Dave Riggert – Page 302 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Griffons advance to MIAA Tournament semifinals with two wins Saturday

Posted on May 13, 2017

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team won two elimination games Saturday at the MIAA Tournament in Joplin to advance to the final four on Sunday.

The Griffons are now 32-19 after a 4-3 win over Northwest Missouri State and a 7-6 victory against Central Oklahoma.

Western will play a true semifinal game Sunday at 9:00 a.m. against Central Oklahoma again. The winner will advance to the MIAA Tournament championship game at 4:00 p.m. Sunday against the winner of the other semifinal between Missouri Southern and Lindenwood.

NOTABLES
Game One
– Alex Heuring pinch hit in the top of the eighth inning to deliver a two RBI triple with two outs to give MWSU the only lead it would need to eliminate the Bearcats

– Missouri Western scored on back-to-back singles in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2 but could not do any further damage after leaving the bases loaded

– Heuring’s triple was the only extra base for the Griffons in the win

– Missouri Western has now eliminated Northwest Missouri from the MIAA Tournament for back-to-back years

Game Two
– Missouri Western scored three runs in the first inning to take an early 3-0 lead as Nick Gawley started the rally on a leadoff double

– Jeremy Alvarado and Levi Schreiner had back-to-back RBIs to put MWSU up 6-2

– David Glaude knocked his eighth home run of the season in the eighth inning to give the Griffons a 7-4 lead

– Missouri Western had 10 hits in the win, the first time it has recorded 10 hits in this season’s MIAA tournament

– The first four batters for MWSU combined for seven hits and six runs scored

TOP PERFORMERS
Game One
– Logan Marston was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and run scored

– Nate Hunter went 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs with five strikeouts

– Richard Peoples picked up the six out save for the Griffons

Game Two
– Nick Gawley was 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored

– Levi Schreiner went for 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs

– Dustin Agnew pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts in his seventh win of the season

— MWSU Athletics —

Karns strikes out 12 as Kansas City beat Baltimore 4-3

Posted on May 13, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nate Karns won a spring training competition to earn the fifth slot in the Kansas City rotation. In his last three starts, he has been dominant.

Karns struck out a career-high 12 in five innings, Eric Hosmer reached base four times and the Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Saturday night.

Karns is the first in franchise history to strike out 12 in five innings. The last pitcher to accomplish that was Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on June 5, 2016.

“That’s pretty cool, but as a starter I’d like to go deeper in games,” Karns said. “The strikeouts are great, but I really want to go deep as I can and help the ballclub win, but having 12 in five is something special, but it’s really too short of a game.”

In his past three starts, Karns has allowed four runs and 11 hits in 17 1/3 innings while striking out 29.

Baltimore’s Chris Davis homered off Seth Maness (1-0) to tie it 3-3 in the sixth, but Brandon Moss went deep off Alec Asher (1-2) to put Kansas City back ahead later that inning. Moss has homered in consecutive games.

“The story the last two nights, for me, is we just haven’t scored any runs,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I’ll just give their pitcher credit, but we’re capable of better, too.”

Hosmer had two hits and walked twice. The Royals scored three runs in 4 1/3 innings off Chris Tillman.

“As the game wore on, I felt like I tried to do too much,” Tillman said. “I kind of got out of my delivery and started falling behind guys and staying behind them, as opposed to making my pitch early on and getting in a count that favors pitchers.”

Karns has 48 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings this season, but has also allowed eight home runs, including a pair to Francisco Pena on Saturday. Pena homered in the third and fifth innings, the second and third homers of his career.

Sacrifice flies by Lorenzo Cain and Jorge Bonifacio in the fifth gave the Royals a 3-2 lead.

Maness was making his Royals’ debut and his first big league appearance since Aug. 13 because of elbow surgery.

Mike Minor pitched two perfect innings for Kansas City and has allowed one run in 14 2/3 innings in his past eight appearances. Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.

Hosmer doubled to start the second and scored on Salvador Perez’s single. Hosmer is hitting .422 in his past 17 games to raise his average to .299.

THE DARK SIDE

Showalter thought the baseballs were too dark Friday. Before each game, balls are rubbed with a New Jersey mud from a Delaware River tributary to take the shine off.

“That’s something they’re working on,” Showalter said. “Each night the balls are a different color. Can you imagine if you had other sports that did that? You’ve got to see the ball, right? It depends on how much the guys who are rubbing the balls up want to make them that night. Doesn’t that seem a little strange to you? I find it a little strange that we play with a different ball in the minor leagues than we do in the big leagues.”

NINE FOR NINE

2B Whit Merrifield became the ninth Royal to bat ninth this season. Raul Mondesi started 12 games batting ninth before being optioned April 21 to Triple-A Omaha. Backup C Drew Butera has batted last seven times. None of the others have more than four starts hitting ninth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: C Welington Castillo (right shoulder tendinitis) began his minor league rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie, serving as designated hitter for a doubleheader. He went 1 for 4, was hit by a pitch and walked. He is scheduled to catch Sunday and join the Orioles on Tuesday in Detroit.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon, who left in the seventh inning Friday with right groin tightness, was not in the lineup. Manager Ned Yost said if Gordon is not close to 100 percent Sunday, he would sit him again, and with the day off Monday, that would give him three days to recuperate.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman starts the series finale. He is coming off perhaps his best start of the season, holding the Nationals to five hits and two runs over seven innings with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Royals: RHP Chris Young will make his second start of the year. He is 1-8 in his past 14 starts.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western’s softball season ends with loss to Winona State in NCAA Tournament

Posted on May 13, 2017

SEARCY, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team’s season came to an end Saturday with a 7-3 loss to Winona State in the NCAA Division II Central Regional.

The Griffons couldn’t overcome an early 7-0 deficit after Winona State scored two runs in the first and five in the third, though they found some offense in the bottom half of the third with two runs.

NOTABLES
– The Griffons got their first hit of the regional tournament in the third when Katie Klosterman hit a two-out, RBI double off the wall in left. Sydney Washington followed with a single to right. She got caught in a run-down between first and second that allowed Klosterman to score before Washington was thrown out.

– Washington scored the Griffons’ third run in the sixth when Megan Korgie reached on an error

– Winona State scored all seven of its runs with two outs

– Missouri Western left five runners on base, drawing two walks, a hit batter and getting five hits after being no-hit in its regional opener against Harding

– It was the final game for six Griffon seniors who won 157 games in their career and became the only class in program history to qualify for four regional tournaments

TOP PERFORMERS
– Washington was 2 for 3 with a run scored in her final game as a Griffon

– Shelby Uhl went 2 for 3 with a walk to finish her sophomore season with a .333 batting average, third highest on the team

– Barbara Billingsley held Winona State scoreless through 4 and a third innings of relief. The junior gave up six hits, but walked just one and struck out two.

— MWSU Athletics —

Carlos Martinez gets two hits, Cardinals beat Cubs 5-3

Posted on May 13, 2017

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Starter Carlos Martinez has been filling a variety of roles for the St. Louis Cardinals.

For Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs, the focus Saturday was more on the rules.

Martinez had his second straight two-hit game and started a disputed double play to help the Cardinals beat the Cubs 5-3.

In the fifth inning, Chicago’s Ian Happ was charged with interference on a hard slide into second base. On a grounder by Anthony Rizzo, Happ slid past the bag while shortstop Aledmys Diaz fielded a flip from Martinez, and Rizzo was ruled out when umpires made the interference call. Kyle Schwarber had scored from third base, but that run was nullified by the double play, keeping the Cardinals ahead 3-1.

“I have no idea why these rules are a part of our game. Outs are rewarded based on a fabricated rule,” Maddon said. “I’m not blaming the umpire. Umpires do what they have to do. I think we have a tendency to micromanage stuff that we have no business to do. Don’t give me all protectionism stuff because I’m not buying into it. It’s wrong.”

Cubs starter Jon Lester is not a fan of the slide rule either.

“We’re out there playing with a bunch of pansies right now,” Lester said. “I’m over this damn slide rule. We’re all grown men out there. I told Happ in the dugout to do the exact same thing the next time. It’s baseball man.”

In a rematch of the season opener, Martinez (3-3) again topped Lester (1-2). Martinez allowed three runs, five hits and four walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven.

Martinez also scored Tommy Pham on a squeeze bunt in the third inning. Lester tried to field the ball and flip it home, but the attempt came up short while Martinez took second with nobody covering.

“I got the green light from (manager Mike) Matheny to execute the bunt and everything turned out good,” Martinez said.

Martinez doubled leading off the fifth inning. In his previous start May 8, he doubled and drove in four runs.

“Just an overall great day for Carlos,” Matheny said.

Happ, a top Cubs prospect, homered off Martinez in the seventh for his first hit in his major league debut.

“He’s very calm and a confident young man,” Maddon said. “What you saw today was not a surprise to any of us. He’s obviously an interesting young player.

“He was never overwhelmed by being here today. He put the uniform on and went out there and hit a homer.”

Pham had two hits, two RBI, a walk and a stolen base. The outfielder is batting .387 with seven extra-base hits in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A this month.

Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth, giving up a two-out single before picking up his 10th save in 11 opportunities.

Lester labored, throwing 112 pitches in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits and four runs, three earned, walked four and struck out nine.

St. Louis went ahead 3-1 in a two-run fourth inning. Jedd Gyorko led off with a home run, and Yadier Molina followed with a single and then stole his 50th career base. Pham singled Molina home after Greg Garcia’s sacrifice bunt.

ROUND FIGURE

Maddon is 999-869 as a manager while guiding the Angels (twice in an interim role), Tampa Bay and the Cubs. With his next win, he will be the eighth active manager to reach 1,000 wins, joining Bruce Bochy, Dusty Baker, Mike Scioscia, Buck Showalter, Terry Francona, Clint Hurdle and Net Yost.

RECORD CROWD

The Cardinals and Cubs drew 47,882 fans. It is the largest ever baseball crowd at Busch Stadium III.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant missed his second game with a stomach flu. … SS Addison Russell (right shoulder) was out of the starting lineup for a third consecutive game. Russell pinch hit in the seventh and grounded out.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha was supposed to start but was pushed back until next week. That will give him extra rest in his first full season back from arm surgery.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (4-2, 5.35) will make his eighth start. He has a 7.65 ERA in his last four starts. In his last outing at Colorado, he allowed nine runs (five earned) in 3 2/3 innings. He is 8-2 in 14 career starts against the Cardinals.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (2-3, 6.37) will reach 328 career games and pass Ken Dayley for 12th on the Cardinals career list, one behind Al Hrabosky. He has 13 wins against the Cubs, second most among active pitchers behind Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo.

— Associated Press —

Houck masterful as Missouri evens series with Gamecocks

Posted on May 13, 2017

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou junior RHP Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) turned in his first complete game of the year as he helped Mizzou Baseball even its series with South Carolina with a 5-3 win Saturday afternoon (May 13) at Taylor Stadium. Houck struck out a season-high 10 batters while scattering just five hits and three runs to earn his first win since March 17 at Alabama. He got five runs of support Saturday; the most Mizzou’s offense has given him in SEC play this year.

Mizzou goes to 30-21 on the year and 10-16 in SEC play while South Carolina goes to 30-20 and 12-14 in SEC play. Houck is now eighth on Mizzou’s all-time career innings pitched list with 296.1 while his 288 strikeouts are the fourth-most in program history and second among three-year players, trailing only Kyle Gibson (304). The complete game is Houck’s first since May 19 at Kentucky last year.

After Houck struck out his eighth victim on his 112th pitch to end the eighth inning, Mizzou head coach Steve Bieser had little doubt as he sent Houck back to the mound for the ninth inning. Houck struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth and got a lazy fly out to right to end the game, capping a memorable Saturday afternoon in what could be his final start at Taylor Stadium.

Houck mowed through the South Carolina order on 14 pitches in the first inning, picking up a pair of strikeouts and pitching around a two-out bloop single. The Tiger offense then gave Houck some early run support, getting an RBI single up the middle by Robbie Glendinning (Scarborough, Australia) in the bottom of the first.

South Carolina’s Jacob Olson then tagged Houck for a two-out, solo homer on a 1-1 pitch to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Houck then walked the next batter and hit the next, but got a 4-3 groundout to send the game to the bottom of the second inning.

Jonah Bride, who had the game-winning homer for South Carolina Friday night, again delivered a go-ahead hit in the third inning, roping an RBI double down the left field line to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead. Houck was again victimized by a two-out solo homer in the fifth inning, this time by Carlos Cortes as the Gamecocks had a 3-1 lead halfway through the game.

Mizzou got that run back and more in the bottom half of the fifth inning. SS Chris Cornelius (St. Louis, Mo.) ripped a double to center to score Matt Berler (Hoover, Ala.), cutting the lead to 3-2. The play was challenged by South Carolina, but after a review, the umpire crew ruled that Berler tagged home before the tag. With two outs, Glendinning then delivered his second RBI single of the game to score Cornelius, tying the game at 3-3.

Freshman Kameron Misner (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) hit his fifth homer of the year, and his first since April 12 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, to give Mizzou the lead back at 4-3 to open the bottom of the sixth inning. South Carolina got the leadoff man aboard in the seventh inning on an error by Cornelius, but he was erased on a slick 6-4-3 double play and Houck picked up his seventh strikeout of the game to get Mizzou through the seventh with a 4-3 lead.

Junior Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) gave Houck an insurance run with a two-out, RBI single through the left side in the bottom of the seventh. It was all Houck from there as he dominated the Gamecock order in the eighth and ninth innings.

The rubber game of the three-game series is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Taylor Stadium.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Griffons fall to Lindenwood in second round of MIAA Tournament

Posted on May 12, 2017

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team lost to Lindenwood Friday 6-1 in the second round of the MIAA Tournament in Joplin. The Griffons fall to 30-19, while the Lions improve to 33-17.

NOTABLES
– Lindenwood scored in the top of the third inning with an RBI single to left center to take an early 1-0 lead and then added two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-run home run

– Zach Cross worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning with a fly out to right field for the Griffons

– Missouri Western turned its 54th double play of the season, which leads the MIAA, in the top of the sixth inning

– MWSU got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Bailey Zimmer sacrifice fly that scored Andrew Curry

– Missouri Western’s four through six hitters combined for three hits and a run scored

– The Griffons have only lost three games in its last 17 games

TOP PERFORMERS
– Andrew Curry was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and double

– Bailey Zimmer recorded an RBI in his two at-bats

– Lindenwood’s Kyle Teter was 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs

– Sam Baxter was 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Lions

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play Northwest Missouri State in an elimination game at 9 a.m. Saturday at Warren Turner Field in Joplin.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats stay alive at MIAA Tournament with victory over Southwest Baptist

Posted on May 12, 2017

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team picked up a 6-4 victory over Southwest Baptist on Friday in the second round of the MIAA Tournament at Missouri Southern State University.

– Northwest improves to 32-19 overall while Southwest Baptist ends its season with a 30-21 record.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored five runs in the third and one in the fifth. Southwest Baptist scored twice in the first, once in the third and once in the eighth.

– Northwest had six runs on 10 hits. SBU had four runs on 11 hits. Neither team had an error.

– Alixon Herrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

– Garrett Fort went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

– Ozzie Adams was 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a walk.

– Jay Hrdlicka was 1-for-2 with an RBI double. He also walked twice.

– Kevin Handzlik went 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a sacrifice bunt.

– James Holler scored a run and drove in a run, going 1-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt.

– Kolby Greenslade was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

– Landon Figg went 1-for-4.

– Joseph Hietpas went 5.2 innings for the win, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked four.

– Jacob Wagner got the last out of the sixth inning after entering the game with two outs and the bases loaded. He got a groundout to second against the only batter he faced.

– Eddy Kraber worked 2.0 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits.

– Nikko Pablo picked up his 11th save of the year, working a flawless ninth inning to close out the victory.

Key Northwest Innings
– Northwest plated five runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Handzlik started the frame with a leadoff single and went to second on a Rycraft sacrifice bunt. Fort hit a single to right to put runners on the corners. Adams followed it up by taking the first pitch he saw into right for an RBI single. A flyout in the next at bat allowed Fort to tag up and move to third. Holler, Herrera and Greenslade all singled in successive order, each driving in a run. Hrdlicka drew a four-pitch walk, prompting an SBU pitching change. After the break, Handzlik drew a four-pitch walk to force in Herrera from third to make it 5-4 Northwest.

– With one down in the fifth, Herrera hit a single to right to reach base but was forced out on a Greenslade fielder’s choice. With two down, Hrdlicka doubled down the right field line into the corner, allowing Greenslade to come all the way around from first to make it a 6-3 advantage.

Up Next
– Northwest will face Missouri Western on Saturday at 9 a.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

Rain forces MWSU softball regional game to be moved to Saturday

Posted on May 12, 2017

SEARCY, Ark. – After more than four hours of rain delays Friday at the NCAA Division II Central Regional tournament at Harding University, all games have been moved to Saturday.

Missouri Western is now scheduled to play Winona State in an elimination game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The teams were originally scheduled to play Friday at 1:30 before first pitch was moved back to 5 p.m. and eventually postponed to Saturday.

Winona State, the No. 4 seed in the region lost Thursday to No. 5-seeded Southern Arkansas, 5-0. Missouri Western lost to No. 1-seeded Harding 8-0 in five innings. The schedule change will push all games in the Harding sub-regional back one day with the championship game now scheduled for Sunday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest men’s basketball adds Manhattan prep guard Trevor Hudgins

Posted on May 12, 2017May 12, 2017

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University head men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum has announced the addition of Trevor Hudgins to the 2017-18 Bearcat roster. Hudgins was an all-state performer at Manhattan High School in Manhattan, Kan.

“We are very excited that Trevor will be joining our program,” said McCollum. “He is athletic, plays with very good pace and has a real feel for the game. Trevor is a competitor and loves to win. He is a very good kid, who’s unselfish and comes from a great family.”

A 6-0 point guard, Hudgins helped lead Manhattan HS to three Centennial League titles, being named all-conference twice including picking up Player of the Year honors twice. As a senior, he led the Indians to a state championship tournament appearance. While playing for coach Benji George, Hudgins also picked up an all-district honor during his senior year.

— Northwest Athletics —

Gawley’s walk-off single in the 10th lifts Griffons past Northwest in MIAA first round

Posted on May 11, 2017May 12, 2017

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western baseball team opened the MIAA Tournament in Joplin Thursday with a 1-0 win in 10 innings over rival Northwest Missouri State.

The Griffons’ Nick Gawley drove in Logan Marston with a single in the 10th as Western improves to 30-18 this season and the Bearcats drop to 31-19.

MWSU advances to the winners bracket to take on Lindenwood Thursday.

The game started 50 minutes late and then again was delayed for 2 and half hours in the sixth inning due to weather.

NOTABLES
– Marston singled through the left side to get on base in the 10th inning

– MWSU turned four double play in the win

– Levi Schreiner had a one-out double in the fourth inning but the Griffons could not get any closer as the next two batters were unable to advance him on fly outs

– Missouri Western would get the first two batters aboard in the bottom of the sixth inning but would strand both runners

– MWSU pitchers combined for seven strikeouts

TOP PERFORMERS
– Richard Peoples threw five innings and five strikeouts before the weather delay ended his start

– Nate Hunter tossed five relief innings to get the win as he gave no runs on three hits with two strikeouts

– Nick Gawley was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI

-Levi Schreiner went 2-for-4 with a double

UP NEXT
Missouri Western will play Lindenwood Friday at approximately 3 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —