KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber had two hits and three RBI and Garrett Stubbs had a career-best four hits to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to an 11-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

After Garrett Stubbs opened the third inning with a triple into the right-field corner, Schwarber hit a double to right-center. Alec Bohm's two-out hit scored Schwarber, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead. Schwarber added RBI on a bases-loaded grounder in the fourth and a single that capped a three-run sixth inning.

Philadelphia scored five in the eighth, highlighted by Bohm’s two-run single and Nick Castellanos’ two-run homer, his 17th of the season.

Needing a home run to complete the cycle, Stubbs singled in the eighth and was hit by a pitch in the ninth.

“I’ve never been mad to get a single, but sure as (heck) was trying to hit a homer,” Stubbs said. “(Today) was about as good as you can ever feel. Obviously, it helped us get to 11 runs and kind of cruise toward the last few innings.”

Kolby Allard (2-0) worked five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

“The changeup was really good today,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “The first two guys get on in the first inning and he works himself out of it. That tells me something about him.”

Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (14-8) allowed six runs and 11 hits.

“A lot of contact today, so give them credit,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But it was a very unfortunate run for Seth because a lot of that contact wasn’t hard.”

Lugo has surrendered at least four runs in five of his last seven starts.

“It’s been a tough run of luck,” Quatraro said. “But he’s throwing the ball fine.”

The Phillies went 7 for 14 with runners-in-scoring position.

“It was pretty frustrating,” Lugo said. “I felt like I was making pitches. I wanted a little bit more swing-and-miss, but that’s a good lineup.”

After matching a season high with 18 hits in Saturday's 11-2 win, the Phillies banged out 16 hits on Sunday and 45 hits while outscoring the Royals 26-12 to take two games of the three-game series.

“We got our approaches back,” Thomson said. “Our at-bats the entire series were really good.”

Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and MJ Melendez hit solo homers for the Royals.

Tyler Gentry made his major league debut for the Royals, flying out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.

Position player Garrett Hampson pitched a hitless ninth for Kansas City.

Phillies recalled Allard from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned RHP Max Lazar to Lehigh Valley.

Royals OF Hunter Renfroe placed on 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. OF Tyler Gentry recalled from Triple-A Omaha.

Phillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA) gets the start for their home series opener against Houston's Justin Verlander (3-3, 3.92) on Monday.

Royals LHP Cole Ragans (10-8, 3.31) and RHP Alec Marsh (7-7, 4.41) will face the Guardians in day/night doubleheader. Host Cleveland has not named starters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717239521858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber had two hits and three RBI and Garrett Stubbs had a career-best four hits to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to an 11-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.After Garrett Stubbs opened the third inning with a triple into the right-field corner, Schwarber hit a double to right-center. Alec Bohm's two-out hit scored Schwarber, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead. Schwarber added RBI on a bases-loaded grounder in the fourth and a single that capped a three-run sixth inning.Philadelphia scored five in the eighth, highlighted by Bohm’s two-run single and Nick Castellanos’ two-run homer, his 17th of the season.Needing a home run to complete the cycle, Stubbs singled in the eighth and was hit by a pitch in the ninth.“I’ve never been mad to get a single, but sure as (heck) was trying to hit a homer,” Stubbs said. “(Today) was about as good as you can ever feel. Obviously, it helped us get to 11 runs and kind of cruise toward the last few innings.”Kolby Allard (2-0) worked five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.“The changeup was really good today,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “The first two guys get on in the first inning and he works himself out of it. That tells me something about him.”Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (14-8) allowed six runs and 11 hits.“A lot of contact today, so give them credit,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But it was a very unfortunate run for Seth because a lot of that contact wasn’t hard.”Lugo has surrendered at least four runs in five of his last seven starts.“It’s been a tough run of luck,” Quatraro said. “But he’s throwing the ball fine.”The Phillies went 7 for 14 with runners-in-scoring position.“It was pretty frustrating,” Lugo said. “I felt like I was making pitches. I wanted a little bit more swing-and-miss, but that’s a good lineup.”After matching a season high with 18 hits in Saturday's 11-2 win, the Phillies banged out 16 hits on Sunday and 45 hits while outscoring the Royals 26-12 to take two games of the three-game series.“We got our approaches back,” Thomson said. “Our at-bats the entire series were really good.”Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia and MJ Melendez hit solo homers for the Royals.Tyler Gentry made his major league debut for the Royals, flying out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.Position player Garrett Hampson pitched a hitless ninth for Kansas City.TRANSACTIONSPhillies recalled Allard from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned RHP Max Lazar to Lehigh Valley.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals OF Hunter Renfroe placed on 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. OF Tyler Gentry recalled from Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA) gets the start for their home series opener against Houston's Justin Verlander (3-3, 3.92) on Monday.Royals LHP Cole Ragans (10-8, 3.31) and RHP Alec Marsh (7-7, 4.41) will face the Guardians in day/night doubleheader. Host Cleveland has not named starters.

⚾ Royals lose to Phillies Sunday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The final round of the Hutchinson City Stroke Play Golf Tournament concluded Sunday at Carey Park Golf Course. 

 Jason Odell took a 9 stroke lead into Sunday from Saturday's action that was played at Crazyhorse Golf Course. 

 Odell shot a two round total of 149 to win by 5 strokes over Hogan Smith. 

 This was the first city title for Odell. 

 Lincoln Barnes won the first flight and Mason Engel won the second flight.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724629664505.jpeg" alt="2024 Hutchinson City Stroke Play" />
 <figcaption>2024 Hutchinson City Stroke Play</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The final round of the Hutchinson City Stroke Play Golf Tournament concluded Sunday at Carey Park Golf Course. Jason Odell took a 9 stroke lead into Sunday from Saturday's action that was played at Crazyhorse Golf Course. Odell shot a two round total of 149 to win by 5 strokes over Hogan Smith. This was the first city title for Odell. Lincoln Barnes won the first flight and Mason Engel won the second flight.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⛳ Odell wins City Stroke Play

HALSTEAD, Kan. — The Halstead High School football team is looking to lean on its veterans entering the 2024 season, and hopeful of a playoff run in class 2A.&nbsp;

"We're very excited about this year," third-year head coach Derek Racette said. "We have a lot of really good leaders that came back this year. We have a really big senior class with a lot of those guys that have started since their sophomore year when myself and the coaching staff got to Halstead."

The Dragons finished the 2023 season with a 3-6 record. Racette feels like the program is headed back in the right direction of where it used to be.

"The leadership we've had here at Halstead has been really good and the program has continued to grow in a positive way," Racette said. "I feel like we keep taking that next step in the right direction and we're trending up."

Halstead will return a bulk of its offense from last season, including 1,500-plus yard passer Braxton Creed at quarterback.

"We've got a lot of guys back on offense," Racette said. "Braxton Creed at quarterback, plus Joey Millspaugh and Keegan Kraus at fullback. We lost some weapons, but guys like Breeson Bigley, Keaston Shields and Kohen Corona will be big for us. We've got a lot coming back on the offensive line, especially guys like Connor Herman."

As far as the defense goes, Racette is looking forward to having Gage Meyer on the field after missing the past two seasons with a knee injury.

"Getting Gage out there will be big for us," Racette said. "I'm looking forward to how he will be able to help us on both sides of the ball. We'll have most everybody back in the secondary and will have a lot of guys that played significant minutes for us last year. I'm just excited to see people fly around and get to the football."

The Dragons will have a challenging schedule, especially right out of the gates, opening with home games against Hesston on Sept. 6 and then Pratt on Sept. 13.&nbsp;

"The schedule is there and whoever is on the schedule we show up on Friday night if its home or away and put our best foot forward and get after it," Racette said. "It doesn't matter who is on our schedule, we just have to continue to work and get better. We'll be ready to go no matter who it is against."

HALSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL Sept. 6 HESSTON Sept. 13 PRATT Sept. 20 @ Nickerson Sept. 27 @ Hillsboro Oct. 4 @ Minneapolis Oct. 11 ELLSWORTH Oct. 18 @ SE of Saline Oct. 25 LYONS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724267613548.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Halstead High School Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Halstead High School Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>SEAN BOSTON Hutch PostHALSTEAD, Kan. — The Halstead High School football team is looking to lean on its veterans entering the 2024 season, and hopeful of a playoff run in class 2A.&nbsp;"We're very excited about this year," third-year head coach Derek Racette said. "We have a lot of really good leaders that came back this year. We have a really big senior class with a lot of those guys that have started since their sophomore year when myself and the coaching staff got to Halstead."The Dragons finished the 2023 season with a 3-6 record. Racette feels like the program is headed back in the right direction of where it used to be."The leadership we've had here at Halstead has been really good and the program has continued to grow in a positive way," Racette said. "I feel like we keep taking that next step in the right direction and we're trending up."Halstead will return a bulk of its offense from last season, including 1,500-plus yard passer Braxton Creed at quarterback."We've got a lot of guys back on offense," Racette said. "Braxton Creed at quarterback, plus Joey Millspaugh and Keegan Kraus at fullback. We lost some weapons, but guys like Breeson Bigley, Keaston Shields and Kohen Corona will be big for us. We've got a lot coming back on the offensive line, especially guys like Connor Herman."As far as the defense goes, Racette is looking forward to having Gage Meyer on the field after missing the past two seasons with a knee injury."Getting Gage out there will be big for us," Racette said. "I'm looking forward to how he will be able to help us on both sides of the ball. We'll have most everybody back in the secondary and will have a lot of guys that played significant minutes for us last year. I'm just excited to see people fly around and get to the football."The Dragons will have a challenging schedule, especially right out of the gates, opening with home games against Hesston on Sept. 6 and then Pratt on Sept. 13.&nbsp;"The schedule is there and whoever is on the schedule we show up on Friday night if its home or away and put our best foot forward and get after it," Racette said. "It doesn't matter who is on our schedule, we just have to continue to work and get better. We'll be ready to go no matter who it is against."HALSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL Sept. 6 HESSTON Sept. 13 PRATT Sept. 20 @ Nickerson Sept. 27 @ Hillsboro Oct. 4 @ Minneapolis Oct. 11 ELLSWORTH Oct. 18 @ SE of Saline Oct. 25 LYONS

🏈 HSFB Preview: Halstead

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Roughly one hour after suffering a tough sweep against No. 3 Northeastern Junior College, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team responded to sweep a traditional NJCAA Volleyball power in the final match of the Reiver Classic on Saturday.

The Blue Dragons hit better than .300 for the first time this season and routed the Cougars 25-10, 25-16, 25-17 in the fourth and final match in Council Bluffs to finish the Reiver Classic 2-2. Early Saturday morning, No. 3 NJC dominated Hutchinson in three sets, 25-10, 25-9, 25-16.

Hutchinson will open KJCCC play on Wednesday at Butler in El Dorado. The Grizzlies also went 2-2 at the Reiver Classic.

WESTERN NEBRASKA RECAP The Blue Dragons hit .334 against the Cougars led for the third time this weekend by freshman outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/graf_viktoria_tc85">Viktoria Graf</a>.

Graf pounded down 14 kills and added three block assists and five digs to key the Blue Dragon response after the 3-0 loss to Northeastern.

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/simmons_tiana_pzqy">Tiana Simmons</a>&nbsp;had eight kills and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/proctor_atlyn_7f6g">Atlyn Proctor</a>&nbsp;added six kills to lead the Blue Dragons offensively. Proctor added a weekend-high four service aces.

Sophomore setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wilson_shelbi_f4d1">Shelbi Wilson</a>&nbsp;had 29 assists to trigger the offense.

Freshman libero Addy Foster totaled 17 digs and five set assists. Sophomore middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/murphy_mckenzie_tghh">McKenzie Murphy</a>&nbsp;had a team-high five total blocks (one solo and four block assists).

NO. 3 NORTHEASTERN RECAP The Blue Dragons had problems handling NJC's service game and weren't able to create much offense against the Plainsmen. Trailing 7-6 in the first set, the Blue Dragons were outscored 18-4 over the remainder of the set and NJC rolled to a 3-0 win over the Dragons.

Simmons led the Blue Dragons with nine kills. Murphy was next with three kills. She added one solo block.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/suber_ellie_z1k4">Ellie Suber</a>&nbsp;had a team-high nine assists. Foster had a team-high six digs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724596683553.jpeg" alt="Tiana Simmons had a combined 17 kills in a pair of matches on Saturday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa." />
 <figcaption>Tiana Simmons had a combined 17 kills in a pair of matches on Saturday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Roughly one hour after suffering a tough sweep against No. 3 Northeastern Junior College, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team responded to sweep a traditional NJCAA Volleyball power in the final match of the Reiver Classic on Saturday.The Blue Dragons hit better than .300 for the first time this season and routed the Cougars 25-10, 25-16, 25-17 in the fourth and final match in Council Bluffs to finish the Reiver Classic 2-2. Early Saturday morning, No. 3 NJC dominated Hutchinson in three sets, 25-10, 25-9, 25-16.Hutchinson will open KJCCC play on Wednesday at Butler in El Dorado. The Grizzlies also went 2-2 at the Reiver Classic.WESTERN NEBRASKA RECAP The Blue Dragons hit .334 against the Cougars led for the third time this weekend by freshman outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/graf_viktoria_tc85">Viktoria Graf</a>.Graf pounded down 14 kills and added three block assists and five digs to key the Blue Dragon response after the 3-0 loss to Northeastern.<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/simmons_tiana_pzqy">Tiana Simmons</a>&nbsp;had eight kills and&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/proctor_atlyn_7f6g">Atlyn Proctor</a>&nbsp;added six kills to lead the Blue Dragons offensively. Proctor added a weekend-high four service aces.Sophomore setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wilson_shelbi_f4d1">Shelbi Wilson</a>&nbsp;had 29 assists to trigger the offense.Freshman libero Addy Foster totaled 17 digs and five set assists. Sophomore middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/murphy_mckenzie_tghh">McKenzie Murphy</a>&nbsp;had a team-high five total blocks (one solo and four block assists).NO. 3 NORTHEASTERN RECAP The Blue Dragons had problems handling NJC's service game and weren't able to create much offense against the Plainsmen. Trailing 7-6 in the first set, the Blue Dragons were outscored 18-4 over the remainder of the set and NJC rolled to a 3-0 win over the Dragons.Simmons led the Blue Dragons with nine kills. Murphy was next with three kills. She added one solo block.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/suber_ellie_z1k4">Ellie Suber</a>&nbsp;had a team-high nine assists. Foster had a team-high six digs.

🏐 Blue Dragons finish Iowa trip with split

 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — J.T. Realmuto hit a pair of three-run homers and Ranger Suárez pitched five effective innings in his return from the injured list to lead the Philadelphia Phillies past the Kansas City Royals 11-2 on Saturday night.

Realmuto, who had a career-high seven RBI, had his first multi-homer game since Sept. 14, 2022.

“The first three-run homer, everybody exhaled at that point,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Seven RBI in one game is pretty impressive.” After a pair of Royals’ defensive misadventures put runners at the corners to open the sixth, Realmuto hit Brady Singer’s 3-0 pitch above left-field bullpen for a 5-1 lead.

“In that situation, with runners in scoring position, I’m looking for one pitch, one location and trying not to miss it,” Realmuto said.

“I got it inside, just trying to get back in the count,” Singer said. “He made a good swing on it.”

Realmuto hit a 424-foot shot into the fountains in left-center during a five-run eighth inning and added an RBI grounder in the ninth.

Activated from the 15-day injured list to make his first start since July 22, Suárez allowed a run on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts for his first win since June 8.

“Looked like he didn’t miss really a beat,” Realmuto said. “Command of the strike zone, great. Got ahead of guys, was able to throw swing-and-miss pitches when he needed it. He’s a calming presence in this clubhouse when we know he’s on the mound.”

Thomson called the effort “Tremendous.”

“First-pitch strikes, outstanding," he said. "Efficient. A lot of soft contact. Kept them off balance. He was super.”

After allowing a first-inning double, Suárez faced the minimum until Michael Massey’s fifth-inning double. Freddy Fermin followed with an RBI hit to right before Suárez struck out two to end the threat.

Kyle Schwarber doubled in his first two at-bats and scored the game’s first run in the third inning when Trea Turner snapped a 17 at-bat hitless streak with a single to right.

Turner beat out a chopper to short and scored on Bryce Harper’s two-out double for a 2-0 Phillies lead in the fifth.

Bryson Stott matched a career high with four hits as the Phillies matched a season high with 18 hits, including a season-best nine for extra bases.

“Our at-bats were really good tonight,” Thomson said. “The extra-base hits. Hitting the ball the other way, using the entire field. That’s what you’ve got to do. Just up and down the lineup. It was really, really good to see everybody starting to click a little bit.”

Singer (9-9) allowed five runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts in five innings.

“They beat us up pretty good,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “But, we did not do the things that we can control.”

After Massey’s second double, Fermin’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly capped Kansas City’s scoring.

Bobby Witt Jr.’s 11-game hitting streak ended as the Royals were limited to five hits.

Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez activated from the 15-day injured list and LHP Tyler Gilbert optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Phillies LHP Kolby Allard (1-0, 3.46 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Seth Lugo (14-7, 3.02) on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724558878956.png" alt="Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning of Saturday's win in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning of Saturday's win in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure> KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — J.T. Realmuto hit a pair of three-run homers and Ranger Suárez pitched five effective innings in his return from the injured list to lead the Philadelphia Phillies past the Kansas City Royals 11-2 on Saturday night.Realmuto, who had a career-high seven RBI, had his first multi-homer game since Sept. 14, 2022.“The first three-run homer, everybody exhaled at that point,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Seven RBI in one game is pretty impressive.” After a pair of Royals’ defensive misadventures put runners at the corners to open the sixth, Realmuto hit Brady Singer’s 3-0 pitch above left-field bullpen for a 5-1 lead.“In that situation, with runners in scoring position, I’m looking for one pitch, one location and trying not to miss it,” Realmuto said.“I got it inside, just trying to get back in the count,” Singer said. “He made a good swing on it.”Realmuto hit a 424-foot shot into the fountains in left-center during a five-run eighth inning and added an RBI grounder in the ninth.Activated from the 15-day injured list to make his first start since July 22, Suárez allowed a run on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts for his first win since June 8.“Looked like he didn’t miss really a beat,” Realmuto said. “Command of the strike zone, great. Got ahead of guys, was able to throw swing-and-miss pitches when he needed it. He’s a calming presence in this clubhouse when we know he’s on the mound.”Thomson called the effort “Tremendous.”“First-pitch strikes, outstanding," he said. "Efficient. A lot of soft contact. Kept them off balance. He was super.”After allowing a first-inning double, Suárez faced the minimum until Michael Massey’s fifth-inning double. Freddy Fermin followed with an RBI hit to right before Suárez struck out two to end the threat.Kyle Schwarber doubled in his first two at-bats and scored the game’s first run in the third inning when Trea Turner snapped a 17 at-bat hitless streak with a single to right.Turner beat out a chopper to short and scored on Bryce Harper’s two-out double for a 2-0 Phillies lead in the fifth.Bryson Stott matched a career high with four hits as the Phillies matched a season high with 18 hits, including a season-best nine for extra bases.“Our at-bats were really good tonight,” Thomson said. “The extra-base hits. Hitting the ball the other way, using the entire field. That’s what you’ve got to do. Just up and down the lineup. It was really, really good to see everybody starting to click a little bit.”Singer (9-9) allowed five runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts in five innings.“They beat us up pretty good,” said Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “But, we did not do the things that we can control.”After Massey’s second double, Fermin’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly capped Kansas City’s scoring.Bobby Witt Jr.’s 11-game hitting streak ended as the Royals were limited to five hits.TRANSACTIONSPhillies: LHP Ranger Suárez activated from the 15-day injured list and LHP Tyler Gilbert optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.UP NEXTPhillies LHP Kolby Allard (1-0, 3.46 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Seth Lugo (14-7, 3.02) on Sunday.

⚾ Phillies win over Royals Saturday

AP Sports Summary for Sunday, August 25th, 2024:

Harrison Burton wins a wild NASCAR Cup race at Daytona for a playoff berth no one saw coming

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Harrison Burton won a wild Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. He held off two-time series champion Kyle Busch in overtime for his first career victory and a spot in NASCAR's playoffs. Burton, who already lost his ride in the famed No. 21 Ford with Wood Brothers Racing next season, took the lead from Busch on the final lap thanks to a huge push from little-known Parker Retzlaff. Burton said he "cried the whole victory lap." His dad, Jeff Burton, called the race and radioed down to offer his congratulations.

Aidan Birr makes 44-yard field goal as time expires and Georgia Tech stuns No. 10 Florida State

DUBLIN (AP) — Aidan Birr made a 44-yard field goal as time expired and Georgia Tech upset No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in the first major college football game of the season. Coming off an undefeated regular season, but with a remade roster, the Seminoles tied the game at 21 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter on a 15-play touchdown drive that included two fourth-down conversions by DJ Uiagalelei. Florida State never touched the ball again, and Birr came on with 5 seconds left on the clock to drill the winner.

Deion Sanders' quest to keep negativity out of Colorado's program includes shutting out columnist

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders is adamant about keeping negativity out of his life and his football program at Colorado. He even had a newspaper columnist barred from asking questions at football-related events over what he deemed as pessimistic coverage. Sanders spent his summer integrating a new offensive line and two new coordinators — and squabbling with the media. As he prepared for the Buffaloes' season opener against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, the second-year Colorado coach was asked Saturday if he ever felt persecuted "by outside noise." He said, "This is a way of life for me."

Keegan Bradley takes a 1-shot lead over Adam Scott at BMW Championship

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — Keegan Bradley finished a wild day at Castle Pines with a birdie for a 70 and a one-shot lead over Adam Scott. The relentless wind in high altitude caused fits. Bradley had eight birdies and he still only shot 70. Adam Scott hit two tee shots out-of-bounds and another in the water. He didn't make a birdie until the 11th hole and escaped with a 74 to be in the final group. Ludvig Aberg had a nose bleed on the first hole and at one point had a three-shot lead. He and Alex Noren were two back.

Barry Bonds is at peace with his legacy as he enters the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Barry Bonds says he doesn't worry any more about whether he'll be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 60-year-old Bonds says he only hopes whatever accolades remain out there for him come while his mother Patricia is still alive. Bonds spoke Saturday after being inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame alongside manager Jim Leyland and catcher Manny Sanguillen. Bonds spent his first seven seasons in the majors in Pittsburgh, where he won the first two of his record seven NL MVP awards. Bonds called his time with the Pirates "the greatest stop for me."

US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic seeks a record 25th Grand Slam title after getting his Olympic gold

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic is back on the Grand Slam scene after finally earning his first Olympic gold medal. Djokovic is the defending champion at the U.S. Open and is seeking a record 25th Grand Slam singles trophy. He also will be trying to become the first man to win at least two consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008. Play in the year's last Grand Slam tournament begins Monday. Djokovic will face 138th-ranked Radu Albot of Moldova at night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws off a mound for 1st time since elbow surgery last fall

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has thrown off a mound for the first time since having elbow surgery last year that has kept the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar from pitching this season. Ohtani has been rehabbing his pitching arm while making history with his bat. He reached 40 home runs with a two-out, grand slam in the ninth inning and 40 stolen bases with a swipe in the fourth inning Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ohtani threw 10 pitches. The team has said he won't be pitching at all this season, including the playoffs. He's been playing as a designated hitter.

Novak Djokovic gets why tennis players have questions about Jannik Sinner's steroids case

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic says he understands why Jannik Sinner's lack of a suspension despite two positive drug tests has some tennis players questioning whether there's a double standard in the sport. Djokovic says Saturday tennis needs clear protocols, and it's fair for some players to wonder if they didn't receive them. Sinner tested positive twice in March for an anabolic steroid, but the International Tennis Integrity Agency determined the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist. The ruling was announced less than a week before Sinner begins the U.S. Open as the No. 1-seeded man.

US Open 2024: Carlos Alcaraz twists his ankle in practice but says he is OK

NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz has cut short a pre-U.S. Open training session after twisting his right ankle but said he isn't worried that it'll be a problem for the year's last Grand Slam tournament. He said Saturday that he stopped practicing just as a precaution. The 21-year-old from Spain won the championship at Flushing Meadows in 2022 for the first of his four major trophies. Alcaraz said he didn't think the injury would put his participation in the U.S. Open in doubt. He was more upset about losing time on court as he gets ready to try to win what would be a third consecutive Slam title after triumphs at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July.

Bowden Francis carries a no-hit bid into the 9th inning as the Blue Jays beat the Angels 3-1

TORONTO (AP) — Bowden Francis struck out a career-high 12 in a dominant performance for the Toronto Blue Jays, carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning of a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Francis walked three and hit a batter in his third consecutive win. He threw a career-high 117 pitches, 84 for strikes. Francis was working on a no-hitter before Taylor Ward drove a 3-2 fastball deep to center for a leadoff homer in the ninth. It was Ward's 17th homer of the season. The crowd of 34,011 then saluted Francis with a standing ovation when he was replaced by right-hander Chad Green, who earned his 14th save in 14 chances.

Final	Georgia Tech	24	(10)Florida St.	21	

Final	Sporting Kansas City	3	Orlando City	0	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, August 25th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, August 25th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Sunday, August 25th, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8560732/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Harrison Burton wins a wild NASCAR Cup race at Daytona for a playoff berth no one saw comingDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Harrison Burton won a wild Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway. He held off two-time series champion Kyle Busch in overtime for his first career victory and a spot in NASCAR's playoffs. Burton, who already lost his ride in the famed No. 21 Ford with Wood Brothers Racing next season, took the lead from Busch on the final lap thanks to a huge push from little-known Parker Retzlaff. Burton said he "cried the whole victory lap." His dad, Jeff Burton, called the race and radioed down to offer his congratulations.Aidan Birr makes 44-yard field goal as time expires and Georgia Tech stuns No. 10 Florida StateDUBLIN (AP) — Aidan Birr made a 44-yard field goal as time expired and Georgia Tech upset No. 10 Florida State 24-21 in the first major college football game of the season. Coming off an undefeated regular season, but with a remade roster, the Seminoles tied the game at 21 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter on a 15-play touchdown drive that included two fourth-down conversions by DJ Uiagalelei. Florida State never touched the ball again, and Birr came on with 5 seconds left on the clock to drill the winner.Deion Sanders' quest to keep negativity out of Colorado's program includes shutting out columnistBOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion Sanders is adamant about keeping negativity out of his life and his football program at Colorado. He even had a newspaper columnist barred from asking questions at football-related events over what he deemed as pessimistic coverage. Sanders spent his summer integrating a new offensive line and two new coordinators — and squabbling with the media. As he prepared for the Buffaloes' season opener against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, the second-year Colorado coach was asked Saturday if he ever felt persecuted "by outside noise." He said, "This is a way of life for me."Keegan Bradley takes a 1-shot lead over Adam Scott at BMW ChampionshipCASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — Keegan Bradley finished a wild day at Castle Pines with a birdie for a 70 and a one-shot lead over Adam Scott. The relentless wind in high altitude caused fits. Bradley had eight birdies and he still only shot 70. Adam Scott hit two tee shots out-of-bounds and another in the water. He didn't make a birdie until the 11th hole and escaped with a 74 to be in the final group. Ludvig Aberg had a nose bleed on the first hole and at one point had a three-shot lead. He and Alex Noren were two back.Barry Bonds is at peace with his legacy as he enters the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of FamePITTSBURGH (AP) — Barry Bonds says he doesn't worry any more about whether he'll be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 60-year-old Bonds says he only hopes whatever accolades remain out there for him come while his mother Patricia is still alive. Bonds spoke Saturday after being inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame alongside manager Jim Leyland and catcher Manny Sanguillen. Bonds spent his first seven seasons in the majors in Pittsburgh, where he won the first two of his record seven NL MVP awards. Bonds called his time with the Pirates "the greatest stop for me."US Open 2024: Novak Djokovic seeks a record 25th Grand Slam title after getting his Olympic goldNEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic is back on the Grand Slam scene after finally earning his first Olympic gold medal. Djokovic is the defending champion at the U.S. Open and is seeking a record 25th Grand Slam singles trophy. He also will be trying to become the first man to win at least two consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008. Play in the year's last Grand Slam tournament begins Monday. Djokovic will face 138th-ranked Radu Albot of Moldova at night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws off a mound for 1st time since elbow surgery last fallLOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has thrown off a mound for the first time since having elbow surgery last year that has kept the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar from pitching this season. Ohtani has been rehabbing his pitching arm while making history with his bat. He reached 40 home runs with a two-out, grand slam in the ninth inning and 40 stolen bases with a swipe in the fourth inning Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ohtani threw 10 pitches. The team has said he won't be pitching at all this season, including the playoffs. He's been playing as a designated hitter.Novak Djokovic gets why tennis players have questions about Jannik Sinner's steroids caseNEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic says he understands why Jannik Sinner's lack of a suspension despite two positive drug tests has some tennis players questioning whether there's a double standard in the sport. Djokovic says Saturday tennis needs clear protocols, and it's fair for some players to wonder if they didn't receive them. Sinner tested positive twice in March for an anabolic steroid, but the International Tennis Integrity Agency determined the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist. The ruling was announced less than a week before Sinner begins the U.S. Open as the No. 1-seeded man.US Open 2024: Carlos Alcaraz twists his ankle in practice but says he is OKNEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz has cut short a pre-U.S. Open training session after twisting his right ankle but said he isn't worried that it'll be a problem for the year's last Grand Slam tournament. He said Saturday that he stopped practicing just as a precaution. The 21-year-old from Spain won the championship at Flushing Meadows in 2022 for the first of his four major trophies. Alcaraz said he didn't think the injury would put his participation in the U.S. Open in doubt. He was more upset about losing time on court as he gets ready to try to win what would be a third consecutive Slam title after triumphs at the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July.Bowden Francis carries a no-hit bid into the 9th inning as the Blue Jays beat the Angels 3-1TORONTO (AP) — Bowden Francis struck out a career-high 12 in a dominant performance for the Toronto Blue Jays, carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning of a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Francis walked three and hit a batter in his third consecutive win. He threw a career-high 117 pitches, 84 for strikes. Francis was working on a no-hitter before Taylor Ward drove a 3-2 fastball deep to center for a leadoff homer in the ninth. It was Ward's 17th homer of the season. The crowd of 34,011 then saluted Francis with a standing ovation when he was replaced by right-hander Chad Green, who earned his 14th save in 14 chances.AP-ScorecardTODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Colorado	9	N.Y. Yankees	2	Final	Arizona	4	Boston	1	Final	Milwaukee	9	Oakland	5	Final	San Francisco	4	Seattle	3	Final	Minnesota	6	St. Louis	0	Final	Philadelphia	11	Kansas City	2	Final	Tampa Bay	9	L.A. Dodgers	8	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	3	L.A. Angels	1	Final	Baltimore	3	Houston	2	Final	Cleveland	13	Texas	5	Final	Detroit	13	Chicago White Sox	4	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	14	Miami	2	Final	Cincinnati	10	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Atlanta	4	Washington	2	Final	N.Y. Mets	7	San Diego	1	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Carolina	31	Buffalo	26	Final	Detroit	24	Pittsburgh	17	Final	Green Bay	30	Baltimore	7	Final	Houston	17	L.A. Rams	15	Final	Minnesota	26	Philadelphia	3	Final	L.A. Chargers	26	Dallas	19	Final	N-Y Jets	10	N-Y Giants	6	Final	Seattle	37	Cleveland	33	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	Georgia Tech	24	(10)Florida St.	21	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Connecticut	72	New York	64	Final	Minnesota	90	Indiana	80	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERFinal	Seattle	3	Minnesota	2	Final tie	New York	1	Charlotte FC	1	Final	FC Dallas	4	D.C. United	3	Final	Miami	2	Cincinnati	0	Final	New England	5	CF Montréal	0	Final tie	Chicago	2	New York City FC	2	Final	Toronto FC	1	Houston	0	Final	Sporting Kansas City	3	Orlando City	0	Final	Austin FC	2	Nashville	0	Final	San Jose	2	Real Salt Lake	0	Final	LA Galaxy	2	Atlanta	0	Final tie	St Louis City	4	Portland	4	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Sunday

MIDLAND, Texas—The Wichita Wind Surge took down the Midland RockHounds 2-1 in 10 innings at Momentum Bank Ballpark. Wichita prevailed in a game that saw phenomenal pitching and a half-hour rain delay, and they’ve now won twice in extras in their last three games.

Christian MacLeod&nbsp;kept the game close by giving up only two hits through the first five innings of the ballgame. Counting the first out in the bottom of the sixth, the southpaw pitcher retired 11 straight batters.

Denzel Clarke broke that streak by reaching on a seven-pitch walk; he stole second base and hurried to third after an error on the throw. In the next at-bat, Clarke came home on a wild pitch for the game’s first run.

Noah Cardenas, the ninth man and designated hitter in the Wind Surge lineup, cracked a line drive home run, his fifth of the year, out to the left field bullpen to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the eighth. The long ball was only the second hit of the night for Wichita.

After both teams put up singles in the ninth, and Clarke swiped second for the second time in the home half, a 30-minute rain delay occurred. Once the game resumed,&nbsp;Taylor Floyd&nbsp;struck out Daniel Susac to put the Wind Surge and RockHounds into extra innings for the third time in five contests.

Jorel Ortega&nbsp;lofted an RBI double out to the left field corner to bring home&nbsp;Kyler Fedko&nbsp;in the top of the 10th. In a game with minimal hits, Ortega tallied a pair, becoming the only batter to do so across both sides. A 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th secured the Wind Surge win in extra innings.

Floyd is back to an equal record at 4-4 with the victory, supplying two frames of one-hit baseball with a strikeout in the game's final two innings.

The Wind Surge finish their series with the Midland RockHounds tomorrow, Sunday, August 25, at 1:00 PM. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch them online at MiLB.TV 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/2024/8/1724563528754.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of the Wichita Wind Surge" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of the Wichita Wind Surge</figcaption>
 </figure>MIDLAND, Texas—The Wichita Wind Surge took down the Midland RockHounds 2-1 in 10 innings at Momentum Bank Ballpark. Wichita prevailed in a game that saw phenomenal pitching and a half-hour rain delay, and they’ve now won twice in extras in their last three games.Christian MacLeod&nbsp;kept the game close by giving up only two hits through the first five innings of the ballgame. Counting the first out in the bottom of the sixth, the southpaw pitcher retired 11 straight batters.Denzel Clarke broke that streak by reaching on a seven-pitch walk; he stole second base and hurried to third after an error on the throw. In the next at-bat, Clarke came home on a wild pitch for the game’s first run.Noah Cardenas, the ninth man and designated hitter in the Wind Surge lineup, cracked a line drive home run, his fifth of the year, out to the left field bullpen to tie the game 1-1 in the top of the eighth. The long ball was only the second hit of the night for Wichita.After both teams put up singles in the ninth, and Clarke swiped second for the second time in the home half, a 30-minute rain delay occurred. Once the game resumed,&nbsp;Taylor Floyd&nbsp;struck out Daniel Susac to put the Wind Surge and RockHounds into extra innings for the third time in five contests.Jorel Ortega&nbsp;lofted an RBI double out to the left field corner to bring home&nbsp;Kyler Fedko&nbsp;in the top of the 10th. In a game with minimal hits, Ortega tallied a pair, becoming the only batter to do so across both sides. A 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th secured the Wind Surge win in extra innings.Floyd is back to an equal record at 4-4 with the victory, supplying two frames of one-hit baseball with a strikeout in the game's final two innings.The Wind Surge finish their series with the Midland RockHounds tomorrow, Sunday, August 25, at 1:00 PM. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch them online at MiLB.TV and Bally Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>.

⚾ Wichita Wind Surge power through rain delay for tenth inning victory over RockHounds

AP Sports Summary for Saturday, August 24th, 2024:

Ohtani hits grand slam in 9th inning, becomes fastest player in MLB history to join 40-40 club

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a two-out grand slam in the ninth inning for his 40th homer after earlier stealing his 40th base, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. The Japanese superstar became the fastest player in major league history and sixth ever to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. He's also the first Dodger to do so. He broke the mark of Alfonso Soriano set in Game 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006. Ohtani did it in his 126th game and the team's 129th. In the fourth, Ohtani reached on an infield single leading off against Tyler Alexander and stole second during Freddie Freeman's at-bat.

Big 12 leaders to discuss potentially inviting UConn after school makes pitch, AP sources say

Big 12 presidents are scheduled next week to discuss potentially inviting UConn to the conference after school officials recently made an in-person pitch to the league, two people familiar with the discussions tell The Associated Press. The people say a plan to add UConn, which has won the last two men's college basketball national championships, would include the school's football team staying independent before being added to the Big 12 in 2031. It would also not require current members to take a cut in their current expected conference revenue.

Babe Ruth's 'called shot' jersey could get as much as $30 million at auction

DALLAS (AP) — The jersey worn by New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth during his famous "called shot" home run in 1932 could sell at auction for as much as $30 million. Heritage Auctions is offering up the jersey Saturday night in Dallas. It's been nearly a century since Ruth's famed, debated and often imitated "called shot" came as the Yankees and Chicago Cubs faced off in Game 3 of the World Series at Chicago's Wrigley Field. In the fifth inning, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit the home run into center field off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.

Caitlin Clark's progression answers questions about how she would handle the transition to the WNBA

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA with questions about how tough the transition to pro basketball would be for the established college star. Now, three months into her professional career, Clark is crafting a new image with a record-setting rookie season. Sure, it's taken the No. 1 draft pick some time to get acquainted with her new point guard duties, new town and her new Indiana Fever teammates. And while Clark appears to be settling in and getting quite comfortable in her new digs, fans continue to tune in to watch her progress.

Brock Purdy has mixed results in 49ers' 24-24 preseason tie with the Raiders

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brock Purdy was efficient in completing 9 of 12 passes for 96 yards but also threw a red-zone interception as the San Francisco 49ers concluded their preseason with a 24-24 tie Friday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson's 43-yard field goal with 16 seconds left pulled the Raiders even with the 49ers. Joshua Dobbs' 10-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Cowing late in the third quarter put the 49ers ahead 24-21.

Tyreik McAllister's magical performance in 24-24 tie may have landed him roster spot with Raiders

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have a punt return play called "Magic." How apropos for Tyreik McAllister, who may not have been on coach Antonio Pierce's radar before the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, but should be after a magical performance. McAllister returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and hauled in a reception for a go-ahead score in the third quarter before the teams finished in a 24-24 tie.

Bill Belichick's possible induction to the Hall of Fame could be accelerated by new rules

Bill Belichick could be eligible to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 instead of 2029 following significant changes made to the selection process. The Hall of Fame says the new rules go into effect immediately, including reducing the waiting period for coaches to be considered from five years out of the game to one year. That would make six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Belichick eligible to be selected for the 2026 class after he parted ways with the New England Patriots after last season. Belichick would have to wait again if he gets hired by another team in the offseason.

Adam Scott builds a 3-shot lead in hopes of getting to FedEx Cup finale

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — Adam Scott was happy to be in the BMW Championship because he's assured of being in all the signature events next year. Somewhere along the way to his 63 in the second round, he started thinking about getting to the Tour Championship and then winning the tournament. He wound up with a three-shot lead over Keegan Bradley. Both need top finishes to get into the top 30 and reach the Tour Championship next week at East Lake. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele were nowhere near the lead. That's an odd sight on the PGA Tour considering how well they've played.

Raducanu is back at the US Open and the 2021 champion doesn't question whether she's ready

NEW YORK (AP) — Emma Raducanu finished up practice at the U.S. Open by hitting with a young girl she asked fans on social media to help her find after they couldn't connect a day earlier. Raducanu is back at the tournament she surprisingly won three years ago, and she shrugs off questions about whether she's played enough matches to be ready for it. Her 2021 U.S. Open title is still Raducanu's only one on the WTA Tour, and she didn't even play in Flushing Meadows last year because of injuries. The 21-year-old from England passed up chances to be more active this season, but doesn't second-guess her preparation for the final Grand Slam of the season.

Dan Wilson steps into the role of manager as the struggling Mariners try to save their season

SEATTLE (AP) — Dan Wilson will manage his first game for the Mariners on Friday night when Seattle opens a series against the San Francisco Giants. Wilson was chosen as the replacement for Scott Servais, who was fired on Thursday following a 1-8 road trip that dropped Seattle to 64-64 on the season. Wilson arrived in Seattle in the mid-1990s and became a beloved figured as a player for the Mariners. He spent 12 seasons behind the plate as the catcher for some of the best teams in franchise history.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, August 24th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, August 24th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for Saturday, August 24th, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8560732/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Ohtani hits grand slam in 9th inning, becomes fastest player in MLB history to join 40-40 clubLOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a two-out grand slam in the ninth inning for his 40th homer after earlier stealing his 40th base, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. The Japanese superstar became the fastest player in major league history and sixth ever to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. He's also the first Dodger to do so. He broke the mark of Alfonso Soriano set in Game 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006. Ohtani did it in his 126th game and the team's 129th. In the fourth, Ohtani reached on an infield single leading off against Tyler Alexander and stole second during Freddie Freeman's at-bat.Big 12 leaders to discuss potentially inviting UConn after school makes pitch, AP sources sayBig 12 presidents are scheduled next week to discuss potentially inviting UConn to the conference after school officials recently made an in-person pitch to the league, two people familiar with the discussions tell The Associated Press. The people say a plan to add UConn, which has won the last two men's college basketball national championships, would include the school's football team staying independent before being added to the Big 12 in 2031. It would also not require current members to take a cut in their current expected conference revenue.Babe Ruth's 'called shot' jersey could get as much as $30 million at auctionDALLAS (AP) — The jersey worn by New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth during his famous "called shot" home run in 1932 could sell at auction for as much as $30 million. Heritage Auctions is offering up the jersey Saturday night in Dallas. It's been nearly a century since Ruth's famed, debated and often imitated "called shot" came as the Yankees and Chicago Cubs faced off in Game 3 of the World Series at Chicago's Wrigley Field. In the fifth inning, Ruth made a pointing gesture while at bat and then hit the home run into center field off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root.Caitlin Clark's progression answers questions about how she would handle the transition to the WNBAINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA with questions about how tough the transition to pro basketball would be for the established college star. Now, three months into her professional career, Clark is crafting a new image with a record-setting rookie season. Sure, it's taken the No. 1 draft pick some time to get acquainted with her new point guard duties, new town and her new Indiana Fever teammates. And while Clark appears to be settling in and getting quite comfortable in her new digs, fans continue to tune in to watch her progress.Brock Purdy has mixed results in 49ers' 24-24 preseason tie with the RaidersLAS VEGAS (AP) — Brock Purdy was efficient in completing 9 of 12 passes for 96 yards but also threw a red-zone interception as the San Francisco 49ers concluded their preseason with a 24-24 tie Friday night against the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson's 43-yard field goal with 16 seconds left pulled the Raiders even with the 49ers. Joshua Dobbs' 10-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Cowing late in the third quarter put the 49ers ahead 24-21.Tyreik McAllister's magical performance in 24-24 tie may have landed him roster spot with RaidersLAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have a punt return play called "Magic." How apropos for Tyreik McAllister, who may not have been on coach Antonio Pierce's radar before the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, but should be after a magical performance. McAllister returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and hauled in a reception for a go-ahead score in the third quarter before the teams finished in a 24-24 tie.Bill Belichick's possible induction to the Hall of Fame could be accelerated by new rulesBill Belichick could be eligible to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 instead of 2029 following significant changes made to the selection process. The Hall of Fame says the new rules go into effect immediately, including reducing the waiting period for coaches to be considered from five years out of the game to one year. That would make six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Belichick eligible to be selected for the 2026 class after he parted ways with the New England Patriots after last season. Belichick would have to wait again if he gets hired by another team in the offseason.Adam Scott builds a 3-shot lead in hopes of getting to FedEx Cup finaleCASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — Adam Scott was happy to be in the BMW Championship because he's assured of being in all the signature events next year. Somewhere along the way to his 63 in the second round, he started thinking about getting to the Tour Championship and then winning the tournament. He wound up with a three-shot lead over Keegan Bradley. Both need top finishes to get into the top 30 and reach the Tour Championship next week at East Lake. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele were nowhere near the lead. That's an odd sight on the PGA Tour considering how well they've played.Raducanu is back at the US Open and the 2021 champion doesn't question whether she's readyNEW YORK (AP) — Emma Raducanu finished up practice at the U.S. Open by hitting with a young girl she asked fans on social media to help her find after they couldn't connect a day earlier. Raducanu is back at the tournament she surprisingly won three years ago, and she shrugs off questions about whether she's played enough matches to be ready for it. Her 2021 U.S. Open title is still Raducanu's only one on the WTA Tour, and she didn't even play in Flushing Meadows last year because of injuries. The 21-year-old from England passed up chances to be more active this season, but doesn't second-guess her preparation for the final Grand Slam of the season.Dan Wilson steps into the role of manager as the struggling Mariners try to save their seasonSEATTLE (AP) — Dan Wilson will manage his first game for the Mariners on Friday night when Seattle opens a series against the San Francisco Giants. Wilson was chosen as the replacement for Scott Servais, who was fired on Thursday following a 1-8 road trip that dropped Seattle to 64-64 on the season. Wilson arrived in Seattle in the mid-1990s and became a beloved figured as a player for the Mariners. He spent 12 seasons behind the plate as the catcher for some of the best teams in franchise history.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___INTERLEAGUEFinal	N.Y. Yankees	3	Colorado	0	Final	Arizona	12	Boston	2	Final	Kansas City	7	Philadelphia	4	Final	St. Louis	6	Minnesota	1	Final	Milwaukee	11	Oakland	3	Final	L.A. Dodgers	7	Tampa Bay	3	Final	Seattle	6	San Francisco	5	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	5	L.A. Angels	4	Final	Baltimore	7	Houston	5	Final	Texas	5	Cleveland	3	Final	Detroit	5	Chicago White Sox	2	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	6	Cincinnati	5	Final	Chicago Cubs	6	Miami	3	Final	Atlanta	3	Washington	2	Final	San Diego	7	N.Y. Mets	0	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASONFinal	Jacksonville	31	Atlanta	0	Final	Tampa Bay	24	Miami	14	Final	San Francisco	24	Las Vegas	24	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Washington	80	Los Angeles	74	Final	Phoenix	82	Atlanta	80	Final	Minnesota	87	Las Vegas	74	Final	Connecticut	82	Chicago	80	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUEColorado	at	N-Y Yankees	2:05 p.m.	Milwaukee	at	Oakland	4:07 p.m.	Arizona	at	Boston	4:10 p.m.	San Francisco	at	Seattle	4:10 p.m.	Philadelphia	at	Kansas City	7:10 p.m.	St. Louis	at	Minnesota	7:10 p.m.	Tampa Bay	at	L-A Dodgers	9:10 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUEL-A Angels	at	Toronto	3:07 p.m.	Houston	at	Baltimore	4:05 p.m.	Detroit	at	Chi White Sox	7:10 p.m.	Texas	at	Cleveland	7:10 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUEChi Cubs	at	Miami	4:10 p.m.	Cincinnati	at	Pittsburgh	6:40 p.m.	Washington	at	Atlanta	7:20 p.m.	N-Y Mets	at	San Diego	8:40 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASONBaltimore	at	Green Bay	1 p.m.	Carolina	at	Buffalo	1 p.m.	L.A. Rams	at	Houston	1 p.m.	Minnesota	at	Philadelphia	1 p.m.	Pittsburgh	at	Detroit	1 p.m.	L.A. Chargers	at	Dallas	4 p.m.	N-Y Giants	at	N-Y Jets	7:30 p.m.	Cleveland	at	Seattle	10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL(10)Florida St.	at	Georgia Tech	12 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONConnecticut	at	New York	7 p.m.	Indiana	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCERSeattle	at	Minnesota	6:45 p.m.	New York	at	Charlotte FC	7:30 p.m.	FC Dallas	at	D.C. United	7:30 p.m.	Cincinnati	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.	New England	at	CF Montréal	7:30 p.m.	Chicago	at	New York City FC	7:30 p.m.	Toronto FC	at	Houston	8:30 p.m.	Orlando City	at	Sporting Kansas City	8:30 p.m.	Austin FC	at	Nashville	8:30 p.m.	San Jose	at	Real Salt Lake	9:30 p.m.	Atlanta	at	LA Galaxy	10:30 p.m.	St Louis City	at	Portland	10:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Saturday

MIDLAND, Texas—The Wichita Wind Surge left a set table in a 7-4 loss to the Midland RockHounds at Momentum Bank Ballpark. When down to their final two outs, Wichita put together two ninth-inning runs before leaving the bases stranded on the final at-bat of the night.

While just four total men reached base over the first three innings, Brennan Milone pulled a single to left to begin the bottom of the fourth, advanced to second on an infield error, and scored the inaugural run of the night on a Shane McGuire base knock up the gut into center field.

After the bases loaded on two singles and a walk in the home half of the fifth, Milone drove in two more runs on a double to center for a 3-0 RockHounds lead. Though the basepaths filled up again in the frame,&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;would make a neat turnaround after a grounder to complete an inning-ending force out.

Carson McCusker&nbsp;blasted a two-run home run, his 15th of the season, high and deep down the left field line in the top of the sixth to put the Wind Surge within one on their first hit of the night. McCusker has four home runs in Midland over the last three nights.

Caeden Trenkle got those two runs back on a double to left in the following half-inning, later coming in himself on a sac fly to center from Milone to make the score 6-2 RockHounds after six.

The Midland lead ballooned to five in the bottom of the eighth after Nick Kurtz sliced a run-scoring single the other way to left field for his first RBI at the Double-A level after his Tuesday call-up.

Kyler Fedko&nbsp;walked on four pitches with one out in the last of the ninth and moved up to second on defensive indifference.&nbsp;Ben Ross&nbsp;lined a single to center to bring around Fedko.&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;split the six-hole on a grounder to left field, and Fedko stepped on the plate to put Wichita within three at 7-4. After the Wind Surge put men aboard everywhere, an infield popout ended the night at that same score.

Marco Raya&nbsp;fell to 1-4 on the season after receiving the loss. Over four innings, the starter gave up three earned runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Wind Surge continue their series with the Midland RockHounds tomorrow, Saturday, August 24, at 7:00 PM. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;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/2024/8/1724483294157.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of the Wichita Wind Surge" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of the Wichita Wind Surge</figcaption>
 </figure>MIDLAND, Texas—The Wichita Wind Surge left a set table in a 7-4 loss to the Midland RockHounds at Momentum Bank Ballpark. When down to their final two outs, Wichita put together two ninth-inning runs before leaving the bases stranded on the final at-bat of the night.While just four total men reached base over the first three innings, Brennan Milone pulled a single to left to begin the bottom of the fourth, advanced to second on an infield error, and scored the inaugural run of the night on a Shane McGuire base knock up the gut into center field.After the bases loaded on two singles and a walk in the home half of the fifth, Milone drove in two more runs on a double to center for a 3-0 RockHounds lead. Though the basepaths filled up again in the frame,&nbsp;Aaron Sabato&nbsp;would make a neat turnaround after a grounder to complete an inning-ending force out.Carson McCusker&nbsp;blasted a two-run home run, his 15th of the season, high and deep down the left field line in the top of the sixth to put the Wind Surge within one on their first hit of the night. McCusker has four home runs in Midland over the last three nights.Caeden Trenkle got those two runs back on a double to left in the following half-inning, later coming in himself on a sac fly to center from Milone to make the score 6-2 RockHounds after six.The Midland lead ballooned to five in the bottom of the eighth after Nick Kurtz sliced a run-scoring single the other way to left field for his first RBI at the Double-A level after his Tuesday call-up.Kyler Fedko&nbsp;walked on four pitches with one out in the last of the ninth and moved up to second on defensive indifference.&nbsp;Ben Ross&nbsp;lined a single to center to bring around Fedko.&nbsp;Jorel Ortega&nbsp;split the six-hole on a grounder to left field, and Fedko stepped on the plate to put Wichita within three at 7-4. After the Wind Surge put men aboard everywhere, an infield popout ended the night at that same score.Marco Raya&nbsp;fell to 1-4 on the season after receiving the loss. Over four innings, the starter gave up three earned runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.The Wind Surge continue their series with the Midland RockHounds tomorrow, Saturday, August 24, at 7:00 PM. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milb.com/windsurge.com">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;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 rally falls short to Midland

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe hit two-run homers during a five-run third inning Friday night, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 in the opener of an interleague series between playoff contenders.

Perez parlayed his success in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-salvador-perez-wiffle-ball-kids-6d55a6c8be6430a3e0a6db016d83f5ce">a Wiffle ball game against neighborhood kids</a>&nbsp;a day earlier into a three-RBI night. Paul DeJong and Vinnie Pasquantino also drove in runs, helping the Royals close within a game of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.

“The Wiffle ball yesterday got me ready for today,” joked Perez, who also went over 900 RBIs for his career. “Pretty good night.”

Michael Wacha (11-6) ran his winning streak to seven straight decisions, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings while striking out five. He hasn't lost since June 22, and he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 4.

Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 10th save and fourth since his trade to Kansas City.

“It was hard work," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They're always going to make you work. That's a talented team.”

The troubles continued for the Phillies' Taijuan Walker (3-5), though. The veteran allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk in just three innings, and has now surrendered 30 runs on 43 hits and 18 walks over 38 innings in his eight starts.

“In the third, everything was in the middle of the plate. It was command,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who declined to say whether Walker would make his next scheduled start. “It's more attacking the hitters, but then you don't want to be in the middle of the plate all the time. It's one of those things. He gets behind and then he has to come to the middle.”

Kansas City certainly made it a rude return to the area for Thomson. He played his college ball down Interstate 70 at Kansas, where his .369 average from 1983-85 remains tied for the fifth-best in school history.

Nick Castellanos, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh drove in the runs for Philadelphia.

The Royals began a stretch of 20 games against teams that currently hold playoff positions, including the Phillies, who began the day with a six-game cushion in the NL East. And they did it in style, racing to a 6-1 lead after their big third inning.

The Royals were still leading 7-2 in the eighth when Philadelphia tried to rally off Kris Bubic. Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and Castellanos reached on one-out singles, and Harper scored on a wild pitch. But Bubic bounced back to get Stott to hit a sacrifice fly and got J.T. Realmuto on a groundout, preserving the Royals' three-run lead.

Erceg handled it from there as Kansas City won for the seventh time in its last eight games.

“It was nice to get the first game out of the series for sure,” Wacha said. “We're not looking ahead too far. Our mentality is to win today and worry about tomorrow when it gets here. We all feel we have a really good team to do something special.”

Phillies: OF Austin Hayes (left hamstring strain) was reinstated from the injured list and started in left field. OF Cal Stevenson was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for him on the roster.

Royals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back tightness) was planning to see doctors Friday after having two good days in the hopes of formulating a throwing plan. He received an injection Tuesday after experiencing a setback a day earlier.

Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez is expected to return Saturday night from the injured list, where he's been since late July with lower back soreness.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (9-8, 3.18 ERA) will try to build off six shutout innings against the Reds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724475447378.png" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during Friday's win against Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during Friday's win against Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe hit two-run homers during a five-run third inning Friday night, and the Kansas City Royals went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 in the opener of an interleague series between playoff contenders.Perez parlayed his success in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-salvador-perez-wiffle-ball-kids-6d55a6c8be6430a3e0a6db016d83f5ce">a Wiffle ball game against neighborhood kids</a>&nbsp;a day earlier into a three-RBI night. Paul DeJong and Vinnie Pasquantino also drove in runs, helping the Royals close within a game of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.“The Wiffle ball yesterday got me ready for today,” joked Perez, who also went over 900 RBIs for his career. “Pretty good night.”Michael Wacha (11-6) ran his winning streak to seven straight decisions, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings while striking out five. He hasn't lost since June 22, and he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since June 4.Lucas Erceg worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 10th save and fourth since his trade to Kansas City.“It was hard work," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They're always going to make you work. That's a talented team.”The troubles continued for the Phillies' Taijuan Walker (3-5), though. The veteran allowed six runs on eight hits and a walk in just three innings, and has now surrendered 30 runs on 43 hits and 18 walks over 38 innings in his eight starts.“In the third, everything was in the middle of the plate. It was command,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who declined to say whether Walker would make his next scheduled start. “It's more attacking the hitters, but then you don't want to be in the middle of the plate all the time. It's one of those things. He gets behind and then he has to come to the middle.”Kansas City certainly made it a rude return to the area for Thomson. He played his college ball down Interstate 70 at Kansas, where his .369 average from 1983-85 remains tied for the fifth-best in school history.Nick Castellanos, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh drove in the runs for Philadelphia.The Royals began a stretch of 20 games against teams that currently hold playoff positions, including the Phillies, who began the day with a six-game cushion in the NL East. And they did it in style, racing to a 6-1 lead after their big third inning.The Royals were still leading 7-2 in the eighth when Philadelphia tried to rally off Kris Bubic. Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and Castellanos reached on one-out singles, and Harper scored on a wild pitch. But Bubic bounced back to get Stott to hit a sacrifice fly and got J.T. Realmuto on a groundout, preserving the Royals' three-run lead.Erceg handled it from there as Kansas City won for the seventh time in its last eight games.“It was nice to get the first game out of the series for sure,” Wacha said. “We're not looking ahead too far. Our mentality is to win today and worry about tomorrow when it gets here. We all feel we have a really good team to do something special.”TRAINER'S ROOMPhillies: OF Austin Hayes (left hamstring strain) was reinstated from the injured list and started in left field. OF Cal Stevenson was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for him on the roster.Royals: RHP Hunter Harvey (back tightness) was planning to see doctors Friday after having two good days in the hopes of formulating a throwing plan. He received an injection Tuesday after experiencing a setback a day earlier.UP NEXTPhillies: LHP Ranger Suárez is expected to return Saturday night from the injured list, where he's been since late July with lower back soreness.Royals: RHP Brady Singer (9-8, 3.18 ERA) will try to build off six shutout innings against the Reds.

⚾ Royals win Friday over Phillies

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Freshman outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/graf_viktoria_tc85">Viktoria Graf</a>&nbsp;combined for 23 kills while sophomore middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/johnson_precious_mdlb">Precious Johnson</a>&nbsp;had 11 kills and 13 blocks to pace the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team of a split of matches on Opening Day 2024 on Friday.

Playing in the Reiver Classic at Iowa Western Community College this weekend, the Blue Dragons opened the season with a 25-21, 25-21, 25-15 victory over Jefferson College in the first match on Friday. Hutchinson then dropped a tight for-set battle with tournament host Iowa Western, 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 21-25.

The Blue Dragons (1-1) will complete play in the Reiver Classic early on Saturday with a 9 a.m. match against No. 3-nationally ranked Northeastern Junior College and then an 11 a.m. match against Western Nebraska. Both matches will be played on the IWCC auxiliary court and no video streams will be available for either match on Saturday.

JEFFERSON RECAP The Blue Dragons used a balanced offensive attack to win two tight sets and dominate the third against Jefferson College in Friday's opening match.

Making her Blue Dragon debut, Graf led Hutchinson with a match-high nine kills and three block assists.

Johnson posted career highs wit six kills and six total blocks (three solo blocks and three block assists.

Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/proctor_atlyn_7f6g">Atlyn Proctor</a>&nbsp;finished with eight kills, while sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/simmons_tiana_pzqy">Tiana Simmons</a>&nbsp;finished with six kills and three block assists.

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/murphy_mckenzie_tghh">McKenzie Murphy</a>&nbsp;added three block assists for the Dragons.

Sophomore setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wilson_shelbi_f4d1">Shelbi Wilson</a>&nbsp;finished with 16 assists and two service aces. Freshman setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/suber_ellie_z1k4">Ellie Suber</a>&nbsp;had 14 assists.

Freshman libero Addy Foster had a match-high 21 digs. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/galey_brooklyn_309m">Brooke Galey</a>&nbsp;had 11 digs and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/sanchez_siani_k5i7">Siani Sanchez</a>&nbsp;had 10 digs.

IOWA WESTERN RECAP Graf again paced Hutchinson's offense in its four-set loss to Iowa Western with 14 kills. The freshman outside hitter added a pair of block assists.

Proctor added six kills and two block assists.

Johnson had a career-high seven total blocks (2 solo blocks, 5 block assists).

Suber finished with 33 set assists and five kills.

Foster posted a match-high 25 digs, while Sanchez had 14 digs and Wilson added nine digs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724470194205.jpeg" alt="Freshman Viktoria Graf (right) combined for 23 kills in a 1-1 day for the Blue Dragon volleyball team on Friday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa." />
 <figcaption>Freshman Viktoria Graf (right) combined for 23 kills in a 1-1 day for the Blue Dragon volleyball team on Friday at the Reiver Classic in Council Bluffs, Iowa.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationCOUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Freshman outside hitter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/graf_viktoria_tc85">Viktoria Graf</a>&nbsp;combined for 23 kills while sophomore middle blocker&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/johnson_precious_mdlb">Precious Johnson</a>&nbsp;had 11 kills and 13 blocks to pace the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team of a split of matches on Opening Day 2024 on Friday.Playing in the Reiver Classic at Iowa Western Community College this weekend, the Blue Dragons opened the season with a 25-21, 25-21, 25-15 victory over Jefferson College in the first match on Friday. Hutchinson then dropped a tight for-set battle with tournament host Iowa Western, 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 21-25.The Blue Dragons (1-1) will complete play in the Reiver Classic early on Saturday with a 9 a.m. match against No. 3-nationally ranked Northeastern Junior College and then an 11 a.m. match against Western Nebraska. Both matches will be played on the IWCC auxiliary court and no video streams will be available for either match on Saturday.JEFFERSON RECAP The Blue Dragons used a balanced offensive attack to win two tight sets and dominate the third against Jefferson College in Friday's opening match.Making her Blue Dragon debut, Graf led Hutchinson with a match-high nine kills and three block assists.Johnson posted career highs wit six kills and six total blocks (three solo blocks and three block assists.Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/proctor_atlyn_7f6g">Atlyn Proctor</a>&nbsp;finished with eight kills, while sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/simmons_tiana_pzqy">Tiana Simmons</a>&nbsp;finished with six kills and three block assists.<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/murphy_mckenzie_tghh">McKenzie Murphy</a>&nbsp;added three block assists for the Dragons.Sophomore setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/wilson_shelbi_f4d1">Shelbi Wilson</a>&nbsp;finished with 16 assists and two service aces. Freshman setter&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/suber_ellie_z1k4">Ellie Suber</a>&nbsp;had 14 assists.Freshman libero Addy Foster had a match-high 21 digs. Freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/galey_brooklyn_309m">Brooke Galey</a>&nbsp;had 11 digs and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/bios/sanchez_siani_k5i7">Siani Sanchez</a>&nbsp;had 10 digs.IOWA WESTERN RECAP Graf again paced Hutchinson's offense in its four-set loss to Iowa Western with 14 kills. The freshman outside hitter added a pair of block assists.Proctor added six kills and two block assists.Johnson had a career-high seven total blocks (2 solo blocks, 5 block assists).Suber finished with 33 set assists and five kills.Foster posted a match-high 25 digs, while Sanchez had 14 digs and Wilson added nine digs.Sanchez and Galey both had ace serves.

🏐 Blue Dragons split matches on opening day

Saturday's Hutchinson Community College women's soccer team's neutral site match against Otero College has been canceled.

The game was scheduled to be played at Liberal High School in Liberal on Saturday.

Because of excessive heat forecast for Saturday – the high in Liberal is supposed to be 103 degrees – the game was called off.

The 20th-ranked Blue Dragons, who defeated NOC-Enid 6-1 on Thursday in the season opener at the Salthawk Sports Complex, will next play on Wednesday when Hutchinson plays host to Garden City in the Jayhawk Conference opener in a 6 p.m. game at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

The Hutchinson-Otero game isn't expected to be rescheduled.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724470349981.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson CC Sports InformationSaturday's Hutchinson Community College women's soccer team's neutral site match against Otero College has been canceled.The game was scheduled to be played at Liberal High School in Liberal on Saturday.Because of excessive heat forecast for Saturday – the high in Liberal is supposed to be 103 degrees – the game was called off.The 20th-ranked Blue Dragons, who defeated NOC-Enid 6-1 on Thursday in the season opener at the Salthawk Sports Complex, will next play on Wednesday when Hutchinson plays host to Garden City in the Jayhawk Conference opener in a 6 p.m. game at the Salthawk Sports Complex.The Hutchinson-Otero game isn't expected to be rescheduled.

⚽ Saturday's HutchCC-Otero game canceled

LANGDON, Kan. — The Fairfield High School football team is looking to build on a strong finish to last season, as the Falcons gear up for 2024.

The Falcons finished the 2023 season on a high note with a 56-46 win over Hartford, the lone win for Fairfield last fall. The win ended a 17-game losing streak for the Falcons.

"That win summed up our entire season," Fairfield head coach Kyle Finder said. "It was a hard fought game, and our guys really didn't know how to celebrate. We had to take some time to almost teach them how to celebrate with what was going on. The smiles on their face meant everything and it was a great way to end the season."

Fairfield will open the new year with Hartford, and for the second straight game, it will be on the road.&nbsp;

"It's kind of a double edge sword opening up with them," Finder said. "Yes, we beat them last season, but they were a young team and pushed us to the end. They return everybody from last season and do some things that can give us fits. They're hungry to avenge the loss and I just hope we're not looking past them. We've never really had a whole lot of success, so I just hope we're not taking this one for granted.

The Falcons return starting quarterback Connor Fowler who looks to have a strong senior campaign.

"Connor is our workhorse," Finder said. "We rely on him to do so much both offensively and defensively. This year we're hoping to increase his production while decreasing his reps. There are some guys that we feel like can step up and make Connor more productive. Some of those guys include William McIver, Brodie Snodgrass and Gage Brown."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724342555046.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Fairfield High School" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Fairfield High School</figcaption>
 </figure>SEAN BOSTON Hutch PostLANGDON, Kan. — The Fairfield High School football team is looking to build on a strong finish to last season, as the Falcons gear up for 2024.The Falcons finished the 2023 season on a high note with a 56-46 win over Hartford, the lone win for Fairfield last fall. The win ended a 17-game losing streak for the Falcons."That win summed up our entire season," Fairfield head coach Kyle Finder said. "It was a hard fought game, and our guys really didn't know how to celebrate. We had to take some time to almost teach them how to celebrate with what was going on. The smiles on their face meant everything and it was a great way to end the season." Fairfield will open the new year with Hartford, and for the second straight game, it will be on the road.&nbsp;"It's kind of a double edge sword opening up with them," Finder said. "Yes, we beat them last season, but they were a young team and pushed us to the end. They return everybody from last season and do some things that can give us fits. They're hungry to avenge the loss and I just hope we're not looking past them. We've never really had a whole lot of success, so I just hope we're not taking this one for granted.The Falcons return starting quarterback Connor Fowler who looks to have a strong senior campaign."Connor is our workhorse," Finder said. "We rely on him to do so much both offensively and defensively. This year we're hoping to increase his production while decreasing his reps. There are some guys that we feel like can step up and make Connor more productive. Some of those guys include William McIver, Brodie Snodgrass and Gage Brown."Finder says the offensive line is mostly intact from last season and will be a big part of the success this season."We'll look for those guys to pave holes that anybody can run through," Finder said. "Some of those guys include Garrett Lanning, Chase Combs, Gavin Foster, Lukas and Lane Schwab, and then Braeden Witt will fill in as well."The Falcons will host a jamboree on Friday, Aug. 30 with St. John, Bucklin and Kinsley."We want to continue to build on the successes that we had at the end of last season," Finder said. "We're nine months apart from the end of last season to now. We run a simple enough offense that I feel like we can pick up where we left off, and then just fly around on defense, and most importantly, I just want the guys to have fun."Finder says his team always puts up a fight, no matter their record."We may have been 1-8 last season, but it was one of the most enjoyable times I've had as a coach," Finder said. "The guys have the willing to get better each and every day, they always put in the effort day in and day out. We didn't hang our heads after some close or tough losses, we just were back to work on Monday. We continued to get better as the season went on and I'm really excited to see what this season holds for these guys."FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL Sept. 6 @ Hartford Sept. 13 PRATT-SKYLINE Sept. 20 RENO CO. SABRES Sept. 27 CENTRAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Oct. 4 @ Attica-Argonia Oct. 11 PRETTY PRAIRIE Oct. 18 @ Norwich Oct. 25 STAFFORD