HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

NO WORD ON WHETHER ANY GAMES WILL BE PLAYED TODAY BECAUSE OF THE RAINS. IF IT’S PLAYED, CHRISTIAN COUNTY IS SCHEDULED TO PLAY SOFTBALL AT HOPKINSVILLE, WITH GAME TIME AT 5:30. THE HERITAGE BANK PRE GAME SHOW AT 5:15 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

THERE WAS A NEW DEVLOPMENT SATURDAY CONCERNING WHAT SCHOOL CHRISTIAN COUNTY’S ANTHONY HICKEY MAY ATTEND. THE BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS REPORTED SATURDAY, AN EMAIL THEY RECEIVED FRIDAY FROM CHRISTIAN COUNTY ATHLETICS DIRECTOR INDICATED WESTERN KENTUCKY WAS NO LONGER A SCHOOL OF INTEREST.

EARLIER LAST WEEK, TIGERBAIT.COM—A WEBSITE WHICH COVERS L-S-U ATHLETICS—HAD INDICATED WESTERN, ALONG WITH L-S-U AND SOUTH CAROLINA WERE THE THREE FINALISTS FOR KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL’S SERVICES. HICKEY AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BASKETBALL TEAM WHO ARE SIGNING WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR DECISIONS AT THREE P-M TUESDAY AT COLONEL GYM.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY COACH JOHN CALIPARI IS BRINGING THE N-B-A TO CAMPUS TO EVALUATE THE THREE PLAYERS WHO ARE TESTING THE N-B-A DRAFT WATERS. FRESHMEN BRANDON KNIGHT AND TERRENCE JONES, ALONG WITH JUNIOR DEANDRE LIGGINS WILL GO THROUGH WORKOUTS FOR EVERY TEAM TODAY AND TOMORROW.

ON HIS WEBSITE—COACH CAL.COM--CALIPARI SAID THE LOGIC BEHIND THE WORKOUTS WAS TO LET THE THREE GET N-B-A EXPOSURE BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER THEY WILL STAY IN THE JUNE 23^RD DRAFT OR WITHDRAW BEFORE MAY 8^TH.

UK ATHLETIC NOTES

THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER REPORTS FANS WON’T NOTICE ANY ON THE AIR CHANGES ON THE BIG BLUE SPORTS NETWORK THIS FALL, HOWEVER THERE ARE CHANGES BEHIND THE SCENES.

I-M-G—WHICH HAS BEEN KENTUCKY’S RIGHTSHOLDER SINCE 2007—HAS PURCHASED A RIVAL COMPANY I-S-P. THIS MEANS THE COMBINED COMPANY WILL PRODUCE ALL OF ITS RADIO BROADCASTS FROM I-S-P’S HOME IN WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

TOM LEACH WILL CONTINUE TO CALL THE U-K GAMES, WITH JEFF PIECORO ON COLOR IN FOOTBALL AND MIKE PRATT IN BASKETBALL.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

FORMER HOPKINSVILLE HIGH PITCHER JUSTIN HAGEMAN PICKED UP A WIN SATURDAY NIGHT AS WESTERN KENTUCKY DEFEATED LOUISIANA MONROE 8-5. HAGEMAN ALLOWED FOUR RUNS ON SEVEN HITS IN SEVEN INNINGS. HAGEMAN ALSO STRUCK OUT SIX AND WALKED FOUR IN PICKING UP HIS SEVENTH WIN OF THE SEASON TO GO WITH FOUR LOSSES.

FORMER CHRISTIAN COUNTY PITCHER COLE ISOM PICKED UP A WIN SATURDAY FOR EVANSVILLE AS THEY DEFEATED MISSOURI STATE 5-4. ISOM PICKED UP HIS FIFTH WIN OF THE SEASON TO GO WITH FOUR LOSSES. ISOM WENT SEVEN AND TWO THIRDS INNINGS, ALLOWING FOUR RUNS ON EIGHT HITS, WALKING TWO AND STRIKING OUT TWO.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS HOST VANCOUVER IN GAME THREE OF THEIR WESTERN CONFERENCE SERIES TOMORROW NIGHT IN NASHVILLE. THE SERIES IS EVEN AT ONE GAME EACH AFTER THE PREDS WON IN DOUBLE OVERTIME SATURDAY NIGHT. COVERAGE BEGINS AT EIGHT ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

FRIDAY SCORES:    AT THE LOUISVILLE INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT--CENTRAL HARDIN EDGED HOPKINSVILLE 6-5.

ELSEWHERE:  MARSHALL COUNTY OVER UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS 6-5, MCLEAN COUNTY OVER HOPKINS CENTRAL 8-5, KENWOOD, TN. OVER RUSSELLVILLE 6-5, MUHLENBERG COUNTY DEFEATED EDMONSON COUNTY 8-1, UNION COUNTY WON A PAIR OF GAMES OVER WEBSTER COUNTY 12-0 AND MAYFIELD 3-2, CALLOWAY COUNTY OVER HEATH 4-2, GRAVES COUNTY SHUT OUT ST. MARY 7-0.

TODAY'S GAMES:   HOPKINSVILLE MEETS SOUTHERN, WHILE CHRISTIAN COUNTY PLAYS RUSSELL COUNTY AND LEXINGTON CATHOLIC AT THE LOUISVILLE INVITATIONAL.  CALDWELL COUNTY WELCOMES GRAVES COUNTY, MADISONVILLE HOSTS HANCOCK COUNTY, MARSHALL COUNTY PLAYS TWO GAMES AGAINST WEBSTER COUNTY AND BALLARD MEMORIAL, RUSSELLVILLE HOSTS CAVERNA, MUHLENBERG COUNTY GOES TO OHIO COUNTY.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

FRIDAY SCORES:   CHRISTIAN COUNTY OVER MARSHALL COUNTY 10-2, HOPKINS CENTRAL DEFEATED HOPKINSVILLE 6-2, LYON COUNTY OVER TRIGG COUNTY 16-2 IN FIVE INNINGS, MUHLENBERG COUNTY OVER WARREN CENTRAL 17-0 IN FIVE INNINGS, MAYFIELD OVER CRITTENDEN COUNTY 6-4, LONE OAK DEFEATED HICKMAN COUNTY 8-4, GRAVES COUNTY OVER BALLARD MEMORIAL 3-0, HEATH DEFEATS PADUCAH TILGHMAN 7-3, HENDERSON COUNTY OVER EVANSVILLE REITZ 3-1.

TODAY'S GAMES:   CHRISTIAN COUNTY TRAVELS TO HEATH.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY STANDOUT SEAN HURD MADE HIS COLLEGE CHOICE FRIDAY.  HURD WILL CONTINUE HIS ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS FOR WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY. 

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WIDE RECEIVER RANDALL COBB WAS TAKEN IN THE 2ND ROUND OF THE NFL DRAFT FRIDAY NIGHT.  COBB WILL PLAY FOR THE WORLD CHAMPION GREEN BAY PACKERS.  COBB WAS THE LAST PICK TAKEN IN THE SECOND ROUND AND IS U-K'S HIGHEST DRAFT PICK SINCE DEWAYNE ROBERTSON WENT TO THE NEW YORK JETS IN 2003.

MEANWHILE, THE TENNESSEE TITANS TOOK A PAIR OF DEFENSIVE PLAYERS IN THE 2ND AND 3RD ROUNDS, WITH UCLA LINEBACKER AKEEM AYERS IN THE 2ND ROUND AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DEFENSIVE TACKLE JURRELL CASEY IN THE 3RD ROUND. 

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS PLAY GAME TWO OF THEIR WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL SERIES AT VANCOUVER TONIGHT.  THE CANUCKS LEAD THE SERIES 1-0 AFTER A 1-0 WIN THURSDAY NIGHT.  COVERAGE OF THE GAME BEGINS AT EIGHT ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS COACH BARRY TROTZ IS ONE OF THREE FINALISTS FOR THE JACK ADAMS AWARD, GIVEN ANNUALLY TO THE N-H-L'S COACH OF THE YEAR.

THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER REPORTS FORMER KENTUCKY BASKETBALL PLAYER DARNELL DODSON HAS BEEN DISMISSED FROM THE TEAM AT SOUTHERN MISS.  DODSON WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING ITEMS FROM A FRATERNITY HOUSE ON THE SOUTHERN MISS CAMPUS.  DODSON PLAYED AT KENTUCKY IN THE 2009-10 SEASON BEFORE LEAVING LAST SUMMER.  HE AVERAGED SIX POINTS IN 35 GAMES FOR KENTUCKY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

THURSDAY SCORES: TRIGG COUNTY SHUTOUT CRITTENDEN COUNTY 6-0, UNION COUNTY OVER CALDWELL COUNTY 11-6, FRANKLIN SIMPSON OVER RUSSELLVILLE 10-7, LONE OAK OVER PADUCAH TILGHMAN 7-2, MARSHALL COUNTY DEFEATED BALLARD COUNTY 4-0, MAYFIELD OVER ST. MARY 6-4.

TODAY’S GAMES: BOTH CHRISTIAN COUNTY AND HOPKINSVILLE ARE PLAYING IN THE LOUISVILLE INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT. CHRISTIAN COUNTY FACES PLEASURE RIDGE PARK, WHILE HOPKINSVILLE MEETS CENTRAL HARDIN.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS FACES MARSHALL COUNTY, TODD CENTRAL TRAVELS TO WEBSTER COUNTY, MUHLENBERG COUNTY HOSTS EDMONSON COUNTY, HOPKINS CENTRAL HOSTS MCLEAN COUNTY, CALDWELL COUNTY PLAYS AT MURRAY, MADISONVILLE PLAYS AT DAWSON SPRINGS, LYON COUNTY IS AT CRITTENDEN COUNTY.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

THURSDAY SCORES: CHRISTIAN COUNTY SHUTOUT BALLARD COUNTY 15-0, HOPKINSVILLE DEFEATED LYON COUNTY 5-2, TODD CENTRAL OVER TRIGG COUNTY 16-1 IN FOUR INNINGS, CALDWELL COUNTY OVER DAWSON SPRINGS 17-1, FRANKLIN SIMPSON OVER LOGAN COUNTY 13-2 IN SIX INNINGS.

TODAY’S GAMES: HOPKINSVILLE HOSTS HOPKINS CENTRAL, CHRISTIAN COUNTY PLAYS HOST TO MARSHALL COUNTY, TRIGG COUNTY HAS A DOUBLEHEADER WITH LYON COUNTY AND LIVINGSTON CENTRAL, MADISONVILLE PLAYS AT WEBSTER COUNTY, CALDWELL COUNTY AT MURRAY, LOGAN COUNTY HOSTS HART COUNTY.

HOPKINSVILLE’S BASEBALL TEAM REMAINS RANKED 13^TH IN THE NEWEST KENTUCKY BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION TOP 25. MADISON CENTRAL IS THE NEW NUMBER ONE TEAM THIS WEEK.

SIGNINGS

CHRISTIAN COUNTY WRESTLER JERON TRICE SIGNED WITH CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY THURSDAY. TRICE WAS 63-34 IN HIS CAREER FOR THE COLONELS, AND WAS A TWO YEAR VARSITY STARTER AND KENTUCKY STATE TOURNAMENT QUALIFIER.

TODAY, CHRISTIAN COUNTY TRACK STAR SEAN HURD SIGNS HIS LETTER IN A CEREMONY AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH.

WHILE WE’RE ON SIGNINGS, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THURSDAY CHRISTIAN COUNTY BASKETBALL PLAYERS ANTHONY HICKEY, DONOVAN KATES, VEONTAE LEWIS AND NICK RILEY WILL SIGN THEIR LETTERS IN CEREMONIES TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT THREE AT COLONEL GYM. THE EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FRIDAY MAY 6^TH.

IT WAS ALSO LEARNED THURSDAY DONOVAN KATES HAS BEEN OFFERED A SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY HIS BASKETBALL FOR MANHATTAN COLLEGE. ALSO, ANTHONY HICKEY HAS PLACED WESTERN KENTUCKY BACK IN HIS LIST OF SCHOOLS HE IS CONSIDERING ACCORDING TO TIGERBAIT.COM, AN WEBSITE AFFLIATED WITH LSU SPORTS. LSU AND SOUTH CAROLINA ARE ALSO ON THE SHORT LIST.

THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCED ITS 2012 DAWHARES/KHSAA HALL OF FAME CLASS THURSDAY.

THE MEMBERS INCLUDE FORMER CHRISTIAN COUNTY WRESTLING AND SOFTBALL COACH JIM PERRIN. PERRIN LED CHRISTIAN COUNTY TO FOUR STATE TITLES AND FOUR RUNNER UP FINISHES IN HIS TIME AS SOFTBALL COACH AND ALSO WON A STATE TITLE AND TWO RUNNER UP FINISHES IN WRESTLING.

OTHER INDUCTEES INCLUDE: FORMER WARREN CENTRAL FOOTBALL COACH JOE HOOD, FORMER PADUCAH TILGHMAN FOOTBALL AND TRACK STANDOUT RANDY WYATT, ALONG WITH 1961 KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL RANDY EMBRY FROM OWENSBORO HIGH AND 1967 MR. BASKETBALL JIM MCDANIELS OF ALLEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

THE CLASS OF 2012 WILL BE INDUCTED APRIL 28^TH AT THE LEXINGTON CONVENTION CENTER.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL COACH RICK PITINO HAS ANNOUNCED HIS THIRD HIRE FOR HIS STAFF. KEVIN KEATTS, WHO WON TWO NATIONAL PREP SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT HARGRAVES MILITARY ACADEMY WILL BECOME THE THIRD ASSISTANT ON THE STAFF, JOINING PITINO’S SON RICHARD AND WYKING JONES WHO WERE HIRED EARLIER THIS WEEK.

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS TENNESSEE BASKETBALL SIGNEE CHRIS JONES IS LIKELY HEADED TO A JUNIOR COLLEGE. NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE COACH STEVE FORBES—WHO ONCE SERVED ON BRUCE PEARL’S STAFF AT TENNESSEE—CONFIRMED THE REPORT TO THE NEWSPAPER.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

 AUSTIN PEAY PICKED UP ANOTHER FOOTBALL SIGNEE THURSDAY. ADAM NOBLE—WHOSE FATHER GERALD PLAYED FOR THE GOVERNORS IN THE 1970’S—WILL FOLLOW IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS.

 NOBLE PLAYED SAFETY AND QUARTERBACK IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT WILL PLAY SAFETY AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL. AUSTIN PEAY PLANS TO REDSHIRT THE SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI NATIVE.

 NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS LOST GAME ONE OF THEIR WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL 1-0 AT VANCOUVER THURSDAY NIGHT. GAME TWO IS SATURDAY NIGHT AT EIGHT ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

WHOP SPORTS HAS LEARNED THAT CHRISTIAN COUNTY BASKETBALL PLAYER DONOVAN KATES HAS BEEN OFFERED A SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND MANHATTAN COLLEGE IN NEW YORK CITY.  THE JESPERS HAVE A NEW HEAD COACH IN STEVE MAISIELLO, WHO HAD BEEN AN ASSISTANT TO RICK PITINO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR KERRY STOVALL ALSO TELLS US KATES, ANTHONY HICKEY, VEONTAE LEWIS AND NICK RILEY WILL ALL SIGN SCHOLARSHIP PAPERS TUESDAY MAY 3RD AT 3:00 AT COLONEL GYM.  THE SIGNINGS HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MAY 6TH.

KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL ANTHONY HICKEY JUNIOR HAS RETURNED FROM A VISIT TO L-S-U EARLIER THIS WEEK. TIGERBAIT.COM—A WEBSITE WHICH COVERS LSU ATHLETICS—REPORTS HICKEY IS CONSIDERING LSU, SOUTH CAROLINA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. WESTERN WAS NOT ONE OF THE ORIGINAL THREE SCHOOL HICKEY HAD NARROWED HIS CHOICES TO, BUT WAS BEING HEAVILY RECRUITED TO COME TO BOWLING GREEN.

HICKEY TOLD TIGERBAIT.COM HE ENJOYED HIS VISIT TO BATON ROUGE AND THAT THE THREE SCHOOLS HE IS CONSIDERING ARE EVEN AT THIS POINT.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY ATHLETICS DIRECTOR KERRY STOVALL TOLD WHOP SPORTS THIS MORNING HE DID NOT KNOW WHICH SCHOOL HICKEY WOULD CHOOSE, BUT DID SAY THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE TUESDAY, MAY 3^RD, RATHER THAN AN EARLIER DATE OF MAY 6^TH.