Sports – Page 532 – North Platte Post Archive

Sinclair Named Third-Team Louisville Slugger All-American

Posted on May 29, 2014

Chance Sinclair Nebraska Huskers — Chance Sinclair

Lincoln – After earning unanimous first-team All-Big Ten honors last week, Nebraska junior pitcher Chance Sinclair was tabbed for a national honor on Thursday morning as he was named a third-team Louisville Slugger All-American by Collegiate Baseball.

Sinclair is the first Husker to earn All-American honors since Michael Pritchard was a third-team pick by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2012. Johnny Dorn was the last NU pitcher to earn All-American honors, selected as a third-team honoree by the NCBWA in 2008.

Following two seasons at Neosho County CC where he set multiple school records, Sinclair transfer to Nebraska and has been part of NU’s weekend rotation all season in 2014. The Spring Hill, Kan., native leads the Huskers with a 9-1 record, while also posting a 2.29 ERA. During Big Ten play, Sinclair was a perfect 6-0 in eight starts with a 2.10 ERA, including a 10-strikeout performance in his final home start of the year against Illinois on May 15. It was the most strikeouts in a conference game by a Husker since Thad Weber sat down 11 against Kansas on March 18, 2008.

On the year, Sinclair has gone 6.0 or more innings in 12 of his 15 starts, including nine outings of at least 7.0 innings or more and a 9.0-inning complete game against Ohio State on April 5. Sinclair’s complete game against Ohio State was one of three by the Husker pitching staff that weekend, as Christian DeLeon and Aaron Bummer also tossed complete games. No other staff in the country threw three 9.0-inning complete games in a weekend series during the 2014 season.

Sinclair was one of five Big Ten players honored on Thursday, with conference regular-season and tournament champion Indiana claiming the other four spots. Catcher Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Sam Travis were both second-team picks, while pitcher Joey DeNato and third baseman Dustin DeMuth were named to the third team along with Sinclair.

Nebraska opens NCAA Tournament play on Friday at 12:05 p.m. and Sinclair is scheduled to start NU’s first tournament game since 2008. The No. 2 seed Huskers will play No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton in the Stillwater Regional and the game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

NBA Expands Games to Mexico, London

Posted on May 29, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA will play regular-season games in Mexico City and London as part of its extended global schedule for next season.

The Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves will play at the Mexico City Arena on Nov. 12. The Milwaukee Bucks will face the New York Knicks at The O2 on Jan. 15.

The two regular-season games will follow the NBA global preseason games in October that will feature five teams — Brooklyn, Cleveland, Miami, Sacramento and San Antonio — playing a series of games in Brazil, China, Germany and Turkey.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says, “These regular-season games will bring the excitement and incredible competition of our league to more fans in Europe and Latin America.”

First Nationals Win Third Straight

Posted on May 29, 2014

The North Platte First Nationals American Legion baseball team hosted Lexington Wednesday and beat them 9-0 for their third straight win.

The First Nationals (5-5) scored one run in the second inning and three in the third inning then went off for five runs in the fourth inning. Darian Allberry led the way at the plate for North Platte by going 3-3 and driving in three runs and scoring twice. Marcos Silos also had three RBI in the game and Jack Kenny delivered the game’s only extra-base hit with a double.

Levi Nekuda earned the win on the mound by pitching a five inning, complete game shutout. Nekuda allowed just three hits and struck out four batters in the run-rule victory.

North Platte’s next game is Friday, May 30 on the road against Lincoln Amigos in Seward. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:30 pm. The First Nationals will play a game three days in a row in Seward.

The North Platte First Nationals Juniors team improved to 8-0 Wednesday. The Juniors also hosted Lexington and was dominant with a 26-2 win. The Juniors next play on Friday, May 30 in a doubleheader at Columbus with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 pm.

Broncos Get Injured Players Back on Field

Posted on May 29, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The AFC champion Denver Broncos conducted their first practice of the offseason Wednesday with several new faces and a bunch of players who missed the Super Bowl.

Coming back from injuries that kept them on the sideline against Seattle were safeties Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter, pass-rusher Von Miller, defensive lineman Derek Wolfe and left tackle Ryan Clady.

Also, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. worked on the side with a strength and conditioning coach. Miller joined him for the second half of the workout while his teammates went through 11-on-11 drills.

The Broncos limped into the Super Bowl with just three opening day starters on defense: linebacker Danny Trevathan, lineman Terrance Knighton and cornerback Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie, who wasn’t re-signed.

Howard’s 3-Run HR Lifts Phillies over Rockies

Posted on May 28, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.

Chase Utley hit a tying, RBI single off Boone Logan before Howard drove one out to left-center for his fifth career walk-off homer.

Closer La Troy Hawkins (2-1) got the first out in the ninth before Tony Gwynn Jr. reached on second baseman D.J. LeMahieu’s throwing error. Ben Revere followed with a single to right. Jimmy Rollins then hit a foul pop that Troy Tulowitzki, a two-time Gold Glove winning shortstop, dropped for an error. But Hawkins retired Rollins on a liner to left. Logan entered and allowed Utley’s line-drive single to right that scored Gwynn.

Howard then connected on a 2-2 pitch for his ninth homer.

Jonathan Papelbon (1-1) tossed a perfect ninth for the win.

Obama to Tackle Youth Sports Concussion Issue

Posted on May 28, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is bringing representatives of professional sports leagues, coaches, parents, youth athletes, researchers and others to the White House for a summit designed to help educate the public about youth sports concussions.

White House officials say the nation’s top sports fan is concerned that too little is known about the effects of head injuries in young athletes.

He’s also the father of two daughters who play sports.

At Thursday’s summit, Obama will announce pledges of money and other support from the NFL, the National Institutes of Health and others to begin doing the research, promoting safety and speeding development of materials designed to provide better protection.

Obama said last year that if he had a son he’d “have to think long and hard” about letting him play football.

Connecticut Man Accused in Little League Larceny

Posted on May 28, 2014

WESTPORT, Conn. (AP) — A former official with a Connecticut youth baseball group whose team lost in the U.S. title game of the Little League World Series last year has been arrested in connection with $40,000 worth of missing equipment and funds.

Police say they charged Bridgeport resident Kevin Hlavac with felony larceny for stealing from the Westport Little League. Hlavac is a former vice president of the organization.

Authorities say an audit revealed the equipment and funds were missing.

Police say Hlavac acknowledged falsifying invoices, billing the league for clinics never held and keeping money that was supposed to be used to reimburse parents for expenses.

Hlavac hasn’t returned a message left Wednesday seeking comment. He posted $5,000 bail and is to appear June 5 in Norwalk Superior Court.

Woods Withdraws from the US Open

Posted on May 28, 2014

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the U.S. Open as he recovers from back surgery that has kept him out of golf for nearly three months.

Woods says on his website Wednesday he is physically unable to play golf at a high level.

The announcement was not a surprise. Woods said a week ago while promoting the Quicken Loans National tournament at Congressional that he still has not taken a full swing with a golf club.

He had microdiscectomy surgery March 31. Woods last played a tournament at Doral on March 9.

The U.S. Open will be the sixth major that Woods has missed because of injuries, and it will be the second time in the last four years he has missed the U.S. Open.

Carter 2 HRs, Springer HR, Astros Win 5th in a Row, Sweep Royals

Posted on May 28, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chris Carter hit two home runs, George Springer set a rookie club record for homers in a month and the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 9-3 Wednesday for their fifth straight win.

The Astros, with the worst record in the AL, won three times in Kansas City for their first sweep of the season. Houston’s winning streak is its longest since a six-game string that ended last June 3.

The Royals have lost four in a row.

50 Cent Not on Money with 1st Pitch at Citi Field

Posted on May 28, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — 50 Cent was on the mound, but not on the money.

The rap star was comically off target when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night before the Pittsburgh Pirates played the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Standing on the rubber 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate, 50 Cent wound up and launched a left-handed toss that sailed way wide of Mets catcher Anthony Recker. The ball bounced to the backstop and nearly nicked a cameraman standing not all that far from the Mets’ on-deck circle as 50 Cent and New York pitcher Jonathon Niese both smiled.

Wearing a Mets jersey with No. 50 and the name Jackson on the back, 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson III, held a bat as he posed for pictures with Curtis Granderson and other Mets on the field during batting practice.

50 Cent was born in nearby South Jamaica and has a postgame concert at Citi Field scheduled for June 14.