Photo by Dave Winder, MSU Athletics
SEMO STUNS OVC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS
Fourth-seeded Southeast Missouri shocked top-seeded Murray State 1-0 yesterday in the OVC Soccer Tournament semifinals at Cutchin Field in Murray. The lone goal came in the 12th minute from Emma Brune that deflected off of the Racers Lauren Payne before finding the net, and SEMO made it stand up. The Racers finish the season with a 9-2 record while SEMO advances to Saturday afternoon’s championship against second seeded SIUE, a 2-0 winner over third seed UT Martin in the other semifinal.
TIGER BASEBALL CLAIMS REGION 1 ALL-A TITLE
Nick Holcomb tossed a four-inning slaughter-rule two-hitter as Murray High crushed Carlisle County 15-0 yesterday in the Region 1 Baseball All-A Classic championship game. The Tigers broke open a 1-0 game with an 8-run third inning and then added 6 more in the fourth. Carson Tucker led the offense with a double and four RBI’s, while Kade Gibson had three hits and drove in two.
TIGER SOFTBALL FALLS TO HICKMAN COUNTY IN ALL-A TOURNEY
Hickman County scored two runs in the third inning and that was enough as the Falcons blanked Murray High 3-0 in the Region 1 Softball All-A Classic championship game. Jacey Rose went the distance for Hickman County with a 2 hit shutout, striking out 4 and walking 1. Sydney Wyatt and Victoria Burton had Murray’s only hits. Kylie Chapman took the loss, going the distance and giving up 5 hits but no earned runs.
HOOD AND 13 RACERS RECEIVE OVC HONORS
Murray State head football coach Dean Hood was named the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year yesterday, while 13 Racers garnered post-season honors. Hood oversaw one of the best turnarounds in the nation this spring when he led Murray State to its first winning season since 2011 and best OVC record since 2005. In the team awards, Jacob Vance, Levi Nesler, and LaMartez Brooks earned first team honors on offense while Malik Honeycutt was named to the first team as a punt return specialist.
Defensively, Eric Samuta, Marcis Floyd, and Scotty Humpich earned first team honors. Named to the All-OVC second team was Preston Rice, Damonta Witherspoon, and Jacob Bell on offense, with Alec Long, Izaiah Reed, and Ethan Edmondson named to the second team on defense. Witherspoon and Edmondson were also named to the OVC All-Newcomer team.
Austin Peay’s DeAngelo Wilson was named Offensive Player of the Year, with the Govs Draylen Ellis and Tennessee State’s Devon Starling sharing Freshman of the Year honors. Jacksonville State’s Nicario Harper was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year
RACER BASEBALL AT BELMONT, RACER SOFTBALL HOSTS BELMONT
Murray State baseball travels to Nashville this weekend to battle Belmont. The teams play a doubleheader with games at 1 and 5 pm on Saturday, and finish the series with a 1 pm game on Sunday. Racer softball will host Belmont in a three game series, with Saturday games set for 1 and 3 pm and a Sunday game at 1 pm.
CONNER COMMITS TO MURRAY STATE
Cayson Conner of Marshall County has committed to continue her basketball career at Murray State, announcing her commitment through social media Thursday morning. Conner led the Lady Marshals to a state runner-up finish in the KHSAA Sweet 16. Conner led the Lady Marshals with 14 points per game this past season, helping them to the state championship game for the first time since 1984. At the Sweet 16, Conner averaged 20 points per contest in Marshall County’s four state tournament games. Conner will sign her scholarship with the Racers on Monday.
PERRY GOES TO INDIANA IN WNBA DRAFT
Chelsey Perry of UT Martin was selected 26th overall by the Indiana Fever in the third round of the 2021 WNBA Draft. Perry is the first player in UT Martin history to be taken in the WNBA Draft, and is the highest selection in OVC history, surpassing former Austin Peay star Brooke Armistead who was taken 40th in the 2003 draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars. Perry is a two-time OVC Player of the Year.
CARDINALS PLAY PHILLIES TONIGHT; THOMAS SENT DOWN
The Cardinals visit the Phillies tonight for the start of a three-game weekend set. St. Louis sends Carlos Martínez to the mound to face Philadelphia’s Zach Eflin. The Cards have lost four of five. Airtime today is set for 5:10. The Cardinals are sending down Lane Thomas. The club optioned the outfielder to the team’s alternate training site and called up fellow outfielder Scott Hurst to take his place on the active roster. To make room for Hurst on the 40-man roster, Dakota Hudson was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
AREA HOCKEY ROUNDUP
The Hurricanes cooled off the Nashville Predators with a 4-1 victory in Raleigh. Nashville was looking for its 12th win in 14 games, but instead fell to 0-4-and-1 against Carolina this season. The Preds meet the Hurricanes again tomorrow night. The Blues are holding a public visitation for team legend Bobby Plager today at the Enterprise Center. Fans can pay their final respects by entering the arena at the main entrance and proceeding to the arena floor. The visitation runs from 4-8 pm.
MEMPHIS AT CHICAGO TONIGHT
The Grizzlies open a seven-game trip tonight in Chicago. Memphis will play tomorrow in Milwaukee and then plays twice in Denver, twice in Portland and once against the Clippers in LA before returning home. The Grizz do not play in Memphis again until April 28th.
SIUE ADDS KURTAS
SIUE men’s basketball has announced the addition of Jonathan Kurtas of Mooresville, North Carolina. Kurtas is a 6-foot, 11-inch, 235-pound center who comes to SIUE from Lake Norman Christian School in Huntersville, North Carolina. He helped the team to a 27-8 record as a senior, when he averaged 16 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. Kurtas connected on 53 percent of his shots from the field. Kurtas is the second member of the 2021 class. Guard Zane Butler signed in November and joined the program early in January.
NASHVILLE SC UPS CAPACITY FOR OPENER
Nashville SC has increased its Nissan Stadium capacity from 33-percent to 40-percent for the season opener tomorrow against FC Cincinnati. The club informed 15-hundred season ticket holders they would be reassigned from their 100-level seats to the 300-level. Nashville kicks off the MLS season with four straight home matches.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
Max Kepler singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins cooled off the Red Sox 4-3 in Minnesota on Jackie Robinson Day. It snapped a nine-game winning streak for Boston. Clubs that were off on Thursday will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day today.
Nets forward LaMarcus Aldridge is calling it a career. The 35-year-old big man abruptly announced his retirement on Thursday after experiencing an irregular heartbeat during Saturday’s game against the Lakers. Aldridge says it’s time he puts his health ahead of basketball.
Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month. He was one of many who spoke at Bryant’s memorial service last year. The Class of 2020 will be inducted May 15th. The pandemic postponed the ceremony last year.
Cameron Smith sits atop the leaderboard after the first round of the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island. He shot a sizzling nine-under 62 at Harbour Town Golf Links to lead Stewart Cink by one shot. Collin Morikawa and Matt Wallace are tied for third at six-under par.
NASCAR’s Cup Series heads to Richmond on Sunday. Martin Truex Jr. will look to keep the momentum going after picking up his second win of the season this past week at Martinsville. Truex Jr. will start the race on the pole. He will be joined up front by Denny Hamlin.
THURSDAY’S SCOREBOARD
MLB National League
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Atlanta Braves 7, Miami Marlins 6
San Diego Padres 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 3
Arizona Diamondbacks 11, Washington Nationals 6
Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Colorado Rockies 5
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets (Postponed)
MLB American League
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Seattle Mariners 4, Baltimore Orioles 2 (G1)
Seattle Mariners 2, Baltimore Orioles 1 (G2)
Minnesota Twins 4, Boston Red Sox 3
Cleveland Indians 4, Chicago White Sox 2
Texas Rangers 6, Tampa Bay Rays 4 (10)
Kansas City Royals 7, Toronto Blue Jays 5
Oakland Athletics 8, Detroit Tigers 4
MLB Interleague
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No Games Scheduled
NBA
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Milwaukee Bucks 120, Atlanta Hawks 109
Golden State Warriors 119, Cleveland Cavaliers 101
Boston Celtics 121, Los Angeles Lakers 113
Phoenix Suns 122, Sacramento Kings 114
NHL
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Boston Bruins 4, New York Islanders 1
New York Rangers 4, New Jersey Devils 0
Buffalo Sabres 5, Washington Capitals 2
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Nashville Predators 1
Tampa Bay Lightning 3, Florida Panthers 2 (OT)
Philadelphia Flyers 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 (SO)
Winnipeg Jets 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Detroit Red Wings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Dallas Stars 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
PGA RBC Heritage (at Hilton Head, SC)
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1. Cameron Smith (-9)
2. Stewart Cink (-8)
T3. Collin Morikawa (-6)
T3. Matt Wallace (-6)
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
MLB National League
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2:20 p.m. – Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs
7:05 p.m. – Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals
7:05 p.m. – St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies
7:10 p.m. – San Francisco Giants at Miami Marlins
8:10 p.m. – Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers
8:40 p.m. – New York Mets at Colorado Rockies
10:10 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres
MLB American League
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7:05 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees
7:10 p.m. – Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox
8:05 p.m. – Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers
8:10 p.m. – Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals
9:38 p.m. – Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels
9:40 p.m. – Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics
10:10 p.m. – Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners
MLB Interleague
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7:10 p.m. – Cleveland Indians at Cincinnati Reds
NBA
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3:00 p.m. – Indiana Pacers at Utah Jazz
7:00 p.m. – Oklahoma City Thunder at Detroit Pistons
7:00 p.m. – LA Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers
7:00 p.m. – New Orleans Pelicans at Washington Wizards
7:30 p.m. – Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets
7:30 p.m. – Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors (at Tampa, FL)
8:00 p.m. – Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls
8:00 p.m. – Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets
8:00 p.m. – Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves
8:30 p.m. – Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs
9:30 p.m. – New York Knicks at Dallas Mavericks
NHL
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6:00 p.m. – Calgary Flames at Montreal Canadiens
7:00 p.m. – New York Islanders at Boston Bruins
8:00 p.m. – San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild
9:00 p.m. – Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche
10:00 p.m. – Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks
Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks (Postponed)
PGA
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RBC Heritage (at Hilton Head, SC)
