SEWARD, Neb. - The Fort Hays State track and field team opened last chance weekend at the Concordia Twilight Friday afternoon (May 12). A prolonged lightning delay created a delay in the availability of results. Six Tigers competed in field events, with four of the six clearing the national qualifying threshold with their performance. After improving his PR by nearly 10 feet last week at the MIAA Championships,&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/d15b13b1-037d-4c92-8f22-9b63791c29cc?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Kolgan Ohl</a>&nbsp;topped that once again on Friday. He finished fourth with a top toss of 196-9, a mark that currently ranks inside the top 20 in Division II this season, the minimum number of selections for the outdoor championships. <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/b80b46bd-cfe2-47da-8777-6aa8158e7e7f?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Ryan Stanley</a>&nbsp;finished second after clearing the bar at 17-0.75. The senior has now cleared 17 feet at five of his last six meets entering his eighth and final NCAA Division II Championship. Stanley's school record of 17-7 ranks third in Division II this season. He is one of just nine DII competitors to clear 17 feet this season. Sitting in second place in the javelin throw entering the final rotation,&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/ef9e9cd6-4ff9-4b0f-936d-ecaf420c8ad9?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Addie Berens</a>&nbsp;won the javelin throw with a heave of 142-7 on her last attempt. It was her third victory in her last four outings. She has finished on the podium in each competition this spring, placing first three times, second three times and third twice. Her top mark of the season of 154-8 ranks fourth in Division II this season, securing her third-straight trip to the outdoor national championships. <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/680a9d58-0520-42a6-a97e-0f1fe6f3e7e1?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Rhyann Brown</a>&nbsp;was second in the javelin throw after recording a top toss of 140-6 on her first attempt of the day. It was her fifth podium finish of the spring, including one title, two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes. She has also qualified for the outdoor championships for a third time, entering the postseason ranked second in Division II with a qualifying mark of 159-10. The Tigers will next send a select number of student-athletes to Kearney, Neb. for the Loper Twilight on Saturday (May 13) before wrapping up the regular season with the Mines Last Chance in Golden, Colo. on Sunday (May 14). Full FHSU Results Women Javelin 1st -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/c54993e1-e540-4b81-be2e-0022a4f5e521?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Addie Berens</a>&nbsp;- 142-7 # 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/f99aac8b-06dc-49ae-a0c7-74ceb98f415f?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Rhyann Brown</a>&nbsp;- 140-6 # Hammer <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/12c49d4c-d184-4976-9e3b-126590408545?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Liberty Booker</a>&nbsp;- Foul Men Pole Vault 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/578e74ae-0e2e-4746-b5ab-99bae5f78cc3?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Ryan Stanley</a>&nbsp;- 17-0.75 # <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/71266652-83bd-424c-b1f1-7ecfb6bbe7a0?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Brady Deges</a>&nbsp;- NH Hammer 4th -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/3f8464be-3ac2-4634-a23e-7050efc24dbf?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Kolgan Ohl</a>&nbsp;- 196-9 # # indicates NCAA DII national qualifying mark

FHSU AthleticsSEWARD, Neb. - The Fort Hays State track and field team opened last chance weekend at the Concordia Twilight Friday afternoon (May 12). A prolonged lightning delay created a delay in the availability of results. Six Tigers competed in field events, with four of the six clearing the national qualifying threshold with their performance. After improving his PR by nearly 10 feet last week at the MIAA Championships,&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/d15b13b1-037d-4c92-8f22-9b63791c29cc?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Kolgan Ohl</a>&nbsp;topped that once again on Friday. He finished fourth with a top toss of 196-9, a mark that currently ranks inside the top 20 in Division II this season, the minimum number of selections for the outdoor championships. <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/b80b46bd-cfe2-47da-8777-6aa8158e7e7f?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Ryan Stanley</a>&nbsp;finished second after clearing the bar at 17-0.75. The senior has now cleared 17 feet at five of his last six meets entering his eighth and final NCAA Division II Championship. Stanley's school record of 17-7 ranks third in Division II this season. He is one of just nine DII competitors to clear 17 feet this season. Sitting in second place in the javelin throw entering the final rotation,&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/ef9e9cd6-4ff9-4b0f-936d-ecaf420c8ad9?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Addie Berens</a>&nbsp;won the javelin throw with a heave of 142-7 on her last attempt. It was her third victory in her last four outings. She has finished on the podium in each competition this spring, placing first three times, second three times and third twice. Her top mark of the season of 154-8 ranks fourth in Division II this season, securing her third-straight trip to the outdoor national championships. <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/680a9d58-0520-42a6-a97e-0f1fe6f3e7e1?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Rhyann Brown</a>&nbsp;was second in the javelin throw after recording a top toss of 140-6 on her first attempt of the day. It was her fifth podium finish of the spring, including one title, two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes. She has also qualified for the outdoor championships for a third time, entering the postseason ranked second in Division II with a qualifying mark of 159-10. The Tigers will next send a select number of student-athletes to Kearney, Neb. for the Loper Twilight on Saturday (May 13) before wrapping up the regular season with the Mines Last Chance in Golden, Colo. on Sunday (May 14). Full FHSU Results Women Javelin 1st -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/c54993e1-e540-4b81-be2e-0022a4f5e521?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Addie Berens</a>&nbsp;- 142-7 # 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/f99aac8b-06dc-49ae-a0c7-74ceb98f415f?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Rhyann Brown</a>&nbsp;- 140-6 # Hammer <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/12c49d4c-d184-4976-9e3b-126590408545?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Liberty Booker</a>&nbsp;- Foul Men Pole Vault 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/578e74ae-0e2e-4746-b5ab-99bae5f78cc3?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Ryan Stanley</a>&nbsp;- 17-0.75 # <a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/71266652-83bd-424c-b1f1-7ecfb6bbe7a0?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Brady Deges</a>&nbsp;- NH Hammer 4th -&nbsp;<a href="http://fhsuathletics.com/services/go.ashx/3f8464be-3ac2-4634-a23e-7050efc24dbf?elinkdata=211133" target="_blank">Kolgan Ohl</a>&nbsp;- 196-9 # # indicates NCAA DII national qualifying mark

Tigers, including Stanley, record 4 national qualifying marks

FRISCO, Texas – Yunior Severino hammered a pair of home runs and the Wichita Wind Surge won their season-high fourth in a row defeating Frisco 13-5.

Severino got the scoring started in the second inning with a monster two run home run to centerfield the traveled 465 feet.&nbsp;

The Surge added a run in the third and the fourth to extend the lead to 4-0.&nbsp; The Riders loaded the bases in the fourth and Thomas Saggese tied the game with a grand-slam.&nbsp;

Wichita tagged the Frisco bullpen for five runs the seventh inning which included a three-run home run from Jake Rucker, he finished the game with five RBI.&nbsp; Wichita added three more runs in the seventh.

Hunter McMahon earned the win pitching two and a third innings of scoreless relief.&nbsp; Juan Mejia took the loss and Andrew Cabezas earned the save pitching the final three innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Surge improved to 14-17 and Frisco drops to 13-18 on the year.&nbsp; The Surge won the series winning the first four games with two to play.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

NOTES – Royce Lewis on a rehab assignment for the Minnesota Twins did not play, will start at shortstop on Saturday.&nbsp; Corey Seager on a rehab assignment for the Texas Rangers had one hit and was the designated hitter playing five innings.

UPCOMING – The Wind Surge continue the 12-game road trip in Texas on Saturday. The Surge will start RH David Festa against the Frisco RoughRiders RH Nick Krauth at 7:05 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BROADCAST:&nbsp; Catch the game on Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>

NEXT HOME GAME: The Wind Surge return home for a six-game homestand on Tuesday vs. Arkansas Travelers.

Wichita Wind SurgeFRISCO, Texas – Yunior Severino hammered a pair of home runs and the Wichita Wind Surge won their season-high fourth in a row defeating Frisco 13-5.Severino got the scoring started in the second inning with a monster two run home run to centerfield the traveled 465 feet.&nbsp;The Surge added a run in the third and the fourth to extend the lead to 4-0.&nbsp; The Riders loaded the bases in the fourth and Thomas Saggese tied the game with a grand-slam.&nbsp;Wichita tagged the Frisco bullpen for five runs the seventh inning which included a three-run home run from Jake Rucker, he finished the game with five RBI.&nbsp; Wichita added three more runs in the seventh.Hunter McMahon earned the win pitching two and a third innings of scoreless relief.&nbsp; Juan Mejia took the loss and Andrew Cabezas earned the save pitching the final three innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Surge improved to 14-17 and Frisco drops to 13-18 on the year.&nbsp; The Surge won the series winning the first four games with two to play.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;NOTES – Royce Lewis on a rehab assignment for the Minnesota Twins did not play, will start at shortstop on Saturday.&nbsp; Corey Seager on a rehab assignment for the Texas Rangers had one hit and was the designated hitter playing five innings.UPCOMING – The Wind Surge continue the 12-game road trip in Texas on Saturday. The Surge will start RH David Festa against the Frisco RoughRiders RH Nick Krauth at 7:05 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;BROADCAST:&nbsp; Catch the game on Milb First Pitch App,&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,dexWbEMmO2SNZFacaCKfVJIV48UFXNwoAwE4zyM2KXaD_HSgx84zoOHAglON-gUjtBR3aBrV7b7fNPJsxVGXCgYR5cYPta1xJgIbXkHri2NTnYdJ6WV7jsuz044,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>NEXT HOME GAME: The Wind Surge return home for a six-game homestand on Tuesday vs. Arkansas Travelers.

Wind Surge make it four in a row, defeat Frisco, 13-5

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13260">Jarrett Gable</a>&nbsp;became the best baseball player in the Kansas Conference by learning how to handle the pressure from a relentless yet familiar source.

"I think hitting's just a big mental game, at least for me," said Gable, Kansas Wesleyan's shortstop and the 2023 KCAC Player of the Year. "I know I can hit the ball, it's just whether I can stay focused and remain calm at the best moment."

The 2022 season was difficult by Gable's own admittance, evidenced by his .262 batting average, 14 home runs and 48 runs batted in. Decent, perhaps, but not acceptable.

An abrupt and stunning about face has occurred one year later, though. Gable heads into next week's NAIA National Championship Opening Round in Fayette, Mo., hitting a robust .362 with 79 RBI and the single season school of 22 homers. He ranks seventh in the NAIA in homers and fifth in RBI.

KWU is the No. 2 seed in the Fayette Bracket and faces No. 3 seed and host Central Methodist on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at CMU's Estes Field. The bracket winner advances to the 66th&nbsp;Annual AVISTA NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho starting May 26.

Gable credits his teammates for helping him cope with his lofty expectations.

"I think it was just a decrease of stress and anxiety on myself with how good our lineup is," he said. "I can kind of relax in the (batters) box and not worry about whether I go 5 for 5 or 0 for five. I know we've got eight other dudes who can step up and hit so it kind of takes the stress off and that allows me to relax a lot more."

Gable, indeed, is surrounded in the KWU lineup by teammates who are as adept at destroying a baseball as he is.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14219">Kendall Foster</a>&nbsp;has 21 homers and ranks eighth in the NAIA while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14201">Haydn Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14208">Zack Beatty</a>&nbsp;have 19 apiece and are 17th&nbsp;nationally. Foster, Brown and Beatty also surpassed the previous school record of 18 that was shared by Danny Bolanos (2015) and Peyton Deiters (2016 and 2017).

As a team the Coyotes are second in the NAIA with 130 trailing only Southeastern (Fla.) with 133. Southeastern is the overall No. 1 seed in the NAIA Baseball National Championship field, and is the No. 1 seed in the Fayette Bracket.

"I think a lot of times when you are one of the best players on the team you put pressure on yourself to be the best," KWU coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13219">Bill Neale</a>&nbsp;said of Gable. "When you have a lineup like this you don't need to do it all and I think he's realized that, I think we've all realized that and just literally gone out there and had fun."

The season has been extraordinarily fun for the No. 16-ranked Coyotes, who claimed the KCAC regular season title for the first time since 2011 and have won a school best 42 games (42-13).

Constant confidence is the key, according to Gable.

"It's a big deal because if you go in the box thinking you're going to get a hit your chances definitely go up," he said. "When you walk up to the plate and you think 'I'm the best here in the ballpark' that helps you. I say that to myself every time and I've always said it to myself but at the same time we've got six, seven other guys who probably think the exact same thing and rightfully so."

Gable isn't certain when his fortunes began to change.

"I probably started hitting decent around game 11, 12 and just kind of clicked," he said. "I hit my first home run about game 11 and I think that was like an icebreaker and was good from then on."

"One of the things last year was he got thrown into playing shortstop at the last second so I think he was putting a lot of concentration, a lot of work into relearning that," Neale said. "He'd played shortstop before and went to (Eastern Oklahoma State) as a shortstop and then got moved to third base. He has put a lot of work into that and maybe took a little bit away from the bat.

"He's playing relaxed, our whole team is. I think we're all more relaxed this year and we're just having fun."

Gable, Foster, Brown and Beatty engaged in a fierce season-long chase for the home run record. It became a competition most everyone knew about.

"It was up for grabs and they all knew it," Neale said. "I even heard Dr. (Dan) Botz (KWU business/accounting professor) say that he was having to keep the peace in class because of the home run chase between them. It's like they were playing video games with each other."

"My dad told me I had to hit 20 home runs this year," Gable said. "I wanted to hit 20 but I wanted the record really bad. I hit 18 and tied it and had a couple of games where I didn't think I was going to hit another one. I finally got it and that was pretty cool."

Neale says Gable's ability to hit a breaking pitch is uncanny.

"He hits it as well as well as any player I've ever had," he said. "What's funny about him is he looks as bad as anybody on the breaking ball for one pitch and then they throw it again and he hits it out of the yard. He'll take the first hack at one and miss it by six feet and then they'll throw another one he hits it 500 feet. I still don't know how he does that, it's unbelievable to me."

This year's team will be well represented during graduation ceremonies Saturday with several seniors receiving their diplomas – Gable walking across the stage with his teammates.

"This team's kind of different from other teams I've played on," he said. "I'm not going to say we hang out together all the time off the field but we're all buddies, we're all super close. When we get to the field it's locked in, we're playing baseball."

Gable doesn't know what's next after he receives his degree in business management. He could return for a fifth season but hasn't made any commitments.

"I could do the master's program (at KWU) which is a thought but I don't know," he said. "(Pro baseball) is another one.&nbsp; Anything can happen, the future is unknown. We'll see what happens."

Baseball, though, isn't over with the NAIA tournament looming. KWU went 1-2 last season at the Oklahoma City Opening Round.

"I was joking with Neale after (the KCAC tournament) and said our motto should be 'KW baseball, do it the hard way,'" Gable said with a laugh. "We seem to always make it interesting. Hopefully not but we probably will.

"Just play the way we've been playing and relax and make the game fun, not stress too much. If you get out, so be it. Just know that the guy next to you is a bad dude and he's going to pick you up."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683989606776.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>KWU Sports Information<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13260">Jarrett Gable</a>&nbsp;became the best baseball player in the Kansas Conference by learning how to handle the pressure from a relentless yet familiar source.Himself."I think hitting's just a big mental game, at least for me," said Gable, Kansas Wesleyan's shortstop and the 2023 KCAC Player of the Year. "I know I can hit the ball, it's just whether I can stay focused and remain calm at the best moment."The 2022 season was difficult by Gable's own admittance, evidenced by his .262 batting average, 14 home runs and 48 runs batted in. Decent, perhaps, but not acceptable.An abrupt and stunning about face has occurred one year later, though. Gable heads into next week's NAIA National Championship Opening Round in Fayette, Mo., hitting a robust .362 with 79 RBI and the single season school of 22 homers. He ranks seventh in the NAIA in homers and fifth in RBI.KWU is the No. 2 seed in the Fayette Bracket and faces No. 3 seed and host Central Methodist on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at CMU's Estes Field. The bracket winner advances to the 66th&nbsp;Annual AVISTA NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho starting May 26.Gable credits his teammates for helping him cope with his lofty expectations."I think it was just a decrease of stress and anxiety on myself with how good our lineup is," he said. "I can kind of relax in the (batters) box and not worry about whether I go 5 for 5 or 0 for five. I know we've got eight other dudes who can step up and hit so it kind of takes the stress off and that allows me to relax a lot more."Gable, indeed, is surrounded in the KWU lineup by teammates who are as adept at destroying a baseball as he is.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14219">Kendall Foster</a>&nbsp;has 21 homers and ranks eighth in the NAIA while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14201">Haydn Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/14208">Zack Beatty</a>&nbsp;have 19 apiece and are 17th&nbsp;nationally. Foster, Brown and Beatty also surpassed the previous school record of 18 that was shared by Danny Bolanos (2015) and Peyton Deiters (2016 and 2017).As a team the Coyotes are second in the NAIA with 130 trailing only Southeastern (Fla.) with 133. Southeastern is the overall No. 1 seed in the NAIA Baseball National Championship field, and is the No. 1 seed in the Fayette Bracket."I think a lot of times when you are one of the best players on the team you put pressure on yourself to be the best," KWU coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13219">Bill Neale</a>&nbsp;said of Gable. "When you have a lineup like this you don't need to do it all and I think he's realized that, I think we've all realized that and just literally gone out there and had fun."The season has been extraordinarily fun for the No. 16-ranked Coyotes, who claimed the KCAC regular season title for the first time since 2011 and have won a school best 42 games (42-13).Constant confidence is the key, according to Gable."It's a big deal because if you go in the box thinking you're going to get a hit your chances definitely go up," he said. "When you walk up to the plate and you think 'I'm the best here in the ballpark' that helps you. I say that to myself every time and I've always said it to myself but at the same time we've got six, seven other guys who probably think the exact same thing and rightfully so."Gable isn't certain when his fortunes began to change."I probably started hitting decent around game 11, 12 and just kind of clicked," he said. "I hit my first home run about game 11 and I think that was like an icebreaker and was good from then on.""One of the things last year was he got thrown into playing shortstop at the last second so I think he was putting a lot of concentration, a lot of work into relearning that," Neale said. "He'd played shortstop before and went to (Eastern Oklahoma State) as a shortstop and then got moved to third base. He has put a lot of work into that and maybe took a little bit away from the bat."He's playing relaxed, our whole team is. I think we're all more relaxed this year and we're just having fun."Gable, Foster, Brown and Beatty engaged in a fierce season-long chase for the home run record. It became a competition most everyone knew about."It was up for grabs and they all knew it," Neale said. "I even heard Dr. (Dan) Botz (KWU business/accounting professor) say that he was having to keep the peace in class because of the home run chase between them. It's like they were playing video games with each other.""My dad told me I had to hit 20 home runs this year," Gable said. "I wanted to hit 20 but I wanted the record really bad. I hit 18 and tied it and had a couple of games where I didn't think I was going to hit another one. I finally got it and that was pretty cool."Neale says Gable's ability to hit a breaking pitch is uncanny."He hits it as well as well as any player I've ever had," he said. "What's funny about him is he looks as bad as anybody on the breaking ball for one pitch and then they throw it again and he hits it out of the yard. He'll take the first hack at one and miss it by six feet and then they'll throw another one he hits it 500 feet. I still don't know how he does that, it's unbelievable to me."This year's team will be well represented during graduation ceremonies Saturday with several seniors receiving their diplomas – Gable walking across the stage with his teammates."This team's kind of different from other teams I've played on," he said. "I'm not going to say we hang out together all the time off the field but we're all buddies, we're all super close. When we get to the field it's locked in, we're playing baseball."Gable doesn't know what's next after he receives his degree in business management. He could return for a fifth season but hasn't made any commitments."I could do the master's program (at KWU) which is a thought but I don't know," he said. "(Pro baseball) is another one.&nbsp; Anything can happen, the future is unknown. We'll see what happens."Baseball, though, isn't over with the NAIA tournament looming. KWU went 1-2 last season at the Oklahoma City Opening Round."I was joking with Neale after (the KCAC tournament) and said our motto should be 'KW baseball, do it the hard way,'" Gable said with a laugh. "We seem to always make it interesting. Hopefully not but we probably will."Just play the way we've been playing and relax and make the game fun, not stress too much. If you get out, so be it. Just know that the guy next to you is a bad dude and he's going to pick you up."

KWU's Gable relaxed, ready for challenge in NAIA opening round

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE — Corbin Burnes pitched six shutout innings and Owen Miller went 3 for 4 with a homer and a double to help the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Friday night.

Burnes (4-2) walked four of the first 13 batters he faced, but settled down from there. He struck out seven and allowed only two hits while throwing a season-high 104 pitches. The four walks were one off his career high.

Kansas City got just three hits all night and scored its only run on Freddy Fermin's two-out homer in the seventh off Joel Payamps. The Royals were seeking their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Miller homered in the third inning, doubled in the fifth and singled and scored in the seventh for his best performance since joining his home-state team.

Miller was born in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon and played at Ozaukee High School in Fredonia, Wisconsin. He spent two seasons with the Cleveland Guardians before the Brewers acquired him last December.

This was Miller's fifth career three-hit game, with three coming against the Royals.

The Brewers took a lead they wouldn't relinquish by scoring an unearned run off Josh Taylor (0-1) in the first inning. Willy Adames drew a two-out walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on Christian Yelich's infield single.

Taylor made his second career start out of 131 appearances and lasted one inning in what was a designed bullpen game for the Royals. Max Castillo replaced Taylor and allowed two runs, three walks and six hits in 4 1/3 innings while throwing 80 pitches.

Miller extended the lead to 2-0 when he led off the third by ripping an 0-2 slider from Castillo into the left-field seats. The 404-foot drive was Miller's first homer of the season.

Tyrone Taylor's two-out single up the middle off Castillo in the fourth brought home Brian Anderson and made it 3-0. Yelich and Anderson added RBI singles off Josh Staumont in the seventh.

C Salvador Perez was scratched from the Royals' starting lineup Friday due to what manager Matt Quatraro described as "a little bit of blurry vision." The Royals' original lineup had Perez leading off as the designated hitter.

Quatraro said Perez already had received treatment from a specialist. "It's nothing long-term or serious," Quatraro said.

RHP Zack Greinke (1-4, 5.18 ERA) pitches for the Royals and RHP Adrian Houser (0-0, 3.86) starts for the Brewers on Saturday night.

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports WriterMILWAUKEE — Corbin Burnes pitched six shutout innings and Owen Miller went 3 for 4 with a homer and a double to help the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Friday night.Burnes (4-2) walked four of the first 13 batters he faced, but settled down from there. He struck out seven and allowed only two hits while throwing a season-high 104 pitches. The four walks were one off his career high.Kansas City got just three hits all night and scored its only run on Freddy Fermin's two-out homer in the seventh off Joel Payamps. The Royals were seeking their first three-game winning streak of the season.Miller homered in the third inning, doubled in the fifth and singled and scored in the seventh for his best performance since joining his home-state team.Miller was born in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon and played at Ozaukee High School in Fredonia, Wisconsin. He spent two seasons with the Cleveland Guardians before the Brewers acquired him last December.This was Miller's fifth career three-hit game, with three coming against the Royals.The Brewers took a lead they wouldn't relinquish by scoring an unearned run off Josh Taylor (0-1) in the first inning. Willy Adames drew a two-out walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on Christian Yelich's infield single.Taylor made his second career start out of 131 appearances and lasted one inning in what was a designed bullpen game for the Royals. Max Castillo replaced Taylor and allowed two runs, three walks and six hits in 4 1/3 innings while throwing 80 pitches.Miller extended the lead to 2-0 when he led off the third by ripping an 0-2 slider from Castillo into the left-field seats. The 404-foot drive was Miller's first homer of the season.Tyrone Taylor's two-out single up the middle off Castillo in the fourth brought home Brian Anderson and made it 3-0. Yelich and Anderson added RBI singles off Josh Staumont in the seventh.TRAINER'S ROOMC Salvador Perez was scratched from the Royals' starting lineup Friday due to what manager Matt Quatraro described as "a little bit of blurry vision." The Royals' original lineup had Perez leading off as the designated hitter.Quatraro said Perez already had received treatment from a specialist. "It's nothing long-term or serious," Quatraro said.UP NEXTRHP Zack Greinke (1-4, 5.18 ERA) pitches for the Royals and RHP Adrian Houser (0-0, 3.86) starts for the Brewers on Saturday night.

Corbin Burnes' arm, Owen Miller's bat lead Brewers to 5-1 victory over Royals

CONCORDIA - With a trip to the NJCAA Plains District Tournament in Wichita next week on the line, the Cloud County Community College baseball team grinded their way through five innings of baseball with a lead of just one before breaking a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth by scoring four runs to close out a 7-3 win over Coffeyville Community College in game three of a best-of-three series at Lee Doyen Field on Friday. Extending their season for at least two more games into next week, the T-Birds improve to 37-21 on the year while winning the series over the Red Ravens 2-1 to end Coffeyville's season at 28-31. Less than 24 hours removed from a 1-0 contest won by Coffeyville, Cloud County would see the Red Ravens use a walk-and-bunt single to begin the game and put two runners on with no outs. Following a sacrifice bunt that would move both runners into scoring position, Coffeyville would get a two-RBI double into the right-center field gap from shortstop Tyler Gundelfinger as the Red Ravens would jump out to a 2-0 lead after half an inning of action. It wouldn't just be Coffeyville who would find their way onto the scoreboard in the first as a one-out walk drawn by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/464d5d60-4fbf-4791-86cb-74b1e080daaa?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;in the bottom of the first would be followed by a passed ball and flyout by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/67cbdee8-855d-410e-b91c-6710fc9c90ca?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Danny Infante</a>&nbsp;to move Roy to third with two outs in the inning. Continuing his hot week at the plate, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/6d993657-1f38-4c24-afa2-26bf0712aea4?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Anthony Taggart</a>&nbsp;would deliver with an RBI single to score Roy before seeing&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/42b15817-fd9e-4b6d-95b3-606c2cd1057e?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Kolden Howerton</a>&nbsp;draw a walk as the T-Birds would have a two-out rally in the works. Getting his first at-bat of the series in game three, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/982562fd-c5fb-4509-ac74-f4c43c979493?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Justin Johnson</a>&nbsp;would follow with a game-tying RBI single into right-center field as Cloud County would match the two-run inning by Coffeyville to keep things even heading into the second. Back-to-back strikeouts from CCCC starting pitcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/de837ad9-09d6-44a4-a702-0808c927183d?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Jack Mount</a>&nbsp;would give the Val Des Monts, Quebec native not only four consecutive punch outs in the game but the Cloud County career-strikeout record with his third of the day to surpass Blake Renner (2002-03) who had 142 in his career as a T-Bird. Coffeyville would end up stranding a two-out double in the inning to allow Cloud County to get back to the plate where sophomore Alex Diaz would drive the first pitch he saw to deep left-center field and over the wall for a go-ahead solo home run. The next seven batters of the game would be retired in order as the T-Birds would carry a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the third and strand a pair of runners after putting Taggart on by an error and Johnson on with a two-out walk. With Cloud County still holding onto a 3-2 lead into the top of the fifth, Coffeyville would begin to make some noise on offense by drawing a leadoff walk before utilizing a sacrifice bunt to put the game-tying run in scoring position with one out and three hole hitter Mason Holton due up. Holton, who also started the game as the Red Raven pitcher, would help out his own cause by delivering with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to tie things back up at 3-3 before seeing Mount retire the final two batters he would face with a flyout and strikeout. The momentum gained by Coffeyville in the top of the inning would carry over into the bottom of the fifth as a one-two-three defensive stand would allow the Red Ravens to come back up where they would face reliever&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/854063dc-7da9-4bc8-b778-1011959ce5f7?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Cole Askew</a>&nbsp;and see a one-two-three inning of their own flip momentum back in favor of the T-Birds. As the pitch count would climb over 100 pitches for Holton, Cloud County would get an infield single from Howerton to lead off the inning before a strikeout and walk drawn by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/597f026f-62aa-4cfd-af68-15deeace88f4?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Eric Foufoulas</a>&nbsp;after falling behind in the count 0-2 to put the go-ahead run in scoring position and another rally being put together by CCCC. Having delivered once already in the game, Diaz would come through again for Cloud County with an RBI single to score Howerton from second to not only put the T-Birds back out in front but also knock Holton from the game as the lead would be back to Cloud County with the rally showing no signs of stopping. Welcoming reliever Grayson Walden to the game on the first pitch thrown, catcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/9942aa3b-388e-4c12-9877-fc0776a6f869?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Karson Green</a>&nbsp;would launch CCCC's second home run of the game in the form of a three-run blast to left-center field as the one-run lead would suddenly become four for the T-Birds as momentum would be fully in favor of Cloud County. The T-Bird rally would look to continue on a&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/f1a65f24-6c07-40c6-a9aa-e7f7e6a26fc5?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Paul Schuyler</a>&nbsp;bunt single but be shut down as the next two batters would be retired to end the inning despite the damage having already been done. Allowing a leadoff walk before inducing a double-play, Askew would face the minimum in the eighth before seeing Cloud County be held off the scoreboard in their end of the inning to send things to the ninth where three outs is all that would stand between the T-Birds and a chance to continue their season into next week. A leadoff single by Quentin Platt would look to give Coffeyville some life in the ninth, but a flyout would put the Red Ravens down to just two outs offensively to work with. Another potential sign of a rally would be followed by a walk from pinch-hitter Drake Unrein, but a sliding catch from Howerton in right field for the second out of the inning would again flip momentum back into the Cloud County dugout. Down to their final out and the top of the order up, Askew wouldn't waste any time going after Coffeyville's best hitter in Carson Schrack by striking out the Edgerton, Kansas native o on four pitches to officially end the Red Raven season. Clutch hits in big moments would see Cloud County have seven hits in the game despite stranding seven base runners as six walks and a hit batter would provide numerous opportunities on the base paths for CCCC's seven runs. Coffeyville would also record seven hits in the game and strand seven runners as nine strikeouts which included four strikeouts that stranded six runners ultimately being the undoing of the Red Raven offense. Only one player for both teams would record a multi-hit game on the day, with Diaz going two-for-three for Cloud County while driving in both go-ahead runs in the game for the T-Birds. A seven-strikeout day for Mount would see the sophomore throw five innings and allow three runs on five hits before turning the game over to Askew who had his longest outing of the year to pick up his second win and improve to 2-1 after throwing four shutout innings on 48 pitches. What's next? The 2023 NJCAA Plains District Tournament bracket is officially set as Cloud County will play in the fourth and final game of day one with a 7 p.m. contest against Cowley College. The Tigers earned a walk-off victory over Pratt in a winner-take-all game three on Friday afternoon to advance as all eight host sites for the best-of-three series that took place moved on to Wichita.

All remaining games of the Plains District Tournament will be held at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University, with Barton and Kansas City Kansas finishing off the top half of the bracket along with Cloud County and Cowley. The bottom half of the bracket will see Fort Scott take on Butler in the first game of the day at 10 a.m. on Wednesday while Johnson County and Seward County will be the other game in the bottom half of the bracket. 

A full preview of next week's action will be released at&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/13da3ef2-a847-413b-b5b1-a4ed0ac83ef5?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">www.cloudtbirds.com</a>&nbsp;early next week.

Cloud County Sports InformationCONCORDIA - With a trip to the NJCAA Plains District Tournament in Wichita next week on the line, the Cloud County Community College baseball team grinded their way through five innings of baseball with a lead of just one before breaking a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth by scoring four runs to close out a 7-3 win over Coffeyville Community College in game three of a best-of-three series at Lee Doyen Field on Friday. Extending their season for at least two more games into next week, the T-Birds improve to 37-21 on the year while winning the series over the Red Ravens 2-1 to end Coffeyville's season at 28-31. Less than 24 hours removed from a 1-0 contest won by Coffeyville, Cloud County would see the Red Ravens use a walk-and-bunt single to begin the game and put two runners on with no outs. Following a sacrifice bunt that would move both runners into scoring position, Coffeyville would get a two-RBI double into the right-center field gap from shortstop Tyler Gundelfinger as the Red Ravens would jump out to a 2-0 lead after half an inning of action. It wouldn't just be Coffeyville who would find their way onto the scoreboard in the first as a one-out walk drawn by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/464d5d60-4fbf-4791-86cb-74b1e080daaa?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;in the bottom of the first would be followed by a passed ball and flyout by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/67cbdee8-855d-410e-b91c-6710fc9c90ca?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Danny Infante</a>&nbsp;to move Roy to third with two outs in the inning. Continuing his hot week at the plate, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/6d993657-1f38-4c24-afa2-26bf0712aea4?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Anthony Taggart</a>&nbsp;would deliver with an RBI single to score Roy before seeing&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/42b15817-fd9e-4b6d-95b3-606c2cd1057e?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Kolden Howerton</a>&nbsp;draw a walk as the T-Birds would have a two-out rally in the works. Getting his first at-bat of the series in game three, sophomore&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/982562fd-c5fb-4509-ac74-f4c43c979493?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Justin Johnson</a>&nbsp;would follow with a game-tying RBI single into right-center field as Cloud County would match the two-run inning by Coffeyville to keep things even heading into the second. Back-to-back strikeouts from CCCC starting pitcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/de837ad9-09d6-44a4-a702-0808c927183d?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Jack Mount</a>&nbsp;would give the Val Des Monts, Quebec native not only four consecutive punch outs in the game but the Cloud County career-strikeout record with his third of the day to surpass Blake Renner (2002-03) who had 142 in his career as a T-Bird. Coffeyville would end up stranding a two-out double in the inning to allow Cloud County to get back to the plate where sophomore Alex Diaz would drive the first pitch he saw to deep left-center field and over the wall for a go-ahead solo home run. The next seven batters of the game would be retired in order as the T-Birds would carry a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the third and strand a pair of runners after putting Taggart on by an error and Johnson on with a two-out walk. With Cloud County still holding onto a 3-2 lead into the top of the fifth, Coffeyville would begin to make some noise on offense by drawing a leadoff walk before utilizing a sacrifice bunt to put the game-tying run in scoring position with one out and three hole hitter Mason Holton due up. Holton, who also started the game as the Red Raven pitcher, would help out his own cause by delivering with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to tie things back up at 3-3 before seeing Mount retire the final two batters he would face with a flyout and strikeout. The momentum gained by Coffeyville in the top of the inning would carry over into the bottom of the fifth as a one-two-three defensive stand would allow the Red Ravens to come back up where they would face reliever&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/854063dc-7da9-4bc8-b778-1011959ce5f7?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Cole Askew</a>&nbsp;and see a one-two-three inning of their own flip momentum back in favor of the T-Birds. As the pitch count would climb over 100 pitches for Holton, Cloud County would get an infield single from Howerton to lead off the inning before a strikeout and walk drawn by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/597f026f-62aa-4cfd-af68-15deeace88f4?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Eric Foufoulas</a>&nbsp;after falling behind in the count 0-2 to put the go-ahead run in scoring position and another rally being put together by CCCC. Having delivered once already in the game, Diaz would come through again for Cloud County with an RBI single to score Howerton from second to not only put the T-Birds back out in front but also knock Holton from the game as the lead would be back to Cloud County with the rally showing no signs of stopping. Welcoming reliever Grayson Walden to the game on the first pitch thrown, catcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/9942aa3b-388e-4c12-9877-fc0776a6f869?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Karson Green</a>&nbsp;would launch CCCC's second home run of the game in the form of a three-run blast to left-center field as the one-run lead would suddenly become four for the T-Birds as momentum would be fully in favor of Cloud County. The T-Bird rally would look to continue on a&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/f1a65f24-6c07-40c6-a9aa-e7f7e6a26fc5?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">Paul Schuyler</a>&nbsp;bunt single but be shut down as the next two batters would be retired to end the inning despite the damage having already been done. Allowing a leadoff walk before inducing a double-play, Askew would face the minimum in the eighth before seeing Cloud County be held off the scoreboard in their end of the inning to send things to the ninth where three outs is all that would stand between the T-Birds and a chance to continue their season into next week. A leadoff single by Quentin Platt would look to give Coffeyville some life in the ninth, but a flyout would put the Red Ravens down to just two outs offensively to work with. Another potential sign of a rally would be followed by a walk from pinch-hitter Drake Unrein, but a sliding catch from Howerton in right field for the second out of the inning would again flip momentum back into the Cloud County dugout. Down to their final out and the top of the order up, Askew wouldn't waste any time going after Coffeyville's best hitter in Carson Schrack by striking out the Edgerton, Kansas native o on four pitches to officially end the Red Raven season. Clutch hits in big moments would see Cloud County have seven hits in the game despite stranding seven base runners as six walks and a hit batter would provide numerous opportunities on the base paths for CCCC's seven runs. Coffeyville would also record seven hits in the game and strand seven runners as nine strikeouts which included four strikeouts that stranded six runners ultimately being the undoing of the Red Raven offense. Only one player for both teams would record a multi-hit game on the day, with Diaz going two-for-three for Cloud County while driving in both go-ahead runs in the game for the T-Birds. A seven-strikeout day for Mount would see the sophomore throw five innings and allow three runs on five hits before turning the game over to Askew who had his longest outing of the year to pick up his second win and improve to 2-1 after throwing four shutout innings on 48 pitches. What's next? The 2023 NJCAA Plains District Tournament bracket is officially set as Cloud County will play in the fourth and final game of day one with a 7 p.m. contest against Cowley College. The Tigers earned a walk-off victory over Pratt in a winner-take-all game three on Friday afternoon to advance as all eight host sites for the best-of-three series that took place moved on to Wichita. All remaining games of the Plains District Tournament will be held at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University, with Barton and Kansas City Kansas finishing off the top half of the bracket along with Cloud County and Cowley. The bottom half of the bracket will see Fort Scott take on Butler in the first game of the day at 10 a.m. on Wednesday while Johnson County and Seward County will be the other game in the bottom half of the bracket. A full preview of next week's action will be released at&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/13da3ef2-a847-413b-b5b1-a4ed0ac83ef5?elinkdata=51004" target="_blank">www.cloudtbirds.com</a>&nbsp;early next week.

T-Bird baseball advances in Plains District Tournament

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kansas City catcher and seven-time All-Star Salvador Perez was scratched from the Royals' lineup Friday due to what manager Matt Quatraro described as "a little bit of blurry vision."

Quatraro said Perez already had received treatment from a specialist.

"It's just a matter of time until it resolves," Quatraro said before the Royals played the Milwaukee Brewers. "It's nothing long term or serious."

Perez had been in the original lineup as the designated hitter. Vinnie Pasquantino was set to fill that role instead.

The 33-year-old Perez is batting .289 with a .338 on-base percentage, .511 slugging percentage, seven homers and 21 RBIs in 35 games this season.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kansas City catcher and seven-time All-Star Salvador Perez was scratched from the Royals' lineup Friday due to what manager Matt Quatraro described as "a little bit of blurry vision."Quatraro said Perez already had received treatment from a specialist."It's just a matter of time until it resolves," Quatraro said before the Royals played the Milwaukee Brewers. "It's nothing long term or serious."Perez had been in the original lineup as the designated hitter. Vinnie Pasquantino was set to fill that role instead.The 33-year-old Perez is batting .289 with a .338 on-base percentage, .511 slugging percentage, seven homers and 21 RBIs in 35 games this season.

Perez scratched from Royals' lineup due to 'a little bit of blurry vision'

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/18/13819">Elizabeth Hardacre</a>&nbsp;wasn't sure she wanted to attend Kansas Wesleyan after all.

She had signed to play volleyball for the Coyotes out of Thunder Ridge High School in 2019 but coach Fred Aubuchon's resignation caught her by surprise.

"It was a little bit of a rocky situation," Hardacre said, "there was a little bit of doubt there."

It's a story with a happy ending, though. Wesleyan hired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/18/13818">Jessica Biegert</a>&nbsp;to replace Aubuchon and Biegert quickly eased Hardacre's angst.

"I had gotten really close with (Aubuchon) at our high school camp for a couple years and I had been to camp at KWU with him," she said. "But Jess came in and picked me up and we never looked back. She did an incredible job with all of us and really treated us like family,"

"I now have an incredible life experience because of her and because of my team."

Hardacre's KWU experience culminated last month when she was named the Ginny Bevan Female Athlete during the annual Yotee Awards.

The M. Virginia Bevan Female Student Athlete of the Year award is named for M. Virginia (Ginny) Bevan, who was a pioneer in women's athletics. She organized opportunities for young women to compete in intercollegiate athletics before the implementation of Title IX. She made sure that Kansas Wesleyan was at the forefront of the Title IX movement and served as the first coach of women's sports at KWU. She also served as a professor in the Physical Education Department and was a life advisor to many students on the KWU campus.

Hardacre was thrilled to receive the award that carries Bevan's name.

"It was an honor; I was kind of shocked," she said. "She's an amazing lady and the things that she's done for KW are incredible. She started women's sports and is a very influential person for me and for our team. I'm honestly completely blown away to just be considered and receive that award. She's a really sweet lady and we love her."

Hardacre was a dominant middle blocker for the Coyotes for four seasons. She was an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in 2021 and 2022 and was First Team All-Kansas Conference both seasons.

The Coyotes were 27-8 overall, 10-2 in the KCAC, last fall and qualified for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round by winning the conference postseason tournament. KWU lost to Oklahoma Wesleyan 3-0 during the regular season but evened the score in the conference semifinals with a tense, hard-fought 3-1 victory.

The Coyotes won the title the next day with a harrowing 3-2 victory over Saint Mary – a match they trailed 10-6 in the fifth set.

Hardacre said the OKWU victory will stand out in her mind.

"They kind of whooped us into shape during the regular season," she said. "It was a huge game for us, a huge momentum builder. And of course the KCAC championship game was huge. Senior Night was another one. Mabee Arena was a huge part of our lives and playing in there one last time and getting to see everybody was great. They're all great memories."

KWU compiled an 83-48 record, 43-17 in the KCAC, during Hardacre's four years. She credits much their success to the relationships and friendships she and the seven other seniors on the roster developed.

"Our chemistry on the court came from our friendship off the court," Hardacre said. "I came in with that (2016) class and Morgan (Bryand) came in our sophomore year and fit right in. We were all peas in a pod. I think that's a really big part of why we were so successful in the end because we were all so close.

"I was able to go through the whole experience with some of the closest people I have in my life and some of the best friends I've ever made."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683909886837.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>KWU Sports Information<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/18/13819">Elizabeth Hardacre</a>&nbsp;wasn't sure she wanted to attend Kansas Wesleyan after all.She had signed to play volleyball for the Coyotes out of Thunder Ridge High School in 2019 but coach Fred Aubuchon's resignation caught her by surprise."It was a little bit of a rocky situation," Hardacre said, "there was a little bit of doubt there."It's a story with a happy ending, though. Wesleyan hired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/18/13818">Jessica Biegert</a>&nbsp;to replace Aubuchon and Biegert quickly eased Hardacre's angst."I had gotten really close with (Aubuchon) at our high school camp for a couple years and I had been to camp at KWU with him," she said. "But Jess came in and picked me up and we never looked back. She did an incredible job with all of us and really treated us like family,""I now have an incredible life experience because of her and because of my team."Hardacre's KWU experience culminated last month when she was named the Ginny Bevan Female Athlete during the annual Yotee Awards.The M. Virginia Bevan Female Student Athlete of the Year award is named for M. Virginia (Ginny) Bevan, who was a pioneer in women's athletics. She organized opportunities for young women to compete in intercollegiate athletics before the implementation of Title IX. She made sure that Kansas Wesleyan was at the forefront of the Title IX movement and served as the first coach of women's sports at KWU. She also served as a professor in the Physical Education Department and was a life advisor to many students on the KWU campus.Hardacre was thrilled to receive the award that carries Bevan's name."It was an honor; I was kind of shocked," she said. "She's an amazing lady and the things that she's done for KW are incredible. She started women's sports and is a very influential person for me and for our team. I'm honestly completely blown away to just be considered and receive that award. She's a really sweet lady and we love her."Hardacre was a dominant middle blocker for the Coyotes for four seasons. She was an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in 2021 and 2022 and was First Team All-Kansas Conference both seasons.The Coyotes were 27-8 overall, 10-2 in the KCAC, last fall and qualified for the NAIA National Championship Opening Round by winning the conference postseason tournament. KWU lost to Oklahoma Wesleyan 3-0 during the regular season but evened the score in the conference semifinals with a tense, hard-fought 3-1 victory.The Coyotes won the title the next day with a harrowing 3-2 victory over Saint Mary – a match they trailed 10-6 in the fifth set.Hardacre said the OKWU victory will stand out in her mind."They kind of whooped us into shape during the regular season," she said. "It was a huge game for us, a huge momentum builder. And of course the KCAC championship game was huge. Senior Night was another one. Mabee Arena was a huge part of our lives and playing in there one last time and getting to see everybody was great. They're all great memories."KWU compiled an 83-48 record, 43-17 in the KCAC, during Hardacre's four years. She credits much their success to the relationships and friendships she and the seven other seniors on the roster developed."Our chemistry on the court came from our friendship off the court," Hardacre said. "I came in with that (2016) class and Morgan (Bryand) came in our sophomore year and fit right in. We were all peas in a pod. I think that's a really big part of why we were so successful in the end because we were all so close."I was able to go through the whole experience with some of the closest people I have in my life and some of the best friends I've ever made."

Bevan Award winner Hardacre glad she chose KWU

Be it on the football field or a throws event venue in track,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/5/13420">Cole Parker</a>&nbsp;never lacks inspiration. His parents Trisha and David are constant motivation.

David Parker is still working six years after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer and given only months to live. Trisha Parker also continues to work despite serious back issues, ensuing procedures and other ailments.

"I don't know how they do it every day," said Parker, who was named the Gene Bissell Male Athlete during the annual Yotee Awards ceremony late last month.

The Dr. F. Gene Bissell Male Student Athlete of the Year award is named for the late Dr. Franklin Gene Bissell who arrived at Kansas Wesleyan in 1950 as an assistant football coach and assumed the head coaching role in 1952 and remained in that role until retiring from coaching football in 1978. Bissell remained at KWU until fully retiring in 1994. While at KWU, Bissell also coached track and field, served as assistant basketball coach, helped reinstate the baseball program twice, and was a willing advocate for the addition of women's athletics. He also served as Athletic Director and a professor in the Kinesiology department. The field at the former Glenn Martin Stadium was named in his honor in 1994 and the field was rededicated in his name at the opening of the Graves Family Sports Complex in 2015.

Parker, a standout defensive end in football, was an NAIA Honorable Mention selection in 2021 and First Team All-Kansas Conference choice in 2021 and 2022.

In track he qualified for the NAIA National Outdoors Championships in the javelin in 2022 and the 2023 Indoors Championships in the shot put. This spring he has qualified for the NAIA Outdoor meet in the javelin and shot put later this month in Marion, Ind.

Parker was chosen the KCAC Field Athlete of the Meet at the conference meet Friday in Hillsboro after scoring 24 points in the shot put, javelin and discus. He holds school outdoor records in the shot put and javelin and the indoor shot put.

"It means a whole lot of work has been put in," Parker said of the Bissell award. "First off, I've got to thank my savior Jesus Christ. Without him I wouldn't be able to do any of it."

Parker also has a deep appreciation of Bissell.

"(KWU football coach Matt) Myers talks about Coach Bissell and what he did for the program to get it moving," he said. "It started with a lot of hard years but looking at where we're at now it means a lot to win that award."

For Parker, though, throwing a 16-pound shot put or battling massive offensive linemen and tackling opposing ball carriers are nothing compared to what his parents, particularly his father, have and continue to endure.

"My dad was diagnosed my senior year of high school on my mom's birthday," he said. "The doctors told him he had six months and he looked at them and laughed. They were like 'why are you laughing?' He said 'I'll see you in a couple of weeks, you'll see.'

"He's had multiple major surgeries and gets (chemotherapy) every Wednesday but still goes to work every day. They got a new doctor because their cancer doctor left. The new doctor was 20 minutes late to their first meeting and was like 'my bad, took me two hours to read your file.' The doctors are baffled by him."

Parker competed in football, wrestling and track in high school and came to KWU on a football scholarship.

"I was told I was too aggressive for the basketball team so I wrestled," he said. "Wrestling was probably my best sport of the three. I wrestled for 16 or 17 years and use it as my discipline. You show up, you do the work and if it's not good enough you do it again.

"Some people think I'm a little crazy and do too much but without being a little crazy where are you going? That's when you get stagnant and you can't fix stagnant. If you're comfortable there's something wrong. That's how I see it."

Parker competed in football and track at Shasta College (Calif.) before KWU. He was unaware Wesleyan had track and knew he missed competing in the throws.

"They said go talk to coach Shaq (throws coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/9/13551">Shaquelle Lewis</a>)," Parker said. "I did and said 'let me come out tomorrow.' Technically I was too late because it was April and they had three meets left before the conference meet. We talked again and he said 'you can come out but don't waste my time.' I said 'don't worry I'm not going to waste your time.'"

Two days after joining the team Parker qualified for the 2022 NAIA outdoor meet in the javelin during KWU's meet at Bethel.

"That's when it got set in stone that I was a track athlete and never really looked back," he said.

Parker is unsure what is next after this year but has some options. He has eligibility left in indoor track and could compete next season.

"There are some football opportunities that are presenting themselves but I really don't want to leave throwing yet," he said. "I'm still going to chase the opportunity in football but I'm also going to chase track too. I spoke with (track) coach (Kyle) Hiser and he said I could be on the indoor team and for outdoor I'll travel with them as an unattached. I've got a few GA opportunities here on campus too.

"Whatever God's plan is I'm going to go with it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683909428292.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>KWU Sports InformationBe it on the football field or a throws event venue in track,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/5/13420">Cole Parker</a>&nbsp;never lacks inspiration. His parents Trisha and David are constant motivation.David Parker is still working six years after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer and given only months to live. Trisha Parker also continues to work despite serious back issues, ensuing procedures and other ailments."I don't know how they do it every day," said Parker, who was named the Gene Bissell Male Athlete during the annual Yotee Awards ceremony late last month.The Dr. F. Gene Bissell Male Student Athlete of the Year award is named for the late Dr. Franklin Gene Bissell who arrived at Kansas Wesleyan in 1950 as an assistant football coach and assumed the head coaching role in 1952 and remained in that role until retiring from coaching football in 1978. Bissell remained at KWU until fully retiring in 1994. While at KWU, Bissell also coached track and field, served as assistant basketball coach, helped reinstate the baseball program twice, and was a willing advocate for the addition of women's athletics. He also served as Athletic Director and a professor in the Kinesiology department. The field at the former Glenn Martin Stadium was named in his honor in 1994 and the field was rededicated in his name at the opening of the Graves Family Sports Complex in 2015.Parker, a standout defensive end in football, was an NAIA Honorable Mention selection in 2021 and First Team All-Kansas Conference choice in 2021 and 2022.In track he qualified for the NAIA National Outdoors Championships in the javelin in 2022 and the 2023 Indoors Championships in the shot put. This spring he has qualified for the NAIA Outdoor meet in the javelin and shot put later this month in Marion, Ind.Parker was chosen the KCAC Field Athlete of the Meet at the conference meet Friday in Hillsboro after scoring 24 points in the shot put, javelin and discus. He holds school outdoor records in the shot put and javelin and the indoor shot put."It means a whole lot of work has been put in," Parker said of the Bissell award. "First off, I've got to thank my savior Jesus Christ. Without him I wouldn't be able to do any of it."Parker also has a deep appreciation of Bissell."(KWU football coach Matt) Myers talks about Coach Bissell and what he did for the program to get it moving," he said. "It started with a lot of hard years but looking at where we're at now it means a lot to win that award."For Parker, though, throwing a 16-pound shot put or battling massive offensive linemen and tackling opposing ball carriers are nothing compared to what his parents, particularly his father, have and continue to endure."My dad was diagnosed my senior year of high school on my mom's birthday," he said. "The doctors told him he had six months and he looked at them and laughed. They were like 'why are you laughing?' He said 'I'll see you in a couple of weeks, you'll see.'"He's had multiple major surgeries and gets (chemotherapy) every Wednesday but still goes to work every day. They got a new doctor because their cancer doctor left. The new doctor was 20 minutes late to their first meeting and was like 'my bad, took me two hours to read your file.' The doctors are baffled by him."Parker competed in football, wrestling and track in high school and came to KWU on a football scholarship."I was told I was too aggressive for the basketball team so I wrestled," he said. "Wrestling was probably my best sport of the three. I wrestled for 16 or 17 years and use it as my discipline. You show up, you do the work and if it's not good enough you do it again."Some people think I'm a little crazy and do too much but without being a little crazy where are you going? That's when you get stagnant and you can't fix stagnant. If you're comfortable there's something wrong. That's how I see it."Parker competed in football and track at Shasta College (Calif.) before KWU. He was unaware Wesleyan had track and knew he missed competing in the throws."They said go talk to coach Shaq (throws coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/9/13551">Shaquelle Lewis</a>)," Parker said. "I did and said 'let me come out tomorrow.' Technically I was too late because it was April and they had three meets left before the conference meet. We talked again and he said 'you can come out but don't waste my time.' I said 'don't worry I'm not going to waste your time.'"Two days after joining the team Parker qualified for the 2022 NAIA outdoor meet in the javelin during KWU's meet at Bethel."That's when it got set in stone that I was a track athlete and never really looked back," he said.Parker is unsure what is next after this year but has some options. He has eligibility left in indoor track and could compete next season."There are some football opportunities that are presenting themselves but I really don't want to leave throwing yet," he said. "I'm still going to chase the opportunity in football but I'm also going to chase track too. I spoke with (track) coach (Kyle) Hiser and he said I could be on the indoor team and for outdoor I'll travel with them as an unattached. I've got a few GA opportunities here on campus too."Whatever God's plan is I'm going to go with it."

Bissell Award winner Parker draws inspiration from parents

CONCORDIA - For the second-straight season, the Cloud County Community College baseball team will play a deciding third game in the opening round of the NJCAA Region VI baseball playoffs following a 1-0 home defeat to visiting Coffeyville Community College at Lee Doyen Field on Thursday. Seeing the best-of-three series even at 1-1, Cloud County falls to 36-21 overall while Coffeyville keeps its season alive for at least one more day while improving to 28-30 overall. Base hits for both the Red Ravens and T-Birds in the first inning would not lead to anything offensively as Coffeyville would see a double play eliminate a leadoff single before stranding a two-out single at second while Cloud County would have a one-out single by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/8052a3d6-4073-4d53-8f6f-177aecc574f5?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;eliminated on a pickoff by starting pitcher Ryan Leiker. Another stranded base runner for the Red Ravens in the top of the second would see another quick inning before seeing both teams go down in order in the third to keep things scoreless through three. The pitcher's duel would continue on into the fourth and fifth as Cloud County would strand a leadoff single and one-out hit batter in the bottom of the fourth before seeing another big opportunity in the bottom of the fifth go by the wayside as a walk, hit batter, and bunt single would load the bases before a lineout and inning-ending double play to allow Coffeyville to escape a massive jam that had threatened to break the scoreless tie. With the momentum shifting into the Red Raven dugout following the double play, Coffeyville would look to take advantage in the top of the sixth as a leadoff walk would be followed by a fielder's choice that would have the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference leader in stolen bases at first with one out. Flipping momentum back to the third base dugout, catcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/6693c154-2426-46bc-8f45-2724fb1d2fc4?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Karson Green</a>&nbsp;for Cloud County would fire a dart down to second on an 0-2 pitch to catch Bell stealing for just the fifth time all year in 56 attempts for the second out of the inning before seeing T-Bird starter&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/5f1e0581-b0d8-4ea2-903d-f2bdaf2c3d45?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Phil Brennaman</a>&nbsp;induce an inning-ending groundout. As the wind on the field would continue to pick up with the temperature continuing to fall with overcast skies becoming darkening, a one-two-three bottom of the sixth would allow Coffeyville to get back to the plate with a light mist beginning to fall as play would continue despite the moisture. A leadoff single for the Red Ravens to begin the seventh would officially end Brennaman's day as&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/876d0d9f-4033-468e-bb92-b65508a7ce5b?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Cayden Castellanos</a>&nbsp;would be called out of the bullpen with Coffeyville electing to play small ball and lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead runner into scoring position. After getting a big second out on an infield popup in foul territory, Castellanos and the T-Birds would see the rain begin to intensify before giving up an RBI single to seven-hole hitter Ryan Ready to score the game's first run. The damage would be limited to just the one run by Coffeyville, but facing a deficit for the first time on the day and into the late innings would be problematic for Cloud County with limited opportunities remaining at the plate. Trying to respond with a run of their own, CCCC would draw a leadoff walk by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/b339d113-9354-4c03-ad80-295488021300?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Kolden Howerton</a>&nbsp;before opting for a sacrifice bunt of their own by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/59952915-70de-43cd-90f7-c81b9a016d61?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Landon Meyer</a>&nbsp;before a flyout and strikeout to end the inning and strand yet another T-Bird runner in scoring position. Nothing offensively would be had by Coffeyville in the eighth as Castellanos would work just the third one-two-three inning of the day to try and give Cloud County momentum once more before seeing two quick outs curb any enthusiasm gained from the clean defensive inning. Still trying to find some magic on the offensive end, a chance for CCCC would be seen off the bat of freshman&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/7ddd250c-3f60-4f82-a5f5-09868d244141?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;as the Sudbury, Ontario native would hit a triple down the right field line that would reach the fence to put the game-tying run just 90 feet from scoring with three-hole hitter&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/805e9dfc-5580-4f21-9100-81acb033907f?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Danny Infante</a>&nbsp;due up. The Brooklyn, New York native would nearly deliver as another ball hit down the right field line would be robbed of a base hit as Coffeyville's Tate Moody would recover from playing in the right-center field gap to make a sliding catch on the line and end the inning with the Red Raven lead still intact. Keeping the deficit at one with another one-two-three inning, Cloud County would have one last chance to try and extend the game or possibly walk things off as an&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/1ff7a658-8184-4816-a92f-8bedaa3db23b?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Anthony Taggart</a>&nbsp;single after falling behind 0-2 in the count would put the game-tying run on for a third straight inning and be followed by a Howerton groundout that would advance the runner into scoring position. Another groundout would allow Taggart to take third with Coffeyville trading the advance of the lead runner for the second out before getting&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/b055ce37-f938-4ad0-a3fa-638ec1ac8916?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Brock Wollin</a>&nbsp;to strikeout to end the game on a complete-game shutout effort from Leiker. Stranding seven total base runners which included six that had reached scoring position, Cloud County would be held to only six hits with Roy's triple serving as the lone extra-base hit of the game by either team. The Red Ravens would strand five base runners on their offensive end of things but manage to come up with the clutch hit in the bottom of the seventh as part of their four total hits as neither team would eclipse the 30 at-bat mark as a team. Outdueled on the mound despite allowing just one run on three hits over six innings, Brennaman would drop just his second decision of the year to fall to 5-2 after a 95-pitch outing while seeing Castellanos allow just one out and face two batters over the minimum in the final three innings of play. Leiker for Coffeyville would throw 126 total pitches to go the distance for his third complete game of the year and first collegiate shutout of his career. What's next? Game Three is set for 1 p.m. on Friday, with the winner advancing to next week's action in Wichita at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University. Whichever team advances with a win tomorrow will play the fourth and final game on day one on Tuesday against the winner of Friday's winner-take-all game between fourth-seeded Cowley and 13th-seeded Pratt. The other teams in the top half of the bracket in Wichita will be top-seeded Barton Community College who advanced on Thursday with a win over Labette and the winner of the Dodge City vs Kansas City Kansas series.&nbsp;

Cloud County Sports InformationCONCORDIA - For the second-straight season, the Cloud County Community College baseball team will play a deciding third game in the opening round of the NJCAA Region VI baseball playoffs following a 1-0 home defeat to visiting Coffeyville Community College at Lee Doyen Field on Thursday. Seeing the best-of-three series even at 1-1, Cloud County falls to 36-21 overall while Coffeyville keeps its season alive for at least one more day while improving to 28-30 overall. Base hits for both the Red Ravens and T-Birds in the first inning would not lead to anything offensively as Coffeyville would see a double play eliminate a leadoff single before stranding a two-out single at second while Cloud County would have a one-out single by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/8052a3d6-4073-4d53-8f6f-177aecc574f5?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;eliminated on a pickoff by starting pitcher Ryan Leiker. Another stranded base runner for the Red Ravens in the top of the second would see another quick inning before seeing both teams go down in order in the third to keep things scoreless through three. The pitcher's duel would continue on into the fourth and fifth as Cloud County would strand a leadoff single and one-out hit batter in the bottom of the fourth before seeing another big opportunity in the bottom of the fifth go by the wayside as a walk, hit batter, and bunt single would load the bases before a lineout and inning-ending double play to allow Coffeyville to escape a massive jam that had threatened to break the scoreless tie. With the momentum shifting into the Red Raven dugout following the double play, Coffeyville would look to take advantage in the top of the sixth as a leadoff walk would be followed by a fielder's choice that would have the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference leader in stolen bases at first with one out. Flipping momentum back to the third base dugout, catcher&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/6693c154-2426-46bc-8f45-2724fb1d2fc4?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Karson Green</a>&nbsp;for Cloud County would fire a dart down to second on an 0-2 pitch to catch Bell stealing for just the fifth time all year in 56 attempts for the second out of the inning before seeing T-Bird starter&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/5f1e0581-b0d8-4ea2-903d-f2bdaf2c3d45?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Phil Brennaman</a>&nbsp;induce an inning-ending groundout. As the wind on the field would continue to pick up with the temperature continuing to fall with overcast skies becoming darkening, a one-two-three bottom of the sixth would allow Coffeyville to get back to the plate with a light mist beginning to fall as play would continue despite the moisture. A leadoff single for the Red Ravens to begin the seventh would officially end Brennaman's day as&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/876d0d9f-4033-468e-bb92-b65508a7ce5b?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Cayden Castellanos</a>&nbsp;would be called out of the bullpen with Coffeyville electing to play small ball and lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead runner into scoring position. After getting a big second out on an infield popup in foul territory, Castellanos and the T-Birds would see the rain begin to intensify before giving up an RBI single to seven-hole hitter Ryan Ready to score the game's first run. The damage would be limited to just the one run by Coffeyville, but facing a deficit for the first time on the day and into the late innings would be problematic for Cloud County with limited opportunities remaining at the plate. Trying to respond with a run of their own, CCCC would draw a leadoff walk by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/b339d113-9354-4c03-ad80-295488021300?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Kolden Howerton</a>&nbsp;before opting for a sacrifice bunt of their own by&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/59952915-70de-43cd-90f7-c81b9a016d61?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Landon Meyer</a>&nbsp;before a flyout and strikeout to end the inning and strand yet another T-Bird runner in scoring position. Nothing offensively would be had by Coffeyville in the eighth as Castellanos would work just the third one-two-three inning of the day to try and give Cloud County momentum once more before seeing two quick outs curb any enthusiasm gained from the clean defensive inning. Still trying to find some magic on the offensive end, a chance for CCCC would be seen off the bat of freshman&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/7ddd250c-3f60-4f82-a5f5-09868d244141?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Gavin Roy</a>&nbsp;as the Sudbury, Ontario native would hit a triple down the right field line that would reach the fence to put the game-tying run just 90 feet from scoring with three-hole hitter&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/805e9dfc-5580-4f21-9100-81acb033907f?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Danny Infante</a>&nbsp;due up. The Brooklyn, New York native would nearly deliver as another ball hit down the right field line would be robbed of a base hit as Coffeyville's Tate Moody would recover from playing in the right-center field gap to make a sliding catch on the line and end the inning with the Red Raven lead still intact. Keeping the deficit at one with another one-two-three inning, Cloud County would have one last chance to try and extend the game or possibly walk things off as an&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/1ff7a658-8184-4816-a92f-8bedaa3db23b?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Anthony Taggart</a>&nbsp;single after falling behind 0-2 in the count would put the game-tying run on for a third straight inning and be followed by a Howerton groundout that would advance the runner into scoring position. Another groundout would allow Taggart to take third with Coffeyville trading the advance of the lead runner for the second out before getting&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudtbirds.com/services/go.ashx/b055ce37-f938-4ad0-a3fa-638ec1ac8916?elinkdata=50906" target="_blank">Brock Wollin</a>&nbsp;to strikeout to end the game on a complete-game shutout effort from Leiker. Stranding seven total base runners which included six that had reached scoring position, Cloud County would be held to only six hits with Roy's triple serving as the lone extra-base hit of the game by either team. The Red Ravens would strand five base runners on their offensive end of things but manage to come up with the clutch hit in the bottom of the seventh as part of their four total hits as neither team would eclipse the 30 at-bat mark as a team. Outdueled on the mound despite allowing just one run on three hits over six innings, Brennaman would drop just his second decision of the year to fall to 5-2 after a 95-pitch outing while seeing Castellanos allow just one out and face two batters over the minimum in the final three innings of play. Leiker for Coffeyville would throw 126 total pitches to go the distance for his third complete game of the year and first collegiate shutout of his career. What's next? Game Three is set for 1 p.m. on Friday, with the winner advancing to next week's action in Wichita at Eck Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University. Whichever team advances with a win tomorrow will play the fourth and final game on day one on Tuesday against the winner of Friday's winner-take-all game between fourth-seeded Cowley and 13th-seeded Pratt. The other teams in the top half of the bracket in Wichita will be top-seeded Barton Community College who advanced on Thursday with a win over Labette and the winner of the Dodge City vs Kansas City Kansas series.&nbsp;

T-Bird baseball takes Coffeyville to third game in regionals

Kansas Wesleyan's baseball team will begin postseason play in the Show Me State.

The No. 16 ranked Coyotes are the second seed in the Fayette (Mo.) Bracket of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round and will face third-seeded and No. 25-ranked Central Missouri at 2 p.m. Monday on Estes Field – the Eagles' home site. Opening Round pairings were announced Thursday afternoon.

The Coyotes (42-13) earned an automatic bid to the Opening Round by winning the Kansas Conference's regular season title. Central Methodist (34-17) lost to MidAmerica Nazarene in the Heart of America Conference tournament championship game and received an at-large bid.

The KWU-Central Methodist winner plays at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday against either top-seeded Southeastern, Fla. (54-7) or No. 4 Madonna, Mich. (35-15)/No. 5 St. Francis, Ill. (25-26). Madonna and St. Francis play the first game Monday at 11 a.m., the winner getting Southeastern at 6 p.m.

The KWU-CMU loser faces the Madonna-St. Francis loser in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The championship game is slated for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. A second title game, if necessary, will be played at noon Thursday – the winner advancing to the NAIA World Series on May 26-June 2 in Lewiston, Idaho.

Southeastern is the top-ranked team in the NAIA and the tournament's No. 1 overall seed.

"It's going to be a tough bracket but they're all tough brackets," KWU coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13219">Bill Neale</a>&nbsp;said following the announcement. "Having the number one overall seed in our bracket, we're probably going to see them at some point but we need to focus on Central Methodist first. We've got to win the first game and take care of business in game one and after that we'll worry about whoever we're lining up against in the next game."

Central Methodist was 23-7 in conference play and is 20-4 at Estes Field this spring.

"They're always good," Neale said. "They're going to do all three areas pretty well (pitching, hitting, defense). Offensively they're diverse, they don't just do one thing. They can run and they can hit for power, kind of like us. I think the teams that are there are all kind of similar so it should be a fun bracket."

Wesleyan qualified for the 2022 NAIA Opening Round and went 1-2 in the Oklahoma City bracket. That experience should be beneficial next week, according to Neale.

"I think it will help," he said. "These guys are going to embrace the competition, they're not going to be scared, they're not going to run from anything. They got the experience of playing last year and going to Oklahoma City, which is one of the really good sites and the atmosphere was unbelievable. It will be the same at Central Methodist."

KWU's roster features a large group of seniors who will attend graduation ceremonies Saturday morning at Tony's Pizza Events Center before departing for Missouri.

"Last year was a nice trip and it was fun but it's a business trip this year and to them it's make the World Series or bust," Neale said. "They want to win the World Series and they're confident they can.

"We need to go in there and just play our baseball, play our brand. We truly believe the only team that can beat us is us. If we strap it up and play our baseball, I think we will have a great chance."

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 </figure>KWU Sports InformationKansas Wesleyan's baseball team will begin postseason play in the Show Me State.The No. 16 ranked Coyotes are the second seed in the Fayette (Mo.) Bracket of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round and will face third-seeded and No. 25-ranked Central Missouri at 2 p.m. Monday on Estes Field – the Eagles' home site. Opening Round pairings were announced Thursday afternoon.The Coyotes (42-13) earned an automatic bid to the Opening Round by winning the Kansas Conference's regular season title. Central Methodist (34-17) lost to MidAmerica Nazarene in the Heart of America Conference tournament championship game and received an at-large bid.The KWU-Central Methodist winner plays at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday against either top-seeded Southeastern, Fla. (54-7) or No. 4 Madonna, Mich. (35-15)/No. 5 St. Francis, Ill. (25-26). Madonna and St. Francis play the first game Monday at 11 a.m., the winner getting Southeastern at 6 p.m.The KWU-CMU loser faces the Madonna-St. Francis loser in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Tuesday.The championship game is slated for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. A second title game, if necessary, will be played at noon Thursday – the winner advancing to the NAIA World Series on May 26-June 2 in Lewiston, Idaho.Southeastern is the top-ranked team in the NAIA and the tournament's No. 1 overall seed."It's going to be a tough bracket but they're all tough brackets," KWU coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/24/3/13219">Bill Neale</a>&nbsp;said following the announcement. "Having the number one overall seed in our bracket, we're probably going to see them at some point but we need to focus on Central Methodist first. We've got to win the first game and take care of business in game one and after that we'll worry about whoever we're lining up against in the next game."Central Methodist was 23-7 in conference play and is 20-4 at Estes Field this spring."They're always good," Neale said. "They're going to do all three areas pretty well (pitching, hitting, defense). Offensively they're diverse, they don't just do one thing. They can run and they can hit for power, kind of like us. I think the teams that are there are all kind of similar so it should be a fun bracket."Wesleyan qualified for the 2022 NAIA Opening Round and went 1-2 in the Oklahoma City bracket. That experience should be beneficial next week, according to Neale."I think it will help," he said. "These guys are going to embrace the competition, they're not going to be scared, they're not going to run from anything. They got the experience of playing last year and going to Oklahoma City, which is one of the really good sites and the atmosphere was unbelievable. It will be the same at Central Methodist."KWU's roster features a large group of seniors who will attend graduation ceremonies Saturday morning at Tony's Pizza Events Center before departing for Missouri."Last year was a nice trip and it was fun but it's a business trip this year and to them it's make the World Series or bust," Neale said. "They want to win the World Series and they're confident they can."We need to go in there and just play our baseball, play our brand. We truly believe the only team that can beat us is us. If we strap it up and play our baseball, I think we will have a great chance."

KWU baseball in NAIA National Championship opening round Monday

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The National Football League announced the regular season schedule for the 2023 season on Thursday. The Chiefs are currently slated to play in six primetime contests, including three nationally televised games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

The reigning Super Bowl Champion Chiefs will kick off the 2023 season and hang their Super Bowl LVII banner on the NFL’s opening night against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7. Kansas City will also be featured on the international stage once again this season, facing the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 5 at Frankfurt Stadium. This year’s regular season schedule features eight games vs. seven playoff teams from 2022. The combined 2022 record of Kansas City’s 2023 home and away opponents is 147-140-0 (.512).

Following the NFL’s opening game, the Chiefs will continue their quest for an eighth-consecutive AFC West title on the road in a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 17. KC returns home for a Week 3 contest vs. the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24 before back-to-back road games, the first against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 1, followed by an Oct. 8 meeting with the Minnesota Vikings. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has recorded at least one win over every NFL team except for the Vikings.

The Chiefs return home for back-to-back contests at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. In Week 6, the Chiefs hit Amazon Prime Video in a Thursday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 12. KC then takes on the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 22 before traveling to Denver to face the Broncos for the second time in three weeks. Kansas City has won 15-consecutive matchups vs. the Broncos. After the club’s contest in Germany, the Chiefs will enjoy the Bye Week.

Week 11 is a Super Bowl LVII rematch at GEHA Field at Arrowhead as the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Nov. 20. The Chiefs hit the road again for back-to-back games, the first a Nov. 26 contest in Las Vegas against the Raiders and then the club’s second Sunday Night Football appearance, this time against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 3. On Dec. 10, the Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills at home. It marks the fifth time in four seasons that Buffalo has visited Kansas City including the 2020 AFC Championship Game and a 2021 AFC Divisional Game.

Continuing in the AFC East, KC travels to New England, facing the Patriots on Monday Night Football on Dec. 18 before back-to-back home games. The Chiefs face the Raiders on Christmas Day and then prepare for a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game as the Bengals return to town on Dec. 31. KC closes out the season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers in the final week of regular season play.

In addition to the announcement of the club’s regular season schedule, the NFL also released the Chiefs preseason opponents. KC will be on the road for Weeks 1 and 2, the first against the New Orleans Saints and then the Arizona Cardinals. The final preseason game will be against the Cleveland Browns at GEHA Field at Arrowhead. Dates and times for preseason games will be announced at a later date. KSHB, the home for Chiefs preseason football games, will hold the broadcast unless it’s determined to be a nationally televised contest.

Chiefs single-game tickets will go on sale beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow for Jackson County taxpayers, 10 a.m. for Chiefs Season Ticket Members and 11 a.m. for the public. Single-game tickets are subject to availability, dynamic pricing and will be mobile entry only. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>&nbsp;for details.

Fans can purchase all-inclusive Chiefs-Germany ticket packages through On Location at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.onlocationexp.com/chiefs" target="_blank">www.onlocationexp.com/chiefs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683855348894.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs">The Kansas City Chiefs Facebook page</a>" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs">The Kansas City Chiefs Facebook page</a></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The National Football League announced the regular season schedule for the 2023 season on Thursday. The Chiefs are currently slated to play in six primetime contests, including three nationally televised games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The reigning Super Bowl Champion Chiefs will kick off the 2023 season and hang their Super Bowl LVII banner on the NFL’s opening night against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7. Kansas City will also be featured on the international stage once again this season, facing the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 5 at Frankfurt Stadium. This year’s regular season schedule features eight games vs. seven playoff teams from 2022. The combined 2022 record of Kansas City’s 2023 home and away opponents is 147-140-0 (.512).Following the NFL’s opening game, the Chiefs will continue their quest for an eighth-consecutive AFC West title on the road in a rematch of last year’s AFC Divisional Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 17. KC returns home for a Week 3 contest vs. the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24 before back-to-back road games, the first against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 1, followed by an Oct. 8 meeting with the Minnesota Vikings. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has recorded at least one win over every NFL team except for the Vikings.The Chiefs return home for back-to-back contests at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. In Week 6, the Chiefs hit Amazon Prime Video in a Thursday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 12. KC then takes on the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 22 before traveling to Denver to face the Broncos for the second time in three weeks. Kansas City has won 15-consecutive matchups vs. the Broncos. After the club’s contest in Germany, the Chiefs will enjoy the Bye Week.Week 11 is a Super Bowl LVII rematch at GEHA Field at Arrowhead as the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles on ESPN’s Monday Night Football on Nov. 20. The Chiefs hit the road again for back-to-back games, the first a Nov. 26 contest in Las Vegas against the Raiders and then the club’s second Sunday Night Football appearance, this time against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 3. On Dec. 10, the Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills at home. It marks the fifth time in four seasons that Buffalo has visited Kansas City including the 2020 AFC Championship Game and a 2021 AFC Divisional Game.Continuing in the AFC East, KC travels to New England, facing the Patriots on Monday Night Football on Dec. 18 before back-to-back home games. The Chiefs face the Raiders on Christmas Day and then prepare for a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game as the Bengals return to town on Dec. 31. KC closes out the season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers in the final week of regular season play.In addition to the announcement of the club’s regular season schedule, the NFL also released the Chiefs preseason opponents. KC will be on the road for Weeks 1 and 2, the first against the New Orleans Saints and then the Arizona Cardinals. The final preseason game will be against the Cleveland Browns at GEHA Field at Arrowhead. Dates and times for preseason games will be announced at a later date. KSHB, the home for Chiefs preseason football games, will hold the broadcast unless it’s determined to be a nationally televised contest.Chiefs single-game tickets will go on sale beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow for Jackson County taxpayers, 10 a.m. for Chiefs Season Ticket Members and 11 a.m. for the public. Single-game tickets are subject to availability, dynamic pricing and will be mobile entry only. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>&nbsp;for details.Fans can purchase all-inclusive Chiefs-Germany ticket packages through On Location at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.onlocationexp.com/chiefs" target="_blank">www.onlocationexp.com/chiefs</a>.

NFL announces Chiefs 2023 regular season schedule

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Freddy Fermin followed a leadoff walk by Nick Pratto and a single by Matt Duffy with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning, giving the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

The Royals nursed a 3-1 lead into the eighth, but the White Sox tied it with a two-out rally against Aroldis Chapman. Andrew Vaughn and pinch-hitter Carlos Pérez singled, and Luis Robert Jr. bounced a tying double off the chalk of the left-field line.

In the ninth, Pratto worked a walk off Reynaldo López (0-3) before Maikel Garcia struck out. Duffy followed with a single to right, and Fermin laid down a bunt just in front of the plate that allowed Pratto slide home without a tag at the plate.

Scott Barlow (1-2) pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the win.

The start of the game was delayed an hour by a steady rain that never fully abated, and that in turn created a conundrum for the grounds crew, which never seemed certain before first pitch whether it should be rolling up and stowing the tarp.

Turned out the pitchers handled the drizzle better than anyone.

The Royals' Brady Singer has been struggling most of the season, allowing 19 runs in 19 innings in his first four home starts. But the young right-hander showcased better command and execution while cutting through the White Sox lineup Thursday.

He gave up Vaughn's two-out single in the third but lasted six innings and departed with a 3-1 lead.

Mike Clevinger was sharp, too, though that was expected against Kansas City. The right-hander with the funky delivery — who twice got nailed with pitch-clock violations — was 9-0 with a 1.98 ERA over his first 14 games against the Royals.

While they never hit Clevinger hard, they did hit him enough. Michael Massey followed his first homer of the season Wednesday night with a two-out shot in the second, and the Royals got a leadoff single by Edward Oliveras and a walk from Pratto before a double by Garcia into the left-field corner gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead in the fourth.

Clevinger also left after six innings, allowing three hits and two walks.

The Royals welcomed hundreds of students for a wet but educational morning at Kauffman Stadium, and many stuck around through the rain delay for part of the game. The annual school day event was particularly special for first-year Royals manager Matt Quatraro, whose parents were both educators and whose wife is a teacher as well.

"There's so many good lessons for life in school," Quatraro said, "whether it's in the books or the other stuff."

Royals: OF Franmil Reyes chose free agency Thursday rather than go to Triple-A Omaha. He was designated for assignment after hitting just .186 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games for Kansas City.

White Sox: C Yasmani Grandal doubled in the second and singled in the third before leaving with right hamstring tightness. He was replaced by Seby Zavala. ... INF Jake Burger (strained left oblique) was beginning a rehab assignment Thursday night with Triple-A Charlotte. ... INF Yoán Moncada (lower back tightness) was not playing at Charlotte, raising the expectation that he would return to the White Sox on Friday. Chicago manager Pedro Grifol would only say it's a possibility.

The White Sox start a nine-game homestand with RHP Michael Kopech (1-3, 5.97 ERA) on the mound for Friday night's opener of a three-game set against Houston. The Royals head out on a nine-game trip but have not announced a starting pitcher for Friday night's opener of a three-game series in Milwaukee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683843193176.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Nick Pratto beats the tag by Chicago White Sox catcher Seby Zavala to score on a two-run double hit by Maikel Garcia during the fourth inning of the game Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Nick Pratto beats the tag by Chicago White Sox catcher Seby Zavala to score on a two-run double hit by Maikel Garcia during the fourth inning of the game Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Freddy Fermin followed a leadoff walk by Nick Pratto and a single by Matt Duffy with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning, giving the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.The Royals nursed a 3-1 lead into the eighth, but the White Sox tied it with a two-out rally against Aroldis Chapman. Andrew Vaughn and pinch-hitter Carlos Pérez singled, and Luis Robert Jr. bounced a tying double off the chalk of the left-field line.In the ninth, Pratto worked a walk off Reynaldo López (0-3) before Maikel Garcia struck out. Duffy followed with a single to right, and Fermin laid down a bunt just in front of the plate that allowed Pratto slide home without a tag at the plate.Scott Barlow (1-2) pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the win.The start of the game was delayed an hour by a steady rain that never fully abated, and that in turn created a conundrum for the grounds crew, which never seemed certain before first pitch whether it should be rolling up and stowing the tarp.Turned out the pitchers handled the drizzle better than anyone.The Royals' Brady Singer has been struggling most of the season, allowing 19 runs in 19 innings in his first four home starts. But the young right-hander showcased better command and execution while cutting through the White Sox lineup Thursday.He gave up Vaughn's two-out single in the third but lasted six innings and departed with a 3-1 lead.Mike Clevinger was sharp, too, though that was expected against Kansas City. The right-hander with the funky delivery — who twice got nailed with pitch-clock violations — was 9-0 with a 1.98 ERA over his first 14 games against the Royals.While they never hit Clevinger hard, they did hit him enough. Michael Massey followed his first homer of the season Wednesday night with a two-out shot in the second, and the Royals got a leadoff single by Edward Oliveras and a walk from Pratto before a double by Garcia into the left-field corner gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead in the fourth.Clevinger also left after six innings, allowing three hits and two walks.SCHOOL DAY AT THE KThe Royals welcomed hundreds of students for a wet but educational morning at Kauffman Stadium, and many stuck around through the rain delay for part of the game. The annual school day event was particularly special for first-year Royals manager Matt Quatraro, whose parents were both educators and whose wife is a teacher as well."There's so many good lessons for life in school," Quatraro said, "whether it's in the books or the other stuff."TRANSACTIONSRoyals: OF Franmil Reyes chose free agency Thursday rather than go to Triple-A Omaha. He was designated for assignment after hitting just .186 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games for Kansas City.TRAINER'S ROOMWhite Sox: C Yasmani Grandal doubled in the second and singled in the third before leaving with right hamstring tightness. He was replaced by Seby Zavala. ... INF Jake Burger (strained left oblique) was beginning a rehab assignment Thursday night with Triple-A Charlotte. ... INF Yoán Moncada (lower back tightness) was not playing at Charlotte, raising the expectation that he would return to the White Sox on Friday. Chicago manager Pedro Grifol would only say it's a possibility.UP NEXTThe White Sox start a nine-game homestand with RHP Michael Kopech (1-3, 5.97 ERA) on the mound for Friday night's opener of a three-game set against Houston. The Royals head out on a nine-game trip but have not announced a starting pitcher for Friday night's opener of a three-game series in Milwaukee.

Fermin's bunt in ninth gives Royals 4-3 win over White Sox

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;Kansas outside hitter Caroline Bien has been selected as one of 18 top junior volleyball players who will comprise the 2023 Women’s Under-21 (U21) National Training Team for USA Volleyball.

The team will train from May 14-21 at the Anaheim National Team Training Center. Twelve players will be chosen to compete at the 2023 Women’s U21 NORCECA Pan American Cup on May 23-28 in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

Bien was a standout for the Jayhawks last fall. Throughout the 2022 season, she appeared in 107 of 111 possible sets, starting all 29 matches. Bien ranked second on the team with 274 total kills, averaging 2.55 kills per set.

During her freshman campaign, she was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) after also being selected as the AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Bien led the Jayhawks with 336 kills, an average of 2.95 per set, while finishing with an attack percentage of .216 for the season.

Bien was also a two-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week, earning the honor in back-to-back weeks in September 2021. She was named to the Pittsburgh All-Regional Team following her performance in the NCAA Tournament as she helped the Jayhawks to the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in program history.

A native of Overland Park, Bien is one of six players on the U21 Training Team roster listed at the outside hitter position. This is the third USA Volleyball opportunity for Bien since coming to Kansas. She previously competed in last year’s U21 Training Camp in May, as well as the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Program in February 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683842145209.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy <a href="http://kuathletics.com">kuathletics.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy <a href="http://kuathletics.com">kuathletics.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>KU AthleticsCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –&nbsp;Kansas outside hitter Caroline Bien has been selected as one of 18 top junior volleyball players who will comprise the 2023 Women’s Under-21 (U21) National Training Team for USA Volleyball.The team will train from May 14-21 at the Anaheim National Team Training Center. Twelve players will be chosen to compete at the 2023 Women’s U21 NORCECA Pan American Cup on May 23-28 in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.Bien was a standout for the Jayhawks last fall. Throughout the 2022 season, she appeared in 107 of 111 possible sets, starting all 29 matches. Bien ranked second on the team with 274 total kills, averaging 2.55 kills per set.During her freshman campaign, she was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) after also being selected as the AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Bien led the Jayhawks with 336 kills, an average of 2.95 per set, while finishing with an attack percentage of .216 for the season.Bien was also a two-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week, earning the honor in back-to-back weeks in September 2021. She was named to the Pittsburgh All-Regional Team following her performance in the NCAA Tournament as she helped the Jayhawks to the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in program history.A native of Overland Park, Bien is one of six players on the U21 Training Team roster listed at the outside hitter position. This is the third USA Volleyball opportunity for Bien since coming to Kansas. She previously competed in last year’s U21 Training Camp in May, as well as the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Program in February 2022.

KU's Bien named to USA Volleyball U21 National Training Team

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer

Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will kick off the 2023 season against the upstart Detroit Lions in a matchup of high-powered offenses while Aaron Rodgers will make his New York Jets debut on "Monday Night Football" against the Buffalo Bills.

Coming off their second championship in four seasons, the Chiefs will host the Lions on Sept. 7 on "Thursday Night Football." The Lions finished 9-8 last season after a 1-6 start and knocked Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs with a 20-16 victory at Lambeau Field in the final regular-season game.

Mahomes, the two-time NFL MVP, led the Chiefs to a 38-35 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Fans will get their first look at Rodgers in his new green-and-white No. 8 Jets jersey when New York hosts Josh Allen and the Bills in an AFC East matchup on Sept. 11, according to early details released Thursday on this year's NFL schedule.

The NFL will release the full schedule on Thursday night.

Other games revealed Thursday include a rematch of the NFC championship game in Week 13. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 3. The Eagles knocked quarterback Brock Purdy out of the conference title game on their way to a dominant 31-7 win. Purdy had elbow surgery in the offseason but should be ready by the time the teams meet again.

Mahomes and the Chiefs will host AFC West rival Las Vegas in the early game on Christmas Day and the Dallas Cowboys will visit San Francisco on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 5.

The New England Patriots also announced seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady will be honored at the team's home opener. Brady, who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, retired in February after spending the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On Wednesday, the NFL announced that Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars will become the first NFL team to play two international games in the same season when they spend back-to-back weeks in London.

The Jaguars will host the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 1 and visit the Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8. The Jaguars were set to play two designated home games in London in 2020 but the pandemic canceled those plans.

The NFL also announced dates for three other international games. The Tennessee Titans will host the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 15. The Chiefs will host the Miami Dolphins in Germany at Eintracht Frankfurt Stadium on Nov. 5. The New England Patriots will host the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12, also in Frankfurt.

The league also revealed Wednesday that Rodgers and the Jets will host the Dolphins in the first Black Friday game on Nov. 24. The Eagles will host the New York Giants on Christmas Day and the Chiefs will host Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of the AFC championship game in Week 17.

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football WriterPatrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will kick off the 2023 season against the upstart Detroit Lions in a matchup of high-powered offenses while Aaron Rodgers will make his New York Jets debut on "Monday Night Football" against the Buffalo Bills.Coming off their second championship in four seasons, the Chiefs will host the Lions on Sept. 7 on "Thursday Night Football." The Lions finished 9-8 last season after a 1-6 start and knocked Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs with a 20-16 victory at Lambeau Field in the final regular-season game.Mahomes, the two-time NFL MVP, led the Chiefs to a 38-35 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.Fans will get their first look at Rodgers in his new green-and-white No. 8 Jets jersey when New York hosts Josh Allen and the Bills in an AFC East matchup on Sept. 11, according to early details released Thursday on this year's NFL schedule.The NFL will release the full schedule on Thursday night.Other games revealed Thursday include a rematch of the NFC championship game in Week 13. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 3. The Eagles knocked quarterback Brock Purdy out of the conference title game on their way to a dominant 31-7 win. Purdy had elbow surgery in the offseason but should be ready by the time the teams meet again.Mahomes and the Chiefs will host AFC West rival Las Vegas in the early game on Christmas Day and the Dallas Cowboys will visit San Francisco on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 5.The New England Patriots also announced seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady will be honored at the team's home opener. Brady, who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, retired in February after spending the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.On Wednesday, the NFL announced that Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars will become the first NFL team to play two international games in the same season when they spend back-to-back weeks in London.The Jaguars will host the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 1 and visit the Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8. The Jaguars were set to play two designated home games in London in 2020 but the pandemic canceled those plans.The NFL also announced dates for three other international games. The Tennessee Titans will host the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 15. The Chiefs will host the Miami Dolphins in Germany at Eintracht Frankfurt Stadium on Nov. 5. The New England Patriots will host the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12, also in Frankfurt.The league also revealed Wednesday that Rodgers and the Jets will host the Dolphins in the first Black Friday game on Nov. 24. The Eagles will host the New York Giants on Christmas Day and the Chiefs will host Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of the AFC championship game in Week 17.

NFL season kicks off with Chiefs hosting Lions; Rodgers on MNF

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

The Champions Indoor Football League has officially released their picks for week ten players of the week and the Liberty are right back in the mix thanks to another stellar performance by Travis Taylor.

The Liberty stalwart proved instrumental in Salina's 52-31 win over the Southwest Kansas Storm, as he collected a pair of monstrous sacks and a huge fumble recovery on the day.

With 10.5 sacks on the season, Taylor now leads the whole CIF, ranking second in tackles for good measure with 33.

The Liberty will be off this week for their bye but will return to the field for a home game against Sioux City on May 20th.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616853961118.png" alt="Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing" />
 <figcaption>Coverage of Liberty football is presented by Ryan Roofing</figcaption>
 </figure>The Champions Indoor Football League has officially released their picks for week ten players of the week and the Liberty are right back in the mix thanks to another stellar performance by Travis Taylor.The Liberty stalwart proved instrumental in Salina's 52-31 win over the Southwest Kansas Storm, as he collected a pair of monstrous sacks and a huge fumble recovery on the day.With 10.5 sacks on the season, Taylor now leads the whole CIF, ranking second in tackles for good measure with 33.The Liberty will be off this week for their bye but will return to the field for a home game against Sioux City on May 20th.

Salina's Travis Taylor named CIF Defensive Player of the Week

By MARC BOWMAN Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nick Pratto homered and Brad Keller won for the first time in nearly a month as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 9-1 on Wednesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683772730654.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Edward Olivares (14) celebrates with Nick Pratto after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Edward Olivares (14) celebrates with Nick Pratto after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARC BOWMAN Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nick Pratto homered and Brad Keller won for the first time in nearly a month as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 9-1 on Wednesday night.Keller (3-3), who leads the majors with 32 walks allowed, got into immediate trouble walking the first two batters he faced, but escaped first-inning damage with a double play and strikeout.Gavin Sheets walked to lead off the second and scored on Hanser Alberto's single to left for the White Sox lone run off Keller.Keller finished five innings, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, striking out four to earn his first win since April 12.The Royals batted around in the first, collecting six hits, including Pratto's two-out RBI single, grabbing a 4-0 lead while forcing Lance Lynn (1-5) to toss 37 pitches in the inning.Lynn surrendered seven runs on nine hits two walks, fanning four over five innings.Pratto's homer, a two-run shot to right, gave Kansas City a 7-1 lead in the fifth.Michael Massey opened the fourth with his first home run of the season and Edward Olivares opened the seventh with his third homer. Massey and Vinnie Pasquantino each produced three hits.Four Royals relievers fanned seven over four scoreless innings.Chicago had six hits, all singles. Luis Robert Jr. struck out four times, snapping an eight-game hitting streak.TRAINER'S ROOMWhite Sox OF Billy Hamilton was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 7 with a left hamstring strain.TRANSACTIONSWhite Sox RHP Nick Padilla was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, OF Jake Marisnick's contract was selected from Charlotte, and RHP Alexander Colomé was designated for assignment.UP NEXTRHP Mike Clevinger (2-3, 4.84 ERA) will oppose RHP Brady Singer (2-4, 8.82) in Thursday's series finale.