Sports – Page 679 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Cardinals sign OF Jon Jay to two-year contract

Posted on February 9, 2015

The St. Louis Cardinals announced Monday that they have reached agreement with outfielder Jon Jay on a two-year contract through 2016 and have thus avoided a salary arbitration hearing that was scheduled for next week. Jay was the last of the Cardinals arbitration-eligible players who were unsigned.

Drafted by the Cardinals in 2006, the left-handed hitting Jay owns a .295 career batting average over the past five seasons (2010-14), ranking 8th among all Major League outfielders in that time span. The 30-year old Miami native had a team-best .303 batting mark in 2014, falling just 34 plate appearances shy of qualifying among the league batting leaders. He continued his solid hitting by batting .483 during the postseason, the 2nd-highest single-season postseason batting average in MLB history.

In 2012, Jay became just the third Cardinals outfielder to play errorless ball over an entire season and he leads all Cardinals fly-chasers with his .995 fielding pct. since 2010. He posted a franchise-record 245-game errorless streak by an outfielder from Aug. 25, 2011 to July 29, 2013.

Jay, who debuted with St. Louis in 2010, was a member of the Cardinals 2011 World Championship team, collecting a key hit and scoring the tying run in the 10th inning of their memorable World Series Game 6 comeback.

— Cardinals Media Relations —

Little movement by KU and Wichita State in latest AP Poll

Posted on February 9, 2015

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Kentucky (65) 23-0 1,625
2 Virginia 21-1 1,518
3 Gonzaga 24-1 1,486
4 Duke 20-3 1,450
5 Wisconsin 21-2 1,385
6 Villanova 21-2 1,294
7 Arizona 20-3 1,185
8 Kansas 19-4 1,171
9 Louisville 19-4 1,120
10 Notre Dame 21-4 948
11 Utah 18-4 946
12 North Carolina 18-6 871
13 Northern Iowa 22-2 846
14 Iowa State 17-5 842
15 Wichita St 21-3 743
16 Baylor 18-5 694
17 Oklahoma 16-7 565
18 Butler 18-6 462
19 Maryland 19-5 347
20 Virginia Commonwealth 18-5 296
21 West Virginia 18-5 273
21 Oklahoma St 16-7 273
23 Ohio State 18-6 271
24 Arkansas 18-5 221
25 SMU 19-5 81

Others receiving votes: Iowa 38, Providence 26, Texas 25, Stephen F. Austin 22, Cincinnati 21, Murray St 20, Indiana 13, Rhode Island 12, Georgetown 9, Texas A&M 7, Temple 6, Old Dominion 3, Ole Miss 3, San Diego St 2, Harvard 2, Xavier 2, Valparaiso 1

Another Big 12 AD named to College Football Playoff Selection Committee

Posted on February 9, 2015

RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer

Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt has been appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee.

Hocutt will replace Oliver Luck, the former West Virginia athletic director who has moved to a position with the NCAA. Luck was the Big 12’s pick for the selection committee last season. Each of the five power conferences in FBS has one current athletic director on the 13-member committee.

Hocutt grew up in Sherman, Texas, and was a linebacker at Kansas State from 1991-94. He has previously been athletic director at Ohio University and Miami. He took over at Texas Tech in 2011.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby nominated Hocutt, and he was approved by the other commissioners who make up the playoff management committee.

Griffon baseball loses series finale at Harding

Posted on February 8, 2015

SEARCY, Ark. – The Missouri Western baseball team dropped the final game of their three-games series against Harding, losing 2-1 on a walk-off home run.

The Bison’s Alan Copeland made his only hit count on the day as he hit a walk-off two-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning to propel his team to victory.

The Griffons strong point was their pitching to limit the Bison to just eight hits. Banks Born pitched five strong innings and only allowed four hits.

Both teams offensively were kept silent until late in the game when Missouri Western scored the first run of the game.

In the top of the eighth inning, Ryan Degner led off the Griffons with a single to right center and Orencio Fisher reached on a fielder’s choice. David Glaude eventually loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. The Griffon’s Mitch Thorman batted in the first run of the game on a fielder’s choice, allowing Degner to score from third.

The Griffons fall to 3-4 overall this season and will be back in action against MIAA foe #6 Emporia State on Friday, February 20.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western softball splits on final day in Arkansas

Posted on February 8, 2015

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team’s bats played Jekyll and Hide in a split on day two at the Henderson State/Ouachita Baptist Ronnie Hawkins Memorial. Missouri Western plated 14 in a win against Arkansas-Monticello but mustered just one hit in an 8-0 loss to co-host Ouachita Baptist. The team now sits at 3-2 on the season.

Game 1: MWSU 14, Arkansas-Monticello 0 (5 innings)

The Griffons used a 12-run fourth inning to power themselves to a 14-0 win in five innings over Arkansas Monticello Sunday morning.

In their highest offensive output of the season, Missouri Western used just two home runs in the 14-run barrage. Coming into the game, MWSU had scored all but one run via the long ball, but in this one, the Griffons relied on two singles and a wild pitch to get things going.

An RBI single by Paige Shifflett in the first got the scoring going. Missouri Western added another in the first when Sydney Washington scored on a wild pitch. Shifflett drove in two more on a single to open the scoring in the fourth. Then MWSU got back to their 2015 ways. Kailey Green brought Washington and Shifflett in with a three-run shot to center in the fourth. One batter later, Shelbie Atwell cranked her first round tripper of the year to right center. The Griffons added five more in the inning on a pair of two RBI singles from Green and Tiffany Gillaspy and Morgan Rathmann scored on an error.

Green finished with a five RBI game, all coming in the fourth as she went 3-5. Gillaspy also had a three hit day, going 3-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. As a team, the Griffons had 16 hits and 12 RBIs. Shyanne Saladino picked up her second win of the season, going all five innings and allowing four hits, while walking two and striking out three.

Game 2: Ouachita Baptist 8, MWSU 0 (6 innings)

The Griffon bats struggled to wake up while Ouachita Baptist found the plate often in an 8-0 loss for MWSU.

Ouachita Baptist scored one in the first, added two in the second then jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a four-run fourth. Taylor Schaben replaced Janie Smith in the circle after OBU’s first two runs in the fourth. Smith went three innings and was charged with seven earned runs on 10 hits. Schaben was effective in her first pitching action of the season, going two and two thirds and striking out one, while allowing one unearned run.

At the plate, Missouri Western mustered just one hit and entered the seventh with one. Macy Nantz retired the first 11 Griffons she faced before Sydney Wasington singled in the fourth.

Missouri Western returns to The Natural State next weekend for six games in three days in the UAM 8-State Classic to be played in Bentonville, Arkansas.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Former KU men’s basketball player and legendary coach Dean Smith dies

Posted on February 8, 2015February 8, 2015

Former Kansas men’s basketball player and college coaching legend Dean Smith died Feb. 7 at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the University of North Carolina announced Saturday. Smith was 83 years old.

A native of Emporia, Kansas, Smith competed at Kansas from 1949-53 and was a part of the Jayhawks’ NCAA national championship team in 1952, under the guidance of head coach Dr. Forrest “Phog” Allen. Smith and the Jayhawks were national runners-up in 1953.

“There have been a lot of pillars in our profession over time,” current Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “Of course, we can think of one every day here in Dr. Allen, at Oklahoma State there is Mr. Iba, there’s been Pete Newell, Bob Knight, Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) – all have been huge pillars in our profession, but one of the most classy and innovative coaches that our sport has ever known was Coach Dean Smith. Coach Smith was a Kansan, growing up in Topeka, and part of the 1952 national championship team at Kansas. He carries great weight around here now and all the way back to his days here as a lot of his teammates are still here in town and think the world of him.

“Of course, I was connected with Coach (Larry) Brown, but from reading and hearing what everyone talks about what a great coach he is – but they talk more about what a great impact he had on their lives as a man and as a mentor,” Self continued. “It’s a huge loss to not only our basketball world, not only to the college game, not only to the fans that follow it but to society in general. Because he was an innovator and certainly set an example for people to follow not just as players, but for the people that he touched directly and indirectly. It’s a sad day.”

As a student-athlete at Kansas, Smith knew he would become a coach someday. KU All-American Clyde Lovellette said he would work closely with then-assistant coach Dick Harp on scouting Jayhawk opponents to contribute prepping the team for upcoming games.

“I thought of Dean as a man who wanted to know how to coach basketball,” Lovellette said. “As a player, he would take the team we were going to play and run the plays against us. He was very involved in the structure and the play the other teams to use us to combat what they were going to throw against us. He was a statistician. (Former Kansas head coach) Dick Harp and Dean worked very close together. Dick felt very comfortable about turning the other team against us. Dean was a great ball player. He really enjoyed basketball and I knew down the road that Dean was going to do well.”

Lovellette – and the rest of the country – certainly learned that to be true. After graduation from KU, Smith served as an assistant coach at Kansas under Allen for the 1953-54 season. He later went on to coach North Carolina basketball from 1961-97, winning two NCAA national championships, in 1982 and 1993, and the 1971 NIT title. When he retired, he was the winningest coach in college basketball history compiling an 879-254 record. His 879 victories while at UNC rank fourth on the NCAA Division I all-time list.

“I can remember Dean not only being on that 1952 national championship team, but my relationship with him goes back even further than that when he played high school basketball at Topeka High,” Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Max Falkenstien said. “I even broadcasted some of those games, so Dean and I have a long-standing relationship. He many times told me that, ‘My dad has a recording of you broadcasting my games at Topeka High and I’m going to give it to you. He received that because you made me sound so good.’ Dean had a great career, everybody knows that, but he had a strong feeling for Kansas despite of the fact that he spent over 40 years at North Carolina. I think he still realized that this is where his roots were from.”

Smith took North Carolina to 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and 11 Final Fours. His Tar Heels won 13 Atlantic Coast Conference championships and won either the ACC regular-season race or the postseason conference tournament 20 out of 27 years. He coached 32 all-conference players and 26 All-Americans while at UNC.

Smith was the coach of the 1976 U.S. Olympic squad that won the gold medal in Montreal, Canada, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. He is also a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith was in the inaugural class of the College Basketball Hall of Fame inducted in 2006.

In Nov. 2013, Smith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. The honor dates back to an executive order from former President John F. Kennedy establishing the award. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor.

— KU Sports Information —

Griffons upset MIAA co-leaders Lindenwood 67-58

Posted on February 8, 2015

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team snapped a two-game skid, knocking off MIAA co-leading Lindenwood, 67-58 Saturday in the fieldhouse.

MWSU built a 29-22 lead going to halftime on 42 percent shooting from the field. The Griffons would extend the lead to as many as 16 in the second half but had to hold off a comeback effort by Lindenwood. The Lions hit several key-three pointers in the second frame but MWSU answered each time to pull off the win and complete the first Men’s/Women’s sweep for MWSU since Dec. 18 against Northeastern State.

The Griffons were paced by Cortrez Colbert’s 23 points. Colbert added six rebounds. Cole Clearman finished with 13 points and five boards and Dareon Jones scored 11. Missouri Western held Lindenwood to 35 percent from the field. The Lions entered shooting 50 percent. MWSU was strong on the glass, outrebounding Lindenwood 40-31.

Missouri Western moved to 10-11 on the year and 6-8 in MIAA play. The take a week off before traveling to Missouri Southern on Feb. 14.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats hold off Lincoln for fourth consecutive victory

Posted on February 8, 2015

The Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team beat Lincoln University on Saturday afternoon in Bearcat Arena, 77-67.

The Bearcats improved to 17-5 on the year and 10-4 in MIAA play. Lincoln drops to 4-19 overall and 1-13 in conference action.

Conner Crooker had a game-high 21 points to lead Northwest. Crooker hit 7-of-11 field goals including three three-pointers to net his fifth 20+ point performance of the season. He also grabbed a team-high six rebounds while playing all 40 minutes.

In his first game since Jan. 17, Justin Pitts seemed to pick up right where he left off, scoring 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from long range and had a pair of assists, two rebounds and a steal.

Northwest shot 57.5 percent from the field (23-for-40) for the game to Lincoln’s 46.5 (20-for-43).

Lincoln committed 12 turnovers in the game but outrebounded the Bearcats, 24-23.

Northwest had 33 points off the bench to the Blue Tigers’ five. Despite giving up five offensive boards, the Bearcats did not allow any second chance points.

Northwest will host Missouri Southern on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Western women crush Lindenwood for third straight win

Posted on February 8, 2015

A dominant performance inside the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon gave the Missouri Western women’s basketball team their third straight win overall and fourth straight at home. Missouri Western downed Lindenwood for the second time in seven days with an 80-50 win.

Missouri Western is now 11-9 on the season and 6-8 in MIAA play after shooting 51 percent from the field and having two players eclipse 20 points.

LaQuinta Jefferson had a game-high 23 and Sarafina Handy tied her career-high with 20 points in her second straight game. Jefferson added six assists and Handy got her 20 points on six of eight shooting from the field, including going for of six from three-point range.

The Griffons take a week off before traveling to Joplin on Feb. 14 to take on Missouri Southern. The Griffons defeated the Lions, 61-56 on Jan. 24 in the fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri’s losing streak reaches nine as they get dominated by Texas A&M

Posted on February 8, 2015February 8, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Texas A&M guard Danuel House sensed his team held an advantage against Missouri long before the final buzzer Saturday.

“When they started warming up for the second half,” House said of the Tigers, “the guys didn’t look into the game.”

Although coach Billy Kennedy quickly disagreed with that assessment, the Aggies won 83-61 for their seventh victory in eight games and remained tied for second place in the Southeastern Conference.

Texas A&M (16-6, 7-3) shot 33 of 56 (58.9 percent) — including 19 of 27 in the second half — against Missouri and led by seven at halftime before gradually extending its advantage after the break. A 3-pointer by House with 13:46 remaining in the first half put the Aggies up for good.

House finished with 20 points while Jalen Jones added 16.

Wes Clark scored 15 points for Missouri (7-16, 1-9), which has lost nine consecutive games for the first time since the 1966-67 season, the last under coach Bob Vanatta before Norm Stewart started patrolling the Tigers’ bench.

“Losing is always tough,” Clark said. “Losing by five, losing by 20. It still counts as one loss. It just got rough for us. Things got a little ugly.”

House and Jones paced the Aggies to a 62-50 win over the Tigers at Reed Arena on Jan. 21, in which each scored 12 points after intermission. House started 4 of 4 from 3-point range Saturday, scoring 14 points before the break to lead Texas A&M to a 38-31 halftime lead.

He added six more points in the final 20 minutes, along with eight by Jones. The Aggies outscored Missouri 44-22 in the paint, and a layup by Alex Robinson with 11:26 left pushed the team’s lead to 15.

The Tigers would no closer than 12 the rest of the way, and watched Texas A&M end the game on a 6-0 run.

“When you get into the game, you’ve just got to take your time and knock shots down,” Jones said. “And that’s what we did tonight.”

Missouri played with eight scholarship players after the school announced before tipoff that freshmen guards Montaque Gill-Caesar and Namon Wright were suspended for a violation of team rules.

Fellow freshman guard Tramaine Isabell missed his third game for disciplinary reasons stemming from “unacceptable” behavior toward teammates and coaches, first-year coach Kim Anderson said Jan. 31.

The three have combined for 19.6 points per game this season. Their absence forced Clark and Keith Shamburger each to play 37 minutes, and both Anderson and Kennedy noticed the Tigers wearing out late in the game.

“We had a little fatigue at the end and it showed up,” Clark said.

The suspensions left Missouri with just four scholarship players who have not been suspended at one point this season — Keanau Post, Ryan Rosburg, Keith Shamburger and Johnathan Williams III.

—

TIP-INS

Texas A&M: Senior forward Kourtney Roberson added 13 points and five rebounds, the first of which broke a tie with Jeff Overhouse for 10th all-time in school history. Roberson needs 13 more to match Bryan Davis at 757. . Junior guard Alex Caruso had 11 assists.

Missouri: Despite their short bench, the Tigers avoided foul trouble and made 21 of 48 shots from the field (43.8 percent). Still, they haven’t won since defeating LSU 74-67 in overtime on Jan. 8. . Freshman forward Jakeenan Gant scored 10 points.

“I AM A TEACHER”

Without elaborating, Missouri coach Kim Anderson stressed that no matter his team’s record, he would discipline his players the same way. He called himself a teacher, and said he isn’t as focused on his team’s losing streak as he is mentoring his student-athletes.

“It’s really disappointing as a coach,” he said. “It’s obvious that winning basketball games is part of our job. But part of our job is to help these guys grow up.”

UP NEXT

Texas A&M returns to College Station to face Georgia on Wednesday.

Missouri travels to play South Carolina on Tuesday.

— Associated Press —