SEATTLE (AP) — As he spoke of his game-winning hit, Jesse Winker was quick to acknowledge the torrid hitting of teammate Ty France, the numerous arms in the bullpen that performed in key moments and the fact the Seattle Mariners weren’t whole this week due to illness.

“It’s just a testament to what we have here,” Winker said. “We have depth. We have guys that compete. We have guys that just come to the yard ready to play, ready to do their job.”

Winker provided the capper to a terrific homestand for the Mariners, finishing an 11-pitch at-bat with a broken-bat single into right field to score Adam Frazier, and Seattle beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 12 innings on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Seattle went 7-2 on the homestand, despite being without key pieces like outfielder Mitch Haniger, reliever Paul Sewald and manager Scott Servais during a big chunk of that stretch due to COVID-19. But the Mariners took two of three from both Houston and Texas before sweeping the Royals.

“We have guys that step in right away and have impact at-bats and impact innings pitched,” Seattle starter Robbie Ray said.

Winker, acquired in a trade last month with Cincinnati, had his first big moment for the Mariners in Saturday’s 13-7 win over the Royals with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

Winker had an 11-pitch at-bat in the 10th inning, ending with a sacrifice fly that scored Frazier to tie the game at 4. Two innings later, Winker fouled off seven pitches from Joel Payamps (0-1) before dumping his first hit of the game into right field. Frazier scored easily when Whit Merrifield’s throw was up the line.

“(Winker) stays calm, composed throughout an at-bat,” Mariners acting manager Kristopher Negrón said. “It could be a bad call, he doesn’t let it get to him. He just goes on to the next one.”

Yohan Ramirez (1-0) got the win by escaping a jam in the 12th. Ramirez, the sixth Seattle reliever, walked Michael A. Taylor and Ryan O’Hearn with one out in the 12th, loading the bases. But he recovered to strike out Merrifield and Nicky Lopez.

France continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer on the third pitch of the game. France was intentionally walked before even stepping into the box to open the bottom of the 12th and Winker followed with the winner.

France, who had a career-high five hits on Saturday, added three more on Sunday. He’s the first Mariners player since David Bell in 2001 with eight or more hits and two or more homers over a two-game span.

J.P. Crawford also had an RBI double and Seattle’s bullpen allowed one earned run over six innings.

Hunter Dozier hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth off Drew Steckenrider to pull the Royals even at 3. It was Dozier’s third home run of the season and first on the road.

Steckenrider had not allowed a long ball in his first six appearances this season and blew a save chance for the first time.

“For the most part we did a lot of things right today. Just couldn’t get the big (hit) when we needed it late,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.

The home run by Dozier cost Ray his third straight win. Ray pitched at least six innings for the fourth consecutive start to begin his Seattle career following his big offseason signing by the Mariners. Ray’s only trouble came in the third when a leadoff walk to Taylor and Cam Gallagher’s double plated one run.

Salvador Perez doubled later in the inning to score Edward Oliveras and pull the Royals even at 2.

Ray allowed five hits and struck out five. He’s the only pitcher in the majors this year to throw at least six innings in four starts.

Royals starter Carlos Hernández pitched 5 1/3 innings and struck out four.

Royals: Perez was back in the lineup a day after getting hit on the left hand and wrist by a pitch. X-rays were negative, and Perez got a day off from catching until coming on in the 10th inning.

Mariners: Seattle had no new additions to the COVID-19 injured list. Negrón said the players and coaches affected by the virus this past week were feeling better but was unsure if they would rejoin the team before or during the upcoming nine-game road trip. “The hope, the plan is, hopefully they’re good to go on this road trip,” Negrón said. “That’s what we’re trying to hope for. They’re feeling better and once they pass protocols they’ll be ready to go with us.”

Royals: Kansas City is off Monday before opening a series in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday. LHP Daniel Lynch (1-1, 5.40) will start the opener.

Mariners: After an off day, Seattle begins a three-game series at Tampa Bay. RHP Logan Gilbert (2-0, 0.58) will start the opener Tuesday.

SEATTLE (AP) — As he spoke of his game-winning hit, Jesse Winker was quick to acknowledge the torrid hitting of teammate Ty France, the numerous arms in the bullpen that performed in key moments and the fact the Seattle Mariners weren’t whole this week due to illness.“It’s just a testament to what we have here,” Winker said. “We have depth. We have guys that compete. We have guys that just come to the yard ready to play, ready to do their job.”Winker provided the capper to a terrific homestand for the Mariners, finishing an 11-pitch at-bat with a broken-bat single into right field to score Adam Frazier, and Seattle beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 12 innings on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.Seattle went 7-2 on the homestand, despite being without key pieces like outfielder Mitch Haniger, reliever Paul Sewald and manager Scott Servais during a big chunk of that stretch due to COVID-19. But the Mariners took two of three from both Houston and Texas before sweeping the Royals.“We have guys that step in right away and have impact at-bats and impact innings pitched,” Seattle starter Robbie Ray said.Winker, acquired in a trade last month with Cincinnati, had his first big moment for the Mariners in Saturday’s 13-7 win over the Royals with a two-run double in the eighth inning.He topped that a day later.Winker had an 11-pitch at-bat in the 10th inning, ending with a sacrifice fly that scored Frazier to tie the game at 4. Two innings later, Winker fouled off seven pitches from Joel Payamps (0-1) before dumping his first hit of the game into right field. Frazier scored easily when Whit Merrifield’s throw was up the line.“(Winker) stays calm, composed throughout an at-bat,” Mariners acting manager Kristopher Negrón said. “It could be a bad call, he doesn’t let it get to him. He just goes on to the next one.”Yohan Ramirez (1-0) got the win by escaping a jam in the 12th. Ramirez, the sixth Seattle reliever, walked Michael A. Taylor and Ryan O’Hearn with one out in the 12th, loading the bases. But he recovered to strike out Merrifield and Nicky Lopez.France continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer on the third pitch of the game. France was intentionally walked before even stepping into the box to open the bottom of the 12th and Winker followed with the winner.France, who had a career-high five hits on Saturday, added three more on Sunday. He’s the first Mariners player since David Bell in 2001 with eight or more hits and two or more homers over a two-game span.J.P. Crawford also had an RBI double and Seattle’s bullpen allowed one earned run over six innings.Hunter Dozier hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth off Drew Steckenrider to pull the Royals even at 3. It was Dozier’s third home run of the season and first on the road.Steckenrider had not allowed a long ball in his first six appearances this season and blew a save chance for the first time.“For the most part we did a lot of things right today. Just couldn’t get the big (hit) when we needed it late,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.STARTING OFFThe home run by Dozier cost Ray his third straight win. Ray pitched at least six innings for the fourth consecutive start to begin his Seattle career following his big offseason signing by the Mariners. Ray’s only trouble came in the third when a leadoff walk to Taylor and Cam Gallagher’s double plated one run.Salvador Perez doubled later in the inning to score Edward Oliveras and pull the Royals even at 2.Ray allowed five hits and struck out five. He’s the only pitcher in the majors this year to throw at least six innings in four starts.Royals starter Carlos Hernández pitched 5 1/3 innings and struck out four.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: Perez was back in the lineup a day after getting hit on the left hand and wrist by a pitch. X-rays were negative, and Perez got a day off from catching until coming on in the 10th inning.Mariners: Seattle had no new additions to the COVID-19 injured list. Negrón said the players and coaches affected by the virus this past week were feeling better but was unsure if they would rejoin the team before or during the upcoming nine-game road trip. “The hope, the plan is, hopefully they’re good to go on this road trip,” Negrón said. “That’s what we’re trying to hope for. They’re feeling better and once they pass protocols they’ll be ready to go with us.”UP NEXTRoyals: Kansas City is off Monday before opening a series in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday. LHP Daniel Lynch (1-1, 5.40) will start the opener.Mariners: After an off day, Seattle begins a three-game series at Tampa Bay. RHP Logan Gilbert (2-0, 0.58) will start the opener Tuesday.

Winker’s single wins it in 12th, Mariners beat Royals 5-4

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds ended an 11-game losing streak, their longest in six years, jumping to a first-inning lead and beating the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 as former first-round draft pick Nick Lodolo got his first major league win. Colin Moran drove in two runs for the Reds, who had been 0-4 at home this year and had not won anywhere since April 10 at World Series champion Atlanta. Cincinnati had been outscored 68-20 during the skid. Moran hit a sacrifice fly and Nick Senzel followed with an RBI single in the first. The Reds are a major league-worst 3-13.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jesse Winker capped an 11-pitch at-bat with a broken-bat single that scored Adam Frazier, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 12 innings to complete a three-game sweep. Winker had an 11-pitch at-bat in the 10th inning that ended with a sacrifice fly that scored Frazier to tie the game at 4. Two innings later, Winker fouled off seven pitches from Joel Payamps before dumping his first hit of the game into right field. Seattle finished off an impressive 7-2 homestand. Hunter Dozier hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth inning off Drew Steckenrider to pull the Royals even at 3.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have knotted their series with the top-seeded Phoenix Suns at two games apiece. Brandon Ingram furnished 30 points and Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double in New Orleans’ 118-103 win against Phoenix. Valanciunas came away with 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans, who took control by outscoring the Suns, 35-23 in the third quarter. Ingram had 16 points in the period.

DENVER (AP) — The Golden State Warriors were unable to complete a four-game sweep of Denver in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Nikola Jokicpumped in 37 points and fed Will Barton for a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left in the Nuggets’ 126-121 victory against the Warriors. Barton’s trey came after Monte Morris hit a seven-footer then broke a 121-all tie with 33 ½ seconds left.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are within one victory of advancing to the second round after completing a weekend assault of the Bulls in Chicago. Grayson Allen set playoff career highs with 27 points and six 3-pointers in the Bucks' second straight blowout win over the Bulls, 119-95. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds for Milwaukee which outscored the Bulls by 54 points in the two games in Chicago.

ATLANTA (AP) — Miami Heat are up three games to one following a 110-86 pounding of the Hawks in Atlanta. Jimmy Butler delivered 13 of his 36 points while Miami outscored the Hawks, 30-15 in the second quarter to take a 14-point lead. PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo each had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Heat, who can close out the series at home on Tuesday.

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Ross Chastain surged into the lead as he closed in on the checkered flag Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway to steal his second career Cup Series win. Chastain simply stayed in line over the final few laps as leader Erik Jones and reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson fought for the win. Larson made his attempt for the winning-pass on the final lap and Jones moved for the defensive block. Chastain just pointed his Chevrolet straight, slipped past the leaders and won for the second time in five races. Chastain and William Byron are the only multiple-race winners a quarter of the way through the Cup season.

AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele held off Sam Burns and Billy Horschel by two strokes Sunday in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to complete a record-setting, wire-to-wire victory. Cantlay and Schauffele closed with an even-par-72 in late afternoon showers in the alternate-shot final round to finish at 29-under 259 at breezy TPC Louisiana, two shots ahead of Burns and Horschel. The Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup partners broke the tournament record of 27 under set by Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown and Jonas Blixt-Cameron Smith in 2017, the first year the event was as a team event. Cantlay and Schauffele are the first wire-to-wire winners since the tournament adopted the team format. Burns, the local favorite who played at LSU, and Horschel closed with a 68.

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650534147834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds ended an 11-game losing streak, their longest in six years, jumping to a first-inning lead and beating the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 as former first-round draft pick Nick Lodolo got his first major league win. Colin Moran drove in two runs for the Reds, who had been 0-4 at home this year and had not won anywhere since April 10 at World Series champion Atlanta. Cincinnati had been outscored 68-20 during the skid. Moran hit a sacrifice fly and Nick Senzel followed with an RBI single in the first. The Reds are a major league-worst 3-13.SEATTLE (AP) — Jesse Winker capped an 11-pitch at-bat with a broken-bat single that scored Adam Frazier, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 12 innings to complete a three-game sweep. Winker had an 11-pitch at-bat in the 10th inning that ended with a sacrifice fly that scored Frazier to tie the game at 4. Two innings later, Winker fouled off seven pitches from Joel Payamps before dumping his first hit of the game into right field. Seattle finished off an impressive 7-2 homestand. Hunter Dozier hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth inning off Drew Steckenrider to pull the Royals even at 3.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have knotted their series with the top-seeded Phoenix Suns at two games apiece. Brandon Ingram furnished 30 points and Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double in New Orleans’ 118-103 win against Phoenix. Valanciunas came away with 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans, who took control by outscoring the Suns, 35-23 in the third quarter. Ingram had 16 points in the period.DENVER (AP) — The Golden State Warriors were unable to complete a four-game sweep of Denver in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Nikola Jokicpumped in 37 points and fed Will Barton for a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left in the Nuggets’ 126-121 victory against the Warriors. Barton’s trey came after Monte Morris hit a seven-footer then broke a 121-all tie with 33 ½ seconds left.CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are within one victory of advancing to the second round after completing a weekend assault of the Bulls in Chicago. Grayson Allen set playoff career highs with 27 points and six 3-pointers in the Bucks' second straight blowout win over the Bulls, 119-95. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 17 rebounds for Milwaukee which outscored the Bulls by 54 points in the two games in Chicago.ATLANTA (AP) — Miami Heat are up three games to one following a 110-86 pounding of the Hawks in Atlanta. Jimmy Butler delivered 13 of his 36 points while Miami outscored the Hawks, 30-15 in the second quarter to take a 14-point lead. PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo each had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Heat, who can close out the series at home on Tuesday.TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Ross Chastain surged into the lead as he closed in on the checkered flag Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway to steal his second career Cup Series win. Chastain simply stayed in line over the final few laps as leader Erik Jones and reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson fought for the win. Larson made his attempt for the winning-pass on the final lap and Jones moved for the defensive block. Chastain just pointed his Chevrolet straight, slipped past the leaders and won for the second time in five races. Chastain and William Byron are the only multiple-race winners a quarter of the way through the Cup season.AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele held off Sam Burns and Billy Horschel by two strokes Sunday in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to complete a record-setting, wire-to-wire victory. Cantlay and Schauffele closed with an even-par-72 in late afternoon showers in the alternate-shot final round to finish at 29-under 259 at breezy TPC Louisiana, two shots ahead of Burns and Horschel. The Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup partners broke the tournament record of 27 under set by Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown and Jonas Blixt-Cameron Smith in 2017, the first year the event was as a team event. Cantlay and Schauffele are the first wire-to-wire winners since the tournament adopted the team format. Burns, the local favorite who played at LSU, and Horschel closed with a 68.SUNDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Colorado	6	Detroit	2	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Tampa Bay	5	Boston	2	Final	N.Y. Yankees	10	Cleveland	2	Final	Houston	8	Toronto	7	Final	Minnesota	6	Chicago White Sox	4	Final	Oakland	2	Texas	0	Final	L.A. Angels	7	Baltimore	6	Final	Seattle	5	Kansas City	4	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Cincinnati	4	St. Louis	1	Final	San Francisco	12	Washington	3	Final	Miami	5	Atlanta	4	Final	Pittsburgh	4	Chicago Cubs	3	Final	N.Y. Mets	6	Arizona	2	Final	L.A. Dodgers	10	San Diego	2	Final	Milwaukee	1	Philadelphia	0	NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Milwaukee	119	Chicago	95	Final	Denver	126	Golden State	121	Final	Miami	110	Atlanta	86	Final	New Orleans	118	Phoenix	103	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	3	New Jersey	0	Final	Carolina	5	N-Y Islanders	2	Final	Columbus	5	Edmonton	2	Final	Philadelphia	4	Pittsburgh	1	Final	Winnipeg	4	Colorado	1	Final	Tampa Bay	8	Florida	4	Final SO	Toronto	4	Washington	3	Final	Boston	5	Montreal	3	Final OT	Minnesota	5	Nashville	4	Final	St. Louis	6	Anaheim	3	Final SO	San Jose	5	Vegas	4

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

The Barton Cougars split their double header with Coffeyville Saturday, winning game one in walkoff fashion 12-11 before dropping game two 5-4. The Red Ravens took 3 of 4 from the Cougars after sweeping the first to games of the series Thursday in Coffeyville.

In game one, Dryden House hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 9th over the center field wall to give Barton the 12-11 victory. It was his second home run of the season. The Cougars were unable to carry that momentum over to game two as the Red Ravens picked up the one run victory.

Barton is now 32-14 on the season heading into another non-conference matchup Tuesday at Hesston. Coffeyville is 25-18.

The Barton Cougars split their double header with Coffeyville Saturday, winning game one in walkoff fashion 12-11 before dropping game two 5-4. The Red Ravens took 3 of 4 from the Cougars after sweeping the first to games of the series Thursday in Coffeyville.In game one, Dryden House hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 9th over the center field wall to give Barton the 12-11 victory. It was his second home run of the season. The Cougars were unable to carry that momentum over to game two as the Red Ravens picked up the one run victory.Barton is now 32-14 on the season heading into another non-conference matchup Tuesday at Hesston. Coffeyville is 25-18.

Cougars wrap up four gamer with double header split

SEATTLE (AP) — Ty France had five hits, including a three-run homer, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 13-7 on Saturday night.

Royals reliever Jake Brentz (0-3) walked four straight batters to open the eighth inning. His bases-loaded free pass to Julio Rodriguez allowed Donovan Walton to score the go-ahead run. Jesse Winker then drove in two runs with a double to make it 10-7 before France homered to center field.

“Those were great at-bats throughout to put us in that situation,” Mariners acting manager Kristopher Negron said. “Everybody was just kind of stringing them all together. Hits are contagious, but pitches and dominating zones are contagious, too.”

France, who had five RBIs, became the first Mariners player with five or more hits in a game since Dee-Strange Gordon on May 1, 2018.

“I’m just getting on time,” France said. “When I’m on time, I’m able to react to pitches, lay off bad pitches and put good swings on pitches. That’s basically what it comes down to for me. When things are going well, it just means my timing’s right and I’m able to get that good swing off.”

Seattle had seven extra-base hits, including a two-run homer by J.P. Crawford in the first.

Diego Castillo (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth for the win.

The Royals entered the seventh trailing 6-4. Carlos Santana tied it with a two-run homer to right field before Edward Olivares gave Kansas City the lead with an RBI double.

“They really fought to get us back and give us a lead,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “To give that up usually takes a little more out of you.”

France drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the inning.

“When (France) gets in the box,” Negron said, “he’s ready to do some damage from the first pitch.”

Abraham Toro’s ground-rule double in the third drove in Eugenio Suarez and put the Mariners up 5-1. Toro was the last batter to face Royals starter Kris Bubic, who gave up seven hits and five runs in two innings.

Kansas City scored three times in the fifth.

With the bases loaded and one out, Hunter Dozier singled to score Andrew Benintendi. A throwing error by Crawford at shortstop allowed Salvador Perez to score. Bobby Witt Jr. then drove in Santana with a single.

“I don’t think there was any panic,” France said. “We know the lineup we have and how deep we are.”

A double by Suarez scored France in the sixth to give the Mariners a two-run lead heading into the seventh.

Seattle starter Matt Brash pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs.

“We never stop fighting,” Rodriguez said. “That’s who we are. I love this team because of that. We never stop fighting. We just kept on going. We never had a second thought that we might lose this game. We were going for the win.”

Royals: Perez was hit in the hand by Yohan Ramirez’s fastball in the seventh inning. He initially remained in the game, but later exited. Matheny said X-rays were negative. ... OF Michael A. Taylor got the night off. He’s expected to return to the lineup for Sunday’s series finale.

Mariners: None of the players or coaches who tested positive for COVID-19 have rejoined the team yet.

Royals: LHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 7.27 ERA) makes his third start of the season Sunday nd first against the Mariners.

Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray (2-1, 4.19), last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner, makes his fourth start of the season and first against the Royals.

SEATTLE (AP) — Ty France had five hits, including a three-run homer, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 13-7 on Saturday night.Royals reliever Jake Brentz (0-3) walked four straight batters to open the eighth inning. His bases-loaded free pass to Julio Rodriguez allowed Donovan Walton to score the go-ahead run. Jesse Winker then drove in two runs with a double to make it 10-7 before France homered to center field.“Those were great at-bats throughout to put us in that situation,” Mariners acting manager Kristopher Negron said. “Everybody was just kind of stringing them all together. Hits are contagious, but pitches and dominating zones are contagious, too.”France, who had five RBIs, became the first Mariners player with five or more hits in a game since Dee-Strange Gordon on May 1, 2018.“I’m just getting on time,” France said. “When I’m on time, I’m able to react to pitches, lay off bad pitches and put good swings on pitches. That’s basically what it comes down to for me. When things are going well, it just means my timing’s right and I’m able to get that good swing off.”Seattle had seven extra-base hits, including a two-run homer by J.P. Crawford in the first.Diego Castillo (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth for the win.The Royals entered the seventh trailing 6-4. Carlos Santana tied it with a two-run homer to right field before Edward Olivares gave Kansas City the lead with an RBI double.“They really fought to get us back and give us a lead,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “To give that up usually takes a little more out of you.”France drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the inning.“When (France) gets in the box,” Negron said, “he’s ready to do some damage from the first pitch.”Abraham Toro’s ground-rule double in the third drove in Eugenio Suarez and put the Mariners up 5-1. Toro was the last batter to face Royals starter Kris Bubic, who gave up seven hits and five runs in two innings.Kansas City scored three times in the fifth.With the bases loaded and one out, Hunter Dozier singled to score Andrew Benintendi. A throwing error by Crawford at shortstop allowed Salvador Perez to score. Bobby Witt Jr. then drove in Santana with a single.“I don’t think there was any panic,” France said. “We know the lineup we have and how deep we are.”A double by Suarez scored France in the sixth to give the Mariners a two-run lead heading into the seventh.Seattle starter Matt Brash pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs.“We never stop fighting,” Rodriguez said. “That’s who we are. I love this team because of that. We never stop fighting. We just kept on going. We never had a second thought that we might lose this game. We were going for the win.”TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: Perez was hit in the hand by Yohan Ramirez’s fastball in the seventh inning. He initially remained in the game, but later exited. Matheny said X-rays were negative. ... OF Michael A. Taylor got the night off. He’s expected to return to the lineup for Sunday’s series finale.Mariners: None of the players or coaches who tested positive for COVID-19 have rejoined the team yet.UP NEXTRoyals: LHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 7.27 ERA) makes his third start of the season Sunday nd first against the Mariners.Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray (2-1, 4.19), last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner, makes his fourth start of the season and first against the Royals.

France has 5 hits, 5 RBIs as Mariners outslug Royals 13-7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There are two very different schools of thought surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs as they head into the NFL draft, where aggressive general manager Brett Veach has two picks apiece in each of the first four rounds and 12 in all.

The first involves working the phones next Thursday night to move up in the first round, perhaps packaging picks to climb the board and select a player they really want. If that’s the case, it’s likely to be one of the top wide receivers in the hopes that he can help replace Tyreek Hill, the three-time All-Pro that was traded to the Dolphins this offseason.

The other thought process takes into consideration the whopping long-term contracts that Kansas City has doled out to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, defensive tackle Chris Jones and several others. In that case, they would use all their draft capital to select a bunch of players that will be on inexpensive rookie contracts for the next several years.

“I think it’s all opportunity dependent,” Veach said. “I think we’ve shown over the years that if there’s a player or talent that we really like, and we think that there’s no alternative to match, we’ll look to (trade up).”

Veach won’t tip his hand, of course. But he has more picks than at any point since he replaced John Dorsey in 2017, shortly after Veach pounded the table to convince his predecessor to trade up and pick Mahomes with the 10th overall choice.

That means Veach has more latitude to do just about anything he wants over the course of the three-day draft.

“For sure, it’s certainly market-directed in what’s available and what’s realistic,” said Veach, who has had six picks apiece in every draft since taking over as GM. “It’s just case by case. You just kind of go through the exercise and just make the best decision for the organization.”

Last year, that involved trading a package of picks — including the Chiefs’ first-round selection — to the Ravens for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who played well last season and has since been given the franchise tag by Kansas City.

This year, it involved sending Hill to Miami for five draft picks, including first-, second- and fourth-rounders this year.

Former NFL GM Mark Dominik is in the camp that thinks the Chiefs will stand pat on Thursday night, getting the best wide receiver available at No. 29 and addressing one of their other needs — perhaps edge rusher or defensive back — with the No. 30 selection. Or, Dominik thinks the Chiefs could trade down and acquire even more draft capital.

“I don’t think you have to go get a receiver unless you feel like this is one of those times where there’s only one guy you like. But I think there’s so many good ones that you’re going to be very comfortable to just kind of play it out and take your two picks,” Dominik said. “I think they’re going to be more like letting it come to them.”

If the Chiefs want the closest player-for-player replacement for Hill, it could mean trading up to pick Alabama’s Jameson Williams, who is 10 weeks removed from an ACL injury. But there should be plenty of others available late in the first round: Treylon Burks of Arkansas, Skyy Moore of Western Michigan and Jahan Dotson of Penn State.

Kansas City has not picked a wide receiver in the first round since 2011, when Jonathan Baldwin turned out to be a bust.

The Chiefs lost Charvarius Ward in free agency and could use someone with enough versatility to cover the slot. That is why they have been linked to Florida’s Kaiir Elam and Michigan’s Daxton Hill, a safety who plays like a cornerback.

The Chiefs managed just 31 sacks last season, better than three other teams, and that’s a big reason why they felt compelled to keep defensive end Frank Clark despite his huge salary cap hit. With a deep draft of edge rushers, look for Kansas City to upgrade at that position. Possible targets include Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie and Boye Mafe of Minnesota.

Jones is the only defensive tackle signed through the 2023 season, so the Chiefs are likely to target the position in the second round or later. They are suddenly in a division featuring Russell Wilson in Denver along with Derek Carr in Las Vegas and Justin Herbert in Los Angeles, so getting pressure on the quarterback up the middle is becoming crucial.

The Chiefs have hosted the past four AFC title games, so it’s not as if they have an abundance of holes to fill. And with 12 picks, they have the ability to invest in someone that may not help them right away. So keep an eye on Michigan pass rusher David Ojabo, who tore his Achilles tendon during his pro day last month. Ojabo was viewed as a top-20 talent, but the fact that he could miss the entire upcoming season could make Kansas City a soft landing spot for him.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There are two very different schools of thought surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs as they head into the NFL draft, where aggressive general manager Brett Veach has two picks apiece in each of the first four rounds and 12 in all.The first involves working the phones next Thursday night to move up in the first round, perhaps packaging picks to climb the board and select a player they really want. If that’s the case, it’s likely to be one of the top wide receivers in the hopes that he can help replace Tyreek Hill, the three-time All-Pro that was traded to the Dolphins this offseason.The other thought process takes into consideration the whopping long-term contracts that Kansas City has doled out to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, defensive tackle Chris Jones and several others. In that case, they would use all their draft capital to select a bunch of players that will be on inexpensive rookie contracts for the next several years.“I think it’s all opportunity dependent,” Veach said. “I think we’ve shown over the years that if there’s a player or talent that we really like, and we think that there’s no alternative to match, we’ll look to (trade up).”Veach won’t tip his hand, of course. But he has more picks than at any point since he replaced John Dorsey in 2017, shortly after Veach pounded the table to convince his predecessor to trade up and pick Mahomes with the 10th overall choice.That means Veach has more latitude to do just about anything he wants over the course of the three-day draft.“For sure, it’s certainly market-directed in what’s available and what’s realistic,” said Veach, who has had six picks apiece in every draft since taking over as GM. “It’s just case by case. You just kind of go through the exercise and just make the best decision for the organization.”Last year, that involved trading a package of picks — including the Chiefs’ first-round selection — to the Ravens for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who played well last season and has since been given the franchise tag by Kansas City.This year, it involved sending Hill to Miami for five draft picks, including first-, second- and fourth-rounders this year.Former NFL GM Mark Dominik is in the camp that thinks the Chiefs will stand pat on Thursday night, getting the best wide receiver available at No. 29 and addressing one of their other needs — perhaps edge rusher or defensive back — with the No. 30 selection. Or, Dominik thinks the Chiefs could trade down and acquire even more draft capital.“I don’t think you have to go get a receiver unless you feel like this is one of those times where there’s only one guy you like. But I think there’s so many good ones that you’re going to be very comfortable to just kind of play it out and take your two picks,” Dominik said. “I think they’re going to be more like letting it come to them.”THE WR CLASSIf the Chiefs want the closest player-for-player replacement for Hill, it could mean trading up to pick Alabama’s Jameson Williams, who is 10 weeks removed from an ACL injury. But there should be plenty of others available late in the first round: Treylon Burks of Arkansas, Skyy Moore of Western Michigan and Jahan Dotson of Penn State.Kansas City has not picked a wide receiver in the first round since 2011, when Jonathan Baldwin turned out to be a bust.WHAT ABOUT DBThe Chiefs lost Charvarius Ward in free agency and could use someone with enough versatility to cover the slot. That is why they have been linked to Florida’s Kaiir Elam and Michigan’s Daxton Hill, a safety who plays like a cornerback.RUSH HOURThe Chiefs managed just 31 sacks last season, better than three other teams, and that’s a big reason why they felt compelled to keep defensive end Frank Clark despite his huge salary cap hit. With a deep draft of edge rushers, look for Kansas City to upgrade at that position. Possible targets include Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie and Boye Mafe of Minnesota.PLUG SOME HOLESJones is the only defensive tackle signed through the 2023 season, so the Chiefs are likely to target the position in the second round or later. They are suddenly in a division featuring Russell Wilson in Denver along with Derek Carr in Las Vegas and Justin Herbert in Los Angeles, so getting pressure on the quarterback up the middle is becoming crucial.WAIT AND SEEThe Chiefs have hosted the past four AFC title games, so it’s not as if they have an abundance of holes to fill. And with 12 picks, they have the ability to invest in someone that may not help them right away. So keep an eye on Michigan pass rusher David Ojabo, who tore his Achilles tendon during his pro day last month. Ojabo was viewed as a top-20 talent, but the fact that he could miss the entire upcoming season could make Kansas City a soft landing spot for him.

Chiefs have options with 2 first-round picks, 12 in all

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs expect to resume discussions on a long-term contract with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., whom they placed the franchise tag on earlier this offseason, following next week’s NFL draft.

During his annual pre-draft availability Friday, general manager Brett Veach said both sides had basically agreed to shelve the negotiations until later in the offseason. That means for now, Brown is due to play next season on a one-year contract worth $16,662,000, which represents the average of the top five salaries at his position.

“There’s no rush on either side,” said Veach, who has handed out big-money deals to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones the past couple of years. “On one end, a player likes to take his time to assess the current and future markets, and on the other side, our team is going through the draft process right now.”

The Chiefs have two picks apiece in each of the first four rounds of the draft, and they have 12 in all.

What also complicates matters in Brown’s case is that he had planned to represent himself in negotiations, rather than hire an agent. It’s a decision Veach seemed to think could be reconsidered before a deal is hammered out.

The Chiefs paid handsomely to acquire the three-time Pro Bowl left tackle prior to last year’s draft, sending their first-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2021 and their fifth-rounder this season to Baltimore. The Chiefs also got a second-round pick last year and a sixth-rounder in this year’s draft in the trade.

In other words, they paid too step of a price to let Brown go after just two seasons in Kansas City.

“He’s a really smart guy. He’ll make a great decision,” Veach said. “Whoever he wants to hire to represent himself, we’ll be more than happy to sit down and discuss an extension with him.”

In other news, Veach said right tackle Lucas Niang had an MRI this week to judge how his recovery is coming after surgery for a torn patellar tendon. The injury could have kept Niang out for the entire 2022 season, but Veach said trainer Rick Burkholder was excited by the progress and that Niang could be available early in the season.

“I think that him by the end of training camp is something that could happen,” Veach said. “He’s definitely on target.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs expect to resume discussions on a long-term contract with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., whom they placed the franchise tag on earlier this offseason, following next week’s NFL draft.During his annual pre-draft availability Friday, general manager Brett Veach said both sides had basically agreed to shelve the negotiations until later in the offseason. That means for now, Brown is due to play next season on a one-year contract worth $16,662,000, which represents the average of the top five salaries at his position.“There’s no rush on either side,” said Veach, who has handed out big-money deals to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones the past couple of years. “On one end, a player likes to take his time to assess the current and future markets, and on the other side, our team is going through the draft process right now.”The Chiefs have two picks apiece in each of the first four rounds of the draft, and they have 12 in all.What also complicates matters in Brown’s case is that he had planned to represent himself in negotiations, rather than hire an agent. It’s a decision Veach seemed to think could be reconsidered before a deal is hammered out.The Chiefs paid handsomely to acquire the three-time Pro Bowl left tackle prior to last year’s draft, sending their first-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2021 and their fifth-rounder this season to Baltimore. The Chiefs also got a second-round pick last year and a sixth-rounder in this year’s draft in the trade.In other words, they paid too step of a price to let Brown go after just two seasons in Kansas City.“He’s a really smart guy. He’ll make a great decision,” Veach said. “Whoever he wants to hire to represent himself, we’ll be more than happy to sit down and discuss an extension with him.”In other news, Veach said right tackle Lucas Niang had an MRI this week to judge how his recovery is coming after surgery for a torn patellar tendon. The injury could have kept Niang out for the entire 2022 season, but Veach said trainer Rick Burkholder was excited by the progress and that Niang could be available early in the season.“I think that him by the end of training camp is something that could happen,” Veach said. “He’s definitely on target.”

Chiefs optimistic in long-term deal for LT Orlando Brown Jr

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez barely had a chance to pop up from his slide and finish screaming in celebration at second base before getting sent home by a shot off the bat of Jarred Kelenic.

It was a two-pitch sequence of highlights Seattle fans have waited a couple of weeks to see from their young, promising outfielders — with the hope of more to come.

“We’ve been dealing with a lot of things to back to back for a lot of nights now and being able to deliver, both of us, felt really good,” Rodríguez said.

The duo provided all the offense for Seattle on Friday night as Rodríguez lined a bases-loaded, two-run double and Kelenic followed with a two-run triple on the next pitch as the Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1.

Seattle starter Chris Flexen threw seven strong innings and the Mariners relied on one big inning to reach 5-2 on their nine-game homestand.

This night was about Seattle’s young outfield stars coming through with big hits in a key moment.

“There’s been some calls that haven’t been going his way. But I’m trying to help him as best I can and just stay focused, don’t expand the strike zone and he’s doing a really good job of not doing that,” Kelenic said of Rodríguez. “You saw, he got a good pitch to hit, up in the zone and put a good swing on it.”

First up was Rodríguez, mired in an early slump of frustrating strikeouts. Rodríguez began the night tied for the league lead with 22 punchouts, but his swing decisions have been praised by Mariners coaches for laying off pitches that appear outside the zone yet have been called strikes.

Rodríguez came through in the fourth. He fouled off a tough 3-2 pitch from starter Brad Keller, then got on top of a 93 mph fastball and lined it to right-center field.

The 21-year-old slid headfirst into second base and screamed into the noise of a home crowd that has anxiously awaited big moments from the touted prospect.

Kelenic, also with his share of bad luck at the plate early on, followed on the next pitch from Keller with a deep shot to right center that Michael A. Taylor couldn’t track down.

The fourth was the only inning Seattle was able to do damage against Keller, but he failed to make it through the fifth due to a growing pitch count. Keller (0-2) allowed six hits and three earned runs. He had given up five hits and two earned runs in his first two starts combined.

“You look at the bats, the broken bats, the swings that they had off, I thought that was some of his best stuff,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.

Salvador Perez homered in the sixth, his fifth straight game with a homer in Seattle. That was the only run Flexen (1-2) allowed as he pitched seven innings for the first time this season, scattering six hits and striking out five.

Anthony Misiewicz pitched the eighth and Andrés Muñoz threw the ninth for his first save.

Kansas City’s streak of 11 games to begin the season without an error ended when Keller was unable to cleanly field Abraham Toro’s grounder during Seattle’s big fourth inning. Bobby Witt Jr. also had a throwing error in the eighth. The Royals began the night as one of two teams in baseball that hadn’t committed an error along with San Diego. The 11 games to begin the season without a defensive miscue was a new American League record.

Mariners: Seattle had no new addition to its list of positive COVID-19 cases for the second straight day. The Mariners have yet to have any of their players or coaching staff rejoin the team.

Royals: LHP Kris Bubic (0-1, 10.80) will make his third start Saturday. Bubic allowed only one run and two hits in his last start but gave up six walks.

Mariners: RHP Matt Brash (1-1, 3.38) makes his third start for Seattle. Brash picked up his first career win in his last start against Houston throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs.

SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez barely had a chance to pop up from his slide and finish screaming in celebration at second base before getting sent home by a shot off the bat of Jarred Kelenic.It was a two-pitch sequence of highlights Seattle fans have waited a couple of weeks to see from their young, promising outfielders — with the hope of more to come.“We’ve been dealing with a lot of things to back to back for a lot of nights now and being able to deliver, both of us, felt really good,” Rodríguez said.The duo provided all the offense for Seattle on Friday night as Rodríguez lined a bases-loaded, two-run double and Kelenic followed with a two-run triple on the next pitch as the Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1.Seattle starter Chris Flexen threw seven strong innings and the Mariners relied on one big inning to reach 5-2 on their nine-game homestand.This night was about Seattle’s young outfield stars coming through with big hits in a key moment.“There’s been some calls that haven’t been going his way. But I’m trying to help him as best I can and just stay focused, don’t expand the strike zone and he’s doing a really good job of not doing that,” Kelenic said of Rodríguez. “You saw, he got a good pitch to hit, up in the zone and put a good swing on it.”First up was Rodríguez, mired in an early slump of frustrating strikeouts. Rodríguez began the night tied for the league lead with 22 punchouts, but his swing decisions have been praised by Mariners coaches for laying off pitches that appear outside the zone yet have been called strikes.Rodríguez came through in the fourth. He fouled off a tough 3-2 pitch from starter Brad Keller, then got on top of a 93 mph fastball and lined it to right-center field.The 21-year-old slid headfirst into second base and screamed into the noise of a home crowd that has anxiously awaited big moments from the touted prospect.Kelenic, also with his share of bad luck at the plate early on, followed on the next pitch from Keller with a deep shot to right center that Michael A. Taylor couldn’t track down.The fourth was the only inning Seattle was able to do damage against Keller, but he failed to make it through the fifth due to a growing pitch count. Keller (0-2) allowed six hits and three earned runs. He had given up five hits and two earned runs in his first two starts combined.“You look at the bats, the broken bats, the swings that they had off, I thought that was some of his best stuff,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.Salvador Perez homered in the sixth, his fifth straight game with a homer in Seattle. That was the only run Flexen (1-2) allowed as he pitched seven innings for the first time this season, scattering six hits and striking out five.Anthony Misiewicz pitched the eighth and Andrés Muñoz threw the ninth for his first save.ERROR STREAK ENDSKansas City’s streak of 11 games to begin the season without an error ended when Keller was unable to cleanly field Abraham Toro’s grounder during Seattle’s big fourth inning. Bobby Witt Jr. also had a throwing error in the eighth. The Royals began the night as one of two teams in baseball that hadn’t committed an error along with San Diego. The 11 games to begin the season without a defensive miscue was a new American League record.TRAINER’S ROOMMariners: Seattle had no new addition to its list of positive COVID-19 cases for the second straight day. The Mariners have yet to have any of their players or coaching staff rejoin the team.UP NEXTRoyals: LHP Kris Bubic (0-1, 10.80) will make his third start Saturday. Bubic allowed only one run and two hits in his last start but gave up six walks.Mariners: RHP Matt Brash (1-1, 3.38) makes his third start for Seattle. Brash picked up his first career win in his last start against Houston throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs.

Big hits by Rodríguez, Kelenic lead Mariners past Royals 4-1


The Great Bend High School Tennis team took 3rd Thursday
at the 8-team Dodge City Inviational.


The Panthers were led once again by Brendyn Schroeder who finished 3rd
in singles after going 3-1. Schroeder lost in the semi-finals ato
Oscar Alvarado 8-3 but bounced back to beat Vincent Lynn from Meade
8-4.


Also in singles competition, Jordan Manning placed 8th
with a 1-3 record.


In doubles, Malachi Wasson and Isaiah Smith went 2-2 for 5th
while Roberto Gutierrez and Marcos Castanon went 1-3 to finish 15th.


“Overall I was pleased with everyone's performance,” Head Coach
Chris Manning said. “We had three of our four entries win their
first match which sets us up for a good finish to the season.”


Schroeder and Manning with participate Saturday at the Garden City
Invitational.

Dodge City Invitational Team Scores 1. Dodge City 60 2. Meade 58 3. Great Bend 41 4. Cimarron 36 5. Liberal 35 6. Ulysses 23 7. Garden City 20 8. Dodge City Blue 6

The Great Bend High School Tennis team took 3rd Thursday
at the 8-team Dodge City Inviational.
The Panthers were led once again by Brendyn Schroeder who finished 3rd
in singles after going 3-1. Schroeder lost in the semi-finals ato
Oscar Alvarado 8-3 but bounced back to beat Vincent Lynn from Meade
8-4.
Also in singles competition, Jordan Manning placed 8th
with a 1-3 record.
In doubles, Malachi Wasson and Isaiah Smith went 2-2 for 5th
while Roberto Gutierrez and Marcos Castanon went 1-3 to finish 15th.
“Overall I was pleased with everyone's performance,” Head Coach
Chris Manning said. “We had three of our four entries win their
first match which sets us up for a good finish to the season.”
Schroeder and Manning with participate Saturday at the Garden City
Invitational.Dodge City Invitational Team Scores 1. Dodge City 60 2. Meade 58 3. Great Bend 41 4. Cimarron 36 5. Liberal 35 6. Ulysses 23 7. Garden City 20 8. Dodge City Blue 6

Panther Tennis takes 3rd at Dodge City


In a battle of Panthers Thursday at Cavanaugh Field, it was Nickerson
beating Great Bend 2-1 in a non-league soccer contest.


After a 2-1 start, the Lady Panthers have now dropped six straight
matches to fall to 2-7 on the season.


Great Bend will look to end that streak when they host Hays High
Monday at Cavanaugh Field,

In a battle of Panthers Thursday at Cavanaugh Field, it was Nickerson
beating Great Bend 2-1 in a non-league soccer contest.
After a 2-1 start, the Lady Panthers have now dropped six straight
matches to fall to 2-7 on the season.
Great Bend will look to end that streak when they host Hays High
Monday at Cavanaugh Field,

Nickerson outlasts Lady Panthers 2-1

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650621699479.jpeg" alt="Great Bend 11 Hays 2" />
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Panthers stomp rival Indians 11-2

The Barton Community College baseball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests Thursday in walk-off fashion as Coffeyville Community College grabbed the first leg of the series 5-4 and 10-9.

The Cougars slip to 31-13 on the season with Coffeyville's fifth straight victory improves the Red Ravens to 24-17. The teams will switch locations to the Cougars' Lawson-Biggs Field on Saturday to complete the four-game set with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.

Reigning conference and national player of the week Alex Rodgers led the Cougars going 5-of-8 including a pair of doubles and his third home run of the year. Henry Hayman also collected five hits within his nine plate appearances, belting his fifth home run of the season in driving in a team leading five runs on the day.

The Cougars outhit Coffeyville by three but the defense had its share of eight miscues resulting in just five of the Red Ravens' fifteen runs being earned.

A pair of game one's trio of errors occurred in the deciding seventh inning with Carson Cornelius absorbing the opener's loss in dropping to 0-3 in relief duty. Despite getting a career high three innings on the hill in tying a personal best three strikeouts, Hollis Huff's third pitch in the ninth ended up beyond the barrier to suffer his first career loss in fifteen innings of work.

The Barton Community College baseball team dropped a pair of non-conference contests Thursday in walk-off fashion as Coffeyville Community College grabbed the first leg of the series 5-4 and 10-9.The Cougars slip to 31-13 on the season with Coffeyville's fifth straight victory improves the Red Ravens to 24-17. The teams will switch locations to the Cougars' Lawson-Biggs Field on Saturday to complete the four-game set with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.Reigning conference and national player of the week Alex Rodgers led the Cougars going 5-of-8 including a pair of doubles and his third home run of the year. Henry Hayman also collected five hits within his nine plate appearances, belting his fifth home run of the season in driving in a team leading five runs on the day.The Cougars outhit Coffeyville by three but the defense had its share of eight miscues resulting in just five of the Red Ravens' fifteen runs being earned.A pair of game one's trio of errors occurred in the deciding seventh inning with Carson Cornelius absorbing the opener's loss in dropping to 0-3 in relief duty. Despite getting a career high three innings on the hill in tying a personal best three strikeouts, Hollis Huff's third pitch in the ninth ended up beyond the barrier to suffer his first career loss in fifteen innings of work.Barton Athletics

Cougars drop two at Coffeyville

Softball -Game 1- Hays 11 Great Bend 1 -Game 2- Hays 5 Great Bend 3

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642278253811.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Softball -Game 1- Hays 11 Great Bend 1 -Game 2- Hays 5 Great Bend 3<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/pmmmpgqr/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Joe Ryan had just pitched six innings of two-hit ball, helping the Minnesota Twins hold off the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Thursday, when the California kid spotted a poster of Nolan Ryan hanging in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium.

After such a dominant performance, it was a fitting backdrop for some postgame interviews.

“I’m just trying to make pitches, get outs,” explained the 25-year-old Ryan, who may not have that other Ryan’s blazing fastball but still mixed his own with a brutal slider to shut down Kansas City’s revamped lineup.

“I think that’s going to give our team the best chance to win a game.”

Miguel Sano’s sacrifice fly off Zack Grienke in the second inning represented the game’s only run.

Jhoan Duran and Joe Smith then handed that slimmest of leads to Emilio Pagan, who worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for the Twins’ first save this season. Their bullpen had blown both previous chances.

Ryan (2-1), who helped the U.S. win the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, allowed only a two-out single to Michael Taylor in the third inning and a triple to Andrew Benintendi in the fourth during his third straight impressive start. He walked one while striking out five, and has now allowed three runs on nine hits over his first 16 innings this season.

“He threw some strikes. He missed some bats. He did what you like to see,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Greinke (0-1) allowed six hits and a walk while striking out five, and Kansas City’s bullpen kept the game close the rest of the way, running its scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings — all to no avail.

“We have to get big hits. That’s just commonsense,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.

Matheny tried to get the sluggish Royals offense going by shifting Nicky Lopez to the top of the order and dropping Whit Merrifield to second ahead of Benintendi and Salvador Perez. None of them had much success against Ryan, though, whose beguiling mix of pitches induced weak contact all afternoon.

Benintendi had the hardest-hit ball, a deep fly that bounced off the right-field wall for a triple. But he was thrown out by center fielder Nick Gordon while trying to score on Perez’s shallow fly ball to end the fourth.

The Royals committed another baserunning blunder in the fifth after Bobby Witt Jr. worked out a two-out walk. The club’s top prospect was caught leaving early in an attempt to steal second and was thrown out retreating to first.

The Royals, who along with San Diego began the day as the only teams yet to commit an error, nearly had their streak snapped when Adalberto Mondesi was given one for bobbling a difficult grounder by Luis Arraez in the sixth. The official scorer changed the call to a single the next inning.

Twins RHP Jorge Alcala (elbow inflammation) was shut down from throwing after experiencing “something that didn’t feel right,” Baldelli said. “We’re going to reset him to zero before we try to build him back up again.”

Farm clubs for the Twins (Cedar Rapids Kernels) and Royals (Quad Cities River Bandits) will play August 9 at the “Field of Dreams” movie site near Dyersville, Iowa. That’s two days before the Cubs and Reds play in the sequel to last year’s game between the Yankees and White Sox. Both of the Class A clubs will wear throwback uniforms.

The Twins and Padres finalized their April 6 trade that sent LHP Taylor Rogers and OF Brent Rooker to San Diego along with $6.6 million cash for Pagan and RHP Chris Paddack. Minnesota also received 19-year-old RHP Brayan Medina on Thursday. ... RHP Jharel Cotton cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Saint Paul.

OF Kyle Isbel was optioned to Triple-A Omaha and RHP Ronald Bolanos recalled from the same club in the hopes of getting one of the Royals’ top prospects regular work. “He was written into the lineup two different times and the weather got the better of us,” Matheny said. “The thought process was to let him get some game play.”

RHP Bailey Ober (1-1, 3.27) starts for the Twins in their series opener against the White Sox on Friday night. RHP Brad Keller gets the nod for Kansas City when it opens a three-game set in Seattle.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Joe Ryan had just pitched six innings of two-hit ball, helping the Minnesota Twins hold off the Kansas City Royals 1-0 on Thursday, when the California kid spotted a poster of Nolan Ryan hanging in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium.After such a dominant performance, it was a fitting backdrop for some postgame interviews.“I’m just trying to make pitches, get outs,” explained the 25-year-old Ryan, who may not have that other Ryan’s blazing fastball but still mixed his own with a brutal slider to shut down Kansas City’s revamped lineup.“I think that’s going to give our team the best chance to win a game.”Miguel Sano’s sacrifice fly off Zack Grienke in the second inning represented the game’s only run.Jhoan Duran and Joe Smith then handed that slimmest of leads to Emilio Pagan, who worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for the Twins’ first save this season. Their bullpen had blown both previous chances.Ryan (2-1), who helped the U.S. win the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, allowed only a two-out single to Michael Taylor in the third inning and a triple to Andrew Benintendi in the fourth during his third straight impressive start. He walked one while striking out five, and has now allowed three runs on nine hits over his first 16 innings this season.“He threw some strikes. He missed some bats. He did what you like to see,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.Greinke (0-1) allowed six hits and a walk while striking out five, and Kansas City’s bullpen kept the game close the rest of the way, running its scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings — all to no avail.“We have to get big hits. That’s just commonsense,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.Matheny tried to get the sluggish Royals offense going by shifting Nicky Lopez to the top of the order and dropping Whit Merrifield to second ahead of Benintendi and Salvador Perez. None of them had much success against Ryan, though, whose beguiling mix of pitches induced weak contact all afternoon.Benintendi had the hardest-hit ball, a deep fly that bounced off the right-field wall for a triple. But he was thrown out by center fielder Nick Gordon while trying to score on Perez’s shallow fly ball to end the fourth.The Royals committed another baserunning blunder in the fifth after Bobby Witt Jr. worked out a two-out walk. The club’s top prospect was caught leaving early in an attempt to steal second and was thrown out retreating to first.The Royals, who along with San Diego began the day as the only teams yet to commit an error, nearly had their streak snapped when Adalberto Mondesi was given one for bobbling a difficult grounder by Luis Arraez in the sixth. The official scorer changed the call to a single the next inning.TRAINER’S ROOMTwins RHP Jorge Alcala (elbow inflammation) was shut down from throwing after experiencing “something that didn’t feel right,” Baldelli said. “We’re going to reset him to zero before we try to build him back up again.”CLOSE TO HEAVENFarm clubs for the Twins (Cedar Rapids Kernels) and Royals (Quad Cities River Bandits) will play August 9 at the “Field of Dreams” movie site near Dyersville, Iowa. That’s two days before the Cubs and Reds play in the sequel to last year’s game between the Yankees and White Sox. Both of the Class A clubs will wear throwback uniforms.TWINS MOVESThe Twins and Padres finalized their April 6 trade that sent LHP Taylor Rogers and OF Brent Rooker to San Diego along with $6.6 million cash for Pagan and RHP Chris Paddack. Minnesota also received 19-year-old RHP Brayan Medina on Thursday. ... RHP Jharel Cotton cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Saint Paul.ROYALS MOVESOF Kyle Isbel was optioned to Triple-A Omaha and RHP Ronald Bolanos recalled from the same club in the hopes of getting one of the Royals’ top prospects regular work. “He was written into the lineup two different times and the weather got the better of us,” Matheny said. “The thought process was to let him get some game play.”UP NEXTRHP Bailey Ober (1-1, 3.27) starts for the Twins in their series opener against the White Sox on Friday night. RHP Brad Keller gets the nod for Kansas City when it opens a three-game set in Seattle.

Twins avoid sweep as Ryan, bullpen shut down KC in 1-0 win

The 6th ranked Barton Community College men's tennis team faced its third straight nationally ranked conference opponent on Monday, battling in most of the matches but having nothing on the scoreboard as 3rd ranked Seward County Community College registered the 9-0 victory.

Barton needed a point here and there in the doubles action at Great Bend's Shannon Schartz Tennis Courts to turn the early tide but were outpointed just enough to fall in all three matches by 8-6 scores. The No. 1 tandem of Gustavo Campos and Eduardo Morais took the tough loss to the 3rd ranked Saints team of Luciano Fisicaro and Karlo Krolo, the No. 2 duo of James Kaoma and Barnabas Kalaba fell to Luke Quaynor and Jonas Mathiasen, while the No. 3 team of Samyak Bajracharya and Tsholofelo Tsiang fell to 10th ranked Juan Gonzalez and Franco Vecchia.

Five of the Saints' six singles players are ranked in the top-27 of the fall rankings but the Cougars battled point-for-point throughout the day.

Morais had the closest of upset opportunities, taking the first set 6-1 but the 10th ranked Gonzalez fought back to tie the match with a 6-3 win before winning the tiebreak with a 10-8 score.

Two of the matches were decided by identical 6-3 straight set scores, Campos falling to 7th ranked Fisicaro in the No. 1 slot with Kalaba dropping the No. 4 to 12th ranked Krolo.

Kaoma fell 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 2 flight to 8th ranked Quaynor as Bajracharya fought hard in the first set 6-4 before taking a 6-0 loss in the No. 5 slot second set to 27th ranked Martins Abamu. Tsiang took a 6-0 twin set loss in the No. 6 match to currently unranked Seb Holden.

The Cougars finish conference play at 1-2, winning over 11th ranked Pratt with losses coming to top ranked Cowley and the 3rd ranked Saints.&nbsp;

Barton's final tune-up and last home match of the season scheduled for Thursday hosting Ottawa University has been canceled due to impending weather. The Cougars' next matches come April 29-30 at Maize South High School in the KJCCC/Region VI Championships.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650542956961.jpeg" alt="Gustavo Campos - Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Gustavo Campos - Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The 6th ranked Barton Community College men's tennis team faced its third straight nationally ranked conference opponent on Monday, battling in most of the matches but having nothing on the scoreboard as 3rd ranked Seward County Community College registered the 9-0 victory.Barton needed a point here and there in the doubles action at Great Bend's Shannon Schartz Tennis Courts to turn the early tide but were outpointed just enough to fall in all three matches by 8-6 scores. The No. 1 tandem of Gustavo Campos and Eduardo Morais took the tough loss to the 3rd ranked Saints team of Luciano Fisicaro and Karlo Krolo, the No. 2 duo of James Kaoma and Barnabas Kalaba fell to Luke Quaynor and Jonas Mathiasen, while the No. 3 team of Samyak Bajracharya and Tsholofelo Tsiang fell to 10th ranked Juan Gonzalez and Franco Vecchia.Five of the Saints' six singles players are ranked in the top-27 of the fall rankings but the Cougars battled point-for-point throughout the day.Morais had the closest of upset opportunities, taking the first set 6-1 but the 10th ranked Gonzalez fought back to tie the match with a 6-3 win before winning the tiebreak with a 10-8 score.Two of the matches were decided by identical 6-3 straight set scores, Campos falling to 7th ranked Fisicaro in the No. 1 slot with Kalaba dropping the No. 4 to 12th ranked Krolo.Kaoma fell 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 2 flight to 8th ranked Quaynor as Bajracharya fought hard in the first set 6-4 before taking a 6-0 loss in the No. 5 slot second set to 27th ranked Martins Abamu. Tsiang took a 6-0 twin set loss in the No. 6 match to currently unranked Seb Holden.The Cougars finish conference play at 1-2, winning over 11th ranked Pratt with losses coming to top ranked Cowley and the 3rd ranked Saints.&nbsp;Barton's final tune-up and last home match of the season scheduled for Thursday hosting Ottawa University has been canceled due to impending weather. The Cougars' next matches come April 29-30 at Maize South High School in the KJCCC/Region VI Championships.

6th ranked Barton Men's Tennis drops match to 3rd ranked Seward County

Great Bend High School baseball vs Hays - First Pitch 4 p.m.

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🎧LISTEN to Great Bend Baseball vs Hays Thursday

The shortage of officials in high school sports has been well documented. As we noted in this column a couple of months ago, a survey of state high school associations indicated about 50,000 individuals have ended their days as high school officials since the 2018-19 school year. 

In addition to trying to interest more people in officiating high school sports, the NFHS and leaders in state associations have been attempting to retain the thousands of men and women who are currently serving as high school sports officials.

However, unacceptable behavior by coaches, parents and other spectators has pushed many officials to the sidelines. After all, why would anyone who is trying to help high school students compete on the fields and courts want to be harassed, ridiculed and abused – sometimes even physically – while trying to do their jobs?

If this current trend is going to be reversed, we must determine why people feel compelled to mistreat officials at high school sporting events.

Some of those possible reasons were discussed last week in Indianapolis at the first NFHS Officials Consortium. With everyone in agreement that the officiating profession – particularly at the youth and high school levels – is in crisis mode, leaders from all levels of sports discussed problems – and shared possible solutions – during the three-day meeting.

After listening to survey results from leaders with the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) that indicated continued declines in the number of officials, veteran NCAA basketball referee Chris Rastatter offered two thoughts as to why many spectators act in a negative manner toward officials.

First, he said it has become commonplace for individuals involved in covering sports – radio and television announcers and other media – to dissect and judge the work of officials. As a result, with human nature being what it is, the coverage is often slanted in a negative manner.

As this type of repetitive negative coverage has continued over time, it has empowered those watching sports to be judge and jury as well. If the person broadcasting a game can criticize the officials, why can’t the spectators do the same?

Second, the boorish behavior of fans attending sporting events is being normalized. What used to be good-natured heckling has turned mean, insulting and violent. National surveys have shown that almost one of every two officials have felt threatened after officiating a game. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is almost anticipated at sporting events.

Others voiced similar sentiments during the consortium and agreed that changes are needed in the general public’s perception about men and women who officiate sports in our country. In some cases, people go to sporting events not to watch and enjoy the game but to yell at the officials. This must stop.

While our focus is on high school sports, the criticism of officials and bad behavior of fans at the college and professional levels has a trickle-down effect. The negative perception of officials did not occur overnight and cannot be changed instantaneously, but a shift in a more positive direction must begin now.

Everyone must be involved in these changes – students, parents, coaches, administrators and those in the media. Bad behavior has been handed down and become anticipated and expected, but changes must occur.

Those individuals watching and covering high school sports must turn their focus to the student-athletes playing the games and away from the individuals officiating the contests. As this shift happens, a more positive behavior will become normalized.

Despite some of the negative behavior issues in high school sports, almost 70,000 individuals have expressed an interest in officiating the past four years through the NFHS’ #BecomeAnOfficial Program. Imagine how many people would be interested in continuing a career in high school sports if they were actually praised and appreciated for their efforts!

Behaviors can be changed, but it will take efforts from everyone to turn the ship in a more positive direction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650542527686.jpeg" alt="Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her fourth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her fourth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana.</figcaption>
 </figure>The shortage of officials in high school sports has been well documented. As we noted in this column a couple of months ago, a survey of state high school associations indicated about 50,000 individuals have ended their days as high school officials since the 2018-19 school year. In addition to trying to interest more people in officiating high school sports, the NFHS and leaders in state associations have been attempting to retain the thousands of men and women who are currently serving as high school sports officials.However, unacceptable behavior by coaches, parents and other spectators has pushed many officials to the sidelines. After all, why would anyone who is trying to help high school students compete on the fields and courts want to be harassed, ridiculed and abused – sometimes even physically – while trying to do their jobs?If this current trend is going to be reversed, we must determine why people feel compelled to mistreat officials at high school sporting events.Some of those possible reasons were discussed last week in Indianapolis at the first NFHS Officials Consortium. With everyone in agreement that the officiating profession – particularly at the youth and high school levels – is in crisis mode, leaders from all levels of sports discussed problems – and shared possible solutions – during the three-day meeting.After listening to survey results from leaders with the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) that indicated continued declines in the number of officials, veteran NCAA basketball referee Chris Rastatter offered two thoughts as to why many spectators act in a negative manner toward officials.First, he said it has become commonplace for individuals involved in covering sports – radio and television announcers and other media – to dissect and judge the work of officials. As a result, with human nature being what it is, the coverage is often slanted in a negative manner.As this type of repetitive negative coverage has continued over time, it has empowered those watching sports to be judge and jury as well. If the person broadcasting a game can criticize the officials, why can’t the spectators do the same?Second, the boorish behavior of fans attending sporting events is being normalized. What used to be good-natured heckling has turned mean, insulting and violent. National surveys have shown that almost one of every two officials have felt threatened after officiating a game. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is almost anticipated at sporting events.Others voiced similar sentiments during the consortium and agreed that changes are needed in the general public’s perception about men and women who officiate sports in our country. In some cases, people go to sporting events not to watch and enjoy the game but to yell at the officials. This must stop.While our focus is on high school sports, the criticism of officials and bad behavior of fans at the college and professional levels has a trickle-down effect. The negative perception of officials did not occur overnight and cannot be changed instantaneously, but a shift in a more positive direction must begin now.Everyone must be involved in these changes – students, parents, coaches, administrators and those in the media. Bad behavior has been handed down and become anticipated and expected, but changes must occur.Those individuals watching and covering high school sports must turn their focus to the student-athletes playing the games and away from the individuals officiating the contests. As this shift happens, a more positive behavior will become normalized.Despite some of the negative behavior issues in high school sports, almost 70,000 individuals have expressed an interest in officiating the past four years through the NFHS’ #BecomeAnOfficial Program. Imagine how many people would be interested in continuing a career in high school sports if they were actually praised and appreciated for their efforts!Behaviors can be changed, but it will take efforts from everyone to turn the ship in a more positive direction.

Leaders at NFHS Officials Consortium Suggest Changes in Attitudes, Behavior

The Barton County Community College women's tennis team ran into a buzz saw matchup of nationally ranked teams Monday afternoon in dropping a 8-1 conference match to 5th ranked Seward County Community College.

The 5th ranked Saints controlled doubles play at Great Bend's Shannon Schartz Tennis Courts before putting the hammer down on the 11th ranked Cougars in singles play.

In the No. 1 doubles match, Angelina Gnezdilova and Clara Penido took on singles nationally ranked Justine Lespes and Camille Belberka in falling 8-4. The No. 2 matchup of Azul Barrios and Paula Curci teamed up for the first time in a month, dropping a similar 8-3 fate to the Saints' Alejandra Sandoval and Jimena Ramirez Llorens. The Saints earned a walkover victory in the No. 3 doubles as Malena Hernandez wasn't able to compete which caused a shift of Curci back to No. 2 tandem.

Gnezdilova faced the nation's 2nd ranked Lespes in the No. 1 slot, losing 6-1, 6-2, which was the same score of defeat for Curci in the No. 5 flight to Sandoval.

It took a 10-7 tiebreak to decide the No. 2 match in favor of the Saints 18th ranked Carol Mora Comacho as Penido rallied after dropping the first set 6-1 before reversing the tide with an identical score to force the tiebreak.

Jacie Roth, who wasn't able to compete in her No. 3 doubles slot, was shutout in the No. 6 singles by Llorens.

In addition to the No. 3 doubles, Seward County received another walkover win in the No. 3 singles as Barton's lone win came in the No. 4 singles with Barrios receiving a walkover victory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650542400022.jpeg" alt="Jacie Roth - Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Jacie Roth - Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton County Community College women's tennis team ran into a buzz saw matchup of nationally ranked teams Monday afternoon in dropping a 8-1 conference match to 5th ranked Seward County Community College.The 5th ranked Saints controlled doubles play at Great Bend's Shannon Schartz Tennis Courts before putting the hammer down on the 11th ranked Cougars in singles play.In the No. 1 doubles match, Angelina Gnezdilova and Clara Penido took on singles nationally ranked Justine Lespes and Camille Belberka in falling 8-4. The No. 2 matchup of Azul Barrios and Paula Curci teamed up for the first time in a month, dropping a similar 8-3 fate to the Saints' Alejandra Sandoval and Jimena Ramirez Llorens. The Saints earned a walkover victory in the No. 3 doubles as Malena Hernandez wasn't able to compete which caused a shift of Curci back to No. 2 tandem.Gnezdilova faced the nation's 2nd ranked Lespes in the No. 1 slot, losing 6-1, 6-2, which was the same score of defeat for Curci in the No. 5 flight to Sandoval.It took a 10-7 tiebreak to decide the No. 2 match in favor of the Saints 18th ranked Carol Mora Comacho as Penido rallied after dropping the first set 6-1 before reversing the tide with an identical score to force the tiebreak.Jacie Roth, who wasn't able to compete in her No. 3 doubles slot, was shutout in the No. 6 singles by Llorens.In addition to the No. 3 doubles, Seward County received another walkover win in the No. 3 singles as Barton's lone win came in the No. 4 singles with Barrios receiving a walkover victory.Barton's final tune-up and last home match of the season scheduled for Thursday hosting Ottawa University has been canceled due to impending weather. The Cougars will then use the next two weeks to finish up academics before heading to Tucson, Arizona, for the NJCAA Division I Championships held May 7-11.