Up to date weather for Clinton

Local Sports

Illinois Drops Weekend Series To Indiana

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Illinois baseball team dropped a 9-2 decision Sunday to No. 15 Indiana at Bart Kaufman Field. Indiana clinched the series 2-1. 
 
Illinois (25-14, 10-5 Big Ten) was limited to two runs on eight hits in the game and six runs on 22 hits in the series. 
 
Indiana hit three homers, including back-to-back home runs in the second inning to open a 3-0 lead. Scott Bradley, Matt Gorski and Justin Walker all homered for the Hoosiers.
 
Michael Massey and Michael Michalak led Illinois with two hits. Michalak drove in a run with an infield single in the seventh and Bren Spillane had an RBI sac fly in the fourth.
 
Ty Weber (4-2) took the loss, allowing six runs in six innings. Weber struck out a career-high nine batters. 
 
Illinois returns home for four games next week at Illinois Field. The Illini host Southern Illinois on Tuesday before a weekend series against Ohio State. 

Illinois State Splits Weekend Series With Butler

Posted About Five Years Ago

A ninth-inning sacrifice fly by Derek Parola drove in Joe Aeilts for the game-winning run, as Illinois State drew to a draw in a two-game series with the Butler Bulldogs, winning 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. 
 
The win provided revenge for the Redbirds, who fell on a walk-off hit less than 24 hours earlier against Butler.
 
Owen Miller went 2-for-3 at the plate for Illinois State, while starting pitcher Matt Walker struck out four while scattering five hits and not allowing a run over a career-high seven innings on the mound.
 
Michael Sebby picked up the win for the Redbirds, pitching the clean ninth inning while striking out one, and improving to 2-1 on the season.
 
Illinois State returns to action on Tuesday, May 1, when the team travels to play at Milwaukee, before facing off against Northern Illinois in DeKalb, Illinois, a day later.

Cubs Win; Cardinals, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Chatwood Leads Cubs To Shutout, Weekend Sweep of Brewers
 
Tyler Chatwood pitched seven sparkling innings and helped himself with an RBI single, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 2-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday and a sweep of the four-game series between NL Central rivals.
 
Chatwood (2-3) allowed two hits, struck out four and walked three in his second straight win. Carl Edwards Jr. worked the eighth and Brandon Morrow got three outs for his seventh save in seven chances, finishing Chicago's second straight shutout and its fifth just this month against Milwaukee.
 
The Brewers had won eight in a row before they were held to two runs and 14 hits in the sweep by the Cubs. Chicago's starting pitchers - Kyle Hendricks, Yu Darvish, Jose Quintana and Chatwood - allowed an unearned run and 11 hits in 27 innings in the series.
 
Addison Russell had two hits, a sacrifice fly and scored a run as the Cubs improved to 7-1 against the Brewers this year and moved a season-high five games above .500.
 
Zach Davies (2-3) kept Milwaukee in the game for most of the day, but Chicago got to the right-hander for a run in the fifth and sixth.
 
Russell led off the fifth with a triple into the right-field corner. Davies then struck out Jason Heyward, but Chatwood lined a run-scoring single back up the middle for this first hit of the season.
 
Davies hurt himself in the sixth, hitting Anthony Rizzo with one out after Chatwood threw one up and in on Lorenzo Cain in the top half of the inning. Rizzo lingered in the batter's box for a bit before going to first.
 
Willson Contreras followed with a double and Kyle Schwarber was intentionally walked to get to Russell, who drove in Rizzo with a fly ball to center for a 2-0 lead.
 
Jon Lester (2-1, 3.29 ERA) faces Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-3, 4.33 ERA) on Monday night in the opener of a three-game set. Chicago won two of three against Colorado last weekend at Coors Field.
 
>>Royals Down White Sox Sunday
 
Cheslor Cuthbert homered twice and drove in four runs as the Kansas City Royals won consecutive games for the first time this season, defeating the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday.
 
Whit Merrifield singled home Alcides Escobar, who was hit by a pitch to leadoff the eighth inning, with the go-ahead run off Bruce Rondon (1-1). Escobar left in the ninth with a left hand contusion.
Cuthbert, who had not homered since August 20 - a span on 109 at-bats - drove a Hector Santiago pitch into the White Sox bullpen in the fourth.
 
He homered in the fifth with Salvador Perez and Jorge Soler aboard off Chris Volstad. It was Cuthbert's second career multi-homer game. The other was June 11, 2016.
 
Royals starter Ian Kennedy left after five innings with a 4-2 lead, but reliever Brian Flynn could not hold it.
 
Daniel Palka doubled home two White Sox runs in the fourth, giving him five RBIs in two games.
 
Leury Garcia two-out triple in the sixth scored Trayce Thompson, cutting the Royals lead to 4-3. Nicky Delmonico's run-producing double in the seventh tied the score.
 
The Royals loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh, but failed to score. Kansas City is 4-for-25, .160, with the bases loaded this season
 
Brandon McCarthy (2-0) picked up the victory, while Blaine Boyer logged his fifth career save and his first since May 29, 2016 while with the Milwaukee Brewers
 
After an off-day Monday, RHP James Shields will start Tuesday at St. Louis. He is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last three starts.
 
>>Pirates Rookie Nearly Throws No-Hitter in First Career Start, Bucs Sweep Redbirds
 
Nick Kingham started out better than any pitcher in more than a half-century, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning of his big league debut and leading the Pittsburgh Pirates over the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0 Sunday.
Kingham retired the first 20 batters before Paul DeJong singled down the left-field line with two outs in the seventh.
 
Kingham was taken out after seven innings. He fanned nine and threw 98 pitches, 72 for strikes.
 
Elias Diaz had three hits and drove in two runs as the Pirates won their fifth straight and completed a three-game sweep of the Cardinals.
 
Luke Weaver (2-2) allowed in 5 1/3 innings.
 
Weaver pitched five scoreless inning before walking the bases loaded with one out in the sixth.
 
Diaz hit a two-run single that finished Weaver, and Colin Moran had an RBI single off Jordan Hicks.
 
Michael Wacha (4-1, 3.62) will attempt to extend his winning streak to five games when he takes the mound against the Chicago White Sox at Busch Stadium on Tuesday. Wacha has won four straight starts since last losing on March 31, when he allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings against the New York Mets.

Packers, Bears Wrap Up NFL Draft

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Green Bay Packers prioritized the secondary first in the NFL draft.
 
Josh Jackson is joining a revamped cornerback group after the Packers took the Iowa junior with the 45th overall pick in the second round on Friday night. Jackson led the nation with eight interceptions last season.
 
Green Bay also went cornerback in the first round on Thursday after choosing Louisville's Jaire Alexander with the 18th overall pick.
 
At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, the Packers like Jackson's physical ability. He turned into a ball hawk in his only year as starter in college.
 
Green Bay also dealt back into the third round to select linebacker Oren Burks from Vanderbilt with the 88th overall pick. The Packers sent the first pick in the fourth round — the 101st overall — and a fifth-round selection to the Carolina Panthers to take Burks.
 
Burks is listed as an outside linebacker on the NFL's prospect list, though he played inside linebacker as a senior last season with the Commodores. Pro personnel director John Wojciechowski said that Burks will play inside, where he hopes that his ability in pass coverage will help.
 
The focus shifted to offense for the late rounds on Saturday. The passing attack slipped to 25th in the league last season after Rodgers was limited to seven games because of a broken collarbone.
 
Gutekunst drafted three wideouts, starting with Missouri's J'Mon Moore in the fourth round. The 6-foot-3 senior had team highs of 65 catches and 1,082 yards last season.
 
Besides Moore, the Packers also took two 6-5 receivers in South Florida's Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the fifth round and Notre Dame's Equanimeous St. Brown in the sixth round. Valdes-Scantling offers an intriguing blend of size and speed after he ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine at 4.37 seconds. Brown played with Packers backup quarterback DeShone Kizer for two seasons at Notre Dame.
 
There might be competition at punter, too, after the Packers drafted JK Scott from Alabama. Scott had just five punts returned as a senior, crediting the success to a renewed focus on hang time. Last year's punter, Justin Vogel, was seventh in the NFL in net punting average at 41.6 yards.
 
Green Bay also took a long snapper with the second of their three seventh-round picks in Mississippi State's Hunter Bradley.
 
The selection of offensive lineman Cole Madison from Washington State in the fifth round addressed another position of need. The 6-5 Madison played tackle in college. But the Packers like his versatility and plan to use him at guard. Green Bay has questions on the right side of the line.
 
Green Bay returned to defense with its two other seventh-round picks, selecting end James Looney from California and edge rusher Kendall Donnerson from Southeast Missouri State.
 
The Bears went back to building their offense on the second day of the draft.
 
Chicago took Iowa center James Daniels and Memphis receiver Anthony Miller on Friday night, giving prized quarterback Mitchell Trubisky more protection and another target.
 
The Bears took Daniels with the 39th overall pick. They then traded back into the second round with New England to take Miller at No. 51. In exchange, the Bears sent the Patriots a fourth-round pick this year (105) and a second-rounder in 2019.
 
The 6-foot-3, 306-pound Daniels — who turns 21 in September — played three seasons at Iowa and was honorable-mention, all-Big Ten last year.
Miller had no FBS offers coming out of Christian Brothers High School in Memphis and opted to walk on at his hometown school. He went on to catch 238 passes for 3,590 yards and 37 touchdowns in three seasons and was a first-team, All-American as a senior last year. A broken bone in his right foot caused him to miss the Senior Bowl. He said it's completely healed.
 
The Bears did not have a third-round pick late Friday.
 
Pace turned largely to the defensive side in the final day with three selections, including sixth-round defensive end Kylie Fitts from Utah.
 
Before Fitts, the Bears selected Western Kentucky inside linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe in Round 4, and Delaware defensive tackle Bilal Nichols in Round 5. They closed out the draft in the seventh round by taking another target for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, Georgia wide receiver Javon Wims.
 
A defensive end in Utah's 4-3 formation, Fitts has more than his inexperience in the Bears' 3-4 scheme to overcome. He had a Lisfranc ligament tear in his foot in 2016 and played in only two games, then had shoulder and ankle sprains last year.
 
Delaware's Nichols has a real inside Bears connection. Nagy is a Delaware grad, as is Bears offensive assistant Brian Ginn, who played quarterback and was an assistant for the Blue Hens.
 
Additional outside pass rushers are needed because the Bears like to use a rotation of three or four outside rushers. Fitts joins Howard Jones, Isaiah Irving and Sam Acho as potential outside pass rushers behind Lynch and Floyd.
 
Veterans Lamarr Houston, Pernell McPhee and Willie Young accounted for 10 Bears sacks last year but are no longer with the team.

LeBron, Cavs Get Past Indiana in Game 7

Posted About Five Years Ago

Unwilling to sit despite battling leg cramps in the second half, LeBron James scored 45 points and got some much-needed help from his teammates in Game 7 to stay unbeaten in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, leading the Cavaliers to a 105-101 win on Sunday over the Indiana Pacers, who pushed the game's best player to the breaking point.
 
James added nine rebounds, seven assists and played over 43 minutes while improving to 13-0 in the first round. 
 
The Cavs got a huge lift from Tristan Thompson, who played just 24 minutes in the first six games but made a rare start as Cavs coach Tyronn Lue used his 34th different starting lineup this season. Thompson added 15 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Love made four 3-pointers, and George Hill returned after missing three games with back spasms to score 11 in 19 second-half minutes.
 
Victor Oladipo scored 30 and Darren Collison had 23 for the Pacers, who were still within four in the final minute before a cutting James scored on a bullet pass from Kyle Korver with 30 seconds left.
 
Oladipo hit a 3 at the horn and was immediately embraced by James, who had never played a first-round Game 7 and was in jeopardy of seeing an eighth trip to the Finals end quickly.
 
Both Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis fouled out for Indiana. 
 
The Cavaliers will meet the Raptors for the third straight postseason.

Big Sixth Inning Propels Clinton Past Decatur St. Teresa

Posted About Five Years Ago

Clinton used a five run fifth inning and Jake Wade went the distance on the mount help the Maroons get past Decatur St. Teresa 11-1 Thursday afternoon in Central Illinois Conference boys baseball action from Decatur.
 
Wade struck out 14 over his seven innings. He walked zero batters and allowed an unearned run on four hits.
 
Mac Hickman doubled in two going 2-for-4. Braden Cross also finished 2-for-4.
 
Seth Gillespey finished 2-for-3 for the Bulldogs.
 
The Maroons are 5-7 overall and 5-3 in the Central Illinois Conference.
 
Clinton will take on Warrensburg-Latham today. 

Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox Win Thursday

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Schwarber HR, Hendricks Solid Outing Lead Cubs Past Brewers
 
Kyle Hendricks outpitched Chase Anderson with seven crisp innings, and the Chicago Cubs stopped Milwaukee's eight-game win streak with a 1-0 victory over the Brewers on Thursday night.
 
Hendricks (2-1) allowed four hits, struck out five and walked none in his best outing this season. Anderson (2-2) stayed with him until Kyle Schwarber drove a 0-1 pitch over the wall in right for his seventh homer with one out in the sixth.
 
Carl Edwards Jr. worked the eighth and Brandon Morrow finished the six-hitter for his fifth save in five chances. With two outs and Ryan Braun on first, Travis Shaw flied out to the warning track in left.
 
The Cubs had seven hits while playing without slugger Kris Bryant, who missed his third straight game after he was beaned during a victory at Colorado last weekend. Catcher Willson Contreras rested for most of the night before entering as a defensive replacement for the eighth.
 
Milwaukee got a two-out double in each of the first two innings but was unable to capitalize. Shaw flied out with Braun on second in the first, and Jett Bandy took a called third strike after Orlando Arcia's hit in the second.
 
Anderson allowed five hits and walked one in seven innings. He had won each of his prior two starts.
 
The right-hander got some help from Braun, who made his first start at first base since Eric Thames tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb during Tuesday night's 5-2 victory at Kansas City. Braun and Jesus Aguilar are expected to fill in at first while Thames is sidelined.
 
With two outs and runners on first and second in the second, Braun made a great diving stop behind the bag and flipped to Anderson to retire Jason Heyward. Braun held out his right arm and pointed as Anderson stepped on the base, and then hustled into the dugout with his mouth open and his tongue out.
 
Hendricks' defense also turned in a couple of nice plays. Albert Almora Jr. made a solid running catch on Lorenzo Cain's deep drive to center in the sixth, and second baseman Javier Baez robbed Braun of a hit with a leaping catch for the first out of the seventh.
 
>>Davidson's Two HR Lead White Sox Past Royals
 
Matt Davidson hit two of Chicago's five home runs, leading the White Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.
 
Davidson, who drove in three runs, has seven home runs this season - five against the Royals in Kansas City. He hit three out in the season opener March 29. In this game, he homered in the fourth and then hit a two-run shot in the sixth that went 450 feet to left-center.
Davidson is 6 for 10 with five home runs in three games this season at the Royals' ballpark.
 
Yoan Moncada homered to open the first inning for Chicago for the second straight game, and Yolmer Sanchez and Trayce Thompson also went deep against Jakob Junis (3-2), who became the third pitcher in franchise history to allow five homers in a game. The others were Chris Young, May 9, 2016 at the New York Yankees, and Sean O'Sullivan, May, 28, 2011 at Texas.
 
Junis gave up six runs and six hits with two walks over 5 2/3 innings.
 
The Royals went 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners.
 
Giolito allowed two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings. His only hiccup was a Jorge Soler home run with Mike Moustakas aboard in the fourth.
 
The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and managed to score a run on Alcides Escobar's two-out single. Joakim Soria worked a scoreless ninth for his third save in four chances.
 
The White Sox picked up just their second victory in 11 games. The Royals dropped to a major league-worst 1-10 at home.
 
Jose Abreu was not in the lineup with flu-like symptoms, which caused him to exit in the fourth inning Wednesday. ... LF Nicky Delmonico was scratched with a stiff neck. Traycie Thompson replaced him in the lineup.
 
Reynaldo Lopez has not allowed more than four hits or two runs in any of his four starts.
 
Danny Duffy was pulled after 4 2/3 innings in his previous start, allowing six runs on 10 hits and two walks at Detroit.
 
>>Cardinals Outlast Mets in 13 Innings
 
Dexter Fowler's 13th-inning single capped a comeback from a pair of deficits Thursday and gave the Cardinals a 4-3 victory.
 
St. Louis trailed 2-0 in the seventh and 3-2 in the 10th. Tommy Pham had four hits and scored twice, a day after leaving a game after cutting his head with his bat while warning up in an indoor batting game. He played with a large bandage on his head.
Jose Martinez walked with one out in the 13th against Paul Sewald (0-1), took second on a single by Marcell Ozuna and scored when Fowler singled to right for his sixth game-ending RBI.
 
John Gant (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Memphis before the game, pitched three perfect innings of relief for his second big league win. His first was for Atlanta against the Mets on June 17, 2016.
 
St. Louis won its second straight against the Mets after losing the series opener in 10 innings. The Mets have lost eight of 12 after an 11-1 start.
 
New York went ahead 3-2 in the 10th when Luke Gregerson loaded the bases with a walk to Adrian Gonzalez and forced in a run with a walk to Jose Lobaton.
 
Pham singled with two outs in the bottom half and scored when Martinez doubled off the center-field wall against Jeurys Familia, who blew a save for the third time in 12 chances.
 
Mets starter Noah Syndergaard allowed two runs - one earned - and six hits in 7 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. He retired his first 10 batters and did not allow a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning.
 
Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez gave up one run and four hits in six innings.
 
Yoenis Cespedes hit an RBI double in the first that ended Martinez's scoreless streak at 18 innings and made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. His 23 RBIs are one behind NL leader Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs.
 
Pham doubled leading off the seventh and scored on Marcell Ozuna's single. Greg Garcia led off the eighth with a grounder that bounced off the glove of shortstop Amed Rosario, who didn't get hit glove down and was charged with an error. Garcia advanced to third on Matt Carpenter's single against Syndergaard and scored on Pham's single off Robert Gsellman.
 
Jacob deGrom (2-0, 2.53 ERA) start Friday at San Diego in the opener off a three-game series. DeGrom has reached double digits in strikeouts in his last two starts.
 
Miles Mikolas (3-0, 3.46 ERA) starts Friday at Pittsburgh. Mikolas has walked two in 26 innings this season.

Bears, Packers Draft Notes

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Bears Take Georgia LB
 
The Chicago Bears have drafted Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith with the No. 8 overall pick, adding a potential cornerstone on defense rather than another offensive player.
 
The Bears have spent the offseason collecting pieces they believe will help Mitchell Trubisky develop into a franchise quarterback. But when Indianapolis took Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson with the sixth pick, it became apparent Chicago would address the defense.
 
The Butkus Award winner as college football's best linebacker in 2017, Smith has the speed to wreak havoc on opponents. At 6-foot-1, 236 pounds he is a bit undersized but has the ability to drop back in pass coverage. Smith figures to play inside with former first-round pick Leonard Floyd on the outside.
 
He joins a team with four straight last-place finishes in the NFC North and just one playoff appearance since the 2006 team's run to the Super Bowl. The Monsters of the Midway haven't finished with a winning record since 2012, Lovie Smith's last season as coach.
 
The Bears fired John Fox after three seasons and replaced him with an offensive-minded coach in Matt Nagy, who spent the past 10 years working on Andy Reid's staffs in Philadelphia and Kansas City. They also gave Trubisky some new targets, most notably signing former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson.
 
The Bears were still looking to add a playmaker on defense. Chicago ranked 10th overall last season despite injuries to several key players, including Floyd, and tied for seventh in the NFL with 42 sacks last season. But the Bears let linebackers Pernell McPhee and Willie Young go.
 
Chicago has one second-round pick, two fourth-rounders and one each in the fifth, sixth and seventh. But the Bears don't have a third-round selection.
 
The Chicago Bears might look for a pass rusher or help on the offensive line when the draft resumes Friday after taking Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith with the No. 8 overall pick.
 
The Bears grabbed a potential cornerstone defensive player in the first round Thursday rather than add another weapon for prized quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
 
Chicago has one second-round pick Friday night, two fourth-rounders and one each in the fifth, sixth and seventh. The Bears don't have a third-round selection.
 
Chicago had 42 sacks last season but let linebackers Pernell McPhee and Willie Young go. The Bears could also use a blocker, with guard Kyle Long recovering from multiple surgeries and guard Josh Sitton gone.
 
>>Packers Take Louisville CB
 
The Packers drafted what they needed most: a cornerback.
 
But what Green Bay also got by selecting Louisville's Jaire Alexander at No. 18 overall on Thursday night is a skilled defender and kick returner.
 
Injuries have ravaged the Green Bay cornerback position in recent years. The Packers dealt Damarious Randall to the Browns earlier in the offseason in a trade that brought backup quarterback DeShone Kizer to Green Bay. That left last year's second-round pick, Kevin King, as the Packers' top cornerback following an injury-shortened rookie year.
Veteran Tramon Williams returned as a free agent to the Packers, who also brought back Davon House. But a defense can never have too many cornerbacks in the pass-happy NFL.
 
The Packers are hoping Alexander is the playmaker they desperately need after another subpar year on defense. Alexander had a team-leading five interceptions as a sophomore in 2016. He only played in six games last season, starting five, after sustaining a knee injury. But the injury didn't scare off the Packers.
 
Alexander was healthy at the NFL combine and turned some heads, running blazing 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash. At only 5-foot-11, Alexander has to use his speed to his advantage to beat bigger wide receivers.
 
As a kick returner, Alexander had 20 returns for 210 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore. He'll compete with Trevor Davis for the Packers' starting return position.
 
Green Bay entered Thursday night with the No. 14 pick, but Gutekunst acquired the Saints' first-round pick (No. 27), a fifth-round pick (No. 147) and the team's first-round selection in 2019. Then the Packers moved up to No. 18 and also received the No. 248 pick in the seventh round and gave Seattle the No. 27 pick, a third-rounder (No. 76) and a sixth-rounder (No. 186).
 
The Green Bay Packers could be looking to make more deals on Day 2 of the NFL draft.
 
Green Bay has just one pick for now on Friday, the 45th overall selection in the second round. With 10 picks for the third day of the draft on Saturday, Gutekunst has the tools needed to move up and make another pick or two in the second or third rounds.
 
The Packers could also use reinforcements at receiver after parting with Jordy Nelson, and on the offensive line.
 
>>No Charges For Green Bay WR For Fale Bomb Threat
 
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Trevor Davis is not being charged after falsely claiming to have explosives while checking in for a flight at Los Angeles International Airport this month.
 
Los Angeles City Attorney Office spokesman Frank Mateljan said Thursday that Davis appeared at an informal hearing and was given an opportunity to explain what happened. Davis was advised of the law on making false bomb threats at an airport.
 
Airport police said Davis was checking in for a Hawaiian Airlines flight when an airline employee asked him whether he had any explosives in his bag. Davis said "yes" and asked a woman he was traveling with, "Did you pack the explosives?"
 
Airline employees called police and Davis was arrested.

Monticello Rallies Past Pontiac

Posted About Five Years Ago

Mitch Carr settled down after giving up five runs in the first three innings and set down 13 of the final 14 batters he faced, including an inning double play in the sixth, and Monticello rallied past Pontiac 9-5 in Illini Prairie boys baseball action Thursday night at Monticello High School.

 

The Indians scored the games first five runs but the second time through the order proved to be the difference as Monticello tacked on four runs in the third inning then took the lead in the fifth and added three insurance runs in the sixth.

 

Jeff Wileaver finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a pair of runs, and a run driven to pace the Monticello offense. Luke Stokowski added a double and a run finishing 2-for-3.

 

Brett Macak scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning on an Andrew Ellison sacrifice fly RBI. Macak finished 2-for-3, hitting in the sixth spot in the order, generally filled by his big brother Brody, who sat with a sore knee.

 

The Sages were without juniors Brody Macak (knee) and Owen Trybom and senior Alex Marquardt (finger, hip) because of injury, featuring four sophomores in the lineup.

 

Carr went 6 2/3 innings allowing five runs, eight hits and struck out seven.

 

Stokowski worked around a walk, hit batter and struck out Jacob Grieff to end the game.

 

Monticello is 19-2 overall and 6-1 in Illini Prairie Conference action.

 

The Indians are 4-10 overall. Thursday’s game was their third Illini Prairie matchup this week with another Friday afternoon.

 

Hear Monticello boys baseball action next Friday at Warrensburg-Latham on 95.9 FM WEZC and online dewittdailynews.com.

 

Tuscola Routs Clinton

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Tuscola Warriors opened the game with seven straight runs before Clinton got on the scoreboard and by the time they did, it was too late as Tuscola rolled to a 13-2 six inning win over the Maroons in Central Illinois Conference boys baseball action Wednesday from Clinton High School.
 
Noah Pierce shut out the Maroons over the first three innings, Cade Kresin allowed two runs in two innings in relief and Cameron Ochs finished the game out with a scoreless sixth. 
 
Matthew Overton took the loss for the Maroons. He went five innings, allowed eight runs, four were earned as Clinton committed six errors. He struck out two and walked two.
 
Braden Cross allowed five runs, four earned in an inning of relief.
 
Dalton Hoel finished 3-for-4 with a double to pace Tuscola. Kresin finished 2-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in.
 
Overton and Tyler West each went 2-for-3.
 
The Maroons drop to 4-7 overall and 4-3 in conference play. 
 

Cardinals Pound Mets; Cubs, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Pound Mets
 
Using a bat borrowed from teammate Jose Martinez, Marcel Ozuna hit a tiebreaking two-run single, and Michael Wacha won his fourth straight start as the Cardinals beat the New York Mets 9-1 on Wednesday night.
 
Jedd Gyorko added a two-run homer for St. Louis, which has won nine of 11.
 
Ozuna had just one hit in his previous 24 at-bats prior to a bases-loaded single to cap a three-run third inning that put the Cardinals in front to stay 3-1. Acquired from the Marlins on Dec. 14 for four prospects, the outfielder had struck out 23 times in his previous 20 games. He finished 1 for 4.
 
Wacha (4-1) gave up one run on five hits over six innings. He struck out eight and walked one. He is 4-0 with 2.78 ERA over his last four starts. His only loss this season came in a 6-2 setback to the Mets on March 31.
 
Kolten Wong and DeJong had two hits each for the Cardinals, and Dexter Fowler drove in two runs.
 
Steven Matz (1-2) gave up seven runs, just three earned, over 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered five hits and fell to 0-3 with an 8.49 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals.
 
The Mets have dropped six of 10 after an 11-1 start to the season.
 
St. Louis added four runs in the fourth on two hits and two errors. Wacha brought in Paul DeJong with a squeeze bunt. Dexter Fowler drew a bases-loaded walk for a 5-1 cushion.
 
Gyorko's 100th career homer, in the fifth off Corey Oswalt, pushed the lead to 9-1.
 
Jay Bruce had given the Mets a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the top of the third.
 
Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 3.29) will face St. Louis RHP Carlos Martinez (2-1, 1.42) in the final game of the three-game series Thursday. The Mets are 5-0 in Syndergaard's starts. Martinez has not allowed a run his last 18 innings.
 
>>Indians Power Past Cubs to Split Brief Two Game Series
 
Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion hit sixth-inning home runs and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 on Wednesday night despite losing relief ace Andrew Miller to a left hamstring injury.
 
Miller grabbed the back of his leg after throwing two pitches to Anthony Rizzo in the seventh inning. He was visited by manager Terry Francona and a team trainer before walking to the dugout. The team announced he had left hamstring tightness.
Lindor's leadoff homer against Jon Lester (2-1) broke a 1-all tie in the sixth, and Encarnacion homered into the bleachers with two outs. Lester allowed only one hit until Brandon Guyer's two-out home run in the fifth tied it.
 
Miller relieved Trevor Bauer (2-2) with a runner on first and Cleveland leading 3-1. Bauer held the Cubs to one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
 
Miller hasn't allowed a run in 10 innings this season. He fell behind Rizzo 2-0 before grabbing at his leg.
 
Lester allowed three runs in seven innings. Cleveland added a run in the eighth on Rizzo's throwing error. Rizzo had an RBI single in the fifth.
 
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was out of the lineup for the second straight game after being hit in the helmet by a pitch Sunday. The 2016 NL MVP didn't play in the Cubs' 10-3 win Tuesday.
 
Miller replaced Bauer after Javier Baez's two-out single. Tyler Olson retired Rizzo on a flyball. Willson Contreras doubled to start the eighth, but Olson got pinch-hitter Victor Caratini on a groundout and struck out Kyle Schwarber.
 
Nick Goody struck out Addison Russell to end the eighth before Allen worked the ninth.
 
Kyle Hendricks will start the opener of a four game series against Milwaukee at Wrigley Field on Thursday.
 
>>Mariners Down White Sox
 
Mike Zunino homered and scored twice to back Felix Hernandez in the Seattle Mariners' 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
 
Chicago's Yoan Moncada hit his first career leadoff homer. At 5-16, the White Sox are off to their worst start since 1950.
Zunino doubled and scored in a two-run third and gave the Mariners a 4-3 lead with a solo drive to right against James Shields in the sixth. Nelson Cruz added three hits, including two RBI singles.
 
Hernandez (3-2) settled down after a shaky start, scattering three runs and seven hits over six innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out six and walked two.
 
James Pazos and Juan Nicasio each worked a perfect inning, and Edwin Diaz tossed a one-two-three ninth for his 10th save in as many chances.
 
Shields (1-3) went six innings, allowing four runs and six hits. The right-hander is 0-3 in four starts and five appearances since a season-opening win at Kansas City.
 
Yolmer Sanchez doubled, singled and scored two runs for Chicago. But the White Sox lost for the 14th time in 16 games.
 
Tied for the major league lead with 19 walks, RHP Lucas Giolito (0-3, 9.00) hopes to solve his control problems as the White Sox open a five-game series at Kansas City. RHP Jakob Junis (3-1, 2.03) goes for the Royals. The teams are scheduled to play a day-night doubleheader Saturday.

LeBron's Buzzer Beater Sends Cavs To Series Lead Over Pacers

Posted About Five Years Ago

LeBron James dropped a 3-pointer at the buzzer, a crowning moment for another one of his brilliant performances, to give Cleveland a 98-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in Game 5, putting the Cavaliers within one victory of advancing in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
 
Moments after blocking Victor Oladipo's possible go-ahead layup - a play the Pacers felt was goaltending - James caught the inbounds pass, took two dribbles and hit his winner over Thaddeus Young.
 
James finished with 44 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and went 15 of 15 from the line.
 
Kyle Korver added 19 points and Cleveland's much-maligned defense tightened just in time as the Cavaliers seized their first lead in the first-round series after being down 1-0 and 2-1.
 
Cleveland can close out Indiana with a win Friday night in Indianapolis.
 
With the score tied at 95-all, Oladipo, who shot just 2 of 15, drove the left side and was at the rim when James swooped in for a block on a play reminiscent of his Game 7 block on Andre Iguodala in the 2016 NBA Finals.
 
However, Oladipo thought his shot hit the backboard first, and goaltending should have been called. TV replays showed the ball appear to hit the glass before James touched it.
 
Oladipo's shooting woes continued. He's only 12 of 50 from the field in the last three games. He scored 32 in the Pacers' Game 1 win, but the Cavs have been double-teaming him ever since.
 
Down by seven at half, the Cavs swarmed the Pacers in the third quarter, forcing five turnovers in the first six minutes and holding Indiana to one field goal over the first 6:52 while opening with a 19-3 run.
 
Cleveland outscored Indiana 32-17 in the third, when the Pacers shot just 5 for 16 (31 percent) and committed seven turnovers.
 
Game 6 is Friday night at Indianapolis.

Packers May Move Up In Tonight's Draft

Posted About Five Years Ago

It's been nearly 10 years since the Packers pulled off a trade to move up in the first round of the NFL Draft, and it sounds like they might be interested in doing that again. 
 
According to NFL.com, the Packers are plotting to trade up from the 14th overall spot so they can land a "top-tier talent." If the move happens, it would mark the first time Green Bay has moved up in the first round of a draft since 2009, when they selected Clay Matthews with the 26th overall pick. Nine years ago, the Packers used the ninth overall pick on B.J. Raji, then traded back into the first round to grab Matthews after making a deal with the Patriots. 
 
After all, new general manager Brian Gutekunst, who took over for Ted Thompson in January, has already proven that he's willing to pull the trigger on a big move or two, if that's what needs to be done. In just three months on the job, Gutekunst has already made several splash signings, including Mo Wilkerson and Jimmy Graham. 
 
The other reason it wouldn't be shocking to see the Packers trade up is because they have the ammo to do it. The Packers have a total of 12 picks in this year's draft, which is more than any other team in the NFL. If Gutekunst wants to move up, he's got three fifth-round picks that he can use as trade bait. The Packers also have multiple picks in the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. 
 
If the Packers are looking to move up, the speculation is that they'd be looking to take either a defensive back or a pass-rusher.

Clinton JFL Having Meet and Greet With Coaches

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Clinton Junior Football League would like to invite all interested parents and athletes to a “Meet the Coaches Event” at the Clinton High School Football Stadium from 4:00 to 5:30 Sunday, April 29th.  
 
All future players that attend will have a chance to be fitted for helmets and meet the coaches.  
 
There will be a brief meeting to discuss the upcoming season, equipment handout, and answer questions relating to JFL.  
 
Food and Drinks will be provided by the JFL.

Bradley Drops Suddenly Sputtering Illini

Posted About Five Years Ago

Bren Spillane hit an eighth-inning double Tuesday to tie Bradley 3-3 but the Braves scored one in the 11th to beat the Illinois baseball team 4-3. 
 
Illinois (24-12) rallied back after trailing 3-0 after three innings. The Illini scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth before falling in extra innings for the first time this season.
 
Joey Gerber took the loss by allowing the 11th inning run. No. 9 hitter Keaton Rice hit a two-out single to left field to score the winning run as Gerber looked to close out his third inning of work.
 
Bradley (24-9) managed just five hits. 
 
Ben Troike reached base for the 41st consecutive game, the longest active streak in the Big Ten.
 
The Illini have lost four of their last five games.
 
Illinois travels to No. 15 Indiana this weekend for a three-game series. 

Wesleyan Upsets Illinois State

Posted About Five Years Ago

Illinois State dropped the 12th annual Horenberger-Bass Classic against Illinois Wesleyan 10-4 Tuesday at Jack Horenberger Field
 
Owen Miller led the Redbirds with three hits in the game, as Joe Aeilts and Derek Parola each had two hits. No person had more than one RBI, and no one had more than one run scored in the game.
 
Illinois State struck first in the game when Miller hit a one-out infield single, and was advanced to second after Noah Sadler was hit by a pitch. A batter later, Aeilts singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Miller, and putting the Redbirds ahead 1-0.
 
Illinois Wesleyan received a season-best pitching performance by sophomore Jim O'Brien (2-1) on Tuesday as the winning pitcher allowed just one earned run over five innings pitched and struck out seven Redbird batters.
 
IWU's six-run fourth inning outburst was highlighted by a towering three-run home run by sophomore center fielder Nick Figus. Senior Joey Holtz opened the scoring for Illinois Wesleyan with a two-run double to right center-field.
 
Illinois Wesleyan added four more runs in the fifth inning with two coming by way of a single from senior Mike Plecki. The Titans scoring outburst concluded with an RBI single from senior catcher Seth Palmby, which gave IWU a 10-1 lead over Illinois State. Sophomore Garrett Shea, Figus, Palmby, and Holtz each finished with two hits for Illinois Wesleyan.
 
Jacob Gilmore started the game for the Redbirds and had a no-decision as he allowed just one hit over three innings of work while striking out one.
 
Illinois State returns to action on Saturday, April 28 when the team travels to Indianapolis to take on the Butler Bulldogs.
 
Illinois Wesleyan is back in action on Wednesday, April 25 with a 1 p.m. home doubleheader against North Park University.
 
The Titans are now 19-12 while the Redbirds fell to 14-23. This is Illinois Wesleyan third victory in the 11-game series with Illinois State holding an 8-3 advantage.

Cubs Win; Cardinals, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Schwarber's Two Home Runs Lead Cubs Past Indians
 
Kyle Schwarber hit two of Chicago's four solo home runs during a 10-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the first meeting between the teams since their classic 2016 World Series.
 
Tyler Chatwood (1-3) won for the first time with the Cubs, allowing one run in six-plus innings. He was pulled after a leadoff single in the seventh.
 
Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was out of the lineup two days after being hit in the head by a pitch. Maddon said before the game that the 2016 NL MVP has a cut above his left eye but no concussion after being drilled Sunday by Colorado's German Marquez.
 
Ian Happ was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Willson Contreras hit his first home run of the season.
 
Tomlin has allowed eight home runs in 12 2/3 innings over four appearances. The right-hander gave up five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
 
Jason Kipnis had an RBI groundout in the third, but right fielder Jason Heyward's throw home got Rajai Davis at the plate to end the inning. Davis tried to score from second on Jose Ramirez's single, but was out on a headfirst slide. Cleveland challenged but the call was upheld.
 
The teams complete the two-game series Wednesday night. The Cubs have won four of five and are two games over .500 (11-9) for the first time this season.
 
Jon Lester (2-0, 3.10 ERA) faces Trevor Bauer (1-2, 2.67) in the series finale. Lester went 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in three appearances against Cleveland during the 2016 World Series.
 
>>Former Cardinals Prospect Blanks White Sox Tuesday
 
Marco Gonzales and four relievers combined on a five-hitter, Mitch Haniger singled home the only run and the Seattle Mariners edged the Chicago White Sox 1-0 Tuesday.
 
At 5-15, the rebuilding White Sox are off to their worst start since the 1950 season. That year they opened 5-20 en route to a 60-94 finish.
Gonzales (2-2) was in control almost from the start, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out eight in six-plus innings. The left-hander snapped a run of three starts in which he lasted no more than 4 2/3 innings.
 
Seattle broke out on top against fill-in starter Chris Volstad (0-1) in the fourth when Kyle Seager doubled and scored on Haniger's base hit, both with two outs.
 
After Yoan Moncada's leadoff double chased Gonzales in the seventh, reliever Dan Altavilla retired the next two batters before Marc Rzepczynski got the final out of the inning.
 
Juan Nicasio pitched the eighth then Edwin Diaz worked the ninth for his ninth save in as many tries.
 
Volstad (0-1) was effective for 4 1/3 innings. The veteran allowed one run and four hits and didn't walk a batter as a replacement for Miguel Gonzalez, who is on the 10-day disabled list with an inflamed right rotator cuff.
 
The start was the first for Volstad after four relief appearances this year and third in the majors since the 2012 season.
 
Felix Fernandez (2-2, 5.06 ERA) will take a career 6-6 mark vs. the White Sox into the series finale Wednesday. He was a 4-3 winner in his only appearance against them last year.
 
James Shields (1-2, 6.17) comes off his worst start of the season, a 10-0 blowout against the Houston Astros in which he allowed seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
 
>>Mets Outlast Cardinals
 
Jay Bruce hit a tiebreaking homer in the 10th inning, Yoenis Cespedes launched a majestic, three-run shot and the New York Mets rallied for a 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
 
Bruce began the game batting .194 but broke out with three hits, including an RBI triple.
 
After Bruce's decisive drive to center field off former Mets farmhand Matt Bowman (0-1) with two outs, the Cardinals claimed he missed first base and challenged. A 56-second replay review confirmed Bruce touched the bag, and the NL East-leading Mets (15-6) closed it out for their 10th comeback victory of the season.
Cespedes also has been slumping - he started the night hitting .195. But his homer off starter Luke Weaver tied it 4-all in the fifth. The drive traveled an estimated 463 feet to left field, the third-longest by an opposing player in the history of Busch Stadium III.
 
Bruce's eighth-inning single sent Todd Frazier from first to third before Adrian Gonzalez tied it at 5 with a sacrifice fly.
 
Mets starter Zack Wheeler lasted a season-low four innings and gave up four runs. Former ace Matt Harvey allowed a run over two innings in his first relief appearance since being demoted to the bullpen.
 
Back-to-back doubles by Dexter Fowler and Paul DeJong off Harvey with two outs in the fifth gave St. Louis a 5-4 lead.
 
Robert Gsellman (3-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win, and Jeurys Familia earned his ninth save.
 
Bruce's sinking line drive got by left fielder Marcell Ozuna in the second for an RBI triple. It was Bruce's first triple in 174 games with the Mets.
 
Weaver lasted 4 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs and walked a career-high six as St. Louis had its three-game winning streak snapped.
 
Tommy Pham drove Wheeler's 95 mph fastball 420 feet to center for a home run that gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
 
Kolten Wong doubled in a run and scored on Weaver's single in the fourth to make it 4-1. Weaver's single was the first time the Mets allowed an opposing pitcher to reach safely in 42 plate appearances this season.
 
Steven Matz (1-1, 4.42 ERA) seeks his first win against St. Louis in the middle game of the series Wednesday night. Matz is 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals. They counter with RHP Michael Wacha (3-1, 4.22), who has won his last three starts.
 
>>Sox OF Garcia To DL
 
The Chicago White Sox have placed outfielder Avisail Garcia on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring.
 
Garcia was hurt Monday night while running out a grounder in the second inning of a 10-4 victory over Seattle. He attempted to pull up a few steps short of first base then fell. He was assisted off the field and left the game.
 
White Sox manager Rick Renteria says the injury is considered "mild to moderate" and will be reassessed in a few days.
 
Garcia was an All-Star a year ago but is off to a sluggish start, hitting .233 with one homer and four RBIs in 18 games.
 
To take his roster spot, the White Sox called up outfielder Daniel Palka from Triple-A Charlotte. He's hitting .286 with seven RBIs in 17 games.

Unity Downs Monticello in Girls Softball

Posted About Five Years Ago

Tolono Unity jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and the Monticello Lady Sages could not overcome Chasey Edenburn in circle.
 
Elyce Knudsen and Kyleigh Dubson each drove in two for Unity. 
 
Hannah Oberheim had the only run batted in for the Lady Sages.
 
Taylor Wunderlich took the loss for Monticello in circle.
 
The Lady Sages are 10-7 overall and drop to 2-5 in Illini Prairie Conference action.
 
They travel to Urbana today. 

White Sox Roll Mariners

Posted About Five Years Ago

Jose Abreu had four hits that included a pair of home runs, Yoan Moncada was a single shy of the cycle and the Chicago White Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 10-4 Monday to end a seven-game losing streak.
 
Chicago became the first big league team to open a game with seven straight hits since Colorado against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 17, 2014, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
 
Moncada's leadoff triple was followed by five straight singles and Matt Davidson's double off Mike Leake (2-2) in a five-run first inning.
 
Abreu raised his home run total to six this season with his 12th multihomer game for the White Sox. After getting outscored 27-2 in three losses to Houston, Chicago had a season-high 18 hits.
 
Starting on short notice because Miguel Gonzalez was placed on the disabled list with rotator cuff inflammation, Carson Fulmer (1-1) allowed two runs and three hits in a season-high six innings. The 24-year-old right-hander retired 12 straight before Mitch Haniger doubled in the fifth and Mike Zunino homered.
 
Fullmer allowed four runs in just one inning against Oakland on April 18. Chris Beck, called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, finished for his first big league save.
 
Leake did not last five innings for the first time in five starts this season. He allowed eight runs and 12 hits in 3? innings, raising his ERA from 4.50 to 6.59.
 
Haniger homered for the fourth consecutive game for Seattle and has eight this season.
 
Marco Gonzales (1-2, 5.94 ERA) starts Tuesday, most likely against RHP Chris Volstad (0-0, 4.70 ERA) or LHP Hector Santiago (0-0, 4.26 ERA).
 
>>Farquhar Progessing Well After Surgery
 
White Sox reliever Danny Farquhar is talking to his doctors and family after surgery over the weekend to address a ruptured aneurysm that occurred during Friday night's game against Houston.
 
Farquhar remains in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center. The team announced Monday the 31-year-old right-hander is expected to remain hospitalized for the next few weeks.
 
Farquhar passed out in the sixth inning Friday night after getting two outs against Houston. He was helped by team medical personnel and on-site EMTs, and he regained consciousness before he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
 
Additional testing revealed a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm. He had surgery Saturday to address the aneurysm, and the team reported his medical team felt he was "progressing well."

Maroons Fall to St. Teresa

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Clinton Maroons baseball team fell to St. Teresa by a score of 4-3 on Monday night. 
 
There were a combined seven errors in the ball game and the two teams allowed just one earned run of the seven runs scored. 
 
The Maroons opened up a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Jake Wade drove in a run as just one of the three runs were earned for Bulldogs starter Kelly Osbourne.
 
St. T came back in the bottom half of the inning with four runs, none were earned for Maroons starter Mac Hickman. Hickman struck out 16 over six innings of work.
 
The Maroons committed five errors for the game. 
 
The Maroons were led by Country Financial Brad James' Player of the Game Logan Peterson who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
Osborne pitched all 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.
 
With the loss the Maroons fall to 4-6 on the season and 4-2 in conference action.
 
Tune in next Tuesday as the Lady Sages take on Meridian. You can hear the game live on The Big 1520 AM/92.3 FM WHOW and online at dewittdailynews.com.

Clinton Drops Two At Saturday Round Robin

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Clinton Maroons dropped a pair of games at their annual Clinton Round Robin Tournament Saturday.
 
Bloomington Central Catholic blanked the Maroons 8-0. The Maroons scattered just four hits. Logan Peterson, Garrett Wayne and Michael Oswald all logged base hits. 
 
Peterson lasted just one innings on the mound, allowing five runs on five hits, issuing a walk and logged zero strike outs. 
 
Michael Oswald allowed two runs, one earned, in two innings. Rustin Wertz allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings. Braden Cross threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
 
Ethan Carr threw six shutout innings for the Saints. He allowed four hits and struck out eight, with zero walks.
 
In the afternoon game for Clinton, a late comeback fell short, as Salt Fork held off the Maroons 8-6.
 
The Maroons trailed 8-1 after five and-a-half innings and rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and added a run in the seventh, but could not finish things off.
 
Keaton Thayer threw 3 1/3 innings of one-run relief. He allowed four hits and struck out one with zero walks.
 
Cross blasted a solo home run in the seventh inning to draw Clinton with 8-6. Jake Wade drove in three runs, finishing 2-for-4 with a double.
 
The Maroons are 4-5 overall after the 0-2 weekend and a 9-2 win Friday for Central A&M. Wade came up and out short of the complete game win on the mound. He allowed two runs, one earned, with ten strikeouts to one walk and three hits. 
 
Logan Peterson drove in three Friday and West drove in two. 
 
The Maroons are 4-1 in the Central Illinois Conference. 

Illinois Drops Weekend Series With Grand Canyon

Posted About Five Years Ago

The No. 25 Illinois baseball team allowed three runs in the eighth inning Sunday to fall to Grand Canyon 5-3 at Illinois Field. drop the three-game series 2-1.
 
Illinois (24-11) outhit Grand Canyon 11-9 but left nine runners on base. The Illini scored two runs in the fifth inning on a two-out double by Michael Massey and a wild pitch and added one in the ninth.
 
Jeff Korte, Grant Van Scoy and Zac Taylor singled to start the ninth with Illinois trailing 5-2 before Ben Troike grounded into a double play and Bren Spillane grounded out to end the game. Van Scoy had three hits, Korte had two and Taylor added two.
 
Troike extended his career-long reached base streak to 40 games, the longest active streak in the Big Ten.
 
Ty Weber turned in a quality start, throwing six innings and allowing two runs on five hits. Weber kept his season ERA at 3.00.
 
Quinten Sefcik (1-1) took the loss by allowing the first run in the eighth, after he threw a scoreless seventh. Zack Jones (0.0 IP, 1 R) and Ryan Thompson (0.2 IP, 1 R) finished the eighth inning.
 
Quin Cotton led GCU with three hits and two runs scored. 
 
Illinois finishes its nine-game homestand Tuesday against Bradley. 

Missouri State Takes Weekend Series With Illinois State

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Illinois State Redbirds dropped both games of a series-ending doubleheader against the Missouri State Bears, falling 6-3 in the opener, and 12-3 in the series finale.
 
For the day, Joe Aeilts was 4-for-8 at the plate with two runs scored, while Owen Miller was 2-for-8 at the plate.
 
Brady Huffman picked up a no-decision as a starter, scattering seven hits over five innings of work, while striking out two, while Colton Johnson struck out one over three innings; however, earned the loss for the Redbirds.
 
The Redbirds return to action on Tuesday, April 24, as the team travels to face off against in-town foe Illinois Wesleyan for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

Cubs, Cardinals Win; White Sox Swept

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cubs Hold Off Rockies in Wild Sunday Win
 
Nolan Arenado was initially called safe when he tried to score on a bases-loaded pitch that bounced to the backstop, then was ruled out on a video review that ended a 9-7 win for the Chicago Cubs over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
 
Cubs star Kris Bryant left in the first inning after he was hit on the head with a 96 mph pitch from German Marquez. The ball made a loud sound as it hit off the underside of the flap of his helmet, and it was not immediately clear how much direct contact it made his Bryant's head. Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said Bryant passed tests and had no sign of a concussion.
 
David Dahl's two-out walk against Brandon Morrow loaded the bases in the ninth, and Morrow bounced an 0-2 slider that ricocheted off the mitt of catcher Willson Contreras. The ball bounced to the third-base side of the plate, Contreras grabbed it after a rebound off the low, brick wall and threw a perfect strike to Morrow, who tagged Arenado on the right ankle as the foot cross the plate.
 
Umpire Cory Blaser signaled safe, but the call was reversed about 90 seconds later and the Cubs jogged out of their dugout to celebrate. Morrow got his fourth save.
 
Tommy La Stella, Kyle Schwarber and Victor Caratini hit RBI singles later in the first off Marquez (1-2). Baez's seventh homer made it 4-0 in the second and Jason Heyward had a two-run single in the third for a 6-0 lead.
 
Jose Quintana (2-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven, raising his big league total to 1,004.
 
Trevor Story hit a two-run triple in the third on a fly ball Heyward loss in the sun, and home runs on consecutive pitches by Charlie Blackmon and Arenado cut the Rockies' deficit to 6-4 in the fifth. Each team scored three runs in the seventh.
 
Albert Almora Jr. was briefly down after making a diving catch on Arenado's drive in the first inning. He was attended to by trainers but stayed in the game. He crashed into the wall after making a running catch of Blackmon starting the bottom of the ninth.
 
Tyler Chatwood (0-3, 4.60) is to open a three-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday night.
 
>>Cardinals Pull Away From Reds for Series Sweep
 
Miles Mikolas tossed seven strong innings and the St. Louis Cardinals completed their second sweep this season of the woeful Cincinnati Reds with a 9-2 victory on Sunday.
 
Mikolas (3-0) gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter in what he called his best outing since returning to the majors.
 
Catcher Yadier Molina, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
The Cardinals have won eight of nine overall and 11 in a row over the Reds.
 
Cincinnati, which has lost five in a row and 13 of 14, has the worst record in the majors at 3-18. The Reds are 0-3 - all against the Cardinals - since firing manager Bryan Price and replacing him with Jim Riggleman.
 
St. Louis took four games last week in Cincinnati. The Cardinals' 11-game winning streak over the Reds is their longest since winning 11 straight in 1949.
 
Wong hit a solo homer in the second inning. DeJong added a three-run shot in the seventh. DeJong is tied for second in the NL with seven home runs.
 
Wong's homer came off Luis Castillo (1-3), who allowed three runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked four.
 
The Cardinals added two runs in the third on a run-scoring infield single by Dexter Fowler, who reached base five times, and Tyler O'Neill's sacrifice fly. It was O'Neill's first major league RBI.
 
DeJong pushed the lead to 6-2 with his homer in the seventh off Kevin Quackenbush. He also hit a two-run homer in Saturday's win.
 
Adam Wainwright was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday with right elbow inflammation. RHP John Brebbia was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Brebbia made two appearances earlier in the season and did not allow a run in two innings. 
 
Tommy Pham missed his third game in four days with a right groin strain. He is day-to-day.
 
Luke Weaver (2-1, 4.22) is slated to start the first of three-game series against the Mets on Tuesday. RHP Zack Wheeler (1-1, 2.77) will start for the Mets.
 
>>Astros Roll White Sox
 
Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead single in a five-run seventh inning, and the Houston Astros stretched their winning streak to six with a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
 
Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1) allowed one run and eight hits over six innings, Evan Gattis hit his first home run of the season and the World Series champions completed a three-game sweep in which they outscored Chicago 27-2. Houston travels to the Los Angeles Angels in a matchup of the AL West's top teams that starts Monday.
Chicago has lost seven straight games and 12 of 13, dropping to 4-14 for the season.
 
Pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick singled off Aaron Bummer (0-1) leading off the seventh to stop an 0-for-22 slide, advanced to second on Bruce Rondon's wild pitch and to third on Welington Castillo's passed ball. Altuve and Alex Bregman had RBI singles for a 3-1 lead, Marwin Gonzalez greeted Nate Jones with a two-run double and Gattis hit into a run-scoring forceout.
 
Gattis homered off Hector Santiago in the ninth.
 
White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez gave up one run, four hits and four walks in five innings.
 
Matt Davidson and Yolmer Sanchez hit consecutive two-out doubles in the second. George Springer doubled leading off the fifth and scored on Carlos Correa's sacrifice fly.
 
Miguel Gonzalez (0-3), slated to open Monday against Seattle, is coming off a loss to Oakland in which he allowed eight runs and eight hits in three innings.
 
>>White Sox Reliever Remains in Critical Condition
 
White Sox manager Rick Renteria said there was no change in the condition of reliever Danny Farquhar, who collapsed in the dugout during Friday's game. 
 
The 31-year-old was in critical but stable condition in the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Rush University Medical Center. 
 
The White Sox hung Farquhar's No. 43 jersey in their bullpen for the second straight day.

Cavs Hold Off Pacers

Posted About Five Years Ago

LeBron James and Kyle Korver combined for all of Cleveland's points in a late 10-2 run, helping the Cavaliers to a 104-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers to even the series at 2. 
 
James finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and another crowning achievement - his 100th career playoff game with 30 or more points, second all-time to Michael Jordan.
 
Lance Stephenson was whistled for wrestling Jeff Green to the court while hoping for a jump ball.
 
Indiana still led 93-91 with 4:28 to go on Sunday.
 
Then James and Korver reverted to their old ways.
 
Korver's 3 with 3:48 left made it 94-93, James followed with a layup, Korver knocked down another 3 and James added another layup to give the Cavs a 101-95 lead with 1:52 left.
 
Indiana never recovered.
 
Korver wound up with 18 points and four 3s to give him 200 in his postseason career.
 
Despite having seven players score in double figures, making more baskets, grabbing more offensive rebounds and matching Cleveland's 12 3s, Indiana missed six of its last eight shots.
 
Domantas Sabonis scored 19 points for Indiana. Myles Turner and Victor Oladipo each had 17, though Oladipo was just 5 of 20 from the field.
 
After the Cavs took a 49-33 lead with 6:01 left in the first half, the Pacers used a 10-2 run to get within 60-50 at the half then opened the second half on a 10-2 spurt to make it 62-50.
 
Cleveland extended the lead 76-68 lead with 4:41 left in the third only to watch the Pacers score the last six points of the quarter, tie the score on Lance Stephenson's 11-footer to open the fourth and then take the lead on Sabonis' 3-pointer with 10:51 left.
 
From that point, it was an all-out slugfest that included James getting called for a technical foul with 6:12 to play.
 
Game 5 will be played Wednesday in Cleveland.

Packers Notes

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Aaron Rodgers Buys Into Milwaukee Bucks
 
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has joined the ownership group of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks as a limited partner.
 
The Bucks made the announcement Friday night between the first and second quarters of Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Boston Celtics. The Bucks say that Rodgers is the only active NFL player to be a limited partner of an NBA team.
 
Sitting next to girlfriend Danica Patrick and Bucks co-owner Wes Edens, Rodgers received a warm welcome from the sold-out crowd when his face was shown on the video board at the Bradley Center.
 
Rodgers in a statement says the opportunity is a "dream come true" for him. A big fan of the NBA, Rodgers has also cheered on the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Tournament.
 
>>Ex-Packers RB Green Avoids Jail
 
Former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green avoided jail time under a plea agreement in which a felony child-abuse charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation.
 
The 41-year-old Green on Thursday pleaded no contest to criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. Prosecutors amended the child-abuse charge to a nonabuse charge of damage to property.
 
Court documents show Green was arrested at his home in June after a report he had struck his daughter in the head. Green says in a statement he entered the plea to spare his daughter the emotional trauma of trial.
 
Green is the Packers' career rushing leader with 8,322 yards.

Clinton High School Football Star Signs National Letter of Intent

Posted About Five Years Ago

Clinton High School senior Garrett Hayden signed his national letter of intent to play college football at Monmouth College.
 
Hayden, a 6-foot senior, will play offensive line and says he is excited to have the commitment made and looks forward to the next step in his career.
 
 
Hayden has friends at Monmouth already and says he enjoyed the atmosphere and coaches of the school.
 
 
Hayden says one of the most memorable games he was a part of was his sophomore year, the Sullivan game when the Maroons punched their ticket to the playoffs as one of the most memorable games in his Clinton High School career.
 
 
Hayden likes to read in his spare time and enjoys sci-fi and fantasy. He'll be playing guard or center with the Scots. 
 
Monmouth is a DIII school part of the Midwest Conference. 
 
Former Maroon Alec Cooley will be a sophomore at Monmouth next year.

Clinton High School Track Star Signs With Lincoln College

Posted About Five Years Ago

Clinton High School track star Maggie Werts signed her national letter of intent to run track at Lincoln College Thursday afternoon.
 
Werts says the day was very exciting to commit and looks forward to continuing her sprint career.
 
 
Werts says there was a lot to like about Lincoln College, not only athletically but also academically. She also liked being close to home. 
 
 
Werts thanks her coaches and teammates over the four years of her career and says the top highlight of being in the CHS track program is their conference championship last year.
 
 
Lincoln College is led by Coach Brian Herron. They are a Junior College Division II school part of the NJCAA. 

Carr Throws No-No As Monticello Tops Bloomington Central Catholic

Posted About Five Years Ago

Mitch Carr threw a no-hitter leading Monticello past Bloomington Central Catholic 8-0 Thursday afternoon in Illini Prairie Conference boys baseball action.
 
Carr struck out seven and walked two over seven innings.
 
Luke Stokowski drove in three runs. Brett Macak and Alek Bundy each added two RBIs. 
 
The Sages are 17-2 overall and 4-1 in conference action.
 
Monticello hits the road to take on Tolono Unity Monday afternoon then hosts Pontiac Thursday afternoon.
 
Hear Thursday's action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.

Cubs Hold Off Cardinals

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cubs Hold Off Cardinals
 
Jon Lester was dominant through six innings of two-hit ball in his 100th start as Cub, Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer and Chicago defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Thursday.
 
Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber each had two RBIs as Chicago took a 6-1 lead after two innings. Every Cubs starter had a hit, including three by Anthony Rizzo and two each by Heyward, Schwarber and Javier Baez.
 
Lester (2-0) didn't allow a hit until Jedd Gyorko lined a single to left with one out in the fifth. The left-hander gave a first-inning unearned run, struck out seven and walked one.
 
Brandon Morrow pitched a perfect ninth to complete a five-hitter and remain perfect in three save chances.
 
Ten of Chicago's first 16 batters reached against Luke Weaver (2-1), who allowed six runs and nine hits in four innings. He had yielded only four runs over 17 1/3 innings in three previous starts.
 
A day after a game was postponed because of rain and temperatures just above freezing, it was 47 when the game began.
Harrison Bader was hit by a pitch in the first, stole second, advanced to third on catcher Willson Contreras's throwing error and scored on Lester's wild pitch to Marcell Ozuna .
 
Baez was moved up to second in the batting order by manager Joe Maddon, and Baez tripled in a bottom half of the first that included RBI singles by Bryant and Schwarber. The Cubs opened a 6-1 lead in the second when Albert Almora Jr., Rizzo and Schwarber had RBI singles, and Bryant hit a sacrifice fly.
 
>>A's Sell Thompson To White Sox, White Sox Sell Saladino To Milwaukee
 
Outfielder Trayce Thompson was sold by the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago White Sox, who sold infielder Tyler Saladino to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 27-year-old Thompson will be joining his fourth team this year. He went to spring training with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then he was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees on April 3 and by Oakland two days later. He was 1 for 7 in three games with the A's. Thompson is the younger brother of Golden State's Klay Thompson and a son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson.
 
The 28-year-old Saladino was 2 for 8 with a double for the White Sox.
 
Oakland also optioned right-hander Lou Trivino to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday.

BCC Holds Off Monticello

Posted About Five Years Ago

Bailey Coffman struck out 15 batters across seven innings pacing Bloomington Central Catholic past Monticello 6-3 in Illini Praire Conference girls softball action from Monticello High School Thursday.

 

The Lady Saints scored three runs in the first inning, but the Lady Sages cut it to 3-2 in the fourth inning when Miranda Vogel just missed a home run that caromed off the fence lining and back in play in center field for an RBI triple but the Lady Saints pulled away with a pair of runs in the sixth.

 

Hannah Oberheim was 1-for-3 with a run. Delaney Hilderbrandt and Taylor Wunderlich also scored for the Lady Sages. Vogel reached base three times with an RBI.

 

The Lady Saints improve to 16-3 on the season and Monticello is 10-6 and is now 2-3 in the Illini Prairie.

 

Maroons Take Advantage Of Shelbyville Miscues To Win Wednesday

Posted About Five Years Ago

Mac Hickman pitched six solid innings and the Clinton Maroons took advantage of four errors committed by Shelbyville to win 10-1 in their Wednesday afternoon Central Illinois Conference baseball matchup in Shelbyville.
 
Hickman struck out 15 over six innings, allowing a run on three hits. Jake Wade closed the door in the seventh with a one-hit scoreless inning of relief.
 
Hickman finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Parker West drove in two and Wade finished 2-for-4. 
 
Payton Howell paced Shelbyville going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
The Maroons are now 3-3 overall and 3-1 in the Central Illinois Conference. 
 
The Maroons host Central A&M Friday.

Illinois State Falls To Eastern Illinois In Slugfest

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Illinois State Redbirds scored 13 runs – the 10th time this season in which ISU has scored double-digit runs – but could not overcome a nine-run bottom of the first inning in a 17-13 loss at Eastern Illinois on Wednesday.
 
Noah Sadler and Nick Zouras each had two hits, while Zouras scored three times in the game. John Rave drove in three runs, while Joe Butler and Joe Aeilts drove in two runs.
 
On a windy day that was blowing strong out to left center field, the teams combined for the 30 runs, 27 hits, and 10 home runs.
 
Owen Miller doubled home Zouras, before Jordan Libman grounded out to the second baseman, allowing Aeilts to score. With Sadler at the plate, Miller crossed the plate on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to six runs at 10-4.
 
After Eastern Illinois tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Redbirds got the two runs quickly back on an Aeilts two-run home run. Two outs later Libman walked, and was driven home on a double off the bat of Sadler, dropping the Redbird disadvantage 12-7.
 
Two runs in the top of the sixth inning, both off of a pinch-hit home run from Butler that also drove in Hays. Once the margin reached three runs, EIU scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to readjust the margin back to 14-9.
 
The eighth inning saw Butler walk and Zouras single, which was followed by Rave's sixth home run of the season and his 34th RBI of the season, which dropped the Panther lead to 14-12. A three-run home run in the bottom half of the inning increased the margin to five runs at 17-12.
 
Trailing by five, the Redbirds threatened in the top of the ninth inning, as Collin Braithwaite and Sadler each drew a walk, before Hays was hit by a pitch after the first out of the frame to load the bases. On a strikeout by Butler, pinch runner Bryce Grimm scored on a wild pitch. Zouras walked to re-load the bases, until a strikeout ended the threat and the game.
 
Illinois State returns to action on Friday when they hit the road to take on Missouri State in a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series.

White Sox Fall To A's; Cubs, Cardinals Rained Out

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>A's Outlast White Sox in Wild Extra Inning Game
 
Matt Olson singled over left fielder Nicky Delmonico to drive in Marcus Semien with two outs in the 14th inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 12-11 in a wild game that lasted nearly six hours Wednesday.
 
The A's trailed 6-1, 9-4 and 10-8, then gave up a tying run in the ninth before scoring the winning run off James Shields (1-1) five innings later.
 
The teams combined for 33 hits and 18 walks -12 by Chicago pitchers - in a game that lasted 5 hours and 48 minutes. It was the third-longest game by time in Oakland Athletics history.
 
Semien singled with two outs in the 14th and stole second. After Shields walked Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis, Olson lined an 0-1 pitch deep to left, and Delmonico watched it go over his head.
 
Lou Trivino (1-0) pitched three innings for his first major league win. He made his big league debut in a 10-2 win over Chicago Tuesday.
 
The White Sox fell to 4-11, matching their worst start since 1997.
 
Both bullpens got depleted. Shields was scheduled to start against Houston on Friday but instead became the 10th pitcher used by White Sox manager Rick Renteria.
 
The A's were down to their last reliever and even had outfielder Jake Smolinski warming up to pitch at one point.
 
Olson finished with four hits and three RBIs, Lowrie also drove in three and Mark Canha homered to help the A's complete the three-game sweep of the White Sox. Stephen Piscotty added two hits to extend his hitting streak to eight games.
 
Chicago lost its fourth straight despite a big day by leadoff hitter Yoan Moncada. Moncada hit his first career grand slam, scored three times and matched his career high of four RBIs.
 
Jose Abreu had three hits, two RBIs and was hit by a pitch early in the game for Chicago. Delmonico had three hits, and Matt Davidson added two singles.
 
Moncada's slam off right-hander Andrew Triggs capped a five-run second inning. Moncada also singled, stole a base and scored in the first, then walked and scored in the fourth.
 
Shields was scheduled to pitch against Houston on Friday in Chicago but that could change after his relief appearance. Shields is 2-2 in six career starts against the Astros.
 
>>Cards, Cubs Rained Out Again
 
The game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs has been called off because of wintry weather, the 25th postponement in the first three weeks of the major league season.
The total matches 2007 for the most weather-related postponements through April since Major League Baseball started keeping records in 1986. There were 26 postponements through April in 2007, but one was caused by the death of St. Louis pitcher Josh Hancock.
 
With temperatures in the mid-30s and rain and snow in the forecast, the game was called about 4½ hours before the scheduled first pitch and rescheduled for Thursday afternoon.
 
Chicago will keep its rotation in order and move Jon Lester's start back a day. Luke Weaver had been scheduled to pitch Wednesday for St. Louis.
 
The postponement was the fourth on the Cubs' first homestand, and third in four days. Sunday's series finale against Atlanta was rescheduled for May 14 because of rain and Monday's game against the Cardinals is to be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on July 21.

Hester, Forte Sign One-Day Deals To Retire With Bears

Posted About Five Years Ago

Record-setting return specialist Devin Hester and running back Matt Forte will sign one-day contracts with the Chicago Bears and retire as members of the organization where they starred.
 
The team says they will make it official at a ceremony on Monday. Forte had already announced he would retire as a member of the Bears. Both players spent their first eight seasons in Chicago.
 
Forte's 9,796 yards rushing in 10 seasons with the Bears and New York Jets rank 33rd on the NFL's career list. He also had 554 receptions and 14,468 yards from scrimmage - most in the NFL in the past decade.
 
Hester holds the NFL record with 20 kick return touchdowns in 11 years with Chicago, Atlanta and Baltimore. He returned the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl 92 yards for a touchdown in 2007 against Indianapolis.

Cavs Hold Off Pacers

Posted About Five Years Ago

LeBron James scored 46 points and added 12 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from a poor performance in the series opener by holding off the Indiana Pacers 100-97 on Wednesday night to even their Eastern Conference playoff matchup at one game apiece.
 
Dazzling from the start, James scored the game's first 16 points and had 29 at halftime, ruling the floor as he has done in so many previous postseasons.
 
Cleveland was lucky that Indiana's Victor Oladipo missed a wide-open 3-pointer that would have tied it with 27 seconds left.
 
Kevin Love scored 15, but Cleveland's All-Star center jammed his left thumb - the same hand he broke earlier this season- while deflecting a pass and sat out the final 3:43 left with the Cavs clinging to a slim lead. 
 
Oladipo scored 22 - he was in early foul trouble - and Myles Turner 18 for the Pacers, who shocked the Cavs with an overpowering win in Game 1 and head home full of confidence.
 
Indiana clawed back from an 18-point deficit and was within 95-92 when Oladipo, who scored 32 in the opener, somehow came free off a screen but missed maybe his easiest shot in two games.
 
James then made three free throws over the final 22 seconds as the Cavs avoided falling behind 2-0 on the series.
 
Game 3 is Friday night.
 
>>Greg Popovich's Wife Dies After Battle With Lengthy Illness
 
The San Antonio Spurs announced some unfortunate news on Wednesday evening, that Gregg Popovich's wife, Erin Popovich, died Wednesday. She was 67.
 
Gregg met Erin while he was an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy, according to The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. Erin's father, Jim Conboy, was a long time athletic trainer for the Air Force Falcons. She was a native of Colorado Springs. 
 
It is not yet clear how this will affect the 69-year-old Popovich's status for the remainder of the Spurs' first-round series against the Warriors. 
 
In a statement released by the team, Spurs General Manager RC Buford said quote - "We mourn the loss of Erin. She was a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us."

Clinton Track Hosting Invitational Thursday

Posted About Five Years Ago

It has been another successful campaign for the Clinton Lady Maroons track squad as they get set to host their annual Invitational Thursday.
 
The Lady Maroons recently placed sixth at the 22-team invitational at Tolono Unity High School. 
 
Top six finishers at the meet included:
 
3rd place High Jump: Riley Pruser
2nd place 1600m run: Payne Turney
5th place 4x100m relay: Maggie Werts, Madi Filkin, Riley Pruser, Tori Burke
3rd place (narrowly missing second) 4x200m relay: Madi Filkin, Riley Pruser, Maggie Werts, Tori Burke - running a season best 1:52.49
6th place Long Jump: Riley Pruser
5th place Shot Put: Claudia Workman
 
Sophomore Payne Turney raced 11:50.55 in the 3200 meter run, taking home second place and shattering the freshman/sophomore record by 22 seconds (previously held by Julia Sterr, 2:12.58) and eclipsing the varsity record by 13.5 seconds (set in 2002 by Chris Holl - 12:04.04). 
 
Payne now holds every freshman/sophomore and varsity individual distance event, whether indoors or outdoors at Clinton High School. 
 
 
Other personal records set so far this season include:
 
RyTy DuPont-Barlow:  100m dash and a foot PR in the Triple Jump
 
Madi Filkin:  200m dash (previous was 27.50 -- 4/12 27.37 - still #10 all time)
 
Olivia Petersen: 800m run (2:46.39)
 
Emma Wertz: 1600m run (6:18.55)
 
Lyric Griffith:  100m HH (18.38) - moving up to #10 on the all time list and lifetime PR 300m H
 
Natalie Rhodes: Triple Jump
 
Kady Patelski: discus throw
 
Maggie Werts: 4x400m relay split
 
Aryn Scott: 4x800m relay split
 
Jackie Green: 4x400m relay split
 
Natalie Rhodes: 300m hurdles
 
Riley Pruser: 4x200m relay split
 
Madi Filkin: 4x200m relay split 

SIUE Topples Illinois State In Extra Innings

Posted About Five Years Ago

Trailing 2-0 through six innings, the Illinois State Redbirds rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, but could not score in the extra inning, falling to the SIUE Cougars by a 7-2 final score.
 
Freshman Tyson Hays led the Redbirds by going 2-for-4 on the day, as the team's other five hits came from five different batters. Jack Butler and Hays scored the team's two runs, as Hays and John Rave drove in the runners.
 
The teams played through three scoreless innings, before the Cougars scratched the scoreboard first with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, jumping ahead to a 2-0 lead.
 
Butler hit a one-out single to put the first runner on base in the seventh inning, before Hays hit a two-out double to the left field wall, scoring Butler and cutting the deficit in half. A batter later, Rave singled to center field, chasing home Hays, and knotting the score at two runs apiece.
 
The Redbird defense came up big in the top of the eighth inning when the second SIUE batter of the inning advanced to third on a single and a two-base error; however, a batter later the Cougar batter hit the ball directly to shortstop Owen Miller who threw home to catcher Hays for the tag-out, keeping the tie score intact.
 
In the top of the 10th the Cougar offense erupted, scoring five times, while Illinois State was unable to get any offensive action in their half of the 10th inning, falling 7-2.
 
Illinois State returns to action today when they travel to Charleston to take on Eastern Illinois in at 3 pm.

Valpo Upsets Illinois

Posted About Five Years Ago

The No. 25 Illinois baseball team allowed eight runs in the first four innings Tuesday to Valparaiso and fell 11-7 at Illinois Field snapping a five-game winning streak.
 
Doran Turchin hit a three-run homer in the first inning, his eighth of the season, and Zac Taylor added a two-run shot in the eighth, his seventh.
 
Valparaiso (12-19) secured its second top-50 win of the season and first since winning 11-4 at Oklahoma in February. Giovanni Garbella led Valpo with four hits and Blake Billinger had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIs.
 
Freshmen Jimmy Burnette (1.1 IP, 2H) and Ryan Kutt (1.0 IP, 0 H) had scoreless outing for Illinois.
 
Illinois is back in action this weekend for a three-game series against Grand Canyon at Illinois Field. 

Cardinals Down Cubs; White Sox Fall To A's

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cubs Activate Rizzo From DL; Wainwright Pitches Cardinals Past Cubs
 
Adam Wainwright outpitched Tyler Chatwood in frigid conditions at Wrigley Field, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.
 
The gametime temperature was 35 degrees, and a 10 mph wind made it feel like 29. There were heaters on in each dugout, and the announced crowd of 35,103 bundled up in winter coats, hats and blankets.
 
Matt Carpenter had two hits and three RBIs for St. Louis in the first meeting of the season between the longtime rivals. The Cardinals went 5-14 against the NL Central champion Cubs last year, including just one win in nine games at Wrigley.
 
Each starting pitcher struggled with control, but Wainwright (1-2) deftly navigated his way through five effective innings. The 6-foot-7 right-hander allowed an unearned run and four hits, struck out five and walked four while improving to 11-2 in 24 career games at Chicago's iconic neighborhood ballpark.
 
Chatwood (0-3) issued seven walks in 4 2/3 innings, one off his career high. He struck out seven and yielded two runs and one hit.
 
Javier Baez hit a two-run homer off Greg Holland in the eighth, but Chicago lost for the third time in four games. The Cubs hadn't played since Saturday after their series finale against Atlanta and Game 1 against St. Louis were postponed due to lousy weather.
 
Chatwood's wildness caught up to him in the third. After Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham opened the inning with consecutive walks, Carpenter hit an RBI double off the base of the wall in right. Marcell Ozuna then drove in Pham with a grounder to shortstop.
 
The Cardinals added three more after Pedro Strop retired the first two batters in the eighth. Paul DeJong drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for his fifth homer, snapping a 1-for-16 slide, and Carpenter added a two-run single.
 
After Holland faltered in the bottom half, leaving with no outs and a runner on first, Tyler Lyons got Jason Heyward to pop out before Bud Norris finished for his fourth save. Willson Contreras singled with two out in the ninth, but Norris struck out Kyle Schwarber looking to end the game.
 
Cardinals right-hander Luke Weaver and Cubs left-hander Jon Lester are slated to pitch Wednesday afternoon, but there is more inclement weather in the forecast. Weaver (2-0, 2.08 ERA) made his major league debut at Wrigley Field on Aug. 13, 2016. Lester (1-0, 4.40 ERA) went 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts against St. Louis last year.
 
>>Lowrie Paces A's Past White Sox
 
Trevor Cahill pitched seven scoreless innings in his season debut, Jed Lowrie marked his 34th birthday with a go-ahead home run in a five-run first inning and the the A's beat the Chicago White Sox 10-2 Tuesday night on the 50th anniversary of the A's first game at the Coliseum.
Stephen Piscotty and Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs apiece, and Mark Canha added three hits and two RBIs. Oakland extended its winning streak to three with its first series win this season.
 
Cahill (1-0) gave up five hits, struck out eight and walked two.
 
Yoan Moncada homered for Chicago, which has lost seven of eight.
 
Miguel Gonzalez gave up eight runs and eight hits in three innings, raising his ERA to 12.41.
 
Lowrie hit a two-out solo homer off Miguel Gonzalez (0-3), Lowrie's first home run in Oakland this season. He is batting .351 and leads the AL with 26 hits and 18 RBIs.
 
Carson Fulmer (0-1, 4.66 ERA) is to take the mound for the White Sox in his first start at the Coliseum in the finale of this three-game series Wednesday. RHP Andrew Triggs (1-0, 2.87) goes for the A's.

Rodgers, Packers Hoping For Contract Extension

Posted About Five Years Ago

An offseason of change for the Green Bay Packers has been met with occasional displeasure by quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
 
At the Super Bowl, Rodgers called it "interesting" that the Packers replaced quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt "without consulting me." Also that week, he spoke of the possibility he might have to finish his career elsewhere, like predecessor Brett Favre.
 
In the wake of the Packers' decision to release his close friend Jordy Nelson on March 13, Rodgers added "it's pretty clear that players play and coaches coach and personnel people make decisions (and) that's the way they want it."
 
Rodgers took a more measured tone with reporters on Tuesday at Lambeau Field. On the first day of Green Bay's offseason program, Yahoo! Sports reported that sources close to Rodgers say the quarterback had grown "frustrated" by the team making such big moves without consulting him, and that the lack of input could factor into negotiations toward a contract extension.
 
"I know my role, and that's to play quarterback the best that I can," Rodgers said. "The team is going to try to put the right guys in place, the right coaches in place, the right players in place. You just have to trust the process".
 
Part of that process was replacing offensive and defensive coordinators and making rare splashes into free agency by adding tight end Jimmy Graham and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson.
 
While Graham and Rodgers try to build chemistry, the team and Rodgers will try to hammer out a contract extension. General manager Brian Gutekunst and Packers President Mark Murphy have said it's a priority to extend Rodgers' deal set to expire after the 2019 season. 
 
With Kirk Cousins (Minnesota), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco), Drew Brees (New Orleans) and Alex Smith (Washington) signing big contracts in the offseason, Rodgers has fallen to ninth among quarterbacks with an average salary of $22 million.
 
Rodgers said "it's never been about" becoming the highest-paid player in the league. He wouldn't say whether he and agent David Dunn would push for a fully guaranteed contract like Cousins signed with the Vikings. Rather, Rodgers said the key will be structuring the deal that works for both parties under the constraints of the salary cap.

Monticello Gets By Maroa-Forsyth

Posted About Five Years Ago

Alek Bundy’s bases-clearing double to cap a five-run second inning proved to be the difference as Monticello downed Maroa-Forsyth 7-3 in non-conference boys baseball action Monday afternoon from Monticello High School.

 

Owen Trybom, Cam Wittig, and Brett Macak started the inning by reaching base. Trybom scored on Macak’s single and Asher Bradd walked to load the bases and Bundy cleared them by floating a fly ball into right-center field for the final scoring of the afternoon for Monticello.

 

Bundy would finish the afternoon reaching base four times, including two times being hit by a pitch. He scored two runs and stole two bases.

 

Mitch Carr drove in two runs in the first inning with a double. He finished 2-for-4.

 

Wittig got the win on the mount working in and out of trouble over five innings, allowing one earned run with four strikeouts and issued two walks.

 

Andrew Rudolph allowed a run in the sixth and Luke Stokowski closed the door in the seventh with a clean inning.

 

The Trojans were led by Drew Hicks’ 2-for-4 afternoon. He scored a run, drove in a run and stole a base.

 

Logan Shephard and Aaron Agee each had an RBI and Tanner Falk walked twice.

 

The Sages improve to 15-1 overall and Maroa-Forsyth drops to 7-5.

 

Bears, WR Fowler Agree To One Year Deal

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Chicago Bears have signed receiver Bennie Fowler to a one-year contract.
 
Fowler caught 56 passes for 698 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Denver Broncos. He had 350 yards and three TDs last year.
 
He also caught the final two-point conversion pass from Peyton Manning in the Broncos' 2016 Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers.
 
The moved announced Monday comes after the Bears decided last week not to match the New Orleans Saints' offer sheet for Cameron Meredith.
 
Chicago went 5-11 and finished last in the NFC North for the fourth straight year. The Bears hired coach Matt Nagy in January to replace the fired John Fox.

White Sox Lose; Cardinals, Cubs Postponed

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>A's Down White Sox
 
Daniel Mengden carried a shutout into the ninth inning in his best start of the season and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox 8-1 before another sparse crowd at the Coliseum on Monday night.
 
Matt Olson homered, Jed Lowrie drove in three runs and Stephen Piscotty had two hits and an RBI for the A's.
 
Oakland has won consecutive games for the first time this season.
 
It was Chicago's first game since it won in Minnesota on Thursday. The final three games of that series were postponed by snow.
 
Mengden (2-2) had allowed three earned runs or more in each of his first three starts but was dominant against Chicago. The right-hander struck out six, walked one and retired 18 of 20 before leaving after giving up Jose Abreu's leadoff home run in the ninth. That was just Chicago's sixth hit.
 
Olson homered on starter Reynaldo Lopez's first pitch off the fourth. That ended a career-high tying 0-for-12 slump for the A's first baseman.
 
Lowrie had an RBI groundout in the seventh and a two-run single in the eighth.
 
The A's also made a pair of defensive gems.
 
Center fielder Mark Canha made a diving catch on Abreu's sinking liner to end the third. An inning earlier, the A's turned a 5-3-6 double play.
 
The game was played before an announced crowd of 7,479, the second smallest of the season at the Coliseum. It was the fourth time this year the A's have attracted fewer than 10,000, although it didn't help that the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors were playing Game 2 of their Western Conference playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs at the same time next door at Oracle Arena.
 
Tuesday's game should attract a much larger crowd because tickets are free. Vouchers were previously given out online, and no walkups are available.
 
Lopez (0-2) yielded four hits and two runs over six innings.
 
The White Sox committed four errors and have lost seven of eight.
 
Miguel Gonzalez (0-2, 8.68 ERA) starts Tuesday night seeking his first win in seven career starts against Oakland.
 
Cahill (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is expected to be called up from Triple-A Nashville to make his season debut.
 
>>Cubs, Cards Series Opener Postponed
 
The series opener between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed because of poor weather.
With light snow falling and the temperature around 30 degrees, Monday night's game was postponed about six hours before the scheduled first pitch. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on July 21.
 
It was not immediately clear how the postponement will affect the teams' rotations. Adam Wainwright had been scheduled to start for St. Louis, with Tyler Chatwood pitching for Chicago on Monday.
 
The postponement was the third on the Cubs' first homestand of the season - and second in as many days. Sunday's series finale against Atlanta got pushed back to May 14 because of rain.
 
There were 21 postponements in the majors through Sunday.
 
>>Twins, White Sox Set Make Up Dates
 
The Minnesota Twins have rescheduled three games with the Chicago White Sox that were postponed by wintry weather.
 
The Twins set a straight doubleheader for June 5, when the White Sox return to Minnesota for what will now be a four-game series. The original game will start a half-hour after the makeup game is finished.
The White Sox will make a one-game stop on Aug. 20, what was an off day for both clubs. The Twins begin a two-game series in Chicago the following day.
 
Then the two teams will play a split doubleheader on Sept. 28, setting up a four-game series to finish the regular season.
 
The Twins beat the White Sox on Thursday, before the storm arrived and dropped 15 inches of snow on Minneapolis over the weekend.

Illinois Sweeps Rutgers

Posted About Five Years Ago

Ty Weber threw a complete game to give Illinois a 10-4 win over Rutgers and finish a three-game series sweep. 
 
Weber allowed four runs on four hits while striking out six with the wind blowing straight out at 20-25 MPH. 
 
Illinois (23-8, 9-3 Big Ten) secured head coach Dan Hartleb's 400th career victory. The Illini have won five straight and 22 of their last 27.
 
Weber tossed his second career complete game (2017 vs. Indiana State) on a day made for hitters. He got 11 ground ball outs, with the wind never stopping, and consistent soft contact during the 106-pitch outing.
 
Illinois had seven extra-base hits, including a grand slam from Michael Massey and a two-run homer from Jack Yalowitz. Both homers came before there was an out recorded in the third inning, as Illinois built a 7-1 lead. 
 
Zac Taylor, Ben Troike, Jeff Korte and Grant Van Scoy all had two hits for Illinois. Taylor added two RBIs on a double and a triple.
 
Rutgers (18-14, 4-5 Big Ten) last hit was a three-run homer by Kyle Walker in the fourth. Weber retired the final 14 straight Scarlet Knights.
 
Illinois continues its nine-game homestand with a Tuesday game against Valparaiso. 

Sunday Win Gives Illinois State Series Win Over Indiana State

Posted About Five Years Ago

Illinois State took the third game of the series over Indiana State, bringing home the Missouri Valley Conference series win – the Redbirds' first at Indiana State since the 2014 season.
 
Four Redbird batters: Owen Miller, Collin Braithwaite, Nick Zouras, and Joe Aeilts had two hits in the game, while Tyler Hays drove in a game-high three RBI's.
 
Illinois State (14-17, 4-5 MVC) got its offense rolling in the top of the second, when Zouras and Aeilts hit back-to-back one-out singles. Hays recorded his first collegiate hit with a three-run home run over the wall in left field, providing more than enough runs for the Redbird victory.
 
While getting his offense out in front of him, Redbird starting pitcher Matt Walker was nearly unhittable through four innings, as the sophomore allowed just two baserunners.
 
Walker improved to 4-0 on the season as he pitched six innings and scattered five hits while striking out five and walking just two.
 
Braithwaite drove home John Rave with an RBI single in the fifth and Zouras singled in Noah Sadler in the top of the eighth inning gave the Redbirds their final offensive tally. 
 
The Redbirds will play a pair of mid-week games when they host Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Tuesday and then travel to DeKalb for a matchupw ith Northern Illinois Wednesday. 
 
Illinois State is then at Missouri State over the weekend.

Packers Bring in Veteran CB House

Posted About Five Years Ago

Free agent cornerback Davon House is returning to the Green Bay Packers after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal.
 
General manager Brian Gutekunst announced the signing on Friday.
 
House was Green Bay's fourth-round draft pick in 2011. He's the second former Packers cornerback to return to the defense this offseason, joining Tramon Williams.
 
House started all 12 games he played last year in Green Bay, finishing fourth on the team with nine passes defended. A respected veteran in the locker room, House had shoulder and back injuries in 2017.
 
He played the previous two seasons in Jacksonville after a four-stint in Green Bay to start his NFL career.
 
The Packers may still be looking for help at cornerback in this year's draft, which starts April 26.

Cardinals Win; Cubs, White Sox Postponed

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Outlast Reds For Series Sweep
 
Carlos Martinez struck out a season-high 11 in seven shutout innings and Harrison Bader's two-run home run helped the Cardinals complete their first four-game sweep in Cincinnati since 1949 with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
 
After waiting through a rain delay of 2 hours, 36 minutes, Martinez allowed two hits and four walks while helping send the Reds to their eighth consecutive loss, one short of matching their longest losing streak of last season.
 
The Reds scored 10 runs in the series while being swept in four games at home by St. Louis for the first time since July 8-10, 1949.
 
The Reds haven't enjoyed a lead in 32 innings, going back to the fourth inning on Thursday. They are 2-13 overall this season for the first time since the 1931 Reds won two of their first 19 games.
 
Bud Norris allowed Adam Duvall's ninth-inning leadoff homer and the Reds got a runner to second with nobody out. Norris struck out Alex Blandino and Phillip Ervin and got Billy Hamilton to line out to clinch his third save.
 
The Cardinals have won five of their past six games.
 
Bader drove Homer Bailey's 1-0 pitch into the right field seats for an opposite-field homer with two outs in the second inning. The opposite-field shot was his first in four big league homers. 
 
The Cardinals added a run with one out in the seventh on Jose Martinez's one-out double and Yadier Molina's RBI single, his second hit of the game.
 
Hamilton homered off reliever Tyler Lyons in the eighth inning for his 500th hit.
 
Bailey (0-3) allowed four hits and three runs with four strikeouts and two walks in a season-high seven innings.
 
Adam Wainwright (0-2), who is 10-2 in 23 games at Wrigley Field, was scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago on Monday.
 
>>Braves, Cubs Series Finale Postponed
 
Sunday's series finale betwen the Cubs and Braves was postponed by rain and rescheduled for May 14, setting up an unusual four-game set that begins in Chicago and finishes with three in Atlanta.
It also was wet, cold and windy on Saturday, but the teams played through the conditions and the Cubs rallied for a wild 14-10 victory over the Braves. When it was over, both sides were critical of the decision to play.
 
Saturday's gametime temperature was 38 degrees, and there was a 24 mph wind and a steady mist. The temperature fell and the wind increased as the game progressed.
 
Five other major league games were postponed Sunday - White Sox at Twins, Angels at Royals, Blue Jays at Indians and the Yankees-Tigers doubleheader in Detroit - running the season total to 21. That is baseball's highest number through the end of April since there were 26 in 2007.
 
It was the second postponement of the Cubs' first homestand after their home opener against Pittsburgh was pushed back a day by snow.
 
>>Entire Twins, White Sox Weekend Series Called Off
 
Rows of blue suitcases lined the hallway leading into the Minnesota Twins' clubhouse on Sunday, signs of a trip the frigid players can't wait to take.
 
Three straight postponements because of snow only heightened the anticipation for this week's series in Puerto Rico.
Instead of preparing to face the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, Minnesota took batting practice and threw bullpen sessions indoors. Players were coming and going, their thoughts turning from snow and freezing to the warmth of Puerto Rico.
 
The Twins and Cleveland play Tuesday and Wednesday in San Juan.
 
While the weather has tormented the majors' early-season schedule - six postponements on Sunday, 21 total this season - few teams have been hit as hard as Minnesota.
 
The Twins had four postponements during their initial 10-game homestand. The final three games of the four-game weekend series with Chicago were postponed as an unlikely spring blizzard hit the Twin Cities.
 
The series finale last weekend against Seattle has been rescheduled for May 14. The Twins have not announced new dates for the three games postponed against the White Sox.
 
Chicago next plays at Oakland, with Reynaldo Lopez starting Monday night at the Coliseum. Miguel Gonzalez and Carson Fulmer will follow in the White Sox rotation.

Carr Propels Monticello Past Champaign St. Thomas More

Posted About Five Years Ago

Mitch Carr drove in three runs and pitched six solid innings as Monticello topped Champaign St. Thomas More 10-3 in Illini Prairie Conference boys baseball action Thursday afternoon from Monticello High School.
 
Carr went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Jeff Wileaver went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Luke Stokowski walked three times, scored three times and drove in a run. Asher Bradd went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs. Alek Bundy doubled as part of a 2-for-5 afternoon with an RBI and a pair of runs.
 
Every Sages hitter reached base Thursday. 
 
Across six innings, Carr allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits, issued two walks and struck out five.
 
Brock Wade closed the door in the seventh with a strike out.
 
Monticello improves to 15-1 overall. 

Cardinals Win; Cubs, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Pound Reds
 
Jose Martinez drove in six runs Thursday and Yadier Molina homered in his return from a one-game suspension, powering St. Louis to a 13-4 victory that left the Cincinnati Reds mired in their worst start since 1955.
 
The Cardinals homered a season-high four times while piling up a season high in runs. The Reds helped by walking 11 batters, three of them with the bases loaded. Martinez led the way with a career-best four hits.
 
Paul DeJong's solo shot deep into the upper deck in center off Austin Brice (0-2) snapped a 4-4 tie in the sixth. Martinez and Molina hit back-to-back drives in the seventh, when St. Louis put it away with seven runs. Martinez added a two-run double in the inning.
 
Michael Wacha (2-1) went five innings and extended his streak of beating Cincinnati. The right-hander is 9-1 career against the Reds. The Cardinals have won Wacha's last 11 starts against the Reds since Sept. 20, 2014.
 
Molina served a one-game suspension on Wednesday for making contact with plate umpire Tim Timmons during an altercation with Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. Molina singled home a run in the first inning off Sal Romano and connected for his fourth homer in the seventh.
 
Marcell Ozuna also had a solo shot that extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
 
Luke Weaver (1-0) won both of his starts against the Reds last season, allowing two earned runs and fanning 13 in 11 innings.
 
Tyler Mahle (1-1) gave up a career-high five runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday.
 
>>Twins Blank White Sox
 
Minnesotan native Joe Mauer got his 2,000th career hit at home on Thursday night, as part of a night with two hits and three RBIs, and Jose Berrios struck out 11 in seven innings for the Twins in a 4-0 win against the Chicago White Sox.
Berrios (2-1) tied his career high for strikeouts and allowed just three hits for the second time in three starts this season. The right-hander is 4-1 with a 1.67 ERA in five starts against Chicago.
 
Lucas Giolito (0-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings for the White Sox, giving up four runs, three earned, and five hits with five walks. He struck out three.
 
Chicago has lost eight of its past 10 games.
 
Giolito was nearly matching Berrios for much of the game, but the control issues hurt and Twins outfielder Byron Buxton used his speed to create runs in the third inning.
 
Buxton singled and stole second base after a review showed Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson missed a tag. Buxton added another in the game and now has 28 straight successful stolen bases.
 
Buxton then took third on a short flyout to center field and scored on an infield grounder when Anderson's throw was just wide of catcher Omar Narvaez.
 
Mauer followed with an RBI single. He added a two-run single in the seventh for his milestone hit.
 
Rain and snowy conditions are forecast for the Twin Cities, likely causing issues this weekend. White Sox RHP Reynaldo Lopez (0-1, 0.69 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night. The Twins haven't announced their starter, in part because of the weather. It will be the first turn in the rotation for a fifth starter, which could be Phil Hughes. But Minnesota is waiting on an announcement in case the game is postponed.
 
>>Pirates Pound Cubs
 
Gregory Polanco homered twice to help back a third straight solid start by Trevor Williams, and the Pittsburgh Pirates pulled away from the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Thursday.
 
Francisco Cervelli lined a three-run shot in the seventh off Cubs reliever Justin Wilson as Pittsburgh scored four times in the inning to break open a tight game. Adam Frazier also went deep for Pittsburgh, which improved to 9-3.
Kyle Schwarber homered, doubled and singled for three of the Cubs' seven hits. Chicago's Ian Happ had his first two-hit game this season.
 
Williams (3-0) was a touch better than Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) in what began as a pitchers' duel following Chicago's 13-5 rout of Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.
 
The Pirates' right-hander allowed one run and four hits through six innings, while striking out five and walking one.
 
Hendricks allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven through six innings as he rebounded after allowing four runs in five innings in a no-decision at Milwaukee last Friday.
 
Pittsburgh's Michael Feliz, George Kontos and Felipe Vazquez each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
 
Javier Baez went 0-for-4 after homering twice on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Chicago's high-energy infielder became the first Cub with consecutive multi-homer games since Alfonso Soriano in May 2008.
 
Polanco's third career multi-homer game lifted his season total to a team-leading five.
 
Polanco hit his fourth homer into the bleachers in right-center in the first to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.
 
Schwarber led off the bottom of the fourth with a drive that landed halfway up the right-field bleachers and tied it at 1. He hit his third home run on a full count and into a steady, chilly wind off Lake Michigan.
 
Frazier put the Pirates back in front 2-1 in the fifth with a solo shot into the first row of the left-center bleachers. It was the first homer for the Pirates' leadoff hitter.
 
Polanco's second homer of the game, a shot to left-center off Wilson with one out in the seventh made it 3-1. After Wilson walked Josh Bell and Corey Dickerson, Cervelli smacked his second homer this season.
 
Yu Darvish (0-0, 5.23) makes his first home start as a Cub and third of the season in a Friday afternoon opener of a three-game set against Atlanta. After being roughed up for five runs in 4 1/3 innings in his Cubs debut at Miami on March 31, Darvish allowed just one run and struck out nine in six innings at Milwaukee last Saturday. The Braves counter with Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 2.25).

Illinois Basketball Signs Five on National Signing Day

Posted About Five Years Ago

Illinois has signed five players to national letters of intent, including three guards and a 7-footer from Senegal.
 
Coach Brad Underwood said Wednesday the Illini signed guards Andres Feliz (Northwest Florida State Junior College), Alan Griffin (Archbishop Stepinac, N.Y.) and Tevian Jones (Culver City, Calif.), forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili (The Patrick School, N.J.) and West African center Samba Kane (Florida Prep Academy).
 
Guard Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago Morgan) signed with the Illini last November. The recruiting class was currently ranked 13th in the nation by Rivals.com.
 
The Illini went 14-18 in Underwood's first season. Three players announced plans to transfer, and Leron Black is turning pro after averaging a team-high 15.3 points.
 

Illinois State Downs St. Francis

Posted About Five Years Ago

Illinois State use a big fifth inning to win a midweek matchup against the Saints of St. Francis 11-3.
 
Owen Miller led the way in hitting for the Redbirds as he finished the game 4-for-5 with two RBI's. John Rave, Nick Zouras, and Joe Aeilts each had two hits in the game for the Redbirds.
 
Zouras led the team with three RBI's, while Derek Parola and Collin Braithwaite finished with two as well. Tyson Hays would make his collegiate debut behind the plate, and tied the team-high with two runs, along with Rave and Parola.
 
Jack Spicer picked up the win for the Redbirds going three complete innings allowing three hits on one earned run.
 
Illinois State returns to action this weekend when the team travels to Terre Haute to take on the Indiana State Sycamores.

Cubs, White Sox Win; Cardinals Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Baez Homers Twice To Power Cubs
 
Javier Baez homered twice for the second straight day and scored the go-ahead run on a daring dash around the bases, helping the Chicago Cubs pound the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-5 on Wednesday.
 
Kris Bryant added three hits and two RBIs as Chicago got its first home win in the first night game at Wrigley Field this season. Albert Almora Jr. also had three hits and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs in the Cubs' highest scoring performance in their first 11 games.
 
Baez belted a three-run shot to right-center against Steven Brault in the second and connected against Dovydas Neverauskas in the eighth, sending a solo drive to back of the bleachers in left. The crowd of 35,596 chanted "Ja-vy! Ja-vy!" after he rounded the bases, and he obliged the cheers with a curtain call.
 
Baez also hit two solo homers in Tuesday's 8-5 loss in the series opener. The dynamic infielder became the first player with consecutive multihomer games for the Cubs since Alfonso Soriano from May 16-17, 2008.
 
Pittsburgh had won four of five for its first 8-2 start since 1992. Sean Rodriguez belted a three-run homer and David Freese connected for a solo shot, but the game got away from the Pirates during the Cubs' four-run sixth.
 
Baez struck out swinging leading off the inning against Tyler Glasnow (0-1), but he reached safely when the ball got past catcher Francisco Cervelli for a wild pitch. He advanced on Jason Heyward's bouncer to first and then swiped third with pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella at the plate.
 
Pittsburgh then brought its infield in and La Stella hit a grounder to second baseman Josh Harrison. Baez broke for the plate and Harrison's throw was wild as Chicago grabbed a 5-4 lead.
 
The Cubs poured it on from there. Zobrist capped the sixth-inning outburst with a two-run single back up the middle. Pinch-hitter Ian Happ connected for a two-run homer in the seventh, and Bryant tacked on his second RBI double of the game.
 
Brian Duensing (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth for the win.
 
Rodriguez's massive drive to center off Jon Lester put Pittsburgh in front in the second, but Chicago responded with four in the bottom half against Steven Brault. Zobrist scored on a wild pitch before Baez went deep for his third of the season.
 
Trevor Williams (2-0, 1.59 ERA) tries for his third straight win to begin the season when he starts the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 4.09 ERA) gets the ball for the Cubs after he went 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts against the Pirates last year.
 
>>Davidson HR Powers White Sox Past Rays
 
Matt Davidson hit a two-run homer off Austin Pruitt in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox rallied for their first home win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday.
 
Davidson gave the White Sox the shot they needed after dropping their first five games at Guaranteed Rate Field. That matched Chicago's worst home start since 1975 at Comiskey Park.
Davidson, who hit three home runs on opening day, struck out with the bases loaded to end the third. But he made up for it with a drive that just cleared the center field wall for his fifth homer, after Jose Abreu singled.
 
James Shields settled down after a shaky start and exited to cheers with one out in the seventh. He held his former team to one run and four hits while striking out six and walking five - all in the first two innings.
 
Bruce Rondon (1-0) retired the side in the eighth. And Nate Jones converted his first save opportunity with a scoreless ninth.
 
Yonny Chirinos went 5 1/3 innings in his second straight scoreless start, scattering four hits while striking out five and walking one. The 24-year-old right-hander has thrown 14 1/3 scoreless innings over three appearances.
 
C.J. Cron hit an RBI double off the center-field wall in the fifth. But Pruitt (1-2) gave up four hits in the eighth as the Rays fell to 3-9.
 
The White Sox had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, only to come away empty-handed.
 
Left fielder Mallex Smith deflected Omar Narvaez's fly near the line off the thumb of his glove and threw wildly toward second, allowing the runner to reach third. Chaz Roe relieved Jose Alvarado and hit pinch-hitter Leury Garcia.
 
But Narvaez got caught between home and third on what seemed to be a squeeze when Yoan Moncada pulled his bat back while taking a pitch for a strike. Catcher Jesus Sucre threw behind the runner, and Moncada then struck out to end the inning.
 
Chicago opens a four-game series at Minnesota on Thursday, with RHP Lucas Giolito (0-1, 6.17) starting for the White Sox and RHP José Berríos (1-1, 3.29) for the Twins. Giolito gave up five runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Detroit on Saturday.
 
>>Brewers Overcome Cardinals
 
Matt Albers held on to a one-run lead in the ninth inning to earn his first save for Milwaukee, retiring Kolten Wong and Dexter Fowler to strand a pair of runners, and the Brewers beat the Cardinals 3-2 Wednesday.
Milwaukee had a two-run lead when Tommy Pham led off the bottom of the ninth with a drive against Josh Hader that hit a railing above the fence in left-center. The play originally was ruled a double by second base umpire Lance Barrett, but the call was overturned on a video review.
 
Albers relieved and allowed singles to Marcell Ozuna and Jose Martinez, then retired Wong on a foulout and struck out Fowler, who was pinch-hitting, for his third big league save. He got his first two for Washington last year.
 
Junior Guerra (1-0) allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings in his first start this season.
 
Adam Wainwright (0-2), making his second start after a stint on the disabled list caused by a strained left hamstring, allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings.
 
Milwaukee built a 3-0 lead on home runs by Perez in the second and Eric Thames in the third followed by Jonathan Villar's RBI groundout in the fifth.
 
Thames' fifth home run of the season went just over the glove of right fielder Harrison Bader, who jumped at the 9-foot fence and looked at his glove in disbelief after he failed to snag the ball.
 
Matt Carpenter hit a run-scoring groundout in the sixth. He failed to reach base in a game for the first time this season.
 
Michael Wacha (1-1, 5.59) takes the mound start as St. Louis starts a four-game series at Cincinnati Thursday.

Pistons Rout Bulls

Posted About Five Years Ago

Rookie Luke Kennard scored a career-high 23 points and Eric Moreland set career bests with 16 points and 17 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons closed the season with a 119-87 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
 
Anthony Tolliver had 18 points and Henry Ellenson added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Pistons snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the ninth time in their last 13 games.
 
Rookie Lauri Markkanen had 20 points, and Sean Kilpatrick added 14 in his only start of the season for Chicago.
 
The rebuilding Bulls maintained their seventh position heading into the draft lottery on May 15, losing their fourth straight. It was also Chicago's 11th loss in 14 games.
 
Tolliver made his first five shots and also keyed an early 22-4 run as Detroit took a 35-21 lead after one quarter.
 
The Pistons shot 26-45 (57.8 percent), including 10-19 (52.6 percent) on 3-pointers, to take a 66-50 halftime lead.
 
The Bulls had a 13-5 run early in the third quarter and got the margin down to 71-63 after six straight points from Markkanen. But Ish Smith had six points during an 11-0 run that re-established a 20-point margin for Detroit, which led by as many as 34 in the fourth quarter.
 
The final margin of victory was the second-largest of the season for Detroit, behind a 114-80 win on Jan. 10 against Brooklyn.

Monticello Blanks Clinton in Girls Softball Action

Posted About Five Years Ago

Skyler Frye hit a solo home run in the first inning and cleared the bases with a three-run double in the third inning helping Monticello rout Clinton 11-0 in non-conference girls softball action Wednesday afternoon at Monticello. The game was heard on WHOW, WEZC, and dewittdailynews.com.

 

Frye homered in the first run of the game for the Lady Sages.

 

Kaleena Davis hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run fifth inning. With the bases loaded in the third, Frye cleared the bases with a double to right center field and gave the Lady Sages a 10-0 lead.

 

Frye led the Lady Sages with five RBIs and scored twice. Davis was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Addison Wichus reached base three times and scored twice. Taylor Wunderlich and Brittany Jones each scored twice as well.

 

Wunderlich threw a five-inning shutout in the ten-run rule shortened game. She allowed two hits, four walks and struck out nine.

 

The Lady Maroons were led by Savannah Clifton with a double and a walk.

 

Clinton is 0-8 on the season. Monticello improves to 8-5.

 

Illinois Tops Illinois State

Posted About Five Years Ago

Zach Jones picked up the Illinois pitching staff as the Illini doubled-up in-state rival Illinois State, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon from a cold Illinois Field.
 
Jones, who threw the best game of his career out of the bullpen. Jones (2-0) threw a career-high 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three to pick up the win.
 
Jones entered in the fourth and put up zeros through the seventh to give the Illini offense a chance to break the game open. Illinois managed just six hits, all singles, but plated two in the fifth to get to the winning margin.
 
Aeilts struck out swinging but reached first base on a wild pitch, was advanced to second on a single by Joe Butler, and to third following a Grimm infield single. A batter later, Rave hit the first Redbird sacrifice fly of the game, staking the visitors to a 1-0 lead.
 
Bren Spillane had a go-ahead RBI single and the next batter Michael Massey followed with a sac fly in the deciding fifth inning. Illinois' first two runs came on RBI singles from Jeff Korte and Grant Van Scoy in the second.
 
Noah Sadler walked with one out in the third, advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sadler moved to third when a hit by Derek Parola went off of the bag at third base, putting runners on the corners. A batter later, Zouras hit a towering fly ball to right field that saw Sadler come around to score.
 
In the fourth the Redbirds loaded the bases with one out; however, Sadler hit a screaming shot off the bat, directly to the Illinois first baseman who turned a double play to end the threat.
 
Illinois State (11-16), which entered the game with a top-75 RPI, stranded 11 base runners. Joe Aeilts and Bryce Grimm led ISU with two hits, while the Illini did a nice job pitching to Redbirds' star center fielder John Rave, who snapped a 17-game hitting streak by going 0-for-4.
 
Joey Gerber shut the door quickly in the ninth inning with two strikeouts in three batters faced. He needed only 14 pitches to earn his ninth save, tied for the fifth-most in an Illinois single season.
 
Illinois State returns to action today hosting St. Francis at 3 p.m. at Duffy Bass Field.
 
Tuesday was the start of a nine-game homestand for the Illini. Illinois continues the stand Friday at Illinois Field against Rutgers.

Cardinals Win; Cubs, White Sox Lose; Molina Suspended

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Outlast Brewers in Extras
 
Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer with no outs to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3.
 
Carpenter ripped a pitch from J.J. Hoover (0-1) down the right field line for the third game-ending homer of his career. It capped a night in which St. Louis rallied from one-run deficits in the ninth and 10th innings.
 
Domingo Santana singled in Eric Thames to put Milwaukee ahead 2-1 in the ninth inning, but Tommy Pham scored from second on a pair of wild pitches by Jacob Barnes to tie it in the bottom of the inning.
 
After Orlando Arcia singled in a run in the top of the 10th, Greg Garcia made it 3-3 with his own RBI single a half-inning later.
 
Garcia was 0 for 7 this season before coming up with hits in the seventh and tenth innings.
 
Dominic Leone (1-2) pitched a clean 11th inning before Paul DeJong set up Carpenter's winner with an infield single.
 
Eric Thames homered in the first inning for the Brewers. It was his fourth of the season and gives him 15 in April over the past two seasons.
 
St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez allowed a run and six hits over six innings. He stuck out four and walked two.
 
Brent Suter held the Cardinals to a run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings.
 
Junior Guerra will make his first start of the season against St. Louis RHP Adam Wainwright (0-1, 7.36) in the final game of the three-game series Wednesday. Wainwright gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Thursday.
 
>>Pirates Pound Cubs in Home Opener
 
Ivan Nova pitched seven solid innings, Francisco Cervelli hit a three-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates ruined the Chicago Cubs' home opener with an 8-5 victory on Tuesday.
Not even the presence of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 98-year-old chaplain of the Loyola basketball team, could help the Cubs. She threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field.
 
Corey Dickerson had three hits and two RBIs and Starling Marte also connected as Pittsburgh won for the fourth time in five games. The Pirates' 8-2 record is their best 10-game start since 1992, and they are a perfect 4-0 on the road for the first time in 15 years.
 
Felipe Vazquez got four outs for his first save in a new jersey after he legally changed his surname to match that of his sister, Prescilla. He was known as Felipe Rivero, and he apologized on Twitter on Monday to fans who bought gear with his old name.
 
The Cubs became the last major league team to play at home a day after the series opener was postponed by snow. A crowd of 40,144 packed Wrigley on another chilly day - the gametime temperature was 43 degrees - but the fans had very little to cheer about after the first couple innings.
 
Javier Baez homered twice for the Cubs, and Willson Contreras collected three hits. Tyler Chatwood (0-2) was tagged for five runs and nine hits in five innings in his first home start since signing a $38 million, three-year contract with Chicago in the offseason.
 
Baez's solo drive to the back of the bleachers in left gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead in the second, but the Pirates took over from there.
 
Dickerson hit a tiebreaking two-run double in Pittsburgh's three-run third. Marte went deep with two out in the fourth, and Cervelli made it 8-2 with a drive to center in the seventh after Mike Montgomery surrendered consecutive two-out singles to Josh Bell and Dickerson.
 
It was more than enough for Nova (1-1), who bounced back nicely from a shaky performance in a 7-3 loss to Minnesota last Wednesday. The 6-foot-5 right-hander allowed three runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked none.
 
The Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth against Edgar Santana, and Jason Heyward bounced a two-run single back up the middle against Vazquez. But Baez then struck out swinging to end the inning.
 
Left-handers Steven Brault of the Pirates and Jon Lester of the Cubs face off on Wednesday night. Brault (2-0, 1.13 ERA) pitched five effective innings in a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday in his first start of the season. Lester (1-0, 2.89 ERA) is coming off six crisp innings in an 8-0 victory at Milwaukee.
 
>>Rays Outlast White Sox
 
Blake Snell pitched one-hit ball and struck out 10 through six innings and Tampa Bay held on to keep the White Sox winless at home this season, beating Chicago 6-5 on Tuesday.
Jose Abreu hit a three-run homer off Rays closer Alex Colome, capping a four-run rally in the ninth. After a two-out walk, Colome got Omar Narvaez to line out and got his third save in five chances.
 
Carlos Gomez hit a solo homer and Joey Wendle, Wilson Ramos, Adeiny Hechavarria and Daniel Robertson each drove in a run as Tampa Bay built a 6-1 lead and carried it into the ninth.
 
Snell (1-1) didn't allow a hit until Tyler Saladino's double bounced over the left-center field wall with one out in the fifth inning. The 6-foot-5 left-hander was charged with Chicago's first run and walked five before his pitch count climbed to 114 and Andrew Kittridge replaced him to start the seventh.
 
Saladino had two of Chicago's six hits and Adam Engel and Yolmer Sanchez drove in runs for the White Sox, losers of seven of eight.
 
Carson Fulmer (0-1) struggled with his control, allowing four runs over 4 2/3 innings while walking six and hitting two batters.
 
James Shields (1-0, 5.73) makes his third start this season and fourth of his career versus Tampa Bay, where he spent the first seven years of his career. Shields is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA against his former team. Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 0.00) will make his second start of the season Wednesday afternoon in Chicago. He's not allowed a run in nine innings so far.
 
>>Dbacks Manager Luvollo, Cardinals C Suspended Over Sunday Altercation
 
On Sunday, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo worked themselves into a heated argument stemming from a contested called strike.
It took a few days, but Major League Baseball passed down punishment to both on Tuesday, suspending each for a game. Additionally, Lovullo was fined an undisclosed amount.
 
Lovullo will serve his suspension on Tuesday night, meaning he'll miss the game against the San Francisco GIants. Bench coach Jerry Narron figures to serve as interim skipper.
 
Molina, meanwhile, will not serve his suspension on Tuesday. Rather, he's filed for an appeal, which will delay his punishment until after the process has played out. Given that Molina seemingly pushed home-plate umpire Tim Timmons.

Pacers Fall To Hornets, Eliminating Chances of Winning Central

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Indiana Pacers rested three starters and watched the Charlotte Hornets knock down 18 3-pointers and eventually pull away for a 119-93 victory Tuesday night.
 
Frank Kaminsky matched his career high with 24 points, Dwight Howard finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds and the struggling Hornets came up one 3 short of tying their season high.
 
Darren Collison, T.J. Leaf and Glenn Robinson III each scored 13 points in a game that was never really close.
 
Williams made four 3s in the first quarter to help Charlotte take a 37-25 lead and it was 63-55 at halftime.
 
Charlotte then used an 11-4 run to make it 79-63 midway through the third quarter and the Pacers never got closer than 12 the rest of the game.
 
Domantas Sabonis had 10 points and 10 rebounds while Lance Stephenson wound up with nine points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
 
Malik Monk had 17 points and Nicolas Batum had 14 points, four rebounds and six assists.
 
The Pacers will take on Philadelphia or Cleveland for a best-of-seven, first-round playoff series.

Monticello Rallies Past Tri-Valley

Posted About Five Years Ago

Mitch Carr singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning and then finished off the game in the seventh to lift Monticello to a 9-8 come from behind win over Tri-Valley in non-conference boys baseball action Tuesday from Monticello High School.

 

Trailing 8-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Owen Trybom singled to start the inning, Brett Macak moved him up to second on a sac-bunt, Asher Bradd bounced out to second to move Trybom to third. Alek Bundy walked to reach base for the fourth time on the afternoon, then Luke Stokowski doubled to right center field to drive in two and tie the game and Carr followed with a bloop single to right field.

 

Andrew Rudolph relieved Cam Wittig in the fourth fifth inning and started the seventh allowing a base hit and then a walk. Carr came on in relief of Rudolph and Isaac Vance bunted runners to second and third with one out.

 

Carr struck out ninth place hitter Kevin O’Donnell for the second out and got lead off hitter Braden Zenor to pop out on the infield to end the game.

 

Each team pushed across three in the first. Tri-Valley right fielder Matt Mier highlighted the inning with a two-run home run.

 

Jeff Willeaver added a two-run shot of his own to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

 

Tri-Valley added two more runs in the second inning on a Mier two-run triple.

 

The Sages took a 6-5 lead in the third but Tri-Valley answered in the third when Kolton Weichman doubled in a pair.

 

The Vikings added an insurance in the top of the sixth-inning.

 

Wier paced Tri-Valley going 2-for-3 with a walk and four RBIs. Weichman scored three times.

 

Bundy finished 3-for-3 with a double, a walk and scored three times. Stokowski finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a pair of doubles.

 

Rudolph picked up the win after getting Monticello out of a fifth inning jam. Entering the game with two on and one out, he struck out O’Donnell and got Zenor to pop out behind the mound to end the threat.

 

Rudolph pitched 1.2 innings, allowing a run and struck out two.

 

The Vikings drop to 7-1 overall and the Sages improve to 14-1.

 

Clinton Maroons Defeat Warrensburg-Latham

Posted About Five Years Ago

As heard on WHOW, the Clinton Maroons defeated the Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals by a score of 6-2 on Tuesday afternoon. Senior Mac HIckman was named the Country Financial representative Brad James Maroons Player of the Game. Hickman got the win pitching 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, walking 2, and striking out 9. Hickman led the Maroons at the plate going 3 for 4 with an RBI. Braden Cross was 2 for 3 with and RBI and Matthew Overton was 1 for 3 with a double.

 

Garrett Allen took the loss for Warrensburg, pitching 4 and 1/3 innings, giving up 6 runs on 8 hits, walking 3, and striking out 2. Logan Bledsaw was 1 for 2 with and RBI double. Kyle Goechner went 2 for 3 with a run scored and two stolen bases.

 

With the win, the Maroons improve to 1-3 on the season and 1-1 in CIC play. Warrensburg-Latham falls to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in conference action.

 

Tune in Wednesday, April 11, as the Lady Maroons take on the Monticello Lady Sages. You can hear the game live on the Big 1520 AM/92.3 FM WHOW, 95.9 FM WEZC, online at dewittdailynews.com, and on the WHOW app.

Nets Topple Bulls

Posted About Five Years Ago

Allen Crabbe scored 20 of his career-high 41 points in the first quarter and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Chicago Bulls 114-105 on Monday night for their first three-game winning streak this season.
 
D'Angelo Russell had 21 points and 11 assists, and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points for the Nets, who had not won three straight since April 1-4, 2017.
 
Former Net Sean Kilpatrick was one of seven players for the Bulls to score in double figures, tallying 16 points. Cameron Payne had 15 for Chicago, which has lost its last three games.
 
Brooklyn hit 18 3-pointers in its first game since falling one shy of the NBA record with 24 in a rout of Chicago on Saturday.
 
Crabbe celebrated his 26th birthday by going 8 of 11 from deep Monday. He scored 14 straight points during his first quarter outburst and finished the first half with 29 points, including 6 of 6 from deep. The Nets led 62-55 at the break.
 
The Nets led by 11 points during the third quarter before the Bulls cut the lead to three on Kilpatrick's 3-pointer with five seconds left.
 
Chicago got within four points on Kilpatrick's basket with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter, forcing the Nets to call a timeout.
 
Russell then hit a jumper at the elbow over Kilpatrick to start 6-0 run capped by his driving layup with 1:36 to play. That extended the lead to 112-102.
 
The Bulls conclude the season at home Wednesday night against Detroit.

White Sox, Cardinals Win; Cubs Snowed Out

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Rays Beat White Sox
 
Mallex Smith matched a career-high with four hits, Joey Wendle hit his first homer and the Tampa Bay Rays stopped an eight-game losing streak by hanging on to beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on a snowy and soggy Monday.
 
A bullpen that blew late leads in two of the three games at Boston last weekend got the job done after a shaky start by Chris Archer (1-0). Alex Colome escaped a second-and-third jam in the ninth by getting three straight groundouts, retiring Leury Garcia on a game-ending bouncer to first.
 
Tampa Bay had not won since beating the Red Sox on opening day.
 
Chicago lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 0-4 at Guaranteed Rate Field, matching their worst home start since 1987.
 
Smith had an RBI triple in the fourth, then singled and scored in the sixth. Smith was thrown out by first baseman Jose Abreu in the eighth when he tried to steal home with runners on the corners.
 
Wendle connected leading off a two-run fifth.
 
Tampa Bay's bullpen came through after Archer gave up four runs - three earned - and six hits in 52/3 innings.
 
Sergio Romo worked 1 1/3 innings, striking out Avisail Garcia with runners on second and third to end the eighth.
 
Colome escaped a jam in the ninth for his second save in four chances, after blowing two opportunities in Boston over the weekend.
 
He walked Abreu and gave up a single to Nicky Delmonico that put runners on first and second with none out. They moved up on a wild pitch, and Yolmer Sanchez bounced out to the pitcher. Tim Anderson grounded to third, and Colome retired Leury Garcia.
 
Delmonico hit a two-run homer for Chicago. Yoan Moncada added two hits, two walks and two runs, but the White Sox lost again coming off a three-game sweep by Detroit.
 
Miguel Gonzalez (0-2) gave up four runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings after getting hit hard in a loss at Toronto last week.
 
Carson Fulmer (0-0, 5.40) looks to build on a somewhat promising first start, when he held three runs and five hits over five innings. The Rays will send Blake Snell to the hill today. 
 
>>Brewers Get By Cardinals
 
Greg Holland, who was signed on opening day and immediately penciled in as the team's closer, walked four batters in the 10th inning and forced home the go-ahead run Monday night that gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-4 win over the Cardinals.
The 32-year-old Holland, who tied for the NL lead with 41 saves for Colorado last season, walked two batters to begin the 10th. After a sacrifice bunt by Eric Sogard, an intentional walk loaded the bases.
 
Holland then walked Orlando Arcia, and three-time All-Star closer was pulled.
 
Matt Albers (2-0) gave up the tying run in the ninth. The Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs, and Dexter Fowler's sacrifice fly tied it at 4.
 
Albers threw a scoreless 10th.
 
Brewers newcomer Lorenzo Cain tripped over the foot of Cardinals first baseman Jose Martinez on a play in the ninth, and both exited. Martinez bruised his right Achilles. Cain has a sore quad.
 
St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas pitched 6 1-3 innings. He gave up four runs on eight hits. He struck out five and had a balk.
 
A two-run single by Manny Pina gave the Brewers a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
 
The Cardinals took a 3-2 in the third with all the runs coming after there were two outs. Fowler hit an RBI single and after Jhoulys Chacin walked the bases loaded, Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run single.
 
Milwaukee scored twice in the second on a single by Domingo Santana and a two-out double by Arcia.
 
Carlos Martinez (1-1, 2.84) has a 1.98 ERA against Milwaukee. He pitched 8 1-3 innings on April 4 at Milwaukee in a 6-0 victory.
 
Brent Suter (1-1, 6.30) will be making his third start of the season. Suter is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in six career games and two starts against the Cardinals.
 
>>Cubs Home Opener Postponed
 
The Chicago Cubs' home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed because of snow.
 
The Cubs tried pushing back Monday's scheduled start time by an hour, but snow fell steadily for most of the morning. It covered the seats on the lower level and the playing surface at Wrigley Field in a scene more reminiscent of December than April.
 
The game was rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, which was previously an off day for the first series between the NL Central rivals.
Chicago is the last major league team to hold its home opener. It opened the season with a 5-4 road trip to Miami, Cincinnati and Milwaukee.
 
Pittsburgh is off to a surprising 7-2 start. It took three of four against Cincinnati in its previous series.
 
>>Cubs To Put 1B Rizzo On DL
 
The Cubs are expected to place first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday because of back tightness, reports Carrie Muskat of MLB.com. 
 
Rizzo hasn't played since April 5, and he wasn't in the lineup for Monday's scheduled, game which was postponed because of weather. The move will be retroactive to Friday, which means Rizzo would be eligible to be activated prior to next Monday's game against the Cardinals. This would mark Rizzo's first career trip to the DL. 
 
In Rizzo's absence, backup catcher Victor Caratini has been filling in at first base. Ben Zobrist and Tommy La Stella are also capable of manning the position. 
 
On the young season he's batting just .107/.219/.214 with one home run, albeit across a sample of just 32 plate appearances.

Packers WR Davis Accused of Making False Bomb Threat

Posted About Five Years Ago

Police say Green Bay Packers wide receiver Trevor Davis was arrested after falsely claiming to have explosives while checking in for a flight at Los Angeles International Airport.
 
Airport police spokesman Rob Pedregon said Monday that Davis was booked on a charge of making a false bomb threat at an airport and released with a summons to appear in court.
 
He said Davis was checking in for a Hawaiian Airlines flight when an airline employee asked him whether he had any explosives in his bag.
 
Pedregon said Davis said "yes" and asked a woman he was traveling with, "Did you pack the explosives?"
 
Airline employees called police and Davis was arrested. The woman wasn't charged.
 
The team said it was aware of the matter and was still gathering additional information.

Illinois Takes Weekend Series At Maryland

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Illinois baseball team won a 4-2 game Sunday at Maryland to clinch the Big Ten series 2-1. Illinois split a Friday double-header before taking Saturday off because of weather.
 
The Illini scored all of its runs without an RBI hit, scoring on a walk, a wild pitch and two sac flies. 
 
Illinois (19-8, 6-3 Big Ten) had only four hits, all singles, on a cold day with the wind blowing in. Maryland (15-17, 3-3 Big Ten) outhit the Illini, 8-4, but left 13 runners on base.
 
The game was tied 2-2 in the eighth when Illinois scored two runs without the benefit of a hit. The inning started with three straight walks, then Doran Turchin and Jack Yalowitz delivered sac flies to make it 4-2.
 
Michael Michalak had two hits and Ben Troike scored twice. Michalak and Troike each had five hits on the weekend to lead Illinois.
 
Ryan Thompson picked up his sixth win of the year out of the bullpen, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Ty Weber (5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER). Joey Gerber got the last four outs, three on strikeouts, to secure his eighth save of the season. 
 
Illinois is back in action Tuesday against Illinois State and Illinois Field. The Illini's next nine games are at home.

Illinois State Salvages Weekend Series With Sunday Walk-Off

Posted About Five Years Ago

Ryan Hutchinson was the hero as he pushed across the game winning run for the Illinois State Redbirds in the bottom of the 11th inning as Jordan Libman scored to close out the series against Dallas Baptist with a 4-3 win in Normal. 
 
The game-winning run was set up by a one-out walk to Libman, and a single by Nick Zouras moved Libman to third, setting up the game-winning effort.
 
Parola finished the game for the Redbirds with one hit and two RBI's. Collin Braithwaite went 3-5 with the only extra base hit for the Redbirds with a double in the eighth inning. John Rave went 2-for-5 for ISU with a run scored, as all four runs scored came from four different batters.
 
Illinois State starter, Matt Walker went six innings and gave up just three hits and one unearned run. Walker struck out five Patriots while walking two. Connor Peplow picked up his first win on the season for Illinois State as he pitched in the top of the 11th inning giving up one hit and no runs. Trevor Cross, Braden Niksich, and Jack Bellinger added relief for the Redbirds out of the bullpen.
 
The Redbirds return to action on Tuesday, April 10th as the squad travels to play against the University of Illinois, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. in Champaign. ISU returns to Duffy Bass Field on Wednesday, April 11 when the team plays host to St. Francis (Ill.) in a 3 p.m. start.

Cubs Win; Cardinals, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cubs Blank Brewers
 
Jose Quintana tossed three-hit ball over six innings, Ben Zobrist homered and the Chicago Cubs finished their longest season-opening road trip in more than a century by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 on Sunday.
 
Albert Almora Jr. added an RBI double in the fifth for the Cubs, who took three of four games from their NL Central rivals.
 
Chicago finally heads home on Monday after playing its first nine games away from Wrigley Field. It was the franchise's longest road trip to open the season since a 12-game jaunt in 1899.
 
Quintana (1-1) struck out six and walked two while lowering his ERA in five starts against Milwaukee from 0.90 to 0.77.
 
His toughest jam came in the sixth after Lorenzo Cain singled and Domingo Santana walked with one out. But after Ryan Braun flied out, Quintana struck out Jesus Aguilar swinging on a 75-mph curve low in the zone.
 
Brandon Morrow pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
 
Zobrist's solo shot off the foul pole in right against Chase Anderson in the fourth gave the Cubs the only run they would need at Miller Park. The Brewers are scuffling at the plate, having been shut out for the third time during a seven-game homestand.
 
They also committed an error for the seventh straight contest after pinch hitter Tommy La Stella's hard bouncer caromed off first baseman Jesus Aguilar's chest into short right, allowing Victor Caratini to score from second.
 
Anderson (0-1) allowed four hits and two runs over six innings.
 
Tyler Chatwood (0-1) gets the ball for the home opener as the Cubs welcome Pittsburgh to town. He has a 1.50 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates.
 
>>Diamondbacks Down Cardinals After Fiery Exchanges
 
Torey Lovullo set off a benches-clearing incident in his team's 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday by maintaining eight-time All-Star catcher Yadier Molina was earning unwarranted strike calls.
 
Lovullo was ejected by plate umpire Tim Timmons in the second inning. Lovullo was arguing a called third strike on A.J. Pollock and got into a shouting match with Molina. The catcher appeared to lunge at Luvollo and made contact as players ran onto the field.
St. Louis manager Mike Matheny stepped between Molina and Lovullo.
 
Lovullo had shown displeasure on a strike three call to David Peralta in the first inning, then went to the umpire after the call against Pollock.
 
Peralta hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Dominic Leone in the eighth, and Pollock went deep later in the inning. In his second year in charge, Lovullo got his 100th win and was given a post-game beer shower by his coaches.
 
With three losses in its last five games, St. Louis dropped to 4-5.
 
Archie Bradley pitched around Kolten Wong's leadoff single in the eighth, and Brad Boxberger finished for his fourth save in as many chances, retiring Jose Martinez on a game-ending, double-play grounder.
 
St. Louis starter Luke Weaver allowed one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts, leaving with a 1-0 lead created by Wong's RBI single in the fifth.
 
Nick Ahmed hit a tying RBI single off Matt Bowman in the seventh.
 
Chris Owings singled off Leone (0-2) starting the eighth and Peralta hit his second home run this season. Pollock followed two batters later with his first.
 
Miles Mikolas (1-0, 6.35) is scheduled to start Monday in the first of three games against Milwaukee and RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 7.00) start for the Brewers. Mikolas hit a two-run homer for his first major league hit in a 8-4 win over Milwaukee on April 2.
 
>>Tigers Sweep White Sox
 
Mike Fiers combined with four relievers on a three-hitter, and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of a passed ball to score an unearned run in the first inning in a 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday that completed a three-game sweep.
On an afternoon with a first-pitch temperature of 36 degrees and a 10 mph wind blowing straight in, the teams combined for just five hits - all singles - and none after the third inning.
 
Fiers (1-0) made his season debut after recovering from a lumbar strain and allowed three hits in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk. He pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first by retiring Nicky Delmonico on a lineout and Welington Castillo on a groundout.
 
Alex Wilson walked Delmonico leading off the seventh, then got Castillo to ground into a double play.
 
Daniel Stumpf retired his only batter, Joe Jimenez pitched a perfect eighth and Shane Greene overcame an error by third baseman Jeimer Candelario on Avisail Garcia's leadoff grounder in the ninth to get his second save in as many chances. Jose Abreu grounded into a double play, and Greene threw a called third strike past Matt Davidson.
 
Leonys Martin blooped a single to left in front of Delmonico starting the game, stole second, advanced on Castillo's passed ball and came home on Miguel Cabrera's sacrifice fly.
 
With the White Sox wearing 1983 replica uniforms, Reynaldo Lopez (0-1) allowed the unearned run, two hits and five walks in seven innings and struck out five.
 
Miguel Gonzalez (0-1, 9.00 ERA) and Rays RHP Chris Archer (0-0, 6.65 ERA) are to start the opener of a three-game series in Chicago. Archer has 14 strikeouts in 11 innings.

Pacers Down Hornets

Posted About Five Years Ago

Domantas Sabonis scored a career-high 30 points, helping the Indiana Pacers beat the Charlotte Hornets 123-117 on Sunday to keep alive their slim hopes of winning the Central Division title.
 
Victor Oladipo had 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting and Lance Stephenson, a former Hornet, had 10 rebounds, 10 assists and eight points for the Pacers, who have won seven of their last nine games.
 
For Indiana (48-33) to win the Central and earn home-court advantage for the first round of the NBA playoffs, it needs to beat Charlotte on Tuesday night and have Cleveland (49-31) lose its final two games against the New York Knicks. The Pacers have the tiebreaker advantage over the Cavaliers after taking three of four in the season series, including a 124-107 win in November.
 
The Pacers jumped out to a 70-57 halftime lead after shooting 67 percent from the field, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range.
 
Charlotte rallied in the third quarter, but the Pacers took over and quickly built a 20-point lead even with Oladipo on the bench with four fouls.
 
Indiana shot 54 percent from the field for the game.
 
Glenn Robinson III and Cory Joseph each had 13 points as the Pacers' reserves outscored the Hornets' backups, 72-60.
 
Malik Monk is finishing his rookie season with a flurry. After scoring a career-high 26 points in his previous game, Monk led the Hornets with 22 against the Pacers.
 
The Pacers host the Hornets on Tuesday.

Bears Bring Back DL Jenkins

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Chicago Bears have re-signed defensive lineman John Jenkins to a one-year contract.
 
Jenkins made one start and played in eight games for the Bears last season. He has 121 tackles in five seasons with New Orleans (2013-15), Seattle (2016) and Chicago (2017).
 
The Bears announced the move on Saturday.

Patrick Reeds Holds Off Field For Green Jacket

Posted About Five Years Ago

Patrick Reed took a three-stroke lead over Rory McIlroy into the final round and hit his first drive of the day up against a tree down the left-hand side of No. 1. A punched iron landed in a bunker, and he hit the skull-iest sand shot anyone at Augusta National has heard since last year's media lottery Monday. Two-putt par, and the train lacked coal. McIlroy had an eagle putt on No. 2 that would have tied it, and Reed looked like he'd wilt.
 
He rebounded with birdies at Nos. 3 and 7 as McIlroy faltered, and Reed took a three-shot lead over Spieth, who went out in 31 and shot a shocking 64 in the final round. A bogey at No. 11 dropped Reed to 13 under, and the chase was officially on with Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler suddenly stirring. 
 
After a bogey on No. 11, Reed birdied two of the tougher holes on the second nine (Nos. 12 and 14) and knew he likely only needed to par home for the win. The last two pars were the toughest. They always are. Reed hit the stick from 90 feet on No. 17 and punctuated a five-foot saver with a hammer pump. Ahead of him Fowler was busy making birdie at No. 18 to pull within one.
 
An overcooked second at the last left him a slippery 30-footer. Two putts for the most important victory of his life. He made the one coming back, and one of the more anticipated Masters in history had officially been swiped by one of the biggest antagonists of his generation.
 
The 27-year-old has won six times on the PGA Tour, now including Augusta.

Tuscola Rallies Past Clinton

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Tuscola Warriors scored eight unanswered runs to get by the Maroons 10-4 in the Central Illinois Conference opener in boys baseball action Thursday afternoon in a game that was moved from Clinton to Tuscola because of field conditions.
 
The Maroons trailed 2-0 headed to the top of the third inning when Clinton put four runs to take a 4-2 advantage but the Warriors answered with five runs in the bottom half of the inning and tacked on three more in the fourth for the final tally.
 
Jake Wade got the start for the Maroons and went three innings, allowing seven runs, six were earned, six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
Mac Hickman threw an inning of relief, allowing three runs, one earned, with a walk and a strikeout.
 
Noah Pierce pitched five innings of four run ball with six strikeouts and a walk. 
 
Hickman paced the Maroons offense with an RBI double on a pair of hits. Braden Cross drove in a pair for Clinton.
 
Tuscola was led by Braydon Von Lanken's two-run home run in the third inning. Dalton Hoel added an RBI double and Andrew Erickson and Tyler Meinhold each had a pair of hits.
 
Tuscola is 10-2 overall while Clinton is 0-3.

Quenneville, Bowman To Return For Blackhawks

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Chicago Blackhawks are not making changes behind the bench after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
 
Team President John McDonough has told reporters he plans to bring back both coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman. The team has won three Stanley Cup championships since 2010 but finished last in the Central Division this season.
 
Chicago had reached the playoffs every year since Quenneville took over four games into the 2008-09 season, winning it all in 2010, 2013 and 2015. But the Blackhawks lost in the first round each of the past two years and this year was a nightmare.
 
The 59-year-old Quenneville received a three-year contract extension in January 2016 that runs through the 2019-20 season.

Cubs Win; Cardinals, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cubs Blank Brewers
 
Jon Lester pitched six sharp innings and hit a tricky grounder that was tough to corral as the Chicago Cubs beat the frustrated and fragile Milwaukee Brewers 8-0 Thursday night.
 
Brewers star closer Corey Knebel exited with a hamstring injury while getting some work in the ninth inning. He clutched his left hamstring as fell to the ground after throwing a pitch to Tommy La Stella, and had to be helped off the field.
 
Jason Heyward homered for the Cubs, who had been shut out in the previous two games.
 
Milwaukee was blanked for the second straight day after has lost three of four since a 3-0 start.
 
Lester (1-0) allowed three hits, struck out six and walked one for Chicago, which played for the first time since Monday. The Cubs were rained out in Cincinnati on Tuesday and were off on Wednesday.
 
Cubs relievers Carl Edwards Jr., Steve Cishek and Eddie Butler each pitched an inning.
 
Brent Suter (1-1) pitched five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks.
 
The Cubs scored three times in the second, starting with a two-run single by Javier Baez.
 
Lester followed a grounder that glanced off the glove of Suter and went under the mitt of second baseman Hernan Perez, who was charged with an error. The ball kept rolling and trickled in and out of the glove of center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who also was charged with an error that allowing Baez to score from first with a head-first slide..
 
Kyle Hendricks (0-0) is 4-1 in eight career starts at Milwaukee. Brandon Woodruff (0-0) makes his third appearance and first start of the season for Milwaukee. 
 
>>Tigers Rally Past White Sox
 
Niko Goodrum hit a two-run homer after replacing the injured Miguel Cabrera, and the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the White Sox 9-7 in 10 innings in Chicago's chilly home opener Thursday.
 
Goodrum's shot with two outs in the ninth got the comeback going. The White Sox were leading 7-4 when he drove a 3-2 fastball from Joakim Soria out to right-center to cut the lead to one. Nicholas Castellanos singled and Victor Martinez tied it with an RBI double, drawing boos from a sparse crowd.
Mikie Mahtook singled leading off the 10th against Gregory Infante (0-1) and Jose Iglesias walked. One out later, Mahtook scored from third on a roller toward second by Leonys Martin that was hit too slowly to turn a double play, resulting in a forceout. Jeimer Candelario followed with an RBI single to make it 9-7.
 
Shane Greene escaped a jam in the bottom half to earn his first save. He retired the first two batters before walking Omar Narvaez and hitting Nicky Delmonico, but struck out Yoan Moncada to end the game.
 
Castellanos and Martinez each had three hits. Goodrum had two after replacing Cabrera at first base in the second inning. The two-time AL MVP fell after his foot hit the bag awkwardly as he rounded first on a single in the first inning.
 
Joe Jimenez (1-0) got the win with a scoreless inning in relief, and the Tigers came out on top even though Jordan Zimmermann struggled. The right-hander gave up six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, but the Tigers improved to 2-4.
 
Yolmer Sanchez had three hits and three RBIs for Chicago, while Matt Davidson scored four runs. James Shields gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings.
 
Michael Fulmer (0-1, 1.13) hopes for a better result Saturday after taking a tough-luck loss in his first start. He held Pittsburgh to a run on four hits over eight innings in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday. But the Tigers lost 1-0.
 
Sox RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 4.50 ERA) starts for Chicago on Saturday. He went six innings at Kansas City last week, allowing three runs and four hits.
 
>>Dbacks Down Cardinals
 
Robbie Ray struck out nine over six innings and the bullpen closed out a two-hitter, helping the Diamondbacks spoil the St. Louis Cardinals' home opener 3-1 on Thursday night.
 
Ray (2-0) gave up one run on two hits and five walks.
 
The walks were a problem, but he wriggled out of jams in the second and fourth innings with back-to-back strikeouts of Paul DeJong and Yairo Munoz.
David Peralta capped off a two-run second inning with an RBI single. He pushed the lead to 3-0 with a double in the fourth.
 
Yadier Molina had a run-scoring double in the fourth for the Cardinals, who have lost two of three.
 
Brad Boxberger picked up his third save in three chances. Four Arizona relievers were perfect except for an error by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth.
 
Adam Wainwright (0-1) came off the 10-day disabled list to make the start for St. Louis. He gave up four hits and three runs over 3 2/3 innings. Wainwright struck out three and walked four. He had been slowed since pulling his hamstring late in spring training.
 
Ray, who went 8-1 in 15 road starts last season, also drove in Descalso with a sacrifice fly for the first run of the game.
 
Chris Owings had three hits and reached base four times for the Diamondbacks, who won their fourth in a row. He has hit safely in six successive games.
 
St. Louis RHP Michael Wacha (0-1, 7.71) will face RHP Zach Greinke (0-0, 1.59) on Saturday in the second game of the three-game set. Snow is in the forecast for weekend.

Pacers Topple Warriors

Posted About Five Years Ago

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points on a nearly perfect shooting night, Victor Oladipo added 21 and the Pacers pulled away from the short-handed defending champions for a 126-106 blowout - and their first season sweep of the Warriors since 2011-12.
 
The Pacers took the lead for good on Lance Stephenson's 3 with 9:46 left in the first half and never allowed Golden State to get closer than 10 after halftime.
 
After falling into a 21-point deficit with 7:14 left, Warriors coach Steve Kerr pulled five players, including Kevin Durant, leaving them on the bench for the rest of the game.
 
The Pacers became the first Eastern Conference team to sweep the Warriors since 2013-14. They earned their sixth win in seven games and their second in nine days over Golden State.
 
Indiana also moved a half-game closer to supplanting Philadelphia for the No. 4 seed.
 
Durant had 27 points, five rebounds and seven assists, and Thompson finished with 16 as Golden State's three-game winning streak ended.
 
The Warriors were never really close after the early moments of the second quarter.
 
Indiana pulled out to a 52-42 lead late in the second quarter, made it 62-51 at halftime and led by 21 during the third quarter before Golden State opened the fourth with 10 straight points to cut the deficit to 97-87.
 
Indiana answered with seven straight and closed it out with a 10-0 spurt.
 
The Pacers will try to end an eight-game road losing streak at Toronto on Friday.

Spieth Comes Out Strong At The Masters

Posted About Five Years Ago

Rory McIlroy shot a first round in the 60s for the first time since 2011 and notched just his fourth first or second round in the 60s ever at the Masters. His 3-under 69 was a great start, but he's still three down to Jordan Spieth after 18 holes. That pair are the two heaviest favorites to win this 2018 Masters, and nobody else is even close. 
 
McIlroy went out hot with a birdie at the first and shot a 1-under 35 on the first nine. Then he made fairly straightforward after baking drives on Nos. 13 and 15. Clutch par saves on Nos. 16 and 18 kept a 69 together that could have just as easily been a 72. 
 
They played together in 2016 in the final pairing on Saturday, and Spieth got the best of him before facing his own demons on Sunday's second nine. This year, only Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar stand between McIlroy and a potential Friday evening pairing announcement with Spieth going into the weekend.

Illinois, Illinois State Baseball Matchup Postponed

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Illinois baseball team's game scheduled for Wednesday at Illinois State has been cancelled due to weather. A makeup date has not been scheduled.
 
Illinois (17-7, 4-2 Big Ten) and Illinois State are scheduled to play at Illinois Field next Tuesday. The Illini travel to Maryland for a Big Ten series this weekend before nine straight home games.

Cardinals, White Sox Win Wednesday

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Blank Brewers
 
Carlos Martinez pitched into the ninth inning and struck out 10, Yadier Molina homered and the Cardinals beat the error-prone Milwaukee Brewers 6-0 on Wednesday night.
 
Dexter Fowler scored twice in the first three innings for the Cardinals, who beat their NL Central rivals a night after losing on a game-ending homer by Ryan Braun. St. Louis took two of three in the series.
 
A 4-0 lead after four innings was more than enough cushion for the hard-throwing Martinez (1-1), who rebounded from a rough opening-day start last week against the New York Mets by cruising through the Brewers' dangerous lineup at hitter-friendly Miller Park.
 
Martinez allowed four hits and two walks. 
 
The two-time All-Star then retired 16 straight before Domingo Santana laced a one-out single in the seventh. 
 
Molina hit a solo shot to left field in the fourth off Brewers starter Jhoulys Chacin (0-1). The right-hander, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, allowed seven hits and six runs over 5 2/3 innings.
 
Adam Wainwright will pitch in his 345th career game when he starts Thursday, which would leave him three behind Todd Worrell for eighth place on the team's career list. 
 
Brent Suter opens the series at home against the Cubs.
 
>>White Sox Hold Off Blue Jays
 
Matt Davidson hit his fourth home run of the season and Jose Abreu added a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox snapped the Toronto Blue Jays' four-game win streak with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
 
With the win, the White Sox return to Chicago for Thursday's home opener against the Detroit Tigers, having avoided their first three-game sweep in Toronto since 2004.
Having been held hitless throughout the series, Davidson connected on his fourth home run of the season to lead off the second inning, driving a 3-1 pitch from Aaron Sanchez over the left-field fence.
 
With the score tied at 3-3, Abreu connected on a 3-0 pitch from reliever Ryan Tepera (1-1), sending a solo shot into the second deck in left-center field for his second home run of the year. The home run, the 126th of his career, broke a tie with former White Sox infielder Joe Crede for 14th in franchise history.
 
In his first start of the season, right-hander Carson Fulmer held Toronto to five hits over five innings, surrendering all three runs.
 
Right-hander Nate Jones (1-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Closer Joakim Soria earned his second save of the season with a flawless ninth inning.
 
Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez went six innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs, while striking out seven.
 
After Toronto had tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth, an odd play in the top of the fifth put the White Sox back in front.
 
With the bases loaded and one out, Yoan Moncada hit a fly ball to the fence in left field. Curtis Granderson attempted to make the catch, but the ball squirted out of his glove and he barehanded the ball before it hit the ground.
 
After the umpires initially called Moncada out, the White Sox challenged the call and video review showed that the ball had hit the fence before Granderson's glove.
 
Moncada was awarded a single, which brought in Welington Castillo to score from third. Chicago added to its lead one batter later when Avisail Garcia was hit by a pitch.
 
The Blue Jays tied the score once again in the sixth inning, as pinch-hitter Steve Pearce and Kendrys Morales both had RBI singles.
 
James Shields (1-0, 6.00) brings his 23-12 record and 2.91 ERA in April starts into Chicago's home opener Thursday as the White Sox open a three-game set against Detroit. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (0-0, 6.00) takes the mound for the Tigers.

Blackhawks Get Past Blues

Posted About Five Years Ago

Duncan Keith scored a power-play goal with 8.5 seconds left and the Chicago Blackhawks beat St. Louis 4-3 on Wednesday night to hurt the Blues' playoff hopes.
 
Andreas Martinsen, Blake Hillman and Alex DeBrincat also scored, and Jean-Francois Berube made 30 saves. The Blackhawks beat the Blues for the first time in three meetings this season.
Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist for the Blues. They have lost four straight to fall a point behind idle Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
 
Robert Bortuzzo also scored for the Blues, and Jake Allen made 22 saves in his 14th straight start.
 
Hillman scored a short-handed goal, his first in the NHL, midway through the second to cut the Blues' lead to 3-2. He is the fifth Blackhawk to score their first career goal this season.
 
DeBrincat tied it at 3 at 8:30 of the third with an unassisted goal.
 
Bortuzzo opened the scoring at 4:16 of the first period with his fourth goal of the season.
 
Martinsen tied it for Chicago at 8:57 with his first goal of the season, firing a wrist shot that trickled between Allen's legs after the Blues failed to clear the puck twice.
 
Schenn regained the lead for the Blues just 47 seconds into the second period, putting home a rebound from Vince Dunn's shot from the high slot. Schenn's 27th goal is a career high.
 
Tarasenko made it 3-1 at 5:44 of the second. St. Louis took advantage of a Chicago defensive line change and Schenn sprung Tarasenko for a breakaway.
 
The teams will meet again Friday night in Chicago.

WR Josh Bellamy Re-Ups With Bears

Posted About Five Years Ago

Chicago Bears receiver Josh Bellamy has signed his restricted free agent tender.
 
Bellamy will return for a fifth season in Chicago after catching 24 passes for 376 yards and a touchdown last season. He has 62 receptions for 882 yards and four TDs over six seasons with Kansas City, Washington and Chicago.
 
The Bears announced the move on Wednesday.
 
Chicago went 5-11 and finished last in the NFC North for the fourth straight year. The Bears hired coach Matt Nagy in January to replace the fired John Fox.

The Masters Opens Today

Posted About Five Years Ago

The Masters at Augusta National is, simply put, one of the greatest events in all of sports. With a loaded 87-man field ready to tackle one of golf's toughest tests, you can bet there will be some drama in the 2018 version of the tournament.
 
All eyes this year, of course, are on Tiger Woods as he aims to make a successful return to the Masters. Woods has been playing some great golf this year, collecting a pair of top-five finishes in preparation for Augusta, where he will be playing for the first time since 2015.
 
Aside from Woods, though, there is a lot of star power on the course trying to fend off Big Cat's attempt to add another major win to his collection, which is why this year's event is being billed as a can't-miss showcase. 
 
10:31 a.m. --  Zach Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Branden Grace
10:42 a.m. -- Tiger Woods, Marc Leishman, Tommy Fleetwood
10:53 a.m. -- Sergio Garcia, Justin Thomas, Doc Redman
11:04 a.m. -- Bubba Watson, Henrik Stenson, Jason Day
 
1:27 p.m. -- Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar
1:38 p.m. -- Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm 
1:49 p.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Alex Noren, Louis Oosthuizen 
2:00 p.m. -- Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Rafael Cabrera-Bello  
 
Rory McIlroy is still looking for his first green jacket, while Jordan Spieth is trying to exorcise some demons and get back in the winning column at a major he has basically dominated since he started on the PGA Tour. Sergio Garcia will be attempting to repeat, while Rickie Fowler comes in on a hot streak looking for his first major.
 
ESPN will have coverage of the tournament Thursday and Friday and then things shift to CBS for Saturday and Sunday. 

Markkanen, Kilpatrick lead Bulls over Hornets, 120-114

Posted About Five Years Ago

Lauri Markkanen scored 24 points and Sean Kilpatrick added 21 off the bench to lead Chicago to a 120-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
 
Markkanen didn't play in the fourth quarter and totaled just 24 minutes for the game. The 7-foot rookie was 8 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 6 on 3-pointers.
 
Justin Holiday had 19 points and Bobby Portis added 16 for Chicago, which has won three straight.
 
The winning streak could drop the Bulls a few spots in the June draft, but that's of no concern inside the locker room.
 
Dwight Howard had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Malik Monk scored 21 points for Charlotte, which has dropped four straight.
 
The Bulls had an 86-79 lead entering the fourth quarter before coach Fred Hoiberg decided to sit most of his regulars and unofficially tank.
 
Kilpatrick, though, had other plans and took over the reigns of the offense, scoring 19 points in the final 12 minutes to hold off Monk (16 in the fourth) and Charlotte.
 
Kilpatrick iced the game with a 3-pointer with 56.5 seconds to go for a 118-114 lead.
 
With Markkanen and Portis sitting out the fourth, Robin Lopez not playing at all and Kris Dunn (sprained right toe), Zach LaVine (left knee tendinitis) and Denzel Valentine (left knee) out with injuries, the Bulls closed with a group of mostly young and unproven players.

Donaldson homers again as Blue Jays rout White Sox 14-5

Posted About Five Years Ago

Josh Donaldson and Aledmys Diaz each hit a two-run homer, and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Chicago White Sox 14-5 on Tuesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
 
Donaldson went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. He also went deep in Monday's night's 4-2 victory over Chicago. Diaz had three hits before leaving after six innings because of back spasms.
 
The Blue Jays have hit at least one home run in each of their first six games.
 
Avisail Garcia, Tim Anderson and Yolmer Sanchez hit solo home runs for the White Sox. Chicago has 12 home runs over its first four games.

Yelich, Braun go deep in 9th as Brewers beat Cards 5-4

Posted About Five Years Ago

Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich hit consecutive homers off Dominic Leone with two out in the ninth, sending the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
 
Leone (0-1) retired the first two batters, but then lost Yelich on a 2-2 pitch before Braun whacked the next one for his fourth career game-ending homer.
 
Braun almost missed out on that chance. He jawed with plate umpire Jeff Kellogg for a bit after a called third strike in the eighth, but he returned to the dugout in time to avoid the ejection.
 
Dan Jennings (1-0) picked up the victory with a perfect ninth.
 
Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham opened the game with consecutive homers for St. Louis, and Marcell Ozuna made it 4-0 with a two-run shot in the third. Jack Flaherty struck out a career-high nine while pitching five innings of one-run ball, but the Cardinals' bullpen lost the lead.
 
Yelich started Milwaukee's rally with a two-out RBI single off the glove of shortstop Paul DeJong in the fifth. The Brewers pulled within one on RBI singles for Travis Shaw and Jonathan Villar in the eighth.
 
Fowler, mired in a 1-for-18 stretch, drove the first pitch from Chase Anderson into the Cardinals' bullpen for his 24th career leadoff home run. Pham looked at one pitch and then lined the next one over the wall in deep right-center.
 
Anderson was charged with four runs and eight hits in four innings.

Jokic scores 30, Nuggets hold off Pacers 107-104

Posted About Five Years Ago

Nikola Jokic scored 30 points, Jamal Murray hit a clutch 3-pointer late - his only one of the game - and the Nuggets held off the Indiana Pacers 107-104 on Tuesday night.
 
Victor Oladipo had 25 points for the Pacers, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, but remain fifth in the Eastern Conference. Oladipo scored a career-high 47 points against the Nuggets on Dec. 10.
 
Seeing their once double-digit lead trimmed to 91-89, the Nuggets got a lift from Murray, who made a 3-pointer from the corner with 3:37 left. He celebrated a bit as he made his way back down the court. Will Barton turned in a big game as well with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
 

Storms prompt cancellation of Cubs-Reds game

Posted About Five Years Ago

 Stormy weather prompted Cincinnati to postpone its game scheduled for Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs, the second time during their opening homestand the Reds had to call off a game because of bad weather.
 
The game was called after a 1-hour, 24-minute delay, and the clubs announced it would be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 19.
 
With the cancellation, the 2-3 Cubs get back-to-back days off to rest their overworked bullpen, which has pitched 26 innings in five games. Chicago has played a 17-inning and a 10-inning game.
 
Several of their hitters were on the field for early batting practice Tuesday before the storms moved in, hoping to find their touch. Chicago has been shut out in two straight games and managed only two hits during a 1-0 loss to the Reds on Monday. The Cubs are batting .137 with runners in scoring position.
 
Chicago is in the midst of a 10-game trip, the first time in 119 years that the Cubs have played 10 away from home to start a season. They split a four-game series in Miami and head to Milwaukee before arriving at Wrigley Field.
 
The Reds' opening homestand ended with another disappointment.
 
Cincinnati had to call off its opening game last Thursday, the first time since 1966 that the Reds pushed back an opener because of bad weather. They then got swept by the Washington Nationals for their first 0-3 start since 2003.
 
The postponement Tuesday left the Reds 1-3 on the shortened homestand.

Cardinals Win; Cubs, White Sox Lose

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Power Past Reds
 
Miles Mikolas won in his first big league game after a three-year stint in Japan and hit a home run to help spoil the Milwaukee Brewers' home opener, Paul DeJong connected for the second straight game, hitting his third homer this season, powering the Cardinals to an 8-4 win on Monday.
 
Mikolas (1-0) gave up a two-run homer to Eric Thames and solo shots to Lorenzo Cain and Manny Pina. But the 29-year-old righty benefited from the Cardinals' own outburst at hitter-friendly Miller Park.
 
Mikolas gave up seven hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings in his first big league start since Aug. 25, 2014.
 
Cardinals 3B Jedd Gyorko left before the bottom of the seventh with a strained right hamstring.
 
DeJong's two-run shot, highlighted a four-run sixth that gave St. Louis an 8-2 lead.
 
Jack Flaherty makes his first start of the season against the team he faced in the 2017 season finale. He allowed four runs on five hits over five innings on Oct. 1, his only career outing against Milwaukee.
 
Chase Anderson starts in his first turn since tossing six shutout innings to begin the 2-1 win in extra innings on opening day in San Diego.
 
>>Reds Blank Cubs
 
Rookie Tyler Mahle pitched one-hit ball for six innings, Raisel Iglesias struck out Anthony Rizzo with the bases loaded to end the eighth, and the Cincinnati Reds edged the Chicago Cubs 1-0 Monday for their first win of the season.
Eugenio Suarez tripled in the fourth and scored on Adam Duvall's groundout.
 
Mahle (1-0) earned the victory in only his fifth major league start, outpitching Tyler Chatwood (0-1) in his Cubs debut.
 
The Cubs managed only four baserunners against Mahle, who walked two, hit one and struck out a career-high seven.
 
Ian Happ singled in the eighth, but Iglesias came in later and Rizzo to swing through a fastball to escape. Iglesias got last four outs for the save.
 
Chicago has been blanked in back-to-back games for the first time since last May 26-27, when the Dodgers beat the Cubs 4-0 and 5-0.
 
Jon Lester (0-0) gave up four runs - three earned - in only 3 1/3 innings of an opening 8-4 win at Miami. He's 5-1 with a 4.27 ERA in 13 career starts against the Reds. Cody Reed (0-0) starts in place of the injured Brandon Finnegan for Cincinnati. 
 
>>Blue Jays Double Up White Sox
 
Russell Martin hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, Josh Donaldson and Aledmys Diaz each had a solo shot and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Monday night for their third straight win.
 
All six runs in the game came on homers.
Welington Castillo went deep twice for the White Sox, his sixth career multihomer game and third straight against Toronto. Castillo hit five home runs against the Blue Jays in 2017, his highest total against any opponent.
 
Martin erased a 2-1 deficit with a two-out drive into the left-field bullpen off Danny Farquhar (1-1). The homer was Martin's first of the season.
 
Seung Hwan Oh (1-0) got the win despite allowing Castillo's second homer, a tiebreaking shot in the top of the seventh, during his only inning of work.
 
Ryan Tepera pitched the eighth and Roberto Osuna finished for his second save.
 
Castillo also connected off left-hander Jaime Garcia in the fourth.
 
Making his first start for the Blue Jays, Garcia allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.
 
Donaldson went deep for the first time this season with an opposite-field drive off Reynaldo Lopez in the sixth.
 
Donaldson faced the White Sox dugout and pretended to blow a whistle after he crossed home plate. The gesture was directed at Chicago first base coach Daryl Boston, who blows a whistle to acknowledge great defensive plays by his team. Boston was seen laughing at Donaldson's display.
 
Diaz added an insurance run with a first-pitch drive off Farquhar in the eighth.
 
Lopez allowed one run and two hits in six innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.
 
Lopez held the Blue Jays without a hit until Curtis Granderson led off the fifth with a liner that caromed off shortstop Tim Anderson.
 
Miguel Gonzalez is 7-4 with a 3.63 ERA in 15 career games against Toronto.

Caps Double-Up Blues

Posted About Five Years Ago

Braden Holtby made 34 saves and Nicklas Backstrom started a three-goal second period as the surging Capitals beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 Monday night.
 
Alex Ovechkin got his league-leading 46th goal, and Alex Chiasson and Andre Burakovsky also scored to help the Capitals get their seventh win in eight games, and 11th in the last 13.
 
Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrik Berglund scored for the Blues, who lost their second straight and remained one point behind Colorado for the second and final wild card in the Western Conference. The Avalanche lost 3-1 at Los Angeles later.
 
Jake Allen finished with 30 saves.
 
Backstrom, Chiasson and Burakovsky scored in the first 7:54 of the second period to give the Capitals a 3-1 lead.
 
Backstrom tied it 1-1 by firing a shot past goalie Jake Allen from close range just 51 seconds into the period, giving him 20 goals in three straight seasons.
 
Chiasson put Washington ahead with his ninth at 2:39, and Burakovsky gave the Capitals a two-goal lead with his 11th a little more than five minutes later.
 
Berglund pulled St. Louis within one with 8 1/2 minutes left in the second, but Ovechkin scored into an empty net with 1:31 left in the third.
 
The Blues host Chicago on Wednesday before closing with two road games.

Villanova Downs Michigan For NCAA Title

Posted About Five Years Ago

Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench to make five 3s and score 31 points Monday to lift `Nova to another blowout victory in the NCAA Tournament - this time 79-62 over Michigan for its second national title in three seasons.
 
The sophomore guard had 12 points and an assist during a first-half run to help the Wildcats (36-4) pull ahead, then scored nine straight for Villanova midway through the second to snuff out the Wolverines. He capped the second shooting skein with a 3-pointer from a step behind the arc.
 
In taking the program's third overall title, Villanova won all six games by double digits over this tournament run, joining Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001) and North Carolina (2009) in that rare air.
 
Michigan (33-8) came out playing tough-nosed defense it relied on over a 14-game winning streak that got the Wolverines to their second final in six years.
 
Moe Wagner scored 11 early points to pick up where he left off in a dominating performance in the semifinal. Villanova started 1 for 9 from 3-point range. And yet, after DiVincenzo banged down a 3 from a step behind the arc for Villanova's second of the night, coach John Beilein looked at the scoreboard and saw his team behind, 23-21.
 
If his first 3 wasn't demoralizing enough, DiVincenzo made another, then took a bounce pass from Brunson for a dunk, then paid it forward with an assist to Spellman. It was part of a 23-7 run that gave the Wildcats a nine-point lead at halftime; they never looked back.

Illinois Drops Series To Iowa

Posted About Five Years Ago

The No. 22 Illinois baseball team took a 2-0 lead to the sixth inning but could not hold on in a 4-2 loss Sunday at snowy Illinois Field. Iowa won the series 2-1.
 
Illinois (17-7, 4-2 Big Ten) stranded eight base runners in the final three innings and 12 for the game. The Illini scored their only two runs in the first inning on a Michael Massey RBI single and Doran Turchin RBI single. 
 
Iowa's (16-9, 3-2 Big Ten) bottom two in the order - Lorenzo Elion and Mitchell Boe - went 4-for-8 with two RBIs to lead the Hawkeyes. Kyle Crowl added two of Iowa's eight singles.
 
Neither team produced an extra-base hit with the wind blowing straight in and temperatures dipping below 30 degrees. The snow started in the late innings and got heavier through the end of the game.
 
Cole McDonald (2-1) got the win for Iowa after throwing 6 1/3 innings while allowing two runs on five hits. Ryan Thompson (5-2) took the loss in relief of Ty Weber, who started and allowed two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
 
Illinois is back in action Wednesday at Illinois State. Next weekend Illinois travels to Maryland.

Bulls, Pacers Win

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Bulls Blow By Wizards
 
Rookie Lauri Markkanen scored 23 points and connected on 5 of 8 3-pointers to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 113-94 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
 
Bobby Portis had 18 points and hit 4 of 5 from long range, and Sean Kilpatrick added 14 points. Chicago shot 52.4 percent overall from the floor and was 18-for-34 on 3s - matching its season high - as Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg missed the game with an upper-respiratory infection.
 
Hoiberg returned home before tipoff, leaving associate head coach Jim Boylen to direct Chicago to its second straight win following a seven-game skid.
 
Otto Porter Jr. led the Wizards with 17 points as five-time All-Star John Wall rested. Bradley Beal scored 15 points and reserve Mike Scott added 14.
 
Wall remained on the bench against Chicago after playing 33 minutes in his first game in over two months on Saturday. The slick point guard had 15 points and 14 assists in the Wizards' playoff-clinching 107-93 win over Charlotte.
 
Before Saturday, Wall had last played on Jan. 25, six days before he underwent left knee surgery. The Wizards went 15-12 during his absence.
 
The Bulls opened a 15-point lead late in the first quarter before Washington finished the frame with a 6-0 run to cut it to 36-27. Chicago shot 60.9 percent in the quarter and connected on 8 of 11 3-point attempts, with Markkanen and Portis each sinking three from long range.
 
Chicago led 68-59 at the half.
 
Getting a lift from Scott and others off their bench, the Wizards trimmed the Bulls' lead to four points three times in the second quarter.
 
But Chicago kept connecting. The Bulls upped their field-goal percentage to 64.3 and went 11-for-17 on 3s in the first half. Markkanen led with 15 points and four 3-pointers at the break.
 
The Bulls cooled down in the second half. But Chicago effectively managed the lead - and used all but one bench player - before pulling away late.
 
>>Pacers Top Clippers
 
Victor Oladipo found his teammates with passes and they made shots, rallying the Indiana Pacers from a 16-point deficit past Los Angeles 111-104 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.
Oladipo had 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting and 12 assists, and Myles Turner scored 24 for the playoff-bound Pacers, who have won four in a row over the Clippers as well as 12 of their last 16.
 
Tobias Harris led the Clippers with 21 points. Lou Williams added 15 of his 20 in the fourth and Montrezl Harrell had 19 off the bench. Austin Rivers scored 18 and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds.
 
Harrell and Williams combined to score 21 of the Clippers' 26 points in the fourth.
 
Harris' 3-pointer drew the Clippers to 105-104, but Bojan Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer and the Pacers went 3 of 4 at the free throw line to end the game.
 
Down by 16, the Pacers ended the first half on a 19-4 run that left them trailing 51-50 at the break. Oladipo scored 11 points and Turner had six.
 
The Pacers are in Denver Tuesday in the finale of a four-game western swing.

Cardinals Win; Cubs Lose; White Sox Snowed Out

Posted About Five Years Ago

>>Cardinals Top Mets
 
Paul DeJong had the first multihomer game of his young big league career Sunday and helped the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets 5-1 to avoid an opening three-game sweep.
 
A 2015 graduate of Illinois State who majored in biochemistry and pre-medicine, he was selected by the Cardinals in the fourth round of that year's amateur draft. During spring training last month, when the Cardinals gave him the big contract, he attended several social events of the Palm Beach Symphony - not a regular nightlife stop of most big leaguers.
 
DeJong sent a fastball from Steven Matz off the facing of the left-field second deck in the second inning and drove Jacob Rhame's slider off an orange M&M advertisement just over the left-field wall in the eighth for his second solo homer.
 
DeJong was 9 for 12 in a series against the Mets just before last year's All-Star break and is 15 for 41 versus New York with five doubles, six homers and eight RBIs overall. He is 3 for 3 with a pair of homers against Matz.
 
Marcell Ozuna broke out of an 0-for-9 start with three hits, including an RBI double in the third and a run-scoring single in the fifth.Yadier Molina hit a leadoff homer in the fourth for the Cardinals, outscored 15-6 in the first two games.
 
Miles Mikolas makes his first big league appearance since Aug. 25, 2014, when he starts Monday at Milwaukee. He spent the past three seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League.
 
>>Marlins Blank Cubs
 
Dillon Peters threw six sharp innings, Brian Anderson hit a three-run double to highlight a five-run fifth and the Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 on Sunday to split their opening four-game series against a team that could very easily be a championship contender.
Chad Wallach - who started the season 0 for 11 - had two hits for the Marlins, who were hitless in their first four innings before getting the offense going. Peters (1-0) helped out a well-worked bullpen in a big way, allowing six hits, striking out two and walking only one as the Marlins shut out the Cubs for only the second time in the teams' last 72 meetings.
 
Wallach's RBI single - the first run driven in of his career - got the Marlins on the board in the fifth, and they were off and running. Derek Dietrich's single under the glove of Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo drove home Wallach to make it 2-0, and Anderson's two-out line drive to right off Cubs starter Jose Quintana (0-1) cleared the bases.
 
Quintana gave up six hits and six runs in six innings. The last of the runs charged to him scored when he uncorked a wild pitch in the sixth.
 
Kyle Schwarber had a pair of hits for the Cubs, who stranded 10 runners on Sunday and 42 runners for the series - a lot even when considering one of the four games in Miami was a 17-inning affair on Friday night.
 
Tyler Chatwood gets the start in Cincinnati on Monday against Reds RHP Tyler Mahle.
 
>>White Sox, Royals Snowed Out
 
The season-opening series finale between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox was postponed Sunday with snow in the afternoon forecast and temperatures struggling to reach the freezing mark.
 
The game will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on April 28. The makeup game will begin at 1:15 p.m. and the original game will be moved back an hour to 7:15 p.m.
 
The White Sox won the opener Thursday with a six-homer barrage in a 14-7 rout, then rallied in the eighth inning for a 4-3 victory over their AL Central rivals on Saturday night.
 
Chicago continues its season-opening road trip Monday night in Toronto, while Kansas City departs for its own six-game road trip beginning Monday in Detroit.

Ian Poulter Punches Ticket To Masters With Houston Open Win

Posted About Five Years Ago

With a 2018 Masters bid and his first victory since 2012 about to slip out of his grasp, Ian Poulter had one final opportunity to keep himself alive: a 20-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the 2018 Houston Open. And in true Poulter fashion, he drained it with gusto and a Ryder Cup-level celebration that pulled him even at 19 under with 23-year-old American Beau Hossler and forced a sudden death playoff.
 
It did not take long for Poulter to capitalize with the veteran swiping a victory on the first playoff hole. Just as he did on the 72nd hole, Hossler hit his first shot into a bunker on 18; however, this time he was unable to save it, immediately finding a second bunker and hitting his third shot over the hole and into the water. Poulter calmly made the green in two and two-putted his way to a victorious par, becoming the fifth player in his 40s to win this season alone.
 
Poulter became the first golfer in 35 years to start T123 or worse after the first round of a PGA Tour event and go on to claim victory. He did so by winning the first playoff in which he ever participated on the PGA Tour. The victory was his first in a stroke play event and second ever on U.S. soil.
 
Hossler went under 70 in all four rounds, missing out on his first PGA Tour win by centimeters as he saw his birdie putt on the 72nd hole barely miss the cup. His unraveling on the first playoff hole prevented him from becoming the youngest victor on the tour this season.
 
In addition to Poulter coming through at the right time, Jordan Spieth (-16) bounced back from some uneven play this season to finish third after shooting a 66 on Sunday, the low round of the day.
 
Poulter did not play at Augusta National last year for the first time since 2006. He has made the cut in all 11-of-12 appearances, finishing T6 in 2015. As he is now set to enter the top 30 in the Official World Golf Rankings, Poulter will likely be eligible to compete in the rest of the season's majors. The victory also netted him a two-year PGA Tour exemption just a year after he nearly lost his tour card.

Archives:

2023-06 | 2023-05 | 2023-04 | 2023-03 | 2023-02 | 2023-01 | 2022-12 | 2022-11 | 2022-10 | 2022-09 | 2022-08 | 2022-07 | 2022-06 | 2022-05 | 2022-04 | 2022-03 | 2022-02 | 2022-01 | 2021-12 | 2021-11 | 2021-10 | 2021-09 | 2021-08 | 2021-07 | 2021-06 | 2021-05 | 2021-04 | 2021-03 | 2021-02 | 2021-01 | 2020-12 | 2020-11 | 2020-10 | 2020-09 | 2020-08 | 2020-07 | 2020-06 | 2020-05 | 2020-04 | 2020-03 | 2020-02 | 2020-01 | 2019-12 | 2019-11 | 2019-10 | 2019-09 | 2019-08 | 2019-07 | 2019-06 | 2019-05 | 2019-04 | 2019-03 | 2019-02 | 2019-01 | 2018-12 | 2018-11 | 2018-10 | 2018-09 | 2018-08 | 2018-07 | 2018-06 | 2018-05 | 2018-04 | 2018-03 | 2018-02 | 2018-01 | 2017-12 | 2017-11 | 2017-10 | 2017-09 | 2017-08 | 2017-07 | 2017-06 | 2017-05 | 2017-04 | 2017-03 | 2017-02 | 2017-01 | 2016-12 | 2016-11 | 2016-10 | 2016-09 | 2016-08 | 2016-07 | 2016-06 | 2016-05 | 2016-04 | 2016-03 | 2016-02 | 2016-01

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

 

Townhall Top of the Hour News

 

SRN News

View All

IF YOU NEED HELP ACCESSING OUR WEBSITE DUE TO A DISABILITY, PLEASE CONTACT US

DEWIT DAILY NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

CONNECT

OUR STATIONS

Main Office:

217-935-9590

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Disclaimer

© 2023 DeWitt Daily News, Miller Radio Group

Built on Envisionwise Technology. Administrator Login

Envisionwise Web Services