Dave Riggert – Page 609 – St. Joseph Post Archive

K-State beats Oklahoma to open Big 12 Tournament

Posted on May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

TULSA, Okla. — Colton Kalmus matched his career-high in strikeouts with six while Max Brown went 4-for-4 with a pair of two-out RBIs as six-seed K-State opened its trip to the 2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship with a 7-3 win over third-seeded Oklahoma on Wednesday at ONEOK Field.

The Wildcats (27-28) notched their third win in the opening game of the postseason tournament in their last four trips with the help of a five-run lead through the third inning. K-State scored a run in the first, two in the second and another two in the third, building an insurmountable lead over the Sooners (32-26).

“I thought we just came out ready to play,” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “We were right on fire from the start. [Carter] Yagi gets us going with a base hit [in the first]. We do a hit-and-run right away. Coach [Andy] Sawyers does a great job getting aggressive with a hit-and-run. Again, we just got momentum on our side early. Offensively is where it all started.”

Kalmus, in his first career Big 12 tournament start, cruised through his first five innings of work, surrendering just a single baserunner in the first, second, fourth and fifth. Meanwhile, he had five strikeouts in the first two frames, including the side in the second, as he evened his personal-best of six set earlier this year on February 14 vs. George Mason in Port Charlotte, Florida.

“I was out of the stretch the whole game,” said Kalmus. “I just felt more comfortable doing that today. I didn’t want to get behind by going to the windup, which I wasn’t comfortable with. I just knew that they like to swing, so I knew if I filled up the [strike] zone, then I was going to have a good day.”

Kalmus only ran into trouble in the sixth when he allowed solo home runs to Taylor Alspaugh and Anthony Hermelyn that made it 5-2. The redshirt sophomore was lifted from the game following Hermelyn’s homer in favor of Jordan Floyd, who went on to record his first career save after allowing just one run in 3 2/3 innings pitched.

K-State wasted little time in responding to the Sooners’ pair of runs as Brown produced his 21st and 22nd two-out RBIs of the season with a bases-loaded single in the seventh. The Wildcats started the threat when the third error of the game by Oklahoma allowed Carter Yagi to reach with one out. Tyler Wolfe followed with a hit by pitch, the third time the junior reached safely in the game, and Shane Conlon drew a walk to load the bases. After Tyler Moore hit an infield fly in foul territory near first base, Brown delivered a two-out single into center to score Yagi and Wolfe and make it 7-2 Wildcats.

Floyd allowed the run in the seventh when Oklahoma rattled off three singles among its four batters of the frame, with Alspaugh’s RBI single producing the run. The left-hander then walked the leadoff batter in the eighth, but he induced a double play and a groundout to end the frame before working around a two-out single in the ninth to end the game.

The save by Floyd was the first by a K-State pitcher since Brandon Courville recorded his first career save on April 26 at Baylor.

In addition to Brown, Yagi turned in a multi-hit effort, his 15th of the year. The senior went 2-for-5 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. His first run came in the first when he opened the game with a single and later advanced to third on a hit-and-run executed by the next batter, Wolfe. Conlon subsequently plated Yagi as Oklahoma traded two outs for a run with a double play.

“That was really important,” said Brown about the run in the first. “It’s huge to score runs early and keep the momentum on our side. Like coach said, we just came out swinging from the get-go and put the pressure on them.”

Brown scored the first of the two runs in the second when he opened the inning with a double into the right-center field gap. Alex Bee was issued a free pass before Clayton Dalrymple pulled a ball through the left side to score Brown and make it 2-0. Dalrymple later scored in the inning when OU’s first error of the game, on a groundball hit by Jake Wodtke, allowed the junior to score from second base.

Tyler Moore produced one of two RBIs for the Wildcats in the third with a double. The two-base hit, Moore’s 12th of the year, drove in Wolfe, who was issued a walk by Adam Choplick to open the inning. Bee later plated Moore from third with a fielder’s choice to make it 5-0.

Oklahoma starting pitcher Jake Elliott was charged with the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks in two innings pitched.

K-State will play next on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., taking on the winner of Wednesday’s final game between two-seed Oklahoma State and seventh-seeded West Virginia.

NOTES
K-State improved its all-time record in the Big 12 Championship tournament to 14-14. Since 2011, the Wildcats are 6-5 in conference postseason play.

The Wildcats have faced Oklahoma four times in the Big 12 tournament since 2011, going 3-1. K-State, meanwhile, is 2-2 against the Sooners in 2015, outscoring them, 18-12.

The Wildcats improved their record to 16-3 this season when their opponent commits two or more errors in a game. K-State, which had no errors on Wednesday, also improved to 14-9 when it goes errorless in a game.

— KSU Sports Information —

Former Northwest AD Wren Baker hired as Mizzou’s Deputy Director of Athletics

Posted on May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

COLUMBIA, MO. – Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades has recruited Wren Baker to join his leadership team at Mizzou, as announced Wednesday. Baker – one-time Athletic Director at Northwest Missouri State – has agreed to become Rhoades’ Deputy Director of Athletics (for External Relations), starting officially on Monday, June 8. At Mizzou, Baker will oversee all external relations units, and serve as the sport administrator for the men’s basketball program.

Baker, 36, comes to Mizzou from the University of Memphis, where he served as Deputy Director of Athletics/External Affairs from February 2013 to the present. At Memphis, Baker provided an immediate impact as the department secured the single largest gift in its history under his watch, while launching a $40 million capital campaign. In addition, suite sales and multi-media rights revenues set a new record and Memphis’ Tiger Scholarship Fund grew in membership and donations all in his first year.

Prior to joining Memphis, Baker was Director of Athletics at Northwest Missouri State, where he directed one of the nation’s top Division II athletic programs from February 2011-February 2013. Prior to his time at Northwest, he was the first-ever Director of Athletics at Rogers State University in Claremore, Okla., spending five years overseeing the growth of a start-up department into a very successful comprehensive program.

“We are very excited Wren is becoming a member of our team,” said Rhoades. He is regarded as one of the up-and-coming administrators in the nation and has established an impressive track record of success at every stop of his career path. Throughout his career, Wren has demonstrated terrific work ethic, the ability to genuinely connect with people and uncompromising integrity. He is a high-energy person who will provide great passion and leadership for our student-athletes, coaches and staff. We are thrilled Wren, his wife Heather and two daughters, Addisyn and Reagan are joining the Mizzou Athletics family,” said Rhoades.

“I am honored to be joining the Mizzou family and am grateful to Mack Rhoades for the opportunity,” said Baker. “The University of Missouri has a tremendous reputation and Mack is considered one of the best and brightest leaders in collegiate athletics. Our family is looking forward to returning to the “Show-Me State” and joining Mack’s team as we build on a proud and prestigious athletic tradition,” he said.

At Northwest Missouri State, Baker led the department to greater operational efficiencies and improved customer service. During his tenure at Northwest, his team secured the largest gift in department history, and increased revenues by an impressive 60 percent during his time there.

From 2006-11, Baker was Director of Athletics at Rogers State, where he was the youngest A.D. in the nation at any four-year university. While at RSU, he was also the first men’s basketball coach in school history, and promptly led the Hillcats to a 20-11 record in their first year of competition during the 2006-07 season. After one year as basketball coach, he relinquished those duties to focus on his administrative duties and continue the growth of RSU’s overall athletics operation.

Prior to joining Rogers State, Baker became the youngest principal in the state of Oklahoma. At 26, he was named principal and athletic director for Valliant Public Schools in his hometown of Valliant, Oklahoma.

Before entering administration Baker served as a basketball operations assistant in the Oklahoma State University athletic department from 2001 to 2005, coordinating a variety of initiatives under the direction of former head men’s basketball coach Eddie Sutton. During his four-year tenure at OSU, the men’s basketball team recorded a 102-30 record that included a trip to the Final Four during the 2004 season.

Baker received his bachelor’s degree in education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2001 and his master’s degree in education leadership from Oklahoma State University in 2003.

— MU Sports Information —

St. Louis knocks out Colon early and rolls past New York 9-0

Posted on May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Adams hit a long three-run homer, Jason Heyward also connected and the St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed their second consecutive offensive outburst, roughing up Bartolo Colon in a 9-0 rout of the New York Mets on Wednesday night.

Matt Holliday and Kolten Wong both had three hits to back Carlos Martinez (4-2), who pitched 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball in ending his two-game skid. Following a 10-2 victory Tuesday night, the Cardinals improved the best record in the majors to 27-13.

Pitching four days before his 42nd birthday, Colon (6-3) finally began to show his age.

Trying again to become baseball’s first seven-game winner, he was hit hard all game and even walked two batters — one more than he had all season.

And coupled with Washington’s victory over the New York Yankees, the Mets’ loss dropped them out of first place in the NL East for the first time since April 14.

Colon fell to 4-1 in seven career starts against the Cardinals. That leaves the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team he’s faced only once, as the only club yet to hand him a loss.

Colon caught a break in the first inning when Jhonny Peralta’s two-out drive to center bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double, scoring one run but stopping another runner at third.

His good fortune ran out in the fourth.

Heyward led off with his fourth home run, and Randal Grichuk reached on a throwing error by third baseman Eric Campbell. After an RBI single by Wong, Colon walked Matt Carpenter on a 3-1 pitch.

It was the first free pass issued by the right-hander in 48 2/3 innings, breaking the previous franchise record of 47 2/3 innings by Bret Saberhagen in 1994.

Holliday followed with a run-scoring single, and Adams made it 7-0 when he launched a shot that banged off a potato chip advertisement above the Mets’ bullpen in right-center.

Grichuk had an RBI double and Wong added a run-scoring single in the fifth after a leadoff walk to Heyward.

That closed the book on Colon, charged with nine runs — eight earned — and 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings in his second consecutive poor outing. He had gone seven straight starts without a walk following a free pass to Ryan Zimmerman on opening day in Washington.

Two relievers finished a four-hitter for the Cardinals.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: In the four-game series finale Thursday afternoon, Jaime Garcia comes off the DL to make his first major league start since June 20. The 28-year-old lefty had a setback in spring training from thoracic outlet surgery, performed in July 2014 to alleviate numbness and tingling in his pitching arm and hand.

Mets: RHP Dillon Gee (groin strain) is scheduled to make another rehab start Thursday for Class A St. Lucie at Dunedin. If he’s ready to come off the DL after that, the Mets could have a decision to make about whether Gee goes back into the rotation and who might come out.

DOUBLE DEVOTION

At the Major League Baseball owners meeting, Mets chief Fred Wilpon said that when Cardinal Timothy Dolan attended Tuesday night’s game, the team gave him a cap with a Mets logo on one side and a Cardinals logo on the other.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Garcia threw 90 pitches over six strong innings Friday in a Double-A rehab start and gets a chance to fill the rotation spot that opened when ace Adam Wainwright sustained a season-ending Achilles injury last month.

“If it doesn’t work, next man. Who’s going to take it? That’s what it is right now,” manager Mike Matheny said.

Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom (4-4) is 9-1 with a 1.32 ERA in his past 11 starts at home, dating to last July. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year was 3 for 3 at the plate in his most recent outing, including two hits in a 10-run inning against Milwaukee.

— Associated Press —

Huskers lose to No. 1 seed Illinois in Big Ten Tournament opener

Posted on May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

Minneapolis – The No. 8 seed Nebraska baseball team (34-22) had a 2-0 lead after the top of the sixth, but the No. 1 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (46-6-1) scored the game’s final three runs for a 3-2 victory in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday night at Target Field. With the win, the No. 5 nationally ranked Illini extended their winning streak to 27 games, the longest streak in the country this season.

After the Illini took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, they turned the ball over to Big Ten Pitcher-of-the-Year Tyler Jay, who retired the Huskers in order in the ninth for his 13th save of the season.

The Huskers entered the game with a 25-4 record on the year when outhitting their opponent and out-hit the Illini 9-7, but couldn’t get the extra hits they needed late. Nebraska also fell to 0-6 on the year in games decided by one-run against Big Ten teams.

Freshman Scott Schreiber was 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in a run, while Tanner Lubach was 2-for-4 with a double. Freshman Luis Alvarado also added a RBI on the day, his fourth extra-base hit off Illini pitching in the last week after he produced two doubles and home run in Champaign, Ill., during last week’s conference series.

Two-time All-Big Ten pitcher Chance Sinclair made his 31st career start on Wednesday night and gave the Huskers 5.2 strong innings, as he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out four. Sinclair allowed one hit over the first five innings, with three of Illinois’ four hits off of Sinclair coming in the sixth.

Junior Kevin Duchene, an unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection on Tuesday, started for the Illini and went 6.2 innings. Duchene allowed two runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five Huskers. It was the first time Duchene has allowed more than five hits in a start since April 17, when he gave up 10 hits to Indiana.

Nebraska had the game’s first runner in scoring position with two out in the second after Schreiber roped a single and then moved to second when Ben Miller drew the 11th walk of the season off Duchene in 84.2 innings. Jake Placzek stepped in an worked a 3-1 count and got a pitch to hit, but it resulted in a fly ball to left field to end the frame.

Illinois had its leadoff batter on base for the first time in the fourth when Ryan Nagle reached on a walk, but he didn’t advance any more. Sinclair responded with back-to-back strikeouts before Wes Edrington made a bare-handed play on a slow roller off the bat of Casey Fletcher to end the inning.

The Huskers offense was in position to score again in the fifth, but Duchene dug in. Schreiber led off with a single and then Placzek blasted a one-out double to put two runners on scoring position. Duchene got a shallow fly out off the bat of Edrington that wasn’t deep enough to score Schreiber and struck out Ryan Boldt swinging to end the Husker threat.

Sinclair retired the Illini in order in the fifth and the Husker offense finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Lubach got NU going with a one-out double to right-center field and scored the first run of the game when Alvarado doubled down the left-field line. The hits kept coming, as Blake Headley delivered a groundball single that put runners on the corners. Schreiber stepped in an worked an 11-pitch at-bat, delivering a RBI single on the 11th pitch to put the Husker onto 2-0.

The lead didn’t last long, as Illinois answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Ryne Roper started the inning with a single to set the table for the top of the NU lineup. Sinclair came back with a strikeout of Adam Walton before Nagle and Reid Roper each singled, with Ryne Roper scoring on the single by his older brother. Jason Goldstein then tied the game with a sacrifice fly and Sinclair was in position to get out of the inning, but Headley committed an error to put runners on first and second. The Huskers went to Jeff Chesnut out of the pen for his 30th appearance of the season and the junior right hander struck out Pat McInerney swinging to keep the game tied, 2-2, through six innings.

Placzek led off the seventh with a walk and was soon in scoring position for the top of NU’s lineup following a sacrifice bunt by Edrington. Duchene struck out Boldt for this third time and with two down the Illini went to right-handed reliever Nick Blackburn to face Jake Meyers. Nebraska countered with pinch-hitter Austin Darby and Blackburn won the battle with an inning-ending strikeout.

The Huskers had their leadoff man on in the seventh when Lubach started the frame with a single, his second hit of the game. Blackburn quickly cleared the bases with a double play off the bat of Alvarado, and then Headley lined out to Walton at shortstop to end the inning.

Illinois got their leadoff man on in the bottom of the eighth with an infield single by Reid Roper and he later scored to put Illinois ahead 3-2 on a single by McInerney. After Goldstein laid down a sacrifice to put two runners in scoring position, the Huskers loaded the bases with an intentional walk to Fletcher. McInerney delivered a single that found its way through the right side of the infield to give Illini the lead. David Kerian and Will Krug then grounded out to end the inning.

Facing the bottom of NU’s lineup, Jay needed just seven pitches to polish off the comeback win for Illinois.

Nebraska returns to Target Field Thursday for an elimination game against 1 p.m.

— NU Sports Information —

KU’s Schneider finalizes women’s basketball coaching staff

Posted on May 20, 2015May 20, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider put the finishing touches on his staff when announcing the additions of Andy Majors, Donease Smith and Natalie Knight Wednesday afternoon.

A long-time assistant under Schneider, Majors joins the Jayhawks as the Director of Player Development, while Smith, who has strong ties with the WNBA, will take over the role of Director of Basketball Operations. A recent graduate of the KU women’s basketball program, Knight remains with Kansas as the Graduate Student Manager.

Majors spent five seasons at Stephen F. Austin after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Pittsburg State. With the Ladyjacks, Majors helped SFA win back-to-back league titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and make three postseason appearances.

Majors worked with the post players and centers at SFA and saw Porsha Roberts earn Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013-14 and Southland Player of the Year honors in 2014-15 for her stellar play in the paint.

“Coach Majors will be an invaluable asset both to our coaching staff as well as our student-athletes,” Schneider said. “He will head up the scouting of our opponents, and he will do an outstanding job as we game plan and prepare for success on the court.”

At Pittsburg State, Majors helped lead the Gorillas to a 34-23 record in that time, including a 20-9 record in 2008-09. His duties included coordinating opponent scouting, monitoring academic progress and in-practice statistics.

A standout quarterback for the Gorilla football team from 2002-05, he was a crucial part of the Gorillas’ national runner-up finish in 2004. Majors earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pittsburg State in 2006, and completed his master’s degree in education from PSU in 2010.

Smith joins the Jayhawks after six seasons with Memphis women’s basketball. With the Tigers, Smith took care of both internal and external needs of the entire women’s basketball program, including team travel, practice set up and inventory control.

Before Memphis, Smith spent two seasons with the Detroit Shock in the WNBA, serving as the basketball operations manager and as the manager of the Year Round Hoops program.

“I’ve known Donease for a long time and I am excited that we could add someone with her experience in the world of operations,” said Schneider. “She’s done this job at the high-major level for a long time, as well as in the WNBA.”

Prior to her WNBA stint, Smith developed a long history of coaching and teaching basketball. Following her playing career (1995-98) at Central Missouri State (now called the University of Central Missouri), Smith taught introductory business classes and served as an assistant girls’ basketball coach for four years in Kansas City, Missouri. She also served as the Director of Operations for Kansas State women’s basketball during the 2006-07 season.

Smith, a native of Sedalia, Missouri, received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business education from CMSU, earning honorable mention all-conference honors three times on the court.

A four-year starter and most recent member to join KU women’s basketball 1,000-point scorers club, Knight will stay in Lawrence as a Graduate Student Manager. The Olathe, Kansas native graduated this May from Kansas with a degree in communications.

“Natalie had a tremendous career at Kansas as a student-athlete and we’re glad that she has decided to make the transition from player to coach with our program,” Schneider said. “She has been an outstanding member of the KU community and we’re thrilled she will continue to be part of it.”

A two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection, Knight concluded her career with 1,081 points, 340 assists and 436 rebounds. She was a member of KU’s roster during back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in 2012 and 2013.

The Jayhawks begin their 2015-16 campaign with Late Night in the Phog, which is hosted along with Kansas men’s basketball, on Friday, Oct. 9, inside Allen Fieldhouse.

— KU Sports Information —

High School District Baseball Scores – Tuesday, May 19

Posted on May 19, 2015May 19, 2015

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALS @ PHIL WELCH STADIUM
Bishop LeBlond 6, East Buchanan 4
Lawson 10, Plattsburg 0

CHAMPIONSHIP – THURSDAY
Bishop LeBlond vs. Lawson – 5:00 PM

CLASS 4 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALS @ MISSOURI WESTERN
Benton 2, Chillicothe 0
Maryville 9, Savannah 3

CHAMPIONSHIP – THURSDAY
Benton vs. Maryville – 5:00 PM

Royals blank Reds; get back-to-back shutouts for first time since 1992

Posted on May 19, 2015May 19, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis combined on a four-hitter and the Kansas City Royals beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Tuesday night.

The Royals, who beat the New York Yankees 6-0 on Sunday, logged consecutive shutouts for the first time since Sept. 29-30, 1992, when Dennis Rasmussen and Rick Reed blanked the California Angels.

The Reds have lost four straight, matching their longest streak of the season.

Ventura (3-3), who was 0-3 in his five previous starts since a victory on April 12, allowed four singles, struck out six and walked none. He reached a three-ball count on only four hitters and retired all of them, lowering his ERA to 4.56.

Herrera gave up a walk in the eighth, but nothing else. Davis worked a spotless ninth, claiming his seventh save in as many opportunities.

Mike Moustakas went 3 for 4 with two doubles and drove in two runs. His double in the fifth drove in one run and his seventh-inning double made it 3-0.

Infante, who had two hits, drove home the other run with a two-out single in the second.

Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto (3-4) allowed three runs and nine hits, while walking one and striking out four.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: LHP Manny Parra (strained neck) struck out all three Norfolk batters he faced to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. . DH Devin Mesoraco (left hip impingement) did some catching drills. He has not caught since April 12. . LHP Sean Marshall will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday. Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek will perform the procedure.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (flexor strain) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and is penciled in for a simulated game Friday. . C Erik Kratz (torn left plantar fasciitis) will likely start a minor league rehab assignment at the end of the week.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Jason Marquis, who has given up 17 hits and 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings in losing his previous two outings, will start Wednesday.

Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie has pitched well in interleague play, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in five outings.

— Associated Press —-

Missouri opens SEC Tournament with 5-1 win over South Carolina

Posted on May 19, 2015May 19, 2015

HOOVER, Ala. – Junior righty Reggie McClain (Duluth, Ga.) was brilliant as seventh-seeded Mizzou baseball topped 10th-seeded South Carolina, 5-1, on Tuesday afternoon (May 19) in game two of the SEC Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. McClain earned his seventh win of the season, allowing just one unearned run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. The win advances Mizzou to tomorrow’s second-round game against second-seeded Vanderbilt at approximately 12:30 p.m. The Tigers are now in the double-elimination portion of the bracket.

Junior closer Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) was outstanding after McClain allowed the first two Gamecock batters to reach in the eighth inning. With runners on second and third with no one out, Williams came in and earned the six-out save, his school record-breaking 13th of the season. In the eighth, he got a pair of strikeouts and a flyout against the middle of the order to leave the tying runs on base and pitched a perfect ninth. His 13 saves put him alone in first place at Mizzou, passing Ryan Stegall who had 12 in 2000. His 13 saves are the most of any reliever in the SEC as well.

Mizzou’s 3-7 hitters were a combined 9-for-19 with five runs and two RBIs, highlighted by freshman Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.), who tallied three hits in the game. Freshman Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo.) and Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) each finished with multi-hit games as well. Junior Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) drove in a team-high two runs as well.

In the first inning, McClain fell behind leadoff hitter Gene Cone, who roped a leadoff single through the right side for a leadoff single. But McClain got the next three batters to strand Cone and send the game to the bottom of the first.

Mizzou then got McClain some run support in the bottom of the second inning. Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) was hit by a pitch to open the frame and his high school teammate Benes then doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. Harris then singled through the left side to score Bond and Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.) hit a sacrifice fly to CF to plate Benes. That gave Mizzou a 2-0 lead after two innings.

South Carolina got a run back in the third, thanks in large part to an error to open the frame. Mizzou nearly turned a double play to get out of the jam, but the Gamecocks ended up scoring a run on a sacrifice fly to left by DC Arendas.

McClain continued to deal, needing just 44 pitches to get through four innings. Harris led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, his second hit of the day. Lavy then put together a great at-bat, fouling off five 0-2 pitches before singling up the middle to plate Harris, giving Mizzou a 3-1 lead.

South Carolina continued to struggle to put pressure on McClain as he needed just 73 pitches to get through six innings. He came back out for the seventh inning and sat down the Gamecocks in order and kept his pitch count low. Tim Jamieson sent him back out for the eighth inning and he gave up a leadoff single to nine-hole hitter Clark Scolamiero and a double to Cone, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

Closer Breckin Williams (Onorogo, Mo.) then came on in relief. He promptly struck out Arendas and Kyle Martin and got Elliott Caldwell to fly out to left to strand the runners, all against the middle of the Gamecock order. It is the second time this season that the Tiger closer has had runners on second and third with no outs and did not allow a run.

The offense seemed to gather momentum after Williams’ heroics, plating a pair of runs in the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by Benes and a sacrifice fly from Lavy. Williams came back out for the ninth and was perfect to seal the win and his record-breaking save.

Mizzou will play Vanderbilt Wednesday as it begins the double-elimination portion of the tournament. The game will begin at approximately 12:30 p.m.

— MU Sports Information —

Grichuk, Cardinals rough up Niese in win over Mets

Posted on May 19, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Randal Grichuk had three extra base hits and drove in three runs a night after striking out five times, Mark Reynolds homered among his three hits and the St. Louis Cardinals teed off on Mets starter Jonathon Niese for a 10-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night.

Michael Wacha (6-0) gave up a two-run homer to Daniel Murphy in seven innings of four-hit ball to join the Mets’ Bartolo Colon and Seattle’s Felix Hernandez for most wins in the majors. The six wins are a career-high for the 23-year-old right-hander.

After his team went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position in a 2-1, 14-inning loss Monday night, Cardinals manager Matheny loaded his lineup with right-handers to face the lefty Niese, leaving Jason Heyward, Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams on the bench.

The new look order broke out to match the Cardinals’ season high for hits, set on April 28 against Philadelphia — Wacha was the recipient of that largess, too. The NL Central leaders upped the majors best record to 26-13 with their fourth win in 10 games.

Every starter had a hit except for Matt Holliday, who added a sacrifice fly, and the Cardinals went 6 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Wacha contributed a safety squeeze in the second to give St. Loius a 2-0 lead, and he bunted for a single in the six-run sixth, when second baseman Murphy failed to cover first leaving reliever Eric Goeddel with no one to throw to.

In a matchup between two of the NL’s top 10 ERA leaders only Wacha lived up to the billing.

Niese (3-4) had his second straight rough outing. After giving up six runs — four earned — to the Cubs on Thursday, he was off from the first pitch, a single by Peter Bourjos.

Grichuk followed with an RBI double off the wall in left. Grichuk tripled off the glove of center fielder Juan Lagares leading off the third and added a two-run double in the sixth.

The first four batters in the sixth reached on hits, with Kolton Wong’s two-run double chasing Niese.

Mets pinch-hitter Darrell Ceciliani reached on a high chopper that never left the infield for his first major league hit in his first at-bat.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Jon Jay (left wrist tendinitis), out since May 10, swung a bat indoors and made some throws on the field.

Mets: Closer Bobby Parnell (Tommy John surgery) pitched 1 1/3 innings in an extended spring game at Port St. Lucie, Florida. He allowed four hits, three runs — two earned — and struck out two. He did not walk a batter. “Certainly the velocity is not where we would like it to be,” Collins said. “I think the biggest issue is his command is not where we would want it to be.”

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez has not been able to finish the sixth in any of his three starts in May. He’s allowed 16 runs in those starts and is 0-2 this month.

Mets: Bartolo Colon has gone 45 1/3 innings without walking a batter, 2 1/3 innings off Brett Saberhagen’s club record. The right-hander, who turns 42 on Sunday, is 4-0 in six starts against the Cardinals.

— Associated Press —-

Mizzou announces signing of Indiana prep guard K.J. Walton

Posted on May 19, 2015May 19, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men’s Basketball head coach Kim Anderson has announced the signing of 6-3 guard K.J. Walton, a shooting guard who starred for Brownsburg High School outside of Indianapolis, Ind.

Capable of contributing from around the floor, Walton averaged 19.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during his standout senior season in 2014-15. Walton helped lead Brownsburg head coach Steve Lynch’s squad to back-to-back sectional titles, along with a 21-7 record and regional championship game appearance as a senior.

“We are excited to add K.J. to our Mizzou Basketball family,” Anderson said. “He is an outstanding athlete who has the ability to score from multiple guard positions. In addition, he has the potential to be an elite wing defender. Playing for Coach Steve Lynch at Brownsburg High School, he comes from a winning program. We look forward to having him in a Tiger uniform next season.”

Walton was named to the IndyStar Indiana All-Star Team after the conclusion of his final Brownsburg campaign. He shot 44.0-percent from the field for the Bulldogs this last season.

“Coach Anderson and his coaching staff really stood out to me,” Walton said. “They were great during the recruiting process and helped show me what Mizzou will offer for a college experience. The atmosphere at the school is one-of-a-kind and has me really excited to get there.”

Walton joins Mizzou’s stout 2015 recruiting class, currently consisting of: 6-2 guard Martavian Payne (St. Louis, Mo.), 5-11 guard Terrence Phillips (Orange County, Calif.), 6-7 forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.), 6-4 guard Cullen VanLeer (Pacific, Mo.) and 6-8 forward Russell Woods (Chicago, Ill.).

— MU Sports Information —