HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

GAMES WERE CANCELLED FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT DAY AND MORE OF THE SAME IS LIKELY TODAY.

THE KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCED TUESDAY KENTUCKY NATIONAL INSURANCE WILL BECOME THE NEW TITLE SPONSOR FOR THE KHSAA STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT. THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT WILL BE CONTESTED AT WHITAKER BANK PARK IN LEXINGTON JUNE 13-18.

THE PAIRINGS FOR THE STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT WERE ALSO ANNOUNCED TUESDAY, WITH THE 2^ND REGION WINNER TO FACE THE 8^TH REGION WINNER TUESDAY JUNE 14^TH AT A TIME TO BE DETERMINED. THE 1^ST REGION WINNER WILL MEET THE 3^RD REGION WINNER AND THE 4^TH REGION WINNER WILL MEET THE 14^TH REGION WINNER MONDAY JUNE 13^TH AT TIMES TO BE DETERMINED.

THE PAIRINGS WERE ALSO ANNOUNCED FOR THE KHSAA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE PLAYED AT JACK FISHER PARK IN OWENSBORO. THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO THREE DAYS AND WILL BEGIN THURSDAY JUNE 9^TH AND FINISH ON SATURDAY JUNE 11^TH.

ALL OPENING ROUND GAMES WILL BE PLAYED ON THURSDAY JUNE 9^TH, WITH THE 2^ND REGION FACING THE 8^TH REGION AND THE 4^TH REGION WILL MEET THE 12^TH REGION WINNER AT FIVE P-M. THE 3^RD REGION WILL PLAY THE 11^TH REGION AND THE 1^ST REGION WILL PLAY THE 16^TH REGION WINNER AT SEVEN P-M.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY COACH JOHN CALIPARI IS CONSIDERING COACHING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NATIONAL TEAM, THOUGH A DECISION IS NOT FINAL.

CALIPARI SAID ON HIS WEBSITE TUESDAY NIGHT HE WAS APPROACHED DURING THE PAST SEASON BY DOMINICAN BASKETBALL FEDERATION OFFICIALS ABOUT BECOMING INVOLVED TO GROW BASKETBALL IN THE NATION.

CALIPARI SAID IF HE DOES TAKE THE JOB, THE TEAM WILL TRAIN AT THE JOE CRAFT CENTER IN LEXINGTON AND THAT HIS COMMITMENT WOULD BEGIN IN EARLY AUGUST AND GO THROUGH MID SEPTEMBER.

LOUISVILLE COACH RICK PITINO ANNOUNCED TUESDAY HIS SON RICHARD WILL REJOIN THE LOUISVILLE STAFF. THE YOUNGER PITINO AND WYKING JONES WERE ANNOUNCED AS HIRES TUESDAY, WITH THE THIRD NEW MEMBER OF THE STAFF TO BE ANNOUNCED NEXT WEEK.

PITINO ALSO ANNOUNCED RALPH WILLARD WILL NO LONGER BE LOUISVILLE’S DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS.

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS TENNESSEE’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM WILL NOT TAKE A PLANNED SUMMER TRIP TO PLAY IN ITALY. COACH CUONZO MARTIN EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE TRIP FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, ONE BEING HE WILL SERVE AS AN ASSISTANT TO PURDUE HEAD COACH MATT PAINTER AT THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES IN CHINA AUGUST 12-23.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MIKE HAMILTON SAID THE TEAM WILL ALSO PLAY IN THIS YEAR’S MAUI INVITATIONAL AND THAT WOULD PUSH THINGS AS FAR AS TRAVEL IS CONCERNED.

TENNESSEE BASKETBALL PLAYERS SCOTTY HOPSON AND TOBIAS HARRIS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PAPER WORK TO MAKE THEMSELVES ELIGIBLE FOR THE NBA DRAFT.

COACH CUONZO MARTIN SAYS HE IS NOT SURPRISED BY THE PLAYERS DECISIONS. UNDERCLASSMEN HAVE UNTIL MAY 8^TH TO WITHDRAW FROM DRAFT CONSIDERATIONS, PROVIDED THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED WITH AN AGENT. THE DRAFT IS JUNE 23^RD.

COLLEGE GOLF

JACKSONVILLE STATE’S TEAM SHOT A RECORD EIGHT UNDER PAR 280 TO TAKE A HUGE LEAD HEADING INTO THE FINAL ROUND OF THE OVC TOURNAMENT AT GREYSTONE GOLF CLUB IN DICKSON, TENNESSEE.

MURRAY STATE IS THIRD AS A TEAM, WITH AUSTIN PEAY 5^TH. MURRAY STATE’S CAMERON CARRICO IS IN 4^TH PLACE INDIVIDUALLY, ONE SHOT OFF THE LEAD HELD BY THREE GOLFERS. THE FINAL ROUND IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

AUSTIN PEAY WAS A 7-5 WINNER OVER BELMONT IN NASHVILLE TUESDAY NIGHT.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS WILL PLAY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL ROUND OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS. VANCOUVER DEFEATED CHICAGO IN THE 7^TH GAME OF THEIR QUARTERFINAL SERIES TUESDAY NIGHT 2-1 IN OVERTIME.

THE SERIES BEGINS IN VANCOUVER WITH THE FIRST TWO GAMES LATER THIS WEEK. THE SCHEDULE FOR THE SERIES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOMETIME TODAY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

GAMES ACROSS THE REGION WERE RAINED OUT MONDAY.  NO WORD ON WHETHER ANY GAMES WILL BE PLAYED TODAY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTED ON ITS WEBSITE MONDAY BULLITT EAST SOPHOMORE DEREK WILLIS HAS MADE HIS COMMITMENT ON WHERE HE WANTS TO PLAY HIS COLLEGE BASKETBALL.  WILLIS VISITED PURDUE UNIVERSITY OVER THE WEEKEND AND MADE HIS COMMITMENT.  THE SIX-NINE WILLIS LED THE CHARGERS TO THE 6TH REGION CHAMPIONSHIP THIS PAST SEASON.

MEANWHILE, LOUISVILLE EASTERN'S REMY ABELL VISITED INDIANA UNIVERSITY MONDAY AND LEFT WITH A SCHOLARSHIP OFFER ACCORDING TO THE COURIER JOURNAL.  ABELL WAS RELEASED FROM HIS COMMITTMENT TO PLAY FOR BRADLEY UNIVERSITY LAST WEEK.  ABELL IS ALSO CONSIDERING WESTERN KENTUCKY, XAVIER, BUTLER AND PENN STATE.  ABELL PLAYED FOR THE 7TH REGION CHAMPIONS WHO LOST TO STATE CHAMPION CHRISTIAN COUNTY IN THE SEMIFINALS OF THE BOYS SWEET 16.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WESTERN KENTUCKY BASKETBALL COACH KEN MCDONALD TELLS THE COURIER JOURNAL SAYS THE FINAL MONTHS OF THIS PAST BASKETBALL SEASON WERE STRESSFUL AND CONFUSING AS RUMORS SWIRLED ABOUT WHETHER HE WOULD RETURN FOR THE 2011-12 SEASON.  MCDONALD SAID HE COULD NOT DISCERN FACTS FROM RUMORS AFTER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ROSS BJORK TOOK OVER FROM FORMER ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WOOD SELIG.  MCDONALD SAID ALL HE TRIED TO DO WAS FOCUS ON COACHING ON THE TEAM, WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING HE COULD CONTROL.  THE HILLTOPPERS WERE 16-16 THIS PAST SEASON.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WIDE RECEIVER RANDALL COBB IS ONE OF 25 PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THURSDAY NIGHT'S NFL DRAFT IN NEW YORK.  COBB--WHO IS FOREGOING HIS SENIOR YEAR AT U-K--IS PROJECTED TO BE A LATE FIRST OR EARLY SECOND ROUND PICK.

NHL

NASHVILLE PREDATORS DEFENSEMAN SHEA WEBER HAS BEEN NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE NORRIS TROPHY, GIVEN TO THE NHL'S TOP DEFENSEMAN.  WEBER IS THE SECOND PREDATOR TO BE NAMED AS A FINALIST FOR A MAJOR AWARD.  GOALIE PEKKA RINNE WAS NAMED A FINALIST FOR THE VEZINA AWARD, GIVEN TO THE LEAGUE'S TOP GOALIE. 

MEANWHILE, THE PREDATORS ARE AWAITING THEIR OPPONENT IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS.  THE OPPONENT COULD BE THE DETROIT RED WINGS, LOS ANGELES KINGS OR VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL ANTHONY HICKEY JUNIOR OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY WAS NAMED TO THE COURIER JOURNAL'S FIRST TEAM ALL STATE TEAM.  BOWLING GREEN'S CHANE BEHANAN AND WARREN CENTRAL'S GEORGE FANT WERE ALSO NAMED TO THE FIRST TEAM.  CHRISTIAN COUNTY'S DONOVAN KATES WAS NAMED TO THE SECOND TEAM, WHILE VEONTAE LEWIS ALONG WITH U-H-A'S MATT MCGOWAN WAS NAMED TO THE 2ND REGION HONORABLE MENTION TEAM.

ON THE GIRLS SIDE:  KENTUCKY MISS BASKETBALL SARA HAMMOND OF ROCKCASTLE COUNTY WAS NAMED TO THE FIRST TEAM ALONG WITH CHASTITY GOOCH OF FRANKLIN SIMPSON, BECCA GREENWELL OF OWENSBORO CATHOLIC AND AVEREE FIELDS OF CALLOWAY COUNTY.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

KENTUCKY FOOTBALL CONCLUDED SPRING PRACTICE SATURDAY, WITH COACH JOKER PHILLIPS SAYING FOLLOWING THE SCRIMMAGE HE FEELS THE WILDCATS CAN CONTEND FOR THE S-E-C EAST TITLE IN THE 2011 SEASON.  THE WILDCATS WILL OPEN THE SEASON THURSDAY SEPTEMBER FIRST AGAINST WESTERN KENTUCKY AT L-P FIELD IN NASHVILLE.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

FORMER HOPKINSVILLE HIGH PIRCHER JUSTIN HAGEMAN ALLOWED EIGHT RUNS, SEVEN EARNED IN WESTERN KENTUCKY'S 9-1 LOSS TO TROY SATURDAY.  HAGEMAN GAVE UP EIGHT HITS, STRUCK OUT FIVE AND WALKED ONE IN THE LOSS.  THE HILLTOPPERS LOST THE FINALE OF THE SERIES 12-9 SUNDAY AGAINST TROY.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS DEFEATED ANAHEIM SUNDAY 4-2 TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL SERIES FOUR GAMES TO TWO TO MOVE TO THE SEMIFINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY.  THE PREDATORS AWAIT TO FIND OUT THEIR OPPONENT.

GOLF

NASHVILLE'S BRANDT SNEDEKER RALLIED FROM SIX SHOTS BACK TO DEFEAT LUKE DONALD IN A PLAYOFF AND WIN THE HERITAGE SUNDAY AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA.  SNEDEKER SHOT A FINAL ROUND 64 IN GETTING HIS FIRST WIN ON TOUR SINCE THE 2007 WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP DURING HIS ROOKIE SEASON.

FRANKLIN'S KENNY PERRY AND PARTNER SCOTT HOCH LOST IN A PLAYOFF SUNDAY TO DAVID EGER AND MARK MCNULTY AT THE LEGENDS OF GOLF IN SAVANAH GEORGIA.  EGER AND MCNULTY STARTED THE DAY FOUR SHOTS OFF THE LEAD, WITH BOTH TEAMS TIED AT 27 UNDER PARK GOING INTO THE PLAYOFF, WHICH EGER AND MCNULTY WON THE FIRST PLAYOFF HOLE.  PERRY LIPPED OUT A PUTT THAT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED THE PLAYOFF.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

FRIDAY'S SCORES:   HENDERSON COUNTY DEFEATED HOPKINSVILLE 5-1 AT THE HENDERSON LIONS CLUB INVITATIONAL.  THE TIGERS FACE FRANKLIN SIMPSON SATURDAY AT THREE P-M.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY PLAYS GRAVES COUNTY AT THE KENTUCKY LAKE CLASSIC SATURDAY, TRIGG COUNTY MEETS HOPKINS CENTRAL, TODD CENTRAL GOES AGAINST ADAIR COUNTY, FORT CAMPBELL MEETS UPPERMAN, TN., CALDWELL COUNTY HOSTS UNION COUNTY.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

FRIDAY'S SCORES:   METCALFE COUNTY DEFEATED TODD CENTRAL 3-0 IN THE 4TH REGION ALL A CLASSIC, GREENWOOD OVER HOPKINS CENTRAL 2-1 AND HENDERSON COUNTY OVER PORTLAND, TENNESSEE 5-1.

HOPKINSVILLE IS SCHEDULED TO PLAY TWO GAMES TODAY WITH FRANKLIN SIMPSON AND TRIGG COUNTY WHO WILL ALSO PLAY FRANKLIN SIMPSON.  UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS MEETS DAWSON SPRINGS, CALDWELL COUNTY MEETS CRITTENDEN COUNTY AND CARLISLE COUNTY.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

KENTUCKY MR. BASKETBALL ANTHONY HICKEY HAD FIVE POINTS AND THREE ASSISTS AS THE GOLD TEAM DEFEATED THE WHITE 129-122 IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY BASKETBALL FESTIVAL FRIDAY NIGHT IN LOUISVILLE.  LOUISVILLE SIGNEE CHANE BEHANAN OF BOWLING GREEN HIGH HAD 11 POINTS AND 11 REBOUNDS FOR THE WHITE TEAM, WHILE WESTERN KENTUCKY SIGNEE GEORGE FANT OF WARREN CENTRAL HAD SIX POINTS AND FOUR REBOUNDS.

THE KENTUCKY NEW ERA CITING A REPORT FROM THE TIMES PICAYUNE NEWSPAPER OF NEW ORLEANS FRIDAY SAID CHRISTIAN COUNTY'S ANTHONY HICKEY JUNIOR IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO LSU SUNDAY.  HICKEY EARLIER SAID LSU IS ONE OF THREE SCHOOLS HE IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING TO PLAY HIS COLLEGE BASKETBALL.  HICKEY IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE HIS OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MAY 6TH.

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS LOUISVILLE EASTERN'S REMY ABELL HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM HIS LETTER HE SIGNED LAST FALL WITH BRADLEY UNIVERSITY.  ABELL WAS GRANTED HIS RELEASE THIS WEEK AFTER COACH JIM LES WAS FIRED.  HE CAN ATTEND ANY SCHOOL EXCEPT ONE IN THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE WHERE BRADLEY IS A MEMBER.  SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CONTACTED ABELL INCLUDE WESTERN KENTUCKY, PENN STATE, INDIANA, XAVIER AND BUTLER.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS WILL CONCLUDE SPRING PRACTICE TODAY WITH THE BLUE-WHITE GAME IN WHICH BOTH THE OFFENSE AND DEFENSE WILL BE REWARD WITH POINTS IN A DIFFERENT SCORING SYSTEM.  COVERAGE OF THE GAME BEGINS AT 1:30 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

FORMER HOPKINSVILLE HIGH PITCHER JUSTIN HAGEMAN WILL GET THE START TODAY FOR WESTERN KENTUCKY AS THEY PLAY TROY IN THE SECOND GAME OF A THREE GAME SET AT TROY, ALABAMA.  THE HILLTOPPERS FELL TO THE TROJANS FRIDAY NIGHT 6-3.

AUSTIN PEAY'S GAME WITH SIU EDWARDSVILLE WAS SUSPENDED FRIDAY NIGHT WITH THE SCORE 1-0 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH INNING.  THAT GAME WILL BE CONCLUDED THIS MORNING, WITH A DOUBLEHEADER TO BE PLAYED THIS AFTERNOON.

MURRAY STATE'S GAME AT EASTERN ILLINOIS FRIDAY WAS POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

THURSDAY’S SCORES: THERE WERE A COUPLE OF EXTRA INNING GAMES THAT SAW HENDERSON COUNTY NIP CHRISTIAN COUNTY 1-0 IN NINE INNINGS AND FULTON CITY DEFEATED FORT CAMPBELL 6-5 IN EIGHT INNINGS.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS SHUTOUT TODD CENTRAL 9-0, NO REPORT ON THE KHSAA WEBSITE FOR THE HOPKINSVILLE-LIVINGSTON CENTRAL GAME.

TRIGG COUNTY SHUTOUT MAYFIELD 3-0, MADISONVILLE EDGED CALDWELL COUNTY 13-12, MUHLENBERG COUNTY DEFEATED LOGAN COUNTY 1-0 IN EIGHT INNINGS, UNION COUNTY OVER HOPKINS CENTRAL 14-1 IN FIVE INNINGS, OHIO COUNTY OVER WEBSTER COUNTY 7-5.

TODAY’S GAMES: HOPKINSVILLE AT HENDERSON COUNTY, CHRISTIAN COUNTY MEETS LONE OAK, TRIGG COUNTY HOSTS CRITTENDEN COUNTY, WEBSTER COUNTY AT HOPKINS CENTRAL, LIVINGSTON CENTRAL AT LYON COUNTY, LOGAN COUNTY HOSTS HART COUNTY.

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

THURSDAY’S SCORES:   CHRISTIAN COUNTY OVER UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS 16-0, HOPKINSVILLE DEFEATED LOGAN COUNTY 10-0 IN FIVE INNINGS, HOPKINS CENTRAL EDGED MADISONVILLE 2-1, LYON COUNTY OVER CALDWELL COUNTY 18-12, CALLOWAY COUNTY DEFEATED MURRAY 9-4.

DAWSON SPRINGS WON THE 2^ND REGION ALL A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A 1-0 WIN OVER LIVINGSTON CENTRAL.

TODAY’S GAMES: UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS AT CALDWELL COUNTY, LYON COUNTY HOSTS CARLISLE COUNTY, HENDERSON COUNTY, HOPKINS CENTRAL AND CALLOWAY COUNTY ARE PLAYING IN THE GREENWOOD BORDER BATTLE IN BOWLING GREEN.

HOPKINSVILLE IS RANKED 13^TH IN THE LATEST KENTUCKY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES TOP 25 POLL WHICH HAS ST. X NUMBER ONE THIS WEEK. APOLLO IS RANKED 9^TH AND DAVIESS COUNTY IS TIED FOR 18^TH.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

THE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL BASKETBALL CLASSIC TAKES PLACE TONIGHT AT THE KFC/YUM CENTER IN LOUISVILLE.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY’S ANTHONY HICKEY WILL PLAY ON THE GOLD TEAM COACHED BY OAK HILL ACADEMY’S STEVE SMITH.

WARREN CENTRAL’S GEORGE FANT AND BOWLING GREEN’S CHANE BEHANAN WILL PLAY ON THE WHITE TEAM COACHED BY WARREN CENTRAL’S TIM RILEY.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR ALLEN WARD ANNOUNCED THURSDAY THE RACERS MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE ITS LONG SERIES WITH INSTATE RIVAL WESTERN KENTUCKY.

THE TWO TEAMS WILL PLAY IN BOWLING GREEN ON DECEMBER 1^ST THIS YEAR AND DECEMBER 1^ST 2012 AT THE C-F-S-B CENTER IN MURRAY. THE DATES FOR THE 2013 AND 2014 GAMES HAVE NOT BEEN SET.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS WILL CLOSE OUT SPRING PRACTICE SATURDAY WITH THE BLUE WHITE GAME TO BE PLAYED TO A DIFFERENT TWIST. BECAUSE OF SO MANY INJURIES AND LACK OF DEPTH, BOTH THE OFFENSE AND DEFENSE WILL BE REWARDED IN A SCORING SYSTEM. COVERAGE OF THE GAME BEGINS AT 1:30 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

NFL

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS THE TENNESSEE TITANS REMAIN FIRM ON THE DEPARTURE OF QUARTERBACK VINCE YOUNG.

COACH MIKE MUNCHAK SAYS NOTHING WILL MAKE THE TEAM REVERSE ITS DECISION. YOUNG WAS TOLD AFTER THE 2010 SEASON HE WOULD NOT BE RETURNING TO THE TITANS AFTER A SERIES OF OUTBURSTS DURING THE SEASON.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS AND ANAHEIM DUCKS PLAY GAME FIVE OF THEIR WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL SERIES TONIGHT IN ANAHEIM, WITH THE SERIES TIED TWO GAMES APIECE.

GAME SIX WILL BE AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA SUNDAY, WITH COVERAGE BEGINNING AT FIVE ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP.

GOLF

FRANKLIN’S KENNY PERRY SAYS HE EXPECTS IT TO BE A WILD AND CRAZY WEEK DURING THE SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AT VALHALLA MAY 24-29. PERRY TELLS THE COURIER JOURNAL HE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EVENT. PERRY WAS THE 1996 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNER UP AT VALHALLA AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE U-S RYDER CUP TEAM THAT WON THERE IN 2008. PADUCAH’S RUSS COCHRAN IS ALSO EXPECTED TO BE IN THE FIELD.