KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kansas City Royals announced today that shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been honored with the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award, given to the top position player in the Royals organization, and right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar has won the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year Award, which is given to the top pitcher in the organization.

Both Witt Jr. and Kowar will be presented with their awards prior to the Royals’ game against the Minnesota Twins next Friday (Oct. 1) at Kauffman Stadium. The Player and Pitcher of the Year awards for each minor league affiliate will be announced at a later date.

Witt Jr., 21, split the 2021 season between Northwest Arkansas (AA) and Omaha (AAA), and through 117 overall games, he leads all minor league players with 71 extra-base hits, while he ranks second in RBI (94) and total bases (279), third in home runs (32) and fourth in runs scored (95). In June, he was selected to the MLB All-Star Futures Game roster, and on July 11, he was the starting shortstop and batted leadoff for the American League at Coors Field. Just one week later, on July 18, he was promoted to Omaha, and at the time of his promotion, led all Double-A players in total bases (139), while also leading the Central in RBI (51) and tying for the division lead in runs (44). He was second in the division in hits (72) and home runs (16). He was named the Triple-A East Player of the Week for Aug. 2-8, as he went 8-for-27 (.296) with two doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI and eight runs scored in a six-game span. He finished the month in similar fashion, claiming Triple-A East Player of the Month for August. On Aug. 14, he stole his 20th base of the season to become the first Royals minor leaguer to record 20-or-more home runs and 20-or-more stolen bases in a single season since Alex Gordon in 2006 with the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. Witt Jr. was selected by the Royals in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas.

Kowar, 24, had two stints with Triple-A Omaha this season, and in 17 overall appearances (16 starts), went 9-4 with a 3.46 ERA (31 ER in 80.2 IP) and 115 strikeouts (12.8 K/9), which are the fifth most strikeouts among all Triple-A pitchers this season, despite spending the month of September in

the Major Leagues. The right hander opened the season with Omaha and went 5-0 with a 0.85 ERA (3 ER in 31.2 IP) and a .165 opponents’ average (18-for-109) in six starts before having his contract selected by Kansas City on June 6. He was tabbed as the Storm Chasers’ Opening Day starter on May 4 and tossed 5.1 shutout innings against St. Paul in his Triple-A debut. Kowar was named the Triple-A East Pitcher of the Month for May, after going 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA (3 ER in 26.2 IP) in five starts. In the month, he allowed just 17 hits and struck out 36 batters, while holding opponents to a .183 batting average. He made his Major League debut on June 6 at Angel Stadium. At the time his contract was selected by the Royals, his 0.85 ERA led all Triple-A pitchers and ranked third among all minor league pitchers, while his five wins were tied with four others for the minor league lead. Following his debut, the right hander made two more appearances with the Royals before returning to Omaha on June 23, where he remained until his most recent recall on Sept. 1. He was selected by the Royals in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kansas City Royals announced today that shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been honored with the George Brett Hitter of the Year Award, given to the top position player in the Royals organization, and right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar has won the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year Award, which is given to the top pitcher in the organization.Both Witt Jr. and Kowar will be presented with their awards prior to the Royals’ game against the Minnesota Twins next Friday (Oct. 1) at Kauffman Stadium. The Player and Pitcher of the Year awards for each minor league affiliate will be announced at a later date.Witt Jr., 21, split the 2021 season between Northwest Arkansas (AA) and Omaha (AAA), and through 117 overall games, he leads all minor league players with 71 extra-base hits, while he ranks second in RBI (94) and total bases (279), third in home runs (32) and fourth in runs scored (95). In June, he was selected to the MLB All-Star Futures Game roster, and on July 11, he was the starting shortstop and batted leadoff for the American League at Coors Field. Just one week later, on July 18, he was promoted to Omaha, and at the time of his promotion, led all Double-A players in total bases (139), while also leading the Central in RBI (51) and tying for the division lead in runs (44). He was second in the division in hits (72) and home runs (16). He was named the Triple-A East Player of the Week for Aug. 2-8, as he went 8-for-27 (.296) with two doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI and eight runs scored in a six-game span. He finished the month in similar fashion, claiming Triple-A East Player of the Month for August. On Aug. 14, he stole his 20th base of the season to become the first Royals minor leaguer to record 20-or-more home runs and 20-or-more stolen bases in a single season since Alex Gordon in 2006 with the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. Witt Jr. was selected by the Royals in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas.Kowar, 24, had two stints with Triple-A Omaha this season, and in 17 overall appearances (16 starts), went 9-4 with a 3.46 ERA (31 ER in 80.2 IP) and 115 strikeouts (12.8 K/9), which are the fifth most strikeouts among all Triple-A pitchers this season, despite spending the month of September inthe Major Leagues. The right hander opened the season with Omaha and went 5-0 with a 0.85 ERA (3 ER in 31.2 IP) and a .165 opponents’ average (18-for-109) in six starts before having his contract selected by Kansas City on June 6. He was tabbed as the Storm Chasers’ Opening Day starter on May 4 and tossed 5.1 shutout innings against St. Paul in his Triple-A debut. Kowar was named the Triple-A East Pitcher of the Month for May, after going 5-0 with a 1.01 ERA (3 ER in 26.2 IP) in five starts. In the month, he allowed just 17 hits and struck out 36 batters, while holding opponents to a .183 batting average. He made his Major League debut on June 6 at Angel Stadium. At the time his contract was selected by the Royals, his 0.85 ERA led all Triple-A pitchers and ranked third among all minor league pitchers, while his five wins were tied with four others for the minor league lead. Following his debut, the right hander made two more appearances with the Royals before returning to Omaha on June 23, where he remained until his most recent recall on Sept. 1. He was selected by the Royals in the first round (33rd overall) of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida.

Witt Jr., Kowar honored by Royals


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Chances are slim for Hutchinson to meet its former coach Randy Dreiling in the 5A football playoffs, but it could happen. 

<a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Football/PDF/FootballClassifications-2021.pdf">Starting next year, they are none.</a>

The Saints, along with Kansas City Schlagle are dropping to Class 4A from 5A for football starting in the 2022-23 school year. This puts the Saints in the same class with Bishop Miege, McPherson and Buhler.

Hutchinson remains in 5A, Halstead drops to 2A, Trinity Catholic in Hutchinson drops to 1A, as does Sterling.

Burrton and Peabody-Burns will compete for the newly authorized 6-man state title, as they drop from 8-man.

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Chances are slim for Hutchinson to meet its former coach Randy Dreiling in the 5A football playoffs, but it could happen. <a href="http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Football/PDF/FootballClassifications-2021.pdf">Starting next year, they are none.</a>The Saints, along with Kansas City Schlagle are dropping to Class 4A from 5A for football starting in the 2022-23 school year. This puts the Saints in the same class with Bishop Miege, McPherson and Buhler.Hutchinson remains in 5A, Halstead drops to 2A, Trinity Catholic in Hutchinson drops to 1A, as does Sterling.Burrton and Peabody-Burns will compete for the newly authorized 6-man state title, as they drop from 8-man.

Football classification changes released

NEWTON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Football team travels to Newton tonight with the Kansas Kickoff Show starting at 6pm followed by the Salthawk Football Pre-game Show at 6:30pm on KWBW Radio 1450am/98.5fm plus video streamed on Hutchpost.com.

Download the Hutchpost.com app to take Glen and Dan with you to the game.

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NEWTON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Football team travels to Newton tonight with the Kansas Kickoff Show starting at 6pm followed by the Salthawk Football Pre-game Show at 6:30pm on KWBW Radio 1450am/98.5fm plus video streamed on Hutchpost.com.Download the Hutchpost.com app to take Glen and Dan with you to the game.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
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🎥 LIVE VIDEO TV:  Hutch High Football travels to Newton tonight

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🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Friday Morning

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered twice, and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 and extend their longest winning streak in 39 years to 12 games. On a day Adam Wainwright faltered early, St. Louis trailed 5-0 before rallying with one run in the fifth, four in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth. The Cardinals moved five games ahead of Cincinnati and Philadelphia, who both played later Thursday, for the second NL wild card.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After the Chargers lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys last weekend, and the Chiefs fumbled away a win in Baltimore on Sunday night, the longtime rivals find themselves in the most unexpected of circumstances. The loser of their showdown on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium will be in the AFC West cellar three weeks into the season. There's plenty of time to turn things around, though, especially in the expanded 17-game regular season. But it would help if that turnaround began this weekend, when the Chargers and Chiefs will be trying to keep pace with unbeaten Denver and Las Vegas.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs gambled two years ago when they selected Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the draft, rather than addressing some big needs on defense. And so far, the young running back has been a disappointment. Even before his fumble against the Ravens that cost Kansas City a chance at a winning field goal, Edwards-Helaire had struggled to stay healthy and produce when he was on the field. Even more damaging is the fact that less-heralded options, such as Darrel Williams and Jerrick McKinnon, have been more productive than the former LSU standout.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is adding women's wrestling. It is the Power Five conference to add the sport. Athletic director Gary Barta says adding a women's program had been discussed for several years. The program will begin competition in the 2023-24 season. A search for a head coach will begin this fall.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Iowa State running back Breece Hall has run for a touchdown in 15 consecutive games. That matches a Big 12 record he can break in the Cyclones' Big 12 opener Saturday at Baylor. The Bears also have some good runners. Baylor is off to a 3-0 start while rushing for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns to already surpass its nine-game season totals from last year. Iowa State's defense has held four consecutive opponents under 100 yards rushing for the first time since 1944.&nbsp;

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Adam Wainwright joined Hall of Famer Bob Gibson as the only St. Louis Cardinals' pitchers with 2,000 strikeouts, fanning Milwaukee's Luis Urías in the fourth inning. The 40-year-old right-hander became the ninth active pitcher with 2,000. Gibson got his 2,000th strikeout when Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente was called out on July 13, 1969. Gibson, who died last October, finished with 3,117. Wainwright had won nine of 10 decisions coming in. He trailed 5-0 on a pair of home runs by Tyrone Taylor, a grand slam in the first inning and a solo shot in the fourth.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — No. 20 Michigan State is the only Power Five football program with a pair of road upsets this season. Michigan State is off to a 3-0 start that includes a Big Ten win and a No. 20 ranking. The Spartans host Nebraska on Saturday night. The Huskers nearly upset Oklahoma last week, losing by seven points with botched kicks that cost them eight points. Nebraska coach Scott Frost is predicting a "fistfight" of a game.&nbsp;

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 25 Kansas State travels to Oklahoma State this weekend as both open Big 12 play. Both teams are 3-0 despite dealing with some key injuries. Will Howard will likely start at quarterback in place of injured K-State starter Skylar Thompson. Oklahoma State played last week without three of its top four receivers and lost another one during the game.

UNDATED (AP) — The American League has its first division title winner of the season.

The White Sox have clinched the AL Central title by taking Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Indians, 7-2. 

Tim Anderson homered twice and had four RBIs while Chicago built a 7-0 lead by the second inning. Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez added back-to-back solo homers for the White Sox, who will be making back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in their 121-season history. The Sox hadn't won a division crown since 2008.

In the nightcap, Oscar Mercado delivered a two-run, walk-off homer in the seventh as Cleveland earned a split with a 5-3 victory. Owen Miller hit a two-run single to put the Indians ahead in the sixth, but Chicago tied it in the seventh on an error by Yu Chang.

Checking out the rest of Thursday's major league action:

— The Giants' lead in the NL West is down to a game over Los Angeles after San Francisco's 7-6 loss at San Diego. Jurickson Profar (JUR'-ihk-suhn PROH'-fahr) raced home on Victor Caratini's infield single with one out in the 10th inning. Pinch-hitter Austin Slater hit a three-run homer to give the Giants a 5-4 lead with one out in the sixth. 

— Max Muncy (MUHN'-see) led off the 10th inning with a two-run homer to complete the Dodgers' comeback in a 7-5 victory at Colorado. Muncy's 35th home run of the season followed Trea Turner's game-tying, RBI single with two out in the ninth. Max Scherzer struggled in allowing five runs over as many innings, but he remains undefeated since joining the Dodgers.

— The Cardinals' winning streak is now at 12 games after they stormed back from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Brewers, 8-5. Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and had three RBIs for the Redbirds, who own their longest winning streak since the 1982 World Series team. Yadier (YAH'-dee-ehr) Molina had two RBIs, including the run-scoring single that ignited the Cards' comeback.

— The Phillies trailed 6-0 in the third inning before Didi Gregorius (DEE'-dee greh-GOHR'-ee-uhs), Ronald Torreyes (toh-RAY'-ehs) and J.T. Realmuto (ree-al-MOO'-toh) homered to power them to a 12-6 comeback over the Pirates. Gregorius began the comeback with a solo blast during a five-run third and Torreyes put Philadelphia ahead with a three-run shot in the sixth. Realmuto followed with a two-run homer and a two-run single as the Phils pulled within two games of Atlanta for the NL East lead.

— The Diamondbacks put together a five-run seventh that allowed them to beat the Braves, 6-4. Carson Kelly tied it with a three-run homer and Daulton Varsho added the go-ahead double that ended Atlanta's four-game winning streak. Austin Riley homered for the third straight game as the Braves took a 3-0 lead off Madison Bumgarner with a three-run third. 

— Juan Soto hit solo homers in consecutive innings to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead in a 3-2 win against the Reds. Soto was 3-for-3 with a walk as he raised his batting average to a National League-leading .325. The Reds scored twice in the ninth before falling 5 1/2 games out of a playoff berth with nine remaining.

— Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) scored the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning as the Angels beat the Astros, 3-2 to halt a six-game losing streak. The game was tied 1-all when Jack Mayfield lined a double off Lance McCullers Jr. to score Ohtani and Jared Walsh. Mayfield had six RBIs in the four-game series against his former team as Houston's magic number for clinching the AL West stayed at three.

— The Twins notched a 7-2 win over the Blue Jays as Nick Gordon drove in four runs and Michael Pineda (pih-NAY'-dah) won his third straight start. Toronto fell a full game behind the Yankees for the second AL wild card and finished the game without Lourdes Gurriel (gur-ee-EHL') Jr., who had his hand stepped on by teammate Randal Grichuk (GRIH'-chuhk) in the outfield.

— The Mariners picked up their fifth straight win by turning a 4-1 deficit into a 6-5 decision over the Athletics. Cal Raleigh started the comeback with a two-run homer, Mitch Haniger tied it with his 35th and Luis Torrens (toh-REHNZ') followed with a two-run shot. The outcome puts the Mariners two games behind the idle Yankees for the second AL wild card. The A's are four back.

— Zac Lowther lowered his ERA to 7.66 by scattering three hits while fanning seven over five innings of the Orioles' 3-0 shutout of the Rangers. Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays hit solo homers for Baltimore.

Arizona gives Lovullo a one-year extension

UNDATED (AP) — Arizona manager Torey Lovullo has been given a one-year contract extension through 2022 despite a National League-worst 49-104 record this season. The extension includes an option for 2023.

Lovullo became Arizona's skipper in 2017, leading the team to a 93-69 mark and a wild-card berth. The Diamondbacks compiled winning records in each of their first there years under Lovullo, but they are 65 games under .500 since the start of last season.

— Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki has been suspended for three games for intentionally hitting Tampa Bay's Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch in the latest salvo in a spat between the two AL East competitors. Manager Charlie Montoyo was also suspended for Thursday's game and handed an undisclosed fine. Borucki appealed the decision by MLB senior vice president Mike Hill, delaying the discipline until completion of the process.

Panthers lose McCaffrey while beating Texans

HOUSTON (AP) — The Carolina Panthers are hoping their latest victory didn't come at a heavy price.

The Panthers completed a 24-9 win over the Texans after losing Christian McCaffrey to an injury early in the second quarter. McCaffrey came in leading the league in scrimmage yards.

Everything else went well for the Panthers as they improved to 3-0 for the first time since their 2015 run to the NFC championship. Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and ran for two touchdowns, putting the game away when he bulled in from 1-yard out to make it 24-9 with about four minutes left.

Carolina's top-ranked defense put the squeeze on Houston rookie Davis Mills in his first career start, sacking him four times and holding him to 168 yards passing. Mills was pressed into action after Tyrod Taylor suffered a hamstring injury last Sunday and was placed on injured reserve.

BEREA, Ohio (AP) —Odell Beckham Jr.'s comeback is down to its final days, but the Cleveland Browns wide receiver didn't commit to playing Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Beckham said he's still taking things day by day in his return from a season-ending knee injury suffered in October. 

He spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time in nearly a year to explain the challenge of overcoming his latest injury while also giving vague answers about when he'll be back on the field. 

Eichel fails physical, stripped of captaincy

UNDATED (AP) — Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (EYE'-kul) has failed his pre-training camp physical and has been placed on injured reserve. That leaves the two sides no closer to a resolution over how to treat a herniated disk he suffered in March.

General manager Kevyn Adams says Eichel was also stripped of his captaincy as the Sabres opened camp. 

The developments mean Eichel is out for the foreseeable future, with a growing likelihood that the face of the franchise has already played his final game with the team that selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft. The Sabres failed in their attempts to trade the five-time 20-goal scorer during the offseason. 

— The league is counting on most of its players to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The league says 10 to 15 players out of 700 will likely not be vaccinated with the season begins Oct. 12. One of them is Detroit's Tyler Bertuzzi, who calls it a personal decision. He faces a loss of more than $400,000 if he cannot travel to Canada to play in games because of virus protocols. 

— The Rangers say they'll honor late Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert by wearing a patch featuring his No. 7 on their jerseys this season. Players will also wear white "Gilbert" jerseys for pregame warmups prior to the home opener at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14 that will be auctioned off for charity. Gilbert died in August at age 80.

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<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered twice, and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 and extend their longest winning streak in 39 years to 12 games. On a day Adam Wainwright faltered early, St. Louis trailed 5-0 before rallying with one run in the fifth, four in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth. The Cardinals moved five games ahead of Cincinnati and Philadelphia, who both played later Thursday, for the second NL wild card.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After the Chargers lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys last weekend, and the Chiefs fumbled away a win in Baltimore on Sunday night, the longtime rivals find themselves in the most unexpected of circumstances. The loser of their showdown on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium will be in the AFC West cellar three weeks into the season. There's plenty of time to turn things around, though, especially in the expanded 17-game regular season. But it would help if that turnaround began this weekend, when the Chargers and Chiefs will be trying to keep pace with unbeaten Denver and Las Vegas.&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs gambled two years ago when they selected Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the draft, rather than addressing some big needs on defense. And so far, the young running back has been a disappointment. Even before his fumble against the Ravens that cost Kansas City a chance at a winning field goal, Edwards-Helaire had struggled to stay healthy and produce when he was on the field. Even more damaging is the fact that less-heralded options, such as Darrel Williams and Jerrick McKinnon, have been more productive than the former LSU standout.IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is adding women's wrestling. It is the Power Five conference to add the sport. Athletic director Gary Barta says adding a women's program had been discussed for several years. The program will begin competition in the 2023-24 season. A search for a head coach will begin this fall.WACO, Texas (AP) — Iowa State running back Breece Hall has run for a touchdown in 15 consecutive games. That matches a Big 12 record he can break in the Cyclones' Big 12 opener Saturday at Baylor. The Bears also have some good runners. Baylor is off to a 3-0 start while rushing for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns to already surpass its nine-game season totals from last year. Iowa State's defense has held four consecutive opponents under 100 yards rushing for the first time since 1944.&nbsp;MILWAUKEE (AP) — Adam Wainwright joined Hall of Famer Bob Gibson as the only St. Louis Cardinals' pitchers with 2,000 strikeouts, fanning Milwaukee's Luis Urías in the fourth inning. The 40-year-old right-hander became the ninth active pitcher with 2,000. Gibson got his 2,000th strikeout when Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente was called out on July 13, 1969. Gibson, who died last October, finished with 3,117. Wainwright had won nine of 10 decisions coming in. He trailed 5-0 on a pair of home runs by Tyrone Taylor, a grand slam in the first inning and a solo shot in the fourth.EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — No. 20 Michigan State is the only Power Five football program with a pair of road upsets this season. Michigan State is off to a 3-0 start that includes a Big Ten win and a No. 20 ranking. The Spartans host Nebraska on Saturday night. The Huskers nearly upset Oklahoma last week, losing by seven points with botched kicks that cost them eight points. Nebraska coach Scott Frost is predicting a "fistfight" of a game.&nbsp;STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 25 Kansas State travels to Oklahoma State this weekend as both open Big 12 play. Both teams are 3-0 despite dealing with some key injuries. Will Howard will likely start at quarterback in place of injured K-State starter Skylar Thompson. Oklahoma State played last week without three of its top four receivers and lost another one during the game.MLB-SCHEDULEWhite Sox take division crownUNDATED (AP) — The American League has its first division title winner of the season.The White Sox have clinched the AL Central title by taking Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Indians, 7-2. Tim Anderson homered twice and had four RBIs while Chicago built a 7-0 lead by the second inning. Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez added back-to-back solo homers for the White Sox, who will be making back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in their 121-season history. The Sox hadn't won a division crown since 2008.In the nightcap, Oscar Mercado delivered a two-run, walk-off homer in the seventh as Cleveland earned a split with a 5-3 victory. Owen Miller hit a two-run single to put the Indians ahead in the sixth, but Chicago tied it in the seventh on an error by Yu Chang.Checking out the rest of Thursday's major league action:— The Giants' lead in the NL West is down to a game over Los Angeles after San Francisco's 7-6 loss at San Diego. Jurickson Profar (JUR'-ihk-suhn PROH'-fahr) raced home on Victor Caratini's infield single with one out in the 10th inning. Pinch-hitter Austin Slater hit a three-run homer to give the Giants a 5-4 lead with one out in the sixth. — Max Muncy (MUHN'-see) led off the 10th inning with a two-run homer to complete the Dodgers' comeback in a 7-5 victory at Colorado. Muncy's 35th home run of the season followed Trea Turner's game-tying, RBI single with two out in the ninth. Max Scherzer struggled in allowing five runs over as many innings, but he remains undefeated since joining the Dodgers.— The Cardinals' winning streak is now at 12 games after they stormed back from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Brewers, 8-5. Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and had three RBIs for the Redbirds, who own their longest winning streak since the 1982 World Series team. Yadier (YAH'-dee-ehr) Molina had two RBIs, including the run-scoring single that ignited the Cards' comeback.— The Phillies trailed 6-0 in the third inning before Didi Gregorius (DEE'-dee greh-GOHR'-ee-uhs), Ronald Torreyes (toh-RAY'-ehs) and J.T. Realmuto (ree-al-MOO'-toh) homered to power them to a 12-6 comeback over the Pirates. Gregorius began the comeback with a solo blast during a five-run third and Torreyes put Philadelphia ahead with a three-run shot in the sixth. Realmuto followed with a two-run homer and a two-run single as the Phils pulled within two games of Atlanta for the NL East lead.— The Diamondbacks put together a five-run seventh that allowed them to beat the Braves, 6-4. Carson Kelly tied it with a three-run homer and Daulton Varsho added the go-ahead double that ended Atlanta's four-game winning streak. Austin Riley homered for the third straight game as the Braves took a 3-0 lead off Madison Bumgarner with a three-run third. — Juan Soto hit solo homers in consecutive innings to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead in a 3-2 win against the Reds. Soto was 3-for-3 with a walk as he raised his batting average to a National League-leading .325. The Reds scored twice in the ninth before falling 5 1/2 games out of a playoff berth with nine remaining.— Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) scored the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning as the Angels beat the Astros, 3-2 to halt a six-game losing streak. The game was tied 1-all when Jack Mayfield lined a double off Lance McCullers Jr. to score Ohtani and Jared Walsh. Mayfield had six RBIs in the four-game series against his former team as Houston's magic number for clinching the AL West stayed at three.— The Twins notched a 7-2 win over the Blue Jays as Nick Gordon drove in four runs and Michael Pineda (pih-NAY'-dah) won his third straight start. Toronto fell a full game behind the Yankees for the second AL wild card and finished the game without Lourdes Gurriel (gur-ee-EHL') Jr., who had his hand stepped on by teammate Randal Grichuk (GRIH'-chuhk) in the outfield.— The Mariners picked up their fifth straight win by turning a 4-1 deficit into a 6-5 decision over the Athletics. Cal Raleigh started the comeback with a two-run homer, Mitch Haniger tied it with his 35th and Luis Torrens (toh-REHNZ') followed with a two-run shot. The outcome puts the Mariners two games behind the idle Yankees for the second AL wild card. The A's are four back.— Zac Lowther lowered his ERA to 7.66 by scattering three hits while fanning seven over five innings of the Orioles' 3-0 shutout of the Rangers. Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays hit solo homers for Baltimore.MLB-NEWSArizona gives Lovullo a one-year extensionUNDATED (AP) — Arizona manager Torey Lovullo has been given a one-year contract extension through 2022 despite a National League-worst 49-104 record this season. The extension includes an option for 2023.Lovullo became Arizona's skipper in 2017, leading the team to a 93-69 mark and a wild-card berth. The Diamondbacks compiled winning records in each of their first there years under Lovullo, but they are 65 games under .500 since the start of last season.In other major league news:— Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki has been suspended for three games for intentionally hitting Tampa Bay's Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch in the latest salvo in a spat between the two AL East competitors. Manager Charlie Montoyo was also suspended for Thursday's game and handed an undisclosed fine. Borucki appealed the decision by MLB senior vice president Mike Hill, delaying the discipline until completion of the process.NFL-PANTHERS/TEXANSPanthers lose McCaffrey while beating TexansHOUSTON (AP) — The Carolina Panthers are hoping their latest victory didn't come at a heavy price.The Panthers completed a 24-9 win over the Texans after losing Christian McCaffrey to an injury early in the second quarter. McCaffrey came in leading the league in scrimmage yards.Everything else went well for the Panthers as they improved to 3-0 for the first time since their 2015 run to the NFC championship. Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and ran for two touchdowns, putting the game away when he bulled in from 1-yard out to make it 24-9 with about four minutes left.Carolina's top-ranked defense put the squeeze on Houston rookie Davis Mills in his first career start, sacking him four times and holding him to 168 yards passing. Mills was pressed into action after Tyrod Taylor suffered a hamstring injury last Sunday and was placed on injured reserve.NFL-NEWSOBJ non-committal about returnBEREA, Ohio (AP) —Odell Beckham Jr.'s comeback is down to its final days, but the Cleveland Browns wide receiver didn't commit to playing Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Beckham said he's still taking things day by day in his return from a season-ending knee injury suffered in October. He spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time in nearly a year to explain the challenge of overcoming his latest injury while also giving vague answers about when he'll be back on the field. NHL-NEWSEichel fails physical, stripped of captaincyUNDATED (AP) — Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (EYE'-kul) has failed his pre-training camp physical and has been placed on injured reserve. That leaves the two sides no closer to a resolution over how to treat a herniated disk he suffered in March.General manager Kevyn Adams says Eichel was also stripped of his captaincy as the Sabres opened camp. The developments mean Eichel is out for the foreseeable future, with a growing likelihood that the face of the franchise has already played his final game with the team that selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft. The Sabres failed in their attempts to trade the five-time 20-goal scorer during the offseason. In other NHL news:— The league is counting on most of its players to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The league says 10 to 15 players out of 700 will likely not be vaccinated with the season begins Oct. 12. One of them is Detroit's Tyler Bertuzzi, who calls it a personal decision. He faces a loss of more than $400,000 if he cannot travel to Canada to play in games because of virus protocols. — The Rangers say they'll honor late Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert by wearing a patch featuring his No. 7 on their jerseys this season. Players will also wear white "Gilbert" jerseys for pregame warmups prior to the home opener at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14 that will be auctioned off for charity. Gilbert died in August at age 80.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sports Headlines for Friday

Release from Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN – Former K-State quarterback Jonathan Beasley and head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=154">Bill Snyder</a>&nbsp;are two of the&nbsp;seven newest members of the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame as the group will be honored Tuesday, Oct. 5, at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington with the enshrinement ceremony set for Noon CT on the West End Zone Plaza. The enshrinement ceremony is taking place 17 months after initially being scheduled due to postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the two Wildcat inductees, the 12th Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame Class includes Notre Dame split end Tom Gatewood, Arkansas guard Jerry Jones, Ole Miss running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster, Texas defensive end Cory Redding and Boston College linebacker Bill Romanowski. These six remarkable players and distinguished head coach join an elite group of honorees comprised of 78 men and women who have shaped the grand traditions of college football and the celebrated history of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Each Hall of Fame member will make brief remarks during the hour-long lunchtime event. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The Hall of Fame dates back to the spring of 1998 when the inaugural class was enshrined at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. Today, Induction Day takes place every other spring inside AT&amp;T Stadium. Each Hall of Fame member receives a personalized bronze statue that features the likeness of a 1930s football player, the era in which the Cotton Bowl Classic was founded. 18 JONATHAN BEASLEY, KANSAS STATE Ht.&nbsp;6-1&nbsp;Wt.&nbsp;215&nbsp;Class:&nbsp;Senior Position:&nbsp;Quarterback Hometown:&nbsp;Glendale, Arizona 2001 Classic:&nbsp;Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21 Rushing:&nbsp;17 attempts, 98 yards, 1 TD Passing:&nbsp;13-27-1, 210 yards, 2 TD Nothing seemed to faze Kansas State quarterback Jonathan Beasley. Not even a playing field covered in snow after a winter storm blew through North Texas just hours before the start of the 2001 Cotton Bowl Classic. Beasley set records for first-half efficiency by rolling up 238 yards in total offense and logged the second-highest number of yards passing with 193 against Tennessee. On the ground or through the air, he was relentless. He ran 14 yards for the game's first score, and then passed for touchdowns of 56 and 10 yards. By the time the third quarter rolled around, most of the snow had evaporated along with Tennessee's chances of winning. Beasley and the Wildcats pounded out 507 yards in total offense and cruised to a rousing 35-21 defeat of the Volunteers. BILL SNYDER, HEAD COACH, KANSAS STATE Hometown:&nbsp;St. Joseph, Missouri Classic Coaching Record:&nbsp;1-2-0 1997 Classic: BYU 19, Kansas State 15 2001 Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21 2012 Classic: Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16 No job was too big for Kansas State's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=154">Bill Snyder</a>. Not even a program that had experienced limited success until he set foot on the Manhattan campus in 1989. His tireless work ethic and intense dedication transformed the Wildcats into a national contender that tallied six 11-win seasons over a seven-year stretch and logged 11 consecutive bowl appearances. With his guidance, the Kansas State program became the model of consistency. The Wildcats landed in three Cotton Bowl Classics, highlighted by a dominating 35-21 defeat of Tennessee in the 2001 game. In 2015, he became one of only four active coaches to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Three years later, he wrapped up a spectacular coaching career with 215 victories. Simply put, Coach Snyder is the architect of the greatest turnaround in college football history.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632444609360.png" alt="KSU Snyder, Beasley into Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.png" />
 <figcaption>KSU Snyder, Beasley into Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Release from Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN – Former K-State quarterback Jonathan Beasley and head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=154">Bill Snyder</a>&nbsp;are two of the&nbsp;seven newest members of the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame as the group will be honored Tuesday, Oct. 5, at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington with the enshrinement ceremony set for Noon CT on the West End Zone Plaza. The enshrinement ceremony is taking place 17 months after initially being scheduled due to postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the two Wildcat inductees, the 12th Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame Class includes Notre Dame split end Tom Gatewood, Arkansas guard Jerry Jones, Ole Miss running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster, Texas defensive end Cory Redding and Boston College linebacker Bill Romanowski. These six remarkable players and distinguished head coach join an elite group of honorees comprised of 78 men and women who have shaped the grand traditions of college football and the celebrated history of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Each Hall of Fame member will make brief remarks during the hour-long lunchtime event. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The Hall of Fame dates back to the spring of 1998 when the inaugural class was enshrined at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. Today, Induction Day takes place every other spring inside AT&amp;T Stadium. Each Hall of Fame member receives a personalized bronze statue that features the likeness of a 1930s football player, the era in which the Cotton Bowl Classic was founded. 18 JONATHAN BEASLEY, KANSAS STATE Ht.&nbsp;6-1&nbsp;Wt.&nbsp;215&nbsp;Class:&nbsp;Senior Position:&nbsp;Quarterback Hometown:&nbsp;Glendale, Arizona 2001 Classic:&nbsp;Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21 Rushing:&nbsp;17 attempts, 98 yards, 1 TD Passing:&nbsp;13-27-1, 210 yards, 2 TD Nothing seemed to faze Kansas State quarterback Jonathan Beasley. Not even a playing field covered in snow after a winter storm blew through North Texas just hours before the start of the 2001 Cotton Bowl Classic. Beasley set records for first-half efficiency by rolling up 238 yards in total offense and logged the second-highest number of yards passing with 193 against Tennessee. On the ground or through the air, he was relentless. He ran 14 yards for the game's first score, and then passed for touchdowns of 56 and 10 yards. By the time the third quarter rolled around, most of the snow had evaporated along with Tennessee's chances of winning. Beasley and the Wildcats pounded out 507 yards in total offense and cruised to a rousing 35-21 defeat of the Volunteers. BILL SNYDER, HEAD COACH, KANSAS STATE Hometown:&nbsp;St. Joseph, Missouri Classic Coaching Record:&nbsp;1-2-0 1997 Classic: BYU 19, Kansas State 15 2001 Classic: Kansas State 35, Tennessee 21 2012 Classic: Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16 No job was too big for Kansas State's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=154">Bill Snyder</a>. Not even a program that had experienced limited success until he set foot on the Manhattan campus in 1989. His tireless work ethic and intense dedication transformed the Wildcats into a national contender that tallied six 11-win seasons over a seven-year stretch and logged 11 consecutive bowl appearances. With his guidance, the Kansas State program became the model of consistency. The Wildcats landed in three Cotton Bowl Classics, highlighted by a dominating 35-21 defeat of Tennessee in the 2001 game. In 2015, he became one of only four active coaches to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Three years later, he wrapped up a spectacular coaching career with 215 victories. Simply put, Coach Snyder is the architect of the greatest turnaround in college football history.&nbsp;&nbsp;

K-State’s Beasley and Snyder to be Inducted into Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame

Buhler 2nd behind Emporia at Circle Invitational.&nbsp; Marlie Cooper-5th Brooke Miller-6th Callie Cooper-8th Crislyn Frank-9th Taylee Hummel-10th

Hutchinson swept Great Bend and Goddard, now 17-1 #8 in 6A Nickerson swept by Sedgwick, bounce back to sweep Kingman, Nickerson #8 in 4A

Girls Golf: Buhler 2nd behind Emporia at Circle Invitational.&nbsp; Marlie Cooper-5th Brooke Miller-6th Callie Cooper-8th Crislyn Frank-9th Taylee Hummel-10thVolleyball:Hutchinson swept Great Bend and Goddard, now 17-1 #8 in 6A Nickerson swept by Sedgwick, bounce back to sweep Kingman, Nickerson #8 in 4A

High school results from September 23, 2021

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 25 Kansas State travels to Oklahoma State this weekend as both open Big 12 play. Both teams are 3-0 despite dealing with some key injuries. 

Will Howard will likely start at quarterback in place of injured K-State starter Skylar Thompson. 

Oklahoma State played last week without three of its top four receivers and lost another one during the game.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — No. 25 Kansas State travels to Oklahoma State this weekend as both open Big 12 play. Both teams are 3-0 despite dealing with some key injuries. Will Howard will likely start at quarterback in place of injured K-State starter Skylar Thompson. Oklahoma State played last week without three of its top four receivers and lost another one during the game.

Nicked up Wildcats and Cowboys meet in Stillwater Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After the Chargers lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys last weekend, and the Chiefs fumbled away a win in Baltimore on Sunday night, the longtime rivals find themselves in the most unexpected of circumstances. 

The loser of their showdown on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium will be in the AFC West cellar three weeks into the season. There's plenty of time to turn things around, though, especially in the expanded 17-game regular season. 

But it would help if that turnaround began this weekend, when the Chargers and Chiefs will be trying to keep pace with unbeaten Denver and Las Vegas.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After the Chargers lost a heartbreaker to the Cowboys last weekend, and the Chiefs fumbled away a win in Baltimore on Sunday night, the longtime rivals find themselves in the most unexpected of circumstances. The loser of their showdown on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium will be in the AFC West cellar three weeks into the season. There's plenty of time to turn things around, though, especially in the expanded 17-game regular season. But it would help if that turnaround began this weekend, when the Chargers and Chiefs will be trying to keep pace with unbeaten Denver and Las Vegas.&nbsp;

Chiefs and Chargers pivotal early season matchup Sunday

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🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Thursday Morning

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O'Neill homered as the St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th straight game, extending their lead for the second NL wild-card spot and beating the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 10-2. Goldschmidt also doubled, singled and scored four runs to help St. Louis stretch its best winning streak since an 11-game string in 2001. The Cardinals' longest winning streak in franchise history is 14 in 1935. St. Louis leads by 4 1/2 games over Cincinnati and Philadelphia for the final NL playoff slot. The Brewers clinched their fourth straight playoff berth on Sept. 18, but have since lost four straight, including three to the Cardinals. Their number to clinch the NL Central stayed at three.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a lot on his mind these days. He needs to find some sort of pass rush, which has been unable to generate pressure on the Browns' Baker Mayfield in Week 1 and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson on Sunday night. He needs to find a way to plug the run, especially after the Ravens gutted the Chiefs despite missing enough running backs to injury to fill out a flag football team. Oh, and the biggest challenge? Fundamentals such as tackling when teams are largely barred from hitting in practice.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians postponed a game against the Kansas City Royals because of rain and rescheduled it for next week. The postponement was announced about three hours before the scheduled 6:10 p.m. EDT first pitch. Cleveland rescheduled the game for Monday at 1:10 p.m.. &nbsp; The AL Central race could be decided in Cleveland this week when the Chicago White Sox and Indians play a five-game series scheduled to begin Thursday with a day-night doubleheader. Chicago leads the AL Central by 10 1/2 games and its magic number to clinch the division is two.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have promoted Peter Chiarelli to vice president of hockey operations. They are also bringing back former coach Ken Hitchock &nbsp;as &nbsp;consultant. Chiarelli takes over for Dave Taylor, who is now a senior adviser under president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong. This is Chiarelli's most prominent job since being fired as GM of the Edmonton Oilers in 2019. Hitchcock coached the Blues from 2011-17. St. Louis made the playoffs in each of his five full seasons behind the bench. Hitchcock coached Dallas to the Stanley Cup in 1999.

UNDATED (AP) — Whether it was Mississippi State's game against Memphis or Auburn's trip to Penn State, coaches in the SEC had plenty of reason to gripe about officiating last weekend. And with Texas and Oklahoma arriving soon, the league probably isn't happy about the performance of the men and women in stripes lately. The most egregious came in the Bulldogs' game against Memphis, when the officials made two and perhaps even three mistakes on the same decisive punt play. Penn State merely had an entire down skipped in its game against Auburn in Happy Valley. The situation has put the men and women in stripes exactly where they never like to be: in the spotlight.

UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays were able to clinch their third straight American League playoff berth on Wednesday, but not before sparking a little controversy.

Austin Meadows hit a three-run homer during a six-run third that propelled the Rays to a 7-1 win over the Blue Jays. Meadows' blast occurred long before teammate Kevin Kiermaier was hit by a pitch, which appeared to be retribution for scooping up a Toronto scouting report two days earlier. 

Reliever Ryan Borucki was ejected by umpire Joe West for hitting Kiermaier, and pitching coach Pete Walker was tossed for arguing. Borucki said the pitch slipped out of his hand.

On Monday, Kiermaier picked up a scouting card that fell off the wristband of Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk during a play at the plate and refused to give it back.

Yandy Diaz and Taylor Walls drove in two runs apiece as the Rays improved to an AL-best 94-59. Six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a four-hitter.

— The Yankees completed a three-game sweep by scoring four runs in the eighth to beat the Rangers, 7-3. Gleyber Torres doubled home the tiebreaking run and Gary Sanchez added a two-run homer as New York slid a half-game ahead of Toronto for the second AL wild card. Kyle Higashioka (hih-gah-shee-OH'-kah) doubled home a pair for the Yankees.

— The Red Sox's 12-5 pounding of the Mets keeps Boston two games ahead of the Yankees for the first AL wild card. Kyle Schwarber homered twice, drove in four and scored four in support of Chris Sale, who struck out eight in five innings. Alex Verdugo (vur-DOO'-goh) and Jose Iglesias each had two RBIs in the Bosox's seventh win in a row.

— The Astros moved closer to another AL West crown by scoring four times in the 12th inning of a 9-5 decision over the Angels. Jake Meyers singled home the tiebreaking run and scored on Jose Altuve's (al-TOO'-vays) two-run double as Houston reduced its magic number to three for its fourth division crown in five years. Yordan (yohr-DAHN') Alvarez smacked a two-run homer and finished with three hits and three RBIs for the winners.

— Kyle Seager hit his 35th home run and the Mariners moved within 2 1/2 games of the second AL wild card by defeating the Athletics, 4-1. Ty France also went deep and Seattle extended its winning streak to four games with their third straight win over Oakland. Chris Flexen struck out eight and limited the A's to one run on three hits over seven innings for his 13th win.

— The Giants lead the NL West by two games over Los Angeles after Kris Bryant and Buster Posey led their offense in an 8-6 win at San Diego. Bryant lashed a three-run double and Posey had four hits while scoring three times. Tyler Rogers surrendered two runs in the ninth before retiring Fernando Tatis (tah-TEES') Jr. with the tying run on base for the final out.

— Sam Hilliard lined a three-run homer and C.J. Cron had four hits for the Rockies in a 10-5 thumping of the Dodgers. German Marquez supplied a two-run double but was reached for five runs and six hits over four innings for Colorado. The Rockies tagged Walker Buehler for five runs and seven hits in just 3 2/3s.

— The Cardinals earned their 11th straight win as Tyler O'Neill and Paul Goldschmidt homered early in their 10-2 dismantling of the Brewers. Winning pitcher Miles Mikolas (MY'-koh-lahs) gave up two runs and four hits in a season-high seven innings, helping St. Louis take a 4 1/2-game lead for the second NL wild card. Brett Anderson was torched for six runs over 1 2/3 innings as Milwaukee's magic number stayed at three for clinching the NL Central.

— Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman homered as the Braves ripped the Diamondbacks, 9-2 to keep their three-game lead over Philadelphia atop the NL East. Adam Duvall also hit one over the wall, but he was called out for passing Riley between first and second. Ian Anderson pitched two-hit ball over six-plus innings of Atlanta's fourth consecutive win.

— Bryce Harper threw out the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning to keep the Phillies ahead in a 4-3 decision over the Orioles. The game was tied 2-2 in the seventh before Jean Segura hit a sacrifice fly and J.T. Realmuto (ree-al-MOO'-toh) added an RBI single. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer for the Phils, who began the day three games behind the NL East-leading Braves.

— The Twins were 5-4 winners over the Cubs as Max Kepler homered twice and rookie Joe Ryan struck out a season-high 11 over five innings. Chicago lost for the ninth time in 11 games.

— Juan Soto provided three hits and three RBIs as the Nationals beat the Marlins, 7-5. Soto also walked twice to tie Bryce Harper's single-season team record of 130.

— Three games were postponed by rain. The Tigers and visiting White Sox will make up their game on Monday afternoon, as will the Pirates and Reds in Cincinnati, along with the Indians and Royals in Cleveland. 

UNDATED (AP) — Tampa Bay's Antonio Brown has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and could miss this week's road game against the Rams. 

The 33-year-old receiver is the second player from the active roster the defending Super Bowl champions have placed on the COVID-19 list this week, joining reserve linebacker and special teams captain Kevin Minter. They can be reinstated with two negative tests for COVID-19 performed at least 24 hours apart.

— Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills will make his first career start Thursday night against a Panthers defense that ranks first in the NFL. Mills made his debut in the second half of a loss to Cleveland last Sunday after Tyrod Taylor was injured. 

— Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (TOO'-ah tuhng-ah-vy-LOH'-ah) has fractured ribs and won't play Sunday when the Dolphins visit the Raiders. Miami coach Brian Flores did not want to offer a timetable for a potential return but said Tagovailoa is already improving. Jacoby Brissett will start against Las Vegas.

— Justin Fields is set to make his first start for the Bears Sunday against Cleveland as Andy Dalton recovers from a left knee injury. Coach Matt Nagy says Dalton remains the team's No. 1 quarterback, and the plan is for him to be the starter when he is healthy. 

— Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did not rule out Odell Beckham Jr. for Sunday's game against Chicago. That clears the way for the star wide receiver to make his season debut and play for the first time since undergoing knee surgery last year. Cleveland is thin at the position after playing wideout Jarvis Landry on injured reserve with a sprained knee ligament.

— The Jaguars have signed cornerback Nevin Lawson to a one-year contract. Lawson gives the team an experienced veteran in case CJ Henderson can't play against Arizona because of a groin injury. 

Judge throws out several suits against OSU

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed some of the biggest unsettled lawsuits over Ohio State's failure to stop decades-old sexual abuse by now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss. 

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson wrote that while it's indisputable Strauss abused hundreds of young men, he agreed with OSU's argument that the legal window for such claims had passed. 

Strauss-related lawsuits against OSU filed this year by dozens of other plaintiffs appeared to still be pending, with no dismissal or other new rulings appearing on those dockets as of last night. 

UNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have fired president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas less than a week before training camp.

Owner Glen Taylor announced that the Timberwolves "parted ways" with Rosas in a two-sentence statement gave no explanation for the dismissal after just two seasons.

Rosas became the first Latino to run an NBA team when he was hired by the Timberwolves in May 2019. Rosas previously had a long tenure in the front office with the Rockets.

— The Bulls have exercised rookie scale contract options for the 2022-23 season on guard Coby White and forward Patrick Williams. White averaged 15.1 points and 4.8 assists in his second NBA season. Williams delivered 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds a game as a rookie after being drafted with the fourth overall pick in 2020.

— The league has fined Warriors owner Joe Lacob $50,000 for violating the league's anti-tampering rule with comments he made about 76ers guard Ben Simmons. Lacob said the Warriors had no interest in the disgruntled Sixers guard.

Kane cleared of throwing games, gambling on NHL contests

UNDATED (AP) — The National Hockey League says it has found no evidence supporting allegations that San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane gambled on league games or negatively impacted his team's contests. 

Those allegations were made by his wife, who is divorcing Kane and, according to the NHL, refused to participate in the investigation. The league says the investigation found no evidence to corroborate allegations that Kane gambled on NHL games or 'threw' hockey games.

— The Sabres have agreed to terms with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on a three-year, $18 million contract. The 6-foot-3 Swede has 18 goals and 107 points in 197 games since Buffalo took him with the first pick in the 2018 draft. Vancouver's Quinn Hughes is now the only prominent restricted free agent defenseman still unsigned. 

— Goalie Cal Petersen has agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the Kings. Petersen went 9-18-5 last season for the struggling Kings, but established career-bests in goals-against average and save percentage. 

— The Blues have promoted Peter Chiarelli (shih-REH'-lee) to vice president of hockey operations. Chiarelli takes over for Dave Taylor, who is now a senior adviser under president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong. They are also bringing back former coach Ken Hitchcock as consultant. 

— Florida Panthers top-line defenseman Aaron Ekblad says he'll be on the ice when the Panthers formally begin practice Thursday. Ekblad broke his left leg in a scary on-ice incident almost six months again. He has been skating for several weeks and does not expect to be limited as camp begins. 

— Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (EYE'-zur-muhn) says forward Tyler Bertuzzi (bur-TOO'-zee) is Detroit's only unvaccinated player. Bertuzzi won't be able to play in the team's nine games in Canada unless federal laws there change. Bertuzzi is in line to forfeit over $450,000 of salary for that time because NHL protocols allow teams to suspend unvaccinated players when they are not available to participate. 

CFP expansion stalls as commissioners sort through issues

UNDATED (AP) — A plan to expand the College Football Playoff has stalled. 

The CFP management committee was not able to formulate a consensus Wednesday on whether to grow the postseason format from four to 12 teams. The committee will reconvene next week, with college presidents joining online. No vote is expected. 

A plan to increase the playoff was unveiled in June. Concerns have been raised about some of the details, including how many games a team would end up playing in a season.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the BNP Paribas Open, set for October 4-17 at Indian Wells.

The move was expected after Osaka indicated following her U.S. Open loss this month that she planned to take another extended break from tennis. 

The four-time Grand Slam champion has dropped from first to eighth in the WTA rankings while sitting out several tournaments since withdrawing from the French Open due to mental health issues.

<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O'Neill homered as the St. Louis Cardinals won their 11th straight game, extending their lead for the second NL wild-card spot and beating the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 10-2. Goldschmidt also doubled, singled and scored four runs to help St. Louis stretch its best winning streak since an 11-game string in 2001. The Cardinals' longest winning streak in franchise history is 14 in 1935. St. Louis leads by 4 1/2 games over Cincinnati and Philadelphia for the final NL playoff slot. The Brewers clinched their fourth straight playoff berth on Sept. 18, but have since lost four straight, including three to the Cardinals. Their number to clinch the NL Central stayed at three.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a lot on his mind these days. He needs to find some sort of pass rush, which has been unable to generate pressure on the Browns' Baker Mayfield in Week 1 and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson on Sunday night. He needs to find a way to plug the run, especially after the Ravens gutted the Chiefs despite missing enough running backs to injury to fill out a flag football team. Oh, and the biggest challenge? Fundamentals such as tackling when teams are largely barred from hitting in practice.CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians postponed a game against the Kansas City Royals because of rain and rescheduled it for next week. The postponement was announced about three hours before the scheduled 6:10 p.m. EDT first pitch. Cleveland rescheduled the game for Monday at 1:10 p.m.. &nbsp; The AL Central race could be decided in Cleveland this week when the Chicago White Sox and Indians play a five-game series scheduled to begin Thursday with a day-night doubleheader. Chicago leads the AL Central by 10 1/2 games and its magic number to clinch the division is two.ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues have promoted Peter Chiarelli to vice president of hockey operations. They are also bringing back former coach Ken Hitchock &nbsp;as &nbsp;consultant. Chiarelli takes over for Dave Taylor, who is now a senior adviser under president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong. This is Chiarelli's most prominent job since being fired as GM of the Edmonton Oilers in 2019. Hitchcock coached the Blues from 2011-17. St. Louis made the playoffs in each of his five full seasons behind the bench. Hitchcock coached Dallas to the Stanley Cup in 1999.UNDATED (AP) — Whether it was Mississippi State's game against Memphis or Auburn's trip to Penn State, coaches in the SEC had plenty of reason to gripe about officiating last weekend. And with Texas and Oklahoma arriving soon, the league probably isn't happy about the performance of the men and women in stripes lately. The most egregious came in the Bulldogs' game against Memphis, when the officials made two and perhaps even three mistakes on the same decisive punt play. Penn State merely had an entire down skipped in its game against Auburn in Happy Valley. The situation has put the men and women in stripes exactly where they never like to be: in the spotlight.MLB-SCHEDULERays clinch playoff berthUNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays were able to clinch their third straight American League playoff berth on Wednesday, but not before sparking a little controversy.Austin Meadows hit a three-run homer during a six-run third that propelled the Rays to a 7-1 win over the Blue Jays. Meadows' blast occurred long before teammate Kevin Kiermaier was hit by a pitch, which appeared to be retribution for scooping up a Toronto scouting report two days earlier. Reliever Ryan Borucki was ejected by umpire Joe West for hitting Kiermaier, and pitching coach Pete Walker was tossed for arguing. Borucki said the pitch slipped out of his hand.On Monday, Kiermaier picked up a scouting card that fell off the wristband of Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk during a play at the plate and refused to give it back.Yandy Diaz and Taylor Walls drove in two runs apiece as the Rays improved to an AL-best 94-59. Six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a four-hitter.Elsewhere in the majors:— The Yankees completed a three-game sweep by scoring four runs in the eighth to beat the Rangers, 7-3. Gleyber Torres doubled home the tiebreaking run and Gary Sanchez added a two-run homer as New York slid a half-game ahead of Toronto for the second AL wild card. Kyle Higashioka (hih-gah-shee-OH'-kah) doubled home a pair for the Yankees.— The Red Sox's 12-5 pounding of the Mets keeps Boston two games ahead of the Yankees for the first AL wild card. Kyle Schwarber homered twice, drove in four and scored four in support of Chris Sale, who struck out eight in five innings. Alex Verdugo (vur-DOO'-goh) and Jose Iglesias each had two RBIs in the Bosox's seventh win in a row.— The Astros moved closer to another AL West crown by scoring four times in the 12th inning of a 9-5 decision over the Angels. Jake Meyers singled home the tiebreaking run and scored on Jose Altuve's (al-TOO'-vays) two-run double as Houston reduced its magic number to three for its fourth division crown in five years. Yordan (yohr-DAHN') Alvarez smacked a two-run homer and finished with three hits and three RBIs for the winners.— Kyle Seager hit his 35th home run and the Mariners moved within 2 1/2 games of the second AL wild card by defeating the Athletics, 4-1. Ty France also went deep and Seattle extended its winning streak to four games with their third straight win over Oakland. Chris Flexen struck out eight and limited the A's to one run on three hits over seven innings for his 13th win.— The Giants lead the NL West by two games over Los Angeles after Kris Bryant and Buster Posey led their offense in an 8-6 win at San Diego. Bryant lashed a three-run double and Posey had four hits while scoring three times. Tyler Rogers surrendered two runs in the ninth before retiring Fernando Tatis (tah-TEES') Jr. with the tying run on base for the final out.— Sam Hilliard lined a three-run homer and C.J. Cron had four hits for the Rockies in a 10-5 thumping of the Dodgers. German Marquez supplied a two-run double but was reached for five runs and six hits over four innings for Colorado. The Rockies tagged Walker Buehler for five runs and seven hits in just 3 2/3s.— The Cardinals earned their 11th straight win as Tyler O'Neill and Paul Goldschmidt homered early in their 10-2 dismantling of the Brewers. Winning pitcher Miles Mikolas (MY'-koh-lahs) gave up two runs and four hits in a season-high seven innings, helping St. Louis take a 4 1/2-game lead for the second NL wild card. Brett Anderson was torched for six runs over 1 2/3 innings as Milwaukee's magic number stayed at three for clinching the NL Central.— Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman homered as the Braves ripped the Diamondbacks, 9-2 to keep their three-game lead over Philadelphia atop the NL East. Adam Duvall also hit one over the wall, but he was called out for passing Riley between first and second. Ian Anderson pitched two-hit ball over six-plus innings of Atlanta's fourth consecutive win.— Bryce Harper threw out the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning to keep the Phillies ahead in a 4-3 decision over the Orioles. The game was tied 2-2 in the seventh before Jean Segura hit a sacrifice fly and J.T. Realmuto (ree-al-MOO'-toh) added an RBI single. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer for the Phils, who began the day three games behind the NL East-leading Braves.— The Twins were 5-4 winners over the Cubs as Max Kepler homered twice and rookie Joe Ryan struck out a season-high 11 over five innings. Chicago lost for the ninth time in 11 games.— Juan Soto provided three hits and three RBIs as the Nationals beat the Marlins, 7-5. Soto also walked twice to tie Bryce Harper's single-season team record of 130.— Three games were postponed by rain. The Tigers and visiting White Sox will make up their game on Monday afternoon, as will the Pirates and Reds in Cincinnati, along with the Indians and Royals in Cleveland. NFL-NEWSBucs could be without Brown SundayUNDATED (AP) — Tampa Bay's Antonio Brown has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and could miss this week's road game against the Rams. The 33-year-old receiver is the second player from the active roster the defending Super Bowl champions have placed on the COVID-19 list this week, joining reserve linebacker and special teams captain Kevin Minter. They can be reinstated with two negative tests for COVID-19 performed at least 24 hours apart.In other NFL news: — Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills will make his first career start Thursday night against a Panthers defense that ranks first in the NFL. Mills made his debut in the second half of a loss to Cleveland last Sunday after Tyrod Taylor was injured. — Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (TOO'-ah tuhng-ah-vy-LOH'-ah) has fractured ribs and won't play Sunday when the Dolphins visit the Raiders. Miami coach Brian Flores did not want to offer a timetable for a potential return but said Tagovailoa is already improving. Jacoby Brissett will start against Las Vegas.— Justin Fields is set to make his first start for the Bears Sunday against Cleveland as Andy Dalton recovers from a left knee injury. Coach Matt Nagy says Dalton remains the team's No. 1 quarterback, and the plan is for him to be the starter when he is healthy. — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski did not rule out Odell Beckham Jr. for Sunday's game against Chicago. That clears the way for the star wide receiver to make his season debut and play for the first time since undergoing knee surgery last year. Cleveland is thin at the position after playing wideout Jarvis Landry on injured reserve with a sprained knee ligament.— The Jaguars have signed cornerback Nevin Lawson to a one-year contract. Lawson gives the team an experienced veteran in case CJ Henderson can't play against Arizona because of a groin injury. COLLEGE SPORTS-OHIO STATE-DOCTORJudge throws out several suits against OSUCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed some of the biggest unsettled lawsuits over Ohio State's failure to stop decades-old sexual abuse by now-deceased team doctor Richard Strauss. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson wrote that while it's indisputable Strauss abused hundreds of young men, he agreed with OSU's argument that the legal window for such claims had passed. Strauss-related lawsuits against OSU filed this year by dozens of other plaintiffs appeared to still be pending, with no dismissal or other new rulings appearing on those dockets as of last night. NBA-TIMBERWOLVES-ROSAS FIREDTimberwolves fire Rosas after 2 seasonsUNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have fired president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas less than a week before training camp.Owner Glen Taylor announced that the Timberwolves "parted ways" with Rosas in a two-sentence statement gave no explanation for the dismissal after just two seasons.Rosas became the first Latino to run an NBA team when he was hired by the Timberwolves in May 2019. Rosas previously had a long tenure in the front office with the Rockets.Elsewhere around the NBA:— The Bulls have exercised rookie scale contract options for the 2022-23 season on guard Coby White and forward Patrick Williams. White averaged 15.1 points and 4.8 assists in his second NBA season. Williams delivered 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds a game as a rookie after being drafted with the fourth overall pick in 2020.— The league has fined Warriors owner Joe Lacob $50,000 for violating the league's anti-tampering rule with comments he made about 76ers guard Ben Simmons. Lacob said the Warriors had no interest in the disgruntled Sixers guard.NHL-NEWSKane cleared of throwing games, gambling on NHL contestsUNDATED (AP) — The National Hockey League says it has found no evidence supporting allegations that San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane gambled on league games or negatively impacted his team's contests. Those allegations were made by his wife, who is divorcing Kane and, according to the NHL, refused to participate in the investigation. The league says the investigation found no evidence to corroborate allegations that Kane gambled on NHL games or 'threw' hockey games.In other NHL news: — The Sabres have agreed to terms with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin on a three-year, $18 million contract. The 6-foot-3 Swede has 18 goals and 107 points in 197 games since Buffalo took him with the first pick in the 2018 draft. Vancouver's Quinn Hughes is now the only prominent restricted free agent defenseman still unsigned. — Goalie Cal Petersen has agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the Kings. Petersen went 9-18-5 last season for the struggling Kings, but established career-bests in goals-against average and save percentage. — The Blues have promoted Peter Chiarelli (shih-REH'-lee) to vice president of hockey operations. Chiarelli takes over for Dave Taylor, who is now a senior adviser under president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong. They are also bringing back former coach Ken Hitchcock as consultant. — Florida Panthers top-line defenseman Aaron Ekblad says he'll be on the ice when the Panthers formally begin practice Thursday. Ekblad broke his left leg in a scary on-ice incident almost six months again. He has been skating for several weeks and does not expect to be limited as camp begins. — Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman (EYE'-zur-muhn) says forward Tyler Bertuzzi (bur-TOO'-zee) is Detroit's only unvaccinated player. Bertuzzi won't be able to play in the team's nine games in Canada unless federal laws there change. Bertuzzi is in line to forfeit over $450,000 of salary for that time because NHL protocols allow teams to suspend unvaccinated players when they are not available to participate. COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWSCFP expansion stalls as commissioners sort through issuesUNDATED (AP) — A plan to expand the College Football Playoff has stalled. The CFP management committee was not able to formulate a consensus Wednesday on whether to grow the postseason format from four to 12 teams. The committee will reconvene next week, with college presidents joining online. No vote is expected. A plan to increase the playoff was unveiled in June. Concerns have been raised about some of the details, including how many games a team would end up playing in a season.TENNIS-OSAKAOsaka to skip Indian WellsINDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the BNP Paribas Open, set for October 4-17 at Indian Wells.The move was expected after Osaka indicated following her U.S. Open loss this month that she planned to take another extended break from tennis. The four-time Grand Slam champion has dropped from first to eighth in the WTA rankings while sitting out several tournaments since withdrawing from the French Open due to mental health issues.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sports Headlines for Thursday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College Volleyball team posted the sixth-high hitting percentage for a match in Blue Dragon history Wednesday night in a sweep of the Pratt Beavers.

The Blue Dragons hit .506 in a quick 25-13, 25-9, 25-6 Jayhawk West victory over Pratt.

Hutchinson has won 5 of its last 6 matches and improved to 12-7 overall and is above .500 in league play at 4-3. Pratt fell to 7-12 overall and 0-5 in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons travel to Barton on Friday night.

The Blue Dragons had 42 team kills on 77 total attacks and only three attack errors in their .506 hitting percentage. The Dragons hit .500 in the opening set, .381 in the second set and a whopping .615 on 26 attacks in the final set.

This was the eighth time in team history that the Blue Dragons hit better than .500 in a match – all eight matches were three-set wins. The last time the Blue Dragons had a match of .500 or better hitting was a .511 attack percentage in a sweep of Garden City on September 28, 2009.

Sophomore Kristina Head had a match-high 10 kills on .833 hitting (12 attacks, 0 errors). That tied Kim Rausch (2002) for the fourth-highest single-match attack percentage with a player of 10 or more kills in a match. Head added three block assists.

The Blue Dragons out-hit Pratt .506-.000 with 42 kills to the Beavers’ 20. Hutch out-blocked Pratt 4-1, out-dug the Beavers 42-31 and had nine service aces, led by sophomore Rachel Easom’s four aces. The Dragons have had 24 aces in the last two matches.

Hutchinson also sided out at a season-high 83-percent clip (25 of 30).

Freshman Morgan Harvey had eight kills on a season-high .533 hitting. Harvey added four digs, two block assists and two service aces.

Freshman Sophie Connor hit .500 on eight kills with six digs. Freshman Blondie Penaflor hit .400 with seven kills.

Freshman setter Andrea Serrano had her fourth double-double of the season with 27 assists and a team-high 10 digs.

Freshman libero Amanda Velez had nine digs, sophomore Zoe Schmidt had seven digs.

Tamara Radovanov had six kills to lead Pratt, which had 20 kills and 20 attack errors on 91 total attacks.

SET 1: The Blue Dragons started fast with points on 14 of the first 17 rallies of the match. The Dragons had a set-high 12-point lead at 17-5 after a Penaflor kill. Pratt got back within 20-11, but Head, who had a huge opening set had three kills and a block assist during a set-clinching 6-2 run. Head had seven kills and the Dragons hit .500 for the set.

SET 2: The Dragons cooled off to .381 hitting in the second set, but again took charge early. Connor’s kill capped a 7-0 run to give Hutch an 8-2 lead. Leading 10-4, Head and Harvey teamed up for a block to spark a second 7-0 run. Connor’s kill gave Hutchinson a 17-4 lead. A Melina Christodoulou kill closed out a 25-9 set win.

SET 3: The Blue Dragons blitzed Pratt in the third set as the Dragons hit a season single-set high .615 in the final set. Leading 7-3, the Dragons used a 7-1 run to lead 14-4. Back-to-back Penaflor kills bumped the Hutch lead to 17-5. Hutchinson then scored the final eight points of the match to complete the sweep.

The Blue Dragons extend their winning streak over Pratt to 21 matches.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community College Volleyball team posted the sixth-high hitting percentage for a match in Blue Dragon history Wednesday night in a sweep of the Pratt Beavers.The Blue Dragons hit .506 in a quick 25-13, 25-9, 25-6 Jayhawk West victory over Pratt.Hutchinson has won 5 of its last 6 matches and improved to 12-7 overall and is above .500 in league play at 4-3. Pratt fell to 7-12 overall and 0-5 in the Jayhawk West. The Blue Dragons travel to Barton on Friday night.The Blue Dragons had 42 team kills on 77 total attacks and only three attack errors in their .506 hitting percentage. The Dragons hit .500 in the opening set, .381 in the second set and a whopping .615 on 26 attacks in the final set.This was the eighth time in team history that the Blue Dragons hit better than .500 in a match – all eight matches were three-set wins. The last time the Blue Dragons had a match of .500 or better hitting was a .511 attack percentage in a sweep of Garden City on September 28, 2009.Sophomore Kristina Head had a match-high 10 kills on .833 hitting (12 attacks, 0 errors). That tied Kim Rausch (2002) for the fourth-highest single-match attack percentage with a player of 10 or more kills in a match. Head added three block assists.The Blue Dragons out-hit Pratt .506-.000 with 42 kills to the Beavers’ 20. Hutch out-blocked Pratt 4-1, out-dug the Beavers 42-31 and had nine service aces, led by sophomore Rachel Easom’s four aces. The Dragons have had 24 aces in the last two matches.Hutchinson also sided out at a season-high 83-percent clip (25 of 30).Freshman Morgan Harvey had eight kills on a season-high .533 hitting. Harvey added four digs, two block assists and two service aces.Freshman Sophie Connor hit .500 on eight kills with six digs. Freshman Blondie Penaflor hit .400 with seven kills.Freshman setter Andrea Serrano had her fourth double-double of the season with 27 assists and a team-high 10 digs.Freshman libero Amanda Velez had nine digs, sophomore Zoe Schmidt had seven digs.Tamara Radovanov had six kills to lead Pratt, which had 20 kills and 20 attack errors on 91 total attacks.SET 1: The Blue Dragons started fast with points on 14 of the first 17 rallies of the match. The Dragons had a set-high 12-point lead at 17-5 after a Penaflor kill. Pratt got back within 20-11, but Head, who had a huge opening set had three kills and a block assist during a set-clinching 6-2 run. Head had seven kills and the Dragons hit .500 for the set.SET 2: The Dragons cooled off to .381 hitting in the second set, but again took charge early. Connor’s kill capped a 7-0 run to give Hutch an 8-2 lead. Leading 10-4, Head and Harvey teamed up for a block to spark a second 7-0 run. Connor’s kill gave Hutchinson a 17-4 lead. A Melina Christodoulou kill closed out a 25-9 set win.SET 3: The Blue Dragons blitzed Pratt in the third set as the Dragons hit a season single-set high .615 in the final set. Leading 7-3, the Dragons used a 7-1 run to lead 14-4. Back-to-back Penaflor kills bumped the Hutch lead to 17-5. Hutchinson then scored the final eight points of the match to complete the sweep.The Blue Dragons extend their winning streak over Pratt to 21 matches.

Dragons hit .506 in sweep of Pratt

DODGE CITY – Freshman Hadlie Lowe scored her first career hat trick to help the Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team reach the .500 mark for the 2021 season on Wednesday.

The first Blue Dragon hat trick in two full years helped Hutchinson to a 4-2 Jayhawk West victory at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.

The Blue Dragons evened their season record at 4-4 and improved to 3-4 in the Jayhawk West. Dodge City fell to 0-5. Hutchinson extended its winning streak over the Conquistadors to 23 games and are 24-1 all-time against Dodge City.

Lowe’s first career hat trick is the 90th in Blue Dragon women’s soccer history. The last hat trick for Hutchinson came from Marah Franke on September 14, 2019.

Lowe, who scored her team-high sixth, seventh and eighth goals of the season, netted her fourth game-winning goal. That mark ties for sixth on the Blue Dragon freshman record (Vanessa Magana, 2008, Steph Franz, 2009 and Sydney Blackwell, 2018). Lowe is tied for 10th on the Blue Dragon single-season list for game-winning goals.

Lowe’s first goal came just 4:30 into the game when she took a long pass from Aimee Maher and scored from the right side of the box into the lower-left corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead.

Then with the game tied at 2-all, Lowe scored a pair of goals within a span of 11 minutes, 27 seconds. Ella-Mae Miller was credited with assists on both goals.

Hutch dominated possession in the first half and led 1-0 at halftime. Dodge City tied the game twice in the second half.

First, Angela Valoy hammered home a rebound of a direct free kick just 3:59 into the second half to knot the score at 1-all.

Just 4 minutes, 25 seconds later, the Blue Dragons re-took the lead when freshman Julia De Souza drove in a direct free kick from just outside the penalty box for a 2-1 Hutch lead with 36:34 to play. De Souza scored her first goal of the season and is just the fourth Blue Dragon to score a goal in 2021.

Dodge City tied the game at 2-all with 24:35 to go when Perla Ailon scored off a rebound in front of the net.

Just 1 minute, 10 seconds later, Lowe’s second goal of the game gave the Dragons the lead for good.

The Blue Dragons out-shot Dodge City 24-7, including 12-6 in shots on goal. The Dragons had 7 cornerkicks to the Conquistadors’ 1.

Hutchinson freshman goalkeeper Olivia Felix-Cardona had four saves in the contest. Dodge City keeper Vickie Foster made eight saves.

Hutchinson is off until October 2 when the Blue Dragons play host to Neosho County at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

STEVE CARPENTERHutchCC Sports InformationDODGE CITY – Freshman Hadlie Lowe scored her first career hat trick to help the Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team reach the .500 mark for the 2021 season on Wednesday.The first Blue Dragon hat trick in two full years helped Hutchinson to a 4-2 Jayhawk West victory at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.The Blue Dragons evened their season record at 4-4 and improved to 3-4 in the Jayhawk West. Dodge City fell to 0-5. Hutchinson extended its winning streak over the Conquistadors to 23 games and are 24-1 all-time against Dodge City.Lowe’s first career hat trick is the 90th in Blue Dragon women’s soccer history. The last hat trick for Hutchinson came from Marah Franke on September 14, 2019.Lowe, who scored her team-high sixth, seventh and eighth goals of the season, netted her fourth game-winning goal. That mark ties for sixth on the Blue Dragon freshman record (Vanessa Magana, 2008, Steph Franz, 2009 and Sydney Blackwell, 2018). Lowe is tied for 10th on the Blue Dragon single-season list for game-winning goals.Lowe’s first goal came just 4:30 into the game when she took a long pass from Aimee Maher and scored from the right side of the box into the lower-left corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead.Then with the game tied at 2-all, Lowe scored a pair of goals within a span of 11 minutes, 27 seconds. Ella-Mae Miller was credited with assists on both goals.Hutch dominated possession in the first half and led 1-0 at halftime. Dodge City tied the game twice in the second half.First, Angela Valoy hammered home a rebound of a direct free kick just 3:59 into the second half to knot the score at 1-all.Just 4 minutes, 25 seconds later, the Blue Dragons re-took the lead when freshman Julia De Souza drove in a direct free kick from just outside the penalty box for a 2-1 Hutch lead with 36:34 to play. De Souza scored her first goal of the season and is just the fourth Blue Dragon to score a goal in 2021.Dodge City tied the game at 2-all with 24:35 to go when Perla Ailon scored off a rebound in front of the net.Just 1 minute, 10 seconds later, Lowe’s second goal of the game gave the Dragons the lead for good.The Blue Dragons out-shot Dodge City 24-7, including 12-6 in shots on goal. The Dragons had 7 cornerkicks to the Conquistadors’ 1.Hutchinson freshman goalkeeper Olivia Felix-Cardona had four saves in the contest. Dodge City keeper Vickie Foster made eight saves.Hutchinson is off until October 2 when the Blue Dragons play host to Neosho County at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

Lowe has hat trick in Dragon win

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Wind Surge offense was stabilized in game two, but the Surge now trail 2-0 in the championship series after a 5-1 loss to NW Arkansas Wednesday. 

The series now shifts to Wichita for game three on Friday evening.

The story for the Wind Surge Wednesday night was missed opportunities. In total, Wichita left ten runners on base. The Surge are two for twenty with runners in scoring position and have left 18 men on base.

First pitch Friday is set for 7:05 p.m. from Riverfront Stadium.

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Wind Surge offense was stabilized in game two, but the Surge now trail 2-0 in the championship series after a 5-1 loss to NW Arkansas Wednesday. The series now shifts to Wichita for game three on Friday evening.The story for the Wind Surge Wednesday night was missed opportunities. In total, Wichita left ten runners on base. The Surge are two for twenty with runners in scoring position and have left 18 men on base.First pitch Friday is set for 7:05 p.m. from Riverfront Stadium.

Surge down 2-0 as series comes to Wichita Friday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a lot on his mind these days. He needs to find some sort of pass rush, which has been unable to generate pressure on the Browns’ Baker Mayfield in Week 1 and the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on Sunday night. 

He needs to find a way to plug the run, especially after the Ravens gutted the Chiefs despite missing enough running backs to injury to fill out a flag football team. 

Oh, and the biggest challenge? Fundamentals such as tackling when teams are largely barred from hitting in practice.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a lot on his mind these days. He needs to find some sort of pass rush, which has been unable to generate pressure on the Browns’ Baker Mayfield in Week 1 and the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on Sunday night. He needs to find a way to plug the run, especially after the Ravens gutted the Chiefs despite missing enough running backs to injury to fill out a flag football team. Oh, and the biggest challenge? Fundamentals such as tackling when teams are largely barred from hitting in practice.

Challenges for Chiefs defense after slow start

September 22, 2021 Afternoon Sports

Heading into its 2021 fall-season opener next week, the 2021 NJCAA National Champion Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team is ranked No. 1 in two national polls.

The Blue Dragons maintained their No. 1 ranking in the Bushnell/Golf Week Rankings and were also ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Men’s Division I Golf preseason rankings.

Hutchinson captured its first team national title last May in Lubbock, Texas, when the Blue Dragons defeated Odessa College by nine strokes with a team score of 1,134 (16 under par).

Veteran head coach Chris Young brings three All-Americans back for the 2021-22 season – Defending NJCAA Individual national champion Ben Partridge, 2021 national runner-up Harry Crockett and third-team All-American Cameron Rios-Ceballos (13th at nationals).

Hutchinson, Midland and McLennan are the top-three teams in both national rankings. Odessa is No. 4 with Iowa Western and Eastern Florida tied for fifth in the NJCAA Rankings. Iowa Western and Eastern Florida are tied for fourth in the GolfWeek rankings with Odessa sixth.

Dodge City and Garden City are the other KJCCC teams in the rankings. Dodge City is ninth in the GolfWeek rankings and 10th in the NJCAA Rankings. Garden City is tied for 14th in the NJCAA Rankings and receiving votes in the GolfWeek Rankings.

The Blue Dragons will play four fall tournaments starting on Monday at the Missouri Southern Fall Invitational at Shangri-la Country Club in Monkey Island, Oklahoma.

                                                            Pts.                    Last Poll

1. Hutchinson (5)                         50                       1

2. Midland                                      45                       3

STEVE CARPENTERHutchCC Sports InformationHeading into its 2021 fall-season opener next week, the 2021 NJCAA National Champion Hutchinson Community College men’s golf team is ranked No. 1 in two national polls.The Blue Dragons maintained their No. 1 ranking in the Bushnell/Golf Week Rankings and were also ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA Men’s Division I Golf preseason rankings.Hutchinson captured its first team national title last May in Lubbock, Texas, when the Blue Dragons defeated Odessa College by nine strokes with a team score of 1,134 (16 under par).Veteran head coach Chris Young brings three All-Americans back for the 2021-22 season – Defending NJCAA Individual national champion Ben Partridge, 2021 national runner-up Harry Crockett and third-team All-American Cameron Rios-Ceballos (13th at nationals).Hutchinson, Midland and McLennan are the top-three teams in both national rankings. Odessa is No. 4 with Iowa Western and Eastern Florida tied for fifth in the NJCAA Rankings. Iowa Western and Eastern Florida are tied for fourth in the GolfWeek rankings with Odessa sixth.Dodge City and Garden City are the other KJCCC teams in the rankings. Dodge City is ninth in the GolfWeek rankings and 10th in the NJCAA Rankings. Garden City is tied for 14th in the NJCAA Rankings and receiving votes in the GolfWeek Rankings.The Blue Dragons will play four fall tournaments starting on Monday at the Missouri Southern Fall Invitational at Shangri-la Country Club in Monkey Island, Oklahoma.BUSHNELL/GOLFWEEK RANKINGS Pts. Last Poll1. Hutchinson (5) 50 12. Midland 45 33. McLennan 37 7T4. Eastern Florida State 28 NRT4. Iowa Western 28 86. Odessa 21 27. Indian Hills 19 58. Central Alabama 17 NR9. Dodge City 10 T10T10. New Mexico JC 9 NROthers Receiving Votes: Calhoun, 7; Western Texas, 3; Garden City, 1.NJCAA PRESEASON RANKINGS1. Hutchinson2. Midland3. McLennan4. OdessaT5. Iowa WesternT5. Eastern Florida7. Indian Hills8. Central Alabama9. Calhoun10. Dodge City11. New Mexico Junior CollegeT12. Jefferson StateT12. Western TexasT14. RangerT14. Garden City16. Eastern Wyoming17. Wallace State18. Northeastern Junior College19. Southern Union20. Eastern Arizona