College – Page 394 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Former Mizzou guard Kim English joins Haith’s staff at Tulsa

Posted on June 15, 2015June 15, 2015

TULSA, Okla. – University of Tulsa Head Basketball Coach Frank Haith announced Monday the addition of former Missouri standout Kim English as Director of Player Development for the Golden Hurricane.

English played at Missouri from 2008-12, including his senior season for Haith. He has spent the last three years playing professional basketball – one with the Detroit Pistons, and two overseas.

English was drafted with the 44th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He played in 41 games during the 2012-13 season, and spent most of the last two years playing basketball overseas.

“I am so excited to be welcoming Kim English to our staff,” Haith said. “Kim was a tremendous player for me at Missouri and was someone Michael Schwarz and I heavily recruited while we were at Miami. Kim made himself into an NBA Draft pick his senior season because of his relentless work ethic and mind for our game and that’s why he will be so successful in the coaching profession. Kim has been preparing himself to become a coach over the past several years, including our time together at Missouri, on through his time with the Detroit Pistons. He was a highly-coveted young coach this spring and I cannot wait for our team, our administration and our community to get to know Kim and his future wife, Jessica.”

English averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals during his four-year career at Missouri. He totaled 1,570 points, ranking 13th in program history. He earned third-team All-Big 12 honors in 2010 and 2012, and was named to the USA Today All-Improved Team and the USBWA All-District Team in 2010.

In 2012, English averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals, and ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 78 3-point field goals, while leading Missouri to a 30-5 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in Haith’s first season. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 Tournament, averaging 23.0 points and shooting 78 percent during the Tigers’ championship run. He scored 10.0 points with 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals as a junior in 2011. He led the Tigers in scoring as a sophomore in 2009-10 with a 14.0 average, while adding 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest.

After his time with the Pistons, English played basketball in Europe, including stints with Montepaschi Siena in Italy, and Chorale Roanne Basket, Nancy Basket and Cholet Basket in France, and most recently Guaros De Lara BBC in Venezuela. He also spent time with the Orlando Magic summer league squad in 2014, and was invited to the Chicago Bulls training camp in 2014.

— Tulsa Sports Information —

Former Griffons’ Partridge, Jordan released by B.C. Lions

Posted on June 14, 2015June 14, 2015

B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Partridge was among players cut Sunday by the CFL team. Photograph by: Ric Ernst, PNG — B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Partridge was among players cut Sunday by the CFL team.
Photograph by: Ric Ernst, PNG

By Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun

KAMLOOPS – Last year’s up and coming quarterback is now down and out for the B.C. Lions.

Second-year player Travis Partridge, who last season looked like he might be a keeper, was one of eight players released Sunday by head coach Jeff Tedford as the Canadian Football League team pared its training camp roster to the mandated limit of 65 (excluding non-counters).

Nickelback Torri Williams, who dressed for 16 games last season, and defensive back Derrick Morgan, running back Brendan Bigelow, offensive linemen John Estes and Kaycee Ike, defensive lineman Alex King and receiver Reggie Jordan were also let go. Jordan, a late addition to camp, played college football with Partridge at Missouri Western.

In a pitched battle with rookies Jon Jennings and Greg McGhee for a roster spot, Partridge is another classic example of a young quarterback unable to keep pace with the development timeline set out for him. Chris Hart (2014) and Corey Leonard (2012) were other developing quarterbacks of recent vintage who didn’t last past their second Lions’ training camp.

The turnover of head coaches from Mike Benevides to Tedford and changes in offensive philosophy also didn’t work to his advantage, although Partridge insisted he didn’t feel extra pressure, being a holdover player forced to prove himself again under a new regime.

“I don’t think there’s any added pressure because there’s a new coaching staff,” he said. “It’s a new system, but I know about (CFL) defences a little more (as a second-player player).”

Partridge dressed for 14 games last season as the team’s third quarterback and saved his best for last, throwing for two touchdown passes after relieving starter Kevin Glenn in a 53-17 East Division semi-final blowout loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

Unfortunately, he was unable to build on that modest success in his second camp, with Jennings and McGhee, two of Tedford’s recruits, looking more the part of what the noted quarterback guru wanted.

Though the Lions failed to score a touchdown in Friday’s 20-6 preseason defeat in Calgary, Jennings put up decent, if not spectacular numbers, showed poise, defensive recognition and the ability to handle and elude the kind of pressure he’ll face in the CFL. He completed five of 11 passes for 116 yards, one of them a 62-yard pass to Terence Jeffers-Harris, a late addition who has stood out in camp.

“Some good things happened, and some not-so-good things happened,” Jennings explained. “But it’s all learning material. I was glad to go out there and show I could make a couple of plays. But there’s some things I need to work on as well.”

Partridge completed two of four passes for a cumulative three yards against the Stampeders. He was intercepted on his second play from scrimmage, evidence that he was forcing the ball and likely aware of falling behind Jennings and McGhee. Interceptions had also bedeviled Partridge in training camp.

Jennings, just 22, graduated from Saginaw Valley State in 2013 as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s player of the year, throwing for 31 touchdowns and running for 12 more. Those eye-popping stats earned him invites to mini-camps with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and a workout with the Green Bay Packers.

“I had a blessed career in Saginaw,” Jennings said. “I didn’t have any injuries. None. Not like high school.”

Jennings grew up in Columbus, Ohio and went to Westerville South, the same school that produced former Lions receiver Nick Moore, now with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and his older brother, Lance Moore, an NFL veteran receiver who has moved on to Detroit.

He broke his ankle and elbow in his sophomore year of high school, played safety in his junior year and fractured his collarbone as a senior quarterback, completing just half a season. That spotty participation record partly explains why Jennings ended up at an NCAA Division II school, where he excelled.

During his 43-game career with the Cardinals, he threw for 10,710 yards and 96 touchdowns.

With the Lions, Jennings is seen as more than just a developmental quarterback. Tedford has declared the backup position behind Travis Lulay to be “wide open.” In addition, Lulay’s history of shoulder troubles could transform his backup pivot into the starter, as it did last season with Glenn.

“It’s very interesting,” Jennings agreed. “I’ve always prided myself on being ready for the next opportunity. I’m just trying to be ready to help this team any way I can.”

mbeamish@vancouversun.com

Twitter.com/sixbeamers
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Kansas State releases non-conference men’s basketball schedule

Posted on June 11, 2015June 12, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Nine games at Bramlage Coliseum, the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center and a return to INTRUST Bank Arena for the Wichita Wildcat Classic highlight the 2015-16 Kansas State men’s basketball non-conference schedule released on Thursday.

The non-conference slate could include as many as six teams that participated in the postseason a year ago, including three from the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Competition could come from as many as nine different conferences, including the Atlantic 10, ACC, Big Ten, Big Sky, Mountain West and SEC.

The 113th season of K-State men’s basketball begins Sunday, November 6 when the Wildcats host Division II foe Fort Hays State in an exhibition game. The season officially gets underway less than a week later on Friday, November 13 when the squad hosts Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first of two opening round games of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.

“We felt with so many new players that we needed to get some home games under our belt early to develop some confidence in our team,” said head coach Bruce Weber. “Obviously, we have a nice challenge with the games in Kansas City at the CBE Hall of Fame Classic against a longtime rival in Missouri, a Big Ten team in Northwestern and a national championship contender in North Carolina. We then have a couple of road games to give us some experience in Georgia, who beat us at home last year, and Texas A&M, who has had two of the best recruiting classes in the country the past two seasons.

We finish it off with the game in Wichita against Colorado State, who has been one of the top teams in the Mountain West since Larry (Eustachy) took over, before the home games with Saint Louis and Ole Miss. The Saint Louis game starts a home-and-home series, which will give us the opportunity take D.J. (Johnson) next season. All in all, we feel like we have built a non-conference slate that works well with the make-up of our team.”

K-State previously announced several components of its non-conference schedule, including the CBE Hall of Fame Classic on Monday-Tuesday, November 23-24, the Wichita Wildcat Classic contest with Colorado State at INTRUST Bank Arena on Saturday, December 19 and the home game with Ole Miss in the Big 12-SEC Challenge presented by Sonic on Saturday, January 30.

In all, the Wildcats will play at least 18 home games in 2015-16, including the nine-game Big 12 slate with visits from NCAA Tournament teams Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and West Virginia. The complete Big 12 schedule, along with game times and television information, will be released at a later date.

“This type of schedule should be attractive to our fan base with a combined 21 games at Bramlage Coliseum, the Sprint Center and INTRUST Bank Arena,” said Weber. “I know that our fan base will again be out in full force to help our young team through a challenging series of games.”

The exhibition with Fort Hays State will be the first of four straight home games for the Wildcats, which also includes the opener with Maryland-Eastern Shore and tilts with Columbia on Monday, November 16 and South Dakota on Friday, November 20. There is a possibility of an additional exhibition game, which would be announced at a later date.

K-State will open the season on Friday, November 13 against a Maryland-Eastern Shore team, which won 18 games and advanced to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament a season ago. Columbia will be first Ivy League team to visit Bramlage Coliseum on November 16 and the first Ancient Eight opponent for the Wildcats since playing Pennsylvania in the 1975 NCAA Tournament. K-State is 9-0 all-time against South Dakota, which posted a winning record for the first time since 2010-11 under first-year head coach Craig Smith this past season.

The squad will make the short trek to Kansas City to compete in the championship round of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic on Monday-Tuesday, November 23-24 at the Sprint Center. The field includes five-time NCAA champion North Carolina, former Big 12 foe and current SEC member Missouri and the Big Ten’s Northwestern. The semifinals will be held on Monday with the finals taking place on Tuesday beginning with the consolation game, followed by the championship.

K-State has a long history with Missouri, playing 235 times between 1907 and 2012, including on 23 occasions in Kansas City. The Wildcats have also played North Carolina five times with the last meeting coming in 1989, while they have met Northwestern three times with the last match-up coming in 2002.

This will mark the Wildcats’ second trip to the CBE Hall of Fame Classic and first since going 1-1 in the 2010 event. K-State knocked off No. 18 Gonzaga, 81-64, in the semifinals before falling to No. 1 Duke, 82-68, in the championship.

Following the tournament, K-State finishes out the month of November with a first-ever match-up against South Carolina State on Sunday, November 29. The school is 25-0 all-time against teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Wildcats play their first true road game of the non-conference schedule on Friday, December 4 with a return trip to Georgia, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15 with a 21-12 overall record. The Bulldogs won the first game of the home-and-home series last season on New Year’s Eve with a 50-46 victory at Bramlage Coliseum.

After a home game with Coppin State on Wednesday, December 9, the squad makes another trek to SEC country with a return game to Texas A&M on Saturday, December 12. The Wildcats have won three straight over the Aggies, including a 71-64 victory at the Sprint Center this past season. Texas A&M, which has one of the top incoming recruiting classes in the country, posted a 21-12 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2014-15.

K-State will resume the Wichita Wildcat Classic basketball series on Saturday, December 19 against Mountain West foe Colorado State. The game will mark the third in Wichita in the last five years, following tilts with West Virginia in 2011 and Gonzaga in 2013. It will be the 13th meeting between the schools and the first at a neutral site. The Rams posted a 27-7 overall record during the 2014-15 season and was one of four No. 1 seeds in the NIT.

Following the trip to Wichita, the school finishes off the month of December with home games against North Dakota on Tuesday, December 22 and Saint Louis on Tuesday, December 29. This will be just the second meeting with North Dakota and the first since an 85-52 win on November 9, 2012 — the first of the Bruce Weber era at K-State. The Wildcats and Billikens will meet for the first time since 2004 in a highly-competitive series that dates back to 1929.

Season tickets for the 2015-16 season are now available, with a variety of pricing options including a 4-pack of general admission or bench season tickets for $900. The priority deadline to arrange payment, retain seats, or participate in new seat selection using athletic department priority points, for the upcoming season is Friday, July 17. All upgrade and new full season-ticket requests will be assigned utilizing the K-State Priority Points system, which rewards fans for their history of season ticket purchases and contributions to the Ahearn Fund.

Kansas State continues to possess one of the top home atmospheres in the country as the Wildcats are one of 22 schools nationally to have played in front of an average of more than 12,000 fans for five consecutive seasons. The school has won more than 75 percent of its games in Bramlage Coliseum’s 27-year history, including a 127-23 (.847) record over the past nine seasons at home and a 69-5 (.932) mark in non-conference play.

The Wildcats will return seven lettermen, including four players with starting experience, in 2015-16 to go with the influx of six newcomers, including PARADE All-American Dean Wade (St. John, Kansas/St. John) and NJCAA First Team All-American Carlbe Ervin II (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma/Connors State College). Senior guard Justin Edwards (6.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg.) is the team’s top returner in both scoring and steals (37), while junior forward Wesley Iwundu (5.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg.) is the leading returner in rebounding (108), assists (61), blocks (20) and minutes (780).

2015-16 Non-Conference Schedule

Friday    Nov. 6    FORT HAYS STATE (Exh.)
Opening Games of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic (Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kan.)
Friday    Nov. 13    MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE
Monday    Nov. 16    COLUMBIA
Friday    Nov. 20    SOUTH DAKOTA
CBE Hall of Fame Classic (Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.)
Monday    Nov. 23    vs. TBA
Tuesday    Nov. 24    vs. TBA
Sunday    Nov. 29    SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Friday    Dec. 4    @Georgia
Wednesday    Dec. 9    COPPIN STATE
Saturday    Dec. 12    @Texas A&M
Wichita Wildcat Classic (INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, Kan.)
Saturday    Dec. 19    COLORADO STATE
Tuesday    Dec. 22    NORTH DAKOTA
Tuesday    Dec. 29    SAINT LOUIS
Big 12-SEC Challenge (Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kan.)
Saturday    Jan. 30    OLE MISS

— KSU Sports Information —

Former Mustang Tanner Lubach drafted in 9th round by Angels

Posted on June 9, 2015June 9, 2015

Lincoln – Nebraska senior catcher and former St. Joseph Mustang Tanner Lubach was picked by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft on Tuesday, marking the 37th straight year a Husker has been drafted.

A Lincoln native, Lubach is the highest drafted Husker since 2011, when Cody Asche was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Phillies. Lubach is the 26th Husker taken in the top-10 rounds since 2000 and of those 26 players, only seven had been drafted before coming to Nebraska.

Lubach spent the entire 2012 season with the Mustangs and hit .281 with two home runs and 29 RBI. He also played in nine games late in the 2014 season and he hit .294 with no home runs and six RBI.

Named second-team All-Big Ten this season, Lubach finished second on the team with a career-best .312 batting average. He tied for the team lead in home runs with four, hit 10 doubles, one triple and was third on the team with 26 RBIs. Lubach was even better at the plate during Big Ten play with a .369 batting average, while starting 23 of NU’s 24 league games.

A Johnny Bench Award candidate each of the last two seasons, Lubach was one of the best defensive catchers in the Big Ten during his three seasons at Nebraska. Lubach finished his career second in Husker history in runners caught stealing with 44, just two behind Cory Burleson’s school record of 46. He posted a .993 career fielding percentage, with only six errors in 918 chances. In 138 career starts, Lubach allowed just 13 passed balls, including only two in 2015.

— NU Sports Information —

Benedictine promotes John Peer to men’s basketball Associate Head Coach

Posted on June 9, 2015June 9, 2015

ATCHISON – Benedictine College men’s basketball coach Ryan Moody announced on Tuesday, the promotion of long-time Raven assistant coach John Peer to the role of Associate Head Coach.

Peer has been a member of the Benedictine men’s basketball program for 14 years, 10 as an assistant coach and the last four as an assistant on the staff of Coach Moody. He has been a part of two consecutive NAIA Division I National Tournament teams and the first ever Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season championship in program history.

“John is a major reason for our recent success,” said Coach Moody. “He is an outstanding recruiter and on-court coach. His dedication to our team’s preparation and individual development of our players has made a positive impact on our program. He is a mentor to our players and an outstanding reflection of our program both on campus and in our community. I appreciate all of John’s hard work and I look forward to the future of Raven basketball.”

Last year Peer helped the Ravens to a 24-9 record and the second consecutive trip to the NAIA Division I National Tournament. Three players received All-Heart honors in John Harris Jr. (First Team), Jallen Messersmith, (Second Team and Defensive Player of the Year) and Jonathon Anaekwe (Honorable Mention).

During his tenure at Benedictine College, Peer has recruited and coached 16 All-Heart players and five NAIA All-America selections, two of which were post players.

“As an alum and knowing how many people truly cared and were invested in me as a student-athlete, it has been an honor to be part of a staff that still holds those values.” Peer said, “I am very thankful to Coach Moody for the opportunity and it has been great working with him as a coach and as a friend. I am very proud of where our program is and am really excited about where it is heading in the future.”

Peer is involved in all aspects of the Raven program. His primary responsibilities are recruiting and post player development. His other duties include on-court coaching, opponent scouting, film breakdown, scheduling and assisting with the day-to-day operations of the basketball program.

Coach Peer played four seasons for the Ravens, ending his career in 2004 as the Ravens 20th-leading scorer in school history with 1,202 points. He left BC as the fourth-ranked 3-point shooter in the program’s history with 195.

Peer holds a pair of degrees from Benedictine College. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 2004 and his MBA in 2005. He married his wife Lauren in August 2014.

— BC Sports Information —

Nebraska basketball adds Louisville transfer Anton Gill

Posted on June 8, 2015June 8, 2015

Lincoln – University of Nebraska Basketball Coach Tim Miles announced Monday that Anton Gill has transferred to the University of Nebraska and joined the Husker basketball program. Gill began classes at Nebraska on Monday, the first of two summer sessions at UNL.

Gill, who spent the previous two seasons at the University of Louisville, will sit out the 2015-16 season and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2016-17 campaign.

A 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard from Raleigh, N.C., Gill spent two seasons at Louisville, where he played in 55 career games for the Cardinals, who reached the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in his tenure. A former top-50 recruit out of Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy, Miles believes that Gill, who selected Nebraska over Georgetown and East Carolina, will provide the Huskers additional scoring punch when he becomes eligible.

“I’m excited to add Anton to our team,” Miles said. “He is a high-caliber player who has played in an elite program and understands the regimentation it takes for a program to be successful. As I have got to know him, I enjoy the way he puts thought into his game. He has an outstanding basketball IQ and pays attention to the game, and that is someone who has traditionally excelled in our system. He was a renowned scorer on the AAU circuit and at Hargrave Academy. We think he can be someone who can step in and be scoring threat who can replace Shavon Shields after he graduates next year.”

As a sophomore, he played in 31 games, helping Louisville to a 27-9 record and a berth in the Elite Eight in 2014-15. He averaged 2.5 points and 0.7 rebounds per game in just under 10 minutes per contest. Gill posted a pair of double-figure efforts in 2014-15, including a career-high 15 point effort against Florida International and had 14 points, including a career-high four 3-pointers, in a win over Florida State. Gill also had seven points and a pair of steals in the final six minutes of Louisville’s East Regional semifinal win over North Carolina State, including the go-ahead basket with 5:55 remaining. As a freshman, he played in 24 game as a reserve for the Cardinals. In addition to his work on the court, Gill was named to the 2015 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Men’s Basketball team.

A consensus top-50 recruit, Gill averaged 28.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists for Hargrave Military Academy as a senior, including a school-record 56 point game and another 50-point effort, as the school went 38-8 on the season. He was a first-team all-state pick at Ravenscroft High School as a junior, averaging 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals to lead the program to a 31-4 record and the Class 3A North Carolina state championship.

Gill’s father, Anton, played basketball at East Carolina, earning first team All-Colonial Athletic Conference honors in 1995 and CAA All-Rookie team honors in 1992. He scored 1,485 points at ECU and ranks fifth on the Pirates’ all-time scoring list. Anton is the son of Anton and Shauntell Gill.

— NU Sports Information —

Bears fall short of CWS as they lose to Arkansas 3-2 in Super Regional

Posted on June 8, 2015

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said he was as relaxed as he’d ever been entering this weekend’s super regional against Missouri State.

He had reason to be, given how the Razorbacks had improbably recovered from a 14-14 start to the season and were two wins away from the College World Series.

Led by a three-run first inning and a dominating relief appearance from closer Zach Jackson, Arkansas capped its remarkable turnaround with a 3-2 victory over Missouri State on Sunday — sending the Razorbacks to their fourth CWS appearance in the last 13 seasons.

It’s the eighth College World Series in school history for Arkansas (40-23), its first since 2012, and it improves the Razorbacks to 26-9 this season since falling to 14-14 following a loss to the Bears (49-12) on March 31.

“I’m very proud of this team for hanging in there all year,” Van Horn said. “… We were 14-14 in early April, and we’ve got 40 wins. These guys know, and I know, it’s really hard to get to Omaha. It’s not easy, and these guys persevered and did it.”

Arkansas won the first game of the series 18-4 before falling 3-1 in the second Saturday.

It quickly took the lead on Sunday, scoring three times in the top of the first inning. That offense proved enough for starting pitcher James Teague (7-4) and a pair of relievers, with Jackson throwing a scoreless 3 2-3 innings of relief to earn his ninth save of the year.

“It’s been an incredible team effort these last two months or so, and it’s been a lot of fun,” Jackson said. “Now we’re going to Omaha.”

Arkansas hosted the series against the nationally seeded Bears despite entering as a No. 2 seed, because Missouri State’s Hammons Field was already taken by the Double-A Springfield Cardinals this weekend.

The Bears were attempting to reach their second College World Series in school history, but they were unable to capitalize on their eight hits on Sunday — leaving 10 runners on base.

Much of their late-game frustration was a result of the pitching of Jackson, who struck out six of the 12 batters he faced while allowing only one hit.

“He’s a big-leaguer,” Missouri State coach Keith Guttin said about Jackson. “He’s got a breaking ball that very few people on Earth can hit.”

Arkansas drew more than 35,000 fans for the three-game series, with Sunday’s crowd of 11,694 erupting in cheers following Jackson’s strikeout of Tate Matheny with a slider to end the game.

The win secures Van Horn’s fourth College World Series appearance in his 13th season as the head coach at his alma mater. It’s his sixth trip to Omaha overall after a pair of visits while the head coach at Nebraska, and it’s one of the most unexpected following a 1-5 start to Southeastern Conference play.

However, Arkansas didn’t lose an SEC series after that — including taking two of three at then No. 1 Texas A&M — and capped its remarkable turnaround with Sunday’s Omaha-clinching win.

Arkansas scored all of its runs in the first inning on a trio of singles, a walk and RBI flyout off Missouri State starter Jordan Knutson (6-2). Bobby Wernes started the rally with a single, Andrew Benintendi walked and Spoon singled through the left side of the infield to put the Razorbacks up 1-0.

Rick Nomura’s flyout scored Benintendi, and Brett McAfee capped the scoring with an RBI single to right to score Spoon and put Arkansas up 3-0.

Missouri State scored its first run following a two-out error in the third inning, with Justin Paulsen’s single to left scoring Jake Burger from second base.

The Bears added a second run in the sixth on an RBI single by Dylan Becker, but Jackson struck out Joey Hawkins and forced Matheny to fly out to right to end the inning — with Missouri State leaving a pair of runners on base.

“(Jackson’s) a stellar pitcher, and he showed it today by getting out of tough jams,” Becker said. “Not just him, but everyone on their staff this weekend. We kept getting guys on base, but they found ways to get out of it.”

— Associated Press —

Hall, Missouri State force game 3 against Arkansas in Super Regional

Posted on June 7, 2015

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Matt Hall wanted nothing more than to finish what he started.

The national leader in strikeouts did just that, throwing a one-hitter to help Missouri State beat Arkansas 3-1 on Saturday to even the NCAA super regional series.
Arkansas pitcher Keaton McKinney tries to throw a runner out at first during the first inning in a super regional of the NCAA college baseball tournament game against Missouri State, in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, June 6, 2015.

Arkansas pitcher Keaton McKinney tries to throw a runner out at first during the first inning in a super regional of the NCAA college baseball tournament game against Missouri State, in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, June 6, 2015. | Danny Johnston AP Photo

Hall (12-2) threw 125 pitches in the searing heat and in front of a record crowd of 12,167 in Baum Stadium, the last 16 coming in the ninth inning as the Bears (49-11) rebounded from an 18-4 loss less than 24 hours earlier.

“I wasn’t really worried about the crowd, really,” Hall said. “I just wanted to go out there and play for my team; I wanted to play another day.”

The two teams will play a third game Sunday for a spot in the College World Series. Missouri State is seeking its second trip to Omaha — its first since 2003 — while the Razorbacks (39-23) are looking for their eighth overall and first since 2012.

Arkansas had 18 runs and 18 hits in the series opener, the third most runs in an NCAA Tournament game in school history — with eight coming against Missouri State ace Jon Harris.

The Razorbacks didn’t fare nearly as well against the second of the Bears’ aces on Saturday, with Hall allowing only a first-inning hit to Bobby Wernes before settling in to retire 16 straight batters at one point. The junior left hander finished with eight strikeouts, raising his total for the season to 171 in 125 innings.

“We had a big-game pitcher on the mound, and he delivered,” Missouri State coach Keith Guttin said.

Hall appeared to tire late in the game, walking the leadoff batter in each of the final three innings, but induced a key double play in the eighth and allowed only one unearned run — striking out Arkansas’ Tyler Spoon to end the dominating performance.

“I guess the story of the game is just we couldn’t figure out Matt Hall,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “… We had a couple of opportunities, but being the pitcher he is, he got out of it.”

Missouri State had a 19-game winning streak ended in Friday’s series opener, and it wasted little time trying to make amends for the blowout loss on Saturday. Blake Graham had the first of two RBIs in the game with a single to put the Bears up 1-0 in the second, and his fielder’s choice scored Eric Cheray to stretch the lead to 3-0 in the third.

Arkansas starter Keaton McKinney (6-2) lasted only 1 1-3 innings before being pulled after allowing three hits and three walks. Jackson Lowery pitched well in relief for the Razorbacks, striking out six in 6 2-3 innings, but Arkansas was unable to find an answer for Hall.

The Razorbacks’ lone run came when Joe Serrano scored following a two-out error in the seventh. Hall then forced a double play in the eighth and pitched around a leadoff walk in the ninth to close out the win and set up Sunday’s series finale.

“Every inning, we thought, ‘This is the inning we’re going to get to him,'” Wernes said. “He just did a real good job of not letting that happen.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western women add three transfers to 2015-2016 roster

Posted on June 6, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Head Women’s Basketball Coach Rob Edmisson has announced the signings of three more student-athletes to the 2015-16 team.

The three most recent signees will join Melia Richardson as the newcomers on next year’s team.

“We are excited to add these young ladies to our Missouri Western family,” Edmisson said. “All three can step in and contribute immediately.”

Lakota Goe will transfer to MWSU from Iowa Western Community College. The 5-10 forward averaged 11 points and made 78 three-pointers along with being an 80% free throw shooter last season when she was named All-Region.

Julia Torres Alves is a 6-2 post that comes to MWSU by way of Highland Community College. Torres Alves was an NJCAA First Team All-American, averaging 14 points, nine rebounds and shooting 53% from the field at Highland.

Dwanisha Tate comes to St. Joseph from the University of Texas at San Antonio. The 5-10 guard averaged eight points, seven rebounds and three assists last season as a sophomore for the Roadrunners.She played in 27 games her freshman year, scoring nine points three times.

Edmisson is in his fourth year leading the Griffons. Last season the team went 15-12 overall with a 9-10 record in the MIAA, making the MIAA Tournament and winning one game in postseason play.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri State get hammered by Arkansas in game one of Super Regional

Posted on June 6, 2015

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Joe Serrano thought he had played his last career game in Baum Stadium.

The Arkansas outfielder made the most of his surprising return home on Friday, finishing 3 for 4 and blasting a three-run home run as the Razorbacks opened their NCAA super regional with an 18-4 win over Missouri State.

Arkansas (39-22) was the visiting team against the nationally seeded Bears (48-11), but Fayetteville served as the host site because the Double-A Springfield Cardinals were already schedule to play this weekend in Missouri State’s home, Hammons Field.

That was just fine with Serrano, the senior who put the Razorbacks up 10-1 in the sixth with his home run and finished with four RBIs.

“It was, honestly, just a relief to know that I could come back here and play one more time,” Serrano said. “… I wasn’t trying to do anything special; I was just trying to compete and get good at-bats so we could win the ballgame.”

Serrano delivered the knockout punch, but it was Andrew Benintendi who sparked the six-run sixth inning with a solo home run off Missouri State ace Jon Harris (8-2). Benintendi, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, tied for the national lead with the home run — his 19th of the season.

The win puts Arkansas one win away from its first College World Series appearance since 2012 in the best-of-three series, with the second game set for Saturday.

“I feel good that we won the first game, but we haven’t won anything yet,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “We won one game; big deal.”

The runs are the third most in an NCAA Tournament game for Arkansas, which scored 20 against Eastern Kentucky in 1985 and 19 against Grambling State in 2010.

Eight of them came against Harris, a top prospect in next week’s Major League Baseball draft who came into the game with a 1.85 ERA. The right hander was perfect through the first three innings against the Razorbacks before being pulled after 5 2/3 — allowing nine hits and struggling mightily the second time through Arkansas’ lineup.

“I didn’t miss a barrel,” Harris said. “… No matter if we’re in Baum Stadium, Hammons Field or a neutral site, we’ve still got to come out and play ball. They came out swinging, and we couldn’t put two hits together and bring guys in, and it cost us.”

Missouri State entered Friday on a 19-game winning streak, and it defeated Arkansas 2-0 on March 31 in Fayetteville.

Those winning ways came to a sudden and crashing halt in front of a Baum Stadium record crowd of 11,869, many of whom were lined up more than two hours before the first pitch to cheer on a Razorbacks team that started the season 11-12 before turning things around.

Jake Burger finished 4 for 4 for the Bears, including a home run to put Missouri State up 1-0 in the second inning, but his performance was one of the few bright spots, as Arkansas’ Trey Killian (3-4) earned the win.

“We knew (the winning streak) was going to come to an end at some point,” Burger said. “… It didn’t really matter that we lost the streak of 19 games. We’ve just got to come out tomorrow and bounce back.”

— Associated Press —