SPORTS HEADLINES 5/8/13

High School Baseball-Tuesday scores:   Christian County took the 8^th district lead following a come from behind 3-1 win over University Heights. The Blazers got a first inning run on a single by Chandler West which brought home Darrian Mc Combs. That run held up until Christian County got two runs in the bottom of the fifth when a throwing error by Blazers pitcher Jacob Stevens allowed Wyatt Langhi to score to tie the game.

David Smith had a ground rule double later in the inning that brought home Logan Patterson with the go ahead run. Christian County got an insurance run in the bottom of the 6^th. Chance Carner got the pitching win, with Logan Patterson collecting the save for Christian County, while Jacob Stevens took the loss for UHA. Christian County is now 19-13/4-1 in district play, while UHA is 10-8/2-3 in district action.

Christian County has a one game lead on Hopkinsville, who was rained out for the second straight night against Fort Campbell.

Other games saw: Trigg County edge Caldwell County 3-2, Russellville over Todd Central 11-2, Union County shut out Madisonville 4-0, Muhlenberg County defeated Bowling Green 7-4, Calloway County blanked Mayfield 7-0, Graves County over Reidland 11-6, Lone Oak over Ballard Memorial 13-3, Marshall County over St. Mary 9-6 and Paducah Tilghman shut out Heath 5-0.

Today’s games: University Heights hosts Christian County in the 2^nd of the 8^th district series, with first pitch at 5:30. The Heritage Bank pre game show is on the air at 5:15 on News/Talk WHOP and online at whopam.com.

Hopkinsville hosts Fort Campbell in a doubleheader at Tiger Field beginning at 5 pm. Other games have Reidland at Lone Oak.

High School Softball-Tuesday scores: Christian County edged Franklin Simpson 2-1, Trigg County run ruled Hopkinsville 12-2 in 6 innings, South Warren slid by University Heights 2-1, Todd Central shut out Logan County 2-0, Madisonville defeated Union County 7-4, Apollo edged Hopkins Central 4-3, Muhlenberg County over Ohio County 11-1, Hancock County over Henderson County 8-3, Livingston Central blanked Webster County 7-0, Paducah Tilghman edged Carlisle County 4-3 in 8 innings, Marshall County shut out Murray 6-0, Ballard Memorial edged Graves County 2-1.

Today’s games: Muhlenberg County hosts McLean County, St. Mary at Heath and Reidland at Hickman County.

High School Tennis: Play at the Boys 2^nd region tennis tournament at Henderson County was postponed because of rain. The tournament will be held today, with the Girls tournament semi finals and finals taking place Thursday.

Christian County High student/athlete Korey Mosley will sign his collegiate letter to continue his football career today. The Kentucky New Era reports Mosley will sign with Murray State during a ceremony at 2:30 at the CCHS Library.

College Football: The Bowling Green Daily News reported Tuesday Western Kentucky quarterback James Mauro announced Monday via Twitter he plans to transfer. The redshirt sophomore played three games during his WKU career. Mauro indicated he has received interest from a number of Division One, Ivy League, top national junior colleges and lower division programs for his services.

College Basketball: University of Tennessee guard Trae Golden is leaving the program. Golden through a news release issued by UT Tuesday said he enjoyed his three years in Knoxville, but plans to play his senior year elsewhere. Golden averaged 12.1 points this past season for the Vols.

The national semifinal games of the men’s Final Four are moving to cable next year. CBS and Turner Sports announced Tuesday the national semi finals will air on TBS in 2014 and 2015 with the national championship game remaining both years on CBS. Under the 14 year deal the companies signed with the NCAA in 2010, CBS and TBS will alternate broadcasting the entire Final Four after 2015. TBS will have it in 2016, CBS in 2017.

College Softball: The Ohio Valley Conference tournament begins today at top seed and host Eastern Illinois. Murray State is the 4^th seed and faces 5^th seed UT Martin at 5:30 this afternoon.

The SEC tournament begins today in Lexington, with 7^th seeded Kentucky meeting 10^th seed South Carolina at 5:30 Hopkinsville time this evening.

Former Christian County standout and current UK catcher Griffin Joiner has been honored for her play by the Southeastern Conference. The sophomore was named to the All SEC second team. Joiner is hitting .327 this season with 10 home runs, 13 doubles and 27 runs scored along with 41 RBI.

Minor League Baseball: The Nashville Sounds opened their home stand with an 8-3 loss to Fresno. The teams play a matinee game at 11:05 this morning at Greer Stadium.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods open a six game home stand hosting the West Michigan Whitecaps at Bowling Green Ballpark at 7:05 this evening.

SPORTS UPDATE 5/7/13

College Football: University of Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart says he is against the Southeastern Conference possibly going to a nine game conference schedule. Barnhart tells the Lexington Herald Leader he does not feel a nine game league schedule would serve UK well.

There are some rumblings when the SEC Network begins in 2014, that it will ask the league to go to the nine game conference schedule. Kentucky is one of four SEC teams that play intrastate rivalry games each season and adding the ninth league game could cause scheduling problems for non conference matchups.

College Golf: Princeton native Emma Talley became the third University of Alabama golfer in the last four years to be named SEC freshman of the year Monday. Talley posted a 73.23 scoring average for the second ranked Crimson Tide and shot par or better in 12 of her 26 rounds. Talley had four top 10 individual finishes and won the PING/ASU Invitational.

MLB: The Cincinnati Reds meet Atlanta in game 2 of their series this evening at Great American Ball Park. Other National League action includes St. Louis taking on the Chicago Cubs.

NBA: The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder each try to build off their 1-0
series leads this evening. The Pacers went into Madison Square Garden on Sunday
and knocked off the New York Knicks to take home court advantage in the series.
Out west, Kevin Durant's late jumper sealed the Thunder's comeback win over
the Memphis Grizzlies, who have never been past the conference semis.

NHL: There are four playoff games this evening. San Jose leads Vancouver in its Western Conference series 3-0, while Chicago leads Minnesota 2-1. Eastern Conference action has the NY Islanders hosting Pittsburgh, trailing in the series 2-1. The other contest has Ottawa taking on Montreal, with the Senators leading the series 2-1.

SPORTS HEADLINES 5/7/13

High School Baseball-Monday scores: Madisonville clubbed Dawson Springs 25-1 in 5 innings, Paducah Tilghman edged Mayfield 3-2, as did Calloway County over Graves County 3-2 and Marshall County defeated Heath 11-6.

Today’s games: Christian County opens a two game 8^th district series hosting University Heights at 6:30 this evening, with the Heritage Bank pre game show at 6:15 on News/Talk WHOP and online at whopam.com.

As play begins this evening Christian County and Hopkinsville are each 3-1 in district play and the Tigers will begin a two game 8^th district series hosting Fort Campbell.

Other games have Trigg County at Caldwell County, Dawson Springs hosts Webster County, Todd Central welcomes Russellville, Logan County goes to Franklin Simpson, Hopkins Central hosts Livingston Central, Madisonville entertains Union County, Henderson County welcomes Crittenden County, Calloway County goes to Mayfield and Marshall County hosts St. Mary.

High School Softball-Monday scores: University Heights defeated Ohio County 5-1, Logan County edged Hart County 2-1, Henderson County shut out Hopkins Central 6-0, Graves County nipped St. Mary 1-0, Ballard Memorial held off Paducah Tilghman 4-3 in 10 innings and Massac County, IL run ruled Calloway County 10-0 in 6 innings.

Today’s games: Hopkinsville hosts Trigg County, University Heights goes to South Warren, Todd Central welcomes Logan County, Russellville hosts Metcalfe County, Dawson Springs entertains Crittenden County, Madisonville goes to Union County, Muhlenberg County travels to Ohio County, Webster County goes to Livingston Central, Henderson County at Hancock County, Paducah Tilghman hosts Carlisle County, Murray at Marshall County, Graves County is at Ballard Memorial.

High School Tennis: Play began Monday in the 2^nd region girls tournament at Henderson County High School. Among the winners included doubles teams of Gretchen Powell and Sally Smith of UHA and Hopkinsville’s team of Olivia Harris and Claire Campbell who advanced to the semi finals, along with UHA singles player Kloe Freeman. The boys tournament is scheduled to begin today.

Christian County wrestler Kory Polley signed a collegiate letter Monday afternoon to wrestle for Campbellsville University. Polley was a six year varsity wrestler at Christian County, won 183 matches and made appearances in three state wrestling tournaments.

Golf: Former Hopkinsville High player Dayton Jones finished third at the NJCAA Division Two regional tournament which concluded Monday in Bloomington, IL. Jones fired rounds of 75-76 for a three round score of 220. The Rend Lake Community College golfer will now play in the NJCAA national tournament later this month in Scottsboro, AL.

Jones will also play in a preliminary qualifying round for the 2013 US Open later this week. Jones will play Thursday morning at the Sagamore Golf Club in Noblesville, IN.

College Football: Doctors say Kentucky safety Ashley Lowery is expected to make a complete recovery following a traffic accident over the weekend near his home in Georgia. The Courier Journal reports the family released a statement through the University of Kentucky Monday saying his condition has been upgraded to satisfactory and that his injuries were no longer life threatening.

Meanwhile, the Courier Journal reports Kentucky running back Justin Taylor is leaving the program. The redshirt freshman from Atlanta was listed fifth on the depth chart following spring practice. Taylor has been granted a release where he can transfer.

Minor League Baseball: The Bowling Green Hot Rods finished off a series with Clinton with a 4-2 victory. The Hot Rods are off today before opening a six game home stand starting with three games against West Michigan Wednesday night.

The Nashville Sounds finished their road trip with a 9-5 win Monday at Round Rock. The Sounds open an eight game home stand hosting Fresno this evening at Greer Stadium.

HHS SOFTBALL-BASEBALL CANCELLATIONS 5/6/13

Hopkinsville High's baseball and softball games scheduled for today have been cancelled. The Lady Tigers home game with Christian County scheduled for 5:30 will not be made up.

Meanwhile, the baseball game at Fort Campbell has been postponed until Wednesday, meaning the first game of the two game 8th district series will begin tomorrow at HHS.

Because of the cancellation of the softball game, News/Talk WHOP will carry the first game of the three game series between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta, with air time at 5:40 pm.

SPORTS UPDATE 5/6/13

College Football: WKYT reports Kentucky safety Ashley Lowery’s condition has been upgraded. A family spokesman says the extent of a neck injury suffered in a traffic accident early Saturday morning in Georgia is not known, but there is no significant head or brain damage. Lowery was thrown from the vehicle he was driving, with Georgia State Patrol noting Lowery was not wearing a seat belt.

Conner High School quarterback Drew Barker will announce Friday where he plans to play college football. The final three choices are all in the SEC, with Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee in the group. Notre Dame is also likely to be in the mix if they offer Barker a scholarship.

Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby winner Orb is back in New York to begin preparations for the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes on May 18^th. The Preakness field is expected to include Oxbow, Will Take Charge and Goldenscents. Golden Soul and Revolutionary are skipping the Run for the Blackeyed Susans and are pointing toward the Belmont Stakes.

MLB: National League action includes Cincinnati opening a three game series with the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ballpark. Other action has the Chicago Cubs meeting the Texas Rangers in interleague play.

NBA: The Miami Heat have been idle for more than a week, but they'll need to get back to business, tonight when they take on the Chicago Bulls in game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The San Antonio Spurs have also been home resting for more than a week, and this evening they face the upstart Golden State Warriors in game one of the Western Conference semifinals, in the Alamo City.

NHL: The Toronto Maple Leafs will host their first playoff game in nine years as they battle the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of a deadlocked Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. The series is tied at 1-1.

The New York Rangers hope a change of venue can get them back into the Eastern Conference quarterfinals when they host the Washington Capitals in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. The Capitals lead the series 2-0.

The second-seeded Anaheim Ducks will try to push Detroit to the brink of elimination, as they visit the Red Wings for Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals at Joe Louis Arena. The Ducks lead the series 2-1.

The Los Angeles Kings hope to even the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals as they host the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 at Staples Center. The Blues lead the series 2-1.

Golf: The 2013 class for the World Golf Hall of Fame will be inducted in ceremonies this evening in St. Augustine, FL. Among this year’s honorees are Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie and former US Open champion and long time CBS golf commentator Ken Venturi.