Sports – Page 471 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Northwest men’s tennis sweeps Ouachita Baptist

Posted on April 7, 2016

The No. 16 ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s tennis team swept No. 26 Ouachita Baptist, 9-0, on Thursday in Bolivar, Mo.

The Bearcats improved to 14-2 overall while the Tigers fall to 9-4.

Match Results
1. #49 Boissinot,Romain (NW) def. #47 Oliveira,Vitor (OBU) 3-6, 7-6, 10-7
2. Riveros,Alvaro (NW) def. Lonnemann,Lennart (OBU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Fontcuberta,Sergi (NW) def. Braciszewicz,Maciej (OBU) 6-3, 7-5
4. Tete,Mauro (NW) def. Carbo,David (OBU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Glowick,Fin (NW) def. Mechali,Jason (OBU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Autones,Aymeric (NW) def. Chab,Luis (OBU) 6-0, 6-1

1. Riveros,Alvaro/Fontcuberta,Sergi (NW) def. #18 Oliveira,Vitor/Chab,Luis (OBU) 8-3
2. Boissinot,Romain/Autones,Aymeric (NW) def. Lonnemann,Lennart/Carbo,David (OBU) 8-3
3. Tete,Mauro/Altmann,Josef (NW) def. Braciszewicz,Maciej/Mechali,Jason (OBU) 8-6

The Bearcat men return to action on Saturday against Midwestern State at 2 p.m. in either Bolivar, Mo., or Springfield, Mo. The Northwest women are home for a pair of MIAA matches this weekend starting with Central Oklahoma on Friday at 3 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri Western moves up to No. 18 in the latest NFCA softball top 25 poll

Posted on April 6, 2016April 6, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – After sweeping two doubleheaders over the weekend, the Missouri Western softball team is up four spots to No. 18 in the NFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.

The Griffons are 30-10 overall this season and 15-3 in the MIAA. They are second behind Pittsburg State in the league standings.

Western has won four in a row and 13 of its last 16 games. In six games last week, the team went 5-1 and hit 16 home runs. Six came from freshman Taylor Hamilton, who was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week.

After a Friday doubleheader with Missouri Southern, the Griffons host Pittsburg State this Saturday at noon. It will be senior day for Missouri Western as Janie Smith, Shyanne Saladino and Emilie Laliberte play their last home MIAA doubleheader.

Northwest Missouri State will visit Missouri Western next week for a non-conference doubleheader before the team closes the regular season with trips to Washburn and Emporia State. The MIAA Tournament will begin April 28. The tournament will be played in Oklahoma City this year.

— MWSU Athletics —

Cardinals get swept by Pittsburgh

Posted on April 6, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Juan Nicasio pitched six dominant innings in his Pittsburgh debut and Francisco Cevelli hit a two-run double as the Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Wednesday night to sweep an opening three-game series between the teams with the best regular-season records in the major leagues last year.

Nicasio gave up one run and two hits while striking out seven and walking none. Signed to a $3 million, one-year contract as a free agent in the offseason, Nicasio pitched 15 scoreless innings during spring training with 24 strikeouts.

Cervell’s two-run double capped a three-run fourth inning that pushed the Pirates’ lead to 4-0 and ended the Cardinals debut of Mike Leake (0-1), who signed an $80 million, five-year contract. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Mark Melancon retired the only batter he faced for his first save, getting Kolten Wong to hit into a forceout with runners on first and second.

— Associated Press —

Griffons get run-ruled by No. 11 Emporia State for third straight loss

Posted on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western baseball team dropped its third-straight game, 12-2 in seven innings to No. 11 Emporia State on Tuesday. The Griffons still claimed the season series with the Hornets, two games to one.

Defending MIAA Pitcher of the Week Richard Peoples was roughed up for seven runs on nine hits in three and a third innings. Peoples gave up six doubles and walked two while striking out one. Missouri Western had a 2-1 lead after three, but six Emporia State runs in the top of the fourth blew the game wide open. Weston Caindec entered in the fourth and gave up five more runs, just two earned in the final three and two thirds. The Missouri Western defense didn’t help its pitchers, committing four errors in the game.

Landon Mason extended his hitting streak to 16 games, going 3-4 at the plate with a run scored. Jeremy Alvarado was 2-3 at the plate, scoring the Griffons other run.

The Griffons (21-11, 13-8) now begin a long road swing that starts at Central Oklahoma for three games beginning April 8. The team will play seven-straight on the road before returning home for four-straight on April 19.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats lose at Nebraska-Kearney Tuesday

Posted on April 5, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Nebraska-Kearney, 11-7, on Tuesday night at Memorial Field in Kearney, Neb.

Northwest falls to 17-14 overall and 12-9 in conference play. The Lopers improved to 13-17 and 10-11 in MIAA action.

James Holler, who was named the MIAA’s Hitter of the Week earlier in the day, hit two home runs, his second and third blasts of the year.

The Bearcats hit a season-high three home runs in the game.

Northwest scored three runs in the first, one in the second, one in the seventh and two in the ninth. The Bearcats had seven runs on nine hits with two errors.

The Lopers scored 11 runs on 13 hits with no errors. UNK scored one in the first, six in the third, three in the fourth and one in the eighth.

Kevin Handzlik went 1-for-3 with a first inning three-run home run. He also drew a walk on the day.

Nick Gotta went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a run score, a stolen base and a double. He drew a walk in the first inning, his MIAA leading 33rd free pass of the year.

Aaron Barratt was 1-of-3 with a double and a walk.

Jake Lewis and Garrett Fort each went 1-for-4 on the day.

Derek Meyer was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Hondo Pearcy started but left the game with two outs in the first inning due to an injury.

Jimmy McElwain pitched 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed three hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out three Lopers.

Bryce Shea recorded 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Gotta and Adams each drew first inning walks and with two down, Handzlik made the Lopers pay. Swinging away on a 3-0 pitch, Handzlik deposited his first home run of the year over the right field fence on an opposite-field shot to give Northwest a 3-0 lead.

Holler led off both the second and seventh innings with leadoff home runs to deep right. Each long fly came on the third pitch he saw of each at bat.

McElwain needed just seven pitches to set the Lopers down in order in the sixth inning.

Meyer led off the ninth with a single to right and was pinch ran for by Zach Douglas. Barratt drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Gotta pulled an RBI double down the right field line to score Douglas. After an out, Adams grounded out to second to score Barratt and Gotta moved to third.

The Bearcats will head to Joplin, Mo., for a three-game MIAA series with Missouri Southern starting on Friday, April 8.

— Northwest Athletics —

Kansas City gets blanked by Mets 2-0 following ring ceremony

Posted on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard was amused when Kauffman Stadium’s sound system played “American Woman” as he trotted out to the mound for the first inning.

The standing-room only crowd of 39,782 drowned out the music with its boos.

Syndergaard silenced the fans with six dominant innings, Neil Walker hit his first home run for the Mets and New York beat Kansas City 2-0 Tuesday after the Royals were given their 2015 World Series rings.

Syndergaard (1-0) was the only pitcher to beat Kansas City in the World Series last year. The rookie won Game 3 after intentionally firing his first pitch above Alcides Escobar’s head, angering the Royals.

Escobar started this one with a triple, but then Syndergaard struck out the next three batters and retired 12 straight before Kendrys Morales’ double opened the fifth.

“That’s not the result I wanted, a leadoff triple, but I gained a lot of momentum after that,” said Syndergaard, who has long, blond hair that falls way below his baseball cap. “I just went about my game plan.”

Syndergaard allowed three hits, walked one and struck out nine.

Mets manager Terry Collins knew the right-hander would not be intimated by the surroundings.

“He’s not afraid. He’s 6-7, 250 pounds,” Collins said. “They don’t have much fear, those kind of guys.”

Last fall, Syndergaard said if the Royals had a problem with his purpose pitch to Escobar they were welcome to charge the mound. There was talk Kansas City would seek retribution during the season-opening interleague series, but no trouble ensued.

Syndergaard pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, striking out Morales on three swings.

“We had the bases loaded in the sixth and he threw Morales a 95, 93 and 93 mph slider that there is not a man on this earth I believe could hit any of those pitches,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I even asked George (Brett), `Do you think you could even foul any of those off?’ And he said, `No way.”

The Royals went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

The Mets acquired Walker in a December trade with Pittsburgh. He homered off Chris Young (0-1) in the fourth after Yoenis Cespedes walked. That was the first hit Young allowed.

“I tried to throw a fastball away, behind in the count 1-0,” Young said. “He put a good swing on it and that was the difference in the game. I got outpitched.”

Young was pulled after five innings and 93 pitches, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out four.

The Mets loaded the bases in the seventh on two walks and a single, but Luke Hochevar retired Cespedes on a fly ball to Escobar to end the threat.

Jeurys Familia, who blew all three save opportunities he had in the 2015 World Series, pitched a spotless ninth for his first save this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Greg Holland had Tommy John surgery last September and remains unsigned as a free agent, but he was back for the pregame World Series ring ceremony. He said he is throwing 60 feet in Arizona and hopes to sign with a club soon, although it is unlikely he will pitch this season. RHP Jason Frasor and OF Alex Rios, former Royals who were members of the 2015 team, were invited to the ring ceremony and both attended.

CONTIGENCY PLANS

With Mets RHP Jacob deGrom’s wife expecting a baby this week, he might be summoned to Florida for the birth and be unavailable to start the home opener Friday against the Phillies. Manager Terry Collins said they could start LHP Steven Matz or RHPs Matt Harvey or Bartolo Colon on Friday. Colon is penciled in for the Saturday start, while Harvey started the opener Sunday at Kansas City and would have his normal four days of rest.

METS SIGN CATCHER

The Mets signed C Rene Rivera to a minor league contract and assigned him to their Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate. Rivera, 32, has a .211 average with 20 home runs and 92 RBI over 334 major league games with the Mariners, Padres, Twins and Rays.

UP NEXT

Mets: As of now, deGrom is the probable starter for Friday after the club has two days off.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura draws an assignment Friday against the Twins.

— Associated Press —

Missouri baseball takes down Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 9-6

Posted on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou baseball (18-13, 2-7) jumped out to an early lead and never looked back on its way to a 9-6 victory over SIUE (4-21) on Tuesday (April 5). The team scored in each of the first four innings for the first time this season to build a 9-0 lead after four. Mizzou held on with solid defensive play to put away the Cougars.

Senior 1B Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo) drove in three of the first seven runs with a triple in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the third, giving him a team leading 29 RBI this year. Lavy now has a team-leading eight games with multiple RBI.

Freshman RHP Grant Macciocchi (West Chester Township, Oh) earned the win in his first career start and in his first career appearance on the mound for Mizzou. He pitched two innings allowing no runs, no hits and only one base runner. Macciocchi needed only 14 pitches, 11 strikes, to get through two innings.

Sophomore third baseman Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo) had an excellent game defensively, collecting a career-high five assists without committing an error. Benes made one of those assist ranging over to his left and throwing a strike to first to nab SIUE’s Brock Irwin in the fifth inning.

The Mizzou infield turned three double plays tonight for the second time this season. It was the third time this year that the team has turned three or more double plays in a single game. Mizzou turned a season high five against St. Louis University March 29 at Kauffman Stadium.

Senior LHP Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo) earned his second save of the season tonight, getting the final out on a three-pitch strikeout.

Mizzou welcomes Auburn of a three-game series beginning Thursday (April 7) at 6:30 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Western golf teams finish third, eighth at HSU Southern Bancorp Invite

Posted on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – Missouri Western Women’s Golf finished in third place at the Southern Bancorp Invitational, scoring a 638 in the two round tournament. Its Missouri Western’s fourth top-five finish as a team on the year. The tournament is being played on the Big Creek Country Club, measuring at a 5,892 yards – Par 72.

Shi Qing Ong finished the tournament with a 153 and finished in sole possession of fifth place individually. Ong now has four top-five finishes this year in eight events. Madison Romjue also had a solid weekend, scoring a 155 over the two rounds of golf. She finished in eight place for the tournament. Sophomore Celine Lim finished tied for 23rd with a 162.

The Griffons finished behind Central Oklahoma for second place and the team champion was Arkansas Tech with a team score of 598.

Caroline Fredensborg of Arkansas Tech won the individual title with a 142 score.

The Griffons will be back in action next weekend in Springfield, Missouri as they will play at the Rivercut Golf Course.

The Missouri Western men’s golf team finished in eighth place at the HSU Southern Bancorp Invitational with a team score of 637 over the two rounds of golf. The tournament was played at the Big Creek Country Club, measuring 7,235 yards – Par 72.

Ryan Hand recorded his third top-10 finish of the year, firing a 150 during the tournament. He finished tied for seventh individually in the tournament. Jakob Rudosky was tied for 30th in the individual standings, reporting a 160 in his two rounds of golf. Senior Corey Knight finished with a 161 and in 32nd place.

MWSU finished eight strokes behind Southwest Baptist for seventh place and 10 strokes behind John Brown for sixth place. Host Henderson State won the tournament, scoring a 583 team score.

Mauricio Lira of Henderson State finished with a score of 141 to win the individual title.

The Griffons are back in action next weekend, traveling to Southwest Baptist and playing at the Sioloridge Golf Course starting on Monday, April 11th.

— MWSU Athletics —

Cardinals fall to Pittsburgh in 11 innings

Posted on April 5, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jordy Mercer singled home Gregory Polanco from second base with one out in the 11th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Polanco, who agreed to a $35 million, five-year contract earlier in the day, drew a walk from Seth Maness (0-1) with one out and made it to second on Josh Harrison’s infield single. Mercer slapped a single to right for his fourth career game-ending hit.

Kyle Lobstein (1-0) pitched two innings of relief for the win. Andrew McCutchen had three hits for Pittsburgh. Mercer, Harrison and David Freese had two hits each.

Jedd Gyorko hit his first home run for St. Louis. Stephen Piscotty went 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Cardinals relievers retired 18 straight batters before Polanco’s walk started the winning rally.

Pittsburgh left-hander Jon Niese, acquired in an offseason trade with the New York Mets for popular second baseman Neil Walker, labored through five innings in his first start in a color other than blue and orange.

Niese gave up five runs, four earned, and five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. The defense behind him didn’t help.

Polanco took a wide route on Piscotty’s shot to the gap in the fifth that turned into a triple, and Piscotty scored as Mercer threw wide to first on a grounder to shortstop by Matt Holliday, putting the Cardinals up 5-3

St. Louis starter Michael Wacha, who won his first seven decisions in 2015 en route to his first All-Star appearance, struggled with his curveball and Pittsburgh pounced. Wacha gave up five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings, leaving after four straight Pirates reached.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: St. Louis placed outfielder Tommy Pham on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain he aggravated in Sunday’s opener. … Backup catcher Brayan Pena underwent surgery to repair loose cartilage in his left knee. Pena is expected to be out a month.

Pirates: Gerrit Cole’s bumpy spring training appears to be behind him. The All-Star will make his first start of 2016 on Saturday in Cincinnati. Pittsburgh brought its ace along slowly after Cole dealt with rib issues in January.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Mike Leake will make his debut with St. Louis on Wednesday when the series wraps up. St. Louis signed Leake to a five-year, $80 million deal last December. The 28-year-old went 11-10 with a 3.70 ERA last season for Cincinnati and San Francisco. Leake is 8-3 with a 3.01 ERA in 24 career starts against the Pirates. He’s won his last seven decisions against Pittsburgh dating to Sept. 11, 2012.

Pirates: Juan Nicasio hopes to build off his impressive spring when he makes his first start for Pittsburgh. Nicasio beat out veteran Ryan Vogelsong for the final spot in Pittsburgh’s starting rotation after pitching 15 shutout innings in Grapefruit League play. The 29-year-old is 21-20 with a 5.12 ERA as a starter. He went 1/3 with a 3.86 ERA while working out of the bullpen in 2015 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

— Associated Press —

MWSU’s Hamilton named MIAA softball Hitter of the Week

Posted on April 5, 2016April 5, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – An unforgettable week for Missouri Western softball player Taylor Hamilton has earned the freshman designated player MIAA Hitter of the Week honors.

The Cameron native slugged six home runs last week and hit .522 while piling up 17 RBIs as her team went 5-1. She hit walk-off home runs in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader with Fort Hays State. She had two, two-home run games on the week and started two back-to-back-to-back home run performances for the Griffons.

On Tuesday at Northwest Missouri State, Hamilton kicked off the first of three straight home runs that erased a five-run deficit with two out in the top of the seventh. She kicked off another three-straight home run rally in the fifth inning of game two against Fort Hays State. Her seven RBIs in that game tied a Missouri Western record set by Shelbie Atwell earlier this year. Hamilton slugged 1.348 on the week with 12 hits and 31 total bases. She also scored seven runs for the Griffons.

On the season, Hamilton is batting .372 with nine home runs and a team-high 45 RBIs. She’s also drawn a team-high 21 walks.

— MWSU Athletics —