Monday, Sept. 2 Royals v. Guardians - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Tuesday, Sept. 3 Dragon Talk w/ Rob Dreher &amp; Drew Dallas - 5:30 p.m. (KWBW) Royals v. Guardians - 6 p.m. pregame, 6:40 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Wednesday, Sept. 4 Royals v. Guardians - 6 p.m. pregame, 6:40 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Chris Klieman Show - 7 p.m. (KHMY)

Thursday, Sept. 5 Chiefs v. Ravens - 6 p.m. pregame, 7:20 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)

Friday, Sept. 6 Hutch High v. Andover Central - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)

Saturday, Sept. 7 K-State v. Tulane - 9 a.m. pregame, 11 a.m. kickoff (KHMY) HutchCC at Iowa Western - 12:30 p.m. pregame, 1 p.m. kickoff (KHUT/KWBW) Royals v. Twins - 5:30 p.m. pregame, 6:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

Sunday, Sept. 8 Royals v. Twins - 12:30 p.m. pregame, 1:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725282945901.png" alt="EAGLE Media" />
 <figcaption>EAGLE Media</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHMY2">KHMY-FM (93.1) </a><a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">KHUT-FM (102.9) </a><a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5)</a>Monday, Sept. 2 Royals v. Guardians - 2:30 p.m. pregame, 3:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)Tuesday, Sept. 3 Dragon Talk w/ Rob Dreher &amp; Drew Dallas - 5:30 p.m. (KWBW) Royals v. Guardians - 6 p.m. pregame, 6:40 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)Wednesday, Sept. 4 Royals v. Guardians - 6 p.m. pregame, 6:40 p.m. first pitch (KWBW) Chris Klieman Show - 7 p.m. (KHMY)Thursday, Sept. 5 Chiefs v. Ravens - 6 p.m. pregame, 7:20 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)Friday, Sept. 6 Hutch High v. Andover Central - 6:30 p.m. pregame, 7 p.m. kickoff (KWBW)Saturday, Sept. 7 K-State v. Tulane - 9 a.m. pregame, 11 a.m. kickoff (KHMY) HutchCC at Iowa Western - 12:30 p.m. pregame, 1 p.m. kickoff (KHUT/KWBW) Royals v. Twins - 5:30 p.m. pregame, 6:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)Sunday, Sept. 8 Royals v. Twins - 12:30 p.m. pregame, 1:10 p.m. first pitch (KWBW)

🎧 EAGLE Media Sports Broadcast Calendar (Sept. 2-8)

HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez homered twice and Jon Singleton added a two-run shot as the Houston Astros completed a four-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 7-2 win Sunday.

It’s Houston’s fifth straight win overall and comes after the Royals swept a three-game series against the AL West leaders at home in April.

“They kicked our butts early in the season in Kansas City when we were not playing our best,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But that’s why you play 162 and we are a different club. We’re getting closer to our goal and we’re playing with a different type of intensity and focus and we demonstrated that this series.”

Kansas City lost a season-high fifth straight game to fall into a tie with Minnesota for second in the AL Central, 3 1/2 games behind division-leading Cleveland. The losing streak comes after the Royals won the first of three games of a four-game set against the Guardians and moved into a tie for the division lead. Cleveland and the Royals open another three-game series in Kansas City on Monday.

“The whole series was frustrating,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “We didn’t come out of here with any wins. That’s what we play for, is to win every day. So that stinks.”

It’s the sixth multi-homer game for Alvarez this season and his second this week after the Cuban slugger tied a career high with three home runs in Wednesday’s 10-0 rout of the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.

Alvarez connected off Alec Marsh (7-8) in the fourth inning before Singleton’s shot made it 3-0. Alvarez belted his 30th home run of the season off Sam Long to start the sixth. He joins Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell as the only players in franchise history with at least four consecutive seasons with at least 30 home runs.

He nearly had another three homer game Sunday, but Tommy Pham caught his fly ball in the eighth inning on the track, just in front of the bullpen.

Sunday was the first time since June 22 that Alvarez homered at Minute Maid Park.

“When I hit the ball, there was like a stress that just left me,” Alvarez said in Spanish through a translator. “Obviously, there had been a while where I hadn’t been hitting the ball for homers here. So I hit that one, then came the other one and then almost the third one came. So hopefully that bad streak is gone.”

Houston starter Ronel Blanco (10-6) allowed three hits and struck out three in five innings for his first win since July 9.

Yuli Gurriel hit an RBI single for Kansas City in the sixth and Bobby Witt Jr. homered for a second straight game with a solo shot in the seventh. Gurriel made his debut with the Royals on Sunday after being acquired from Atlanta on Saturday for cash considerations.

The Astros led by three runs when MJ Melendez walked with one out in the sixth and Freddie Fermin singled. Gurriel then singled on a line drive to left field, scoring Melendez and cutting the lead to 3-1.

Witt collected his 30th home run of the season with one out in the seventh, when he connected off Héctor Neris for a second straight game. Witt, who leads the major leagues in hits, batting average and runs, was 0 for 11 in the series before his home run on Saturday.

The Astros padded the lead in the eighth when Yainer Diaz hit an RBI double and Jeremy Peña scored two more on a single to make it 7-2.

Marsh permitted four hits and three runs in five innings.

Astros: OF Kyle Tucker, who has been out since fouling a ball off his shin June 3, continues to improve and could return next week. … 3B Alex Bregman missed a third straight game with elbow inflammation Sunday. But manager Joe Espada said the swelling is almost gone and he should return to the lineup Monday.

Gurriel, who spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Astros, was given a big ovation when he was introduced before the game. Houston fans also cheered loudly for him each time he came to the plate.

The 40-year-old helped the Astros to two World Series titles and won a Gold Glove Award and the AL batting title in 2021.

Gurriel played his first game in the majors this season on Sunday after spending the year in Atlanta’s minor league system.

Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (11-6, 3.50 ERA) opposes Cleveland RHP Gavin Williams (2-7, 4.99) when Kansas City opens a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725236998008.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals left fielder MJ Melendez catches a line drive hit by Houston Astros' Jose Altuve during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals left fielder MJ Melendez catches a line drive hit by Houston Astros' Jose Altuve during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez homered twice and Jon Singleton added a two-run shot as the Houston Astros completed a four-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 7-2 win Sunday.It’s Houston’s fifth straight win overall and comes after the Royals swept a three-game series against the AL West leaders at home in April.“They kicked our butts early in the season in Kansas City when we were not playing our best,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But that’s why you play 162 and we are a different club. We’re getting closer to our goal and we’re playing with a different type of intensity and focus and we demonstrated that this series.”Kansas City lost a season-high fifth straight game to fall into a tie with Minnesota for second in the AL Central, 3 1/2 games behind division-leading Cleveland. The losing streak comes after the Royals won the first of three games of a four-game set against the Guardians and moved into a tie for the division lead. Cleveland and the Royals open another three-game series in Kansas City on Monday.“The whole series was frustrating,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “We didn’t come out of here with any wins. That’s what we play for, is to win every day. So that stinks.”It’s the sixth multi-homer game for Alvarez this season and his second this week after the Cuban slugger tied a career high with three home runs in Wednesday’s 10-0 rout of the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.Alvarez connected off Alec Marsh (7-8) in the fourth inning before Singleton’s shot made it 3-0. Alvarez belted his 30th home run of the season off Sam Long to start the sixth. He joins Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell as the only players in franchise history with at least four consecutive seasons with at least 30 home runs.He nearly had another three homer game Sunday, but Tommy Pham caught his fly ball in the eighth inning on the track, just in front of the bullpen.Sunday was the first time since June 22 that Alvarez homered at Minute Maid Park.“When I hit the ball, there was like a stress that just left me,” Alvarez said in Spanish through a translator. “Obviously, there had been a while where I hadn’t been hitting the ball for homers here. So I hit that one, then came the other one and then almost the third one came. So hopefully that bad streak is gone.”Houston starter Ronel Blanco (10-6) allowed three hits and struck out three in five innings for his first win since July 9.Yuli Gurriel hit an RBI single for Kansas City in the sixth and Bobby Witt Jr. homered for a second straight game with a solo shot in the seventh. Gurriel made his debut with the Royals on Sunday after being acquired from Atlanta on Saturday for cash considerations.The Astros led by three runs when MJ Melendez walked with one out in the sixth and Freddie Fermin singled. Gurriel then singled on a line drive to left field, scoring Melendez and cutting the lead to 3-1.Witt collected his 30th home run of the season with one out in the seventh, when he connected off Héctor Neris for a second straight game. Witt, who leads the major leagues in hits, batting average and runs, was 0 for 11 in the series before his home run on Saturday.The Astros padded the lead in the eighth when Yainer Diaz hit an RBI double and Jeremy Peña scored two more on a single to make it 7-2.Marsh permitted four hits and three runs in five innings.<h2>TRAINER’S ROOM</h2>Astros: OF Kyle Tucker, who has been out since fouling a ball off his shin June 3, continues to improve and could return next week. … 3B Alex Bregman missed a third straight game with elbow inflammation Sunday. But manager Joe Espada said the swelling is almost gone and he should return to the lineup Monday.<h2>WELCOME BACK</h2>Gurriel, who spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Astros, was given a big ovation when he was introduced before the game. Houston fans also cheered loudly for him each time he came to the plate.The 40-year-old helped the Astros to two World Series titles and won a Gold Glove Award and the AL batting title in 2021.Gurriel played his first game in the majors this season on Sunday after spending the year in Atlanta’s minor league system.<h2>UP NEXT</h2>Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (11-6, 3.50 ERA) opposes Cleveland RHP Gavin Williams (2-7, 4.99) when Kansas City opens a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

⚾ Royals swept by Astros

WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Wind Surge lost 5-2 in their final regular season contest opposite the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge split the series with the Cardinals to wrap up their penultimate homestand in 2024.

Pierson Ohl&nbsp;had a steadfast first start since returning from injury in the series finale. All Springfield could manage against him in five innings was two hits, and Ohl got some help for his final out when&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;extended his reach to catch the final out on a comeback line drive in the top of the fifth.

R.J. Yeager pushed a ground ball deep enough toward first base to allow Chris Rotundo to score from third base in the opening half of the sixth. The following batter, Matt Lloyd, singled out to left field to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

Lloyd later brought in a third Springfield score on a sacrifice fly to center in the top of the eighth, and then Leonardo Bernal blooped a single into left field to double the advantage. Those two runs would come back in the home half of the frame on a single up the middle from&nbsp;Alex Isola.

Dakota Harris provided an insurance run for the Cardinals on a single to center for a 5-2 Springfield score to start the ninth. Although Wichita put men on the corners and the tying run to the plate, a lineout to third ended the game and forced the series split.

John Stankiewicz&nbsp;bears the loss and falls to 2-5 on the season after surrendering two earned runs on three hits in his lone inning of relief in the sixth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725279870724.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Wichita Wind Surge" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Wichita Wind Surge</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita Wind SurgeWICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita Wind Surge lost 5-2 in their final regular season contest opposite the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge split the series with the Cardinals to wrap up their penultimate homestand in 2024.Pierson Ohl&nbsp;had a steadfast first start since returning from injury in the series finale. All Springfield could manage against him in five innings was two hits, and Ohl got some help for his final out when&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;extended his reach to catch the final out on a comeback line drive in the top of the fifth.R.J. Yeager pushed a ground ball deep enough toward first base to allow Chris Rotundo to score from third base in the opening half of the sixth. The following batter, Matt Lloyd, singled out to left field to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.Lloyd later brought in a third Springfield score on a sacrifice fly to center in the top of the eighth, and then Leonardo Bernal blooped a single into left field to double the advantage. Those two runs would come back in the home half of the frame on a single up the middle from&nbsp;Alex Isola.Dakota Harris provided an insurance run for the Cardinals on a single to center for a 5-2 Springfield score to start the ninth. Although Wichita put men on the corners and the tying run to the plate, a lineout to third ended the game and forced the series split.John Stankiewicz&nbsp;bears the loss and falls to 2-5 on the season after surrendering two earned runs on three hits in his lone inning of relief in the sixth.

⚾ Wind Surge fights back, falls short in series finale against Springfield

AP Sports Summary for Monday, September 2nd 2024:

Woody Marks' TD run with 8 seconds left gives No. 23 USC 27-20 win over No. 13 LSU

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Woody Marks scored on a 13-yard run with 8 seconds left to give No. 23 Southern California a 27-20 win over No. 13 LSU on Sunday night. Miller Moss passed for 378 yards and a touchdown and his 20-yard completion to Kyron Hudson and a subsequent targeting penalty on LSU with 18 seconds to play set up the winning score. Moss outdueled LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, who completed 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on the final drive. Moss was similarly efficient in going 27 of 36 in a battle of QBs who waited their turns after sitting behind the two most recent Heisman Trophy winners, LSU's Jayden Daniels and USC's Caleb Williams.

Coco Gauff loses at the U.S. Open to Emma Navarro, ending her title defense with 19 double-faults

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending champion Coco Gauff has lost in the U.S. Open's fourth round to Emma Navarro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in an all-American matchup. Gauff had won 10 matches in a row at Flushing Meadows until Sunday. That included her run to her first Grand Slam title a year ago. But the 20-year-old from Florida was troubled by serving problems and double-faulted 19 times. She finished with 60 total unforced errors. The 13th-seeded Navarro also eliminated Gauff in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July. That earned Navarro her first appearance in a major quarterfinal. Her second will come on Tuesday at the U.S. Open against Paula Badosa.

Scottie Scheffler caps off record season with FedEx Cup title and $25 million bonus

ATLANTA (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has polished off the best year in golf in nearly two decades with the biggest prize. He had a few nervous moments at the Tour Championship until running off three straight birdies around the turn at East Lake and pulling away from Collin Morikawa. That made Scheffler the FedEx Cup champion with its $25 million bonus. Scheffler won seven times on the PGA Tour and an Olympic gold medal. The eight victories are the most since Tiger Woods won eight times in 2006. The FedEx Cup bonus pushed his season earnings to just over $62.2 million.

Paralympics fans learn when to be silent and when to make noise at sports for the visually-impaired

PARIS (AP) — Soccer fans are known for being loud and rowdy. But the Paralympic sports most closely related to soccer, blind football and goalball, require spectators to be silent during game action so that players can receive audible cues from the ball and the environment. Fans not used to these sports may feel awkward navigating the new rules. To ease the tension, a goalball commentator lets fans know they are allowed to speak.

Chase Briscoe holds off Kyle Busch in Southern 500 to advance to NASCAR Cup playoffs

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Chase Briscoe went three-wide to pass Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain for the lead, then outran two-time series champion Kyle Busch to win the Southern 500 and make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Briscoe pulled away on a final restart with 17 laps in the regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway and held off Busch, who like Briscoe needed a victory to reach the postseason. Briscoe gave Stewart-Haas team a final chance to compete for a title. The program announced its closure this season.

San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall out of hospital after shooting during attempted robbery

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials say a juvenile suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco. The 23-year-old Pearsall was released Sunday from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Police say Pearsall was walking alone shortly after 3:30 p.m. when the suspect attempted to rob him and they both were shot during a struggle. Authorities have identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male resident of Tracy, California. The 49ers issued a statement saying Pearsall was hit by a bullet in the chest.

ESPN networks, ABC and Disney channels go dark on DirecTV on a busy night for sports

ESPN has gone off the air on a major carrier for the second straight year during the U.S. Open tennis tournament and in the midst of the first full weekend of college football. Disney Entertainment channels went dark on DirecTV Sunday night after the two were unable to reach a new carriage agreement. The move angered sports fans who posted on social media about the channels going dark, and the U.S. Tennis Association wasn't pleased with another carriage dispute. ESPN was showing U.S. Open fourth-round action when it went off the air on DirecTV at 7:20 p.m. EDT.

Caitlin Clark scores 28, Fever overcome Arike Ogunbowale's record-tying 9 3s and beat Wings 100-93

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 28 points and 12 assists and the Indiana Fever overcame a record-tying nine 3-pointers from Arike Ogunbowale in a 100-93 victory over the Dallas Wings. Kelsey Mitchell scored 36 points, including a 3-pointer that gave the Fever a four-point lead with 1:58 remaining. Both teams entered the game on three-game winning streaks. Ogunbowale finished nine of 16 from long range and scored 34 points. The All-Star Game MVP topped her previous career best of seven 3s.

Angel Reese becomes WNBA's single-season rebounding leader in Sky's 79-74 loss to Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Angel Reese became the WNBA's single-season rebounding leader with eight games left in the Chicago Sky's 79-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, who got 22 points from Courtney Williams. Reese finished with 17 points and 19 rebounds for her 24th double-double, a league rookie record. She has 418 rebounds for an average of 13.1 per game, with her total surpassing Sylvia Fowles' record of 404 in 2018. The 6-foot-3 Reese also broke the record for offensive rebounds with 165, passing Yolanda Griffiths, who had 162 in 2001. Williams tied a season high in scoring for the Lynx, who are a league-best 8-1 since the Olympic break.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

		Boston College	at	(10)Florida St.	7:30 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 2nd 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, September 2nd 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Monday, September 2nd 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8564572/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Woody Marks' TD run with 8 seconds left gives No. 23 USC 27-20 win over No. 13 LSULAS VEGAS (AP) — Woody Marks scored on a 13-yard run with 8 seconds left to give No. 23 Southern California a 27-20 win over No. 13 LSU on Sunday night. Miller Moss passed for 378 yards and a touchdown and his 20-yard completion to Kyron Hudson and a subsequent targeting penalty on LSU with 18 seconds to play set up the winning score. Moss outdueled LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, who completed 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on the final drive. Moss was similarly efficient in going 27 of 36 in a battle of QBs who waited their turns after sitting behind the two most recent Heisman Trophy winners, LSU's Jayden Daniels and USC's Caleb Williams.Coco Gauff loses at the U.S. Open to Emma Navarro, ending her title defense with 19 double-faultsNEW YORK (AP) — Defending champion Coco Gauff has lost in the U.S. Open's fourth round to Emma Navarro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in an all-American matchup. Gauff had won 10 matches in a row at Flushing Meadows until Sunday. That included her run to her first Grand Slam title a year ago. But the 20-year-old from Florida was troubled by serving problems and double-faulted 19 times. She finished with 60 total unforced errors. The 13th-seeded Navarro also eliminated Gauff in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July. That earned Navarro her first appearance in a major quarterfinal. Her second will come on Tuesday at the U.S. Open against Paula Badosa.Scottie Scheffler caps off record season with FedEx Cup title and $25 million bonusATLANTA (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has polished off the best year in golf in nearly two decades with the biggest prize. He had a few nervous moments at the Tour Championship until running off three straight birdies around the turn at East Lake and pulling away from Collin Morikawa. That made Scheffler the FedEx Cup champion with its $25 million bonus. Scheffler won seven times on the PGA Tour and an Olympic gold medal. The eight victories are the most since Tiger Woods won eight times in 2006. The FedEx Cup bonus pushed his season earnings to just over $62.2 million.Paralympics fans learn when to be silent and when to make noise at sports for the visually-impairedPARIS (AP) — Soccer fans are known for being loud and rowdy. But the Paralympic sports most closely related to soccer, blind football and goalball, require spectators to be silent during game action so that players can receive audible cues from the ball and the environment. Fans not used to these sports may feel awkward navigating the new rules. To ease the tension, a goalball commentator lets fans know they are allowed to speak.Chase Briscoe holds off Kyle Busch in Southern 500 to advance to NASCAR Cup playoffsDARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Chase Briscoe went three-wide to pass Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain for the lead, then outran two-time series champion Kyle Busch to win the Southern 500 and make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Briscoe pulled away on a final restart with 17 laps in the regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway and held off Busch, who like Briscoe needed a victory to reach the postseason. Briscoe gave Stewart-Haas team a final chance to compete for a title. The program announced its closure this season.San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall out of hospital after shooting during attempted robberySAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials say a juvenile suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco. The 23-year-old Pearsall was released Sunday from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Police say Pearsall was walking alone shortly after 3:30 p.m. when the suspect attempted to rob him and they both were shot during a struggle. Authorities have identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male resident of Tracy, California. The 49ers issued a statement saying Pearsall was hit by a bullet in the chest.ESPN networks, ABC and Disney channels go dark on DirecTV on a busy night for sportsESPN has gone off the air on a major carrier for the second straight year during the U.S. Open tennis tournament and in the midst of the first full weekend of college football. Disney Entertainment channels went dark on DirecTV Sunday night after the two were unable to reach a new carriage agreement. The move angered sports fans who posted on social media about the channels going dark, and the U.S. Tennis Association wasn't pleased with another carriage dispute. ESPN was showing U.S. Open fourth-round action when it went off the air on DirecTV at 7:20 p.m. EDT.Caitlin Clark scores 28, Fever overcome Arike Ogunbowale's record-tying 9 3s and beat Wings 100-93ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 28 points and 12 assists and the Indiana Fever overcame a record-tying nine 3-pointers from Arike Ogunbowale in a 100-93 victory over the Dallas Wings. Kelsey Mitchell scored 36 points, including a 3-pointer that gave the Fever a four-point lead with 1:58 remaining. Both teams entered the game on three-game winning streaks. Ogunbowale finished nine of 16 from long range and scored 34 points. The All-Star Game MVP topped her previous career best of seven 3s.Angel Reese becomes WNBA's single-season rebounding leader in Sky's 79-74 loss to LynxMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Angel Reese became the WNBA's single-season rebounding leader with eight games left in the Chicago Sky's 79-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, who got 22 points from Courtney Williams. Reese finished with 17 points and 19 rebounds for her 24th double-double, a league rookie record. She has 418 rebounds for an average of 13.1 per game, with her total surpassing Sylvia Fowles' record of 404 in 2018. The 6-foot-3 Reese also broke the record for offensive rebounds with 165, passing Yolanda Griffiths, who had 162 in 2001. Williams tied a season high in scoring for the Lynx, who are a league-best 8-1 since the Olympic break.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Cleveland	6	Pittsburgh	1	Final	N.Y. Mets	2	Chicago White Sox	0	Final	San Diego	4	Tampa Bay	3	Final	St. Louis	14	N.Y. Yankees	7	Final	Baltimore	6	Colorado	1	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	4	Boston	1	Final	Houston	7	Kansas City	2	Final	Minnesota	4	Toronto	3	Final	Texas	6	Oakland	4	Final	L.A. Angels	3	Seattle	2	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Cincinnati	4	Milwaukee	3	Final	Chicago Cubs	14	Washington	1	Final	Miami	7	San Francisco	5	Final	Arizona	14	L.A. Dodgers	3	Final	Philadelphia	3	Atlanta	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(23)Southern Cal	27	(13)LSU	20	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Connecticut	93	Seattle	86	Final	Minnesota	79	Chicago	74	Final	Las Vegas	97	Phoenix	79	Final	Indiana	100	Dallas	93	Final	Atlanta	80	Los Angeles	62	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal	St Louis City	2	LA Galaxy	1	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Houston	at	Cincinnati	4:10 p.m.			Detroit	at	San Diego	6:40 p.m.			Boston	at	N-Y Mets	7:10 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Chi White Sox	at	Baltimore	3:05 p.m.			Cleveland	at	Kansas City	4:10 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Tampa Bay	6:50 p.m.			Seattle	at	Oakland	7:07 p.m.			N-Y Yankees	at	Texas	8:05 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		St. Louis	at	Milwaukee	2:10 p.m.			L-A Dodgers	at	Arizona	4:10 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Chi Cubs	7:40 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		Boston College	at	(10)Florida St.	7:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Sunday

Thursday, Aug. 29 Mo. Western 33, Northeastern St. (Okla.) 31 No. 13 Minnesota St. 36, No. 22 NW Mo. St. 22 Nebraska Kearney 18, Chadron St. 6 Emporia St. 30, Washburn 14 Midwestern St. (Tex.) 18, Mo. Southern 11

Friday, Aug. 30 Fort Hays St. 21, No. 24 Angelo St. (Tex.) 7

Saturday, Aug. 31 No. 6 Pittsburg St. 19, No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.) 3

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593175629148.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy MIAA" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy MIAA</figcaption>
 </figure>Thursday, Aug. 29 Mo. Western 33, Northeastern St. (Okla.) 31 No. 13 Minnesota St. 36, No. 22 NW Mo. St. 22 Nebraska Kearney 18, Chadron St. 6 Emporia St. 30, Washburn 14 Midwestern St. (Tex.) 18, Mo. Southern 11 Friday, Aug. 30 Fort Hays St. 21, No. 24 Angelo St. (Tex.) 7Saturday, Aug. 31 No. 6 Pittsburg St. 19, No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.) 3

🏈 MIAA scores from Week 1

Saturday, Aug. 31 Avila 24, Bethany 21 Bethel 13, Sterling 0 Tabor 20, McPherson 10 No. 24 Friends 52, Saint Mary 6 Southwestern 41, Ottawa 0 No. 14 Evangel 35, No. 24 KS Wesleyan 24

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693329059361.png" alt="Photo Courtesy KCAC" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy KCAC</figcaption>
 </figure>Saturday, Aug. 31 Avila 24, Bethany 21 Bethel 13, Sterling 0 Tabor 20, McPherson 10 No. 24 Friends 52, Saint Mary 6 Southwestern 41, Ottawa 0 No. 14 Evangel 35, No. 24 KS Wesleyan 24

🏈 KCAC scores from Week 1

Thursday, Aug. 29 No. 3 Hutchinson 42, NM Military 10 Dodge City 20, Tyler (Tex.) 17 (OT) Coffeyville 35, KS Wesleyan JV 0

Saturday, Aug. 31 No. 13 Navarro (Tex.) 34, No. 9 Garden City 20 NEO A&amp;M 26, No. 15 Butler 23 (OT) Highland 31, Monroe (NY) 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633603608131.png" alt="Photo Courtesy KJCCC" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy KJCCC</figcaption>
 </figure>Thursday, Aug. 29 No. 3 Hutchinson 42, NM Military 10 Dodge City 20, Tyler (Tex.) 17 (OT) Coffeyville 35, KS Wesleyan JV 0Saturday, Aug. 31 No. 13 Navarro (Tex.) 34, No. 9 Garden City 20 NEO A&amp;M 26, No. 15 Butler 23 (OT) Highland 31, Monroe (NY) 0

🏈 KJCCC scores from Week 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will have newly acquired JuJu Smith-Schuster and Samaje Perine but not wide receiver Marquise Brown when they play the Ravens on Thursday night in an AFC title game rematch that opens the NFL season.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday that Smith-Schuster and Perine should be able to pick up enough of the playbook in time to help them out against Baltimore. Smith-Schuster was released by the Patriots last month and signed with the Chiefs on Monday, while Perine was released by the Broncos on Tuesday and was in Kansas City two days later.

“I’ve just got to see with Perine with where he’s at in picking everything up,” Reid said. “I’m not going to put him in a bad position obviously, but I think he’s going to be fine. He’s been here cranking things up, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Brown, one of the Chiefs’ marquee free-agent acquisitions, dislocated the sternoclavicular joint in his shoulder after making a catch in their preseason opener against Jacksonville. He got the shoulder set without surgery, though, helping to speed up the 4-to-6 week timeline for recovery and giving him a chance to play in Week 1.

But despite appearing on the practice field this week, Brown did not take part in any real work, and Reid decided to give him more time to recover. The fact that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach opted against putting him on short-term injured reserve this week when the roster was trimmed means they still expect him back in the next couple of weeks.

“He’s at the point where he can laugh without pain,” Veach said this week, putting a positive spin on Brown’s recovery.

Smith-Schuster helps to provide some depth at the position.

The veteran wide receiver played for the Chiefs two years ago, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. It ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, where Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over the Eagles.

He signed a three-year, $25 million contract with New England, despite a history of knee issues that had kept some other teams from showing interest. He finished with just 29 catches for 260 yards and 11 games with the Patriots.

“We welcomed JuJu back with open arms,” Reid said. “He’s healthy and ready to go. His knee — he had the knee before, but we were able to manage that. We’ll continue to manage it. He looks great right now. He jumped right back in and had some practice with us. It’s just a matter of getting banged around a bit after not being in camp.”

Second-year pro Rashee Rice and first-round pick Xavier Worthy will lead the Chiefs’ wide receiver corps while Brown is out, and veterans Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman will join Smith-Schuster in sharing backup opportunities.

Reid declined to say who would be active on Thursday or whether he preferred a smaller rotation of wide receivers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725072549582.png" alt="Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL preseason football game against the Chicago Bears Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Bears won 34-21. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks during a news conference following an NFL preseason football game against the Chicago Bears Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Bears won 34-21. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will have newly acquired JuJu Smith-Schuster and Samaje Perine but not wide receiver Marquise Brown when they play the Ravens on Thursday night in an AFC title game rematch that opens the NFL season.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday that Smith-Schuster and Perine should be able to pick up enough of the playbook in time to help them out against Baltimore. Smith-Schuster was released by the Patriots last month and signed with the Chiefs on Monday, while Perine was released by the Broncos on Tuesday and was in Kansas City two days later.“I’ve just got to see with Perine with where he’s at in picking everything up,” Reid said. “I’m not going to put him in a bad position obviously, but I think he’s going to be fine. He’s been here cranking things up, so we’ll see how it goes.”Brown, one of the Chiefs’ marquee free-agent acquisitions, dislocated the sternoclavicular joint in his shoulder after making a catch in their preseason opener against Jacksonville. He got the shoulder set without surgery, though, helping to speed up the 4-to-6 week timeline for recovery and giving him a chance to play in Week 1.But despite appearing on the practice field this week, Brown did not take part in any real work, and Reid decided to give him more time to recover. The fact that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach opted against putting him on short-term injured reserve this week when the roster was trimmed means they still expect him back in the next couple of weeks.“He’s at the point where he can laugh without pain,” Veach said this week, putting a positive spin on Brown’s recovery.Smith-Schuster helps to provide some depth at the position.The veteran wide receiver played for the Chiefs two years ago, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. It ended with a trip to the Super Bowl, where Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 53 yards in a 38-35 win over the Eagles.He signed a three-year, $25 million contract with New England, despite a history of knee issues that had kept some other teams from showing interest. He finished with just 29 catches for 260 yards and 11 games with the Patriots.“We welcomed JuJu back with open arms,” Reid said. “He’s healthy and ready to go. His knee — he had the knee before, but we were able to manage that. We’ll continue to manage it. He looks great right now. He jumped right back in and had some practice with us. It’s just a matter of getting banged around a bit after not being in camp.”Second-year pro Rashee Rice and first-round pick Xavier Worthy will lead the Chiefs’ wide receiver corps while Brown is out, and veterans Justin Watson, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman will join Smith-Schuster in sharing backup opportunities.Reid declined to say who would be active on Thursday or whether he preferred a smaller rotation of wide receivers.

🏈 Chiefs to be without Hollywood Brown for season opener Thursday

MCCOOK, Nebraska — Just 11 hours after playing a pair of five-set matches late on Friday, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team was right back on the court Saturday for its final two matches of the McCook Invitational at the Graff Events Center.

The Blue Dragons opened Saturday with a four-set loss to Western Nebraska, 28-30, 20-25, 25-16, 17-25. 

Hutchinson rebounded in its final match of the day with a 3-1 victory over North Platte Community College, winning 25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 25-17.

The Dragons completed the weekend 3-1, which included a five-set victory over No. 9 Indian Hills on Friday and are now 5-4 to start the season. The Blue Dragons remain on the road to start the season returning to KJCCC play on Wednesday at Seward County.

The Dragons used a balanced offense – four Hutchinson players had eight or more kills – to earn a four-set win over North Platte.Freshman outside hitter Atlyn Proctor had a match-high 13 kills with a season-high five block assists to pace the Blue Dragons.

Freshman outside hitter Viktoria Graf, who combined for 71 kills over the weekend, had 12 kills. Sophomore Tiana Simmons finished with nine kills and a block assist. Sophomore Precious Johnson had eight kills and five total blocks.Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson had a team-high 29 assists. Freshman setter Ellie Suber had 16 assists.

Freshman libero Addy Foster, who combined for 98 digs in 18 sets played at McCook, had 18 digs. Freshmen Siani Sanchez and Brooke Galey had nine digs each.

Just one week ago in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the Blue Dragons swept Western Nebraska. On Saturday in McCook, the Cougars avenged that loss with a four-set win over the Dragons.WNCC took the first two sets, winning the first in extra points at 30-28. The Dragons dominated the third set, but the Cougars used a strong serving game in the fourth to claim the victory.

Graf led the Blue Dragons against WNCC with 16 kills and two service aces.Proctor added 14 kills. Simmons had 10 kills with an ace. Murphy had six kills and three blocks.Suber guided the offense with 20 assists. Wilson added 19 assists. Foster had 16 digs, while Sanchez had 14 digs with one service ace.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725194819276.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy Hutchinson Community College" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy Hutchinson Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCOOK, Nebraska — Just 11 hours after playing a pair of five-set matches late on Friday, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team was right back on the court Saturday for its final two matches of the McCook Invitational at the Graff Events Center.The Blue Dragons opened Saturday with a four-set loss to Western Nebraska, 28-30, 20-25, 25-16, 17-25. Hutchinson rebounded in its final match of the day with a 3-1 victory over North Platte Community College, winning 25-15, 25-21, 21-25, 25-17.The Dragons completed the weekend 3-1, which included a five-set victory over No. 9 Indian Hills on Friday and are now 5-4 to start the season. The Blue Dragons remain on the road to start the season returning to KJCCC play on Wednesday at Seward County.NORTH PLATTE RECAPThe Dragons used a balanced offense – four Hutchinson players had eight or more kills – to earn a four-set win over North Platte.Freshman outside hitter Atlyn Proctor had a match-high 13 kills with a season-high five block assists to pace the Blue Dragons.Freshman outside hitter Viktoria Graf, who combined for 71 kills over the weekend, had 12 kills. Sophomore Tiana Simmons finished with nine kills and a block assist. Sophomore Precious Johnson had eight kills and five total blocks.Sophomore setter Shelbi Wilson had a team-high 29 assists. Freshman setter Ellie Suber had 16 assists.Freshman libero Addy Foster, who combined for 98 digs in 18 sets played at McCook, had 18 digs. Freshmen Siani Sanchez and Brooke Galey had nine digs each.WESTERN NEBRASKA RECAPJust one week ago in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the Blue Dragons swept Western Nebraska. On Saturday in McCook, the Cougars avenged that loss with a four-set win over the Dragons.WNCC took the first two sets, winning the first in extra points at 30-28. The Dragons dominated the third set, but the Cougars used a strong serving game in the fourth to claim the victory.Graf led the Blue Dragons against WNCC with 16 kills and two service aces.Proctor added 14 kills. Simmons had 10 kills with an ace. Murphy had six kills and three blocks.Suber guided the offense with 20 assists. Wilson added 19 assists. Foster had 16 digs, while Sanchez had 14 digs with one service ace.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏐 Dragons complete McCook Invite with 3-1 record

LIBERAL, Kan. — The No. 20-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team had a rare occurrence on Saturday in its Jayhawk Conference match at Seward County.

Leading by two goals at halftime, the Blue Dragons saw that lead disappear in the second half as Seward County scored the equalizer with just 3:26 remaining for a 2-2 KJCCC draw at Liberal High School.

The Blue Dragons are now 2-0-1 (1-0-1 KJCCC). The Dragons will play host to Dodge City at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Sports Complex. Seward County is now 1-1-2 (0-1-1 KJCCC).

Saturday’s game was the 348th game played in program history. Saturday was only the 12th time the Blue Dragons were unable to hold a halftime lead and secure a victory (seven losses and five ties).

Sophomore Kaitlyn Edwards scored her fourth goal of the season and freshman Ana Pokrandt notched her second goal while redshirt freshman Haley Rogers had two assists.

Freshman goalkeeper Marina Lopez had seven saves in her first career start.

The Blue Dragons were out-shot for the first time this season, 20-11. Seward County out-shot the Dragons 12-4 in the second half.

Seward County’s Dora Dinarte scored both of the Saints goals. Seward goalkeeper Mia Kamei made four saves, only one in the second half.

The Blue Dragons had the possession advantage for most of the first half, scoring in the 14th minute when Rogers’ corner kick was redirected right back to her. She then played a cross into the box that Edwards headed in for a 1-0 with 31:47 to play in the first half.

The Dragons took a 2-0 lead when Rogers’ corner kick was headed into the goal by Pokrandt with 9:40 remaining in the half. Rogers now has two assists and a goal directly from corner kicks.

Hutchinson maintained its two-goal margin late in the first half when a Dragon foul just outside the box gave the Saints a direct free kick that caromed off the cross bar and was eventually cleared by the Dragon defense. Hutchinson led 2-0 at halftime.

Seward County won the possession battle in the second half, but the Blue Dragons  were able to maintain the pressure without giving up scoring opportunities to the Saints.

That started to change in the middle stages of the second half. After the Saints played a ball into the box, the Blue Dragons were called for a hand ball and Seward was awarded a penalty kick. Dinarte converted the PK and cut the Dragon lead to 2-1 with 27:08 to play in regulation time.

With the Saints creating steady pressure and the Dragons unable to get a good clear, Seward seized the opportunity when the Saints beat the Dragon defense to a long cross to the left side. Dinarte took a pass, worked her way into the box and scored from 15 yards out on a low ground ball to the right corner with 3:26 remaining to tie the game at 2-2.

The Dragons were able to make a couple of runs on the sideline in the final minutes of the half, but Seward’s defense clogged the middle to keep the Dragons to secure the 13th all-time tie in Blue Dragon history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725194459369.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy Hutchinson Community College" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy Hutchinson Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationLIBERAL, Kan. — The No. 20-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team had a rare occurrence on Saturday in its Jayhawk Conference match at Seward County.Leading by two goals at halftime, the Blue Dragons saw that lead disappear in the second half as Seward County scored the equalizer with just 3:26 remaining for a 2-2 KJCCC draw at Liberal High School.The Blue Dragons are now 2-0-1 (1-0-1 KJCCC). The Dragons will play host to Dodge City at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Sports Complex. Seward County is now 1-1-2 (0-1-1 KJCCC).Saturday’s game was the 348th game played in program history. Saturday was only the 12th time the Blue Dragons were unable to hold a halftime lead and secure a victory (seven losses and five ties).Sophomore Kaitlyn Edwards scored her fourth goal of the season and freshman Ana Pokrandt notched her second goal while redshirt freshman Haley Rogers had two assists.Freshman goalkeeper Marina Lopez had seven saves in her first career start.The Blue Dragons were out-shot for the first time this season, 20-11. Seward County out-shot the Dragons 12-4 in the second half.Seward County’s Dora Dinarte scored both of the Saints goals. Seward goalkeeper Mia Kamei made four saves, only one in the second half.The Blue Dragons had the possession advantage for most of the first half, scoring in the 14th minute when Rogers’ corner kick was redirected right back to her. She then played a cross into the box that Edwards headed in for a 1-0 with 31:47 to play in the first half.The Dragons took a 2-0 lead when Rogers’ corner kick was headed into the goal by Pokrandt with 9:40 remaining in the half. Rogers now has two assists and a goal directly from corner kicks.Hutchinson maintained its two-goal margin late in the first half when a Dragon foul just outside the box gave the Saints a direct free kick that caromed off the cross bar and was eventually cleared by the Dragon defense. Hutchinson led 2-0 at halftime.Seward County won the possession battle in the second half, but the Blue Dragons were able to maintain the pressure without giving up scoring opportunities to the Saints.That started to change in the middle stages of the second half. After the Saints played a ball into the box, the Blue Dragons were called for a hand ball and Seward was awarded a penalty kick. Dinarte converted the PK and cut the Dragon lead to 2-1 with 27:08 to play in regulation time.With the Saints creating steady pressure and the Dragons unable to get a good clear, Seward seized the opportunity when the Saints beat the Dragon defense to a long cross to the left side. Dinarte took a pass, worked her way into the box and scored from 15 yards out on a low ground ball to the right corner with 3:26 remaining to tie the game at 2-2.The Dragons were able to make a couple of runs on the sideline in the final minutes of the half, but Seward’s defense clogged the middle to keep the Dragons to secure the 13th all-time tie in Blue Dragon history.

⚽ HutchCC and Seward play to Saturday draw

HOUSTON (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi struck out 12 in seven innings to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Kikuchi (7-9) improved to 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA since he was acquired by Houston a day before the trade deadline. He gave up five hits, only allowing Kansas City a run on a fielder’s choice grounder that followed two singles in the seventh. He threw 101 pitches, including 75 for strikes and walked none.

“He was really, really, really good,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He had all his pitches working, both sides of the plate. Our starting pitching has been phenomenal for a while, and Kikuchi just adds another level of quality of starts that we’ve been getting from these guys.”

Kikuchi pumped his fist following his 12th strikeout to end the seventh.

“The last couple of games, the starters have been doing really well so I wanted to do my part,” Kikuchi said. “The defensive plays behind me, especially (Ben) Gamel there in right, that was a huge play. Just watching that, I got pumped up today.”

Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.

Kikuchi had no run support until the Astros chased Royals starter Cole Ragans (10-9) in a five-run sixth inning. Yainer Diaz hit a two-run single, and Jeremy Peña hit a two-run triple during the inning, before Peña scored on a wild pitch.

Ragans looked dominant for much of the first five innings, allowing just one hit and matching a Royals franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts. The record was set by Blake Stein in 2001 at Milwaukee.

“I was good for five and terrible for one,” Ragans said. “I mean, the record’s cool, but all I want to do is win. That’s all I want to do. Obviously, I didn’t get that done tonight, and I feel like I let the guys down."

Ragans finished with 10 strikeouts, pushing his season total to 197, which is the most by a Royals lefty in a single season.

“He was extremely sharp early,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Then, in the fifth, it was an 0-2 hit, a hit batter, a tough walk, and then things just kind of unraveled.”

Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 29th home run of the season in the eighth inning off reliever Hector Neris, who the Astros signed on Aug. 24 after he was released by the Cubs on Aug. 20.

Witt, who leads the major leagues in hits, batting average and runs, had previously had a rough time in Houston, going 0 for 11 this series. He entered Saturday 0 for 19 in his home state of Texas.

“You just wake up tomorrow and move on,” Witt said. “We can’t really do anything now so we just learn what we did and prepare for tomorrow.”

Later in the eighth, Royals right fielder Garrett Hampson robbed Alvarez of what would have been his 29th homer of the season. Hampson leaped at the wall and had to fully extend his left arm well above the yellow home run line to bring it back.

Kansas City claimed a pair of veteran outfielders off waivers on Saturday in Robbie Grossman, 35, and Tommy Pham, 36. Grossman was claimed from Texas, where he won the World Series last year, while Pham was claimed from St. Louis. The Royals also acquired former Astros 1B Yuli Gurriel from Atlanta on a minor league deal for cash considerations.

Astros: 3B Alex Bregman is “still sore” but was “much better” as he missed Saturday’s game with elbow soreness that has sidelined him for several games in recent weeks.

Royals RHP Alec Marsh (7-7, 4.67 ERA) will start against Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.14) as Houston goes for a four-game sweep on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JORDAN GODWIN Associated PressHOUSTON (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi struck out 12 in seven innings to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.Kikuchi (7-9) improved to 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA since he was acquired by Houston a day before the trade deadline. He gave up five hits, only allowing Kansas City a run on a fielder’s choice grounder that followed two singles in the seventh. He threw 101 pitches, including 75 for strikes and walked none.“He was really, really, really good,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He had all his pitches working, both sides of the plate. Our starting pitching has been phenomenal for a while, and Kikuchi just adds another level of quality of starts that we’ve been getting from these guys.”Kikuchi pumped his fist following his 12th strikeout to end the seventh.“The last couple of games, the starters have been doing really well so I wanted to do my part,” Kikuchi said. “The defensive plays behind me, especially (Ben) Gamel there in right, that was a huge play. Just watching that, I got pumped up today.”Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.Kikuchi had no run support until the Astros chased Royals starter Cole Ragans (10-9) in a five-run sixth inning. Yainer Diaz hit a two-run single, and Jeremy Peña hit a two-run triple during the inning, before Peña scored on a wild pitch.Ragans looked dominant for much of the first five innings, allowing just one hit and matching a Royals franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts. The record was set by Blake Stein in 2001 at Milwaukee.“I was good for five and terrible for one,” Ragans said. “I mean, the record’s cool, but all I want to do is win. That’s all I want to do. Obviously, I didn’t get that done tonight, and I feel like I let the guys down."Ragans finished with 10 strikeouts, pushing his season total to 197, which is the most by a Royals lefty in a single season.“He was extremely sharp early,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Then, in the fifth, it was an 0-2 hit, a hit batter, a tough walk, and then things just kind of unraveled.”Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 29th home run of the season in the eighth inning off reliever Hector Neris, who the Astros signed on Aug. 24 after he was released by the Cubs on Aug. 20.Witt, who leads the major leagues in hits, batting average and runs, had previously had a rough time in Houston, going 0 for 11 this series. He entered Saturday 0 for 19 in his home state of Texas.“You just wake up tomorrow and move on,” Witt said. “We can’t really do anything now so we just learn what we did and prepare for tomorrow.”Later in the eighth, Royals right fielder Garrett Hampson robbed Alvarez of what would have been his 29th homer of the season. Hampson leaped at the wall and had to fully extend his left arm well above the yellow home run line to bring it back.ROYALS’ NEW ADDITIONSKansas City claimed a pair of veteran outfielders off waivers on Saturday in Robbie Grossman, 35, and Tommy Pham, 36. Grossman was claimed from Texas, where he won the World Series last year, while Pham was claimed from St. Louis. The Royals also acquired former Astros 1B Yuli Gurriel from Atlanta on a minor league deal for cash considerations.TRAINER’S ROOMAstros: 3B Alex Bregman is “still sore” but was “much better” as he missed Saturday’s game with elbow soreness that has sidelined him for several games in recent weeks.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Alec Marsh (7-7, 4.67 ERA) will start against Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.14) as Houston goes for a four-game sweep on Sunday.

⚾ Royals lose to Astros Saturday

AP Sports Summary for Sunday September 1st, 2024:

No. 7 Notre Dame pulls away late to beat No. 20 Texas A&amp;M 23-13

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Jeremiyah Love broke a tie with a 21-yard touchdown run with 1:54 left and No. 7 Notre Dame beat No. 20 Texas A&amp;M 23-13 on Saturday night in the opener for both teams. Love burst through the line and shed two would-be tacklers before waltzing into the end zone to give the Fighting Irish the lead. The Aggies had a chance to tie it, but Christian Gray jumped the route to knock down Conner Weigman's pass on fourth down to give Notre Dame the ball back. The Fighting Irish added Mitch Jeter's 46-yard field goal with 30 seconds left. Riley Leonard had a strong performance in his Notre Dame debut after transferring from Duke. He threw for 158 yards and added 63 yards rushing.

San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall stable after shooting during attempted robbery, police say

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials say a juvenile suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco. Police Chief Bill Scott says Pearsall, 23, is in stable condition after he and the suspect were transported to a hospital Saturday. Scott says Pearsall was walking alone shortly after 3:30 p.m. when the suspect attempted to rob him and they both were shot during a struggle. Police have identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male resident of Tracy, California. The 49ers issued a statement saying Pearsall was hit by a bullet in the chest. "He's good," 49ers teammate Deebo Samuel posted on X. Pearsall was drafted by the team in April from the University of Florida.

Minority athletes hope their Olympic journeys will sway intolerant hearts and minds

Minority athletes don't just bear their countries' hopes for gold at the Olympics and Paralympics. They also represent their identities and culture. Social scientists proved how prejudice can be reduced through positive images of athletes. They studied reactions to Liverpool striker Mohamed Saleh, known for praying on the pitch. They found hate crimes and anti-Muslim tweets dropped after his decisive goals. But this influence can unravel if a minority athlete becomes too politically outspoken. USA Gymnastics spokesperson Jill Geer says "all sports go way beyond what happens on the field of play, but that is true to a factor of 10 for the Olympic Games."

AP Top 25 Takeaways: Clemson's feeble performance against Georgia confirms demise of Dabo's Tigers

Week 1 overrecations often turn into freezing cold takes by mid-October. See, 2023 Colorado, for example. We have all seen enough evidence of Clemson's demise over the last three seasons to comfortably say the days of coach Dabo Swinney's program as a national championship contender are over and not have to worry about looking silly later this year. In fact, what made No. 1 Georgia's 34-3 demolition of the 14th-ranked Tigers on Saturday in Atlanta notable was just how unsurprising it was.

Beck throws 2 TD passes and No. 1 Georgia manhandles No. 14 Clemson 34-3

ATLANTA (AP) — Carson Beck threw for 278 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, and No. 1 Georgia opened the season by stifling 14th-ranked Clemson 34-3. Leading only 6-0 at halftime, Georgia finally got its offense rolling in the third quarter with a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives, capped by Colbie Young's 7-yard catch and Nate Frazier's 1-yard run. Beck tacked on a 40-yard TD pass to London Humphreys that sent the Clemson side of Mercedes-Benz Stadium heading for the exits. Clemson was held to 188 yards and Nolan Hauser's 26-yard field goal.

Ohtani, Betts and Freeman hit consecutive homers for Dodgers to lead off game vs. Diamondbacks

PHOENIX (AP) — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman led off Saturday's game with consecutive home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ohtani, on a full count, hit his 44th of the season, 420 feet to dead center against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. Betts followed with his 14th on an 0-1 pitch and Freeman, on Kelly's next pitch, blasted one to right-center for his 19th of the season. It was the first time the three superstars had homered consecutively.

Jannik Sinner never gives US Open opponent hope of an upset like those against Djokovic and Alcaraz

NEW YORK (AP) — Jannik Sinner has avoided the sort of monumental upset that knocked Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz out of the U.S. Open in recent days. The top-ranked Sinner never gave his third-round opponent on Saturday even a moment to hope for that sort of victory. Sinner beat Chris O'Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in under two hours. Since dropping his opening set at Flushing Meadows, Sinner has won nine in a row, dropping a total of just 18 games. Other men's winners included Daniil Medvedev, Jack Draper and Tomas Machac. Players advancing in the women's bracket included No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, Jessica Pegula and Karolina Muchova.

Two-time medalist U.S. goalball player supports her Paralympian fiance—from the stands

PARIS (AP) — After the U.S. women's goalball team did not qualify for the 2024 Paralympics for the first time in 40 years, Eliana Mason has managed her disappointment and shifted her focus to support her fiancé, Calahan Young, as he competes as captain of the U.S. men's goalball team. Mason says her work as a mental health counselor has assisted her during this experience. The United States women have competed in every Paralympic Games since a women's category was added 40 years ago, and they boast six medals. This year, qualification was more difficult because organizers cut the number of teams that could qualify from 10 to eight.

Scottie Scheffler closes in on $25 million FedEx Cup prize with late burst of birdies

ATLANTA (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has extended his lead to five shots going into the final day of the Tour Championship. At stake is richest prize in golf, with $25 million for the FedEx Cup. He finished with four birdies in his last five holes for a 66. Collin Morikawa wound up losing a little ground with a 67 and has a tall order on the final day. Scheffler should know better than anyone that no lead is safe. He had a six-shot lead going into the last day at East Lake two years ago, shot 73 and lost by one.

No. 9 Michigan begins defense of national title with 30-10 win over Fresno State

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Davis Warren and Alex Orji each threw a touchdown pass, Will Johnson returned an interception for a score and No. 9 Michigan started defense if its national championship with a 30-10 win over Fresno State. The Wolverines were sluggish on offense for much of the night, breaking in new quarterbacks behind a revamped offensive line and Sherrone Moore, who made his coaching debut as Jim Harbaugh's full-time replacement. The Bulldogs trailed by just four points deep into the second quarter and 16-10 midway through the fourth before Michigan pulled away.

Final	(7)Notre Dame	23	(20)Texas A&amp;M	13	

Final	(17)Oklahoma St.	44	S. Dakota St.	20	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Sunday September 1st, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Sunday September 1st, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Sunday September 1st, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8564326/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>No. 7 Notre Dame pulls away late to beat No. 20 Texas A&amp;M 23-13COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Jeremiyah Love broke a tie with a 21-yard touchdown run with 1:54 left and No. 7 Notre Dame beat No. 20 Texas A&amp;M 23-13 on Saturday night in the opener for both teams. Love burst through the line and shed two would-be tacklers before waltzing into the end zone to give the Fighting Irish the lead. The Aggies had a chance to tie it, but Christian Gray jumped the route to knock down Conner Weigman's pass on fourth down to give Notre Dame the ball back. The Fighting Irish added Mitch Jeter's 46-yard field goal with 30 seconds left. Riley Leonard had a strong performance in his Notre Dame debut after transferring from Duke. He threw for 158 yards and added 63 yards rushing.San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall stable after shooting during attempted robbery, police saySAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials say a juvenile suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco. Police Chief Bill Scott says Pearsall, 23, is in stable condition after he and the suspect were transported to a hospital Saturday. Scott says Pearsall was walking alone shortly after 3:30 p.m. when the suspect attempted to rob him and they both were shot during a struggle. Police have identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male resident of Tracy, California. The 49ers issued a statement saying Pearsall was hit by a bullet in the chest. "He's good," 49ers teammate Deebo Samuel posted on X. Pearsall was drafted by the team in April from the University of Florida.Minority athletes hope their Olympic journeys will sway intolerant hearts and mindsMinority athletes don't just bear their countries' hopes for gold at the Olympics and Paralympics. They also represent their identities and culture. Social scientists proved how prejudice can be reduced through positive images of athletes. They studied reactions to Liverpool striker Mohamed Saleh, known for praying on the pitch. They found hate crimes and anti-Muslim tweets dropped after his decisive goals. But this influence can unravel if a minority athlete becomes too politically outspoken. USA Gymnastics spokesperson Jill Geer says "all sports go way beyond what happens on the field of play, but that is true to a factor of 10 for the Olympic Games."AP Top 25 Takeaways: Clemson's feeble performance against Georgia confirms demise of Dabo's TigersWeek 1 overrecations often turn into freezing cold takes by mid-October. See, 2023 Colorado, for example. We have all seen enough evidence of Clemson's demise over the last three seasons to comfortably say the days of coach Dabo Swinney's program as a national championship contender are over and not have to worry about looking silly later this year. In fact, what made No. 1 Georgia's 34-3 demolition of the 14th-ranked Tigers on Saturday in Atlanta notable was just how unsurprising it was.Beck throws 2 TD passes and No. 1 Georgia manhandles No. 14 Clemson 34-3ATLANTA (AP) — Carson Beck threw for 278 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, and No. 1 Georgia opened the season by stifling 14th-ranked Clemson 34-3. Leading only 6-0 at halftime, Georgia finally got its offense rolling in the third quarter with a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives, capped by Colbie Young's 7-yard catch and Nate Frazier's 1-yard run. Beck tacked on a 40-yard TD pass to London Humphreys that sent the Clemson side of Mercedes-Benz Stadium heading for the exits. Clemson was held to 188 yards and Nolan Hauser's 26-yard field goal.Ohtani, Betts and Freeman hit consecutive homers for Dodgers to lead off game vs. DiamondbacksPHOENIX (AP) — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman led off Saturday's game with consecutive home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ohtani, on a full count, hit his 44th of the season, 420 feet to dead center against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. Betts followed with his 14th on an 0-1 pitch and Freeman, on Kelly's next pitch, blasted one to right-center for his 19th of the season. It was the first time the three superstars had homered consecutively.Jannik Sinner never gives US Open opponent hope of an upset like those against Djokovic and AlcarazNEW YORK (AP) — Jannik Sinner has avoided the sort of monumental upset that knocked Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz out of the U.S. Open in recent days. The top-ranked Sinner never gave his third-round opponent on Saturday even a moment to hope for that sort of victory. Sinner beat Chris O'Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in under two hours. Since dropping his opening set at Flushing Meadows, Sinner has won nine in a row, dropping a total of just 18 games. Other men's winners included Daniil Medvedev, Jack Draper and Tomas Machac. Players advancing in the women's bracket included No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, Jessica Pegula and Karolina Muchova.Two-time medalist U.S. goalball player supports her Paralympian fiance—from the standsPARIS (AP) — After the U.S. women's goalball team did not qualify for the 2024 Paralympics for the first time in 40 years, Eliana Mason has managed her disappointment and shifted her focus to support her fiancé, Calahan Young, as he competes as captain of the U.S. men's goalball team. Mason says her work as a mental health counselor has assisted her during this experience. The United States women have competed in every Paralympic Games since a women's category was added 40 years ago, and they boast six medals. This year, qualification was more difficult because organizers cut the number of teams that could qualify from 10 to eight.Scottie Scheffler closes in on $25 million FedEx Cup prize with late burst of birdiesATLANTA (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has extended his lead to five shots going into the final day of the Tour Championship. At stake is richest prize in golf, with $25 million for the FedEx Cup. He finished with four birdies in his last five holes for a 66. Collin Morikawa wound up losing a little ground with a 67 and has a tall order on the final day. Scheffler should know better than anyone that no lead is safe. He had a six-shot lead going into the last day at East Lake two years ago, shot 73 and lost by one.No. 9 Michigan begins defense of national title with 30-10 win over Fresno StateANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Davis Warren and Alex Orji each threw a touchdown pass, Will Johnson returned an interception for a score and No. 9 Michigan started defense if its national championship with a 30-10 win over Fresno State. The Wolverines were sluggish on offense for much of the night, breaking in new quarterbacks behind a revamped offensive line and Sherrone Moore, who made his coaching debut as Jim Harbaugh's full-time replacement. The Bulldogs trailed by just four points deep into the second quarter and 16-10 midway through the fourth before Michigan pulled away.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	St. Louis	6	N.Y. Yankees	5	Final	Tampa Bay	11	San Diego	4	Final	Pittsburgh	3	Cleveland	0	Final	N.Y. Mets	5	Chicago White Sox	3	Final	Colorado	7	Baltimore	5	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	2	Boston	1	Final	Texas	3	Oakland	2	Final	Houston	5	Kansas City	2	Final	Toronto	15	Minnesota	0	Final	L.A. Angels	5	Seattle	4	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	5	Washington	3	Final	Philadelphia	3	Atlanta	0	Final	Milwaukee	5	Cincinnati	4	Final	L.A. Dodgers	8	Arizona	6	Final	Miami	4	San Francisco	3	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(1)Georgia	34	(14)Clemson	3	Final	(7)Notre Dame	23	(20)Texas A&amp;M	13	Final	(8)Penn St.	34	West Virginia	12	Final	(25)Iowa	40	Illinois St.	0	Final	(15)Tennessee	69	Chattanooga	3	Final	(17)Oklahoma St.	44	S. Dakota St.	20	Final	(19)Miami	41	Florida	17	Final	(2)Ohio St.	52	Akron	6	Final	(4)Texas	52	Colorado St.	0	Final	(18)Kansas St.	41	UT Martin	6	Final	(5)Alabama	63	W. Kentucky	0	Final	(6)Mississippi	76	Furman	0	Final	(9)Michigan	30	Fresno St.	10	Final	(3)Oregon	24	Idaho	14	Final	(21)Arizona	61	New Mexico	39	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Connecticut	96	Washington	85	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal	Atlanta	1	Charlotte FC	0	Final	Cincinnati	4	CF Montréal	1	Final	Columbus	4	New York City FC	2	Final	Philadelphia	2	New York	0	Final	Orlando City	3	Nashville	0	Final	D.C. United	3	Toronto FC	1	Final	Vancouver	1	Austin FC	0	Final	Miami	4	Chicago	1	Final	Colorado	3	FC Dallas	2	Final	Real Salt Lake	2	New England	0	Final	Houston	2	Los Angeles FC	0	Final	Portland	1	Seattle	0	Final	Minnesota	2	San Jose	1	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		St. Louis	at	N-Y Yankees	1:35 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Cleveland	1:40 p.m.			San Diego	at	Tampa Bay	1:40 p.m.			N-Y Mets	at	Chi White Sox	2:10 p.m.			Baltimore	at	Colorado	3:10 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Boston	at	Detroit	1:40 p.m.			Kansas City	at	Houston	2:10 p.m.			Toronto	at	Minnesota	2:10 p.m.			Oakland	at	Texas	2:35 p.m.			Seattle	at	L-A Angels	4:07 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		Milwaukee	at	Cincinnati	12:10 p.m.			Chi Cubs	at	Washington	1:35 p.m.			Miami	at	San Francisco	4:05 p.m.			L-A Dodgers	at	Arizona	4:10 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Philadelphia	7:10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(13)LSU	at	(23)Southern Cal	7:30 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Seattle	at	Connecticut	1 p.m.			Chicago	at	Minnesota	3 p.m.			Indiana	at	Dallas	4 p.m.			Las Vegas	at	Phoenix	4 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Los Angeles	7 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		LA Galaxy	at	St Louis City	2:45 p.m.	___

WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge put together another 6-1 win over the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. Wichita outhit Springfield 12-3 throughout the contest, with every man who came to the plate for the hosts recording a hit.

After a leadoff single and a hit and run put men on the corners for the Wind Surge in the bottom of the first,&nbsp;Ricardo Olivar&nbsp;pulled his first hit back in the lineup into left field to bring around&nbsp;Kala’i Rosario.

Cory Lewis&nbsp;retired the first eight batters he faced, the latter four all coming on strikeouts, in the orange and black Monrovians uniforms. He’d keep the Cardinals hitless through his first four and one-third innings of work and later strand the first runner to keep the 1-0 advantage halfway through the ballgame.

Jake Rucker&nbsp;pushed across two more runs for the Wichita on a single to left field in the home half of the fifth. After the knock, Rucker stands third in Wind Surge history in individual single-season hits at 116.&nbsp;Dalton Shuffield&nbsp;later left the yard on a three-run blast, his fourth of the season, into the Springfield bullpen in right-center to finish a fifth-inning five-spot for a 6-0 lead.

Nathan Church mustered the lone run for the Cardinals in the top of the eighth on a groundout to second before&nbsp;Mason Fox&nbsp;retired six in a row to secure the 6-1 final score for the second straight game.

Lewis improved to 2-4 on the year with Wichita after being granted the win. He gave up just one hit in five and one-third innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725182771419.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Wichita Wind Surge" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Wichita Wind Surge</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.—The Wichita Wind Surge put together another 6-1 win over the Springfield Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium. Wichita outhit Springfield 12-3 throughout the contest, with every man who came to the plate for the hosts recording a hit.After a leadoff single and a hit and run put men on the corners for the Wind Surge in the bottom of the first,&nbsp;Ricardo Olivar&nbsp;pulled his first hit back in the lineup into left field to bring around&nbsp;Kala’i Rosario.Cory Lewis&nbsp;retired the first eight batters he faced, the latter four all coming on strikeouts, in the orange and black Monrovians uniforms. He’d keep the Cardinals hitless through his first four and one-third innings of work and later strand the first runner to keep the 1-0 advantage halfway through the ballgame.Jake Rucker&nbsp;pushed across two more runs for the Wichita on a single to left field in the home half of the fifth. After the knock, Rucker stands third in Wind Surge history in individual single-season hits at 116.&nbsp;Dalton Shuffield&nbsp;later left the yard on a three-run blast, his fourth of the season, into the Springfield bullpen in right-center to finish a fifth-inning five-spot for a 6-0 lead.Nathan Church mustered the lone run for the Cardinals in the top of the eighth on a groundout to second before&nbsp;Mason Fox&nbsp;retired six in a row to secure the 6-1 final score for the second straight game.Lewis improved to 2-4 on the year with Wichita after being granted the win. He gave up just one hit in five and one-third innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge kept the hot bats going Saturday in win over Springfield

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and Kansas State got contributions from all three phases of the game to lead the No. 18 Wildcats to a season-opening 41-6 win over UT Martin on Saturday night.

The Wildcats’ defense dominated early and often, allowing the Wildcats’ offense to find its footing. Kansas State limited the Skyhawks to 134 total yards (2.4 yards per play).

K-State also befuddled UT Martin’s passing attack by sacking Kinkead Dent three times. The Wildcats finished with four sacks, led by sophomore defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi’s 1 1/2.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ offense had its moments behind Johnson, a sophomore who became K-State’s second-youngest quarterback to start a season opener.

He made his mark in the first quarter when he connected with tight end Brayden Loftin for a 23-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 80-yard drive that gave K-State an early 7-0 lead.

Johnson finished 14 of 21 for 153 yards and two TDs with an interception. He also ran for 37 yards on three carries.

DJ Giddens gouged UT Martin’s defense with a team-high 124 yards on 13 carries, averaging 9.5 yards per attempt. As a team, the Wildcats totaled 283 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.

K-State’s special teams took center stage in the first half when the Skyhawks were forced to punt deep in their own territory. Ty Bowman burst through the right side of the line of scrimmage at the snap and blocked UT Martin’s Jaren Van Winkle’s punt. Colby McCalister scooped the loose ball at the 2-yard line and took it into the end zone to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.

Dent got the Skyhawks moving on their fifth possession. He took advantage of a missed sack opportunity by the K-State defense on the drive. Facing a third-and-19 situation, Dent slipped a tackle attempt and rolled to his left before throwing across his body to an open Trevonte Rucker, who got behind the Wildcats defense for a 45-yard gain.

The Wildcats stiffened, however, and the Skyhawks settled for Van Winkle’s 34-yard field goal. Van Winkle added a 31-yarder in the third quarter.

But outside of the 45-yard gain, the Wildcats limited UT Martin’s big plays and kept the Skyhawks out of the end zone en route to the win.

Young’s interception came on a play during which he stared down his intended receiver — Giddens — down the middle of the field. Young’s pass resulted in Chris Martin easily picking off the ball to end a Wildcats drive in Skyhawks territory.

UT Martin had no semblance of a run game. A total of nine Skyhawks rushers combined for 36 yards on 38 carries, averaging a paltry 0.9 yards per attempt.

K-State’s season is off to a good start with a win against a team they should beat. The victory, however, isn’t likely to see the Wildcats make a move up the polls.

K-State: On the road on Sept. 7 to play Tulane.

UT Martin: Travels to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on Sept. 7 to take on Southeast Missouri State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725162021912.png" alt="AP Photo/Charlie Riedel" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo/Charlie Riedel</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and Kansas State got contributions from all three phases of the game to lead the No. 18 Wildcats to a season-opening 41-6 win over UT Martin on Saturday night.The Wildcats’ defense dominated early and often, allowing the Wildcats’ offense to find its footing. Kansas State limited the Skyhawks to 134 total yards (2.4 yards per play).K-State also befuddled UT Martin’s passing attack by sacking Kinkead Dent three times. The Wildcats finished with four sacks, led by sophomore defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi’s 1 1/2.Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ offense had its moments behind Johnson, a sophomore who became K-State’s second-youngest quarterback to start a season opener.He made his mark in the first quarter when he connected with tight end Brayden Loftin for a 23-yard touchdown to cap a seven-play, 80-yard drive that gave K-State an early 7-0 lead.Johnson finished 14 of 21 for 153 yards and two TDs with an interception. He also ran for 37 yards on three carries.DJ Giddens gouged UT Martin’s defense with a team-high 124 yards on 13 carries, averaging 9.5 yards per attempt. As a team, the Wildcats totaled 283 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.K-State’s special teams took center stage in the first half when the Skyhawks were forced to punt deep in their own territory. Ty Bowman burst through the right side of the line of scrimmage at the snap and blocked UT Martin’s Jaren Van Winkle’s punt. Colby McCalister scooped the loose ball at the 2-yard line and took it into the end zone to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.Dent got the Skyhawks moving on their fifth possession. He took advantage of a missed sack opportunity by the K-State defense on the drive. Facing a third-and-19 situation, Dent slipped a tackle attempt and rolled to his left before throwing across his body to an open Trevonte Rucker, who got behind the Wildcats defense for a 45-yard gain.The Wildcats stiffened, however, and the Skyhawks settled for Van Winkle’s 34-yard field goal. Van Winkle added a 31-yarder in the third quarter.But outside of the 45-yard gain, the Wildcats limited UT Martin’s big plays and kept the Skyhawks out of the end zone en route to the win.<h2>THE TAKEAWAY</h2>Young’s interception came on a play during which he stared down his intended receiver — Giddens — down the middle of the field. Young’s pass resulted in Chris Martin easily picking off the ball to end a Wildcats drive in Skyhawks territory.UT Martin had no semblance of a run game. A total of nine Skyhawks rushers combined for 36 yards on 38 carries, averaging a paltry 0.9 yards per attempt.<h2>POLL IMPLICATIONS</h2>K-State’s season is off to a good start with a win against a team they should beat. The victory, however, isn’t likely to see the Wildcats make a move up the polls.<h2>UP NEXT</h2>K-State: On the road on Sept. 7 to play Tulane.UT Martin: Travels to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on Sept. 7 to take on Southeast Missouri State University.

🏈 No. 18 K-State cruises past UT Martin in season opener

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After three-straight disappointing seasons at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic, the Hutchinson Community College men’s cross country team made quite a statement on Friday night at Fun Valley.

With three runners placing in the top seven, the Blue Dragons finished as team runner-up at the ninth-annual Masterson Twilight, the Blue Dragons’ first Top 2 finish since 2019.

The Blue Dragons finished with 64 points to team champion Butler’s 34. Wichita State and Fort Hays Tech-Northwest (former Northwest Tech) tied for third with 76 points. The Blue Dragons had their fourth all-time Top 3 Masterson finish and second runner-up team placing, the first since 2019.

Before Friday’s second-place team finish, the Dragons no scored at the Masterson in 2023 and 2021 and finished 10th in 2022. Those three years came after winning the 2018 Masterson and finishing third in 2019.

Blue Dragon freshman Dennis Cheruiyot led the Blue Dragons with a second-place finish in a time of 19:51.3, the second fastest by a Blue Dragon on the Masterson Twilight’s four-mile course. Only Andrew Kibet ran a better Masterson time, running a 19:70.2 at the 2018 Masterton. Cheruiyot was 4.3 seconds off the winning pace of Butler’s Emmanuel Otim.

Cheruiyot posted the 11th-fastest time in Terry Masterson Twilight men’s history.

Blue Dragon freshman Cornelius Kogo placed fifth with a time of 20:12.3, which ranked 16th overall in Masterson history.

Freshman Titus Kiprotich was seventh overall in a time of 20:32.6.

Other Blue Dragons to figure into the team score were freshman Kaden Lohrentz, who placed 24th in 21:48.5. Sophomore David Ultreras was 26th in 21:55.5.

Freshman Blake Yoder was the only other Blue Dragon to run on Friday. He placed 40th in 23:21.3.

The Blue Dragons will next race at the Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival on September 28 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725108102735.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Community College" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Community College</figcaption>
 </figure>HutchCC Sports InformationHUTCHINSON, Kan. — After three-straight disappointing seasons at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic, the Hutchinson Community College men’s cross country team made quite a statement on Friday night at Fun Valley.With three runners placing in the top seven, the Blue Dragons finished as team runner-up at the ninth-annual Masterson Twilight, the Blue Dragons’ first Top 2 finish since 2019.The Blue Dragons finished with 64 points to team champion Butler’s 34. Wichita State and Fort Hays Tech-Northwest (former Northwest Tech) tied for third with 76 points. The Blue Dragons had their fourth all-time Top 3 Masterson finish and second runner-up team placing, the first since 2019.Before Friday’s second-place team finish, the Dragons no scored at the Masterson in 2023 and 2021 and finished 10th in 2022. Those three years came after winning the 2018 Masterson and finishing third in 2019.Blue Dragon freshman Dennis Cheruiyot led the Blue Dragons with a second-place finish in a time of 19:51.3, the second fastest by a Blue Dragon on the Masterson Twilight’s four-mile course. Only Andrew Kibet ran a better Masterson time, running a 19:70.2 at the 2018 Masterton. Cheruiyot was 4.3 seconds off the winning pace of Butler’s Emmanuel Otim.Cheruiyot posted the 11th-fastest time in Terry Masterson Twilight men’s history.Blue Dragon freshman Cornelius Kogo placed fifth with a time of 20:12.3, which ranked 16th overall in Masterson history.Freshman Titus Kiprotich was seventh overall in a time of 20:32.6.Other Blue Dragons to figure into the team score were freshman Kaden Lohrentz, who placed 24th in 21:48.5. Sophomore David Ultreras was 26th in 21:55.5.Freshman Blake Yoder was the only other Blue Dragon to run on Friday. He placed 40th in 23:21.3.The Blue Dragons will next race at the Arkansas Chili Pepper Festival on September 28 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.