Sports – Page 633 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Kansas City drops two games to White Sox Sunday

Posted on April 26, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — David Robertson threw the first pitch of the afternoon and the last one. And the Chicago White Sox hoped it would go that way on one strange Sunday.

Robertson got a win and a save as the White Sox won a pair of games against the Kansas City Royals. The day began with Avisail Garcia’s two-out RBI single sending Chicago to a 3-2 victory in the resumption of a game suspended by rain on Friday night, and it concluded with the White Sox rallying for a 5-3 win.

“(Robertson) starting off the day like he did and then finishing it off, it was nice,” manager Robin Ventura said. “Good day when you get two wins in one day.”

The White Sox and Royals were tied at 2 when Friday night’s game was suspended by rain after eight innings. Robertson (2-0) was on the mound when they resumed, and the closer got three outs before Garcia drove in Melky Cabrera in the bottom half with his first career game-ending hit against Kelvin Herrera (0-1).

Robertson, who signed a $46 million, four-year contract with Chicago over the winter, then returned for the ninth inning of the second game and got Omar Infante to bounce out with two runners on for his third save.

“It’s not really any different than going out and having a little flat-ground and playing catch before the game and coming back in,” Robertson said. “You’re throwing a little bit harder obviously with more intensity out there on the field, but I was prepared for it and thankfully I didn’t end up throwing 30 or 40 pitches each inning.”

Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer for Kansas City, which won its first four games of the season against Chicago. Gordon, a four-time Gold Glove winner in left, also made a pair of nice defensive plays, including an outstanding leaping grab into the stands on Micah Johnson’s foul liner in the sixth.

“When I was going over I knew when I jumped I was going to jump in the stands,” Gordon said. “I kind of had an idea of where the fence was and how low it was. I just said I gotta make the catch here and that was it.”

Kansas City right-hander Edinson Volquez (2-2) was charged with one earned run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander pitched at least seven innings and allowed three runs or less in each of his first three starts.

The White Sox had just one hit and trailed 3-0 before they pushed across five runs in the sixth. Third baseman Mike Moustakas committed a costly error on Jose Abreu’s grounder, allowing Adam Eaton to score, and Conor Gillaspie put Chicago in front with a two-run single.

“It’s a play I need to make. Ninety-nine out of 100 times I make that play,” Moustakas said. “The one time I don’t make it they score five.”

John Danks (1-2) pitched six innings of three-run ball while improving to 8-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 18 career starts against Kansas City.

BACK IN ACTION

Chicago and Kansas City returned to the field for the first time since Major League Baseball handed down seven suspensions for Thursday night’s brawl in the series opener. The resumption of the suspended game and Saturday’s regularly scheduled matchup also were rained out.

“I think we got all our emotions out that night and I think it’s over and done with,” Kansas City outfielder Lorenzo Cain said.

CABRERA’S CATCH

Cabrera jumped against the fence in left to rob Eric Hosmer of extra bases for the final out of the eighth, earning a round of applause from Zach Duke as the reliever walked to the dugout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Asked if closer Greg Holland (strained right pectoral muscle) had been examined again, manager Ned Yost responded: “Unless he played catch in the hotel lobby yesterday, I don’t think he was reevaluated.”

White Sox: Albers said he tried to played catch, but there was “quite a bit of pain” when he threw the ball.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (1-1, 6.75 ERA) faces Indians ace Corey Kluber (0-2, 3.90 ERA) on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set at Cleveland.

White Sox: RHP Hector Noesi (0-2, 5.23 ERA) gets the ball when the White Sox open a three-game series at Baltimore on Monday night. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1, 2.30 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Orioles.

— Associated Press —

Western softball gets No. 4 seed in MIAA Tournament; open with Northwest

Posted on April 26, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team has landed the fourth seed in the MIAA Tournament after finishing the regular season 33-17 and 17-9 in the MIAA.

The defending tournament champions will face rival Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, April 30 at 6 p.m. to open tournament play. The double-elimination tournament will be played at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kansas.

This season, the Griffons went 3-1 against Northwest Missouri State. MWSU swept an MIAA doubleheader from the Bearcats in St. Joseph and split a non-conference doubleheader in Maryville.

The winner of Thursday’s game will advance to face the winner of top-seeded Central Missouri and eighth seeded Fort Hays State at 8 p.m., Thursday. The loser will face the loser of the Central Missouri, Fort Hays State game.

The games on Thursday will be broadcast on ESPN 1550 AM and here on StJosephPost.com.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcat softball ends regular season with sweep of Washburn

Posted on April 26, 2015

The Northwest Missouri State softball team picked up a pair of victories in the regular season finale against Washburn Sunday afternoon in Maryville.

The Bearcats used a pair of solo home runs and held off a late Ichabod rally to take game one, 3-2.

Northwest plated five runs in the second inning of game two and never looked back, taking the nightcap, 7-4.

The Bearcats improve their record to 24-22 overall and 16-10 in the conference, while Washburn dropped to 27-22 this season and 14-12 in the MIAA.

The twin bill was the final home game for Bearcat seniors Stephanie Mark, Paige Blythe, Abbie Vitosh and Lindsey Holt.

In game one, Sarah Baldwin earned her tenth victory this season after giving up just four hits in 6.2 innings pitched while striking out four Ichabod batters.

Senior Paige Blythe picked up the save after inducing a harmless ground ball to Chantel Adams at third for the final out.

Adams crushed her ninth home run of the season in her first at-bat, while Stephanie Mark had a solo home run of her own to lead off the fourth inning. Cassidy Lee singled and scored a run, and Rebecca Maher drove in her 33rd run this year with a single.

In game two, Kendle Schieber went the distance for the Bearcats, striking out eight after giving up five hits and just one walk. At the plate the junior finished 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.

Jessica Rawie collected two RBI on a pair of base hits, Abigail Gilson crushed a double down the left field line in her first at bat, driving in one run and ultimately coming around to score, and Chantel Adams scored a pair of runs after reaching base on a double and a walk.

Northwest Missouri State will travel to Overland Park, Kan. on Thursday, April 30 for the MIAA Tournament. The team will play two games on Thursday with the first round beginning at 6 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —

No. 14 Mizzou gets swept at 8th-ranked Vanderbilt

Posted on April 26, 2015April 26, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Mizzou baseball dropped its series finale at No. 8 Vanderbilt on Sunday at Hawkins Field. Vanderbilt scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past the Tigers, who stranded eight men on base and squandered a great outing from junior right Peter Fairbanks (St. Louis, Mo.), who scattered five hits over 6.1 innings with just two runs. He struck out four and walked just two.

Mizzou’s 3-4-5 hitters – Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.), Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga. – each tallied two hits with Lester clubbing his fourth homer of the season in the sixth inning. Mizzou left 27 runners on base in the three-game series. It is the first time Mizzou has been swept in SEC play this season.

Fairbanks was sensational through the first four innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, facing the minimum through four innings. Mizzou threatened to score in the fourth, putting runners on the corners with no outs but couldn’t get a run across. The Tigers then had two men on in the fifth and couldn’t capitalize. The Tigers stranded six runners through five innings.

Zander Wiel then got to Fairbanks in the fifth, launching a solo shot to left center on the first pitch Fairbanks threw in the frame, staking the Commodores to a 1-0 lead. He pitched out of the fifth, allowing just two hits through five, unfortunately one left the yard.

But as quick as Vanderbilt jumped on top, the Tigers tied the game. Just like Wiel did, Lester jumped on the first pitch that Buehler threw in the sixth for a solo homer over the bleachers in right field. It was his fourth homer of the season and it tied the game at 1-1. Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) then singled in the next at-bat, but the Tigers couldn’t get anything else going.

Mizzou took the lead on a two-out, RBI single by Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) who knocked in Jack Klages (St. Louis, Mo.) on a hard-hit ball back up the middle. Klages led off the frame with a single before advancing to third as he reached base in three plate appearances Sunday.

Vanderbilt then tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame after Faribanks put runners on second and third with just one out. Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) did a great job of pitching Mizzou out of that jam, getting the final two outs of the seventh inning, including a strikeout looking of Vandy catcher Karl Ellison to strand the go-ahead run at third base.

Mizzou then got into trouble in the eighth inning as a hit and an error on a sacrifice attempt put runners on the corners with no outs. Then, with the bases loaded, Dansby Swanson roped a Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) pitch off the wall in left for a two-run, go-ahead double. Vandy added another run on a two-out single by Will Toffey and took a 5-2 lead into the ninth. Mizzou went 1-2-3 in the ninth inning as Vandy completed the sweep.

Mizzou will look to snap its four-game losing streak Tuesday at No. 15 Missouri State. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Hammons Field.

— MU Sports Information —

Cardinals drop series finale at Milwaukee 6-3

Posted on April 26, 2015

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Adam Lind’s homer gave a quick boost to the Brewers’ struggling hitters. The runs that Mike Fiers kept off the board were just as important.

Lind hit a two-run shot and Milwaukee beat the St. Louis 6-3 Sunday for just their second victory in the last 12 games.

The Cardinals got 13 hits, but stranded a season-high 14 runners, including eight in the first three innings.

“The ball that Lind hit, that was huge for us,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “To get three points up there early and to have a lead, and to hit a home run to do it, which we haven’t had many of, so I thought that was huge to get us going.

Milwaukee, off to the worst start in team history, improved to 4-15. Every other team in the majors has at least six wins.

The Cardinals had won nine of 10. They headed back to St. Louis, where ace Adam Wainwright will have an MRI on Monday to see how long his injured Achilles and left ankle will sideline him — there is speculation he could miss the rest of the season.

“There’s nothing I can do about it, so might as well not be nervous about it or worried about it,” said Wainwright, wearing a protective boot on his left ankle. “Worry doesn’t do anybody any good.”

Mike Blazek (1-0) pitched two innings for the victory. Fiers gave up one earned run on nine hits and two walks in four-plus innings, pitching out of bases-loaded jams in the second and third.

“I had to battle today. I do not think a lot of things went my way,” said Fiers, who gave up two grand slams in his previous start. “I made some big pitches when it really mattered and got out of some tough innings with the bases loaded.”

The Brewers took a 3-0 lead in third off Lance Lynn (0-3), who was tagged for six runs on 10 hits in five innings.

Logan Schafer reached on infield single that bounced off the back of Lynn and Gerardo Parra tripled. Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward appeared to stumble on Parra’s hit and left the game with left groin tightness, and was listed as day to day.

Lind then hit his third homer.

“I didn’t get the job done, plain and simple. I’ve got to be better than that,” Lynn said. “It’s just get people out when it’s time to get them out and I wasn’t able to do it when I was supposed to today.”

The Cardinals got a run back in the fourth when Jon Jay, who replaced Heyward, singled with two outs. Jay moved up when Lind mishandled a pickoff throw and scored on Jhonny Peralta’s single.

Mark Reynolds, who played last season for Milwaukee, cut the lead to 3-2 with his first home run to lead off the fifth, chasing Fiers.

The Brewers scored three times in the bottom half on doubles by Parra, Khris Davis and Elian Herrera, and an RBI single by Hector Gomez.

Catcher Cody Stanley, called up from Triple-A Memphis to take Wainwright’s roster spot, made his major league debut as a pinch hitter to lead off the eighth and singled off Jonathan Broxton. He later scored on Matt Adams’ bases-loaded grounder.

“It was a good at-bat, too, against a good setup guy with good stuff,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “And, it was able to get us one run closer to where we needed to be. Just a good first day for him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: C Yadier Molina was out of the lineup for the second straight day as he recovers from getting hit by a foul tip on Friday. “He’s feeling better, even though we just need to go ahead and take at least another day,” Matheny said. “He can hit, he can run, but squatting is the major issue right now.”

Heyward said he felt something grab when he turned to make his throw after fielding Parra’s triple. “When I tried to throw the ball, that’s when I felt it. When I tried to set my back foot and throw, that’s when it grabbed.” Heyward said coming out of the game was precautionary and his availability on Monday would be up to the training staff.

Brewers: CF Carlos Gomez is getting closer to ready to play when he’s eligible to come off the 15-day DL. “(Gomez) was really good running bases yesterday,” Roenicke said. “He is taking flyballs. He is doing all the things I think he needs to do to be ready. We will just see where the timing is. He should be close.” Gomez went on the DL on April 16 with a strained right hamstring.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP John Lackey gets the start as the Cards return home for a four-game series against Philadelphia after a six-game road trip. He is 1-0 with a 4.34 ERA in three starts.

Brewers: Jimmy Nelson, 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA, will be making his fourth start to open a three-game series at Cincinnati. The 25-year-old right-hander has been one of the few bright spots this season, giving up no more than two runs in any start.

PERFECT TIME

Stanley didn’t have much time to spare after being told Saturday night that he was being called up. He said he arrived at the stadium at 11:30 a.m. with the game scheduled to start at 1:10 p.m. “Came to straight to the field, got dressed and went out,” he said. “It’s an indescribable feeling, for sure.”

— Associated Press —

Northwest men’s tennis wins MIAA Tournament Championship

Posted on April 26, 2015April 26, 2015

The Northwest Missouri State University men’s tennis team claimed the 2015 MIAA Tournament Championship on Sunday with a 5-0 victory over Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.

The win moves Northwest to 18-6 overall while UNK falls to 20-4.

Northwest, who won the outright MIAA regular season title, claimed its sixth-straight tournament title and remains the only MIAA team to win the postseason tournament.

Under head coach Mark Rosewell, the Northwest men have claimed 12 regular season titles and six tournament titles.

The Bearcats claimed all three doubles points in dramatic fashion. Both the No. 1 and No. 2 teams were down a break but made a comeback to win in tiebreakers.

Singles competition
1. #34 Boissinot,Romain (NW) vs. Wakim,Georges (UNK) unfinished
2. #43 Tete,Mauro (NW) vs. Richards,Joey (UNK) unfinished
3. Riveros,Alvaro (NW) vs. El Zanaty,Mohab (UNK) unfinished
4. Azzaoui,Hicham (NW) vs. Garces,Lucas (UNK) unfinished
5. Altmann,Josef (NW) def. Nicholson,Jack (UNK) 6-2, 6-0
6. Glowick,Fin (NW) def. Nguyen,Justin (UNK) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Boissinot,Romain/Riveros,Alvaro (NW) def. Wakim,Georges/Garces,Lucas (UNK) 9-8
2. Autones,Aymeric/Tete,Mauro (NW) def. Richards,Joey/El Zanaty,Mohab (UNK) 9-8
3. Glowick,Fin/Altmann,Josef (NW) def. Nicholson,Jack/Nguyen,Justin (UNK) 8-4

Northwest Missouri State will await the NCAA Division II Selection Show, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Western to poll board of Governors over Spratt Stadium

Posted on April 26, 2015April 24, 2015

Missouri Western sent out a public notification Friday afternoon regarding the polling of its Board of Governors on renovation to Spratt Stadium.

The board will be contact by telephone Monday at 3 p.m. to cast votes on on bids for the renovation of the stadium.

More than four months ago the board approved the selection of Ellison-Auxier LLC to provide architectural and design services on the Spratt Stadium project.

Improvements to Spratt will include moving the field, upgrades to general seating, a new video board, replacement and expansion of the existing press box to include up to 14 private suites, expanded restrooms and concessions, improvements to fan services and merchandising areas, improvements to the Stadium Club and the addition of meeting rooms and improvements to game day operation areas for coaches and the press.

The results of Monday’s poll will be ratified by the board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Griffon softball gets swept at home by No. 20 Emporia State

Posted on April 25, 2015

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western softball team had its offense stymied in a doubleheader sweep at the hands of No. 20 Emporia State in MWSU’s final regular season games of the season. Kaitlyn Caston won both games for Emporia State, holding MWSU to two runs and 11 hits on the day.

GAME 1: Emporia State 2, MWSU 1

All the scoring in game one came in the first frame as No. 20 Emporia State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one with a two-run home run from Danielle Sprinkle off Janie Smith.

The Griffons added one in the bottom half of the inning when Kailey Green grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Tiffany Gillaspy. Missouri Western got just four hits off Kaitlyn Caston in the game and stranded four runners on base. Katie Klosterman went 2-3 at the plate with Morgan Rathmann and Gillaspy picking up the other Griffon hits.

Smith was solid after the first, holding the Hornets to just those two runs on nine hits. She struck out seven and walked two. The loss dropped Smith to 16-9 on the season.

GAME 2: Emporia State 5, MWSU 1

Three unearned runs in the top of the fifth broke a scoreless tie and gave the Hornets the only runs they needed to complete the sweep.

With two already out in the top of the fifth an error by Griffon shortstop Shelbie Atwell kept Emporia State alive. The Hornets followed the error with two-straight RBI singles and a wild pitch allowed the third run of the inning to score. The Griffons had a chance to answer in the bottom half of the inning. Sydney Washington doubled with one out and Atwell followed with a single, then a stolen base to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Rebekah Mueller struck out to record the second out and Brooke Schaben ended the inning with a foul out.

MWSU threatened again in the bottom of the sixth but Caston was able to get out of it again. Emporia State scored their fourth and fifth runs of the game, all with two outs, when Caston hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

After the game, seniors Tiffany Gillaspy and Brooke Schaben were honored for their contributions to the Griffon Softball program. The team finished the regular season 33-17 overall and 17-9 in the MIAA. They will move on to play in the MIAA Tournament next weekend. Tournament play begins Thursday in Overland Park, Kansas.

No. 14 Missouri loses Saturday at 8th-ranked Vanderbilt 12-2

Posted on April 25, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Mizzou baseball dropped game two of its series at No. 8 Vanderbilt, 12-2, on Saturday afternoon (April 25) at Hawkins Field. Vanderbilt’s Philip Pfiefer struck out a career-high 13 Mizzou batters en-route to his third win of the season. Mizzou’s Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits, both season-highs for the freshman.

Junior Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and sophomore Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) each finished the game with two hits and senior Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.) tallied his second career homer in the fifth inning. Howard and Ivory had the team’s RBIs on Saturday. The loss is just Mizzou’s third on Saturday this season, dropping the Tigers to 12-3 on Saturdays. Mizzou is now 26-17 and 12-8 in SEC play. Vanderbilt moves to 32-12 and 14-6 in SEC play.

Houck cruised through the first two innings before getting into trouble in the third. He allowed a bunt single to catcher Jason Delay. He was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt and Ro Coleman then reached on a fielder’s choice to put a pair of men on ahead of a three-run homer by Rhett Wiseman, his second of the weekend. That gave Vanderbilt a 3-0 lead after three innings.

The Tigers looked primed to respond to the three-spot in the third, putting the first two runners on in the fourth. But strikeouts from Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) and a fielder’s choice by Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo.) got Vanderbilt out of the jam.

Mizzou got on the board in the fifth inning on Ivory’s second career homer, a shot over the right field wall. But Vanderbilt came right back in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a two-out RBI double by Dansby Swanson to regain a three-run cushion at 4-1.

Vanderbilt then came back and put up a crooked number in the sixth, extending the lead to 7-1 before Houck was lifted in favor of Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.). Mizzou added another run in the seventh on an RBI double by Howard and Lester nearly cut into the lead as he drove a pitch to the warning track with runners on second and third, but it was caught for out No. 3 to end the threat. Vandy added a run in the seventh inning and four more in the eighth on a grand slam by Zander Wiel. Mizzou then got nothing in the ninth.

Mizzou and Vanderbilt will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. at Hawkins Field. Peter Fairbanks (4-3, 2.48 ERA) will get the start for the Tigers against Vanderbilt’s Walker Buehler (3-1, 2.68 ERA).

— MU Sports Information —

No. 19 Northwest defeats Lindenwood to advance to MIAA men’s title championship

Posted on April 25, 2015April 25, 2015

The No. 19 ranked Northwest Missouri State men’s tennis team beat Lindenwood University, 5-0, on Saturday in the semifinal round of the MIAA Tournament at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.

Northwest moves to 17-6 on the year while Lindenwood drops to 6-14.

Singles competition
1. #34 Boissinot,Romain (NW) vs. Bogic,Filip (LWU) unfinished
2. #43 Tete,Mauro (NW) vs. Ysa,Yoshikazu (LWU) unfinished
3. Riveros,Alvaro (NW) vs. El Idrissi,Naoufal (LWU) unfinished
4. Azzaoui,Hicham (NW) vs. Rabenhorst,Johannes (LWU) unfinished
5. Altmann,Josef (NW) def. Bruenger,Nicholas (LWU) 6-3, 6-0
6. Glowick,Fin (NW) def. Bavrlic,Slobodan (LWU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Boissinot,Romain/Riveros,Alvaro (NW) def. Ysa,Yoshikazu/Rabenhorst,Johannes (LWU) 8-1
2. Autones,Aymeric/Tete,Mauro (NW) def. Bogic,Filip/El Idrissi,Naoufal (LWU) 9-8
3. Altmann,Josef/Glowick,Fin (NW) def. Bruenger,Nicholas/Bavrlic,Slobodan (LWU) 8-2

Northwest Missouri State will play for their sixth straight MIAA Tournament title Sunday at noon in Springfield, Mo. The Bearcats will face Nebraska-Kearney, who defeated Southwest Baptist, 5-0, in the other semifinal.

— Northwest Sports Information —