The Hoptown Hoppers return to Ohio Valley League action tonight hosting Madisonville at Colonel Field at 7:05, with pre game coverage at 6:50 on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

It’s Edgewood Baptist Church night at the game, and fans are asked to bring non perishable food items for Impact Ministries, with those making donations receiving a ticket for $2.50. Fans are also asked to bring lawn chairs if they like this evening in anticipation of a large crowd.

The Hoppers also announced Monday that the game with Marion on Sunday July 1^st has been changed from a day to a night game. The game will start at 7:05 Sunday evening.

Last night in the OVL: Hoptown’s lead over Marion increased to 3 ½ games after the Bobcats lost to Fulton 7-6. Fulton extended its current winning streak to four games. Elsewhere, Madisonville defeated Owensboro by an 11-5 score.

Tonight in the OVL: Owensboro travels to Marion.

Golf: The Pepsi Junior Tour began its western Kentucky swing Monday at Madisonville Golf and Country Club.

Hopkinsville’s Dayton Jones won the boys 17-18 division with a four over par 75, Cameron Allen finished tied for second with 76, Jack Gardner finished tied for fourth with 78.

Tadd Switzer won the boys 15-16 division with a one under par 70, TJ Janes finished fourth with 85, Dylan Henderson finished sixth with 93.

Austin Knight finished tied for first in the boys 13-14 division with a two over 73, while Granger Greenwell finished 5^th with an 85.

The Pepsi Tour continues its swing in the region today at Paxton Park Golf Course in Paducah.

Kentucky state amateur champion Patrick Newcomb of Murray State won a spot in this week’s United Leasing Championship Nationwide Tour event in Newburgh, Indiana. The Benton native won a six way playoff during qualifying Monday in Boonville IN with an eight under par 63. Hopkinsville’s Mitchell Moore just missed qualifying after shooting a 65, which included a double eagle on the last hole.

College Basketball: Kentucky coach John Calipari said during Monday’s Southeastern Conference summer teleconference the additions of Missouri and Texas A&M will make the talent and depth in the SEC even stronger.   Calipari also predicted seven teams from the SEC will make next year’s NCAA tournament. Only four, including the national champion Wildcats made this year’s tournament.

Also during the teleconference, Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin and Vanderbilt’s Kevin Stallings said they would miss the twice yearly guaranteed games with Kentucky. The additions of Missouri and Texas A&M , the league went from a 16 to a 18 game conference schedule. Each team was given a permanent rival that they play home and home each season. Kentucky got Florida, despite the fact Tennessee lobbied to be the permanent opponent.

CNBC reported Monday that projected number one NBA draft pick Anthony Davis has trademarked the phrases “Fear the Brow” and “Raise the Brow”. The former Kentucky player said he doesn’t want anyone else to capitalize off of those phrases.

One of Austin Peay’s basketball returnees has been ruled academically ineligible. Justin Blake will not return for his final season according to a news release from the school. The Dyersburg, TN native played less than 13 minutes a game for the Governors last season.

NFL:   The Tennessean reports the world’s largest video boards in an outdoor stadium will be ready to go when the Tennessee Titans meet Arizona in their first home pre season game August 23^rd. When completed, the two video boards will be 157 feet long by 54 feet in height. The Dallas Cowboys have the largest screens, with two panels in Cowboys Stadium measuring 160 by 72 feet.

The Hoptown Hoppers return to Ohio Valley League action tomorrow night hosting Madisonville at Colonel Field at 7:05, with pre game coverage at 6:50 on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

It’s Edgewood Baptist Church night at the game, and fans are asked to bring non perishable food items for Impact Ministries, with those making donations receiving a ticket for $2.50.

Tonight in the OVL:   Owensboro goes to Madisonville and Marion is at Fulton.

Major League Baseball tonight has St. Louis at Miami, Cincinnati hosts Milwaukee and the Chicago Cubs host the New York Mets.

Arizona is one win away from being college baseball’s national champion. The Wildcats defeated two time defending champion South Carolina 5-1 Sunday night in game one of the College World Series final in Omaha. Arizona is seeking its first national title since 1986. Game two of the three game series is this evening.

College Football: The Courier Journal reports Kentucky football has landed two verbal commitments for the class of 2013. Coach Joker Phillips received verbals over the weekend from Prattville Alabama High kicker/punter Austin MacGinnis and offensive lineman Ramsey Meyers from Ridgeview High School in Orange Park, Florida.

College Basketball: Kentucky Sports Radio.com reported on its website Sunday evening Kentucky and Marshall will reportedly play a basketball game this coming season. The game is scheduled for sometime around Christmas at Rupp Arena and will be televised by ESPN.  

Louisville and Florida International have scheduled a basketball series that will match Rick Pitino against his son Richard, who formerly worked for his dad as an assistant at U of L. The first of the three game series will be played in Miami December 19^th. FIU will repay the visit to Louisville in the 2013-14 season with the final game in the 2014-15 season. The deal is contingent on both coaches remaining at their respective schools.

Hoppers Baseball:   The Hoptown Hoppers have won six of the last seven games after a 9-2 win over Marion, and now a three game lead in the Ohio Valley League race.

Brett Pirtle and Cameron Olsen both had four hits in Sunday’s victory. Former Christian County pitcher Kyle Spencer got the start, but had to leave the game after an inning.

The 13-5 Hoppers are off today, but return to action tomorrow night hosting Madisonville at 7:05, with the Hoppers pre game at 6:50 on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

Elsewhere in the OVL Sunday, Fulton defeated Owensboro 8-5.

Tonight in the OVL: Owensboro is at Madisonville and Marion at Fulton.

Minor League Baseball:   The Bowling Green Hot Rods swept a three game set at Dayton with a 3-2 win Sunday. The Hot Rods open a Midwest League series this evening at West Michigan.

The Nashville Sounds lost at Albuquerque 4-2, with game three of the series with the Isotopes set for this evening.

College World Series:   Arizona defeated defending national champion South Carolina 5-1 in the first of the three game national championship series. The Gamecocks must now win the next two games to become the first team since Southern California in the early 1970’s to win three consecutive national titles.

College Basketball: The Courier Journal reported Sunday Western Kentucky University has been denied a hardship waiver by the NCAA that would have made Michael Bradley eligible for the upcoming season. Bradley is transferring to Western from Connecticut. Western athletic director Todd Stewart says the university has appealed and is expected to hear an answer this week.

Corey Gipson—who helped Austin Peay to Ohio Valley Conference championships in the 2002-03 and the 2003-04 seasons—is returning to Clarksville as an assistant on Coach Dave Loos staff. Gipson, who spent last two seasons as associate head coach at North Carolina Greensboro, is replacing Scott Combs who left the staff earlier this spring.

While we’re on Governors basketball, it was announced late last week the Governors will be heading to Canada for a three game exhibition series in August. The Governors will depart August 17^th and return on the 23^rd. The Governors will return to campus for 10 days of practice before making the Canadian trip. Coach Dave Loos says the trip will be a great opportunity for his young basketball team to get experience.

Murray State University coach Steve Prohm was named the citizen of the year at the Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce’s 85^th annual dinner last week. Prohm was also the speaker for the event. He is the second Murray State coach, joining former football coach Mike Gottfried as being named as citizen of the year.

Champions Tour golf: Paducah’s Russ Cochran finished tied for 3^rd at the Montreal Championship. Cochran’s 11 under par score was five strokes behind winner Mark Calcavecchia.

Ohio Valley League Baseball: The Hoptown Hoppers saw a four game winning streak end last night at Fulton, as the Railroaders ended a four game losing streak of their own with a 4-3 victory. The Hoppers had a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 8th, then Fulton tied the game at 3 and then got the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning. Tyler Vails took the pitching loss for the Hoppers and former UHA standout Matt McGowan went 1-4. The Hoppers are 11-5 on the season heading into tonight's game at Madisonville.

Meanwhile, second place Marion failed to gain any ground on the Hoppers as the Bobcats lost to Madisonville 5-2.

Other action tonight in the OVL has Fulton at Owensboro.

Minor League Baseball: The Nashville Sounds lost the finale of a series with Oklahoma City 10-7 last night at Greer Stadium. The Sounds begin a road trip this evening at Albquerque.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods opened the second half of the Midwest League season with a 9-8 victory. Game two of the series is this evening.

College World Series: Two time defending national champion South Carolina has advanced to the finals for the third time in as many years, with a 3-2 win over Arkansas. The Gamecocks will face Arizona in the first of a best of three series Sunday night in Omaha.

College Basketball: The Courier Journal reports former University of Louisville basketball Rakeem Buckles as saying it was his decision to leave the Cardinal program to play for Florida International. Buckles says his decision to leave was motiviated by former Louisville assistant Richard Pitino becoming the FIU coach and a chance to play in his hometown. Buckles will sit out the upcoming season and have one year of eligibility remaining.

Champions Tour golf: Paducah's Russ Cochran fired a six under 66 Friday to take a two stroke lead after the first round of the Montreal Championship. Michael Allen, Jerry Pate, Canadian Rod Spittle and 2010 Montreal Championship winner Larry Mize are all tied for second heading into today's second round.

The Hoptown Hoppers open a three game road trip this evening at Fulton. The Hoppers have a 1 ½ game lead on Marion in the Ohio Valley League race. Marion is also in action this evening as they play at Madisonville.

The Hoppers will travel to Madisonville Saturday night and play an afternoon game at Marion on Sunday.

Minor League Baseball tonight has the Nashville Sounds closing out a homestand against Oklahoma City, while the Bowling Green Hot Rods begin the second half of the Midwest League season at Dayton.

Major League Baseball interleague action has Atlanta at Boston, Cincinnati hosting Minnesota and St. Louis at Kansas City, while the Chicago Cubs play at Arizona.

At the College World Series in Omaha, South Carolina and Arkansas play for the second straight night in a elimination game. The Gamecocks blanked the Razorbacks 2-0 after beating Kent State 2-1 Thursday afternoon. The winner will face Arizona in a best of three series to determine the national champion.