Sports – Page 463 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Griffons’ nine-game winning streak snapped by Nebraska-Kearney

Posted on April 23, 2016

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western Baseball fell on Saturday afternoon to Nebraska-Kearney 2-1, snapping their nine-game winning streak.

The Griffons and Lopers were locked in a pitchers dual until the Lopers broke the 1-1 tie in the top of the eighth inning. Jacob Richardson came up with an RBI single up the middle, propelling the Lopers to a 2-1 lead.

MWSU left two runners on in the bottom of the fifth and seventh inning but couldn’t get anyone across the plate to help the Griffon pitching staff.

Missouri Western was limited offensively, collecting only six hits in the game. Cosimo Cannella and Brandon Downs each had two hits for the Griffons. Kody Matthews and Ozzie Rodriguez each tallied a hit in the game.

Weston Caindec had a solid outing but couldn’t pick up the victory as he pitched 7.1 innings and allowed just six hits in the game. Preston Bailey had 1.2 innings of work and allowed two hits.

Joe Sievers was effective on the mound for the Lopers, pitching seven innings and allowing just six hits and striking out six batters. Chayse Gulzow picked up his third save of the season.

The Griffons and Lopers will face off on Sunday with a game time at noon at the Spring Sports Complex.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats blowout Central Oklahoma in game two of series 16-8

Posted on April 23, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team beat Central Oklahoma, 16-8, on Saturday afternoon at Simmons Field in Edmond, Okla.

Northwest improves to 22-18 overall and 17-13 in MIAA play with the win. The Bronchos fall to 24-17 and 16-14 in conference action.

The Bearcats scored 16 runs on 16 hits.

James Holler hit a pair of homeruns, going 3-for-5 in the game with six RBIs and three runs scored.

Key Northwest Statistics
– The Bearcats scored four runs in the first, seven in the fourth, two in the sixth, two in the seventh and one in the ninth.
– Central Oklahoma got four runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth.
– Kevin Handzlik hit a homerun and drove in five runs, going 2-for-5 on the day with a run scored. He also drew a walk.
– Ozzie Adams went 3-for-5 with four runs scored. He had two doubles and drove in two runs.
– Garrett Fort was 3-for-4 with a run scored, a stolen base and a walk.
– Aaron Barratt went 2-for-5. He drew a walk and also scored a run.
– Jay Hrdlicka went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. He drove in a run and crossed the plate three times.
– Nick Gotta went 1-for-4 with a run scored, a stolen base and a walk.
– Jake Lewis was 1-for-5 with a run scored and a walk.
– Kolby Greenslade drew a walk and also drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
– Joseph Hietpas went 4.1 innings in the start. He recorded five strikeouts on the afternoon.
– Nikko Pablo pitched the final 4.2 innings of the game for the win, allowing just one run on six hits. He struck out five batters and did not issue a walk.
– Both teams committed three errors.

Key Northwest Innings
– Gotta and Hrdlicka began the game by both reaching safely. Adams hit a double to left to score Gotta to make it 1-0. With no outs, Holler hit a three-run homerun to right center to put Northwest up, 4-0.

– The Bearcats batted around in the fourth, Lewis got things started with a walk and Barratt singled to right field. Fort singled to load the bases. Greenslade hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Lewis. Gotta reached on an error to load the bases again. Hrdlicka singled on the first pitch he saw to right to score Barratt. After a pitching change, Adams walked to score Fort. Holler hit a sacrifice fly to score Gotta to make it 8-0. With two down, Handzlik took an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homerun to put Northwest up, 11-0.

– Adams led off the sixth by reaching on an error and made it all the way to third. Holler followed it up with his second home run of the day to right center, making it 13-5.
– Pablo worked a perfect sixth innings, setting the Bronchos down in order.

– Hrdlicka started the seventh with a walk and after a lineout, Holler doubled to right center to put runners on second and third. Handzlik came up with a two-RBI single up the middle to put the Bearcats up, 15-5.

– In the ninth, Adams scored on a wild pitch to Lewis to make it 16-8. Adams led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a groundout. With two down, he crossed the plate on a wild pitch to Lewis.

Up Next
– The three-game series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

Mizzou loses at No. 12 South Carolina Saturday 5-1

Posted on April 23, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Mizzou Baseball dropped game two of its series at No. 12 South Carolina, 5-1, on Saturday afternoon at Founders Park. Mizzou starter Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was tagged with the loss despite turning in a quality start, allowing just six hits over 6.0 innings while being charged with three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts and two walks. Carolina’s Braden Webb earned the win as he improved to 8-2 on the year.

The loss drops the Tigers to 20-20 overall and 4-13 in SEC play while South Carolina goes to 32-8 and 13-4 in SEC play. Offensively, Mizzou was led by CF Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.), who had a pair of hits and an RBI. Senior 1B Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) had his career-long 11-game hitting streak snapped but he did walk and was hit by a pitch as he has reached base safely now in 12 straight games.

After Webb struck out the side in the first inning, Houck came out and struggled, allowing the first five South Carolina batters to reach base. Alex Desitno delivered a bases-loaded single through the right side to plate a pair, but Houck minimized the damage after that, getting a 1-2 fielder’s choice and a pair of strikeouts to get through the inning.

After knocking in a pair of runs, Destino then made a diving catch in left to rob extra bases from OF Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.). That turned out to be a big out as Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) singled in the next at-bat as the play likely saved a run. Bond has now hit safely in five consecutive games. RF Kirby McGuire (Round Rock, Texas) also walked in the frame and he has now reached base safely in a team-long 15 consecutive games.

Houck had to pitch out of trouble again in the second as the first two Gamecock batters reached base a walk and hit batter. But he got a flyout, a strikeout and 1-3 bounce out to get out of the inning. Jonah Bride then doubled to lead off the third inning and scored on a passed ball to give South Carolina a 3-0 lead after three innings.

Mizzou finally got to Webb in the top of the fifth inning as he walked a pair to bring up Ring who singled through the right side for his second hit of the day and an RBI, cutting into the lead. After Webb walked the bases loaded, Lavy flew out to center to strand the bases loaded.

The Tigers threatened to get more in the sixth inning, putting two men aboard with two outs, but Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo.) struck out to strand a pair. Mizzou left eight runners on base through the first six innings as South Carolina carried a 3-1 lead into the seventh.

Mizzou stranded two more runners in the seventh inning on a tremendous play in the right centerfield gap by CF Dom Thompson-Williams as he went down to his shoelaces for a catch on a sinking line drive by Harris, which likely would have been extra-bases and runs for Mizzou.

RHP Cole Bartlett (Williamsburg, Ind.) then relieved Houck in the bottom of the seventh. South Carolina added two unearned runs off of Bartlett on a single to right center by Destino, who drove in four of South Carolina’s five runs on Saturday. That put the game out of reach for Mizzou.

Mizzou and South Carolina will play game three of their series tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. (CT) at Founder Park.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Northwest softball ends regular season with two wins at Washburn

Posted on April 23, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State softball team wrapped up the regular season with a pair of victories over Washburn Saturday afternoon in Topeka, Kan.

The bats came alive for the No. 25-ranked Bearcats, who rattled off 12 hits in each contest.

Northwest captured game one by a score of 8-4 before topping the Ichabods in six innings in the nightcap, 10-0.

The Bearcats close the regular season 36-12 overall, the most regular season wins in school history. Northwest heads into the postseason with a 19-7 mark in the MIAA, placing the Bearcats in a tie for second with Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma. The Ichabods wrap up the year 19-27 and 8-18 in conference action.

Kendle Schieber earned her 20th victory of the season, tying the record for most wins in a single season (Shelly Navara, 1987).

The Bearcats will head to Oklahoma City, Okla. to participate in the 2016 MIAA Softball Championship Tournament next week, with first and second round action set to begin Thursday, April 28.

— Northwest Athletics —

Royals blank Tigers 4-0 in series finale

Posted on April 21, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Edinson Volquez whirled around on the mound as the drive by the Tigers’ Justin Upton soared over his head, and for a moment wondered why Lorenzo Cain wasn’t giving chase.

It turned out the Royals’ centerfielder had been shading Upton toward right field.

It also turned out not to matter.

Volquez saw the blur of left-fielder Alex Gordon tracking it down at the warning track, laying out to make a diving grab on the dirt. The highlight catch by the perennial Gold Glove candidate helped Volquez go seven scoreless innings in Kansas City’s 4-0 victory over Detroit on Thursday night.

“That was one of the best plays I’ve ever seen him make,” said Volquez, who scattered five hits and a walk while striking out five. “That was good for me.”

Volquez (3-0) retired the first eight batters and only had to wiggle out of one jam, when Alcides Escobar let a grounder go through his legs in the fourth inning. The Tigers went on to load the bases before Volquez struck out Jarrod Saltalamacchia to end it.

Escobar atoned for his gaffe with a sacrifice fly off Mike Pelfrey (0-3) in the bottom half of the fourth. Lorenzo Cain also drove in a run, and Kansas City tacked on another when a double-steal turned into an error on third baseman Nick Castellanos that allowed a run to scamper home.

Pelfrey allowed all four runs — three of them earned — on eight hits and five walks in five innings

“I take the blame,” said Pelfrey, who has struggled with command all season. “It’s my fault. It’s unacceptable. I need to be a lot better. I need to figure it out pretty fast. It’s embarrassing.”

Volquez stuck to his track record of this season rather than his history against the Tigers.

The veteran right-hander has only allowed four runs over 24 2/3 innings, and the Royals have won all four games he’s started — though he had been just 1-4 with a 6.21 ERA against the Tigers.

He didn’t have much trouble with them Thursday night.

Volquez’s counterpart had all sorts of issues with the Royals, though. Pelfrey allowed five hits, two walks and two stolen bases to the first 12 batters he faced, though a timely double play and groundout with the bases loaded kept the damage to just one run.

The Royals left seven on base through the first four innings.

Despite the missed opportunities, they still managed to coax across some runs in Royals-like fashion. They slapped singles away from where the Tigers had shifted, laid down bunts to set up scoring chances and even showcased a little power on the homer by Moustakas in the fourth.

They also made their meager production look more daunting with some stellar defense.

Gordon threw out Jose Iglesias by several feet at third base to end the third, then began the fourth by making his diving catch at the track to rob Upton of extra bases.

“He’s a Gold Glove outfielder so it’s not shocking,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “It was a windy day, so it was doing something with it that made it more difficult.

Escobar also made a series of flashy plays deep in the hole at shortstop, and Eric Hosmer made a nifty grab at first base — though he forgot how many outs there were in the inning.

“I said, `Hey, bro! We play three outs here,” Volquez said with a smile.

STATS AND STREAKS

Hosmer extended his AL-leading on-base streak to 23 games, while the Tigers’ J.D. Martinez extended his streak to 19. … Ian Kinsler had his fourth straight multi-hit game. He’s the sixth Tigers player to have nine multi-hit games in the first 14 games of a season.

TAKE A BREATH

Ausmus gave outfielder Anthony Gose a mental break after he slammed his bat in frustration during a tough night at the plate Wednesday. “It’s good to take a breath,” Ausmus said.

WELCOME BACK, DAD

The Royals reinstated right-hander Dillon Gee from the paternity list and optioned right-hander Miguel Almonte to Triple-A Omaha. Gee’s wife gave birth to a daughter, Charlotte, on Monday.

UP NEXT

The Royals send right-hander Chris Young to the mound Friday night to open a three-game set against the Orioles, while the Tigers begin a seven-game homestand with Justin Verlander taking on the Indians.

— Associated Press —

Mizzou women sign Kansas tranfer Lauren Aldridge

Posted on April 21, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball has signed transfer guard Lauren Aldridge (Marshfield, Mo.), head coach Robin Pingeton announced Wednesday. Aldridge, 5-7, started all 63 games for Kansas over the last two seasons and averaged a team-leading 11.1 points and 2.4 assists for the Jayhawks in 2015-16. Per NCAA transfer regulations, Aldridge will sit out the 2016-17 season and has two years of eligibility remaining.

“We are very excited to have Lauren join our basketball family,” Pingeton said. “She is going to be a great addition. Lauren is such a high-character young lady that embraces hard work. She has had great success on the court and in the classroom. Her natural position is at point guard, but she has the ability to slide over into a shooting guard role as well. She has a high basketball IQ, a motor and she is a fierce competitor.”

During her two seasons in Lawrence, Aldridge averaged 9.6 points, 3.7 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 35.1 minutes per game. She holds career shooting totals of 37 percent (190-for-515) from the field, 35 percent (102-for-290) from 3-point range and 85 percent (121-for-143) from the free throw line.

In addition to leading Kansas in scoring and assists this past season, Aldridge played a team-high 35.3 minutes per contest and averaged 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game. She scored in double figures a team-best 20 times as a sophomore, including nine of the first 10 contests and each of the final six games. In 2015-16, she shot 37 percent (116-for-317) from the floor, 36 percent (60-for-169) from beyond the arc and a team-high 83 percent (52-for-63) from the foul line. Aldridge was a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree.

As a freshman in 2014-15, Aldridge earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team after ranking third in the league with 5.0 assists per game. She averaged 8.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and a team-best 35.0 minutes per game. She reached double figures scoring 14 times and finished with five-plus assists in 10 of the last 14 games. Aldridge shot 37 percent (74-for-198) from the field, 35 percent (42-for-121) from distance and 86 percent (69-for-80) from the charity stripe. She was named an Academic All-Big 12 honoree and was a Phillips 66 Big 12 Freshman Player of the Week (Dec. 7, 2014).

Aldridge was a four-time all-state selection and three-time Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year at Marshfield (Mo.) High School. She was a finalist for Miss Show-Me Basketball as a senior when she led her squad to the District 10 title and a third-place finish in the MSHSAA Class 4 championship. During her prep career, Aldridge guided Marshfield to four consecutive conference championships and set school records for single-game assists and career and single-game 3-pointers. She was a teammate of Mizzou forwards Bri Porter and Cierra Porter with the Missouri Phenom on the AAU circuit, a team coached by Aldridge’s father, Steve.

Aldridge is majoring in Sport Management academically. Her father played baseball at Missouri State while her mother, Jennifer, competed in track and field for the Bears.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Griffon softball holds spots in both national and regional rankings

Posted on April 20, 2016April 20, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – After splitting a non-conference doubleheader with Northwest Missouri State, the Missouri Western softball team (35-11, 19-3) held its spots in both the national and regional rankings.

Missouri Western remained No. 15 in the NFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll and No. 4 in the NCAA Central Regional poll. With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Griffons hold a two-game lead over No. 25/No. 2 Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats made their first appearance in the top-25 this week and jumped one spot in the regional rankings. Missouri Western is 8-5 this season against teams currently ranked in the top 10 of the region and 5-5 against teams in the top eight qualifying positions.

This weekend Missouri Western will play doubleheaders at Washburn (April 22) and Emporia State (April 23). The MIAA Tournament will take place next week at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium Complex in Oklahoma City. Games will begin Thursday, April 28 with the championship game on Saturday, April 30.

Click here to view the NFCA poll.

Click here to view the regional rankings.

— MWSU Athletics —

Kansas City’s rally comes up short in 3-2 loss to Detroit

Posted on April 20, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jordan Zimmermann made his third straight scoreless start, Victor Martinez drove in the 1,000th run of his career and the Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Francisco Rodriguez served up back-to-back homers to Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez in the ninth before striking out Mike Moustakas to leave runners on first and second. It was K-Rod’s fourth save of the season and 390th overall, matching Dennis Eckersley for sixth-most on baseball’s career list.

Zimmermann (3-0) scattered seven hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight, in another sharp performance. He has yet to allow a run over 19 1/3 innings, a stretch that is beginning to make the $110 million, five-year contract he signed in November look like a bargain.

Ian Kinsler drove the other two runs for Detroit, which did just enough against Ian Kennedy (2-1) and the Kansas City bullpen to even the series. Kennedy allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven in his third straight solid start.

The Tigers beat the Royals with their own formula: timely hitting and solid defense.

One night after watching Kansas City score all of its runs with two outs in an 8-6 defeat, Kinsler drove in the first run of Wednesday night’s game with a two-out double in the third inning.

Martinez added his run-scoring single with two outs in the sixth. He joined teammate Miguel Cabrera, Andres Galarraga, Bobby Abreu and Magglio Ordonez as the only Venezuelan-born players with 1,000 RBI.

The few base runners that Zimmermann allowed were squandered by Kansas City.

Moustakas was caught wandering too far off first and got nabbed in a run-down to end the third inning. Then in the fifth, after putting runners on first and second with nobody out, Omar Infante failed to get down a bunt before striking out and Jarrod Dyson grounded into a double play.

The one big mistake Zimmermann made came in the sixth, when he bobbled a bouncer from Eric Hosmer’s bat for an error. He rebounded to retire Kendrys Morales and strand a pair of runners.

FOR THE KIDS

Royals GM Dayton Moore joined Mayor Sly James in breaking ground on the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy on Wednesday. Several members of the Royals have donated money to the $14 million facility, which will feature baseball and softball fields, revamped playgrounds and other amenities.

SORIA’S FLAW

Royals reliever Joakim Soria discovered a mechanical problem in his delivery during a video session with manager Ned Yost and pitching coach Dave Eiland on Wednesday. Soria thinks the flaw is the reason he has struggled after signing a $25 million, three-year deal in the offseason.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers C James McCann is hitting in the cage and was expected to begin throwing Wednesday, though it’s still unclear when he will return. He went on the DL on April 12 with a sprained right ankle.

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (2-0, 2.04 ERA) tries to remain perfect when he makes his third start of the season in the series finale. Tigers RHP Mike Pelfrey opposes him in the 6:15 p.m. game.

— Associated Press —

Missouri’s Houck named to Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list

Posted on April 20, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball sophomore RHP Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) has been named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List as announced Wednesday (April 20) by USA Baseball. This is the second consecutive season that Houck has landed on the list after being one of just four freshmen to earn the distinction last year. He is the first Mizzou player to land on the Golden Spikes Watch List as both a freshman and sophomore. The Golden Spikes Award is given to the nation’s top amateur player.

Houck has been sensational this year for head coach Tim Jamieson. He has twice earned SEC Pitcher of the Week and took home Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors following a dominating start against Vanderbilt in which he allowed two hits over 9.0 shutout innings while striking out a career-high 14. He also earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors after a complete game shutout of Auburn in which he allowed just four hits with 10 strikeouts. In all, Houck is 4-3 on the year with a 3.22 ERA and is limiting batters to just .187 hitting while striking out 70 in 64.1 innings. He has surrendered just 43 hits n 64.1 innings. In SEC play, batters are hitting just .188 against Houck with just 24 hits in 36.1 innings and he has struck out 38.

Houck has been tabbed as the No. 1 prospect for the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by several national scouting services. He has also been selected to pitch for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team for the second consecutive season after earning USA Baseball’s Top International Performance Award for pitching four perfect innings in a combined no-hitter vs. Cuba last summer.

Houck and the Tigers play at No. 12 South Carolina for a three-game series this weekend.

— Mizzou Athletics —

After rain delay, Cardinals beat Cubs 5-3 to avoid sweep

Posted on April 20, 2016

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis right-hander Carlos Martinez is ready to show his appreciation to outfielder Randal Grichuk.

Grichuk robbed Anthony Rizzo of a home run with an over-the-wall catch in the first inning on Wednesday to help Martinez settle into seven strong innings, and the Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 to avoid a sweep to their NL Central rivals.

“It was so big I’m going to pay him a dinner in San Diego,” Martinez said.

Matt Holliday homered and the Cardinals scored twice in each of the first two innings against Kyle Hendricks (1-2).

Chicago, the first team in the majors to 11 wins, had won three of its previous four and took the first two games of the series.

Martinez (3-0) allowed three hits and one run. He struck out five and walked three in recording his third quality start in three outings this season.

Grichuk’s highlight-reel catch seemed to provide a perfect lift for Martinez.

“It’s the second robbed homer I’ve gotten to,” Grichuk said. “Definitely being the Cubs in a big game, it’s probably my top one.”

The game was delayed 3 hours, 21 minutes by rain in the middle of the seventh. Grichuk, who jumped and reached over the wall with his glove, joked that he watched the replay of his grab 72 times during the stoppage.

Martinez seemed to get better as the game went along and retired the last six batters he faced.

“He had more of a feel than straight power,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.

Martinez also added a run-scoring hit in the second to push the lead to 4-0.

Trevor Rosenthal got his fourth save by striking out the side in the ninth. It was his 100th career save.

Holliday hit a two-run shot in the first off Hendricks, who gave up seven hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings.

Cubs starters had gotten through the sixth inning in 14 straight games to begin the season, a streak that matched the 1910 team for the franchise record.

“It was just a battle today,” Hendricks said. “It kind of started in the bullpen. I just didn’t have it.”

Holliday has three homers, including two in a 14-3 win over Cincinnati on Friday. He managed just four during last year’s injury-plagued campaign.

Yadier Molina pushed the lead to 5-3 with an RBI single in the eighth off reliever Adam Warren.

The Cubs are 7-2 on the road and have outscored their opponents by 43 runs this season, the largest differential in the majors.

Chicago manager Joe Maddon was pleased with the way his team battled back from 4-1 down to get to within one after the lengthy delay.

“I was really impressed with the way we went about our business,” Maddon said. “They were chirpy in the clubhouse the whole time.”

BREAKING OUT

St. Louis outfielder Stephen Piscotty broke out of an 0-for-10 slump with a double in the first inning.

TRYING TO CHANGE THE TREND

Chicago, which won two of three against St. Louis, is looking to capture the season series for the first time since 2010.

UP NEXT:

Cubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (3-0, 1.23) will open a four-game series at Cincinnati against LHP Brandon Finnegan (1-0, 2.04) on Thursday. Arrieta has recorded three straight quality starts to begin the season.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (0-2, 8.57) will kick off a three-game series at San Diego on Friday against RHP Andrew Cashner (0-1, 5.40). Wainwright is 6-2 lifetime against the Padres and has won his last three starts against them.

— Associated Press —