By DAVE RIGGERT
St. Joseph Post
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their third practice of training camp Monday morning at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. It was their first practice in full pads and head coach Andy Reid, wide receiver Sammy Watkins and defensive end Frank Clark spoke to the media afterwards.
CHARLEVOIX, Mich. – After just claiming the NCAA Division II individual national title in the 1,500-meter run this past May, former FHSU Track and Field athlete Brett Meyer broke the 4-minute barrier in a mile run for the second-straight summer by winning the Ryan Shay Mile in Charlevoix, Michigan on Saturday, July 27. This time he broke the 4-minute mark on a flat, straight road course instead of the traditional of a traditional track and field venue.
Meyer won the race in a time of 3:58.18, edging Craig Huffer at the tape by 0.4 seconds. He was one of three runners in the race to break the 4-minute mark. In May of 2018 in St. Louis, Meyer ran a time of 3:59.77 at the Festival of Miles, which was the first time he broke the 4-minute mark in the mile.
Meyer was a six-time All-America performer in track and field for Fort Hays State. He will be an assistant coach on Jason McCullough’s staff for both cross country and track and field starting in the fall of 2019.
— FHSU Athletics
WICHITA – Chase Gibson laced a two-out, two-run double into left field off reliever Carlos Tevera in the top of the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie and lift the Great Bend Bat Cats to a 5-4 victory over the Hays Larks Sunday night at the NBC World Series at Eck Stadium.
Jerrod Belbin hit a triple to lead off the bottom of the ninth and scored on Griffon Everitt’s sacrifice fly to deep center field to pull the Larks (33-11) within a run, but Jimmy DeLeon lined out to the shortstop and Grant Lung grounded out to second base to end the game.
The Larks closed out first week pool play 1-1 and now needs Great Bend to beat the Waco (TX) Missions Monday to advance to bracket play on Tuesday.
Frank Leo Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Bat Cats (23-15) struck first with two runs in the third. Following a lead off error by second baseman Grant Lung and a hit batter, Ryan Monson hit a run-scoring double and Duante Freeman drove in a run on a ground out.
The Larks scored three in the fourth to take the lead. Alex Strachen, George Sutherland and Mikey Gangwish all singled to start the inning. Following a Max McGuire popup, Jerrod Belbin, who finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple, cleared the bases with a three-run double.
Dawson Pomeroy doubled in the fifth for Great Bend to tie the game 3-3.
The Larks had a chance to take the lead in the eighth when pinch hitter Enzo Bonventre led of the inning with a double but punch runner Griffin Everitt never advanced any further after Jimmy DeLeon hit a fly out to right, Wyatt Divis popped up to left field and Alex Strachen lined out to shortstop.
Drew Marrufo (1-2) worked a 1-2-3 eighth but walked two of the first three batters in the ninth and suffered the loss. Tavera got Tyson Cheatum to fly to right field for the second out before Gibson lined a 2-2 fastball for what proved to be the winning runs.
Rustin Hays made the start for the Larks and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Nash Neff struck out four and walked three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Trevor Munsch struck out five in 1 2/3 innings.
Tanner Howe (5-2) pitched two scoreless innings of relief and picked up the win in relief for the Bat Cats. Starter Jarrett Seaton allowed three runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and now walks over the first seven innings.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — In a startling scene, Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer suddenly heaved the ball from just past the mound over the center field wall while being taken out of the game Sunday in a 9-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
It was not clear whether Bauer was upset with his performance or that manager Terry Francona was pulling him. An All-Star last year, Bauer (9-8) had just allowed a two-run single to Nicky Lopez that gave the Royals a 7-5 lead with one out in the fifth inning.
When Francona emerged from the dugout, Bauer turned, took a couple steps and fired the ball over the 410-foot mark.
Bauer, whose quirky pregame routine includes a lot of long toss, put that practice to use as he let fly. Shortstop Francisco Lindor incredulously watched while second baseman Mike Freeman flinched as Bauer wound up. Rookie center fielder Oscar Mercado had his back turned and was looking at the wall when he saw the ball land, and quickly spun around, trying to figure out what happened.
As Francona reached the mound, he and Bauer appeared to exchange words. Francona pointed Bauer toward the dugout, then followed closely behind him. They both disappeared into the tunnel. They later emerged, separate but both fuming.
Danny Duffy (5-5) picked up the win, though he was hardly stellar. He allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in six innings. Duffy had lost 10 straight decisions to the Indians, dating to May 6, 2015, the most consecutive starts and decisions lost by a Royals pitcher against any opponent.
Trailing 5-3 coming into the inning, the Royals chased Bauer after Lopez’s hit put KC ahead. Ryan O’Hearn, Cheslor Cuthbert and Meibrys Viloria also had RBIs in the inning.
Almost a mirror image of Saturday, the Indians jumped on the Royals starter Sunday as well. Duffy gave up singles to Francisco Lindor and Mercado to start the first. Carlos Santana, back after a couple of days off with shoulder tightness, hit a drive that got up in the wind and carried into the Cleveland bullpen for a three-run homer. On Saturday, it was a grand slam before the first out was made.
UP NEXT
Indians: Following an off-day on Monday, RHP Shane Bieber (10-3, 3.44 ERA) will face RHP Justin Verlander (13-4, 2.86 ERA) as the Houston Astros start a three-game series in Cleveland. Bieber threw his second shutout of the season and his career, blanking the Blue Jays in his last outing.
Royals: RHP Brad Keller (7-9, 3.95 ERA) will face Toronto’s Thomas Pannone (2-4, 6.39 ERA) as the Blue Jays and Royals open a three-game series in Kansas City. Keller is riding a career-best four-game winning streak. He defeated the Atlanta Braves with seven shutout innings in his last outing.
WICHITA – Nick Goza threw seven shutout innings and the Larks made a couple of first inning runs stand up as they beat the Waco (TX) Missions 4-0 on the first day of the 85th National Baseball Congress World Series at Eck Stadium.
The Larks improve to 33-10 on the season and will close out First Week pool play in Sunday’s feature game at 7 p.m. You can hear the game on KAYS (94.3-FM, 1400-AM) and the KAYS app.
Frank Leo Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Goza, who was one of nine players added to the Larks depleted roster following the KCLB Post-Season Tournament, struck out six without issuing a walk while scattering three singles. It was Goza’s 20th career win in a Larks uniform after playing four seasons with the team from 2011-2015.
Ryan Ruder struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth. Chris Rodriguez, who played for the Boulder Collegians during the regular season, got the final three outs in the ninth.
George Sutherland drove in Jimmy DeLeon and Grand Lung with a single in the first inning. Lung’s base hit to center in the second drove in Jarrod Belbin to push the lead to 3-0. It would stay that way until the sixth when DeLeon singled home Taylor Daniell who reached earlier in the inning on an infield single.
The Missions best scoring chance came in the fourth when Cullen Mahew singled to start the inning and Jeremy Jackson was hit by a pitch. The Larks forced out Jackson at second on Chris Harrison’s ground ball to DeLeon. Th shortstop then snagged a grounder up the middle to just throw out Jack Ayedolette to end the inning.
HAYS – The Hays Eagles Senior American Legion baseball team will open the state American Legion tournament on Wednesday against the winner of the Ottawa zone at 8:15 at Larks Park in Hays.
The Eagles, who qualified for state as the host city and winners of the Great Bend zone are joined in pool play by the winner of zone three in Ottawa, Emporia and Great Bend.
They are set to wrap up play in zone three in Ottawa this weekend.
Hays will play Emporia at 6 p.m. on Thursday and Great Bend in the late game on Friday.
Norton will open the tournament will Sabetha at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Great Bend and Emporia play game two followed by Russell and Iola at 5:30 p.m.
Russell will play Sabetha in the second game on Thursday followed by Emporia and Hays and Norton and Iola.
On Friday Russell plays Norton at 10 a.m.
Bracket play begins on Saturday.
The bracket is available HERE.
If you’re heading to Wichita to watch the Hays Larks at the 85th NBC World Series, you might want to buy a program. Manager Frank Leo has added nine players to his roster which was down to 17 following the KCLB Post-Season Tournament. Only 13 of the Larks original 22 players to start the season are still with the team.
Two of the new players are actually familiar faces to the program. Nick Goza, who played four seasons with the Larks from 2011-2015 is back along with Carlos Tavera who was a member of last year’s team.
Goza was recently named the Arizona Athletics Cy Young Award winner after going 9-1 with a 1.67 ERA in the Arizona League this summer. He has a 19-10 career record with the Larks in 54 appearances, the last of which was in 2015.
Tavera went 4-0 in nine appearances (5 starts) last summer for the Larks and made one relief appearance against the Clarinda A’s at the MBC WS.
The Larks (32-10), who qualified for the first week of the NBC World Series by winning the KCLB Post-Season Tournament, will play the second game of the day Saturday against the Waco (TX) Missions at 3:30 p.m. at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium.
You can hear all of the Larks games from the NBC World Series on KAYS (94.3-FM, 1400-AM).
FHSU Athletics
NEW ORLEANS – The Fort Hays State men’s and women’s track and field programs both earned the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award for the third year in a row, announced Monday (July 22) by the organization. The Tigers were also well represented on the individuals list, with six student-athletes earning All-Academic Individual honors.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic award, student-athletes must compile a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and reach a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons.
Student-athletes earning the All-Academic award include Israel Barco, Brett Meyer, Kolt Newell, Seppe van ‘t Westende, Mirena Goncalves and Mattie Rossi.
To earn the team academic distinction, a program must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Tiger women amassed a 3.44 GPA while Tiger men accumulated a 3.22 GPA to earn the honor. A total of 209 NCAA DII programs earned All-Academic Team status in 2018-19.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Jose Ramirez hit a go-ahead homer in the 14th inning and the Cleveland Indians held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Thursday night in a game that lasted just shy of five hours and finished after midnight.
Jake Bauers singled home Jason Kipnis later in the 14th off Brian Flynn (2-2) to add an insurance run – and Cleveland needed it.
A.J. Cole earned his first save since May 15, 2015, in his second major league appearance. After allowing the first three batters to reach, Cole retired the next three in order, striking out Bubba Starling to end the game.
Kansas City got one run in the 14th on Jorge Soler’s sacrifice fly.
Francisco Lindor homered on the first pitch of the night for the Indians, who remained two games behind first-place Minnesota in the AL Central.
Nick Goody (2-0) threw two scoreless innings for the win. Cleveland’s bullpen worked 8 2/3 innings, allowing just one run and four hits.
Indians starter Adam Plutko pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits while making his second consecutive start against the Royals.
Lindor hit his 17th home run but Hunter Dozier answered in the bottom of the first with his 16th of the season, a two-run shot to put Kansas City up 2-1.
The Indians scored twice in the sixth to briefly take a 3-2 lead before the Royals tied it in the bottom half. Neither bullpen flinched for the next seven innings.
Josh Staumont pitched out of jams in the 11th and 12th to throw two scoreless innings in his big league debut for the Royals. Kevin McCarthy and Scott Barlow also tossed two scoreless innings apiece.
Starling had a career-high three hits and has a nine-game hitting streak dating to his second career game.
Mike Montgomery matched his longest outing of the season, pitching five innings and giving up one run on five hits. Since July 15, Royals starters are 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: Tyler Naquin was out of the lineup for a third straight game with a tight right hamstring. Naquin did some running in the outfield pregame to test out the muscle. Cleveland manager Terry Francona said the outfielder could be available Friday. … Dan Otero (right shoulder inflammation) threw one inning Wednesday for Triple-A Columbus, but reported to the team Thursday that he still didn’t feel right. Francona said the Indians are trying to figure out what the next step is.
UP NEXT
The Royals and Indians play the second of their four-game series Friday night. Zach Plesac (4-3) starts for Cleveland, and Kansas City will hand the ball to Jakob Junis (6-8), who was placed on the paternity list Wednesday for the birth of his third child. Junis is pitching as well as he has at any point in his career, allowing just three runs in 20 innings over his last three starts. Plesac will make his second straight start against the Royals. He was the winning pitcher Sunday, tossing six innings of two-run ball.
FHSU University Relations
INDIANAPOLIS – Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball ranked second nationally in average attendance for the 2018-19 season, averaging 2,325 fans per game. The average tied Dixie State for No. 2 on the list, while Northern State (S.D.) led the nation in attendance for the 12th consecutive year. Fort Hays State ranked second alone in total attendance with 37,193 as its final overall tally at home. Fort Hays State helped the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association lead the nation in attendance as a conference for the 10th straight year.
Fort Hays State saw 37,193 fans walk through the gates of Gross Memorial Coliseum over 16 home contests. The Tigers saw their average home attendance rise from 2,264 per game in 2017-18 to 2,325 in 2018-19. By tying for second in average, the Tigers enjoyed their highest placement on the national list in the program’s NCAA Division II history. The Tigers ranked in the top five nationally for attendance in five of the last six years and this is the 10th-straight season the Tigers have been inside the top 10. The strong support played a role in the Tigers having another dominant season at home, going 14-2 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in 2018-19.
Fort Hays State led the way in attendance among MIAA schools for the third straight year. The MIAA led the nation with an average of 1,283 fans per game with nine of its 14 members inside the top 25. Central Missouri (6th), Washburn (9th), and Missouri Southern (10th) joined FHSU among the top 10, all averaging better than 1,600 fans per game.
With its 14-2 record at home in 2018-19, Fort Hays State moved to 377-62 overall inside Gross Memorial Coliseum since joining NCAA Division II. FHSU has achieved at least 10 wins at home in 41 of its 46 seasons overall inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1973. The Tigers have had winning seasons at home in 44 of the 46 years inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
By DAVE RIGGERT
St. Joseph Post
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks, rookies and selected injured veterans had their first practice at training camp in St. Joseph on Wednesday. The players went through about a 90-minute practice in helmets, and they’ll have two more practices before the rest of the veterans report onFriday.
The first full squad practice that is open to the public is 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Head Coach Andy Reid, tight end Travis Kelce and safety Juan Thornhill met with the media after practice.
FHSU Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up its fifth-straight American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, announced Monday (July 22) by the association. The Tigers turned in a team GPA of 3.523 over the 2018-19 school year, their highest mark over at least the last five years. FHSU was one of 142 NCAA Division II programs to earn the distinction.
The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.00 scale.
The high team GPA was aided by 19 Tigers earning a spot on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher). Additionally, four players turned in a perfect 4.00 GPA in 2018-19, including Tatum Bartels, Kyra Bellows, Katie Darnell and Kayla Vitztum. The Tigers were one of 11 MIAA programs to pick up the award this season.
ATLANTA (AP) – Brad Keller thrived in his Georgia homecoming, allowing only four hits in seven innings while adding a second-inning single for his first career RBI, and the Kansas City Royals beat Julio Teheran and the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Keller (7-9), a 2013 graduate of Flowery Branch High School north of Atlanta, won his fourth straight decision.
Keller had been 2-6 with a 4.81 ERA in 13 road starts this season. There were no signs of those road struggles as he did not allow a baserunner to reach second base.
The hard-throwing Keller ended the fourth by striking out Brian McCann on a 98 mph fastball. He ended the sixth by striking out Freddie Freeman with a fastball clocked at 97 mph.
The Royals swept the two-game series, leaving the Braves 4-4 against the American League this season. Atlanta hasn’t had a winning record in interleague play since posting an 11-9 mark in 2013.
The Braves began the day 5 1/2 games ahead of second-place Washington in the NL East. The Royals have won nine of 12.
An error by Freeman at first base contributed to Kansas City’s two-run second inning. Jorge Soler, who walked, advanced to third on Bubba Starling’s double. Nicky Lopez hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Josh Donaldson, who tagged Soler as he attempted to return to the base.
With two outs, Meibrys Viloria’s bad-hop grounder bounced past Freeman for an error, allowing Starling to score. Keller’s single up the middle pushed the lead to 2-0.
Through two innings, Teheran had thrown 52 pitches. Keller’s count was only 19. Teheran (5-7) was more efficient the remainder of his night as he allowed four hits with two runs, none earned, in six innings.
Ian Kennedy pitched a perfect ninth for his 19th save.
Before the game, the Braves optioned right-hander Wes Parsons to Triple-A Gwinnett and selected the contract of right-hander Jeremy Walker, who had a combined 2.84 ERA at Gwinnett and Double-A Mississippi this season.
Ronald Acuna Jr.’s infield hit in the third inning extended his on-base streak to 29 games, the longest active streak in the majors. The hit was initially ruled a fielding error by third baseman Hunter Dozier.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: RHP Jakob Junis, still listed as the probable starter for Friday night’s game against Cleveland, was placed on paternity leave. His wife, Brie, gave birth to their third child, a son named Jett Boyd, on Tuesday night. RHP Jake Newberry was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.
Braves: SS Dansby Swanson was held out with a sore heel. He banged the heel on first base in Tuesday night’s game. Manager Brian Snitker said the team wanted to “be smart about this” and take advantage of Thursday’s off day to give Swanson extra rest. … LHP Max Fried (blister on his left index finger) is expected to start Saturday night at Philadelphia instead of Sunday’s afternoon game. The Braves hope there will be less humidity to possibly aggravate the blister in Saturday night’s game. … Snitker said RHP Jacob Webb (right elbow impingement) will be on the injured list longer than first hoped.
UP NEXT
Royals: LHP Mike Montgomery will make his second start since being acquired from the Cubs when Kansas City opens a four-game home series against RHP Adam Plutko (3-2, 4.81) and the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.
Braves: RHP Mike Soroka (10-2, 2.46) will start Friday night’s series opener at Philadelphia.
