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Author: Dave Riggert

Western baseball drops two games at Emporia State

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riggertMissouriWesternThe Missouri Western baseball team continued to struggle in MIAA play falling in a doubleheader against the Emporia State Hornets. The Griffons have lost eight of its last nine MIAA games and now sit at 8-11 overall and 5-8 in MIAA play.

Game 1
Emporia State 8
Missouri Western 4

In game one the Griffons fave up all eight runs in the first three innings of play falling 8-4. The Griffons had just eight hits while the Hornets had five of their ten hits in the first inning of play.

The Hornets jumped all over the Griffons in the first inning getting four hits and four runs claiming a 4-0 lead. The Griffons got on the board in the second inning when Matt Russell hit is first career homer cutting the ESU lead to 4-1 after two and a half. The Hornets scored two more in the second inning capitalizing on an MWSU error claiming the 6-1 lead after two.

The Griffons continued to play hard getting two back in the third as Dylan Koch doubled and scored on a Trevor LaHonta single. Cody Childs also scored in the inning on a Matt Estes sacrifice fly. Once again the Hornets put up runs scoring two on four hits going up 8-3 after three.

The Griffons got one more run in the fourth when David Chew homered. That was all the Griffons would get in the game. Five different Griffons had hits in the game while Mason Queen falls to 1-3 going one inning. He gave up five his and five earned runs while Josh Lansangan pitched three innings giving up five hits and two earned run.

Game 2
Emporia State 5
Missouri Western 1

In game two the Griffons hurt themselves in the field committing four errors. They did outhit the Hornets six to four but fell 5-1 in the contest.

The Griffons got on the board first in the second game scoring a run in the second when Cody Childs doubled in Jake Schrader. The rest of the game belonged to the Hornets as they scored five unanswered run taking the game.

Ryan Degner had three hits in the contest while Tyler Tuepker picked up the loss going three innings. He gave up three hits and two earned runs. he falls to 2-2 with the loss. Tyler Sanders pitched three innings giving up one hit and two earned runs with three strikeouts.

The two teams wrap up their four game series on Sunday, March 16 at 12 pm with a single nine inning game.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcat baseball gets swept by SBU Saturday

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State baseball team lost both games of a double header Saturday to Southwest Baptist as they lost in the seventh inning in game one, 5-4, and then fell 11-7 in game two.

SBU got on the board in the top of the second inning with one run, which was answered by Northwest who plated a run of their own when Steven Garber drove in Zac Ferreira.

Ferreira put his team up 2-1 in the third inning when he knocked in Paul Johnson from second base.

Northwest added two more runs in the fifth inning to go up 4-1, while Ryker Fox was still going strong from the hill. Fox, who gave up three hits through six innings, did not factor into the final decision.

Brian Schmiedt relieved Fox in the seventh, and would later be tagged with the loss as SBU was able to mount a five run seventh inning comeback to go up 5-4. Northwest failed in their comeback attempt in the bottom half as they dropped game one.

Game two was a different story as the two teams combined for 23 hits and 18 runs.

Garber and Austin Wulff both knocked in an RBI in the first and second inning respectively to go up 2-0 heading into the third.

The SBU bats came out in the fourth inning as they plated five runs on six hits. They would add three more runs in the fifth, one in the six and two runs in the top of the seventh.

Northwest entered the bottom of the seventh with comeback on their mind as they trailed 11-2.

Four hits and five runs later they fell a little short as they dropped game two, 11-7.

Northwest moves their season record to 11-8, 8-4 and will play the final game of the four game series against SBU Sunday. The game was originally scheduled for a noon start, but has been pushed back to 2 p.m. due to inclement weather in the morning.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Bishop throws no-hitter to help MWSU softball sweep Southwest Baptist

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riggertMissouriWesternThe Missouri Western softball team picked up a much need sweep against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats on Saturday afternoon. Jackie Bishop threw her second no hitter of the season and third of her career in game one helping the Griffons to a 6-0 victory before getting a 7-2 victory in game two. The Griffons improve to 14-10 overall and 4-6 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 6
SBU 0

In game one Jackie Bishop threw her second no hitter of the season and third of her career in a 6-0 victory over the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. The Griffons got all the runs they would need in the first scoring two runs. Bre Fleschner and Tiffany Gillaspy singled and then scored on a Kailey Green single up the middle giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead after one.

The Griffons put two more on the board in the 4th when Michelle Stevenson and Taylor Anding both got RBI hits giving the Griffons a 4-0 lead after four. The Griffons put two more on the board in the game as Green singled in Gillaspy in the fifth and Kat Steponovich hit in Brooke Schaben in the sixth giving the Griffons the 6-0 victory.

Bishop improves to 9-4 with the victory. She struckout nine and walked just two. The Griffons had eight hits in the game with Kailey Green getting three with two RBI and a run scored.

Game 2
MWSU 7
SBU 2

In game two the Griffons continued to play well pounding out 12 hits and getting a solid outing in the circle from Janie Smith who improves to 5-6 on the season with the victory. She went all seven innings giving up four hits and one earned run while striking out four.

The Griffons got on the board in the 2nd inning when they got three hits. Smith led of with a single and advanced to second on an error by SBU centerfielder. Steponovich then singled her in giving the Griffons the 1-0 lead.

SBU responded in the bottom of the third getting two htis and capitalizing on an error by Gillaspy giving them a 2-1 lead after three.

The Griffons responded nicely scoring four runs on four hits. Steponovich, Stevenson, Morgan Rathmann and Bre Fleschner all got hits in the inning. Fleschner got a two RBI hit giving the Griffons the 5-2 lead after four innings.

The score stayed that way until the 6th when Gillaspy doubled in Rathmann and Brooke Schaben giving the Griffons the 7-2 lead. That would be all the Griffons would need as they got their first MIAA sweep of the season.

Steponovich led the way for the Griffons in game two with three hits while Katie Kosterman and Smith both had two.

The Griffons return to action on Wednesday, March 19 with a doubleheader against Winona State in St. Joseph, Mo. Game time is set for 1:00 pm at the Spring Sports Complex.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest softball drops both games of DH at Central Missouri

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State softball team dropped both games of a double header to Central Missouri Saturday falling 11-3 in game one, and 7-1 in game two.

The Bearcats were first on the scoreboard in game one as Chantel Adams led off the second inning with a solo home run over the left field fence.

The Jennies came back to take the lead in the bottom half of the third as they plated four runs to go up, 4-1.

Northwest hit their second home run of the game in the fourth inning when Kristen Uthe hit a two run shot to left center to bring her team within one, down 4-3.

UCM then scored one in the fourth, two in the fifth and four in the six to end the game at 11-3.

Abbie Vitosh was tagged in the loss in game one.

The Bearcats managed only one run in game two which came in the top of the second inning when Baylee Scarbrough singled in Adams from third base.

UCM went on to score one run in each the second and third innings before scoring four runs in the fourth. The Jennies added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 7-1 victory.

Sarah Baldwin received the loss in game two.

Northwest moves to 6-13, 3-7 on the season and will take a break from conference play as they head to Rockhurst for a double header Wednesday. Game one is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Griffons drop first game of series at Emporia State

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riggertMissouriWesternThe Missouri Western baseball team gave up a four run third inning falling 7-3 in the series opener against the Emporia State Hornets on Friday night at the Trusler Sports Complex. The Griffons out hit the Hornets 13-9 with Trevor LaHonta and Cody Childs got collecting four. The Griffons fall to 8-9 overall and 5-6 in MIAA play.

The Hornets got single runs in the first and second before exploding for four runs in the third inning.  The Griffons cut the Hornet lead to 2-1 in the third getting three hits in the inning. Matt Russell, Childs and LaHonta all had hits in the innings.

In the Hornet third Zach Stucky had the big hit, an RBI double that made it 4-1 with one out.  The Griffons pulled within 6-2 in the top of the seventh when Russell singled and scored again but ESU’s see Aaron Gile blasted a solo homer run in the bottom of the 7th pushing the lead back to five.

The Griffons scored one run in the ninth but that would be it as they have now lost six of their last seven MIAA games. Grant Woods picked up the loss going six innings. He gave up seven hits and five earned runs with five earned run. He struggled with his control walking five and hitting two batters.

Price Jacobs went two for five with a run scored and an RBI while Gile was two for two with two walks, a triple, and a homer.  Todd Schultz was one for three with two RBI as the bottom four batters in the Hornet line up went a combined six for 15 with five RBI and four runs scored.

Jarred Miller scattered 11 hits over 7.0 innings to earn the win as he recorded four strikeouts and no walks. He is now 2-2 on the season.

The Hornets and Griffons will continue their four game series on Saturday with a double header beginning at 1:00 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri gets blown out by No. 1 Florida in SEC Quarterfinals

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MUATLANTA (AP) — With just more than 10 minutes remaining, top-ranked Florida found itself in a dogfight, looking very much like it could be headed for its first loss against a Southeastern Conference team.

Not to worry.

Scottie Wilbekin and the Gators suddenly turned this one into a laugher with one of their customary spurts.

Wilbekin and Michael Frazier II scored 15 points apiece, and Florida dominated down the stretch for a 72-49 rout of Missouri in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament Friday, giving the Gators their 24th consecutive victory and likely erasing any question about whether they’ll be a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs.

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Florida didn’t get rattled in a close game against Missouri. But then, good teams don’t, writes Edward Aschoff. Blog

Florida, as always, found a way to seize control.

As usual, it came down to defense and 3-point shooting.

“We’ve got a group that’s pretty cerebral and they’re pretty good at making adjustments,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said.

The Gators (30-2) went 12-of-21 from 3-point range, making their final five attempts. And the swarming defense forced 14 turnovers, leading to 19 points.

The final score was hardly indicative of how it went most of the game. Missouri sprinted to the locker room on a high — tied at 29 after Ryan Rosburg’s buzzer-beating dunk — and the Tigers were still in it approaching the midway point of the second half.

“I was disappointed in our first half,” Donovan said. “I thought we looked a little it out of it and didn’t play as well as we’d hoped to.”

But any thoughts of a major upset against the first team to go 18-0 in the SEC during the regular season quickly faded away.

Wilbekin made sure of that.

After Will Yeguete laid one in off a nifty pass from Kasey Hill, Florida pressed the inbounds pass, Wilbekin came up with a steal, then got free in the corner for a 3-pointer. Missouri missed at the other end, Patric Young connected on a short hook and just like that, the Gators had stretched a two-point lead to 45-36.

It only got worse from there for the Tigers (22-11).

During a wild scramble on the floor after Keanau Post lost control, Wilbekin yanked the ball away from a Missouri player and smartly called a timeout to ensure the Gators kept possession. Then, coming out of the break, he knocked down another trey to put the Gators ahead 50-36, capping a 12-0 run.

Wilbekin finished 5 of 6 beyond the arc and Frazier was 5 of 7. Dorian Finney-Smith chipped in with 10 points, but this was the usual team effort by the Gators.

Eight Florida players scored at least four points. Hill had five assists. Finney-Smith grabbed nine rebounds.

As the closing seconds ticked off the clock, Donovan was able to clear his bench- even sending in his son.

“It’s hard to get 30 wins,” the coach said.

The Gators outscored Missouri 34-13 over the final 10:06, advancing to face fourth-seeded Tennessee in Saturday’s semifinals. The Volunteers defeated South Carolina 59-44.

“They play in tandem with each other well,” Missouri’s Jabari Brown said. “They always know where their teammates are going to be at. They’re a disciplined team.”

In some ways, this game mirrored Florida’s 68-58 victory over the Tigers in early February. The teams went back-and-forth in that contest, but Frazier knocked down a trio of 3-pointers in a two-minute span, giving the Gators some breathing room.

More of the same in the rematch.

“They made a couple in transition,” Missouri coach Frank Haith said. “They move the ball so well. They really share the ball.”

Brown scored 18 points to lead Missouri, but Jordan Clarkson with 11 was the only other player in double figures. The Tigers shot just 36 percent (16 of 44) from the field, including a dismal 1-of-13 performance from outside the stripe — which looked even worse next to Florida’s dead-eye shooting from the outside.

Also, Missouri managed just six points off Florida’s nine turnovers.

“They were getting second shots,” Haith said. “I thought that was the difference in the game.”

With Florida, everything plays off their effort at the defensive end.

“It starts with getting stops,” Wilbekin said. “Because if we score and they score, it won’t be a run.”

Now, Missouri will have to hope it’s done enough to land a spot in the NCAA tournament, but its performance in the league may keep the Tigers out. After starting 12-1 and claiming a spot in the Top 25, they went 9-9 in the SEC and split their two games at the Georgia Dome.

“We’ll see,” Brown said.

— Associated Press —

Western softball splits doubleheader at Central Missouri

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riggertMissouriWesternThe Missouri Western softball team continued MIAA play splitting with the Central Missouri Jennies on Friday afternoon. The Griffons picked up a 6-2 victory in game one before falling 7-6 in walk off fashion in game two. The Griffons were led on the day by Tiffany Gillaspy going 5-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBI. Freshman Sydney Washington went 3-for-7 with three runs scored and four RBI while fellow freshman Morgan Rathmann went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. The Griffons are 12-10 overall and 2-6 in MIAA play.

Game 1
MWSU 6
UCM 2

the Griffons pounded out 11 hits using home runs by Sydney Washington and Tiffany Gillaspy picking up a 6-2 victory. Despite committing four errors in the contest the Griffons were able to strand eight Jennies on base. Jackie Bishop picked up her eighth victory of the season going all seven innings giving up seven hits and striking out seven and walking just one.

The Griffons got on the board in the first getting three hits. Washington and Gillaspy got back-to-back hits and then Brooke Schaben singled them in with two outs giving the Griffons the 2-0 lead. UCM battled right back as Braylyn Bivens led off with a double and scored on an Alex Gregor double cutting the Griffons lead to 2-1.

The score stayed that way until the third when Washington led off with her fourth homer of the season giving the Griffons the 3-1 lead. In the fourth the Jennies got a homer from Kristen Heil cutting the Griffons lead to 3-2 after four innings.

In the 5th the Griffons responded when Gillaspy hit her 5th homer of the season giving the Griffons the 4-2 lead. The Jennies put runners on in the fifth and sixth but the Griffons got out of the jam. In the 7th MWSU got back-to-back hits from Gillaspy and Kailey Green and they both scored on a throwing error by UCM pitcher Jackie Prater giving MWSU the 6-2 lead.

That was all the Griffons would need as they won 6-2. Gillaspy led the way getting with four hits and three runs scored while Washington, Schaben and Morgan Rathmann all had two hits.

UCM had seven hits with Gregor leading the way with three hits. Jakki Prater went all seven innings giving up 11 hits and four earned run with two strikouts. She falls to 6-3 on the season.

Game 2
UCM 7
MWSU 6 (8 innings)

Missouri Western got on the board first in the second inning, scoring four times off of UCM starter, Katie Shockley. Three two out hits by the Griffons which included a two RBI single by Washington sparked the Griffons four run inning.

UCM responded with five runs of its own in the bottom half of the second, led by a three-run homerun off the bat of Prater. In the third Braylyn Bivens, singled home Jessica Neely bumping the Jennies’ lead to 6-4.

Missouri Western knotted the game up in the top of the seventh, via a sacrifice fly by Washington and an throwing error on Heil.

The Jennies won the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after Lindsey Dawson led the inning off with a single and scored on a double to left centerfield by Groeger.

Shockley picked up her second straight win improving to 2-1. The junior went all eight innings, allowing seven hits on six runs (four earned), walking four and fanning five batters. UCM improves to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in MIAA play. Bivens had three hits while Dawson, Groeger, Prater and Ali Jo Rogers all had two.

Janie Smith struggled in the circle going just 2.1 innings giving up seven hits. She did not get much help from her defense as she gave up just one earned run. Bishop picked up the loss going 4.2 innings giving five hits and one earned run with three strikeouts. The Griffons had seven hits with Rathmann leading the way with two hits and two runs scored.

The Griffons return to MIAA play on Saturday, March 15 with a doubleheader against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats in Bolivar, Mo. Game time is set for 1 pm.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats lose series opener to SBU, 16-8

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State baseball team had their seven game winning streak snapped Friday as Southwest Baptist was able to hit their way to a 16-8 victory.

SBU was able to get on the board early as they plated two runs in the top of the first and the top of the second to take a 4-0 lead.

Northwest answered with two runs of their in the bottom half of the second inning.

An error and a home run led to a three run third inning for SBU, putting them up 7-2.

Zac Ferreira and Garret Fort both knocked in RBIs in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 7-4.

SBU put up four runs in the top of the fifth inning, which Northwest answered by bringing in three runs of their own in the bottom half, as they trailed 11-7.

James Holler was able to scamper home in the seventh to bring his team within three, as they were down 11-8 heading into the final two innings.

A five run ninth inning for SBU seemed to put the game out of reach for Northwest who were unable to comeback in the bottom half of the inning as they fell, 16-8.

Austin Warren was tagged in the loss for Northwest, as he is now 1-2 on the season.

Baseball moves to 11-6, 8-3 on the season and will play games two and three of the four game series Saturday at Bearcat Field. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Griffon tennis gets beat 9-0 in MIAA opener to Nebraska-Kearney

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MWSUThe Missouri Western tennis team fell in their MIAA opener by a score of 9-0 against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. The Griffons fall to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in MIAA play. The Lopers improve 8-3 on the season and 1-1 in MIAA play.

The Griffons got a win in every set but one but were unable to get any victories. Ceara Boldridge was the closest Griffon as she fell 7-5 and 6-2 against Emily Fink at No. 4 singles. Kayla Dysart also played well at No. 1 singles falling by scores of 6-2 and 6-3 against Vanessa Gunawan.

In doubles against the pair of Denise Chiao and Lindsay Beger were the closest falling 8-2 against Fink and Kristin Weems. The Griffons fell in both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles 8-1.

The Griffons return MIAA play on Saturday, March 15 with a home match against the Fort Hays State University at 10:00 am at the Noyes Tennis Center in St. Joseph, Mo.

Singles competition
1. Gunawan,Vanessa (UNK) def. Dysart,Kayla (MWSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Weems,Kristin (UNK) def. Smith,Meara (MWSU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Jimenez,Paula (UNK) def. Chiao,Denise (MWSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Fink,Emily (UNK) def. Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) 7-5, 6-2
5. Norfolk,Britni (UNK) def. Beger,Lindsay (MWSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Emery,Kari (UNK) def. Dougan,Alyssa (MWSU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Gunawan,Vanessa/Emery,Kari (UNK) def. Smith,Meara/Boldridge,Ceara (MWSU) 8-1
2. Fink,Emily/Weems,Kristin (UNK) def. Chiao,Denise/Beger,Lindsay (MWSU) 8-2
3. Jimenez,Paula/Hoekstra,Renee (UNK) def. Dysart,Kayla/Dougan,Alyssa (MWSU) 8-1

— MWSU Sports Information —

Jayhawks upset by Iowa State in Big 12 Semifinals

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KUKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Georges Niang walked off the floor in the closing minutes with a bloody towel pressed tightly to his forehead, pumping his fist and riling up the Iowa State fans in the Sprint Center.

Turns out he was just jumpstarting the celebration.

Niang scored 25 points before leaving with that gash above his right eye, and the No. 16 Cyclones held on down the stretch to beat No. 10 Kansas 94-83 Friday night and reach their first Big 12 tournament title game since 2000.

“We love competing for championships,” Niang said later, a bandage over his wound. “Coach says take it one day at a time, but the Big 12 championship is one day away from us.”

DeAndre Kane had five 3-pointers and scored 20 points, and Big 12 player of the year Melvin Ejim added 19 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (25-8), who will play for just their second tournament title Saturday night against the winner of Texas-Baylor.

The victory for Iowa State represented its first in four tries against Kansas in the Big 12 tournament, and its first over the Jayhawks in Kansas City since March 10, 1996, when the schools were still part of the Big Eight. It also allowed Iowa State to match its 2001 team for the second-most wins in school history, trailing only the 32 wins piled up by the 2000 team.

Incidentally, it was that team that won the Cyclones’ only Big 12 tournament title.

“It’s a great win for us, for the fact it gives us confidence we can compete with anyone in the nation,” Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg said. “It was good to finally get one of these after struggling to close out games against Kansas the past few years.”

Relying on some hot outside shooting, Iowa State took charge in the second half, and then held on as the top-seeded Jayhawks (24-9) tried to make a late run to get back into the game.

Perry Ellis led Kansas with 30 points. Andrew Wiggins finished with 22.

The Jayhawks again were playing without 7-footer Joel Embiid, the league’s defensive player of the year, and his rim-protecting presence was sorely missed. The freshman has a stress fracture in his back and is likely out until at least the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

“Joel not being in there, he could probably guard Niang better,” Kansas coach Bill Self said, “but I think it was more a collection of everybody rather than just one individual.”

The Sprint Center was packed to the rafters with fans eager to see whether Iowa State could finally end its five-game losing streak against the Jayhawks, or whether Kansas could burnish what it hoped would be a resume worthy of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The teams got after it right from the tip, racing up and down the floor in what amounted to a series of 94-foot wind sprints. Iowa State got the better of it early, forging a 23-16 lead, but the Jayhawks countered with a brutally efficient 20-3 charge to take control.

Things got so intense that the normally placid Hoiberg was rung up with a technical foul after Kane appeared to be hammered on the way to the basket and no foul was called.

“I used a bad word,” Hoiberg said sheepishly. “I’m not going to say I didn’t.”

The Jayhawks’ lead was also short-lived. Kane started the comeback by converting a three-point play, Ejim and Niang went to work inside, and the Cyclones tied it 46-all in the closing minutes of the first half when Kane knocked down another shot from the corner.

Their hot perimeter shooting continued in the second half, when the Cyclones turned a 48-46 deficit into a 66-57 lead, the last points in the run on a deep ball from Naz Long.

By that point, Iowa State was 11 of 16 from the 3-point line.

“We were on our heels defensively throughout the game,” Ellis said. “I felt in the first half we did a lot better. In the second half, we let too many straight-line drives to the basket.”

The Jayhawks eventually extended their defense to the perimeter, and that’s when Iowa State started going to the basket again. Niang scored four straight baskets for Iowa State during one stretch that made it 81-72, and scored on three straight trips to make it 86-74.

The lead never got much smaller, even after Niang was whacked in the face during a scrum under the basket, prompting him to start the party for the Iowa State fans in attendance.

“We felt like we had these guys in the second half,” Niang said. “We came out and threw the first punch and from there it was clear skies.”

— Associated Press —

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