KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals ended a five-game losing streak, beating the Houston Astros 6-0 Saturday.

Kris Bubic and the Kansas City bullpen combined on a five-hitter, snapping Houston’s five-game winning string.

“I thought he got better the deeper he got into the ballgame,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He just kept making pitches, kept teasing the zone and getting them to chase at times.”

Perez connected with two outs in the sixth off Astros starter Luis Garcia (3-4), sending a drive into the left field bullpen. Perez added an RBI double during a four-run eighth.

“I’d had two or three strikeouts on a fastball up, so I tried to make the adjustment, tried to think what they’re going to do to you,” Perez said. “It was a fastball up. It was a good pitch. I just put the barrel on it. You’ve got to get on top of that pitch when you’re struggling.”

Perez’s seventh home run snapped an 0-for-22 streak and was his first homer since May 14. He drove in a run for the first time since May 15.

“That’s what I try to do every time, try to help my team to win,” Perez said. “Hopefully things start to move a different way.”

Last season, Perez topped the majors with 121 RBIs and was tied with Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a big league-leading 48 home runs.

“Salvy kind of stole the show for us today,” Matheny said. “And that’s the guy we want to see stealing the show. We want to see him come through and feel that confidence we know he has as an offensive weapon.”

Bubic, called up from Triple-A Omaha before the game, gave up five hits in five innings, striking out three and walked three.

“I was kind of tiptoeing the whole time, but made pitches when I needed to,” Bubic said. I could tell early on this was a game where I was going to have to mix it up. That’s a pretty good lineup over there; they can do damage up and down their lineup. Just got to stay unpredictable.”

Bubic got 13 of 15 outs on changeups, using it on 49 of his 98 pitches.

“The changeup was pretty much a dominant pitch,” Matheny said. “He used it in, he used it out of the zone.”

Four relievers completed the Royals’ fourth shutout with Collin Snyder (4-2) picking up the victory.

Garcia went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out two.

“Personally, it was a good game,” Garcia said. “It was two runs and that’s it. It happens, hHomers happen. I pitched to contact today, which helped me through my pitch count. Overall, it was a good outing.”

Michael Brantley had two hits for the Astros. Houston left 10 runners on base and was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position while getting shut out for the fifth time this year.

“We left quite a few men on base and they didn’t,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “They are a contact team and know how to play in this ballpark, so we just have to chalk that one up to them beating us.”

The Royals posted their 2,000th regular-season win at Kauffman Stadium, which opened in 1973.

The start of the game was delayed 51 minutes due to threat of rain.

Astros LHP Blake Taylor was placed on the 15-day IL due to left elbow discomfort.

Houston recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Triple-A Sugar Land. Kansas City optioned RHP Ronald Bolaños to Omaha.

LHP Framber Valdez (5-2, 2.57 ERA) goes for Houston on Sunday. RHP Jonathan Heasley (0-2, 4.66) start for Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals ended a five-game losing streak, beating the Houston Astros 6-0 Saturday.Kris Bubic and the Kansas City bullpen combined on a five-hitter, snapping Houston’s five-game winning string.“I thought he got better the deeper he got into the ballgame,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He just kept making pitches, kept teasing the zone and getting them to chase at times.”Perez connected with two outs in the sixth off Astros starter Luis Garcia (3-4), sending a drive into the left field bullpen. Perez added an RBI double during a four-run eighth.“I’d had two or three strikeouts on a fastball up, so I tried to make the adjustment, tried to think what they’re going to do to you,” Perez said. “It was a fastball up. It was a good pitch. I just put the barrel on it. You’ve got to get on top of that pitch when you’re struggling.”Perez’s seventh home run snapped an 0-for-22 streak and was his first homer since May 14. He drove in a run for the first time since May 15.“That’s what I try to do every time, try to help my team to win,” Perez said. “Hopefully things start to move a different way.”Last season, Perez topped the majors with 121 RBIs and was tied with Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a big league-leading 48 home runs.“Salvy kind of stole the show for us today,” Matheny said. “And that’s the guy we want to see stealing the show. We want to see him come through and feel that confidence we know he has as an offensive weapon.”Bubic, called up from Triple-A Omaha before the game, gave up five hits in five innings, striking out three and walked three.“I was kind of tiptoeing the whole time, but made pitches when I needed to,” Bubic said. I could tell early on this was a game where I was going to have to mix it up. That’s a pretty good lineup over there; they can do damage up and down their lineup. Just got to stay unpredictable.”Bubic got 13 of 15 outs on changeups, using it on 49 of his 98 pitches.“The changeup was pretty much a dominant pitch,” Matheny said. “He used it in, he used it out of the zone.”Four relievers completed the Royals’ fourth shutout with Collin Snyder (4-2) picking up the victory.Garcia went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out two.“Personally, it was a good game,” Garcia said. “It was two runs and that’s it. It happens, hHomers happen. I pitched to contact today, which helped me through my pitch count. Overall, it was a good outing.”Michael Brantley had two hits for the Astros. Houston left 10 runners on base and was 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position while getting shut out for the fifth time this year.“We left quite a few men on base and they didn’t,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “They are a contact team and know how to play in this ballpark, so we just have to chalk that one up to them beating us.”The Royals posted their 2,000th regular-season win at Kauffman Stadium, which opened in 1973.The start of the game was delayed 51 minutes due to threat of rain.TRAINER’S ROOMAstros LHP Blake Taylor was placed on the 15-day IL due to left elbow discomfort.TRANSACTIONSHouston recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Triple-A Sugar Land. Kansas City optioned RHP Ronald Bolaños to Omaha.UP NEXTLHP Framber Valdez (5-2, 2.57 ERA) goes for Houston on Sunday. RHP Jonathan Heasley (0-2, 4.66) start for Kansas City.

Perez, Royals snap 5-game skid, end Astros’ win streak at 5

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Salvador Perez broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in
the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals ended a five-game losing
streak, beating the Houston Astros 6-0. Kris Bubic and the Kansas
City bullpen combined on a five-hitter, snapping Houston’s
five-game winning streak. Perez added an RBI double during a four-run
eighth. Perez’s seventh home run snapped an 0-for-22 streak and was
his first homer since May 14. Last season, Perez topped the majors
with 121 RBIs and was tied with Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
with a big league-leading 48 home runs.

CHICAGO (AP) —
Cardinals rookie Brendan Donovan hit a two-run double in the 10th
inning and St. Louis overcame a baserunning mistake to beat the
Chicago Cubs 7-4 and split a doubleheader. Ian Happ had two doubles
for the Cubs, who won the first game 6-1. Donovan doubled after
Michael Rucker walked Nolan Arenado. Harrison Bader followed with an
RBI single, and another run scored on a double play during a four-run
10th. A Cardinals mistake kept them from taking the lead in the
ninth. Edmundo Sosa missed third base attempting to score from second
on Nolan Gorman’s single off David Robertson. Sosa had to return to
third, and Paul Goldschmidt grounded out to end the threat.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Jocelyn Alo homered and knocked in three runs to help No. 1 seed
Oklahoma beat Big 12 rival Texas 7-2 on Saturday at the Women’s
College World Series. Alo set the tone with her two-run blast as the
second batter of the game. The two-time reigning USA Softball
Collegiate Player of the Year increased her Division I career-record
home run total to 118. Tiare Jennings also hit a homer for the
Sooners, who advanced to the semifinals Monday and moved one step
closer to defending their national title. Hope Trautwein went the
distance for the Sooners to claim the win. Janae Jefferson hit a solo
homer in the seventh for Texas. Texas will play Arizona in an
elimination game Sunday.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Kelly Maxwell threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and No. 7
seed Oklahoma State defeated No. 14 Florida 2-0 to advance to the
Women’s College World Series semifinals. Chyenne Factor had two
hits and knocked in a run for the Cowgirls. It was quite a day for
the Big 12. No. 1 seed Oklahoma defeated fellow Big 12 member Texas
in the early game to advance to the semifinals. Florida will plays
No. 5 UCLA in an elimination game on Sunday.

STILLWATER, Okla.
(AP) — Robert Moore hit two home runs and Arkansas scored eight
runs — including a grand slam by Jalen Battles — in the eighth
inning as the Razorbacks rallied to beat Oklahoma State 20-12 at the
Stillwater Regional. Arkansas (40-18) advances to the title game
against the winner of an elimination game between Oklahoma State
(40-21) and Missouri State. Roc Riggio went 4-for-5 with a double, a
homer and five RBIs for Oklahoma State. Nolan McLean hit a two-run
home run to spark a five-run third inning to give the Cowboys a 7-2
lead. Brady Slavens, Cayden Wallace, Chris Lanzilli and Michael
Turner each hit a home run for Arkansas. Turner and Lanzilli drove in
four runs apiece.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Skyler Messinger’s RBI double capped a three-run bottom of the
seventh inning and No. 9 overall seed Texas went on to beat
LouisianaSte Tech 5-2 in the Austin Regional. Texas (44-19) advances
to the title game on Sunday. The Longhorns will play the winner of
Sunday morning’s elimination game between Louisiana Tech (43-20)
and Air Force. A loss by the Longhorns would force a Monday finale.

GAINESVILLE, Fla.
(AP) — Jimmy Crooks hit two of Oklahoma’s four home runs and the
No. 2 seed Sooners beat top-seeded Florida 9-4 to advance to the
championship of the Gainesville Regional. Oklahoma (39-20) plays
against the winner of a loser-out game between the host Gators and
No. 4 seed Central Michigan. Ty Evans and Jac Caglianone each hit a
home run in the bottom of the second to give Florida (40-23) a 2-0
lead. Mac Guscette added a solo shot in the seventh. Peyton Graham
hit a two-run home run and Blake Robertson followed with a solo shot
in the top of the third to make it 3-2 and the Sooners led the rest
of the way. Crooks finished 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.

COLLEGE STATION,
Texas (AP) — Brayden Taylor and Kurtis Byrne homered on consecutive
pitches in the sixth inning and TCU stayed alive in the College
Station Regional with a 3-1 win over Oral Roberts. Taylor homered to
right field on a 3-1 pitch from Isaac Coffey (7-6) with two down in
the sixth to break a 1-1 tie. Byrne followed with a drive down the
left-field line. TCU only had five hits. That was enough as five
Horned Frogs pitchers scattered seven singles and five walks,
striking out 11. Caleb Bolden (5-2) picked up the win and Garrett
Wright went the final 2 2/3 innings for his fifth save.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP)
— Brandon Birdsell threw seven shutout innings and Texas Tech used
a wild pitch and a throwing error to score two runs on the same play
as the Red Raiders defeated UNC Greensboro 2-0 in an elimination game
of the Statesboro Regional. Texas Tech (38-21) will play the loser of
Saturday’s nightcap between No. 16 overall seed Georgia Southern
and Notre Dame in an elimination game Sunday morning. Birdsell (9-3)
allowed five hits and two walks, striking out four. Andrew Devine
followed Birdsell and retired all four batters he faced, striking out
a pair. Derek Bridges got the final two outs, striking out Zack
Budzik on three pitches with two runners on base to end the game for
his first save of the season.

EDMONTON, Alberta
(AP) — The Colorado Avalanche own a three-games-to-none lead in the
NHL's Western Conference finals after scoring the final two goals in
a 4-2 downing of the Oilers in Edmonton. J.T. Compher broke a 2-2 tie
with 7:18 remaining, about five minutes after Ryan McLeod tied it for
Edmonton. Valeri Nichushkin scored two straight goals to give the Avs
a 2-1 lead about 4 ½ minutes into the second period.

PARIS (AP) —
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek has captured the French Open for the second
time since 2020, earning a 6-1, 6-3 win over American Coco Gauff.
Swiatek continued an exceptional run that now features 35 straight
match wins, tying Venus Williams in 2000 as the longest in this
century. She’s won 56 of her last 58 sets, 16 by a 6-love score.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652175399098.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Salvador Perez broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in
the sixth inning and the Kansas City Royals ended a five-game losing
streak, beating the Houston Astros 6-0. Kris Bubic and the Kansas
City bullpen combined on a five-hitter, snapping Houston’s
five-game winning streak. Perez added an RBI double during a four-run
eighth. Perez’s seventh home run snapped an 0-for-22 streak and was
his first homer since May 14. Last season, Perez topped the majors
with 121 RBIs and was tied with Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
with a big league-leading 48 home runs.CHICAGO (AP) —
Cardinals rookie Brendan Donovan hit a two-run double in the 10th
inning and St. Louis overcame a baserunning mistake to beat the
Chicago Cubs 7-4 and split a doubleheader. Ian Happ had two doubles
for the Cubs, who won the first game 6-1. Donovan doubled after
Michael Rucker walked Nolan Arenado. Harrison Bader followed with an
RBI single, and another run scored on a double play during a four-run
10th. A Cardinals mistake kept them from taking the lead in the
ninth. Edmundo Sosa missed third base attempting to score from second
on Nolan Gorman’s single off David Robertson. Sosa had to return to
third, and Paul Goldschmidt grounded out to end the threat.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Jocelyn Alo homered and knocked in three runs to help No. 1 seed
Oklahoma beat Big 12 rival Texas 7-2 on Saturday at the Women’s
College World Series. Alo set the tone with her two-run blast as the
second batter of the game. The two-time reigning USA Softball
Collegiate Player of the Year increased her Division I career-record
home run total to 118. Tiare Jennings also hit a homer for the
Sooners, who advanced to the semifinals Monday and moved one step
closer to defending their national title. Hope Trautwein went the
distance for the Sooners to claim the win. Janae Jefferson hit a solo
homer in the seventh for Texas. Texas will play Arizona in an
elimination game Sunday.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Kelly Maxwell threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and No. 7
seed Oklahoma State defeated No. 14 Florida 2-0 to advance to the
Women’s College World Series semifinals. Chyenne Factor had two
hits and knocked in a run for the Cowgirls. It was quite a day for
the Big 12. No. 1 seed Oklahoma defeated fellow Big 12 member Texas
in the early game to advance to the semifinals. Florida will plays
No. 5 UCLA in an elimination game on Sunday.STILLWATER, Okla.
(AP) — Robert Moore hit two home runs and Arkansas scored eight
runs — including a grand slam by Jalen Battles — in the eighth
inning as the Razorbacks rallied to beat Oklahoma State 20-12 at the
Stillwater Regional. Arkansas (40-18) advances to the title game
against the winner of an elimination game between Oklahoma State
(40-21) and Missouri State. Roc Riggio went 4-for-5 with a double, a
homer and five RBIs for Oklahoma State. Nolan McLean hit a two-run
home run to spark a five-run third inning to give the Cowboys a 7-2
lead. Brady Slavens, Cayden Wallace, Chris Lanzilli and Michael
Turner each hit a home run for Arkansas. Turner and Lanzilli drove in
four runs apiece.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Skyler Messinger’s RBI double capped a three-run bottom of the
seventh inning and No. 9 overall seed Texas went on to beat
LouisianaSte Tech 5-2 in the Austin Regional. Texas (44-19) advances
to the title game on Sunday. The Longhorns will play the winner of
Sunday morning’s elimination game between Louisiana Tech (43-20)
and Air Force. A loss by the Longhorns would force a Monday finale.GAINESVILLE, Fla.
(AP) — Jimmy Crooks hit two of Oklahoma’s four home runs and the
No. 2 seed Sooners beat top-seeded Florida 9-4 to advance to the
championship of the Gainesville Regional. Oklahoma (39-20) plays
against the winner of a loser-out game between the host Gators and
No. 4 seed Central Michigan. Ty Evans and Jac Caglianone each hit a
home run in the bottom of the second to give Florida (40-23) a 2-0
lead. Mac Guscette added a solo shot in the seventh. Peyton Graham
hit a two-run home run and Blake Robertson followed with a solo shot
in the top of the third to make it 3-2 and the Sooners led the rest
of the way. Crooks finished 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.COLLEGE STATION,
Texas (AP) — Brayden Taylor and Kurtis Byrne homered on consecutive
pitches in the sixth inning and TCU stayed alive in the College
Station Regional with a 3-1 win over Oral Roberts. Taylor homered to
right field on a 3-1 pitch from Isaac Coffey (7-6) with two down in
the sixth to break a 1-1 tie. Byrne followed with a drive down the
left-field line. TCU only had five hits. That was enough as five
Horned Frogs pitchers scattered seven singles and five walks,
striking out 11. Caleb Bolden (5-2) picked up the win and Garrett
Wright went the final 2 2/3 innings for his fifth save.STATESBORO, Ga. (AP)
— Brandon Birdsell threw seven shutout innings and Texas Tech used
a wild pitch and a throwing error to score two runs on the same play
as the Red Raiders defeated UNC Greensboro 2-0 in an elimination game
of the Statesboro Regional. Texas Tech (38-21) will play the loser of
Saturday’s nightcap between No. 16 overall seed Georgia Southern
and Notre Dame in an elimination game Sunday morning. Birdsell (9-3)
allowed five hits and two walks, striking out four. Andrew Devine
followed Birdsell and retired all four batters he faced, striking out
a pair. Derek Bridges got the final two outs, striking out Zack
Budzik on three pitches with two runners on base to end the game for
his first save of the season.EDMONTON, Alberta
(AP) — The Colorado Avalanche own a three-games-to-none lead in the
NHL's Western Conference finals after scoring the final two goals in
a 4-2 downing of the Oilers in Edmonton. J.T. Compher broke a 2-2 tie
with 7:18 remaining, about five minutes after Ryan McLeod tied it for
Edmonton. Valeri Nichushkin scored two straight goals to give the Avs
a 2-1 lead about 4 ½ minutes into the second period.PARIS (AP) —
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek has captured the French Open for the second
time since 2020, earning a 6-1, 6-3 win over American Coco Gauff.
Swiatek continued an exceptional run that now features 35 straight
match wins, tying Venus Williams in 2000 as the longest in this
century. She’s won 56 of her last 58 sets, 16 by a 6-love score.SATURDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	7	L.A.
Angels	2	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Yankees	3	Detroit	0	Final	Toronto	12	Minnesota	3	Final	Texas	3	Seattle	2	Final	Baltimore	5	Cleveland	4	Final	Chicago White
Sox	3	Tampa Bay	2	Final	Boston	8	Oakland	0	Final	Kansas
City	6	Houston	0	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Chicago
Cubs	6	St. Louis	1	Final	Pittsburgh	2	Arizona	1	Final	San
Diego	4	Milwaukee	0	Final	Miami	5	San
Francisco	4	Final	Washington	10	Cincinnati	8	Final	St.
Louis	7	Chicago Cubs	4	Final	Atlanta	6	Colorado	2	Final	N.Y.
Mets	9	L.A. Dodgers	4	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal	Colorado	4	Edmonton	2

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

(KJCCC) June 3, 2022 – The Cowley College baseball team will play for the 2022 NJCAA JUCO World Series national championship on Saturday evening.

Cowley defeated Walters State (TN) sometime around midnight on Thursday by a 16-8 score in seven innings. The Walters State game was a semifinal in the annual national title tournament in Grand Junction (CO).

With three teams remaining in the NJCAA baseball DI World Series, and each having a loss, Cowley receives a bye with the most games played in the tournament. Walters State and Central Arizona will face off Friday with the winner facing Cowley for the national title on Saturday.

Cowley (54-10) qualified for the Grand Junction tourney by winning the NJCAA Central District/ Region VI tournament in Manhattan on the Kansas State University campus in mid-May.

The Tigers opened up the national tournament on May 28 with a loss to Central Florida, but have since won four straight games to advance through the loser’s bracket to reach the title game.

Game time Saturday, June 4 is 7 p.m. Mountain Time, 8 p.m. Central Time. Live streaming coverage is available on the NJCAA Network.

(KJCCC) June 3, 2022 – The Cowley College baseball team will play for the 2022 NJCAA JUCO World Series national championship on Saturday evening.Cowley defeated Walters State (TN) sometime around midnight on Thursday by a 16-8 score in seven innings. The Walters State game was a semifinal in the annual national title tournament in Grand Junction (CO).With three teams remaining in the NJCAA baseball DI World Series, and each having a loss, Cowley receives a bye with the most games played in the tournament. Walters State and Central Arizona will face off Friday with the winner facing Cowley for the national title on Saturday.Cowley (54-10) qualified for the Grand Junction tourney by winning the NJCAA Central District/ Region VI tournament in Manhattan on the Kansas State University campus in mid-May.The Tigers opened up the national tournament on May 28 with a loss to Central Florida, but have since won four straight games to advance through the loser’s bracket to reach the title game.Game time Saturday, June 4 is 7 p.m. Mountain Time, 8 p.m. Central Time. Live streaming coverage is available on the NJCAA Network.

KS college to play for NJCAA baseball title Saturday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and some assistant coaches spoke with the media following Week Two of Phase Three of offseason workouts. From&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs">The Kansas City Chiefs Facebook page</a>:&nbsp;&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and some assistant coaches spoke with the media following Week Two of Phase Three of offseason workouts. From&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs">The Kansas City Chiefs Facebook page</a>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasCityChiefs%2Fvideos%2F547972296785814%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Chiefs' Reid, other coaches talk football during Thursday presser

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced&nbsp;tonight&nbsp;that they have acquired right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Albert Abreu&nbsp;from the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Yohanse Morel.

Abreu, who was designated for assignment on Monday, will be added the Kansas City’s 40-man roster. A corresponding move will be announced at a later date.

Abreu, 26, posted a 3.12 ERA (3 ER in 8.2 IP) with 9 strikeouts and a .138 opponents’ average (4-for-29) in 7 appearances with Texas this season. He was acquired by the Rangers from the Yankees on April 2 and pitched in six of Texas’ first 20 games before spending almost three weeks on the Injured List with a sprained left ankle. He returned from the IL with a scoreless inning last Saturday at Oakland.

Abreu signed with Houston out of the Dominican Republic in 2013 and spent the first three seasons of his professional career in the Astros organization. In November 2016, he was traded to the Yankees in a three-player deal for&nbsp;Brian McCann.

Abreu made his Major League debut with the Yankees in 2020 and appeared in 28 games with the Yankees last season, going 2-0 with 1 save and 35 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.&nbsp;

Morel, 21, was 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA (8 ER in 17.2 IP) in 10 appearances with High-A Quad Cities this season. He signed with the Nationals out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and was acquired by Kansas City with two others in 2018 for&nbsp;Kelvin Herrera.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced&nbsp;tonight&nbsp;that they have acquired right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Albert Abreu&nbsp;from the Texas Rangers for right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Yohanse Morel.Abreu, who was designated for assignment on Monday, will be added the Kansas City’s 40-man roster. A corresponding move will be announced at a later date.Abreu, 26, posted a 3.12 ERA (3 ER in 8.2 IP) with 9 strikeouts and a .138 opponents’ average (4-for-29) in 7 appearances with Texas this season. He was acquired by the Rangers from the Yankees on April 2 and pitched in six of Texas’ first 20 games before spending almost three weeks on the Injured List with a sprained left ankle. He returned from the IL with a scoreless inning last Saturday at Oakland.Abreu signed with Houston out of the Dominican Republic in 2013 and spent the first three seasons of his professional career in the Astros organization. In November 2016, he was traded to the Yankees in a three-player deal for&nbsp;Brian McCann.Abreu made his Major League debut with the Yankees in 2020 and appeared in 28 games with the Yankees last season, going 2-0 with 1 save and 35 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.&nbsp;Morel, 21, was 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA (8 ER in 17.2 IP) in 10 appearances with High-A Quad Cities this season. He signed with the Nationals out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and was acquired by Kansas City with two others in 2018 for&nbsp;Kelvin Herrera.

Royals acquire RHP Albert Abreu from Rangers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The moment the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a package of draft picks, any notion that the AFC West champions would be able to simply build on another deep playoff run went right with him.

The deal earlier this offseason set in motion events that have left the Chiefs in an intriguing position as they hit the meat of their voluntary summer workouts: They’ve rebuilt their pass-catching corps into a more well-rounded and arguably more difficult-to-defend bunch while also updating and perhaps upgrading their playbook to better fit their personnel and in particular those big, rangy wide receivers that are now on the roster.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The moment the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a package of draft picks, any notion that the AFC West champions would be able to simply build on another deep playoff run went right with him.The deal earlier this offseason set in motion events that have left the Chiefs in an intriguing position as they hit the meat of their voluntary summer workouts: They’ve rebuilt their pass-catching corps into a more well-rounded and arguably more difficult-to-defend bunch while also updating and perhaps upgrading their playbook to better fit their personnel and in particular those big, rangy wide receivers that are now on the roster.

Chiefs view WR corps post-Tyreek with bright-eyed optimism

The Hays Larks were held to just three runs in their season opener Thursday in Great Bend as they come up short against the Great Bend Bat Cats 5-3.

Great Bend scored two runs in the fourth and fifth inning before the Larks got on the board with three in the top of the sixth but the BatCats got one more in the sixth.

The BatCats were able to get to Larks reliever Brayden Luikart for four runs, just two were earned in an inning and a third.

In the Larks three-run sixth Jack Torosian singled in a run, Austin Jaslove added an RBI double and Tyler Larue drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to cut the BatCats lead to 4-3 but Great Bend got a run back in the bottom of inning and held on for the 5-3 win.

Jack Torosian was three-for-four with an RBI and a run scored. Tanner Rice was two-for-four.

The same two teams will meet Friday night in Hays at 7 pm at Larks Park.

The Hays Larks were held to just three runs in their season opener Thursday in Great Bend as they come up short against the Great Bend Bat Cats 5-3.Great Bend scored two runs in the fourth and fifth inning before the Larks got on the board with three in the top of the sixth but the BatCats got one more in the sixth.The BatCats were able to get to Larks reliever Brayden Luikart for four runs, just two were earned in an inning and a third.In the Larks three-run sixth Jack Torosian singled in a run, Austin Jaslove added an RBI double and Tyler Larue drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to cut the BatCats lead to 4-3 but Great Bend got a run back in the bottom of inning and held on for the 5-3 win.Jack Torosian was three-for-four with an RBI and a run scored. Tanner Rice was two-for-four.The same two teams will meet Friday night in Hays at 7 pm at Larks Park.

Bat Cats pick up 5-3 win over Hays

The Great Bend Bat Cats started out the season with a win Wednesday night at the Great Bend Sports Complex, beating McPherson 13-5.

The Bat Cats host the Hays Larks Thursday, June 2 at the Sports Complex with free admission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652447677165.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Great Bend Bat Cats started out the season with a win Wednesday night at the Great Bend Sports Complex, beating McPherson 13-5.The Bat Cats host the Hays Larks Thursday, June 2 at the Sports Complex with free admission.

Bat Cats win season opener vs McPherson

The Kansas City Current released new renderings for the first stadium purpose-built for a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team.

Since the project was first announced, the club’s leadership has been working to create a state-of-the-art facility with the goal of creating the best player, fan and partner experience in the world. &nbsp;

The club has added seating for a total projected capacity of 11,500 along with in-stadium amenities like a Concourse Club and Scoreboard Bar. &nbsp;

“Elite facilities are an essential part of the future for this team,” said team president Allison Howard. “Our new stadium will be an incredible place for athletes to compete at their highest level and the additional amenities will ensure that Kansas City fans have an experience worthy of the passion they bring to every match.” &nbsp;

The privately-funded soccer-specific stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park will be the first soccer stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team. As part of a 50-year lease agreement with Port KC, the stadium will be built on a 7.08-acre site on the east end of the park in Kansas City, Mo. in partnership with primary design and construction partners Generator Studio, JE Dunn and Monarch Build. &nbsp;

Generator Studio and Monarch Build are also partners in building the Current’s training facility, which will open in June. The training facility, exclusively privately-funded by team owners, will be located in Riverside, Mo. and features comprehensive team training features such as a world-class locker room, elite weight and cardio rooms and multiple outdoor pitches. &nbsp;

About the Kansas City Current&nbsp;&nbsp;

Founded in&nbsp;December&nbsp;2020, the Kansas City Current is led by the ownership group of Angie Long, Chris Long, and Brittany Mahomes.&nbsp;The team competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).&nbsp;The Kansas City Current announced plans for the first stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team with expected completion in 2024. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansascitycurrent.com/" target="_blank">KansasCityCurrent.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654032101615.jpeg" alt="KC Current Stadium - Main Entry" />
 <figcaption>KC Current Stadium - Main Entry</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas City Current released new renderings for the first stadium purpose-built for a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team.Since the project was first announced, the club’s leadership has been working to create a state-of-the-art facility with the goal of creating the best player, fan and partner experience in the world. &nbsp;The club has added seating for a total projected capacity of 11,500 along with in-stadium amenities like a Concourse Club and Scoreboard Bar. &nbsp;“Elite facilities are an essential part of the future for this team,” said team president Allison Howard. “Our new stadium will be an incredible place for athletes to compete at their highest level and the additional amenities will ensure that Kansas City fans have an experience worthy of the passion they bring to every match.” &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654032250682.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The privately-funded soccer-specific stadium at Berkley Riverfront Park will be the first soccer stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team. As part of a 50-year lease agreement with Port KC, the stadium will be built on a 7.08-acre site on the east end of the park in Kansas City, Mo. in partnership with primary design and construction partners Generator Studio, JE Dunn and Monarch Build. &nbsp;Generator Studio and Monarch Build are also partners in building the Current’s training facility, which will open in June. The training facility, exclusively privately-funded by team owners, will be located in Riverside, Mo. and features comprehensive team training features such as a world-class locker room, elite weight and cardio rooms and multiple outdoor pitches. &nbsp;About the Kansas City Current&nbsp;&nbsp;Founded in&nbsp;December&nbsp;2020, the Kansas City Current is led by the ownership group of Angie Long, Chris Long, and Brittany Mahomes.&nbsp;The team competes in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).&nbsp;The Kansas City Current announced plans for the first stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team with expected completion in 2024. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansascitycurrent.com/" target="_blank">KansasCityCurrent.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KC Current releases new renderings of downtown stadium

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Konnor Pilkington struck out eight in five innings for his first major league win and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

Pilkington, making his third career start and sixth appearance, worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth. The left-hander is taking the rotation spot of injured Aaron Civale.

Pilkington was showered with beer by teammates to commemorate the win. He knew the importance of getting out of the fourth inning.

“I know I needed some kind of action, maybe a strikeout, maybe a double-play ball, something like that,” he said. “Cards fell my way and I just kept executing pitches.”

José Ramírez had a run-scoring groundout in the fifth for his major league-leading 52nd RBI. Amed Rosario, Andrés Giménez and Richie Palacios also drove in runs for Cleveland.

Kansas City has dropped 11 of 13 and has the worst record in the majors at 16-33.

Brad Keller (1-6) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.

Four Cleveland pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts. Royals manager Mike Matheny thought Keller gave his team a chance to win but pointed to those strikeouts as a major factor in another difficult day.

“It continues to be tough,” Matheny said. “We’ve had some really hard losses, and every one of them now continues to pile on the frustration in that room."

Pilkington (1-0) struck out his first four hitters. He stranded two in the second and one in the third before dodging major trouble in the fourth.

The inning began when Salvador Perez walked and MJ Melendez singled. Pilkington struck out Hunter Dozier, but Carlos Santana’s sharply hit single to right loaded the bases.

Pitching coach Carl Willis visited Pilkington on the mound to help him regroup. Emmanuel Rivera struck out and Nicky Lopez grounded out to end the inning.

“I don’t want to sound bad or anything, but my stuff plays," said Pilkington, who was acquired from Washington last season for infielder César Hernández. “Trusting my fastball and trusting my changeup and being able to locate those pitches. And then when they start to get on, being able to adjust.”

Pilkington began the season in Cleveland’s bullpen amid expanded rosters. He started in a doubleheader and was sent to Triple-A Columbus and was recalled when Civale was injured on May 20.

The Royals, who have a day off Thursday, completed a stretch of 26 games in 25 days.

Cleveland has had seven games postponed by inclement weather at Progressive Field this season. Heavy rain fell seconds after Emmanuel Clase recorded the final out Wednesday.

Civale (left gluteal soreness) underwent a procedure to aspirate blood from the affected area, which has delayed his return. Cleveland hopes he can pitch off a mound this weekend.

Andrew Benintendi had three hits and has reached base in 23 straight games. ... Cleveland rookie Oscar Gonzalez was 0 for 4 after hitting safely in his first five major league games.

The Royals don’t return to Cleveland until late September for a stretch of six days. The teams complete the regular season with six games from Sept. 30-Oct. 5.

Royals: C Cam Gallagher (left hamstring strain) caught five innings in his first game on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday and was hitless in two at-bats. He has missed 28 games.

Guardians: RHP James Karinchak (strained shoulder) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday night. He was injured during spring training.

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (2-0, 2.49 ERA), coming off a win over Minnesota in his last start, will open a three-game home series against Houston on Friday night.

Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (12-3, 3.19 ERA) will pitch the opener of a three-game series in Baltimore on Friday night. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner allowed one run in eight innings against Detroit in his last start.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Konnor Pilkington struck out eight in five innings for his first major league win and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Pilkington, making his third career start and sixth appearance, worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth. The left-hander is taking the rotation spot of injured Aaron Civale.Pilkington was showered with beer by teammates to commemorate the win. He knew the importance of getting out of the fourth inning.“I know I needed some kind of action, maybe a strikeout, maybe a double-play ball, something like that,” he said. “Cards fell my way and I just kept executing pitches.”ADVERTISINGJosé Ramírez had a run-scoring groundout in the fifth for his major league-leading 52nd RBI. Amed Rosario, Andrés Giménez and Richie Palacios also drove in runs for Cleveland.Kansas City has dropped 11 of 13 and has the worst record in the majors at 16-33.Brad Keller (1-6) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.Four Cleveland pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts. Royals manager Mike Matheny thought Keller gave his team a chance to win but pointed to those strikeouts as a major factor in another difficult day.“It continues to be tough,” Matheny said. “We’ve had some really hard losses, and every one of them now continues to pile on the frustration in that room."Pilkington (1-0) struck out his first four hitters. He stranded two in the second and one in the third before dodging major trouble in the fourth.The inning began when Salvador Perez walked and MJ Melendez singled. Pilkington struck out Hunter Dozier, but Carlos Santana’s sharply hit single to right loaded the bases.Pitching coach Carl Willis visited Pilkington on the mound to help him regroup. Emmanuel Rivera struck out and Nicky Lopez grounded out to end the inning.“I don’t want to sound bad or anything, but my stuff plays," said Pilkington, who was acquired from Washington last season for infielder César Hernández. “Trusting my fastball and trusting my changeup and being able to locate those pitches. And then when they start to get on, being able to adjust.”Pilkington began the season in Cleveland’s bullpen amid expanded rosters. He started in a doubleheader and was sent to Triple-A Columbus and was recalled when Civale was injured on May 20.The Royals, who have a day off Thursday, completed a stretch of 26 games in 25 days.Cleveland has had seven games postponed by inclement weather at Progressive Field this season. Heavy rain fell seconds after Emmanuel Clase recorded the final out Wednesday.CIVALE UPDATECivale (left gluteal soreness) underwent a procedure to aspirate blood from the affected area, which has delayed his return. Cleveland hopes he can pitch off a mound this weekend.STREAKSAndrew Benintendi had three hits and has reached base in 23 straight games. ... Cleveland rookie Oscar Gonzalez was 0 for 4 after hitting safely in his first five major league games.SEE YOU LATERThe Royals don’t return to Cleveland until late September for a stretch of six days. The teams complete the regular season with six games from Sept. 30-Oct. 5.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Cam Gallagher (left hamstring strain) caught five innings in his first game on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday and was hitless in two at-bats. He has missed 28 games.Guardians: RHP James Karinchak (strained shoulder) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday night. He was injured during spring training.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brady Singer (2-0, 2.49 ERA), coming off a win over Minnesota in his last start, will open a three-game home series against Houston on Friday night.Guardians: RHP Shane Bieber (12-3, 3.19 ERA) will pitch the opener of a three-game series in Baltimore on Friday night. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner allowed one run in eight innings against Detroit in his last start.

Pilkington gets first major league win, Guardians sweep KC

The Kansas Volleyball Association has announced its 2022 All Star squads.

The annual All Star match will be held this year on Saturday at Lee Arena on the Washburn University campus. Match time will be 6:30 p.m.

The players selected are first nominated by their high school coaches (who must be KVA members), and then recommended by committee to fill the squads. Based on achievements, positions, classifications, collegiate plans and availability the squads are determined and divided into two teams which should provide for a very competitive match.

Tallon Rentschler – Smith Center High School

Jacey Schurle – Clay Center High School

Brooke Hammond – Garden Plain High School

Kassidy Nixon – Central Plains High School

Sharlene Ramsey – Smoky Valley High School

Katelyn Brogan – Washburn Rural High School

Hali Bloomdahl – Clay Center High School

Lauren Schutter – Wabaunsee High School

Lily Boughfman – Little River High School

Ashlyn Berning – Blue Valley West High School

Sammie Saunders – Hillsboro High School

The Kansas Volleyball Association has announced its 2022 All Star squads.The annual All Star match will be held this year on Saturday at Lee Arena on the Washburn University campus. Match time will be 6:30 p.m.The players selected are first nominated by their high school coaches (who must be KVA members), and then recommended by committee to fill the squads. Based on achievements, positions, classifications, collegiate plans and availability the squads are determined and divided into two teams which should provide for a very competitive match.This year’s participants are:BLUE TEAMHarley Ferralez – Hesston High SchoolKristen Evans – Ottawa High SchoolAnnabeth Baalman – Andale High SchoolGrace Xu – Emporia High SchoolKaty Harris – Atchison High SchoolTallon Rentschler – Smith Center High SchoolIyannah Jackson – Lansing High SchoolJacey Schurle – Clay Center High SchoolMadison Bruna – Hanover High SchoolDrew Baxter – Seaman High SchoolBrooke Hammond – Garden Plain High SchoolKassidy Nixon – Central Plains High SchoolBLUE COACHESNick Linn – Smith Center High SchoolSharlene Ramsey – Smoky Valley High SchoolLindsay Zych – Lansing High SchoolRED TEAMKamryn Farris – Lansing High SchoolCaitlin Bishop – Lansing High SchoolKatelyn Brogan – Washburn Rural High SchoolBrette Doile – McPherson High SchoolHali Bloomdahl – Clay Center High SchoolAshlyn Long – Smith Center High SchoolLauren Schutter – Wabaunsee High SchoolCaiya Stucky – Wichita NW High SchoolEmilee Lane – TMP Marian High SchoolLily Boughfman – Little River High SchoolAshlyn Berning – Blue Valley West High SchoolSammie Saunders – Hillsboro High SchoolRED COACHESChristy Doile – McPherson High SchoolMaria Aikins – Hutchinson High SchoolMelissa Holle – Hanover High School

Central Plains' Nixon to play in volleyball all-star match

WICHITA, Kan. — Long-time Wichita Open Director Roy Turner will retire effective October 1, 2022.

Turner has served as Tournament Director for the past 23 years, leading the planning, growth and expansion of the Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics, an event that has been a staple on the Korn Ferry Tour’s schedule since its 1990 inaugural season.

Turner will give out one more trophy and champion’s check on the 18th green at Crestview Country Club on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19th.

WICHITA, Kan. — Long-time Wichita Open Director Roy Turner will retire effective October 1, 2022.Turner has served as Tournament Director for the past 23 years, leading the planning, growth and expansion of the Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics, an event that has been a staple on the Korn Ferry Tour’s schedule since its 1990 inaugural season.Turner will give out one more trophy and champion’s check on the 18th green at Crestview Country Club on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19th.

Turner to retire from Wichita Open

LONDON (AP) — Miami punter Lou Hedley had to fly 13,000 miles to western Australia to cash in on his name.

The tattooed Aussie and thousands of other international athletes at American colleges have been told they can’t profit from their name, image and likeness on U.S. soil — though interpretations vary about what constitutes work — so some are trekking home to do it.

In Hedley’s case, it was a 37-hour journey that included a long stopover in Qatar.

“It’s a pain in the backside having to fly over but it’s all worth it,” Hedley told The Associated Press after a day of filming promotional spots for LifeWallet in the city of Perth, where he was also visiting family before his final season with the Hurricanes this fall. “I feel like I deserve to get a little bit of money, I’ve contributed wealth to the team (with) my name, image and likeness ... so it was good to kind of get compensated for what I’ve been doing the last three years.”

Hedley declined to specify an exact figure but confirmed his NIL deal is in line with his teammates at roughly $50,000. Miami attorney John Ruiz has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-business-mens-304bf21905369b71a8fc3c45ff4c2ed8">actively enlisting Hurricanes</a>&nbsp;on NIL deals through his LifeWallet healthcare company.

The 28-year-old Hedley, one of many Aussie punters in college football, said he didn’t sign anything until he touched down Down Under.

“The work is all done here, paid for over here. As long as I’m doing all my work in Australia, I’m getting paid in Australia, paying taxes in Australia and all that stuff, it’s all legal,” he said.

Nebraska basketball player Jaz Shelley also made a trip home to Australia for NIL deals, and teammate Isabelle Bourne planned to follow suit. Mustapha Amzil, a 6-foot-9 forward at Dayton, announced on social media that when he plays for the national team of his native Finland this summer he will be “open to any business and sponsorship deals.”

On the whole, though, international athletes are finding the NIL waters tricky to navigate, with mixed messages about what’s OK, even now almost a year after the NCAA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2021/6/30/ncaa-adopts-interim-name-image-and-likeness-policy.aspx" target="_blank">lifted restrictions</a>.

Some schools have told them to avoid NIL deals altogether because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-sports-business-celebrity-endorsements-education-4abf78b5012911f02ebee4ee6d776d7d">they could jeopardize their visa status.</a>&nbsp;Others say off U.S. soil is fine. Ultimately, the federal government is the arbiter of visa questions and deportations.

“There’s a ton of ambiguity,” said Casey Floyd, co-founder of NOCAP Sports, which is working with athletes to secure deals and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.change.org/p/name-image-and-likeness-rights-for-international-student-athletes" target="_blank">advocating for regulatory clarity</a>. “You go to some schools and they are very flexible ... and then you have a lot of schools that they just don’t want to touch it because they’re so scared of the ramifications.”

West Virginia’s international athletes, for example, “are not participating in NIL opportunities due to the current application of federal immigration regulations,” spokesman Michael Fragale said. Drexel asked its foreign athletes to “please refrain from entering into a NIL agreement or engaging in compensated NIL activity,” Mladenka Tomasevic, executive director of the International Students and Scholars Services, wrote in February.

It’s a different story at Nebraska, where the women’s basketball program&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskersWBB/status/1522663625260994560" target="_blank">tweeted</a>: “International NIL made possible!” adding that when Shelley and Bourne arrive on Australian soil “they will be legally eligible to participate in NIL activity.” Shelley then promoted her T-shirts and hoodies, as well as a Lincoln restaurant.

The University of Florida told its internationals planning NIL activity in their home countries to “&nbsp;<a href="https://internationalcenter.ufl.edu/f-1-student/f-1-status-requirements/employment/international-student-athletes-and-ncaa-nil-legislation" target="_blank">properly document their physical location</a>&nbsp;” by providing form I-94 arrival/departure records, ”flight itinerary, and port of entry stamp showing abroad.”

Cal basketball player Sam Alajiki of Ireland hopes to stay around Berkeley to promote Next Up Recruitment, a company based in Manchester, England, that helps athletes land scholarships.

“He’s literally going to be retweeting content. There’s no way that can be deemed as work,” said Next Up founder Ryan Cook, who has also explored holding payments in escrow or becoming an administrator of Alajiki’s social media account and publishing that way.

“The last thing we want to do is break anyone’s visa status,” he said. “We’re working with the Cal compliance team, as well, to make sure everything is OK. We’ve not received any pushback.”

Just in case, though, the deal doesn’t begin until September. By then, there may be specific guidance from the NCAA or relevant government agencies.

The NCAA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/ncaa/NIL/NIL_QandA.pdf" target="_blank">initial advice</a>&nbsp;said international athletes are covered by the interim NIL policy but that students “may consider” consulting with their school’s compliance official “for guidance related to maintaining their immigration status and tax implications.” If they have questions, they should write to the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

That program — SEVP — “continues to assess” the issue, said Sarah Loicano, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Kentucky forward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-basketball-kentucky-college-abef602265ba49c099a40483f8a9a213">Oscar Tshiebwe of Congo is among those calling for Congress to help foreign student athletes. The AP player of the year, who is returning for his senior season,</a>&nbsp;recently met with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-kentucky-march-madness-basketball-8f65fcfd5b003f6fd2c9960e398a7e6d">make his case</a>. The financial benefit to Tshiebwe could exceed seven figures.

The vast majority of the athletes hold F-1 visas that largely prohibit off-campus work. On-campus work is tightly restricted. Foreign students at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/high-school-athlete-endorsement-deals-NIL-690ca4547e8a00bf06fbd20f1dc058d8">high school</a>&nbsp;and prep level also stand to gain.

TCU tight end Alexander Honig of Germany said he hasn’t pursued the “super small” deals he’s been offered.

“Lately I’ve been really focused on my athletic path,” said Honig, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-christian-horned-frogs-football-football-texas-longhorns-football-nfl-college-football-37503bd65fd4dfe59c67096165a1c4df">recruited as a quarterback</a>. “I think I need to get on the field first and perform on a high level before I need to worry about NIL.”

LONDON (AP) — Miami punter Lou Hedley had to fly 13,000 miles to western Australia to cash in on his name.The tattooed Aussie and thousands of other international athletes at American colleges have been told they can’t profit from their name, image and likeness on U.S. soil — though interpretations vary about what constitutes work — so some are trekking home to do it.In Hedley’s case, it was a 37-hour journey that included a long stopover in Qatar.“It’s a pain in the backside having to fly over but it’s all worth it,” Hedley told The Associated Press after a day of filming promotional spots for LifeWallet in the city of Perth, where he was also visiting family before his final season with the Hurricanes this fall. “I feel like I deserve to get a little bit of money, I’ve contributed wealth to the team (with) my name, image and likeness ... so it was good to kind of get compensated for what I’ve been doing the last three years.”Hedley declined to specify an exact figure but confirmed his NIL deal is in line with his teammates at roughly $50,000. Miami attorney John Ruiz has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-business-mens-304bf21905369b71a8fc3c45ff4c2ed8">actively enlisting Hurricanes</a>&nbsp;on NIL deals through his LifeWallet healthcare company.The 28-year-old Hedley, one of many Aussie punters in college football, said he didn’t sign anything until he touched down Down Under.“The work is all done here, paid for over here. As long as I’m doing all my work in Australia, I’m getting paid in Australia, paying taxes in Australia and all that stuff, it’s all legal,” he said.Nebraska basketball player Jaz Shelley also made a trip home to Australia for NIL deals, and teammate Isabelle Bourne planned to follow suit. Mustapha Amzil, a 6-foot-9 forward at Dayton, announced on social media that when he plays for the national team of his native Finland this summer he will be “open to any business and sponsorship deals.”On the whole, though, international athletes are finding the NIL waters tricky to navigate, with mixed messages about what’s OK, even now almost a year after the NCAA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2021/6/30/ncaa-adopts-interim-name-image-and-likeness-policy.aspx" target="_blank">lifted restrictions</a>.Some schools have told them to avoid NIL deals altogether because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-sports-business-celebrity-endorsements-education-4abf78b5012911f02ebee4ee6d776d7d">they could jeopardize their visa status.</a>&nbsp;Others say off U.S. soil is fine. Ultimately, the federal government is the arbiter of visa questions and deportations.“There’s a ton of ambiguity,” said Casey Floyd, co-founder of NOCAP Sports, which is working with athletes to secure deals and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.change.org/p/name-image-and-likeness-rights-for-international-student-athletes" target="_blank">advocating for regulatory clarity</a>. “You go to some schools and they are very flexible ... and then you have a lot of schools that they just don’t want to touch it because they’re so scared of the ramifications.”West Virginia’s international athletes, for example, “are not participating in NIL opportunities due to the current application of federal immigration regulations,” spokesman Michael Fragale said. Drexel asked its foreign athletes to “please refrain from entering into a NIL agreement or engaging in compensated NIL activity,” Mladenka Tomasevic, executive director of the International Students and Scholars Services, wrote in February.It’s a different story at Nebraska, where the women’s basketball program&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuskersWBB/status/1522663625260994560" target="_blank">tweeted</a>: “International NIL made possible!” adding that when Shelley and Bourne arrive on Australian soil “they will be legally eligible to participate in NIL activity.” Shelley then promoted her T-shirts and hoodies, as well as a Lincoln restaurant.The University of Florida told its internationals planning NIL activity in their home countries to “&nbsp;<a href="https://internationalcenter.ufl.edu/f-1-student/f-1-status-requirements/employment/international-student-athletes-and-ncaa-nil-legislation" target="_blank">properly document their physical location</a>&nbsp;” by providing form I-94 arrival/departure records, ”flight itinerary, and port of entry stamp showing abroad.”Cal basketball player Sam Alajiki of Ireland hopes to stay around Berkeley to promote Next Up Recruitment, a company based in Manchester, England, that helps athletes land scholarships.“He’s literally going to be retweeting content. There’s no way that can be deemed as work,” said Next Up founder Ryan Cook, who has also explored holding payments in escrow or becoming an administrator of Alajiki’s social media account and publishing that way.“The last thing we want to do is break anyone’s visa status,” he said. “We’re working with the Cal compliance team, as well, to make sure everything is OK. We’ve not received any pushback.”Just in case, though, the deal doesn’t begin until September. By then, there may be specific guidance from the NCAA or relevant government agencies.The NCAA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/ncaa/NIL/NIL_QandA.pdf" target="_blank">initial advice</a>&nbsp;said international athletes are covered by the interim NIL policy but that students “may consider” consulting with their school’s compliance official “for guidance related to maintaining their immigration status and tax implications.” If they have questions, they should write to the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program.That program — SEVP — “continues to assess” the issue, said Sarah Loicano, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.Kentucky forward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-basketball-kentucky-college-abef602265ba49c099a40483f8a9a213">Oscar Tshiebwe of Congo is among those calling for Congress to help foreign student athletes. The AP player of the year, who is returning for his senior season,</a>&nbsp;recently met with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-kentucky-march-madness-basketball-8f65fcfd5b003f6fd2c9960e398a7e6d">make his case</a>. The financial benefit to Tshiebwe could exceed seven figures.The vast majority of the athletes hold F-1 visas that largely prohibit off-campus work. On-campus work is tightly restricted. Foreign students at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/high-school-athlete-endorsement-deals-NIL-690ca4547e8a00bf06fbd20f1dc058d8">high school</a>&nbsp;and prep level also stand to gain.TCU tight end Alexander Honig of Germany said he hasn’t pursued the “super small” deals he’s been offered.“Lately I’ve been really focused on my athletic path,” said Honig, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-christian-horned-frogs-football-football-texas-longhorns-football-nfl-college-football-37503bd65fd4dfe59c67096165a1c4df">recruited as a quarterback</a>. “I think I need to get on the field first and perform on a high level before I need to worry about NIL.”

'It's all legal': Foreign college athletes cash in at home

CLEVELAND (AP) — Austin Hedges hit a three-run homer and rookie Oscar Gonzalez doubled in two runs, sending the Cleveland Guardians to an 8-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Hedges’ third-inning drive, which barely cleared the 19-foot wall in left, scored Ernie Clement and Oscar Mercado to extend Cleveland’s lead to 6-2. The Guardians put 11 men on base in the first three frames against Daniel Lynch (2-4).

Gonzalez, who is 9 for 21 through five games in the majors, tacked on a two-run double in the sixth off Dylan Coleman. Cleveland has won three of four, including the first two in its three-game set with AL-worst Kansas City.

“It’s not all that often when a young kid comes up and gives you a huge boost, but Oscar has really given us a lift and some energy,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.

Cal Quantrill (2-3) worked 6.1 innings, allowing three runs, to remain unbeaten in his career at Progressive Field and against the Royals. The right-hander struck out five without a walk in improving to 6-0 in Cleveland and 5-0 all-time against Kansas City.

Hedges is hitting just .155 on the season, but three of his four homers have occurred in games when he catches Quantrill.

“Hedges is starting to hit home runs when I pitch, and I’m totally fine with that,” Quantrill said while chuckling.

Guardians third baseman José Ramírez, who leads the majors with 51 RBIs, was intentionally walked in his first two plate appearances and finished 1 for 2 with a stolen base. They were the first two intentional passes by a Cleveland player in 2022.

Lynch was lifted in the fourth after Andrés Giménez led off with a single. The left-hander gave up six runs, three in the first, in dropping his third straight decision for the 16-32 Royals.

“Right now, we’re having trouble putting it all together,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “All the guys are tired of walking out of here, feeling the way they’re feeling now.”

The Royals got on the board in the second when Kyle Isbel’s seeing-eye single drove in Hunter Dozier, then pulled within 3-2 in the third on Andrew Benintendi’s single to left. Benintendi was later thrown out at the plate by right fielder Gonzalez.

“The throw wasn’t on the money accurate, but it was a laser beam and, obviously, it was a big situation,” Hedges said. “He just needed to get it there on time and let me take care of the rest.”

Bobby Witt Jr. and Dozier were both hit by pitches from Quantrill near their left wrist, but remained in the game. Kansas City is 2-6 on a nine-game, 10-day trip that wraps up Wednesday in Cleveland.

Royals reliever Jose Cuas, who began last season with Long Island in the independent Atlantic League, made his big league debut by retiring all three batters he faced.

“It was everything you dream about as a kid,” Cuas said. “When I got through the first pitch, I was able to breathe and relax. It was fun.”

Ramírez was selected the AL Player of the Week for the second time this year after batting .348 with 11 RBIs in six games. The three-time All-Star has driven in 51 runs on the season, the third most in franchise history before the end of May. Cleveland's record is 63 by Manny Ramirez in 1999.

“Manny and Josey are so different, but when you’re talking about Josey in those comparisons, that’s a pretty big compliment, probably to both guys,” Francona said.

Royals: C Cam Gallagher (left hamstring strain), who has been on the 10-day injured list since May 2, joined Triple-A Omaha on a rehab assignment. Gallagher has missed 28 games. “He’s got a little ways to go,” manager Mike Matheny said. “Cam has to get behind the plate.”

Guardians: RHP Aaron Civale (left gluteal soreness) underwent a procedure to aspirate blood from the affected area. Civale was hurt on May 20 when he fell twice while mishandling a grounder against Detroit. “Hopefully, that will speed things up for him,” Francona said.

Royals: RHP Brad Keller (1-5, 3.95 ERA) seeks his first road victory since Aug. 20, 2021, against the Cubs. Keller is 0-3 with a 6.33 ERA in four starts away from Kansas City this season.

Guardians: LHP Konnor Pilkington (0-0, 3.75 ERA) makes his sixth appearance in the majors since debuting on April 15. Pilkington has allowed five runs in seven innings over two starts, both in May.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Austin Hedges hit a three-run homer and rookie Oscar Gonzalez doubled in two runs, sending the Cleveland Guardians to an 8-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.Hedges’ third-inning drive, which barely cleared the 19-foot wall in left, scored Ernie Clement and Oscar Mercado to extend Cleveland’s lead to 6-2. The Guardians put 11 men on base in the first three frames against Daniel Lynch (2-4).Gonzalez, who is 9 for 21 through five games in the majors, tacked on a two-run double in the sixth off Dylan Coleman. Cleveland has won three of four, including the first two in its three-game set with AL-worst Kansas City.“It’s not all that often when a young kid comes up and gives you a huge boost, but Oscar has really given us a lift and some energy,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said.Cal Quantrill (2-3) worked 6.1 innings, allowing three runs, to remain unbeaten in his career at Progressive Field and against the Royals. The right-hander struck out five without a walk in improving to 6-0 in Cleveland and 5-0 all-time against Kansas City.Hedges is hitting just .155 on the season, but three of his four homers have occurred in games when he catches Quantrill.“Hedges is starting to hit home runs when I pitch, and I’m totally fine with that,” Quantrill said while chuckling.Guardians third baseman José Ramírez, who leads the majors with 51 RBIs, was intentionally walked in his first two plate appearances and finished 1 for 2 with a stolen base. They were the first two intentional passes by a Cleveland player in 2022.Lynch was lifted in the fourth after Andrés Giménez led off with a single. The left-hander gave up six runs, three in the first, in dropping his third straight decision for the 16-32 Royals.“Right now, we’re having trouble putting it all together,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “All the guys are tired of walking out of here, feeling the way they’re feeling now.”The Royals got on the board in the second when Kyle Isbel’s seeing-eye single drove in Hunter Dozier, then pulled within 3-2 in the third on Andrew Benintendi’s single to left. Benintendi was later thrown out at the plate by right fielder Gonzalez.“The throw wasn’t on the money accurate, but it was a laser beam and, obviously, it was a big situation,” Hedges said. “He just needed to get it there on time and let me take care of the rest.”Bobby Witt Jr. and Dozier were both hit by pitches from Quantrill near their left wrist, but remained in the game. Kansas City is 2-6 on a nine-game, 10-day trip that wraps up Wednesday in Cleveland.Royals reliever Jose Cuas, who began last season with Long Island in the independent Atlantic League, made his big league debut by retiring all three batters he faced.“It was everything you dream about as a kid,” Cuas said. “When I got through the first pitch, I was able to breathe and relax. It was fun.”TORRID PACERamírez was selected the AL Player of the Week for the second time this year after batting .348 with 11 RBIs in six games. The three-time All-Star has driven in 51 runs on the season, the third most in franchise history before the end of May. Cleveland's record is 63 by Manny Ramirez in 1999.“Manny and Josey are so different, but when you’re talking about Josey in those comparisons, that’s a pretty big compliment, probably to both guys,” Francona said.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: C Cam Gallagher (left hamstring strain), who has been on the 10-day injured list since May 2, joined Triple-A Omaha on a rehab assignment. Gallagher has missed 28 games. “He’s got a little ways to go,” manager Mike Matheny said. “Cam has to get behind the plate.”Guardians: RHP Aaron Civale (left gluteal soreness) underwent a procedure to aspirate blood from the affected area. Civale was hurt on May 20 when he fell twice while mishandling a grounder against Detroit. “Hopefully, that will speed things up for him,” Francona said.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Brad Keller (1-5, 3.95 ERA) seeks his first road victory since Aug. 20, 2021, against the Cubs. Keller is 0-3 with a 6.33 ERA in four starts away from Kansas City this season.Guardians: LHP Konnor Pilkington (0-0, 3.75 ERA) makes his sixth appearance in the majors since debuting on April 15. Pilkington has allowed five runs in seven innings over two starts, both in May.

Hedges' three-run homer helps Guardians beat Royals

The Great Bend High School baseball team had three players earn a spot on the 2022 Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches (KABC) 5A All State Team.

Chayse Gruber was selected to the 2nd Team as a pitcher and third baseman. Sage Koelsch was named 2nd Team middle infielder. Paco Hernandez was picked to the 2nd Team as an outfielder.

The Panthers were co-champions of the Western Athletic Conference this spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1654008359277.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Great Bend High School baseball team had three players earn a spot on the 2022 Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches (KABC) 5A All State Team.Chayse Gruber was selected to the 2nd Team as a pitcher and third baseman. Sage Koelsch was named 2nd Team middle infielder. Paco Hernandez was picked to the 2nd Team as an outfielder.The Panthers were co-champions of the Western Athletic Conference this spring.

Three Great Bend baseball players named to KABC All State Team

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kansas City ace Zack Greinke was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm.

It was the significant in a flurry of roster moves by the Royals before opening a three-game series with the Guardians.

The 38-year-old Greinke complained of tightness in his arm following Sunday's start in Minnesota. He allowed five runs in four innings in a 7-3 loss to the Twins. Greinke is 0-4 with 5.05 ERA this season. Royals manager Mike Matheny said it could "take a little time" before Greinke's back.

A six-time All-Star, Greinke is in his second stint with the Royals. They signed him to a one-year, $13 million contract in March.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kansas City ace Zack Greinke was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm.It was the significant in a flurry of roster moves by the Royals before opening a three-game series with the Guardians.The 38-year-old Greinke complained of tightness in his arm following Sunday's start in Minnesota. He allowed five runs in four innings in a 7-3 loss to the Twins. Greinke is 0-4 with 5.05 ERA this season. Royals manager Mike Matheny said it could "take a little time" before Greinke's back.A six-time All-Star, Greinke is in his second stint with the Royals. They signed him to a one-year, $13 million contract in March.

Royals place Greinke on 15-day IL with strained forearm

CLEVELAND (AP) — Oscar Gonzalez bounced off the padded wall and the rookie outfielder casually flipped the ball into the stands, thinking the inning was over.

When he got back to Cleveland's dugout, Guardians manager Terry Francona had a question.

“I just asked him ‘I haven’t been to Triple-A in a while,'" Francona said. “'Do they make you get three outs there?'”

Fortunately, the Guardians could laugh off Gonzalez's gaffe.

Andrés Giménez hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning off Kansas City rookie Collin Snider and José Ramírez drove in three more runs, sending Cleveland to a 7-3 win over the injury-riddled Royals on Monday night.

Giménez's shot to center field off Snider (3-2) scored pinch-runner Ernie Clement and Gonzalez, who singled in the inning to make up for a bone-headed play in the sixth when he tossed the ball into the stands with two outs.

“There’s a lot of emotions happening in these types of games,” said Gonzalez, who was playing in his fourth major league game. "I was listening to the crowd and I thought there were two outs so I wanted to do something. I was able to flush it and focus on the next AB and help the team.”

Trailing 3-1 in the sixth, the Royals had a runner at first when Gonzalez made a nice play by tracking Salvador Perez’s slicing drive and making a catch in the right-field corner.

After making the grab, Gonzalez nonchalantly threw the ball to a fan, convinced there were three outs. Upon realizing his mistake, Gonzalez crouched like a catcher and bit the top of his glove.

“Honestly. I was like, ‘Oh, I screwed (up),'" Gonzalez said. “But my mind went to, ’I hope he hits to me and I can make the inning over.'”

Andrew Benintendi was awarded two bases on Gonzalez’s mental error, but starter Zach Plesac, who pitched six solid innings, buckled down and struck out MJ Melendez to end the threat.

Plesac didn't feel the need to say anything to Gonzalez afterward.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Oscar Gonzalez bounced off the padded wall and the rookie outfielder casually flipped the ball into the stands, thinking the inning was over.When he got back to Cleveland's dugout, Guardians manager Terry Francona had a question.“I just asked him ‘I haven’t been to Triple-A in a while,'" Francona said. “'Do they make you get three outs there?'”Fortunately, the Guardians could laugh off Gonzalez's gaffe.Andrés Giménez hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning off Kansas City rookie Collin Snider and José Ramírez drove in three more runs, sending Cleveland to a 7-3 win over the injury-riddled Royals on Monday night.Giménez's shot to center field off Snider (3-2) scored pinch-runner Ernie Clement and Gonzalez, who singled in the inning to make up for a bone-headed play in the sixth when he tossed the ball into the stands with two outs.“There’s a lot of emotions happening in these types of games,” said Gonzalez, who was playing in his fourth major league game. "I was listening to the crowd and I thought there were two outs so I wanted to do something. I was able to flush it and focus on the next AB and help the team.”Trailing 3-1 in the sixth, the Royals had a runner at first when Gonzalez made a nice play by tracking Salvador Perez’s slicing drive and making a catch in the right-field corner.After making the grab, Gonzalez nonchalantly threw the ball to a fan, convinced there were three outs. Upon realizing his mistake, Gonzalez crouched like a catcher and bit the top of his glove.“Honestly. I was like, ‘Oh, I screwed (up),'" Gonzalez said. “But my mind went to, ’I hope he hits to me and I can make the inning over.'”Andrew Benintendi was awarded two bases on Gonzalez’s mental error, but starter Zach Plesac, who pitched six solid innings, buckled down and struck out MJ Melendez to end the threat.Plesac didn't feel the need to say anything to Gonzalez afterward.“Nothing came out of it so it was one of those, just kind of smile it off,” he said. “I’m not looking at him like, ‘Come on dude, you need to do better.’ He learned from it. He understood. He knew what he did. We got out of it with no runs, unscathed.”Ramírez hit his 13th homer — a two-run shot in the fifth — and raised his major league-leading total to 51 RBIs. He reached 50 RBIs in 44 games, the second fastest in team history behind Manny Ramirez, who did in 38 games in 1999.“He’s the best player in the game, hands down,” Plesac said. “I don’t care who wants to challenge him. He hits from both sides of the plate. He doesn’t strike out. He does his job and he puts up runs, so it’s phenomenal.”Nick Sandlin (4-2) got the win in relief.Emmanuel Rivera homered for the Royals, who rallied in the eighth but couldn't stop from falling to 16-31 — the AL's worst record. Before the game, Kansas City made roster moves involving eight players.Down 3-1, Kansas City tied it in the eighth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Whit Merrifield and Benintendi that tied it 3-3.But in Cleveland's half, Josh Naylor drew a one-out walk off Snider, and Gonzalez singled to right before Giménez drove a 3-2 sinker from Snider over the wall in straightaway center for his fifth homer.The Guardians tacked on a fourth run on a throwing error by Royals rookie shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.“We got into a spot where we had to fight back and the guys did a great job with that late in the game against a good bullpen and gave us a chance,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Unfortunately a one-out walk put us in a bit of a bind and then a pitch that wasn’t where we wanted it to be ended up being the home run.”MUSIC MANGonzalez's choice for walk-up music raised some eyebrows.It the theme song from “SpongeBob SquarePants.”Why?“Because kids love that song and this is a kid’s game after all," he said. "I’ve had it since Triple-A.”TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Veteran RHP Zack Greinke was placed on the 15-day IL with a strained right forearm, one of several roster roster moves before the series opener. The 38-year-old Greinke complained of tightness in his arm following Sunday’s start in Minnesota. Greinke's 0-4 with a 5.05 ERA.Guardians: There's still no timetable for DH Franmil Reyes (hamstring) to return from the injured list. He met with trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and Francona to map out a long-term plan. ... RHP Aaron Civale (strained gluteus) underwent another MRI after throwing a side session in anticipation of a scheduled rehab start at Triple-A Columbus Tuesday. Francona said Civale didn't feel ready to “ramp up” to game intensity so the team decided to have him checked further.UP NEXTCleveland's most consistent starter despite a lack of run support, RHP Cal Quantrill (1-3) starts Tuesday against Royals LHP Daniel Lynch (2-3).