Summer in St. Joseph means one thing for certain - the Mustangs are back at Phil Welch Stadium.

The eight-time MINK League Champions start up their 15th season this week.

The Mustangs went 33-18 last year, getting all the way to the final game of the championship series, but they lost to Jefferson City 4-0 in the deciding game to end the season, denying the Mustangs what would have been four consecutive titles.

Johnny Coy, entering his sixth year as the Mustangs’ head coach, says that season-ending loss has resonated with the team, especially with the 13 guys returning from last season.

"Just the fact we weren't able to (win a title) last year lit a fire in a lot of these guys," Coy said. "The guys who haven't been here at all know nothing about it, but they're starting to learn already that's what's expected of them and that's what we're going to shoot for."

The start of the 2024 season is somewhat bitter sweet, as the Mustangs mourn the loss of the team’s founder and former owner Dan Gerson. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/aba99d62-678a-4ec6-94a1-0f86b496bb8a">Gerson died this past September at the age of 68</a> at his home in Chicago.

 Ownership of the team transferred to team president Ky Turner following the 2021 season. As he gets ready for the first season without Dan, Turner says much is planned to honor the man who made summers at Phil Welch possible.

"We want to make sure we reach that standard that Dan helped us set," Turner said. "This year, we're always going to continue to honor Dan and his legacy and the impact he had on the things we do. Dan was a fun guy, so we want to have fun with it."

"Dan also hated the spotlight, so he's pry going to hate some of the things we're going to do this season."

The Mustangs will play 26 home games in all this summer. A lot of the usual traditions are back. Bark in the Park, $1.50 beer night on Friday, the St. Joseph Tenderloins, Fireworks on Saturdays and so on

 But, Turner says this year especially will feature a lot of new family fun at the park.

"There's a lot," he said. "Sometimes, I just have to sit down and remind myself of what's happening. Aesthetically, we have some really nice things here that's going to make the stadium experience a little bit better. This is going to be a fun year."

New at the stadium right now is new netting along the first and third base lines.

As for the team itself, the Mustangs are primed to win another MINK League title. The team features six players from Division I universities, nine from MIAA member schools and 12 players from St. Joseph and the immediate surrounding area.

Back for his fourth season is Fort Hays State pitcher and Benton graduate Tanner Schmidt, whose little brother Carson will be on the team for the first time this summer. Schmidt says it’s the friendships and the bonds he’s made over the years that’s kept him coming back each of the last few years.

"Not only the players, but (coach) Johnny (Coy)," Schmidt said. "Lifelong friend, you know. I know I can go to him in any amount of time, five years, 10 years. If I need something, he'll try to help me get whatever I need. It's the bonds you build. The friends you make."

Back for a second season is pitcher, infielder and Lafayette alum Jayden Little. Little says the opportunity to play in front of thousands at Phil Welch Stadium makes the experience that much better.

"I mean, it's a feeling a lot of these guys don't get to feel all year," Little said. "Playing in front of 4-5,000 people a night here. No matter where you go to all of the different colleges we come from, you just don't get that. Getting in here, playing in front of all of these people, it kind of gives you an edge. Makes you want to play that much harder. Kind of show what you got and show off."

First-year Mustang Bronco Whitt, a pitcher and East Buchanan graduate, says he's excited to get to work with this bunch.

"Yeah, a lot of excitement, you know," Whitt said. "Everyone always wants to play for the Mustangs. The fans are great. The town is great. It's going to be a lot of fun and I'm ready for it."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716922949222.jpeg" alt="Members of the St. Joseph Mustangs gather in the clubhouse on Monday, hearing words from head coach Johnny Coy and team owner Ky Turner. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Members of the St. Joseph Mustangs gather in the clubhouse on Monday, hearing words from head coach Johnny Coy and team owner Ky Turner. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSummer in St. Joseph means one thing for certain - the Mustangs are back at Phil Welch Stadium.The eight-time MINK League Champions start up their 15th season this week.The Mustangs went 33-18 last year, getting all the way to the final game of the championship series, but they lost to Jefferson City 4-0 in the deciding game to end the season, denying the Mustangs what would have been four consecutive titles.Johnny Coy, entering his sixth year as the Mustangs’ head coach, says that season-ending loss has resonated with the team, especially with the 13 guys returning from last season."Just the fact we weren't able to (win a title) last year lit a fire in a lot of these guys," Coy said. "The guys who haven't been here at all know nothing about it, but they're starting to learn already that's what's expected of them and that's what we're going to shoot for."The start of the 2024 season is somewhat bitter sweet, as the Mustangs mourn the loss of the team’s founder and former owner Dan Gerson. <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/aba99d62-678a-4ec6-94a1-0f86b496bb8a">Gerson died this past September at the age of 68</a> at his home in Chicago. Ownership of the team transferred to team president Ky Turner following the 2021 season. As he gets ready for the first season without Dan, Turner says much is planned to honor the man who made summers at Phil Welch possible."We want to make sure we reach that standard that Dan helped us set," Turner said. "This year, we're always going to continue to honor Dan and his legacy and the impact he had on the things we do. Dan was a fun guy, so we want to have fun with it.""Dan also hated the spotlight, so he's pry going to hate some of the things we're going to do this season."The Mustangs will play 26 home games in all this summer. A lot of the usual traditions are back. Bark in the Park, $1.50 beer night on Friday, the St. Joseph Tenderloins, Fireworks on Saturdays and so on But, Turner says this year especially will feature a lot of new family fun at the park."There's a lot," he said. "Sometimes, I just have to sit down and remind myself of what's happening. Aesthetically, we have some really nice things here that's going to make the stadium experience a little bit better. This is going to be a fun year."New at the stadium right now is new netting along the first and third base lines.As for the team itself, the Mustangs are primed to win another MINK League title. The team features six players from Division I universities, nine from MIAA member schools and 12 players from St. Joseph and the immediate surrounding area.Back for his fourth season is Fort Hays State pitcher and Benton graduate Tanner Schmidt, whose little brother Carson will be on the team for the first time this summer. Schmidt says it’s the friendships and the bonds he’s made over the years that’s kept him coming back each of the last few years."Not only the players, but (coach) Johnny (Coy)," Schmidt said. "Lifelong friend, you know. I know I can go to him in any amount of time, five years, 10 years. If I need something, he'll try to help me get whatever I need. It's the bonds you build. The friends you make."Back for a second season is pitcher, infielder and Lafayette alum Jayden Little. Little says the opportunity to play in front of thousands at Phil Welch Stadium makes the experience that much better."I mean, it's a feeling a lot of these guys don't get to feel all year," Little said. "Playing in front of 4-5,000 people a night here. No matter where you go to all of the different colleges we come from, you just don't get that. Getting in here, playing in front of all of these people, it kind of gives you an edge. Makes you want to play that much harder. Kind of show what you got and show off."First-year Mustang Bronco Whitt, a pitcher and East Buchanan graduate, says he's excited to get to work with this bunch."Yeah, a lot of excitement, you know," Whitt said. "Everyone always wants to play for the Mustangs. The fans are great. The town is great. It's going to be a lot of fun and I'm ready for it."Interviews<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Johnny-Coy---St--Joseph-Mustangs-e2k7fd4/a-abae1dv" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Ky-Turner---St--Joseph-Mustangs-e2k7feq/a-abae1hb" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716923571405.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mustangs set to open their 15th season, team plans to honor its late founder

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe drove in three runs with a pinch-hit triple during Tampa Bay's four-run seventh inning, and the Rays stopped Kansas City's eight-game win streak with a 4-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday.

The Rays had lost a season-high six straight.

“To get a win that way, to show up in those high stress situations, it feels good and I feel like it really ignites everybody around it," Lowe said.

Kansas City's Michael Wacha (4-5) lost his perfect-game bid in the sixth, and was pulled after Harold Ramírez singled and Isaac Paredes had a double to start the seventh. John Schreiber then hit Randy Arozarena and permitted a fielder’s choice grounder before Lowe delivered on the first pitch he saw.

It was Lowe's second hit in 17 at-bats since returning from a strained right oblique.

Garrett Cleavinger (4-0) got three outs for the win, and Pete Fairbanks handled the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

Batting with the bases loaded, Bobby Witt Jr. bounced to second for the final out of the game.

“It was a good ballgame," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Really well pitched game. They came up with a big hit when they needed it, and we fought back and just came up a little bit short.”

Wacha retired his first 15 batters on 54 pitches before José Caballero grounded a leadoff double down the third base line in the sixth. After a strikeout and grounder, Yandy Díaz drew a 10-pitch walk before Wacha struck out Jonny DeLuca to complete a 33-pitch inning.

“Those are always tough decisions," Quatraro said about sending Wacha back out for the seventh. "Some of them work. Some of them don’t. That one stings because it didn’t.”

Witt extended his hitting streak to nine games and put the Royals up 1-0 on a sixth-inning homer off Rays reliever Shawn Armstrong. He has homered four times in his last five games.

Witt was thrown out by Arozarena when he tried to score from second in the eighth on Salvador Perez’s one-out single to left.

“Look, we don’t get an out right there that rally just keeps going,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley allowed Adam Frazier’s opposite-field flare single to left in the second and walked three over five innings. After a pair of two-out walks in the fifth, the right-hander fanned Maikel Garcia for his sixth strikeout on his season-high 95th pitch.

Royals: OF Kyle Isbel has a small nose fracture to go with facial lacerations after fouling a ball off his face Saturday, but he avoided going on the 10-day injured list. “He’s very fortunate because the ball grazed the bat, grazed the helmet and (then) hit him,” Quatraro said. “But nothing that needs any time other than just the swelling to go down and get him back out there.” ... INF Michael Massey (lower back sprain) went on the 10-day IL.

Royals: RHP Alec Marsh (4-1, 2.72 ERA) and Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (3-3, 3.15 ERA) are Monday’s starters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716762742715.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., right, celebrates his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays with Vinnie Pasquantino during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr., right, celebrates his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays with Vinnie Pasquantino during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 26, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe drove in three runs with a pinch-hit triple during Tampa Bay's four-run seventh inning, and the Rays stopped Kansas City's eight-game win streak with a 4-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday.The Rays had lost a season-high six straight.“To get a win that way, to show up in those high stress situations, it feels good and I feel like it really ignites everybody around it," Lowe said.Kansas City's Michael Wacha (4-5) lost his perfect-game bid in the sixth, and was pulled after Harold Ramírez singled and Isaac Paredes had a double to start the seventh. John Schreiber then hit Randy Arozarena and permitted a fielder’s choice grounder before Lowe delivered on the first pitch he saw.It was Lowe's second hit in 17 at-bats since returning from a strained right oblique.Garrett Cleavinger (4-0) got three outs for the win, and Pete Fairbanks handled the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.Batting with the bases loaded, Bobby Witt Jr. bounced to second for the final out of the game.“It was a good ballgame," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Really well pitched game. They came up with a big hit when they needed it, and we fought back and just came up a little bit short.”Wacha retired his first 15 batters on 54 pitches before José Caballero grounded a leadoff double down the third base line in the sixth. After a strikeout and grounder, Yandy Díaz drew a 10-pitch walk before Wacha struck out Jonny DeLuca to complete a 33-pitch inning.“Those are always tough decisions," Quatraro said about sending Wacha back out for the seventh. "Some of them work. Some of them don’t. That one stings because it didn’t.”Witt extended his hitting streak to nine games and put the Royals up 1-0 on a sixth-inning homer off Rays reliever Shawn Armstrong. He has homered four times in his last five games.Witt was thrown out by Arozarena when he tried to score from second in the eighth on Salvador Perez’s one-out single to left.“Look, we don’t get an out right there that rally just keeps going,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley allowed Adam Frazier’s opposite-field flare single to left in the second and walked three over five innings. After a pair of two-out walks in the fifth, the right-hander fanned Maikel Garcia for his sixth strikeout on his season-high 95th pitch.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: OF Kyle Isbel has a small nose fracture to go with facial lacerations after fouling a ball off his face Saturday, but he avoided going on the 10-day injured list. “He’s very fortunate because the ball grazed the bat, grazed the helmet and (then) hit him,” Quatraro said. “But nothing that needs any time other than just the swelling to go down and get him back out there.” ... INF Michael Massey (lower back sprain) went on the 10-day IL.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Alec Marsh (4-1, 2.72 ERA) and Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (3-3, 3.15 ERA) are Monday’s starters.

Brandon Lowe hits a 3-run triple as the Rays stop the Royals' 8-game win streak with a 4-1 victory

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez homered and had an RBI double in a three-run 11th inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 on Saturday for their eighth straight victory.

After both teams scored once in the 10th, Velázquez opened the 11th with his hit and scored on Adam Frazier's run-scoring single off Richard Lovelady (0-3). Maikel Garcia also drove in a run with a hit.

“That’s what good teams do, play hard and pick each other up,” Frazier said. “That’s a recipe for success.”

James McArthur (2-2) allowed one run in two innings, and Nick Anderson worked a scoreless 11th to get his first save.

“That was a battle,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “It took a lot of guts from both sides to stay in a really competitive game.”

Kansas City has scored seven or more runs in a team-record six consecutive games.

“Very frustrating,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Would rather be talking about wins but right now they're tough to come by.”

Kansas City's Kyle Isbel left in the seventh after a pitch by reliever Garrett Cleavinger hit him in the face while swinging. Isabel remained on his feet and walked off with a trainer holding a towel on his face. The team announced that Isbel has facial lacerations and will undergo additional tests.

“I think we’re extremely lucky,” Quatraro said. “Got him on the bridge of the nose.”

Royals starter Brady Singer talked with Isbel in the clubhouse.

“He's in really good spirits,” Singer said. “He's as tough as a bull. so I expect him to be back quick.”

Dairon Blanco pinch-hit for Isbel and put the Royals ahead 3-2 on a sacrifice fly.

Velázquez had a second-inning homer and Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with an RBI single off Aaron Civale in the third.

Kansas City reliever Chris Stratton got the first out in the seventh with a nifty reach behind-the-back grab on Amed Rosario's comeback. The right-hander then hit a batter and issued a walk, and was replaced by Angel Zerpa, who allowed pinch-hitter Harold Ramírez's game-tying RBI single.

Kansas City’s Hunter Renfroe hit a towering fly with a runner on second and two outs in the ninth that Ramírez lost sight of in left field, but center fielder Jose Siri was backing up the play and made the catch.

Jonathan Aranda hit a solo homer in fourth off Royals Singer.

Both Civale and Singer gave up two runs and four hits over five innings.

Royals: INF Michael Massey, who left Friday’s game with lower back tightness, didn’t play. Massey has had occasional back issues since spring training.

Royals RHP Michael Wacha (4-4. 4.35 ERA) and Rays RHP Taj Bradley (1-2, 4.00 ERA) are Sunday’s starters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716698405314.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. reacts to an inside pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, May 25, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. reacts to an inside pitch during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, May 25, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nelson Velázquez homered and had an RBI double in a three-run 11th inning as the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 on Saturday for their eighth straight victory.After both teams scored once in the 10th, Velázquez opened the 11th with his hit and scored on Adam Frazier's run-scoring single off Richard Lovelady (0-3). Maikel Garcia also drove in a run with a hit.“That’s what good teams do, play hard and pick each other up,” Frazier said. “That’s a recipe for success.”James McArthur (2-2) allowed one run in two innings, and Nick Anderson worked a scoreless 11th to get his first save.“That was a battle,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “It took a lot of guts from both sides to stay in a really competitive game.”Kansas City has scored seven or more runs in a team-record six consecutive games.The Rays have lost six in a row.“Very frustrating,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Would rather be talking about wins but right now they're tough to come by.”Kansas City's Kyle Isbel left in the seventh after a pitch by reliever Garrett Cleavinger hit him in the face while swinging. Isabel remained on his feet and walked off with a trainer holding a towel on his face. The team announced that Isbel has facial lacerations and will undergo additional tests.“I think we’re extremely lucky,” Quatraro said. “Got him on the bridge of the nose.”Royals starter Brady Singer talked with Isbel in the clubhouse.“He's in really good spirits,” Singer said. “He's as tough as a bull. so I expect him to be back quick.”Dairon Blanco pinch-hit for Isbel and put the Royals ahead 3-2 on a sacrifice fly.Velázquez had a second-inning homer and Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to a season-high eight games with an RBI single off Aaron Civale in the third.Kansas City reliever Chris Stratton got the first out in the seventh with a nifty reach behind-the-back grab on Amed Rosario's comeback. The right-hander then hit a batter and issued a walk, and was replaced by Angel Zerpa, who allowed pinch-hitter Harold Ramírez's game-tying RBI single.Kansas City’s Hunter Renfroe hit a towering fly with a runner on second and two outs in the ninth that Ramírez lost sight of in left field, but center fielder Jose Siri was backing up the play and made the catch.Jonathan Aranda hit a solo homer in fourth off Royals Singer.Both Civale and Singer gave up two runs and four hits over five innings.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: INF Michael Massey, who left Friday’s game with lower back tightness, didn’t play. Massey has had occasional back issues since spring training.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Michael Wacha (4-4. 4.35 ERA) and Rays RHP Taj Bradley (1-2, 4.00 ERA) are Sunday’s starters.

Velázquez homers and has RBI double in 3-run 11th as Royals beat Rays 7-4 for eighth consecutive win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seth Lugo became the American League's first eight-game winner, Michael Massey and Bobby Witt Jr, homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 on Friday night for their seventh consecutive victory.

Lugo (8-1) allowed one run and four hits, lowering his AL-best ERA from 1.79 to to 1.74. Only Philadelphia's Ranger Suárez has more victories in the majors with nine.

The Royals are a season-best 14-game over .500 at 33-19. Kansas City was 15-37 after 52 games last season and did not get to 33 wins until Aug. 1.

Massey put Kansas City ahead 5-1 in the fifth with a three-run homer off Tyler Alexander (2-3). Massey, who has 21 RBIs in his last 21 games, left in the sixth due to lower back tightness.

Witt extended his hitting streak to seven games with a solo homer against Alexander in a two-run seventh that made it 8-1. Both dugouts were warned by the umpires after Alexander hit the next batter after Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino, with a 90.3 mph fastball.

Tampa Bay has lost a season-high five in a row to fall to 25-27.

The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the first against Lugo, but scored just once on Jonathan Aranda’s fielder’s choice grounder.

After opener Shawn Armstrong went two perfect innings. Alexander gave up eight runs and 11 hits in five innings. Alexander took a perfect game into the eighth in his previous outing, a start May 17 at Toronto.

The Royals take on the Rays again Saturday afternoon with first pitch at 3:10. Coverage begins at 2:30 on 680 KFEQ in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716600609530.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 24, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 24, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Seth Lugo became the American League's first eight-game winner, Michael Massey and Bobby Witt Jr, homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 on Friday night for their seventh consecutive victory.Lugo (8-1) allowed one run and four hits, lowering his AL-best ERA from 1.79 to to 1.74. Only Philadelphia's Ranger Suárez has more victories in the majors with nine.The Royals are a season-best 14-game over .500 at 33-19. Kansas City was 15-37 after 52 games last season and did not get to 33 wins until Aug. 1.Massey put Kansas City ahead 5-1 in the fifth with a three-run homer off Tyler Alexander (2-3). Massey, who has 21 RBIs in his last 21 games, left in the sixth due to lower back tightness.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Massey: &quot;Just had some back tightness throughout the game. Was getting pretty tight there at the end. Just came out, tried to get some treatment done and hopefully it loosens up a little bit. ... We kinda know when we need to go and when we need to pull the plug.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Royals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Royals</a> <a href="https://t.co/34Agp0Xt7N">pic.twitter.com/34Agp0Xt7N</a>&mdash; Bally Sports Kansas City (@BallySportsKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1794186765864935642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Witt extended his hitting streak to seven games with a solo homer against Alexander in a two-run seventh that made it 8-1. Both dugouts were warned by the umpires after Alexander hit the next batter after Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino, with a 90.3 mph fastball.Tampa Bay has lost a season-high five in a row to fall to 25-27.The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the first against Lugo, but scored just once on Jonathan Aranda’s fielder’s choice grounder.After opener Shawn Armstrong went two perfect innings. Alexander gave up eight runs and 11 hits in five innings. Alexander took a perfect game into the eighth in his previous outing, a start May 17 at Toronto.The Royals take on the Rays again Saturday afternoon with first pitch at 3:10. Coverage begins at 2:30 on 680 KFEQ in St. Joseph.

Seth Lugo becomes AL's first 8-game winner, Royals beat Rays 8-1 to improve to 33-19

Senior pitcher Jackson Kanacksy tossed a no-hitter to go with 12 hits from the Benton offense and the Cardinals routed St. Michael the Archangel, 16-0, in three innings in Class 4 state quarterfinals at the MWSU Spring Sports Complex on Thursday.

Benton (31-3), winners of 20 straight games, has reached the Final Four in baseball for the first time since 2007.

The Cardinals wasted no time, scoring two runs in the first and then seven runs in both the second and third innings.

Senior Myles Bachali and junior Chris Coy each scored three runs in the victory. Treigh Nowak, Bryson Brown and Jaxon Rich each scored twice.

The Cardinals benefitted from five St. Michael errors.

Kanacsky, meanwhile, kept the Guardians (16-13) silent on offense, tossing a no-hitter and striking out six of his 11 batters faced. St. Michael had only two base runners all game.

Benton advances to the Class 4 state semifinals, where they'll face MICDS (18-6) on Wednesday, May 29 at 10 a.m. at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.

The Class 4 state title game is Thursday, May 30 at 10 a.m. with the third place game set for the same day at 1 p.m.

Mid-Buchanan upsets Lone Jack, reaches first ever Final Four

Starting pitcher Will Archer tossed a gem and Mid-Buchanan baseball (21-8) is Final Four bound for the first time ever with a 6-0 win over No. 2 Lone Jack (30-2) in Faucett Thursday.

The Mules had won 15 straight games coming in.

The Dragons have now won four straight and advance to the Class 3 Final Four, which is also at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.

Mid-Buchanan will play West County (22-6) in state semifinals on Wednesday, May 29 at 4 p.m.

The Class 3 state title game is set for Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. with the third place game at 4 p.m. on May 30 as well.

All Mid-Buchanan and Benton games in Ozark will be broadcast either on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) OR on StJosephPost.com. Stay tuned for further details on broadcast information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716515943571.jpeg" alt="Jackson Kanacsky threw a no-hitter as Benton blanked St. Michael the Archangel 16-0 in Class 4 state quarterfinals on Thursday at Missouri Western. Photo by Alexis Starks." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Kanacsky threw a no-hitter as Benton blanked St. Michael the Archangel 16-0 in Class 4 state quarterfinals on Thursday at Missouri Western. Photo by Alexis Starks.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSenior pitcher Jackson Kanacksy tossed a no-hitter to go with 12 hits from the Benton offense and the Cardinals routed St. Michael the Archangel, 16-0, in three innings in Class 4 state quarterfinals at the MWSU Spring Sports Complex on Thursday.Benton (31-3), winners of 20 straight games, has reached the Final Four in baseball for the first time since 2007.The Cardinals wasted no time, scoring two runs in the first and then seven runs in both the second and third innings.Senior Myles Bachali and junior Chris Coy each scored three runs in the victory. Treigh Nowak, Bryson Brown and Jaxon Rich each scored twice.The Cardinals benefitted from five St. Michael errors.Kanacsky, meanwhile, kept the Guardians (16-13) silent on offense, tossing a no-hitter and striking out six of his 11 batters faced. St. Michael had only two base runners all game.Benton advances to the Class 4 state semifinals, where they'll face MICDS (18-6) on Wednesday, May 29 at 10 a.m. at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.The Class 4 state title game is Thursday, May 30 at 10 a.m. with the third place game set for the same day at 1 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518057094.jpeg" alt="Myles Bachali heads toward home plate." />
 <figcaption>Myles Bachali heads toward home plate.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716518075258.jpeg" alt="Chris Coy slides into home." />
 <figcaption>Chris Coy slides into home.</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnny Coy, Chris Coy interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Johnny-and-Chris-Coy---52324-e2k205r/a-aba0chp" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Full game broadcast<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Benton-baseball-vs--St--Michael-the-Archangel-e2k203k/a-aba0ce4" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Mid-Buchanan upsets Lone Jack, reaches first ever Final FourStarting pitcher Will Archer tossed a gem and Mid-Buchanan baseball (21-8) is Final Four bound for the first time ever with a 6-0 win over No. 2 Lone Jack (30-2) in Faucett Thursday.The Mules had won 15 straight games coming in.The Dragons have now won four straight and advance to the Class 3 Final Four, which is also at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark.Mid-Buchanan will play West County (22-6) in state semifinals on Wednesday, May 29 at 4 p.m.The Class 3 state title game is set for Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. with the third place game at 4 p.m. on May 30 as well.All Mid-Buchanan and Benton games in Ozark will be broadcast either on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) OR on StJosephPost.com. Stay tuned for further details on broadcast information.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton, Mid-Buchanan baseball Final Four bound with big wins Thursday

NEW YORK (AP) —The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>,a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.

The Pac-12 became the final conference to sign off on the proposal Thursday when its university leaders voted to approve, according to a person with direct knowledge of the results.

The Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors unanimously approved the deal earlier Thursday, another person with knowledge of that decision told The Associated Press. Both spoke spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement between the Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA was still being prepared.

The other organizations voted to approve earlier in the week ahead of a Thursday deadline given by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.

The details in the plan signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishments for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.

Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.

There are a host of details still to be determined, but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.

Some of that money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.

Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.

The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.

In the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.

Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.

Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.

The class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.

The suit also made the case that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.

Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.

That principle had already been dented numerous times over the last decade.

Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits. The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."

The settlement is expected to cover two other antitrust cases facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.

A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.

“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.

The solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.

In December, NCAA President Charlie Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.

The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>

Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuits-d3abf6cdbe606668eb9a91ffd2218f72">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.

Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.

Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587379293613.jpeg" alt="The settlement could cost KU and K-State millions" />
 <figcaption>The settlement could cost KU and K-State millions</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NCAA and the nation's five biggest conferences have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">pay nearly $2.8 billion to settle a host of antitrust claims</a>,a monumental decision that sets the stage for a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model that could start directing millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement on settlement: <a href="https://t.co/H6o5HYIhKM">pic.twitter.com/H6o5HYIhKM</a>&mdash; Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) <a href="https://twitter.com/Big12Conference/status/1793808006527738160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Pac-12 became the final conference to sign off on the proposal Thursday when its university leaders voted to approve, according to a person with direct knowledge of the results.The Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors unanimously approved the deal earlier Thursday, another person with knowledge of that decision told The Associated Press. Both spoke spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement between the Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA was still being prepared.The other organizations voted to approve earlier in the week ahead of a Thursday deadline given by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.The deal still must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case and challenges could arise, but if the agreement stands it will mark the beginning of a new era in college sports where athletes are compensated more like professionals and schools can compete for talent using direct payments.The details in the plan signal the end of the NCAA’s bedrock amateurism model that dates to its founding in 1906. Indeed, the days of NCAA punishments for athletes driving booster-provided cars started vanishing three years ago when the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-sports-sports-0aee610b0152c02dcd5d3eddb4d29f76">lifted restrictions on endorsement deals</a>&nbsp;backed by so-called name, image and likeness money.Now it is not far-fetched to look ahead to seasons where a star quarterback or top prospect on a college basketball team are not only cashing in big-money NIL deals but have a $100,000 school payment in the bank to play.There are a host of details still to be determined, but the agreement calls for the NCAA and the conferences to pay $2.77 billion over 10 years to more than 14,000 former and current college athletes who say now-defunct rules prevented them from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals dating to 2016.Some of that money will come from NCAA reserve funds and insurance but even though the lawsuit specifically targeted five conferences that are comprised of 69 schools (including Notre Dame),&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-752156fdb0ea01445f52b1b109d14922">dozens of other NCAA member schools</a>&nbsp;will see smaller distributions from the NCAA to cover the mammoth payout.Schools in the Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences will end up bearing the brunt of the settlement at a cost of about $300 million each over 10 years, the majority of which will be paid to athletes going forward.The Pac-12 is also part of the settlement, with all 12 sharing responsibility even though Washington State and Oregon State will be the only league members left by this fall after the other 10 schools leave.PAYING ATHLETESIn the new compensation model, each school will be permitted but not required to set aside up to $21 million in revenue to share with athletes per year, though as revenues rise so could the cap.Athletes in all sports would be eligible for payments and schools would be given the freedom to decide how that money is divvied up among sports programs. Scholarship limits by sport will be replaced by roster restrictions.Whether the new compensation model is subject to the Title IX gender equity law is unknown along with whether schools will be able to bring NIL activities in-house as they hope and squeeze out the booster-run collectives that have sprouted up in the last few years to pay athletes. Both topics could lead to more lawsuits.THE CASEThe class-action federal lawsuit at the center of the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9a01e3058fee79cbd69bfce7d861e3c9">House v. the NCAA,</a>&nbsp;was set to go to trial in January. The complaint, brought by former Arizona State swimmer Grant House and Sedona Prince, a former Oregon and current TCU basketball player, said the NCAA, along with the five wealthiest conferences, improperly barred athletes from earning endorsement money.The suit also made the case that athletes were entitled to a piece of the billions of dollars the NCAA and those conferences earn from media rights agreements with television networks.Amid political and public pressure, and facing the prospect of another court loss that some in college sports claimed could reach $20 billion in damages, NCAA and conference officials conceded on what has long been a core principal of the enterprise: That schools don't directly pay the athletes to play beyond a scholarship.That principle had already been dented numerous times over the last decade.Notably, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-supreme-court-alston-college-athlete-benefits-5be12caeaf014da7d71baf0bb60646fe">against the NCAA in 2021</a>&nbsp;in a case related to education-related benefits. The narrow focus of the Alston case didn't collapse the collegiate sports system, but the strong rebuke of the NCAA's model of amateurism flung the door open to more lawsuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a former Yale athlete, put it bluntly: “The bottom line is that the NCAA and its member colleges are suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges every year."THE OTHER CASESThe settlement is expected to cover two other antitrust cases facing the NCAA and major conferences that challenge athlete compensation rules. Hubbard vs. the NCAA and Carter vs. the NCAA are also currently in front of judges in the Northern District of California.A fourth case, Fontenot vs, NCAA, creates a potential complication as it remains in a Colorado court after a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-settlement-3e26c017980afe0ee1c6a28f77abcf5a">denied a request</a>&nbsp;to combine it with Carter. Whether Fontenot becomes part of the settlement is unknown and it matters because the NCAA and its conferences don't want to be on the hook for more damages should they lose in court.“We’re going to continue to litigate our case in Colorado and look forward to hearing about the terms of a settlement proposal once they’re actually released and put in front of a court,” said George Zelcs, a plaintiffs' attorney in Fontenot.COLLEGE ATHLETICS OVERHAULThe solution agreed to in the settlement is landmark, but not surprising. College sports has been trending in this direction for years, with athletes receiving more and more monetary benefits and rights they say were long overdue.In December, NCAA President Charlie Baker, the former Massachusetts governor who has been on the job for 14 months,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-baker-nil-c26542c528df277385fea7167026dbe6">proposed creating a new tier of Division I athletics</a>&nbsp;where the schools with the most resources would be required to pay at least half their athletes $30,000 per year. That suggestion, along with many other possibilities, remain under discussion.The settlement does not make every issue facing college sports go away. There is still a question of whether athletes should be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1095US1095&amp;oq=Dartmouth+apnews+ralph+russo&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigAdIBCjEzMTU2ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">deemed employees</a>&nbsp;of their schools, something Baker and other college sports leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-nil-charlie-baker-hearing-senate-83ed8f9e1fb267db1ce5e24d6b79617a">are fighting against.</a>Some type of federal legislation or antitrust exemption is likely still needed to codify the terms of the settlement, protect the NCAA from future litigation and pre-empt state laws that attempt to neuter the organization's authority. As it is,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuits-d3abf6cdbe606668eb9a91ffd2218f72">the NCAA is still facing lawsuits</a>&nbsp;that challenge its ability to govern itself, including setting rules limiting multiple-time transfers.Federal lawmakers have indicated they would like to get something done, but while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-nil-f8b4d71460b9950694bfc66e2e6479e2">several bills have been introduced</a>&nbsp;none have gone anywhere.Despite the unanswered questions, one thing is clear: Major college athletics is about to become more like professional sports than ever before.___

NCAA, nation's biggest conferences ok $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans allowed one hit in six innings and Freddy Fermin drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Wednesday for a series sweep.

Ragans (4-3) struck out a career-best 12 while holding the Tigers hitless until Riley Greene’s two-out single in the sixth.

The Royals opened the scoring in the second on Fermin’s one-out RBI double off the top of the left-centerfield wall. One out later, Garrett Hampson followed with an RBI double for a 2-0 lead.

Nelson Velázquez hit his fourth home run into the leftfield fountains to lead off the fourth.

Kansas City took a 4-0 lead in the fifth on three consecutive one-out singles with Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI hit scoring Maikel Garcia, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Tarik Skubal (6-1) threw five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The loss snapped Skubal’s 14-game unbeaten streak dating to Aug. 29 last year.

Andy Ibáñez cut the deficit to 4-2 with a two-out, two-run double in the seventh.

Bobby Witt Jr. and Fermin delivered two-run hits in the bottom half of the frame, extending the lead to 8-2.

The Royals won their first series against the Tigers since taking two of three in September 2022. It was Kansas City’s first sweep of Detroit since July 2021.

Colt Keith recorded seven of the Tigers’ 19 hits in the series.

Royals RHP Seth Lugo (7-1, 1.79) opposes Rays&nbsp; on Friday in Tampa.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716411828410.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cole Ragans allowed one hit in six innings and Freddy Fermin drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Wednesday for a series sweep.Ragans (4-3) struck out a career-best 12 while holding the Tigers hitless until Riley Greene’s two-out single in the sixth.The Royals opened the scoring in the second on Fermin’s one-out RBI double off the top of the left-centerfield wall. One out later, Garrett Hampson followed with an RBI double for a 2-0 lead.Nelson Velázquez hit his fourth home run into the leftfield fountains to lead off the fourth.Kansas City took a 4-0 lead in the fifth on three consecutive one-out singles with Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI hit scoring Maikel Garcia, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games.Tarik Skubal (6-1) threw five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.The loss snapped Skubal’s 14-game unbeaten streak dating to Aug. 29 last year.Andy Ibáñez cut the deficit to 4-2 with a two-out, two-run double in the seventh.Bobby Witt Jr. and Fermin delivered two-run hits in the bottom half of the frame, extending the lead to 8-2.The Royals won their first series against the Tigers since taking two of three in September 2022. It was Kansas City’s first sweep of Detroit since July 2021.The Royals have won six straight.Colt Keith recorded seven of the Tigers’ 19 hits in the series.Detroit has lost four straight.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Seth Lugo (7-1, 1.79) opposes Rays&nbsp; on Friday in Tampa.

Cole Ragans allows 1 hit, strikes out 12 in Royals' 8-3 win over Tigers

Benton scored the game's lone run in the third inning and starting pitcher Chris Coy struck out eight batters in a complete game, as the Cardinals (30-3) blanked St. Pius X, 1-0, in a Class 4 state sectional at the Missouri Western Spring Sports Complex Tuesday.

Benton had only two hits, but it was Myles Bachali who drove in Bryson Brown on an RBI single in the bottom of the third, and that was the game.

Pius (18-10-1) seemingly scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning when senior Wade Mann came around to score off of a single from Tommy Hustler.

However, Mann never touched home plate and was called out as soon as he got to the dugout.

Pius also left the bases loaded in the top of the third.

Both offenses went cold in the back half of the game. Benton and Pius both went down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

Pius got two runners on with one out in the top of the seventh, but a groundout and a strikeout ended the threat.

Coy, a junior, followed up his complete game performance against Savannah last Thursday in the district title with a complete game shutout on Tuesday. He struck out eight batters while walking only two.

Junior Ty Earwood was stellar on the mound for Pius, striking out six Cardinals in all.

Benton has now won 19 games in a row and has reached the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2007 - the year the Cardinals won it all.

Benton will stay at Missouri Western for a third consecutive game. The Cardinals face St. Michael the Archangel (16-12) in state quarterfinals on Thursday at a time to be determined.

The game will be broadcast live on StJosephPost.com <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">AT THIS LINK</a>.

St. Michael beat Excelsior Springs Tuesday, 2-0.

Class 3 state sectional Mid-Buchanan 7 Lone Jack 5 - FINAL

The Dragons (20-8) advance to state quarterfinals to take on Lone Jack (30-1) on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716343934908.jpeg" alt="Chris Coy struck out eight batters in a complete game shutout against St. Pius X, as the Cardinals beat the Warriors in Class 4 state sectionals on Tuesday at Missouri Western. Photo by Alexis Starks." />
 <figcaption>Chris Coy struck out eight batters in a complete game shutout against St. Pius X, as the Cardinals beat the Warriors in Class 4 state sectionals on Tuesday at Missouri Western. Photo by Alexis Starks.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBenton scored the game's lone run in the third inning and starting pitcher Chris Coy struck out eight batters in a complete game, as the Cardinals (30-3) blanked St. Pius X, 1-0, in a Class 4 state sectional at the Missouri Western Spring Sports Complex Tuesday.Benton had only two hits, but it was Myles Bachali who drove in Bryson Brown on an RBI single in the bottom of the third, and that was the game.Pius (18-10-1) seemingly scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning when senior Wade Mann came around to score off of a single from Tommy Hustler.However, Mann never touched home plate and was called out as soon as he got to the dugout.Pius also left the bases loaded in the top of the third.Both offenses went cold in the back half of the game. Benton and Pius both went down in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning.Pius got two runners on with one out in the top of the seventh, but a groundout and a strikeout ended the threat.Coy, a junior, followed up his complete game performance against Savannah last Thursday in the district title with a complete game shutout on Tuesday. He struck out eight batters while walking only two.Junior Ty Earwood was stellar on the mound for Pius, striking out six Cardinals in all.Benton has now won 19 games in a row and has reached the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2007 - the year the Cardinals won it all.Benton will stay at Missouri Western for a third consecutive game. The Cardinals face St. Michael the Archangel (16-12) in state quarterfinals on Thursday at a time to be determined.The game will be broadcast live on StJosephPost.com <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/SJPOST">AT THIS LINK</a>.St. Michael beat Excelsior Springs Tuesday, 2-0.Full audio broadcast<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Benton-vs--St--Pius-X---State-Sectional-Baseball-e2jv5gi/a-ab9pi6c" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Johnny Coy interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Johnny-Coy---52124-e2jv620/a-ab9pjlv" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Chris Coy interview<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Chris-Coy---52124-e2jv63b/a-ab9pjqf" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716344715280.jpeg" alt="Myles Bachali (1)." />
 <figcaption>Myles Bachali (1).</figcaption>
 </figure>Class 3 state sectional Mid-Buchanan 7 Lone Jack 5 - FINALThe Dragons (20-8) advance to state quarterfinals to take on Lone Jack (30-1) on Thursday.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chris Coy throws complete game, Benton blanks Pius to reach state quarters

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered twice as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 10-3 for their fifth straight win on Tuesday night.

Maikel Garcia led off the first with a triple and scored on Witt’s infield hit. Witt stole second and scored when Salvador Perez hit a single to right.

After Kyle Isbel and Garcia singled in the second, Witt hit Casey Mize’s splitter 468 feet — the farthest of his career —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746309/video/bobby-witt-jr-s-468-foot-home-run">into the upper deck fountains.</a>

Mize (1-3) surrendered six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings, the shortest outing of his career.

Garcia drove an RBI triple to right and scored on Witt’s third-inning sacrifice fly to give the Royals an 8-0 lead. Garcia scored three runs while matching a career best with four hits, extending his hitting streak to nine games.

Witt added a solo homer leading off the sixth. It was his fourth multihomer game as he matched a career best with six RBIs.

In the seventh, Hunter Renfroe’s fourth homer of the season capped the scoring.

Kansas City collected six extra-base hits and has at least one extra-base hit in all 50 games this year, one game shy of their franchise record set in 1978.

Alec Marsh (4-1) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings. The Royals have won all but one of his eight starts.

Kansas City has led or been tied for all 45 innings of the current homestand and hasn’t trailed since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-mariners-score-0b62bf25f1441178eafb446f901ba9f2">Wednesday’s loss at Seattle.</a>

Matt Vierling hit a two-run triple in the fourth and scored on Colt Keith’s single. Keith had three of Detroit’s six hits.

The Royals take on the Tigers again Wednesday afternoon with first pitch at 1:10 on KFEQ in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716344697393.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered twice as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 10-3 for their fifth straight win on Tuesday night.Maikel Garcia led off the first with a triple and scored on Witt’s infield hit. Witt stole second and scored when Salvador Perez hit a single to right.After Kyle Isbel and Garcia singled in the second, Witt hit Casey Mize’s splitter 468 feet — the farthest of his career —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/746309/video/bobby-witt-jr-s-468-foot-home-run">into the upper deck fountains.</a>Mize (1-3) surrendered six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings, the shortest outing of his career.Garcia drove an RBI triple to right and scored on Witt’s third-inning sacrifice fly to give the Royals an 8-0 lead. Garcia scored three runs while matching a career best with four hits, extending his hitting streak to nine games.Witt added a solo homer leading off the sixth. It was his fourth multihomer game as he matched a career best with six RBIs.In the seventh, Hunter Renfroe’s fourth homer of the season capped the scoring.Kansas City collected six extra-base hits and has at least one extra-base hit in all 50 games this year, one game shy of their franchise record set in 1978.Alec Marsh (4-1) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in six innings. The Royals have won all but one of his eight starts.Kansas City has led or been tied for all 45 innings of the current homestand and hasn’t trailed since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-mariners-score-0b62bf25f1441178eafb446f901ba9f2">Wednesday’s loss at Seattle.</a>Matt Vierling hit a two-run triple in the fourth and scored on Colt Keith’s single. Keith had three of Detroit’s six hits.The Royals take on the Tigers again Wednesday afternoon with first pitch at 1:10 on KFEQ in St. Joseph.

Bobby Witt Jr.’s 2 homers and 6 RBIs lead Royals past Tigers 10-3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Massey and Salvador Perez homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.

Massey opened the scoring in the second inning with a leadoff homer, the first long ball given up this season by Tigers starter Reese Olson after 48 1/3 innings, snapping the majors’ longest homerless streak.

In his next at-bat, Massey stunned Olson with a liner off his right hip while Vinnie Pasquantino scored on catcher Jake Rogers’ throwing error for a 2-0 Royals lead.

After tossing a few warmup pitches, Olson (0-5) exited with a right hip contusion. He threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing the two runs and five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Perez led off the sixth with his ninth homer as the Royals greeted reliever Joey Wentz with five consecutive hits. Seven straight batters reached safely while Kansas City scored six runs to build an 8-1 lead.

Michael Wacha (4-4) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings while walking one with three strikeouts to win his third straight start.

Kerry Carpenter hit his sixth homer in the fourth inning – a one-out solo shot into the leftfield fountains – then doubled and scored in the seventh on Colt Keith’s two-out double. Keith had three of Detroit’s seven hits.

Carpenter’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly capped the scoring.

The Tigers have scored 20 runs while losing 8-of-9 starts by Olson.

Royals LHP Jake Brentz was reinstated from the Injured List and optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Royals designated RHP Matt Sauer for assignment and selected LHP Sam Long from Triple-A Omaha.

Tigers RHP Casey Mize (1-2, 3.50 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Alec Marsh (3-1, 2.43) Tuesday evening.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716259319467.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, May 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, May 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Massey and Salvador Perez homered as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.Massey opened the scoring in the second inning with a leadoff homer, the first long ball given up this season by Tigers starter Reese Olson after 48 1/3 innings, snapping the majors’ longest homerless streak.In his next at-bat, Massey stunned Olson with a liner off his right hip while Vinnie Pasquantino scored on catcher Jake Rogers’ throwing error for a 2-0 Royals lead.After tossing a few warmup pitches, Olson (0-5) exited with a right hip contusion. He threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing the two runs and five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.Perez led off the sixth with his ninth homer as the Royals greeted reliever Joey Wentz with five consecutive hits. Seven straight batters reached safely while Kansas City scored six runs to build an 8-1 lead.Michael Wacha (4-4) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings while walking one with three strikeouts to win his third straight start.Kerry Carpenter hit his sixth homer in the fourth inning – a one-out solo shot into the leftfield fountains – then doubled and scored in the seventh on Colt Keith’s two-out double. Keith had three of Detroit’s seven hits.Carpenter’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly capped the scoring.The Tigers have scored 20 runs while losing 8-of-9 starts by Olson.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals LHP Jake Brentz was reinstated from the Injured List and optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.ROSTER MOVESRoyals designated RHP Matt Sauer for assignment and selected LHP Sam Long from Triple-A Omaha.UP NEXTTigers RHP Casey Mize (1-2, 3.50 ERA) opposes Royals RHP Alec Marsh (3-1, 2.43) Tuesday evening.

Massey, Perez hit homers to lead Royals in 8-3 win over Tigers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer stuck out nine, Vinnie Pasquantino hit a three-run triple and the Kansas City Royals completed a sweep of the Oakland Athletics with an 8-1 victory Sunday.

It was the third sweep of the season for Kansas City. It took until September 20 for the Royals to record their third sweep of the season last year.

Singer (4-2) tossed six innings on one-run ball, giving up six hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. It was the fifth time this season that Singer has stuck out six or more and was one shy of his season high. He has gone at least five innings in every start this season.

“That’s what we were hoping for, the early counts and low pitch counts and making them make decisions," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "Certainly couldn't ask more for that when it comes to efficiency. To have him set the tone like that and get the early lead that’s all we could hope for.”

Pasquantino hit a three-run pinch-hit triple to highlight a four-run sixth inning for the Royals. It was his first career triple in the Majors. Kansas City ended the day with five extra-base hits.

“The nice thing about the Majors is that we have a batting cage close, so from the third inning on, I’m getting hot for that one opportunity," Pasquantino said. “I’m not coming into the game for my speed; I know it’ll be a high-leverage situation, so I was able to do that today.”

Bobby Witt Jr. went 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and two RBIs. Maikel Garcia had a two-RBI game and extended a six-game hitting streak. Salvador Perez had a two-hit game with an RBI.

JP Sears (3-3) tossed 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Brent Rooker hit his 11th home run of the season with a three-run shot over the left-field bullpen. He leads the team in the category.

Tyler Soderstrom put the A’s on the board with a two-out double in the fourth. Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, Soderstorm has a hit in six of nine games. Max Schuemann had a two-hit game.

Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Oakland had a chance to take the lead with bases loaded with two outs, but Singer ended the inning on a Rooker groundout. Oakland left 10 men on base on 11 hits.

“We have to do a better job of scoring on situations to keep ourselves close late in games,” Rooker said. “We just need to take advantage when we have opportunities. We are just going to keep working. The guys stepping into the box are working hard. We are just going to keep pushing through this tough stretch.”

On a 10-game road trip, the Athletics went 1-9, including an eight-game losing streak. It was also the fourth time Oakland has been swept this season.

“I think the at-bats were better the last two days. We pitched better than we had all series,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Sometimes you get into these ruts where you start hitting well but not pitching and vice versa. You just have to push through them.”

&nbsp;Kansas City continues a six-game homestand with a matchup against Detroit beginning Monday night. Michael Wacha (3-4, 4.71 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716169815911.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Darion Blanco runs to first after hitting a sacrifice bunt during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Darion Blanco runs to first after hitting a sacrifice bunt during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Singer stuck out nine, Vinnie Pasquantino hit a three-run triple and the Kansas City Royals completed a sweep of the Oakland Athletics with an 8-1 victory Sunday.It was the third sweep of the season for Kansas City. It took until September 20 for the Royals to record their third sweep of the season last year.Singer (4-2) tossed six innings on one-run ball, giving up six hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. It was the fifth time this season that Singer has stuck out six or more and was one shy of his season high. He has gone at least five innings in every start this season.“That’s what we were hoping for, the early counts and low pitch counts and making them make decisions," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "Certainly couldn't ask more for that when it comes to efficiency. To have him set the tone like that and get the early lead that’s all we could hope for.”Pasquantino hit a three-run pinch-hit triple to highlight a four-run sixth inning for the Royals. It was his first career triple in the Majors. Kansas City ended the day with five extra-base hits.“The nice thing about the Majors is that we have a batting cage close, so from the third inning on, I’m getting hot for that one opportunity," Pasquantino said. “I’m not coming into the game for my speed; I know it’ll be a high-leverage situation, so I was able to do that today.”Bobby Witt Jr. went 2 for 3 with a double, a triple and two RBIs. Maikel Garcia had a two-RBI game and extended a six-game hitting streak. Salvador Perez had a two-hit game with an RBI.JP Sears (3-3) tossed 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.Brent Rooker hit his 11th home run of the season with a three-run shot over the left-field bullpen. He leads the team in the category.Tyler Soderstrom put the A’s on the board with a two-out double in the fourth. Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, Soderstorm has a hit in six of nine games. Max Schuemann had a two-hit game.Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Oakland had a chance to take the lead with bases loaded with two outs, but Singer ended the inning on a Rooker groundout. Oakland left 10 men on base on 11 hits.“We have to do a better job of scoring on situations to keep ourselves close late in games,” Rooker said. “We just need to take advantage when we have opportunities. We are just going to keep working. The guys stepping into the box are working hard. We are just going to keep pushing through this tough stretch.”On a 10-game road trip, the Athletics went 1-9, including an eight-game losing streak. It was also the fourth time Oakland has been swept this season.“I think the at-bats were better the last two days. We pitched better than we had all series,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Sometimes you get into these ruts where you start hitting well but not pitching and vice versa. You just have to push through them.”UP NEXT&nbsp;Kansas City continues a six-game homestand with a matchup against Detroit beginning Monday night. Michael Wacha (3-4, 4.71 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals.

Brady Singer strikes out nine, Royals defeat A's 8-4

KANSAS CITY - Former Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Ben McCollum and the 1979 Plattsburg football team, a Class 2A state champion, were among the latest teams and individuals to be enshrined into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2024 class was enshrined during a ceremony at Union Station in Kansas City Sunday. Twelve individuals and four teams were honored in all.

McCollum was back in Missouri for the ceremony after accepting the men's basketball head coaching job at Drake University in his home state of Iowa.

Having won 12 MIAA regular season titles and four national championships during his 15 years in Maryville, the 42-year-old McCollum is humbled to be Hall of Fame material as his career continues to grow.

"I think it's just a testament to the people and the (Northwest program)," McCollum said. "My family, my assistants and all of that. Just all of the work they've put into the success and how we've invested in people and how we've made them hopefully better human beings."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716149269514.jpeg" alt="Ben McCollum was enshrined into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday at a ceremony at Union Station. Now the head men's basketball coach at Drake University, McCollum won four national titles at Northwest Missouri State. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Ben McCollum was enshrined into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday at a ceremony at Union Station. Now the head men's basketball coach at Drake University, McCollum won four national titles at Northwest Missouri State. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY - Former Northwest Missouri State men's basketball coach Ben McCollum and the 1979 Plattsburg football team, a Class 2A state champion, were among the latest teams and individuals to be enshrined into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.The 2024 class was enshrined during a ceremony at Union Station in Kansas City Sunday. Twelve individuals and four teams were honored in all.McCollum was back in Missouri for the ceremony after accepting the men's basketball head coaching job at Drake University in his home state of Iowa.Having won 12 MIAA regular season titles and four national championships during his 15 years in Maryville, the 42-year-old McCollum is humbled to be Hall of Fame material as his career continues to grow."I think it's just a testament to the people and the (Northwest program)," McCollum said. "My family, my assistants and all of that. Just all of the work they've put into the success and how we've invested in people and how we've made them hopefully better human beings."One of the four teams honored Sunday was the 1979 Plattsburg football team, which went undefeated and won the Class 2A state championship.Linebacker and tight end Richard Wade was there to speak on behalf of the team. He says that team was exactly that - a group that knew how to work well and succeed together."That team was a true team," Wade said. "It didn't have standout superstars. It taught us then - if you work together, you can accomplish great things. And, most of the team has gone on to be very, very successful."The '79 Plattsburg team was head coached by Jim Freeman. The year they won state was the first year of the Show Me Bowl being played in St. Louis.The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame also recognized nine Diamond 9 honorees. The Diamond 9 award recognizes people who "exhibited outstanding talent or made significant contributions at the high school, college or professional levels of baseball or softball."Greg Kastner exhibited just that in his lengthy and fruitful baseball career.A St. Joseph native, Kastner played three seasons at Missouri Western State University, where he was an honorable mention All-American pitcher, as well as a first team NAIA All-District and First Team NAIA all-area honoree.At one point, he set single-season records at Western for for fewest hits and fewest runs allowed in a season.Kastner signed with the Atlanta Braves organization, but an arm injury cut that dream short and set his career on a new path into coaching.Kastner served as head baseball coach and athletic director at Bishop LeBlond High School. He coached the Golden Eagles from 1987-2016, going 386-240 (.626) in that time. His teams won 12 district titles, including seven in a row."Honors for me are because of the parents and the players who were a part of everything my past 40 years I spent coaching," Kastner said. "If I didn't have the players who bought into the system, they're the biggest part of this. I'm just a result of what they were able to do. This is just kind of the icing on the cake for me, now that I've retired."On top of that, Kastner was LeBlond's A.D. for 39 years and he's been a public address announcer for over 40 years at multiple sporting events all over northwest Missouri.Kastner says it's his P.A. work with the St. Joseph Mustangs, area high schools and other venues that give him joy since his retirement."It keeps me involved and young," he said. "Now that my wife (Mindy) passed away, it's really more to be involved. I do Benton, Central, Lafayette. Whoever calls, I'm there. I stay involved in all sports. Chain gangs on Friday nights at LeBlond, driving the bus.""As long as I can stay involved and try to help kids, that gives me my greatest pleasure. I've had my day in the sun. I'd love to see them have theirs."2024 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Class inductees Tom Watson – Missouri Sports Legend Eric Hosmer – Kansas City Royals Casey Wiegmann – Kansas City Chiefs Betty Lennox – Fort Osage High School/Louisiana Tech/WNBA Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball coach The late Dale Eshelbrenner – Tennis coach Pembroke Hill School Boys Tennis Program Mike DeArmond – Sportswriter Dr. Vincent Key – Sports Medicine Phil Dorman – Platte County High School wrestling coach Platte County High School Wrestling Era 1999-2010 Dr. Ashley Wysong – Nevada High School &amp; University of Missouri track standout 1979 Plattsburg High School State Championship Football Team 1977-1980 Hickman Mills High School Girls Basketball Era Fred Flook – William Jewell College baseball coach Porter Ellett – The Art Hains Inspiration AwardDiamond 9 honorees Anthony Caenepeel – Willard High School/Northwest Missouri State University Tim Dougherty – O’Hara High School/Rockhurst University Greg Kastner – Christian Brothers College High School/Missouri Western State University Ali Jo Rogers Locher – Medicine Lodge (Kan.) High School/University of Central Missouri Sarah Baldwin Miller – Chillicothe High School/University of Evansville/Northwest Missouri State University Jeff Niemeier – Oak Park High School/University of Kansas Haley Pypes – Platte County High School/United States Military Academy/Missouri Southern Amanda Self – Blue Springs High School/Emporia State University Jeremy Strack – Gardner (Kan.) High School/Fort Scott Community College/William Jewell College<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716150698519.jpeg" alt="Greg Kastner receives his Diamond 9 award at Union Station on Sunday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Greg Kastner receives his Diamond 9 award at Union Station on Sunday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.