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Category: Sports

Royals make three moves Thursday

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riggertRoyalsThe Kansas City Royals announced Thursday that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with left-handed pitcher Tim Collins for the 2014 season, avoiding arbitration.

The 24-year-old Collins spent his third full season in the Major Leagues in 2013, going 3-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 66 appearances out of the bullpen.  His 66 relief appearances ranked second on the Royals, behind only closer Greg Holland’s 68.  The 5-foot-7 lefty recorded 52 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of work, giving him 205 K’s with the Royals, which ranks ninth all-time among Kansas City relief pitchers.  Collins is 12-14 with a 3.51 ERA in 206 appearances at the big league level.

Kansas City also signed pitcher Guillermo Mota to a minor league contract for the 2014 season, which includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training, which opens on Friday, February 14 in Surprise, AZ, when pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report.

Mota, 40, last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2012 with the San Francisco Giants.  He made 26 relief appearances for San Francisco that season, going 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA, recording 24 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.  The right-handed reliever began his career in 1999 with the Montreal Expos and has pitched for six other organizations: Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-04, 2009), Florida (2004-05), Cleveland (2006) New York Mets (2006-07), Milwaukee (2008) and San Francisco (2010-12).  He is 39-45 in 743 appearances (all in relief) with a 3.94 ERA.  Since 1999, only five other pitchers have made more relief appearances than Mota.

And the Royals also signed two-time All-Star pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league contract for the 2014 season, which includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Penny, 35, is a two-time All-Star (2006-07) with the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning 16 games in each season.  He led the National League in winning percentage in 2007 (.800), going 16-4 with a 3.03 ERA (70 ER in 208.0 innings).  The right-handed hurler last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2012, with the San Francisco Giants, going 0-1 with a 6.16 ERA in 22 appearances out of the bullpen.  Penny has pitched in 13 Major League seasons, spending time with Florida (2000-04), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2004-08), Boston (2009), San Francisco (2009, 2012), St. Louis (2010) and Detroit (2011).  He was originally a fifth round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 1996 draft.  The veteran pitcher has helped three different teams reach the postseason, including in 2003 when he was a member of the World Champion Marlins’ starting rotation.  Penny went 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA in two World Series starts that season against the Yankees.

— Royals Media Relations —

Griffons struggle late and fall on the road against Central Missouri

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MWSUThe Missouri Western men’s basketball team lost their third straight game as they fell on the road Wednesday at Central Missouri, 81-63. The Griffons got outscored 21-7 in the final 5:09 of the game dropping the Griffons to 7-9 overall and 2-6 in MIAA play.

Despite being undersized the Griffons hung in with Central Missouri going into the half down just four at 36-32. The most the Griffons trailed by during the first half was six points. The Mules opened up a five point lead at 11-6 after a Jordan Epps three with 15:36 to play in the half. Kalvin Balque gave the Griffons a spark off the bench making back-to-back three’s cutting the Mule lead to 18-17 with 10:33 to play in the half. The Griffons continued to play well tying the score at 21 after a layup by Charlie Marquardt with 8:10 to play.

The rest of the half the Mules would go inside to claiming the four point half time lead. The Mules dominated the points in the paint outscoring the Griffons 22-8. They also outrebounded the Griffons 25-18 which included 10-2 on the offensive end of the floor.

The Griffons shot just 40.7-percent (11-27) from the field but did make 5-of-9 long range shots and 5-of-6 free throws. Cortrez Colbert had four points and five rebounds in the half while Devers had three rebounds and three assists. For the first time since the Central Oklahoma game on December 21 the Griffons trailed in the turnover margin at half. They turned the ball over seven times to the Mules two.

The Mules were led by Dillon Deck with 11 points and nine rebounds while Charles Hammork had 10 points and two assists. The Mules shot just 38.5-percent (13-39) from the field and 25-percent (3-12) from long range.

The Mules opened up the second half going on a 15-6 run opening their biggest lead of the night at 51-38 after a Ryan Magdziarz three pointer. The Griffons continued to play hard and back-to-back three’s by Cortrez Colbert and Balque helped the Griffons cut the Mule lead to 55-50 with 8:39 to play.

The game stayed close and with 5:09 to play the Griffons trailed by just one at 60-56. Two Magdziarz long range shots extended the Mule lead to 10 which ended any chance at the Griffons upset. The Mules improve to 14-3 overall and 6-2 in MIAA play.

On the night the Griffons shot 43.8-percent (21-48) from the field and long range (7-16). The Griffons also shot the ball well from the free throw line making 14-of-20. Ryan Devers led the Griffons with 16 points and six rebounds while Balque finished with 15 points. Colbert had 13 points and six rebounds.

The Griffons got outscored 38-18 in the paint and 14-2 in points off turnovers. The Griffons got out rebounded 42-26 and 13-3 on the offensive end of the floor. The Mules scored 13 second chance points.

The Mules had four players score in double figures with Deck and Hammork each had 20. Deck also had 12 rebounds. Magdziarz had 17 points while Daylen Robinson pitched in 11.

Missouri Western returns to action on Saturday, January 18 with a home contest against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Game time is set for 1:30 pm in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Western women come up short at No. 8 Central Missouri, 71-65

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MWSUThe Missouri Western women’s basketball team played another solid game on the road but fell 71-65 against the 8th ranked Central Missouri Jennies. The Griffons were led by Quenisha Lockett with a double double scoring 15 points and snaring 10 rebounds. The Griffons fall to 5-9 overall and 1-7 in league play.

Missouri Western got 10 first half points and 6 rebounds from Quenisha Lockett going into the half down seven at 31-24. The Griffons turned the ball over 10 times which led to 13 Central Missouri points. The Jennies jumped all over the Griffons in the first four minutes of the game taking a 12-2 lead after a Revonnia Howard layup with 16:00 minutes to play. The Griffons hung in there going on a 8-2 run cutting the UCM lead to 14-10 with 14:25 to play after a JaQuitta Dever layup.

The two teams played played the rest of the half with the Griffons getting as close at two at 20-18 after a Sharniece Lewis layup with 7:52 to play. The final eight minutes the Jennies outscored the Griffons 11-6 taking the seven point lead into the half. The Griffons shot 37.9-percent (11-29) from the field and outrebounded UCM 22-16. The Jennies were led by Howard with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The Jennies mad 5-of-9 free throws and 12-of-30 field goals.

The Griffons came out of the half outscoring the Jennies 8-2 cutting the UCM lead to 33-32 after a three point play by Lanicia Lawrence with 17:11 to play in the game. The Jennies responded in the next five minutes going on 12-4 run taking a 45-36 lead with 12:34 to play.

Missouri Western continued to play hard cutting the lead to five with 8:46 to play after a Tiffanie Abrams layup. UCM expanded its lead to as many as 11 down the stretch but two three pointers by S. Lewis made things interesting. Here second three cut the UCM lead to 69-63 with under a minute to play. Unfortunately the Griffons did not get any closer than five the rest of the way.

The Griffons shot 42.9-percent (27-63) from the field but made just 7-of-15 free throws and 4-of-15 three pointers. JaQuitta Dever and Lewis finished with 14 and 11 points while Abrams and Lawrence both had seven.

The Jennies improve to 13-2 overall and 7-1 in MIAA play. They had three players score in double figures with Howard finishing with a game high 23 points while Keuna Flax and Shelby Winkelmann had 16 and 12 respectively.

Missouri Western returns to action on Saturday, January 18 with a home contest against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Game time is set for 1:30 pm in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Kansas State rallies to defeat No. 25 Oklahoma

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KSUMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Marcus Foster scored 18 points, Nino Williams made four clinching free throws in the closing seconds and Kansas State held on to beat No. 25 Oklahoma 72-66 on Tuesday night.

Shane Southwell added 16 points for the Wildcats (13-4, 3-1 Big 12), who rallied from a 62-56 deficit with just over 5 minutes to play to turn back the streaking Sooners.

Ryan Spangler had a career-high 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Buddy Hield scored 12 points for Oklahoma (13-4, 2-2), but it wasn’t enough to offset a lousy night by Cameron Clark.

The Big 12’s leading scorer, Clark was held to two points on 1-for-9 shooting. He was stripped of the ball with 24.5 seconds left and the Sooners trailing 67-64.

The turnover forced Oklahoma to foul, and Williams made both free throws. Je’lon Hornbeak missed a 3-pointer at the other end and the Sooners fouled Williams, and again he knocked down both foul shots to help seal the game.

Wesley Iwundu added 11 points for Kansas State while Williams and Will Spradling finished with 10 points apiece.

The Sooners, the highest scoring team in the Big 12, got the up-and-down game they wanted in the first half. The only problem was that Kansas State, which tends to struggle offensively but is the league’s best on defense, was knocking down shots from all over the court.

The Wildcats hit 3-pointers on five straight trips midway through the first half. Foster had the first three, thumping his chest on his way back to the bench after the last of them.

Kansas State eventually pushed its lead to 28-19 on Iwundu’s 3-pointer before the Sooners started to find some success in the paint. Isaiah Cousins’ driving layup started an 18-5 run over the next 7 minutes, capped by Hield’s basket for a 37-33 lead.

The Wildcats answered with a 3 by Southwell, and Spradling was fouled just before the halftime buzzer and made three free throws to give Kansas State a 39-38 lead.

Oklahoma slowly took control in the second half as the Wildcats cooled off. Spangler’s three-point play with 6 1/2 minutes left gave the Sooners a 58-56 lead, and a breezy jumper by Cousins from just inside the 3-point arc extended the lead with about 5 minutes to play.

Once more, Kansas State clawed right back.

Big man Thomas Gipson stuck back a miss by Southwell for his first field goal with 2:59 left in the game to knot it 63-all. Foster then buried a 3-pointer from right in front of Kansas State coach Bruce Weber to give the Wildcats a 66-63 lead.

They managed to hold onto the lead through a tense closing stretch.

— Associated Press —

Ex-Cardinal Jack Clark wants Pujols’ suit tossed

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Court(AP) — Former Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark is asking a court to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed against him by fellow former St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols.

The lawsuit followed comments Clark made on his St. Louis radio show in August. Clark said he knew for a fact that Pujols “was a juicer.” Pujols has vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

WGNU radio has canceled the radio show hosted by Clark and Kevin Slaten, and the station’s owner broadcast a lengthy apology and posted similarly contrite statements on its website.

Pujols’ lawsuit was filed in October. It names Clark but does not name the radio station or Slaten.

In a court motion filed Monday, Clark argued that the lawsuit fails to make the case that Pujols was defamed.

 

Financing plan for baseball team approved

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Joe Becker Stadium
Joe Becker Stadium

(AP) — The Joplin City Council has chosen a $4 million financing package to lure an independent baseball team from El Paso, Texas.

The plan approved Monday by the council would require the city to take on $1.8 million in debt as its part of a project to renovate and improve Joe Becker Stadium, which would be the home of the former El Paso Diablos.

The city is negotiating with WLD Suarez Baseball, investors in the El Paso franchise from the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which includes the Wichita Wingnuts and Kansas City T-Bones.

City Manager Mark Rohr said the $1.8 million in debt could be repaid by leasing the stadium to the baseball group for $150,000 a year, and the city could also borrow money specifically for stadium renovation.

Other aspects of the deal would require Joplin to sell land it owns next to the stadium to the Suarez group and use funds from a cellphone settlement, a surplus in the Convention and Visitors Bureau fund and the fund the city uses to pay its workers’ compensation costs.

The proposal raised some concerns from the council.

“My major concern is that the Suarez group needs to demonstrate to us that they have the funds to do their part,” Councilman Benjamin Rosenberg said.

He said the Suarez partners should be required to provide a letter of credit or some other proof that they have the money to cover their share of the investment. Rohr said city officials are working on a performance agreement between the city and the Suarez group that would include that information.

Mayor Pro Tem Bill Scearce said he is concerned whether Suarez can sustain professional baseball for 20 years, which is the term of the agreement.

Rohr estimated the city would realize the return of its $4 million investment in less than five years.

The council could take final action on the baseball proposal at its Feb. 18 meeting.

Bearcats roll past Northeastern State; have best record in MIAA

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NWMSUStudents returned from Christmas break so the Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team decided to entertain its peers with an upper-level brand of ball that Northeastern State was not prepared to deal with.

Northwest made the RiverHawks look like they went into 600-level course with basketball 101-skills.

What was supposed to have been an early-season, first-place showdown turned into an easy 85-65 rout by Northwest Monday night at Bearcat Arena.

“It definitely feels good to be playing in front of a lot of people and your fellow students and they are pretty loud,” said sophomore Conner Crooker, who finished with a game-high 20 points. “It definitely changes the environment of the game and gives us home court advantage.”

The Bearcats improved to 11-5 overall and 6-1 in the MIAA. Northeastern dropped to 10-4 and 5-2.

Much of the first half, the game was as close as the records indicated it would be. But the Bearcats got hot at the end.

Northwest finished the first half strong. The game was tied 24-24 when Northwest went on a 9-0 run and took a 33-24 lead into halftime.

Cooper made four free throws during the run and freshman Zach Schneider also hit a three-pointer.

“I think the first half we were getting the same shots as the second half, but just weren’t knocking them down,” said Schneider, who finished with 19 points. “We started making the run when we were hitting open shots.”

The first 10 minutes of the second half was basketball at its best for Northwest. It was beautiful, the way the game is meant to be played.

Northwest made the extra pass that led to wide open shots inside and out.

The blowout began with an inside bucket by Dillon Starzl that gave the Bearcats a 36-25 lead. A minute later, sophomore Connor Crooker took advantage of a nice pass and drained a three-pointer to make it 39-25.

After a three-point play by Northeastern, Crooker drilled another three-pointer.

The two teams traded points over the next few minutes and then the Bearcats exploded offensively. They were scoring points in every manner.

The capper came with 13 minutes left when Crooker drove to the hole, passed it to Matt Wallace, who then slipped a pass to Grant Cozad, who laid it in to give Northwest a 57-35 lead.

“That is when we are at our best when we get the ball moving,” said Cozad, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds.

With the big lead, Northwest never let up. The Bearcats kept fighting for offensive rebounds and attacking the basket. It was an amazing performance by the Bearcats.

“We did play pretty well, but I think we can always improve,” Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. “The coach in me says that we can. There were some missed layups and a few turnovers and a few missed rotations.

“For the most part, we played at a high level. Our energy was good. Our concentration was good. We were into the game. It was just a good game.”

There was not much to say about the play of Northeastern. And because this is a website devoted to focusing on the positive aspects of collegiate athletics, no comments will be made about the nearly all black jersey of the RiverHawks.

The Bearcats deserved all the attention Monday night. They shot 60 percent from the field in the second half. Overall, Northwest was 11 for 23 from three-point range.

It was a dominating performance as five Bearcats scored in double figures.

“We have the potential to be a great team,” Cozad said. “We have to find that chemistry with each other. We have it. We show great moments sometimes. We have to keep it consistent.”

— Northwest Sports Information —

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