Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;

#18/19&nbsp;Wichita State at Kansas Wednesday, May 3 | 5 PM Lawrence, Kan. | Arrocha Ballpark ESPN+ | StatBroadcast.com QUICK HITS • Wichita State concludes the 2023 regular season with a midweek contest at Kansas on Wednesday. • Wichita State is the AAC regular season champion, and will be the top seed in the 2023 AAC Championship. • Wichita State is ranked in all four polls: NFCA (#18), USA Softball (#19), D1 Softball (#18) and Softball America (#20). Wichita State's #18 ranking in NFCA and D1 Softball is the highest in school history. • Wichita State has moved up to No. 18 in the RPI. • Wichita State's 43-8 record is the best start through 51 games in school history. • Wichita State has its third 40-win season in school history. • Wichita State is riding a 7-game win streak. • Wichita State is 9-1 in its last 10 games. • Wichita State has three Top 10 wins this season - #9 Arkansas, #2 Oklahoma State and #3 Oklahoma State. • Wichita State's win at #3 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked road win in school history. • Wichita State's win over #2 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked win in school history. • Wichita State has 10 shutouts in 2023. The 2022 Shockers had five all season. • After playing just 11 home games in 2022, Wichita State had 27 games at Wilkins Stadium in 2023. • Wichita State received three first place votes in the AAC Preseason Poll and was picked to finish 2nd, just one point behind UCF. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alex-aguilar/7249">Alex Aguilar</a>&nbsp;is a 3-time AAC Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 20, Apr. 10, Apr. 24). •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;has been awarded AAC Player of the Week honors three times in 2023 (Feb. 20, April 3, April 10). •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/zoe-jones/7234">Zoe Jones</a>&nbsp;was American Player of the Week on March 27. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>&nbsp;has been named the American Pitcher of the Week twice (Feb. 20, March 6). • McKinney was also named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 21. • McKinney leads the country in hits and batting average. • McKinney led the nation in hits and batting average in 2022. • McKinney is the NCAA DI active leader in hits and at bats. • McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU. • McKinney is the program's all-time hits, batting average, runs and total bases leader, while also owning single season records for those categories. • McKinney is one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;has 69 career home runs, the most all time at Wichita State and in American Athletic Conference history. • Barnard finished the 2022 season leading the nation in home runs per game and RBI per game, and ranked second in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage. • Barnard's 33 home runs broke her own single season record. • Barnard became the first known player in NCAA history with 30+ home runs and 25+ stolen bases. • Barnard is the only active DI player with 60+ HR and 50+ SB. • Barnard ranks 2nd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs. SERIES HISTORY VS. KANSAS The series between Wichita State and Kansas dates back to 1978 when the two programs met for the very first time. Kansas leads the all time series, 73-23-1. Wichita State didn't record its first win in the series until 1986. Wichita State has won three straight vs. the Jayhawks after Kansas had won the three meetings prior. LAST MEETING WITH THE JAYHAWKS The two Sunflower State programs met back in March on the 21st in Wichita. Kansas grabbed a 3-1 lead, only to see the Shockers score eight unanswered, including a five-run fifth inning, to win going away, 9-3.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lainee-brown/7229">Lainee Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sami-hood/7246">Sami Hood</a>&nbsp;both homered and drove in 3 runs apiece. Alison recorded the win out of the bullpen, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings of relief. 40 WIN SEASON Wichita State recorded its 40th win of the season on Sunday, April 23 vs. East Carolina. It marks only the third 40-win season in school history, joining the 2005 and 2021 teams. The 2005 team holds the current school record with 46 wins. 2023 AAC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS Wichita State won its second American Athletic Conference regular season championship. It marks the fourth regular season conferene title in school history and second in the last three seasons. All four regular season championships (2014, 2016, 2021, 2023) have come under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/kristi-bredbenner/1072">Kristi Bredbenner</a>. It also ensures the No. 1 seed in the American Athletic Conference Championship. The Shockers will receive a first round bye into the semifinals. DON'T LET ADDIE GET HOT One of the nation's premiere home run hitters got off to a slow start in 2023, but seems to be getting into a groove. In her first 17 games of the season,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;had just two home runs. She has 12 in her last 30 games, including her first multi-home run game of 2023 vs. Northern Colorado. In conference play, Barnard is hitting .429 with 7 doubles, 8 home runs and 19 RBI. RPI - WEEK NINE Wichita State checked in at No. 18 in the week nine RPI rankings on May 1. The Shockers have already faced 12 teams in the Top 75, including No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 14 Arkansas, No. 27 Minnesota, No. 31 UCF, No. 35 Nebraska, No. 38 San Diego State, No. 42 Texas State, No. 48 Boise State, No. 53 South Dakota State, No. 55 Kansas, No. 62 South Florida and No. 68 Villanova. Wichita State still has a game against No. 55 Kansas. TOP 10 WINS Wichita State owns a trio of Top 10 wins in 2023 after taking down No. 3 Oklahoma State on April 18 in Stillwater. The Shockers completed the regular season sweep of Oklahoma State with wins in Stillwater and Wichita. The win over the Cowgirls in Wichita marked the highest ranked win in program history, having never beaten a Top 5 team before the matchup. The road win over OSU marked the highest ranked win on the road in school history. Wichita State's resume now includes wins over No. 2/3 Oklahoma State (twice) and No. 9 Arkansas (March 14), making it the first season in school history with multiple Top 10 victories. Wichita State has four Top 10 wins under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/kristi-bredbenner/1072">Kristi Bredbenner</a>, all four coming in the last three seasons. PITCHING PROWESS The pitching staff was a question mark entering the season in 2023, but those questions have since disappeared. Wichita State's trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alex-aguilar/7249">Alex Aguilar</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alison-cooper/7231">Alison Cooper</a>&nbsp;have accomplished something already that no other team in school history has done. All three have double digit wins in 2023. Howell (18-2), Aguilar (14-2) and Cooper (11-4) have combined for all 43 wins so far this season, making them the first trio of teammates to have 10 or more wins in a single season in the circle. TOP 25 FINALIST Wichita State senior&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;was named one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on April 19. A top 10 finalist a season ago, McKinney is once again putting the nation on notice. McKinney was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List prior to the season before making the cut at 25. Considered the most distinguished individual honor in Division I college softball, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players from across the country. The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17. SHOCKER SLUGGERS RETURN Wichita State returns 100 of the 121 home runs hit from the 2022 team. Led by&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;(33), Wichita State brings back one of the nation's best offenses in 2023.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-mills/7237">Lauren Mills</a>&nbsp;(16),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/zoe-jones/7234">Zoe Jones</a>&nbsp;(15),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;(13),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-lucas/7235">Lauren Lucas</a>&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/jessica-garcia/7233">Jessica Garcia</a>&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lainee-brown/7229">Lainee Brown</a>&nbsp;(4),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/bailey-urban/7242">Bailey Urban</a>&nbsp;(3) and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/krystin-nelson/7238">Krystin Nelson</a>&nbsp;(1) combined to hit the century mark in homers. PITCHERS BEWARE Wichita State obliterated the single season home run record for the second straight season in 2022. The Shockers crushed 103 in 2021, only to see the 2022 team set a new mark of 121. It only took 42 games for the 2022 team to match that number of 103. Wichita State has finished second nationally in home runs each of the last two seasons, behind only Oklahoma. ALL HAIL THE HIT QUEEN 371 in her career. She passed Britnee Barnett on April 29, 2022 vs. ECU with No. 251. • McKinney is the NCAA DI active career leader in hits (371) and at bats (820). She ranks 2nd in runs scored (245) and total bases (532), 3rd in batting average (.452) and 7th in triples (16). • McKinney's career batting average of .452 ranks 17th all-time in NCAA history. • McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU. • McKinney's 245 career runs scored are the most in school history. • McKinney shattered her own single season record for batting average. She set it at .439 in 2021 and hit a nation-leading .522 in 2022. • With a career OBP of .502, McKinney currently holds the top spot in that category as well at Wichita State. • She ranks second with 16 career triples. • Her 45 career doubles place her in 5th on the school's all-time list. ONE OF THREE Wichita State is one of only three schools in the country, joining Oklahoma and Arkansas, to return multiple NFCA All-Americans from a season ago. The Shockers of course bring back NFCA Second Team All-Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>. THE AMERICAN STANDARD Since Wichita State entered the American Athletic Conference in 2018, the Shockers have been the league's top offensive team in the league. Not counting the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Wichita State has led the American in batting average (2021, 2022), slugging percentage (2018-22), on base percentage (2019-22), runs (2019-22), hits (2022), RBI (2019-22), doubles (2018, 2021-22), home runs (2018-22), total bases (2018-22) and walks (2019, 2021). HOME SWEET HOME Just a season ago Wichita State took on the role of road warrior. The Shockers had 27 home games at Wilkins Stadium in 2023 compared to only 11 in 2022. During the month of March Wichita State only left&nbsp;Wichita once. Seventeen of those 27 home games took&nbsp;place in the month of March, including matchups against 2022 NCAA Regional teams: Stanford, Nebraska, Missouri State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Florida. IN THE AMERICAN RECORD BOOKS Wichita State is well-represented in the American Athletic Conference record books. Currently&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;holds the single-season record for batting average, hits, on base percentage and runs.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;is the single-season record holder for home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases. On the career charts, McKinney already enters her final season holding the top spot in batting average, on base percentage, runs, total bases and hits. Barnard is the all-time home run leader and needs 14 RBI to surpass Wichita State's own Madison Perrigan for the most all-time in American history. UP NEXT Wichita State has the weekend off before opening American Athletic Conference Championship play on May 12 at 11 a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;#18/19&nbsp;Wichita State at Kansas Wednesday, May 3 | 5 PM Lawrence, Kan. | Arrocha Ballpark ESPN+ | StatBroadcast.com QUICK HITS • Wichita State concludes the 2023 regular season with a midweek contest at Kansas on Wednesday. • Wichita State is the AAC regular season champion, and will be the top seed in the 2023 AAC Championship. • Wichita State is ranked in all four polls: NFCA (#18), USA Softball (#19), D1 Softball (#18) and Softball America (#20). Wichita State's #18 ranking in NFCA and D1 Softball is the highest in school history. • Wichita State has moved up to No. 18 in the RPI. • Wichita State's 43-8 record is the best start through 51 games in school history. • Wichita State has its third 40-win season in school history. • Wichita State is riding a 7-game win streak. • Wichita State is 9-1 in its last 10 games. • Wichita State has three Top 10 wins this season - #9 Arkansas, #2 Oklahoma State and #3 Oklahoma State. • Wichita State's win at #3 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked road win in school history. • Wichita State's win over #2 Oklahoma State was the highest ranked win in school history. • Wichita State has 10 shutouts in 2023. The 2022 Shockers had five all season. • After playing just 11 home games in 2022, Wichita State had 27 games at Wilkins Stadium in 2023. • Wichita State received three first place votes in the AAC Preseason Poll and was picked to finish 2nd, just one point behind UCF. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alex-aguilar/7249">Alex Aguilar</a>&nbsp;is a 3-time AAC Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 20, Apr. 10, Apr. 24). •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;has been awarded AAC Player of the Week honors three times in 2023 (Feb. 20, April 3, April 10). •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/zoe-jones/7234">Zoe Jones</a>&nbsp;was American Player of the Week on March 27. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>&nbsp;has been named the American Pitcher of the Week twice (Feb. 20, March 6). • McKinney was also named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 21. • McKinney leads the country in hits and batting average. • McKinney led the nation in hits and batting average in 2022. • McKinney is the NCAA DI active leader in hits and at bats. • McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU. • McKinney is the program's all-time hits, batting average, runs and total bases leader, while also owning single season records for those categories. • McKinney is one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. •&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;has 69 career home runs, the most all time at Wichita State and in American Athletic Conference history. • Barnard finished the 2022 season leading the nation in home runs per game and RBI per game, and ranked second in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage. • Barnard's 33 home runs broke her own single season record. • Barnard became the first known player in NCAA history with 30+ home runs and 25+ stolen bases. • Barnard is the only active DI player with 60+ HR and 50+ SB. • Barnard ranks 2nd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs. SERIES HISTORY VS. KANSAS The series between Wichita State and Kansas dates back to 1978 when the two programs met for the very first time. Kansas leads the all time series, 73-23-1. Wichita State didn't record its first win in the series until 1986. Wichita State has won three straight vs. the Jayhawks after Kansas had won the three meetings prior. LAST MEETING WITH THE JAYHAWKS The two Sunflower State programs met back in March on the 21st in Wichita. Kansas grabbed a 3-1 lead, only to see the Shockers score eight unanswered, including a five-run fifth inning, to win going away, 9-3.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lainee-brown/7229">Lainee Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sami-hood/7246">Sami Hood</a>&nbsp;both homered and drove in 3 runs apiece. Alison recorded the win out of the bullpen, throwing 6.0 scoreless innings of relief. 40 WIN SEASON Wichita State recorded its 40th win of the season on Sunday, April 23 vs. East Carolina. It marks only the third 40-win season in school history, joining the 2005 and 2021 teams. The 2005 team holds the current school record with 46 wins. 2023 AAC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS Wichita State won its second American Athletic Conference regular season championship. It marks the fourth regular season conferene title in school history and second in the last three seasons. All four regular season championships (2014, 2016, 2021, 2023) have come under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/kristi-bredbenner/1072">Kristi Bredbenner</a>. It also ensures the No. 1 seed in the American Athletic Conference Championship. The Shockers will receive a first round bye into the semifinals. DON'T LET ADDIE GET HOT One of the nation's premiere home run hitters got off to a slow start in 2023, but seems to be getting into a groove. In her first 17 games of the season,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;had just two home runs. She has 12 in her last 30 games, including her first multi-home run game of 2023 vs. Northern Colorado. In conference play, Barnard is hitting .429 with 7 doubles, 8 home runs and 19 RBI. RPI - WEEK NINE Wichita State checked in at No. 18 in the week nine RPI rankings on May 1. The Shockers have already faced 12 teams in the Top 75, including No. 3 Stanford, No. 4 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 14 Arkansas, No. 27 Minnesota, No. 31 UCF, No. 35 Nebraska, No. 38 San Diego State, No. 42 Texas State, No. 48 Boise State, No. 53 South Dakota State, No. 55 Kansas, No. 62 South Florida and No. 68 Villanova. Wichita State still has a game against No. 55 Kansas. TOP 10 WINS Wichita State owns a trio of Top 10 wins in 2023 after taking down No. 3 Oklahoma State on April 18 in Stillwater. The Shockers completed the regular season sweep of Oklahoma State with wins in Stillwater and Wichita. The win over the Cowgirls in Wichita marked the highest ranked win in program history, having never beaten a Top 5 team before the matchup. The road win over OSU marked the highest ranked win on the road in school history. Wichita State's resume now includes wins over No. 2/3 Oklahoma State (twice) and No. 9 Arkansas (March 14), making it the first season in school history with multiple Top 10 victories. Wichita State has four Top 10 wins under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/coaches/kristi-bredbenner/1072">Kristi Bredbenner</a>, all four coming in the last three seasons. PITCHING PROWESS The pitching staff was a question mark entering the season in 2023, but those questions have since disappeared. Wichita State's trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alex-aguilar/7249">Alex Aguilar</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/alison-cooper/7231">Alison Cooper</a>&nbsp;have accomplished something already that no other team in school history has done. All three have double digit wins in 2023. Howell (18-2), Aguilar (14-2) and Cooper (11-4) have combined for all 43 wins so far this season, making them the first trio of teammates to have 10 or more wins in a single season in the circle. TOP 25 FINALIST Wichita State senior&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;was named one of 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on April 19. A top 10 finalist a season ago, McKinney is once again putting the nation on notice. McKinney was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List prior to the season before making the cut at 25. Considered the most distinguished individual honor in Division I college softball, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players from across the country. The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17. SHOCKER SLUGGERS RETURN Wichita State returns 100 of the 121 home runs hit from the 2022 team. Led by&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;(33), Wichita State brings back one of the nation's best offenses in 2023.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-mills/7237">Lauren Mills</a>&nbsp;(16),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/zoe-jones/7234">Zoe Jones</a>&nbsp;(15),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;(13),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-lucas/7235">Lauren Lucas</a>&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/jessica-garcia/7233">Jessica Garcia</a>&nbsp;(5),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lainee-brown/7229">Lainee Brown</a>&nbsp;(4),&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/bailey-urban/7242">Bailey Urban</a>&nbsp;(3) and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/krystin-nelson/7238">Krystin Nelson</a>&nbsp;(1) combined to hit the century mark in homers. PITCHERS BEWARE Wichita State obliterated the single season home run record for the second straight season in 2022. The Shockers crushed 103 in 2021, only to see the 2022 team set a new mark of 121. It only took 42 games for the 2022 team to match that number of 103. Wichita State has finished second nationally in home runs each of the last two seasons, behind only Oklahoma. ALL HAIL THE HIT QUEEN 371 in her career. She passed Britnee Barnett on April 29, 2022 vs. ECU with No. 251. • McKinney is the NCAA DI active career leader in hits (371) and at bats (820). She ranks 2nd in runs scored (245) and total bases (532), 3rd in batting average (.452) and 7th in triples (16). • McKinney's career batting average of .452 ranks 17th all-time in NCAA history. • McKinney became the first Shocker with 300 career hits on Feb. 19 vs. FDU. • McKinney's 245 career runs scored are the most in school history. • McKinney shattered her own single season record for batting average. She set it at .439 in 2021 and hit a nation-leading .522 in 2022. • With a career OBP of .502, McKinney currently holds the top spot in that category as well at Wichita State. • She ranks second with 16 career triples. • Her 45 career doubles place her in 5th on the school's all-time list. ONE OF THREE Wichita State is one of only three schools in the country, joining Oklahoma and Arkansas, to return multiple NFCA All-Americans from a season ago. The Shockers of course bring back NFCA Second Team All-Americans&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>. THE AMERICAN STANDARD Since Wichita State entered the American Athletic Conference in 2018, the Shockers have been the league's top offensive team in the league. Not counting the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Wichita State has led the American in batting average (2021, 2022), slugging percentage (2018-22), on base percentage (2019-22), runs (2019-22), hits (2022), RBI (2019-22), doubles (2018, 2021-22), home runs (2018-22), total bases (2018-22) and walks (2019, 2021). HOME SWEET HOME Just a season ago Wichita State took on the role of road warrior. The Shockers had 27 home games at Wilkins Stadium in 2023 compared to only 11 in 2022. During the month of March Wichita State only left&nbsp;Wichita once. Seventeen of those 27 home games took&nbsp;place in the month of March, including matchups against 2022 NCAA Regional teams: Stanford, Nebraska, Missouri State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Florida. IN THE AMERICAN RECORD BOOKS Wichita State is well-represented in the American Athletic Conference record books. Currently&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;holds the single-season record for batting average, hits, on base percentage and runs.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7228">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;is the single-season record holder for home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and total bases. On the career charts, McKinney already enters her final season holding the top spot in batting average, on base percentage, runs, total bases and hits. Barnard is the all-time home run leader and needs 14 RBI to surpass Wichita State's own Madison Perrigan for the most all-time in American history. UP NEXT Wichita State has the weekend off before opening American Athletic Conference Championship play on May 12 at 11 a.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🥎 No. 18 Wichita State closes regular season at Kansas

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;-- Six Wichita State pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Shockers completed the season sweep of Kansas State with a 1-0 win on Tuesday night at Eck Stadium. This is the first time since the 2012 season that the Shockers have swept Kansas State, and the first time since 2003 Wichita State has shutout the Wildcats. The combination of&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-boyer/7443">Matt Boyer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/caden-favors/7446">Caden Favors</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/cameron-bye/7444">Cameron Bye</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jace-miner/7449">Jace Miner</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/robert-cranz/7445">Robert Cranz</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/nate-snead/7469">Nate Snead</a>&nbsp;limited Kansas State (28-18) to just five singles, but had to pitch out of several key jams throughout the game. The Wildcats put their leadoff man on base in five of nine innings, and three times had runners at first and second with nobody out. Two of those opportunities came in the seventh and eighth innings, with Wichita State still clinging to a 1-0 lead. A single and a walk put two aboard against Cranz in the seventh, but he induced a fly out to left and a double play to preserve the lead. In the eighth, Snead put the first two on via a single and walk, setting the stage for the top of the Kansas State order. He struck out Kyan Lodice attempting to bunt, then got help from a tremendous diving play at shortstop from&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-herring/7462">David Herring</a>, who was able to flip to second base for a force out and the second out of the inning. A stolen base put the go-ahead runners in the scoring position, but Snead got Brendan Jones to bounce out to second to strand both Wildcats. In the ninth, Snead issued a leadoff walk and later wild pitched the runner into scoring position, but retired the next three hitters to secure his third save. Snead struck out Kansas State's Cole Johnson on a full count to end the game.

<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/mauricio-millan/7461">Mauricio Millan</a>&nbsp;provided the game's only offense in the bottom of the third, shooting a two-out RBI single up the middle to score&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/garrett-pennington/7468">Garrett Pennington</a>. The run was charged to Wildcats starter Mason Buss (3-2), who allowed five hits and the one run over four innings. Favors (3-4) earned the win for Wichita State with his two scoreless innings of the bullpen, matching that of WSU starter&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-boyer/7443">Matt Boyer</a>. Bye, Miner, and Cranz each tossed a shutout inning, highlighted by a 1-2-3 inning from Bye with a pair of strikeouts. <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-little/7464">Jack Little</a>&nbsp;was the only Shocker to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4.&nbsp; The Shockers are back in action on Friday against Houston in a battle at the top of the American Athletic Conference standings. First pitch from Houston is scheduled for 6:30 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683112939460.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;-- Six Wichita State pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Shockers completed the season sweep of Kansas State with a 1-0 win on Tuesday night at Eck Stadium. This is the first time since the 2012 season that the Shockers have swept Kansas State, and the first time since 2003 Wichita State has shutout the Wildcats. The combination of&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-boyer/7443">Matt Boyer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/caden-favors/7446">Caden Favors</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/cameron-bye/7444">Cameron Bye</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jace-miner/7449">Jace Miner</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/robert-cranz/7445">Robert Cranz</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/nate-snead/7469">Nate Snead</a>&nbsp;limited Kansas State (28-18) to just five singles, but had to pitch out of several key jams throughout the game. The Wildcats put their leadoff man on base in five of nine innings, and three times had runners at first and second with nobody out. Two of those opportunities came in the seventh and eighth innings, with Wichita State still clinging to a 1-0 lead. A single and a walk put two aboard against Cranz in the seventh, but he induced a fly out to left and a double play to preserve the lead. In the eighth, Snead put the first two on via a single and walk, setting the stage for the top of the Kansas State order. He struck out Kyan Lodice attempting to bunt, then got help from a tremendous diving play at shortstop from&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/david-herring/7462">David Herring</a>, who was able to flip to second base for a force out and the second out of the inning. A stolen base put the go-ahead runners in the scoring position, but Snead got Brendan Jones to bounce out to second to strand both Wildcats. In the ninth, Snead issued a leadoff walk and later wild pitched the runner into scoring position, but retired the next three hitters to secure his third save. Snead struck out Kansas State's Cole Johnson on a full count to end the game.<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/mauricio-millan/7461">Mauricio Millan</a>&nbsp;provided the game's only offense in the bottom of the third, shooting a two-out RBI single up the middle to score&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/garrett-pennington/7468">Garrett Pennington</a>. The run was charged to Wildcats starter Mason Buss (3-2), who allowed five hits and the one run over four innings. Favors (3-4) earned the win for Wichita State with his two scoreless innings of the bullpen, matching that of WSU starter&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-boyer/7443">Matt Boyer</a>. Bye, Miner, and Cranz each tossed a shutout inning, highlighted by a 1-2-3 inning from Bye with a pair of strikeouts. <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/jack-little/7464">Jack Little</a>&nbsp;was the only Shocker to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4.&nbsp; The Shockers are back in action on Friday against Houston in a battle at the top of the American Athletic Conference standings. First pitch from Houston is scheduled for 6:30 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Shockers shut out Wildcats to complete season sweep

Former Kansas men’s basketball standout Joel Embiid was named the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced Tuesday. Embiid had finished runner-up in the NBA MVP voting in each of the two previous seasons.

Embiid is just the second Jayhawk to be named the NBA MVP, joining KU legend Wilt Chamberlain who won the honor four times – 1960, 1966, 1967, and 1968.

A six-time NBA All-Star, Embiid is in his seventh season playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and his ninth season overall with the organization. Embiid, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, played at KU in the 2013-14 season. In addition to his six All-Star games, Embiid is a four-time All-NBA honoree and has been named to the NBA All-Defense Team four times.

Embiid led the 76ers to a 54-28 record and third-place finish in the 2022-23 Eastern Conference regular season. The 76ers are currently in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Boston Celtics.

On the season, Embiid led the NBA in scoring average at 33.1 points per game. He also finished tied for ninth in the NBA in rebounds per game, tallying 10.2 per contest. In 66 games played in the regular season, Embiid recorded 39 double-doubles. He also shot it efficiently on the season, shooting 54.8% from the field, 33.0% from the 3-point territory, and 85.7% from the free-throw line.

While at Kansas, Embiid played in 28 games and started 20. In his freshman season, the Yaounde, Cameroon native averaged 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds, while racking in several awards after his season. Embiid was named the 2014 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was an All Big-12 Second Team selection. He was also named to the 2014 Big 12 Newcomer and Big 12 All-Defense teams.

Embiid set the record for most blocked shots in a single game as a freshman with eight blocked shots in a game against Oklahoma State. He also set the Kansas freshman record for most rebounds per game (8.1), most blocks in a single freshman season (72), and posted the highest field goal percentage in a freshman season at Kansas (62.6%).

<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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683111516150.png" alt="Via KU Sports" />
 <figcaption>Via KU Sports</figcaption>
 </figure>Former Kansas men’s basketball standout Joel Embiid was named the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced Tuesday. Embiid had finished runner-up in the NBA MVP voting in each of the two previous seasons.Embiid is just the second Jayhawk to be named the NBA MVP, joining KU legend Wilt Chamberlain who won the honor four times – 1960, 1966, 1967, and 1968.A six-time NBA All-Star, Embiid is in his seventh season playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and his ninth season overall with the organization. Embiid, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, played at KU in the 2013-14 season. In addition to his six All-Star games, Embiid is a four-time All-NBA honoree and has been named to the NBA All-Defense Team four times.Embiid led the 76ers to a 54-28 record and third-place finish in the 2022-23 Eastern Conference regular season. The 76ers are currently in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Boston Celtics.On the season, Embiid led the NBA in scoring average at 33.1 points per game. He also finished tied for ninth in the NBA in rebounds per game, tallying 10.2 per contest. In 66 games played in the regular season, Embiid recorded 39 double-doubles. He also shot it efficiently on the season, shooting 54.8% from the field, 33.0% from the 3-point territory, and 85.7% from the free-throw line.While at Kansas, Embiid played in 28 games and started 20. In his freshman season, the Yaounde, Cameroon native averaged 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds, while racking in several awards after his season. Embiid was named the 2014 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was an All Big-12 Second Team selection. He was also named to the 2014 Big 12 Newcomer and Big 12 All-Defense teams.Embiid set the record for most blocked shots in a single game as a freshman with eight blocked shots in a game against Oklahoma State. He also set the Kansas freshman record for most rebounds per game (8.1), most blocks in a single freshman season (72), and posted the highest field goal percentage in a freshman season at Kansas (62.6%).<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;

🏀 Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player

Via Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Four members of the 2022 Hutchinson Community College volleyball team have signed letters of intent to move onto four-year programs next season.

Setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/serrano_andrea_m5cv">Andrea Serrano</a>&nbsp;has signed to play at Coppin State. Libero&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/harvey_morgan_2ssb">Morgan Harvey</a>&nbsp;will move on to the University of Charleston. Outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/connor_sophie_eb64">Sophie Connor</a>&nbsp;will play next season at University of Texas-Tyler. Middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/penaflor_blondie_8wmm">Blondie Penaflor</a>&nbsp;has signed with Lander University.

The 2022 Blue Dragons finished 26-12 this past season, placing third in the Jayhawk Conference and made it to the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament.

With the signings of these four sophomores, Blue Dragon head coach Delice Downing has now moved up eight players to four-year programs in her first three seasons at Hutchinson.

ANDREA SERRANO Serrano is a 5-foot-6 two-year starter from Arecibo Puerto Rico.

She averaged 7.14 assists per set playing over her 66 matches as a Blue Dragon, primarily in a 6-2 offense but was efficient running a 5-1 when asked to.

Serrano was also a top threat from the service line with 68 career aces.

This past season, Serrano averaged 6.99 assists per set with 699 total assists and 40 service aces. Serrano also had 2.07 digs per set. Serrano was named all-KJCCC/all-Region VI in her sophomore season.

MORGAN HARVEY Harvey, a 5-8 sophomore from Hoyt, Kansas, made a big position change before her second season with the Blue Dragons, moving from right-side hitter to libero/defensive specialist, a move that shored up the Blue Dragon backline depth in 2022.

This past season, Harvey averaged 2.32 digs per set with 17 matches of 10 or more digs and a career-high 24 digs in a five-set victory over Colby.

As a freshman, Harvey hit .151 and averaged 1.54 kills per set. She added 50 total blocks as a right-side hitter. Harvey also had 44 career service aces.

SOPHIE CONNOR A 5-10 outside hitter from Derby, Kansas, Connor was one of the top offensive threats for the Blue Dragons in both of her seasons at Hutchinson.

Over her two-year career, Connor amassed 354 total kills and average 1.91 kills per set, hitting .164. She had 175 kills and a freshman and 179 kills in her sophomore season.

Connor made a big improvement in her blocking game in Year No. 2. Connor averaged 0.28 blocks per set as a freshman, but upped that average to 0.53 with 58 total blocks in her sophomore year. Connor also had 38 career service aces and 314 career digs.

BLONDIE PENAFLOR Penaflor is a 6-0 sophomore from Las Vegas. She, too, made a position change from a pin hitter to a middle in 2022.

This past season, the two-time all-KJCCC/all-Region VI performer, averaged 1.38 kills and 1.20 blocks per set. Penaflor was second in the KJCCC in blocks per set during her sophomore year.

Over 72 matches in her Blue Dragon career, Penaflor averaged 1.89 kills on .239 hitting and 0.90 blocks.

<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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683110197270.jpeg" alt="(l to r): Blue Dragon volleyball players Blondie Penaflor, Morgan Harvey, Andrea Serrano and Sophie Connor sign four-year letters of intent to play at four-year programs next season. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information) " />
 <figcaption>(l to r): Blue Dragon volleyball players Blondie Penaflor, Morgan Harvey, Andrea Serrano and Sophie Connor sign four-year letters of intent to play at four-year programs next season. (Steve Carpenter/Blue Dragon Sports Information) </figcaption>
 </figure>Via Hutchinson CC Sports InformationFour members of the 2022 Hutchinson Community College volleyball team have signed letters of intent to move onto four-year programs next season.Setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/serrano_andrea_m5cv">Andrea Serrano</a>&nbsp;has signed to play at Coppin State. Libero&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/harvey_morgan_2ssb">Morgan Harvey</a>&nbsp;will move on to the University of Charleston. Outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/connor_sophie_eb64">Sophie Connor</a>&nbsp;will play next season at University of Texas-Tyler. Middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2022-23/bios/penaflor_blondie_8wmm">Blondie Penaflor</a>&nbsp;has signed with Lander University.The 2022 Blue Dragons finished 26-12 this past season, placing third in the Jayhawk Conference and made it to the semifinals of the Region VI Tournament.With the signings of these four sophomores, Blue Dragon head coach Delice Downing has now moved up eight players to four-year programs in her first three seasons at Hutchinson.ANDREA SERRANO Serrano is a 5-foot-6 two-year starter from Arecibo Puerto Rico.She averaged 7.14 assists per set playing over her 66 matches as a Blue Dragon, primarily in a 6-2 offense but was efficient running a 5-1 when asked to.Serrano was also a top threat from the service line with 68 career aces.This past season, Serrano averaged 6.99 assists per set with 699 total assists and 40 service aces. Serrano also had 2.07 digs per set. Serrano was named all-KJCCC/all-Region VI in her sophomore season.MORGAN HARVEY Harvey, a 5-8 sophomore from Hoyt, Kansas, made a big position change before her second season with the Blue Dragons, moving from right-side hitter to libero/defensive specialist, a move that shored up the Blue Dragon backline depth in 2022.This past season, Harvey averaged 2.32 digs per set with 17 matches of 10 or more digs and a career-high 24 digs in a five-set victory over Colby.As a freshman, Harvey hit .151 and averaged 1.54 kills per set. She added 50 total blocks as a right-side hitter. Harvey also had 44 career service aces.SOPHIE CONNOR A 5-10 outside hitter from Derby, Kansas, Connor was one of the top offensive threats for the Blue Dragons in both of her seasons at Hutchinson.Over her two-year career, Connor amassed 354 total kills and average 1.91 kills per set, hitting .164. She had 175 kills and a freshman and 179 kills in her sophomore season.Connor made a big improvement in her blocking game in Year No. 2. Connor averaged 0.28 blocks per set as a freshman, but upped that average to 0.53 with 58 total blocks in her sophomore year. Connor also had 38 career service aces and 314 career digs.BLONDIE PENAFLOR Penaflor is a 6-0 sophomore from Las Vegas. She, too, made a position change from a pin hitter to a middle in 2022.This past season, the two-time all-KJCCC/all-Region VI performer, averaged 1.38 kills and 1.20 blocks per set. Penaflor was second in the KJCCC in blocks per set during her sophomore year.Over 72 matches in her Blue Dragon career, Penaflor averaged 1.89 kills on .239 hitting and 0.90 blocks.<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;

🏐 Four Blue Dragons sign with 4-year programs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyler Wells was just hoping to hang around long enough to save the Baltimore bullpen, and maybe give the Orioles' hot-hitting lineup a chance to get them back in the game against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

“Whenever I say there's no quit in this team,” Wells said later, “there's no quit in this offense.”

That was evident by the fourth inning, when Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run homer to help the Orioles wipe out an early three-run deficit with a five-run outburst. Mountcastle added another two-run homer the next inning and finished with five RBIs, helping the Orioles to an 11-7 victory over the Royals — and a 10th consecutive series-opening win.

“Just a great game offensively,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Mountcastle was a huge part of our lineup.”

He wasn't the only part, though. Adley Rutschman had four hits and an RBI, James McCann had three hits and also drove in a run, and the Orioles finished with 15 hits to go with eight walks against Kansas City pitching.

“They have a lot of ways to beat you,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

Wells (2-1) allowed three hits over six innings but they were all homers: Bobby Witt Jr.'s leadoff rocket, a two-run homer by MJ Melendez and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/bal-kc-1c7d9a?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">a solo shot by Salvador Perez.</a>&nbsp;Wells also walked three and struck out four.

Perez, who added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/salvador-perez-homers-5-on-a-fly-ball-to-left-field-vinnie-pasquantino-sc?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">a two-run homer</a>&nbsp;in the seventh, left in the eighth inning when Anthony Santander's follow-through hit the catcher on his glove. Perez bruised his middle finger and Freddy Fermin handled the rest of the game.

Ryan Yarbrough (0-4) matched a Royals record by striking out the first five Baltimore batters, including Mountcastle, before things fell apart in the fourth. The power-hitting first baseman followed a double by Rutschman with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/ryan-mountcastle-homers-7-on-a-fly-ball-to-left-field-adley-rutschman-sco?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">his first two-run homer</a>, and Yarbrough was pulled after 3 2/3 innings as the Orioles batted through the lineup and scored five times.

Mountcastle added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/jose-cuas-in-play-run-s-to-ryan-mountcastle?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">another two-run shot off</a>&nbsp;Jose Cuas in the fifth, his eighth homer of the season, then added a run-scoring double in the sixth, before the Orioles cruised the rest of the way to their 16th win in their last 20 games.

The Royals have lost 10 straight at Kauffman Stadium to match the third-longest streak in franchise history. They also had a pair of 11-game streaks end in 2012 and 2013, the year before they won the first of back-to-back AL pennants.

This bunch appears to be a long way from such lofty heights. The Royals fell to 7-23 under Quatraro, matching the 2005 team that lost 106 games for the worst 30-game start in franchise history.

“It's not where we want to be right now,” Witt said. “You're in the big leagues. You can't stay away from that.”

Things started well for Kansas City on Tuesday night when Witt hit his first career leadoff homer and Melendez sent an 85 mph changeup deep to right field for a 3-0 lead. But after Yarbrough joined Gil Meche and Brady Singer as the only Royals to begin a game with five strikeouts, the Orioles quickly erased their deficit.

Mountcastle's first homer took care of most of it, an RBI single by McCann tied the game, and Cedric Mullins added a two-run single later in the fourth. Mountcastle's second two-run shot gave him his eighth career multi-homer game, and he helped the Orioles tack on three more runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

“I'm happy that we opened up another series with a win,” Hyde said.

On the at-bat that forced Perez out of the game, Santander eventually singled after seeing 16 pitches, including 12 consecutive foul balls. ... Orioles RHP Yennier Cano allowed a single in the ninth to end a club-record 32 straight hitless at-bats to start the season. ... The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum announced Tuesday it was planning to build a new 30,000-square foot facility in the 18th &amp; Vine section of Kansas City. The museum is a popular attraction for teams visiting the Royals.

The Royals recalled INF Maikel Garcia, one of their top prospects, along with Fermin from Triple-A Omaha. DH Franmil Reyes was optioned to the same club and INF Nicky Lopez (appendicitis) placed on the 10-day IL.

Orioles: RHP Dillon Tate (flexor strain) allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings in a rehab stint for Double-A Bowie on Tuesday. RHP Mychal Givens (left knee inflammation) pitched a scoreless inning in the same game against Erie.

RHP Kyle Gibson (3.93 ERA) tries to become the first Orioles pitcher to start 5-0 since Jimmy Key won his first eight decisions in 1997 as the series continues on Wednesday night. RHP Zack Greinke (0-4, 6.10) gets the start for the Royals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683020836767.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyler Wells was just hoping to hang around long enough to save the Baltimore bullpen, and maybe give the Orioles' hot-hitting lineup a chance to get them back in the game against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.“Whenever I say there's no quit in this team,” Wells said later, “there's no quit in this offense.”That was evident by the fourth inning, when Ryan Mountcastle hit a two-run homer to help the Orioles wipe out an early three-run deficit with a five-run outburst. Mountcastle added another two-run homer the next inning and finished with five RBIs, helping the Orioles to an 11-7 victory over the Royals — and a 10th consecutive series-opening win.“Just a great game offensively,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Mountcastle was a huge part of our lineup.”He wasn't the only part, though. Adley Rutschman had four hits and an RBI, James McCann had three hits and also drove in a run, and the Orioles finished with 15 hits to go with eight walks against Kansas City pitching.“They have a lot of ways to beat you,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.Wells (2-1) allowed three hits over six innings but they were all homers: Bobby Witt Jr.'s leadoff rocket, a two-run homer by MJ Melendez and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/bal-kc-1c7d9a?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">a solo shot by Salvador Perez.</a>&nbsp;Wells also walked three and struck out four.Perez, who added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/salvador-perez-homers-5-on-a-fly-ball-to-left-field-vinnie-pasquantino-sc?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">a two-run homer</a>&nbsp;in the seventh, left in the eighth inning when Anthony Santander's follow-through hit the catcher on his glove. Perez bruised his middle finger and Freddy Fermin handled the rest of the game.Ryan Yarbrough (0-4) matched a Royals record by striking out the first five Baltimore batters, including Mountcastle, before things fell apart in the fourth. The power-hitting first baseman followed a double by Rutschman with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/ryan-mountcastle-homers-7-on-a-fly-ball-to-left-field-adley-rutschman-sco?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">his first two-run homer</a>, and Yarbrough was pulled after 3 2/3 innings as the Orioles batted through the lineup and scored five times.Mountcastle added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/jose-cuas-in-play-run-s-to-ryan-mountcastle?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share">another two-run shot off</a>&nbsp;Jose Cuas in the fifth, his eighth homer of the season, then added a run-scoring double in the sixth, before the Orioles cruised the rest of the way to their 16th win in their last 20 games.The Royals have lost 10 straight at Kauffman Stadium to match the third-longest streak in franchise history. They also had a pair of 11-game streaks end in 2012 and 2013, the year before they won the first of back-to-back AL pennants.This bunch appears to be a long way from such lofty heights. The Royals fell to 7-23 under Quatraro, matching the 2005 team that lost 106 games for the worst 30-game start in franchise history.“It's not where we want to be right now,” Witt said. “You're in the big leagues. You can't stay away from that.”Things started well for Kansas City on Tuesday night when Witt hit his first career leadoff homer and Melendez sent an 85 mph changeup deep to right field for a 3-0 lead. But after Yarbrough joined Gil Meche and Brady Singer as the only Royals to begin a game with five strikeouts, the Orioles quickly erased their deficit.Mountcastle's first homer took care of most of it, an RBI single by McCann tied the game, and Cedric Mullins added a two-run single later in the fourth. Mountcastle's second two-run shot gave him his eighth career multi-homer game, and he helped the Orioles tack on three more runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.“I'm happy that we opened up another series with a win,” Hyde said.THIS AND THATOn the at-bat that forced Perez out of the game, Santander eventually singled after seeing 16 pitches, including 12 consecutive foul balls. ... Orioles RHP Yennier Cano allowed a single in the ninth to end a club-record 32 straight hitless at-bats to start the season. ... The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum announced Tuesday it was planning to build a new 30,000-square foot facility in the 18th &amp; Vine section of Kansas City. The museum is a popular attraction for teams visiting the Royals.MAKING MOVESThe Royals recalled INF Maikel Garcia, one of their top prospects, along with Fermin from Triple-A Omaha. DH Franmil Reyes was optioned to the same club and INF Nicky Lopez (appendicitis) placed on the 10-day IL.TRAINER'S ROOMOrioles: RHP Dillon Tate (flexor strain) allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings in a rehab stint for Double-A Bowie on Tuesday. RHP Mychal Givens (left knee inflammation) pitched a scoreless inning in the same game against Erie.UP NEXTRHP Kyle Gibson (3.93 ERA) tries to become the first Orioles pitcher to start 5-0 since Jimmy Key won his first eight decisions in 1997 as the series continues on Wednesday night. RHP Zack Greinke (0-4, 6.10) gets the start for the Royals.

⚾️ Mountcastle's pair of 2-run HRs sends O's to 11-7 win in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle hit two-run homers in consecutive innings and finished with five RBIs to lead the Orioles to a 11-7 win over the Kansas City Royals. Adley Rutschman had four hits and drove in a run for Baltimore, which won for the 16th time in its last 20 games. Tyler Wells earned the win by allowing three hits over six innings. They were all homers: Bobby Witt Jr.’s leadoff shot, a two-run homer by MJ Melendez later in the first and a solo home run by Salvador Perez, who added a two-run shot off Mike Baumann in the seventh. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for the Royals.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Taylor Ward capped a four-run first inning with a three-run homer, Patrick Sandoval combined with three relievers on a four-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels beat St. Louis 5-1 to extend the Cardinals’ losing streak to four. St. Louis has lost seven of its last 10 games and is 0-10 in series openers. On a night when Shohei Ohtani was given his second game off of the season, Mike Trout walked against Steven Matz with one out in the first, Hunter Renfroe singled and Anthony Rendon hit a go-ahead single.

DENVER (AP) — Elías Díaz homered and drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit his first major league home run for Colorado, which has won its last two home games after dropping seven straight at Coors Field.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bryce Harper defied the odds and returned 160 days after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The Philadelphia Phillies slugger is trying to stress something else now that he is back in the lineup — patience. Harper went 0 for 4 and struck out three times in the Phillies’ 13-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. While the two-time NL MVP was pleased to be back in what many consider to be a miraculous turnaround, there were positives and negatives to take from the first night back.

DETROIT (AP) — New York Mets star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are returning to the mound in Detroit against a team both of them played for. The 40-year-old Verlander is scheduled to make his Mets debut on Thursday against the Tigers, who drafted the right-hander No. 2 overall in 2004 and traded him to Houston in 2017. Verlander’s season-opening start was delayed due to a back injury. The 38-year-old Scherzer is due to pitch Wednesday for the first time since April 19, when he was ejected for violating MLB’s foreign substance policy. He was suspended for 10 games.

UNDATED (AP) — The College Football Playoff released a schedule for the 12-team format that will be used in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, which will feature New Year’s Day quarterfinal tripleheaders but no games played on Saturday. The first-round games will be played the third week of December, with one game on Friday night and three on Saturday. The quarterfinals in the new expanded format will be held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The first Jan. 1 tripleheader will be held at Orange, Rose and Sugar Bowls after the 2024 regular season.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA's newest academic progress rate score is steady at 984. That's despite slight decreases in men's basketball, football and women's basketball. Each athlete on each team receives one point each semester they are academically eligible and each semester they remain in school or graduate. The cutline is 930. The NCAA attributes the declines in men’s and women’s basketball and football scores to more players being ineligible to compete during the 2021-22 season instead of those leaving school.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Davis had 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots, LeBron James added 22 points and 11 rebounds dueling with Stephen Curry in their latest postseason showdown, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off a late flurry by the Golden State Warriors to win an entertaining Game 1 in the Western Conference semifinals 117-112. Jordan Poole missed a 3-pointer to tie it with 9.7 seconds left as the Warriors’ rally in the closing minutes fell short. Curry’s 3 with 1:38 left tied the game, then D’Angelo Russell answered right back before Davis blocked a shot by Curry moments later. James missed the first of two free throws with 1:05 to go.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and keyed the run the New York Knicks needed just in time to get by a Miami Heat team playing without Jimmy Butler, evening the Eastern Conference semifinals at a game apiece with a 111-105 victory. Julius Randle returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him in Game 1 with 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and RJ Barrett scored 24 points for the No. 5-seeded Knicks. Josh Hart finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Caleb Martin scored 22 points in place of Butler for the Heat, who host Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

MEMPHIS (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies have no plans to bring Dillon Brooks back to the team when he hits free agency this summer. Brooks was offered an extension last year but turned it down. Now the Grizzlies are ready to move on without him according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the team nor Brooks released details publicly. The Athletic first reported the Grizzlies’ decision. It was subsequently confirmed by ESPN. Brooks led the NBA in technicals this season. He also called LeBron James old before the Lakers ousted Memphis in the first round of the playoffs.

DALLAS (AP) — Joe Pavelski became the oldest player ever with a four-goal game in the NHL playoffs, and did it in his return two weeks after going into concussion protocol. That still wasn’t enough for the Dallas Stars. The 38-year-old Pavelski scored all four of their goals, including two in the third period to force overtime. But the Stars lost 5-4 to Seattle in Game 1 of their second-round series on Tuesday night. Stars coach Pete DeBoer says he's ashamed that the team wasted such an epic performance.. He says Pavelski tried to drag them to a win.

PARIS (AP) — Preparations in France for the 2024 Olympic Games had been going largely smoothly. That is starting to change. Olympic contestation is picking up online and starting to spill onto streets, because protesters are linking the Paris Games to unpopular pension reforms pushed through by French President Emmanuel Macron. A band of Olympic opponents who call themselves “un-volunteers" are surreptitiously working to infiltrate and disrupt next year’s Games by signing up as would-be Olympic volunteers. There also are small and sporadic protests targeting Olympic preparations. Olympic organizers say polling shows enduring strong support for the Paris Games. But critics of Macron want to disrupt the show to retaliate for his raising of France’s retirement age from 62 to 64.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rory McIlroy says he needed “a reset” after missing the cut at the Masters. That’s why the world’s third-ranked player didn’t touch his golf clubs for more than two weeks. Instead, McIlroy went on vacation with his wife, Erica, to celebrate their anniversary and withdrew from the PGA Tour event at Hilton Head. That move may cost him $3 million because he skipped a second of the tour's new designated events. But McIlroy says he needed to reassess his life after it had become “consumed” by golf, including the conflict between the PGA Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf.

N-Y Mets at Detroit 1:40 p.m. (Postponed)

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

Final New York 111 Miami 105 Series tied 1-1

Final L.A. Lakers 117 Golden State 112, Lakers lead series 1-0

Philadelphia at Boston, 8 p.m., Phily leads 1-0

Final Florida 4 Toronto 2, Florida leads series 1-0

Final OT Seattle 5 Dallas 4, Seattle leads series 1-0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681297613631.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Wednesday Morning, May 3rd, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Wednesday Morning, May 3rd, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle hit two-run homers in consecutive innings and finished with five RBIs to lead the Orioles to a 11-7 win over the Kansas City Royals. Adley Rutschman had four hits and drove in a run for Baltimore, which won for the 16th time in its last 20 games. Tyler Wells earned the win by allowing three hits over six innings. They were all homers: Bobby Witt Jr.’s leadoff shot, a two-run homer by MJ Melendez later in the first and a solo home run by Salvador Perez, who added a two-run shot off Mike Baumann in the seventh. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for the Royals.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Taylor Ward capped a four-run first inning with a three-run homer, Patrick Sandoval combined with three relievers on a four-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels beat St. Louis 5-1 to extend the Cardinals’ losing streak to four. St. Louis has lost seven of its last 10 games and is 0-10 in series openers. On a night when Shohei Ohtani was given his second game off of the season, Mike Trout walked against Steven Matz with one out in the first, Hunter Renfroe singled and Anthony Rendon hit a go-ahead single.DENVER (AP) — Elías Díaz homered and drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit his first major league home run for Colorado, which has won its last two home games after dropping seven straight at Coors Field.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bryce Harper defied the odds and returned 160 days after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The Philadelphia Phillies slugger is trying to stress something else now that he is back in the lineup — patience. Harper went 0 for 4 and struck out three times in the Phillies’ 13-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night. While the two-time NL MVP was pleased to be back in what many consider to be a miraculous turnaround, there were positives and negatives to take from the first night back.DETROIT (AP) — New York Mets star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are returning to the mound in Detroit against a team both of them played for. The 40-year-old Verlander is scheduled to make his Mets debut on Thursday against the Tigers, who drafted the right-hander No. 2 overall in 2004 and traded him to Houston in 2017. Verlander’s season-opening start was delayed due to a back injury. The 38-year-old Scherzer is due to pitch Wednesday for the first time since April 19, when he was ejected for violating MLB’s foreign substance policy. He was suspended for 10 games.UNDATED (AP) — The College Football Playoff released a schedule for the 12-team format that will be used in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, which will feature New Year’s Day quarterfinal tripleheaders but no games played on Saturday. The first-round games will be played the third week of December, with one game on Friday night and three on Saturday. The quarterfinals in the new expanded format will be held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The first Jan. 1 tripleheader will be held at Orange, Rose and Sugar Bowls after the 2024 regular season.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA's newest academic progress rate score is steady at 984. That's despite slight decreases in men's basketball, football and women's basketball. Each athlete on each team receives one point each semester they are academically eligible and each semester they remain in school or graduate. The cutline is 930. The NCAA attributes the declines in men’s and women’s basketball and football scores to more players being ineligible to compete during the 2021-22 season instead of those leaving school.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Davis had 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots, LeBron James added 22 points and 11 rebounds dueling with Stephen Curry in their latest postseason showdown, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off a late flurry by the Golden State Warriors to win an entertaining Game 1 in the Western Conference semifinals 117-112. Jordan Poole missed a 3-pointer to tie it with 9.7 seconds left as the Warriors’ rally in the closing minutes fell short. Curry’s 3 with 1:38 left tied the game, then D’Angelo Russell answered right back before Davis blocked a shot by Curry moments later. James missed the first of two free throws with 1:05 to go.NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and keyed the run the New York Knicks needed just in time to get by a Miami Heat team playing without Jimmy Butler, evening the Eastern Conference semifinals at a game apiece with a 111-105 victory. Julius Randle returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him in Game 1 with 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and RJ Barrett scored 24 points for the No. 5-seeded Knicks. Josh Hart finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Caleb Martin scored 22 points in place of Butler for the Heat, who host Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.MEMPHIS (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies have no plans to bring Dillon Brooks back to the team when he hits free agency this summer. Brooks was offered an extension last year but turned it down. Now the Grizzlies are ready to move on without him according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the team nor Brooks released details publicly. The Athletic first reported the Grizzlies’ decision. It was subsequently confirmed by ESPN. Brooks led the NBA in technicals this season. He also called LeBron James old before the Lakers ousted Memphis in the first round of the playoffs.DALLAS (AP) — Joe Pavelski became the oldest player ever with a four-goal game in the NHL playoffs, and did it in his return two weeks after going into concussion protocol. That still wasn’t enough for the Dallas Stars. The 38-year-old Pavelski scored all four of their goals, including two in the third period to force overtime. But the Stars lost 5-4 to Seattle in Game 1 of their second-round series on Tuesday night. Stars coach Pete DeBoer says he's ashamed that the team wasted such an epic performance.. He says Pavelski tried to drag them to a win.PARIS (AP) — Preparations in France for the 2024 Olympic Games had been going largely smoothly. That is starting to change. Olympic contestation is picking up online and starting to spill onto streets, because protesters are linking the Paris Games to unpopular pension reforms pushed through by French President Emmanuel Macron. A band of Olympic opponents who call themselves “un-volunteers" are surreptitiously working to infiltrate and disrupt next year’s Games by signing up as would-be Olympic volunteers. There also are small and sporadic protests targeting Olympic preparations. Olympic organizers say polling shows enduring strong support for the Paris Games. But critics of Macron want to disrupt the show to retaliate for his raising of France’s retirement age from 62 to 64.CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rory McIlroy says he needed “a reset” after missing the cut at the Masters. That’s why the world’s third-ranked player didn’t touch his golf clubs for more than two weeks. Instead, McIlroy went on vacation with his wife, Erica, to celebrate their anniversary and withdrew from the PGA Tour event at Hilton Head. That move may cost him $3 million because he skipped a second of the tour's new designated events. But McIlroy says he needed to reassess his life after it had become “consumed” by golf, including the conflict between the PGA Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf.TUESDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEN-Y Mets at Detroit 1:40 p.m. (Postponed)Final Tampa Bay 4 Pittsburgh 1Final L.A. Angels 5 St. Louis 1Final San Francisco 2 Houston 0Final Texas 6 Arizona 4AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal N.Y. Yankees 4 Cleveland 2Final Boston 7 Toronto 6Final Chicago White Sox 3 Minnesota 2Final Baltimore 11 Kansas City 7Final Seattle 2 Oakland 1NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Atlanta 6 Miami 0Final Washington 4 Chicago Cubs 1Final Colorado 3 Milwaukee 2Final Cincinnati 2 San Diego 1Final L.A. Dodgers 13 Philadelphia 1NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal New York 111 Miami 105 Series tied 1-1Final L.A. Lakers 117 Golden State 112, Lakers lead series 1-0Wednesday, May 3Philadelphia at Boston, 8 p.m., Phily leads 1-0NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal Florida 4 Toronto 2, Florida leads series 1-0Final OT Seattle 5 Dallas 4, Seattle leads series 1-0Wednesday, May 3New Jersey at Carolina, 7 p.m. Game 1<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 Wednesday

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/230502-Missouri-9-Kansas-7.pdf">BOXSCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Overall.pdf">SEASON STATISTICS</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/baseball-vs-missouri-2/">GALLERY</a>

COLUMBIA, Mo. –&nbsp;Kansas scored four runs in the ninth inning and had the go-ahead run on base, but the Missouri Tigers held on to defeat the Jayhawks 9-7 at Taylor Stadium Tuesday night.

Michael Brooks and Luke Leto each hit home runs in the ninth to close the gap and give the Jayhawks an opportunity to win the game.

The Jayhawks had opportunities all night offensively. KU left at least one runner on base in each of the first seven innings and in the ninth. Kansas, however, was only able to score in the first and ninth innings.

KU jumped out to a lead right away. With runners on first and second and one out in the first inning, junior Janson Reeder hit an RBI double off the top of the wall in right field to score a run. Freshman Kodey Shojinaga went from first to third on the double and came into score on a wild pitch. Senior Cole Elvis followed that up with an RBI single through the left side to score Reeder. The Jayhawks were ahead 3-0 before Missouri got a chance to bat.

Mizzou (25-19, 5-16 SEC) had an answer in the bottom of the first. After a walk and hit by pitch to start the inning, Luke Mann hit a three-run home run to tie the game. The Tigers ended up scoring another run on a failed pickoff attempt to lead 4-3 after an inning.

The Tigers continued their scoring with one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in both the sixth and seventh to stretch out their lead. Mann hit an RBI double in the fourth to score a run. Then, in the fifth an RBI single from Matt Garcia and a wild pitch led to two runs scoring. An RBI groundout in the sixth and RBI double in the seventh made the score 9-3.

The Jayhawks were down but not out as Brooks led off the ninth with a solo home run. Two batters later, Leto hit a two-run homer to close the gap to 9-6. Kansas loaded the bases with one out via a hit by pitch, walk and bunt single. Sophomore Chase Jans hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 9-7. Freshman Jackson Kline was then hit by a pitch with two outs, loading the bases again. Brooks, who started the inning, popped up to shortstop to ultimately end the game.

Sophomore Steven Andrews started for Kansas and could not record an out. The Jayhawks turned to sophomore Gavin Brasosky, who gave four solid innings and allowed only one run out of the bullpen. Juniors Kolby Dougan and Ethan Bradford each had scoreless relief appearances.

PITCHERS OF RECORD Win: Brock Lucas (4-0) Final line: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO Loss: Steven Andrews (0-1) Final line: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO

QUOTABLE “We always show fight. That’s been a trademark of this team. Like we’ve said 100 times, it would be nice to fight when you’re in front instead of having to fight to get back. It comes down to how you think and how you prepare. We need some guys to step up on the mound and continue to have a great approach at the plate.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

NOTES • Brooks extended his on-base streak to 16 games. Brooks had two hits in the game and has 12 multi-hit games this season. The home run was his fifth of the season. • Shojinaga pushed his hitting streak to 11 games. • Leto hit his sixth home run of the season. • Jans had his nine-game hitting streak snapped.

UP NEXT Kansas (21-24, 6-12 Big 12) plays its final three games at home this weekend as it hosts Texas at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase tickets to the game by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=BSBSGT&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683109309584.png" alt="KU baseball vs Mizzou. Via KU Sports" />
 <figcaption>KU baseball vs Mizzou. Via KU Sports</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/230502-Missouri-9-Kansas-7.pdf">BOXSCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Overall.pdf">SEASON STATISTICS</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/baseball-vs-missouri-2/">GALLERY</a>COLUMBIA, Mo. –&nbsp;Kansas scored four runs in the ninth inning and had the go-ahead run on base, but the Missouri Tigers held on to defeat the Jayhawks 9-7 at Taylor Stadium Tuesday night.Michael Brooks and Luke Leto each hit home runs in the ninth to close the gap and give the Jayhawks an opportunity to win the game.The Jayhawks had opportunities all night offensively. KU left at least one runner on base in each of the first seven innings and in the ninth. Kansas, however, was only able to score in the first and ninth innings.KU jumped out to a lead right away. With runners on first and second and one out in the first inning, junior Janson Reeder hit an RBI double off the top of the wall in right field to score a run. Freshman Kodey Shojinaga went from first to third on the double and came into score on a wild pitch. Senior Cole Elvis followed that up with an RBI single through the left side to score Reeder. The Jayhawks were ahead 3-0 before Missouri got a chance to bat.Mizzou (25-19, 5-16 SEC) had an answer in the bottom of the first. After a walk and hit by pitch to start the inning, Luke Mann hit a three-run home run to tie the game. The Tigers ended up scoring another run on a failed pickoff attempt to lead 4-3 after an inning.The Tigers continued their scoring with one run in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in both the sixth and seventh to stretch out their lead. Mann hit an RBI double in the fourth to score a run. Then, in the fifth an RBI single from Matt Garcia and a wild pitch led to two runs scoring. An RBI groundout in the sixth and RBI double in the seventh made the score 9-3.The Jayhawks were down but not out as Brooks led off the ninth with a solo home run. Two batters later, Leto hit a two-run homer to close the gap to 9-6. Kansas loaded the bases with one out via a hit by pitch, walk and bunt single. Sophomore Chase Jans hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 9-7. Freshman Jackson Kline was then hit by a pitch with two outs, loading the bases again. Brooks, who started the inning, popped up to shortstop to ultimately end the game.Sophomore Steven Andrews started for Kansas and could not record an out. The Jayhawks turned to sophomore Gavin Brasosky, who gave four solid innings and allowed only one run out of the bullpen. Juniors Kolby Dougan and Ethan Bradford each had scoreless relief appearances.PITCHERS OF RECORD Win: Brock Lucas (4-0) Final line: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO Loss: Steven Andrews (0-1) Final line: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 SOQUOTABLE “We always show fight. That’s been a trademark of this team. Like we’ve said 100 times, it would be nice to fight when you’re in front instead of having to fight to get back. It comes down to how you think and how you prepare. We need some guys to step up on the mound and continue to have a great approach at the plate.” – Head Coach Dan FitzgeraldNOTES • Brooks extended his on-base streak to 16 games. Brooks had two hits in the game and has 12 multi-hit games this season. The home run was his fifth of the season. • Shojinaga pushed his hitting streak to 11 games. • Leto hit his sixth home run of the season. • Jans had his nine-game hitting streak snapped.UP NEXT Kansas (21-24, 6-12 Big 12) plays its final three games at home this weekend as it hosts Texas at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase tickets to the game by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=BSBSGT&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.<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;

⚾️ Kansas comeback falls short at Mizzou

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Mya Williams and Natalie Payne signed letters of intent Tuesday.

Williams finished her career at Hutchinson Community College as the program's second-leading scorer all-time (1,163 points). She came close to Kalani Purcell's all-time record of 1,176 career points.

Williams announced Tuesday that her next stop is Georgia State University in Atlanta. The Panthers finished last season 12-21.

Williams finished her Blue Dragon career with a program-best 17.6 points per game.

Natalie Payne announced she would be joining former Blue Dragon scoring leader Heather Robben.

Heather Hurt (née Robben) finished her Dragon career as the all-time points leader in 2010, before Jamie Patrick (1,098 points), Kalani Purcell (1,176) and Mya Williams (1,163) etched their names on the list.

Hurt played at Wichita State before becoming an assistant coach at East Central University (Ada, Oklahoma). Hurt was just named the new head coach of the Tigers after serving as the interim last season.

The Tigers are coming off an 11-16 campaign.

Payne averaged 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Hutchinson. She shot 43.3% from the field and 33.3% from distance last season.

Both Williams and Payne cited coaches and team size as the perfect fit for their new destinations.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683057963011.jpeg" alt="Mya Williams (left) and Natalie Payne (right) signed letters of intent Tuesday." />
 <figcaption>Mya Williams (left) and Natalie Payne (right) signed letters of intent Tuesday.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Mya Williams and Natalie Payne signed letters of intent Tuesday.Williams finished her career at Hutchinson Community College as the program's second-leading scorer all-time (1,163 points). She came close to Kalani Purcell's all-time record of 1,176 career points.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683058098244.jpeg" alt="Mya Williams signed with Georgia State University.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Mya Williams signed with Georgia State University.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Williams announced Tuesday that her next stop is Georgia State University in Atlanta. The Panthers finished last season 12-21.Williams finished her Blue Dragon career with a program-best 17.6 points per game.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683058143281.jpeg" alt="Natalie Payne signed with East Central University (OK)." />
 <figcaption>Natalie Payne signed with East Central University (OK).</figcaption>
 </figure>Natalie Payne announced she would be joining former Blue Dragon scoring leader Heather Robben.Heather Hurt (née Robben) finished her Dragon career as the all-time points leader in 2010, before Jamie Patrick (1,098 points), Kalani Purcell (1,176) and Mya Williams (1,163) etched their names on the list.Hurt played at Wichita State before becoming an assistant coach at East Central University (Ada, Oklahoma). Hurt was just named the new head coach of the Tigers after serving as the interim last season.The Tigers are coming off an 11-16 campaign.Payne averaged 4.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Hutchinson. She shot 43.3% from the field and 33.3% from distance last season.Both Williams and Payne cited coaches and team size as the perfect fit for their new destinations.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;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;

🏀 WBB: Williams, Payne sign LOIs

HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The Hutchinson Salthawks baseball team will return to Hobart-Detter Field&nbsp; to host the Goddard Eisenhower Tigers on Tuesday, May 2nd. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m.

The Salthawks are off to an 0-12 start following two road losses and a rain out last week, while the Tigers are 12-2 on the season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682966498679.png" alt="GameDay vs Goddard Eisenhower, Tuesday May 2nd" />
 <figcaption>GameDay vs Goddard Eisenhower, Tuesday May 2nd</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— The Hutchinson Salthawks baseball team will return to Hobart-Detter Field&nbsp; to host the Goddard Eisenhower Tigers on Tuesday, May 2nd. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m.The Salthawks are off to an 0-12 start following two road losses and a rain out last week, while the Tigers are 12-2 on the season.This broadcast will be video only.<div><iframe src="https://player.nfhsnetwork.com/#/events/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks/gam8bd99880e3" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" width="640" height="360"></iframe>

</div><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;

⚾🎥 WATCH: Salthawk Baseball hosts Goddard Eisenhower

UNDATED (AP) — The 2024 NFL draft class could quickly transform losers into winners. With a full season of college football still to be played, two future franchise quarterbacks are already being penciled into the top of draft boards: Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams of Southern California and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Things can change, of course, but barring injuries the top prospects in 2024 should include the two QBs, a wider receiver with Hall of Fame bloodlines, a couple of foundational left tackles and several Alabama defensive players.

UNDATED (AP) — The spring transfer window for college football players is now closed. Colorado saw 52 scholarship players enter the transfer portal since Deion Sanders was hired as head coach in December. More than 40 of them did so over the past three weeks. That is unprecedented turnover even in a new era of loosened transfer rules.

BOSTON (AP) — James Harden matched his playoff career high with 45 points and hit a go-ahead, step-back 3-pointer over Al Horford with 8.7 seconds left as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied without Joel Embiid to beat the Boston Celtics 119-115 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Tobias Harris finished with 18 for the Sixers, who made 17 3-pointers in the absence of MVP finalist Embiid, who sat sat out with a sprained right knee. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 23 points. Boston hosts Game 2 on Wednesday night.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It’s LeBron vs. Steph on the big stage, Take Five. Except this time it's a slightly different look in the playoffs two of the game’s greatest players. Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and these Warriors have never faced LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs — even if they’re plenty familiar with James himself. The Warriors faced James' Cleveland Cavaliers in four straight Finals from 2015-18. Game 1 in this best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series is on the Warriors’ home floor Tuesday night — Golden State is the sixth seed and the Lakers No. 7.

UNDATED (AP) — The first round of the NHL playoffs is usually chaotic. This year is no exception. The Stanley Cup favorite, the defending NHL champion and the team that made three consecutive trips to the final are all out. After winning a playoff series for the first time since 2004, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now favored to win its first championship since 1967. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers also have a chance to come out of the West in another bid to end Canada's 30-year Cup drought.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Akira Schmid rebounded from his only bad game and made 31 saves in Game 7 to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 victory over the New York Rangers Monday night in an entertaining first-round playoff series. Michael McLeod and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals in the series decider and Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt added insurance goals in game between the long-time Hudson River rivals. Coming off a franchise best 52-win season, the Devils will open the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday against the Metropolitan Division-winning Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Todd Pletcher-trained colt Forte and Brad Cox's filly Wet Paint are the morning line favorites respectively for the 149th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Forte, the 2-year-old champion whose 190 points led the Derby qualifying trail, drew the No. 15 post at 3-1 odds on Monday for the $3 million premier race for 3-year-olds. Stablemate Tapit Trice is the 5-1 second choice after drawing the No. 5 post, with Cox’s Angel of Empire the 8-1 third choice after drawing the No. 14 post. Wet Paint drew the No. 7 post for the Oaks at 5-2 odds.

NEW YORK (AP) — Batting average for left-handed hitters was up 13 percentage points through the first full month of the season, an impact of baseball’s new rule changes. Average time of a nine-inning game is 2 hours, 37 minutes, down from 3:05 at the same point last year. Stolen bases rose 40% to their highest level in nearly a quarter-century and scoring increased by 1.1 runs per game. Pitch clock violations averaged 0.74. The big league batting average was .248 through 425 games. Lefties hit .242, up from .229 through April last year. Righties are hitting .250, up from .234.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is about to start his first game for his new team — the Yokohama BayStars. Bauer was shunned by major league baseball after claims of domestic violence and sexual assault. He was eligible to play this year in the MLB but no team would take a chance. His past has not followed him to Japan where he's a minor celebrity with Yokohama fans hoping he can bring the team its first championship in 25 years. A local department store will unveil a massive poster of Bauer to promote his first game.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, 160 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The two-time National League MVP indicated on Instagram that an appointment with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday went well and that he was cleared to return. The Phillies arrived in Los Angeles overnight to begin a three-game series against the Dodgers on Monday. ESPN was the first to report that Harper was cleared. The return would complete a stunning recovery for Harper. The Phillies said when Harper had surgery on Nov. 23 that he was expected to return around the All-Star break in mid-July.

Final Philadelphia 119 Boston 115, Phily leads 1-0

Final Denver 97 Phoenix 87, Denver leads 2-0

Final New Jersey 4 N-Y Rangers 0, New Jersey wins series 4-3

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681297613631.jpeg" alt="Sports Hnd, 2023eadlines for Tuesday, May 2" />
 <figcaption>Sports Hnd, 2023eadlines for Tuesday, May 2</figcaption>
 </figure>UNDATED (AP) — The 2024 NFL draft class could quickly transform losers into winners. With a full season of college football still to be played, two future franchise quarterbacks are already being penciled into the top of draft boards: Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams of Southern California and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Things can change, of course, but barring injuries the top prospects in 2024 should include the two QBs, a wider receiver with Hall of Fame bloodlines, a couple of foundational left tackles and several Alabama defensive players.UNDATED (AP) — The spring transfer window for college football players is now closed. Colorado saw 52 scholarship players enter the transfer portal since Deion Sanders was hired as head coach in December. More than 40 of them did so over the past three weeks. That is unprecedented turnover even in a new era of loosened transfer rules.BOSTON (AP) — James Harden matched his playoff career high with 45 points and hit a go-ahead, step-back 3-pointer over Al Horford with 8.7 seconds left as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied without Joel Embiid to beat the Boston Celtics 119-115 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal. Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and Tobias Harris finished with 18 for the Sixers, who made 17 3-pointers in the absence of MVP finalist Embiid, who sat sat out with a sprained right knee. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 23 points. Boston hosts Game 2 on Wednesday night.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It’s LeBron vs. Steph on the big stage, Take Five. Except this time it's a slightly different look in the playoffs two of the game’s greatest players. Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and these Warriors have never faced LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs — even if they’re plenty familiar with James himself. The Warriors faced James' Cleveland Cavaliers in four straight Finals from 2015-18. Game 1 in this best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series is on the Warriors’ home floor Tuesday night — Golden State is the sixth seed and the Lakers No. 7.UNDATED (AP) — The first round of the NHL playoffs is usually chaotic. This year is no exception. The Stanley Cup favorite, the defending NHL champion and the team that made three consecutive trips to the final are all out. After winning a playoff series for the first time since 2004, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now favored to win its first championship since 1967. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers also have a chance to come out of the West in another bid to end Canada's 30-year Cup drought.NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Akira Schmid rebounded from his only bad game and made 31 saves in Game 7 to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 victory over the New York Rangers Monday night in an entertaining first-round playoff series. Michael McLeod and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals in the series decider and Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt added insurance goals in game between the long-time Hudson River rivals. Coming off a franchise best 52-win season, the Devils will open the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday against the Metropolitan Division-winning Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Todd Pletcher-trained colt Forte and Brad Cox's filly Wet Paint are the morning line favorites respectively for the 149th Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Forte, the 2-year-old champion whose 190 points led the Derby qualifying trail, drew the No. 15 post at 3-1 odds on Monday for the $3 million premier race for 3-year-olds. Stablemate Tapit Trice is the 5-1 second choice after drawing the No. 5 post, with Cox’s Angel of Empire the 8-1 third choice after drawing the No. 14 post. Wet Paint drew the No. 7 post for the Oaks at 5-2 odds.NEW YORK (AP) — Batting average for left-handed hitters was up 13 percentage points through the first full month of the season, an impact of baseball’s new rule changes. Average time of a nine-inning game is 2 hours, 37 minutes, down from 3:05 at the same point last year. Stolen bases rose 40% to their highest level in nearly a quarter-century and scoring increased by 1.1 runs per game. Pitch clock violations averaged 0.74. The big league batting average was .248 through 425 games. Lefties hit .242, up from .229 through April last year. Righties are hitting .250, up from .234.YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer is about to start his first game for his new team — the Yokohama BayStars. Bauer was shunned by major league baseball after claims of domestic violence and sexual assault. He was eligible to play this year in the MLB but no team would take a chance. His past has not followed him to Japan where he's a minor celebrity with Yokohama fans hoping he can bring the team its first championship in 25 years. A local department store will unveil a massive poster of Bauer to promote his first game.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, 160 days after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The two-time National League MVP indicated on Instagram that an appointment with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Monday went well and that he was cleared to return. The Phillies arrived in Los Angeles overnight to begin a three-game series against the Dodgers on Monday. ESPN was the first to report that Harper was cleared. The return would complete a stunning recovery for Harper. The Phillies said when Harper had surgery on Nov. 23 that he was expected to return around the All-Star break in mid-July.MONDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal Houston 7 San Francisco 3AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Cleveland 3 N.Y. Yankees 2Final Boston 6 Toronto 5NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Atlanta 9 N.Y. Mets 8Final N.Y. Mets 5 Atlanta 3Final Chicago Cubs 5 Washington 1Final San Diego 8 Cincinnati 3Final L.A. Dodgers 13 Philadelphia 4NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal Philadelphia 119 Boston 115, Phily leads 1-0Final Denver 97 Phoenix 87, Denver leads 2-0NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal New Jersey 4 N-Y Rangers 0, New Jersey wins series 4-3<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 Tuesday

<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=30a5558913&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Bracket</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=25c96ccadb&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Photo and Video Assets</a>&nbsp;

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Ranked No. 25 in the country, Kansas women’s tennis was selected to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, marking Kansas 13th&nbsp;NCAA Tournament all-time. The Jayhawks will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on Charlotte (22-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. &nbsp; This year’s tournament appearance marks the sixth time the Jayhawks have been selected for the NCAA Tournament under head coach Todd Chapman and the 13th time in program history. Kansas appeared in last year’s NCAA Tournament in Stanford, California, where the Jayhawks fell in the first round to UC-Santa Barbara, 4-3. &nbsp; The winner of the match between Kansas and Charlotte will take on the winner of No. 3 NC State (23-4) and South Carolina State (12-7). &nbsp; Kansas enters is 13th&nbsp;NCAA Tournament with a 14-7 overall record, highlighted by ranked wins over #75 Missouri, #44 SMU, #22 Old Dominion, #62 West Virginia, #53 Baylor and #68 Tulsa. The Jayhawks finished the season with a 4-6 record in Big 12 Conference play, 8-3 record at home, 5-2 on the road and 1-2 in neutral matches. &nbsp; Following the conclusion of the Big 12 Championship, Kansas’ Malkia Ngounoue and Heike Janse Van Vuuren earned All-Big 12 honors with Ngounoue named All-Big 12 First Team in singles, the pair was named All-Big 12 Second Team in doubles and Van Vuuren earned All-Freshman Team honors. &nbsp; Ngounoue led the Jayhawks on No. 1 singles with a 12-6 dual record during the 2023 season. Redshirt sophomore Maria Titova played on No. 2 singles with a 7-6 record, while Roxana Manu compiled a 10-6 record in No. 3 singles. &nbsp; Ngounoue and Van Vuuren partnered to an 11-5 dual record at No. 1 doubles during the 2023 season, including 5-2 in conference play. Titova and freshman Tamari Gagoshidze paired for a 6-9 dual record at No. 2 doubles. &nbsp; Charlotte enters its first NCAA Tournament appearance after a 22-6 record during the 2023 season. Coached by head coach Anthony Davidson, the 49ers won 146 singles matches throughout the 2023 season, along with 83 doubles matches, the most in program history. &nbsp; After the Regional Championships, Super Regional play will commence to determine the eight teams who will earn their spot into the NCAA National Championships which will be held at the USTA National Campus from May 17-27.

<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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682999105860.jpeg" alt="KU tennis is selected to play in NCAA Tourney" />
 <figcaption>KU tennis is selected to play in NCAA Tourney</figcaption>
 </figure>Via KU Sports<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=30a5558913&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Bracket</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=25c96ccadb&amp;e=33e05464a3" target="_blank">Photo and Video Assets</a>&nbsp;LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Ranked No. 25 in the country, Kansas women’s tennis was selected to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, marking Kansas 13th&nbsp;NCAA Tournament all-time. The Jayhawks will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on Charlotte (22-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. &nbsp; This year’s tournament appearance marks the sixth time the Jayhawks have been selected for the NCAA Tournament under head coach Todd Chapman and the 13th time in program history. Kansas appeared in last year’s NCAA Tournament in Stanford, California, where the Jayhawks fell in the first round to UC-Santa Barbara, 4-3. &nbsp; The winner of the match between Kansas and Charlotte will take on the winner of No. 3 NC State (23-4) and South Carolina State (12-7). &nbsp; Kansas enters is 13th&nbsp;NCAA Tournament with a 14-7 overall record, highlighted by ranked wins over #75 Missouri, #44 SMU, #22 Old Dominion, #62 West Virginia, #53 Baylor and #68 Tulsa. The Jayhawks finished the season with a 4-6 record in Big 12 Conference play, 8-3 record at home, 5-2 on the road and 1-2 in neutral matches. &nbsp; Following the conclusion of the Big 12 Championship, Kansas’ Malkia Ngounoue and Heike Janse Van Vuuren earned All-Big 12 honors with Ngounoue named All-Big 12 First Team in singles, the pair was named All-Big 12 Second Team in doubles and Van Vuuren earned All-Freshman Team honors. &nbsp; Ngounoue led the Jayhawks on No. 1 singles with a 12-6 dual record during the 2023 season. Redshirt sophomore Maria Titova played on No. 2 singles with a 7-6 record, while Roxana Manu compiled a 10-6 record in No. 3 singles. &nbsp; Ngounoue and Van Vuuren partnered to an 11-5 dual record at No. 1 doubles during the 2023 season, including 5-2 in conference play. Titova and freshman Tamari Gagoshidze paired for a 6-9 dual record at No. 2 doubles. &nbsp; Charlotte enters its first NCAA Tournament appearance after a 22-6 record during the 2023 season. Coached by head coach Anthony Davidson, the 49ers won 146 singles matches throughout the 2023 season, along with 83 doubles matches, the most in program history. &nbsp; After the Regional Championships, Super Regional play will commence to determine the eight teams who will earn their spot into the NCAA National Championships which will be held at the USTA National Campus from May 17-27.<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;

🎾 Kansas selected to NCAA Tournament, to play Charlotte in first round

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;-- Wichita State sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/payton-tolle/7456">Payton Tolle</a>&nbsp;was selected to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll, the conference announced Monday. This is the fourth weekly honor of the season for Tolle, who was named Player of the Week on March 6 and April 24 and to the Honor Roll on March 20. Tolle put together yet another quality start in Saturday's win over Memphis, striking out nine while issuing just one walk. He allowed a run on three hits in the second inning, but bounced back with five scoreless frames while the Shocker offense took control. Tolle improved to 8-1 on the season to go along with a 3.37 ERA that ranks third in the American Athletic Conference. He leads the circuit with 66.2 IP and the eight wins while holding opponents to a .217 batting average, and ranks third with 75 strikeouts.

At the plate, Tolle went 5-for-10 with two doubles and two home runs for the week, including homers on both Friday and Sunday of the Memphis series. He is now hitting .331 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI, tied for fourth-most in the conference. Tolle and the Shockers are back in action on Tuesday against Kansas State. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682974663034.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;-- Wichita State sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/baseball/roster/payton-tolle/7456">Payton Tolle</a>&nbsp;was selected to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll, the conference announced Monday. This is the fourth weekly honor of the season for Tolle, who was named Player of the Week on March 6 and April 24 and to the Honor Roll on March 20. Tolle put together yet another quality start in Saturday's win over Memphis, striking out nine while issuing just one walk. He allowed a run on three hits in the second inning, but bounced back with five scoreless frames while the Shocker offense took control. Tolle improved to 8-1 on the season to go along with a 3.37 ERA that ranks third in the American Athletic Conference. He leads the circuit with 66.2 IP and the eight wins while holding opponents to a .217 batting average, and ranks third with 75 strikeouts. At the plate, Tolle went 5-for-10 with two doubles and two home runs for the week, including homers on both Friday and Sunday of the Memphis series. He is now hitting .331 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI, tied for fourth-most in the conference. Tolle and the Shockers are back in action on Tuesday against Kansas State. First pitch from Eck Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Tolle tabbed to AAC Weekly Honor Roll

WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Pitcher&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;were named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Howell was 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 8.0 innings against Tulsa over the weekend. She allowed only two runs on four hits, while striking out four. In Saturday's 17-2 win, Howell tossed a complete game, surrendering two runs on three hits. She finished the weekend, recording a win in 3.0 innings of shutout relief on Sunday. McKinney went 7-for-10 at the plate against Tulsa, scoring six runs, driving in a pair and stealing three bases. The Player of the Year candidate went 4-for-5 in the opener with a double and three runs scored. In Saturday's win, McKinney was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. She finished the series with a perfect bunt single to spearhead the Shockers' comeback win, eventually coming around to score the game-tying run. Wichita State concludes the regular season on Wednesday at Kansas with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Player of the Week Vivian Ponn, Sr., UTL/RHP, South Florida Pitcher of the Week Sarah Willis, Jr., RHP, UCF Honor Roll Kennedy Searcy, Jr., UTL, UCF Bailee Wilson, Sr., INF, East Carolina Gabriella Nori, Sr., LHP, South Florida <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>, Jr., RHP, Wichita State <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>, Sr., SS, Wichita State&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682974555696.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Pitcher&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>&nbsp;were named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll on Monday. Howell was 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 8.0 innings against Tulsa over the weekend. She allowed only two runs on four hits, while striking out four. In Saturday's 17-2 win, Howell tossed a complete game, surrendering two runs on three hits. She finished the weekend, recording a win in 3.0 innings of shutout relief on Sunday. McKinney went 7-for-10 at the plate against Tulsa, scoring six runs, driving in a pair and stealing three bases. The Player of the Year candidate went 4-for-5 in the opener with a double and three runs scored. In Saturday's win, McKinney was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. She finished the series with a perfect bunt single to spearhead the Shockers' comeback win, eventually coming around to score the game-tying run. Wichita State concludes the regular season on Wednesday at Kansas with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPN+. Player of the Week Vivian Ponn, Sr., UTL/RHP, South Florida Pitcher of the Week Sarah Willis, Jr., RHP, UCF Honor Roll Kennedy Searcy, Jr., UTL, UCF Bailee Wilson, Sr., INF, East Carolina Gabriella Nori, Sr., LHP, South Florida <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/lauren-howell/7244">Lauren Howell</a>, Jr., RHP, Wichita State <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236">Sydney McKinney</a>, Sr., SS, Wichita State&nbsp;&nbsp;

🥎 Howell, McKinney grab spots on AAC Weekly Honor Roll

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Officials from The Basketball Tournament (TBT) announced on Monday that the Wichita regional will expand to 16 teams this summer and will be called a Super Regional.&nbsp;

TBT is a 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event on ESPN will be held in Wichita July 20 through July 25 at Charles Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University.

One of the teams that is scheduled to partake in the Wichita Super Regional is an alumni team from the University of Kansas, called "Mass Street".

The Jayhawks have not had an alumni team participate in the event since 2019. The "Self Made" team lost in the first round of the Wichita regional.

The Mass Street team announced it's first four team members on Monday. The team will be coached by twins Markieff and Marcus Morris, while Tyshawn Taylor and Keith Langford are both scheduled to play in the event.

More information regarding the TBT can be found <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e318b5ab-02ba-4105-b7a3-08ac33f841f6">here</a>.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;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>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682960966642.jpeg" alt="Tyshawn Taylor is scheduled to play in the TBT for Mass Street. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/Reuters)" />
 <figcaption>Tyshawn Taylor is scheduled to play in the TBT for Mass Street. (Photo: Jeff Haynes/Reuters)</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Officials from The Basketball Tournament (TBT) announced on Monday that the Wichita regional will expand to 16 teams this summer and will be called a Super Regional.&nbsp;TBT is a 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event on ESPN will be held in Wichita July 20 through July 25 at Charles Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University.One of the teams that is scheduled to partake in the Wichita Super Regional is an alumni team from the University of Kansas, called "Mass Street".The Jayhawks have not had an alumni team participate in the event since 2019. The "Self Made" team lost in the first round of the Wichita regional.The Mass Street team announced it's first four team members on Monday. The team will be coached by twins Markieff and Marcus Morris, while Tyshawn Taylor and Keith Langford are both scheduled to play in the event.More information regarding the TBT can be found <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e318b5ab-02ba-4105-b7a3-08ac33f841f6">here</a>.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;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;

🏀 KU alumni team to compete in TBT Wichita regional

CHARLOTTE, N.C.&nbsp;—&nbsp;The 2025 NJCAA Division&nbsp;I&nbsp;Outdoor Track &amp; Field&nbsp;Championships&nbsp;will be hosted by&nbsp;Hutchinson Community&nbsp;College as announced by the NJCAA.   &nbsp;

Hutchinson&nbsp;will host the&nbsp;three-day&nbsp;national&nbsp;meet&nbsp;at&nbsp;Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, KS, from May&nbsp;15-17, 2025.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons&nbsp;most recently&nbsp;hosted the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championship in 2022.&nbsp;

"The NJCAA is excited for the DI&nbsp;Outdoor&nbsp;Track &amp;&nbsp;Field&nbsp;Championship to be held in&nbsp;Hutchinson&nbsp;for another great national&nbsp;meet,"&nbsp;stated&nbsp;Brian Luckett, NJCAA Senior Vice President for External Affairs &amp; Development. "The NJCAA has a long history with Hutchinson and the surrounding&nbsp;community,&nbsp;and we look forward to&nbsp;continuing to make strides in&nbsp;providing&nbsp;a premier&nbsp;championship experience."&nbsp;

The 2023 NJCAA Division I&nbsp;Outdoor Track &amp; Field&nbsp;Championship will be held&nbsp;in Hobbs, New Mexico&nbsp;from May&nbsp;18-20.  &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682951385250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C.&nbsp;—&nbsp;The 2025 NJCAA Division&nbsp;I&nbsp;Outdoor Track &amp; Field&nbsp;Championships&nbsp;will be hosted by&nbsp;Hutchinson Community&nbsp;College as announced by the NJCAA.   &nbsp;Hutchinson&nbsp;will host the&nbsp;three-day&nbsp;national&nbsp;meet&nbsp;at&nbsp;Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, KS, from May&nbsp;15-17, 2025.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons&nbsp;most recently&nbsp;hosted the NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championship in 2022.&nbsp;"The NJCAA is excited for the DI&nbsp;Outdoor&nbsp;Track &amp;&nbsp;Field&nbsp;Championship to be held in&nbsp;Hutchinson&nbsp;for another great national&nbsp;meet,"&nbsp;stated&nbsp;Brian Luckett, NJCAA Senior Vice President for External Affairs &amp; Development. "The NJCAA has a long history with Hutchinson and the surrounding&nbsp;community,&nbsp;and we look forward to&nbsp;continuing to make strides in&nbsp;providing&nbsp;a premier&nbsp;championship experience."&nbsp;The 2023 NJCAA Division I&nbsp;Outdoor Track &amp; Field&nbsp;Championship will be held&nbsp;in Hobbs, New Mexico&nbsp;from May&nbsp;18-20.  &nbsp;<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;

👟 Hutch to host NJCAA championship

WICHITA, Kan. — The "Kardiac Kings" were at it again Sunday night at Koch Arena in Wichita. This time, it took double overtime to get the win.

The Wichita Sky Kings went toe-to-toe with the central division-leading Potawatomi Fire to finally win 138-133 in double OT.

Wichita (14-4) lost eight days ago to the Fire at home 105-90 after trailing by only two points going into the final quarter. No fourth-quarter failure to launch this time around as the Sky Kings erased a four-point deficit to tie the game at 115 by the end of regulation. The hero this time around was Jachai Simmon, who had a put-back basket off a Julian Winton missed shot with .02 seconds remaining. Simmons, who had a career-high 36 points on the night going 13-of-21 and 7-for-13 from long range, was outstanding all night long. Simmons also had nine rebounds, just missing a double-double.

Brandon Watkins, coming off the bench to replace the injured Isaac Johnson late in the fourth quarter, had 20 points and seven boards, but fouled out late in the second overtime. Johnson had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds before the ankle injury took him out of the game.

Point guard Derrick Colter had a fantastic first half and finished the game with 19 points and five assists. Winton had 11, Terrell Brown 8, Matt Cerrutti added five, and D'Evon Andrews came off the bench to score four. McCants added four points plus 8 rebounds on the night.

The first overtime was back-and-forth, finishing the extra period tied at 126 with four ties and six lead changes.

Simmons connected on a three-pointer with 3:01 to go in the second overtime, but Potawatomi's Chuck Guy answered with a three of his own to tie it at 131 with 2:45 to play. The Fire surged ahead 133-131 after a Deshawn Munson layup with 1:14 remaining, but those would be the last points the Fire would score. Wichita's Kam Williams took over by going 5-of-6 from the foul stripe, plus a basket to put the game away in the final minute of play. Williams scored 14 points, had five rebounds and three assists.

The final minute of the second overtime was not without excitement. The Fire's Paul Harrison was fouled shooting a three by Johnny McCants with six seconds to play. Harrison failed to connect on any of the three free throws, allowing Williams to close out the game with his final free throws. Harrison actually missed his final free throw by slamming the ball off the backboard in an attempt to set up a game-tying three-point attempt.&nbsp;

KD Moore led the Fire with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Harrison scored 21. Terry Maston and Lyle Hexom each had 17.

The game was tied 22 times and had 27 lead changes.

Wichita actually held the lead for 30:16 to Potawatomi's 15:13.

The Sky Kings go to 14-4 on the season, in third place in the central division just behind Shreveport at 12-3. The loss was only Potawatomi's second of the season (13-2). The Fire's other loss was to the Enid Outlaws on March 26.

The Sky Kings play a home stand versus the Pearland (Texas) Warriors on May 5 and the Enid Outlaws on May 7 before going on a five-game road trip. Wichita returns home on May 28.

Wichita and Potawatomi will match up for the final time in the regular season on May 25 at Fire Lake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma. That game should be a dandy.

<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;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682944816427.png" alt="Jachai Simmons put-back basket to tie." />
 <figcaption>Jachai Simmons put-back basket to tie.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. — The "Kardiac Kings" were at it again Sunday night at Koch Arena in Wichita. This time, it took double overtime to get the win.The Wichita Sky Kings went toe-to-toe with the central division-leading Potawatomi Fire to finally win 138-133 in double OT.Wichita (14-4) lost eight days ago to the Fire at home 105-90 after trailing by only two points going into the final quarter. No fourth-quarter failure to launch this time around as the Sky Kings erased a four-point deficit to tie the game at 115 by the end of regulation. The hero this time around was Jachai Simmon, who had a put-back basket off a Julian Winton missed shot with .02 seconds remaining. Simmons, who had a career-high 36 points on the night going 13-of-21 and 7-for-13 from long range, was outstanding all night long. Simmons also had nine rebounds, just missing a double-double.Brandon Watkins, coming off the bench to replace the injured Isaac Johnson late in the fourth quarter, had 20 points and seven boards, but fouled out late in the second overtime. Johnson had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds before the ankle injury took him out of the game.Point guard Derrick Colter had a fantastic first half and finished the game with 19 points and five assists. Winton had 11, Terrell Brown 8, Matt Cerrutti added five, and D'Evon Andrews came off the bench to score four. McCants added four points plus 8 rebounds on the night.The first overtime was back-and-forth, finishing the extra period tied at 126 with four ties and six lead changes.Simmons connected on a three-pointer with 3:01 to go in the second overtime, but Potawatomi's Chuck Guy answered with a three of his own to tie it at 131 with 2:45 to play. The Fire surged ahead 133-131 after a Deshawn Munson layup with 1:14 remaining, but those would be the last points the Fire would score. Wichita's Kam Williams took over by going 5-of-6 from the foul stripe, plus a basket to put the game away in the final minute of play. Williams scored 14 points, had five rebounds and three assists.The final minute of the second overtime was not without excitement. The Fire's Paul Harrison was fouled shooting a three by Johnny McCants with six seconds to play. Harrison failed to connect on any of the three free throws, allowing Williams to close out the game with his final free throws. Harrison actually missed his final free throw by slamming the ball off the backboard in an attempt to set up a game-tying three-point attempt.&nbsp;KD Moore led the Fire with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Harrison scored 21. Terry Maston and Lyle Hexom each had 17.The game was tied 22 times and had 27 lead changes.Wichita actually held the lead for 30:16 to Potawatomi's 15:13.The Sky Kings go to 14-4 on the season, in third place in the central division just behind Shreveport at 12-3. The loss was only Potawatomi's second of the season (13-2). The Fire's other loss was to the Enid Outlaws on March 26.The Sky Kings play a home stand versus the Pearland (Texas) Warriors on May 5 and the Enid Outlaws on May 7 before going on a five-game road trip. Wichita returns home on May 28.Wichita and Potawatomi will match up for the final time in the regular season on May 25 at Fire Lake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma. That game should be a dandy.<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;

🏀 Wichita Sky Kings win thriller

Wichita, Kan. – Irving Lopez drilled the go ahead three run home run in the top of the ninth to deliver the Springfield Cardinals a 7-4 come from behind win on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals win the series taking four of six games.

Yoyner Fajardo extended his hitting streak to five games hitting a home run and going two for five in the contest. Yunior Severino picked up two more RBI for his team leading 15th&nbsp;of the season.

The Wind Surge started the scoring in the third inning with Severino’s two run double. The Cardinals Chandler Redmond hit his league leading eighth home run in the fourth inning to give Springfield the lead.

The teams were tied through eight innings when Lopez drilled the go-ahead home run. The Wind Surge stranded nine runners in the game and finished one for eight with runners in scoring position.

Blayne Enlow started and pitched five innings allowing three runs in a no decision. Andre Granillo pitched the final two innings and earned the win, Alex Scherff took the loss.

Wichita and Springfield are tied for fourth in the division with an identical 9-12 record.

NOTES – The Cardinals outscored the Wind Surge 56-39 in the six game series. Wichita placed outfielder Alerick Soulairie on the 7-day injured list on Sunday.

UPCOMING – The Wind Surge will hit the road on Tuesday for the start of a twelve game road trip. The Surge will start RH David Festa against RH Ronald Medrano at 11:05 AM.

BROADCAST: ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App, Windsurge.com.

NEXT HOME GAME: Tuesday, May 16 vs Arkansas Travelers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682937941902.jpeg" alt="Wind Surge 4-30.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Wind Surge 4-30.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita, Kan. – Irving Lopez drilled the go ahead three run home run in the top of the ninth to deliver the Springfield Cardinals a 7-4 come from behind win on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals win the series taking four of six games.Yoyner Fajardo extended his hitting streak to five games hitting a home run and going two for five in the contest. Yunior Severino picked up two more RBI for his team leading 15th&nbsp;of the season.The Wind Surge started the scoring in the third inning with Severino’s two run double. The Cardinals Chandler Redmond hit his league leading eighth home run in the fourth inning to give Springfield the lead.The teams were tied through eight innings when Lopez drilled the go-ahead home run. The Wind Surge stranded nine runners in the game and finished one for eight with runners in scoring position.Blayne Enlow started and pitched five innings allowing three runs in a no decision. Andre Granillo pitched the final two innings and earned the win, Alex Scherff took the loss.Wichita and Springfield are tied for fourth in the division with an identical 9-12 record.NOTES – The Cardinals outscored the Wind Surge 56-39 in the six game series. Wichita placed outfielder Alerick Soulairie on the 7-day injured list on Sunday.UPCOMING – The Wind Surge will hit the road on Tuesday for the start of a twelve game road trip. The Surge will start RH David Festa against RH Ronald Medrano at 11:05 AM.BROADCAST: ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, Milb First Pitch App, Windsurge.com.NEXT HOME GAME: Tuesday, May 16 vs Arkansas Travelers.<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;

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge lose Sunday, drop series

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run third inning, Sonny Gray kept rolling with six strong innings and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4. Gray allowed one run on five hits while striking out seven batters. Gray tied Ervin Santana in 2017 for the lowest ERA in the month of April in Twins history. Minnesota won three of the four games against Kansas City. Brady Singer lasted just 2 2/3 innings for the Royals, surrendering eight runs on five hits and three walks. The Royals’ 21 losses in April tie the club record for losses in any calendar month.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Noah Syndergaard got his first win in a Dodgers uniform and Los Angeles got some timely hits and took advantage of mistakes by St. Louis pitchers to defeat the reeling Cardinals 6-3. David Peralta drove in two runs for the Dodgers as they posted their first three-game series sweep of the season. Syndergaard allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. St. Louis was swept in a series for the second time this season and went 2-8 on its season-long 10-game road trip.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Two-time World Series winner and longtime St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon has died. He was 83. The Cardinals said he died Saturday night in St. Louis. The team did not cite the cause of death. Shannon spent 50 years in the broadcast booth. That followed a short stint in the front office and a nine-year playing career with his hometown team. Shannon was the regular right fielder for the 1964 championship team. He moved to third base in 1967 when St. Louis acquired Roger Maris and also won the World Series. Shannon retired after the 2021 season.

DENVER (AP) — C.J. Cron had three hits, including a three-run homer, Austin Gomber gave up one run over six innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-4 on Sunday to snap a seven-game home losing streak. With the win, the last-place Rockies avoided both their third sweep of the young season and tying the worst 29-game start in franchise history. The 12 runs were the most this season for Colorado, which came into the day with the fifth fewest runs in the majors.

HOUSTON (AP) — Star slugger Bryce Harper could return to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup as early as Tuesday if an exam on his surgically repaired right elbow goes well. On Monday in Los Angeles, the two-time National League MVP will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Tommy John surgery on Harper last November. Harper will learn if he’s cleared to play.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom is frustrated he’s landed on the injured list with right forearm tightness. He’s hoping the inflammation goes down in the next couple of days and he can resume throwing. DeGrom exited after 3 2/3 innings in his last start against the New York Yankees on Friday night. It's the second time in his past three starts that he left early with an injury. DeGrom signed a $185 million, five-year contract with the Rangers in December after leaving the New York Mets. He is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA over 30 1/3 innings in his first six starts with Texas. He’s taking a wait-and-see attitude on whether he’ll be ready to come off the IL when he’s eligible to return on May 14.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Texans got two of the best players in the NFL draft in the first three picks. The Eagles added three more defensive standouts from Georgia. While it takes two or three years to judge whether players panned out, it’s easy to identify the potential winners of the 2023 NFL draft. Houston selected quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and traded up to get Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. with the third pick. In a 10-minute span, the Texans added two players who could dramatically change the future of the franchise. Defending NFC champion Philadelphia needed to replenish the defense so it looked toward the two-time national champion Bulldogs.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points and answered time and again to will the defending champions on in their quest for a repeat, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Sacramento Kings 120-100 in the winner-take-all Game 7. Curry’s points are the most in NBA history in a Game 7, topping former teammate Kevin Durant’s 48 for the Nets against Milwaukee in 2021. The Warriors fell behind 2-0 in this series then won twice on the road in front of a hostile, cowbell-clanging crowd in the state capital to become the first reigning champion to drop the first two games and win any postseason series.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Butler had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat kept rolling after barely reaching the postseason, beating the New York Knicks 108-101 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Gabe Vincent scored 20 points for the Heat, who became the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 when they toppled Milwaukee in the first round. They continue to look nothing like a team that needed to win a play-in game just to get the final postseason berth in the East. RJ Barrett scored 26 points and Jalen Brunson had 25 for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who were without Julius Randle.

BOSTON (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner at 8:35 of overtime to lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 Game 7 victory and eliminate the record-setting Boston Bruins from the playoffs. Brandon Montour tied it with 1 minute left in regulation to force the overtime. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves as the Panthers won three in a row after falling behind 3-1 in the series. They advance in the postseason for just the second time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. They will open the second round against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Tuesday night. Boston rallied from a two-goal deficit to take a 3-2 lead. The Bruins set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points in the regular season but become the second Presidents’ Trophy winner in five years to lose in the first round.

DENVER (AP) — Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, Philipp Grubauer was stellar in stopping 33 shots and the Seattle Kraken eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 win in Game 7. The Kraken became the first expansion team to beat the reigning champs in their inaugural playoff series, according to NHL Stats. Bjorkstrand scored one goal off a fortuitous deflection — the puck hit off a stick and glove — and another with a liner past goaltender Alexandar Georgiev that clanged off the post. Seattle grabbed the lead in every game in the series. Next up for the second-year Kraken is a second-round series against Dallas. Colorado has now lost its last six Game 7s.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Police say the 2-year-old daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett drowned in a swimming pool at the family’s home. Officers responding to a call that a child had fallen into a pool were sent to Barrett’s home Sunday morning. The football player’s youngest child, Arrayah, was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Police said an investigation is ongoing but the drowning “is not believed to be suspicious in nature at this time.” Barrett and his wife, Jordanna, have three other children.

Atlanta at N-Y Mets 4:40 p.m. (Postponed)

Final Miami 108 New York 101, Miami leads series 1 - 0

Final Golden State 120 Sacramento 100, Golden State wins series 4 – 3

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681297613631.jpeg" alt="Sports Headlines for Monday Morning, May 1st, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines for Monday Morning, May 1st, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run third inning, Sonny Gray kept rolling with six strong innings and the Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4. Gray allowed one run on five hits while striking out seven batters. Gray tied Ervin Santana in 2017 for the lowest ERA in the month of April in Twins history. Minnesota won three of the four games against Kansas City. Brady Singer lasted just 2 2/3 innings for the Royals, surrendering eight runs on five hits and three walks. The Royals’ 21 losses in April tie the club record for losses in any calendar month.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Noah Syndergaard got his first win in a Dodgers uniform and Los Angeles got some timely hits and took advantage of mistakes by St. Louis pitchers to defeat the reeling Cardinals 6-3. David Peralta drove in two runs for the Dodgers as they posted their first three-game series sweep of the season. Syndergaard allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. St. Louis was swept in a series for the second time this season and went 2-8 on its season-long 10-game road trip.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Two-time World Series winner and longtime St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon has died. He was 83. The Cardinals said he died Saturday night in St. Louis. The team did not cite the cause of death. Shannon spent 50 years in the broadcast booth. That followed a short stint in the front office and a nine-year playing career with his hometown team. Shannon was the regular right fielder for the 1964 championship team. He moved to third base in 1967 when St. Louis acquired Roger Maris and also won the World Series. Shannon retired after the 2021 season.DENVER (AP) — C.J. Cron had three hits, including a three-run homer, Austin Gomber gave up one run over six innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-4 on Sunday to snap a seven-game home losing streak. With the win, the last-place Rockies avoided both their third sweep of the young season and tying the worst 29-game start in franchise history. The 12 runs were the most this season for Colorado, which came into the day with the fifth fewest runs in the majors.HOUSTON (AP) — Star slugger Bryce Harper could return to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup as early as Tuesday if an exam on his surgically repaired right elbow goes well. On Monday in Los Angeles, the two-time National League MVP will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Tommy John surgery on Harper last November. Harper will learn if he’s cleared to play.ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom is frustrated he’s landed on the injured list with right forearm tightness. He’s hoping the inflammation goes down in the next couple of days and he can resume throwing. DeGrom exited after 3 2/3 innings in his last start against the New York Yankees on Friday night. It's the second time in his past three starts that he left early with an injury. DeGrom signed a $185 million, five-year contract with the Rangers in December after leaving the New York Mets. He is 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA over 30 1/3 innings in his first six starts with Texas. He’s taking a wait-and-see attitude on whether he’ll be ready to come off the IL when he’s eligible to return on May 14.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Texans got two of the best players in the NFL draft in the first three picks. The Eagles added three more defensive standouts from Georgia. While it takes two or three years to judge whether players panned out, it’s easy to identify the potential winners of the 2023 NFL draft. Houston selected quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and traded up to get Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. with the third pick. In a 10-minute span, the Texans added two players who could dramatically change the future of the franchise. Defending NFC champion Philadelphia needed to replenish the defense so it looked toward the two-time national champion Bulldogs.SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points and answered time and again to will the defending champions on in their quest for a repeat, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Sacramento Kings 120-100 in the winner-take-all Game 7. Curry’s points are the most in NBA history in a Game 7, topping former teammate Kevin Durant’s 48 for the Nets against Milwaukee in 2021. The Warriors fell behind 2-0 in this series then won twice on the road in front of a hostile, cowbell-clanging crowd in the state capital to become the first reigning champion to drop the first two games and win any postseason series.NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Butler had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat kept rolling after barely reaching the postseason, beating the New York Knicks 108-101 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Gabe Vincent scored 20 points for the Heat, who became the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 when they toppled Milwaukee in the first round. They continue to look nothing like a team that needed to win a play-in game just to get the final postseason berth in the East. RJ Barrett scored 26 points and Jalen Brunson had 25 for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who were without Julius Randle.BOSTON (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner at 8:35 of overtime to lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 Game 7 victory and eliminate the record-setting Boston Bruins from the playoffs. Brandon Montour tied it with 1 minute left in regulation to force the overtime. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves as the Panthers won three in a row after falling behind 3-1 in the series. They advance in the postseason for just the second time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. They will open the second round against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Tuesday night. Boston rallied from a two-goal deficit to take a 3-2 lead. The Bruins set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points in the regular season but become the second Presidents’ Trophy winner in five years to lose in the first round.DENVER (AP) — Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, Philipp Grubauer was stellar in stopping 33 shots and the Seattle Kraken eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 win in Game 7. The Kraken became the first expansion team to beat the reigning champs in their inaugural playoff series, according to NHL Stats. Bjorkstrand scored one goal off a fortuitous deflection — the puck hit off a stick and glove — and another with a liner past goaltender Alexandar Georgiev that clanged off the post. Seattle grabbed the lead in every game in the series. Next up for the second-year Kraken is a second-round series against Dallas. Colorado has now lost its last six Game 7s.TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Police say the 2-year-old daughter of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett drowned in a swimming pool at the family’s home. Officers responding to a call that a child had fallen into a pool were sent to Barrett’s home Sunday morning. The football player’s youngest child, Arrayah, was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Police said an investigation is ongoing but the drowning “is not believed to be suspicious in nature at this time.” Barrett and his wife, Jordanna, have three other children.SUNDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal L.A. Angels 3 Milwaukee 0Final Oakland 5 Cincinnati 4Final Houston 4 Philadelphia 3AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Boston 7 Cleveland 1Final Baltimore 5 Detroit 3Final Seattle 10 Toronto 8Final Minnesota 8 Kansas City 4Final Texas 15 N.Y. Yankees 2Final Chicago White Sox 12 Tampa Bay 9NATIONAL LEAGUEAtlanta at N-Y Mets 4:40 p.m. (Postponed)Final Miami 4 Chicago Cubs 3Final Washington 7 Pittsburgh 2Final Colorado 12 Arizona 4Final L.A. Dodgers 6 St. Louis 3Final San Diego 6 San Francisco 4NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal Miami 108 New York 101, Miami leads series 1 - 0Final Golden State 120 Sacramento 100, Golden State wins series 4 – 3Monday, May 1Philadelphia at Boston, 7:30 p.m. - Game 1Phoenix at Denver, 10 p.m., Denver leads series 1-0NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal OT Florida 4 Boston 3, Florida wins series 4 - 3Final Seattle 2 Colorado 1, Seattle wins series 4 - 3Monday, May 1N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, 8 p.m. Series tied 3-3<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;