Hoppers Baseball:   The magic number is one for the Hoptown Hoppers to clinch the top seed and regular season championship in the Ohio Valley League after a 2-1 win in Owensboro Thursday night.

Brad Sevenish got what proved to be the game winning hit when he doubled home Jake Sandlin in the 7^th inning. Josh Tanski pitched seven innings, allowing a run on eight hits, and striking out six to pick up his second win of the season.

The Hoppers are off this evening and will have a doubleheader Saturday night in Marion.

Fulton won a doubleheader 9-3 and 3-2 over Marion last night at Lohaus Field. The Railroaders are four games behind the Hoppers, with Madisonville in third six games back.

Tonight in the OVL:   Madisonville hosts Fulton and Owensboro travels to Marion.

Golf: Hopkinsville’s Dayton Jones won for the sixth time in his last seven appearances on the Pepsi Junior Tour, shooting a 74 Thursday at Tates Creek Golf Course in Lexington. Jones has a 45 point lead in the tour’s points race in the Boys 17-18 division. He is scheduled to play the Irvin Cobb tournament this weekend in Paducah.

Several local junior golfers competed in the Hopkinsville Championships of the GO Junior Golf Tour Thursday at Hopkinsville Golf and Country Club. Austin Knight fired a 74 to win the Boys 13-15 championship. Knight also took the series overall championship.

In the 1^st flight, Dylan Henderson won with 84, Grant Stamper 86, Wade Perry also shot 86, Jay Camp 87, John Langhi 89 and Nathan Frost had 96.

2^nd flight was won by Hendley Traughber with 82, he was also the series runner up. TJ Janes had 83 and Tadd Switzer fired an 84.

Adam Stone won the Boys 13-15 nine hole title with a 50, he was also the series winner.

Hunter Traughber was third in the Boys 11-12 division with a 54.

Kyler Jones fired an 92 in the Boys 16-18 championship to finish second. Jones was also the series runner up for the season.

Dacie Bolton won the Girls 13-15 championship, with Jessica Shelton 2^nd. The two were also co champions of the series.

Caitlyn Shelton finished second in the Girls 11-12 division.

College Football:   The Southeastern Conference wrapped up Media Days Thursday in Birmingham. Kentucky was picked to finish last in the SEC East, with Georgia picked to win the East, followed by South Carolina, Florida is 3^rd, newcomer Missouri 4^th, Tennessee 5^th and Vanderbilt 6^th.

In the SEC West, LSU is picked first, followed by Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, newcomer Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

LSU was also picked to be the overall league champion.

College Softball:   Austin Peay has named Stephanie Paris as its new softball coach. Paris played for OVC member UT-Martin earlier this decade and later became a successful high school and collegiate coach. She replaces Casey Dickson, whose contract was not renewed following the 2012 season.

NHL:   The Tennessean reports Shea Weber’s agent as saying the restricted free agent wants to play in Philadelphia. Jarrett Bosquett told a Toronto radio station Weber feels he would be another piece in the Flyers puzzle to take them to the next level and doesn’t want to go through a rebuilding process in Nashville again.

Weber signed a 14 year $100 million offer sheet from the Flyers earlier this week. The Nashville Predators now have seven days to match the offer. Predators general manager David Poile says they plan to do everything possible to retain Weber

The Hoptown Hoppers return to Ohio Valley League action this evening in Owensboro against the Oilers. The Hoppers magic number to clinch the OVL regular season championship remains at two games.

Elsewhere tonight: Fulton who sits in second place 4 ½ games behind the Hoppers has a doubleheader against Marion.

Major League Baseball this afternoon has Cincinnati hosting Arizona and Chicago meeting Miami.

Australian Adam Scott fired a six under par 64 to take the early lead at the British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Scott had eight birdies enroute to tying the course record set by Tom Lehman in 1996. Paul Lawrie and Zach Johnson each fired five under 65, with Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson and Graeme McDowell each at three under 67. Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Nashville’s Brandt Snedeker are playing in the afternoon rounds.

Paducah’s Russ Cochran withdrew before his tee time at the first round of the British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Cochran suffered a back strain which forced him to pull out of last week’s US Senior Open. Cochran plans to defend his Senior British Open title next week at Turnberry, heath permitting.

Hopkinsville's Dayton Jones won for the 6th time in the last seven tournaments on the Pepsi Junior Golf Tour today.  Jones fired a 74 in winning the Boys 17-18 division at Tates Creek Golf Course in Lexington.  Jones will play in the Irvin Cobb tournament this weekend in Paducah.

ESPN.com reports that if the Los Angeles Lakers were to get Dwight Howard in a trade from the Orlando Magic, he will sign a contract extension. ESPN Los Angeles.com reported Tuesday night the Lakers were willing to make a trade for Howard, even without assurances he would sign an extension.

Hoppers Baseball:   Following an off day, the Hoptown Hoppers are back in action this evening at Owensboro. The 24-11 Hoppers stand two games away from clinching the regular season title. First pitch this evening at 7.

Last night in the OVL:   The Hoppers were unable to move closer to clinching the league crown as the doubleheader between Fulton and Owensboro was rained out. It will be made up this Sunday.

Madisonville won its 2^nd straight game, defeating Marion 5-4. The Bobcats have lost three contests in a row.

Tonight in the OVL:   Marion plays a doubleheader at Fulton.

High School Football:   We’re less than a month from the beginning of the regular season and local teams have scrimmage games coming up. The Kentucky New Era reports Christian County will have Meet the Colonels August 4^th at the Stadium of Champions, with the team to play in a jamboree August 11^th at Austin Peay with several teams.

Hopkinsville will scrimmage Owensboro August 10^th at Hopkinsville High at 6 pm. Fort Campbell will host a jamboree August 10^th at 7 pm, with Trigg County playing scrimmage games against Murray and Union County August 10^th in Murray.

College Football:   Kentucky coach Joker Phillips and some of his players were among those participating in day two of the SEC Media Days Wednesday in Birmingham. Phillips—11-14 in two seasons as UK coach—was asked if he were on the proverbial hot seat. Phillips said he was not sitting down, so in his mind the seat is not hot. Phillips says his job was to put the best product on the field and not worry his job.

Kentucky has announced former defensive end Jeremy Jarmon is joining the coaching staff as assistant director of player personnel. Jarmon played three seasons in the NFL, including two seasons with the Washington Redskins. Jarmon signed with Denver last season, but didn’t see action and recently retired due to a nagging knee injury.

Golf: Hopkinsville’s Dayton Jones finished 2^nd with a 73 in the Boys 17-18 division at the Pepsi Junior Tour stop at Lakeside Golf Club in Lexington. Jones had won the five previous stops before falling Wednesday. Jones will play again today on the Pepsi Tour at Tates Creek Golf Club in Lexington.

Paducah’s Russ Cochran—the defending Senior British Open champion—has withdrawn from the British Open underway today at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Cochran withdrew due to a back strain suffered during last week's US Senior Open.

NHL:   Shea Weber could no longer a Nashville Predator. The Philadelphia Flyers have signed the restricted free agent to a 14 year, $100 million offer sheet.   The Predators now have seven days to match the Flyers offer. Weber had 19 goals and 30 assists in 78 games in Nashville last season.

OVL Baseball:   The Hoptown Hoppers are idle this evening, but hold a 4 ½ game lead on the Fulton Railroaders who play a doubleheader at Owensboro. The Hoppers magic number to clinch is 2 games, with the Hoppers back in action tomorrow night at Owensboro.

Elsewhere this evening Marion plays at Madisonville.

MLB Baseball:   Action this afternoon has St. Louis at Milwaukee, with Cincinnati hosting Arizona, Atlanta hosting San Francisco and Chicago meeting Miami this evening in National League action.

Baseball’s all time hits leader is currently in production on a reality television show. Pete Rose and his thirtysomething model fiance’ Kiana Kim will be followed in their daily lives as they try to blend families. Kim has two children who live with her in Los Angeles while Rose—who has four adult children—lives in Las Vegas. The show will air later this year on TLC.

NFL: The Washington Redskins have signed rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor was the number two pick in the NFL Draft in the spring. ESPN reports Griffin’s four year contract is fully guaranteed with a price tag of $21.1 million. Of the 32 first round draft choices, 13 remain unsigned including top pick Andrew Luck.

Hoppers Baseball:   The Hoptown Hoppers closed out the home portion of the regular season with a 6-2 win over Owensboro. Clayton Dugan and four relievers combined on a three hitter as Dugan improved to 3-1 on the season.

Bobby Clark and Brad Sevenish had two hits for the Hoppers who improved to 24-11 on the season.

Elsewhere in the OVL: Fulton defeated Marion 5-4 to remain 4 ½ games behind the Hoppers in 2^nd place, however, the Hoppers magic number to clinch the regular season stands at 2 games.

Tonight in the OVL:   The Hoppers are idle this evening, while Fulton plays a doubleheader at Owensboro, with Marion at Madisonville.

Golf: Hopkinsville’s Dayton Jones won his fifth straight Pepsi Tour event at the Bull at Boone Trace near Richmond Tuesday. Jones had a three under 69 which included one bogey to win the boys 17-18 division. Jones goes for his sixth straight win today at Lakeside Golf Course in Lexington.

Former Christian County High standout Jonathan Grabara played in the KGA Match Play championship Tuesday in Prospect. Grabara had a two round score of 170 at the Hunting Creek Country Club and missed the cut to play in the match play portion of the event.

Kyler Jones won the 5^th flight in the boys 16-18 division of the GO Junior Golf Series Owensboro championship Tuesday. Jones fired an 88 at The Summitt to take a two shot win. The Hopkinsville championship is scheduled for Thursday at Hopkinsville Golf and Country Club.

College Football:   The SEC Media days began Tuesday in Birmingham, with Vanderbilt coach James Franklin among those who spoke. Franklin turned around a Commodore program winning six games and making a bowl appearance in the 2011 season. Franklin says the team made great strides last year, but there is still work to do.

Kentucky has its turn at the podium today as coach Joker Phillips and several players will participate in day two of the activities.

NFL: The Tennessean reports Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt has had more arthoscopic surgery, this time on his left knee. The procedure took place at the end of June following the Titans mini camp. Britt experienced discomfort and swelling on the left knee after having surgery on the right knee back in May because of swelling.

Britt injured the right knee last season and missed the remainder of the season. Coaches are optimistic Britt will be available for the season opener against New England September 9^th.

NHL: The Nashville Predators have signed free agent goalie Jeremy Smith to a one year contract according to the Tennessean. Smith was second in the American Hockey League in wins and shutouts last season while playing for the Predators AHL team in Milwaukee.