The North Platte First Nationals Seniors are still alive at the National Division State Tournament. The First Nationals rocked the Twin Cities Westco Zephyrs 12-1 yesterday afternoon in an elimination game at Bill Wood Field. After losing 10-0 to Millard South on Saturday night, the First Nationals trailed 1-0 in the fourth inning on Sunday before scoring four runs to take a lead they would never relinquish. North Platte would score eight runs in the sixth inning and ended the game in the seventh on the mercy rule to eliminate Twin Cities. Joe Smidt went the distance on the mound for the victory. The First Nationals play this afternoon at 1 PM, taking on Lincoln Northeast in another elimination contest. Lincoln Northeast defeated the First Nationals earlier this season in Kearney by a 7-6 score.

The Hershland Trojans were eliminated from the Class C Junior Legion Baseball State Tournament yesterday afternoon, falling to Overton 7-5 at Centennial Park in Hershey. The Trojans had been put on the brink of elimination after a 4-2 loss to the Elkhorn Mt. Michael Knights on Saturday. The Knights broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the fifth off Trojans starter Colton Marshall, and held Hershland’s bats silent the rest of the way. The Trojans fell behind 4-0 in the first inning to Overton on Sunday, and a late comeback fell short, ending their season. Action continues from Centennial Park today. Sutton and Elkhorn Mt. Michael are the last two unbeaten teams left and play each other in the night game. Overton and Palmer play in an elimination game, and Elmwood-Murdock takes on Crofton.

The season-long Sunday futility continues for the Colorado Rockies. They lost their 14^thconsecutive Sunday contest yesterday afternoon in a 7-0 defeat in Arizona against the Diamondbacks. Starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez lasted just five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. The Rockies managed just five hits on the afternoon, with Ty Wigginton collecting a pair. The Rockies haven’t won on a Sunday since beating the Chicago Cubs in Denver on April 17. They fall 11 games behind first place in the NL West with this loss. The Rockies’ West Coast road trip continues tonight as the team heads to Los Angeles to begin a three-game series against the Dodgers. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action from Dodger Stadium tonight. Pregame coverage starts at 8:30 with the first pitch set for 9:10.

With hopes for the 2011 season slipping away, the Colorado Rockies head out West to begin a nine-game road trip against division foes. Their journey begins tonight in Phoenix with the first of three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rockies haven’t played the Diamondbacks since late May, when Arizona took three out of four games at Coors Field. They own the season series edge over the Rockies, 6-3. Aaron Cook gets the start on the mound for the Rockies tonight, still in search of his first win of the season. The Diamondbacks, who are four games out of first place in the NL West, will start Daniel Hudson, who is 10-5 and hasn’t lost in over two months. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action from Phoenix tonight, with pregame coverage at 8:05 and the first pitch at 8:40.

The Colorado Rockies lost a lead twice, lost the game, and may have lost one of their stars again. A 4-0 second inning lead went by the wayside in a 9-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field yesterday afternoon. Carlos Gonzalez’s leadoff homer helped the Rockies to the early advantage, but he left the game in the fifth inning after re-aggravating his injured right wrist on a swing. An MRI revealed inflamed tendons in the wrist, which may force the Rockies center fielder to be placed on the disabled list. The Rockies led 6-5 in the 7^thinning when Matt Reynolds and Matt Lindstrom combined to allow four runs in the seventh inning to cost the Rockies the game. The Rockies head out on the road tonight for the first of three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. ESPN Radio 1410 has the action with pregame coverage at 8:05 and the first pitch at 8:40.

With Nebraska’s move to a new athletic conference, head coaches in all of the Husker athletic programs are discovering new recruiting ground further into the Midwest. The Husker women’s basketball program has taken advantage by venturing into Ohio to land their first known recruit for their class of 2012. Rachel Theriot, a 6-foot guard from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, has committed to play for coach Connie Yori’s Huskers. Theriot averaged over 12 points and 9 assists per game in her junior season at Midpark High School. She ranks 97^thon ESPNU’s HoopGurlz recruiting rankings and was also pursued by Vanderbilt, Xavier, Louisville and fellow Big Ten foe Ohio State. If Theriot signs with the Huskers, she would be Coach Yori’s first recruit from the state of Ohio in her nine year tenure.

Carlos Gonzalez’s walk-off single gave the Colorado Rockies a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field last night. With two outs in the ninth inning, Dexter Fowler reached on a two-base error by Braves third baseman Martin Prado. Pinch-hitter Ty Wigginton was then walked intentionally, setting the stage for Gonzalez, whose line drive to right field scored Fowler with the winning run. Matt Lindstrom got credit for the win in relief of Juan Nicasio, who allowed just one run in his seven innings of work. Todd Helton’s two-run homer in the first inning, his 11^thof the season, opened the scoring. The Rockies have a chance to win the four-game set with the Braves in today’s series finale. ESPN Radio 1410 has the coverage of today’s matinee, with pregame coverage at 1:30 and the first pitch at 2:10.

The preseason honors continue to roll in for Nebraska defensive tackle Jared Crick. But the latest recognition for the senior relates to his work off the field. Crick is among 132 nominees for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which recognizes the selfless contributions to volunteerism and community service made by college football players across the country. It’s the second straight year the Huskers have had a nominee for the Good Works Team, following Alex Henery’s nomination last year. 22 players will be named to the Good Works Team in late-September. The last Husker to make the final team was Dane Todd in 2006. Crick has been nominated to the postseason watch lists for five major awards: the Bednarik Award, the Lombardi Award, the Outland Trophy, the Nagurski Trophy, and the Walter Camp Award.