KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steven Kwan kept up an historic start to his big league career with a bases-loaded triple, Oscar Mercado added a two-run homer and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 10-7 to split their season-opening series Monday at Kaufman Stadium. 

Kwan became the first player in big league history to begin his career by reaching base at least three times in each of his first four games. He was 9 of 13 for the series, reaching base in 15 of 19 plate appearances. Logan Allen earned the win for with two scoreless innings of relief in his first appearance of the season. Jake Brentz took the loss for the Royals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Steven Kwan kept up an historic start to his big league career with a bases-loaded triple, Oscar Mercado added a two-run homer and the Cleveland Guardians beat Kansas City 10-7 to split their season-opening series Monday at Kaufman Stadium. Kwan became the first player in big league history to begin his career by reaching base at least three times in each of his first four games. He was 9 of 13 for the series, reaching base in 15 of 19 plate appearances. Logan Allen earned the win for with two scoreless innings of relief in his first appearance of the season. Jake Brentz took the loss for the Royals.

Royals lose Monday to Cleveland, now 2-2

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College wide receiver&nbsp;Malik Benson has listed the Florida Gators as one of the 11 teams he will ultimately decide between to carry out the remainder of his college football eligibility. Benson, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, is currently part of the 2023 recruiting class.

Last season, Benson hauled in 43 passes for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Blue Dragons. He currently has 22 Division I offers, including from Florida that he received on March 1, and is one of the more highly-coveted junior college receivers in the nation.

Benson has one more year at the JUCO level before jumping to the Division I level, but that shouldn't be an issue.

Along with the Gators, Benson listed Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee. That's seven different Southeastern Conference schools aside from Florida.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College wide receiver&nbsp;Malik Benson has listed the Florida Gators as one of the 11 teams he will ultimately decide between to carry out the remainder of his college football eligibility. Benson, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, is currently part of the 2023 recruiting class.Last season, Benson hauled in 43 passes for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Blue Dragons. He currently has 22 Division I offers, including from Florida that he received on March 1, and is one of the more highly-coveted junior college receivers in the nation.Benson has one more year at the JUCO level before jumping to the Division I level, but that shouldn't be an issue.Along with the Gators, Benson listed Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee. That's seven different Southeastern Conference schools aside from Florida.

HutchCC wide receiver Malik Benson includes Gators in his top 11

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🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Monday Morning

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians won for the first time with their new name as hot-starting rookie Steven Kwan went 5 for 5 in a 17-3 romp over the Kansas City Royals. 

Oscar Mercado hit a grand slam during a five-RBI performance and Owen Miller drove in a career-high four runs. Cleveland had lost its first two games since changing this season to the Guardians from the Indians, its name since 1915. 

Kwan had four singles and a double, was hit by a pitch and scored four runs. The 24-year-old outfielder made his major league debut on opening day and is 8 for 10 in three games so far. 

Mercado connected for his first career grand slam off Taylor Clarke in the first inning, capping a six-run burst.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians won for the first time with their new name as hot-starting rookie Steven Kwan went 5 for 5 in a 17-3 romp over the Kansas City Royals. Oscar Mercado hit a grand slam during a five-RBI performance and Owen Miller drove in a career-high four runs. Cleveland had lost its first two games since changing this season to the Guardians from the Indians, its name since 1915. Kwan had four singles and a double, was hit by a pitch and scored four runs. The 24-year-old outfielder made his major league debut on opening day and is 8 for 10 in three games so far. Mercado connected for his first career grand slam off Taylor Clarke in the first inning, capping a six-run burst.

Guardians find offense Sunday, win 17-3 over Royals

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/surge-slow-start-leads-to-another-loss">Via Windsurge.com</a>

Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers scored five first inning runs and despite the Wind Surge’s nine hits and tough plays by Spencer Steer and Austin Martin, the Surge were unable to bounce back in a 7-3 loss Sunday at Riverfront Stadium. Tulsa swept Wichita in the three game series.

Chris Vallimont made his first appearance of the season, throwing 35 pitches in the first inning. With two out on the board, Kody Funderburk came in for relief and finished the remainder of the first and threw through the middle of the fourth.

Austin Martin had a big day doubling in the first inning off the second pitch, thrown by Drillers starter John Rooney. Spencer Steer brought Martin home with an RBI double to center field.

Steer is a returning player for the Surge and smacked the first two hits of the day on Friday and Saturday. Steer came into Sunday’s matchup with seven appearances at bat and held a .429 slugging percentage.

The Drillers scored two more runs, one in the fourth and ninth. The Surge ended their scoring drought with an RBI from Andrew Bechtold. Following Bechtold, Cole Sturgeon took home on Chris Williams’s RBI sacrifice fly ball.

Wichita will travel to Springdale, Arkansas, to take on the Naturals Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/surge-slow-start-leads-to-another-loss">Via Windsurge.com</a>Wichita, KS – The Tulsa Drillers scored five first inning runs and despite the Wind Surge’s nine hits and tough plays by Spencer Steer and Austin Martin, the Surge were unable to bounce back in a 7-3 loss Sunday at Riverfront Stadium. Tulsa swept Wichita in the three game series.Chris Vallimont made his first appearance of the season, throwing 35 pitches in the first inning. With two out on the board, Kody Funderburk came in for relief and finished the remainder of the first and threw through the middle of the fourth.Austin Martin had a big day doubling in the first inning off the second pitch, thrown by Drillers starter John Rooney. Spencer Steer brought Martin home with an RBI double to center field.Steer is a returning player for the Surge and smacked the first two hits of the day on Friday and Saturday. Steer came into Sunday’s matchup with seven appearances at bat and held a .429 slugging percentage.The Drillers scored two more runs, one in the fourth and ninth. The Surge ended their scoring drought with an RBI from Andrew Bechtold. Following Bechtold, Cole Sturgeon took home on Chris Williams’s RBI sacrifice fly ball.Wichita will travel to Springdale, Arkansas, to take on the Naturals Tuesday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Wind Surge swept Sunday by Drillers

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals meet Sunday in MLB action at Kauffman Stadium. The Cleveland Guardians are still looking for their first win of the year. The Kansas City Royals look to get off to a quick 3-0 start.&nbsp; Cleveland Guardians (0-2) vs. Kansas City Royals (2-0) April 10, 2022 1:10 pm CDT Local Radio:&nbsp; <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW 1450am/98.5fm</a>

The Cleveland Guardians just can’t string together any offense, as they’ve been held to one run through their first 19 innings. The Guardians struck out 10 times in Saturday’s loss. The Guardians look to avoid their first 0-3 start since the 2009 season. Steven Kwan leads the Guardians with 3 hits, while Jose Ramirez and Myles Straw have combined for 4 hits and 1 RBI. Cal Quantrill gets the ball, and he was 8-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 121 strikeouts last season. Quantrill is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA and 16 strikeouts in his career against the Royals.

The Kansas City Royals have been dominant with their pitching through two games, allowing one run and striking out 15. The offense could pick up, but the Royals are off to a fabulous start overall. The Royals look for their first 3-0 start since 2015 when they won the World Series. Andrew Benintendi leads the Royals with 4 hits and 1 RBI, while Hunter Dozier and Nicky Lopez have combined for 4 hits and 1 RBI. Kris Bubic gets the ball, and he was 6-7 with a 4.43 ERA and 114 strikeouts last season. Bubic is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA and four strikeouts in his career against the Guardians.

The Guardians are 7-2 in their last 9 Sunday games and 9-4 in their last 13 during game 3 of a series. The Royals are 2-5 in their last 7 games as a home favorite and 4-1 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The under is 3-1-1 in Royals last 5 overall. The Guardians are 16-5 in the last 21 meetings in Kansas City and 14-5 in the last 19 meetings.

The Cleveland Guardians have the edge starting pitching wise with&nbsp;Cal Quantrill on the mound, but pitching hasn’t been the issue for them through two games. The&nbsp;Guardians can’t string together offense, and it’s to the point where you kind of have to see it to believe it.&nbsp;The Kansas City Royals are simply playing the better ball right now, and their bullpen has been incredible.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals meet Sunday in MLB action at Kauffman Stadium. The Cleveland Guardians are still looking for their first win of the year. The Kansas City Royals look to get off to a quick 3-0 start.&nbsp; Cleveland Guardians (0-2) vs. Kansas City Royals (2-0) April 10, 2022 1:10 pm CDT Local Radio:&nbsp; <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW 1450am/98.5fm</a>The Cleveland Guardians just can’t string together any offense, as they’ve been held to one run through their first 19 innings. The Guardians struck out 10 times in Saturday’s loss. The Guardians look to avoid their first 0-3 start since the 2009 season. Steven Kwan leads the Guardians with 3 hits, while Jose Ramirez and Myles Straw have combined for 4 hits and 1 RBI. Cal Quantrill gets the ball, and he was 8-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 121 strikeouts last season. Quantrill is 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA and 16 strikeouts in his career against the Royals.The Kansas City Royals have been dominant with their pitching through two games, allowing one run and striking out 15. The offense could pick up, but the Royals are off to a fabulous start overall. The Royals look for their first 3-0 start since 2015 when they won the World Series. Andrew Benintendi leads the Royals with 4 hits and 1 RBI, while Hunter Dozier and Nicky Lopez have combined for 4 hits and 1 RBI. Kris Bubic gets the ball, and he was 6-7 with a 4.43 ERA and 114 strikeouts last season. Bubic is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA and four strikeouts in his career against the Guardians.The Guardians are 7-2 in their last 9 Sunday games and 9-4 in their last 13 during game 3 of a series. The Royals are 2-5 in their last 7 games as a home favorite and 4-1 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The under is 3-1-1 in Royals last 5 overall. The Guardians are 16-5 in the last 21 meetings in Kansas City and 14-5 in the last 19 meetings.The Cleveland Guardians have the edge starting pitching wise with&nbsp;Cal Quantrill on the mound, but pitching hasn’t been the issue for them through two games. The&nbsp;Guardians can’t string together offense, and it’s to the point where you kind of have to see it to believe it.&nbsp;The Kansas City Royals are simply playing the better ball right now, and their bullpen has been incredible.

⚾️ Royals vs Guardians for game 3 of the opening series

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/wind-surge-lose-a-tough-one-in-extra-innings">Via Wichita Wind Surge</a>

Wichita, KS – Simeon Woods Richardson impressed through five and two third innings for the Wind Surge on Saturday night, but Tulsa rallied to defeat Wichita 3-2 in ten innings.

The two teams remained scoreless until the third inning. Left fielder DaShawn Keirsey took first base on a wild pitch from Clayton Beeter. Keirsey advanced to third on a stolen base and tagged from second base on a fly ball to right field. With Spencer Steer at the plate, he smacked a sacrifice ground ball bringing home Keirsey with an RBI.

After 5 ⅔ innings pitched from Simeon Woods-Richards, Austin Schulfer came’ in for relief in the seventh inning. With Driller, Justin Yurchak, on third, Schulfer allowed one run off a wild pitch. He threw a second wild pitch and allowed Carson Taylor to score an unearned run for the Drillers.

The two teams battled back and forth but remained scoreless until the tenth when Drillers Brandon Lewis brought in Kody Hoese with an RBI single.

With one out in the bottom of the 10th Austin Martin hit a fly ball to right center field. The ball was caught in the wind and resulted in a pop out to center fielder James Outman. Leobaldo Cabrera attempted to tag from second base and was called out on a close play at third, resulting in a double play ending the ball game.

NWichita will conclude their three-game series against Tulsa Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. at Riverfront Stadium. Starting pitcher for the Surge is Chris Vallimont and John Rooney takes the hill for the Drillers. 

<a href="https://www.milb.com/wichita/news/wind-surge-lose-a-tough-one-in-extra-innings">Via Wichita Wind Surge</a>Wichita, KS – Simeon Woods Richardson impressed through five and two third innings for the Wind Surge on Saturday night, but Tulsa rallied to defeat Wichita 3-2 in ten innings.The two teams remained scoreless until the third inning. Left fielder DaShawn Keirsey took first base on a wild pitch from Clayton Beeter. Keirsey advanced to third on a stolen base and tagged from second base on a fly ball to right field. With Spencer Steer at the plate, he smacked a sacrifice ground ball bringing home Keirsey with an RBI.After 5 ⅔ innings pitched from Simeon Woods-Richards, Austin Schulfer came’ in for relief in the seventh inning. With Driller, Justin Yurchak, on third, Schulfer allowed one run off a wild pitch. He threw a second wild pitch and allowed Carson Taylor to score an unearned run for the Drillers.The two teams battled back and forth but remained scoreless until the tenth when Drillers Brandon Lewis brought in Kody Hoese with an RBI single.With one out in the bottom of the 10th Austin Martin hit a fly ball to right center field. The ball was caught in the wind and resulted in a pop out to center fielder James Outman. Leobaldo Cabrera attempted to tag from second base and was called out on a close play at third, resulting in a double play ending the ball game.NWichita will conclude their three-game series against Tulsa Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. at Riverfront Stadium. Starting pitcher for the Surge is Chris Vallimont and John Rooney takes the hill for the Drillers.

Wind Surge lose in extra innings Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Prized rookie Bobby Witt Jr. made an eye-popping play at third base to nail a runner at the plate in the top of the 10th inning, then Adalberto Mondesi’s RBI single in the bottom half lifted the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 Saturday.

With a runner at third and one out in the Cleveland 10th, Oscar Mercado hit a hard grounder down the line that looked like it might break the scoreless tie.

But the 21-year-old Witt, the top-rated prospect in the majors, skidded onto his knees to make a backhanded stop. All in one motion, he made an off-balance throw home, where All-Star catcher Salvador Perez backhanded the ball on the second hop and made a swipe tag to get Owen Miller.

“(Collin) Snider was throwing that nasty sinker in there, so I knew there was a possibility of the ball coming to me,” Witt said. “I knew they’re going on contact, too.”

“The ball was hit to me and I just threw the ball. I knew I had to get it to Salvy because I knew he was going to make the play on it,” he said.

Kyle Isbel began the bottom half as the automatic runner at second base and moved to third on a single by Hunter Dozier. Mondesi followed with his single to center off Emmanuel Clase (0-1).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Prized rookie Bobby Witt Jr. made an eye-popping play at third base to nail a runner at the plate in the top of the 10th inning, then Adalberto Mondesi’s RBI single in the bottom half lifted the Kansas City Royals over the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 Saturday.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/en2O32knQM8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>With a runner at third and one out in the Cleveland 10th, Oscar Mercado hit a hard grounder down the line that looked like it might break the scoreless tie.But the 21-year-old Witt, the top-rated prospect in the majors, skidded onto his knees to make a backhanded stop. All in one motion, he made an off-balance throw home, where All-Star catcher Salvador Perez backhanded the ball on the second hop and made a swipe tag to get Owen Miller.“(Collin) Snider was throwing that nasty sinker in there, so I knew there was a possibility of the ball coming to me,” Witt said. “I knew they’re going on contact, too.”“The ball was hit to me and I just threw the ball. I knew I had to get it to Salvy because I knew he was going to make the play on it,” he said.Kyle Isbel began the bottom half as the automatic runner at second base and moved to third on a single by Hunter Dozier. Mondesi followed with his single to center off Emmanuel Clase (0-1).

Witt’s dazzling play in 10th helps Royals top Guardians 1-0

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians will meet in game 2 of the series today at 3:10pm.

Cleveland Guardians (0-1) vs. Kansas City Royals (1-0)

Kansas City, Missouri; Saturday, 3:10 p.m. CDT

Local Radio: <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW 1450am/98.5fm</a>

PITCHING PROBABLES: Guardians: Zach Plesac (0-0); Royals: Brad Keller (0-0)

LINE: Royals -122, Guardians +104; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals bring a 1-0 advantage into the latest game of the series against the Cleveland Guardians.

Kansas City had a 74-88 record overall and a 39-42 record in home games last season. The Royals batted .249 as a team in the 2021 season with a .702 OPS.

Cleveland went 80-82 overall and 40-41 on the road last season. The Guardians pitching staff had a collective 4.34 ERA last season while averaging 8.9 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine innings.

INJURIES: Royals: Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Guardians: James Karinchak: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Luke Maile: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Josh Naylor: 10-Day IL (leg), Carlos Vargas: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Cody Morris: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians will meet in game 2 of the series today at 3:10pm.Cleveland Guardians (0-1) vs. Kansas City Royals (1-0)Kansas City, Missouri; Saturday, 3:10 p.m. CDTLocal Radio: <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW 1450am/98.5fm</a>PITCHING PROBABLES: Guardians: Zach Plesac (0-0); Royals: Brad Keller (0-0)LINE: Royals -122, Guardians +104; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals bring a 1-0 advantage into the latest game of the series against the Cleveland Guardians.Kansas City had a 74-88 record overall and a 39-42 record in home games last season. The Royals batted .249 as a team in the 2021 season with a .702 OPS.Cleveland went 80-82 overall and 40-41 on the road last season. The Guardians pitching staff had a collective 4.34 ERA last season while averaging 8.9 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine innings.INJURIES: Royals: Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)Guardians: James Karinchak: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Luke Maile: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Josh Naylor: 10-Day IL (leg), Carlos Vargas: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Cody Morris: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Royals vs Guardians in game 2 of the series

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Baseball team was swept by Campus on Friday night at Hobart-Detter Field 11-2 and 14-0 in 5 innings.

Replay is available at <a href="https://www.salthawksports.com/">www.salthawksports.com</a>&nbsp;

Hutchinson (1-5) fell behind early in game one and couldn't come back in an 11-2 loss to Haysville Campus on Friday. Haysville Campus scored on a single by&nbsp;Jake Jost&nbsp;and a fielder's choice by&nbsp;Caleb Smith&nbsp;in the second inning.. Hutch lost despite out-hitting Haysville Campus ten to five. In the second inning, Haysville Campus got their offense started. Haysville Campus scored one run when&nbsp;Jost&nbsp;singled. Haysville Campus broke the game open by scoring six runs in the fifth inning.&nbsp;Ian Davis,&nbsp;Aidan Williams,&nbsp;Grady Clements, and&nbsp;Christian Sicard&nbsp;each drove in runs during the inning. Jacob Vulgamore&nbsp;was the winning pitcher for Haysville Campus. Vulgamore lasted six innings, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out six and walking zero.&nbsp;Kyan Caudillo&nbsp;threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.. Maliki Miller&nbsp;took the loss for&nbsp;the Salthawks . Miller surrendered four runs on one hit over two and two-thirds innings.. The Salthawks totaled ten hits in the game.&nbsp;Carter Morgan,&nbsp;Kinser Newquist&nbsp;, and&nbsp;Caiden Beavers&nbsp;each racked up multiple hits for&nbsp;Hutchinson.&nbsp; Beavers,&nbsp;Newquist&nbsp;, and&nbsp;Morgan&nbsp;each managed two hits to lead&nbsp;the Salthawks.

The Salthawks watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 14-0 loss to Haysville Campus in the 2nd game of the double header. Haysville Campus scored on an error, a walk by&nbsp;Jake Jost, a walk by&nbsp;Camden Stateler, and a single by&nbsp;Harley Buller&nbsp;in the first inning. Hutchinson struggled to put runs on the board and had a tough time defensively containing Campus, giving up 14 runs. Campus got things started in the first inning when an error scored one run for Haysville Campus.. One bright spot for&nbsp;Hutchinson was a single by&nbsp;Jax Heneha&nbsp;in the first inning. Aiden Wiseman&nbsp;was the winning pitcher for Haysville Campus. Wiseman allowed four hits and no runs over four innings, striking out two and walking one.&nbsp;Sam Johnson&nbsp;threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Caiden Beavers&nbsp;took the loss for&nbsp;Hutchinson Salthawks Varsity.&nbsp;Beavers&nbsp;surrendered eight runs on four hits over two and a third innings, striking out one. Heneha&nbsp;led&nbsp;Hutchinson with two hits in three at bats. Haysville Campus saw the ball well today, racking up 11 hits in the game.&nbsp;Aidan Williams,&nbsp;Buller, and&nbsp;Jacob Vulgamore&nbsp;each had multiple hits for Campus.&nbsp;

Next action for the Salthawks is next Tuesday, April 12th as they travel to Salina to take on Salina South for a double header match up beginning at 4pm from Dean Evans Stadium.

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The Hutchinson Salthawk Baseball team was swept by Campus on Friday night at Hobart-Detter Field 11-2 and 14-0 in 5 innings.Replay is available at <a href="https://www.salthawksports.com/">www.salthawksports.com</a>&nbsp;Game 1 recap-Hutchinson (1-5) fell behind early in game one and couldn't come back in an 11-2 loss to Haysville Campus on Friday. Haysville Campus scored on a single by&nbsp;Jake Jost&nbsp;and a fielder's choice by&nbsp;Caleb Smith&nbsp;in the second inning.. Hutch lost despite out-hitting Haysville Campus ten to five. In the second inning, Haysville Campus got their offense started. Haysville Campus scored one run when&nbsp;Jost&nbsp;singled. Haysville Campus broke the game open by scoring six runs in the fifth inning.&nbsp;Ian Davis,&nbsp;Aidan Williams,&nbsp;Grady Clements, and&nbsp;Christian Sicard&nbsp;each drove in runs during the inning. Jacob Vulgamore&nbsp;was the winning pitcher for Haysville Campus. Vulgamore lasted six innings, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out six and walking zero.&nbsp;Kyan Caudillo&nbsp;threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.. Maliki Miller&nbsp;took the loss for&nbsp;the Salthawks . Miller surrendered four runs on one hit over two and two-thirds innings.. The Salthawks totaled ten hits in the game.&nbsp;Carter Morgan,&nbsp;Kinser Newquist&nbsp;, and&nbsp;Caiden Beavers&nbsp;each racked up multiple hits for&nbsp;Hutchinson.&nbsp; Beavers,&nbsp;Newquist&nbsp;, and&nbsp;Morgan&nbsp;each managed two hits to lead&nbsp;the Salthawks.Game 2 recap-The Salthawks watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 14-0 loss to Haysville Campus in the 2nd game of the double header. Haysville Campus scored on an error, a walk by&nbsp;Jake Jost, a walk by&nbsp;Camden Stateler, and a single by&nbsp;Harley Buller&nbsp;in the first inning. Hutchinson struggled to put runs on the board and had a tough time defensively containing Campus, giving up 14 runs. Campus got things started in the first inning when an error scored one run for Haysville Campus.. One bright spot for&nbsp;Hutchinson was a single by&nbsp;Jax Heneha&nbsp;in the first inning. Aiden Wiseman&nbsp;was the winning pitcher for Haysville Campus. Wiseman allowed four hits and no runs over four innings, striking out two and walking one.&nbsp;Sam Johnson&nbsp;threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. Caiden Beavers&nbsp;took the loss for&nbsp;Hutchinson Salthawks Varsity.&nbsp;Beavers&nbsp;surrendered eight runs on four hits over two and a third innings, striking out one. Heneha&nbsp;led&nbsp;Hutchinson with two hits in three at bats. Haysville Campus saw the ball well today, racking up 11 hits in the game.&nbsp;Aidan Williams,&nbsp;Buller, and&nbsp;Jacob Vulgamore&nbsp;each had multiple hits for Campus.&nbsp;Next action for the Salthawks is next Tuesday, April 12th as they travel to Salina to take on Salina South for a double header match up beginning at 4pm from Dean Evans Stadium.

Hutch High Baseball swept by Campus

<a href="https://www.milb.com/tulsa/news/pages-drillers-top-surge-for-season-opening-win">From Tulsa Drillers website</a>

WICHITA — Last season, Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Andy Pages won High-A Central League Player of the Year honors after hitting 31 homers and collecting 88 RBI with the Great Lakes Loons. If Friday night’s 2022 Double-A opener is any indication, he might be in the conversation at the end of this season for the same award in the Texas League. Pages finished with two hits and three runs batted in to lead the Tulsa Drillers to a 5-4 victory over the Wind Surge at Wichita’s Riverfront Stadium.

The five runs were just enough offensive support for Driller starting pitcher Gus Varland and four Tulsa relievers. Varland allowed just one hit in 4.1 shutout innings, striking out five Wichita batters. The outing was longer than any outing he had in 14 starts for the Drillers last season.

Tulsa wasted little time in plating its first run of the season. Leadoff batter James Outman singled to open the game, and Michael Busch drew a walk. Pages followed and doubled on the second Double-A pitch that he saw, plating Outman to give the Drillers a quick 1-0 lead.

Pages was also involved in the game’s second run as he drew a walk to open the top of the third. After Justin Yurchak drew another walk, Pages scored on Ryan Ward’s first Double-A hit to make it 2-0.

Tulsa padded its lead further in the sixth inning. After Jacob Amaya doubled, Outman and Busch drew two-out walks to load the bases. Pages came through again with a two-run single that upped Tulsa’s lead to four runs. A single by Yurchak plated Busch and put the Drillers in front 5-0.

The five runs were just enough as Tulsa had to survive a late rally from the Wind Surge.

The shutout bid ended in the seventh inning when Tulsa reliever Nick Robertson gave up a pair of walks in front of a two-out, RBI single from Alex Isola.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the eighth as control issues again hurt Drillers pitchers. Guillermo Zuniga walked two more batters to set the stage for a three-run homer from Cole Sturgeon that cut Tulsa’s lead to just 5-4. The veteran Sturgeon, who has spent most of his career in the Boston Red Sox system, hit an opposite-field line drive off the left field foul pole for the home run.

Aaron Ochsenbein ended Wichita’s hopes of an opening night rally, striking out the side on only 12 pitches in the bottom of the ninth inning to close out the victory for the Drillers.

The Drillers will play the second game of their three-game, season-opening series in Wichita tonight. The pitching matchup will feature Tulsa RHP Clayton Beeter against Wind Surge RHP Woods Richardson. First pitch at Riverfront Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. 

<a href="https://www.milb.com/tulsa/news/pages-drillers-top-surge-for-season-opening-win">From Tulsa Drillers website</a>WICHITA — Last season, Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Andy Pages won High-A Central League Player of the Year honors after hitting 31 homers and collecting 88 RBI with the Great Lakes Loons. If Friday night’s 2022 Double-A opener is any indication, he might be in the conversation at the end of this season for the same award in the Texas League. Pages finished with two hits and three runs batted in to lead the Tulsa Drillers to a 5-4 victory over the Wind Surge at Wichita’s Riverfront Stadium.The five runs were just enough offensive support for Driller starting pitcher Gus Varland and four Tulsa relievers. Varland allowed just one hit in 4.1 shutout innings, striking out five Wichita batters. The outing was longer than any outing he had in 14 starts for the Drillers last season.Tulsa wasted little time in plating its first run of the season. Leadoff batter James Outman singled to open the game, and Michael Busch drew a walk. Pages followed and doubled on the second Double-A pitch that he saw, plating Outman to give the Drillers a quick 1-0 lead.Pages was also involved in the game’s second run as he drew a walk to open the top of the third. After Justin Yurchak drew another walk, Pages scored on Ryan Ward’s first Double-A hit to make it 2-0.Tulsa padded its lead further in the sixth inning. After Jacob Amaya doubled, Outman and Busch drew two-out walks to load the bases. Pages came through again with a two-run single that upped Tulsa’s lead to four runs. A single by Yurchak plated Busch and put the Drillers in front 5-0.The five runs were just enough as Tulsa had to survive a late rally from the Wind Surge.The shutout bid ended in the seventh inning when Tulsa reliever Nick Robertson gave up a pair of walks in front of a two-out, RBI single from Alex Isola.Things got interesting in the bottom of the eighth as control issues again hurt Drillers pitchers. Guillermo Zuniga walked two more batters to set the stage for a three-run homer from Cole Sturgeon that cut Tulsa’s lead to just 5-4. The veteran Sturgeon, who has spent most of his career in the Boston Red Sox system, hit an opposite-field line drive off the left field foul pole for the home run.Aaron Ochsenbein ended Wichita’s hopes of an opening night rally, striking out the side on only 12 pitches in the bottom of the ninth inning to close out the victory for the Drillers.The Drillers will play the second game of their three-game, season-opening series in Wichita tonight. The pitching matchup will feature Tulsa RHP Clayton Beeter against Wind Surge RHP Woods Richardson. First pitch at Riverfront Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

Drillers win over Wind Surge in season opener in Wichita

KANSAS CITY —

Derrick Gore&nbsp;officially signed his exclusive rights contract tender Thursday, which will keep him with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/">Chiefs</a>&nbsp;this season.&nbsp;

The 27-year-old Gore saw the first regular-season action of his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl">NFL</a>&nbsp;career in 2021, registering 51 carries for 256 yards and two touchdowns along with 21 receptions for 80 yards in 11 contests,&nbsp; as Clyde Edwards-Helaire battled injuries last year.

KANSAS CITY —

Derrick Gore&nbsp;officially signed his exclusive rights contract tender Thursday, which will keep him with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/">Chiefs</a>&nbsp;this season.&nbsp; The 27-year-old Gore saw the first regular-season action of his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl">NFL</a>&nbsp;career in 2021, registering 51 carries for 256 yards and two touchdowns along with 21 receptions for 80 yards in 11 contests,&nbsp; as Clyde Edwards-Helaire battled injuries last year.

Derrick Gore will be a Chief in 2022

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

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright pitched six scoreless innings, Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five, and the St. Louis Cardinals celebrated Albert Pujols' return with a 9-0 season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yadier Molina threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first game of his final big league season, and Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman also homered for the Cardinals, who won the managerial debut of 35-year-old Oliver Marmol. Paul Goldschmidt drew four straight walks, the first player to do that on opening day since Manny Ramírez in 2002. The Pirates had just six hits and lost budding star Ke'Bryan Hayes to left forearm spasms in the first inning.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. capped his highly anticipated big league debut with his first hit, a go-ahead double with two outs in the eighth inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the rechristened Cleveland Guardians. Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt after his clutch hit, giving Royals reliever Scott Barlow a cushion. And after a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on the corners in the ninth to end it. In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens on a cold day at Kauffman Stadium.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ville Husso made 28 saves to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. The Blues have won three in a row and recorded points in six straight games with a 5-0-1 mark. Robert Thomas, Justin Faulk, Ryan O'Reilly and Jordan Kyrou scored for St. Louis, which won all three games against Seattle this season. Jordan Eberle scored for the Kraken. Chris Driedger made 32 saves. St. Louis outscored Seattle 11-2 in the three wins. Husso was in the net for all three victories and stopped 86 of 88 shots.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods played pretty well at the Masters on Thursday. Sungjae Im was a little better.

Im opened with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke lead over Cameron Smith at Augusta National. He recovered from a pair of bogeys with a 12-foot eagle putt on the 13th and added a late birdie. Smith opened and closed with double bogeys, but he also had eight birdies.

Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson are two shots back, as are Danny Willett and Joaquin Niemann.

Woods had three birdies and two bogeys in a 1-under 71 that leaves him tied for 10th. It was his first competitive round since shattering a leg in a car accident 14 months ago.

UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have moved into second place in the NBA's Eastern Conference with a 127-121 win over the No. 3 Celtics.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH'-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON'-poh) and Jrue Holiday each scored 29 points for the Bucks, who closed on a 9-0 run to pull a half-game ahead of Boston. Khris Middleton had 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo also had 11 rebounds and five assists.

Milwaukee withstood a triple-double from Jaylen Brown, who had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Marcus Smart paced the Celtics with a season-high 29 points, shooting 7 of 12 from 3-point range.

Checking out Thursday's other NBA action:

— The Warriors earned their third straight win since a four-game skid as Klay Thompson scored 33 points with six 3-pointers in a 128-112 decision over the Lakers. Jordan Poole added 19 points and a career-high 11 assists for Golden State. Talen Horton-Tucker scored a career-high 40 points on 15-for-28 shooting to lead a Lakers team missing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook.

— Pascal Siakam (see-A'-kam) recorded his third career triple-double and Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points as the Raptors won for the seventh time in eight games, 119-114 over the 76ers. Siakam had 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, shooting 14 of 28 from the field. Precious Achiuwa (ah-CHOO'-ah) scored 20 points and made a career-high five 3-pointers to help Toronto win without the injured Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby (AN'-oo-noh-bee).

— The Nuggets clinched a playoff berth with a 122-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies behind 35 points from Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH'-lah YOH'-kihch) and 22 from Aaron Gordon. Jokic's 13-foot spinner jumper sparked a 20-3 run that he capped with a layup, turning an early 10-point deficit into a 34-28 lead. Gordon had 20 points by the time the Nuggets took a 70-53 cushion into halftime.

— Anthony Edwards poured in a career-high 49 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 with 13 rebounds as the Timberwolves tripped the Spurs, 127-121. Edwards' big output came on 16-of-28 shooting and 6 of 14 from 3-point range. The second-year guard took over in the second half, making big shot after big shot to fend off the Spurs.

— The Hornets stopped a two-game skid as LaMelo Ball had 26 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 128-101 thrashing of the Magic. Terry Rozier added 22 points as Charlotte pulled within one game of the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets, who are tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with two games remaining. The win assures Charlotte its first non-losing season since 2015-16.

— The Pelicans blew past the Trail Blazers, 127-94 as CJ McCollum scored 23 points in 29 minutes against his former team. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH'-nuhs val-ehn-CHOO'-nuhs) returned from a sore right ankle to score 14 points in 21 minutes for the Pelicans, who were without leading scorer Brandon Ingram (right hamstring). None of the Pelicans' starters played 30 minutes as they handed Portland its ninth straight loss.

Nets waive James Johnson, open roster spot before postseason

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have waived veteran forward James Johnson, opening a roster spot ahead of the postseason.

The move would allow the Nets to convert Kessler Edwards' two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, making him eligible for the postseason. The second-round pick has become a regular part of the rotation.

UNDATED (AP) — The defending World Series champs have stumbled out of the gate.

Tyler Mahle (MA'-lee) allowed only an unearned run in five innings to outpitch Max Fried (freed) in Cincinnati's 6-3 downing of the Braves in Atlanta. Mahle was sharp in his first opening day start, allowing only three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Brandon Drury hit a three-run homer off Collin McHugh in the reliever's first appearance for the Braves.

Fried was reached for five runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Austin Riley hit a two-run homer for Atlanta off right-hander Dauri Moreta in the eighth.

— Bobby Witt Jr's first major league hit was an RBI double that broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning of the Royals' 3-1 win over Cleveland. He also scored the insurance run and Nick Lopez had an RBI for Kansas City. In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke (GREHN'-kee) dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens.

— Ian Happ had three hits, including a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning of the Cubs' 5-4 win over the Brewers. Nico Hoerner hit the majors' first homer of 2022 and Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki reached three times and scored in his first big league game.

— Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in five to lead the St. Louis Cardinals' 9-0 rout of Pittsburgh. Adam Wainwright allowed just five hits over six innings of his sixth opening day start and first since 2016.

— The Mets are a major league-best 40-21 in season openers after Tyler Megill (meh-GIHL') threw five shutout innings to lead a 5-1 win over the Nationals. New York became the first team to get scoreless outings from their starters on opening day in four consecutive seasons. Mets newcomers Starling Marte and Mark Canha (KAN'-ah) each drove in a run.

— Seth Beer launched a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the Diamondbacks over the Padres, 4-2. Beer's blast spoiled a stellar outing by San Diego's Yu Darvish, who threw six no-hit innings before being pulled leading 2-0 after six innings and 92 pitches.

— The Astros earned a 3-1 win over the Angels as Framber Valdez outpitched Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) with 6 2-3 innings of two-hit ball. Alex Bregman had an early RBI single and a late homer as the Astros won their major league record-tying 10th straight season opener.

Scherzer `good to go' for his Mets debut Friday

UNDATED (AP) — Max Scherzer says he is "good to go" for his New York Mets debut in Friday's second game of the season against the Washington Nationals.

This is Scherzer's return to Nationals Park after he played 6 1/2 seasons with Washington and helped the club win the 2019 World Series. The three-time Cy Young Award winner developed a problem with his right hamstring late in spring training camp in Florida and there had been some uncertainty about when he would be able to make his first appearance of the regular season.

—The Pirates and 25-year-old third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes have come to terms on a new eight-year, $70 million deal pending a physical. Hayes was limited to 96 games last year due to a left wrist injury.

— The Twins have acquired right-handed pitchers Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán from the Padres for All-Star left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker. The Twins also will receive a player to be named later and the Padres will get $6.6 million in cash under terms of the deal.

— Astros All-Star closer Ryan Pressly has signed a two-year, $30 million contract through 2024, a deal that includes a one-year vested option. Pressly was named to his second All-Star Game last season and finished with a career-best 2.25 ERA in 64 appearances, recording a career-high 26 saves in 28 opportunities.

— The Guardians have announced their five-year, $20 million contract with Emmanuel Clase. The 24-year-old closer was dominant in 71 appearances as a rookie last season, striking out 74 in just 69 2/3 innings while recording 24 saves with a paltry 1.29 ERA.

— The White Sox expect third baseman Yoán Moncada to miss the first three weeks of the season because of a strained right oblique. The team placed Moncada on the 10-day injured list on Thursday. Moncada batted .263 with 14 homers and 61 RBIs last season.

— The Cubs have placed right-hander Alec Mills, left-hander Wade Miley and shortstop Andrelton Simmons on the 10-day injured list. Mills has a low back strain, and Miley is dealing with left elbow inflammation. Simmons is working through right shoulder inflammation. Each IL stint was made retroactive to Monday.

— The mother of a boy accidentally hit in the head with a baseball thrown by an Angels pitcher warming up before a game has filed a lawsuit against the team. Lawyers say the boy was walking in the stands before a game when he was struck by a ball that a pitcher threw to a teammate who missed the catch.

— Winners of the Roberto Clemente Award will wear his No. 21 on the back of their caps for the rest of their major league careers. Major League Baseball called it a special tribute to Clemente's enduring legacy. Thursday's announcement on opening day was timed for the 50th anniversary of the year in which the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer from Puerto Rico died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian relief effort in Nicaragua.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Gonzaga junior forward Drew Timme (TIH'-mee) has announced his intention to declare for the NBA draft, but did not indicate if he would hire an agent.

Timme was the West Coast Conference player of the year this past season for the Bulldogs and a second-team AP All-America selection after averaging 18.4 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Timme started to emerge as a potential force late in his freshman season, but broke out during the 2020-21 season when Gonzaga reached the national championship game before losing to Baylor.

Canes stay atop division, Rangers keep pace

UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers remain separated by two points atop the NHL's Metropolitan Division.

The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth and stayed atop the division by downing the Sabres, 5-3. Carolina trailed 2-0 before Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal each scored twice. Aho's tiebreaking goal came with 8:21 remaining, putting the Canes at 100 points for the second time in franchise history.

The Rangers are 6-1-1 in their last eight games following a 3-0 win over the Penguins. Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin (ahr-TEH'-mee pah-NAH'-rihn) scored in the second period to back Igor Shesterkin (shehs-TUR'-kihn), who stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season.

Tristan Jarry had 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five and is eight points behind the Hurricanes.

— Auston Matthews broke the Toronto season goals record with Nos. 55 and 56, the second giving the Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Stars. Matthews had tied Rick Vaive's (vyvz) 40-year-old team mark of 54 goals two games earlier. Tyler Seguin (SAY'-gihn) scored his 21st goal for the Stars, who remain in the Western Conference's second wild-card spot.

— Connor McDavid leads the league with 109 points after netting his career-high 42nd goal and collecting an assist in the Oilers' 3-2 win over the Kings. Evan Bouchard also had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who have won six straight to take a three-point lead over the Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.

— Elias (eh-LEE'-uhs) Lindholm scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk (kah-CHUHK') added a goal and two assists as the Flames doubled up the Sharks, 4-2 to stay six points ahead of second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division. Trevor Lewis also scored in Calgary's third straight win.

— Roman Josi (YOH'-see) had a goal and two assists for the Predators in a 3-2 win over the Senators. Ottawa led, 2-1 in the third period until Josi and Ryan Johansen tallied. Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN') had Nashville's other goal and Juuse Saros (YOO'-see SAH'-rohs) made 28 saves.

— Philadelphia was a 4-1 winner against the Blue Jackets as Kevin Connauton, Owen Tippett and Noah Cates scored in the Flyers' three-goal second period. Travis Konecny (kah-NEHK'-nee) added a third-period goal, Martin Jones stopped 26 shots and Kevin Hayes had a pair of assists in the victory.

— Bo Horvat (HOHR'-vat) and Alex Chiasson (CHAY'-sahn) each had two goals and an assist to carry the Canucks past the Coyotes, 5-1. Elias (eh-LEE'-uhs) Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who have won two straight and earned five points in their last three games.

— Philipp Grubauer made 29 saves for Seattle's second shutout, 2-0 versus the Blackhawks. Alex Wennberg scored his 10th goal in the second period and Jordan Eberle added his 18th late in the third to seal it.

— Kale Clague and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and two assists in the Canadiens' 7-4 win over the Devils. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist as a part of a three-goal first period.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson stepping down after 19 seasons

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is stepping down after 19 seasons on the job.

The team announced Joe Will remains interim GM until a full-time replacement can be found. Will has been running the team's hockey operations since Wilson went on medical leave in late November.

San Jose made the playoffs 14 times with Wilson in charge and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.

2 more Black coaches sue NFL alleging racial discrimination

UNDATED (AP) — Two Black coaches have joined Brian Flores in his lawsuit alleging racist hiring practices by the NFL toward coaches and general managers. The updated lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court adds coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton.

Wilks alleges he was discriminated against by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Horton claims he was subjected to discriminatory treatment when he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coach position in January 2016.

— Stefon Diggs officially signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Bills through 2027. Diggs had 103 receptions for 1,225 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns, one season after leading the league in catches and receiving yards.

<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright pitched six scoreless innings, Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five, and the St. Louis Cardinals celebrated Albert Pujols' return with a 9-0 season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yadier Molina threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first game of his final big league season, and Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman also homered for the Cardinals, who won the managerial debut of 35-year-old Oliver Marmol. Paul Goldschmidt drew four straight walks, the first player to do that on opening day since Manny Ramírez in 2002. The Pirates had just six hits and lost budding star Ke'Bryan Hayes to left forearm spasms in the first inning.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. capped his highly anticipated big league debut with his first hit, a go-ahead double with two outs in the eighth inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the rechristened Cleveland Guardians. Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt after his clutch hit, giving Royals reliever Scott Barlow a cushion. And after a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on the corners in the ninth to end it. In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens on a cold day at Kauffman Stadium.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ville Husso made 28 saves to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. The Blues have won three in a row and recorded points in six straight games with a 5-0-1 mark. Robert Thomas, Justin Faulk, Ryan O'Reilly and Jordan Kyrou scored for St. Louis, which won all three games against Seattle this season. Jordan Eberle scored for the Kraken. Chris Driedger made 32 saves. St. Louis outscored Seattle 11-2 in the three wins. Husso was in the net for all three victories and stopped 86 of 88 shots.<h2>Update on the latest sports</h2>PGA-MASTERSIm leads, Woods plays wellAUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods played pretty well at the Masters on Thursday. Sungjae Im was a little better.Im opened with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke lead over Cameron Smith at Augusta National. He recovered from a pair of bogeys with a 12-foot eagle putt on the 13th and added a late birdie. Smith opened and closed with double bogeys, but he also had eight birdies.Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson are two shots back, as are Danny Willett and Joaquin Niemann.Woods had three birdies and two bogeys in a 1-under 71 that leaves him tied for 10th. It was his first competitive round since shattering a leg in a car accident 14 months ago.NBA-SCHEDULEBucks pass Celtics for No. 2 in EastUNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have moved into second place in the NBA's Eastern Conference with a 127-121 win over the No. 3 Celtics.Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH'-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON'-poh) and Jrue Holiday each scored 29 points for the Bucks, who closed on a 9-0 run to pull a half-game ahead of Boston. Khris Middleton had 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo also had 11 rebounds and five assists.Milwaukee withstood a triple-double from Jaylen Brown, who had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Marcus Smart paced the Celtics with a season-high 29 points, shooting 7 of 12 from 3-point range.Checking out Thursday's other NBA action:— The Warriors earned their third straight win since a four-game skid as Klay Thompson scored 33 points with six 3-pointers in a 128-112 decision over the Lakers. Jordan Poole added 19 points and a career-high 11 assists for Golden State. Talen Horton-Tucker scored a career-high 40 points on 15-for-28 shooting to lead a Lakers team missing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook.— Pascal Siakam (see-A'-kam) recorded his third career triple-double and Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points as the Raptors won for the seventh time in eight games, 119-114 over the 76ers. Siakam had 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, shooting 14 of 28 from the field. Precious Achiuwa (ah-CHOO'-ah) scored 20 points and made a career-high five 3-pointers to help Toronto win without the injured Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby (AN'-oo-noh-bee).— The Nuggets clinched a playoff berth with a 122-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies behind 35 points from Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH'-lah YOH'-kihch) and 22 from Aaron Gordon. Jokic's 13-foot spinner jumper sparked a 20-3 run that he capped with a layup, turning an early 10-point deficit into a 34-28 lead. Gordon had 20 points by the time the Nuggets took a 70-53 cushion into halftime.— Anthony Edwards poured in a career-high 49 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 with 13 rebounds as the Timberwolves tripped the Spurs, 127-121. Edwards' big output came on 16-of-28 shooting and 6 of 14 from 3-point range. The second-year guard took over in the second half, making big shot after big shot to fend off the Spurs.— The Hornets stopped a two-game skid as LaMelo Ball had 26 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 128-101 thrashing of the Magic. Terry Rozier added 22 points as Charlotte pulled within one game of the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets, who are tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings with two games remaining. The win assures Charlotte its first non-losing season since 2015-16.— The Pelicans blew past the Trail Blazers, 127-94 as CJ McCollum scored 23 points in 29 minutes against his former team. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH'-nuhs val-ehn-CHOO'-nuhs) returned from a sore right ankle to score 14 points in 21 minutes for the Pelicans, who were without leading scorer Brandon Ingram (right hamstring). None of the Pelicans' starters played 30 minutes as they handed Portland its ninth straight loss.NBA-NETS MOVENets waive James Johnson, open roster spot before postseasonNEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have waived veteran forward James Johnson, opening a roster spot ahead of the postseason.The move would allow the Nets to convert Kessler Edwards' two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, making him eligible for the postseason. The second-round pick has become a regular part of the rotation.MLB-SCHEDULEReds beat champs in openerUNDATED (AP) — The defending World Series champs have stumbled out of the gate.Tyler Mahle (MA'-lee) allowed only an unearned run in five innings to outpitch Max Fried (freed) in Cincinnati's 6-3 downing of the Braves in Atlanta. Mahle was sharp in his first opening day start, allowing only three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.Brandon Drury hit a three-run homer off Collin McHugh in the reliever's first appearance for the Braves.Fried was reached for five runs over 5 2/3 innings.Austin Riley hit a two-run homer for Atlanta off right-hander Dauri Moreta in the eighth.Also in the majors:— Bobby Witt Jr's first major league hit was an RBI double that broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning of the Royals' 3-1 win over Cleveland. He also scored the insurance run and Nick Lopez had an RBI for Kansas City. In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke (GREHN'-kee) dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens.— Ian Happ had three hits, including a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning of the Cubs' 5-4 win over the Brewers. Nico Hoerner hit the majors' first homer of 2022 and Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki reached three times and scored in his first big league game.— Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in five to lead the St. Louis Cardinals' 9-0 rout of Pittsburgh. Adam Wainwright allowed just five hits over six innings of his sixth opening day start and first since 2016.— The Mets are a major league-best 40-21 in season openers after Tyler Megill (meh-GIHL') threw five shutout innings to lead a 5-1 win over the Nationals. New York became the first team to get scoreless outings from their starters on opening day in four consecutive seasons. Mets newcomers Starling Marte and Mark Canha (KAN'-ah) each drove in a run.— Seth Beer launched a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the Diamondbacks over the Padres, 4-2. Beer's blast spoiled a stellar outing by San Diego's Yu Darvish, who threw six no-hit innings before being pulled leading 2-0 after six innings and 92 pitches.— The Astros earned a 3-1 win over the Angels as Framber Valdez outpitched Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) with 6 2-3 innings of two-hit ball. Alex Bregman had an early RBI single and a late homer as the Astros won their major league record-tying 10th straight season opener.MLB-NEWSScherzer `good to go' for his Mets debut FridayUNDATED (AP) — Max Scherzer says he is "good to go" for his New York Mets debut in Friday's second game of the season against the Washington Nationals.This is Scherzer's return to Nationals Park after he played 6 1/2 seasons with Washington and helped the club win the 2019 World Series. The three-time Cy Young Award winner developed a problem with his right hamstring late in spring training camp in Florida and there had been some uncertainty about when he would be able to make his first appearance of the regular season.In other MLB news:—The Pirates and 25-year-old third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes have come to terms on a new eight-year, $70 million deal pending a physical. Hayes was limited to 96 games last year due to a left wrist injury.— The Twins have acquired right-handed pitchers Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán from the Padres for All-Star left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker. The Twins also will receive a player to be named later and the Padres will get $6.6 million in cash under terms of the deal.— Astros All-Star closer Ryan Pressly has signed a two-year, $30 million contract through 2024, a deal that includes a one-year vested option. Pressly was named to his second All-Star Game last season and finished with a career-best 2.25 ERA in 64 appearances, recording a career-high 26 saves in 28 opportunities.— The Guardians have announced their five-year, $20 million contract with Emmanuel Clase. The 24-year-old closer was dominant in 71 appearances as a rookie last season, striking out 74 in just 69 2/3 innings while recording 24 saves with a paltry 1.29 ERA.— The White Sox expect third baseman Yoán Moncada to miss the first three weeks of the season because of a strained right oblique. The team placed Moncada on the 10-day injured list on Thursday. Moncada batted .263 with 14 homers and 61 RBIs last season.— The Cubs have placed right-hander Alec Mills, left-hander Wade Miley and shortstop Andrelton Simmons on the 10-day injured list. Mills has a low back strain, and Miley is dealing with left elbow inflammation. Simmons is working through right shoulder inflammation. Each IL stint was made retroactive to Monday.— The mother of a boy accidentally hit in the head with a baseball thrown by an Angels pitcher warming up before a game has filed a lawsuit against the team. Lawyers say the boy was walking in the stands before a game when he was struck by a ball that a pitcher threw to a teammate who missed the catch.— Winners of the Roberto Clemente Award will wear his No. 21 on the back of their caps for the rest of their major league careers. Major League Baseball called it a special tribute to Clemente's enduring legacy. Thursday's announcement on opening day was timed for the 50th anniversary of the year in which the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer from Puerto Rico died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian relief effort in Nicaragua.COLLEGE BASKETBALL-GONZAGA-TIMMETimme to test draft watersSPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Gonzaga junior forward Drew Timme (TIH'-mee) has announced his intention to declare for the NBA draft, but did not indicate if he would hire an agent.Timme was the West Coast Conference player of the year this past season for the Bulldogs and a second-team AP All-America selection after averaging 18.4 points and 6.8 rebounds.Timme started to emerge as a potential force late in his freshman season, but broke out during the 2020-21 season when Gonzaga reached the national championship game before losing to Baylor.NHL-SCHEDULECanes stay atop division, Rangers keep paceUNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers remain separated by two points atop the NHL's Metropolitan Division.The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth and stayed atop the division by downing the Sabres, 5-3. Carolina trailed 2-0 before Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal each scored twice. Aho's tiebreaking goal came with 8:21 remaining, putting the Canes at 100 points for the second time in franchise history.The Rangers are 6-1-1 in their last eight games following a 3-0 win over the Penguins. Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin (ahr-TEH'-mee pah-NAH'-rihn) scored in the second period to back Igor Shesterkin (shehs-TUR'-kihn), who stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season.Tristan Jarry had 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five and is eight points behind the Hurricanes.Elsewhere on NHL ice:— Auston Matthews broke the Toronto season goals record with Nos. 55 and 56, the second giving the Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Stars. Matthews had tied Rick Vaive's (vyvz) 40-year-old team mark of 54 goals two games earlier. Tyler Seguin (SAY'-gihn) scored his 21st goal for the Stars, who remain in the Western Conference's second wild-card spot.— Connor McDavid leads the league with 109 points after netting his career-high 42nd goal and collecting an assist in the Oilers' 3-2 win over the Kings. Evan Bouchard also had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who have won six straight to take a three-point lead over the Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.— Elias (eh-LEE'-uhs) Lindholm scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk (kah-CHUHK') added a goal and two assists as the Flames doubled up the Sharks, 4-2 to stay six points ahead of second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division. Trevor Lewis also scored in Calgary's third straight win.— Roman Josi (YOH'-see) had a goal and two assists for the Predators in a 3-2 win over the Senators. Ottawa led, 2-1 in the third period until Josi and Ryan Johansen tallied. Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN') had Nashville's other goal and Juuse Saros (YOO'-see SAH'-rohs) made 28 saves.— Philadelphia was a 4-1 winner against the Blue Jackets as Kevin Connauton, Owen Tippett and Noah Cates scored in the Flyers' three-goal second period. Travis Konecny (kah-NEHK'-nee) added a third-period goal, Martin Jones stopped 26 shots and Kevin Hayes had a pair of assists in the victory.— Bo Horvat (HOHR'-vat) and Alex Chiasson (CHAY'-sahn) each had two goals and an assist to carry the Canucks past the Coyotes, 5-1. Elias (eh-LEE'-uhs) Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who have won two straight and earned five points in their last three games.— Philipp Grubauer made 29 saves for Seattle's second shutout, 2-0 versus the Blackhawks. Alex Wennberg scored his 10th goal in the second period and Jordan Eberle added his 18th late in the third to seal it.— Kale Clague and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and two assists in the Canadiens' 7-4 win over the Devils. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist as a part of a three-goal first period.NHL-SHARKS-WILSONSharks GM Doug Wilson stepping down after 19 seasonsSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is stepping down after 19 seasons on the job.The team announced Joe Will remains interim GM until a full-time replacement can be found. Will has been running the team's hockey operations since Wilson went on medical leave in late November.San Jose made the playoffs 14 times with Wilson in charge and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.NFL-NEWS2 more Black coaches sue NFL alleging racial discriminationUNDATED (AP) — Two Black coaches have joined Brian Flores in his lawsuit alleging racist hiring practices by the NFL toward coaches and general managers. The updated lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court adds coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton.Wilks alleges he was discriminated against by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Horton claims he was subjected to discriminatory treatment when he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coach position in January 2016.Elsewhere around the NFL:— Stefon Diggs officially signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Bills through 2027. Diggs had 103 receptions for 1,225 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns, one season after leading the league in catches and receiving yards.CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sports Headlines for Friday

<div><iframe title="Eagle Radio Sports for Friday Morning" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=nzsxp-11f3c15-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app. CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Friday Morning

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Hutch High Baseball continues the early home portion of the&nbsp; Spring 2022 season&nbsp; at Hobart-Detter Field with a double-header beginning at 4 pm vs Campus High.

Home games will be streamed on the NFHS Network Hutch High Channel as well as live on the mixlr.com Eagle Radio Sports channel.&nbsp; <a href="http://mixlr.com/eagle-radio-sports-njcaa-d1-mens-basketball-tournament/events/hutch-high-vs-campus">Click Here for Audio</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Hutch High Baseball continues the early home portion of the&nbsp; Spring 2022 season&nbsp; at Hobart-Detter Field with a double-header beginning at 4 pm vs Campus High.Home games will be streamed on the NFHS Network Hutch High Channel as well as live on the mixlr.com Eagle Radio Sports channel.&nbsp; <a href="http://mixlr.com/eagle-radio-sports-njcaa-d1-mens-basketball-tournament/events/hutch-high-vs-campus">Click Here for Audio</a><div><iframe src="https://player.nfhsnetwork.com/#/events/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks/gamf8b9aec3cb" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" width="640" height="360"></iframe>



</div>

⚾️ Hutch High Baseball hosts Campus

Bobby Witt Jr. searched the crowd for his family before his highly anticipated big league debut Thursday, finally spotting them in the sea of Kansas City Royals fans that had bundled up for a blustery opening day.

“I don't know if they were even paying attention to me,” Witt admitted later.

Everyone was paying attention to him by the end.

After going hitless in his first three at-bats, Witt roped a double down the left-field line with two outs in the eighth inning, spurring the Royals to a 3-1 victory over the rechristened Cleveland Guardians.

“You couldn't have scripted that any better,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said with a grin. “This isn't one he's going to forget, and I probably won't, either.”

In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens on a cold day at Kauffman Stadium.

It remained tied until the eighth, when the Royals' Michael Taylor worked a walk off Triston McKenzie (0-1) and then took second on Nicky Lopez's sacrifice bunt. McKenzie struck out Whit Merrifield before Witt, regarded by many as the No. 1 prospect in the game, doubled down the left-field line to give Kansas City its first lead.

“I could kind of see it coming a little bit with the way the game was going,” said Greinke, who signed a one-year deal to return to the club that drafted him 20 years ago. “It felt like it was going to be a special day.”

Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt, giving Royals reliever Scott Barlow (1-0) a cushion. And after a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on the corners in the ninth to end it.

Lopez also drove in a run for Kansas City, while Jose Ramirez had an RBI double for the Guardians a day after agreeing to a $124 million, five-year deal to stay with Cleveland through what could be the end of his career.

Plenty of famous fans braved wintry weather to enjoy opening day.

Several members of the Kansas City Chiefs, including coach Andy Reid, dressed up in Royals gear. So did members of the Kansas basketball team, which beat North Carolina in the national title game Monday night in New Orleans.

It was 47 degrees at first pitch, and a gale blowing out to right field made if seem even colder. Then there was the off-and-on drizzle that turned to shooting pellets of ice during the national anthem, which probably made everybody stuck wearing a jersey long for the sun and warmth of Arizona spring training.

“The weather was not fun for anybody,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.

Greinke didn't seem to mind. He wore short sleeves for his first start in a Kansas City uniform since Sept. 30, 2010.

He didn't have the same dominant fastball that he had in 2009, when he won the Cy Young, but he made up for it with the wisdom of 18 years in the big leagues — and a beguiling 69 mph curveball. Greinke made it through 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while striking out one, then got a standing ovation from the crowd.

“He just knows how to pitch,” Francona said.

Bieber, whose Cy Young came 11 years after Greinke won his, was nearly as good. He allowed one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings for Cleveland, which played with a new name for the first time since 1915.

Both of the staff aces were gone by the time Witt came to bat in the eighth inning, though. They were reduced to fans just like everyone else, watching in rapt attention as one of the game's bright young stars stepped to the plate.

“I was going nuts. I jumped over the (dugout) railing,” Lopez said. “He's ready for this moment. The Royals know he's ready for this moment. We all know he's ready for this moment.”

The Royals honored longtime scout Art Stewart, who spent 69 years in professional baseball, with members of his family throwing out first pitches to George Brett and Mike Sweeney. Stewart died in November at the age of 94.

The Guardians announced their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-mlb-health-sports-emmanuel-clase-62e4bf026a2589d72aa064d6fc8ecf82">$20 million, five-year contract with closer Emmanuel Clase</a>, which was agreed to over the weekend. They have yet to announce their deal with Ramirez because several details are still being finalized.

The Guardians placed OF Josh Naylor on the injured list as he works his way back from a fractured leg. C Luke Maile (right hamstring strain) and right-hander James Karinchak (back strained) joined him there.

After taking Friday off, the series resumes Saturday with Cleveland RHP Zach Plesac against Royals RHP Brad Keller.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. capped his highly anticipated big league debut with his first hit, a go-ahead double with two outs in the eighth inning, sending the Kansas City Royals to a 3-1 victory over the rechristened Cleveland Guardians. Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt after his clutch hit, giving Royals reliever Scott Barlow a cushion. And after a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on the corners in the ninth to end it. In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens on a cold day at Kauffman Stadium.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iod238JQ_6U" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Bobby Witt Jr. searched the crowd for his family before his highly anticipated big league debut Thursday, finally spotting them in the sea of Kansas City Royals fans that had bundled up for a blustery opening day.“I don't know if they were even paying attention to me,” Witt admitted later.Everyone was paying attention to him by the end.After going hitless in his first three at-bats, Witt roped a double down the left-field line with two outs in the eighth inning, spurring the Royals to a 3-1 victory over the rechristened Cleveland Guardians.“You couldn't have scripted that any better,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said with a grin. “This isn't one he's going to forget, and I probably won't, either.”In a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners, Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and erstwhile Royals star Zach Greinke dueled to a 1-all stalemate before turning the game over to the bullpens on a cold day at Kauffman Stadium.It remained tied until the eighth, when the Royals' Michael Taylor worked a walk off Triston McKenzie (0-1) and then took second on Nicky Lopez's sacrifice bunt. McKenzie struck out Whit Merrifield before Witt, regarded by many as the No. 1 prospect in the game, doubled down the left-field line to give Kansas City its first lead.“I could kind of see it coming a little bit with the way the game was going,” said Greinke, who signed a one-year deal to return to the club that drafted him 20 years ago. “It felt like it was going to be a special day.”Andrew Benintendi drove in Witt, giving Royals reliever Scott Barlow (1-0) a cushion. And after a perfect eighth, Barlow struck out Myles Straw with runners on the corners in the ninth to end it.Lopez also drove in a run for Kansas City, while Jose Ramirez had an RBI double for the Guardians a day after agreeing to a $124 million, five-year deal to stay with Cleveland through what could be the end of his career.Plenty of famous fans braved wintry weather to enjoy opening day.Several members of the Kansas City Chiefs, including coach Andy Reid, dressed up in Royals gear. So did members of the Kansas basketball team, which beat North Carolina in the national title game Monday night in New Orleans.It was 47 degrees at first pitch, and a gale blowing out to right field made if seem even colder. Then there was the off-and-on drizzle that turned to shooting pellets of ice during the national anthem, which probably made everybody stuck wearing a jersey long for the sun and warmth of Arizona spring training.“The weather was not fun for anybody,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.Greinke didn't seem to mind. He wore short sleeves for his first start in a Kansas City uniform since Sept. 30, 2010.He didn't have the same dominant fastball that he had in 2009, when he won the Cy Young, but he made up for it with the wisdom of 18 years in the big leagues — and a beguiling 69 mph curveball. Greinke made it through 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk while striking out one, then got a standing ovation from the crowd.“He just knows how to pitch,” Francona said.Bieber, whose Cy Young came 11 years after Greinke won his, was nearly as good. He allowed one run on three hits in 4 2/3 innings for Cleveland, which played with a new name for the first time since 1915.Both of the staff aces were gone by the time Witt came to bat in the eighth inning, though. They were reduced to fans just like everyone else, watching in rapt attention as one of the game's bright young stars stepped to the plate.“I was going nuts. I jumped over the (dugout) railing,” Lopez said. “He's ready for this moment. The Royals know he's ready for this moment. We all know he's ready for this moment.”The Royals honored longtime scout Art Stewart, who spent 69 years in professional baseball, with members of his family throwing out first pitches to George Brett and Mike Sweeney. Stewart died in November at the age of 94.The Guardians announced their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-mlb-health-sports-emmanuel-clase-62e4bf026a2589d72aa064d6fc8ecf82">$20 million, five-year contract with closer Emmanuel Clase</a>, which was agreed to over the weekend. They have yet to announce their deal with Ramirez because several details are still being finalized.TRAINER'S ROOMThe Guardians placed OF Josh Naylor on the injured list as he works his way back from a fractured leg. C Luke Maile (right hamstring strain) and right-hander James Karinchak (back strained) joined him there.UP NEXTAfter taking Friday off, the series resumes Saturday with Cleveland RHP Zach Plesac against Royals RHP Brad Keller.

Witt a debut! Royals rookie stars in 3-1 win over Guardians

WICHITA, Kan. — Two of Wichita State's most experienced basketball players have entered the NCAA transfer portal.&nbsp; According to KAKE television, seniors-to-be Dexter Dennis and Morris Udeze announced their intentions on social media.

"I've decided&nbsp; that my time as a current basketball player for Wichita State University has come to an end", Udeze posted on Instagram.&nbsp; Dennis used the same words on his Instagram account.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dennis and Udeze started 27 games for the Shockers this season.&nbsp; Udeze averaged 10.2 points and Dennis added 8.4.&nbsp; Wichita State now has six players in the transfer portal.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637721410874.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. — Two of Wichita State's most experienced basketball players have entered the NCAA transfer portal.&nbsp; According to KAKE television, seniors-to-be Dexter Dennis and Morris Udeze announced their intentions on social media."I've decided&nbsp; that my time as a current basketball player for Wichita State University has come to an end", Udeze posted on Instagram.&nbsp; Dennis used the same words on his Instagram account.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dennis and Udeze started 27 games for the Shockers this season.&nbsp; Udeze averaged 10.2 points and Dennis added 8.4.&nbsp; Wichita State now has six players in the transfer portal.&nbsp;

Shocker players Dennis, Udeze enter transfer portal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Star outfielder Whit Merrifield and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a restructured contract in which the club exercised its option for next season and the sides added a mutual option for 2024. Merrifield, who made his second All-Star team last season, will earn $7 million this season and $2.75 million in 2023, with up to $4 million in escalators. The mutual option is for $18 million with a $500,000 buyout. Merrifield’s value to the Royals is more than just his bat and baserunning ability. One of baseball's most versatile players, Merrifield is also capable of playing first base, second base and third base along with all three outfield positions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648723098967.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Star outfielder Whit Merrifield and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a restructured contract in which the club exercised its option for next season and the sides added a mutual option for 2024. Merrifield, who made his second All-Star team last season, will earn $7 million this season and $2.75 million in 2023, with up to $4 million in escalators. The mutual option is for $18 million with a $500,000 buyout. Merrifield’s value to the Royals is more than just his bat and baserunning ability. One of baseball's most versatile players, Merrifield is also capable of playing first base, second base and third base along with all three outfield positions.

Royal and Merrifield agree to restructured contract

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🎙 Eagle Radio Sports for Wednesday Morning

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr., widely considered the best prospect in baseball, has made the Kansas City roster and will start at third base in the Royals' season opener against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium. The move with the 21-year-old infielder was widely expected, especially after he hit well in spring training. Witt hit .290 with 33 homers and 29 steals across Double-A and Triple-A last season.