Missouri Western State University
Head Softball Coach Joe Yegge has received a public reprimand from the school’s
conference stemming from his ejection during the MIAA Softball Tournament.

The Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association issued the public reprimand of Yegge on Friday.

“Coach Yegge’s conduct
surrounding an ejection during the MIAA Softball Tournament did not satisfy the
MIAA’s expectation of sportsmanship and game behavior at our conference
championships," MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy said in a written statement
released by the conference.

Yegge also has received a two-game
suspension to be served during the first doubleheader series of the 2023 MIAA
Softball conference schedule.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western State University
Head Softball Coach Joe Yegge has received a public reprimand from the school’s
conference stemming from his ejection during the MIAA Softball Tournament.The Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association issued the public reprimand of Yegge on Friday.“Coach Yegge’s conduct
surrounding an ejection during the MIAA Softball Tournament did not satisfy the
MIAA’s expectation of sportsmanship and game behavior at our conference
championships," MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy said in a written statement
released by the conference.Yegge also has received a two-game
suspension to be served during the first doubleheader series of the 2023 MIAA
Softball conference schedule.

MWSU Softball Coach Joe Yegge reprimanded by MIAA

(AP) - Taylor Hearn allowed only one hit in five scoreless innings, Brad Miller homered and the Texas Rangers defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 Thursday to take the series.

The Royals’ first hit literally was off of Hearn. Michael A. Taylor sent a liner up the middle off the pitcher’s leg that continued to the left of second base and into left field with two out in the second inning.

Hearn walked three and struck out five. Joe Barlow pitched a scoreless ninth, retiring Whit Merrifield on a grounder with two runners on base, for his sixth save in six opportunities.

The Royals now head to Denver to open a three-game series with the Rockies. First pitch tonight is set for 7:40. Coverage starts at 7 on KFEQ (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph. Zach Greinke will start.

St. Joseph Post(AP) - Taylor Hearn allowed only one hit in five scoreless innings, Brad Miller homered and the Texas Rangers defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1 Thursday to take the series.The Royals’ first hit literally was off of Hearn. Michael A. Taylor sent a liner up the middle off the pitcher’s leg that continued to the left of second base and into left field with two out in the second inning.Hearn walked three and struck out five. Joe Barlow pitched a scoreless ninth, retiring Whit Merrifield on a grounder with two runners on base, for his sixth save in six opportunities.The Royals now head to Denver to open a three-game series with the Rockies. First pitch tonight is set for 7:40. Coverage starts at 7 on KFEQ (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph. Zach Greinke will start.

Royals held to just five hits, Rangers win Thursday to take series

The NFL announced the regular season schedule for the 2022 season on Thursday, and the&nbsp; Kansas City Chiefs are currently slated to play in five primetime contests, including three nationally televised games at Arrowhead Stadium.

This year’s regular season schedule features nine games vs. eight playoff teams from 2021.

The Chiefs will kick off the season against Patrick Mahomes’ former college coach Kliff Kingsbury and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 11.

 Kansas City then returns home to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 15 - the inaugural installment of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video.

After facing the Colts on the road Sept. 25, the Chiefs have back-to-back primetime contests - the first a rematch of Super Bowl LV when they face the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 2. KC then returns home to take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football on Oct. 10

On Oct. 16, the Chiefs host the Bills at 3:25 - a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional showdown and overtime thriller.

On Oct. 23, the Chiefs hit the road again, this time to take on the 49ers. It will be the first regular season meeting between the two clubs since Super Bowl LIV. Following the team’s Bye Week, KC will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 6, then continue in the AFC South by hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 13.

After a trip to Los Angeles to face the Chargers on Nov. 20, KC comes home to host the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 27.

The Chiefs will kick off the month of December with three-straight road contests - the first an AFC Championship rematch with the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4, then a Sunday Night Football matchup with the Denver Broncos on Dec. 11, followed by a trip to Houston to face the Texans on Dec. 18. Five of Kansas City’s final eight games this year will be on the road.

Kansas City will be home for Christmas and New Year’s this season with contests against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, Dec. 24, and then the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Jan. 1. The club will close out regular season play in Las Vegas, taking on the Raiders on either Jan. 7 or 8.

In the preseason, KC will be on the road Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Weeks 2 and 3 of preseason play will be against the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead. Dates and times for preseason games will be announced at a later date.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe NFL announced the regular season schedule for the 2022 season on Thursday, and the&nbsp; Kansas City Chiefs are currently slated to play in five primetime contests, including three nationally televised games at Arrowhead Stadium.This year’s regular season schedule features nine games vs. eight playoff teams from 2021.The Chiefs will kick off the season against Patrick Mahomes’ former college coach Kliff Kingsbury and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 11. Kansas City then returns home to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 15 - the inaugural installment of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video.After facing the Colts on the road Sept. 25, the Chiefs have back-to-back primetime contests - the first a rematch of Super Bowl LV when they face the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 2. KC then returns home to take on the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football on Oct. 10On Oct. 16, the Chiefs host the Bills at 3:25 - a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional showdown and overtime thriller.On Oct. 23, the Chiefs hit the road again, this time to take on the 49ers. It will be the first regular season meeting between the two clubs since Super Bowl LIV. Following the team’s Bye Week, KC will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 6, then continue in the AFC South by hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 13.After a trip to Los Angeles to face the Chargers on Nov. 20, KC comes home to host the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 27.The Chiefs will kick off the month of December with three-straight road contests - the first an AFC Championship rematch with the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4, then a Sunday Night Football matchup with the Denver Broncos on Dec. 11, followed by a trip to Houston to face the Texans on Dec. 18. Five of Kansas City’s final eight games this year will be on the road.Kansas City will be home for Christmas and New Year’s this season with contests against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, Dec. 24, and then the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Jan. 1. The club will close out regular season play in Las Vegas, taking on the Raiders on either Jan. 7 or 8.In the preseason, KC will be on the road Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Weeks 2 and 3 of preseason play will be against the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead. Dates and times for preseason games will be announced at a later date.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our official 2022 lineup. <a href="https://t.co/YllgSBvoRD">pic.twitter.com/YllgSBvoRD</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1524905009199996928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Chiefs release full 2022 schedule, rematches will Bills and Bengals included

PLATTSBURG -&nbsp;It's a Wednesday afternoon, and the Plattsburg baseball team is gathered at Perkins Park for an afternoon practice. You'd think this a common occurrence, but in fact, it's rare.

"It's definitely weird," senior pitcher Brock Steggall said. "It's been awhile since we've practiced, but I don't think anyone is complaining. We like playing games and competing."

Plattsburg (24-7) will have played seven games in the first 12 days of May. They played 17 games in April alone.

Senior shortstop Kayden Carter says that's just the way they like it.

"I feel like the more games you play, the better you'll be toward the end of the season," Carter said. "You get to see more competition and different competition. So, yeah. I think it's a good thing. Playing more games."

Plattsburg has won a school-record 24 games this season, including 14 of their last 15. This after winning just three games in 2019. The team now seeks its first district title since 2018, its first Final Four berth since 2009 and its first ever state championship.

Head coach Beau Brown says this turnaround and record season is a large credit to the seven seniors on the roster.

"A lot of the seniors were here playing on the team when they had a three-win season," Brown said. "I think they had the mindset of, 'Hey, we can do this if we really work hard.' They've put some great work ethic in over the years and it's really paying off now."

The turnaround has also been made possible, Brown says, by the strength and size of their schedule. The Tigers have played 32 games in the regular season - that's at least 11 more than every other team in Class 2 District 15.

"Our guys get to see a lot more pitches," Brown pointed out. "We get a lot more situationals in a game. We get the opportunity to throw more pitchers throughout the season. Really, it's benefited us. By far, it's benefited us."

Plattsburg has broken a combined 42 school records this season as a team and among individual players, and more are coming. Steggall, a State Fair Community College baseball signee, holds a decent chunk of those school records himself.

Single-season strikeouts and innings pitched, career runs scored, career walks. The list goes on. After a 5-4 start to the season, and three of those losses coming by a single run, Steggall says the team learned from its mistakes and hasn't looked back.

"I think in the beginning, we were always close in games, but we didn't always necessarily finish a game and keep it going through," he said. "With Coach Brown, we really focused on staying attentive the whole game and playing hard the whole game and just getting the job done."

Defense and pitching, coach Brown says, has been this team's specialty. They're averaging less than two errors per game, and the crisp starting pitching has complemented that well.

"All four of our main starters have thrown extremely well," Brown said. "I think our ERA as a team right now is at 1.97. We've only given up more than three runs a handful of times this season. To boot with that, our defense has been phenomenal for us."

Plattsburg owns eight shutout victories this year and have only allowed five or more runs in seven games. What's more, they've scheduled tough.

The Tigers will have played seven games against Class 4 teams and three against Class 3. They've also gone to battle against some of the best teams in the state in Savannah (25-5), Putnam County (15-2), East Buchanan (14-3) and Lawson (17-4).

With district play coming up next week, junior pitcher and catcher Wyatt Moran, who holds the single-season record in total singles and bases, believes this team can overcome whatever's thrown their way.

"If we're playing our best baseball," he said, "we should be A-okay."

There's a chance Plattsburg will have a lot more innings under their belt compared to any team they face this postseason. Brown is hopeful that more coaches in the area will do what he does and stuff the schedule.

"If there any coaches listening out there, add more games," he said. "I promise you, it's not going to hurt you."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652376257265.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostPLATTSBURG -&nbsp;It's a Wednesday afternoon, and the Plattsburg baseball team is gathered at Perkins Park for an afternoon practice. You'd think this a common occurrence, but in fact, it's rare."It's definitely weird," senior pitcher Brock Steggall said. "It's been awhile since we've practiced, but I don't think anyone is complaining. We like playing games and competing."Plattsburg (24-7) will have played seven games in the first 12 days of May. They played 17 games in April alone.Senior shortstop Kayden Carter says that's just the way they like it."I feel like the more games you play, the better you'll be toward the end of the season," Carter said. "You get to see more competition and different competition. So, yeah. I think it's a good thing. Playing more games."Plattsburg has won a school-record 24 games this season, including 14 of their last 15. This after winning just three games in 2019. The team now seeks its first district title since 2018, its first Final Four berth since 2009 and its first ever state championship.Head coach Beau Brown says this turnaround and record season is a large credit to the seven seniors on the roster."A lot of the seniors were here playing on the team when they had a three-win season," Brown said. "I think they had the mindset of, 'Hey, we can do this if we really work hard.' They've put some great work ethic in over the years and it's really paying off now."The turnaround has also been made possible, Brown says, by the strength and size of their schedule. The Tigers have played 32 games in the regular season - that's at least 11 more than every other team in Class 2 District 15."Our guys get to see a lot more pitches," Brown pointed out. "We get a lot more situationals in a game. We get the opportunity to throw more pitchers throughout the season. Really, it's benefited us. By far, it's benefited us."Plattsburg has broken a combined 42 school records this season as a team and among individual players, and more are coming. Steggall, a State Fair Community College baseball signee, holds a decent chunk of those school records himself.Single-season strikeouts and innings pitched, career runs scored, career walks. The list goes on. After a 5-4 start to the season, and three of those losses coming by a single run, Steggall says the team learned from its mistakes and hasn't looked back."I think in the beginning, we were always close in games, but we didn't always necessarily finish a game and keep it going through," he said. "With Coach Brown, we really focused on staying attentive the whole game and playing hard the whole game and just getting the job done."Defense and pitching, coach Brown says, has been this team's specialty. They're averaging less than two errors per game, and the crisp starting pitching has complemented that well."All four of our main starters have thrown extremely well," Brown said. "I think our ERA as a team right now is at 1.97. We've only given up more than three runs a handful of times this season. To boot with that, our defense has been phenomenal for us."Plattsburg owns eight shutout victories this year and have only allowed five or more runs in seven games. What's more, they've scheduled tough.The Tigers will have played seven games against Class 4 teams and three against Class 3. They've also gone to battle against some of the best teams in the state in Savannah (25-5), Putnam County (15-2), East Buchanan (14-3) and Lawson (17-4).With district play coming up next week, junior pitcher and catcher Wyatt Moran, who holds the single-season record in total singles and bases, believes this team can overcome whatever's thrown their way."If we're playing our best baseball," he said, "we should be A-okay."There's a chance Plattsburg will have a lot more innings under their belt compared to any team they face this postseason. Brown is hopeful that more coaches in the area will do what he does and stuff the schedule."If there any coaches listening out there, add more games," he said. "I promise you, it's not going to hurt you."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652379181547.jpeg" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652379196959.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652379225876.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Plattsburg baseball breaking limits, multiple records in historic 2022 season

Even for some of the best teams and competitors, there are times when that championship seems just out of reach. It takes longer for some than others.

It took Andy Reid until his 21st year as an NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl. It took Dale Earnhardt 20 tries to win a Daytona 500. It took the Chicago Cubs 108 years.

Take the St. Joseph Central Scholar Bowl team. They had been to the state tournament every year from 2014-2021. They finished fourth twice, third last year and second four times before that.

In three of those seven runs, the Indians were one question away from winning it all. But this year, Central finally broke through. In their eighth consecutive year at state, Central defeated Parkway West of St. Louis 430-310 in Columbia to claim the program's first state championship.

Making what once seemed unattainable a reality.

"We've had two runs like the Buffalo Bills in the 90s," Central coach Jeff Carter said, citing the four straight Super Bowl losses by the Bills. "These kids have worked so hard and they are so deserving of winning this state title. It was just exceptionally rewarding to see them come through and get it done this year."

Carter has been the Scholar Bowl coach at Central for 15 years. He's overseen this nearly decade-long run of dominance. He says the formula for success has stayed more-or-less the same through the years.

"Coaching style is we're just going to work and do our best," Carter said. "We've learned the things that work well for our program and our students. We just try to do the best that we can and we will go anywhere and play in any tournament we can find."

Senior captain Frederick Rivas-Giorgi is in his final days of high school. He's going to Yale this fall, where he'll be a pre-med student studying biology. While he certainly looks forward to the future, he's happy his high school career ended with this state championship.

"It's something we've been working on for the better part of a decade," Rivas-Giorgi said. "I've been working on it for pretty much my entire high school career. So, it really is rewarding. I suppose it is a poetic sense of joy that like, 'Oh wow. My senior year, entering a new stage in life, but this high school career can go out with a bang in a sense that after working for four years, we finally did it.'"

The best part is - Central's season is not yet over. The Indians, who are ranked a program-best 46th in the nation right now, are headed to the national tournament in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend.

It was a virtual event last year, but Central showed out well, placing 51st out of roughly 250 teams.

"Usually with high school sports, once your state tournament is done, that's it," Carter said. "Getting to take it to a next level of national competition and proving ourselves against the best of the best. Like, that's even more exciting for us."

Rivas-Giorgi says having that momentum of a state title going into nationals certainly helps.

"Coming hot off of a state win like this, I mean we've been working our tails off," he said. "We've been doing everything possible to do well at state. Now, I think with all of the preparation we're doing, it's going to be great. Everyone feels really good about this tournament. We go in feeling like, 'Yeah, we're among one of the best teams in Missouri. We can absolutely place against the top teams in other states."

The accolades for Central Scholar Bowl this season are remarkable. A 79-16 record, eight straight conference and district titles, and seven consecutive top four finishes at state.

While this season is nearly over, coach Carter and Rivas-Giorgi both recognize the hard work that went into winning a state title even years prior, and they hope others may come in and help the Indians win even more hardware in the years to come.

"This is something we've been building toward and working for for 10 years," Carter reiterated. "Just so grateful I've had so many great kids who have worked hard. I wish I could share that with all of them, because they're all champions to me. They've all done the work to earn this. I just couldn't be prouder of the time I've had working with and coaching the Central Scholar Bowl team."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652265079343.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostEven for some of the best teams and competitors, there are times when that championship seems just out of reach. It takes longer for some than others.It took Andy Reid until his 21st year as an NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl. It took Dale Earnhardt 20 tries to win a Daytona 500. It took the Chicago Cubs 108 years.Take the St. Joseph Central Scholar Bowl team. They had been to the state tournament every year from 2014-2021. They finished fourth twice, third last year and second four times before that.In three of those seven runs, the Indians were one question away from winning it all. But this year, Central finally broke through. In their eighth consecutive year at state, Central defeated Parkway West of St. Louis 430-310 in Columbia to claim the program's first state championship.Making what once seemed unattainable a reality."We've had two runs like the Buffalo Bills in the 90s," Central coach Jeff Carter said, citing the four straight Super Bowl losses by the Bills. "These kids have worked so hard and they are so deserving of winning this state title. It was just exceptionally rewarding to see them come through and get it done this year."Carter has been the Scholar Bowl coach at Central for 15 years. He's overseen this nearly decade-long run of dominance. He says the formula for success has stayed more-or-less the same through the years."Coaching style is we're just going to work and do our best," Carter said. "We've learned the things that work well for our program and our students. We just try to do the best that we can and we will go anywhere and play in any tournament we can find."Senior captain Frederick Rivas-Giorgi is in his final days of high school. He's going to Yale this fall, where he'll be a pre-med student studying biology. While he certainly looks forward to the future, he's happy his high school career ended with this state championship."It's something we've been working on for the better part of a decade," Rivas-Giorgi said. "I've been working on it for pretty much my entire high school career. So, it really is rewarding. I suppose it is a poetic sense of joy that like, 'Oh wow. My senior year, entering a new stage in life, but this high school career can go out with a bang in a sense that after working for four years, we finally did it.'"The best part is - Central's season is not yet over. The Indians, who are ranked a program-best 46th in the nation right now, are headed to the national tournament in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend.It was a virtual event last year, but Central showed out well, placing 51st out of roughly 250 teams."Usually with high school sports, once your state tournament is done, that's it," Carter said. "Getting to take it to a next level of national competition and proving ourselves against the best of the best. Like, that's even more exciting for us."Rivas-Giorgi says having that momentum of a state title going into nationals certainly helps."Coming hot off of a state win like this, I mean we've been working our tails off," he said. "We've been doing everything possible to do well at state. Now, I think with all of the preparation we're doing, it's going to be great. Everyone feels really good about this tournament. We go in feeling like, 'Yeah, we're among one of the best teams in Missouri. We can absolutely place against the top teams in other states."The accolades for Central Scholar Bowl this season are remarkable. A 79-16 record, eight straight conference and district titles, and seven consecutive top four finishes at state.While this season is nearly over, coach Carter and Rivas-Giorgi both recognize the hard work that went into winning a state title even years prior, and they hope others may come in and help the Indians win even more hardware in the years to come."This is something we've been building toward and working for for 10 years," Carter reiterated. "Just so grateful I've had so many great kids who have worked hard. I wish I could share that with all of them, because they're all champions to me. They've all done the work to earn this. I just couldn't be prouder of the time I've had working with and coaching the Central Scholar Bowl team."<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/St--Joseph-Central-Scholar-Bowl-breaks-through-at-state--heads-for-nationals-e1ick1t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652267609439.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Central's scholar bowl team members, along with coach Jeff Carter, are&nbsp;Frederick Rivas-Giorgi, Patrick Rivas-Giorgi, Adam Klassen, Caden Turner, Matthew Byrd and Maverick Nabors. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Central's scholar bowl team members, along with coach Jeff Carter, are&nbsp;Frederick Rivas-Giorgi, Patrick Rivas-Giorgi, Adam Klassen, Caden Turner, Matthew Byrd and Maverick Nabors. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652270887157.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Central Scholar Bowl claims first state title; team looks toward nationals

SAVANNAH - The Savannah boys' tennis team won a pair of doubles matches and won three out of four singles matches to beat Maryville 5-2 for a Class 1 District 16 title at the Savannah tennis courts on a warm Tuesday afternoon.

The district crown is the third straight for Savannah, which is now 30-2 in head-to-head team competitions since the beginning of last season.

All three of those district titles came against Maryville, but coach Wakefield Hare knew this year would be a big challenge.

"I knew Maryville had enough to compete and get to five (victories)," Hare said. "With the heat and our boys' mindset, when you beat a good team a couple of times, it's hard to focus. So, I'm proud of them for getting focused and I'm very thankful for this team and the champions that they are."

Maryville (10-3), who had lost to Savannah twice before this season alone, battled hard Tuesday, as the doubles team of Jaxon Staples and Kason Teale beat individual state qualifiers Matt Collier and Evan Heftye 9-8 in a tightly contested match.

Collier and Heftye now look forward to the opportunity of competing in doubles at the individual sectional tournament this Friday in Odessa.

Collier made state in doubles with his brother Drew last year, while Heftye went with Connor Peek.

"We know what we need to do, me and Evan (Heftye)," Collier said. "So, it's just the same as always. Just go out there and play."

Maryville's other win Tuesday came in No. 5 singles, where George Groumoutis beat Noah Gould 2-6, 6-2 and 10-4.

Otherwise, Savannah controlled the pace as sophomore Cole Horton scored an 8-2 win in doubles with his partner Connor Herbert over Maryville's Carson Kempf and Colby Bowles, 8-2.

Horton went on to win his singles match against Kempf, 6-2 and 6-4. He too will compete in individual sectionals this Friday after finishing fourth in the state singles tournament in Springfield last year as a freshman.

Horton also beat Kempf for an individual district title this past Friday.

"I thought we did pretty well in this heat," Horton said of his team's efforts Tuesday. "We all played really well...it was just a great day for tennis."

Herbert also won in singles Tuesday, defeating Bowles 6-2, 6-4. While Gould lost in singles, he won in doubles with Reid Courtney, as they beat Maryville's James DeStefino and George Groumoutis 8-2.

Savannah got the needed fifth victory to clinch when Courtney swept Landon Baker 6-0, 6-0.

"I think it's great we won this again this year," said Heftye, a junior. "But, it's going to be a battle to get through sectionals and get to state."

Savannah now moves onto team sectionals on Monday at a time and location to be determined. After getting bounced in team quarterfinals last year by eventual state champion Barstow, the Savages are poised to go even further this year.

"I love watching these guys play," coach Hare said. "The fact that the future is unclear and there's some expectations, but you're also like, 'Alright. That's a lot of fun.' It makes my tummy turn, but it's a lot of fun."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652227748020.jpeg" alt="Savannah beat Maryville 5-2 for the Class 1 District 16 team district title at Savannah High School Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah beat Maryville 5-2 for the Class 1 District 16 team district title at Savannah High School Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSAVANNAH - The Savannah boys' tennis team won a pair of doubles matches and won three out of four singles matches to beat Maryville 5-2 for a Class 1 District 16 title at the Savannah tennis courts on a warm Tuesday afternoon.The district crown is the third straight for Savannah, which is now 30-2 in head-to-head team competitions since the beginning of last season.All three of those district titles came against Maryville, but coach Wakefield Hare knew this year would be a big challenge."I knew Maryville had enough to compete and get to five (victories)," Hare said. "With the heat and our boys' mindset, when you beat a good team a couple of times, it's hard to focus. So, I'm proud of them for getting focused and I'm very thankful for this team and the champions that they are."Maryville (10-3), who had lost to Savannah twice before this season alone, battled hard Tuesday, as the doubles team of Jaxon Staples and Kason Teale beat individual state qualifiers Matt Collier and Evan Heftye 9-8 in a tightly contested match.Collier and Heftye now look forward to the opportunity of competing in doubles at the individual sectional tournament this Friday in Odessa.Collier made state in doubles with his brother Drew last year, while Heftye went with Connor Peek."We know what we need to do, me and Evan (Heftye)," Collier said. "So, it's just the same as always. Just go out there and play."Maryville's other win Tuesday came in No. 5 singles, where George Groumoutis beat Noah Gould 2-6, 6-2 and 10-4.Otherwise, Savannah controlled the pace as sophomore Cole Horton scored an 8-2 win in doubles with his partner Connor Herbert over Maryville's Carson Kempf and Colby Bowles, 8-2.Horton went on to win his singles match against Kempf, 6-2 and 6-4. He too will compete in individual sectionals this Friday after finishing fourth in the state singles tournament in Springfield last year as a freshman.Horton also beat Kempf for an individual district title this past Friday."I thought we did pretty well in this heat," Horton said of his team's efforts Tuesday. "We all played really well...it was just a great day for tennis."Herbert also won in singles Tuesday, defeating Bowles 6-2, 6-4. While Gould lost in singles, he won in doubles with Reid Courtney, as they beat Maryville's James DeStefino and George Groumoutis 8-2.Savannah got the needed fifth victory to clinch when Courtney swept Landon Baker 6-0, 6-0."I think it's great we won this again this year," said Heftye, a junior. "But, it's going to be a battle to get through sectionals and get to state."Savannah now moves onto team sectionals on Monday at a time and location to be determined. After getting bounced in team quarterfinals last year by eventual state champion Barstow, the Savages are poised to go even further this year."I love watching these guys play," coach Hare said. "The fact that the future is unclear and there's some expectations, but you're also like, 'Alright. That's a lot of fun.' It makes my tummy turn, but it's a lot of fun."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652231172230.jpeg" alt="Cole Horton." />
 <figcaption>Cole Horton.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652231195268.jpeg" alt="Connor Herbert." />
 <figcaption>Connor Herbert.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652231329214.jpeg" alt="Noah Gould." />
 <figcaption>Noah Gould.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652231353830.jpeg" alt="Matt Collier." />
 <figcaption>Matt Collier.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652231380264.jpeg" alt="Evan Heftye." />
 <figcaption>Evan Heftye.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah tops Maryville, Savage tennis claims third straight district title

Boys' district golf results The Bishop LeBlond boys' golf team are district champions and qualify for state as a team for a seventh consecutive season. The Eagles finished with a team score of 314 at Hodge Park Golf Course in Kansas City.

Maryville finished second at 335 and also qualify for state as a team. Individually, Lafayette's Sam Ryan and Jackson Compton are headed for state, as is Benton's Carson Newlon.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, at the Class 1 District 4 meet in Excelsior Springs, Gallatin took the district title with a score of 360. East Buchanan was third with a 406.

Stanberry's Landon Marticke and East Buchanan's Carson Thompson qualified for state as individuals.

In Class 5, St. Joseph Central’s Andrew Wheatley and Jaxon Nurski qualified for state. This is Wheatley’s second time making state. The Indians competed at Shirkey Golf Course in Richmond.

Boys' team district tennis Savannah 5 Benton 0 Maryville 5 Bishop LeBlond 0

The Savages and Spoofhounds compete for the Class 1 District 16 on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Savannah High School.

In Class 3, St. Joseph Central topped Park Hill South in district quarterfinals 5-3. The Indians will face No. 1 seed Park Hill in semifinals on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Park Hill High School.

Baseball Bishop LeBlond 6&nbsp;Albany 0 Benton 8 Cameron 5 St. Joseph Central 11&nbsp;Lincoln College Prep 4 St. Pius X 13 Lafayette 1 Putnam County 5&nbsp;St. Joseph Christian 0 Northland Christian @ East Buchanan - missing Savannah 14&nbsp;Chillicothe 4 Plattsburg 16 Lexington 1 Maysville 11&nbsp;DeKalb 1 East Atchison 11&nbsp;North Platte 8 North Nodaway 16&nbsp;North Andrew 9

Girls’ soccer Benton 8&nbsp;East Kansas City 0 Mid-Buchanan 5 Guadalupe Charters Center 0 Pembroke Hill 7&nbsp;Bishop LeBlond 1 Savannah @ St. Pius X - missing

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652181667647.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Dee Jungbluth." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Dee Jungbluth.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBoys' district golf results The Bishop LeBlond boys' golf team are district champions and qualify for state as a team for a seventh consecutive season. The Eagles finished with a team score of 314 at Hodge Park Golf Course in Kansas City. Maryville finished second at 335 and also qualify for state as a team. Individually, Lafayette's Sam Ryan and Jackson Compton are headed for state, as is Benton's Carson Newlon.&nbsp;Elsewhere, at the Class 1 District 4 meet in Excelsior Springs, Gallatin took the district title with a score of 360. East Buchanan was third with a 406.Stanberry's Landon Marticke and East Buchanan's Carson Thompson qualified for state as individuals.In Class 5, St. Joseph Central’s Andrew Wheatley and Jaxon Nurski qualified for state. This is Wheatley’s second time making state. The Indians competed at Shirkey Golf Course in Richmond.Boys' team district tennis Savannah 5 Benton 0 Maryville 5 Bishop LeBlond 0The Savages and Spoofhounds compete for the Class 1 District 16 on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Savannah High School.In Class 3, St. Joseph Central topped Park Hill South in district quarterfinals 5-3. The Indians will face No. 1 seed Park Hill in semifinals on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Park Hill High School.Baseball Bishop LeBlond 6&nbsp;Albany 0 Benton 8 Cameron 5 St. Joseph Central 11&nbsp;Lincoln College Prep 4 St. Pius X 13 Lafayette 1 Putnam County 5&nbsp;St. Joseph Christian 0 Northland Christian @ East Buchanan - missing Savannah 14&nbsp;Chillicothe 4 Plattsburg 16 Lexington 1 Maysville 11&nbsp;DeKalb 1 East Atchison 11&nbsp;North Platte 8 North Nodaway 16&nbsp;North Andrew 9Girls’ soccer Benton 8&nbsp;East Kansas City 0 Mid-Buchanan 5 Guadalupe Charters Center 0 Pembroke Hill 7&nbsp;Bishop LeBlond 1 Savannah @ St. Pius X - missing

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - May 9, 2022

(AP) -&nbsp;Tyler Wells pitched six strong innings to earn his first victory of the season and the Baltimore Orioles used a six-run fifth inning to surge past the Kansas City Royals 6-1 Monday.

Kansas City has now dropped to a season-high eight games under .500. The game was a makeup of Saturday’s postponed game to cap a rain-altered series. Friday’s game was washed out and made up as part of a doubleheader the teams split Sunday.

Ryan O'Hearn had an RBI single to score Bobby Witt Jr. in the top of the first for the Royals' only run.

The Royals open a three-game series at the Texas Rangers Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:10. Coverage starts at 6:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Post(AP) -&nbsp;Tyler Wells pitched six strong innings to earn his first victory of the season and the Baltimore Orioles used a six-run fifth inning to surge past the Kansas City Royals 6-1 Monday.Kansas City has now dropped to a season-high eight games under .500. The game was a makeup of Saturday’s postponed game to cap a rain-altered series. Friday’s game was washed out and made up as part of a doubleheader the teams split Sunday.Ryan O'Hearn had an RBI single to score Bobby Witt Jr. in the top of the first for the Royals' only run.The Royals open a three-game series at the Texas Rangers Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:10. Coverage starts at 6:30 on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3) in St. Joseph.

Orioles score six runs in the fifth, take series against Royals Monday

SAVANNAH - Savannah senior and pitcher Ty Hilsabeck had been committed to Northwest Missouri State baseball since November.

He made that commitment official Friday, signing his national letter of intent to play baseball for the Bearcats next season.

Hilsabeck has been a staple in the Savannah lineup this season, boasting a 5-2 record as a starting pitcher, which included a no-hitter at Lafayette on March 29.

He's helped lead Savannah to a 23-5 record, with wins in 15 of their last 17 outings.

"It's good," Hilsabeck said of his team's momentum. "I hope we get hot at the right time here at the end so we can keep going and keep playing into June."

Savannah, ranked No. 9 in Class 4, is the No. 1 seed in the Class 4 District 16 bracket and has three regular-season games left, starting with a home matchup against Chillicothe Monday.

As for his playing career beyond this spring, Hilsabeck said he chose Northwest after getting a chance to meet the team and tour the campus just 30 miles up the road.

"Their campus is nice," he said. "I met all of the people on the team and they're super nice dudes. So, it felt right."

Hilsabeck is one of six seniors on Savannah's roster. Fellow senior Aiden Leonard recently signed to play baseball at Benedictine himself.

This senior class was part of a group that went 25-2 and finished third at state in 2019.&nbsp;

"Savannah is really good," Hilsabeck commented. "Over the past few years, we've shown that. Last season, we lost like eight starters, now we come back and we're fighting again for it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651859578340.jpeg" alt="Savannah's Ty Hilsabeck (center) signs his national letter of intent for Northwest Missouri State baseball on Friday at Savannah High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Savannah's Ty Hilsabeck (center) signs his national letter of intent for Northwest Missouri State baseball on Friday at Savannah High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSAVANNAH - Savannah senior and pitcher Ty Hilsabeck had been committed to Northwest Missouri State baseball since November.He made that commitment official Friday, signing his national letter of intent to play baseball for the Bearcats next season.Hilsabeck has been a staple in the Savannah lineup this season, boasting a 5-2 record as a starting pitcher, which included a no-hitter at Lafayette on March 29.He's helped lead Savannah to a 23-5 record, with wins in 15 of their last 17 outings."It's good," Hilsabeck said of his team's momentum. "I hope we get hot at the right time here at the end so we can keep going and keep playing into June."Savannah, ranked No. 9 in Class 4, is the No. 1 seed in the Class 4 District 16 bracket and has three regular-season games left, starting with a home matchup against Chillicothe Monday.As for his playing career beyond this spring, Hilsabeck said he chose Northwest after getting a chance to meet the team and tour the campus just 30 miles up the road."Their campus is nice," he said. "I met all of the people on the team and they're super nice dudes. So, it felt right."Hilsabeck is one of six seniors on Savannah's roster. Fellow senior Aiden Leonard recently signed to play baseball at Benedictine himself.This senior class was part of a group that went 25-2 and finished third at state in 2019.&nbsp;"Savannah is really good," Hilsabeck commented. "Over the past few years, we've shown that. Last season, we lost like eight starters, now we come back and we're fighting again for it."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah's Ty Hilsabeck signs NLI for Northwest Missouri State baseball

Savannah had watched a 3-0 lead disappear and were put down 1-2-3 in both the fifth and sixth innings.

Things weren't looking much better in the seventh with two outs and nobody on.

A walk, a double and an intentional walk, however, loaded the bases for junior Ashton Kincaid, who laced a two-run RBI single to left field which would lift Savannah to a 5-3 win over Bishop LeBlond at Phil Welch Stadium on a cool and cloudy Thursday.

"Only thing that was going through my mind was to put the ball in play and score all of my runners," Kincaid said. "I wouldn't have been able to do that if I didn't have anyone on. So, that's a big shoutout to my teammates."

Savannah (23-5) scored the game's first run in the top of the third and tacked on two more in the fourth off of RBI singles from Aiden Leonard and Truman Bodenhausen.

LeBlond (7-11) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single by freshman Jackson CDeBaca and then a two-run RBI double to right in the fifth by junior Jake Korell.

The Eagles, who had won four of their last five games coming in, seemed to be in good position to take their first lead in the bottom of the sixth. Bradeyn Dawson reached on a leadoff walk, and stole second.

Freshman Christian Anderson came through with a two-out single to shallow left, but Dawson was thrown out in throw down between second and third to keep the tie intact.

After a scoreless sixth inning by both teams, Savannah came through in the top half of the final inning.

"That's what you look forward to," Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen said of the final inning. "Bases loaded, got a chance to win the game. We got a really good hitter up to the plate, and (Ashton) came through."

Parker Brayley sealed off the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning against LeBlond, including a strikeout.

Savannah has now claimed eight wins this year decided by two or less runs.

"I feel like we know how to win," Bodenhausen continued. "We know what we need to do to win. Sometimes, we make it close than I'd like, but I think playing close games is only going to help you in the end."

Savannah is home to Chillicothe Monday. LeBlond is home to Albany on the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651796950137.jpeg" alt="Ashton Kincaid connects on&nbsp; a go-ahead two-out, two-run RBI single in the top of the seventh, which led Savannah to a 5-3 win over Bishop LeBlond at Phil Welch Stadium Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Ashton Kincaid connects on&nbsp; a go-ahead two-out, two-run RBI single in the top of the seventh, which led Savannah to a 5-3 win over Bishop LeBlond at Phil Welch Stadium Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSavannah had watched a 3-0 lead disappear and were put down 1-2-3 in both the fifth and sixth innings.Things weren't looking much better in the seventh with two outs and nobody on.A walk, a double and an intentional walk, however, loaded the bases for junior Ashton Kincaid, who laced a two-run RBI single to left field which would lift Savannah to a 5-3 win over Bishop LeBlond at Phil Welch Stadium on a cool and cloudy Thursday."Only thing that was going through my mind was to put the ball in play and score all of my runners," Kincaid said. "I wouldn't have been able to do that if I didn't have anyone on. So, that's a big shoutout to my teammates."Savannah (23-5) scored the game's first run in the top of the third and tacked on two more in the fourth off of RBI singles from Aiden Leonard and Truman Bodenhausen.LeBlond (7-11) got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single by freshman Jackson CDeBaca and then a two-run RBI double to right in the fifth by junior Jake Korell.The Eagles, who had won four of their last five games coming in, seemed to be in good position to take their first lead in the bottom of the sixth. Bradeyn Dawson reached on a leadoff walk, and stole second.Freshman Christian Anderson came through with a two-out single to shallow left, but Dawson was thrown out in throw down between second and third to keep the tie intact.After a scoreless sixth inning by both teams, Savannah came through in the top half of the final inning."That's what you look forward to," Savannah coach Erich Bodenhausen said of the final inning. "Bases loaded, got a chance to win the game. We got a really good hitter up to the plate, and (Ashton) came through."Parker Brayley sealed off the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning against LeBlond, including a strikeout.Savannah has now claimed eight wins this year decided by two or less runs."I feel like we know how to win," Bodenhausen continued. "We know what we need to do to win. Sometimes, we make it close than I'd like, but I think playing close games is only going to help you in the end."Savannah is home to Chillicothe Monday. LeBlond is home to Albany on the same day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651797967464.jpeg" alt="Aiden Leonard." />
 <figcaption>Aiden Leonard.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651797988189.jpeg" alt="Wyatt Jackson." />
 <figcaption>Wyatt Jackson.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651798004243.jpeg" alt="Parker Brayley." />
 <figcaption>Parker Brayley.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Savannah scores go-ahead runs in the seventh, survives tight game with LeBlond Thursday

The odds of Missourians being able to bet on their favorite sports teams later this year are dwindling, as the end of the Missouri legislative session draws near.

The Missouri House approved sports betting legislation back in March for anyone 21 and older to place wagers online or inside sports venues and casinos. But in the Senate, members can’t find a path forward, and it comes back to regulating slot machines.

State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville co-sponsored sports betting legislation with senator Dan Hegeman of Cosby. Luetkemeyer says this legislation is needed in order to reign the illegal sports betting happening in the state right now.

"We know there's a huge, illegal gray market of illegal sports betting that's happening in Missouri right now," Luetkemeyer said. "These fly-by-night operations that are allowing people to place bets and the fact is, they're unregulated."

A big point of contention&nbsp; with this legislation is video lottery games, like slot machines, which are unregulated and illegal in many cases. An amendment was added&nbsp;by Senator Mike Bernskoetter of Jefferson City in the last week that would do away with all slot machines in the state, leading to a lengthy filibuster.

Luetkemeyer says it's frustrating that Missouri hasn't been able to find a path forward when it comes to legalizing sports betting.

"You're going to start seeing people going across state lines to place bets, which means education dollars are going to be going to Kansas, Illinois and Iowa rather than staying here in Missouri classrooms."

Last week, Kansas lawmakers approved sports betting and Governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign it, meaning it would be legal to some degree in all of Missouri’s bordering states.

If approved, sports betting is estimated to bring in more than $10 million annually to the state, with most of that going toward education. 

Luetkemeyer says another top concern is Kansas trying to lure the Chiefs away from Missouri over this issue. If sports betting passes, Luetkemeyer says the Chiefs and other professional teams in Missouri would run their own sports betting app.

"If a sports team in Missouri, whether it's the Royals or the Chiefs," Luetkemeyer said, "if they ever relocate to another state, they lose the ability to have one of those mobile betting apps that markets to their team. If you're going to benefit from that, you need to be a Missouri-based sports team. You don't need to be going to another state."

Kansas' bill says 80 percent of the revenues generated from sports betting would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional teams to come to Kansas.

The Supreme Court struck down a federal law in 2018 against sports betting. Since then,  more than 30 states have legalized it, including Illinois, Iowa and now Kansas.

Missouri's legislative session concludes on May 13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621625967765.jpeg" alt="Senator Tony Luetkemeyer. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Senator Tony Luetkemeyer. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe odds of Missourians being able to bet on their favorite sports teams later this year are dwindling, as the end of the Missouri legislative session draws near.The Missouri House approved sports betting legislation back in March for anyone 21 and older to place wagers online or inside sports venues and casinos. But in the Senate, members can’t find a path forward, and it comes back to regulating slot machines.State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville co-sponsored sports betting legislation with senator Dan Hegeman of Cosby. Luetkemeyer says this legislation is needed in order to reign the illegal sports betting happening in the state right now."We know there's a huge, illegal gray market of illegal sports betting that's happening in Missouri right now," Luetkemeyer said. "These fly-by-night operations that are allowing people to place bets and the fact is, they're unregulated."A big point of contention&nbsp; with this legislation is video lottery games, like slot machines, which are unregulated and illegal in many cases. An amendment was added&nbsp;by Senator Mike Bernskoetter of Jefferson City in the last week that would do away with all slot machines in the state, leading to a lengthy filibuster.Luetkemeyer says it's frustrating that Missouri hasn't been able to find a path forward when it comes to legalizing sports betting."You're going to start seeing people going across state lines to place bets, which means education dollars are going to be going to Kansas, Illinois and Iowa rather than staying here in Missouri classrooms."Last week, Kansas lawmakers approved sports betting and Governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign it, meaning it would be legal to some degree in all of Missouri’s bordering states.If approved, sports betting is estimated to bring in more than $10 million annually to the state, with most of that going toward education. Luetkemeyer says another top concern is Kansas trying to lure the Chiefs away from Missouri over this issue. If sports betting passes, Luetkemeyer says the Chiefs and other professional teams in Missouri would run their own sports betting app."If a sports team in Missouri, whether it's the Royals or the Chiefs," Luetkemeyer said, "if they ever relocate to another state, they lose the ability to have one of those mobile betting apps that markets to their team. If you're going to benefit from that, you need to be a Missouri-based sports team. You don't need to be going to another state."Kansas' bill says 80 percent of the revenues generated from sports betting would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional teams to come to Kansas.The Supreme Court struck down a federal law in 2018 against sports betting. Since then, more than 30 states have legalized it, including Illinois, Iowa and now Kansas.Missouri's legislative session concludes on May 13.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri sports betting bill, co-sponsored by Hegeman and Luetkemeyer, unlikely to pass this session

Adam Wainwright allowed just one hit over seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinal bullpen finished the job as the Cardinals blanked the Royals 10-0 Wednesday at Kaufmann Stadium.

St. Louis teed off on Royals pitcher Kris Bubic in the top of the first, scoring five runs in that frame. Nolan Arenado started things off with a three-run bomb in the first. Tyler O’Neill triped in the first and then homered in the ninth inning for good measure.

The Royals have now dropped five of their last six and lose two out of three in this series. Kansas City has now been shut out five times this season as well.

The Royals have an off day Thursday, and then open a three-game series at Baltimore Friday. Friday’s game starts at 6:05 central.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAdam Wainwright allowed just one hit over seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinal bullpen finished the job as the Cardinals blanked the Royals 10-0 Wednesday at Kaufmann Stadium.St. Louis teed off on Royals pitcher Kris Bubic in the top of the first, scoring five runs in that frame. Nolan Arenado started things off with a three-run bomb in the first. Tyler O’Neill triped in the first and then homered in the ninth inning for good measure.The Royals have now dropped five of their last six and lose two out of three in this series. Kansas City has now been shut out five times this season as well.The Royals have an off day Thursday, and then open a three-game series at Baltimore Friday. Friday’s game starts at 6:05 central.

Cardinals tee off on Bubic in the top of the first, St. Louis shuts out Kansas City Wednesday

The Missouri Western women's tennis team earned its second ever NCAA tournament bid Tuesday night and its first since 1998.

The Griffons will play in the Central Region Tournament just days after&nbsp;its&nbsp;first-ever MIAA Championship appearance as a team.

The NCAA announced Missouri Western (17-5, 6-2 MIAA) as the No. 5 seed. The Griffons will play No. 4 Harding (17-5) on Friday, May 6 at 11 a.m. in Edmond, Oklahoma. The winners goes to face No. 1 Central Oklahoma (16-1).

The Griffons faced Harding earlier this season back on March 12 in Searcy, Arkansas. Missouri Western fought hard early on and won the doubles point, but Harding won the majority of&nbsp;singles play to take the match, 4-3.

On May 6-7, a maximum of 48 teams will play a single-elimination tournament at 16 preliminary-round tournaments to determine the 16-team field. There will be 20 conferences that will receive automatic qualification.

No. 1 seed – Central Oklahoma (16-1) No. 2 seed – Augustana&nbsp;(20-1) No. 3 seed – Southeastern Oklahoma (14-7) No. 4 seed – Harding (17-5) No. 5 seed – Missouri Western (15-5) No. 6 seed – Washburn (13-11)

THE BRACKET Central Region #1 Friday, May 6: No. 4 Harding vs. No. 5 Missouri Western — 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7: Day 1 winner vs. No. 1 Central Oklahoma — 11 a.m.

Central Region #2 Friday, May 6: No. 3 Southeastern Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Washburn — 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7: Day 1 winner vs. No. 2 Augustana&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651668029911.jpeg" alt="Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;The Missouri Western women's tennis team earned its second ever NCAA tournament bid Tuesday night and its first since 1998.The Griffons will play in the Central Region Tournament just days after&nbsp;its&nbsp;first-ever MIAA Championship appearance as a team.The NCAA announced Missouri Western (17-5, 6-2 MIAA) as the No. 5 seed. The Griffons will play No. 4 Harding (17-5) on Friday, May 6 at 11 a.m. in Edmond, Oklahoma. The winners goes to face No. 1 Central Oklahoma (16-1).The Griffons faced Harding earlier this season back on March 12 in Searcy, Arkansas. Missouri Western fought hard early on and won the doubles point, but Harding won the majority of&nbsp;singles play to take the match, 4-3.On May 6-7, a maximum of 48 teams will play a single-elimination tournament at 16 preliminary-round tournaments to determine the 16-team field. There will be 20 conferences that will receive automatic qualification.CENTRAL REGIONAL SEEDSNo. 1 seed – Central Oklahoma (16-1) No. 2 seed – Augustana&nbsp;(20-1) No. 3 seed – Southeastern Oklahoma (14-7) No. 4 seed – Harding (17-5) No. 5 seed – Missouri Western (15-5) No. 6 seed – Washburn (13-11)THE BRACKET Central Region #1 Friday, May 6: No. 4 Harding vs. No. 5 Missouri Western — 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7: Day 1 winner vs. No. 1 Central Oklahoma — 11 a.m.Central Region #2 Friday, May 6: No. 3 Southeastern Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Washburn — 3 p.m. Saturday, May 7: Day 1 winner vs. No. 2 Augustana&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missouri Western women's tennis earns first NCAA tournament bid since 1998

(AP) - Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first major league home run, Brad Keller pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 to end a four-game losing streak Tuesday.

Witt had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice. M.J. Melendez got a hit in his big league debut and Edward Olivares had a career-high four of the Royals’ 15 hits.

Keller allowed four hits in 6.1 innings, walked three and struck out two. Witt extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his solo home run in the second inning off Dakota Hudson.

The prized rookie launched an 0-1 changeup from Hudson 417 feet into the bleachers in left center.

The Royals and Cardinals conclude the series on Wednesday afternoon at 12:10 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

Kris Bubic will go against St. Louis' Adam Wainwright on the mound.

St. Joseph Post(AP) - Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first major league home run, Brad Keller pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 to end a four-game losing streak Tuesday.Witt had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice. M.J. Melendez got a hit in his big league debut and Edward Olivares had a career-high four of the Royals’ 15 hits.Keller allowed four hits in 6.1 innings, walked three and struck out two. Witt extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his solo home run in the second inning off Dakota Hudson.The prized rookie launched an 0-1 changeup from Hudson 417 feet into the bleachers in left center.The Royals and Cardinals conclude the series on Wednesday afternoon at 12:10 central. The game will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).Kris Bubic will go against St. Louis' Adam Wainwright on the mound.

Bobby Witt, Jr. homers, Brad Keller turns in stellar performance in Royals win over Cardinals

Theresa Grosbach was the logical choice as Missouri Western's interim athletic director, once Josh Looney announced his departure for the A.D. job at Division I school North Alabama.

Prior to her arrival in St. Joseph in 2018, Grosbach had spent six years as A.D. at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas. She joined Missouri Western&nbsp;as associate director of athletics for student success and senior woman administrator.

Little did she know she'd be interim A.D. for more than eight months. An eight-month period that brought unprecedented change and turnover to the athletic department. Nonetheless, she remains grateful for the experience, as her time as interim athletic director draws to a close.

"I'd say I'm very grateful for the staff we have and the coaches that we have and how hard they worked and how much they bought into just continuing to move forward while we were waiting for this decision," Grosbach said. "Excited for the student-athletes and all of the success we've had through the year and looking forward to the future of Griffon athletics."

Grosbach was praised Monday, as Missouri Western <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/dead3c5d-95c7-4a2d-9331-cecfecf65592">introduced Andrew Carter as its new permanent athletic director</a> after a nine-month search.

Carter says if it wasn't for Grosbach's efforts to keep things running smoothly, he may have never even considered applying for the position.

"I mean, if it had fallen apart, I don't know if it'd have checked all of the boxes," Carter said of the department. "She kept it going, she made really good decisions. She led in that void and she's put us in a position to just hit the ground running and keep going."

Grosbach oversaw the hiring of four new Missouri Western head coaches - Jessica Fey for volleyball, Jessica Berg for women's lacrosse, Alejandro De la Torre for women's tennis and Joe Yegge, who was hired as the new softball coach just days before Looney's departure.

In addition, Missouri Western is seeking a new&nbsp;senior associate athletic director for external affairs. Brett Esely left that role last November after 14 years. Additionally, associate A.D. Eric Kramer is leaving to take on a professor role at the end of the current school year.

Derek Zimmerman-Guyer, a Plattsburg native, was brought on as the sports information director this past March after that post had been vacant for a few months.

Challenges. Changes. Grosbach is familiar with all of that.

"In athletics, we know better than anyone that you have to be resilient," she said. "Change is inevitable. It's kind of what we do every day. You get knocked down and you get back up again. That's just part of what you do and I think you learn a lot of lessons about that throughout the year."

"I'm proud of our staff and student-athletes for overcoming any challenges that we had this year and coming out successful and better for it on the other end."

University president Elizabeth Kennedy emphasized her gratitude for Grosbach and all of her work this past school year.

"She's been wonderful," Kennedy said of Grosbach. "I know the (athletic) department has leaned on her as well. So, we're happy to have Andy now and Theresa can kind of step back into her (senior woman administrator) role. But, she's just been outstanding for us. I'm very grateful for her."

Grosbach earned the Griff Up Award last week at the annual Golden Griffon Awards, given to the individual in Missouri Western athletics who stepped up the most in a time of need.

Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson, one of the nine members on the University's A.D. search committee, expressed optimism for the future of the athletic department. A future, he says, that wouldn't have been possible without Grosbach's efforts.

"I love her to death for all of the things that she did," Williamson said. "She did a great job. With her just passing the torch to Andy, and getting this thing going again, it's going to be fun."

"It was a time where things could have really busted at the seams," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin added on Grosbach's tenure. "Theresa held the fabric together, and more than that. She didn't just help keep things stable - she helped us succeed at a very high level and thrive. What she did is paramount."

Missouri Western women's basketball's berth into the Elite Eight is the headliner from this year. But Griffon football had a winning record. Women's soccer achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 13 in the fall.

Missouri Western softball is on an eight-game winning streak heading into the MIAA tournament as the No. 4 seed this week. Women's tennis is having its best season probably ever, finishing second at the MIAA tournament last weekend and getting an NCAA tournament bid for the first time 1998.

Women's golfer Allycia Gan is in her second NCAA regional tournament this week, trying to get to nationals for a second year in a row. Just a few of the highlights from an eventful year.

Grosbach looks forward to more achievements, and is excited for what lies ahead. That including a long and well-earned vacation.

"Vacation is looming," she said. "Location is undetermined. I've been advised not to share it to be able to turn off the phone for a couple of weeks, but...probably a beach somewhere."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651605363435.jpeg" alt="Theresa Grosbach (left, yellow) poses with the Missouri Western women's basketball team following their regional championship victory over Fort Hays State on March 14. Grosbach served as MWSU's interim A.D. for the last nine months before Andy Carter was introduced as the permanent A.D. on Monday." />
 <figcaption>Theresa Grosbach (left, yellow) poses with the Missouri Western women's basketball team following their regional championship victory over Fort Hays State on March 14. Grosbach served as MWSU's interim A.D. for the last nine months before Andy Carter was introduced as the permanent A.D. on Monday.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTheresa Grosbach was the logical choice as Missouri Western's interim athletic director, once Josh Looney announced his departure for the A.D. job at Division I school North Alabama.Prior to her arrival in St. Joseph in 2018, Grosbach had spent six years as A.D. at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas. She joined Missouri Western&nbsp;as associate director of athletics for student success and senior woman administrator.Little did she know she'd be interim A.D. for more than eight months. An eight-month period that brought unprecedented change and turnover to the athletic department. Nonetheless, she remains grateful for the experience, as her time as interim athletic director draws to a close."I'd say I'm very grateful for the staff we have and the coaches that we have and how hard they worked and how much they bought into just continuing to move forward while we were waiting for this decision," Grosbach said. "Excited for the student-athletes and all of the success we've had through the year and looking forward to the future of Griffon athletics."Grosbach was praised Monday, as Missouri Western <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/dead3c5d-95c7-4a2d-9331-cecfecf65592">introduced Andrew Carter as its new permanent athletic director</a> after a nine-month search.Carter says if it wasn't for Grosbach's efforts to keep things running smoothly, he may have never even considered applying for the position."I mean, if it had fallen apart, I don't know if it'd have checked all of the boxes," Carter said of the department. "She kept it going, she made really good decisions. She led in that void and she's put us in a position to just hit the ground running and keep going."Grosbach oversaw the hiring of four new Missouri Western head coaches - Jessica Fey for volleyball, Jessica Berg for women's lacrosse, Alejandro De la Torre for women's tennis and Joe Yegge, who was hired as the new softball coach just days before Looney's departure.In addition, Missouri Western is seeking a new&nbsp;senior associate athletic director for external affairs. Brett Esely left that role last November after 14 years. Additionally, associate A.D. Eric Kramer is leaving to take on a professor role at the end of the current school year.Derek Zimmerman-Guyer, a Plattsburg native, was brought on as the sports information director this past March after that post had been vacant for a few months.Challenges. Changes. Grosbach is familiar with all of that."In athletics, we know better than anyone that you have to be resilient," she said. "Change is inevitable. It's kind of what we do every day. You get knocked down and you get back up again. That's just part of what you do and I think you learn a lot of lessons about that throughout the year.""I'm proud of our staff and student-athletes for overcoming any challenges that we had this year and coming out successful and better for it on the other end."University president Elizabeth Kennedy emphasized her gratitude for Grosbach and all of her work this past school year."She's been wonderful," Kennedy said of Grosbach. "I know the (athletic) department has leaned on her as well. So, we're happy to have Andy now and Theresa can kind of step back into her (senior woman administrator) role. But, she's just been outstanding for us. I'm very grateful for her."Grosbach earned the Griff Up Award last week at the annual Golden Griffon Awards, given to the individual in Missouri Western athletics who stepped up the most in a time of need.Missouri Western football coach Matt Williamson, one of the nine members on the University's A.D. search committee, expressed optimism for the future of the athletic department. A future, he says, that wouldn't have been possible without Grosbach's efforts."I love her to death for all of the things that she did," Williamson said. "She did a great job. With her just passing the torch to Andy, and getting this thing going again, it's going to be fun.""It was a time where things could have really busted at the seams," Missouri Western men's basketball coach Will Martin added on Grosbach's tenure. "Theresa held the fabric together, and more than that. She didn't just help keep things stable - she helped us succeed at a very high level and thrive. What she did is paramount."Missouri Western women's basketball's berth into the Elite Eight is the headliner from this year. But Griffon football had a winning record. Women's soccer achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 13 in the fall.Missouri Western softball is on an eight-game winning streak heading into the MIAA tournament as the No. 4 seed this week. Women's tennis is having its best season probably ever, finishing second at the MIAA tournament last weekend and getting an NCAA tournament bid for the first time 1998.Women's golfer Allycia Gan is in her second NCAA regional tournament this week, trying to get to nationals for a second year in a row. Just a few of the highlights from an eventful year.Grosbach looks forward to more achievements, and is excited for what lies ahead. That including a long and well-earned vacation."Vacation is looming," she said. "Location is undetermined. I've been advised not to share it to be able to turn off the phone for a couple of weeks, but...probably a beach somewhere."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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