SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.

A night that started with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-foul-ball-fan-1e26d7d28494e34a60fee728115f5462">lucky fan catching foul balls</a>&nbsp;on consecutive pitches ended with another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games.

Kirby (4-3) had been bothered by a sore knee, but was terrific. He angrily pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning after hitting a pair of batters, but appeared to become energized by getting himself out of the situation.

"If anything else, that just fires me up to make that pitch even more fine on the corner," Kirby said.

He gave up Bobby Witt Jr.’s first inning single, then didn’t allow another hit until Dairon Blanco reached on an infield single in the fifth. Kirby struck out six, walked none. It was the third time this season he pitched at least six innings and didn’t allow a run.

Seattle manager Scott Servais called it a vintage performance by Kirby despite some early frustration.

“George is angry some nights and tonight was the night. There was a few calls that he didn't get that he thought he should have got, but he was on the attack,” Servais said.

Raley's second homer of the season traveled an estimated at 432 feet and came after Cal Raleigh doubled on the first pitch of the second inning from Kansas City starter Brady Singer. Raley also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/lindseywasson/status/1790214531387641891">appeared to break</a>&nbsp;– or have come unscrewed — the celebratory trident used by the Mariners to celebrate home runs.

“All I was doing was carrying it and it fell apart,” Raley said.

Raley is hitting .375 with a 1.131 OPS in May.

“I've put a lot of work in. I was busting my butt to get back to feeling comfortable in the box and it's paying off now,” Raley said.

Raleigh and Raley added an RBI singles an inning later. Raleigh's was a 410-foot shot that tipped off Blanco’s glove as he jumped at the fence. Julio Rodríguez scored, but Jorge Polanco had to wait near first base and could only advance 90 feet, leaving Raleigh with possibly the longest single of his career.

Ty France added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season.

Kansas City's Michael Massey had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth, but closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the final four outs for his sixth save.

Singer (3-2) gave up a season-high nine hits and allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time this season – both losses. Singer needed 108 pitches to get through five innings and struck out six.

“His stuff was good. Missed his spots a couple of times there, at least the ones I saw on the board there. Middle mistakes with pretty good hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.

Royals: RHP Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) pitched 1 1/3 innings on Sunday as part of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, the first time he pitched more than one inning.

Mariners: Polanco left the game before the start of the sixth inning due to hamstring tightness in his right leg. ... SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.

Royals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.15) looks for his second straight win after giving up two earned runs over six innings in his last start. Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (3-1, 2.94) will try and rebound after giving up eight runs on nine hits in a loss to Minnesota.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715679996990.jpeg" alt="Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley follows through on a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, May 13, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)" />
 <figcaption>Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley follows through on a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, May 13, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — George Kirby allowed three hits over seven shutout innings, Luke Raley hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 on Monday night.A night that started with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mariners-foul-ball-fan-1e26d7d28494e34a60fee728115f5462">lucky fan catching foul balls</a>&nbsp;on consecutive pitches ended with another dominant pitching performance that helped the Mariners improve to 19-11 over the past 30 games.Kirby (4-3) had been bothered by a sore knee, but was terrific. He angrily pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning after hitting a pair of batters, but appeared to become energized by getting himself out of the situation."If anything else, that just fires me up to make that pitch even more fine on the corner," Kirby said.He gave up Bobby Witt Jr.’s first inning single, then didn’t allow another hit until Dairon Blanco reached on an infield single in the fifth. Kirby struck out six, walked none. It was the third time this season he pitched at least six innings and didn’t allow a run.Seattle manager Scott Servais called it a vintage performance by Kirby despite some early frustration.“George is angry some nights and tonight was the night. There was a few calls that he didn't get that he thought he should have got, but he was on the attack,” Servais said.Raley's second homer of the season traveled an estimated at 432 feet and came after Cal Raleigh doubled on the first pitch of the second inning from Kansas City starter Brady Singer. Raley also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/lindseywasson/status/1790214531387641891">appeared to break</a>&nbsp;– or have come unscrewed — the celebratory trident used by the Mariners to celebrate home runs.“All I was doing was carrying it and it fell apart,” Raley said.Raley is hitting .375 with a 1.131 OPS in May.“I've put a lot of work in. I was busting my butt to get back to feeling comfortable in the box and it's paying off now,” Raley said.Raleigh and Raley added an RBI singles an inning later. Raleigh's was a 410-foot shot that tipped off Blanco’s glove as he jumped at the fence. Julio Rodríguez scored, but Jorge Polanco had to wait near first base and could only advance 90 feet, leaving Raleigh with possibly the longest single of his career.Ty France added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the season.Kansas City's Michael Massey had a two-out, two-run double in the eighth, but closer Andrés Muñoz recorded the final four outs for his sixth save.Singer (3-2) gave up a season-high nine hits and allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time this season – both losses. Singer needed 108 pitches to get through five innings and struck out six.“His stuff was good. Missed his spots a couple of times there, at least the ones I saw on the board there. Middle mistakes with pretty good hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) pitched 1 1/3 innings on Sunday as part of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, the first time he pitched more than one inning.Mariners: Polanco left the game before the start of the sixth inning due to hamstring tightness in his right leg. ... SS J.P. Crawford (oblique) is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.15) looks for his second straight win after giving up two earned runs over six innings in his last start. Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (3-1, 2.94) will try and rebound after giving up eight runs on nine hits in a loss to Minnesota.

⚾  Luke Raley has 3 RBIs as Mariners beat the Royals 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;With the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs schedule set to be released on Wednesday evening, single-game and group tickets for all home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will go on sale Thursday, May 16.

Tickets may be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>&nbsp;by the public beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday. Season Ticket Members will have an exclusive online presale beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday. The club will notify Season Ticket Members via email with instructions on how to purchase single-game tickets.

In continuation of the team’s long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Missouri, will have a presale opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2024 season opener beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday. The Jackson County taxpayer presale will take place online only and purchasers must use a credit card with a billing zip code within Jackson County to participate.

<a>Ticket and parking pass delivery for games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will be mobile only. The ticket office will not be open for any walk-up sales. All single-game and group tickets for Chiefs home games are subject to availability and dynamic pricing. Parking can be purchased during the ticket purchase process or in advance of the game at&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.chiefs.com/parking" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/parking</a>. Advance parking pass purchase is required as cash will not be accepted at the tollgates.

The NFL has confirmed that the full 2024 schedule will be unveiled on NFL Network, the NFL App, NFL+ and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nfl.com/" target="_blank">www.NFL.com</a>&nbsp;beginning at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 15. The club will announce its 2024 schedule presented by Ticketmaster on the team’s official&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;(formerly Twitter),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/chiefs" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;channels at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday. Fans can check&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>, the Chiefs Mobile app or the official&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/KansasCityChiefs/videos" target="_blank">Chiefs YouTube</a>&nbsp;page after the schedule release for a special edition of the Defending the Kingdom Podcast breaking down the entire 2024 Chiefs schedule.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –&nbsp;With the 2024 Kansas City Chiefs schedule set to be released on Wednesday evening, single-game and group tickets for all home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will go on sale Thursday, May 16.Tickets may be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>&nbsp;by the public beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday. Season Ticket Members will have an exclusive online presale beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday. The club will notify Season Ticket Members via email with instructions on how to purchase single-game tickets.In continuation of the team’s long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Missouri, will have a presale opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2024 season opener beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday. The Jackson County taxpayer presale will take place online only and purchasers must use a credit card with a billing zip code within Jackson County to participate.<a>Ticket and parking pass delivery for games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will be mobile only. The ticket office will not be open for any walk-up sales. All single-game and group tickets for Chiefs home games are subject to availability and dynamic pricing. Parking can be purchased during the ticket purchase process or in advance of the game at&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.chiefs.com/parking" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com/parking</a>. Advance parking pass purchase is required as cash will not be accepted at the tollgates.The NFL has confirmed that the full 2024 schedule will be unveiled on NFL Network, the NFL App, NFL+ and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nfl.com/" target="_blank">www.NFL.com</a>&nbsp;beginning at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 15. The club will announce its 2024 schedule presented by Ticketmaster on the team’s official&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;(formerly Twitter),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/chiefs" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasCityChiefs/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;channels at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday. Fans can check&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chiefs.com/" target="_blank">www.chiefs.com</a>, the Chiefs Mobile app or the official&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/KansasCityChiefs/videos" target="_blank">Chiefs YouTube</a>&nbsp;page after the schedule release for a special edition of the Defending the Kingdom Podcast breaking down the entire 2024 Chiefs schedule.

Chiefs single-game tickets to go on sale Thursday

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter&nbsp;

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

___________________________________________

On Sunday the Salina Liberty made the long trip to Nashville to battle the Kats and emerged victorious in a 50-30 victory

DeeTray Matthews led a staunch defensive effort with two interceptions aiding Salina in a big win, as the Liberty roll to 2-0 on the season

More locally today marks the official start of regional baseball and softball tournaments across the state of Kansas, and as of Monday morning 16 of our area teams are still alive and battling for tickets to their respective state tournaments.

You can catch two of those games involving three of our teams from Hoisington’s 3A softball regional today, as the Ellsworth Lady Bearcats square off with the Minneapolis Lady Lions at 3:00, and the Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans take on Russell 30 minutes after that.

Both games can be streamed with live audio and video on Salina Post 100% free courtesy of our friends at Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, and Assaria Oil and Hardware

And speaking of Southeast of Saline softball, this year’s Lady Trojans are a special case, with a core of players, and a coach, who have been playing softball together for the better part of 15 years

This will be one last ride for the Salina Adrenaline squad, and to read more about their story head over and <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/59ff81a6-76fd-480a-9fa9-9719e38babb6">check out our full feature on Salina Post.</a>

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

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t33PYgqtajY?si=eNY1MssXl-YadeI-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter&nbsp;Hello and happy Monday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>___________________________________________On Sunday the Salina Liberty made the long trip to Nashville to battle the Kats and emerged victorious in a 50-30 victoryDeeTray Matthews led a staunch defensive effort with two interceptions aiding Salina in a big win, as the Liberty roll to 2-0 on the season___________________________________________More locally today marks the official start of regional baseball and softball tournaments across the state of Kansas, and as of Monday morning 16 of our area teams are still alive and battling for tickets to their respective state tournaments.You can catch two of those games involving three of our teams from Hoisington’s 3A softball regional today, as the Ellsworth Lady Bearcats square off with the Minneapolis Lady Lions at 3:00, and the Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans take on Russell 30 minutes after that.Both games can be streamed with live audio and video on Salina Post 100% free courtesy of our friends at Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, and Assaria Oil and Hardware___________________________________________And speaking of Southeast of Saline softball, this year’s Lady Trojans are a special case, with a core of players, and a coach, who have been playing softball together for the better part of 15 yearsThis will be one last ride for the Salina Adrenaline squad, and to read more about their story head over and <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/59ff81a6-76fd-480a-9fa9-9719e38babb6">check out our full feature on Salina Post.</a>___________________________________________That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out Salina Post and stay tuned to KINA.___________________________________________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — May 13

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Seth Lugo racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts and allowed one run over eight strong innings, and Hunter Renfroe had a two-run single against his former team in the Kansas City Royals' 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Freddie Fermin and Michael Massey also had RBIs during the Royals' four-run fourth inning, and Lugo (6-1) made it stand up as Kansas City took three of four from the Angels.

Lugo allowed five hits while continuing his outstanding start to his first season with the Royals, winning for the AL-best sixth time in eight starts and lowering his ERA to an AL-best 1.66.

“To strike out 12 and only throw 112 pitches, that’s really remarkable,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Just the confidence that you have when he’s out there. He just comes out and it feels like he’s in total control all the time.”

Lugo overcame slight early control issues, retired 11 straight at one point, and didn't walk a batter for the first time all season. The longtime Mets right-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts for Kansas City.

“We were counting on him to be one of the top couple of starters we had,” Quatraro said. “What he’s done so far, I don’t think anybody can bank on that run of starts, but the way he’s done it is really impressive, and he hasn’t wavered. ... I can’t even fathom having nine pitches to choose from, (and) the fact he uses them and they all do something and he can locate all of them.”

Willie Calhoun had an RBI double in the sixth and a solo homer in the ninth for the Halos, who have lost 17 of 23 with a major league-worst 14 players on the injured list.

Los Angeles has lost all six of its series at the Big A this season, failing to win consecutive home games at any point.

Patrick Sandoval (2-6) allowed 11 hits for Los Angeles, but pitched into the seventh inning and only allowed runs during the Royals' fourth-inning rally. Sandoval has lost five of his last seven starts.

“The takeaway from his start is he should be pleased,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “One inning (was bad), and sometimes that happens to you. Sometimes you can recover, and sometimes not. You’ve got to give their pitching staff credit.”

The Royals got five consecutive hits to open the fourth inning. Renfroe, who batted .242 with 19 homers in 126 games for the Angels last season, drove in Nelson Velasquez and Fermin with his bases-loaded single before Massey drove in Dairon Blanco with a sacrifice bunt.

The Angels couldn't get to Lugo until Mickey Moniak singled in the sixth and Calhoun drove him home.

Calhoun capped his three-hit game with his first homer for the Angels, a solo shot off James McArthur in the ninth. McArthur got two more outs to complete his ninth save.

Royals: Brady Singer (3-1, 2.36 ERA) takes the mound in Seattle for the series opener on Monday.

Angels: Jose Soriano (1-4, 4.32 ERA) takes the mound in Anaheim on Monday for the opener of a three-game series with St. Louis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715561666486.png" alt="Seth Lugo racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts and allowed one run over eight strong innings-photo KC Royals" />
 <figcaption>Seth Lugo racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts and allowed one run over eight strong innings-photo KC Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Seth Lugo racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts and allowed one run over eight strong innings, and Hunter Renfroe had a two-run single against his former team in the Kansas City Royals' 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.Freddie Fermin and Michael Massey also had RBIs during the Royals' four-run fourth inning, and Lugo (6-1) made it stand up as Kansas City took three of four from the Angels.Lugo allowed five hits while continuing his outstanding start to his first season with the Royals, winning for the AL-best sixth time in eight starts and lowering his ERA to an AL-best 1.66.“To strike out 12 and only throw 112 pitches, that’s really remarkable,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Just the confidence that you have when he’s out there. He just comes out and it feels like he’s in total control all the time.”Lugo overcame slight early control issues, retired 11 straight at one point, and didn't walk a batter for the first time all season. The longtime Mets right-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts for Kansas City.“We were counting on him to be one of the top couple of starters we had,” Quatraro said. “What he’s done so far, I don’t think anybody can bank on that run of starts, but the way he’s done it is really impressive, and he hasn’t wavered. ... I can’t even fathom having nine pitches to choose from, (and) the fact he uses them and they all do something and he can locate all of them.”Willie Calhoun had an RBI double in the sixth and a solo homer in the ninth for the Halos, who have lost 17 of 23 with a major league-worst 14 players on the injured list.Los Angeles has lost all six of its series at the Big A this season, failing to win consecutive home games at any point.Patrick Sandoval (2-6) allowed 11 hits for Los Angeles, but pitched into the seventh inning and only allowed runs during the Royals' fourth-inning rally. Sandoval has lost five of his last seven starts.“The takeaway from his start is he should be pleased,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “One inning (was bad), and sometimes that happens to you. Sometimes you can recover, and sometimes not. You’ve got to give their pitching staff credit.”The Royals got five consecutive hits to open the fourth inning. Renfroe, who batted .242 with 19 homers in 126 games for the Angels last season, drove in Nelson Velasquez and Fermin with his bases-loaded single before Massey drove in Dairon Blanco with a sacrifice bunt.The Angels couldn't get to Lugo until Mickey Moniak singled in the sixth and Calhoun drove him home.Calhoun capped his three-hit game with his first homer for the Angels, a solo shot off James McArthur in the ninth. McArthur got two more outs to complete his ninth save.UP NEXTRoyals: Brady Singer (3-1, 2.36 ERA) takes the mound in Seattle for the series opener on Monday.Angels: Jose Soriano (1-4, 4.32 ERA) takes the mound in Anaheim on Monday for the opener of a three-game series with St. Louis.

⚾ Lugo dominates with 12 strikeout in Royals' win over Angels

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

This year’s regional and state softball tournaments will see one final chapter written for the Southeast of Saline softball team, but unlike most high school sports stories, this one didn’t begin four years ago.

Every team has its own story to tell, but very few are as long and winding as that of this year’s Lady Trojans, and fewer still pose the possibility of a true fairytale ending.

SES enters this year’s regional bracket as a 1-seed, 19-3 overall, without a single loss to a fellow 3A opponent.

The Lady Trojans have looked dominant on the field, outscoring their opponents 232-37, posting seven shutouts, and rolling through their league with a perfect 10-0 record to capture yet another NCAA title.

While many would consider Southeast to be a strong contender for the 3A crown, this team's story is about so much more than that, and to find its beginning, we have to go back almost two decades.

Pesha Ptacek discovered her love of softball at a young age and wasted no time passing that love on to her oldest daughter Brielle.

“As soon as I had my sonogram and they told me I was having a girl one of my very first thoughts was ‘I need to start a softball team,’” Ptacek recounts. “I wanted her to have an experience similar to what I had growing up.”

Little Brielle spent many of her early days sitting inside of a bucket at Southeast of Saline practice, watching and learning from the team her mom coached.

By the time Brielle was three years old, barely big enough to hold a bat, Coach Ptacek got her wish, coaching Brielle and her friends on a YMCA youth softball team.

What no one could have foreseen was that this team of tiny toddlers, consisting of Lexi Jacobson, Maddie Harris, Brookelyn Adams, Chase Gilpin, Carly Commerford, and Savannah Sutton, would eventually form the core of one of the most formidable softball juggernauts in the state of Kansas.

In the coming years, more mainstays like Bryna Baird, Jayci Burgardt, Aba Pearson, and Adyson Rohr would join the team, and with that, the Salina Adrenaline was born.

When the girls were seven years old, Coach Ptacek took them to their first softball tournament, to try their hand against other teams in the area.

So how did a group of some of the most fearsome future pitchers and hitters in Kansas fare at their first competition?

“I was joking with the girls about this the other day but they had no idea how awful they were in the beginning,” Ptacek said. “At our first-ever tournament, we got run-ruled three times and came straight home.”

Not disheartened in the slightest, Coach Ptacek cooked up a scheme to help her team take a jump and better prepare them for what was to come.

“My philosophy was to pick one thing each season that nobody else was doing to help get us ahead,” she said. “In our first season that was baserunning, in the second season, we started bunting, and from there we worked on fake bunts and slap hits. We wanted to be the first to learn these things to cause frustration and get ahead of the curve.”

In another innovative move, Ptacek and her fellow coaches allowed those interested in pitching to start learning the art long before they would be able to pitch in a real game, throwing balls of rolled-up socks against the wall to practice form and footwork.

All of this worked like a charm, and by the time the team entered middle school, a squad that didn’t win a single game in their first local tournament, was competing and winning larger tournaments across the region.

“Our growth was so gradual that I can’t tell you when we got good,” Ptacek said. “We really weren’t good when we started but we grew to be alright and eventually we grew to be really good.”

As the team steadily improved on the field, something far more important had happened behind the scenes — this group of young girls, and their coach, brought together by their love of a simple game, was no longer just a team, they had become a family.

Every triumphant victory, every heartbreaking defeat, every shattered pair of bright pink sunglasses, skinned knee, and scare of a deceased umpire who was, in actuality, just asleep, brought this group closer together.

“I have learned more from them than they’ve learned from me,” Ptacek said. “I’m a better coach because I got to start from the beginning with them. I’m very aware that there are things I did right and things I did wrong but we all had the luxury of growing together.”

Ptacek, who took a hiatus as head softball coach at SES, planned to hand the gift of these girls to some lucky coach when they entered their freshman year.&nbsp;

That was the plan, but as fate would have it, she would be the lucky one, resuming her post at Southeast before a single member of the Adrenaline entered ninth grade.

“I was excited to get this group at this level,” she said. “We knew they were talented kiddos, but I think the pressure to perform right away was very high.”

In their first two years playing together at the high school level, the team finished 16-6, with two losses in the regional semifinals.

Last year, SES finally broke through, finishing 22-4 and punching a ticket to state where they won their quarterfinal matchup, and finished fourth in Class 3A.

Despite all the success that this team and many of its individuals found, not one of its seven seniors will move on to play at the next level, and with the Adrenaline choosing to forego a final summer season, this will be one last ride in every sense of the word.

While that finality could create unwanted pressure, the Lady Trojan dugout had found peace knowing that no matter what happens in the coming weeks, the team has already achieved what it set out to do.

“This group is special because we’ve done all this together,” Ptacek said. “The goal was never college scholarships, the goal was to find girls who love the game of softball and want to pass that love on.”

Every family eventually sees its members leave the nest to pursue their own dreams, but by blood or by water, families like this one, founded not only on a common love of the game but of one another, tend to stand the test of time.

“These girls have been like a second group of daughters to me,” Ptacek said. “While I’m thankful for the time I’ve gotten to spend with my own daughter, I’m also grateful to all the other parents for the time I’ve gotten to spend with theirs. I’m so thankful that they trusted me to grow with them and the sacrifices they’ve made is not lost on me. Experiences like this tend to tie people together, but I will deeply miss the time that I’ve gotten spent with these girls.”

Southeast of Saline will open postseason play this Monday when they take on Russell in the quarterfinal round of this year’s Hoisington regional.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715526498695.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThis year’s regional and state softball tournaments will see one final chapter written for the Southeast of Saline softball team, but unlike most high school sports stories, this one didn’t begin four years ago.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Every team has its own story to tell, but very few are as long and winding as that of this year’s Lady Trojans, and fewer still pose the possibility of a true fairytale ending.SES enters this year’s regional bracket as a 1-seed, 19-3 overall, without a single loss to a fellow 3A opponent.The Lady Trojans have looked dominant on the field, outscoring their opponents 232-37, posting seven shutouts, and rolling through their league with a perfect 10-0 record to capture yet another NCAA title.While many would consider Southeast to be a strong contender for the 3A crown, this team's story is about so much more than that, and to find its beginning, we have to go back almost two decades.Pesha Ptacek discovered her love of softball at a young age and wasted no time passing that love on to her oldest daughter Brielle.“As soon as I had my sonogram and they told me I was having a girl one of my very first thoughts was ‘I need to start a softball team,’” Ptacek recounts. “I wanted her to have an experience similar to what I had growing up.”Little Brielle spent many of her early days sitting inside of a bucket at Southeast of Saline practice, watching and learning from the team her mom coached.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715526372256.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By the time Brielle was three years old, barely big enough to hold a bat, Coach Ptacek got her wish, coaching Brielle and her friends on a YMCA youth softball team.What no one could have foreseen was that this team of tiny toddlers, consisting of Lexi Jacobson, Maddie Harris, Brookelyn Adams, Chase Gilpin, Carly Commerford, and Savannah Sutton, would eventually form the core of one of the most formidable softball juggernauts in the state of Kansas.In the coming years, more mainstays like Bryna Baird, Jayci Burgardt, Aba Pearson, and Adyson Rohr would join the team, and with that, the Salina Adrenaline was born.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715525537805.jpeg" alt="The original YMCA/Knights of Columbus softball team flexes before a game" />
 <figcaption>The original YMCA/Knights of Columbus softball team flexes before a game</figcaption>
 </figure>When the girls were seven years old, Coach Ptacek took them to their first softball tournament, to try their hand against other teams in the area.So how did a group of some of the most fearsome future pitchers and hitters in Kansas fare at their first competition?It turns out, not well.“I was joking with the girls about this the other day but they had no idea how awful they were in the beginning,” Ptacek said. “At our first-ever tournament, we got run-ruled three times and came straight home.”Not disheartened in the slightest, Coach Ptacek cooked up a scheme to help her team take a jump and better prepare them for what was to come.“My philosophy was to pick one thing each season that nobody else was doing to help get us ahead,” she said. “In our first season that was baserunning, in the second season, we started bunting, and from there we worked on fake bunts and slap hits. We wanted to be the first to learn these things to cause frustration and get ahead of the curve.”In another innovative move, Ptacek and her fellow coaches allowed those interested in pitching to start learning the art long before they would be able to pitch in a real game, throwing balls of rolled-up socks against the wall to practice form and footwork.All of this worked like a charm, and by the time the team entered middle school, a squad that didn’t win a single game in their first local tournament, was competing and winning larger tournaments across the region.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715525600688.jpeg" alt="The Salina Adrenaline proudly holds up a banner after a regional tournament victory." />
 <figcaption>The Salina Adrenaline proudly holds up a banner after a regional tournament victory.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Our growth was so gradual that I can’t tell you when we got good,” Ptacek said. “We really weren’t good when we started but we grew to be alright and eventually we grew to be really good.”As the team steadily improved on the field, something far more important had happened behind the scenes — this group of young girls, and their coach, brought together by their love of a simple game, was no longer just a team, they had become a family.Every triumphant victory, every heartbreaking defeat, every shattered pair of bright pink sunglasses, skinned knee, and scare of a deceased umpire who was, in actuality, just asleep, brought this group closer together.“I have learned more from them than they’ve learned from me,” Ptacek said. “I’m a better coach because I got to start from the beginning with them. I’m very aware that there are things I did right and things I did wrong but we all had the luxury of growing together.”Ptacek, who took a hiatus as head softball coach at SES, planned to hand the gift of these girls to some lucky coach when they entered their freshman year.&nbsp;That was the plan, but as fate would have it, she would be the lucky one, resuming her post at Southeast before a single member of the Adrenaline entered ninth grade.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715525718852.jpeg" alt="Members of the Salina Adrenaline and Southeast of Saline softball teams pose for a photo together" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Salina Adrenaline and Southeast of Saline softball teams pose for a photo together</figcaption>
 </figure>“I was excited to get this group at this level,” she said. “We knew they were talented kiddos, but I think the pressure to perform right away was very high.”In their first two years playing together at the high school level, the team finished 16-6, with two losses in the regional semifinals.Last year, SES finally broke through, finishing 22-4 and punching a ticket to state where they won their quarterfinal matchup, and finished fourth in Class 3A.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715525905538.jpeg" alt="A team photo of the 2023 Lady Trojans, complete with the full core of the Salina Adrenaline" />
 <figcaption>A team photo of the 2023 Lady Trojans, complete with the full core of the Salina Adrenaline</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite all the success that this team and many of its individuals found, not one of its seven seniors will move on to play at the next level, and with the Adrenaline choosing to forego a final summer season, this will be one last ride in every sense of the word.While that finality could create unwanted pressure, the Lady Trojan dugout had found peace knowing that no matter what happens in the coming weeks, the team has already achieved what it set out to do.“This group is special because we’ve done all this together,” Ptacek said. “The goal was never college scholarships, the goal was to find girls who love the game of softball and want to pass that love on.”Every family eventually sees its members leave the nest to pursue their own dreams, but by blood or by water, families like this one, founded not only on a common love of the game but of one another, tend to stand the test of time.“These girls have been like a second group of daughters to me,” Ptacek said. “While I’m thankful for the time I’ve gotten to spend with my own daughter, I’m also grateful to all the other parents for the time I’ve gotten to spend with theirs. I’m so thankful that they trusted me to grow with them and the sacrifices they’ve made is not lost on me. Experiences like this tend to tie people together, but I will deeply miss the time that I’ve gotten spent with these girls.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715525509172.jpeg" alt="The Salina Adrenaline, adorned with tournament medals, lifts Coach Ptacek after another successful outing" />
 <figcaption>The Salina Adrenaline, adorned with tournament medals, lifts Coach Ptacek after another successful outing</figcaption>
 </figure>Southeast of Saline will open postseason play this Monday when they take on Russell in the quarterfinal round of this year’s Hoisington regional.

Pure Adrenaline — A Southeast Softball Story

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jo Adell hit a three-run homer and Kevin Pillar had three hits and three RBIs in the Los Angeles Angels' 9-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.

Logan O’Hoppe had a two-run double during a four-run seventh for the Angels, who won for only the sixth time in 22 games.

“We put some good at-bats together in some situations where we certainly needed it,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “We just want to learn how to sustain it, and if they can sustain it, we can become a very consistent team because we've got some kids out there that are growing.”

Tyler Anderson (3-4) yielded three runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 effective innings for the Halos, ending his five-start winless skid. The left-hander retired 12 straight at one point.

“It's good (to get a victory), but it's a team game, and we're doing a good job staying in a lot of these games,” Anderson said.

Salvador Pérez had an early RBI double for the Royals, whose three-game winning streak ended.

Cole Ragans (2-3) allowed eight hits and seven runs over 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City, recording a season-low three strikeouts in his first loss in four starts.

“I think his delivery looked a little bit out of whack, and I think it affected his command,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “His stuff was good. He got into a groove there after the third and kept us in the game. We felt good that he had plenty of pitches (left), but he just didn't execute as well as he would have liked there in the seventh.”

Bobby Witt Jr. singled, stole second and scored on Pérez’s double down the left field line in the first, but Pillar led off the Angels' second with a triple when MJ Melendez misplayed his drive to left.

Adell connected two batters later with a 419-foot shot. The long-hyped prospect could be finding a groove in the majors after a half-decade of false starts, hitting three homers in his last four games and seven this season.

“It all goes back to my decisions in the box and what I swing at,” Adell said.

Cole Tucker, Taylor Ward and Pillar then strung together consecutive singles in the third, and Ward scored on a wild pitch to put the Angels up 5-1.

“Obviously not the best,” Ragans said of his start. “Made some mistakes. Felt like a few times I made some good pitches (and) they hit them hard. A few times, left some pitches over the plate. Fell behind quite a bit, I felt like. Yeah, just not the best.”

After Witt singled home Maikel Garcia in the sixth, the Royals chased Anderson with Kyle Isbel's soft RBI single in the seventh. Angels reliever Adam Cimber escaped a tight jam for the second straight night, allowing no runs for the 15th time in his last 16 appearances.

“Cimber is the man,” Anderson said. “We all love him. If there's nobody on, if there's people on, we just like it when he's in the game.”

Pillar then dropped a bases-loaded, two-out single inside the line in right field in the seventh off reliever Nick Anderson, and O'Hoppe followed with a double to left.

Pillar was designated for assignment by the White Sox last month, and he made his Angels debut May 1, shortly after Mike Trout's knee injury. The veteran is off to a solid start back in his native Los Angeles area,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/angels-pirates-score-2ad1c37dcd60efc77de0c04830d08848">hitting two homers and driving in six runs</a>&nbsp;in a win at Pittsburgh earlier this week.

Kansas City's Seth Lugo (5-1, 1.92 ERA) goes for his sixth victory in his last eight starts when the takes the mound in the series finale against the Angels' Patrick Sandoval (2-5, 4.85 ERA), the beneficiary of Pillar's six-RBI game in Pittsburgh.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715488127138.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell, left, celebrates as he rounds first after hitting a three-run home run while Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino watches during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" />
 <figcaption>Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell, left, celebrates as he rounds first after hitting a three-run home run while Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino watches during the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)</figcaption>
 </figure>ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jo Adell hit a three-run homer and Kevin Pillar had three hits and three RBIs in the Los Angeles Angels' 9-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.Logan O’Hoppe had a two-run double during a four-run seventh for the Angels, who won for only the sixth time in 22 games.“We put some good at-bats together in some situations where we certainly needed it,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “We just want to learn how to sustain it, and if they can sustain it, we can become a very consistent team because we've got some kids out there that are growing.”Tyler Anderson (3-4) yielded three runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 effective innings for the Halos, ending his five-start winless skid. The left-hander retired 12 straight at one point.“It's good (to get a victory), but it's a team game, and we're doing a good job staying in a lot of these games,” Anderson said.Salvador Pérez had an early RBI double for the Royals, whose three-game winning streak ended.Cole Ragans (2-3) allowed eight hits and seven runs over 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City, recording a season-low three strikeouts in his first loss in four starts.“I think his delivery looked a little bit out of whack, and I think it affected his command,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “His stuff was good. He got into a groove there after the third and kept us in the game. We felt good that he had plenty of pitches (left), but he just didn't execute as well as he would have liked there in the seventh.”Bobby Witt Jr. singled, stole second and scored on Pérez’s double down the left field line in the first, but Pillar led off the Angels' second with a triple when MJ Melendez misplayed his drive to left.Adell connected two batters later with a 419-foot shot. The long-hyped prospect could be finding a groove in the majors after a half-decade of false starts, hitting three homers in his last four games and seven this season.“It all goes back to my decisions in the box and what I swing at,” Adell said.Cole Tucker, Taylor Ward and Pillar then strung together consecutive singles in the third, and Ward scored on a wild pitch to put the Angels up 5-1.“Obviously not the best,” Ragans said of his start. “Made some mistakes. Felt like a few times I made some good pitches (and) they hit them hard. A few times, left some pitches over the plate. Fell behind quite a bit, I felt like. Yeah, just not the best.”After Witt singled home Maikel Garcia in the sixth, the Royals chased Anderson with Kyle Isbel's soft RBI single in the seventh. Angels reliever Adam Cimber escaped a tight jam for the second straight night, allowing no runs for the 15th time in his last 16 appearances.“Cimber is the man,” Anderson said. “We all love him. If there's nobody on, if there's people on, we just like it when he's in the game.”Pillar then dropped a bases-loaded, two-out single inside the line in right field in the seventh off reliever Nick Anderson, and O'Hoppe followed with a double to left.Pillar was designated for assignment by the White Sox last month, and he made his Angels debut May 1, shortly after Mike Trout's knee injury. The veteran is off to a solid start back in his native Los Angeles area,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/angels-pirates-score-2ad1c37dcd60efc77de0c04830d08848">hitting two homers and driving in six runs</a>&nbsp;in a win at Pittsburgh earlier this week.UP NEXTKansas City's Seth Lugo (5-1, 1.92 ERA) goes for his sixth victory in his last eight starts when the takes the mound in the series finale against the Angels' Patrick Sandoval (2-5, 4.85 ERA), the beneficiary of Pillar's six-RBI game in Pittsburgh.

⚾ Jo Adell's 3-run homer leads the Angels past the Royals 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Adam Frazier hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 2-1 victory over the hapless Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

MJ Melendez delivered a one-out single off Angels closer Carlos Estévez (0-2) before Frazier put his first homer in 31 games this season into the short porch in right field. Frazier, who got two hits to boost his average to .188, hadn't homered in 74 games since last July 30 with Baltimore.

“I've been working on a lot of different things,” Frazier said. “I probably changed ideas 10 times today, to be honest. ... The last couple of at-bats, just kind of relaxed and let the hands take over. Just tried to get the body out of the way and swing easy.”

Melendez had three hits for Kansas City, which has won three straight and seven of 10. Tyler Duffey (1-0) pitched the eighth to earn his first victory since 2022.

Jo Adell homered and Griffin Canning pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the Angels, who have lost 16 of 21 after Estévez's third blown save in his last six opportunities.

Matt Thaiss got a one-out double off John Schreiber in the bottom of the ninth, but Schreiber got two grounders to wrap up his first save of the season with his new team.

Alec Marsh struck out seven while pitching one-run ball into the sixth inning in his return from injury, but the Royals were two outs away from their second shutout loss of the season before they came back. Marsh hadn’t pitched since getting hit in the elbow by a comebacker on April 25.

“We were in it the whole time,” Marsh said. “No one thought we were losing that game. ... That's what you live for right there — coming back in those games and sneaking those wins out. The bats didn't show up for the first couple of innings, but this team has got so much fight. Doesn't matter if it's the beginning of the game or the ending of the game. If we score, we're going to win.”

The Angels got a big game from Adell, who made a diving catch on Michael Massey's line drive in the top of the fifth. He hit his sixth homer of the season several minutes later, driving a 436-foot shot off the artificial rock formation beyond the center field fence at the Big A.

Canning came through with his best start in a rocky season, holding the Royals to three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

“I don’t think the at-bats were poor,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “You’ve got to tip your cap to Canning. Looked like the changeup was really giving us trouble. He was getting it down below the barrel, and then the balls we did square up, Adell made a great play on Massey. That's a leadoff double, maybe triple. Who knows?"

After reliever Adam Cimber escaped Canning's sixth-inning jam by striking out Massey, Matt Moore and Luis García each threw a scoreless inning before Estévez blew it.

Niko Goodrum drew a walk and stole a base in his debut with the Angels, who claimed him off waivers from Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Luis Guillorme doubled in his second game with the Angels, who have added several stopgap veterans to fill the injury holes left by Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, Brandon Drury, Luis Rengifo and Miguel Sano.

Royals: LHP Daniel Lynch was sent back to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Marsh, who came off the 15-day injured list.

Angels: INF Ehire Adrianza went on the 10-day injured list with back spasms. The move is retroactive to Thursday.

LHP Tyler Anderson (2-4, 2.74 ERA) takes the mound for Los Angeles in the third game of the series Saturday, facing Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.38 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715405790300.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto (9) steals second ahead of a throw to Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto (9) steals second ahead of a throw to Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Adam Frazier hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 2-1 victory over the hapless Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.MJ Melendez delivered a one-out single off Angels closer Carlos Estévez (0-2) before Frazier put his first homer in 31 games this season into the short porch in right field. Frazier, who got two hits to boost his average to .188, hadn't homered in 74 games since last July 30 with Baltimore.“I've been working on a lot of different things,” Frazier said. “I probably changed ideas 10 times today, to be honest. ... The last couple of at-bats, just kind of relaxed and let the hands take over. Just tried to get the body out of the way and swing easy.”Melendez had three hits for Kansas City, which has won three straight and seven of 10. Tyler Duffey (1-0) pitched the eighth to earn his first victory since 2022.Jo Adell homered and Griffin Canning pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the Angels, who have lost 16 of 21 after Estévez's third blown save in his last six opportunities.Matt Thaiss got a one-out double off John Schreiber in the bottom of the ninth, but Schreiber got two grounders to wrap up his first save of the season with his new team.Alec Marsh struck out seven while pitching one-run ball into the sixth inning in his return from injury, but the Royals were two outs away from their second shutout loss of the season before they came back. Marsh hadn’t pitched since getting hit in the elbow by a comebacker on April 25.“We were in it the whole time,” Marsh said. “No one thought we were losing that game. ... That's what you live for right there — coming back in those games and sneaking those wins out. The bats didn't show up for the first couple of innings, but this team has got so much fight. Doesn't matter if it's the beginning of the game or the ending of the game. If we score, we're going to win.”The Angels got a big game from Adell, who made a diving catch on Michael Massey's line drive in the top of the fifth. He hit his sixth homer of the season several minutes later, driving a 436-foot shot off the artificial rock formation beyond the center field fence at the Big A.Canning came through with his best start in a rocky season, holding the Royals to three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.“I don’t think the at-bats were poor,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “You’ve got to tip your cap to Canning. Looked like the changeup was really giving us trouble. He was getting it down below the barrel, and then the balls we did square up, Adell made a great play on Massey. That's a leadoff double, maybe triple. Who knows?"After reliever Adam Cimber escaped Canning's sixth-inning jam by striking out Massey, Matt Moore and Luis García each threw a scoreless inning before Estévez blew it.Niko Goodrum drew a walk and stole a base in his debut with the Angels, who claimed him off waivers from Tampa Bay on Thursday.Luis Guillorme doubled in his second game with the Angels, who have added several stopgap veterans to fill the injury holes left by Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, Brandon Drury, Luis Rengifo and Miguel Sano.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: LHP Daniel Lynch was sent back to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Marsh, who came off the 15-day injured list.Angels: INF Ehire Adrianza went on the 10-day injured list with back spasms. The move is retroactive to Thursday.UP NEXTLHP Tyler Anderson (2-4, 2.74 ERA) takes the mound for Los Angeles in the third game of the series Saturday, facing Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-2, 3.38 ERA).

⚾ Adam Frazier hits 2-run homer in the 9th as Royals top the Angels

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a0d705bb-d8fc-485f-b3e8-5609af70fce4?elinkdata=10042">Bill Neale</a> wants his Kansas Wesleyan baseball team to do one thing well above all else as the Coyotes begin play in the NAIA Opening Round.

"Just be us, don't make the situation bigger than what it is," said Neale as KWU prepares for its opening game against No. 18-ranked Concordia (Nebraska) at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pilot Field on the Louisiana State-Shreveport campus. "Just continue to play games the way that we played games this year with that loose mentality and not putting too much emphasis on it. Don't worry about the other team across the field. I think the only team that can beat us is us."

The Coyotes (45-10) are ranked 20th in the NAIA and are the third seed in the bracket. Concordia (41-13) is the second seed and LSU-Shreveport (42-2) the top seed and ranked fourth in the NAIA. Talladega (38-15) is the bracket's fourth seed and plays fifth-seeded Blue Mountain Christian (31-21) in Tuesday's first game at 11 a.m.

KWU won the Kansas Conference title for the second consecutive season and was second in the KCAC Tournament, losing to Oklahoma Wesleyan 6-4 Sunday in Great Bend.

Neale hopes a week off will benefit his squad.

"We struggled a bit offensively at the at the conference tournament but I think we're pitching it at a high level," he said. "We've got a few guys a little banged up so if they get healthy by Monday I like our chances."

Hitting has been the Coyotes' forte this season with a .328 team batting average and they're scoring just under 10 runs a game. They have bashed 124 home runs.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1413b007-68bf-4b1a-ab59-67fb5d060087?elinkdata=10042">Jarrett Gable</a> leads the way with a .401 average and has a team-best 74 runs batted in. Seven other Coyotes are batting at least .302 including <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d550f89-7087-4a8a-8375-3b8986dd23bc?elinkdata=10042">Jacob Williamson</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4882c138-c885-48a6-a8bd-db1b5915b1be?elinkdata=10042">Reece Bishop</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3b56d6c9-42dc-4598-8343-4e791a1ef472?elinkdata=10042">Cruz Oxford</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6c3acc89-69bb-4cd3-aba8-696b2a732bd1?elinkdata=10042">Kendall Foster</a>, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7285ed14-95c6-46e9-83f1-8a805b21e39b?elinkdata=10042">Tyler Favretto</a>. All five have also driven more than 50 runs apiece. Foster has a team-best 22 home runs followed by Gable with 18 and Williamson 16.

The pitching staff has a 4.30 team earned run average and opposing batters are hitting just .244. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/76bb6475-7bc4-4e06-b530-b487dbafcd3f?elinkdata=10042">Jarrett Brannen</a>, who will likely start Tuesday's game, is 11-1 with a 3.31 ERA. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3bb1061b-2b79-45d4-818e-1d59347faa42?elinkdata=10042">Brett Maddock</a> is 8-2 with a 5.76 ERA and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2dfbd5a1-a5fa-4035-8447-6ca8d79b4c5e?elinkdata=10042">Thalen Wright</a> 7-3 and 5.22. In the bullpen <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/266f2237-ccb5-454e-9691-5eca8f13fcac?elinkdata=10042">Ritter Steinmann</a> is 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 26 appearances and closer <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fb0b32ca-71b6-45bb-a5f6-7a8b18ff1056?elinkdata=10042">Ryan Sandoval</a> has a team-high eight saves and 3.94 ERA.

Neale is confident his team is equipped to handle the emotional stress of playing in the national tournament. KWU is playing in its third consecutive Opening Round.

"One good thing is we brought in a lot of kids from winning programs," he said. "So, whether it's the NAIA Opening Round or playing for the juco national championship out in California ... a lot of our guys have played in these pressure situations. And obviously we have guys who have been here in the Opening Round and can give our guys some advice."

Concordia shared the Great Plains Athletic Conference title with Doane then defeated Doane 5-1 in the conference tournament championship Tuesday.

The Bulldogs have a .326 team batting average, score just under nine runs a game, have hit 109 home runs, and have a 4.40 team ERA. They swept a doubleheader from KWU 14-5 and 5-2 on February 20 at Dean Evans Stadium.

"They're good, they're all junior college transfers so they're always older," Neale said. "They've got the all-time NAIA home run leader in Joey Grabanski (24 homers this spring), their third baseman (Jaidan Quinn) is good (26 homers) and they've got some good arms. They like to run which probably isn't the best for us."

The winner will play the Talladega-Blue Mountain Christian winner at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday while the loser will play the Talladega-BMC loser in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Play concludes Thursday; a second championship game is slated for Friday if necessary.

The Shreveport bracket winner advances to the AVISTA NAIA World Series on May 24-31 at Lewiston, Idaho.

"It should be a lot of fun," Neale said. "We're excited for the challenge."

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana - <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a0d705bb-d8fc-485f-b3e8-5609af70fce4?elinkdata=10042">Bill Neale</a> wants his Kansas Wesleyan baseball team to do one thing well above all else as the Coyotes begin play in the NAIA Opening Round."Just be us, don't make the situation bigger than what it is," said Neale as KWU prepares for its opening game against No. 18-ranked Concordia (Nebraska) at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pilot Field on the Louisiana State-Shreveport campus. "Just continue to play games the way that we played games this year with that loose mentality and not putting too much emphasis on it. Don't worry about the other team across the field. I think the only team that can beat us is us."The Coyotes (45-10) are ranked 20th in the NAIA and are the third seed in the bracket. Concordia (41-13) is the second seed and LSU-Shreveport (42-2) the top seed and ranked fourth in the NAIA. Talladega (38-15) is the bracket's fourth seed and plays fifth-seeded Blue Mountain Christian (31-21) in Tuesday's first game at 11 a.m.KWU won the Kansas Conference title for the second consecutive season and was second in the KCAC Tournament, losing to Oklahoma Wesleyan 6-4 Sunday in Great Bend.Neale hopes a week off will benefit his squad."We struggled a bit offensively at the at the conference tournament but I think we're pitching it at a high level," he said. "We've got a few guys a little banged up so if they get healthy by Monday I like our chances."Hitting has been the Coyotes' forte this season with a .328 team batting average and they're scoring just under 10 runs a game. They have bashed 124 home runs.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1413b007-68bf-4b1a-ab59-67fb5d060087?elinkdata=10042">Jarrett Gable</a> leads the way with a .401 average and has a team-best 74 runs batted in. Seven other Coyotes are batting at least .302 including <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d550f89-7087-4a8a-8375-3b8986dd23bc?elinkdata=10042">Jacob Williamson</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4882c138-c885-48a6-a8bd-db1b5915b1be?elinkdata=10042">Reece Bishop</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3b56d6c9-42dc-4598-8343-4e791a1ef472?elinkdata=10042">Cruz Oxford</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6c3acc89-69bb-4cd3-aba8-696b2a732bd1?elinkdata=10042">Kendall Foster</a>, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7285ed14-95c6-46e9-83f1-8a805b21e39b?elinkdata=10042">Tyler Favretto</a>. All five have also driven more than 50 runs apiece. Foster has a team-best 22 home runs followed by Gable with 18 and Williamson 16.The pitching staff has a 4.30 team earned run average and opposing batters are hitting just .244. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/76bb6475-7bc4-4e06-b530-b487dbafcd3f?elinkdata=10042">Jarrett Brannen</a>, who will likely start Tuesday's game, is 11-1 with a 3.31 ERA. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3bb1061b-2b79-45d4-818e-1d59347faa42?elinkdata=10042">Brett Maddock</a> is 8-2 with a 5.76 ERA and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2dfbd5a1-a5fa-4035-8447-6ca8d79b4c5e?elinkdata=10042">Thalen Wright</a> 7-3 and 5.22. In the bullpen <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/266f2237-ccb5-454e-9691-5eca8f13fcac?elinkdata=10042">Ritter Steinmann</a> is 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 26 appearances and closer <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fb0b32ca-71b6-45bb-a5f6-7a8b18ff1056?elinkdata=10042">Ryan Sandoval</a> has a team-high eight saves and 3.94 ERA.Neale is confident his team is equipped to handle the emotional stress of playing in the national tournament. KWU is playing in its third consecutive Opening Round."One good thing is we brought in a lot of kids from winning programs," he said. "So, whether it's the NAIA Opening Round or playing for the juco national championship out in California ... a lot of our guys have played in these pressure situations. And obviously we have guys who have been here in the Opening Round and can give our guys some advice."Concordia shared the Great Plains Athletic Conference title with Doane then defeated Doane 5-1 in the conference tournament championship Tuesday.The Bulldogs have a .326 team batting average, score just under nine runs a game, have hit 109 home runs, and have a 4.40 team ERA. They swept a doubleheader from KWU 14-5 and 5-2 on February 20 at Dean Evans Stadium."They're good, they're all junior college transfers so they're always older," Neale said. "They've got the all-time NAIA home run leader in Joey Grabanski (24 homers this spring), their third baseman (Jaidan Quinn) is good (26 homers) and they've got some good arms. They like to run which probably isn't the best for us."The winner will play the Talladega-Blue Mountain Christian winner at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday while the loser will play the Talladega-BMC loser in an elimination game at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Play concludes Thursday; a second championship game is slated for Friday if necessary.The Shreveport bracket winner advances to the AVISTA NAIA World Series on May 24-31 at Lewiston, Idaho."It should be a lot of fun," Neale said. "We're excited for the challenge."

Coyotes ready for NAIA Opening Round Challenge

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

The Southeast of Saline baseball team steamrolled Sylvan Lucas in Thursday’s quarterfinals, eliminating the Mustangs in a 15-0 drubbing in Ellsworth.

With this win, the Trojans (14-9) advance to the semifinals to face Ellsworth (15-4) while Sylvan-Lucas’ season draws to a close at 6-12.

SES wasted no time triggering a mercy-rule victory, scoring nine runs in the first, five in the second, and one more in the fourth to close the contest early.

On the hill, Treytan Olson and Killian Vaughn looked unhittable, splitting four scoreless innings, and allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out five.

At the plate, the whole platoon got in on the fun, with twelve different Trojans recording at least one at-bat, and eight members of the order posting at least one hit in the win.

Southeast will have the weekend off to prepare for the Bearcats, who manhandled Minneapolis by an identical 15-0 score on Thursday.

The two teams shared second place in the NCAA, splitting their season series with a 5-0 Ellsworth victory, and a 13-0 SES win back in April.

First pitch for this semifinal contest is scheduled for 2:00 at Marysville High School next Tuesday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline baseball team steamrolled Sylvan Lucas in Thursday’s quarterfinals, eliminating the Mustangs in a 15-0 drubbing in Ellsworth.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>With this win, the Trojans (14-9) advance to the semifinals to face Ellsworth (15-4) while Sylvan-Lucas’ season draws to a close at 6-12.SES wasted no time triggering a mercy-rule victory, scoring nine runs in the first, five in the second, and one more in the fourth to close the contest early.On the hill, Treytan Olson and Killian Vaughn looked unhittable, splitting four scoreless innings, and allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out five.At the plate, the whole platoon got in on the fun, with twelve different Trojans recording at least one at-bat, and eight members of the order posting at least one hit in the win.Southeast will have the weekend off to prepare for the Bearcats, who manhandled Minneapolis by an identical 15-0 score on Thursday.The two teams shared second place in the NCAA, splitting their season series with a 5-0 Ellsworth victory, and a 13-0 SES win back in April.First pitch for this semifinal contest is scheduled for 2:00 at Marysville High School next Tuesday.

⚾️ Trojans steamroll Sylvan-Lucas, advance to regional semis

The Southeast of Saline track and field teams posted another strong showing at this year's NCAA league meet, with the boys team winning for another consecutive year, and the girls finishing runner-up.

On the boy's side, this meet was never a contest as SES racked up 250 points, 120 more than their next closest competition in Beloit.

Beloit would take home another league title on the girls' side, but the Lady Trojans posted a strong showing, scoring 133 points on the day in a second-place finish.

You can find team results, as well as all of Southeast's individual podium finishers below.

Boys team results 1. SE of Saline- 250 2. Beloit- 129.5 3. Minneapolis- 59.5 4. Republic County- 50 5. Ellsworth- 26

Girls team results 1. Beloit- 214 2. SE of Saline- 133 3. Sacred Heart- 95 4. Ellsworth- 51 5. Republic County- 40 6. Minneapolis- 8

Caden Parry 1st 100m hurdles 1st 300m hurdles 2nd triple jump

Tate Nurnberg 1st high jump 1st triple jump

Malachi Hopkins 2nd 110m hurdles 2nd long jump

Nathan Friesen 2nd 100m dash 2nd 200m dash

Team 1st 4x100m relay 1st 4x800m relay

Elliana Smith 1st 100m hurdles 1st 300m hurdles 1st high jump

Team 1st 4x400m relay 1st 4x800m relay

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline track and field teams posted another strong showing at this year's NCAA league meet, with the boys team winning for another consecutive year, and the girls finishing runner-up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>On the boy's side, this meet was never a contest as SES racked up 250 points, 120 more than their next closest competition in Beloit.Beloit would take home another league title on the girls' side, but the Lady Trojans posted a strong showing, scoring 133 points on the day in a second-place finish.You can find team results, as well as all of Southeast's individual podium finishers below.Boys team results 1. SE of Saline- 250 2. Beloit- 129.5 3. Minneapolis- 59.5 4. Republic County- 50 5. Ellsworth- 26Girls team results 1. Beloit- 214 2. SE of Saline- 133 3. Sacred Heart- 95 4. Ellsworth- 51 5. Republic County- 40 6. Minneapolis- 8SES boys podium finishersCaden Parry 1st 100m hurdles 1st 300m hurdles 2nd triple jumpTate Nurnberg 1st high jump 1st triple jumpCayden Walker 1st 1600 3rd 3200Owen Bailey
 1st 400mJacob Bircher 1st 800mLevi Allen 1st 3200Tucker Thaxton 1st long jumpMalachi Hopkins 2nd 110m hurdles 2nd long jumpBrayden Walker 2nd 800m 2nd 3200Nathan Friesen 2nd 100m dash 2nd 200m dashBen Grauerholz 2nd 1600Tanner Schroeder 3rd discusKeaton Blake 3rd javelinTeam 1st 4x100m relay 1st 4x800m relaySES girls podium finishersElliana Smith 1st 100m hurdles 1st 300m hurdles 1st high jumpRegan Duran
 1st 100m dashKarlee Zurfluh 1st 100m dash Anna Jackson 1st 3200Christina Wingo 1st triple jumpPiper Brown 2nd 800mCali Augustine 3rd 800mTeam 1st 4x400m relay 1st 4x800m relay

Trojan Track Posts 1-2 finish at NCAA League Meet

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;continued to build his backcourt for the 2024-25 season with the signing of transfer guard&nbsp;Max Jones&nbsp;(Clearwater, Fla./ Clearwater/University of Tampa/Cal State Fullerton)&nbsp;to a Financial Aid Agreement on Friday afternoon (May 10).

A 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard, Jones arrives at K-State with valuable playing experience, including 2 seasons at Division II University of Tampa (2020-22) in his home state of Florida before 2 seasons (2022-24) at Cal State Fullerton. He has scored nearly 1,400 career points in 84 career games with 81 starts in his playing career, connecting on 43.2 percent (436-of-1009) from the field, including 36.3 percent (134-of-369) from 3-point range, and 79.9 percent (378-of-473) from the free throw line. He has 26 20-point games and 6 30-point games in his career, including a high 39 points at Florida Tech on March 16, 2021, while playing at Tampa.

“It’s always a great day to be a Wildcat and we’re excited to welcome Max and his family to K-State,” said head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang. “Max is a proven and versatile shot maker. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and is in attack mode on both ends of the floor at all times.”

Jones was the 2021 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Freshman of the Year, a two-time First Team All-Sunshine State Conference (2021, 2022) as well as a 2022 D2CCA All-Region Team member while at Tampa, where he averaged 22.1 points on 45.4 percent (203-of-447) shooting while playing in just 28 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was selected All-Big West Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2022-23 at Cal State Fullerton, where he was second on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg.), assists (2.2 apg.), steals (0.9 spg.) and minutes (31.9 mpg.) en route to helping the Titans to a 20-win season and the Big West Championship game.

This past season, Jones upped his scoring average by nearly 3 points per game, averaging 15.3 points on 38.3 percent (103-of-269) shooting, including 38.5 percent (42-of-109) from 3-point range, while playing in 24 games with 21 starts. His scoring average ranked 11th&nbsp;in the Big West, including second on the team. He posted 6 20-point games, including a season-best 30 points at Nebraska on Nov. 26, 2023, that included 5 3-pointers. He also ranked third in the conference in steals (1.7 spg.), posting at least 3 in 6 games.

In his 2 seasons at Cal State Fullerton, Jones averaged 13.7 points on 41.5 percent (233-of-562) shooting, including 39 percent (76-of-195) from 3-point range, and 78.6 percent (224-of-285) from the free throw line to go with 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 30 minutes per game while playing in 56 games with 53 starts for head coach&nbsp;Dedrique Taylor. He scored in double figures in 40 of his 56 career games.

Jones started his college career at Division II Tampa, which included 7 games as true freshman during the COVID-19 season of 2020-21. Despite playing in just 28 games in his Spartan career, he averaged better than 20 points per game in each season, while posting 18 games of at least 20 points with 5 games with at least 30 points. He turned in consecutive 30-point games against Rollins and No. 17 Barry in January 2022, including 38 points in a 104-98 win over the nationally ranked Bucs, and was named the Division II National Player of the Week.

Jones scored 20 or more points in 5 of his 7 games during the 2020-21 season, including a career-high 39 in the season finale against Florida Tech on March 16. He averaged 22.6 points on 48.2 percent (53-of-110) shooting, including 35.1 percent (20-of-57) from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent (32-of-45) from the free throw line to go with 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals in a school-record 38.1 minutes per game. He was named the 2021 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Freshman of the Year, while he was selected First Team All-SSC and to the league’s All-Newcomer Team.

In his first full season at Tampa in 2021-22, Jones posted a team-best 21.9 points per game on 44.5 percent (150-of-337) shooting to go with 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. He scored in double figures in 19 of his 21 games played with 15 games of at least 20 points and 4 30-point efforts. He was named to the D2CCA All-Region Team and was a repeat First Team All-Sunshine State Conference selection. He was twice honored as the Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was the D2SIDA National Player of the Week after his back-to-back 30-point games against Rollins and No. 17 Barry on Jan. 12 and 15, 2022.

A native of Clearwater, Fla., Jones scored more than 1,000 points during his career at Clearwater High School, where he was named the Male Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2020. He was also selected as the Pinellas County Athletic Conference (PCAC) Player of the Year as well as a PCAC and Florida All-Star.

Jones is the sixth player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season, including the fifth Division I transfer following&nbsp;Dug McDaniel&nbsp;(Washington, D.C./St. Paul VI Catholic VI/Michigan),&nbsp;Christian (C.J.) Jones&nbsp;(East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis/UIC),&nbsp;Brendan Hausen&nbsp;(Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo/Villanova)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Baye Fall&nbsp;(Dakar, Senegal/ Accelerated Prep [Colo.]/Arkansas).&nbsp;The five transfers join top-50 high school prospect&nbsp;David Castillo&nbsp;(Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]), who signed on Nov. 8.

K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang’s&nbsp;tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;continued to build his backcourt for the 2024-25 season with the signing of transfer guard&nbsp;Max Jones&nbsp;(Clearwater, Fla./ Clearwater/University of Tampa/Cal State Fullerton)&nbsp;to a Financial Aid Agreement on Friday afternoon (May 10).A 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard, Jones arrives at K-State with valuable playing experience, including 2 seasons at Division II University of Tampa (2020-22) in his home state of Florida before 2 seasons (2022-24) at Cal State Fullerton. He has scored nearly 1,400 career points in 84 career games with 81 starts in his playing career, connecting on 43.2 percent (436-of-1009) from the field, including 36.3 percent (134-of-369) from 3-point range, and 79.9 percent (378-of-473) from the free throw line. He has 26 20-point games and 6 30-point games in his career, including a high 39 points at Florida Tech on March 16, 2021, while playing at Tampa.“It’s always a great day to be a Wildcat and we’re excited to welcome Max and his family to K-State,” said head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang. “Max is a proven and versatile shot maker. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and is in attack mode on both ends of the floor at all times.”Jones was the 2021 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Freshman of the Year, a two-time First Team All-Sunshine State Conference (2021, 2022) as well as a 2022 D2CCA All-Region Team member while at Tampa, where he averaged 22.1 points on 45.4 percent (203-of-447) shooting while playing in just 28 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was selected All-Big West Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2022-23 at Cal State Fullerton, where he was second on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg.), assists (2.2 apg.), steals (0.9 spg.) and minutes (31.9 mpg.) en route to helping the Titans to a 20-win season and the Big West Championship game.This past season, Jones upped his scoring average by nearly 3 points per game, averaging 15.3 points on 38.3 percent (103-of-269) shooting, including 38.5 percent (42-of-109) from 3-point range, while playing in 24 games with 21 starts. His scoring average ranked 11th&nbsp;in the Big West, including second on the team. He posted 6 20-point games, including a season-best 30 points at Nebraska on Nov. 26, 2023, that included 5 3-pointers. He also ranked third in the conference in steals (1.7 spg.), posting at least 3 in 6 games.In his 2 seasons at Cal State Fullerton, Jones averaged 13.7 points on 41.5 percent (233-of-562) shooting, including 39 percent (76-of-195) from 3-point range, and 78.6 percent (224-of-285) from the free throw line to go with 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 30 minutes per game while playing in 56 games with 53 starts for head coach&nbsp;Dedrique Taylor. He scored in double figures in 40 of his 56 career games.Jones started his college career at Division II Tampa, which included 7 games as true freshman during the COVID-19 season of 2020-21. Despite playing in just 28 games in his Spartan career, he averaged better than 20 points per game in each season, while posting 18 games of at least 20 points with 5 games with at least 30 points. He turned in consecutive 30-point games against Rollins and No. 17 Barry in January 2022, including 38 points in a 104-98 win over the nationally ranked Bucs, and was named the Division II National Player of the Week.Jones scored 20 or more points in 5 of his 7 games during the 2020-21 season, including a career-high 39 in the season finale against Florida Tech on March 16. He averaged 22.6 points on 48.2 percent (53-of-110) shooting, including 35.1 percent (20-of-57) from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent (32-of-45) from the free throw line to go with 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals in a school-record 38.1 minutes per game. He was named the 2021 Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Freshman of the Year, while he was selected First Team All-SSC and to the league’s All-Newcomer Team.In his first full season at Tampa in 2021-22, Jones posted a team-best 21.9 points per game on 44.5 percent (150-of-337) shooting to go with 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. He scored in double figures in 19 of his 21 games played with 15 games of at least 20 points and 4 30-point efforts. He was named to the D2CCA All-Region Team and was a repeat First Team All-Sunshine State Conference selection. He was twice honored as the Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was the D2SIDA National Player of the Week after his back-to-back 30-point games against Rollins and No. 17 Barry on Jan. 12 and 15, 2022.A native of Clearwater, Fla., Jones scored more than 1,000 points during his career at Clearwater High School, where he was named the Male Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2020. He was also selected as the Pinellas County Athletic Conference (PCAC) Player of the Year as well as a PCAC and Florida All-Star.Jones is the sixth player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season, including the fifth Division I transfer following&nbsp;Dug McDaniel&nbsp;(Washington, D.C./St. Paul VI Catholic VI/Michigan),&nbsp;Christian (C.J.) Jones&nbsp;(East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis/UIC),&nbsp;Brendan Hausen&nbsp;(Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo/Villanova)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Baye Fall&nbsp;(Dakar, Senegal/ Accelerated Prep [Colo.]/Arkansas).&nbsp;The five transfers join top-50 high school prospect&nbsp;David Castillo&nbsp;(Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]), who signed on Nov. 8.K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang’s&nbsp;tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.

Tang Signs Transfer Max Jones

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Dairon Blanco had three hits, including a two-run homer in the third inning, Michael Wacha picked up his first win in over a month and the Kansas City Royals rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.

“He comes ready to play whenever he’s in the lineup, whether that’s starting or just coming off the bench,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Blanco, who is mostly used as a pinch runner, but has hit safely in five of his seven starts this season.

Vinnie Pasquantino also had a two-run homer in the third and drove in three runs for the Royals, who have won three of four. Pasquantino has nine RBIs in his last five games.

Maikel Garcia added three hits, including a two-run double in the sixth.

Wacha (2-4) — who went 0-4 in his previous five starts. — allowed only two hits in six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. The Angels loaded the bases as their first three hitters got aboard when Luis Guillorme and Cole Tucker drew bases-loaded walks to chase the right-hander.

“Those first six innings I felt like I was locked in, you know. Then, kind of lost it in the seventh,” said Wacha, who gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and struck out six in six-plus innings. “I’m not going to let that affect how I feel coming out of there. The stuff was good and had a good mix.”

The Angels had runners at first and second with one out, but reliever Daniel Lynch IV made a great grab of Kevin Pillar’s grounder to start a double play and end the inning.

The Angels had five hits and are 4-12 at The Big A, the worst home start in franchise history.

Angels starter Reid Detmers (3-4) retired the first six Royals before running into trouble in the third. Hunter Renfroe drew a leadoff walk and Blanco followed by driving Detmers' slider into the left-field bullpens. Later in the inning, Pasquantino's two-run shot to right went 442 feet, the farthest he has hit in his three years in the majors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715317703148.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Dairon Blanco, right, is congratulated by Salvador Perez after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Dairon Blanco, right, is congratulated by Salvador Perez after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)</figcaption>
 </figure>ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Dairon Blanco had three hits, including a two-run homer in the third inning, Michael Wacha picked up his first win in over a month and the Kansas City Royals rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.“He comes ready to play whenever he’s in the lineup, whether that’s starting or just coming off the bench,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Blanco, who is mostly used as a pinch runner, but has hit safely in five of his seven starts this season.Vinnie Pasquantino also had a two-run homer in the third and drove in three runs for the Royals, who have won three of four. Pasquantino has nine RBIs in his last five games.Maikel Garcia added three hits, including a two-run double in the sixth.Wacha (2-4) — who went 0-4 in his previous five starts. — allowed only two hits in six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. The Angels loaded the bases as their first three hitters got aboard when Luis Guillorme and Cole Tucker drew bases-loaded walks to chase the right-hander.“Those first six innings I felt like I was locked in, you know. Then, kind of lost it in the seventh,” said Wacha, who gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and struck out six in six-plus innings. “I’m not going to let that affect how I feel coming out of there. The stuff was good and had a good mix.”The Angels had runners at first and second with one out, but reliever Daniel Lynch IV made a great grab of Kevin Pillar’s grounder to start a double play and end the inning.The Angels had five hits and are 4-12 at The Big A, the worst home start in franchise history.Angels starter Reid Detmers (3-4) retired the first six Royals before running into trouble in the third. Hunter Renfroe drew a leadoff walk and Blanco followed by driving Detmers' slider into the left-field bullpens. Later in the inning, Pasquantino's two-run shot to right went 442 feet, the farthest he has hit in his three years in the majors.Detmers allowed six runs and seven hits and struck out five in five innings. The left-hander has allowed at least four runs in four straight starts after giving up four runs (three earned) through his first four starts.“Tonight, everything he landed they got to and he wasn't landing very much. Tonight wasn't his night,” manager Ron Washington said of Detmers. “When he did make a good pitch, they found a way to put it into play. We struck out 13 tonight and they still had 12 hits and put 10 runs on the board.”TRAINER'S ROOMAngels: Infielders Brandon Drury (left hamstring strain) and Luis Rengifo (viral infection) were placed on the 10-day injured list. The moves and Los Angeles' lineup were not announced until 8 minutes before first pitch.UP NEXTKansas City RHP Alec Marsh (3-0, 2.70 ERA), who had a right elbow contusion, is expected to come off the 15-day injured list Friday. RHP Griffin Canning (1-4, 6.69 ERA) gets the call for Los Angeles.