Friday 29th March 2024

Thursday, July 15, 2021

sportspic-36
sportspic-36

Photo by Dave Winder, MSU Athletics

RACER FOOTBALL SUMMER UPDATE
Except for specialists, most of the Murray State football team reported to campus earlier this month for summer workouts as the team gets back to normal after finishing 5-2 in a COVID forced spring schedule. Considering that busy spring, Racer head coach Dean Hood says his team is healthy. Hood also commented on recent NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness decisions, saying that Director of Athletics Kevin Saal has procedures in place that takes it off the plate of coaches, making certain all are within current regulations and guidelines. The Racers open the season on September 2 at Stewart Stadium against Mississippi Valley State.

MLB SEASON RESUMES WITH 1 GAME TONIGHT
While 28 teams continue their all-star break, the Yankees host the Red Sox in the only MLB game on the slate. The rest of the league resumes action this weekend, with the Giants visiting the Cardinals in St. Louis from Friday through Sunday. In area Minor League baseball last night, the Louisville Bats could not get on the board in a 5-0 loss to the Sounds in Nashville, and the Redbirds beat the Norfolk Tides 8-3 in Memphis.

CARDINALS INK STAUSS
SEMO catcher Wade Stauss signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. A native of Wildwood, Missouri, he started 46 games behind the plate this season, leading the Redhawks with 14 home runs. Stauss was named this year’s OVC Tournament Most Valuable Player before leading SEMO to its fourth OVC Tournament crown in program history. He will report to Jupiter, Florida this weekend.

TITANS ADD FISHER TO RING OF HONOR
The Tennessee Titans are adding former head coach Jeff Fisher to their Ring of Honor. Former GM Floyd Reese and former Houston Oilers head coach Bum Phillips will also be added to the Ring of Honor. Fisher went 142-and-120 as head coach of the Titans and led Tennessee to its only Super Bowl appearance.

JUDGE SAYS BAFFERT CAN RACE IN NEW YORK
A federal judge is allowing horse trainer Bob Baffert to race again in New York State. The district judge overturned Baffert’s suspension by the New York Racing Association after Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test following the horse’s win at the Kentucky Derby. Judge Carol Bagley noted Baffert didn’t have the chance to respond to the allegations made against him. Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, also suspended Baffert for two years. That ban hasn’t been challenged yet.

EIU’S MITCHELL A WOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE
Eastern Illinois’s Haley Mitchell was named the Panthers nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award presented annually. Mitchell was among the 535 student-athletes across all three NCAA Divisions that were nominated for the award. Mitchell was a five-year member of the Panthers softball team and finished her playing days as the top power hitter in program history with 39 home runs.

VOLS SET FOR SEC FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS
A pair of seniors will join UT head football coach Josh Heupel at the 2021 SEC Football Media Days. Redshirt senior wide receiver Velus Jones, Jr., and senior defensive back Alonte Taylor will meet with the media in Hoover, Alabama next week. Heupel will be at the main podium next Tuesday morning at 10:30 Central Time.

NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
The NBA Finals is all tied up at two-games apiece. The Bucks outscored the Suns by 12 in the fourth quarter to rally for a 109-103 win in Game Four in Milwaukee. Khris Middleton dropped in 40 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who won both games at home to even the series. Devin Booker poured in a game-high 42 points to lead Phoenix, which will host Game Five on Saturday.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has entered health and safety protocols at Team USA practice. According to The Athletic, his return to the court for the Tokyo Olympics is uncertain. He started the team’s first three exhibition games against Nigeria, Australia, and Argentina. He has 31 points as America has compiled a 1-and-2 record.

The unofficial second half of the MLB season begins tonight, as the Yankees and Red Sox meet in New York. The Red Sox lead the AL East at 55-and-36. The Yankees are eight-games back at 46-and-43. The rest of the league resumes action this weekend, with the Dodgers in Denver to take on the Rockies, and Astros and White Sox having a pivotal battle in Chicago. The Giants will visit the Cardinals in St. Louis.

Team WNBA defeated Team USA 93-85 in the WNBA All-Star game in Las Vegas. Arike Ogunbowale led all scorers with 26 points for Team WNBA and was named the game’s M-V-P. Jonquel Jones with 18 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Brittney Griner scored 17 points for Team USA and Breanna Stewart had 15 points. Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky won the 3-point championship at half time.

NFL cornerback Richard Sherman is facing a charge of burglary domestic violence after trying to get into the home of his in-laws. Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe explained Sherman also faces resisting arrest and malicious mischief. He noted Sherman “smelled of intoxicant emanating from his mouth and person.” His wife Ashley Moss told the Seattle Times “he didn’t harm anybody” and what happened “is not his character.” Sherman was denied bail after his arrest Wednesday and could go in front of a judge on Thursday.

For the first time in a decade, the Open Championship returns to Royal Saint George’s in Sandwich, England. The field is highlighted both by who’s there and who’s not there as COVID continues to affect the world. U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm returns to the field for the first time since winning at Torrey Pines last month, while the world’s number one golfer, Dustin Johnson, is in action along with Bryson DeChambeau and his new arch-rival Brooks Koepka. So is Darren Clarke, who last won the open when it was at Royal Saint George’s back in 2011. However, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson, and Zach Johnson have all withdrawn for various reasons.

WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD

NBA Playoffs
——-
Milwaukee Bucks 109, Phoenix Suns 103
(Best-of-seven NBA Finals tied, 2-2)

WNBA
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Team WNBA 93, Team USA 85

MLB
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No Game Scheduled

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

MLB National League
——-
No Games Scheduled

MLB American League
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7:08 p.m. – Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

MLB Interleague
——-
No Games Scheduled

NBA Playoffs
——-
No Game Scheduled

WNBA
——-
No Games Scheduled (Olympic Break)

PGA
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The Open Championship (at Sandwich, Kent, England)

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