MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

A CAPACITY CROWD WATCHED THE TRADEWATER PIRATES SCORE FIVE OF THEIR EIGHT RUNS IN THE FIRST THREE INNINGS AS THE PIRATES DEFEATED THE OWENSBORO OILERS 8-5 AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL’S COLONEL FIELD.

THE TWO TEAMS PLAY AGAIN THIS EVENING AT RIVERSIDE PARK IN DAWSON SPRINGS.

ELSEWHERE IN THE OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE: LEAGUE LEADER MARION FELL TO FULTON 9-3, WITH THOSE TEAMS TO PLAY AGAIN TONIGHT IN FULTON.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS LOST AGAIN TO THE OMAHA STORMCHASERS 8-2. THE TEAMS WILL CONCLUDE THE SERIES THIS EVENING AT GREER STADIUM.

FOLLOWING THE MIDWEST LEAGUE ALL STAR BREAK, THE BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS RETURN TO ACTION THIS EVENING HOSTING THE DAYTON DRAGONS AT BOWLING GREEN BALLPARK.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

THE SEMIFINALS OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES IN OMAHA WILL HAVE A SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FLAVOR AS SOUTH CAROLINA MEETS VIRGINIA AND VANDERBILT TAKES ON FLORIDA THIS EVENING.

IF VANDERBILT AND VIRGINIA BOTH LOSE TODAY, THEY ARE ELIMINATED FROM THE TOURNAMENT.

NBA DRAFT

FORMER UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS AND TENNESSE VOL SCOTTY HOPSON WAS NOT TAKEN AMONG THE 60 PLAYERS DRAFTED THURSDAY NIGHT. THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS HOPSON WILL WORK WITH HIS ADVISOR TO SIGN A FREE AGENT NON GUARANTEED DEAL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

MEANWHILE, HOPSON’S FORMER TEAMMATE AT UT—TOBIAS HARRIS—WAS TAKEN AS THE 19^TH PICK BY THE CHARLOTTE BOBCATS. HOWEVER, A THREE WAY DEAL WITH THE SACARAMENTO KINGS AND MILWUAKEE BUCKS WILL SEND HARRIS TO THE BUCKS.

ENES KANTER—WHO DID NOT PLAY FOR A MINUTE FOR KENTUCKY LAST SEASON—WAS PICKED THIRD OVERALL BY THE UTAH JAZZ. KANTER SAID AFTER BEING PICKED HE WOULD DEDICATE HIS ROOKIE SEASON TO KENTUCKY FANS.

BRANDON KNIGHT WAS TAKEN EIGHTH BY THE DETROIT PISTONS. JOSH HARRELSON AND DEANDRE LIGGINS WERE BOTH TAKEN IN THE SECOND ROUND, HARRELSON GOING TO THE NEW YORK KNICKS AFTER BEING TRADED BY THE NEW ORLEANS HORNETS AND LIGGINS TO THE ORLANDO MAGIC.

O-V-C PLAYER OF THE YEAR KENNETH FARIED FROM MOREHEAD STATE WAS SELECTED 22^ND IN THE FIRST ROUND BY THE DENVER NUGGETS.

NFL

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVER KENNY BRITT’S COURT DATE HAS BEEN ADJOURNED UNTIL JULY 12^TH.

BRITT FACES DISORDERLY PERSONS CHARGES IN NEW JERSEY AFTER CHARGES WERE DOWNGRADED LAST WEEK. BRITT WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH SEVERAL OFFENSES AFTER HIS ARREST AT A CAR WASH IN APRIL, AFTER POLICE DETECTED BRITT WAS CARRYING A MARIJUANA CIGAR.

FORMER UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AND NEW YORK JETS BACKUP QUARTERBACK ERIK AINGE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT THURSDAY. AINGE TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT FOOT AND THROWING SHOULDER ARE FORCING HIM TO CALL IT A CAREER. AINGE SAT OUT ALL OF LAST SEASON AFTER BATTLING ADDICTIONS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS 2011-12 SCHEDULE CAME OUT THURSDAY. THE PREDS WILL OPEN THE SEASON OCTOBER 7^TH AT COLUMBUS, WITH THE HOME OPENER AGAINST PHOENIX SET FOR OCTOBER 13^TH.

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS ELEVEN OF THE PREDATORS LAST 19 GAMES IN MARCH AND APRIL WILL BE PLAYED ON THE ROAD.

GOLF

PRINCETON’S EMMA TALLEY TOOK HER THIRD CONSECUTIVE AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION EVENT, WINNING THE FRANKLIN JUNIOR BY THREE STROKES THURSDAY IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE. TALLEY SHOT HER THIRD STRAIGHT 72 TO CLAIM THE VICTORY.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE DAYS OF THE HOPTOWN HOPPERS IN THE KITTY LEAGUE, MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL RETURNS TO HOPKINSVILLE THIS EVENING.

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES AND OWENSBORO OILERS PLAY AN OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE GAME AT SEVEN TONIGHT AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL’S COLONEL FIELD.

PRE GAME COVERAGE BEGINS AT 6:45 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.

LAST NIGHT, TRADEWATER BROKE A 2-2 TIE IN THE 8^TH INNING WITH TWO RUNS TO DEFEAT FULTON 4-2. OWENSBORO DEFEATED MARION 2-0 IN THE FIRST GAME OF A TWINBILL, WITH THE SECOND GAME RAINED OUT.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS SPLIT A DOUBLEHEADER WITH THE OMAHA STORMCHASERS, LOSING GAME ONE 4-1, WINNING GAME TWO 5-4. THE TWO TEAMS PLAY AGAIN TONIGHT AT GREER STADIUM IN NASHVILLE.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

VANDERBILT IS STILL ALIVE AT THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES IN OMAHA. LAST NIGHT, THE COMMODORES DEFEATED NORTH CAROLINA 5-1 AND WILL GET ANOTHER CHANCE AT FLORIDA FRIDAY NIGHT. THE GATORS BEAT THE COMMODORES EARLIER THIS WEEK.

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY WILL BEGIN THE SEARCH FOR A NEW BASEBALL COACH. THE BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS REPORTED WEDNESDAY CHRIS FINWOOD IS LEAVING AFTER SIX SEASONS TO GO TO OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY.

FINWOOD’S RECORD AT WKU WAS 190-54. HE LED THE HILLTOPPERS TO TWO NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES IN 2008 AND 09, ALONG WITH THE 2009 SUN BELT REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP. THE MOVE TO O-D-U NOT ONLY RETURNS FINWOOD TO HIS HOME STATE, BUT REUNITES HIM WITH FORMER WKU ATHLETICS DIRECTOR WOOD SELIG.

NBA DRAFT

FORMER UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS AND TENNESSEE VOLS STANDOUT SCOTTY HOPSON WILL LEARN TONIGHT WHERE HE WILL PLAY HIS PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL.

HOPSON HAS BEEN PROJECTED TO BE PICKED EITHER LATE IN THE FIRST ROUND OR SOMEWHERE IN THE SECOND ROUND. THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS HOPSON AS SAYING HE HOPES TO REPRESENT TENNESSEE IN THE PROS, BUT KNOWS HE HAS MORE WORK TO DO.

FORMER VOL TEAMMATE TOBIAS HARRIS—WHO JUST PLAYED ONE SEASON AT U-T—IS A PROJECTED LATE FIRST ROUND PICK.

MEANWHILE, ENES KANTER—WHO NEVER PLAYED A GAME AT KENTUCKY—IS NOT WORRIED HE WILL BE A DRAFT BUST. THE TURKISH CENTER COULD BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH PICK IN THE FIRST ROUND.

FORMER KENTUCKY GUARD BRANDON KNIGHT SAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY, HE WAS A POINT GUARD, NOT A COMBO GUARD. KNIGHT IS PROJECTED TO BE ONE OF THE TOP GUARDS TO BE PICKED IN THE DRAFT THIS EVENING.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY COACH JOHN CALIPARI SAYS HE ENVISIONS FOUR SUPER CONFERENCES IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.

SPEAKING ON KENTUCKY SPORTS RADIO WEDNESDAY, CALIPARI SAYS HE CAN SEE CONFERENCES BRANCH OFF FROM THE NCAA AND FORM THEIR OWN COALITION.

CALIPARI SAYS EACH CONFERENCE WOULD HAVE 16 TO 18 TEAMS, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY SCHOOLS JOIN THE COALITION. IN FOOTBALL, CALIPARI’S PLAN CALLS FOR THE FOUR CONFERENCE WINNERS TO HAVE A PLAYOFF TO DETERMINE A NATIONAL CHAMPION, WHILE THE OTHER SCHOOLS CAN PLAY IN THE TRADITIONAL BOWL GAMES.

IN BASKETBALL 64 TO 72 TEAMS WOULD MAKE THE NCAA TOURNAMENT FIELD. CALIPARI’S PLAN ALSO CALLS FOR PAYING ATHLETES THREE TO FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR ROOM AND BOARD.

GOLF

THE GO JUNIOR SERIES HELD AN EVENT WEDNESDAY AT LAKESHORE COUNTRY CLUB IN MADISONVILLE.

HOPKINSVILLE’S TADD SWITZER WON THE BOYS 13-15 DIVISION WITH A 76, TJ JANES HAD AN 89, DYLAN HENDERSON 94, HENDLEY TRAUGHBER 98 AND GRANT STAMPER 115.

HOPKINSVILLE’S SKYLAR JONES HAD A 92 IN THE BOYS 16-18 DIVISION. HUNTER TRAUGHBER WON THE BOYS 9-10 SIX HOLE DIVISION WITH A 31.

HOPKINSVILLE’S JESSICA SHELTON WON THE GIRLS 11-12 DIVISION WITH A NINE HOLE SCORE OF 53.

PRINCETON’S EMMA TALLEY HAS OPENED UP A FOUR SHOT LEAD HEADING INTO TODAY’S FINAL ROUND OF THE AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION’S FRANKLIN JUNIOR IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE.

TALLEY HAD HER SECOND STRAIGHT EVEN PAR ROUND OF 72 WEDNESDAY AT WESTHAVEN GOLF CLUB.

THE BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS AND THE VIRGINIAN PILOT ARE REPORTING WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY BASEBALL COACH CHRIS FINWOOD HAS BEEN NAMED AS THE NEW BASEBALL COACH AT OLD DOMINION.  FINWOOD COACHED AT WKU FOR SIX SEASONS, COMPILING A 190-54 RECORD.  FINWOOD'S TEAMS MADE TWO NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES IN 2008 AND 2009, ALONG WITH WINNING THE 2009 SUN BELT CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE MOVE TO OLD DOMINION NOT ONLY ALLOWS FINWOOD TO RETURN TO HIS HOME STATE, BUT ALSO REUNITES HIM WITH FORMER WKU ATHLETICS DIRECTOR WOOD SELIG.

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

THE VANDERBILT COMMODORES WILL HAVE TO WIN THREE GAMES TO BE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES IN OMAHA.

VANDY FACES NORTH CAROLINA IN AN ELIMINATION GAME TODAY. THE COMMODORES WON OVER NORTH CAROLINA IN THEIR OPENING GAME OF THE TOURNAMENT, BUT LOST TO FLORIDA 3-1 TUESDAY COMPLETING A SUSPENDED GAME FROM MONDAY NIGHT.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES LOST THE FIRST OF A TWO GAME SERIES TO THE FULTON RAILROADERS 7-2 TUESDAY NIGHT. GAME TWO OF THE SERIES TONIGHT AT SEVEN AT RIVERSIDE PARK IN DAWSON SPRINGS.

ELSEWHERE IN THE OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE: OWENSBORO’S GAME WITH MARION WAS RAINED OUT AND WILL BE PLAYED AS PART OF A DOUBLEHEADER THIS EVENING IN OWENSBORO.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS WERE SHUTOUT BY THE OMAHA STORMCHASERS 7-0 AT GREER STADIUM. THE TEAMS PLAY A DOUBLEHEADER BEGINNING AT 5:35 TODAY.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

FORMER TENNESSEE COACH BRUCE PEARL SAYS HE IS PROUD OF HIS TIME HE SPENT AS COACH OF THE VOLS. PEARL TELLS THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL HE PLANS TO KEEP HIS KNOXVILLE HOME FOR THE NEAR FUTURE AND WILL ATTEND THE PILOT ROCKY TOP SUMMER LEAGUE HE ENCOURAGED WHEN HE TOOK THE JOB IN 2005.

PEARL WAS FIRED IN MARCH AMID AN NCAA PROBE THAT PRODUCED MULTIPLE CHARGES AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY. IF THE NCAA APPLIES A SHOW-CAUSE PENALTY ON PEARL—WHICH WOULD HIGHLY DISCOURAGE OTHER SCHOOLS FROM HIRING HIM—PEARL INDICATED HE WOULD LIKE TO DO TELEVISION WORK FOR A MAJOR NETWORK.

LOUISVILLE FORWARD RAKEEM BUCKLES SAYS HIS KNEE REHABILITATION PROCESS IS GOING WELL. THE COURIER JOURNAL SAYS BUCKLES HOPES TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE BY OCTOBER. BUCKLES HAD SURGERY TO REPAIR A TORN RIGHT ANTERIOR CRUICIATE LIGAMENT. BUCKLES SAYS HE HASN’T THOUGHT ABOUT SITTING OUT THE UPCOMING SEASON, BUT HOPES TO BE READY TO PLAY.

GOLF

HOPKINSVILLE HIGH’S DAYTON JONES WON THE 17-18 DIVISION AT THE PEPSI TOUR STOP AT WOODLAWN SPRINGS GOLF CLUB IN BARDSTOWN. JONES SHOT A 78 GOOD FOR A ONE STROKE VICTORY.

MATCH PLAY BEGAN TUESDAY AT THE WOMEN’S STATE AMATEUR TOURNAMENT BEING PLAYED AT MILLER MEMORIAL GOLF COURSE IN MURRAY.

DEFENDING CHAMPION KARISA AKIN AND NUMBER TWO SEED LYDIA GUMM FROM NORTH HARDIN HIGH SCHOOL WERE AMONG THE WINNERS. THE ROUND OF 16 TAKES PLACE TODAY.

NHL

THE NHL AWARDS GALA IS SET FOR THIS EVENING IN LAS VEGAS AND SEVERAL NASHVILLE PREDATOR PLAYERS, COACHES AND EXECUTIVES ARE NOMINATED FOR AWARDS.

GOALIE PEKKA RINNE IS A NOMINEE FOR THE VERZINA AWARD, DEFENSEMAN AND CAPTAIN SHEA WEBER IS A NORRIS TROPHY NOMINEE, COACH BARRY TROTZ IS UP FOR THE JACK ADAMS AWARD AND GENERAL MANAGER DAVID POILE IS A NOMINEE FOR G-M OF THE YEAR.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

WARREN EAST PITCHER MARK BIGGS HAS BEEN SELECTED AS KENTUCKY MR. BASEBALL.

BIGGS LED WARREN EAST TO THE QUARTERFINAL ROUND OF THIS YEAR’S KHSAA STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT. BIGGS WENT 5-0 WITH 50 STRIKEOUTS IN 36 AND TWO-THIRDS INNINGS THIS SEASON. BIGGS ALSO HIT 440 WITH 12 HOMERUNS AND 47 RBI.

BIGGS WAS AN 8^TH ROUND SELECTION BY THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS, HOWEVER, HE HAS SIGNED TO PLAY COLLEGIATELY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

HOPKINSVILLE HIGH PITCHER JOSH DRAKE WAS NAMED 2^ND TEAM ALL STATE BY THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION. JOINING DRAKE ON THE 2^ND TEAM IS UNION COUNTY’S AARON HEDGEPATH, WHO WAS ALSO NAMED 2^ND REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

MEMBERS OF THE 2^ND REGION HONORABLE MENTION TEAM WERE KYLE SPENCER OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY AND CHRISTIAN MCHATTON OF HENDERSON COUNTY.

THE 2^ND REGION COACH OF THE YEAR WAS CHAD ROBISON OF UNION COUNTY AND HOPKINSVILLE’S SCOTTY VANCE WAS NAMED ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY’S KYLE SPENCER AND HOPKINSVILLE’S DAVID GARDNER WERE NAMED TO THE WEST SENIOR ALL STAR TEAM, WITH HOPTOWN’S CLAYTON SMITHSON NAMED TO THE JUNIOR WEST ALL STAR TEAM. THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR TEAMS WILL PLAY GAMES TODAY AND TOMORROW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

AT THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES—VANDERBILT’S GAME WITH FLORIDA WAS SUSPENDED IN THE SIXTH INNING DUE TO WEATHER MONDAY NIGHT. THE GATORS LEAD THE GAME 3-1. THE GAME WILL BE RESUMED THIS MORNING.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES OPEN A TWO GAME SERIES WITH THE FULTON RAILROADERS THIS EVENING AT RIVERSIDE PARK IN DAWSON SPRINGS. FIRST PITCH IS AT 7 PM.

IN OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE ACTION MONDAY NIGHT: FULTON AND OWENSBORO SPLIT A DOUBLEHEADER. THE RAILROADERS WON GAME ONE 5-4, WITH THE OILERS TAKING THE NIGHTCAP 12-2.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS LOST AT MEMPHIS 5-4. THE SOUNDS OPEN A SERIES WITH THE OMAHA STORMCHASERS TONIGHT AT GREER STADIUM.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY COACH JOHN CALIPARI SAYS HE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NCAA AND U-K OVER HIS WIN TOTAL. CALIPARI TOLD THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER MONDAY IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL.

CALIPARI TOLD REPORTERS AT A CAMP IN BOWLING GREEN HE DID NOT KNOW THE SCHOOL WAS GOING TO HONOR WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE HIS 500^TH CAREER WIN AGAINST FLORIDA FEBRUARY 26^TH. HE ALSO SAID PLAYERS WIN GAMES, COACHES LOSE GAMES. CALIPARI WILL BEGIN NEXT SEASON WITH 467 WINS.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE CORNERBACK DARIUS ASHLEY WAS ARRESTED EARLY SATURDAY MORNING ON HIS SECOND D-U-I IN SEVEN MONTHS.

ASHLEY REPORTEDLY HIT A LOUISVILLE POLICE CAR AT THE CORNER OF SECOND AND CHESTNUT STREETS AROUND 1:45. A U OF L SPOKESMAN SAYS COACH CHARLIE STRONG WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE MATTER, BUT WAS AWARE OF THE ARREST.

TENNESSEE’S ALREADY THIN RANKS AT DEFENSIVE TACKLE HAS GOTTEN THINNER. THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS SENIOR RAE SYKES IS NOT ON THE TEAM BECAUSE OF ACADEMIC ISSUES ACCORDING TO A U-T SPOKESMAN. SYKES WAS SPARSELY USED LAST SEASON, APPEARING IN EIGHT GAMES.

GOLF

NORTH HARDIN JUNIOR TO BE LYDIA GUMM HAD THE BEST ROUND OF THE DAY WITH A 68 IN THE QUALIFYING ROUND FOR MATCH PLAY AT THE STATE WOMEN’S AMATEUR BEING CONTESTED AT MILLER MEMORIAL GOLF COURSE IN MURRAY.

MURRAY STATE WOMEN’S GOLF COACH VELVET MILKMAN AND LADY RACER GOLFER MORGAN CROSS TIED FOR FOURTH AT 75. THE TOP 31 AND DEFENDING CHAMP KARISA AKIN FROM ELIZABETHTOWN BEGIN MATCH PLAY TODAY.