MUSTANGS OUSTED BY BUTLER AT STATE SOFTBALL TOURNEY
At the KHSAA State Softball Tournament, Butler rallied from a 4-1 deficit to defeat McCracken County 6-4 in opening round action in Lexington. The game started on Saturday but was halted by weather issues in the fourth inning with McCracken County leading 2-1.The Lady Mustangs finished the season with a record of 30-6. In other games yesterday, Warren East eliminated Henderson County 5-0, and Green County edged Henry County 2-1. The tournament will resume with quarterfinal action on Friday at Cropp Stadium in Lexington. The KHSAA State Baseball Tournament will play its quarterfinal round on Wednesday at Legends Field in Lexington.
OVC FOOTBALL TEAMS TO HALT GAMES VS NON-D1 OPPONENTS
The Ohio Valley Conference hosted its 2021 Virtual Spring Meetings last week to cap an unprecedented year. OVC Athletic Direcgtors presented several recommendations to the OVC Board of Presidents, including an amendment to the OVC bylaws to state that football teams shall not schedule a non-Division I contest. That proposal was adopted by the Board beginning with the 2022 season. Additionally they recommended continuing the OVC Football Playoff Hosting Pool which helps schools financially with bids for home playoff games and to set a goal that each Conference athletics department shall have an assigned mental health professional to assist with its student-athletes. The OVC Board of Presidents approved an extension to Commissioner Beth DeBauche’s contract which is now a five-year rolling contract that runs from the 2025-26 academic year.
CARDINALS HALT SKID
Tyler O’Neill hit a go-ahead RBI-double in the eighth inning as the Cardinals beat the Marlins 4-2 at home. Paul Goldschmidt added a pair of singles and batted in a run for the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Reliever Giovanny Gallegos earned his fourth win. Alex Reyes pitched a clean ninth inning for his 17th save. Game 2 of the series is on the air tonight at 6:20 on Classic Hits WNBS AM and FM.
AREA MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP
The Louisville Bats begin a six-game road series against the Omaha Storm Chasers tonight. Louisville will be looking to get back in the win column after losing five of six to the Toledo Mud Hens in its last series. Memphis starts a six-game road series against the Indianapolis Indians tonight. The Redbirds split their last series against the Gwinnett Stripers. Nashville begins a road series at Gwinett tonight.
SIX WITH OVC TIES MAKE THE 2022 HOF BALLOT
Four former OVC football players and two former coaches are among those on the 2022 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame recently announced. The former OVC players include Middle Tennessee’s Joe Campbell, Don Griffin and Steve McAdoo and Eastern Kentucky’s Markus Thomas. The former coaches are Western Kentucky’s Jim Feix and Middle Tennessee’s Charles Murphy. Last year former Eastern Illinois quarterback Tony Romo was elected to the Hall of Fame, becoming the third former OVC player inducted.
TWO OVC FOOTBALL PLAYERS RECEIVE ACADEMIC HONORS
Two Ohio Valley Conference football players have been named to the 2020-21 Academic All-District® Football Team, as selected by CoSIDA. The selections were Austin Peay senior linebacker Jack McDonald and Eastern Kentucky senior running back Alonzo Booth. The team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. McDonald has a 3.57 GPA in marketing. He led Austin Peay with 70 tackles in nine games. Booth has a 3.65 GPA in psychology. He rushed for a team-best 708 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games.
CWS TIMES SET FOR TENNESSEE AND VANDY
The game times for Tennessee and Vanderbilt’s College World Series games have been announced. Vandy plays Arizona on Saturday at 6 pm Central Time on ESPN. The Vols will play Virginia on Sunday at 1 pm Central Time on ESPN2.
RINNE WINS CLANCY TROPHY
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award recognizes an NHL player who shows leadership on and off the ice and has made humanitarian contributions to his community. Rinne helped create the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
BAFFERT SUES NYRA
Bob Baffert is suing the New York Racing Association after it suspended him last month because of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit’s positive drug test. Baffert’s lawsuit claims NYRA did not have the authority to suspend him indefinitely. The horse trainer is also seeking financial restitution and is requesting a judge issue an injunction that ends the ban.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
The Hawks and Clippers are both getting even. Trae Young scored 25 points and dished out 18 assists as the Hawks defeated the 76ers 103-100 in Game Four in Atlanta. The Hawks even the series at two games apiece. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George scored 31 points each as the Clippers took down the Jazz 118-104 in Game Four in Los Angeles. LA evens their series at two-all. Tonight, the Bucks visit the Nets for Game Five in Brooklyn.
The Nets’ Big Three will be just one as Kyrie Irving and James Harden are being ruled out of Game Five against the Milwaukee Bucks in Brooklyn. Irving suffered an ankle injury during Brooklyn’s Game Four loss. Head coach Steve Nash says he has “no idea” when his star guard will be available. Meanwhile, Harden is still absent after suffering a hamstring injury on the opening play of the series. He hasn’t played since. The series is tied at two-games-apiece. Game Five is tonight.
The NBA is recognizing its best defenders. The league announced the voting results for the first and second NBA All-Defensive Teams. The first team is anchored by Defensive Player of the Year and Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Golden State’s Draymond Green, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. The second team is headlined by the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and the Heat’s Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle round out the second team.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves as the Golden Knights dominated the Canadiens 4-1 in Las Vegas. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist as Vegas took Game One of their Stanley Cup Semifinal. Tonight, the Lightning will look to salvage some of their home-ice advantage as they take on the Islanders in Game Two in Tampa. New York took Game One in a 2-1 win on Sunday.
Major League Baseball is reportedly set to crack down on the use of foreign substances. According to ESPN, the league is expected to issue ten-day suspensions to any players caught using foreign substances. Teams are expected to receive a memo outlining plans to cut down on use of substances from pitchers in both the National and American Leagues. The issue stems from the use of SpiderTack, which is a heavy duty glue that has become a go-to tool for pitchers.
MONDAY’S SCOREBOARD
MLB National League
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Washington Nationals 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
New York Mets 5, Chicago Cubs 2
Cincinnati Reds 10, Milwaukee Brewers 2
St. Louis Cardinals 4, Miami Marlins 2
Colorado Rockies 3, San Diego Padres 2
San Francisco Giants 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 2
Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Philadelphia Phillies 1
MLB American League
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Cleveland Indians 4, Baltimore Orioles 3
Boston Red Sox 2, Toronto Blue Jays 1
Detroit Tigers 10, Kansas City Royals 3
Tampa Bay Rays 5, Chicago White Sox 2
Oakland Athletics 8, Los Angeles Angels 5
Seattle Mariners 4, Minnesota Twins 3
MLB Interleague
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No Games Scheduled
NBA Playoffs
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Atlanta Hawks 103, Philadelphia 76ers 100
(Best-of-seven East semifinal series tied, 2-2)
Los Angeles Clippers 118, Utah Jazz 104
(Best-of-seven West semifinal series tied, 2-2)
NHL Playoffs
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Vegas Golden Knights 4, Montreal Canadiens 1
(Golden Knights lead best-of-seven Stanley Cup semifinal series, 1-0)
WNBA
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No Games Scheduled
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE (All Times Are Eastern)
MLB National League
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7:05 p.m. – Pittsburgh Pirates at Washington Nationals
7:10 p.m. – Chicago Cubs at New York Mets
8:10 p.m. – Cincinnati Reds at Milwaukee Brewers
8:15 p.m. – Miami Marlins at St. Louis Cardinals
8:40 p.m. – San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies
9:45 p.m. – Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants
10:10 p.m. – Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB American League
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7:07 p.m. – New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays (at Buffalo, NY)
7:10 p.m. – Baltimore Orioles at Cleveland Indians
8:10 p.m. – Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals
8:10 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox
8:10 p.m. – Texas Rangers at Houston Astros
9:40 p.m. – Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics
10:10 p.m. – Minnesota Twins at Seattle Mariners
MLB Interleague
——-
7:20 p.m. – Boston Red Sox at Atlanta Braves
NBA Playoffs
——-
8:30 p.m. – Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets
(Best-of-seven East semifinal series, 2-2)
NHL Playoffs
——-
8:00 p.m. – New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning
(Islanders lead best-of-seven East semifinal series, 1-0)
WNBA
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7:00 p.m. – Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever
9:00 p.m. – Chicago Sky at Minnesota Lynx
10:00 p.m. – New York Liberty at Las Vegas Aces
