KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, giving Patrick Mahomes the kind of speedy deep threat they have not enjoyed since Tyreek Hill was on the roster.

The Chiefs were supposed to pick last in the first round after winning their second consecutive Super Bowl and third in five years, but they managed to trade up with one of their biggest AFC rivals in Buffalo. The Chiefs sent the 32nd pick along with a fourth-rounder and seventh-rounder to the Bills for No. 28, a fourth-rounder and a seventh-rounder.

“Listen, I like the wide receivers we've got,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “but to go add somebody of this quality is important, or a good move to strengthen it. I don't want to slight the guys we have but he's a nice addition.”

So nice that Mahomes, who was attending a gala in New York, instantly took to social media to approve of it.

“We told Patrick," Reid said with a smile. “Patrick is curious. He loves this stuff. It doesn't matter if it's offense or defense. He just loves the draft. He's texting away at us and we get back to him. He's great with it.”

Worthy broke the NFL combine record when he ran a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, exhibiting the kind of raw speed that Kansas City last enjoyed when Hill was on the team. But Worthy is more than just a deep threat, showing promise as a route runner and cutting down on the number of drops last season, when he caught 75 passes for 1,014 yards and five TDs.

“It doesn’t hurt to have down-the-field speed,” Reid said. “We’ve functioned without the great speed down the field and done well, but if you have an opportunity to get somebody you think is a good player, you probably need to take advantage of that.”

The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year with a patchwork wide receiver corps, and they were in the market for help even before second-year pro Rashee Rice — their biggest breakout star of last season — got embroiled in legal trouble in Texas.

Dallas police allege that Rice was driving a Lamborghini well over 100 mph when he and a friend, who was driving a Corvette, lost control and began a chain-reaction crash that resulted in injuries to several people. Rice left the scene without seeing if anyone was injured, but turned himself in when police issued warrants for his arrest.

Rice has been released on bond, and Reid has said he would continue to participate in the Chiefs' offseason program as the legal situation plays out. But the Chiefs must prepare for the possibility they will be without him for at least the first part of the season — if not the entire season — as they try to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

“It's a quarterback league and a speed game,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said, “and the more speed you have on the field, the harder it is for defenses to take away different elements of the game. We have a couple of guys now that can keep a defense guessing, and we're excited about what this will do.”

The Chiefs signed Hollywood Brown in free agency, and tight end Travis Kelce has been every bit as productive as any wide receiver. But otherwise, the Chiefs were faced with heading into the summer with Justin Watson, drop-prone Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and journeymen such as Montrell Washington filling out the receiver corps.

So the trade to get Worthy wasn't a surprise. But the fact that the Bills picked up the phone raised some eyebrows.

Along with the fact that Kansas City has frequently ended their season in the playoffs, the Chiefs also swung a memorable first-round trade with them in 2017: They sent Buffalo their first- and third-round picks that year and a first-round pick the next year to move up to No. 10 and select Mahomes, which ultimately altered the trajectory of the entire franchise.

“Everyone goes into the process with their own list of priorities of what they want to do and what they want to accomplish,” Veach said. “I think they had a mindset of what they wanted to do. They've done a great job over the years. I'm sure it made sense to them. We were on our own agenda. We saw value there.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714126161248.jpeg" alt="FILE - Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) makes a catch while covered by Washington cornerback Elijah Jackson, left, during the Sugar Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game Jan. 1, 2024, in New Orleans. While Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. will most assuredly be gone the Buffalo Bills' scheduled NFL draft pick at No. 28, the Texas junior tandem of Adonai Mitchell and Worthy, or perhaps Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, could be available. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) makes a catch while covered by Washington cornerback Elijah Jackson, left, during the Sugar Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game Jan. 1, 2024, in New Orleans. While Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. will most assuredly be gone the Buffalo Bills' scheduled NFL draft pick at No. 28, the Texas junior tandem of Adonai Mitchell and Worthy, or perhaps Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, could be available. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, giving Patrick Mahomes the kind of speedy deep threat they have not enjoyed since Tyreek Hill was on the roster.The Chiefs were supposed to pick last in the first round after winning their second consecutive Super Bowl and third in five years, but they managed to trade up with one of their biggest AFC rivals in Buffalo. The Chiefs sent the 32nd pick along with a fourth-rounder and seventh-rounder to the Bills for No. 28, a fourth-rounder and a seventh-rounder.“Listen, I like the wide receivers we've got,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “but to go add somebody of this quality is important, or a good move to strengthen it. I don't want to slight the guys we have but he's a nice addition.”So nice that Mahomes, who was attending a gala in New York, instantly took to social media to approve of it.“We told Patrick," Reid said with a smile. “Patrick is curious. He loves this stuff. It doesn't matter if it's offense or defense. He just loves the draft. He's texting away at us and we get back to him. He's great with it.”Worthy broke the NFL combine record when he ran a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, exhibiting the kind of raw speed that Kansas City last enjoyed when Hill was on the team. But Worthy is more than just a deep threat, showing promise as a route runner and cutting down on the number of drops last season, when he caught 75 passes for 1,014 yards and five TDs.“It doesn’t hurt to have down-the-field speed,” Reid said. “We’ve functioned without the great speed down the field and done well, but if you have an opportunity to get somebody you think is a good player, you probably need to take advantage of that.”The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year with a patchwork wide receiver corps, and they were in the market for help even before second-year pro Rashee Rice — their biggest breakout star of last season — got embroiled in legal trouble in Texas.Dallas police allege that Rice was driving a Lamborghini well over 100 mph when he and a friend, who was driving a Corvette, lost control and began a chain-reaction crash that resulted in injuries to several people. Rice left the scene without seeing if anyone was injured, but turned himself in when police issued warrants for his arrest.Rice has been released on bond, and Reid has said he would continue to participate in the Chiefs' offseason program as the legal situation plays out. But the Chiefs must prepare for the possibility they will be without him for at least the first part of the season — if not the entire season — as they try to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.“It's a quarterback league and a speed game,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said, “and the more speed you have on the field, the harder it is for defenses to take away different elements of the game. We have a couple of guys now that can keep a defense guessing, and we're excited about what this will do.”The Chiefs signed Hollywood Brown in free agency, and tight end Travis Kelce has been every bit as productive as any wide receiver. But otherwise, the Chiefs were faced with heading into the summer with Justin Watson, drop-prone Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and journeymen such as Montrell Washington filling out the receiver corps.So the trade to get Worthy wasn't a surprise. But the fact that the Bills picked up the phone raised some eyebrows.Along with the fact that Kansas City has frequently ended their season in the playoffs, the Chiefs also swung a memorable first-round trade with them in 2017: They sent Buffalo their first- and third-round picks that year and a first-round pick the next year to move up to No. 10 and select Mahomes, which ultimately altered the trajectory of the entire franchise.“Everyone goes into the process with their own list of priorities of what they want to do and what they want to accomplish,” Veach said. “I think they had a mindset of what they wanted to do. They've done a great job over the years. I'm sure it made sense to them. We were on our own agenda. We saw value there.”

🏈 Chiefs trade up with Bills to select WR Xavier Worthy at No. 28 in NFL draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Cole Ragans held Toronto in check long enough for the rain to arrive, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Blue Jays 2-1 on Thursday in a game called after five innings and a long weather delay.

Ragans (1-2) allowed the lone Toronto run on three hits and three walks while striking out four.

José Berrios (4-1) had his streak of 22 1/3 scoreless innings snapped when Perez, following Vinnie Pasquantino's two-out walk, deposited&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1783563442760094190">the first pitch he saw into the left-field bullpen</a>&nbsp;to give Kansas City the lead in the first inning.

When the fifth ended, and an early drizzle had turned to steady rain, umpire chief Chris Guccione called for the tarp to cover the infield. Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to argue, wanting another opportunity to tie or take the lead, and apparently he convinced Guccione to have the grounds crew roll the tarp back and attempt to get the field in shape.

After about 10 minutes, Guccione again summoned the tarp. The field was covered for about 2 hours, and when the rain stopped, the grounds crew spent another hour-plus working on it. At that point, the game was called after a delay of 3 hours, 38 minutes.

Ragans had to work around plenty of trouble early, including a runner-on-the-corners situation in the second, when he got Alejandro Kirk to fly out. In the fourth, the Blue Jays bookended Davis Schneider's walk with hits by Justin Turner and Ernie Clement to cut the Royals' lead in half, but Daulton Varsho and Kirk could not get across the tying run.

The Blue Jays had another try in the fifth, when center fielder Kyle Isbel made&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1783578273974239339">a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch</a>&nbsp;of Isiah Kiner-Falefa's drive to the warning track. Isbel also raced down George Springer's blooper. Then, after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drew a walk, Bo Bichette popped foul to end what turned out to be the Blue Jays' final at-bat.

Royals: RHP Alec Marsh (bruised right elbow)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-93cf6c8a1cdfb0119a804ce31af76b98">went on the injured list Thursday</a>&nbsp;after taking a 91 mph line drive off his elbow the previous night. RHP Will Klein was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his spot on the roster.

Blue Jays: RHP Bowden Francis (right forearm tendinitis) was placed on the IL after pitching two scoreless innings Wednesday night. LHP Brendon Little was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take his spot in the bullpen.

Blue Jays: Start a six-game homestand that includes a visit by Kansas City next week. Up first are the Los Angeles Dodgers with RHP Chris Bassitt (2-3, 3.90 ERA) getting the nod against them in Friday night's series opener.

Royals: Begin a six-day trip against the Tigers on Friday with a rare 12:10 p.m. CDT start so that it any minimizes interference with the NFL draft in Detroit. RHP Seth Lugo (3-1, 2.03) is on the mound for the series opener.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714088762404.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Cole Ragans held Toronto in check long enough for the rain to arrive, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Blue Jays 2-1 on Thursday in a game called after five innings and a long weather delay.Ragans (1-2) allowed the lone Toronto run on three hits and three walks while striking out four.José Berrios (4-1) had his streak of 22 1/3 scoreless innings snapped when Perez, following Vinnie Pasquantino's two-out walk, deposited&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1783563442760094190">the first pitch he saw into the left-field bullpen</a>&nbsp;to give Kansas City the lead in the first inning.When the fifth ended, and an early drizzle had turned to steady rain, umpire chief Chris Guccione called for the tarp to cover the infield. Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to argue, wanting another opportunity to tie or take the lead, and apparently he convinced Guccione to have the grounds crew roll the tarp back and attempt to get the field in shape.After about 10 minutes, Guccione again summoned the tarp. The field was covered for about 2 hours, and when the rain stopped, the grounds crew spent another hour-plus working on it. At that point, the game was called after a delay of 3 hours, 38 minutes.Ragans had to work around plenty of trouble early, including a runner-on-the-corners situation in the second, when he got Alejandro Kirk to fly out. In the fourth, the Blue Jays bookended Davis Schneider's walk with hits by Justin Turner and Ernie Clement to cut the Royals' lead in half, but Daulton Varsho and Kirk could not get across the tying run.The Blue Jays had another try in the fifth, when center fielder Kyle Isbel made&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BallySportsKC/status/1783578273974239339">a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch</a>&nbsp;of Isiah Kiner-Falefa's drive to the warning track. Isbel also raced down George Springer's blooper. Then, after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drew a walk, Bo Bichette popped foul to end what turned out to be the Blue Jays' final at-bat.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: RHP Alec Marsh (bruised right elbow)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-93cf6c8a1cdfb0119a804ce31af76b98">went on the injured list Thursday</a>&nbsp;after taking a 91 mph line drive off his elbow the previous night. RHP Will Klein was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take his spot on the roster.Blue Jays: RHP Bowden Francis (right forearm tendinitis) was placed on the IL after pitching two scoreless innings Wednesday night. LHP Brendon Little was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take his spot in the bullpen.UP NEXTBlue Jays: Start a six-game homestand that includes a visit by Kansas City next week. Up first are the Los Angeles Dodgers with RHP Chris Bassitt (2-3, 3.90 ERA) getting the nod against them in Friday night's series opener.Royals: Begin a six-day trip against the Tigers on Friday with a rare 12:10 p.m. CDT start so that it any minimizes interference with the NFL draft in Detroit. RHP Seth Lugo (3-1, 2.03) is on the mound for the series opener.___

⚾ Perez homers as KC beats Blue Jays in game called after 5 innings, rain delay

The Southeast of Saline baseball team rolled through another league rival on Tuesday, outscoring the Lions 33-8 in a sweep of Minneapolis. With wins of 16-1 and 17-7, the Trojans move to 10-8 on the year and 5-3 in league play while the Lions slide to 2-12 and 2-8.&nbsp;

Three weeks ago, the Kansas Wesleyan Softball team was 2-10 in the Kansas Conference and looking up at its chances to reach next week's KCAC Tournament in Great Bend.&nbsp;

Then there was a spark in a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Tabor in the first game of that series that propelled the Coyotes to seven straight wins.&nbsp;

Since then, the Coyotes have gone 11-3, and what a wild ride its been.&nbsp;

Things culminated on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for the Coyotes as KWU got the job done, sweeping the Bethany Swedes 2-0 and 2-1 to claim a KCAC Tournament berth at Salina South High School.&nbsp;

K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added one of the nation’s top returning scorers, as Temira Poindexter has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season. Poindexter will have one season of eligibility.&nbsp;

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/sYKxDfDp-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Sports Update Thur" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>The Southeast of Saline baseball team rolled through another league rival on Tuesday, outscoring the Lions 33-8 in a sweep of Minneapolis. With wins of 16-1 and 17-7, the Trojans move to 10-8 on the year and 5-3 in league play while the Lions slide to 2-12 and 2-8.&nbsp;Three weeks ago, the Kansas Wesleyan Softball team was 2-10 in the Kansas Conference and looking up at its chances to reach next week's KCAC Tournament in Great Bend.&nbsp;Then there was a spark in a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Tabor in the first game of that series that propelled the Coyotes to seven straight wins.&nbsp;Since then, the Coyotes have gone 11-3, and what a wild ride its been.&nbsp;Things culminated on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for the Coyotes as KWU got the job done, sweeping the Bethany Swedes 2-0 and 2-1 to claim a KCAC Tournament berth at Salina South High School.&nbsp;K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie has added one of the nation’s top returning scorers, as Temira Poindexter has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season. Poindexter will have one season of eligibility.&nbsp;

910 KINA Sports Headlines — April 25

Three weeks ago, the Kansas Wesleyan Softball team was 2-10 in the Kansas Conference and looking up at its chances to reach next week's KCAC Tournament in Great Bend.

Then there was a spark in a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Tabor in the first game of that series that propelled the Coyotes to seven straight wins.

Since then, the Coyotes have gone 11-3, and what a wild ride its been.

Things culminated on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for the Coyotes as KWU got the job done, sweeping the Bethany Swedes 2-0 and 2-1 to claim a KCAC Tournament berth at Salina South High School.

Fast forward to the second game that was a pitcher's duel between Bethany's Lilliana Martinez and Wesleyan's <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/37178156-1720-46a5-946c-c435346e59e8?elinkdata=9492">Jewell Henry</a>.

Neither team scored until Bethany broke through in the sixth, scoring a run on a double that followed back-to-back batters being hit by a pitch by KWU reliever <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4ebcd4fa-6c8b-48af-8b2d-69a885d03c0e?elinkdata=9492">Miranda Fogal</a>, who replaced Henry after five innings.

The Swedes carried the lead into the seventh when the Coyotes worked some magic.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6e1be2c0-b887-41c9-8d1a-09e33eddb052?elinkdata=9492">Eliza Flores</a> reached on an error and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/962de46b-883e-4abb-a9f2-34233ce755b8?elinkdata=9492">Jocelyn Alcala</a> was hit by a pitch to put two on for the Coyotes. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5dd446d2-2429-4447-97de-ea082c68076a?elinkdata=9492">Josie Buhr</a> followed with a single to center to load the bases for <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51885439-5e0e-47ac-8e3d-4c6b6ee3b642?elinkdata=9492">Ollievia Lowe</a>. Lowe would walk, forcing in pinch runner <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3168b121-4243-47f0-90eb-de64535a7253?elinkdata=9492">Anne Thibert</a> and tying the game 1-1.

Bethany would change pitchers to Morgan Honeycuff, who then struck out <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7d178f46-a7b8-422a-94e3-95cb7775b0b6?elinkdata=9492">Cristabelle Alvarado</a> and faced <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/28560d9d-b9bd-427b-ae34-814dd5d987e7?elinkdata=9492">Jenna Soule</a> with one out in the inning. Soule would loft a ball into foul territory behind third base that would be caught by the Bethany third baseman, and would come out of her glove as she tried to make the transfer to throw ball back into the infield, and Alcala, now at third took off and would slide home safely for the game-winning run.

It was a jubilant celebration that followed for the Coyotes, who secured the No. 7 seed in the KCAC tournament with the sweep.

Wesleyan had just two hits in the second game, a fourth-inning single by Alcala, and Buhr's seventh inning hit.

Fogal claimed the win, allowing a run on one hit with two strikeouts in two innings of relief for the Coyotes. Henry went five innings allowing five hits.

Wednesday's first game also favored the Coyotes.

KWU left runners on base every inning, but did slide a run across in the third inning on a double by Flores that brought home <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/241d3522-88ff-4f58-adeb-a808fe689458?elinkdata=9492">Sydnee Fordham</a> who had doubled earlier in the inning.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55a4dffb-b2c4-4661-a9ea-4e3aff694456?elinkdata=9492">Hailey Summers</a> led off the fifth inning with a double and went to third on Fordham's ground outm, and then scored when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23858e88-d61e-4eb2-b9e2-21c5523ec278?elinkdata=9492">Trenity Miller</a> reached on an error.

Summers and Buhr had two hits each to lead the Coyotes in the first game.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/215b9ca1-e8bd-46a1-9949-84afa45a51f2?elinkdata=9492">Caitlyn Collier</a> was again excellent in the circle for the Coyotes, scattering five hits and striking out five without issuing a walk.

The KCAC Tournament begins next week on Wednesday at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend. Full seedings, match-ups, and game times will be announced by the KCAC as soon as the regular season is completed.

Three weeks ago, the Kansas Wesleyan Softball team was 2-10 in the Kansas Conference and looking up at its chances to reach next week's KCAC Tournament in Great Bend.Then there was a spark in a 7-6 come-from-behind win over Tabor in the first game of that series that propelled the Coyotes to seven straight wins.Since then, the Coyotes have gone 11-3, and what a wild ride its been.Things culminated on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for the Coyotes as KWU got the job done, sweeping the Bethany Swedes 2-0 and 2-1 to claim a KCAC Tournament berth at Salina South High School.Fast forward to the second game that was a pitcher's duel between Bethany's Lilliana Martinez and Wesleyan's <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/37178156-1720-46a5-946c-c435346e59e8?elinkdata=9492">Jewell Henry</a>.Neither team scored until Bethany broke through in the sixth, scoring a run on a double that followed back-to-back batters being hit by a pitch by KWU reliever <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4ebcd4fa-6c8b-48af-8b2d-69a885d03c0e?elinkdata=9492">Miranda Fogal</a>, who replaced Henry after five innings.The Swedes carried the lead into the seventh when the Coyotes worked some magic.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6e1be2c0-b887-41c9-8d1a-09e33eddb052?elinkdata=9492">Eliza Flores</a> reached on an error and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/962de46b-883e-4abb-a9f2-34233ce755b8?elinkdata=9492">Jocelyn Alcala</a> was hit by a pitch to put two on for the Coyotes. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5dd446d2-2429-4447-97de-ea082c68076a?elinkdata=9492">Josie Buhr</a> followed with a single to center to load the bases for <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51885439-5e0e-47ac-8e3d-4c6b6ee3b642?elinkdata=9492">Ollievia Lowe</a>. Lowe would walk, forcing in pinch runner <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3168b121-4243-47f0-90eb-de64535a7253?elinkdata=9492">Anne Thibert</a> and tying the game 1-1.Bethany would change pitchers to Morgan Honeycuff, who then struck out <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7d178f46-a7b8-422a-94e3-95cb7775b0b6?elinkdata=9492">Cristabelle Alvarado</a> and faced <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/28560d9d-b9bd-427b-ae34-814dd5d987e7?elinkdata=9492">Jenna Soule</a> with one out in the inning. Soule would loft a ball into foul territory behind third base that would be caught by the Bethany third baseman, and would come out of her glove as she tried to make the transfer to throw ball back into the infield, and Alcala, now at third took off and would slide home safely for the game-winning run.It was a jubilant celebration that followed for the Coyotes, who secured the No. 7 seed in the KCAC tournament with the sweep.Wesleyan had just two hits in the second game, a fourth-inning single by Alcala, and Buhr's seventh inning hit.Fogal claimed the win, allowing a run on one hit with two strikeouts in two innings of relief for the Coyotes. Henry went five innings allowing five hits.Wednesday's first game also favored the Coyotes.KWU left runners on base every inning, but did slide a run across in the third inning on a double by Flores that brought home <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/241d3522-88ff-4f58-adeb-a808fe689458?elinkdata=9492">Sydnee Fordham</a> who had doubled earlier in the inning.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55a4dffb-b2c4-4661-a9ea-4e3aff694456?elinkdata=9492">Hailey Summers</a> led off the fifth inning with a double and went to third on Fordham's ground outm, and then scored when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23858e88-d61e-4eb2-b9e2-21c5523ec278?elinkdata=9492">Trenity Miller</a> reached on an error.Summers and Buhr had two hits each to lead the Coyotes in the first game.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/215b9ca1-e8bd-46a1-9949-84afa45a51f2?elinkdata=9492">Caitlyn Collier</a> was again excellent in the circle for the Coyotes, scattering five hits and striking out five without issuing a walk.The KCAC Tournament begins next week on Wednesday at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend. Full seedings, match-ups, and game times will be announced by the KCAC as soon as the regular season is completed.

Coyotes sweep Swedes in thrilling fashion to earn KCAC berth

GARDEN CITY - The Kansas Wesleyan Women's Golf team ran away with the 2024 Kansas Conference Championship this week, winning the tournament by 40 shots to claim another KCAC title for the program.

In the final round, the Coyotes were the lone team to finish with a team score under 330, posting a 312 in the final round, 21 shots better than any other team in the field for the round.

Wesleyan led by 17 shots after Monday's first round, posting a 317, but struggled a little bit in the second round with a 335, giving two shots back to distant second-place Southwestern in the round.

The Coyotes were not to be denied in Wednesday's final round. The Coyotes posted a 317, to pull away and pick up the 40-shot win over Southwestern.

Wesleyan's individual finishes were just as impressive.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/307b671d-ad3f-451c-98f6-02123f66a290?elinkdata=9470">Hannah Hart</a> won the tournament by two shots, finished with a 233, just ahead of teammate <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f69abbb0-73ce-44f8-b707-636440f2a91b?elinkdata=9470">Abby Donovan</a> who placed second with a 235. The Coyotes made it three in the top five as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/47f65148-1e09-4de7-bedc-06c8dd99ea92?elinkdata=9470">Sarah Krenowicz</a> placed fourth with a 241.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/301042e5-9d51-4563-be76-30a94d994c01?elinkdata=9470">Chaney Littell</a> placed 17th with a 257.

The Coyotes used a different player in each round at the five position. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5e5213fa-6d26-4d8a-ab27-a4ecad971158?elinkdata=9470">Thalia Ramirez</a> shot an 84 in the first round, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0f0f3cf7-f343-4d5f-bcd8-659024147626?elinkdata=9470">Ryann Warren</a> shot an 89 in the second round and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ae6db785-05bc-4ac3-a697-134736208723?elinkdata=9470">Kelsey Essex</a> posted an 86 in the third round.

KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/465f6dbf-39f2-48d0-b3bf-2d2c46b1f20b?elinkdata=9470">Coleman Houk</a> was named the KCAC Coach of the Year, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a3f7b32-ddc4-4630-b09c-2ea873630461?elinkdata=9470">Sarah Krenowicz</a> was named as the Newcomer of the Year, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43bca534-eea7-43b1-8877-3795231b1227?elinkdata=9470">Abby Donovan</a> was named as the Player of the Year.

The remainder of the KCAC All-Conference teams will be announced by the conference office soon.

Southwestern finished second with a score of 1004, Friends was third at 1015, Evangel was fourth at 1024, Oklahoma Wesleyan was fifth at 1051, Ottawa was sixth with 1060, York was seventh with 1102 and Tabor was eighth with 1171. Bethany and Sterling also had teams at the tournament but did not have enough players to field a scoring team.

KWU will represent the KCAC at the 29th Annual NAIA Women's Golf National Championships beginning May 14 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.

GARDEN CITY - The Kansas Wesleyan Women's Golf team ran away with the 2024 Kansas Conference Championship this week, winning the tournament by 40 shots to claim another KCAC title for the program.In the final round, the Coyotes were the lone team to finish with a team score under 330, posting a 312 in the final round, 21 shots better than any other team in the field for the round.Wesleyan led by 17 shots after Monday's first round, posting a 317, but struggled a little bit in the second round with a 335, giving two shots back to distant second-place Southwestern in the round.The Coyotes were not to be denied in Wednesday's final round. The Coyotes posted a 317, to pull away and pick up the 40-shot win over Southwestern.Wesleyan's individual finishes were just as impressive.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/307b671d-ad3f-451c-98f6-02123f66a290?elinkdata=9470">Hannah Hart</a> won the tournament by two shots, finished with a 233, just ahead of teammate <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f69abbb0-73ce-44f8-b707-636440f2a91b?elinkdata=9470">Abby Donovan</a> who placed second with a 235. The Coyotes made it three in the top five as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/47f65148-1e09-4de7-bedc-06c8dd99ea92?elinkdata=9470">Sarah Krenowicz</a> placed fourth with a 241.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/301042e5-9d51-4563-be76-30a94d994c01?elinkdata=9470">Chaney Littell</a> placed 17th with a 257.The Coyotes used a different player in each round at the five position. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5e5213fa-6d26-4d8a-ab27-a4ecad971158?elinkdata=9470">Thalia Ramirez</a> shot an 84 in the first round, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0f0f3cf7-f343-4d5f-bcd8-659024147626?elinkdata=9470">Ryann Warren</a> shot an 89 in the second round and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ae6db785-05bc-4ac3-a697-134736208723?elinkdata=9470">Kelsey Essex</a> posted an 86 in the third round.KWU coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/465f6dbf-39f2-48d0-b3bf-2d2c46b1f20b?elinkdata=9470">Coleman Houk</a> was named the KCAC Coach of the Year, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a3f7b32-ddc4-4630-b09c-2ea873630461?elinkdata=9470">Sarah Krenowicz</a> was named as the Newcomer of the Year, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43bca534-eea7-43b1-8877-3795231b1227?elinkdata=9470">Abby Donovan</a> was named as the Player of the Year.The remainder of the KCAC All-Conference teams will be announced by the conference office soon.Southwestern finished second with a score of 1004, Friends was third at 1015, Evangel was fourth at 1024, Oklahoma Wesleyan was fifth at 1051, Ottawa was sixth with 1060, York was seventh with 1102 and Tabor was eighth with 1171. Bethany and Sterling also had teams at the tournament but did not have enough players to field a scoring team.KWU will represent the KCAC at the 29th Annual NAIA Women's Golf National Championships beginning May 14 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.

Women’s Golf cruises to victory to claim KCAC Championship 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alec Marsh and four relievers combined for a six-hitter as the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Wednesday night.

Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez each had two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which bounced back from a loss in the series opener on Monday to win two straight.

“That’s Royals baseball," said Bobby Witt Jr., who is batting .350 during a five-game hitting streak. "We've got to keep doing that. Get on the base paths. Be aggressive. Make things happen. The bats will come around and (we'll) hit some homers, too.”

John Schreiber (2-0) picked up the win in relief. James McArthur earned his sixth save.

“It’s been awesome,” McArthur said. “Those guys coming in early in the game kind of sets the tone for us to come in later. We all have a really good idea of what we’re trying to do in the pen.

"The coaches do a great job of giving us good scouting reports, and then we can always rely on (catchers) Salvy (Perez) and Freddy (Fermin). We just try to pass the baton to each other and feed off each other.”

Yariel Rodríguez (0-1) gave up three runs on six hits in four innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Marsh left the game with one out in the fifth inning after taking a line drive off his right forearm. He fielded the ball and threw out Addison Barger at first, but was removed after that. He gave up no runs on two hits.

“We feel like we got pretty lucky,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “It got him in like just above the elbow, on the forearm, but squaring him up. I mean, you could see (the laces) pretty good.

"He was saying, ‘Oh, it’s coming back. It’s coming back.’ We've got to use our heads there a little bit.”

The Royals scored in the first, helped by a couple of walks by Rodriguez. Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino walked with one out, and Perez lined a single to left to score Witt.

The Royals added a run in the second. Kyle Isbel hit a two-out double that Barger misplayed into three bases. Barger, who made his debut Wednesday, played right field and third base in Triple-A. He broke in and the ball sailed over his head. Garcia singled, scoring Isbel with the Royals' second run.

The Blue Jays have scored just seven runs in the last three games, two of them 3-2 losses. Toronto manager John Schneider is not worried.

“It’s a matter of time," he said. "You got to keep plugging away. Everyone knows how we’re built, but it takes a game or two to really get rolling. And I think the encouraging part is we are where we are (record-wise) without firing on all cylinders really. So, we’re confident it will turn around.”

The Blue Jays got on the board in the fifth when George Springer homered off reliever Angel Zerpa.

The Royals chased Rodriguez with three straight singles in the fifth. Witt's single scored Isbel with KC's third run.

Toronto got an RBI groundout from Ernie Clement to pull within 3-2 in the sixth.

Blue Jays: OF Kevin Kiermaier was placed on the 10-day injured list with left hip flexor inflammation. Toronto called up Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo to take his place. Barger made his MLB debut in left field and hit eighth in the order.

The Blue Jays and Royals will conclude their four-game series Thursday afternoon. The Blue Jays will send RHP Jose Berrios (4-0, 0.85 ERA) to the mound to face LHP Cole Ragans (0-2, 4.32 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714012601218.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) leads starting pitcher Alec Marsh (48) off the field during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) leads starting pitcher Alec Marsh (48) off the field during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alec Marsh and four relievers combined for a six-hitter as the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Wednesday night.Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez each had two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which bounced back from a loss in the series opener on Monday to win two straight.“That’s Royals baseball," said Bobby Witt Jr., who is batting .350 during a five-game hitting streak. "We've got to keep doing that. Get on the base paths. Be aggressive. Make things happen. The bats will come around and (we'll) hit some homers, too.”John Schreiber (2-0) picked up the win in relief. James McArthur earned his sixth save.“It’s been awesome,” McArthur said. “Those guys coming in early in the game kind of sets the tone for us to come in later. We all have a really good idea of what we’re trying to do in the pen."The coaches do a great job of giving us good scouting reports, and then we can always rely on (catchers) Salvy (Perez) and Freddy (Fermin). We just try to pass the baton to each other and feed off each other.”Yariel Rodríguez (0-1) gave up three runs on six hits in four innings. He struck out two and walked two.Marsh left the game with one out in the fifth inning after taking a line drive off his right forearm. He fielded the ball and threw out Addison Barger at first, but was removed after that. He gave up no runs on two hits.“We feel like we got pretty lucky,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “It got him in like just above the elbow, on the forearm, but squaring him up. I mean, you could see (the laces) pretty good."He was saying, ‘Oh, it’s coming back. It’s coming back.’ We've got to use our heads there a little bit.”The Royals scored in the first, helped by a couple of walks by Rodriguez. Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino walked with one out, and Perez lined a single to left to score Witt.The Royals added a run in the second. Kyle Isbel hit a two-out double that Barger misplayed into three bases. Barger, who made his debut Wednesday, played right field and third base in Triple-A. He broke in and the ball sailed over his head. Garcia singled, scoring Isbel with the Royals' second run.The Blue Jays have scored just seven runs in the last three games, two of them 3-2 losses. Toronto manager John Schneider is not worried.“It’s a matter of time," he said. "You got to keep plugging away. Everyone knows how we’re built, but it takes a game or two to really get rolling. And I think the encouraging part is we are where we are (record-wise) without firing on all cylinders really. So, we’re confident it will turn around.”The Blue Jays got on the board in the fifth when George Springer homered off reliever Angel Zerpa.The Royals chased Rodriguez with three straight singles in the fifth. Witt's single scored Isbel with KC's third run.Toronto got an RBI groundout from Ernie Clement to pull within 3-2 in the sixth.TRANSACTIONSBlue Jays: OF Kevin Kiermaier was placed on the 10-day injured list with left hip flexor inflammation. Toronto called up Addison Barger from Triple-A Buffalo to take his place. Barger made his MLB debut in left field and hit eighth in the order.UP NEXTThe Blue Jays and Royals will conclude their four-game series Thursday afternoon. The Blue Jays will send RHP Jose Berrios (4-0, 0.85 ERA) to the mound to face LHP Cole Ragans (0-2, 4.32 ERA).

⚾ Marsh and 4 relievers combined for 6-hitter as Royals beat the Blue Jays

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On Wednesday afternoon, Ellsworth High School announced in a statement that Jeff Landon would be taking over as head boy's basketball coach for the 2024-25 season pending board approval.

Landon, a 1984 Bearcat alum, returns to Ellsworth after ten years coaching college basketball at Sterling College.

He takes the reigns from Brett Rolfs, who served as head coach from 2022-2024.

Prior to his time coaching at the college level, Landon served as assistant girls' basketball coach at Ellsworth High School.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Landon back to the Bearcat family," Ellsworth AD Ron Davis said. "Coach is a fundamental teacher of the game, and brings both leadership and strong ties to Ellsworth basketball."

The Bearcats finished their most recent campaign 19-5, falling in the opening round of this year's 3A state basketball tournament.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn Wednesday afternoon, Ellsworth High School announced in a statement that Jeff Landon would be taking over as head boy's basketball coach for the 2024-25 season pending board approval.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Landon, a 1984 Bearcat alum, returns to Ellsworth after ten years coaching college basketball at Sterling College.He takes the reigns from Brett Rolfs, who served as head coach from 2022-2024.Prior to his time coaching at the college level, Landon served as assistant girls' basketball coach at Ellsworth High School."We are excited to welcome Coach Landon back to the Bearcat family," Ellsworth AD Ron Davis said. "Coach is a fundamental teacher of the game, and brings both leadership and strong ties to Ellsworth basketball."The Bearcats finished their most recent campaign 19-5, falling in the opening round of this year's 3A state basketball tournament.

Jeff Landon hired to lead Ellworth boys basketball team

Kansas Wesleyan Men's Volleyball will make the move to the Heart of America Conference starting with the 2025 season.

KWU spent its first three seasons playing in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC).

"Making the move to the Heart of America is a feather in the cap for our program," said Kansas Wesleyan Athletic Director Miguel Paredes. "There are many advantages for us making this move. The Heart of America is one of the strongest men's volleyball conferences in the country and we look forward to being a part of it."

"We are thrilled to welcome Kansas Wesleyan University to the Heart of America Athletic Conference as an associate member for Men's Volleyball," Nik Rule, Commissioner of the Heart of America Athletic Conference said. "Their commitment to excellence both on and off the court aligns perfectly with the values of our conference. We believe their participation will enhance the caliber of competition within our league and helps us meet our growth goals."

"We are excited about the opportunity to join a strong, established conference for our men's volleyball program," KWU Men's Volleyball Coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d8604ee-9c69-4baf-a114-5d9cd3633bb7?elinkdata=9448">Dustin Sahlmann</a> said. "I feel that this move will help our program in multiple areas. In terms of recruiting, it is a draw to play the best the NAIA has to offer on a weekly basis. It will reduce our travel yearly, which will keep the players in class and help them continue to excel academically. Lastly, I believe it will make our guys perform consistently better, as we will be playing ranked teams almost every week. All of these things will help us continue to grow and develop this young program."

This season, the Coyotes went 14-13 overall and 4-6 in the GPAC, earning the No. 4 seed and hosting a first-round game for the first time in program history, defeating Ottawa in four sets in the match to advance to the GPAC Fab Four.

"We're appreciative of our time in the GPAC," said Paredes. "It was a quality place for us to begin our program, and we're thankful for their support these first few years. Our university developed quality relationships within the conference, and we look forward to maintaining those relationships, even as we start this new, exciting era."

KWU will be the 11th men's volleyball team in the Heart, joining Grand View (Iowa), William Penn (Iowa), Park (Mo.), Missouri Valley, Mount Mercy (Iowa), Missouri Baptist, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (Mo.), Clarke (Iowa), Graceland (Iowa) and Culver-Stockton (Mo.).

The remainder of Kansas Wesleyan's athletic programs will continue to reside in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), KWU's primary conference for more than 120 years. The KCAC does not sponsor men's volleyball at the conference level.

Kansas Wesleyan Men's Volleyball will make the move to the Heart of America Conference starting with the 2025 season.KWU spent its first three seasons playing in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC)."Making the move to the Heart of America is a feather in the cap for our program," said Kansas Wesleyan Athletic Director Miguel Paredes. "There are many advantages for us making this move. The Heart of America is one of the strongest men's volleyball conferences in the country and we look forward to being a part of it.""We are thrilled to welcome Kansas Wesleyan University to the Heart of America Athletic Conference as an associate member for Men's Volleyball," Nik Rule, Commissioner of the Heart of America Athletic Conference said. "Their commitment to excellence both on and off the court aligns perfectly with the values of our conference. We believe their participation will enhance the caliber of competition within our league and helps us meet our growth goals.""We are excited about the opportunity to join a strong, established conference for our men's volleyball program," KWU Men's Volleyball Coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d8604ee-9c69-4baf-a114-5d9cd3633bb7?elinkdata=9448">Dustin Sahlmann</a> said. "I feel that this move will help our program in multiple areas. In terms of recruiting, it is a draw to play the best the NAIA has to offer on a weekly basis. It will reduce our travel yearly, which will keep the players in class and help them continue to excel academically. Lastly, I believe it will make our guys perform consistently better, as we will be playing ranked teams almost every week. All of these things will help us continue to grow and develop this young program."This season, the Coyotes went 14-13 overall and 4-6 in the GPAC, earning the No. 4 seed and hosting a first-round game for the first time in program history, defeating Ottawa in four sets in the match to advance to the GPAC Fab Four."We're appreciative of our time in the GPAC," said Paredes. "It was a quality place for us to begin our program, and we're thankful for their support these first few years. Our university developed quality relationships within the conference, and we look forward to maintaining those relationships, even as we start this new, exciting era."KWU will be the 11th men's volleyball team in the Heart, joining Grand View (Iowa), William Penn (Iowa), Park (Mo.), Missouri Valley, Mount Mercy (Iowa), Missouri Baptist, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (Mo.), Clarke (Iowa), Graceland (Iowa) and Culver-Stockton (Mo.).The remainder of Kansas Wesleyan's athletic programs will continue to reside in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), KWU's primary conference for more than 120 years. The KCAC does not sponsor men's volleyball at the conference level.

Kansas Wesleyan Men's Volleyball accepts invitation to join Heart of America Conference

Hello and happy Wednesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.

On Tuesday it was announced that The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The national governing body announced its calendar of domestically held international events Tuesday, along with awarding the U.S. championships to Wichita. The event will run from Jan. 20-26 at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Meanwhile, up in Kansas City the Royals continued to roll as Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.

With this win, the Royals move to 14-10 on the year, good for second in the AL Central behind the Guardians at 17-6.

And finally, more locally, the Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams each rolled through Minneapolis, handing the Lions and Lady Lions a pair of losses each.

On the softball diamond, Lexi Jacobson tossed a no-hitter in game one as the Lady Trojans rolled to wins of 15-0 and 16-1

Meanwhile, Grady Gebhardt swiped a single-season school record 30th bag as the Southeast baseball team won 16-1 and 17-7

That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a> and stay tuned to <a href="http://910kina.com">KINA</a>.

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/mE84sMxC-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Kinasu 4-24-24" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>Hello and happy Wednesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>_________On Tuesday it was announced that The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.The national governing body announced its calendar of domestically held international events Tuesday, along with awarding the U.S. championships to Wichita. The event will run from Jan. 20-26 at INTRUST Bank Arena._________Meanwhile, up in Kansas City the Royals continued to roll as Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.With this win, the Royals move to 14-10 on the year, good for second in the AL Central behind the Guardians at 17-6._________And finally, more locally, the Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams each rolled through Minneapolis, handing the Lions and Lady Lions a pair of losses each.On the softball diamond, Lexi Jacobson tossed a no-hitter in game one as the Lady Trojans rolled to wins of 15-0 and 16-1Meanwhile, Grady Gebhardt swiped a single-season school record 30th bag as the Southeast baseball team won 16-1 and 17-7_________That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a> and stay tuned to <a href="http://910kina.com">KINA</a>.

910 KINA Sports Headlines — April 24

The Southeast of Saline baseball team rolled through another league rival on Tuesday, outscoring the Lions 33-8 in a sweep of Minneapolis.

With wins of 16-1 and 17-7, the Trojans move to 10-8 on the year and 5-3 in league play while the Lions slide to 2-12 and 2-8.

SES wasted no time jumping on their foe in game one, tallying nine runs in the first inning, three in the third, and four in the fourth of a run-rule-shortened affair.

On the bump, Killian Vaughn was exceptional, tossing four innings of one-hit ball, allowing just one unearned run and one walk while striking out six in the 16-1 win.

At the dish, Southeast spread the wealth throughout their lineup, with eight of their nine in the order recording at least one hit, and seven more driving in at least one run.

In game two the Trojans picked up right where they left off, scoring nine runs in the first two innings and never looking back en route to a 17-7 victory.

Drew Weller led the charge, bringing in three runs on three hits, and joining Ian Nickelson, Evan Watkins, and Blayton Jervah with multi-hit days.

Treytan Olson would earn the win on the hill, working with Jervah and Tiernan Ptacek to hold the Lions at arm's length.

Southeast also terrorized the Lions on the basepaths, as Grady Gebhardt swiped his 30th bag of the year, breaking the single-season school record previously held by his younger brother Jackson back in 2021.

The Trojans will conclude the league portion of their season next Tuesday when they travel to Ellsworth while Minneapolis heads to Concordia this Friday for a non-league tilt.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline baseball team rolled through another league rival on Tuesday, outscoring the Lions 33-8 in a sweep of Minneapolis.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>With wins of 16-1 and 17-7, the Trojans move to 10-8 on the year and 5-3 in league play while the Lions slide to 2-12 and 2-8.SES wasted no time jumping on their foe in game one, tallying nine runs in the first inning, three in the third, and four in the fourth of a run-rule-shortened affair.On the bump, Killian Vaughn was exceptional, tossing four innings of one-hit ball, allowing just one unearned run and one walk while striking out six in the 16-1 win.At the dish, Southeast spread the wealth throughout their lineup, with eight of their nine in the order recording at least one hit, and seven more driving in at least one run.In game two the Trojans picked up right where they left off, scoring nine runs in the first two innings and never looking back en route to a 17-7 victory.Drew Weller led the charge, bringing in three runs on three hits, and joining Ian Nickelson, Evan Watkins, and Blayton Jervah with multi-hit days.Treytan Olson would earn the win on the hill, working with Jervah and Tiernan Ptacek to hold the Lions at arm's length.Southeast also terrorized the Lions on the basepaths, as Grady Gebhardt swiped his 30th bag of the year, breaking the single-season school record previously held by his younger brother Jackson back in 2021.The Trojans will conclude the league portion of their season next Tuesday when they travel to Ellsworth while Minneapolis heads to Concordia this Friday for a non-league tilt.

⚾️ Trojans rattle off 33 runs in doubleheader sweep of Minneapolis

The Southeast of Saline softball team officially clinched their second-straight NCAA league title following a sweep of Minneapolis on Tuesday evening.

With wins of 15-0 and 16-1, the Lady Trojans move to 15-3 overall and 8-0 in league play while the Lady Lions fall to 10-4 and 6-4 respectively.

It was a special day for Lexi Jacobson in the circle, who in addition to earning SES their third shutout, tossed a no-hitter in a 15-0 game one victory.

Jacobson completed four innings, allowing just two baserunners to reach on a pair of walks while striking out five.

On the offensive end, SES capitalized on a rough day in the field for Minneapolis, who committed seven errors, resulting in just four of Southeast’s 14 runs being earned.

Despite all the chaos, seven members of the Lady Trojan lineup would end the day with at least one hit, with five driving in at least one run on the day.

Game two saw more of the same, but this time it was Bryna Baird's turn to dominate in the circle.

The Southeast senior recorded seven strikeouts without a single walk, allowing just one run on two hits in a 16-1 win.

At the plate, the Lady Trojans picked up right where they left off with seven hits, seven RBI, and eight walks.

Southeast will conclude their regular season next Tuesday when they travel to Ellsworth while Minneapolis heads to Concordia for a non-league set on Friday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline softball team officially clinched their second-straight NCAA league title following a sweep of Minneapolis on Tuesday evening.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>With wins of 15-0 and 16-1, the Lady Trojans move to 15-3 overall and 8-0 in league play while the Lady Lions fall to 10-4 and 6-4 respectively.It was a special day for Lexi Jacobson in the circle, who in addition to earning SES their third shutout, tossed a no-hitter in a 15-0 game one victory.Jacobson completed four innings, allowing just two baserunners to reach on a pair of walks while striking out five.On the offensive end, SES capitalized on a rough day in the field for Minneapolis, who committed seven errors, resulting in just four of Southeast’s 14 runs being earned.Despite all the chaos, seven members of the Lady Trojan lineup would end the day with at least one hit, with five driving in at least one run on the day.Game two saw more of the same, but this time it was Bryna Baird's turn to dominate in the circle.The Southeast senior recorded seven strikeouts without a single walk, allowing just one run on two hits in a 16-1 win.At the plate, the Lady Trojans picked up right where they left off with seven hits, seven RBI, and eight walks.Southeast will conclude their regular season next Tuesday when they travel to Ellsworth while Minneapolis heads to Concordia for a non-league set on Friday.

🥎 Jacobson tosses no-hitter as Lady Trojans claim NCAA league title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning for Kansas City after a costly error by Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.

Chris Stratton (2-1) minimized the damage when he inherited a bases-loaded jam from Michael Wacha in the fifth. He also took care of the sixth before John Schreiber handled the seventh and James McArthur breezed through the eighth.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro opted to send McArthur out for the ninth, and the Blue Jays' Cavan Biggio appeared to begin the inning by beating out a single, only for the call to be overturned upon review. George Springer followed with a single and went to second on Guerrero's groundout, but McArthur got Bo Bichette to ground out to finish off his fifth save of the season.

“You don't get too many opportunities with the extra outs there, but we were able to make them pay,” Wacha said. “Bobby came through for us, like he so often does, and the bullpen shut the door for us.”

Kevin Gausman (0-3) allowed three runs — none of them earned — on seven hits and a walk over 6 2/3 innings for Toronto.

“I mean, Guasman led the league in strikeouts last year and he had one or two in six-plus,” Quatraro said, “so just getting the ball in play. Not every contact is going to be solid. But you know, make something happen”

Wacha allowed two runs on eight hits and three walks for Kansas City, but he needed 96 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings. But while he was plenty erratic — Wacha plunked Davis Schneider to load the bases in the fifth — he also was victimized by some bad luck, including a series of weakly hit singles that the Blue Jays turned into a 1-0 lead in the third.

After Wacha left with the bases loaded in the fifth, Alejandro Kirk's sacrifice fly gave the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.

The Royals' comeback in the bottom of the fifth began with a blunder: Adam Frazier was caught in a rundown between third base and home for the second out of the inning. But he stayed alive long enough for Michael Massey to reach second base, and moments later, Guerrero allowed the throw for what should have been the final out of the inning to go right past him.

“What can I say? I just missed the ball, period,” Guerrero said through an interpreter.

Massey came around to score, Maikel Garcia followed with a base hit and Witt's double to left gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead.

“Just tried to control the moment. Control what I could control,” Witt said.

The Royals nearly added to that advantage in the seventh, when Garcia drew a two-out walk and Witt singled for his third hit of the night. Vinnie Pasquantino then hammered a pitch from Nate Pearson, but it skirted outside the foul pole in right field, and the Toronto reliever proceeded to strike him out to end the threat.

Turned out that the Royals didn't need any more runs the way their bullpen performed.

“I mean, it was a one-run game, so there was no margin for error,” Quatraro said. “They put up 4 2/3 scoreless against a really good team, so I can't overstate them enough. Without that, we're either still out there or we're behind."

Blue Jays RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-0, 2.35 ERA) takes the mound Wednesday night against Royals RHP Alec Marsh (3-0, 3.22)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713926914717.jpeg" alt="Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer (4) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia to advance to third on a single by Bo Bichette during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer (4) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia to advance to third on a single by Bo Bichette during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning for Kansas City after a costly error by Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.Chris Stratton (2-1) minimized the damage when he inherited a bases-loaded jam from Michael Wacha in the fifth. He also took care of the sixth before John Schreiber handled the seventh and James McArthur breezed through the eighth.Royals manager Matt Quatraro opted to send McArthur out for the ninth, and the Blue Jays' Cavan Biggio appeared to begin the inning by beating out a single, only for the call to be overturned upon review. George Springer followed with a single and went to second on Guerrero's groundout, but McArthur got Bo Bichette to ground out to finish off his fifth save of the season.“You don't get too many opportunities with the extra outs there, but we were able to make them pay,” Wacha said. “Bobby came through for us, like he so often does, and the bullpen shut the door for us.”Kevin Gausman (0-3) allowed three runs — none of them earned — on seven hits and a walk over 6 2/3 innings for Toronto.“I mean, Guasman led the league in strikeouts last year and he had one or two in six-plus,” Quatraro said, “so just getting the ball in play. Not every contact is going to be solid. But you know, make something happen”Wacha allowed two runs on eight hits and three walks for Kansas City, but he needed 96 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings. But while he was plenty erratic — Wacha plunked Davis Schneider to load the bases in the fifth — he also was victimized by some bad luck, including a series of weakly hit singles that the Blue Jays turned into a 1-0 lead in the third.After Wacha left with the bases loaded in the fifth, Alejandro Kirk's sacrifice fly gave the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.The Royals' comeback in the bottom of the fifth began with a blunder: Adam Frazier was caught in a rundown between third base and home for the second out of the inning. But he stayed alive long enough for Michael Massey to reach second base, and moments later, Guerrero allowed the throw for what should have been the final out of the inning to go right past him.“What can I say? I just missed the ball, period,” Guerrero said through an interpreter.Massey came around to score, Maikel Garcia followed with a base hit and Witt's double to left gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead.“Just tried to control the moment. Control what I could control,” Witt said.The Royals nearly added to that advantage in the seventh, when Garcia drew a two-out walk and Witt singled for his third hit of the night. Vinnie Pasquantino then hammered a pitch from Nate Pearson, but it skirted outside the foul pole in right field, and the Toronto reliever proceeded to strike him out to end the threat.Turned out that the Royals didn't need any more runs the way their bullpen performed.“I mean, it was a one-run game, so there was no margin for error,” Quatraro said. “They put up 4 2/3 scoreless against a really good team, so I can't overstate them enough. Without that, we're either still out there or we're behind."UP NEXTBlue Jays RHP Yariel Rodriguez (0-0, 2.35 ERA) takes the mound Wednesday night against Royals RHP Alec Marsh (3-0, 3.22)

⚾ Witt's 2-run double sends Kansas City to win over Toronto

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in what should amount to a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

The Grand Prix season begins Oct. 18 with Skate America, which will take place for the second straight year at Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas. It is the first event in the six-stop international Grand Prix schedule.

The U.S. also will host the 2025 world championships from March 23-30 at TD Garden in Boston.

U.S. figure skaters topped the medal table with two golds and a bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and they could do even better at the next Winter Games. Ilia Malinin recently won his first world title with a record-setting free skate, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won a second straight ice dance gold, and Isabeau Levito took silver in the women’s event.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in what should amount to a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.The national governing body announced its calendar of domestically held international events Tuesday, along with awarding the U.S. championships to Wichita. The event will run from Jan. 20-26 at INTRUST Bank Arena.The Grand Prix season begins Oct. 18 with Skate America, which will take place for the second straight year at Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas. It is the first event in the six-stop international Grand Prix schedule.The U.S. also will host the 2025 world championships from March 23-30 at TD Garden in Boston.U.S. figure skaters topped the medal table with two golds and a bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and they could do even better at the next Winter Games. Ilia Malinin recently won his first world title with a record-setting free skate, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won a second straight ice dance gold, and Isabeau Levito took silver in the women’s event.

US Figure Skating championships headed to Wichita next year

Hello and happy Tuesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.

On Monday K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie added one of the nation’s top returning scorers, as Temira Poindexter has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season

Prior to coming to Manhattan, Poindexter filled her trophy case at Tulsa garnering 2024 (WBCA) All-America honors, AAC Player of the Year, Two-time All-AAC First Team honors, 2022 AAC Freshman of the Year and 2022 AAC All-Freshmen Team honors.

Poindexter averaged a new Tulsa record 16.8 PPG, and ranks third in school history for career points

From the hardwood to the gridiron, earlier this morning it was announced that Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has agreed to contract extensions with President Mark Donovan, General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid, ensuring the leadership of the Chiefs will remain in place for the long-term future.

Together since 2017, Donovan, Veach and Reid have seen the Chiefs to a 100-34 record, claiming seven consecutive AFC West Division Championships, four AFC Championships and three Super Bowl titles

And finally more locally the 2nd-ranked Sacred Heart baseball team continued to cruise last night in a clean sweep of Ell-Saline, winning 15-0 and 12-0 to improve to 16-0

Both games were streamed with live audio and video and are now available to play back on demand 100% free on our YouTube and Salina Post

That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the Salina Post and stay tuned to KINA.

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/gvrYrUAW-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Kinasu 4-23-24" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>Hello and happy Tuesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>_________On Monday K-State women’s basketball head coach Jeff Mittie added one of the nation’s top returning scorers, as Temira Poindexter has transferred to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 seasonPrior to coming to Manhattan, Poindexter filled her trophy case at Tulsa garnering 2024 (WBCA) All-America honors, AAC Player of the Year, Two-time All-AAC First Team honors, 2022 AAC Freshman of the Year and 2022 AAC All-Freshmen Team honors.Poindexter averaged a new Tulsa record 16.8 PPG, and ranks third in school history for career points_________From the hardwood to the gridiron, earlier this morning it was announced that Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has agreed to contract extensions with President Mark Donovan, General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid, ensuring the leadership of the Chiefs will remain in place for the long-term future.Together since 2017, Donovan, Veach and Reid have seen the Chiefs to a 100-34 record, claiming seven consecutive AFC West Division Championships, four AFC Championships and three Super Bowl titles_________And finally more locally the 2nd-ranked Sacred Heart baseball team continued to cruise last night in a clean sweep of Ell-Saline, winning 15-0 and 12-0 to improve to 16-0Both games were streamed with live audio and video and are now available to play back on demand 100% free on our YouTube and Salina Post_________That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the Salina Post and stay tuned to KINA.

910 KINA Sports Headlines — April 23

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt announced today that the club has agreed to contract extensions with President Mark Donovan, General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid. The agreements ensure the leadership team of the Chiefs will remain in place for the long-term future.

“Mark, Brett and Andy have achieved historic success together, and we are thrilled that they will continue in their roles for many years to come,” Hunt said. “Individually, Mark, Brett and Andy each represent the best in the National Football League at their respective positions, and together, they make up one of the finest leadership teams in all of professional sports. They have been tremendous leaders for this organization on and off the field, and we look forward to their continued success in the years ahead.”

Together since 2017, Donovan, Veach and Reid have overseen a Chiefs team which has gone 100-34 (.746) (reg. &amp; postseason combined), claiming seven consecutive AFC West Division Championships, four AFC Championships and three Super Bowl Championships. The club has been in six-consecutive AFC Championship Games including hosting an NFL record five-straight (2018-2022).

Along with the team’s success on the field, the club has significantly expanded the off-field business interests of the team, including the growth of the club’s social footprint, expanding the national and international fanbase to one of the largest and most engaged in all of professional sports, all while continuing to focus on the fan experience at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

“It is a privilege to help lead this organization’s business operations, and I want to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for their continued support and trust in the work that we’re doing off-the-field and in the community,” Donovan said. “I’m thankful to have an incredibly talented staff across numerous departments that are all key pieces to the organization. I’m proud to be a part of a team that has had unprecedented success and look forward to creating and experiencing more historic moments with the Kingdom.”

“I’d like to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for the support I’ve received these past seven seasons,” Veach said. “I am blessed to work alongside very talented people and am proud of the work we’ve done to bring three Super Bowls to Kansas City. I am excited to continue my career in a city that’s embraced me and my family the way it has and look forward to more opportunities to bring more championships to Chiefs Kingdom.”

“I’m incredibly grateful to Clark and the entire Hunt family for giving me the opportunity to lead this historic franchise,” Reid said. “Over the last 11 years, Tammy and I have enjoyed calling Kansas City our home. The community has embraced us, we’ve watched our family grow, including having all 12 grandkids during our time here. On the field, there have been so many people that have contributed to our success and Super Bowls, and I’m grateful to the players, coaches and staff that have all invested their time into this process. I’d also like to thank my agent, Bob LaMonte. Chiefs Kingdom is a special place and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be here.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt announced today that the club has agreed to contract extensions with President Mark Donovan, General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid. The agreements ensure the leadership team of the Chiefs will remain in place for the long-term future.“Mark, Brett and Andy have achieved historic success together, and we are thrilled that they will continue in their roles for many years to come,” Hunt said. “Individually, Mark, Brett and Andy each represent the best in the National Football League at their respective positions, and together, they make up one of the finest leadership teams in all of professional sports. They have been tremendous leaders for this organization on and off the field, and we look forward to their continued success in the years ahead.”Together since 2017, Donovan, Veach and Reid have overseen a Chiefs team which has gone 100-34 (.746) (reg. &amp; postseason combined), claiming seven consecutive AFC West Division Championships, four AFC Championships and three Super Bowl Championships. The club has been in six-consecutive AFC Championship Games including hosting an NFL record five-straight (2018-2022).Along with the team’s success on the field, the club has significantly expanded the off-field business interests of the team, including the growth of the club’s social footprint, expanding the national and international fanbase to one of the largest and most engaged in all of professional sports, all while continuing to focus on the fan experience at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.“It is a privilege to help lead this organization’s business operations, and I want to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for their continued support and trust in the work that we’re doing off-the-field and in the community,” Donovan said. “I’m thankful to have an incredibly talented staff across numerous departments that are all key pieces to the organization. I’m proud to be a part of a team that has had unprecedented success and look forward to creating and experiencing more historic moments with the Kingdom.”“I’d like to thank Clark and the entire Hunt family for the support I’ve received these past seven seasons,” Veach said. “I am blessed to work alongside very talented people and am proud of the work we’ve done to bring three Super Bowls to Kansas City. I am excited to continue my career in a city that’s embraced me and my family the way it has and look forward to more opportunities to bring more championships to Chiefs Kingdom.”“I’m incredibly grateful to Clark and the entire Hunt family for giving me the opportunity to lead this historic franchise,” Reid said. “Over the last 11 years, Tammy and I have enjoyed calling Kansas City our home. The community has embraced us, we’ve watched our family grow, including having all 12 grandkids during our time here. On the field, there have been so many people that have contributed to our success and Super Bowls, and I’m grateful to the players, coaches and staff that have all invested their time into this process. I’d also like to thank my agent, Bob LaMonte. Chiefs Kingdom is a special place and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be here.”

Chiefs Sign Mark Donovan, Brett Veach & Andy Reid to Contract Extensions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bo Bichette had a bases-clearing triple, Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Monday night.

The Jays have won seven of nine. The Royals lost their third straight at home after winning their previous nine at Kauffman Stadium.

Yusei Kikuchi (2-1) was efficient early, allowing one baserunner on 48 pitches in the first five innings.

“(Kikuchi) was lights out early, he just ran into trouble on the sixth,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “That’s as efficient as I’ve ever seen him with his pitch count. He was attacking guys, getting weak contact and strikeouts.

"And (we got) huge hits from Bo and Varsho, obviously.”

Kikuchi allowed a two-run home run by Maikel Garcia in the sixth. With two outs, Vinnie Pasquantino hit an infield single and Salvador Perez followed with a double. But Kikuchi retired Nelson Velázquez on a grounder to end the threat.

“My fastball was working really well today,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “I was able to throw it up in the zone to a lot to those hitters.”

Right-hander Tyler Duffey, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha earlier Monday, worked two scoreless innings in relief, striking out three.

Jordan Romano surrendered a homer by Kyle Isbel in the ninth but finished for his third save of the season and 100th of his career.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713839444810.jpeg" alt="Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette watches his three-run triple during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, April 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette watches his three-run triple during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, April 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bo Bichette had a bases-clearing triple, Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-3 on Monday night.The Jays have won seven of nine. The Royals lost their third straight at home after winning their previous nine at Kauffman Stadium.Yusei Kikuchi (2-1) was efficient early, allowing one baserunner on 48 pitches in the first five innings.“(Kikuchi) was lights out early, he just ran into trouble on the sixth,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “That’s as efficient as I’ve ever seen him with his pitch count. He was attacking guys, getting weak contact and strikeouts."And (we got) huge hits from Bo and Varsho, obviously.”Kikuchi allowed a two-run home run by Maikel Garcia in the sixth. With two outs, Vinnie Pasquantino hit an infield single and Salvador Perez followed with a double. But Kikuchi retired Nelson Velázquez on a grounder to end the threat.“My fastball was working really well today,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “I was able to throw it up in the zone to a lot to those hitters.”Right-hander Tyler Duffey, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha earlier Monday, worked two scoreless innings in relief, striking out three.Jordan Romano surrendered a homer by Kyle Isbel in the ninth but finished for his third save of the season and 100th of his career.“That’s awesome for him,” Schneider said. “Knowing him for a long time and seeing him as a starter in the minors, a lot of credit goes to him. It’s not easy to do, whether it’s a three-run lead or a one-run lead. He’s been doing it for a number of years now. (I'm) really glad we won, but really happy for him. He’s actually turned himself into a pretty elite closer.”Brady Singer (2-1) allowed five runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked three, all of whom scored.“(Singer) was throwing harder at the beginning of the game,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He had some good movement on his two-seamer and in his breaking ball. He threw a couple four-seamers in there as well. But he really just got hurt by the walks.”Singer struck out the first two Toronto batters in the second inning, becoming the 19th Royals pitcher to reach 500 career strikeouts. He tied Steve Busby as the fastest Royals pitcher to achieve the milestone, getting there in his 100th appearance.“I'm fortunate enough to play this game, so it's really cool,” Singer said.Singer issued two walks in the third that cost him. His free pass to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. loaded the bases, and Bichette lined a triple off the glove of center fielder Garrett Hampson to score three runs.Varsho's homer in the sixth made it 5-0, and the Royals' two homers weren't enough.“The homers are nice,” Quatraro said. “We just need to sustain some things and be able to score in other ways as well.”TRANSACTIONSRoyals: LHP Anthony Veneziano was optioned to Omaha to make room for Duffey.TRAINER'S ROOMBlue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah, who has yet to pitch this season because of a shoulder injury, is scheduled to start for Triple-A Buffalo Wednesday or Thursday.UP NEXTThe four-game series continues Tuesday with Toronto sending Kevin Gausman (0-2, 8.16 ERA) to the mound to face Michael Wacha (1-2, 3.75).___