Photo by Dave Winder, MSU Athletics
RACERS NIP BELMONT IN EXTRAS
Ryan Perkins crossed the plate after a wild pitch giving Murray State a 4-3 12-inning win over Belmont in a non-conference game at Reagan Field. The Racers Riley Hawthorne scored on an error in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game, setting the stage for the extra-inning win. Jake Slunder had two hits and drove in a run to lead the offense. Malik Pogue tossed two scoreless innings to notch the win. The 23-20 Racers will host UT Martin in a three game series beginning with a 5 pm game tomorrow.
LAKERS EDGE TIGERS IN CLASSIC 14-INNING MARATHON
Karsen Starks scored the winning run following an error as Calloway County edged Murray High 4-3 in 14 innings at Laker Field. Gage Bazzell had two hits to lead the Laker offense while Austin Collie pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Carson Tucker had three hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs to pace the Tiger offense. Kade Gibson pitched 7 2/3 innings of 1 hit relief, striking out 10, but took the tough luck loss. The teams are scheduled to meet again today at Ty Holland Stadium. In other baseball:
McCracken County 3, Paducah Tilghman 2 (12 innings)
Ballard Memorial 6, Mayfield 3
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES
McCracken County 15, Paducah Tilghman 0
FOUR RACERS NAMED TO KCAC TEAM
LaMartez Brooks, Marcis Floyd, Levi Nesler, and Eric Samuta of the Murray State football team have been named to the 2021 Kentucky Collegiate All-Commonwealth team. The team is a pre-season recognition award for football players attending a Kentucky college or university. The players will be recognized during the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Ceremony on June 25. The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony will also be available across all social media outlets.
KENTUCKY ADDS FREDRICK
Iowa transfer CJ Fredrick has signed with the Kentucky men’s basketball team. Fredrick made nearly 50% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons of competition with the Hawkeyes. The 6-foot-3 guard from Cincinnati, averaged 8.8 points per game in 52 appearances with Iowa.
SLAZINSKI TRANSFERRING FROM LOUISVILLE
University of Louisville forward Quinn Slazinski has placed his name in the NCAA transfer portal and will seek another institution to continue his athletic and academic career. A 6-8 sophomore from Houston, Texas, Slazinski averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds last season for the Cardinals while starting eight of the 20 games in which he played.
CARDINALS SPLIT WITH METS
The Cardinals split a doubleheader with the Mets at Busch Stadium. Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong each homered as St. Louis took game one 4-1, extending the Cards winning streak to six games. New York went on to win game two, 7-2. The four-game set wraps up today with airtime at 11:20 this morning for the 12:15 game on WNBS AM and FM.
REDBIRDS BLANKED
The Memphis Redbirds are back to playing baseball for the first time since 2019, and they are off to an 0-and-2 start that includes last night’s 4-0 shutout against the Durham Bulls. The teams will go back to battle for the third of six games tonight as the Redbirds look to pick up their first win of the season.
MORANT LEADS GRIZZLIES PAST MINNESOTA
The Grizzlies picked up a key 139-135 road win last night against the Timberwolves to get back above .500 and continue to fight for playoff positioning. Ja Morant led the way with 37 points and 10 assists, while five other scorers finished in double figures. Morant and the Grizzlies are off to Detroit tonight to take on the East’s worst Pistons.
PREDS LOSE TO COLUMBUS
The Predators suffered a brutal 4-2 loss on the road to the seventh-place Blue Jackets. The Predators split the series and are currently hanging on to the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, four points ahead of the Stars and far from striking distance from the division’s top three.
CARDINALS ADD HERNANDEZ TO HALL OF FAME
The St. Louis Cardinals announced yesterday that Keith Hernandez will be inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, presented by Edward Jones. Hernandez will join the 2020 Class of Tom Herr, John Tudor and Bill White for induction during an enshrinement ceremony on August 21. The St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame was established as a way to recognize the exceptional careers and significant achievements of the greatest players in Cardinals history, as well as those who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization. To be eligible, players must have played for the Cardinals for at least three seasons and must be retired as a player from Major League Baseball for at least three years.
TSU GUARD SIGNS WITH ILLINOIS STATE
Former Tennessee State guard Mark Freeman signed with Illinois State and will have three years of eligibility beginning this winter. In 21 games last season, the Memphis native averaged 17.1 points and 4.6 assists per game. The All-Ohio Valley Conference second team pick averaged 4.1 rebounds per outing and led the league in free-throw percentage (81.7%).
LOUISVILLE INCREASES STADIUM CAPACITY
The Louisville baseball team will be able to enjoy welcoming more fans to home games going forward this season, as the local and state health officials approve their request to increase fan capacity at games to approximately 50 percent. Additional tickets will be available to this weekend’s series against Duke and home games going forward. The number 15 Cardinals are coming off of a big win against number two Vanderbilt on Tuesday.
VANDY EXPANDS CAPACITY
Capacity crowds could return to Hawkins Field soon. Vanderbilt Athletics says it will allow full attendance at Hawkins Field for the final four regular season baseball games, May 18th through the 22nd. The change was announced after the Metro Public Health Department said capacity limits for outdoor events will be lifted on May 14th. Face coverings will still be required.
DERBY FAVORITE TO SKIP NEXT BIG RACE
Kentucky Derby pre-race favorite Essential Quality will skip the 146th Preakness Stakes. The colt finished fourth at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Trainer Brad Cox tells SiriusXM’s At the Races, the horse will not run in the second jewel of the Triple Crown and instead will point toward the June 5th Belmont Stakes in New York. Derby winner Medina Spirit is expected to be the favorite for the Preakness, set for May 15th at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
John Means tossed the season’s third no-hitter of the season as the Orioles beat the Mariners 6-0 in Seattle. The left-hander missed out on perfection when a runner reached base on a wild pitch following a strikeout. He’s now 4-and-0 as he fanned 12 batters. Pat Valaika and Trey Mancini homered to back up Means. Baltimore has won five-of-seven.
White Sox skipper Tony La Russa is being questioned again after admitting he didn’t fully understand Major League Baseball’s new extra-inning rules on Wednesday. The Chicago manager said he didn’t know the rule would have allowed him to avoid using his closer, Liam Hendriks, as a baserunner in a nothing-nothing game against the Reds in Cincinnati. When explained that the rule would’ve allowed for the runner prior to the pitcher to run the bases, La Russa told the media “I didn’t know that.”
The New York Rangers are firing both their general manager Jeff Gorton and president John Davidson. With the team near the end of a rebuild, they are promoting internally former Ranger captain Chris Drury to both positions, effective immediately. According to E-S-P-N, he had been sought after by several teams to be their general manager, but has remained with New York as assistant G-M under both Gorton and Davidson. Former G-M Glen Sather, who is now a senior advisor with the club, will aid in the transition.
Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is moving up in the record books. With the Golden Knights’ 3-2 overtime win over the Wild on Wednesday, Fleury recorded his 490th win all-time in net. The win puts him in sole possession of third place, moving past Roberto Luongo. Martin Brodeur is first all-time with 691 wins while Patrick Roy [[ WAH ]] had 551 over his career.
The PGA Tour is in Charlotte this week for the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club. Round one gets going early this morning with a purse of over eight-million dollars on the line. Max Homa will be back to defend his 2019 title after last year’s event, like many, was wiped out due to the pandemic. He will start out in a group with Jon Rahm and Webb Simpson. Two-time winner Rory McIlroy is in a trio with Stewart Cink and Patrick Reed.
WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD
MLB National League
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Colorado Rockies 6, San Francisco Giants 5
St. Louis Cardinals 4, New York Mets 1 (G1)
New York Mets 7, St. Louis Cardinals 2 (G2)
Miami Marlins 8, Arizona Diamondbacks 0
Atlanta Braves 5, Washington Nationals 3
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Milwaukee Brewers 4
Chicago Cubs 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 5 (11)
San Diego Padres 4, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
MLB American League
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Baltimore Orioles 6, Seattle Mariners 0
New York Yankees 6, Houston Astros 3
Detroit Tigers 6, Boston Red Sox 5 (10)
Texas Rangers 3, Minnesota Twins 1
Cleveland Indians 5, Kansas City Royals 4
Tampa Bay Rays 3, Los Angeles Angels 1
Toronto Blue Jays 9, Oakland Athletics 4
MLB Interleague
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Cincinnati Reds 1, Chicago White Sox 0 (10)
NBA
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Boston Celtics 132, Orlando Magic 96
Portland Trail Blazers 141, Cleveland Cavaliers 105
Atlanta Hawks 135, Phoenix Suns 103
Sacramento Kings 104, Indiana Pacers 93
Philadelphia 76ers 135, Houston Rockets 115
Milwaukee Bucks 135, Washington Wizards 134
Memphis Grizzlies 139, Minnesota Timberwolves 135
Denver Nuggets 113, New York Knicks 97
Utah Jazz 126, San Antonio Spurs 94
NHL
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Ottawa Senators 5, Montreal Canadiens 1
Washington Capitals 4, New York Rangers 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Nashville Predators 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Dallas Stars 2
Anaheim Ducks 3, St. Louis Blues 2 (SO)
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Minnesota Wild 2 (OT)
Winnipeg Jets 4, Calgary Flames 0
San Jose Sharks 3, Colorado Avalanche 2
Los Angeles Kings 4, Arizona Coyotes 2
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
MLB National League
——-
1:05 p.m. – Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies
1:15 p.m. – New York Mets at St. Louis Cardinals
4:05 p.m. – Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals
6:40 p.m. – Arizona Diamondbacks at Miami Marlins
MLB American League
——-
1:05 p.m. – Houston Astros at New York Yankees
1:10 p.m. – Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox
1:10 p.m. – Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins
2:10 p.m. – Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals
3:37 p.m. – Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics
9:38 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at Los Angeles Angels
MLB Interleague
——-
No Games Scheduled
NBA
——-
7:00 p.m. – Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets
7:30 p.m. – Brooklyn Nets at Dallas Mavericks
7:30 p.m. – Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors (at Tampa, FL)
8:00 p.m. – Memphis Grizzlies at Detroit Pistons
8:00 p.m. – Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
10:00 p.m. – Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
10:00 p.m. – Los Angeles Lakers at LA Clippers
NHL
——-
7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. – New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders
7:00 p.m. – Buffalo Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 p.m. – Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00 p.m. – Chicago Blackhawks at Carolina Hurricanes
9:00 p.m. – Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers
PGA
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Wells Fargo Championship (at Charlotte, NC)
