High School Baseball:   Hopkinsville defeated Crittenden County 4-1 behind a one unearned run, three hit performance from Hutton White, Christian County gave up four runs in the fifth inning in falling at Henderson County 7-2, Russellville over Trigg County 10-3.

Today’s games: Christian County entertains Union County, Fort Campbell welcomes Livingston Central, University Heights hosts Owensboro, Trigg County at Webster County, Logan County hosts Glasgow, Crittenden County hosts Murray.

High School Softball: Christian County defeated Henderson County 8-2, University Heights over Mayfield 9-1, Livingston Central over Hopkinsville 9-0, Trigg County beat Logan County 10-0 in 5 innings and Todd Central over Dawson Springs 10-3.

Today’s games:   Heritage Christian Academy entertains Christian Community at Lady Warrior Field. First pitch at 4:30, with the Heritage Bank pre game show at 4:20 on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

Christian County is hosting the Lady Colonel Classic this weekend at Christian County High School. Six teams including the Lady Colonels and Hopkinsville are in the event and the tournament will be round robin in nature.

Today’s action begins at 5:30 with Christian County playing Marshall County, with Hopkinsville meeting St. Mary at 6:45, followed at 8:00 by Lone Oak and Union County with Christian County returning for the 9:15 game against St. Mary.

Other games: University Heights at Franklin Simpson, Fort Campbell entertains McLean County in a doubleheader, Dawson Springs hosts Butler County, Todd Central at Bowling Green, Caldwell County entertains Murray.

College Basketball:   The Paducah Sun reports Murray State University will open a new four million dollar basketball only facility in January. The new 20-thousand square foot facility will include a court, coaching offices, lobby space and a hall of fame. Athletics director Allen Ward says the facility will take Murray State’s men’s and women’s programs to another level.

College Softball: Murray State’s softball team defeated Eastern Kentucky 3-1 in its first game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament Thursday in Martin, TN. Former Christian County standout Casey Castille went 0-3 in the game. The Racers will face Jacksonville State today.

Kentucky scored three times in the top of the 7^th, but fell to Georgia in its first game of the SEC tournament 6-4. No individual stats were available on the game for former Christian County standout Griffin Joiner. Kentucky finishes the season 29-28 and will be eligible for an at large bid to the NCAA tournament.

NHL:   Nashville Predators general manager David Poile and coach Barry Trotz held a season ending news conference on Thursday. Poile says All Star defenseman Ryan Suter has told him he would like to return to the Predators. Suter becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1^st.

Poile also says it’s important to get captain Shea Weber resigned as well as he considers Weber and Suter the building blocks of the team. As for Alexander Radalov, he has indicated he would like to return to Nashville. However, coach Trotz says Radalov has to change some of his ways on and off the ice, his training and other aspects.

NFL: Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt tells the Tennessean he’s matured this off season following rehab from a knee injury suffered early last season. The 23 year old has also had a trouble free off season after seven involving police in his first two NFL seasons. Those who know Britt say he has made some changes to help in his maturity, including fewer trips to his native New Jersey and getting a new agent.

PGA Tour:   Nashville’s Brandt Snedeker fired a four over par, while former UK golfer JB Holmes had a two over par score at the Players Championship Thursday. Ian Poulter and Martin Laird are tied for the lead at seven under, with Phil Mickelson one under, Rory McIlroy at even par and Tiger Woods at two over par.

Murray State’s softball team defeated Eastern Kentucky 3-1 in its first game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament this afternoon in Martin, TN. Former Christian County standout Casey Castille went 0-3 in the game.  The Racers will face Jacksonville State on Friday.

The latest rankings in Kentucky high school softball and baseball have been released.

Christian County is 8^th in this week’s Kentucky Softball Coaches Association Top 25 which has Allen County Scottsville first. Greenwood is 3^rd, Bowling Green 14^th, Livingston Central 15^th, Reidland 18^th, Lone Oak 21^st, Hopkins Central 22^nd, Heath 23^rd, Glasgow 24^th and Muhlenberg County 25^th.

Bowling Green is 5^th in the Kentucky Baseball Coaches Association top 25, which has Lexington Catholic number one this week. Apollo is 12^th, Lone Oak 14^th, Glasgow 15^th, Calloway County 21^st and Muhlenberg County 22^nd.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports Franklin Simpson High School has named its new football and boys basketball coaches. Dee Spencer will replace Lex Lindsey as basketball coach, while Doug Preston will replace Tim Schlosser as football coach.

Kentucky Sports Radio.com reports on its website the University of Kentucky is looking to play a marquee non conference basketball game at a neutral site next season. The proposed cities are Nashville and Indianapolis.

The Courier Journal reports University of Louisville baseball’s Jim Patterson Stadium is about to receive an expansion. The $4 million expansion will add 15-hundred chair back seats, a terrace above the seats and a terrace along the dugouts. The expansion work will begin June 15^th. When completed, the stadium will seat 4,000, making it the largest in the Big East Conference.

Former UK golfer JB Holmes shot two over par, while Nashville’s Brandt Snedeker was four over in their first rounds at the Players Championship. Ian Poulter is the clubhouse leader at 7 under par, with Bryce Adams one shot back. Kevin Na and Ben Crane are two strokes back, with Matt Kuchar leading a trio in the clubhouse at 4 under par.

Former Christian County softball player Casey Castille was named the Ohio Valley Conference freshman of the year and was also named to the first team All-OVC. The Murray State rookie hit .351 during her first season with a team best 11 home runs and ranked second on the team with 40 runs scored and stole 21 of 22 bases during the regular season.

The Lady Racers are playing their first game in the OVC Tournament this afternoon against Eastern Kentucky in Martin, TN.

Ten years ago, Tyler Smithhart was graduating from Henderson County High School, and today he is the new basketball coach at his alma mater. Smithhart was officially introduced at a news conference in Henderson this morning. Smithhart had just completed his first year as head coach at Christian County when he was offered the opportunity to replace Mark Starns, whose contract was not renewed.

Todd Stewart was officially introduced this morning as the new athletics director at Western Kentucky University. Stewart has been in the athletic administration on the Hill since 2008.

Western president Gary Ransdell tells the Courier Journal Stewart will receive a four year contract worth an annual salary of $185,000 plus incentives. Stewart had been serving as interim AD since Ross Bjork’s resignation in March to become the athletics director at Ole Miss.

There are some games in Major League Baseball today and tonight, but the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs all have the night off.

Three games in the NBA playoffs tonight have Chicago at Philadelphia, Atlanta at Boston and the LA Lakers at Denver, with the Lakers, Celtics and 76ers all one win away from concluding their series.

Kentuckian JB Holmes and Nashville’s Brandt Snedeker are in the field for The Players Championship, underway at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.

For the second time in as many years, Christian County will begin the search for a new boys basketball coach. Tyler Smithhart will be officially introduced at a news conference this morning as the new coach at his alma mater, Henderson County High School.

Smithhart was an assistant under former Colonel head coach Kerry Stovall before leading the Colonels to a 9-22 record this season and a berth into the semifinals of the 2^nd region tournament. Smithhart replaces Mark Starns, whose contract was not renewed by the school after five seasons.

Another high school coach who got his start in Western Kentucky is leaving one of the top programs in Louisville. Jason Couch, who began his career at Greenwood High in Bowling Green, is leaving Louisville Eastern to become the new coach at Shelby County.

According to the Courier Journal, Couch was 206-83 in his tenure at Eastern, winning three Louisville Invitational Tournament titles and made two state tournament appearances in 2009 and 2011, where the heavily favored Eagles lost to eventual state champion Christian County in the semi finals.

WHOP Sports has learned Hopkinsville High girls basketball player Christy Soldo is slated to announce Monday her plans to play collegiately for Murray State. The Kentucky All Star will make her announcement at 1 pm at Hopkinsville High.

High School Baseball: University Heights goes to Lyon County, Christian County is at Henderson County, Hopkinsville hosts senior night against Crittenden County, Todd Central hosts Edmonson County, Trigg County welcomes Russellville, Logan County at Allen County Scottsville, Caldwell County at Marshall County, Madisonville at Whitesville Trinity, Webster County hosts Union County.

High School Softball:   Christian County at Henderson County, Hopkinsville at Livingston Central, University Heights travels to Mayfield, Fort Campbell hosts Madisonville in a doubleheader, Trigg County at Logan County, Dawson Springs hosts Todd Central, Lyon County entertains Webster County.

High School Tennis: Both boys and girls play continued Wednesday at the 2^nd region tournament being held at Ruff Park. Hopkinsville’s Grey Campbell advanced to the boys singles semifinals today with a win Wednesday. In boys doubles, the University Heights team of Gordon Kaye and Blake Edmonson moved to the semi finals today.

Girls singles saw Hopkinsville’s Mallory Perkins win two matches to move to the semi finals today. Semi final and finals matches begin at 4:45 today.

Pairings for the 8^th district baseball and softball tournaments to be played at Christian County High School May 21-23 were announced Wednesday.

Baseball:   Monday May 21^st at 5:30 Hopkinsville plays Fort Campbell, with Christian County to meet University Heights at 8 pm.

The championship game will be played Wednesday May 23^rd at 7:30 pm.

Softball: Tuesday May 22^nd at 5:30 Christian County plays Fort Campbell, with University Heights playing Hopkinsville at 7:30 pm.

The championship game will be played Wednesday May 23^rd at 5:30.

Admission for the games is $5 for everyone and fans are asked use the Glass Avenue entrance at Christian County High School for parking.

All games in the 8^th district tournaments will be broadcast on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

District 5’s softball and baseball tournament pairings have been announced. Softball begins Monday May 21^st with Trigg County meeting Livingston Central at 5, followed by host Lyon County taking on Crittenden County at 7. The championship game will be May 22^nd at 6 pm.

The baseball tournament also begins May 21^st with Crittenden County meeting Lyon County at 5, followed by Trigg County and Livingston Central at 7:30. The championship game will be May 22^nd at 6 pm.

Western Kentucky University has removed the interim tag from Todd Stewart and has named him the school’s athletics director. Stewart replaces Ross Bjork, who recently resigned to become the athletics director at Ole Miss.

Stewart came to Western in 2008 after serving as associate commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. He had served as senior associate athletics director and two years as associate athletics director of communications and media relations. Stewart will be officially introduced at a news conference this morning.

College Softball:   Former Christian County standout Griffin Joiner has received All Freshman honors from the Southeastern Conference. Kentucky begins play in the SEC tournament today against Georgia at 4 this afternoon in Tuscaloosa, AL. The game will be televised on ESPN U.

Christian County will be searching for a new boys’ basketball coach for the second straight year. WHOP Sports has learned Tyler Smithart will be leaving after one season to become the new head coach at Henderson County.

Smithart, who played his high school basketball at Henderson County, replaces Mark Starns, whose contract was not renewed after five seasons. Smithart was 9-22 in his lone season as Christian County coach, after serving four seasons as an assistant to former Colonel coach Kerry Stovall. Before coming to Christian County, Smithart served as an assistant one season at Lexington Henry Clay.