that’s the one I want back.”
St. Louis has lost three of four series this season. The Cardinals’ starting lineup was missing Fowler, Paul DeJong and Yadier Molina, who served a one-game suspension stemming from an altercation with Arizona manager last weekend.
Milwaukee built a 3-0 lead on home runs by Perez in the second and Eric Thames in the third followed by Jonathan Villar’s RBI groundout in the fifth.
Thames’ fifth home run of the season went just over the glove of right fielder Harrison Bader, who jumped at the 9-foot fence and looked at his glove in disbelief after he failed to snag the ball.
“I missed it, got under it, but luckily it was hit during the day and not at night,” Thames said. “The outfielder probably would have been running in if it was hit during the nighttime.”
Matt Carpenter hit a run-scoring groundout in the sixth. He failed to reach base in a game for the first time this season.
FIRST PITCH
Prior to the game the Cardinals honored the memory of Preston Cope who was fatally injured in the Marshall County High School shooting. His younger brother, Maddox, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: C Manny Pina was held out of the lineup with tightness in his right calf. The Brewers designated RHP J.J. Hoover for assignment and optioned OF Brett Phillips to Triple-A Colorado Springs to recall Guerra and RHP Jorge Lopez.
Cardinals: INF Jedd Gyorko tested his strained right hamstring on the field prior to the game and go to Class A Palm Beach on a rehabilitation assignment.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (0-1, 5.40) starts Friday in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets.
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (1-1, 5.59) takes the mound start as St. Louis starts a four-game series at Cincinnati Thursday.
— Associated Press —
MWSU’s Ong named MIAA Golfer of the Week
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the fourth time this season, Missouri Western junior Shi Qing Ong has been named MIAA Golfer of the Week.
Ong won her second individual championship of the season on April 3 at the HSU Southern Bancorp Invitational in Mountain Home, Arkansas. She won the title with a 2-over-par 145. On April 10, Ong finished in fourth place at the Central Region Spring Preview in Springfield, Missouri. Her two round total of 149 was just three strokes off the lead.
Ong’s other Golfer of the Week accolades were on September 7, 13 and October 4. Missouri Western competes in the MIAA Championship on April 23-25 at Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City.
— MWSU Athletics —
Skoglund struggles early as Kansas City falls to Seattle 8-3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Felix Hernandez thought his fastball command was the key against Kansas City.
Scott Servais thought it was his ace’s curveball.
Both gave the Royals fits Tuesday night.
The Mariners’ star right-hander bounced back from a miserable start in San Francisco to pitch into the sixth inning, and Guillermo Heredia homered to lead a big offensive outburst as Seattle rebounded from a blowout loss to the Royals with an 8-3 victory that evened their series.
“He was attacking the strike zone, and we talked about getting his curveball going and he really did,” Servais said. “Much more in control tonight and had good results.”
Hernandez (2-1) allowed three runs, six hits and a walk in 5 2/3 innings, leaving primarily because his pitch count was driven up. His only big mistake came in the fourth, when Mike Moustakas turned on a 2-1 pitch and sent a two-run homer screaming into the right-field fountains.
But that was also just about the only offense the Royals could muster, one night after they piled up 10 runs to back a near-no-hit performance by Jakob Junis and their bullpen.
Eric Skoglund (0-1) was hardly as efficient or effective. The lanky left-hander allowed five runs, six hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He was clearly rusty from a nearly monthlong layoff caused by rainouts and weather problems, hitting the first batter he faced and three in all.
“I felt better as the game went on,” he said. “I made some mistake pitches early in the game that cost us, but as the game went on I felt better and the confidence is there.”
As for not pitching in a game since an exhibition March 17?
“It is what it is, man. It’s baseball. It’s part of it,” Skoglund said. “I’ll just go out there and do everything I can to help the team win.”
Royals pitchers have plunked six Seattle hitters through the first two games of the series.
“(Skoglund) looked like he was rusty but our guys were putting good swings on him,” Servais said. “Up and down the lineup, we created a lot of traffic.”
Jean Segura had three hits and drove in two runs, and Mitch Haniger and Kyle Seager also had two RBI as the Mariners put together a pair of three-run innings to pull away.
“The whole offense was really good tonight,” Hernandez said.
The Royals tried to rally in the sixth, when they loaded the bases against Dan Altavilla. But the Mariners’ reliever struck out Paulo Orlando to preserve their 8-3 advantage, and James Pazos and closer Edwin Diaz wrapped up the last couple frames in tidy fashion.
“There are a lot of things we can build on off of tonight,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.
STATS AND STREAKS
Diaz struck out the side in the ninth on 13 pitches. … The Mariners’ Mike Marjama had a leadoff double in the fourth, giving him five extra-base hits among his six career hits. … Heredia has homered twice in the last three games. … The Royals have allowed no runs in their three wins and 38 runs in their six losses. … Royals 2B Whit Merrifield had two hits, extending his home on-base streak to 19 games. … Moustakas has homered in six of his last nine games against Seattle.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: OF Ben Gamel (strained right oblique) is expected back Friday, Servais said. DH Nelson Cruz (sprained right ankle) and C Mike Zunino (strained left oblique) are close behind. … 1B Ryon Healy (sprained right ankle) was out of his walking boot Tuesday. He went on the DL the previous day, when he returned to Seattle to have his ankle examined.
Royals: OF Alex Gordon (torn left hip labrum) was placed on the DL prior to the game. Yost was optimistic the injury will not require surgery and that Gordon, a three-time All-Star, would be back in 10 days to two weeks. OF Abraham Almonte was recalled to take his place.
UP NEXT
Royals LHP Danny Duffy tries to bounce back from two poor starts when he takes the hill for the series finale Wednesday afternoon. He will face Mariners LHP James Paxton, who is also 0-2 this season.
— Associated Press —
Carpenter homers in 11th to lift Cardinals over Brewers 5-3
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Carpenter hit a two-run home run with no outs in the 11th inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Carpenter turned around a pitch from J.J. Hoover (0-1) for the third game-ending homer of his career. It capped a night in which St. Louis rallied from one-run deficits in the ninth and 10th innings.
Domingo Santana singled in Eric Thames to put Milwaukee ahead 2-1 in the ninth inning, but Tommy Pham scored from second on a pair of wild pitches by Jacob Barnes to tie it in the bottom of the inning.
After Orlando Arcia singled in a run in the top of the 10th, Greg Garcia made it 3-3 with his own RBI single a half-inning later.
Dominic Leone (1-2) pitched a clean 11th inning before Paul DeJong set up Carpenter’s winner with an infield single.
Eric Thames homered in the first inning for the Brewers.
St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez allowed a run and six hits over six innings. He stuck out four and walked two.
Brent Suter held the Cardinals to a run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: C Manny Pina was removed in the seventh inning with tightness in his right calf. … OF Lorenzo Cain is listed as day-to-day after bruising his Achilles tendon in a first base collision with Jose Martinez on Monday.
Cardinals: Martinez was also held out of the starting lineup due to the collision with Cain. He is day-to-day.
UP NEXT
Milwaukee RHP Junior Guerra will make his first start of the season against St. Louis RHP Adam Wainwright (0-1, 7.36) in the final game of the three-game series Wednesday. Wainwright gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Thursday.
— Associated Press —