Sports – Page 567 – North Platte Post Archive

Future Pro Bowls to be Played in Arizona, Hawaii

Posted on April 9, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — The next Pro Bowl will be played in Arizona at the site of the Super Bowl.

The NFL announced Wednesday that the game would return to Hawaii the following year. South Florida most recently hosted both games in 2010.

The game will remain a week before the Super Bowl as it has the last five years. The new format introduced after last season, which scrapped the AFC vs. NFC matchup, will be retained.

The Pro Bowl after this coming season will take place Jan. 25, 2015, at University of Phoenix Stadium. A year later, the game will be held Jan. 31, 2016, at Aloha Stadium.

MLB Names Reliever Awards after Rivera, Hoffman

Posted on April 9, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Now that they’re no longer receiving awards, Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman are getting their names on some.

Major League Baseball said Wednesday it created a “Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year Award” and a “Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award.”

Rivera, a 13-time All-Star, retired after last season with a record 652 saves. Hoffman, a seven-time All-Star, retired after the 2010 season and is second with 601 saves. Both spent their entire careers in one league.

The new honors replaces MLB’s “Delivery Man of the Year Award,” which was given to one winner annually from 2005-13. It will be voted on by nine retired relievers, with Rivera and Hoffman joined by Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter along with Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner.

Matt Thomas of Elkhorn South Inks with NPCC Knights

Posted on April 9, 2014

North Platte – The North Platte Community College men’s basketball team announced Wednesday the signing of Elkhorn South’s Matt Thomas to a Letter of Intent to play basketball with the Knights next year as the first member of the 2014 signing class.

Thomas joins the Knights after leading the Elkhorn South Storm to a third-place finish in the 2014 Class B State Tournament after a fourth-place finish in 2013. The 6’0 guard led the Storm to an undefeated regular season and a 26-1 final record. Thomas averaged 18.9 points per game, good for 14th in the state and second in class B to go along with 4.3 assists per game, 2.4 steals per game and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Thomas was named to the Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star’s All-Nebraska second-team along with being named first-team Class B and the honorary captain by both publications. Thomas was also named to the All-Class State Tournament All-Tournament Team and Class B State Tournament All-Tournament Team.

Thomas competed with the Omaha Sports Academy National team during the summer.

“We are excited to have Matt join our program,” said head coach Kevin O’Connor. “He is everything we look for in a student-athlete. He is a very talented all-around basketball player that can really score and is a very quality young man.”

Father: Girl Befriended by Hoops Star has Died

Posted on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014

DETROIT (AP) — The father of an 8-year-old girl with cancer who befriended Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne says his daughter has died.

Matt Holsworth says Lacey Holsworth died at their St. Johns, Mich., home late Tuesday “with her mommy and daddy holding her in their arms.”

Lacey met Payne during one of her hospital stays two years ago, and their friendship quickly blossomed and strengthened.

When it was Payne’s turn to be honored during Senior Night, the 6-foot-10 center scooped up Lacey and carried her around the court. He did it again in Indianapolis after Michigan State won the Big Ten tournament, and the little girl with the blond wig was there when he took part in a recent slam-dunk competition.

Holsworth said Wednesday Lacey “loved unconditionally and without hesitation.”

White Sox Hit 6 Homers in 15-3 Win over Rockies

Posted on April 9, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Jose Abreu and Avisail Garcia each hit two of Chicago’s six homers, powering the White Sox to a 15-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

Jose Quintana pitched seven sharp innings, and Tyler Flowers and Alexei Ramirez also went deep for their first homers of the season. The White Sox had six total homers before Tuesday’s fireworks.

The long balls were the first of the season for both Garcia and Abreu, the Cuban slugger who signed a $68 million, six-year contract in October. Garcia finished with four hits and three RBIs, while Abreu had a three-run homer in the seventh and a two-run shot an inning later.

NPCC Knights Softball Third at NCCAC Tournament

Posted on April 8, 2014

Columbus – The North Platte Community College Softball team (5-21) finished third on Sunday at the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference (NCCAC) Tournament Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Knights opened up the tournament with a loss to the McCook Community College Indians 3-6 before rebounding to defeat the Southeast Community College Storm 10-6. The Knights then closed out the tournament falling to the host the Central Community College Raiders 4-7 to finish third in the tournament.

In the opening game, Shannon Lieber took the loss on the mound giving up five hits and two unearned runs. Soliel Atenza and Jazmin Chang led the Knights at the plate going 2-3 to go along with a homerun for Chang.

In the second game of the day Katharine Savolt earned the victory on the mound for her first victory of the season. Savolt allowed four hits and two earned run. Lieber earned the save with three hits and one earned run. Lexi Bryant led the Knights at the plate going 4-4 with three doubles, two RBIs and scored three times. Savolt and Chang each went 3-4 from the plate as Change scored three runs.

In the final game of the tournament, Lieber again took the loss giving up six hits and two earned runs. Lieber also led the Knights at the plate going 3-4 with an RBI. Atenza was 2-3 as was Brooke Wakefield.

“We played more consistent on Sunday and will continue to get better,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. If we eliminate a few key errors and keep the other team from scoring multiple runs on two outs then it is a different ball game in both our losses.”

“I am proud of these girls for battling through the injuries and sickness and still giving it their all.”

The Knights return to the diamond on Friday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. against the Hastings College JV at the Dowhower Softball Complex. The Knights then take to the road on Tuesday April 15 to face the Iowa Western Reivers.

UConn Routs Notre Dame 79-58, Wins 9th Title

Posted on April 8, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 21 points and Stefanie Dolson added 17 points and 16 rebounds to help UConn beat Notre Dame 79-58 on Tuesday night, giving coach Geno Auriemma and the Huskies a record ninth national championship.

Auriemma passed Pat Summitt for the most titles all-time and capped off the school’s fifth undefeated season in unprecedented fashion. The game was the first title matchup between two unbeatens in the history of college basketball.

The victory also makes the University of Connecticut the center of the college basketball world with both the men’s and women’s teams winning the championship this year. The men beat Kentucky on Monday night. The pair of victories come a decade after the Huskies became the only school to accomplish the feat.

The loss was Notre Dame’s third in the title game in the past four years.

The Irish (37-1) were looking for their first championship since 2001.

Batkid Back in San Francisco, Throws First Pitch

Posted on April 8, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Batkid stole hearts in San Francisco once more, with thousands cheering the young boy at the ballpark for the Giants home opener.

Miles Scott, who has undergone treatment for leukemia and saved the city as his favorite superhero through Make-A-Wish Foundation in November, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Diamondbacks-Giants game Tuesday.

He helped steer the Batmobile into the stadium and raised his right hand into the air out the window, walked hand in hand to the mound with pitcher Matt Cain and even received a fist bump from left fielder Michael Morse from across the dugout rail.

His form wasn’t bad, either. The boy kicked his right leg back and fired an on-target fastball to Cain as thousands in the sellout crowd of 42,166 roared.

Infante’s Jaw Sprained, Not Broken by Bell Pitch

Posted on April 8, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City’s Omar Infante has a sprained jaw and needed six stitches to close a cut opened when he was hit by a Heath Bell pitch.

Infante was injured during the seventh inning of Monday’s 4-2 win over Tampa Bay and was sent to the University of Kansas Medical Center.

The Royals said Tuesday that the second baseman did not sustain a concussion. The team said he will be evaluated over the following two days and he was not likely to miss a significant amount of playing time.

NFL, Players Meet about Workplace Atmosphere

Posted on April 8, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and union leader DeMaurice Smith met Tuesday to discuss the league’s workplace environment.

In light of the bullying scandal last season involving the Dolphins’ Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito, both sides want to improve the working atmosphere. Goodell last month targeted this meeting as a chance to create open lines of discussion about the issue.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello says the meeting brought “productive discussions.” NFL Players Association spokesman George Atallah called it “positive.”

Also involved Tuesday were new NFLPA President Eric Winston and new NFL director of football operations Troy Vincent.