TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.

Gov. Laura Kelly’s action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-new-stadium-royals-0bc5f4e1ea6a9387a0a34df23a1488e5">approved the measure</a>&nbsp;with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.

Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years, and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams’ side-by-side stadiums doesn’t end until January 2031.

The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-royals-new-stadium-f24c30ba026477cf8954e1a2d724a05b">to cover 70%</a>&nbsp;of a new stadium’s cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.

The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.

Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">refused in April</a>&nbsp;to continue a sales tax used to keep up the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-mlb-ballpark-12fd8f2b405885461368ff8902a7a445">in downtown Kansas City, Missouri,</a>&nbsp;while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.

Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.

“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.

Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.

The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.

Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-budget-tax-cuts-veto-9ebddf96cd35b614d8e96f2d8b8939c2">she vetoed</a>&nbsp;three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-legislature-5001d9862e3d8a6723579e96c161195a">a bill</a>&nbsp;that will save income and property taxpayers a total of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-special-legislative-session-b79d213f1a904dfd7604648ea9d2c454">$1.23 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next three years.

Although the financing law doesn’t specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams “in any state adjacent to Kansas.”

“It’s fairly clearly about how you poach,” Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said during a news conference after Kansas lawmakers approved the measure. He added that his city would “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town and that the teams ”are in an exceptional leverage position.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669408667473.png" alt="A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption>A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums.Gov. Laura Kelly’s action came three days after the Republican-led Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-new-stadium-royals-0bc5f4e1ea6a9387a0a34df23a1488e5">approved the measure</a>&nbsp;with bipartisan supermajorities — an unusually quick turnaround that signals how urgently Kansas officials consider making the offers.Missouri officials have argued that discussions about building new stadiums are still in the early stages. They said construction of a new one typically takes about three years, and pointed out that the lease on the existing complex that includes the teams’ side-by-side stadiums doesn’t end until January 2031.The measure Kelly signed takes effect July 1 and will allow bonds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-royals-new-stadium-f24c30ba026477cf8954e1a2d724a05b">to cover 70%</a>&nbsp;of a new stadium’s cost. The state would have 30 years to pay them off with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes generated in the area around each proposed stadium.The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, with about 60% of the people living on the Missouri side.Kansas officials began working on the legislation after voters on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">refused in April</a>&nbsp;to continue a sales tax used to keep up the existing stadium complex. The Royals outlined a plan in February to build a $2 billion-plus ballpark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-mlb-ballpark-12fd8f2b405885461368ff8902a7a445">in downtown Kansas City, Missouri,</a>&nbsp;while the Chiefs were planning an $800 million renovation of their existing home.Attorneys for the teams told Kansas legislators they needed to make decisions about the future soon for new stadiums to be ready on time — though the Royals had planned to move into a new downtown ballpark at the start of their 2028 season. Some critics suggested the teams are pitting the two states against each other for the biggest government subsidies possible.“The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City, Kansas, area who voted against the bill.Supporters of bringing the teams to Kansas warned that if neither state acts quickly enough, one or both teams could leave for another community entirely. Several economists who have studied professional sports were skeptical that a move would make financial sense for either a team or a new host city, and both the National Football League and Major League Baseball require a supermajority of owners to approve franchise moves.The plan had support from throughout Kansas, including about half of the lawmakers from western Kansas, 200 miles (320 kilometers) away from any new stadium.Kansas lawmakers approved the stadium financing plan during a single-day special session Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat, called the session for the Legislature to consider tax cuts after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-budget-tax-cuts-veto-9ebddf96cd35b614d8e96f2d8b8939c2">she vetoed</a>&nbsp;three previous tax plans and legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. On Friday, she also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-legislature-5001d9862e3d8a6723579e96c161195a">a bill</a>&nbsp;that will save income and property taxpayers a total of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-special-legislative-session-b79d213f1a904dfd7604648ea9d2c454">$1.23 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next three years.Although the financing law doesn’t specifically name the Chiefs or Royals, it is limited to stadiums for National Football League and Major League Baseball teams “in any state adjacent to Kansas.”“It’s fairly clearly about how you poach,” Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said during a news conference after Kansas lawmakers approved the measure. He added that his city would “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town and that the teams ”are in an exceptional leverage position.”

Gov. Kelly signs bills enabling effort to entice Chiefs and Royals with new stadiums

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on Friday announced changes to its venue plan that it says will create an estimated $156 million in combined savings and revenue increases.

Swimming will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with its 38,000 seats creating the largest swimming venue in Olympic history; basketball will be played at Intuit Dome in Inglewood; and gymnastics will be held at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. Athletics will remain at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles Olympics will be held from July 14-30, 2028.

The plans for the opening and closing ceremonies remain unchanged, with parts hosted at both the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium. As a result, the traditional schedule for athletics and swimming will be adjusted. Athletics will move to the first week of the games, while swimming will be held during the second week. LA28 says both sports’ governing bodies have approved and support the change.

Softball and canoe slalom events will be held in Oklahoma City. LA28 says the largest softball venue in Southern California seats under 2,000 people and it expects robust attendance, while there is no canoe slalom venue that exists in the region. Moving those competitions will avoid building temporary venues and help LA28 align with the International Olympic Committee’s emphasis on sustainability that encourages the use of existing venues outside the host city.

LA28 says the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley will host BMX freestyle and BMX racing, along with skateboarding park and street competitions and archery.

Diving will be in the same pool that hosted the aquatics events at the 1932 Olympics in Exposition Park south of downtown Los Angeles. Long Beach will host the artistic and para swimming competitions, in addition to other sports that will be announced later.

The equestrian and para equestrian competitions will move from the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area to an existing facility in Temecula, located 1 1/2 hours from Los Angeles, that is big enough to accommodate all disciplines in one location.

Shooting and shooting para sport competitions also will move from the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area to one of two possible sport shooting clubs to be determined outside Los Angeles.

LA28 says each venue shift will achieve at least a $10 million estimated economic improvement, cutting the cost and complexity of temporary stadium builds, overlays and operations.

The organizing committee submitted the updated venue assignments to the city of Los Angeles, which must approve competitions that move outside of the city’s boundaries from the venue plan submitted during the bid.

The previous venue plan was developed in 2017 during the city’s bid process. Since then, several new stadiums and arenas have become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718993630884.jpeg" alt="An LA2028 sign is seen in front of a blazing Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. PHOTO: RICHARD VOGEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS" />
 <figcaption>An LA2028 sign is seen in front of a blazing Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. PHOTO: RICHARD VOGEL/ASSOCIATED PRESS</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on Friday announced changes to its venue plan that it says will create an estimated $156 million in combined savings and revenue increases.Swimming will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with its 38,000 seats creating the largest swimming venue in Olympic history; basketball will be played at Intuit Dome in Inglewood; and gymnastics will be held at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. Athletics will remain at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.The Los Angeles Olympics will be held from July 14-30, 2028.The plans for the opening and closing ceremonies remain unchanged, with parts hosted at both the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium. As a result, the traditional schedule for athletics and swimming will be adjusted. Athletics will move to the first week of the games, while swimming will be held during the second week. LA28 says both sports’ governing bodies have approved and support the change.Softball and canoe slalom events will be held in Oklahoma City. LA28 says the largest softball venue in Southern California seats under 2,000 people and it expects robust attendance, while there is no canoe slalom venue that exists in the region. Moving those competitions will avoid building temporary venues and help LA28 align with the International Olympic Committee’s emphasis on sustainability that encourages the use of existing venues outside the host city.LA28 says the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley will host BMX freestyle and BMX racing, along with skateboarding park and street competitions and archery.Diving will be in the same pool that hosted the aquatics events at the 1932 Olympics in Exposition Park south of downtown Los Angeles. Long Beach will host the artistic and para swimming competitions, in addition to other sports that will be announced later.The equestrian and para equestrian competitions will move from the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area to an existing facility in Temecula, located 1 1/2 hours from Los Angeles, that is big enough to accommodate all disciplines in one location.Shooting and shooting para sport competitions also will move from the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area to one of two possible sport shooting clubs to be determined outside Los Angeles.LA28 says each venue shift will achieve at least a $10 million estimated economic improvement, cutting the cost and complexity of temporary stadium builds, overlays and operations.The organizing committee submitted the updated venue assignments to the city of Los Angeles, which must approve competitions that move outside of the city’s boundaries from the venue plan submitted during the bid.The previous venue plan was developed in 2017 during the city’s bid process. Since then, several new stadiums and arenas have become available.

LA Olympics announce venue changes, including softball and canoe slalom to OKC

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —The defending NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs (8-4) will host the Kansas Cannons (9-4) at&nbsp; Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Monarchs are slated for 20 home games with all 20 games set to be video streamed on <a href="http://hutchpost.com">hutchpost.com</a> as well as on the <a href="http://www.monarchslive.tv">monarchslive.tv</a> channel. Sean Boston will have the play-by-play call with Matt Peterson providing the video stream sponsored by Mid-Way Motors.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718965671828.png" alt="Game Day vs Kansas Cannons Tonight" />
 <figcaption>Game Day vs Kansas Cannons Tonight</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —The defending NBC World Series champion Hutchinson Monarchs (8-4) will host the Kansas Cannons (9-4) at&nbsp; Hobart-Detter Field in Carey Park Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.The Monarchs are slated for 20 home games with all 20 games set to be video streamed on <a href="http://hutchpost.com">hutchpost.com</a> as well as on the <a href="http://www.monarchslive.tv">monarchslive.tv</a> channel. Sean Boston will have the play-by-play call with Matt Peterson providing the video stream sponsored by Mid-Way Motors.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1104041?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

⚾ Hutch Monarchs host Kansas Cannons tonight at Hobart-Detter

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season. Witt homered off Oakland reliever Vinny Nittoli to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Zack Gelof homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep Kansas City for the first time since 2016. The Royals haven’t been swept this year.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Brendan Donovan hit a two-run homer and a double and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in the Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The 114-year-old Rickwood Field is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and former home to late baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Andre Pallante pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in the win. He walked three and struck out five. Ryan Helsley got the final three outs for his 24th save.

NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York Yankees. The Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Yankees and set a major league record by winning their 22nd straight series against an AL East opponent. Henderson extended the majors’ longest active on-base streak to 27 games and his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer as the Orioles moved to within a half-game of first-place New York. Austin Hays also homered for Baltimore. New York's Gleyber Torres hit a solo homer before exiting with a groin injury. Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 27th homer.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Fans came out to celebrate Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers in several events and festivities around the historic Rickwood Field. Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. The game, which MLB called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring mark on the sport. The celebration started hours before the game and continued into the pregame ceremony.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has presented a plan to Division I conference commissioners that would expand the lucrative men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68 teams. If approved, the NCAA would keep its 64-team bracket but would add play-in games involving the 10 through 12 seeds. The earliest the NCAA Tournament could expand would be the 2025-26 season and more meetings are scheduled. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011 when it went from 64 to 68 teams. The women’s tournament matched that in 2022.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — JJ Redick is being hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn’t yet publicly announced the decision to hire the former NBA shooting guard for his first coaching job. The 39-year-old Redick is an extraordinary choice by the Lakers, who hired a 15-year veteran with absolutely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA titles, one of the biggest brand names in world sports — and LeBron James, the top scorer in league history.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid put the Edmonton Oilers on his back to keep the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers going by doing something no other player in NHL history has at this stage of the season. McDavid became the first player to have back-to-back four-point games in the final. Wayne Gretzky is the only other player to have two four-point games at any point in the same final. McDavid with his heroics has emerged as the front-runner to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, even if the Oilers lose Game 6 on home ice Friday night.

UNDATED (AP) — Facing upheaval on the way in college athletics, a handful of administrators and athletes from smaller schools have been working on a new model of governance. The hope by members of the Football Championship Subdivision and Division I-AAA is to give their athletes more of a say and essentially treat them more like students than employees. It is also a way to be proactive and potentially head off future lawsuits. The plans are still in the discussion stage.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — On a night for doubling up at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Lilly King left with another big prize. An engagement ring. Ryan Murphy, Regan Smith, Kate Douglass and King all claimed a second individual event at the Paris Games with their performances in the temporary pool at Lucas Oil Stadium. But the most dramatic moment came just off the deck. King’s boyfriend, former Indiana University swimmer James Wells, pulled out a ring, dropped to a knee and asked her to marry him. She said yes with a kiss and a big hug. Murphy won the 200-meter backstroke, Regan Smith touched first in the 200 butterfly and Douglass claimed the top spot in the 200 breaststroke. King finished second to Douglass to earn another race in Paris after winning the 100 breast.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim share a birthday and they will be fighting for the lead in the second round at the Travelers Championship. Kim shot an 8-under-par 62 on Thursday in the first round at the TPC River Highlands. That gave him a two-stroke lead in the final limited field, no-cut signature event on the PGA Tour schedule. Scheffler is the world's No. 1 ranked player. He was tied for sixth, three shots back. Kim turns 22 on Friday and Scheffler is exactly six years older. They marked the occasion for the second year in a row by heading about 30 miles south to New Haven for pizza.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Friday, June 21st, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Friday, June 21st, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for June 21st, 2024:OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep. Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season. Witt homered off Oakland reliever Vinny Nittoli to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Zack Gelof homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep Kansas City for the first time since 2016. The Royals haven’t been swept this year.BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Brendan Donovan hit a two-run homer and a double and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 in the Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The 114-year-old Rickwood Field is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and former home to late baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Andre Pallante pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs in the win. He walked three and struck out five. Ryan Helsley got the final three outs for his 24th save.NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York Yankees. The Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Yankees and set a major league record by winning their 22nd straight series against an AL East opponent. Henderson extended the majors’ longest active on-base streak to 27 games and his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer as the Orioles moved to within a half-game of first-place New York. Austin Hays also homered for Baltimore. New York's Gleyber Torres hit a solo homer before exiting with a groin injury. Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 27th homer.BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Fans came out to celebrate Willie Mays and other Negro Leaguers in several events and festivities around the historic Rickwood Field. Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. The game, which MLB called “A Tribute to the Negro Leagues,” was meant to honor the legacy of Mays and other Black baseball greats who left an enduring mark on the sport. The celebration started hours before the game and continued into the pregame ceremony.UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has presented a plan to Division I conference commissioners that would expand the lucrative men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68 teams. If approved, the NCAA would keep its 64-team bracket but would add play-in games involving the 10 through 12 seeds. The earliest the NCAA Tournament could expand would be the 2025-26 season and more meetings are scheduled. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011 when it went from 64 to 68 teams. The women’s tournament matched that in 2022.LOS ANGELES (AP) — JJ Redick is being hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn’t yet publicly announced the decision to hire the former NBA shooting guard for his first coaching job. The 39-year-old Redick is an extraordinary choice by the Lakers, who hired a 15-year veteran with absolutely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA titles, one of the biggest brand names in world sports — and LeBron James, the top scorer in league history.EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid put the Edmonton Oilers on his back to keep the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers going by doing something no other player in NHL history has at this stage of the season. McDavid became the first player to have back-to-back four-point games in the final. Wayne Gretzky is the only other player to have two four-point games at any point in the same final. McDavid with his heroics has emerged as the front-runner to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, even if the Oilers lose Game 6 on home ice Friday night.UNDATED (AP) — Facing upheaval on the way in college athletics, a handful of administrators and athletes from smaller schools have been working on a new model of governance. The hope by members of the Football Championship Subdivision and Division I-AAA is to give their athletes more of a say and essentially treat them more like students than employees. It is also a way to be proactive and potentially head off future lawsuits. The plans are still in the discussion stage.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — On a night for doubling up at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Lilly King left with another big prize. An engagement ring. Ryan Murphy, Regan Smith, Kate Douglass and King all claimed a second individual event at the Paris Games with their performances in the temporary pool at Lucas Oil Stadium. But the most dramatic moment came just off the deck. King’s boyfriend, former Indiana University swimmer James Wells, pulled out a ring, dropped to a knee and asked her to marry him. She said yes with a kiss and a big hug. Murphy won the 200-meter backstroke, Regan Smith touched first in the 200 butterfly and Douglass claimed the top spot in the 200 breaststroke. King finished second to Douglass to earn another race in Paris after winning the 100 breast.CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim share a birthday and they will be fighting for the lead in the second round at the Travelers Championship. Kim shot an 8-under-par 62 on Thursday in the first round at the TPC River Highlands. That gave him a two-stroke lead in the final limited field, no-cut signature event on the PGA Tour schedule. Scheffler is the world's No. 1 ranked player. He was tied for sixth, three shots back. Kim turns 22 on Friday and Scheffler is exactly six years older. They marked the occasion for the second year in a row by heading about 30 miles south to New Haven for pizza.THURSDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLAMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Cleveland 6 Seattle 3Final Tampa Bay 7 Minnesota 6Final Houston 5 Chicago White Sox 3Final Kansas City 3 Oakland 2Final Baltimore 17 N.Y. Yankees 5NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Arizona 5 Washington 2Final L.A. Dodgers 5 Colorado 3

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Friday

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge came up short 2-1 against the Arkansas Travelers. The loss puts the Wind Surge at a homely 5-15 record in one-run contests this season while shaving off the Arkansas magic number to 2.

Grant Witherspoon doubled home Hogan Windish on a line drive double to the right field corner in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first three and a half frames saw little to no life between both lineups as&nbsp;Andrew Morris&nbsp;and Blas Castano combined for 10 strikeouts to start the night off.

Tanner Schobel&nbsp;tied the game on a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Dalton Shuffield from third. The sac fly serves as Schobel’s third of the season and second in June.

Sacrifice flies would also happen for Arkansas as Cole Young pulled one far enough to right field to allow Blake Rambusch to score and put the Travelers ahead 2-1 after the stretch in the bottom of the seventh. Wichita’s final six batters were retired across the eighth and ninth innings for that score to become final in the middle game of the series.

Miguel Rodriguez&nbsp;is now 1-5 on the season after being handed the loss. Rodriguez got an earned run to his name after the Young sacrifice fly to right and walked one in an inning and a third of work.

The Wind Surge continue their final first half series with the Travelers on Friday, June 21, with a 7:05 PM first pitch. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>, or watch them online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/MiLB.TV">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718964997973.jpeg" alt="Wind Surge lose to Travelers" />
 <figcaption>Wind Surge lose to Travelers</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge came up short 2-1 against the Arkansas Travelers. The loss puts the Wind Surge at a homely 5-15 record in one-run contests this season while shaving off the Arkansas magic number to 2.Grant Witherspoon doubled home Hogan Windish on a line drive double to the right field corner in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first three and a half frames saw little to no life between both lineups as&nbsp;Andrew Morris&nbsp;and Blas Castano combined for 10 strikeouts to start the night off.Tanner Schobel&nbsp;tied the game on a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Dalton Shuffield from third. The sac fly serves as Schobel’s third of the season and second in June.Sacrifice flies would also happen for Arkansas as Cole Young pulled one far enough to right field to allow Blake Rambusch to score and put the Travelers ahead 2-1 after the stretch in the bottom of the seventh. Wichita’s final six batters were retired across the eighth and ninth innings for that score to become final in the middle game of the series.Miguel Rodriguez&nbsp;is now 1-5 on the season after being handed the loss. Rodriguez got an earned run to his name after the Young sacrifice fly to right and walked one in an inning and a third of work.The Wind Surge continue their final first half series with the Travelers on Friday, June 21, with a 7:05 PM first pitch. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>, or watch them online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/MiLB.TV">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>.

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge come up short against Travelers

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season.

“He’s swinging the bat really well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s part of the reason we were trying to get him some at-bats and DH him. He works extremely hard, he’s always prepared, puts together really good at-bats, so I’m really happy for him.”

Witt homered off Oakland reliever Vinny Nittoli (0-1) to break a 2-all tie in the eighth, his 12th homer of the year.

“Just trying to make something happen,” Witt said. “It’s frustrating losing, so I knew we needed to do something to get a win.”

Zack Gelof homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep Kansas City for the first time since 2016.

The Royals (42-34) haven’t been swept this year.

“We’re trying to be relentless,” Witt said. “We just try to go out there and take things day by day and not worry about what happened in the past, not worry about what’s still to come in the future and just worry about where we’re at.”

Fermin took A’s rookie Mitch Spence deep to left in the second inning and victimized Spence again in the fourth for his second career multi-homer game. He doubled his home run total this season.

Spence had a solid outing otherwise. He struck out a career-high seven, allowing two runs and six hits with a walk in six innings.

“It was a great series for us, especially coming off a road trip where we didn’t win a game,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Coming back home, winning a series and having an opportunity to sweep a team that’s in (contention), that’s a good sign.”

Gelof tied the game in the seventh with a two-run homer to center off Royals starter Seth Lugo. Following a two-out walk by Kyle McCann, Abraham Toro doubled down the right-field line against reliever James McArthur (4-3), but McCann was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied.

Lugo permitted two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two.

“I thought it went pretty well, for the most part,” he said. “Giving up the two-run homer for them to tie it, that hurt, but glad we got the win. We needed a win, so it was big time.”

The A’s put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Chris Stratton came in and got two flyouts to secure his fourth save.

McCann was ejected by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the bottom of the ninth for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout following a called third strike to Gelof.

Royals: RHP Dan Altavilla was placed on the 15-day injured list after straining his right oblique Wednesday night. RHP Steven Cruz was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.

Athletics: Toro (shoulder soreness) was held out of the starting lineup for the third straight game, but entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and finished the game at third base.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (4-4, 3.39 ERA) seeks his first win since May 19 as Kansas City opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday night. The Rangers counter with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (3-3, 3.15)

Athletics: RHP Joey Estes (2-2, 5.97) opens a three-game home series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night opposite RHP Chris Paddack (5-3, 5.25).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718922588178.jpeg" alt="Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr hit a leadoff home run in the eighth inning to help the Royals to a 3-2 win, snapping a three game losing streak/ Photo courtesy MLB on Facebook" />
 <figcaption>Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr hit a leadoff home run in the eighth inning to help the Royals to a 3-2 win, snapping a three game losing streak/ Photo courtesy MLB on Facebook</figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.Fermin also singled for his first three-hit game of the season.“He’s swinging the bat really well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s part of the reason we were trying to get him some at-bats and DH him. He works extremely hard, he’s always prepared, puts together really good at-bats, so I’m really happy for him.”Witt homered off Oakland reliever Vinny Nittoli (0-1) to break a 2-all tie in the eighth, his 12th homer of the year.“Just trying to make something happen,” Witt said. “It’s frustrating losing, so I knew we needed to do something to get a win.”Zack Gelof homered for the third straight game, but Oakland failed to sweep Kansas City for the first time since 2016.The Royals (42-34) haven’t been swept this year.“We’re trying to be relentless,” Witt said. “We just try to go out there and take things day by day and not worry about what happened in the past, not worry about what’s still to come in the future and just worry about where we’re at.”Fermin took A’s rookie Mitch Spence deep to left in the second inning and victimized Spence again in the fourth for his second career multi-homer game. He doubled his home run total this season.Spence had a solid outing otherwise. He struck out a career-high seven, allowing two runs and six hits with a walk in six innings.“It was a great series for us, especially coming off a road trip where we didn’t win a game,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Coming back home, winning a series and having an opportunity to sweep a team that’s in (contention), that’s a good sign.”Gelof tied the game in the seventh with a two-run homer to center off Royals starter Seth Lugo. Following a two-out walk by Kyle McCann, Abraham Toro doubled down the right-field line against reliever James McArthur (4-3), but McCann was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied.Lugo permitted two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two.“I thought it went pretty well, for the most part,” he said. “Giving up the two-run homer for them to tie it, that hurt, but glad we got the win. We needed a win, so it was big time.”The A’s put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth. Chris Stratton came in and got two flyouts to secure his fourth save.McCann was ejected by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn in the bottom of the ninth for arguing balls and strikes from the dugout following a called third strike to Gelof.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Dan Altavilla was placed on the 15-day injured list after straining his right oblique Wednesday night. RHP Steven Cruz was recalled from Triple-A Omaha.Athletics: Toro (shoulder soreness) was held out of the starting lineup for the third straight game, but entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and finished the game at third base.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brady Singer (4-4, 3.39 ERA) seeks his first win since May 19 as Kansas City opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday night. The Rangers counter with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (3-3, 3.15)Athletics: RHP Joey Estes (2-2, 5.97) opens a three-game home series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night opposite RHP Chris Paddack (5-3, 5.25).___

⚾Witt hits go-ahead blast in 8th to send Royals past A's 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) has signed former HutchCC and Baylor standout, Devonte Bandoo, for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Bandoo appeared in 72 games for the Blue Dragons from 2016-18, making 36 starts. He averaged nearly 15 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists during his time in Hutchinson.&nbsp;

He was a key part in helping the Blue Dragons claim the national championship in 2017, an 84-58 win over Eastern Florida State College. Bandoo scored 22 points off the bench in the title game.

The Brampton, Ontario, Canada native finished his collegiate career at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Bandoo appeared in 64 games for the Bears, starting 10 games. He averaged eight points and three rebounds for BU.

For more information on Bandoo and his professional career while in Canada, <a href="https://www.thebandits.ca/vancouver-bandits-sign-cebl-sharpshooter-devonte-bandoo">click here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718918691242.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Vancouver Bandits" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Vancouver Bandits</figcaption>
 </figure>VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) has signed former HutchCC and Baylor standout, Devonte Bandoo, for the remainder of the 2024 season.Bandoo appeared in 72 games for the Blue Dragons from 2016-18, making 36 starts. He averaged nearly 15 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists during his time in Hutchinson.&nbsp;He was a key part in helping the Blue Dragons claim the national championship in 2017, an 84-58 win over Eastern Florida State College. Bandoo scored 22 points off the bench in the title game.The Brampton, Ontario, Canada native finished his collegiate career at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Bandoo appeared in 64 games for the Bears, starting 10 games. He averaged eight points and three rebounds for BU.For more information on Bandoo and his professional career while in Canada, <a href="https://www.thebandits.ca/vancouver-bandits-sign-cebl-sharpshooter-devonte-bandoo">click here</a>.

🏀 MBB: Former Blue Dragon Bandoo inks new pro deal in Canada

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718915996175.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas Athletics
 
LAWRENCE, Kan. &ndash;&nbsp;Kansas Football was well-represented on the Athlon Sports Preseason All-America and All-Big 12 Teams, highlighted by 11 total selections, including cornerback Cobee Bryant (Third Team) and running back Devin Neal (Fourth Team) being named to All-America Teams.
The honors mark the second preseason All-America honors for both Bryant and Neal, after Bryant was named Second Team All-America and Neal was named Fourth Team All-America by Phil Steele Magazine.
Selections to the Athlon All-Big 12 Team include: Bryant (First Team, CB), Jalon Daniels (First Team, QB), Neal (Second Team, RB), Lawrence Arnold (Second Team, WR), Michael Ford (Second Team, OL), Jereme Robinson (Second Team, DL), Mello Dotson (Second Team, CB), JB Brown (Third Team, LB), Logan Brown (Fourth Team, OL), Bryce Cabeldue (Fourth Team, OL) and Marvin Grant (Fourth Team, S).
Bryant, of Evergreen, Ala., was recently named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for the second-consecutive season, awarded annually to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, a player who has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field.
Bryant enters his senior season as a First Team All-Big 12 selection in back-to-back seasons, becoming the first Kansas defensive back to earn first team honors in consecutive seasons since Aqib Talib in 2006-07. Bryant finished the 2023 season with 32 tackles, 4 interceptions and 9 pass breakups.
Neal, of Lawrence, Kan., enters his senior season after becoming the third player in Kansas football history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. In 2023, Neal compiled 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground in 203 attempts, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Neal&rsquo;s 16 rushing touchdowns in 2023 were tied for the second most in school history.
Kansas enters the 2024 season following back-to-back bowl appearances for the second time in program history and the first time since 2007-08. The Jayhawks will play all six home games in the Kansas City Metro area as work continues on the University of Kansas Gateway District.
Fans will have the opportunity to purchase the 2024 Kansas Football 4-game season ticket package that includes all home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The season ticket package will be launched to the general public on Monday, June 3rd at 10 am with prices starting as low as $230 for general stadium seating.
Other ticket options include the popular Family Zone as well as available Premium Seating opportunities. Purchasing a 4-game season ticket package also continues to enhance your priority to pick seats in the reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the 2025 season. 6-game season ticket packages which include the first two games at Children&rsquo;s Mercy Park are sold out.
Single game tickets for the games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will go on sale at a later date. For those interested in getting more information from the Kansas Athletics Ticket Office on ticket options for the 2024 season, please click <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.fanthreesixty.com%2F2024_ticket_interest_form_waitlist%3Fmnemonic%3Dku&data=05%7C02%7Caeisch%40ku.edu%7Cd748b4c1c5bf4bfddc8c08dc80be5e45%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638526802323652401%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IdmPDEfO8pri9eSwmXh2B6pP0QLQw5lDg%2BiuLOvRaeA%3D&reserved=0" style="color: transparent;font-size: 16px;border: 0px;">here</a>.
&nbsp;
Athlon All-America Honors Third Team Defense CB Cobee Bryant
Fourth Team Offense RB Devin Neal
Athlon All-Big 12 Honors
First Team QB Jalon Daniels CB Cobee Bryant
Second Team RB Devin Neal WR Lawrence Arnold OL Michael Ford DL Jereme Robinson CB Mello Dotson
Third Team LB JB Brown
Fourth Team OL Logan Brown OL Bryce Cabeldue S Marvin Grant</div>

🏈 KU places 11 on Athlon Sports preseason teams

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718915873588.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Wichita State Athletics
 
WICHITA, Kan. (June 20, 2024) &ndash;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwheatshockcollective.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333203587%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4idOcy4HWLfT8AG3sTLe%2FhLLp5cXyQB%2FPEfDJnV822U%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwheatshockcollective.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333203587%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">Wheat Shock Collective</a>, the&nbsp;official&nbsp;collective supporting NIL opportunities for Shocker student-athletes, is thrilled to announce its newly appointed General Manager, Emily Hiebert, signaling a&nbsp;transformation and&nbsp;pivotal phase of growth&nbsp;for the collective. &nbsp; &quot;I&apos;m beyond excited to lead Wheat Shock Collective and further the collective&apos;s mission to empower Shocker student-athletes,&quot; Hiebert said. &quot;The importance of NIL in the recruitment and retention of elite championship-level talent cannot be understated. With oversight and guidance from Blueprint Sports, I look forward to ensuring the success of the Wheat Shock Collective and the Wichita State athletic programs. Most of all, I&apos;m thrilled to be back at the heart of Shocker Nation, to serve our student-athletes, and to be around the best fans in the country once again.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; As general manager, Hiebert will formalize and spearhead Wheat Shock Collective&apos;s strategic vision. Emily&apos;s leadership will focus on driving new fundraising and membership growth, developing corporate partnerships, managing the collective&apos;s operations and the relationship with the athletic department, and serving as the collective&apos;s public face.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;In recent weeks, the NIL collective has formalized a transition from Armchair Strategies to the Wheat Shock Collective, through an agreement with Blueprint Sports,&quot; said Wichita State Director of Athletics Kevin Saal. &quot;One of the benefits in doing so has been Blueprint Sports&apos; hiring of a dedicated General Manager responsible for leading &ndash; on a full-time basis - the day-to-day operations of the Wheat Shock Collective. &nbsp;As a league champion, NCAA tournament participant, conference setter of the year and recent inductee into the Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame, Emily is the perfect choice and will continue to lead the Wheat Shock Collective with great character and integrity. We could not be more excited to partner with Blueprint Sports and Emily in advancing the collective to meet the critical developmental needs of our student-athletes and programs as we strive to align championship-level resources with championship expectations. We offer our sincere thanks to Shocker Nation for their past, present and future support as we build the Wheat Shock Collective together.&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp; A Kansas native, Hiebert has been involved with sports her entire life and played both basketball and volleyball all four years at Newton High School.&nbsp; &nbsp; After high school, Hiebert attended Wichita State University on a volleyball scholarship where she majored in Physical Education and minored in Exercise Science. Emily played volleyball for the Shockers from 2013-2017 and was a Shocker Pizza Hut Hall of Fame Inductee in 2023. She earned conference Setter of the Year honors in 2016 and 2017 and was a three-time first team all-conference selection. She led the team to three NCAA tournament appearances and two conference regular-season titles. She finished her career as the career leader in assists and assists per set. &nbsp; After graduating from WSU, Hiebert taught Physical Education and Health in the Wichita Public School District, before taking on the role of General Manager at Wheat Shock Collective. &nbsp; &quot;Emily Hiebert&apos;s appointment as General Manager marks a pivotal moment for Wheat Shock Collective, ushering in a new era of leadership and dedication to the success of Shocker student-athletes,&quot; said Logan Craghead, Director of Client Relations at Blueprint Sports. &quot;Her experience as a student-athlete at Wichita State coupled with her passion for empowering Shockers through NIL aligns seamlessly with our mission, promising to elevate the collective&apos;s impact and solidify the future of Shocker Athletics. We&apos;re excited to support her and take Wichita State&apos;s NIL operations to the next level.&quot; &nbsp; &quot;As the collective transitions from Armchair Strategies to a partnership with Blueprint sports - re-branded the Wheat Shock Collective - we are thrilled Emily Hiebert will be leading the NIL team at Wichita State,&quot; said Tyler Weber &amp; Tymber Lee, formerly of Armchair Strategies. &quot;Her firsthand experience as a Shocker student-athlete and strong fan base connections, make her an invaluable leader of the Wheat Shock Collective. &nbsp;As we pass the baton to Blueprint Sports and Emily&apos;s leadership of the Wheat Shock Collective, we remain committed to supporting the NIL program as passionate members of Shocker Nation! &nbsp;Go Shockers!&quot; &nbsp; For more information about Wheat Shock Collective, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwheatshockcollective.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333207798%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bCYgr8QGMWAhEr%2BAQvHUIcopjsYkcjbL48LMTEOiooA%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwheatshockcollective.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333207798%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">wheatshockcollective.com</a>&nbsp;and follow them on&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fwheatshocknil%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333212076%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=51YyNhN6D51TsKLSQzek0Tqq3YvnYWYRcNXuzxgBTPo%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fwheatshocknil%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333212076%7CUnknown%7CT" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fwheatshocknil&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333216230%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VDXTwMTi14OokMzZ05CROLiduMoo6f6z%2FChLJUC7640%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fwheatshocknil&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333216230%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">X</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwheatshockNIL&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333220343%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=2rn%2FTylKi1NuX9a8aN16UMAjEvFv9m47%2FB6MlcF9EmY%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwheatshockNIL&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333220343%7CUnknown%7CTWFpb" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; ###&nbsp; &nbsp; ABOUT WHEAT SHOCK COLLECTIVE Wheat Shock Collective is a fan-driven and alumni-led Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective for Wichita State University student-athletes, alumni, and fans. Community members who commit their support to Wheat Shock Collective are pledging to maximize opportunities for student-athletes. In addition, community supporters gain access to exclusive events, autograph sessions, and more. Wheat Shock Collective is powered by parent company Blueprint Sports. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwheatshockcollective.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333224473%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qvWXFKfop17qtg%2F3Mw%2BnNNXZVqqkFPn8ek%2FkGjn%2FaVk%3D&reserved=0" title="Original URL: http://wheatshockcollective.com/ Click to follow link." style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">wheatshockcollective.com</a>&nbsp;and follow @WheatShockNIL on&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fwheatshocknil%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333228589%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=6%2BVx8Xkxy2rYJDgZpAXbFkO4SitndSg6Fu5PjhnU%2BUM%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fwheatshocknil%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333228589%7CUnknown%7CT" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fwheatshocknil&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333232672%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MpiUsf54rC1bWayvTExAEsJIMHi8EJQNX%2FoVIlz8Zrs%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fwheatshocknil&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333232672%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">X</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwheatshockNIL&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333236741%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3HhJPKDz0KH3imTJ4RlkLnytO51BVcitLPq%2F%2BRuycpU%3D&reserved=0" title="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwheatshockNIL&data=05%7C02%7Ctcutler%40goshockers.com%7Cc02d523bf1d4453b1ba908dc8a6c274a%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C1%7C0%7C638537444333236741%7CUnknown%7CTWFpb" style="text-align: start;color: black;font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a>.</div>

Wheat Shock Collective tabs former Newton and WSU volleyball standout as GM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718892682525.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Wichita State Athletics
 
WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;The final piece to the 2024-25 roster is in place with the signing of Matej Bošnjak (Pronounced MAH-Tay BOSH-Niak) out of Croatia, it was announced by Wichita State head men&apos;s basketball coach&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/paul-mills/1128" rel="smarttag" style="color: black;">Paul Mills</a></dfn>&nbsp;Thursday morning.
 
Bošnjak is a 6-foot-9, 240 pound center from Zagreb, Croatia.&nbsp;
 
&quot;I&apos;m very excited about Matej being a part of the Shocker basketball program,&quot; Mills said. &quot;He fits the mold of the type of player we were looking for due to his rebounding, isolation ability around the rim, passing skills and his ability to stretch the floor. He is an experienced player who has the physical makeup to make an impact as soon as he gets to Wichita. Please join me in welcoming him to Shocker Nation.&quot;
&nbsp;
<div style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;">Bošnjak averaged 7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists while playing 21.6 minutes per game this past season for Cibona in the Adriatic Basketball Association. He also has experience playing for the Croatian Youth National Team. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 rebounds at the FIBA U-20 European Championships in 2022. During the 2022-23 season he posted 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds for&nbsp;Dubrava Furnir, Croatia&apos;s home league. He is the son of Mario and Katarina, and has one sister Tonka.</div>
<table style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;"> </td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;"> </td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table></div>

🏀 MBB: Shockers finalize roster with Croatian post

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Thursday, June 20th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Thursday, June 20th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="June 20th, 2024 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=xkrii-16489b8-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals drop 2 in a row in Oakland; ⚾ Wind Surge uses extra base hits to win in Arkansas; ⚾ Monarchs fall in Augusta

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Luis Medina held down Kansas City to get his first victory in more than 11 months and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight game following a nine-game skid by beating the Royals 5-1. Medina had lost five straight decisions since beating Boston on July 18 last season but allowed only one run in 5 2/3 innings against the struggling Royals. Brett Rooker hit a pair of RBI singles for Oakland and Zack Gelof hit a solo homer to provide the offense. Kansas City has lost eight of 10 games.

MIAMI (AP) — Otto Lopez hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to drive in Tim Anderson and the Miami Marlins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3. Lopez’s liner off Ryan Fernandez was bobbled by right fielder Alec Burleson, but is doubtful he would have had a play. Tanner Scott got the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth. The NL-worst Marlins took two of three from the Cardinals, who fell back below .500 at 36-37.

NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning and scored on a throwing error to help the Baltimore Orioles hold off the New York Yankees 7-6 in a wild finish. New York ace Gerrit Cole was charged with two runs over four-plus innings in an up-and-down season debut after returning from an elbow injury. He was on the hook for his first loss since Aug. 19 last year until Giancarlo Stanton rallied the Yankees late with a three-run homer that pulled New York to 5-4 in the seventh, then laced a tying single off closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A mural honoring baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays has been unveiled in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Mays died Tuesday at the age of 93. The mural depicts a smiling “Say Hey Kid” and his bevy of athletic accomplishments. It was created by artist Chuck Styles ahead of Thursday's game between Mays' longtime team, the San Francisco Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham. The game is intended to honor the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his career in 1948. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol says the game becomes even more meaningful after Mays' death. Tributes to Mays poured in from around the country on Wednesday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Justin Lamkin gave Texas A&amp;M a second straight sensational start, Caden Sorrell homered to break open the game and the Aggies beat Florida 6-0 to reach their first College World Series finals. The Aggies will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee in the best-of-three championship series starting Saturday. It will be an all-SEC final for the second straight year and third time in four. Hours after Florida had 14 hits and scored its third-most runs this season in a 15-4 win over Kentucky, the Gators managed just four hits and were shut out for the first time in 145 games.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tennessee will play in the College World Series finals for the first time in the modern era after it knocked out Florida State with a 7-2 victory to win its bracket. Zander Sechrist held the Seminoles scoreless for six innings and the Volunteers struck for four early runs to become the first No. 1 national seed since 2009 to advance to the best-of-three finals. Tennessee’s win assured an all-SEC finals for the second straight year and third time in four. The Volunteers will play Texas A&amp;M for the championship beginning Saturday.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, says an economic ‘border war’ between his state and Kansas has restarted. Mayor Quinton Lucas blames a plan approved by the Kansas Legislature that's aimed at luring his city's two major-league sports franchises from Missouri. It would allow Kansas to issue bonds to help pay for new stadiums for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals. In the past, the two states used subsidies to pull businesses across the border that runs through the Kansas City metropolitan area but their governors signed a truce in 2019. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said it doesn't apply to professional sports.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan says the difficulty in finalizing a deal with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf isn’t a reason for concern. Monahan says it is still a great opportunity for the tour. It’s been more than a year since the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced a deal aimed at bringing peace to a sport torn apart by the departures of dozens of players for LIV Golf. The original deadline passed with no agreement. Monahan gave few specifics but said recent meetings have been very productive.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Coming back from long layoffs, American swimming stars Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel had to settle for relay spots at the Olympics on Wednesday night. Dressel, the winner of five gold medals at the Tokyo Games, won’t get a chance to defend his 100-meter freestyle title in Paris after a third-place finish at the U.S. trials behind Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy. Manuel finished fourth in the women’s 100 freestyle, with potential breakout star Kate Douglass claiming the victory and Torri Huske the second spot. In perhaps the surest bet of the trials, Katie Ledecky claimed her third victory at Lucas Oil Stadium with another dominating performance in the 1,500 freestyle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, June 20th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, June 20th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for June 20th, 2024:<div><iframe title="AP Sports Summary for June 20th, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9a52w-16488df-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Luis Medina held down Kansas City to get his first victory in more than 11 months and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight game following a nine-game skid by beating the Royals 5-1. Medina had lost five straight decisions since beating Boston on July 18 last season but allowed only one run in 5 2/3 innings against the struggling Royals. Brett Rooker hit a pair of RBI singles for Oakland and Zack Gelof hit a solo homer to provide the offense. Kansas City has lost eight of 10 games.MIAMI (AP) — Otto Lopez hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to drive in Tim Anderson and the Miami Marlins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3. Lopez’s liner off Ryan Fernandez was bobbled by right fielder Alec Burleson, but is doubtful he would have had a play. Tanner Scott got the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth. The NL-worst Marlins took two of three from the Cardinals, who fell back below .500 at 36-37.NEW YORK (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning and scored on a throwing error to help the Baltimore Orioles hold off the New York Yankees 7-6 in a wild finish. New York ace Gerrit Cole was charged with two runs over four-plus innings in an up-and-down season debut after returning from an elbow injury. He was on the hook for his first loss since Aug. 19 last year until Giancarlo Stanton rallied the Yankees late with a three-run homer that pulled New York to 5-4 in the seventh, then laced a tying single off closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth.BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A mural honoring baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays has been unveiled in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Mays died Tuesday at the age of 93. The mural depicts a smiling “Say Hey Kid” and his bevy of athletic accomplishments. It was created by artist Chuck Styles ahead of Thursday's game between Mays' longtime team, the San Francisco Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham. The game is intended to honor the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his career in 1948. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol says the game becomes even more meaningful after Mays' death. Tributes to Mays poured in from around the country on Wednesday.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Justin Lamkin gave Texas A&amp;M a second straight sensational start, Caden Sorrell homered to break open the game and the Aggies beat Florida 6-0 to reach their first College World Series finals. The Aggies will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee in the best-of-three championship series starting Saturday. It will be an all-SEC final for the second straight year and third time in four. Hours after Florida had 14 hits and scored its third-most runs this season in a 15-4 win over Kentucky, the Gators managed just four hits and were shut out for the first time in 145 games.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tennessee will play in the College World Series finals for the first time in the modern era after it knocked out Florida State with a 7-2 victory to win its bracket. Zander Sechrist held the Seminoles scoreless for six innings and the Volunteers struck for four early runs to become the first No. 1 national seed since 2009 to advance to the best-of-three finals. Tennessee’s win assured an all-SEC finals for the second straight year and third time in four. The Volunteers will play Texas A&amp;M for the championship beginning Saturday.TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, says an economic ‘border war’ between his state and Kansas has restarted. Mayor Quinton Lucas blames a plan approved by the Kansas Legislature that's aimed at luring his city's two major-league sports franchises from Missouri. It would allow Kansas to issue bonds to help pay for new stadiums for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals. In the past, the two states used subsidies to pull businesses across the border that runs through the Kansas City metropolitan area but their governors signed a truce in 2019. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said it doesn't apply to professional sports.CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan says the difficulty in finalizing a deal with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf isn’t a reason for concern. Monahan says it is still a great opportunity for the tour. It’s been more than a year since the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced a deal aimed at bringing peace to a sport torn apart by the departures of dozens of players for LIV Golf. The original deadline passed with no agreement. Monahan gave few specifics but said recent meetings have been very productive.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Coming back from long layoffs, American swimming stars Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel had to settle for relay spots at the Olympics on Wednesday night. Dressel, the winner of five gold medals at the Tokyo Games, won’t get a chance to defend his 100-meter freestyle title in Paris after a third-place finish at the U.S. trials behind Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy. Manuel finished fourth in the women’s 100 freestyle, with potential breakout star Kate Douglass claiming the victory and Torri Huske the second spot. In perhaps the surest bet of the trials, Katie Ledecky claimed her third victory at Lucas Oil Stadium with another dominating performance in the 1,500 freestyle.WEDNESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal Atlanta 7 Detroit 0Final Texas 5 N.Y. Mets 3Final Milwaukee 2 L.A. Angels 0AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Cleveland 8 Seattle 0Final Boston 7 Toronto 3Final Houston 4 Chicago White Sox 1Final Baltimore 7 N.Y. Yankees 6Final Tampa Bay 3 Minnesota 2Final Oakland 5 Kansas City 1NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Pittsburgh 1 Cincinnati 0Final Miami 4 St. Louis 3Final San Diego 5 Philadelphia 2Final Chicago Cubs 6 San Francisco 5Final Washington 3 Arizona 1Final Colorado 7 L.A. Dodgers 6

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Thursday

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge tied the series with a 9-2 win against the Arkansas Travelers. Wichita scored multiple runs in three frames, including a four-run third to their fourth win in five games.

Eight batters brought home four runs in the top of the third.&nbsp;Luke Keaschall&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jake Rucker&nbsp;respectively pulled a single and a sacrifice fly to left field in back-to-back at-bats with two outs.&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;doubled in both Keaschall and&nbsp;Jeferson Morales&nbsp;after he pushed a pitch over to the right-center wall. The pull knocks kept coming as Sabato cranked a solo shot two innings later for his seventh of the season and a 5-0 Wind Surge lead.

Arkansas would score their first run on an infield groundout in the bottom half of the fifth frame.&nbsp;Dalton Shuffield&nbsp;added insurance for Wichita on a two-run home run the opposite way to right field, his second of the season and first with the Wind Surge, a half inning later for a six-run cushion.

Morales tallied two more runs for Wichita on a double to left in the top of the ninth to make the score 9-1 Wind Surge. The Travelers added one run before&nbsp;Taylor Floyd&nbsp;struck out Jake Anchia for the final out.

Pierson Ohl&nbsp;evens out at 4-4 on the season after earning the win, throwing five innings of one-run baseball on five hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718881702883.jpeg" alt="Wind Surge even Arkansas series" />
 <figcaption>Wind Surge even Arkansas series</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge tied the series with a 9-2 win against the Arkansas Travelers. Wichita scored multiple runs in three frames, including a four-run third to their fourth win in five games.Eight batters brought home four runs in the top of the third.&nbsp;Luke Keaschall&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jake Rucker&nbsp;respectively pulled a single and a sacrifice fly to left field in back-to-back at-bats with two outs.&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;doubled in both Keaschall and&nbsp;Jeferson Morales&nbsp;after he pushed a pitch over to the right-center wall. The pull knocks kept coming as Sabato cranked a solo shot two innings later for his seventh of the season and a 5-0 Wind Surge lead.Arkansas would score their first run on an infield groundout in the bottom half of the fifth frame.&nbsp;Dalton Shuffield&nbsp;added insurance for Wichita on a two-run home run the opposite way to right field, his second of the season and first with the Wind Surge, a half inning later for a six-run cushion.Morales tallied two more runs for Wichita on a double to left in the top of the ninth to make the score 9-1 Wind Surge. The Travelers added one run before&nbsp;Taylor Floyd&nbsp;struck out Jake Anchia for the final out.Pierson Ohl&nbsp;evens out at 4-4 on the season after earning the win, throwing five innings of one-run baseball on five hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge smack six extra base hits to win in Arkansas

AUGUSTA, Kan. - The Kansas Cannons were able to score in the middle innings to defeat the Hutchinson Monarchs 4-2 Wednesday night in Augusta.

Hutchinson jumped on top score a run in the top of the first but the Cannons scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings shutting out the Monarchs until they were able to rally and score one run in the top of the seventh inning.

Blake Bradford singled and scored in the seventh, but the Cannons were able to shut down the rally by retiring the final two Monarch batters for the win.

Hutch falls to 8-4, while the Cannons improve to 11-5.

Both teams will be back on action on Friday at Hobart-Detter with the first pitch at 7pm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718880731364.png" alt="Kansas Cannons defeat the Hutchinson Monarchs in Augusta on Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Cannons defeat the Hutchinson Monarchs in Augusta on Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>AUGUSTA, Kan. - The Kansas Cannons were able to score in the middle innings to defeat the Hutchinson Monarchs 4-2 Wednesday night in Augusta.Hutchinson jumped on top score a run in the top of the first but the Cannons scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings shutting out the Monarchs until they were able to rally and score one run in the top of the seventh inning.Blake Bradford singled and scored in the seventh, but the Cannons were able to shut down the rally by retiring the final two Monarch batters for the win.Hutch falls to 8-4, while the Cannons improve to 11-5.Both teams will be back on action on Friday at Hobart-Detter with the first pitch at 7pm.

⚾ Hutch Monarchs drop road game to Cannons

A Kansas City area football prospect has committed to K-State.

Richman is a 6-foot-2 and 200-pound linebacker from Blue Valley. He is the ninth member of the 2025 class and the second from Kansas, joining&nbsp;Derby defensive back Martel Jackson.

A Kansas City area football prospect has committed to K-State.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I would first like to thank God, my family, coaches, and teammates. Your constant support and guidance have played a crucial role in my development and achievements. Blessed to say I am 100% Committed To K-State <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMAW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EMAW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BV_CoachTerrell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BV_CoachTerrell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachKli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachKli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/spedbraet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spedbraet</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coachstanard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coachstanard</a>… <a href="https://t.co/NNVopHVvUe">pic.twitter.com/NNVopHVvUe</a>&mdash; Maguire Richman (@MaguireRichman) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaguireRichman/status/1803478683820147015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Richman is a 6-foot-2 and 200-pound linebacker from Blue Valley. He is the ninth member of the 2025 class and the second from Kansas, joining&nbsp;Derby defensive back Martel Jackson.

🏈 KC area linebacker to join Wildcats

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Luis Medina held down Kansas City to get his first victory in more than 11 months and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight game following a nine-game skid, beating the Royals 5-1 on Wednesday night.

Medina (1-2) had lost five straight decisions since beating Boston on July 18 last season but was sharp against the struggling Royals. He allowed one run on an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr. and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the win in front of an announced crowd of 4,557 fans.

“All the time when I go out there, I'm just trying to do a good job and help my teammates,” Medina said. “Every game we try to make an adjustment and try to be better every day. Every time I go out there, I'm trying to put my team in a good situation.”

Brett Rooker hit a pair of RBI singles, Miguel Andujar had three hits and an RBI and Zack Gelof hit a solo homer to provide the offense for Oakland. Medina and the bullpen did the rest, giving the A’s their first back-to-back wins since a six-game winning streak that ended May 4.

A's relievers threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, ending a streak of 13 games that the bullpen allowed at least one run.

The Royals have lost eight of their last 10 games, including back-to-back games against an A's team that has the second worst record in the American League .

Ragans pitched well, allowing only four hits in six innings but ran into trouble in the third inning when he walked Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday to open the frame. Andujar and Rooker followed with singles to make to give Oakland a 2-0 lead.

“His stuff was good,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Those walks came back to haunt him there in the third inning. They capitalized on those and that’s all he gave up. His stuff was really good. He gave us six solid innings, two runs, and gave us a chance to win.”

Andujar has 10 multi-hit games since coming off the injured list May 24, providing a big boost after starting the year on the injured list recovering from knee surgery.

“He's just a hitter,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “You don't see these types of hitters that often in the current game that just have bat to ball skills, along with the ability to hit it with some force and exit velo. We talked about the impact he could have once we got him back. Ten multi-hit games is an impact to the offense and a real positive to the middle of the order.”

After Witt's double got Kansas City on the board in the fifth, the A's got some insurance in the seventh inning with RBI singles to Rooker and Tyler Nevin against John Schreiber to make it 4-1.

Gelof added his seventh homer of the season in the eighth inning.

Royals: RHP Dan Altavilla left in the eighth inning after hurting his back after throwing ball four to Schuemann. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

Athletics: INF Abraham Toro is dealing with shoulder soreness from a swing on Sunday and was held out of the lineup. Kotsay said he's hopeful Toro can avoid a stint on the IL.

RHP Seth Lugo (10-2, 2.40 ERA) looks for his Major League-leading 11th win when he starts the series finale for Kansas City against RHP Mitch Spence (4-3, 3.95).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Luis Medina held down Kansas City to get his first victory in more than 11 months and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight game following a nine-game skid, beating the Royals 5-1 on Wednesday night.Medina (1-2) had lost five straight decisions since beating Boston on July 18 last season but was sharp against the struggling Royals. He allowed one run on an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr. and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the win in front of an announced crowd of 4,557 fans.“All the time when I go out there, I'm just trying to do a good job and help my teammates,” Medina said. “Every game we try to make an adjustment and try to be better every day. Every time I go out there, I'm trying to put my team in a good situation.”Brett Rooker hit a pair of RBI singles, Miguel Andujar had three hits and an RBI and Zack Gelof hit a solo homer to provide the offense for Oakland. Medina and the bullpen did the rest, giving the A’s their first back-to-back wins since a six-game winning streak that ended May 4.A's relievers threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, ending a streak of 13 games that the bullpen allowed at least one run.The Royals have lost eight of their last 10 games, including back-to-back games against an A's team that has the second worst record in the American League .Ragans pitched well, allowing only four hits in six innings but ran into trouble in the third inning when he walked Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday to open the frame. Andujar and Rooker followed with singles to make to give Oakland a 2-0 lead.“His stuff was good,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Those walks came back to haunt him there in the third inning. They capitalized on those and that’s all he gave up. His stuff was really good. He gave us six solid innings, two runs, and gave us a chance to win.”Andujar has 10 multi-hit games since coming off the injured list May 24, providing a big boost after starting the year on the injured list recovering from knee surgery.“He's just a hitter,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “You don't see these types of hitters that often in the current game that just have bat to ball skills, along with the ability to hit it with some force and exit velo. We talked about the impact he could have once we got him back. Ten multi-hit games is an impact to the offense and a real positive to the middle of the order.”After Witt's double got Kansas City on the board in the fifth, the A's got some insurance in the seventh inning with RBI singles to Rooker and Tyler Nevin against John Schreiber to make it 4-1.Gelof added his seventh homer of the season in the eighth inning.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Dan Altavilla left in the eighth inning after hurting his back after throwing ball four to Schuemann. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.Athletics: INF Abraham Toro is dealing with shoulder soreness from a swing on Sunday and was held out of the lineup. Kotsay said he's hopeful Toro can avoid a stint on the IL.UP NEXTRHP Seth Lugo (10-2, 2.40 ERA) looks for his Major League-leading 11th win when he starts the series finale for Kansas City against RHP Mitch Spence (4-3, 3.95).

⚾ Royals lose second straight to A's

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

&nbsp; MANHATTAN, Kan. — Junior outfielder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/brendan-jones/11466">Brendan Jones</a>&nbsp;becomes the first Wildcat in school history to be named a Gold&nbsp;Glove Finalist, as the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods announced the finalists for the 2024 Gold Glove team.

Bryce Boettcher (Oregon), Vance Honeycutt (North Carolina), Ryley Johnson (East Carolina), Kyle Jones (Stetson) and Garrett Scavelli (St. John's) joined Jones as the six outfielders that were voted on and selected as finalists by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America &amp; Coach of the Year Committee.

A native of Greenbrier, Tennessee, Jones was one of the Big 12's top defensive players this season with a .994 fielding percentage. In three seasons at K-State, he has committed only two errors for an incredible career fielding percentage of .993 with 289 putouts and seven assists.

Jones finished his junior campaign as the Conference leader in stolen bases (40) and walks (55), which rank fifth and 19th&nbsp;nationally in both categories, while he was third with 69 runs scored. He earned All-Big 12 recognition as he produced a slash line of .303/.442/.500 during the Cats' historic 2024 season, that included a .368 average in the NCAA Tournament where he scored a team-best eight runs.

Additionally, Jones sits in the Top 10 of the K-State single-season records in three offensive categories – tied first in walks, second in runs scored, second in stolen bases. His 70 career stolen bases are third all-time in school history, behind Ross Kivett (80) and Adam Muenster (78).&nbsp;&nbsp;

In all divisions, the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 19 via social media by Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718820353347.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp; MANHATTAN, Kan. — Junior outfielder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/brendan-jones/11466">Brendan Jones</a>&nbsp;becomes the first Wildcat in school history to be named a Gold&nbsp;Glove Finalist, as the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods announced the finalists for the 2024 Gold Glove team.Bryce Boettcher (Oregon), Vance Honeycutt (North Carolina), Ryley Johnson (East Carolina), Kyle Jones (Stetson) and Garrett Scavelli (St. John's) joined Jones as the six outfielders that were voted on and selected as finalists by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America &amp; Coach of the Year Committee.A native of Greenbrier, Tennessee, Jones was one of the Big 12's top defensive players this season with a .994 fielding percentage. In three seasons at K-State, he has committed only two errors for an incredible career fielding percentage of .993 with 289 putouts and seven assists.Jones finished his junior campaign as the Conference leader in stolen bases (40) and walks (55), which rank fifth and 19th&nbsp;nationally in both categories, while he was third with 69 runs scored. He earned All-Big 12 recognition as he produced a slash line of .303/.442/.500 during the Cats' historic 2024 season, that included a .368 average in the NCAA Tournament where he scored a team-best eight runs.Additionally, Jones sits in the Top 10 of the K-State single-season records in three offensive categories – tied first in walks, second in runs scored, second in stolen bases. His 70 career stolen bases are third all-time in school history, behind Ross Kivett (80) and Adam Muenster (78).&nbsp;&nbsp; In all divisions, the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 19 via social media by Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

⚾ Jones named ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove finalist

BUHLER, Kan. — Matt Babcock, Buhler High tennis coach was named Kansas Coaches Association Tennis Coach of the Year for all classes in Kansas. 

 Buhler won the boys state tennis championship in 4A this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718812725917.png" alt="Buhler Tennis 2024" />
 <figcaption>Buhler Tennis 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>BUHLER, Kan. — Matt Babcock, Buhler High tennis coach was named Kansas Coaches Association Tennis Coach of the Year for all classes in Kansas. Buhler won the boys state tennis championship in 4A this year.

🎾Babcock named Coach of the Year

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718803945747.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Wichita State Athletics
 
WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/cc-wong/8967" rel="smarttag" style="color: black;">CC Wong</a></dfn>&nbsp;will take her talents to the global stage after earning a spot on the Canadian Women&apos;s National Softball Team, it was announced Tuesday afternoon by Softball Canada.
 
The Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, native is one of 21 athletes on the 2024 Team Canada roster.&nbsp;Team Canada&nbsp;is set to compete in the P5 Colorado event, hosted by Triple Crown Sports and College Sports Evaluation from June 26-28 in Fort Collins, Colo. Following the P5 Colorado Event, they will showcase their skills at the Canada Cup from July 1-7, in Surrey B.C.
 
Wong is just the second Shocker softball student-athlete to represent Wichita State on a National Team, and the first on Team Canada.&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/sydney-mckinney/7236" rel="smarttag" style="color: black;">Sydney McKinney</a></dfn>&nbsp;was named to Team USA for the Japan All-Star Series in 2022.
 
The roster boasts a blend of seasoned and emerging talent, including six members from Canada&apos;s 2020 Olympic softball team and 13 athletes from the 2023 WBSC World Cup Group Stage, where their efforts secured Canada&apos;s spot in the World Cup Finals.
 
The team also includes 16 athletes who competed in last year&apos;s Canada Cup, while five new faces will make their debut for the Canadian Women&apos;s National Team.
 
The coaching staff made their selections after holding two regional identification camps and one final selection camp.
 
P5 Colorado&nbsp;Event&nbsp;Schedule
<table style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">DATE</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">OPPONENT</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">TIME</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">June 26</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Team Canada vs. TC Colorado&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm MDT (7:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">June 27</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Team Canada vs. Louisville Lady Sluggers&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm MDT (7:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">June 28</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Team Canada vs. Epic National 18u&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">4:00pm MDT (7:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">June 28</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Team Canada vs. TC Colorado&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm MDT (7:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
2024 Canada Cup Schedule&nbsp;
<table style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size: 16px;">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">DATE</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">OPPONENT</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">TIME</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">June 29</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. Czechia&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:30pm PDT (8:30pm CDT)&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July 1</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. New Zealand&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">1:00pm PDT (3:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July1</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. Mexico&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm PDT (8:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July 2</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. Philippines&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm PDT (8:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July 3</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. Israel&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:30pm PDT (8:30pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July 4</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Canada vs. Hong Kong, China&nbsp;</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">6:00pm PDT (8:00pm CDT)&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">July 5-6</td>
 <td style="font-size: 0.875rem;">Playoff and Championship Games&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table></div>

🥎 WSU's Wong named to Canadian National Team

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701263164849.png" alt="Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, June 19th 2-24" />
 <figcaption>Early Morning Sports with Rob Dreher for Wednesday, June 19th 2-24</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="June 19th, 2024 Early Morning Sports" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ij2uh-16470a7-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: ⚾ Royals drop game in Oakland; ⚾ Wind Surge comes up short in Arkansas

UNDATED (AP) — Willie Mays, baseball’s exuberant and electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ has died at 93. The Giants and Mays' family jointly announced his death. The Giants center fielder, with his signature basket catch, was one of the game’s greatest and most beloved players. He hit more than 600 home runs, totaled more than 3,000 hits and was a joy to behold in the outfield. His over-the shoulder catch of a long drive in the 1954 World Series is baseball’s most celebrated defensive feat. He had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Zack Gelof hit his first home run in nearly three weeks and the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 7-5 to end a nine-game losing streak. JJ Bleday had a career-high three doubles and drove in two runs, and Miguel Andujar added two hits to help Oakland to its first win since June 7. The last-place A’s have the fourth-worst record in the majors at 27-48. Nick Loftin hit his first career home run and had three RBIs for the Royals, who have lost three of four.

MIAMI (AP) — Vidal Bruján drove in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning and the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 to snap a six-game skid. Nick Gordon reached on a one-out infield single against Chris Roycroft (1-1) that advanced automatic runner Jesús Sánchez to third. Tim Anderson followed with an RBI infield single, tying it at 8-all. Otto Lopez’s groundout advanced Gordon and Anderson before Bruján's liner to center field gave Miami its sixth walk-off win of the season. Sánchez homered, doubled and singled, while Christian Bethancourt also went deep for the Marlins. Paul Goldschmidt, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson homered for the Cardinals.

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees star Aaron Judge says X-rays and a CT scan were negative after he was hit on the left hand by a 94 mph fastball from Albert Suárez, forcing the slugger out of New York’s 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Judge says he's feeling better after getting some good news. He calls it “a big relief” and says: "Finding out that it’s not fractured, not broken, is definitely a sigh of relief.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Connor Hults pitched 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief to thwart North Carolina’s comeback bid, and Jaxson West and Max Williams hit back-to-back homers in the ninth for insurance as Florida State beat the Tar Heels 9-5 in an elimination game at the College World Series. The Seminoles will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee on Wednesday. They would have to beat the Volunteers then and again Thursday to reach the finals for the first time since 1999. The Tar Heels lost consecutive games for the first time since mid-April and went 1-2 in their first CWS since 2018.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is making a serious run at becoming the new home for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. State legislators approved a plan Tuesday for luring both the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals away from Missouri. Bipartisan legislative supermajorities OKed a measure to authorize state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area. The plan goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly. He has not promised to sign it but said in a statement that Kansas could become a professional sports powerhouse. Both teams said they look forward to considering Kansas options.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Connor McDavid had two goals and two assists that added to his historic postseason, Evan Bouchard added three assists and the Edmonton Oilers fended off elimination yet again by beating the Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night. Connor Brown, Zach Hyman and Corey Perry also had goals for the Oilers, who scored the game’s first three goals to take control — then held on late to cut Florida’s lead in the title series to 3-2. Evan Rodrigues and Matthew Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist for Florida, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also scored for the Panthers. Game 6 is in Edmonton on Friday night.

UNDATED (AP) — In the NBA, it’s already next season. The offseason, technically, might have lasted for only about an hour. The Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals on Monday night, and when the clock rolled over to Tuesday morning, teams — in many cases — could start talking to their own free agents. The on-court games are over. Let the off-court games begin. The only real certainties are these: There are 29 teams chasing the Boston Celtics, and everyone is looking to get better. It starts with the draft, then free agency, and plenty of people around the NBA think this will be a summer filled with trades as well.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Regan Smith has set a world record in the women's 100-meter backstroke at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis. Smith touched in 57.13 seconds, easily beating the mark of 57.33 set a year ago by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown. Smith bounced back emphatically after getting edged for a spot on the U.S. team in the 100 butterfly, where she finished third behind Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske. No one was beating Smith in her signature event. Katharine Berkoff claimed the second Olympic spot with a time of 57.91. In the night's other final, reigning Olympic champion Bobby Finke won the 800 freestyle, holding off teenager Luke Whitlock.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday June 19th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday June 19th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for June 19th, 2024:UNDATED (AP) — Willie Mays, baseball’s exuberant and electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ has died at 93. The Giants and Mays' family jointly announced his death. The Giants center fielder, with his signature basket catch, was one of the game’s greatest and most beloved players. He hit more than 600 home runs, totaled more than 3,000 hits and was a joy to behold in the outfield. His over-the shoulder catch of a long drive in the 1954 World Series is baseball’s most celebrated defensive feat. He had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer.OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Zack Gelof hit his first home run in nearly three weeks and the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 7-5 to end a nine-game losing streak. JJ Bleday had a career-high three doubles and drove in two runs, and Miguel Andujar added two hits to help Oakland to its first win since June 7. The last-place A’s have the fourth-worst record in the majors at 27-48. Nick Loftin hit his first career home run and had three RBIs for the Royals, who have lost three of four.MIAMI (AP) — Vidal Bruján drove in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning and the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 to snap a six-game skid. Nick Gordon reached on a one-out infield single against Chris Roycroft (1-1) that advanced automatic runner Jesús Sánchez to third. Tim Anderson followed with an RBI infield single, tying it at 8-all. Otto Lopez’s groundout advanced Gordon and Anderson before Bruján's liner to center field gave Miami its sixth walk-off win of the season. Sánchez homered, doubled and singled, while Christian Bethancourt also went deep for the Marlins. Paul Goldschmidt, Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson homered for the Cardinals.NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees star Aaron Judge says X-rays and a CT scan were negative after he was hit on the left hand by a 94 mph fastball from Albert Suárez, forcing the slugger out of New York’s 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Judge says he's feeling better after getting some good news. He calls it “a big relief” and says: "Finding out that it’s not fractured, not broken, is definitely a sigh of relief.”OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Connor Hults pitched 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief to thwart North Carolina’s comeback bid, and Jaxson West and Max Williams hit back-to-back homers in the ninth for insurance as Florida State beat the Tar Heels 9-5 in an elimination game at the College World Series. The Seminoles will play No. 1 national seed Tennessee on Wednesday. They would have to beat the Volunteers then and again Thursday to reach the finals for the first time since 1999. The Tar Heels lost consecutive games for the first time since mid-April and went 1-2 in their first CWS since 2018.TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is making a serious run at becoming the new home for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. State legislators approved a plan Tuesday for luring both the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals away from Missouri. Bipartisan legislative supermajorities OKed a measure to authorize state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area. The plan goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly. He has not promised to sign it but said in a statement that Kansas could become a professional sports powerhouse. Both teams said they look forward to considering Kansas options.SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Connor McDavid had two goals and two assists that added to his historic postseason, Evan Bouchard added three assists and the Edmonton Oilers fended off elimination yet again by beating the Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night. Connor Brown, Zach Hyman and Corey Perry also had goals for the Oilers, who scored the game’s first three goals to take control — then held on late to cut Florida’s lead in the title series to 3-2. Evan Rodrigues and Matthew Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist for Florida, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also scored for the Panthers. Game 6 is in Edmonton on Friday night.UNDATED (AP) — In the NBA, it’s already next season. The offseason, technically, might have lasted for only about an hour. The Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals on Monday night, and when the clock rolled over to Tuesday morning, teams — in many cases — could start talking to their own free agents. The on-court games are over. Let the off-court games begin. The only real certainties are these: There are 29 teams chasing the Boston Celtics, and everyone is looking to get better. It starts with the draft, then free agency, and plenty of people around the NBA think this will be a summer filled with trades as well.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Regan Smith has set a world record in the women's 100-meter backstroke at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis. Smith touched in 57.13 seconds, easily beating the mark of 57.33 set a year ago by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown. Smith bounced back emphatically after getting edged for a spot on the U.S. team in the 100 butterfly, where she finished third behind Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske. No one was beating Smith in her signature event. Katharine Berkoff claimed the second Olympic spot with a time of 57.91. In the night's other final, reigning Olympic champion Bobby Finke won the 800 freestyle, holding off teenager Luke Whitlock.TUESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal Atlanta 2 Detroit 1Final N.Y. Mets 7 Texas 6Final Milwaukee 6 L.A. Angels 3AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Seattle 8 Cleveland 5Final N.Y. Yankees 4 Baltimore 2Final Boston 4 Toronto 3Final Chicago White Sox 2 Houston 0Final Minnesota 7 Tampa Bay 6Final Oakland 7 Kansas City 5NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Cincinnati 2 Pittsburgh 1Final Arizona 5 Washington 0Final Miami 9 St. Louis 8Final Philadelphia 4 San Diego 3Final Chicago Cubs 5 San Francisco 2Final L.A. Dodgers 11 Colorado 9NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge came up short 3-2 in the series opener on the road against the Arkansas Travelers. The loss marks five consecutive series-opening losses for Wichita, who sits at 3-10 in such contests dating back to Opening Day.

Jeferson Morales&nbsp;brought in his 26th RBI on a double down the right field line in the top of the first.&nbsp;Jake Rucker&nbsp;scored from second while Morales switched places with him on his 12th two-bagger of the season.

Cole Young tagged Wind Surge starter&nbsp;Cory Lewis&nbsp;for a two-run home run to right-center in the bottom half of the opening frame to give Arkansas a 2-1 lead. While neither team scored in the following five and a half innings, Harry Ford singled in another Travelers run on a knock to center in the bottom of the seventh.

Rucker cut the deficit to a single run on a sacrifice fly to left-center in the top of the eighth, bringing home&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;from third, improving his team-leading RBI number to 37 in 2024. Wichita’s following four batters went down in order to end the game.

Lewis got pinned with his first decision, a loss, in the 2024 season. He threw for three innings and surrendered the two earned runs (both on the first inning homer) on four hits and two walks against four strikeouts.&nbsp;Aaron Rozek&nbsp;helped keep the game close, holding the Travelers to one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings as the piggyback reliever.

The Wind Surge continue their final first half series with the Travelers on Wednesday, June 19, with a 6:35 PM first pitch. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, windsurge.com, or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718798327773.jpeg" alt="Wind Surge come up short to Arkansas Travelers" />
 <figcaption>Wind Surge come up short to Arkansas Travelers</figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Wichita Wind Surge came up short 3-2 in the series opener on the road against the Arkansas Travelers. The loss marks five consecutive series-opening losses for Wichita, who sits at 3-10 in such contests dating back to Opening Day.Jeferson Morales&nbsp;brought in his 26th RBI on a double down the right field line in the top of the first.&nbsp;Jake Rucker&nbsp;scored from second while Morales switched places with him on his 12th two-bagger of the season.Cole Young tagged Wind Surge starter&nbsp;Cory Lewis&nbsp;for a two-run home run to right-center in the bottom half of the opening frame to give Arkansas a 2-1 lead. While neither team scored in the following five and a half innings, Harry Ford singled in another Travelers run on a knock to center in the bottom of the seventh.Rucker cut the deficit to a single run on a sacrifice fly to left-center in the top of the eighth, bringing home&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;from third, improving his team-leading RBI number to 37 in 2024. Wichita’s following four batters went down in order to end the game.Lewis got pinned with his first decision, a loss, in the 2024 season. He threw for three innings and surrendered the two earned runs (both on the first inning homer) on four hits and two walks against four strikeouts.&nbsp;Aaron Rozek&nbsp;helped keep the game close, holding the Travelers to one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings as the piggyback reliever.The Wind Surge continue their final first half series with the Travelers on Wednesday, June 19, with a 6:35 PM first pitch. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM, windsurge.com, or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com.

⚾ Wind Surge tumble in series opener in Arkansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is making a serious run at becoming the new home for the reigning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Super Bowl champions</a>&nbsp;with legislators approving a plan Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-new-stadium-d33d64672c1cfb8d015d29b03ccf9b4f">for luring</a>&nbsp;both the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals away from Missouri.

Bipartisan legislative supermajorities OKed the measure to authorize state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area of 2.3 million residents, which is split by the border with Missouri. Three Super Bowl victories in five years — and player Travis Kelce’s romance with pop icon Taylor Swift — have made the Chiefs perhaps the area’s most celebrated civic asset.

The plan from the Republican-controlled Legislature goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While she stopped short of promising to sign it, she said in a statement that “Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse.”

Both the Chiefs and the Royals said they look forward to considering Kansas options. The lease on the Missouri complex with their side-by-side stadiums runs through January 2031, but both have said they already should have been planning for the future.

“We’re excited about what happened here today,” Korb Maxwell, an attorney for the Chiefs who lives on the Kansas side, said at the Statehouse after the bill cleared the Legislature. “This is incredibly real.”

The approval capped a two-month push to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">the refusal in April</a>&nbsp;by voters on the Missouri side to continue a local sales tax used to finance the upkeep of the teams' stadiums.

Backers of the plan brushed aside decades of research by economists concluding that government subsidies for professional sports stadiums&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-stadiums-public-funding-nfl-mlb-a81d825286530bb95f227efc99f2e9d3">are not worth the cost</a>. They also overcame criticism that lawmakers were moving too quickly.

A spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment. But in Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas promised to “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town.

“Today was largely, in my opinion, about leverage,” Lucas said. “And the teams are in an exceptional leverage position.”

Some Kansas officials reached the same conclusion.

“I think the Chiefs and the Royals are using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Kansas City-area Democrat.

The votes on the Kansas stadium-financing plan were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240618140409_302207/">84-38</a>&nbsp;in the state House and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240618180827_709784/">27-8</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. Lawmakers from across the state — even western Kansas, far from any new stadium — supported the measure.

It would allow state bonds to cover up to 70% of each new stadium, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales and new sales and alcohol taxes collected from shopping and entertainment districts around the new stadiums.

House Commerce Committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, said the Chiefs still are likely to spend $500 million to $700 million in private funds on a new stadium.

“There are no blank checks,” Tarwater told GOP colleagues during a briefing.

Legislators debated the plan during a one-day special session called by Kelly to have them consider reducing taxes after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-budget-tax-cuts-veto-9ebddf96cd35b614d8e96f2d8b8939c2">vetoed three tax-cutting plans</a>&nbsp;before legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1.

Republican leaders had promised that the stadium proposal wouldn’t come up until the Legislature first approved a plan to cut income and property taxes by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-special-legislative-session-b79d213f1a904dfd7604648ea9d2c454">a total of $1.23 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next three years. Many lawmakers argued that voters would be angry if the state helped finance new stadiums without cutting taxes.

With the tax bill passed, the stadium plan gained support even from lawmakers who saw it as a handout for wealthy team owners. Some said failing to act risked pushing the teams to leave the Kansas City area, and a few said they had wanted the Chiefs in Kansas since childhood.

“It is amazing to me the speed with which we can solve problems when they're oriented around wealth, when they’re oriented around business,” said state Rep. Jason Probst, a Democrat from central Kansas.

“This is the system that we’re stuck in, so if we choose to opt out of that system, we will lose every time,” he said.

Economists who study pro sports teams have concluded in dozens of studies that a new stadium and shopping-and-entertainment area merely takes existing economic activity away from elsewhere in a community, resulting in little or no net gain.

“It could still help Kansas and maybe hurt Missouri by the same amount,” said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith college in central Massachusetts who has written multiple books about sports. “It’s a zero-sum game.”

A skeptical state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Kansas City-area Republican, used a Christmas Eve metaphor to characterize supporters' excitement before she voted no.

"There are visions of sugar plums,” Baumgardner said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629113022641.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHN HANNA Associated PressTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is making a serious run at becoming the new home for the reigning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2024-score-chiefs-49ers-49b5dca51c05ab0f259cef0d7da76c2d">Super Bowl champions</a>&nbsp;with legislators approving a plan Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-new-stadium-d33d64672c1cfb8d015d29b03ccf9b4f">for luring</a>&nbsp;both the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals away from Missouri.Bipartisan legislative supermajorities OKed the measure to authorize state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area of 2.3 million residents, which is split by the border with Missouri. Three Super Bowl victories in five years — and player Travis Kelce’s romance with pop icon Taylor Swift — have made the Chiefs perhaps the area’s most celebrated civic asset.The plan from the Republican-controlled Legislature goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While she stopped short of promising to sign it, she said in a statement that “Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse.”Both the Chiefs and the Royals said they look forward to considering Kansas options. The lease on the Missouri complex with their side-by-side stadiums runs through January 2031, but both have said they already should have been planning for the future.“We’re excited about what happened here today,” Korb Maxwell, an attorney for the Chiefs who lives on the Kansas side, said at the Statehouse after the bill cleared the Legislature. “This is incredibly real.”The approval capped a two-month push to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-royals-kansas-city-stadiums-e9605296b85e91699441e4ba10e83212">the refusal in April</a>&nbsp;by voters on the Missouri side to continue a local sales tax used to finance the upkeep of the teams' stadiums.Backers of the plan brushed aside decades of research by economists concluding that government subsidies for professional sports stadiums&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-stadiums-public-funding-nfl-mlb-a81d825286530bb95f227efc99f2e9d3">are not worth the cost</a>. They also overcame criticism that lawmakers were moving too quickly.A spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment. But in Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas promised to “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town.“Today was largely, in my opinion, about leverage,” Lucas said. “And the teams are in an exceptional leverage position.”Some Kansas officials reached the same conclusion.“I think the Chiefs and the Royals are using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Kansas City-area Democrat.The votes on the Kansas stadium-financing plan were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240618140409_302207/">84-38</a>&nbsp;in the state House and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20240618180827_709784/">27-8</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. Lawmakers from across the state — even western Kansas, far from any new stadium — supported the measure.It would allow state bonds to cover up to 70% of each new stadium, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales and new sales and alcohol taxes collected from shopping and entertainment districts around the new stadiums.House Commerce Committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, said the Chiefs still are likely to spend $500 million to $700 million in private funds on a new stadium.“There are no blank checks,” Tarwater told GOP colleagues during a briefing.Legislators debated the plan during a one-day special session called by Kelly to have them consider reducing taxes after she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-budget-tax-cuts-veto-9ebddf96cd35b614d8e96f2d8b8939c2">vetoed three tax-cutting plans</a>&nbsp;before legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1.Republican leaders had promised that the stadium proposal wouldn’t come up until the Legislature first approved a plan to cut income and property taxes by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tax-cuts-kansas-special-legislative-session-b79d213f1a904dfd7604648ea9d2c454">a total of $1.23 billion</a>&nbsp;over the next three years. Many lawmakers argued that voters would be angry if the state helped finance new stadiums without cutting taxes.With the tax bill passed, the stadium plan gained support even from lawmakers who saw it as a handout for wealthy team owners. Some said failing to act risked pushing the teams to leave the Kansas City area, and a few said they had wanted the Chiefs in Kansas since childhood.“It is amazing to me the speed with which we can solve problems when they're oriented around wealth, when they’re oriented around business,” said state Rep. Jason Probst, a Democrat from central Kansas.Yet Probst voted for the bill.“This is the system that we’re stuck in, so if we choose to opt out of that system, we will lose every time,” he said.Economists who study pro sports teams have concluded in dozens of studies that a new stadium and shopping-and-entertainment area merely takes existing economic activity away from elsewhere in a community, resulting in little or no net gain.“It could still help Kansas and maybe hurt Missouri by the same amount,” said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith college in central Massachusetts who has written multiple books about sports. “It’s a zero-sum game.”A skeptical state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Kansas City-area Republican, used a Christmas Eve metaphor to characterize supporters' excitement before she voted no."There are visions of sugar plums,” Baumgardner said.

🏈⚾ Stadium STAR bond proposal passes in Kansas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — An Alabama TV station reports that Chiefs defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs bond has been revoked following a second arrest in less than a month.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wvtm13.com/article/isaiah-buggs-domestic-violence-arrest-alabama/61148556">WVTM reports</a> that Buggs is said in court records to have broken into a residence with a tire iron and that he dragged a woman, said to be the mother of his child, down a flight of stairs and caused minor injuries.

Buggs' attorney said his client denies the allegations and charges against him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718575977539.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — An Alabama TV station reports that Chiefs defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs bond has been revoked following a second arrest in less than a month.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wvtm13.com/article/isaiah-buggs-domestic-violence-arrest-alabama/61148556">WVTM reports</a> that Buggs is said in court records to have broken into a residence with a tire iron and that he dragged a woman, said to be the mother of his child, down a flight of stairs and caused minor injuries.Buggs' attorney said his client denies the allegations and charges against him.<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;