We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Missouri Western softball extends win streak to eight games

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team extended its winning streak to eight games Friday by defeating Minnesota State and Northern State on the opening day at the Apple Market Classic at the MWSU softball field.

Game 1 – Missouri Western 4, Minnesota State 2

The Griffons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after four with an RBI double from Tiffany Gillaspy in the first and a solo home run from Katie Klosterman in the fourth. Minnesota State knotted the game up at two in the top of the fifth when the Mavericks scored two on an error. Gillaspy put MWSU up 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning when she drove in her second of the game, this time on a sacrifice fly to center. Paige Shifflett hit the Griffons’ second homer of the game in the fifth to give the team an insurance run.

Janie Smith moved to 8-5 with the win, allowing just two unearned runs on 11 hits, while striking out three. Morgan Rathmann went 2-3 with two runs scored. Klosterman was 2-3 with one run scored and one driven in. Gillaspy finished 1-2 with two driven in.

Missouri Western improved to 16-9 on the season and will face Northern State in the second game of the day at 2 p.m.

Game 2 – Minnesota State 3, Northern State 0

MWSU jumped on the board early in the first innings when Morgan Rathmann doubled to left field, stole third and game home on an error by the catcher. The Griffons then added to their one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Tiffany Gallaspy singled to score both Rathmann and Shelbie Atwell.

The Griffons sent Shyanne Saladino to the mound as she earned her ninth victory of the season. Saladino allowed one hit, struck out four batters and pitched all seven innings.

Missouri Western is back in action Saturday as they’ll play Concordia University at 12 pm and Augustana College for game two.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest softball splits on opening day at Apple Market Classic

Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State softball team opened play at the MWSU Apple Market Classic on Friday in St. Joseph, Mo.

The Bearcats outlasted Upper Iowa in the first game, 3-2, while Northwest lost to Minnesota State 10-6 in their season game.

The Bearcats are now 8-10 on the year.

In game one, Sarah Baldwin started in the circle for the Bearcats and finished her sixth complete game of the year, giving up two unearned runs on seven hits while striking out seven.

Rebecca Maher scored two runs on a pair of singles. The freshman also stole her third base on the year, while Stephanie Mark crushed her sixth home run on the year, finishing 1-for-2 with two RBI.  Madison Jones finished 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and Jessica Rawie added an RBI for the Bearcats.

In game two, Cassidy Lee tallied three hits at the plate and drove in two runs, while Chantel Adams clubbed her second homer this season, scoring two runs and driving in one.  Torri Blythe finished 2-for-4 with a run and Stephanie Mark scored one run and drove in another on a pair of singles.

Kendle Schieber started on the rubber for the Bearcats, giving up five earned runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings.

The Bearcats will return to St. Joseph, Mo. Saturday for another pair of non-conference games. First, Northwest faces off with #14 Winona State at 10 a.m. before a 2 p.m. contest against Wayne State.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Missouri, Idaho announce 2017 football game

riggertMizzouThe University of Missouri and University of Idaho football programs have agreed to a single game between the two schools on Oct. 21, 2017.  The game will be played in Columbia, Mo., and be the final non-league game of the season, following earlier games that against Missouri State (Sept. 2), Purdue (Sept. 16) and a road game at UConn (Sept. 23).

Dates for Mizzou’s SEC portion of the 2017 season have not been set, but the Tigers will have conference home games that season against Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee, and will face road games at Arkansas, at Georgia, at Kentucky and at Vanderbilt.

“Our thanks to the Idaho administration and staff, we’re very pleased to work together to get this game scheduled,” said Executive Associate Athletic Director Bryan Maggard, who oversees scheduling for Mizzou Football.  “We appreciate their efforts and are glad to be able to close out the schedule for the 2017 season,” he said.

Mizzou and Idaho have played two times previously, with both games taking place in Columbia.  Mizzou won both contests, claiming a 14-10 win in 1958 which marked the first-ever win at MU for legendary Head Coach Dan Devine.  The Vandals would return to Columbia in 1963, where Devine’s Tigers rolled to a 24-0 victory.

— MU Sports Information —

Western tennis loses to Nebraska-Kearney 7-2

MWSUST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s tennis team fell 7-2 in a tough fought match against Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday afternoon. The Griffons claimed two singles matches on the day but couldn’t find another victory throughout the day.

Missouri Westerns’ two singles victories came from Sarah Giraldo and Yasmine El Ghazi in the No. 1 and No. 4 spots, respectively. Giraldo won her by scores of 6-1, 6-2 while El Ghazi tallied a 6-1, 7-5 win in her match.

Nebraska-Kearney got the early edge when they claimed all three doubles matches from the Griffons. Ceara Boldridge and Sofia Aguilera fell by the score of 9-8 (7-1) in their No. 2 doubles match.

The Griffons are back in action on Saturday at home against Fort Hays State starting at 11 a.m.

Singles competition
1. Giraldo,Sarah (MWSU) def. Weems,Kristin (UNKWOMEN) 6-1, 6-2
2. Rodriguez,Sthefani (UNKWOMEN) def. Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
3. Jimenez,Paula (UNKWOMEN) def. Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2
4. El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) def. Fink,Emily (UNKWOMEN) 6-1, 7-5
5. Neil,Emma (UNKWOMEN) def. Chiao,Denise (MWSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Emery,Kari (UNKWOMEN) def. Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) 5-7, 6-3, 10-5

Doubles competition
1. Fink,Emily/Rodriguez,Sthefani (UNKWOMEN) def. Giraldo,Sarah/El Ghazi,Yasmine (MWSU) 8-4
2. Jimenez,Paula/Weems,Kristin (UNKWOMEN) def. Boldridge,Ceara/Aguilera,Sofia (MWSU) 9-8 (7-1)
3. Neil,Emma/Emery,Kari (UNKWOMEN) def. Chiao,Denise/Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 8-3

— MWSU Sports Information —

Mizzou sits in 5th place after day one of NCAA Wrestling Championships

riggertMizzouST. LOUIS, Mo. – Mizzou wrestling saw three grapplers advance to Friday morning’s quarterfinals round, as redshirt senior Alan Waters, redshirt senior Drake Houdashelt and sophomore J’den Cox all remain in hunt for an individual national championship.

Waters shut out Conor Youtsey (Michigan) to advance at 125 pounds, Houdashelt claimed an 8-0 major decision shutout over Brandon Nelson (Purdue) at 149 pounds, and Cox tallied a 6-2 decision against Jeff Koepke (Illinois) at 197 pounds.

After claiming wins in Session No. 1, four Tigers dropped their Session No. 2 matches and fell to their respective weight classes’ wrestlebacks brackets.

Sophomore Joey Lavallee rebounded nicely after dropping his first match today, and defeated Steven Hernandez (Boise State) by 9-0 major decision. Lavallee continues 157 pound wrestlebacks action tomorrow morning.

Redshirt senior Johnny Eblen ended Mizzou’s day on a positive note with another Tiger bonus points victory, as he defeated No. 13 Tanner Weatherman by 8-0 major decision.

Nine of ten Mizzou grapplers remain alive following Thursday’s opening day, as redshirt sophomore Zach Synon was the only Tiger to see his season come to an end. Synon’s excellent 2014-15 season concludes with a 31-13 record and a 133 pound MAC Championship to his name.

2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships third session begins at 10 a.m. (CT) Friday morning. Session No. 4 is set for a 7 p.m. (CT) start time.

— MU Sports Information —

K-State’s Lockett named Jet Award winner

riggertKStateMANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State all-purpose All-American Tyler Lockett has been named the winner of the 2014 Johnny “Jet” Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award, the award’s committee announced Thursday

Known as “The Jet Award,” the honor was established in 2011 to recognize the best return specialist in NCAA Division I. The award is named in honor of Johnny Rodgers, a wide receiver and return specialist for the University of Nebraska who won the Heisman Trophy in 1972 and is a member of the National College Football hall of Fame.

A product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett led the nation in 2014 with a 19.1-yard punt return average, while he ranked third nationally in total receiving yards (1,515) and all-purpose yards per game (176.6). He led the Big 12 in all three categories, including the latter by more than 25 yards per game.

Lockett’s 2,296 all-purpose yards in 2014 ranked second in school history to Darren Sproles (2003), while he also finished second to Sproles with 6,586 in his 47-game career. The school’s career record holder for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, Lockett finished second in school history to Jordy Nelson in single-season catches (106) and receiving yards.

Lockett was named a 2014 Consensus All-American as a kick returner/all-purpose player, while he is the school’s first four-time All-American.

To be considered for the Jet Award, players must be a primary kick or punt returner for their team and be among the national leaders in return categories. They must also show leadership, courage, desire and respect for authority and discipline.

A selection committee consisting of Rodgers and football writers and broadcasters from around the country selected the 2014 winner. Previous winners are Ty Montgomery of Stanford (2013), Tavon Austin of West Virginia (2012) and inaugural winner Joe Adams of Arkansas (2011).

An awards ceremony for the 2014 Jet Award will take place April 2, in Omaha, Nebraska. Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin of Ohio State will be the keynote speaker.

— KSU Sports Information —

Ravens led 14-point lead slip away in NAIA opening round loss to Montana Western

riggertBenedictine3The Benedictine men’s basketball team had its season come to an end Wednesday night in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.  The No. 16 Ravens lost their opener to 19th-ranked Montana Western 80-77 to end their season 24-9.

Benedictine raced out to a big lead as they used a 13-0 run and led 27-13 halfway through the first half.  BC and Montana Western traded baskets and then the Bulldogs went on an 18-2 run to take the lead and were ahead at halftime 43-39.

The Ravens took an early lead in the second half, 46-45, but then Montana Western used a 10-2 run to take the lead and they never gave it back.

BC fell behind by as many as ten points before battling back and they pulled to within one point, three different times but could never take the lead.

John Harris, Jr. led Benedictine with 17 points, while Connor Flemming added 13 points.

Montana Western’s Stephen McCall had a big night with 36 points as the Bulldogs improve to 23-9 and they advance to play No. 1 seed Hope International at 6:15 p.m. Friday night in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Benedictine women defeat Wiley (TX) to advance to 2nd round of NAIA National Tournament

BCINDEPENDENCE, Mo. – No. 4 seed Benedictine (Kan.) punches its ticket into the second round of the 2015 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball, presented by Susan G. Komen Greater Kansas City, with an 83-76 win against No. 5 seed Wiley (Texas) Monday evening at the Independence Events Center.

Benedictine, which is now scheduled to play at 12:30 p.m. CDT on Friday, awaits the winner of overall No. 1 seed Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and No. 8 Cal State San Marcos. The Ravens are now 5-2 all-time in women’s basketball national championship first round action, including three wins while a member of Division II.

The two teams traded baskets over the course of the opening 10 minutes until Benedictine rattled off a 13-2 run to take a 36-26 lead with 4:15 left in the frame. The run was capped by a layup and free throw by Kristen Murphy – three of her seven points off the bench.

However, the lead would be short lived, as Wiley answered with a matching 13-2 run to take a 39-38 lead into the break. The deficit was the first time Benedictine had trailed at the half since falling behind Heart of America Athletic Conference rival MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) on Feb. 14.

In the second half, Benedictine stretched its lead to as many as 10 points four times in the second half, however each time the run was answered by Wiley.

A corner 3-pointer by the Raven’s Ali Taff – her only long range make in the game – appeared to be the dagger, giving Benedictine a 79-73 lead with 26 second remaining in regulation. However, Kayla Brown for Wiley banked in a 3-pointer of her own the pull the contest back within three and led the Wildcats to foul to attempt to keep the game alive. The Ravens were ready and converted all four free throw attempts to close the game.

Point in the paint were key for both teams, as the two sides combined for 112 points in the paint with 62 by Wiley and 50 from Benedictine.

As a team, Benedictine shot 50 percent (31-of-62) from the field for the game, including 57.7 percent (15-for-26) in the second half.

Chayla Rutledge led Benedictine with 17 points, 11 coming in the second half. She has now been in double figures in 16 of her last 17 games. Other notable scorers for the Ravens were Jackie Ziesel and Jayde Reid, who both finished with 14 points.

Wiley was dominant on the glass in the game, outrebounding Benedictine 45-36, including 21 offensive boards.

Four different Wildcats ended the game in double figures.

Wiley, which reached the semifinals a season ago, ends the year with a 22-5 record and falls to 4-4 all-time at the national championship

Every game of the 2015 NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship is available live on the NAIA Network. For packages and pricing visit www.NAIANetwork.com.

GAME NOTES
Benedictine’s Chayla Rutledge has scored in double-digits in 16 of her last 17 games …Win improves the Ravens to 4-7 this season while trailing at the half … Since the start of the 2011-12 season – the beginning of head coach Courtney Garrett-Pruitt’s tenure – the Wildcats are 20-2 coming off a loss … There were a combined 112 points scored in the paint, including 62 from Wiley and 50 by Benedictine

— NAIA Press Release —

Police fail to identify suspect in Mizzou swimmer’s rape case

riggertMizzouST. LOUIS (AP) — Police said Wednesday they failed to identify a suspect and have closed their investigation of a former University of Missouri swimmer’s claims she was raped by several football players, more than a year before her suicide drew sharp criticism about the university’s handling of the matter.

Columbia, Missouri, investigators of Sasha Menu Courey’s claims “encountered several obstacles” that included the lack of DNA and video evidence, uncooperative witnesses and the elusiveness of firsthand accounts of how or where the alleged sexual attack took place, police spokeswoman Bryana Maupin said.

Menu Courey, who grew up in Toronto, was 20 when she killed herself in June 2011 at a Boston psychiatric hospital after withdrawing midsemester from classes at Missouri. She had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that her family said she grappled with before college but that went undiagnosed.

Before her death, she told health professionals bound by confidentiality that she had been sexually assaulted off-campus as a freshman at Missouri in February 2010 by as many as three football players.

The matter was not investigated by the university at the time, and no one was arrested or disciplined.

The Associated Press normally doesn’t name alleged victims of sexual assault, but Menu Courey’s parents have publicly discussed the case at length, as has the university.

A law firm’s outside review ordered by the university into the allegations last year faulted the university’s response to the late athlete’s claims, concluding the school fell short of federal standards for the reporting and investigation of sexual assault on campus.

The report determined that the school’s Title IX coordinator and Columbia police in November 2012 should have been alerted to Menu Courey’s claims after a public records request by her parents produced documents alluding to the possible attack.

ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” in January of last year raised numerous questions about the university’s response to Menu Courey’s death. The school initially said it didn’t act sooner under the 40-year-old Title IX law or more recent U.S. Department of Education instructions because neither Menu Courey nor her parents sought a police investigation and didn’t respond to a later request for information.

The Education Department in 2011 had warned schools of their legal responsibilities, including the need for immediate investigations that don’t rely on criminal cases to move forward.

The university system’s president, Tim Wolfe, and the Columbia campus’ chancellor, Bowen Loftin, said in a joint statement Wednesday that their sympathies go out to Menu Courey’s family, friends and teammates.

“Though we cannot bring Sasha back, we can make the University of Missouri a safer and stronger place in her name,” the administrators’ statement said.

Wolfe last year issued an executive order requiring all university employees other than those legally bound by confidentiality to report such claims to the university’s Title IX coordinator.

Although Maupin, the police spokeswoman, said investigators still would welcome information about Menu Courey’s case, the late swimmer’s father said the failure to resolve his daughter’s case was “disappointing.”

“We believe there are people out there that know something, but nobody has come out and said anything,” Mike Menu told The Associated Press from his Toronto home. “But we’re still hoping someone will hear something about this, come out and want to make this right, not only for Sasha but for others in similar situations.”

— Associated Press —

Royals drop spring training game to Milwaukee 8-4

riggertRoyalsSURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) – Gerardo Parra and Khris Davis combined to drive in seven runs as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 Wednesday.

Parra, acquired in a July 31 trade with Arizona, hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and had a sacrifice fly in the second.

Davis contributed a two-run double in the first and added another RBI double in the fifth.

”Probably the last four or five games Parra’s played, he’s really swinging the bat well,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. ”Davis has been off and on. He’d have a great game and then so-so and then have a good game again. Hopefully, he’s headed in the right direction.”

Wily Peralta, who led the Brewers with 17 wins last season, allowed one run and struck out four in 3 1-3 innings. He stranded four runners, including three in scoring position, in the second and third innings.

”When those situations come up, like during the season, you have to step up and make some pitches, and I was able to do that today,” Peralta said.

Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez was roughed up for six runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings. Volquez has a 9.72 ERA in three starts, surrendering 16 hits in 8 1-3 innings.

”What happened today hopefully doesn’t happen in the regular season,” Volquez said.

Mike Moustakas homered and singled, driving in two runs for Kansas City.

After winning 10 of their first 11 games, the Royals have lost four of five.

STARTING TIME

Brewers: RHP Taylor Jungmann threw only eight strikes in 29 pitches Sunday while walking four and retiring just one of eight Texas hitters he faced. But he had a much better outing against the Royals. He tossed a scoreless seventh, giving up two hits while throwing 11 strikes in 18 pitches. ”He had a couple of balls hit hard off him, but he made some nice pitches and his stuff was really good, so I was happy to see that,” Roenicke said.

Royals: RHP Jason Frasor gave up one hit and struck out one in a scoreless sixth. Frasor has not allowed a run in five appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Adam Lind played first base for the first time after being limited to three games as a DH because of back issues that have bothered him since 2011. ”I got through today,” Lind said. ”I feel good, which is always the main thing. No setbacks. I’ve made progress every day. The thing about it is that it pops up. You never know. It can happen closing a toilet seat or shaving. Anything when I bend over, that’s the problem, not the recovery. It’s just been a cycle of different type of rehabs and different methods to try to recover. ”

Royals: LF Alex Gordon went 3 for 6 with a double and a home run in a minor league intrasquad game Tuesday. He is recovering from right wrist surgery in December and has not yet played in a Cactus League game.

ROYALS TRIM A DOZEN

Two former first-round picks, OF Bubba Starling and 3B Hunter Dozier, along with shortstop prospect Raul Mondesi were among 12 players sent to minor league camp by the Royals. They optioned RHP Aaron Brooks, INF Orlando Calixte and OFs Lane Adams and Jorge Bonifacio to Triple-A Omaha. Kansas City also assigned RHPs Brian Broderick and Casey Coleman, LHPs Buddy Baumann and Joe Paterson, and 1B Matt Fields to minor league camp.

MAJOR LEAGUERS IN MINORS

Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who skipped a start because of a stomach virus, will pitch in a minor league game Friday. RHP Yordano Ventura will start in a minor league game Saturday instead of pitching against the White Sox, who open the season in Kansas City.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Mike Fiers starts Thursday against the Giants.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas, who has given up 10 hits in five innings, will start Thursday against the Rockies.

— Associated Press —

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File