Dave Riggert – Page 452 – St. Joseph Post Archive

St. Joseph Mustangs announce 2016 promotional schedule

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The St. Joseph Mustangs drew record crowds during the 2015 campaign, and they’re hoping for another fun season with promotions scheduled for every home game.

The defending MINK League champions are bringing back their nightly promotions that have become staples of games at Phil Welch Stadium — Ladies Night each Wednesday, Family Night each Thursday, followed by Friday Night Lites and the Mosaic Life Care Fireworks Spectacular on Saturdays.

There will also be giveaways held throughout the season including Magnet Schedules on June 1 courtesy of Brandy Weiderholt State Farm Insurance, limited edition Mustangs t-shirts to the first 500 fans courtesy of Carriage Square Living and Rehab on June 25, and free pregame family portraits on the field during Ultimate Family Night June 7.

Daddy-Daughter Date Night returns June 4 featuring special photo opportunities with Sleeping Beauty and Sofia the First. Mothers and sons get their date night one week later on June 11 with a special appearance by Spiderman.

The Fourth of July weekend will also be a busy one around Phil Welch Stadium. Each game stretching from June 30 through July 4 will feature the Mosaic Life Care Fireworks Spectacular. Veterans and Active Military will receive free admission on July 3, and are entered into a free drawing on July 4.

Fan Appreciation Night will be held July 20 with free general admission to all fans with any size donation to the Noyes Home.

For the entire 2016 promotions schedule, click here.

— Mustangs Press Release —

Former Griffon Howard hired as assistant women’s basketball coach at Northwest

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University women’s basketball head coach Buck Scheel has announced the hiring of Heather Howard as the program’s assistant coach. Howard comes to Northwest after spending two seasons as the assistant coach at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

“I’m very excited about Heather joining the staff here at Northwest,” said Scheel. “As a player and a coach, she’s experienced all levels of NCAA women’s basketball and has a great knowledge about what it takes to be successful in the MIAA. She’s not afraid to put the work in and I look forward to her being a part of our Bearcat family.”

Howard was a standout at Shawnee Mission West High School, earning second-team KBCA and Topeka Capital Journal All-State honors as a senior. She also earned first team All-Star Johnson County, All-Sun Country and All-Sunflower League honors. She went on to letter three times at Oklahoma State, playing in 69 contests from 2009-12, earning Academic All-Big 12 first team honors twice. OSU appeared in the 2010 NCAA Division I Tournament and won the 2011-12 WNIT Tournament. Howard finished her career at Missouri Western, starting all 28 games while averaging 13.1 points and 9.5 rebounds during the 2012-13 season. She spent one season as the graduate assistant at Missouri Western following her playing career in 2013-14.

“I’m so excited and grateful to join the women’s basketball staff at Northwest,” Howard said. “I really believe in the direction that Coach Scheel is taking this team. To be a part of it is such a great opportunity and I can’t wait to get started.”

Howard will officially start at Northwest on May 2, 2016.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri rallies past Tennessee Friday night

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Senior RHP Reggie McClain (Duluth, Ga.) struck out a career high 12 and junior SS Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) drove in three as Mizzou (22-21, 5-14) defeated Tennessee (24-19, 6-13) 5-4 at Taylor Stadium on Friday afternoon. The win pushes Mizzou back above .500 with as the team heads down the homestretch of their schedule.

McClain put together a fantastic start, pitching 8.0 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits while striking out a career-high 12 and walking none. McClain had control of his pitches all night throwing 88 of his career-high 126 pitches for strikes. Twenty-one of McClain’s 24 outs came by either strikeout or ground out. McClain earned the 11th win of his career, fourth of the season, and first in SEC play.

Howard had himself a day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double three RBI and scoring the game-winning run off an impressive slide at home. Howard has hit 21 RBI this season, his third straight season of 20+ RBI. Mizzou is now 11-3 this season when Howard gets an RBI.

Senior 1B Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) continued his All-SEC caliber play by driving in junior OF Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at four. One batter later sophomore C Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) hit a soft grounder to the shortstop whose throw to the plate was not in time to catch Howard, giving Mizzou the 5-4 lead.

Redshirt sophomore Cole Bartlett (Williamsburg, Ind.) pitched the ninth inning, giving up just one hit on nine pitches to secure the save, his third of the season.

Mizzou will play game two of its series vs. Tennessee Saturday (April 30) at 3 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

MWSU tennis ends season with loss to UNK at MIAA Tournament

Posted on April 29, 2016April 29, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team fell 5-2 against Nebraska-Kearney on Friday afternoon in the first round of the MIAA tournament.

Missouri Western was unable to claim a doubles match victory in the opening round of the tournament but fought hard in all three matches. In the No. 1 doubles competition, Yasmine El Ghazi and Sofia Aguilera lost 8-5 to Jadyn Trible and Camryn Parnell. Senior’s Denise Chiao and Lindsay Beger dropped the No. 3 doubles match 8-6.

The Griffons were able to earn two victories in singles matches. El Ghazi came out with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Sun Yuxiu in the No. 1 singles match. Freshman Joanna Abreu Roman earned a hard fought victory in the No. 4 spot, winning 7-6, 6-4 in her match. The No. 5 and No. 6 singles matches were not completed during the match.

UNK will move on to face Southwest Baptist the #2 seed in the MIAA tournament.

Singles competition
1. El Ghazi, Yasmine (MWSU) def. Sun,Yuxiu (UNKWOMEN) 6-2, 6-2
2. Rodriguez,Sthefani (UNKWOMEN) def. Giraldo, Sarah (MWSU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Jimenez,Paula (UNKWOMEN) def. Aguilera, Sofia (MWSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Abreu Roman, Joanna (MWSU) def. Neil,Emma (UNKWOMEN) 7-6, 6-4
5. Parnell,Camryn (UNKWOMEN) vs. Smith, Meara (MWSU) 6-1, unfinished
6. Chiao, Denise (MWSU) vs. Trimble,Jadyn (UNKWOMEN) no result

Doubles competition
1. Parnell,Camryn/Trimble,Jadyn (UNKWOMEN) def. El Ghazi, Yasmine/Aguilera, Sofia (MWSU) 8-5
2. Rodriguez,Sthefani/Sun,Yuxiu (UNKWOMEN) def. Abreu Roman, Joanna/Giraldo, Sarah (MWSU) 8-3
3. Neil,Emma/Jimenez,Paula (UNKWOMEN) def. Beger, Lindsay/Chiao, Denise (MWSU) 8-6

The Griffons finished the season with a 10-6 overall record and a 5-5 MIAA record.

— MWSU Athletics —

Griffons earn two one-run wins on day one of MIAA softball tournament

Posted on April 28, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Missouri Western softball team started the MIAA Tournament with two hard-fought, low-scoring victories to move on to the semifinals in defense of the team’s regular season championship.

Missouri Western will face Central Oklahoma at 1:30 on Friday. The game was originally scheduled for 4 p.m., but forecasted storms have forced the MIAA to re-schedule Friday games. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM.

GAME 1: MWSU 2, Southwest Baptist 1

Paige Shifflett delivered what proved to be the game winning hit in the sixth, with an RBI single to right center that scored Morgan Rathmann from second base.

With one down in the inning, Rathmann singled up the middle then stole second with Shelbie Atwell batting. Atwell struck out which set up Shifflett’s single on the ninth pitch of the at bat. Missouri Western got on the board in the first on an unearned run scored by Atwell. Shifflett was caught stealing second, then a throw to try to catch Atwell off the bag at third went wide and allowed the shortstop to score.

Southwest Baptist scored its run in the fifth on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Shyanne Saladino danced around trouble throughout the game, but managed to limit the Bearcats’ scoring opportunities. The senior picked up her 20th win of the season, allowing eight hits. She struck out three and walked two while hitting two batters. Shifflett went 2-3 at the plate and was the only Griffon with more than one hit in the game.

GAME 2: MWSU 1, Pittsburg State 0 (9 innings)

Freshman Taylor Hamilton ended the game with a leadoff walk-off home run to left center in the bottom of the ninth. It was just the third hit of the game for the Griffons off MIAA Pitcher of the Year Emmie Robertson. Hamilton had two of the Griffons’ three hits on the night. Kailey Green collected the other, a double.

Janie Smith did her best to match Robertson’s performance, earning her eighth complete game shutout of the season. Smith didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and limited the Gorillas to five in the game. She struck out five and walked four. The senior got a tremendous effort from her defense as Missouri Western a pair of crucial double plays and committed just one error.

— MWSU Athletics —

Chiefs trade first-round pick to San Francisco

Posted on April 28, 2016April 29, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Several hours before the start of the NFL draft, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey decided to take an afternoon walk around Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium in an attempt to clear his head.

He mulled over different options, the players that might be available when the Chiefs were finally on the clock at No. 28. But he also considered the possibility that another team would want to trade up for the late-round pick, allowing Kansas City to gain valuable choices later on.

It turned out to be exactly what happened.

The Chiefs sent their lone pick Thursday night to the 49ers for their second-round pick along with choices in the fourth and sixth rounds. San Francisco wound up using the first-round selection on Joshua Garnett, a mammoth offensive guard out of Stanford.

“I had three or four scenarios I had looked on over the course of the week leading into this,” Dorsey said. “Trading down was a possibility — a real possibility — if A, B and C weren’t there. And at the end of the day, I’m very happy with the way things worked out for us.”

Kansas City will have the No. 37 overall pick when the draft resumes with the second and third rounds Friday night. They will also have their original second-round choice at No. 59.

“We’re still going to get really good players here. That’s the beauty of this whole thing,” Dorsey said. “We have two picks in the second round and there’s really good players to be had.”

The Chiefs had their third-round pick stripped as part of the penalties handed down for a tampering case last offseason. So when runs on cornerback and wide receiver took several top players off the board at their biggest positions of the need Thursday night, trading down became the logical move.

It’s the sixth time that Kansas City has traded out of the first round and the first time the club hasn’t made a first-round selection since 2004. That year, they traded from No. 30 into the second round and grabbed forgettable defensive tackle Junior Siavii with the 36th overall selection.

Dorsey has been reluctant to move around in the draft since arriving in Kansas City, but he was part of some wise moves while working in the front office in Green Bay. The Packers traded out of the first round in 2008, for example, and got wide receiver Jordy Nelson with their new second-round pick.

There were still players available that the Chiefs ultimately passed on.

Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, a massive talent with a series of character concerns, was picked by Arizona moments later. Louisiana Tech run-stuffer Vernon Butler, who had also been linked to the Chiefs, was taken with the No. 31 overall pick by Seattle.

There are still plenty of talented players available on Friday, though.

UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, considered a top-10 talent before a serious knee injury, was not chosen on the draft’s first day. Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland and his teammate, defensive tackle Jarran Reed, could be fits for Kansas City. If the Chiefs want to shore up their secondary, Ohio State safety Vonn Bell slid from the first round, as did Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller.

When asked about first-round surprises, it was Jack’s slide that Dorsey brought up.

“He’s a good football player and I’m sure he’ll go early tomorrow,” Dorsey said, dancing around the possibility of taking Jack in the second round. “I’m not going to talk about medicals, but what I will say is by moving down, I think we strategically did the best we possibly could moving forward.

“What I want to do is sit down (Friday) with personnel guys and talk through things — talk to the medical staff — and I’ll be able to better assess those things.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western baseball blows two-run lead in the ninth at UCM

Posted on April 28, 2016

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Missouri Western Baseball dropped the opening game of a three-game series against Central Missouri, 11-10.

Central Missouri used a three-run ninth inning to propel themselves past the Griffons on Thursday night. The Mules were able to able to collect five straight hits in the inning, including four singles and a double.

The Griffons were able to accumulate four runs in the first inning. Nick Gawley recorded a 2-run RBI single while Jeremy Alvarado and Brandon Downs each had an RBI in the opening inning. UCM was able to score seven unanswered runs before the Griffons scored again.

Offensively, MWSU scored three more runs in both the top of the fifth and eighth innings. The Griffons scored two unearned runs in the fifth inning and one more in the eighth inning.

Landon Mason, Orencio Fisher, and David Glaude each produced two hits in the game. Four others recorded one hit for the Griffons. Glaude tallied a team-high three RBIs in the game and Fisher scored three times.

Richard Peoples got the start for the Griffons and allowed nine hits in 3.1 innings of work. David Anderson pitched 3.2 innings and gave up three hits while facing 15 batters.

The Griffons and Mules are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday, starting at 2 p.m. in Warrensburg.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State softball open MIAA Tournament 1-1

Posted on April 28, 2016April 29, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State softball team opened the 2016 MIAA Softball Championship Tournament with a run-rule victory before falling in the second round Thursday evening at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Okla.

– Behind a pair of home runs from Jessica Rawie and a complete game shutout from Kendle Schieber, the second-seeded Bearcats topped seventh-seeded Fort Hays State in the first round, 10-0 in five innings.

– The Bearcats fell behind early after a 2 hour, 18 minute break and were unable to bounce back, falling to Central Oklahoma, 5-1.

– Northwest is now 37-13 on the season, while the Tigers fell to 21-29 overall and UCO moved to 38-16.

– Schieber earned her 21st victory of the season, the most victories in a single season in program history.

Round One Key Statistics (Northwest 10, Fort Hays State 0, five innings)

– Rawie drove in six runs on her two long balls, giving her eight home runs on the year and the 31st multi-home run game in Northwest history.

– Schieber (21-5) gave up just two hits in her fourth complete game shutout of the season, striking out two and walking none.

– Chantel Adams finished 3-for-3 with a double, driving in two runs and scoring two more.

– Freshman Alexis Kelsey reached base in all three plate appearances, walking twice and doubling in the fourth. The first baseman scored three runs and drove in one.

– Shortstop Rebecca Maher scored a pair of runs, finishing 1-for-3 with a double.

– Torri Blythe crossed the plate once after reaching on a bunt single and stole her 21st base of the season.

Round One Key Innings
– Northwest took advantage of a defensive miscue by the Tigers to score a pair of unearned runs in the first. Maher sent a routine ground ball to short that would have been the final out of the inning, but the FHSU defender bobbled it before making a late throw to first. A walk to Kelsey set the stage for Adams, who sent the first pitch over the left fielder’s head for a two RBI double.

– The Bearcats extended their lead in the bottom of the third when Kelsey worked her second walk of the day. A single off the bat of Adams put two runners on for Rawie, who crushed the first pitch she saw over the fence just to the right of center, handing Northwest a 5-0 edge.

– Blythe led off the fourth with a bunt single before advancing to second with a stolen base. Maher then sent a double to the fence in left field, driving in Blythe. A second-straight RBI double off the bat of Kelsey allowed Maher to score before Adams reached with her third hit of the night. Rawie again cleared the bases, this time with a deep drive to left center, extending the Bearcat lead to 10-0.

– Schieber retired the side in order three times, never facing more than four batters in an inning.

Round Two Key Statistics (Northwest 1, Central Oklahoma 5)

– Freshman Kiana Baderdeen singled twice, finishing 2-for-3.

– Alexis Kelsey drew a pair of walks for the second-straight game, finishing 1-for-2 with an RBI single.

– Shortstop Rebecca Maher scored after singling in the bottom of the fourth.

– Torri Blythe reached base on a single, a walk and an error.

– Outfielder Jaedra Moses connected with her first base knock of the postseason in the third.

– Sarah Baldwin (10-6) allowed three earned runs on five hits, striking out one Broncho batter.

– Kendle Schieber came out of left field to throw the final 4.1 innings, striking out four and surrendering one lone run on two hits.

Round Two Key Innings
– UCO jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the second inning before doubling the gap in the third with two more runs.

– Northwest clawed back with a run in the fourth after Maher led off with a single to right past a leaping second baseman. Kelsey sent a single to center in the next at bat that crept past a diving Broncho defender. Maher rounded third as the throw was coming to the plate and slid head first just before the tag was applied.

– The Bearcats stranded runners in scoring position in five innings.

– Schieber struck out the side on 11 pitches in the fifth.

Up Next
– Northwest will meet up with No. eight seed Southwest Baptist in an elimination game Friday morning at 11 a.m. The winner of that game will advance to play the winner of fourth-seeded Pittsburg State and sixth-seeded Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

MWSU’s Trotter named MIAA Coach of the Year; Nine Griffons earn All-Conference honors

Posted on April 28, 2016April 29, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – After the program’s second MIAA Championship, nine members of the Missouri Western Softball team were named All-MIAA, Katie Klosterman was named MIAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year and head coach Jen Bagley Trotter was named MIAA Coach of the Year. The nine selections were the most for the program since a record, 11, in 2012, and are the second most ever for the program.

COACH OF THE YEAR – Jen Bagley Trotter
Trotter claimed her fourth MIAA Coach of the Year honor after leading the program to a 39-11 overall record and a 23-3 mark in MIAA play. The 23 conference wins were the most ever for the program. This season marked the 10th time Trotter has led the Griffons to a 30-win season. On Feb. 28, Trotter picked up her 500th career victory, all with Missouri Western. She’s now 529-307 in 15 seasons as head coach at Missouri Western.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR & FIRST TEAM ALL-MIAA – Katie Klosterman (Third Base)
Klosterman was named first team All-MIAA for the first time in her career after finishing the regular season with a .364 batting average – second on the team – and a .972 fielding percentage at third base. The junior committed just three errors at the hot corner and recorded 27 putouts and 78 assists. Klosterman was second on the team with 10 home runs and 13 doubles. She was one of three Griffons named MIAA Hitter of the Week this season and was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection in both 2015 and 2014.

FIRST TEAM ALL-MIAA – Morgan Rathmann (Outfield)
Rathmann earned her third All-MIAA honor and first, first team selection. The junior outfielder led the team through the regular season with a .399 batting average. She led the MIAA and ranks third nationally with nine triples, which tied a career-high. Her 21 career triples are most in MWSU history. Rathmann also ranked sixth in the MIAA with 23 stolen bases and currently ranks third all-time at MWSU with 74 stolen bases.

SECOND TEAM ALL-MIAA – Janie Smith (Pitcher) and Taylor Hamilton (Designated Player)
Smith was named to the second team for the second straight year, her third All-MIAA selection overall. The senior pitcher led the team with 20 wins, 188.2 innings and 128 strikeouts. Her 20 wins were a career-high and were tied for second most in the MIAA this season. Smith finished the regular season with seven complete game shutouts.

Hamilton broke out in a big way, leading her team with 48 RBIs. The Cameron native batted .348 and slugged .594 with 11 doubles and nine home runs. She was one of three Griffons named MIAA Hitter of the Week after hitting six home runs over a crucial stretch of six MIAA games.

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-MIAA – Shelbie Atwell (Shortstop), Kailey Green (First Base), Shyanne Saladino (Pitcher), Paige Shifflett (Second Base) and Sydney Washington (Outfield)
Atwell picked up her first All-MIAA honor after batting .337 for the Griffons. The sophomore hit 12 doubles a triple and two home runs. Both of Atwell’s home runs were grand slams, including one in her first at bat of the season. Atwell broke an MWSU record with six RBIs in a game against Central Missouri this season that was later tied by Taylor Hamilton.

Green also picked up her first All-MIAA honor. The junior led Missouri Western with 14 home runs and batted .348. Her 14 home runs so far this season are tied for fourth most in MWSU history. Green was second on the team with 40 RBIs and drew a team-high 25 walks.

Saladino was also a first time All-MIAA selection. The senior led the team with a 2.13 ERA. She struck out 89 batters and held opponents to a .239 average. Saladino went 19-3 in 22 appearances, pitching 154.1 innings.

Shifflett picked up her second All-MIAA honor in her second season with the Griffons. The sophomore was a second team designated player in 2015. She transitioned well to second base this year, batting .317 with 27 RBIs, a team-high 16 doubles and five home runs. She also fielded at a .931 clip in her first season at second base.

Washington returned to the All-MIAA team after being named honorable mention as a freshman. The junior was the most recent Griffon named MIAA Hitter of the Week, batting .313 on the year with 35 RBIs, eight home runs and five doubles.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats drop series opener at home to Emporia State

Posted on April 28, 2016April 29, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Emporia State, 4-2, on Thursday afternoon at Bearcat Field in Maryville, Mo.

– Northwest falls to 24-20 overall with the loss and 19-15 in MIAA play. The Hornets improved to 31-14 overall and 23-11 in conference action.

– Anthony Caenepeel threw his third complete game of the year, allowing four runs on just five hits. He walked only one batter and struck out seven.

– In the effort, Caenepeel set the Northwest single season record for innings pitched (97.2), previously held by Brian Lamers in 2007 (90.2).

– Emporia State hit three solo home runs and had three outfield assists.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored two runs on nine hits with no errors. Both Bearcat runs came in the fifth.

– Emporia State scored single runs in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The Hornets had four runs on five hits with one error.

– Garrett Fort went 2-for-3 with an RBI double.

– Jake Lewis was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double.

– Jay Hrdlicka went 2-for-3 with a double. He was also hit by a pitch.

– Kevin Handzlik was 1-for-4 with a double.

– James Holler went 1-for-3 with a walk.

– Kolby Greenslade was 1-for-2 with a walk.

– Aaron Barratt scored a run and also tallied an RBI. He stole his ninth base of the year in the fifth inning.

Key Northwest Innings
– Lewis doubled to lead off the fifth and moved to third on a groundout. Barratt hit a hard grounder to third that bounced away from the ESU fielder, allowing Lewis to score and Barratt to reach safely. Barratt stole second and stole on a double by Fort off the center field wall to tie the game, 2-2.

– Caenepeel worked perfect frames in the second, fifth and eighth innings.

Up Next
– The series concludes Friday with a double header starting at noon at Bearcat Field. Northwest will hold Senior Day between Friday’s games to honor Nick Gotta, Zachary Douglas, Derek Meyer, John Osborne and Carson Smith.

— Northwest Athletics —