Dave Riggert – Page 615 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Lackey leads St. Louis past Cubs in series finale

Posted on May 7, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) — John Lackey gave the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen a much needed break. He made his own breaks, too.

Lackey drove in a run for the third time in his big league career and struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings, helping the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 Thursday for their ninth win in 10 games.

“I’d like to finish them all,” Lackey said. “There might be a little bit more importance on it because of the last few days, I guess.”

St. Louis relievers worked 35 innings the previous seven days. Three pitchers failed to make it through the fifth during that stretch.

“All the way around, just exactly what our staff needed,” manager Mike Matheny said. “Today was one of his best.”

Jason Heyward singled three times with an RBI, and Peter Bourjos hit a run-scoring triple for the NL Central leaders, who took three of four from the second-place Cubs and improved their record to a major league-best 21-7.

Lackey had been 6 for 67 at the plate in 13 major league seasons before a two-out, opposite-field RBI double to right in the fourth. He wasn’t exactly bragging about getting the best of Jake Arrieta.

“That guy’s got great stuff,” Lackey said. “I was late and got lucky and went down the line.”

Bourjos, who had been on first base, scored for a 4-0 lead on an error by Jorge Soler who, with his back to the plate, missed the ball as he tried to glove it between his legs near the foul line.

The double was the third extra-base hit for the 36-year-old Lackey, who has played most of his entire career in the American League.

Lackey (2-1) allowed one run and five hits, reaching double digits for the 18th time. After the Cubs put two on against in the ninth, Trevor Rosenthal relieved and got three straight outs — two on strikeouts — for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Arrieta (3-3) gave up five runs — four earned — and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Starlin Castro drove in a run for the Cubs, who have lost five of their last six games.

They won their lone game of the series by a run and lost by one, three and four runs. Manager Joe Maddon was in a pretty good mood.

“We’ve just celebrated Cinco de Mayo and that’s an indicator of what’s going on with your team,” Maddon said. “I’m pretty happy and I wasn’t drinking. It had nothing to do with Coronas with limes.”

St. Louis built on a 2-0 lead in the second when Heyward hit an RBI single and scored on Bourjos’ triple.

Kris Bryant fanned three times and Matt Szczur twice for the Cubs, who struck out 12 times and raised their total to 263, passing Houston for the major league lead.

“I have zero concerns,” Maddon said. “The hitters will start figuring some of this stuff out as they get more ABs. I could not be happier with them as a group.”

St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter 1 for 12 in the series with a three-run homer on Tuesday, was given a day off, as was Matt Holliday, who was 6 for 12 in the series.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Jason Hammel (2-1, 3.73) starts Friday at Milwaukee. He is 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA in seven starts against the Brewers.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha (4-0, 1.93) starts Friday at Pittsburgh. He pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Pirates on Sunday in the Cardinals’ 14-inning victory.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Justin Grimm made his season debut, a day after being activated from the DL following a forearm injury. Dexter Fowler, in a 2 for 23 slump, grounded as a pinch hitter in the seventh.

Cardinals: Lefty Marco Gonzales (shoulder) will make a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Iowa.

— Associated Press —

KU announces 2015-16 non-conference men’s basketball schedule

Posted on May 7, 2015

LAWRENCE, Kan. – It is well documented that Kansas’ men’s basketball schedule has been the toughest in the nation each of the last two seasons. That trend will not change with the 2015-16 non-conference schedule the Jayhawks announced Thursday.

This season Kansas could potentially play 18 games against teams that competed in the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament. Six of those teams could appear on KU’s non-conference slate.

Three upcoming KU foes won their conference regular season in 2014-15. The 2015-16 non-conference slate, paired with its home-and-home meetings against Big 12 competition, will help keep Kansas’ schedule among the nation’s toughest. The Jayhawks’ strength of schedule has ranked 10th or higher in five of the last six seasons.

Strength of schedule is a factor in the RPI, one of the tools the NCAA Basketball Committee uses to select and seed teams in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas’ RPI has checked in at No. 5 or better in each of the last six seasons, including No. 1 in 2010 and 2011.

“It’s obviously another solid schedule,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “The last two years we played the toughest schedule in the country. This year we feel like, once again, this will be a schedule that will be one of the nation’s best. What jumps off the page is Michigan State, who went to the Final Four, all the possibilities of matchups at the Maui Invitational and the other teams who advanced to the postseason (last year) like Harvard, San Diego State, Montana and UC Irvine. San Diego State has always been a national power. The Big12/SEC Challenge game, which we will host, and all the others will certainly be great preparation for us going into what will, once again, be a terrific Big 12 Conference slate.”

Historic Allen Fieldhouse celebrated its 60th anniversary last season and will play host to seven non-conference home games in 2015-16, the final being the highly-anticipated Big 12/SEC Challenge on Jan. 30. Kansas will find out its SEC opponent later when ESPN and the conferences announce the matchups.

Holding down tradition, the 31st Annual Late Night in the Phog is set for Friday, Oct. 9, in Allen Fieldhouse. After a pair of exhibition matchups against local programs Pittsburg State (Nov. 4) and Fort Hays State (Nov. 10), KU opens up the regular season playing host to Northern Colorado on Nov. 13 in a non-bracketed game of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational.

In the fifth year of the Champions Classic, the Jayhawks will face its second-straight Final Four participant from the year before. KU and Michigan State square off on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the United Center in Chicago. In their last meeting, the Jayhawks defeated the Spartans for the Orlando Classic title a year ago.

Following the Champions Classic, KU will head to Maui, Hawaii, for bracket play in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Nov. 23-25, at the Lahaina Center. Included in the eight-team field is 2015 NCAA Sweet 16 team UCLA along with Indiana and St. John’s, which also participated in last March’s NCAA tourney. KU legend Danny Manning will be in his second season as Wake Forest’s head coach and could face his alma mater in Maui. Other teams in the Maui field include host Chaminade, UNLV and Vanderbilt, who reached the 2015 NIT quarterfinals.

Last time in Maui, Kansas finished runner-up to Duke in the 2011 Maui Invitational and the Jayhawks would later advance to the 2012 Final Four in New Orleans. Last season, KU won the Orlando Classic at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in its preseason tournament.

Kansas returns to the friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse to host Loyola (Maryland) on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Four days later, KU welcomes five-time defending Ivy League champion Harvard to Lawrence. KU will then face Holy Cross on Wednesday, Dec. 9, also in Allen Fieldhouse.

On Saturday, Dec. 12, Kansas will make its annual trip to Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, where the Jayhawks will host Oregon State in the Kansas City Shootout. KU will then host 2015 NIT participant Montana on Saturday, Dec. 19, before playing a return home-and-home contest at San Diego State on Tuesday, Dec. 22. SDSU ended a Kansas 68-game home court win streak against non-conference foes with a 61-57 victory on Jan. 5, 2014. Kansas will return home to host 2015 NCAA Tournament participant UC Irvine on Tuesday, Dec. 29, prior to starting Big 12 play.

Inserted during the conference season, Kansas will be one of five Big 12 hosts for the third annual Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise every game of the challenge that matches 10 Big 12 schools against 10 SEC teams. KU is 1-1 in the challenge after avenging a loss at Florida in 2013 with a thrilling comeback victory at home last December.

Kansas returns four starters and 12 letterwinners from last season’s 27-9 team that won KU’s 11th-straight, 15th Big 12 and NCAA-leading 58th overall conference regular-season title with a 13-5 league record. In 2014-15, the Jayhawks posted their 18th undefeated season inside historic Allen Fieldhouse by going 15-0 in the venue’s 60th year of existence. Additionally, KU led its conference in home attendance for the 29th-straight season, beginning in 1986-87, with an average of 16,383 last season.

Season ticket sales for KU’s 18 home games, the 17 in Allen Fieldhouse and the Dec. 12 game against Oregon State in Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, will go on sale May 11. To order season tickets fans must be active members of the Williams Education Fund, which can be done by making a minimum gift pledge of just $100.

Non-Conference Opponent Breakdown

NORTHERN COLORADO (Nov. 13 in Lawrence) – In an early-opening round of the Maui Invitational, Kansas will face Northern Colorado, which finished .500 for the second-straight season by going 15-15 and placing fifth (10-8) in the Big Sky Conference in 2014-15. Entering his sixth season as the Bears’ head coach, B.J. Hill has led Northern Colorado to a 76-77 overall record, including a Big Sky Championship in 2010-11. Returning for the Bears is guard Cameron Michael, who was the team’s second-leading scorer at 12.9 points per game in 2014-15. Kansas won the only meeting between the two schools 85-62 on Dec. 22, 2005, in Lawrence.

MICHIGAN STATE (Nov. 17 in Chicago) – Coming off another Final Four run, legendary head coach Tom Izzo will take his team back to the Champions Classic to face Kansas. It will be the second time the teams have met in the event with the Spartans edging the Jayhawks 67-64 in Atlanta in 2012. The Spartans return guard Denzel Valentine, who finished second on the team in scoring (14.5), rebounds (6.3), and assists (4.3) this past season. In the rich history between the two programs, Michigan State holds a 6-5 all-time series advantage. KU won the last meeting, 61-56, in the championship game of the 2014 Orlando Classic Nov. 30 last season.

CHAMINADE (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – Entering his fourth season leading the Silverswords, head coach Eric Bovaird is 61-52 at Chaminade. The team returns its top-two scorers in Kuany Kuany and Kevin Hu, who averaged 15.3 and 14.1 ppg, respectively, in 2014-15. Kuany also pulled down a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game. The last time Kansas faced Chaminade was in the 2005 Maui Invitational. The Jayhawks won that game, 102-54.

INDIANA (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – After exiting the NCAA tournament in the second round, Indiana will return its top-eight players in terms of minutes played. Highlighting this group is senior guard Yogi Ferrell, who averaged 16.3 points and 4.9 assists per game in 2014-15. Coach Tom Crean is entering his eighth season at Indiana with a 121-111 record at the program. Indiana leads the all-time series with Kansas, 7-6, though KU won the last matchup, 91-83, on Dec. 16, 1995, in Kansas City.

ST. JOHN’S (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – New coach Chris Mullin will lead a St. John’s squad that loses three of its four top scorers from a 21-12 season that ended in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Rysheed Jordan, who was second on the team with 14.1 points per game in 2014-15, will look to be St. John’s go-to scorer. KU won the last meeting with St. John’s, 82-74, on Nov. 10, 2000, in New York and leads the series, 8-5.

UCLA (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – UCLA will try to rebuild after losing two of its top-three scorers from last season that included a Sweet 16 appearance and a 22-14 record. Third-year coach Steve Alford will turn to his son Bryce Alford, who was second on the team with 15.4 points per game, to lead the offense. UCLA leads the all-time series against KU, 10-7, though Kansas won the last meeting in the 2011 Maui Invitational semifinals, 72-56.

UNLV (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – Fourth-year head coach Dave Rice loses his top two scorers from the 2014-15 team that went 18-15. The Runnin’ Rebels return no players that averaged over 10 points a game, but will include transfer Ike Nwamu, who averaged 15.1 points per game for Mercer in 2014-15. Kansas has swept the all-time series with UNLV, 5-0, and would be playing UNLV for the second year in a row after beating Runnin’ Rebels, 76-51, last season in Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 4, 2015.

VANDERBILT (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – With eight of the top-nine players returning from a team that made it to the NIT Quarterfinals, coach Kevin Stallings, a former KU assistant coach, can count on improving upon the 21-14 record the incredibly young Commodores earned. Standout rising center Damien Jones led Vandy in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) in 2014-15. KU and Vanderbilt have split the all-time series, 2-2, with the last match a KU win, 89-82, on Dec. 29, 1997, in the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu.

WAKE FOREST (Nov. 23-25 in Maui) – Coached by KU legend Danny Manning, the Demon Deacons return their top-five scorers from a 13-19 season in 2014-15, Manning’s first in Winston-Salem. Key to the team’s success will be rising forward Devin Thomas, who averaged 12.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in 2014-15. This matchup could be Manning’s first against his alma mater as a coach and Wake Forest’s sixth all-time against KU. The series is led 3-2 by KU, with the last game an 87-78 Jayhawk win in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Nov. 28, 2013.

LOYOLA [MD.] (Dec. 1 in Lawrence) – Loyola went 11-19 in 2014-15, including a 7-11 mark in the Patriot League. The Greyhounds are coached by G.G. Smith who has two seasons under his belt at Loyola. Forward Cam Gregory (6.8 ppg, team-best 7.0 rpg) and guard Andre Walker (10.2 ppg, team-best 52 steals) were each named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team in 2014-15. During Kansas’ 2008 NCAA National Championship season, the Jayhawks defeated the Greyhounds, 90-60, on Jan. 8, 2008, in Allen Fieldhouse in the lone series matchup between the two schools.

HARVARD (Dec. 1 in Lawrence) – Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker has made the Crimson an Ivy League power in the form of four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, five-consecutive Ivy League championships and six-straight 20-win seasons. Last year, Harvard posted a 22-8 record and defeated Yale in a playoff game to advance to the NCAA tourney. Guard Siyani Chambers is Harvard’s leading returning in scoring at 9.9 points per game and assists at 4.3 per contest in 2014-15. Kansas and Harvard will be meeting for the first time in men’s basketball.

HOLY CROSS (Dec. 5 in Lawrence) – Holy Cross is coming off a 14-16 season, which included an 8-10 record in the Patriot League. Bill Carmody was named Holy Cross head coach on March 19, 2015, after serving four seasons at Northwestern where he guided the Wildcats to four-consecutive winning seasons, including 20-win campaigns in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Forward Malachi Alexander led Holy Cross in rebounding last season at 5.0 rpg as he averaged 8.4 points per game. Kansas leads the series with Holy Cross, 2-1, with the last meeting a KU 81-57 victory on Nov. 19, 2002, in Allen Fieldhouse.

OREGON STATE (Dec. 12 in Kansas City) – Losing its top-five scorers from the previous season, OSU posted a 17-14 record under first-year head coach Wayne Tinkle in 2014-15. Oregon State returns all five starters and is led by guard Gary Payton II, the 2015 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and all-conference first-team honoree, who averaged 13.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals last season as a junior. Oregon State makes a return trip to Sprint Center for the Kansas City Shootout in Kansas City, Missouri. Trailing at halftime, the Jayhawks defeated the Beavers, 84-78, in the only other series meeting on Nov. 30, 2012, also in the Kansas City Shootout.

MONTANA (Dec. 19 in Lawrence) – The Grizzlies, regular-season co-champions of the Big Sky Conference in 2015, are coming off a 20-13 season where they lost in the first round of the NIT to Texas A&M. Head coach Travis Decure will enter his second season at his alma mater with his 20 victories last year being the second-most for a first year head coach at Montana. Forward Martin Breunig, the 2015 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, led Montana in rebounding at 7.3 boards per game and averaged 16.7 points which was second on the team. Kansas won the only meeting with Montana back in 1962, 68-56 on Dec. 1, 1962, in Allen Fieldhouse.

SAN DIEGO STATE (Dec. 22 in San Diego) – San Diego State has grooved its way into the national spotlight under legendary head coach Steve Fisher. The Aztecs have won 20-plus games in each of the last 10 seasons under Fisher, including two 30-win campaigns. Last year they were 27-9 and won the Mountain West regular-season title with a 14-4 record. Senior forward Winston Shepard is returning for his senior season with the Aztecs. A Mountain West All-Conference honoree, Shepard led SDSU in scoring (11.1 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg) last season. SDSU returns three of its top five scorers from 2014-15. San Diego State leads the three-game series with Kansas, 2-1, including the last meeting, 61-57, on Jan. 5, 2014, in Allen Fieldhouse.

UC IRVINE (Dec. 29 in Lawrence) – UC Irvine is coming off a 21-13 season where the Anteaters advanced to their first NCAA Tournament by winning the Big West Conference Tournament title. UCI lost to Louisville in the NCAA Tournament, 57-55, second round. UC Irvine head coach Russell Turner got great news when 7-6 center Mamadou Ndiaye announced he was returning for his junior season in 2015-16. Ndiaye averaged 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 63.4 percent last season. Turner, the 2014 Big West Coach of the Year, has guided the Anteaters to 65 wins over the last three seasons. KU and UCI will be meeting for the first time in men’s basketball.

BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE (Jan. 30 in Lawrence) – Kansas is 1-1 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, falling at then-No. 19 Florida, 67-61, on Dec. 10, 2013, in Gainesville, and coming from 15 points down to defeat the then-No. 24 Gators, 71-65, on Dec. 5, 2014, in Allen Fieldhouse.

2015-16 Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Date (day) – Opponent – Location

Oct. 9 (Friday) – Late Night in the Phog – Lawrence, Kan.

Nov. 4 (Wednesday) – Pittsburg State (exhibition) – Lawrence, Kan.

Nov. 10 (Tuesday) – Emporia State (exhibition) – Lawrence, Kan.

Nov. 13 (Friday) – Northern Colorado (Maui Invitational) – Lawrence, Kan.

Nov. 17 (Tuesday) – vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic) – Chicago, Ill.

Nov. 23 (Monday) – vs. TBD (Maui Jim Maui Invitational) – Lahaina, Hawaii

Nov. 24 (Tuesday) – vs. TBD (Maui Jim Maui Invitational) – Lahaina, Hawaii

Nov. 25 (Wednesday) – vs. TBD (Maui Jim Maui Invitational) – Lahaina, Hawaii

Dec. 1 (Tuesday) – Loyola (Md.) – Lawrence, Kan.

Dec. 5 (Saturday) – Harvard – Lawrence, Kan.

Dec. 9 (Wednesday) – Holy Cross – Lawrence, Kan.

Dec. 12 (Saturday) – Oregon State (Kansas City Shootout, Sprint Center) – Kansas City, Mo.

Dec. 19 (Saturday) – Montana – Lawrence, Kan.

Dec. 22 (Tuesday) – at San Diego State – San Diego, Calif.

Dec. 29 (Tuesday) – UC Irvine – Lawrence, Kan.

Jan. 30 (Saturday) – Big 12/SEC Challenge – Lawrence, Kan.

— KU Sports Information —

MWSU’s Childs named 1st Team Academic All-District

Posted on May 7, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western senior shortstop Cody Childs has been named first team Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District.

Earlier Thursday, Childs was was one of nine members of the Griffon Baseball team to earn All-MIAA honors.

Childs, a senior from Troutdale, Oregon, is majoring in Elementary Education. This season he hit .331 with 17 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 42 RBIs.

The 2014-15 Capital One Academic All-District Baseball and Softball teams are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America to recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. To be eligiable for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve with a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher, be at least a sophomore and be nominated by the school’s sports information director.

Childs played in 48 games this season, 47 of them starts and has a 3.82 GPA at the time of his nomination. As a first team academic all-district selection, Childs is now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America distinction.

— MWSU Sports Information —

No. 13 Missouri softball falls to 7th-ranked Auburn in SEC quarterfinals

Posted on May 7, 2015

BATON ROUGE, LA. – The #13 Missouri Tigers (39-14) were eliminated from the 2015 SEC Tournament Thursday morning with a 5-2 loss to the #7 Auburn Tigers (47-9). Mizzou took a 1-0 first inning lead on a two-out single by senior SS Corrin Genovese, but that was all the Tigers could muster in the inning, despite loading the bases.

Mizzou outhit Auburn 6-4 and also drew five walks and a hit batter, but stranded six runners and couldn’t scratch out a key hit after the first inning. Mizzou also committed two errors which contributed to a pair of Auburn runs on the day and had a pair of runners thrown out at the plate attempting to score.

Trailing 5-1 late in the game, Mizzou mounted a rally in the sixth, loading the bases with one out on a pair of singles and a walk, but was limited to one run as sophomore C Kirsten Mack scored from third base on a wild pitch. Genovese was cut down at the plate to end the rally trying to score after tagging on a fly ball to left field.

Freshman LHP Paige Lowary (18-5) was solid in defeat, holding the potent Auburn attack to just four hits while striking out five. Two of the Auburn runs which scored were unearned against her. Lowary retired the first six batters she faced on the day before allowing a batter to reach.

For the second straight day, Genovese gave Mizzou an early lead, with a two-out, RBI single that scored junior 2B Sami Fagan with the bases loaded. Freshman PR Sydney Sprague was thrown out to end the inning trying to score from second. Fagan walked with two outs and the bases empty in the inning, and advanced to third after freshman DP Amanda Sanchez was hit by a pitch and sophomore C Kirsten Mack walked to load the bases.

Auburn tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third with a leadoff homerun and added two runs on just one hit in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Auburn benefitted from a hit batter, a walk and a Tiger error in the frame, with the runs scoring on an error and a fielder’s choice groundout. Auburn extended their lead to 5-1 in the fifth after a walk, a pair of infield singles and a throwing error.

A day after hitting three home runs in a 9-0 win over Mississippi State, the Tigers were held to six singles, getting safeties from Genovese and Mack, senior 1B Kelsea Roth, junior CF Taylor Gadbois, and senior 3B Angela Randazzo.

Mizzou, ranked #9 in this week’s Ratings Percentage Index rankings, will await its NCAA Tournament seed, with the brackets set to be announced Sunday evening at 10 p.m.

— MU Sports Information —

Nine Griffons earn All-MIAA baseball honors

Posted on May 7, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The All-MIAA Baseball team has been released, and nine Missouri Western Griffons find themselves among those honored.

Six MWSU position players and three pitchers made the All-MIAA team, with two second team selections, two third team picks and five on the honorable mentions. The entire Griffon outfield received All-MIAA distinction in some form and all but two infield positions were represented.

Banks Born – Second Team, Pitcher
The senior from Lee’s Summit, Missouri finished the 2015 season and his Griffon career with just one loss. This season, Born went 6-1, leading the team in wins. His 3.80 ERA was lowest among Griffon starters. Born pitched 68.2 innings over 14 appearances, 12 starts, and struck out 31 batters. Born leaves MWSU with a career, 13-1 record and 4.76 ERA, with 45 appearances and 20 starts.

Ryan Degner – Second Team, Outfield
Degner wrapped up his senior season batting .361 with 16 doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBIs. It’s the second time Degner has been a second team All-MIAA performer, also earning first team All-Region and third team All-American honors in 2014. The Hillsboro, Oregon native batted .372 in his two-year career at MWSU with 32 doubles, 22 home runs and 92 RBIs.

Richard Peoples – Third Team, Relief Pitcher
Peoples makes his first All-MIAA team in his first season with the Griffons. The Crowder College transfer went 5-3 with six saves in 18 appearances. Peoples pitched 34.2 innings with a 1.82 ERA and 28 strikeouts. He was one of two Griffon pitchers to earn MIAA Pitcher of the Week this season.

Cody Childs – Third Team, Shortstop
An honorable mention selection in 2014, Childs leaves MWSU as a two-time All-MIAA pick. This season, the Troutdale, Oregon native, batted .331 with 17 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 42 RBIs. The senior shortstop recorded a .951 fielding percentage, committing 12 errors in 243 chances. Childs was charged with just six errors over a 43-game stretch.

A.J. Martinez – Honorable Mention, Pitcher
In his first season at MWSU after transferring from Monroe Junior College, the Egg Harbor, New Jersey native pitched 58 innings over 16 appearances, nine of them starts. He went 4-2 with a 4.19 ERA and one complete game. Pepoles struck out 44 batters, including a season-high seven versus Nebraska-Kearney on April 11.

Cosimo Cannella – Honorable Mention, First Base
Another newcomer to the Griffon lineup, Cannella earns All-MIAA honors after transferring from Des Moines Area Community College. The Schaumburg, Illinois native batted .337 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBIs this season.

David Glaude – Honorable Mention, Third Base
One of five Griffon juniors to make the All-MIAA team this season, Glaude hit .345 with 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. The Quebec City, Canada native had two, two home run games this season. The first coming at Fort Hays on April, 3 and the second at Southwest Baptist on April, 16.

Trevor LaHonta – Honorable Mention, Outfield
The senior outfielder becomes an All-MIAA selection for the first time. This season, the Walnut Creek, California native, batted .322 with seven doubles, three home runs and 25 RBIs. LaHonta started 50 games this season and 52 in 2014 and was a .324 career hitter for the Griffons over two seasons.

Orencio Fisher – Honorable Mention, Utility
After locking down an everyday spot in the Griffon lineup, the junior hit .359 and stole 21 bases in 24 attempts. The Maple Woods Community College transfer had two four-hit games this season and drove in 22 runs while scoring 37.

MWSU finished the 2015 season with a 29-21 overall record, finishing fourth in the MIAA with a 22-14 mark in conference play.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Heart of America Athletic Conference unveils new brand and logo

Posted on May 7, 2015May 7, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Heart of America Athletic Conference has initiated the process of expanding its profile and that of its member institutions by unveiling a new logo to spearhead its rebranding efforts going into the 2015-16 school year.

Seeking to create a cohesive and uniform visual identity with the conference adding Grand View University and William Penn University for the 2015-16 academic year, as well as the acceptance of Clarke University and Mount Mercy University for the following season, the league has been aggressive in its efforts to communicate with its key audiences.

The new logo includes four important characteristics to define what the conference represents:

– The “A” represents the member institutions shown as America – meaning freedom, independence and autonomy.

– The star represents the student-athletes within the institution – the heart of the institutions’ athletic programs.

– The three points of the star characterizes the common goals of each institution – education, cultivation and graduation.

– The forward movement of the “A” signifies the conference’s constant growth and transformation.

“The new logo is the foundation of the Heart’s brand identity,” said Heart commissioner Lori Thomas. “Changing the look and feel was a priority to raise awareness, relevance and resonate with member institutions, coaches and student-athletes.”

Partnered with its new brand identity, the conference will be extending its reach into a new geographic area with its expansion and have the opportunity to spread its message of character-driven, championship-level collegiate competition.

As part of the rebranding effort, the conference will also be known as “the Heart”, dropping its previous moniker that included its four initials. This change aligns with the overall efforts to be known as the heart of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and be known as the premier conference of the association.

The Heart currently consists of the following institutions: Avila University (Kansas City, Mo.), Baker University (Baldwin City, Kan.), Benedictine College (Atchison, Kan.), Central Methodist University (Fayette, Mo.), Culver-Stockton College (Canton, Mo.), Evangel University (Springfield, Mo.), Graceland University (Lamoni, Iowa), MidAmerica Nazarene University (Olathe, Kan.), Missouri Valley College (Marshall, Mo.), and Peru State College (Peru, Neb.).

— Heart of America Athletics Conference Press Release —

Duffy, Royals roughed up by Cleveland Wednesday 10-3

Posted on May 6, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just about everyone in the Cleveland lineup drove in a run, Carlos Carrasco tossed seven sharp innings and the Indians rolled to a 10-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Brandon Moss homered and added a two-run double to lead the charge, but six other Indians also drove in runs, helping Carrasco (4-2) end a three-game skid against the Royals.

He gave up a two-run homer to Kendrys Morales, but otherwise shut down a Kansas City lineup that returned hot-hitting outfielder Lorenzo Cain from a two-game suspension.

Cleveland had already taken a 4-0 lead when Danny Duffy (2-1) was yanked after facing five batters without getting an out in the second. The Royals’ bullpen briefly slowed the onslaught, but the Indians added four more runs in the seventh to put the game away.

Duffy struggled with his command right from the start.

Carlos Santana scored on a wild pitch in the first inning, and the Indians banged out four more hits around a hit batter in the second to knock Duffy from the game.

Nick Swisher led off with a single, his first hit since returning from knee surgery last August. Mike Aviles was hit by a pitch, Lonnie Chisenhall doubled to drive in a run, and Brett Hayes and Jason Kipnis added back-to-back RBI singles to give the Indians a 4-0 lead.

Duffy actually plunked two batters, nailing Ryan Raburn in the first inning. The lefty also allowed six hits without a strikeout in one of the worst outings of his career.

Santana added a sacrifice fly off reliever Brandon Finnegan in the fourth.

Kansas City’s stingy bullpen kept the Indians from extending their lead for a while, and Morales started whittling into it with his two-run shot in the fourth.

The Royals looked as though they were going to take another gouge out of the lead in the sixth when Eric Hosmer ripped an RBI double down the left-field line. Morales walked to put runners on first and second, but Carrasco got Salvador Perez to ground out, ending the threat.

The Indians then added four more runs off Franklin Morales in the seventh.

Just about the only good news for Kansas City was the return of reliever Greg Holland from the disabled list. He’d been out since April 18 with a strained pectoral muscle.

The Indians made sure the All-Star closer wasn’t a factor.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: LHP Bruce Chen will start Saturday against Minnesota in place of T.J. House, who’s on the DL with a sore left shoulder.

Royals: C Erik Kratz (plantar fasciitis) went on the DL, retroactive to Sunday. C Francisco Pena was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Indians: AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (0-4, 4.62 ERA) tries to straighten out his season in the series finale. He lost to the Royals on April 27.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (2-3) tries to improve on his 2.10 ERA, seventh-best in the American League. He’s 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA at home this season.

— Associated Press —

Missouri adds former Tiger Corey Tate to men’s basketball staff

Posted on May 6, 2015May 6, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Corey Tate, who amassed more than 250 victories in 11 seasons as head coach at Mineral Area College and was the Tiger behind one of the biggest buzzer beaters in Mizzou’s Men’s Basketball history, is coming home.

Head coach Kim Anderson has announced the addition of Tate to his coaching staff, bringing home to Columbia both Tate’s wealth of basketball knowledge, as well as development skills from his time at MAC (Park Hills, Mo.) and in the Nike EYBL ranks with the St. Louis Eagles program.

“We are excited to have Corey, Nicole, and their children join our Mizzou Basketball family,” Anderson said. “When we set out to add a new assistant coach, we established four criteria. We wanted a good coach, someone who has had championship-level success. We were looking for a good recruiter in the central part of the country. We were also looking for a teacher, someone strong in player development. And of high importance, we wanted a coach who could do an excellent job of mentoring and developing relationships with our student-athletes.

“In Corey, we found someone who has been successful in all of those areas, and he is a former player who knows the type of program we want to build at Mizzou.”

A part of legendary Mizzou coach Norm Stewart’s squads from 1994-97, Tate played for Tiger teams that featured Anderson as an assistant coach. Tate was an efficient shooter throughout his career wearing the Black & Gold, hitting on 44.8 percent of his field goal attempts.

One of the most memorable plays in program history, Tate knocked down a midrange jumper with less than six seconds remaining in double overtime to help Mizzou defeat No. 1-ranked Kansas, 96-94, on Feb. 4, 1997, inside the Hearnes Center.

Along with his famous shot, Tate certainly had his best Tiger season as a senior in 1996-97, averaging 8.8 points per game and twice scoring more than 20 points in a game. He dropped 22 against both Texas (Jan. 26, 1997) and Kansas State (Feb. 1, 1997).

“It’s good to be home. Once a Tiger, always a Tiger,” Tate said. “My immediate plan and my entire focus going forward is to help Coach Anderson restore that winning culture I played in during my time at Mizzou.”

Tate began his collegiate career at Mineral Area before transferring to the University of Missouri for his final three seasons of eligibility. He left Columbia with a degree in economics before embarking on his coaching career. Tate will make the same move he made as a student-athlete, but now as a coach for the Tigers.

“Corey worked extremely hard as a player, the same type of effort he has put in to become one of the more successful junior college coaches in the country,” Anderson said. “I am looking forward to having Corey back in Columbia as we continue to build our program.”

Success was a common theme for the Cardinals under Tate’s guidance, and especially in 2014-15, with MAC posting a stout 27-4 record en route to claiming the NJCAA Region 16 Championship. The title was Mineral Area’s third regional title with Tate at the helm. The Cardinals also claimed six conference crowns with Tate leading the way.

Tate was twice named MCCAC Coach of the Year, earning the honor after the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. He also received Region 16 Coach of the Year following Mineral Area’s 2005-06 regional championship campaign, in which the Cardinals went undefeated in conference action and posted a 28-5 overall record.

Tate is one of just two Pattonville (St. Louis) High School basketball players to have their jersey retired, with the other being former Tiger point guard Brian Grawer (1997-01). Tate has continued to cultivate the basketball scene in the same area he starred in as a high school athlete. The St. Louis Eagles program has had seven St. Louis Post-Dispatch Players of the Year and three McDonald’s All-Americans since 2001.

“I plan to extensively help with Coach Anderson’s plans for player development,” Tate said. “I’ve been blessed to be coaching for 15 years now. I trust my understanding of game situations and hope to help our program make immediate improvements. Lastly, working with the many great people involved in youth basketball around the Midwest will be a pleasure of mine. Keeping great future Mizzou student-athletes close to home is a priority.”

Tate is joined in Columbia by his wife, Nicole, sons Matthew and Sebastian, and daughters Alexis and Helen.

Tate will officially begin his appointment to Mizzou’s coaching staff on June 15 after completing his prior coaching duties.

— MU Sports Information —

Cardinals 8-game win streak ends with 6-4 loss to Cubs

Posted on May 6, 2015

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Anthony Rizzo homered with three RBIs and Jon Lester had a strong outing for the Chicago Cubs, who ended the St. Louis Cardinals’ eight-game winning streak and their own four-game skid with a 6-4 victory on Wednesday night.

Jhonny Peralta hit a 447-foot homer and Yadier Molina had two hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who erased deficits of five and three runs the first two games of the four-game series but couldn’t quite make up a three-run, fifth-inning deficit. Lance Lynn (1-3) allowed five runs in six innings.

St. Louis put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth before Hector Rondon escaped for his sixth save in seven chances.

The Cardinals entered a major league-best 20-6, the best start for the franchise since 1900, with a 6 1-2-game lead in the NL Central. They’re 13-3 at home.

Lester (2-2) left leading 5-4 after seven innings but only one of the runs was earned against the team he dominated in St. Louis in Game 5 of the 2013 World Series. The pitcher’s fielding error covering first led to a run in the second and second baseman Addison Russell missed a liner for a fielding error that led to two more runs in the sixth.

Rizzo hit his fifth homer, and third in five games, in the third and added a two-run double in the fifth. He also homered in the series opener Monday and had three hits and a walk on Tuesday.

Two-out RBI singles by Molina and Pete Kozma cut the deficit to 5-4 in the sixth and pinch-hitter Kolten Wong’s RBI single off Pedro Strop in the eighth again shaved it to 6-5.

Molina has 82 RBIs against the Cubs, most against any opponent.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Jake Arrieta (3-2, 2.84) makes his sixth start of the year, all vs. NL Central opponents, and is 3-0 with an 0.74 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis. He gave up a season-high four runs in his last start.

Cardinals: John Lackey (1-1, 3.69) makes his second straight start in a day game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Manager Joe Maddon said Junior Lake was demoted to Triple-A Iowa to get regular playing time. He believes call-up Matt Szczur was better equipped to play off the bench.

Cardinals: Two potential rotation replacements for Adam Wainwright, lefties Marco Gonzales and Jaime Garcia, begin rehab assignments from shoulder injuries this weekend with Triple-A Memphis.

— Associated Press —

Spratt Stadium renovation project underway after ground breaking ceremony

Posted on May 6, 2015May 6, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – Ground has been broken for a nearly $7 million renovation project at Spratt Memorial Stadium.

More than 200 people gathered in the stadium concourse Wednesday morning as part of a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the renovation that is expected to be complete by the spring of 2016. Demolition began immediately following the ceremony with the removal of the asphalt track around the current field.

Speaking at the ceremony were Missouri Western State University President Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian; MWSU Director of Athletics Kurt McGuffin; Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the Missouri Western State University Foundation Jerry Pickman; President of the Gold Coat Club Zack Workman; Head Soccer Coach Chad Edwards; Head Football Coach Jerry Partridge; student governor Lionel Attawia and Student Government Association President Ida Haefner.

The contract for the project was awarded to E.L. Crawford of St. Joseph. The project includes the demolition and replacement of the current concourse, concessions area, restrooms, Stadium Club and press box; repairs and improvements to the home grandstand seating area; removal of the old track and relocation of the field closer to the home stands; relocation of the visitors’ side grandstands to be closer to the field; and new field turf to replace the current playing surface. All the field improvments and new seating on the home grandstands is expected to be complete in time for the 2015 fall sports’ seasons. The other construction should be complete by the spring of 2016.

Spratt Memorial Stadium hosts Missouri Western’s football team and women’s soccer team. It opened in 1979, and is named in honor of avid Griffon supporter Elliot “Bub” Spratt.

— MWSU Sports Information —