KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won consecutive games for the first time this season as Ryan Noda had a triple and double, reaching base four times in a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Noda was 5 for 7 with three doubles, a triple, four runs and four RBIs in the first two games of the series between teams tied for the worst record in the major leagues at 8-26.

“He's swinging the bat,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “He's learned early in the season that when you're as patient as he's been coming through the minor leagues, these big-league guys will attack you. He's been a little more aggressive in the zone and that's created some results.”

Noda is just trying to keep an even keel.

“My job is to get on base any way I can,” he said. “The last two days I've been doing a pretty good job of it. I'm just sticking to my approach and grinding it out. I've been getting good pitches and not missing them.”

Ken Waldichuk (1-2) allowed four runs, six hits and six walks in five innings with six strikeouts. His 115 pitches were the most he's thrown in his major-league career.

“I really wanted to get through five and help out the bullpen a little bit,” Waldichuk said. “I'm really happy that Kots let me stay out there.

"I was battling a lot with my command. Once I walked (Michael Massey leading off the fifth), I knew it was go time.”

Zach Jackson retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a game-ending groundout with two on for his first save this season.

Brady Singer (2-4) gave up five runs and six hits in four innings.

Kansas City honored Lorenzo Cain in a pregame ceremony. A member of the 2015 World Series champions, Cain signed a one-day contract to retire with the Royals. The team drew 29,549, its highest home crowd since opening day.

The Royals had seven baserunners in the last three innings but didn't score.

"To leave that many guys stranded you have to have some good at-bats, too, to put them on base,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We put a lot of good at-bats together so there is a flip side to everything.”

Maikel Garcia hit a two-out RBI double in the first, but Esteury Ruiz's two-run single in the second and JJ Bleday's homer in the third built a 3-1 lead. Ryan Noda hit an RBI triple in the fourth and scored on Brent Rooker's double.

It marked the first series win of season for the Athletics after losing their first 10 series.

“For this club, we know where we're at,” Kotsay said. “We know the hole we dug ourselves. Our focus is on winning each day. I don't think the weight of not winning a series was impactful. But it definitely does feel good to get our first series win.”

Freddy Fermin's solo homer and Witt's two-run drive, a 434-foot drive for his sixth homer this season, cut the deficit to one run in the bottom half.

RHP Mason Miller (0-1, 3.52 ERA) starts Sunday for Oakland and LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-4, 7.40 ERA) for the Royals.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won consecutive games for the first time this season as Ryan Noda had a triple and double, reaching base four times in a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.Noda was 5 for 7 with three doubles, a triple, four runs and four RBIs in the first two games of the series between teams tied for the worst record in the major leagues at 8-26.“He's swinging the bat,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “He's learned early in the season that when you're as patient as he's been coming through the minor leagues, these big-league guys will attack you. He's been a little more aggressive in the zone and that's created some results.”Noda is just trying to keep an even keel.“My job is to get on base any way I can,” he said. “The last two days I've been doing a pretty good job of it. I'm just sticking to my approach and grinding it out. I've been getting good pitches and not missing them.”Ken Waldichuk (1-2) allowed four runs, six hits and six walks in five innings with six strikeouts. His 115 pitches were the most he's thrown in his major-league career.“I really wanted to get through five and help out the bullpen a little bit,” Waldichuk said. “I'm really happy that Kots let me stay out there."I was battling a lot with my command. Once I walked (Michael Massey leading off the fifth), I knew it was go time.”Zach Jackson retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a game-ending groundout with two on for his first save this season.Brady Singer (2-4) gave up five runs and six hits in four innings.Kansas City honored Lorenzo Cain in a pregame ceremony. A member of the 2015 World Series champions, Cain signed a one-day contract to retire with the Royals. The team drew 29,549, its highest home crowd since opening day.The Royals had seven baserunners in the last three innings but didn't score."To leave that many guys stranded you have to have some good at-bats, too, to put them on base,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We put a lot of good at-bats together so there is a flip side to everything.”Maikel Garcia hit a two-out RBI double in the first, but Esteury Ruiz's two-run single in the second and JJ Bleday's homer in the third built a 3-1 lead. Ryan Noda hit an RBI triple in the fourth and scored on Brent Rooker's double.It marked the first series win of season for the Athletics after losing their first 10 series.“For this club, we know where we're at,” Kotsay said. “We know the hole we dug ourselves. Our focus is on winning each day. I don't think the weight of not winning a series was impactful. But it definitely does feel good to get our first series win.”Freddy Fermin's solo homer and Witt's two-run drive, a 434-foot drive for his sixth homer this season, cut the deficit to one run in the bottom half.UP NEXTRHP Mason Miller (0-1, 3.52 ERA) starts Sunday for Oakland and LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-4, 7.40 ERA) for the Royals.

A's beat Royals 5-4, win back-to-back for 1st time

Wednesday Scores Oklahoma Wesleyan 5, Ottawa 2 Friends 10, Tabor 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan 10, Kansas Wesleyan 5

Thursday Scores McPherson 6, Friends 5 (10-inn) Kansas Wesleyan 8, Tabor 6 Ottawa 11, Friends 10

Friday Scores McPherson 8, Oklahoma Wesleyan 2 Kansas Wesleyan 14, Ottawa 11 Kansas Wesleyan 8. Oklahoma Wesleyan 2 Saturday Championship McPherson 6, Kansas Wesleyan 5 (11-innings) McPherson wins KCAC Baseball Championship with a record of 36-14

Wednesday Scores Ottawa 7, York 3 Avila 3, Bethany 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan 2, Kansas Wesleyan 0 McPherson 3, Friends 1 (9-inn) Winners Bracket Ottawa 4, Avila 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan 2, McPherson 1 (13-inn) Losers Bracket Friends 9, Kansas Wesleyan 4 Bethany 4, York 2 Thursday Scores Friends beat Ottawa (score NA) McPherson 4, Bethany 3 (17-inn) Avila 4, Oklahoma Wesley 0 Friends 11, McPherson 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan 5, Friends 1 Friday Championship Avila 2, Oklahoma Wesleyan 0 Avila wins KCAC Softball Championship with a record of 34-19

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683464662752.jpeg" alt="McPherson wins KCAC Baseball Championship with a record of 36-14" />
 <figcaption>McPherson wins KCAC Baseball Championship with a record of 36-14</figcaption>
 </figure>Baseball Wednesday Scores Oklahoma Wesleyan 5, Ottawa 2 Friends 10, Tabor 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan 10, Kansas Wesleyan 5Thursday Scores McPherson 6, Friends 5 (10-inn) Kansas Wesleyan 8, Tabor 6 Ottawa 11, Friends 10Friday Scores McPherson 8, Oklahoma Wesleyan 2 Kansas Wesleyan 14, Ottawa 11 Kansas Wesleyan 8. Oklahoma Wesleyan 2 Saturday Championship McPherson 6, Kansas Wesleyan 5 (11-innings) McPherson wins KCAC Baseball Championship with a record of 36-14 <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683464703000.jpeg" alt="Avila wins KCAC Softball Championship with a record of 34-19" />
 <figcaption>Avila wins KCAC Softball Championship with a record of 34-19</figcaption>
 </figure>Softball Wednesday Scores Ottawa 7, York 3 Avila 3, Bethany 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan 2, Kansas Wesleyan 0 McPherson 3, Friends 1 (9-inn) Winners Bracket Ottawa 4, Avila 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan 2, McPherson 1 (13-inn) Losers Bracket Friends 9, Kansas Wesleyan 4 Bethany 4, York 2 Thursday Scores Friends beat Ottawa (score NA) McPherson 4, Bethany 3 (17-inn) Avila 4, Oklahoma Wesley 0 Friends 11, McPherson 4 Oklahoma Wesleyan 5, Friends 1 Friday Championship Avila 2, Oklahoma Wesleyan 0 Avila wins KCAC Softball Championship with a record of 34-19

McPherson wins baseball title, Avila takes home softball KCAC Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Oakland Athletics won consecutive games for the first
time this season as Ryan Noda had a triple and double, reaching base
four times in a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. The teams are
tied for the worst record in the major leagues at 8-26. Ken Waldichuk
allowed four runs, six hits and six walks in five innings and Zach
Jackson got his first save this season. Brady Singer (2-4) gave up
five runs and six hits in four innings.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
The St. Louis Cardinals extended a losing steak to eight for the
first time in 16 years, losing to the Detroit Tigers 6-5 in Adam
Wainwright’s return from the injured list as Akil Baddoo hit a
go-ahead double in the 10th inning. St. Louis is on its longest skid
since nine straight losses from Sept. 7-15, 2007. At a National
League-worst 10-24, the Cardinals are 14 games under .500 for the
first time since ending the 1997 season at 73-89. Baddoo doubled off
Giovanny Gallegos to drive in automatic runner Jonathan Schoop.
Wainwright allowed four runs over five-plus innings.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Maybe it was fitting Austin Gomber pitched so well on Mental Health
Awareness Day at Citi Field. After opening up about some anxiety he
was feeling, Gomber has found his groove. The left-hander won his
third straight outing since a terrible start to the season and rookie
Ezequiel Tovar had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the
Colorado Rockies beat the slumping New York Mets 5-2 on Saturday.
Gomber recently disclosed he’s felt pressure to meet expectations
because Colorado acquired him from St. Louis in a very unpopular
trade for star third baseman Nolan Arenado on Feb. 1, 2021.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff
series with a comfortable 127-97 victory over the Golden State
Warriors in Game 3. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 13 rebounds, and
a slow-starting LeBron James finished with 21 points, eight assists
and eight rebounds. D’Angelo Russell hit five 3-pointers while
scoring 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who remained
unbeaten at home in the postseason with a strong defensive effort
against the defending NBA champions. Stephen Curry scored 23 points
and Andrew Wiggins had 16 in a collective stinker for the Warriors.

Butler scores 28,
Heat top Knicks 105-86 for 2-1 series lead

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy
Butler returned from his sprained ankle to score 28 points, Max Strus
added 19 and the Miami Heat topped the New York Knicks 105-86 to take
a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Bam Adebayo
had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Miami and Kyle Lowry added 14
points for the Heat, who never trailed. Jalen Brunson scored 20 for
New York, which got 15 from Josh Hart, 14 from RJ Barrett and 12 from
Immanuel Quickley. Julius Randle added 10 points and 14 rebounds for
the Knicks. Game 4 is Monday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
A pair of Game 4s await as the NBA’s conference semifinals continue
Sunday. The Celtics visit the 76ers. The Nuggets visit the Suns. Both
Boston and Denver hold 2-1 series leads. The 76ers have lost two
straight games in the series and James Harden has continued to
struggle since a fantastic Game 1 effort. Devin Booker scored 47
points and Kevin Durant added 39 to keep the Suns alive with a Game 3
victory.

LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each scored twice and the Edmonton
Oilers tied their Western Conference semifinal series at one game
apiece with a 5-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Game 3 is Monday in Edmonton, where the Oilers were 23-12-6 during
the regular season. Drasaitl, who scored four goals in the first
game, has now tallied at least one point in the first eight games of
the postseason, posting 17 points. McDavid, meanwhile, is on a
seven-game point streak, with five goals and 11 assists. Evan
Bouchard also scored for the Oilers, while rookie goaltender Stuart
Skinner stopped 30 shots. Ivan Barbashev scored the lone goal for
Vegas.

KANSAS CITY, Kan.
(AP) — William Byron scraped the wall in practice at Kansas
Speedway, then proceed to set the fastest time in qualifying, and
will be joined on the front row by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle
Larson for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Byron turned a lap of
179.206 mph on Saturday to earn his second pole of the season and the
10th of his career — all of them coming at different tracks. The
trick now is to turn that first-row starting spot into a victory at
Kansas, where he got his first win in the Truck Series but has never
finished better than sixth in NASCAR’s top series.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Two more horses died in the hours before 15-1 shot Mage won the
Kentucky Derby by a length, making it seven in all and casting a
shadow over the 149th edition of the world's most famous race. Early
favorite Forte was scratched in the morning because of an injury, the
fifth horse to drop out in the run-up to the Derby. The deaths dealt
further blows to a sport already reeling from a series of doping
suspensions and breakdowns. Two Phil's finished second and 4-1
favorite Angel of Empire was third in front of a crowd of 150,335 on
a warm and partly cloudy day at Churchill Downs.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico
(AP) — Canelo Alvarez returned home and remained the undisputed
super middleweight champion, beating John Ryder by unanimous decision
before more than 50,000 fans in his first fight in Mexico since 2011.
Alvarez bloodied the British challenger’s nose and knocked him
down, cruising to the victory by scores of 120-107 on one card and
118-109 on the other two to improve to 59-2-2. Ryder had his
four-bout winning streak stopped and is 32-6. It was Canelo´s first
fight since he had surgery on his left wrist last March. Before the
fight, he said the injury slowed him down in his previous four
fights, including his loss to Dmitry Bivol a year ago.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Bronny James says he will play basketball at the University of
Southern California in the fall. LeBron James' oldest son abruptly
announced his much-anticipated decision on social media Saturday,
about two hours before a Lakers playoff game. The 18-year-old James
was a McDonald’s All-American just like his father, but he was
among the few uncommitted elite high school basketball prospects
heading into the summer. The namesake son of the top scorer in NBA
history played at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, an outer
suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles known for educating scions of
the sports and entertainment industries.

NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683464199634.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Oakland Athletics won consecutive games for the first
time this season as Ryan Noda had a triple and double, reaching base
four times in a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. The teams are
tied for the worst record in the major leagues at 8-26. Ken Waldichuk
allowed four runs, six hits and six walks in five innings and Zach
Jackson got his first save this season. Brady Singer (2-4) gave up
five runs and six hits in four innings.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
The St. Louis Cardinals extended a losing steak to eight for the
first time in 16 years, losing to the Detroit Tigers 6-5 in Adam
Wainwright’s return from the injured list as Akil Baddoo hit a
go-ahead double in the 10th inning. St. Louis is on its longest skid
since nine straight losses from Sept. 7-15, 2007. At a National
League-worst 10-24, the Cardinals are 14 games under .500 for the
first time since ending the 1997 season at 73-89. Baddoo doubled off
Giovanny Gallegos to drive in automatic runner Jonathan Schoop.
Wainwright allowed four runs over five-plus innings.NEW YORK (AP) —
Maybe it was fitting Austin Gomber pitched so well on Mental Health
Awareness Day at Citi Field. After opening up about some anxiety he
was feeling, Gomber has found his groove. The left-hander won his
third straight outing since a terrible start to the season and rookie
Ezequiel Tovar had three hits, including a two-run homer, as the
Colorado Rockies beat the slumping New York Mets 5-2 on Saturday.
Gomber recently disclosed he’s felt pressure to meet expectations
because Colorado acquired him from St. Louis in a very unpopular
trade for star third baseman Nolan Arenado on Feb. 1, 2021.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff
series with a comfortable 127-97 victory over the Golden State
Warriors in Game 3. Anthony Davis had 25 points and 13 rebounds, and
a slow-starting LeBron James finished with 21 points, eight assists
and eight rebounds. D’Angelo Russell hit five 3-pointers while
scoring 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who remained
unbeaten at home in the postseason with a strong defensive effort
against the defending NBA champions. Stephen Curry scored 23 points
and Andrew Wiggins had 16 in a collective stinker for the Warriors.Butler scores 28,
Heat top Knicks 105-86 for 2-1 series leadMIAMI (AP) — Jimmy
Butler returned from his sprained ankle to score 28 points, Max Strus
added 19 and the Miami Heat topped the New York Knicks 105-86 to take
a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Bam Adebayo
had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Miami and Kyle Lowry added 14
points for the Heat, who never trailed. Jalen Brunson scored 20 for
New York, which got 15 from Josh Hart, 14 from RJ Barrett and 12 from
Immanuel Quickley. Julius Randle added 10 points and 14 rebounds for
the Knicks. Game 4 is Monday.PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
A pair of Game 4s await as the NBA’s conference semifinals continue
Sunday. The Celtics visit the 76ers. The Nuggets visit the Suns. Both
Boston and Denver hold 2-1 series leads. The 76ers have lost two
straight games in the series and James Harden has continued to
struggle since a fantastic Game 1 effort. Devin Booker scored 47
points and Kevin Durant added 39 to keep the Suns alive with a Game 3
victory.LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each scored twice and the Edmonton
Oilers tied their Western Conference semifinal series at one game
apiece with a 5-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
Game 3 is Monday in Edmonton, where the Oilers were 23-12-6 during
the regular season. Drasaitl, who scored four goals in the first
game, has now tallied at least one point in the first eight games of
the postseason, posting 17 points. McDavid, meanwhile, is on a
seven-game point streak, with five goals and 11 assists. Evan
Bouchard also scored for the Oilers, while rookie goaltender Stuart
Skinner stopped 30 shots. Ivan Barbashev scored the lone goal for
Vegas.KANSAS CITY, Kan.
(AP) — William Byron scraped the wall in practice at Kansas
Speedway, then proceed to set the fastest time in qualifying, and
will be joined on the front row by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle
Larson for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Byron turned a lap of
179.206 mph on Saturday to earn his second pole of the season and the
10th of his career — all of them coming at different tracks. The
trick now is to turn that first-row starting spot into a victory at
Kansas, where he got his first win in the Truck Series but has never
finished better than sixth in NASCAR’s top series.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)
— Two more horses died in the hours before 15-1 shot Mage won the
Kentucky Derby by a length, making it seven in all and casting a
shadow over the 149th edition of the world's most famous race. Early
favorite Forte was scratched in the morning because of an injury, the
fifth horse to drop out in the run-up to the Derby. The deaths dealt
further blows to a sport already reeling from a series of doping
suspensions and breakdowns. Two Phil's finished second and 4-1
favorite Angel of Empire was third in front of a crowd of 150,335 on
a warm and partly cloudy day at Churchill Downs.GUADALAJARA, Mexico
(AP) — Canelo Alvarez returned home and remained the undisputed
super middleweight champion, beating John Ryder by unanimous decision
before more than 50,000 fans in his first fight in Mexico since 2011.
Alvarez bloodied the British challenger’s nose and knocked him
down, cruising to the victory by scores of 120-107 on one card and
118-109 on the other two to improve to 59-2-2. Ryder had his
four-bout winning streak stopped and is 32-6. It was Canelo´s first
fight since he had surgery on his left wrist last March. Before the
fight, he said the injury slowed him down in his previous four
fights, including his loss to Dmitry Bivol a year ago.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Bronny James says he will play basketball at the University of
Southern California in the fall. LeBron James' oldest son abruptly
announced his much-anticipated decision on social media Saturday,
about two hours before a Lakers playoff game. The 18-year-old James
was a McDonald’s All-American just like his father, but he was
among the few uncommitted elite high school basketball prospects
heading into the summer. The namesake son of the top scorer in NBA
history played at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, an outer
suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles known for educating scions of
the sports and entertainment industries.SATURDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Detroit	6	St.
Louis	5	Final	Toronto	8	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Cincinnati	5	Chicago
White Sox	3	Final	Boston	7	Philadelphia	4	Final	Atlanta	5	Baltimore	4	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Yankees	3	Tampa Bay	2	Final	Cleveland	4	Minnesota	3	Final	Oakland	5	Kansas
City	4	Final	Texas	10	L.A.
Angels	1	Final	Seattle	7	Houston	5	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	4	Miami	2	Final	Colorado	5	N.Y.
Mets	2	Final	San
Francisco	4	Milwaukee	1	Final	Arizona	8	Washington	7	Final	L.A.
Dodgers	2	San Diego	1	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Miami	105	New
York	86	Final	L.A.
Lakers	127	Golden State	97	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Edmonton	5	Vegas	1

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Since moving to the No. 4 seed in the Class 5A regional standings, the Panther baseball team dropped three-straight games before taking down Salina South 4-0 Friday night in Salina. Great Bend opened the quad with a 9-1 loss to Junction City. The Panthers now sit at No. 7 in the regional at 11-7 overall with two games to play in the regular season. Five teams in the west have at least 12 wins.

Junction scored two in the first and three in the fourth, and led 7-0 before Great Bend plated its lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on an Owen Kaiser double that scored Carson Umphres.

Kaiser had two doubles in the loss, and Trenton Kern doubled. Umphres singled twice, and Tyler Stuhlsatz and Koehn Ribordy each singled for the seven Panther hits.

Stuhlsatz picked up the loss on the mound after allowing five earned runs on five hits. He struck out one in his four innings of work. Edwin Chavez pitched the final three innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and five walks.

Great Bend scored two runs in the second inning against South, then added insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings before the game ended early.

Umphres was cruising into the seventh, allowing just four Cougar hits with four strikeouts with an out to go. Hunter Herrman recorded the final out.

The Panther offense scored the four runs on just six hits. Ribordy doubled, and Stuhlsatz, Kern, Chavez, Bradley Hopkins, and JJ Grove each singled.

Great Bend closes out the regular season next Wednesday at the Sports Complex with a double-dip against Manhattan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886567489.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend PostSince moving to the No. 4 seed in the Class 5A regional standings, the Panther baseball team dropped three-straight games before taking down Salina South 4-0 Friday night in Salina. Great Bend opened the quad with a 9-1 loss to Junction City. The Panthers now sit at No. 7 in the regional at 11-7 overall with two games to play in the regular season. Five teams in the west have at least 12 wins.Junction scored two in the first and three in the fourth, and led 7-0 before Great Bend plated its lone run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on an Owen Kaiser double that scored Carson Umphres.Kaiser had two doubles in the loss, and Trenton Kern doubled. Umphres singled twice, and Tyler Stuhlsatz and Koehn Ribordy each singled for the seven Panther hits.Stuhlsatz picked up the loss on the mound after allowing five earned runs on five hits. He struck out one in his four innings of work. Edwin Chavez pitched the final three innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and five walks.Great Bend scored two runs in the second inning against South, then added insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings before the game ended early.Umphres was cruising into the seventh, allowing just four Cougar hits with four strikeouts with an out to go. Hunter Herrman recorded the final out.The Panther offense scored the four runs on just six hits. Ribordy doubled, and Stuhlsatz, Kern, Chavez, Bradley Hopkins, and JJ Grove each singled.Great Bend closes out the regular season next Wednesday at the Sports Complex with a double-dip against Manhattan.

Panther baseball splits with Junction City, Salina South

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The loss of senior Madison Regehr to injury, and the upcoming Western Athletic Conference Championships and regional competition, meant some changes for the Panther track team Friday at Salina Central. Great Bend scored 21 points to finish 10th in the field.

Senior Kaiden Esfeld had a light day with just two events. That meant cutting some two seconds from his best 800m time of the season for the win by five seconds in 1:57.48. Pedro Enriquez ran 16th for the Panthers in 2:13.29. Esfeld still ranks No. 2 in the 5A 1600m run, and climbs to No. 7 in the 5A 800.

Mathew Moeder was in the mix for gold entering the javelin competition. He topped out at 148-4 for seventh place. Teammate Matthew Johnson placed eighth at 142-8. Hays' Wyatt Waddell won by three feet on a throw of 168-10. Moeder still ranks No. 5 in 5A with a best throw of 168-2. Moeder also placed seventh in the shot put at 44-11 to miss the bronze by nearly three feet.&nbsp;

With no Esfeld in the 1600m run, Ismael Ramirez carried the Panther torch with a 12th-place finish in 4:58.91 to miss the bronze by 10 seconds. Tavon Stroup ran 15th in 5:06.03. Stroup ran 11th in the 3200m run in 11:07.64.

Great Bend's lone relay at the meet came in the final event of the day. The Panthers finished fifth in 3:33.46 to miss the bronze by 1.33 seconds.&nbsp;

Cayden Scheuerman missed the 100m dash finals by 0.15 seconds, placing ninth in the prelims in 11.52. The finals featured two runners under 11 seconds. Scheuerman finished 23rd in the 200m dash prelims.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683348973112.jpeg" alt="Cayden Scheuerman ran ninth in the 100m dash prelims Friday in Salina." />
 <figcaption>Cayden Scheuerman ran ninth in the 100m dash prelims Friday in Salina.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe loss of senior Madison Regehr to injury, and the upcoming Western Athletic Conference Championships and regional competition, meant some changes for the Panther track team Friday at Salina Central. Great Bend scored 21 points to finish 10th in the field.Senior Kaiden Esfeld had a light day with just two events. That meant cutting some two seconds from his best 800m time of the season for the win by five seconds in 1:57.48. Pedro Enriquez ran 16th for the Panthers in 2:13.29. Esfeld still ranks No. 2 in the 5A 1600m run, and climbs to No. 7 in the 5A 800.Mathew Moeder was in the mix for gold entering the javelin competition. He topped out at 148-4 for seventh place. Teammate Matthew Johnson placed eighth at 142-8. Hays' Wyatt Waddell won by three feet on a throw of 168-10. Moeder still ranks No. 5 in 5A with a best throw of 168-2. Moeder also placed seventh in the shot put at 44-11 to miss the bronze by nearly three feet.&nbsp;With no Esfeld in the 1600m run, Ismael Ramirez carried the Panther torch with a 12th-place finish in 4:58.91 to miss the bronze by 10 seconds. Tavon Stroup ran 15th in 5:06.03. Stroup ran 11th in the 3200m run in 11:07.64.Great Bend's lone relay at the meet came in the final event of the day. The Panthers finished fifth in 3:33.46 to miss the bronze by 1.33 seconds.&nbsp;Cayden Scheuerman missed the 100m dash finals by 0.15 seconds, placing ninth in the prelims in 11.52. The finals featured two runners under 11 seconds. Scheuerman finished 23rd in the 200m dash prelims.&nbsp;

Esfeld leads Panther boys at Salina meet

The Lady Panther track and field team had multiple top finishes on a warm Friday at Salina Central. The result was 113 points for the win. Manhattan finished second with 86 points. Even with all the success, the big story of the day was senior Valarie Luna's extension of her school record in the high jump to 5-7.

The high jump featured several of the state's top performers this spring. Luna entered tied at No. 1 in all of Kansas this spring. She added half an inch to her school record to take the gold by three inches. Teammate Sadie Spray and a Hays jumper each cleared 5-4, with Spray winning the silver. Cassie Ellegood placed sixth at 5-0 for two more points.

The Lady Panthers also took the top-two spots in the javelin. Junior Macy Nachtigal came up with her best throw in two years for a new personal best of 129-4. Senior Kyndall Blessing finished second at 117-1. Blessing still ranks No. 3 in 5A and Nachtigal moves to No. 5. Kimberly Hofflinger placed ninth in the discus at 107-4 to miss the bronze by nine feet. Natalee Daniels finished 12th in the shot on a throw of 32-7.&nbsp;

The 300m hurdle race featured the top-three 5A hurdlers and the No.2&nbsp; hurdler from 4A. Hutchinson's AnnaLisa Cullens won in 46.05, followed by Premer in 46.58, and Spray in fourth in 47.45. Premer improves on her No. 2 5A time this season and now ranks No. 3 all-class in Kansas.&nbsp;

The 4x400 team of Spray, Makenzie Premer, Daizy Gomez, and Kara Feist won by nearly two seconds in 4:09.92, just missing a season best. The 4x8 team of Ellegood, Premer, Kate Welcher, and Sienna Smith led for two laps before falling to second in 10:27.05, seven seconds behind the winners from Manhattan. The 4x100 team of Premer, Feist, Spray, and Luna ran sixth.

Eliana Beckham did not run Friday but freshman Sienna Smith tried filling her shoes with a silver medal in the 800m run in 2:33.14 to miss the gold by two seconds. Welcher ran sixth in 2:36.63.

Addy Nicholson ran into Class 5A's best in the 1600m and 3200m runs. Katelyn Rupe won the 3200m run in 11:25.25, followed by Nicholson in 12:17.49 for the silver. Marissa Boone ran third in 12:33.43, and Morgan Beckwith finished fourth in 12:40.99. Nicholson still ranks No. 5 in 5A at 11:40. Rupe won the 1600 by eight seconds in 5:14.37. Nicholson ran third in 5:26.11, and Boone placed seventh in 5:57.66. Nicholson ran her season best by 0.05 seconds.

Great Bend closes out the regular season next Thursday at home as host of the Western Athletic Conference Championships.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683347830577.jpeg" alt="Great Bend senior Valarie Luna added a half-inch to her school record by winning Friday's high jump at Salina Central by three inches at 5-7." />
 <figcaption>Great Bend senior Valarie Luna added a half-inch to her school record by winning Friday's high jump at Salina Central by three inches at 5-7.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe Lady Panther track and field team had multiple top finishes on a warm Friday at Salina Central. The result was 113 points for the win. Manhattan finished second with 86 points. Even with all the success, the big story of the day was senior Valarie Luna's extension of her school record in the high jump to 5-7.The high jump featured several of the state's top performers this spring. Luna entered tied at No. 1 in all of Kansas this spring. She added half an inch to her school record to take the gold by three inches. Teammate Sadie Spray and a Hays jumper each cleared 5-4, with Spray winning the silver. Cassie Ellegood placed sixth at 5-0 for two more points.The Lady Panthers also took the top-two spots in the javelin. Junior Macy Nachtigal came up with her best throw in two years for a new personal best of 129-4. Senior Kyndall Blessing finished second at 117-1. Blessing still ranks No. 3 in 5A and Nachtigal moves to No. 5. Kimberly Hofflinger placed ninth in the discus at 107-4 to miss the bronze by nine feet. Natalee Daniels finished 12th in the shot on a throw of 32-7.&nbsp;The 300m hurdle race featured the top-three 5A hurdlers and the No.2&nbsp; hurdler from 4A. Hutchinson's AnnaLisa Cullens won in 46.05, followed by Premer in 46.58, and Spray in fourth in 47.45. Premer improves on her No. 2 5A time this season and now ranks No. 3 all-class in Kansas.&nbsp;The 4x400 team of Spray, Makenzie Premer, Daizy Gomez, and Kara Feist won by nearly two seconds in 4:09.92, just missing a season best. The 4x8 team of Ellegood, Premer, Kate Welcher, and Sienna Smith led for two laps before falling to second in 10:27.05, seven seconds behind the winners from Manhattan. The 4x100 team of Premer, Feist, Spray, and Luna ran sixth.Eliana Beckham did not run Friday but freshman Sienna Smith tried filling her shoes with a silver medal in the 800m run in 2:33.14 to miss the gold by two seconds. Welcher ran sixth in 2:36.63.Addy Nicholson ran into Class 5A's best in the 1600m and 3200m runs. Katelyn Rupe won the 3200m run in 11:25.25, followed by Nicholson in 12:17.49 for the silver. Marissa Boone ran third in 12:33.43, and Morgan Beckwith finished fourth in 12:40.99. Nicholson still ranks No. 5 in 5A at 11:40. Rupe won the 1600 by eight seconds in 5:14.37. Nicholson ran third in 5:26.11, and Boone placed seventh in 5:57.66. Nicholson ran her season best by 0.05 seconds.Great Bend closes out the regular season next Thursday at home as host of the Western Athletic Conference Championships.

Luna resets school record, Lady Panthers win in Salina

Many Lady Panthers were seeing their first varsity action, committing nine errors,&nbsp; when the Great Bend High School softball team dropped a 16-4 game to McPherson in the first doubleheader of the season. Friday night, a more experienced squad had the opportunity to avenge that loss. Instead, the Lady Bullpups pulled off a 12-2 win. Great Bend rebounded with a 13-5 takedown of Junction City.

McPherson scored four runs in the first and eight runs in the first three innings to lead 8-2. The Bullpups tacked on some extra runs in the fourth and fifth innings to end the game early.

Great Bend scored both runs off another big hit from Katherine Mazouch. The freshman doubled-in Paige Thexton, then came around to score on an error. That was the lone extra-base hit in the loss for the Panthers. Thexton provided two of the team's five hits.

Thexton and Alyssa McCauley each pitched two innings. Thexton allowed three earned runs in the start, striking out one and allowing four hits. McCauley struck out two and allowed five earned runs on six hits.

A 7-run fifth sealed the win for Great Bend in the late game against Junction City. The Panthers led 3-0 after two innings, and the Jays scored three of their five runs in their final at bat.

The Panthers banged out 13 hits, including home runs from Thexton and McCauley. Thexton stayed hot with three hits and a walk, finishing with three RBIs and three runs. Ava Kaiser doubled twice and walked twice, driving in three and scoring twice. DeShawnna Bryant, Denver Ringo, and Halle Post each singled twice.&nbsp;

McCauley went the distance in the circle, striking out three and allowing two earned runs on eight hits.&nbsp;

Great Bend takes an 8-10 record into Tuesday's regular-season finale against TMP at the Sports Complex.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886338241.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend PostMany Lady Panthers were seeing their first varsity action, committing nine errors,&nbsp; when the Great Bend High School softball team dropped a 16-4 game to McPherson in the first doubleheader of the season. Friday night, a more experienced squad had the opportunity to avenge that loss. Instead, the Lady Bullpups pulled off a 12-2 win. Great Bend rebounded with a 13-5 takedown of Junction City.McPherson scored four runs in the first and eight runs in the first three innings to lead 8-2. The Bullpups tacked on some extra runs in the fourth and fifth innings to end the game early.Great Bend scored both runs off another big hit from Katherine Mazouch. The freshman doubled-in Paige Thexton, then came around to score on an error. That was the lone extra-base hit in the loss for the Panthers. Thexton provided two of the team's five hits.Thexton and Alyssa McCauley each pitched two innings. Thexton allowed three earned runs in the start, striking out one and allowing four hits. McCauley struck out two and allowed five earned runs on six hits.A 7-run fifth sealed the win for Great Bend in the late game against Junction City. The Panthers led 3-0 after two innings, and the Jays scored three of their five runs in their final at bat.The Panthers banged out 13 hits, including home runs from Thexton and McCauley. Thexton stayed hot with three hits and a walk, finishing with three RBIs and three runs. Ava Kaiser doubled twice and walked twice, driving in three and scoring twice. DeShawnna Bryant, Denver Ringo, and Halle Post each singled twice.&nbsp;McCauley went the distance in the circle, striking out three and allowing two earned runs on eight hits.&nbsp;Great Bend takes an 8-10 record into Tuesday's regular-season finale against TMP at the Sports Complex.&nbsp;

Lady Panther softball falls to Mac, downs Junction City

All season long, Great Bend High School tennis coach Chris Manning hoped to get at least one Panther back to the state tournament. As the No. 6 seed in Salina Friday, all Brendyn Schroeder had to do was let the bracket play out according to the numbers to make it back to state. It's never quite that easy. Great Bend ended its season at the Class 5A regional.

As the No. 6 seed, Schroeder opened with a bye before falling 6-3, 6-3 to Salina South's No. 11 seed Carson Crow. Crow came up one win shy of qualifying for state. Jordan Manning played as the No. 16 seed in the bracket, dropping his first set to No. 17 Carson Albert from Hutchinson 9-6.

The doubles bracket played out in similar fashion. Kaden Deines and Cameron Harbaugh entered as the No. 15 seed with a 9-4 loss to the No. 18 seed from Salina Central. As the No. 16 seed, Jacob Parks and Aaron Ramirez were shut out 9-0 by the No. 17 seed from Salina Central.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673886547614.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend PostAll season long, Great Bend High School tennis coach Chris Manning hoped to get at least one Panther back to the state tournament. As the No. 6 seed in Salina Friday, all Brendyn Schroeder had to do was let the bracket play out according to the numbers to make it back to state. It's never quite that easy. Great Bend ended its season at the Class 5A regional.As the No. 6 seed, Schroeder opened with a bye before falling 6-3, 6-3 to Salina South's No. 11 seed Carson Crow. Crow came up one win shy of qualifying for state. Jordan Manning played as the No. 16 seed in the bracket, dropping his first set to No. 17 Carson Albert from Hutchinson 9-6.The doubles bracket played out in similar fashion. Kaden Deines and Cameron Harbaugh entered as the No. 15 seed with a 9-4 loss to the No. 18 seed from Salina Central. As the No. 16 seed, Jacob Parks and Aaron Ramirez were shut out 9-0 by the No. 17 seed from Salina Central.

Panther tennis season comes to close in Salina

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brent Rooker and Ramón Laureano hit back-to-back homers, Ryan Noda drove in three runs and the Oakland Athletics outslugged the Kansas City Royals 12-8 on Friday night in a matchup between the bottom two teams in baseball.

Kyle Muller became the first A's starter to earn a win in 33 games this year. The drought was the longest to begin a season in MLB history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Muller said. “We have had some opportunities and fell a little short. I don’t think the performance was worthy of the first win because we’ve had some guys have some good outings. We’re just going to keep rolling from here.”

Rooker, Noda, Esteury Ruiz and Tony Kemp each had three of Oakland's 17 hits, a season high. Ruiz and Noda both scored three times as the A's improved to 7-26 with only their second victory by more than one run.

Nick Pratto homered for the Royals (8-25), who dropped to 2-15 at home. They shaved a seven-run deficit to 9-8 before Oakland scored three times in the final two innings.

“This club has shown a lot of fight and resilience to fight back, and we had a tough series against Seattle and lost some of those games we couldn’t tack on runs,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight in the eighth inning we were able to tack on those (two) extra runs, which was breathing room.”

Rooker launched a two-run homer in the third inning and Laureano followed with a drive to left-center that made it 4-0. It was Rooker’s 10th home run of the season, second-most in the American League.

Rooker hit an RBI double in the fourth and Kemp chased Royals starter Brad Keller with a run-scoring double in the fifth.

Keller (2-3) gave up six earned runs, 11 hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings.

Noda added a two-run double in the fifth to make it 9-2 — the biggest lead for Oakland this season.

Muller (1-2) gave up a two-run homer to Pratto in the fourth. The left-hander went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs and eight hits. He walked three and struck out one.

For the second consecutive game, the Royals fought back from a big deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback. A two-run triple by Hunter Dozier trimmed it to 9-8 in the seventh.

“I mean, disappointing. Or, you know, we don’t expect to do that,” manager Matt Quataro said about falling into a big hole for a second straight game. “That is what is frustrating is that we know our guys can perform better than that and they know that. That is where the frustration comes, the internal part.”

Kansas City recalled RHP Jonathan Heasley and optioned LHP Austin Cox to Triple-A Omaha.

The Royals placed OF Kyle Isbel (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled INF Nate Eaton.

Oakland sends LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 7.26 ERA) to the mound against Royals RHP Brady Singer (2-3, 8.48) on Saturday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brent Rooker and Ramón Laureano hit back-to-back homers, Ryan Noda drove in three runs and the Oakland Athletics outslugged the Kansas City Royals 12-8 on Friday night in a matchup between the bottom two teams in baseball.Kyle Muller became the first A's starter to earn a win in 33 games this year. The drought was the longest to begin a season in MLB history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.“It’s been a long time coming,” Muller said. “We have had some opportunities and fell a little short. I don’t think the performance was worthy of the first win because we’ve had some guys have some good outings. We’re just going to keep rolling from here.”Rooker, Noda, Esteury Ruiz and Tony Kemp each had three of Oakland's 17 hits, a season high. Ruiz and Noda both scored three times as the A's improved to 7-26 with only their second victory by more than one run.Nick Pratto homered for the Royals (8-25), who dropped to 2-15 at home. They shaved a seven-run deficit to 9-8 before Oakland scored three times in the final two innings.“This club has shown a lot of fight and resilience to fight back, and we had a tough series against Seattle and lost some of those games we couldn’t tack on runs,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight in the eighth inning we were able to tack on those (two) extra runs, which was breathing room.”Rooker launched a two-run homer in the third inning and Laureano followed with a drive to left-center that made it 4-0. It was Rooker’s 10th home run of the season, second-most in the American League.Rooker hit an RBI double in the fourth and Kemp chased Royals starter Brad Keller with a run-scoring double in the fifth.Keller (2-3) gave up six earned runs, 11 hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings.Noda added a two-run double in the fifth to make it 9-2 — the biggest lead for Oakland this season.Muller (1-2) gave up a two-run homer to Pratto in the fourth. The left-hander went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs and eight hits. He walked three and struck out one.For the second consecutive game, the Royals fought back from a big deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback. A two-run triple by Hunter Dozier trimmed it to 9-8 in the seventh.“I mean, disappointing. Or, you know, we don’t expect to do that,” manager Matt Quataro said about falling into a big hole for a second straight game. “That is what is frustrating is that we know our guys can perform better than that and they know that. That is where the frustration comes, the internal part.”ROSTER MOVESKansas City recalled RHP Jonathan Heasley and optioned LHP Austin Cox to Triple-A Omaha.TRAINER’S ROOMThe Royals placed OF Kyle Isbel (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled INF Nate Eaton.UP NEXTOakland sends LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 7.26 ERA) to the mound against Royals RHP Brady Singer (2-3, 8.48) on Saturday.

Rooker, Laureano go back-to-back as A’s outslug Royals 12-8

By TODD MOORE Barton Athletics

The Barton Community College softball team won its opening round game of the Region VI Tournament Friday 8-0 in six innings over Garden City Community College at Dodge City's Legends Park.

The Cougars scored in four of their at-bat frames, putting two on the board in the second and fourth inning, nearly ending the game in the bottom of the 5th&nbsp;before getting a bases loaded walk-off hit in closing it out.

Seeded 4th&nbsp;in the tournament, Barton improves to 30-20 on the year advancing to Saturday's 12:00 p.m. Field 4 winner's bracket semifinal against top seeded 14th&nbsp;ranked Hutchinson Community College (42-6).&nbsp; The Blue Dragons took care of 8th&nbsp;seeded Pratt Community College in the earlier contest 15-4 in six innings.&nbsp; Garden City and Pratt will meet in the Saturday 10:00 a.m. elimination contest.

The victor of the Barton-Hutchinson matchup moves on to the winner's bracket 4:00 p.m. final against the winner of 2nd&nbsp;seeded Butler Community College versus 3rd&nbsp;seeded Colby Community College's 12:00 p.m. Field 2 contest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683388386939.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton AthleticsThe Barton Community College softball team won its opening round game of the Region VI Tournament Friday 8-0 in six innings over Garden City Community College at Dodge City's Legends Park.The Cougars scored in four of their at-bat frames, putting two on the board in the second and fourth inning, nearly ending the game in the bottom of the 5th&nbsp;before getting a bases loaded walk-off hit in closing it out.Seeded 4th&nbsp;in the tournament, Barton improves to 30-20 on the year advancing to Saturday's 12:00 p.m. Field 4 winner's bracket semifinal against top seeded 14th&nbsp;ranked Hutchinson Community College (42-6).&nbsp; The Blue Dragons took care of 8th&nbsp;seeded Pratt Community College in the earlier contest 15-4 in six innings.&nbsp; Garden City and Pratt will meet in the Saturday 10:00 a.m. elimination contest.The victor of the Barton-Hutchinson matchup moves on to the winner's bracket 4:00 p.m. final against the winner of 2nd&nbsp;seeded Butler Community College versus 3rd&nbsp;seeded Colby Community College's 12:00 p.m. Field 2 contest.

Barton Softball advances with first round Region VI tournament victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brent Rooker and Ramón Laureano hit back-to-back homers, Ryan Noda drove in three runs and the Oakland Athletics outslugged the Kansas City Royals 12-8 in a matchup between the bottom two teams in baseball. Kyle Muller became the first A’s starter to earn a win in 33 games this year. The drought was the longest to begin a season in MLB history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Rooker, Noda, Esteury Ruiz and Tony Kemp each had three of Oakland’s 17 hits, a season high. Ruiz and Noda both scored three times as the A’s improved to 7-26 with only their second victory by more than one run. Nick Pratto homered for the Royals, who dropped to 2-15 at home.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Riley Greene hit a two-run double in the seventh inning and Javier Báez added a two-run homer, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the reeling St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis fell to 0 for 11 in series openers this season. St. Louis lost its seventh straight game and is 3-14 in its last 17 games. The Cardinals are 5-12 at home this season and have lost 11 of 14 games at Busch Stadium. Matthew Boyd (2-1) pitched six innings with six strikeouts and no walks. He gave up three runs on five hits.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga pitched six innings of two-hit ball after a long layoff and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 1-0 on Friday night to avoid falling under .500 for the second time this year. Brandon Nimmo homered and made a diving catch in center field after committing a costly baserunning blunder Thursday in Detroit. Colorado had its four-game winning streak snapped and was blanked for the second time this season in a game that took just 2 hours, 10 minutes.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper has apologized after uttering what sounded like a racial slur while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. In a pregame segment on NBC Sports California before the A’s played the Kansas City Royals. Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden. Kuiper seemingly mispronounced the word “negro,” making it sound instead like a slur. Later in the game, Kuiper apologized on the air without getting into specifics. The A’s later issued a statement, calling the language used by Kuiper “unacceptable” and saying the team would “address the situation.”

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 47 points, Kevin Durant added 39 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Nuggets 121-114 to cut Denver’s lead to 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal series. Booker — who came into the game averaging 35.4 points in these playoffs — had another massive offensive effort, shooting 20 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Durant shot just 12 of 31 from the field, but made 14 of 16 free throws. Denver’s Nikola Jokic finished with 30 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds. The Suns will try to even the series in Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and the Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s MVP coronation, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 114-102 Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia. Embiid had 30 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a sprained right knee. Embiid accepted his MVP trophy before the game.

MIAMI (AP) — Miami and New York are wondering who will be able to play. Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers are wondering which team will land the next punch. A pair of Game 3s await as the NBA’s conference semifinals continue Saturday. The Knicks visit the Heat. The Warriors visit the Lakers. Both series are knotted at a game apiece. Both have followed the same script. The road team stole home-court advantage by winning Game 1. Those victories went to Miami and the Lakers. The home team then answered with wins in Game 2 to even the series.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice in a roughly 2 1/2-minute span during Carolina’s four-goal second period that helped the Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 on Friday night. That gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. Jordan Staal and Martin Necas also scored in the decisive second period. Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen added clinching third-period goals. Frederik Andersen finished with 28 saves for Carolina. Miles Wood scored for New Jersey, which saw goaltender Akira Schmid chased early for the second straight game. The Devils will host Game 3 in the best-of-seven series on Sunday.

UNDATED (AP) — Alabama fired its baseball coach in what appears to be the first gambling-related scandal in college sports since a Supreme Court decision paved the way for state to legalize wagering five years ago. The NCAA still prohibits athletes and athletic department employees from gambling. And college conferences and schools have been monitoring for improprieties even before legal wagering became widespread. Is this an ominous sign for college sports or an example of the benefits of regulation?

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Frankie Muniz has long been known for his starring role on the Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” But these days, the 37-year-old actor-turned race car driving is finding himself up front. Muniz is leading the ARCA Series, one of the lower rungs on the NASCAR feeder system, through the first three races in his first full season. His goal is to reach the Cup Series eventually, but he harbors no misconceptions about just how difficult it will be to climb that ladder. The next step in his crash course in stock car racing comes Saturday when the series races at Kansas Speedway.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680169902327.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brent Rooker and Ramón Laureano hit back-to-back homers, Ryan Noda drove in three runs and the Oakland Athletics outslugged the Kansas City Royals 12-8 in a matchup between the bottom two teams in baseball. Kyle Muller became the first A’s starter to earn a win in 33 games this year. The drought was the longest to begin a season in MLB history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Rooker, Noda, Esteury Ruiz and Tony Kemp each had three of Oakland’s 17 hits, a season high. Ruiz and Noda both scored three times as the A’s improved to 7-26 with only their second victory by more than one run. Nick Pratto homered for the Royals, who dropped to 2-15 at home.ST. LOUIS (AP) — Riley Greene hit a two-run double in the seventh inning and Javier Báez added a two-run homer, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the reeling St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis fell to 0 for 11 in series openers this season. St. Louis lost its seventh straight game and is 3-14 in its last 17 games. The Cardinals are 5-12 at home this season and have lost 11 of 14 games at Busch Stadium. Matthew Boyd (2-1) pitched six innings with six strikeouts and no walks. He gave up three runs on five hits.NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga pitched six innings of two-hit ball after a long layoff and the New York Mets beat the Colorado Rockies 1-0 on Friday night to avoid falling under .500 for the second time this year. Brandon Nimmo homered and made a diving catch in center field after committing a costly baserunning blunder Thursday in Detroit. Colorado had its four-game winning streak snapped and was blanked for the second time this season in a game that took just 2 hours, 10 minutes.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper has apologized after uttering what sounded like a racial slur while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. In a pregame segment on NBC Sports California before the A’s played the Kansas City Royals. Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden. Kuiper seemingly mispronounced the word “negro,” making it sound instead like a slur. Later in the game, Kuiper apologized on the air without getting into specifics. The A’s later issued a statement, calling the language used by Kuiper “unacceptable” and saying the team would “address the situation.”PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 47 points, Kevin Durant added 39 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Nuggets 121-114 to cut Denver’s lead to 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal series. Booker — who came into the game averaging 35.4 points in these playoffs — had another massive offensive effort, shooting 20 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Durant shot just 12 of 31 from the field, but made 14 of 16 free throws. Denver’s Nikola Jokic finished with 30 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds. The Suns will try to even the series in Game 4 on Sunday in Phoenix.PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and the Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s MVP coronation, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 114-102 Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia. Embiid had 30 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a sprained right knee. Embiid accepted his MVP trophy before the game.MIAMI (AP) — Miami and New York are wondering who will be able to play. Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers are wondering which team will land the next punch. A pair of Game 3s await as the NBA’s conference semifinals continue Saturday. The Knicks visit the Heat. The Warriors visit the Lakers. Both series are knotted at a game apiece. Both have followed the same script. The road team stole home-court advantage by winning Game 1. Those victories went to Miami and the Lakers. The home team then answered with wins in Game 2 to even the series.RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice in a roughly 2 1/2-minute span during Carolina’s four-goal second period that helped the Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 on Friday night. That gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. Jordan Staal and Martin Necas also scored in the decisive second period. Jordan Martinook and Stefan Noesen added clinching third-period goals. Frederik Andersen finished with 28 saves for Carolina. Miles Wood scored for New Jersey, which saw goaltender Akira Schmid chased early for the second straight game. The Devils will host Game 3 in the best-of-seven series on Sunday.UNDATED (AP) — Alabama fired its baseball coach in what appears to be the first gambling-related scandal in college sports since a Supreme Court decision paved the way for state to legalize wagering five years ago. The NCAA still prohibits athletes and athletic department employees from gambling. And college conferences and schools have been monitoring for improprieties even before legal wagering became widespread. Is this an ominous sign for college sports or an example of the benefits of regulation?KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Frankie Muniz has long been known for his starring role on the Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” But these days, the 37-year-old actor-turned race car driving is finding himself up front. Muniz is leading the ARCA Series, one of the lower rungs on the NASCAR feeder system, through the first three races in his first full season. His goal is to reach the Cup Series eventually, but he harbors no misconceptions about just how difficult it will be to climb that ladder. The next step in his crash course in stock car racing comes Saturday when the series races at Kansas Speedway.FRIDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Toronto	4	Pittsburgh	0	Final	Chicago White Sox	5	Cincinnati	4	Final	Boston	5	Philadelphia	3	Final	Baltimore	9	Atlanta	4	Final	Detroit	5	St. Louis	4	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	5	N.Y. Yankees	4	Final	Minnesota	2	Cleveland	0	Final	Oakland	12	Kansas City	8	Final	Houston	6	Seattle	4	Final	L.A. Angels	5	Texas	4	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago Cubs	4	Miami	1	Final	N.Y. Mets	1	Colorado	0	Final	Arizona	3	Washington	1	Final	San Diego	5	L.A. Dodgers	2	Final	San Francisco	6	Milwaukee	4	NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Boston	114	Philadelphia	102	Final	Phoenix	121	Denver	114	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Carolina	6	New Jersey	1

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College


- Sports in Kansas contributor Conor Nicholl settles into his Friday
slot to talk about the latest headlines in high school sports.


- Mike Courson is “On the Prowl” for Panther sports as he visits
with members of the Great Bend Panther swim team. He'll also have an
update on all the area and state top performances heading into the
weekend.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WdKDPzlB9uc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663183818995.jpeg" alt="Presented By" />
 <figcaption>Presented By</figcaption>
 </figure>
- Sports in Kansas contributor Conor Nicholl settles into his Friday
slot to talk about the latest headlines in high school sports.
- Mike Courson is “On the Prowl” for Panther sports as he visits
with members of the Great Bend Panther swim team. He'll also have an
update on all the area and state top performances heading into the
weekend.
- Friday Sports Headlines
- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Friday on Sports Day (Watch)

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The Barton Community College Athletic Department celebrated Wednesday night the 2022-23 seasons with its end-of-the-year celebration. Held annually in conjunction with its partnership with the Cougar Booster Club, the Department recognized and celebrated the accomplishments of its teams and individual student-athletes.

Following a brief welcome, Master of Ceremony and Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs was joined on-stage by Cougar Booster Club President Rob Bowman in announcing Eric Gotsche as the 2023 recipient of the Booster of the Year award. A long standing member of the Club and supporter of Barton Athletics, Gotsche was chosen by Board in recognition of his contributions to the mission and the many 'thankless' behind-the-scenes duties he's accomplished including his leadership with the annual golf tournament.

Following brief recaps and highlighted student-athlete achievements from each of the College's twenty-two programs, the athletic department also recognized four special awards as nominated and voted on by coaches and staff.

Earning the student-athlete of the year awards were track and field's Kelsie Murrell-Ross for her dominance in junior college and program record book implications and Gustavo Campos of the men's tennis team for his national success and impact on not only the Cougar program, but to the women's program and College overall.

Pornnapa Inmee and Cougar Downing were named the 2023 Inspirational Student-Athletes, each nominated and voted upon in respect for his/her journey of overcoming personal challenges.

Rolfs also made the announcement and recognition of three student-athletes being selected as Barton Outstanding Graduates, eSports' Ashton Ensley, Kayden Smith of the softball team, and Keeley Wolf of the women's basketball team. Each will participate and have roles at the College's 53rd Annual Commencement held at 7:00 p.m., May 12, at the Barton Gymnasium.

Also recognized throughout the event were the many "behind the scenes" personnel of staff, faculty, facilities, team managers, and the athletic training staff aiding in the care of student-athletes.

Five individuals were recognized from the Athletic Training department. Named the top freshman last year, this year Emma Sanders earned top Most Outstanding Student Athletic Trainer honors for her work with the track and field teams and leadership within the program. Additional awards distributed were: Kaden Pontius, top sophomore student; Brad Beck, top freshman student; Rylee Ayon, most improved sophomore; and Shoei Kawamura, most improved freshman.

Student-Athletes of the Year: Kelsie Murrell-Ross (Women's Track and Field), Gustavo Campos (Men's Tennis)

Inspirational Athletes of the Year: Ponnapa Inmee (Women's Golf), Cougar Downing (Men's Basketball)

Outstanding Student Athletic Trainer: Emma Sanders

Top Sophomore Student Athletic Trainer: Kaden Pontius

Top Freshman Student Athletic Trainer: Brad Beck

Most Improved Sophomore Student Athletic Trainer: Rylee Ayon

Most Improved Freshman Student Athletic Trainer: Shoei Kawamura

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683293087964.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe Barton Community College Athletic Department celebrated Wednesday night the 2022-23 seasons with its end-of-the-year celebration. Held annually in conjunction with its partnership with the Cougar Booster Club, the Department recognized and celebrated the accomplishments of its teams and individual student-athletes.Following a brief welcome, Master of Ceremony and Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs was joined on-stage by Cougar Booster Club President Rob Bowman in announcing Eric Gotsche as the 2023 recipient of the Booster of the Year award. A long standing member of the Club and supporter of Barton Athletics, Gotsche was chosen by Board in recognition of his contributions to the mission and the many 'thankless' behind-the-scenes duties he's accomplished including his leadership with the annual golf tournament.Following brief recaps and highlighted student-athlete achievements from each of the College's twenty-two programs, the athletic department also recognized four special awards as nominated and voted on by coaches and staff.Earning the student-athlete of the year awards were track and field's Kelsie Murrell-Ross for her dominance in junior college and program record book implications and Gustavo Campos of the men's tennis team for his national success and impact on not only the Cougar program, but to the women's program and College overall.Pornnapa Inmee and Cougar Downing were named the 2023 Inspirational Student-Athletes, each nominated and voted upon in respect for his/her journey of overcoming personal challenges.Rolfs also made the announcement and recognition of three student-athletes being selected as Barton Outstanding Graduates, eSports' Ashton Ensley, Kayden Smith of the softball team, and Keeley Wolf of the women's basketball team. Each will participate and have roles at the College's 53rd Annual Commencement held at 7:00 p.m., May 12, at the Barton Gymnasium.Also recognized throughout the event were the many "behind the scenes" personnel of staff, faculty, facilities, team managers, and the athletic training staff aiding in the care of student-athletes.Five individuals were recognized from the Athletic Training department. Named the top freshman last year, this year Emma Sanders earned top Most Outstanding Student Athletic Trainer honors for her work with the track and field teams and leadership within the program. Additional awards distributed were: Kaden Pontius, top sophomore student; Brad Beck, top freshman student; Rylee Ayon, most improved sophomore; and Shoei Kawamura, most improved freshman.Complete list of AwardsBooster of the Year: Eric GotscheStudent-Athletes of the Year: Kelsie Murrell-Ross (Women's Track and Field), Gustavo Campos (Men's Tennis)Inspirational Athletes of the Year: Ponnapa Inmee (Women's Golf), Cougar Downing (Men's Basketball)Outstanding Student Athletic Trainer: Emma SandersTop Sophomore Student Athletic Trainer: Kaden PontiusTop Freshman Student Athletic Trainer: Brad BeckMost Improved Sophomore Student Athletic Trainer: Rylee AyonMost Improved Freshman Student Athletic Trainer: Shoei Kawamura

Barton Athletics recognizes season achievements at annual celebration

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — All-American forward Hunter Dickinson, arguably the top player in the transfer portal after deciding to leave Michigan, said in a social media post Thursday that he was headed to Kansas for the upcoming season.

Dickinson chose the Jayhawks after visits to Villanova, Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown.

The 7-foot-1 center led the Wolverines to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a trip to the Elite Eight as a freshman during the 2020-21 season. Dickinson averaged 18.6 points in helping them reach the Sweet 16 two years ago and 18.5 points and a career-best 9.0 rebounds last season, when he was voted an honorable mention All-American.

“The initial decision for me to enter the portal was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Dickinson said in confirming Wednesday night that he would not return to Michigan, which had been a possibility. “The thought of potentially leaving the place I love and called home for three years was and is extraordinarily difficult to process. After conversations with my family and a lot of time in thought, I realized entering the portal was the best decision for myself and my future."

Dickinson had been quiet throughout his closely watched recruitment, though he did say on the “RoundBall” podcast this week that deciding where he would play next season had been weighing heavily on him.

“If I knew where I was going, I would have happily made the decision sooner,” he said. “I really am struggling trying to pick a school. The good thing about all this is, all my options, I feel like if I went there, I would succeed. But it’s just trying to figure out which one out of them is the best and the one I’m most comfortable at, stuff like that.”

With him in the fold, the Jayhawks suddenly become one of the national title favorites heading into next season. They return starting point guard Dajuan Harris Jr., versatile forward KJ Adams and have added former five-star guard Arterio Morris from Texas and Towson sharp-shooter Nick Timberlake to go with one of the nation's best freshman classes.

Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell are 6-foot-3 guards capable of running the point or playing off the ball, Chris Johnson is a touted 6-6 wing and Markus Adams Jr. is a 6-8 inside-outside forward. Jackson and Johnson are both top-10 prospects.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — All-American forward Hunter Dickinson, arguably the top player in the transfer portal after deciding to leave Michigan, said in a social media post Thursday that he was headed to Kansas for the upcoming season.Dickinson chose the Jayhawks after visits to Villanova, Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown.The 7-foot-1 center led the Wolverines to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a trip to the Elite Eight as a freshman during the 2020-21 season. Dickinson averaged 18.6 points in helping them reach the Sweet 16 two years ago and 18.5 points and a career-best 9.0 rebounds last season, when he was voted an honorable mention All-American.“The initial decision for me to enter the portal was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Dickinson said in confirming Wednesday night that he would not return to Michigan, which had been a possibility. “The thought of potentially leaving the place I love and called home for three years was and is extraordinarily difficult to process. After conversations with my family and a lot of time in thought, I realized entering the portal was the best decision for myself and my future."Dickinson had been quiet throughout his closely watched recruitment, though he did say on the “RoundBall” podcast this week that deciding where he would play next season had been weighing heavily on him.“If I knew where I was going, I would have happily made the decision sooner,” he said. “I really am struggling trying to pick a school. The good thing about all this is, all my options, I feel like if I went there, I would succeed. But it’s just trying to figure out which one out of them is the best and the one I’m most comfortable at, stuff like that.”Turns out that answer was Kansas.With him in the fold, the Jayhawks suddenly become one of the national title favorites heading into next season. They return starting point guard Dajuan Harris Jr., versatile forward KJ Adams and have added former five-star guard Arterio Morris from Texas and Towson sharp-shooter Nick Timberlake to go with one of the nation's best freshman classes.Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell are 6-foot-3 guards capable of running the point or playing off the ball, Chris Johnson is a touted 6-6 wing and Markus Adams Jr. is a 6-8 inside-outside forward. Jackson and Johnson are both top-10 prospects.

Michigan transfer Dickinson headed to Kansas next season

Another swim meet, another state qualifier. The Great Bend High School swimmers picked up the win Thursday in Newton. The Lady Panthers scored 227 points to beat the field, with Marion scoring 219 points for second, and Newton placing third with 216 points.

The big news came in the 100-yard freestyle race where sophomore Josephine Mazouch punched her ticket to state. She finished second in 59.38 to miss the gold by half a second. The state qualification line was 59.44. Kamryn Johns finished sixth in the race in 1:02.80.

The 200-freestyle relay team has already secured a spot at state. Thursday, the squad of Mazouch, Johns, Elly Somers, and Emilee Hall took the gold by more than five seconds in 1:50.20. The 200-medley relay qualified for state in the first meet of the season. With a change in the lineup, the squad of Hall, Somers, Ava Gregg, and Sydney Kruckenberg placed third Thursday in 2:12.06 to miss the gold by eight seconds.

Great Bend dominated the 500-free with Braylee Carper taking the gold in 6:33.52, followed by Katelyn Mermis in 6:49.51 for the silver, still nine seconds ahead of the third-place swimmer. A 6:15 is required for state consideration.

Somers, already a state qualifier in the 200-IM, finished third Thursday in 2:35.38 to miss the silver by three seconds. Hall, already a state qualifier in the 100-back, finished third in 1:10.06 to miss the silver by two seconds. Johns placed eighth in the 50-free in 28.80, two-plus seconds behind the gold. Alyvia Mingenback swam seventh in the 100-butterfly in 1:27.02, 14 seconds behind the bronze.

Great Bend's 400-free relay has already punched its ticket to state. Mazouch led a different team with Mermis, Sidney Gilkison, and Darcy Feist to a fourth-place finish in 4:39.54 to miss the bronze by five seconds.

Great Bend has now qualified for state in the 200-freesyle relay, 200-medley relay, 400-freestyle relay, 200-IM, 100-back, and 100-free. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683296926040.jpeg" alt="Lady Panther sophomore Josephine Mazouch qualified for state in the 100-freestyle race Thursday in Newton." />
 <figcaption>Lady Panther sophomore Josephine Mazouch qualified for state in the 100-freestyle race Thursday in Newton.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend PostAnother swim meet, another state qualifier. The Great Bend High School swimmers picked up the win Thursday in Newton. The Lady Panthers scored 227 points to beat the field, with Marion scoring 219 points for second, and Newton placing third with 216 points.The big news came in the 100-yard freestyle race where sophomore Josephine Mazouch punched her ticket to state. She finished second in 59.38 to miss the gold by half a second. The state qualification line was 59.44. Kamryn Johns finished sixth in the race in 1:02.80.The 200-freestyle relay team has already secured a spot at state. Thursday, the squad of Mazouch, Johns, Elly Somers, and Emilee Hall took the gold by more than five seconds in 1:50.20. The 200-medley relay qualified for state in the first meet of the season. With a change in the lineup, the squad of Hall, Somers, Ava Gregg, and Sydney Kruckenberg placed third Thursday in 2:12.06 to miss the gold by eight seconds.Great Bend dominated the 500-free with Braylee Carper taking the gold in 6:33.52, followed by Katelyn Mermis in 6:49.51 for the silver, still nine seconds ahead of the third-place swimmer. A 6:15 is required for state consideration.Somers, already a state qualifier in the 200-IM, finished third Thursday in 2:35.38 to miss the silver by three seconds. Hall, already a state qualifier in the 100-back, finished third in 1:10.06 to miss the silver by two seconds. Johns placed eighth in the 50-free in 28.80, two-plus seconds behind the gold. Alyvia Mingenback swam seventh in the 100-butterfly in 1:27.02, 14 seconds behind the bronze.Great Bend's 400-free relay has already punched its ticket to state. Mazouch led a different team with Mermis, Sidney Gilkison, and Darcy Feist to a fourth-place finish in 4:39.54 to miss the bronze by five seconds.Great Bend has now qualified for state in the 200-freesyle relay, 200-medley relay, 400-freestyle relay, 200-IM, 100-back, and 100-free.

Lady Panthers win, qualify another to state in Newton

May 5 1PM -&nbsp;#1 Hutchinson vs #8 Pratt 3PM&nbsp;- #4 Barton vs #5 Garden City 5PM&nbsp;- #2 Butler vs #7 Seward County 7PM&nbsp;- #3 Colby vs #6 Dodge City&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683025675656.png" alt="May 5-7, Legends Park, Dodge City KS" />
 <figcaption>May 5-7, Legends Park, Dodge City KS</figcaption>
 </figure>May 5 1PM -&nbsp;#1 Hutchinson vs #8 Pratt 3PM&nbsp;- #4 Barton vs #5 Garden City 5PM&nbsp;- #2 Butler vs #7 Seward County 7PM&nbsp;- #3 Colby vs #6 Dodge City&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683026035692.jpeg" alt="aaa.jpg" />
 <figcaption>aaa.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>

2023 NJCAA Region VI Division I Softball Playoffs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed offensive tackle Donovan Smith to a contract for the upcoming season Thursday, adding a veteran to compete for playing time with two open jobs on the offensive line.

The Chiefs were unable to sign franchise left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to a long-term deal, allowing him to become a free agent, and right tackle Andrew Wylie also signed elsewhere in free agency. The Chiefs countered by signing Jawaan Taylor to handle one of the tackle jobs, but that still left an opening at the other tackle position.

Taylor was expected to move from the right side to the left side to protect the blindside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and that would have allowed oft-injured Lucas Niang to compete with third-round pick Wanya Morris for the right tackle position.

Smith's acquisition could change those plans.

The 29-year-old Smith, who was released by the Buccaneers on March 7, started 124 regular-season games from the moment he became a second-round pick in 2015 through last season. But Smith struggled much of last season, partly due to elbow and foot injuries that caused him to miss four games, and that helped Tampa Bay reach the decision to let him go.

Smith will have to earn the job, of course, but his experience will be a significant factor. Taylor has played just 18 snaps on the left side in his entire career; Smith has played 8,473 during his eight seasons in the NFL.

Niang earned the starting right tackle job in 2021 but struggled with injuries, first a shoulder problem and then a rib injury that caused him to miss four games. He then tore a patellar tendon in Week 17 and was placed on injured reserve.

Morris was a five-star recruit to Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma, where he played his last two seasons. He also dealt with injuries, missing time with a shoulder problem, before opting out of the Sooners' bowl game this past season.

“I think we’ll have good competition between Niang (and) Wanya, and then I think (Darian) Kinnard has some flexibility, too,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this week, in discussing the competition along the offensive line.

“I think all three of those guys will bounce in there. Kinnard will go back and forth to tackle and guard, and I think Wanya has some tackle guard-flex,” Veach said. "So I think you’ll see (offensive line) coach (Andy) Heck do a great job of just mixing and matching. Then we get to training camp (and) just let the competition speak for itself.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed offensive tackle Donovan Smith to a contract for the upcoming season Thursday, adding a veteran to compete for playing time with two open jobs on the offensive line.The Chiefs were unable to sign franchise left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to a long-term deal, allowing him to become a free agent, and right tackle Andrew Wylie also signed elsewhere in free agency. The Chiefs countered by signing Jawaan Taylor to handle one of the tackle jobs, but that still left an opening at the other tackle position.Taylor was expected to move from the right side to the left side to protect the blindside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and that would have allowed oft-injured Lucas Niang to compete with third-round pick Wanya Morris for the right tackle position.Smith's acquisition could change those plans.The 29-year-old Smith, who was released by the Buccaneers on March 7, started 124 regular-season games from the moment he became a second-round pick in 2015 through last season. But Smith struggled much of last season, partly due to elbow and foot injuries that caused him to miss four games, and that helped Tampa Bay reach the decision to let him go.Smith will have to earn the job, of course, but his experience will be a significant factor. Taylor has played just 18 snaps on the left side in his entire career; Smith has played 8,473 during his eight seasons in the NFL.Niang earned the starting right tackle job in 2021 but struggled with injuries, first a shoulder problem and then a rib injury that caused him to miss four games. He then tore a patellar tendon in Week 17 and was placed on injured reserve.Morris was a five-star recruit to Tennessee before transferring to Oklahoma, where he played his last two seasons. He also dealt with injuries, missing time with a shoulder problem, before opting out of the Sooners' bowl game this past season.“I think we’ll have good competition between Niang (and) Wanya, and then I think (Darian) Kinnard has some flexibility, too,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this week, in discussing the competition along the offensive line.“I think all three of those guys will bounce in there. Kinnard will go back and forth to tackle and guard, and I think Wanya has some tackle guard-flex,” Veach said. "So I think you’ll see (offensive line) coach (Andy) Heck do a great job of just mixing and matching. Then we get to training camp (and) just let the competition speak for itself.”

Chiefs sign tackle Donovan Smith to 1-year deal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have come from behind for 11 of their 21 wins this season.

Their victory Thursday in Kansas City was a little unique.

The Orioles raced to a seven-run lead before watching the Royals wipe it out, then pull ahead in the seventh inning. But once more embodying poise under pressure, Ramon Urias hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning and added a two-run double in the ninth, allowing Baltimore to escape with a 13-10 victory and its seventh straight series win.

“We fight. We fight every game” said Urias, who entered as a pinch hitter. “Every guy is involved with what we're doing.”

That includes Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander, who hit homers, and Cedric Mullins, who had a bases-loaded double that helped the Orioles run out to an 8-1 lead by the bottom of the third inning.

The Royals fought back and pulled ahead on Bobby Witt Jr.'s single in the seventh, but Aroldis Chapman (1-2) promptly walked the first two batters in the eighth. Adam Frazier moved up on a balk and joined Jorge Mateo in stealing bases before Urias hit a single through the left side of a drawn-in infield to give the Orioles the lead again.

Yennier Cano (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for Baltimore, one of the few solid outings by a reliever. Felix Bautista coughed up a run in the ninth before striking out Witt and Hunter Dozier to end the game with runners at second and third.

“The offense did a great job, especially starting off the game,” said Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez, who allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings. “This team has a lot of fight in it."

Freddy Fermin hit his first career homer, Salvador Perez added a two-run shot and Kyle Isbel went deep for Kansas City before his tying bunt in the seventh inning, when he beat out the throw but strained his hamstring crossing the bag.

He was undergoing an MRI exam after the game, adding injury to another insulting loss for the Royals.

“Somebody has to take it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the back-and-forth game. “They did.”

The Orioles jumped to their big early lead by capitalizing on mistakes.

The first came when Ryan Mountcastle hit a high two-out popup down the right-field line in the first inning. Three Royals converged on it, but MJ Melendez, who has stopped catching so he can focus on playing the outfield, was unable to make the basket catch. Santander followed the error with his homer off Jordan Lyles over the right-field wall.

In the third, Lyles loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit batter before Mullins cleared them with a double.

Then in the fifth, after Lyles once again got the first two outs, he walked Frazier and uncorked a wild pitch that led to Mateo's run-scoring single. Henderson followed with his two-run shot to give Baltimore its 8-1 lead.

Rodriguez served up Fermin's leadoff homer in the third and another to Perez, the 100th for the veteran catcher at Kauffman Stadium, moving him into a tie with Mike Sweeney and trailing only George Brett for the most in club history.

In the fourth, Isbel went deep before Vinnie Pasquantino followed Fermin's first career triple with a run-scoring single that pulled the Royals within 8-6. They got within a run in the fifth on Michael Massey's double, Isbel tied the game in the seventh on his bunt, and Witt drove in the go-ahead run for Kansas City two batters later.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said C Luis Torrens, acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, will likely join the team “sometime this weekend,” when they play a series in Atlanta.

Orioles LF Austin Hays was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day, though Hyde said he was available off the bench. Hays has been dealing with a sore right middle finger. Kyle Stowers again took his place.

The Orioles face the Braves with RHP Dean Kremer (2-1, 6.67 ERA) on the mound for Friday night's opener. The Royals remain at Kauffman Stadium fora three-game set against Oakland with RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 3.56) getting the Friday night start.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have come from behind for 11 of their 21 wins this season.Their victory Thursday in Kansas City was a little unique.The Orioles raced to a seven-run lead before watching the Royals wipe it out, then pull ahead in the seventh inning. But once more embodying poise under pressure, Ramon Urias hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning and added a two-run double in the ninth, allowing Baltimore to escape with a 13-10 victory and its seventh straight series win.“We fight. We fight every game” said Urias, who entered as a pinch hitter. “Every guy is involved with what we're doing.”That includes Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander, who hit homers, and Cedric Mullins, who had a bases-loaded double that helped the Orioles run out to an 8-1 lead by the bottom of the third inning.The Royals fought back and pulled ahead on Bobby Witt Jr.'s single in the seventh, but Aroldis Chapman (1-2) promptly walked the first two batters in the eighth. Adam Frazier moved up on a balk and joined Jorge Mateo in stealing bases before Urias hit a single through the left side of a drawn-in infield to give the Orioles the lead again.Yennier Cano (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for Baltimore, one of the few solid outings by a reliever. Felix Bautista coughed up a run in the ninth before striking out Witt and Hunter Dozier to end the game with runners at second and third.“The offense did a great job, especially starting off the game,” said Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez, who allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings. “This team has a lot of fight in it."Freddy Fermin hit his first career homer, Salvador Perez added a two-run shot and Kyle Isbel went deep for Kansas City before his tying bunt in the seventh inning, when he beat out the throw but strained his hamstring crossing the bag.He was undergoing an MRI exam after the game, adding injury to another insulting loss for the Royals.“Somebody has to take it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the back-and-forth game. “They did.”The Orioles jumped to their big early lead by capitalizing on mistakes.The first came when Ryan Mountcastle hit a high two-out popup down the right-field line in the first inning. Three Royals converged on it, but MJ Melendez, who has stopped catching so he can focus on playing the outfield, was unable to make the basket catch. Santander followed the error with his homer off Jordan Lyles over the right-field wall.In the third, Lyles loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit batter before Mullins cleared them with a double.Then in the fifth, after Lyles once again got the first two outs, he walked Frazier and uncorked a wild pitch that led to Mateo's run-scoring single. Henderson followed with his two-run shot to give Baltimore its 8-1 lead.Rodriguez served up Fermin's leadoff homer in the third and another to Perez, the 100th for the veteran catcher at Kauffman Stadium, moving him into a tie with Mike Sweeney and trailing only George Brett for the most in club history.In the fourth, Isbel went deep before Vinnie Pasquantino followed Fermin's first career triple with a run-scoring single that pulled the Royals within 8-6. They got within a run in the fifth on Michael Massey's double, Isbel tied the game in the seventh on his bunt, and Witt drove in the go-ahead run for Kansas City two batters later.TRANSACTIONSOrioles manager Brandon Hyde said C Luis Torrens, acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, will likely join the team “sometime this weekend,” when they play a series in Atlanta.TRAINER'S ROOMOrioles LF Austin Hays was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day, though Hyde said he was available off the bench. Hays has been dealing with a sore right middle finger. Kyle Stowers again took his place.UP NEXTThe Orioles face the Braves with RHP Dean Kremer (2-1, 6.67 ERA) on the mound for Friday night's opener. The Royals remain at Kauffman Stadium fora three-game set against Oakland with RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 3.56) getting the Friday night start.