By ALEX HELMBRECHT, CSC Director of College Relations

CHADRON – “They Found a Way to Play the Game,” the latest book from longtime Chadron State College employee Con Marshall, is a compilation of two his favorite topics: history and sports.

The book, available by contacting the Chadron State Foundation or Marshall, chronicles the stories of 16 former CSC football players who played for the Eagles from 1912 through 1958. In the introduction to the book, Marshall writes “(the players) weren’t necessarily the best 16 during that period, but all were stalwarts who had interesting stories to tell…”

Fourteen of the 16 are inducted in Chadron State’s Athletic Hall of Fame and Marshall said he personally interviewed 15 of them. The exception was LaVerne McKelvey, who was frequently tabbed as one of Chadron State’s best football players during the 20th&nbsp;century by his peers and alumni. McKelvey had helped defeat the Eagles when he was a senior at Bayard High School in 1919, then enrolled at Chadron State in 1921, and earned all-conference honors five times.&nbsp;

In addition to McKelvey, other entries include stories about Rex Coffee, Clifford Weller, Leo Stangle, Wes Evans, Dub Miller, Francis Montague, Loki Christensen, Bill Bruer, Bob Burden, Bob Brown, Verne Lewellen, Jim Ratelle, Jack Dinnel, J.C. Sollars, and Lonny Wickard. There’s also a salute to Ross Armstrong, CSC’s longtime athletic director and coach when many of the men featured in the book played for the Eagles.

“I wrote the stories because I like history and I like sports. Writing about sports was a big part of my first job as a reporter at the ‘Chadron Record’ and it continued during my long association with Chadron State,” Marshall said.

As soon as I came to work at CSC, I tried to become familiar with athletic records and attempted to expand on them. That sent me looking through the files I inherited and old newspapers for more information. That experience helped me learn more about CSC standouts.”

Marshall said when Armstrong began the Athletic Hall of Fame in the early 1980s, the stories about the former greats started flowing.

“Often times, one story led to another,” he said.

Marshall initially wrote many of the stories in the 1990s, but began compiling and updating them in the spring of 2020. When he originally worked on the stories, Marshall traveled to the homes of several former Eagles, often accompanied by his wife, Peggy. The couple was able to incorporate the interviews into vacations, including stops in Estes Park, Colo., Hill City, S.D., and Lander, Wyo.

As the former CSC Sports Information Director, Marshall also used his time on the road with the football team to his advantage, interviewing Christensen when the Eagles played Montana State University in Bozeman in 1997.

Marshall didn’t have to travel for every meeting. He recalls going to Coffee’s home and Miller’s bar in Chadron to interview them in the 1960s. In later years, Marshall interviewed a few former players when they returned to campus for homecoming, and he visited several ex-Eagles in their homes in the region, including places such as Lingle, Wyo., Wheatland, Wyo., Morrill, Neb., Bayard, Neb., and Rapid City, S.D.

Marshall said he is proud to share the stories about the men and their many accomplishments besides football.

“Most of those featured in the book came from humble backgrounds, survived the Great Depression, and had successful careers. Ten of them were World War II veterans. Three more served in the military after graduating from CSC,” Marshall said. “They represent a lot of principles that are important to Chadron State College.”

Marshall concluded by saying similar stories could be written about numerous other former Chadron State student-athletes, but at this moment, he doesn’t have any plans to work on a second volume.

“They Found a Way to Play the Game” is Marshall’s fifth book centered around Chadron State. He’s previously written books for the college’s 75th&nbsp;and 100th&nbsp;anniversaries, a biography of Armstrong, and the recently published compilation, “Say That Again,” which features prominent speakers who presented at the college.

For copies of “They Found a Way to Play the Game,” contact Marshall at 308-432-6478 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cmarshall@csc.edu" target="_blank">cmarshall@csc.edu</a>. There is no charge for the book, but it is suggested that those seeking a copy consider making a contribution to the athletic program through the Chadron State Foundation.

By ALEX HELMBRECHT, CSC Director of College RelationsCHADRON – “They Found a Way to Play the Game,” the latest book from longtime Chadron State College employee Con Marshall, is a compilation of two his favorite topics: history and sports.The book, available by contacting the Chadron State Foundation or Marshall, chronicles the stories of 16 former CSC football players who played for the Eagles from 1912 through 1958. In the introduction to the book, Marshall writes “(the players) weren’t necessarily the best 16 during that period, but all were stalwarts who had interesting stories to tell…”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597848116023.jpeg" alt="Con Marshall poses with his book "They Found a Way to Play the Game," a collection of stories about past Chadron State College football players. (Photo by Daniel Binkard/Chadron State College)" />
 <figcaption>Con Marshall poses with his book "They Found a Way to Play the Game," a collection of stories about past Chadron State College football players. (Photo by Daniel Binkard/Chadron State College)</figcaption>
 </figure>Fourteen of the 16 are inducted in Chadron State’s Athletic Hall of Fame and Marshall said he personally interviewed 15 of them. The exception was LaVerne McKelvey, who was frequently tabbed as one of Chadron State’s best football players during the 20th&nbsp;century by his peers and alumni. McKelvey had helped defeat the Eagles when he was a senior at Bayard High School in 1919, then enrolled at Chadron State in 1921, and earned all-conference honors five times.&nbsp;In addition to McKelvey, other entries include stories about Rex Coffee, Clifford Weller, Leo Stangle, Wes Evans, Dub Miller, Francis Montague, Loki Christensen, Bill Bruer, Bob Burden, Bob Brown, Verne Lewellen, Jim Ratelle, Jack Dinnel, J.C. Sollars, and Lonny Wickard. There’s also a salute to Ross Armstrong, CSC’s longtime athletic director and coach when many of the men featured in the book played for the Eagles.“I wrote the stories because I like history and I like sports. Writing about sports was a big part of my first job as a reporter at the ‘Chadron Record’ and it continued during my long association with Chadron State,” Marshall said.As soon as I came to work at CSC, I tried to become familiar with athletic records and attempted to expand on them. That sent me looking through the files I inherited and old newspapers for more information. That experience helped me learn more about CSC standouts.”Marshall said when Armstrong began the Athletic Hall of Fame in the early 1980s, the stories about the former greats started flowing.“Often times, one story led to another,” he said.Marshall initially wrote many of the stories in the 1990s, but began compiling and updating them in the spring of 2020. When he originally worked on the stories, Marshall traveled to the homes of several former Eagles, often accompanied by his wife, Peggy. The couple was able to incorporate the interviews into vacations, including stops in Estes Park, Colo., Hill City, S.D., and Lander, Wyo.As the former CSC Sports Information Director, Marshall also used his time on the road with the football team to his advantage, interviewing Christensen when the Eagles played Montana State University in Bozeman in 1997.Marshall didn’t have to travel for every meeting. He recalls going to Coffee’s home and Miller’s bar in Chadron to interview them in the 1960s. In later years, Marshall interviewed a few former players when they returned to campus for homecoming, and he visited several ex-Eagles in their homes in the region, including places such as Lingle, Wyo., Wheatland, Wyo., Morrill, Neb., Bayard, Neb., and Rapid City, S.D.Marshall said he is proud to share the stories about the men and their many accomplishments besides football.“Most of those featured in the book came from humble backgrounds, survived the Great Depression, and had successful careers. Ten of them were World War II veterans. Three more served in the military after graduating from CSC,” Marshall said. “They represent a lot of principles that are important to Chadron State College.”Marshall concluded by saying similar stories could be written about numerous other former Chadron State student-athletes, but at this moment, he doesn’t have any plans to work on a second volume.“They Found a Way to Play the Game” is Marshall’s fifth book centered around Chadron State. He’s previously written books for the college’s 75th&nbsp;and 100th&nbsp;anniversaries, a biography of Armstrong, and the recently published compilation, “Say That Again,” which features prominent speakers who presented at the college.For copies of “They Found a Way to Play the Game,” contact Marshall at 308-432-6478 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cmarshall@csc.edu" target="_blank">cmarshall@csc.edu</a>. There is no charge for the book, but it is suggested that those seeking a copy consider making a contribution to the athletic program through the Chadron State Foundation.

New book written about old CSC football greats

Texas A&amp;M allowing 30% of fan capacity at football games

(AP) Texas A&amp;M has established a reduced capacity, distanced seating plan designed to host fans at Kyle Field as safely as possible.

The university's plan focuses on the recommended health protocols and ensures that attendance during the season will comply with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order limiting the normal operating capacity for outdoor sporting venues.

The exact capacity percentage will be determined based on the number of season ticket holders and student sport pass holders who choose to attend.

The football season is scheduled to begin Sept. 26. Initial anticipated attendance to begin the season is approximately 30% of normal stadium operating capacity, but that's subject to change based on state health developments. Kyle Field's capacity is 102,733.

Crimson Tide will be cheered on by 20% of seating capacity

Alabama will allow about 20% capacity for games at Bryant-Denny Stadium this season.

The university released its plans for dealing with COVID-19 at games, noting seating will be set up to allow social distancing.

The Crimson Tide opens its home schedule against Texas A&amp;M on Oct. 3. Southeastern Conference teams are scheduled to play only 10 league games starting on Sept. 26.

Alabama will have mobile-only ticketing and parking to allow for contactless entry for all venues.

Tar Heels still expected to play football despite campus in-person class shut down

North Carolina coach Mack Brown said he remains “confident” that the Tar Heels will play football this season after the school shut down in-person undergraduate classes.

Brown said Tuesday that the school’s move to online courses after recent coronavirus clusters in student housing and a fraternity could ultimately help “create a better seal around our program and a better bubble.”

Brown said team staffers hosted a Zoom call for parents on Monday to address questions. Athletes can choose to remain in current residences, while some football players have previously chosen to opt out of the upcoming season.

Brown said many players were already taking online courses and that the team will continue once-weekly testing of players for the coronavirus.

He said the team is trying to “make sure our players and our staff understand that we’ve got three months here where we cannot go outside for social reasons or to eat or anything else if we want to have our football season.”

Ohio high schools allowed to move forward with football this fall

All Ohio high school sports can go forward this fall, with an option for sports like football or soccer to be delayed until the spring if schools wish, Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.

The governor’s order takes effect Friday and prohibits spectators at events other than family members or individuals close to athletes, with final decisions on those people left up to schools.

It will be up to schools to police the limits on attendance at sporting events.

Texas A&amp;M allowing 30% of fan capacity at football games(AP) Texas A&amp;M has established a reduced capacity, distanced seating plan designed to host fans at Kyle Field as safely as possible.The university's plan focuses on the recommended health protocols and ensures that attendance during the season will comply with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order limiting the normal operating capacity for outdoor sporting venues.The exact capacity percentage will be determined based on the number of season ticket holders and student sport pass holders who choose to attend.The football season is scheduled to begin Sept. 26. Initial anticipated attendance to begin the season is approximately 30% of normal stadium operating capacity, but that's subject to change based on state health developments. Kyle Field's capacity is 102,733.Crimson Tide will be cheered on by 20% of seating capacityAlabama will allow about 20% capacity for games at Bryant-Denny Stadium this season.The university released its plans for dealing with COVID-19 at games, noting seating will be set up to allow social distancing.The Crimson Tide opens its home schedule against Texas A&amp;M on Oct. 3. Southeastern Conference teams are scheduled to play only 10 league games starting on Sept. 26.Alabama will have mobile-only ticketing and parking to allow for contactless entry for all venues.Tar Heels still expected to play football despite campus in-person class shut downNorth Carolina coach Mack Brown said he remains “confident” that the Tar Heels will play football this season after the school shut down in-person undergraduate classes.Brown said Tuesday that the school’s move to online courses after recent coronavirus clusters in student housing and a fraternity could ultimately help “create a better seal around our program and a better bubble.”Brown said team staffers hosted a Zoom call for parents on Monday to address questions. Athletes can choose to remain in current residences, while some football players have previously chosen to opt out of the upcoming season.Brown said many players were already taking online courses and that the team will continue once-weekly testing of players for the coronavirus.He said the team is trying to “make sure our players and our staff understand that we’ve got three months here where we cannot go outside for social reasons or to eat or anything else if we want to have our football season.”Ohio high schools allowed to move forward with football this fallAll Ohio high school sports can go forward this fall, with an option for sports like football or soccer to be delayed until the spring if schools wish, Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday.The governor’s order takes effect Friday and prohibits spectators at events other than family members or individuals close to athletes, with final decisions on those people left up to schools.It will be up to schools to police the limits on attendance at sporting events.

High schools, big-time college programs showing signs football returning towards "normalcy"

HOUSTON (AP) — Myles Straw’s RBI single with one out in the 11th inning lifted the Houston Astros over the Colorado Rockies 2-1 and extended their winning streak to a season-high six games. The back-and-forth finish came after the teams were scoreless going into extra innings, highlighted by splendid performances from starters Zack Greinke and Antonio Senzatela. They each scattered three singles in eight innings. The Astros wrapped up a 7-1 homestand after losing five in a row. The Rockies have dropped five of their last six.

HOUSTON (AP) — Myles Straw’s RBI single with one out in the 11th inning lifted the Houston Astros over the Colorado Rockies 2-1 and extended their winning streak to a season-high six games. The back-and-forth finish came after the teams were scoreless going into extra innings, highlighted by splendid performances from starters Zack Greinke and Antonio Senzatela. They each scattered three singles in eight innings. The Astros wrapped up a 7-1 homestand after losing five in a row. The Rockies have dropped five of their last six.

Rockies drop another heartbreaker in Houston Tuesday

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa drove in two runs with a double to back up a strong start by rookie Brandon Bielak, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. Bielak allowed one hit, a a long home run by Trevor Story, and one run in six innings for the win in his third MLB start. The 24-year-old, who made two relief appearances before moving into the rotation, walked four and struck out four.

— Fernando Tatis&nbsp; Jr. continues to add to his young baseball legacy. The second-year player leads the majors with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs after delivering a three-run shot and a grand slam in the Padres’ 14-4 dismantling of the Rangers. Tatis put the game out of reach with his eighth-inning blast before his bases-loaded bomb capped the Padres’ scoring in his 108th big league game. The two homers raised his average to .305.

— Brad Miller hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning of the Cardinals’ 3-1 win over the Cubs in Game 1 of a doubleheader. St. Louis improved to 3-1 since it returned Saturday after a coronavirus outbreak derailed their season, leaving them idle for weeks and resulting in 18 confirmed cases in the organization.

— The Cubbies ended the season-worst, four-game skid in the nightcap as David Bote belted a three-run homer in a four-run sixth that pushed them to a 5-4 victory. St. Louis wasted a big performance by Miller, who homered twice and drove in three runs in Game 2.

— Dansby Swanson slammed a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cap the Braves’ four-run rally against Daniel Hudson in a 7-6 triumph over the Nationals. Washington led 6-3 in the ninth until Adam Duvall hit a two-run shot.

— Pete Alonso and Robinson Cano each homered twice as the Mets crushed the Marlins, 11-4 to end a three-game losing streak. Alonso and Cano each had three of New York’s 14 hits.

— Luke Voit homered twice in the Yankees’ 10th consecutive win over the rival Red Sox, 6-3. Aroldis Chapman picked up the save in his return from the COVID-19 injured list, helping New York get its sixth straight victory overall.

— Nelson Cruz Jr. smacked a pair of solo homers and six pitchers combined on a seven-hitter in the Twins’ 4-1 victory against the Royals. Cruz surpassed Duke Snider and tied Mark Teixeira with his 409th career homer, good for 55th all-time.

— Tim Anderson and Luis Robert each hit two of the White Sox’s six home runs in a 7-2 decision over the Tigers. Yoan Moncada and Danny Mendick also left the yards for Chicago, which banged out four consecutive home runs in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.

— Kike Hernandez launched a two-run homer that capped the Dodgers' five-run eighth in their sixth straight win, 11-9 against the Mariners. Mookie Betts also homered and Corey Seager added a three-run blast for Los Angeles.

— David Peralta slapped a bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth inning to give the Diamondbacks their fifth straight win and ninth in 12 games, 4-3 over the Athletics. Nick Ahmed atoned for a game-tying error by leading off the ninth with a double and scoring the winning run, helping Arizona move above .500 for the first time this season.

— The Angels came away with a 7-6 win over the Giants after Tommy La Stella hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning. Mike Trout hit his 10th homer and Albert Pujols had a two-run double to help Los Angeles halt a four-game slide.

— Hyun Jin Ryu pitched six innings of four-hit ball as the Blue Jays whipped the Orioles, 7-2. Randal Grichuk homered and drove in four runs to back Ryu.

HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa drove in two runs with a double to back up a strong start by rookie Brandon Bielak, and the Houston Astros extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. Bielak allowed one hit, a a long home run by Trevor Story, and one run in six innings for the win in his third MLB start. The 24-year-old, who made two relief appearances before moving into the rotation, walked four and struck out four.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574367513192.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday's Games (MT)Colorado at Houston, 1:10 p.m.San Diego at Texas, 2:05 p.m.San Francisco at L.A. Angels 2:10 p.m.Oakland at Arizona, 4:10 p.m.Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees, 5:05 p.m.Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 5:05 p.m.Washington at Atlanta, 5:10 p.m.N.Y. Mets at Miami, 5:10 p.m.Seattle at L.A. Dodgers, 5:10 p.m.Philadelphia at Boston, 5:30 p.m.Toronto at Baltimore, 5:35 p.m.Cincinnati at Kansas City, 6:05 p.m.Milwaukee at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.Detroit at Chicago White Sox, 6:10 p.m.St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 6:15 p.m.Around the Majors Monday— Fernando Tatis&nbsp; Jr. continues to add to his young baseball legacy. The second-year player leads the majors with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs after delivering a three-run shot and a grand slam in the Padres’ 14-4 dismantling of the Rangers. Tatis put the game out of reach with his eighth-inning blast before his bases-loaded bomb capped the Padres’ scoring in his 108th big league game. The two homers raised his average to .305.— Brad Miller hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning of the Cardinals’ 3-1 win over the Cubs in Game 1 of a doubleheader. St. Louis improved to 3-1 since it returned Saturday after a coronavirus outbreak derailed their season, leaving them idle for weeks and resulting in 18 confirmed cases in the organization.— The Cubbies ended the season-worst, four-game skid in the nightcap as David Bote belted a three-run homer in a four-run sixth that pushed them to a 5-4 victory. St. Louis wasted a big performance by Miller, who homered twice and drove in three runs in Game 2.— Dansby Swanson slammed a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to cap the Braves’ four-run rally against Daniel Hudson in a 7-6 triumph over the Nationals. Washington led 6-3 in the ninth until Adam Duvall hit a two-run shot.— Pete Alonso and Robinson Cano each homered twice as the Mets crushed the Marlins, 11-4 to end a three-game losing streak. Alonso and Cano each had three of New York’s 14 hits.— Luke Voit homered twice in the Yankees’ 10th consecutive win over the rival Red Sox, 6-3. Aroldis Chapman picked up the save in his return from the COVID-19 injured list, helping New York get its sixth straight victory overall.— Nelson Cruz Jr. smacked a pair of solo homers and six pitchers combined on a seven-hitter in the Twins’ 4-1 victory against the Royals. Cruz surpassed Duke Snider and tied Mark Teixeira with his 409th career homer, good for 55th all-time.— Tim Anderson and Luis Robert each hit two of the White Sox’s six home runs in a 7-2 decision over the Tigers. Yoan Moncada and Danny Mendick also left the yards for Chicago, which banged out four consecutive home runs in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.— Kike Hernandez launched a two-run homer that capped the Dodgers' five-run eighth in their sixth straight win, 11-9 against the Mariners. Mookie Betts also homered and Corey Seager added a three-run blast for Los Angeles.— David Peralta slapped a bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth inning to give the Diamondbacks their fifth straight win and ninth in 12 games, 4-3 over the Athletics. Nick Ahmed atoned for a game-tying error by leading off the ninth with a double and scoring the winning run, helping Arizona move above .500 for the first time this season.— The Angels came away with a 7-6 win over the Giants after Tommy La Stella hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning. Mike Trout hit his 10th homer and Albert Pujols had a two-run double to help Los Angeles halt a four-game slide.— Hyun Jin Ryu pitched six innings of four-hit ball as the Blue Jays whipped the Orioles, 7-2. Randal Grichuk homered and drove in four runs to back Ryu.

Story's homer only firework for Rockies in 2-1 loss at Astros

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 10 of his 36 points in overtime on a day Donovan Mitchell erupted for a Jazz playoff-record 57 points and the Denver Nuggets beat Utah 135-125 in Game 1 of their first-round series. 

Denver's Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. He had a chance to win it in regulation at the buzzer, but his right-handed hook shot over Utah's Rudy Gobert was off the mark. Murray took over in the extra period, sealing the game with a jumper with 46.8 seconds remaining. 

Mitchell was the star of the show. His scoring spree surpassed the mark of 50 by Karl Malone on April 22, 2000, against Seattle.&nbsp;&nbsp;

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 10 of his 36 points in overtime on a day Donovan Mitchell erupted for a Jazz playoff-record 57 points and the Denver Nuggets beat Utah 135-125 in Game 1 of their first-round series. Denver's Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 10 rebounds. He had a chance to win it in regulation at the buzzer, but his right-handed hook shot over Utah's Rudy Gobert was off the mark. Murray took over in the extra period, sealing the game with a jumper with 46.8 seconds remaining. Mitchell was the star of the show. His scoring spree surpassed the mark of 50 by Karl Malone on April 22, 2000, against Seattle.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nuggets withstand 57 points from Mitchell, top Jazz in playoff opener 135-125 (OT)

(AP) Kansas State will allow 25% capacity at its football stadium for games this season after getting approval Monday from the county commission. That means a maximum crowd of just under 15,000 fans.

The Big 12 Conference is allowing schools to set their own attendance policies based on local jurisdictions.

The Riley County Commission reviewed the rest of Kansas State’s return-to-play protocols, too. Fans will be required to wear face coverings where 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained. Tailgating will not be permitted in parking lots controlled by the school. There will be no reentry. There also will be hand sanitizing stations and other protective measures.

One plus for fans: With the elimination of tailgating and reentry, the school will allow beer and wine to be purchased in general seating sections for the first time. Alcohol sales had been limited to luxury suites.

(AP) Kansas State will allow 25% capacity at its football stadium for games this season after getting approval Monday from the county commission. That means a maximum crowd of just under 15,000 fans.The Big 12 Conference is allowing schools to set their own attendance policies based on local jurisdictions.The Riley County Commission reviewed the rest of Kansas State’s return-to-play protocols, too. Fans will be required to wear face coverings where 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained. Tailgating will not be permitted in parking lots controlled by the school. There will be no reentry. There also will be hand sanitizing stations and other protective measures.One plus for fans: With the elimination of tailgating and reentry, the school will allow beer and wine to be purchased in general seating sections for the first time. Alcohol sales had been limited to luxury suites.

K-State gets approval for 15,000 fans at football games

DENVER (AP) — Jon Gray struck out seven over a season-high seven solid innings and was backed by a 14-hit attack as the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 10-6. Gray was roughed up in his previous start but allowed just three hits on Sunday, including two homers. He retired 11 of his last 12 batters following Joey Gallo’s solo homer in the fourth and ended his day with a strikeout of Derek Dietrich. The Rangers had the tying run at the plate in the ninth after two bases-loaded walks by Jairo Diaz but Carlos Estevez came on for his first save.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The only constant in Major League Baseball these days seems to be the Cleveland Indians beating the Detroit Tigers.

The Indians knocked off the Tigers for the 20th consecutive time dating to last season as Franmil&nbsp; Reyes homered twice in Cleveland’s 8-5 victory. Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Sandy Leon also homered as the Indians extended their team record for consecutive wins against the same team. Reyes homered three times in the three-game sweep but exited in the ninth inning after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.

The big league record for consecutive wins against the same team is 23 set by the Orioles against the Royals in 1969 and ’70.

Elsewhere around the majors:

— The White Sox tied a major league record by belting four consecutive home runs in a 7-2 thumping of the Cardinals. Roel Ramirez became the first pitcher in big league history to surrender four straight homers in his major league debut when Yoán Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez connected during a six-run fifth.

— The Yankees beat the Red Sox for the ninth straight time as Mike Ford contributed an RBI single and a two-run homer in New York’s 4-2 victory. J.A. Happ limited Boston to a run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings, including Kevin Pillar’s third-inning homer.

— The Astros pulled out their fourth straight win by knocking off the Mariners, 3-2 on Kyle Tucker’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth. Andre Scrubb, Enoli Paredes, Blake Taylor and Ryan Pressly combined for 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of Lance McCullers.

— Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and rookie Randy Dobnak improved to 4-1 by pitching into the sixth inning of the Twins’ 4-2 victory against the Royals. Dobnak allowed a pair of solo homers but just one other hit over 5 1/3 innings.

— The Rays won the completion of Saturday’s suspended game as Brandon Lowe hit a solo home run in the ninth to lead a 3-2 downing of the Blue Jays. Lowe went deep for the fourth straight game after lacing a double in the seventh.

— Willy Adames led off the eighth inning with a homer to help Tampa Bay beat Toronto for the second time Sunday, 7-5. The Rays tied the game when Austin Meadows scored from first after Jays right fielder Teoscar Hernandez misplayed Yandy Diaz’s single with two out in the seventh. The game was shortened to seven innings due to the completion of the suspended game.

— Orlando Arcia homered, collected three hits and scored the go-ahead run on Ryan Braun’s single in the seventh inning of the Brewers’ third straight win over the Cubs, 6-5. Keston Hiura also homered and Milwaukee’s bullpen trio of Josh Hader, David Phelps and Devin Williams combined to strike out six over the final three innings.

— Homers by Chad Pinder, Stephen Piscotty and Marcus Semien highlighted the Athletics’ nine-run fifth in a 15-3 dismantling of the Giants. Mark Canha delivered a two-run triple in the big rally that supported Mike Fiers, who allowed two runs over six innings.

— Nick Markakis drove in three runs and five pitchers combined on a two-hitter in the Braves’ 4-0 shutout of the Marlins. Markakis opened the scoring with an RBI single and capped it with a two-run double as Atlanta took the rubber match of the three—game series.

— Max Scherzer struck out 10 over seven innings as the Nationals beat the Orioles, 6-5 to take the rubber match of their three-game set. Scherzer and the Nats blew a four-run lead before Washington scored an unearned run in the eighth on a throwing error by third baseman Rio Ruiz.

— Andrew McCutchen entered as a mid-game injury replacement and hit a go-ahead, two-run home run to help the Phillies beat the Mets, 6-2 to complete a three-game sweep. Zack Wheeler gave up two runs and struck out four over seven solid innings versus his former team.

— Keibert Ruiz homered in his first major league at-bat and Corey Seager belted a three-run homer as the Dodgers ripped the Angels, 8-3 to complete a sweep of the Freeway Series. Max Muncy had a two-run homer and Matt Beaty also went deep to help the Dodgers pick up their fifth straight win and improve to an NL-leading 16-7.

— Eduardo Escobar smacked a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning to send the Diamondbacks past the Padres, 5-4. Kole Calhoun opened the scoring with a two-run blast before Arizona improved to 8-3 in 11 games since a 3-8 start.

DENVER (AP) — Jon Gray struck out seven over a season-high seven solid innings and was backed by a 14-hit attack as the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 10-6. Gray was roughed up in his previous start but allowed just three hits on Sunday, including two homers. He retired 11 of his last 12 batters following Joey Gallo’s solo homer in the fourth and ended his day with a strikeout of Derek Dietrich. The Rangers had the tying run at the plate in the ninth after two bases-loaded walks by Jairo Diaz but Carlos Estevez came on for his first save.&nbsp;&nbsp;The only constant in Major League Baseball these days seems to be the Cleveland Indians beating the Detroit Tigers.The Indians knocked off the Tigers for the 20th consecutive time dating to last season as Franmil&nbsp; Reyes homered twice in Cleveland’s 8-5 victory. Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Sandy Leon also homered as the Indians extended their team record for consecutive wins against the same team. Reyes homered three times in the three-game sweep but exited in the ninth inning after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.The big league record for consecutive wins against the same team is 23 set by the Orioles against the Royals in 1969 and ’70.Elsewhere around the majors:— The White Sox tied a major league record by belting four consecutive home runs in a 7-2 thumping of the Cardinals. Roel Ramirez became the first pitcher in big league history to surrender four straight homers in his major league debut when Yoán Moncada, Yasmani Grandal, José Abreu and Eloy Jiménez connected during a six-run fifth.— The Yankees beat the Red Sox for the ninth straight time as Mike Ford contributed an RBI single and a two-run homer in New York’s 4-2 victory. J.A. Happ limited Boston to a run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings, including Kevin Pillar’s third-inning homer.— The Astros pulled out their fourth straight win by knocking off the Mariners, 3-2 on Kyle Tucker’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth. Andre Scrubb, Enoli Paredes, Blake Taylor and Ryan Pressly combined for 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief of Lance McCullers.— Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and rookie Randy Dobnak improved to 4-1 by pitching into the sixth inning of the Twins’ 4-2 victory against the Royals. Dobnak allowed a pair of solo homers but just one other hit over 5 1/3 innings.— The Rays won the completion of Saturday’s suspended game as Brandon Lowe hit a solo home run in the ninth to lead a 3-2 downing of the Blue Jays. Lowe went deep for the fourth straight game after lacing a double in the seventh.— Willy Adames led off the eighth inning with a homer to help Tampa Bay beat Toronto for the second time Sunday, 7-5. The Rays tied the game when Austin Meadows scored from first after Jays right fielder Teoscar Hernandez misplayed Yandy Diaz’s single with two out in the seventh. The game was shortened to seven innings due to the completion of the suspended game.— Orlando Arcia homered, collected three hits and scored the go-ahead run on Ryan Braun’s single in the seventh inning of the Brewers’ third straight win over the Cubs, 6-5. Keston Hiura also homered and Milwaukee’s bullpen trio of Josh Hader, David Phelps and Devin Williams combined to strike out six over the final three innings.— Homers by Chad Pinder, Stephen Piscotty and Marcus Semien highlighted the Athletics’ nine-run fifth in a 15-3 dismantling of the Giants. Mark Canha delivered a two-run triple in the big rally that supported Mike Fiers, who allowed two runs over six innings.— Nick Markakis drove in three runs and five pitchers combined on a two-hitter in the Braves’ 4-0 shutout of the Marlins. Markakis opened the scoring with an RBI single and capped it with a two-run double as Atlanta took the rubber match of the three—game series.— Max Scherzer struck out 10 over seven innings as the Nationals beat the Orioles, 6-5 to take the rubber match of their three-game set. Scherzer and the Nats blew a four-run lead before Washington scored an unearned run in the eighth on a throwing error by third baseman Rio Ruiz.— Andrew McCutchen entered as a mid-game injury replacement and hit a go-ahead, two-run home run to help the Phillies beat the Mets, 6-2 to complete a three-game sweep. Zack Wheeler gave up two runs and struck out four over seven solid innings versus his former team.— Keibert Ruiz homered in his first major league at-bat and Corey Seager belted a three-run homer as the Dodgers ripped the Angels, 8-3 to complete a sweep of the Freeway Series. Max Muncy had a two-run homer and Matt Beaty also went deep to help the Dodgers pick up their fifth straight win and improve to an NL-leading 16-7.— Eduardo Escobar smacked a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning to send the Diamondbacks past the Padres, 5-4. Kole Calhoun opened the scoring with a two-run blast before Arizona improved to 8-3 in 11 games since a 3-8 start.

Rockies salvage a win in Rangers series 10-6

It's going to be the Wild West of an RMAC football season.

The league announced Friday afternoon that it's<a href="https://rmacsports.org/news/2020/8/14/rmac-football-udate.aspx"> giving control to schools individually on scheduling</a> decisions, opening up the ability for conference and non-conference games at the discretion of each institution.

RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham said,  "The removal of the championship structure in the spring will allow our programs to independently administer seasons in a way that fits individual opportunities and interests."

What?!&nbsp; A "build your own schedule" scenario?&nbsp; It sounds too wild to be true but it does make some sense.&nbsp; Schools across the league face varying differences in budgets, geography, logistics, team-structure, COVID-19 scenario, class attendance policies on campus or digitally, and on-and-on where the decision to let schools hammer out a schedule that fits their local needs and/or restrictions is a sensible way to go.

Does Chadron State schedule 10 games, the maximum allowed by the NCAA for the 2020 season? Do the Eagles schedule only five games so that the entire team keeps its season of eligibility moving forward but still gets in a handful of action?

These are questions the coaches and administration will wrangle with next, and after <a href="https://pandhandlepostsports.podbean.com/e/jay-long-show-i-think-all-options-are-out-on-the-table/">Coach Long said this week on our Jay Long Show podcast </a>that his staff would be speaking individually with players about their plans to opt-in or opt-out, it stands reasonable that the team itself could have the loudest voice in how CSC lays out its slate of games.

Coach Long also told us one of his top priorities was to protect the eligibility of his players, so the Eagles may only play five times to give everyone another year. If the school, or even by player vote, decide to get closer to a full season I wouldn't expect CSC to play any more than eight games in the spring with the hopes that things return to a normal 11 game schedule in the fall of 2021.

Conferences across the country are still making their plans, remember rules and options are changing by the day, but for now the possibilities are really fun to dream about...

The Rivalry Tour:&nbsp;CSU-Pueblo, Black Hills State, SD Mines, Colorado Mines and UNK.

The Non-Con Bonanza: Kearney, Wayne State, Western Oregon, Missouri S&amp;T, Northern State. CSC would face the arch-rival Lopers, former offensive coordinator Logan Masters and former defensive coordinator Jeff Larson, and play the originally scheduled non-conference games for 2020.

The MIAA Corn Belt Showdowns:&nbsp; at Pitt State, at Northwest Missouri, Central Missouri, UNK, Washburn. This would essentially be an RMAC-MIAA conference challenge, something I've been hoping to see one week per season as an annual game at some point.&nbsp; For this wild year, let's go all out and play five of 'em and add five RMAC games for a full slate!

What's really going to happen? My guess is the Eagles will absolutely schedule (1) Black Hills State and (2) SD Mines, they're close and they're rivals.&nbsp; (3) CSU-Pueblo will also be a must-schedule. I think (4) Western Colorado makes the list with all the CSC tie-ins on the WCU coaching staff, plus it was supposed to be the season-opener and I just have a feeling we want to play this one and get some revenge for last year's 33-32 comeback that came up just short in Gunnison.

As for the fifth game? If it's in the league the natural pick would be Colorado Mines for the rivalry and proximity factors, but I don't know that the Eagles want to face the Orediggers and ThunderWolves in the same season if they don't have to. Colorado Mesa is a long drive, but it's two teams trying to regain a place at the top of the league that have played some great games in the last two seasons, which would make facing the Mavs for the fifth and final game a good pick.

But, this scheduling frenzy isn't all fun.&nbsp; It comes with a conference championship cost.&nbsp; The RMAC has eliminated the conference championship for 2020, so there will always be a blank space in the history book.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"After the difficult decision last week by the Council to move fall team sports to the spring, and following consultation with football coaches and athletic administrators, it became clear that many factors would interfere with the conduct of a true championship season." said RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham.

With no conference championship on the line it will be a treat to see how things unfold and how creative teams get with their schedules to the delight of their players and fans while they've got a one-year hall pass.

By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorIt's going to be the Wild West of an RMAC football season.The league announced Friday afternoon that it's<a href="https://rmacsports.org/news/2020/8/14/rmac-football-udate.aspx"> giving control to schools individually on scheduling</a> decisions, opening up the ability for conference and non-conference games at the discretion of each institution.RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham said, "The removal of the championship structure in the spring will allow our programs to independently administer seasons in a way that fits individual opportunities and interests."What?!&nbsp; A "build your own schedule" scenario?&nbsp; It sounds too wild to be true but it does make some sense.&nbsp; Schools across the league face varying differences in budgets, geography, logistics, team-structure, COVID-19 scenario, class attendance policies on campus or digitally, and on-and-on where the decision to let schools hammer out a schedule that fits their local needs and/or restrictions is a sensible way to go.Does Chadron State schedule 10 games, the maximum allowed by the NCAA for the 2020 season? Do the Eagles schedule only five games so that the entire team keeps its season of eligibility moving forward but still gets in a handful of action?These are questions the coaches and administration will wrangle with next, and after <a href="https://pandhandlepostsports.podbean.com/e/jay-long-show-i-think-all-options-are-out-on-the-table/">Coach Long said this week on our Jay Long Show podcast </a>that his staff would be speaking individually with players about their plans to opt-in or opt-out, it stands reasonable that the team itself could have the loudest voice in how CSC lays out its slate of games.Coach Long also told us one of his top priorities was to protect the eligibility of his players, so the Eagles may only play five times to give everyone another year. If the school, or even by player vote, decide to get closer to a full season I wouldn't expect CSC to play any more than eight games in the spring with the hopes that things return to a normal 11 game schedule in the fall of 2021.Conferences across the country are still making their plans, remember rules and options are changing by the day, but for now the possibilities are really fun to dream about...The Rivalry Tour:&nbsp;CSU-Pueblo, Black Hills State, SD Mines, Colorado Mines and UNK.The Non-Con Bonanza: Kearney, Wayne State, Western Oregon, Missouri S&amp;T, Northern State. CSC would face the arch-rival Lopers, former offensive coordinator Logan Masters and former defensive coordinator Jeff Larson, and play the originally scheduled non-conference games for 2020.The MIAA Corn Belt Showdowns:&nbsp; at Pitt State, at Northwest Missouri, Central Missouri, UNK, Washburn. This would essentially be an RMAC-MIAA conference challenge, something I've been hoping to see one week per season as an annual game at some point.&nbsp; For this wild year, let's go all out and play five of 'em and add five RMAC games for a full slate!What's really going to happen? My guess is the Eagles will absolutely schedule (1) Black Hills State and (2) SD Mines, they're close and they're rivals.&nbsp; (3) CSU-Pueblo will also be a must-schedule. I think (4) Western Colorado makes the list with all the CSC tie-ins on the WCU coaching staff, plus it was supposed to be the season-opener and I just have a feeling we want to play this one and get some revenge for last year's 33-32 comeback that came up just short in Gunnison.As for the fifth game? If it's in the league the natural pick would be Colorado Mines for the rivalry and proximity factors, but I don't know that the Eagles want to face the Orediggers and ThunderWolves in the same season if they don't have to. Colorado Mesa is a long drive, but it's two teams trying to regain a place at the top of the league that have played some great games in the last two seasons, which would make facing the Mavs for the fifth and final game a good pick.But, this scheduling frenzy isn't all fun.&nbsp; It comes with a conference championship cost.&nbsp; The RMAC has eliminated the conference championship for 2020, so there will always be a blank space in the history book.&nbsp;&nbsp;"After the difficult decision last week by the Council to move fall team sports to the spring, and following consultation with football coaches and athletic administrators, it became clear that many factors would interfere with the conduct of a true championship season." said RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham.With no conference championship on the line it will be a treat to see how things unfold and how creative teams get with their schedules to the delight of their players and fans while they've got a one-year hall pass.

RMAC eliminates football championship, gives scheduling powers to schools

DENVER (AP) — Starling Marte homered and drove in four runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks battered the Colorado Rockies 13-7 Wednesday in a Coors Field slugfest featuring 34 hits, but none by blistering Charlie Blackmon.

Blackmon began the game batting an astonishing .500 for the Rockies. He went 0 for 4, ending his hitting streak at 15 games, and his average dipped to .472.

Blackmon was on deck when Trevor Story, who doubled twice and singled, grounded into a game-ending double play.

Nolan Arenado homered twice and doubled for the Rockies.

Marte had three hits, including a go-ahead single in an eight-run seventh inning. It was 5-all going into the inning.

“It was about time,” said David Peralta, who helped break the game open in the seventh with a three-run double. “We were finding some holes. We’ve been hitting the ball really well but couldn’t find the hole. This just happened. So when this kind of thing happens it’s fun. It’s fun when you do the right thing and things go your way. We just have to keep it up. “

Nick Ahmed had three hits and a pair of RBIs and Kole Calhoun added three hits with an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who took two of three to deny Colorado its sixth consecutive series win to start the season.

Ryan McMahon, swinging on a 3-0 count, connected for a three-run homer to chase Arizona starter Luke Weaver with one out in the fourth inning.

“I thought I hit some spots pretty well, got a little unlucky on some positioning, where we position our guys in the right way, and they just found some holes today,” Weaver said. “And that 3-0, that’s an interesting count. You’re trying to get back in the count and he sold out to the pitch and got one.”

It was the first home run by a Rockies player on a 3-0 count since Michael Cuddyer did it at Atlanta on on May 24, 2014.

“Honestly, the best part about it was Skip (manager Bud Black) giving me the green light there,” said McMahon, who has struggled with strikeouts this season. He has 28 on the season, including three more around his homer and single.

“To be really honest, I’ve just felt really lost,” McMahon added. “I haven’t had a great feel for the (strike zone) which is usually something I take a lot of pride in. It’s hard for me right now.”

Garrett Hampson added a career-high four hits for the Rockies. A total of 11 players had multihit games, seven with at least three hits.

Andrew Chafin (1-0) picked up the win with an inning of scoreless relief.

With the score tied at 5 in the the seventh, the Diamondbacks erupted. Peralta struck the key blow with a three-run double off Tyler Kinley (0-1), who did not retire any of the five batters he faced. Ahmed and Calhoun each had a pair of hits in the inning.

Arizona homered in a club-record 16th straight game at Coors Field and improved to 9-3 in its last 12 against the Rockies.

Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela went six innings and allowed five runs on nine hits.

Around the Majors Wednesday

— The Oakland Athletics avoided a sweep while winning for the 10th time in 12 games.

Stephen Piscotty, Matt Olson and Robbie Grossman homered for the A’s in an 8-4 victory over the Angels. Seven of the Athletics’ nine hits were for extra bases after they were shut out on Tuesday.

Ramón Laureano made three nifty catches in center field as he awaits a decision of his appeal of a six-game suspension for charging Houston coach Alex Cintron on Sunday.

— Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier launched back-to-back homers and Aaron Hicks delivered an RBI double that put the Yankees ahead to stay in a 6-3 downing of the Braves. Frazier had three hits and scored twice while starting in place of outfielder Aaron Judge, who was scratched due to tightness in his lower body.

— Magneuris Sierra poked a tiebreaking-two-run single in a three-run 10th that pushed the Marlins past the Blue Jays, 14-11 in Buffalo. Toronto lost despite smacking seven home runs, two by Travis Shaw.

— Martín Maldonado belted a three-run home run to back a strong start by Zack Greinke in the Astros’ 5-1 decision over the Giants. Greinke allowed one run and scattered seven hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings for his first win of the year.

— Justin Turner crushed a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers breathing room in a 6-0 shutout of the Padres. Tony Gonsolin fell one out short of qualifying for the victory, allowing two hits and striking out eight.

— Byron Buxton homered twice, Miguel Sano added a solo shot and Kenta Maeda worked into the seventh inning for the Twins in a 12-2 pounding of the Brewers. Marwin Gonzalez and Jose Cruz Jr. each had two RBIs as part of Minnesota’s 15-hit assault.

— Blake Snell pitched five shutout innings and the Rays backed him with a trio of 400-foot homers to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-5. Willy Adames, Brandon Lowe and Yoshi Tsutsugo all homered off Zack Godley, and Austin Meadows hit a solo shot in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay’s fifth consecutive win.

— Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings Anthony Rizzo homered as the pair led the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Indians. The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s 15-game start since 1970.

— Brad Keller tossed two-hit ball over six scoreless innings before the Royals completed a 5-4 win over the Reds. Salvador Perez supplied a solo homer and three RBIs while Kansas City was building a 5-0 lead.

— The Orioles also earned a 5-4 win over the Phillies as Rio Ruiz, Chance Sisco and Anthony Santander all homered. Baltimore reliever Miguel Castro wiggled out a jam in the eighth thanks to a fantastic diving stop by Ruiz.

— Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith provided back-to-back RBI doubles in a four-run first inning and hit consecutive homers in a five-run sixth as the Mets whipped the Nationals, 11-6. The fourth, fifth and sixth batters in the Mets’ lineup, Michael Conforto, Alonso and Smith, went 7-for-11 with eight RBIs, eight runs scored, three walks and a hit batsman in 15 plate appearances.

— The White Sox picked up a 7-5 win over the Tigers as Tim Anderson had four hits and finished a double shy of the cycle. Anderson and Eloy Jimenez opened the game with consecutive home runs, but Chicago blew a 3-1 lead before Luis Robert hit a bases-clearing double.

— Todd Frazier scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch while the Rangers plated five in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Mariners, 7-4. Texas rallied after Austin Nola and Daniel Vogelbach homered in Seattle’s four-run second.

DENVER (AP) — Starling Marte homered and drove in four runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks battered the Colorado Rockies 13-7 Wednesday in a Coors Field slugfest featuring 34 hits, but none by blistering Charlie Blackmon.Blackmon began the game batting an astonishing .500 for the Rockies. He went 0 for 4, ending his hitting streak at 15 games, and his average dipped to .472.Blackmon was on deck when Trevor Story, who doubled twice and singled, grounded into a game-ending double play.Nolan Arenado homered twice and doubled for the Rockies.Marte had three hits, including a go-ahead single in an eight-run seventh inning. It was 5-all going into the inning.“It was about time,” said David Peralta, who helped break the game open in the seventh with a three-run double. “We were finding some holes. We’ve been hitting the ball really well but couldn’t find the hole. This just happened. So when this kind of thing happens it’s fun. It’s fun when you do the right thing and things go your way. We just have to keep it up. “Nick Ahmed had three hits and a pair of RBIs and Kole Calhoun added three hits with an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who took two of three to deny Colorado its sixth consecutive series win to start the season.Ryan McMahon, swinging on a 3-0 count, connected for a three-run homer to chase Arizona starter Luke Weaver with one out in the fourth inning.“I thought I hit some spots pretty well, got a little unlucky on some positioning, where we position our guys in the right way, and they just found some holes today,” Weaver said. “And that 3-0, that’s an interesting count. You’re trying to get back in the count and he sold out to the pitch and got one.”It was the first home run by a Rockies player on a 3-0 count since Michael Cuddyer did it at Atlanta on on May 24, 2014.“Honestly, the best part about it was Skip (manager Bud Black) giving me the green light there,” said McMahon, who has struggled with strikeouts this season. He has 28 on the season, including three more around his homer and single.“To be really honest, I’ve just felt really lost,” McMahon added. “I haven’t had a great feel for the (strike zone) which is usually something I take a lot of pride in. It’s hard for me right now.”Garrett Hampson added a career-high four hits for the Rockies. A total of 11 players had multihit games, seven with at least three hits.Andrew Chafin (1-0) picked up the win with an inning of scoreless relief.With the score tied at 5 in the the seventh, the Diamondbacks erupted. Peralta struck the key blow with a three-run double off Tyler Kinley (0-1), who did not retire any of the five batters he faced. Ahmed and Calhoun each had a pair of hits in the inning.Arizona homered in a club-record 16th straight game at Coors Field and improved to 9-3 in its last 12 against the Rockies.Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela went six innings and allowed five runs on nine hits.Around the Majors Wednesday— The Oakland Athletics avoided a sweep while winning for the 10th time in 12 games.Stephen Piscotty, Matt Olson and Robbie Grossman homered for the A’s in an 8-4 victory over the Angels. Seven of the Athletics’ nine hits were for extra bases after they were shut out on Tuesday.Ramón Laureano made three nifty catches in center field as he awaits a decision of his appeal of a six-game suspension for charging Houston coach Alex Cintron on Sunday.— Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier launched back-to-back homers and Aaron Hicks delivered an RBI double that put the Yankees ahead to stay in a 6-3 downing of the Braves. Frazier had three hits and scored twice while starting in place of outfielder Aaron Judge, who was scratched due to tightness in his lower body.— Magneuris Sierra poked a tiebreaking-two-run single in a three-run 10th that pushed the Marlins past the Blue Jays, 14-11 in Buffalo. Toronto lost despite smacking seven home runs, two by Travis Shaw.— Martín Maldonado belted a three-run home run to back a strong start by Zack Greinke in the Astros’ 5-1 decision over the Giants. Greinke allowed one run and scattered seven hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings for his first win of the year.— Justin Turner crushed a three-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers breathing room in a 6-0 shutout of the Padres. Tony Gonsolin fell one out short of qualifying for the victory, allowing two hits and striking out eight.— Byron Buxton homered twice, Miguel Sano added a solo shot and Kenta Maeda worked into the seventh inning for the Twins in a 12-2 pounding of the Brewers. Marwin Gonzalez and Jose Cruz Jr. each had two RBIs as part of Minnesota’s 15-hit assault.— Blake Snell pitched five shutout innings and the Rays backed him with a trio of 400-foot homers to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-5. Willy Adames, Brandon Lowe and Yoshi Tsutsugo all homered off Zack Godley, and Austin Meadows hit a solo shot in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay’s fifth consecutive win.— Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings Anthony Rizzo homered as the pair led the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Indians. The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s 15-game start since 1970.— Brad Keller tossed two-hit ball over six scoreless innings before the Royals completed a 5-4 win over the Reds. Salvador Perez supplied a solo homer and three RBIs while Kansas City was building a 5-0 lead.— The Orioles also earned a 5-4 win over the Phillies as Rio Ruiz, Chance Sisco and Anthony Santander all homered. Baltimore reliever Miguel Castro wiggled out a jam in the eighth thanks to a fantastic diving stop by Ruiz.— Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith provided back-to-back RBI doubles in a four-run first inning and hit consecutive homers in a five-run sixth as the Mets whipped the Nationals, 11-6. The fourth, fifth and sixth batters in the Mets’ lineup, Michael Conforto, Alonso and Smith, went 7-for-11 with eight RBIs, eight runs scored, three walks and a hit batsman in 15 plate appearances.— The White Sox picked up a 7-5 win over the Tigers as Tim Anderson had four hits and finished a double shy of the cycle. Anderson and Eloy Jimenez opened the game with consecutive home runs, but Chicago blew a 3-1 lead before Luis Robert hit a bases-clearing double.— Todd Frazier scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch while the Rangers plated five in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Mariners, 7-4. Texas rallied after Austin Nola and Daniel Vogelbach homered in Seattle’s four-run second.

Diamondbacks top Rockies in game featuring 34 hits

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597258176784.jpeg" alt="Coach Long visits with Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins" />
 <figcaption>Coach Long visits with Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins</figcaption>
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🔊 Jay Long Show: “I think all options are out on the table”

DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon raised his batting average to an amazing .500 with three more hits, including a key double during a six-run burst in the eighth inning that led the Colorado Rockies over the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7 Tuesday night.

After starting out the year 0 for 9, Blackmon has hit in 15 straight games. He's 34 for 68 through 17 games in the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season.

“It’s special to watch. He’s in a great place right now mentally and physically," Trevor Story said of Blackmon. "He hits the ball so hard. He’s just driving it. It’s cool to see what he can do in the three spot.”

Blackmon doubled off Kevin Ginkel (0-1) during the Rockies' big inning that made it 8-2.

The Diamondbacks rallied for five runs in the ninth and had runners on first and third with two outs. Daniel Bard fanned pinch hitter Stephen Vogt to end it and earn his first save since 2011 while with the Boston Red Sox. It was his sixth career save overall.

Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer and Raimel Tapia added three hits, including a two-run double in the eighth for Colorado.

Carlos Estevez (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the victory. Christian Walker and Carson Kelly each homered for the Diamondbacks.

Trailing 2-1, Arizona tied it when Kelly led off the seventh with his first home run of the season.

Colorado had gone in front 2-1 when Arenado followed Blackmon's second single of the night with a fourth-inning drive off Zac Gallen that soared into the stand of evergreens behind the center field fence. Walker, who hit 29 home runs as a rookie for the Diamondbacks last season, connected for his first of the season leading off the fourth inning to put Arizona up 1-0.

Gallen went seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, with seven strikeout and no walks. He set an NL record by allowing three or fewer earned runs in each of his first 19 starts. He eclipsed Steve Rogers of Montreal who didn't allow more than three earned runs in each of his first 18 career starts. Kyle Freeland went seven innings for Colorado and allowed two runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked one.&nbsp;

Major League Action Tuesday

— Eloy Jimenez hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Chicago White Sox snapped Detroit’s four-game wining streak with an 8-4 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday night. Edwin Encarnacion also went deep for the White Sox, who won for only the second time in seven games. Austin Romine hit a two-run shot for Detroit. Jose Abreu had three hits, including a pair of RBI doubles. Gio Gonzalez was pulled one out shy of the win. He allowed two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Matt Foster was credited with the win after striking out four in two perfect innings.

—Manny Machado slugged a grand slam after two consecutive errors by the Dodgers in the third inning, Garrett Richards won for the first time in two years, and the San Diego Padres defeated Los Angeles 6-2. The Padres have taken the first two games of the series after dropping two of three to the Dodgers last week in San Diego, and have won a season-best three in a row overall.

— Nick Solak singled three times and drove in three runs, leading the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Solak had a two-run single in the first and an RBI hit in third, when Willie Calhoun added another run-scoring single. Left-hander Mike Minor allowed an infield single and three walks with four strikeouts in four scoreless innings. He was pulled after 76 pitches.

—In the first major league game in Buffalo since 1915, Travis Shaw hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays settled into their new nest with a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins. Barred from playing in Toronto by the Canadian government over concerns about the coronavirus, the wandering Blue Jays spent nearly three weeks on the road before moving into the ballpark of their Triple-A affiliate as their temporary home this year.

—Mike Brosseau led off the game with a home run, Yandy Díaz and Hunter Renfroe each had two RBIs and the Tampa Bay Rays continued their offensive onslaught against the Boston Red Sox in an 8-2 win Tuesday night. Brosseau, Diaz and Manuel Margot had multi-hit games as Tampa Bay won its fourth straight game. The Rays had a season-high 16 hits in an 8-7 win Monday. Boston has lost seven of its last 10 games.

—Joey Votto doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning, and the Cincinnati Reds blew another late lead before rallying for a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The Royals tied it 5-5 in the eighth on Ryan McBroom’s pinch-hit, two-run homer off Amir Garrett, but they couldn’t keep their four-game winning streak going.

—Jon Lester pitched six strong innings and Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-1 win over Cleveland. The Indians welcomed back manager Terry Francona after he missed eight games with a medical issue. Lester allowed one run and three hits as the Cubs, who hadn’t played in four days, moved to 11-3 for the first time since 2016. The Indians put pitchers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac on the restricted list after they broke team rules and went out in Chicago, exposing themselves to COVID-19.

—Austin Hays hit a two-run, inside-the-park homer in the 10th inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 10-9 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryce Harper hit a tying, two-run homer in the eighth and Jean Segura gave the Phillies a 6-5 lead with a solo shot two outs later.

— Aaron Judge dented an advertisement with a scorching home run before making an unusual early exit, Jordan Montgomery pitched efficiently against a lineup missing its brightest star and the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 9-6. Atlanta scratched Ronald Acuña Jr. about 90 minutes before first pitch with a sore left wrist. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year homered three times during a doubleheader Sunday against Philadelphia but was pulled early in a blowout loss Monday.

-- Max Scherzer showed no effects of hamstring trouble, navigating heavy traffic early for his first win this season. And Trea Turner hit a record-breaking leadoff homer to help the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 2-1. Victor Robles blooped an RBI single for the Nationals, who took the first two in a four-game series between NL East rivals. New York dropped to 3-7 at home this season.

— Jedd Gyorko blasted a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers came from behind to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 . The Brewers started their winning rally when Christian Yelich beat the Twins’ shift with a one-out double. Eddie Rosario of the Twins and Manny Pina of the Brewers each hit two home runs. Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco and Milwaukee’s Avisail Garcia also homered.

DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon raised his batting average to an amazing .500 with three more hits, including a key double during a six-run burst in the eighth inning that led the Colorado Rockies over the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7 Tuesday night.After starting out the year 0 for 9, Blackmon has hit in 15 straight games. He's 34 for 68 through 17 games in the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season.“It’s special to watch. He’s in a great place right now mentally and physically," Trevor Story said of Blackmon. "He hits the ball so hard. He’s just driving it. It’s cool to see what he can do in the three spot.”Blackmon doubled off Kevin Ginkel (0-1) during the Rockies' big inning that made it 8-2.The Diamondbacks rallied for five runs in the ninth and had runners on first and third with two outs. Daniel Bard fanned pinch hitter Stephen Vogt to end it and earn his first save since 2011 while with the Boston Red Sox. It was his sixth career save overall.Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer and Raimel Tapia added three hits, including a two-run double in the eighth for Colorado.Carlos Estevez (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the victory. Christian Walker and Carson Kelly each homered for the Diamondbacks.Trailing 2-1, Arizona tied it when Kelly led off the seventh with his first home run of the season.Colorado had gone in front 2-1 when Arenado followed Blackmon's second single of the night with a fourth-inning drive off Zac Gallen that soared into the stand of evergreens behind the center field fence. Walker, who hit 29 home runs as a rookie for the Diamondbacks last season, connected for his first of the season leading off the fourth inning to put Arizona up 1-0.Gallen went seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, with seven strikeout and no walks. He set an NL record by allowing three or fewer earned runs in each of his first 19 starts. He eclipsed Steve Rogers of Montreal who didn't allow more than three earned runs in each of his first 18 career starts. Kyle Freeland went seven innings for Colorado and allowed two runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked one.&nbsp;Major League Action Tuesday— Eloy Jimenez hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Chicago White Sox snapped Detroit’s four-game wining streak with an 8-4 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday night. Edwin Encarnacion also went deep for the White Sox, who won for only the second time in seven games. Austin Romine hit a two-run shot for Detroit. Jose Abreu had three hits, including a pair of RBI doubles. Gio Gonzalez was pulled one out shy of the win. He allowed two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Matt Foster was credited with the win after striking out four in two perfect innings.—Manny Machado slugged a grand slam after two consecutive errors by the Dodgers in the third inning, Garrett Richards won for the first time in two years, and the San Diego Padres defeated Los Angeles 6-2. The Padres have taken the first two games of the series after dropping two of three to the Dodgers last week in San Diego, and have won a season-best three in a row overall.— Nick Solak singled three times and drove in three runs, leading the Texas Rangers to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Solak had a two-run single in the first and an RBI hit in third, when Willie Calhoun added another run-scoring single. Left-hander Mike Minor allowed an infield single and three walks with four strikeouts in four scoreless innings. He was pulled after 76 pitches.—In the first major league game in Buffalo since 1915, Travis Shaw hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays settled into their new nest with a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins. Barred from playing in Toronto by the Canadian government over concerns about the coronavirus, the wandering Blue Jays spent nearly three weeks on the road before moving into the ballpark of their Triple-A affiliate as their temporary home this year.—Mike Brosseau led off the game with a home run, Yandy Díaz and Hunter Renfroe each had two RBIs and the Tampa Bay Rays continued their offensive onslaught against the Boston Red Sox in an 8-2 win Tuesday night. Brosseau, Diaz and Manuel Margot had multi-hit games as Tampa Bay won its fourth straight game. The Rays had a season-high 16 hits in an 8-7 win Monday. Boston has lost seven of its last 10 games.—Joey Votto doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning, and the Cincinnati Reds blew another late lead before rallying for a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The Royals tied it 5-5 in the eighth on Ryan McBroom’s pinch-hit, two-run homer off Amir Garrett, but they couldn’t keep their four-game winning streak going.—Jon Lester pitched six strong innings and Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-1 win over Cleveland. The Indians welcomed back manager Terry Francona after he missed eight games with a medical issue. Lester allowed one run and three hits as the Cubs, who hadn’t played in four days, moved to 11-3 for the first time since 2016. The Indians put pitchers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac on the restricted list after they broke team rules and went out in Chicago, exposing themselves to COVID-19.—Austin Hays hit a two-run, inside-the-park homer in the 10th inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 10-9 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Bryce Harper hit a tying, two-run homer in the eighth and Jean Segura gave the Phillies a 6-5 lead with a solo shot two outs later.— Aaron Judge dented an advertisement with a scorching home run before making an unusual early exit, Jordan Montgomery pitched efficiently against a lineup missing its brightest star and the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 9-6. Atlanta scratched Ronald Acuña Jr. about 90 minutes before first pitch with a sore left wrist. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year homered three times during a doubleheader Sunday against Philadelphia but was pulled early in a blowout loss Monday.-- Max Scherzer showed no effects of hamstring trouble, navigating heavy traffic early for his first win this season. And Trea Turner hit a record-breaking leadoff homer to help the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 2-1. Victor Robles blooped an RBI single for the Nationals, who took the first two in a four-game series between NL East rivals. New York dropped to 3-7 at home this season.— Jedd Gyorko blasted a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers came from behind to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 . The Brewers started their winning rally when Christian Yelich beat the Twins’ shift with a one-out double. Eddie Rosario of the Twins and Manny Pina of the Brewers each hit two home runs. Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco and Milwaukee’s Avisail Garcia also homered.

Rockies sneak by Snakes, Blackmon hitting .500!

And then there were three. The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference were still moving forward with plans for a fall college football season. Two other Power Five leagues, the Big Ten and the Pac-12, have called things off. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says he is comfortable with the 14-member conference’s approach. The ACC says it will continue to follow advice of medical advisers and health officials. The Big 12 Board of Directors was meeting late Tuesday and reportedly decided to continue moving forward, even looking to release a new schedule soon.

Associated PressAnd then there were three. The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference were still moving forward with plans for a fall college football season. Two other Power Five leagues, the Big Ten and the Pac-12, have called things off. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey says he is comfortable with the 14-member conference’s approach. The ACC says it will continue to follow advice of medical advisers and health officials. The Big 12 Board of Directors was meeting late Tuesday and reportedly decided to continue moving forward, even looking to release a new schedule soon.

Big 12, SEC, ACC all planning to play football this fall

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The surprising (at least to fans) announcement late last week that the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is suspending the fall seasons for football and volleyball probably won’t be the last word, according to Joel Smith, the Chadron State College athletic director.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; More discussions are scheduled and some changes are anticipated as the NCAA, the conferences and the schools try to do what is best for the student-athletes and the athletic programs, he added.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Smith, who is chairman of the RMAC’s Competition Committee, said Monday morning that he already had four zoom meetings scheduled for this week, two of them at the national level and two at the conference level.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We’re all trying to do the right thing,” Smith said. “We had to make the announcement last week because we had too many questions that were going to take some time to answer. He said they included testing for COVID-19, insurance coverage in case athletes are affected, eligibility of the athletes and scholarships.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The RMAC announcement said the fall sports competition would be moved to the spring, but that also spawned numerous questions, particularly concerning football because of weather implications.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just a week earlier, the RMAC Presidents’ Council announced that conference-only contests would be played this fall, beginning Sept. 18 and 19. The Presidents’ Council also made last week’s decision suspending the fall football, volleyball and soccer seasons, but allowing cross county and golf to be played this fall because they are considered “low risk” sports.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Several other Division II conferences had made similar announcements prior to the RMAC decision. Now, it appears that all DII conferences have decided to forego competition in the “high risk” sports this fall.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Earlier last week, the NCAA Board of Governors and the DII Presidents’ Council mandated that no fall sports national championships will take place in 2020.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While much remains uncertain, Smith said it’s possible football teams this fall may emulate what they’ve been doing in the spring and then play a limited schedule of games in the spring.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “There’s no way football will play 10 games in the spring and then play another 10 in the fall (of 2021), after we certainly hope everything is back to normal,” Smith said.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He added that after visiting with some of his colleagues Monday, it seems probable that volleyball will switch nearly everything that usually takes place in the fall to spring.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; NCAA rules state that coaches may have instructional contact with their athletes a total of 103 days annually. In the past for football, 15 of those days have been utilized in the spring and the remainder in the fall.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Smith added that the NCAA previously had decided that all athletes would have to take COVID tests through their nostrils 72 hours before the contests began.&nbsp; The process is expensive, but Smith said Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts had stated the state would assist with those costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Other members of RMAC had not received similar assurances at last report, Smith said.

He also stated that the colleges’ current insurance does not cover payments for care necessitated by the virus, making it another item that likely will have to be settled before any competition takes place.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State Head Football Coach Jay Long called the scenario “pretty crazy.”&nbsp;

“As coaches, we try to plan and be well organized and then things become so uncertain,” Long added. “That’s just the way things have happened.”

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Long said at least 40 and maybe as many as 60 CSC football players have been living in Chadron this summer and working out four or five times a week on their own to get ready for the season.

Some of them went home on Friday when they found out there would be no fall camp, which had been scheduled to start on Friday the 14th&nbsp;following the announcement that the Eagles’ first game would be Sept. 19 against South Dakota Mines in Rapid City.

Long said he is hopeful that all of the players will be back this week to be ready when classes begin on Monday.&nbsp; He and his assistants plan to meet with each of the players individually. By then, more information may be available.

&nbsp;&nbsp;Long said some of those nearing graduation may decide not to play if the schedule remains unsettled. The NCAA has determined athletes who decide not to play because of the virus, but remain in school will retain their athletic scholarships.

&nbsp;Football players will be allowed to participate in up to five games before they would use a year of eligibility, Smith said.&nbsp; Similar rules are established for volleyball and other sports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State hosted two three-day high school football team camps with nearly 800 participants and two one-day prospect camps, all in July, and received no reports of any COVID-19 problems following them, Long reported.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CSC also hosted volleyball and softball camps during the past month with no negative consequences.&nbsp;

By: Con Marshall, CSC Athletics&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The surprising (at least to fans) announcement late last week that the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is suspending the fall seasons for football and volleyball probably won’t be the last word, according to Joel Smith, the Chadron State College athletic director.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; More discussions are scheduled and some changes are anticipated as the NCAA, the conferences and the schools try to do what is best for the student-athletes and the athletic programs, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Smith, who is chairman of the RMAC’s Competition Committee, said Monday morning that he already had four zoom meetings scheduled for this week, two of them at the national level and two at the conference level.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “We’re all trying to do the right thing,” Smith said. “We had to make the announcement last week because we had too many questions that were going to take some time to answer. He said they included testing for COVID-19, insurance coverage in case athletes are affected, eligibility of the athletes and scholarships.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The RMAC announcement said the fall sports competition would be moved to the spring, but that also spawned numerous questions, particularly concerning football because of weather implications.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just a week earlier, the RMAC Presidents’ Council announced that conference-only contests would be played this fall, beginning Sept. 18 and 19. The Presidents’ Council also made last week’s decision suspending the fall football, volleyball and soccer seasons, but allowing cross county and golf to be played this fall because they are considered “low risk” sports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Several other Division II conferences had made similar announcements prior to the RMAC decision. Now, it appears that all DII conferences have decided to forego competition in the “high risk” sports this fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Earlier last week, the NCAA Board of Governors and the DII Presidents’ Council mandated that no fall sports national championships will take place in 2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While much remains uncertain, Smith said it’s possible football teams this fall may emulate what they’ve been doing in the spring and then play a limited schedule of games in the spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “There’s no way football will play 10 games in the spring and then play another 10 in the fall (of 2021), after we certainly hope everything is back to normal,” Smith said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He added that after visiting with some of his colleagues Monday, it seems probable that volleyball will switch nearly everything that usually takes place in the fall to spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; NCAA rules state that coaches may have instructional contact with their athletes a total of 103 days annually. In the past for football, 15 of those days have been utilized in the spring and the remainder in the fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Smith added that the NCAA previously had decided that all athletes would have to take COVID tests through their nostrils 72 hours before the contests began.&nbsp; The process is expensive, but Smith said Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts had stated the state would assist with those costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other members of RMAC had not received similar assurances at last report, Smith said.He also stated that the colleges’ current insurance does not cover payments for care necessitated by the virus, making it another item that likely will have to be settled before any competition takes place.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State Head Football Coach Jay Long called the scenario “pretty crazy.”&nbsp;“As coaches, we try to plan and be well organized and then things become so uncertain,” Long added. “That’s just the way things have happened.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Long said at least 40 and maybe as many as 60 CSC football players have been living in Chadron this summer and working out four or five times a week on their own to get ready for the season.Some of them went home on Friday when they found out there would be no fall camp, which had been scheduled to start on Friday the 14th&nbsp;following the announcement that the Eagles’ first game would be Sept. 19 against South Dakota Mines in Rapid City.Long said he is hopeful that all of the players will be back this week to be ready when classes begin on Monday.&nbsp; He and his assistants plan to meet with each of the players individually. By then, more information may be available.&nbsp;&nbsp;Long said some of those nearing graduation may decide not to play if the schedule remains unsettled. The NCAA has determined athletes who decide not to play because of the virus, but remain in school will retain their athletic scholarships.&nbsp;Football players will be allowed to participate in up to five games before they would use a year of eligibility, Smith said.&nbsp; Similar rules are established for volleyball and other sports.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State hosted two three-day high school football team camps with nearly 800 participants and two one-day prospect camps, all in July, and received no reports of any COVID-19 problems following them, Long reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CSC also hosted volleyball and softball camps during the past month with no negative consequences.&nbsp;

RMAC's decision to postpone fall sports may not be the last word...

Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications

After meeting Tuesday morning, the Big Ten issued the following statement saying the conference will postpone all fall sports for 2020-21, including regular season contests, tournaments and Big 10 Championships, due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp; The entire statement is posted below.&nbsp;

&nbsp; In making its decision, which was based on multiple factors, the Big Ten Conference relied on the medical advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. “Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President. “The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been&nbsp;at the center of every&nbsp;decision&nbsp;we have made&nbsp;regarding the ability to proceed forward,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there&nbsp;was&nbsp;too&nbsp;much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow&nbsp;our student-athletes to compete this fall. “We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the&nbsp;future of the talented young women and&nbsp;men who compete in the Big Ten Conference.&nbsp;Although that&nbsp;knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult.&nbsp;While I know&nbsp;our decision today will be disappointing&nbsp;in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am heartened and inspired by their resilience, their insightful and discerning thoughts, and their participation through our conversations to this point. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions&nbsp;is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.” The fall sports&nbsp;included in this announcement&nbsp;are men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. The Big Ten Conference will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring. Decisions regarding winter and spring sports will also continue to be evaluated.&nbsp; The Big Ten Conference is proud of its 14 world-class research institutions and has leveraged their resources and expertise to address this pandemic over the past five months. The Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee have engaged in extensive research and sharing of materials and conversations with federal, state and local government agencies, and professional and international sports organizations in order to track and better understand the daily updates surrounding this pandemic.&nbsp;Their advice and counsel have been invaluable as they have worked tirelessly over the past several months in their efforts to create and maintain a safe environment for athletics. The Big Ten Conference will continue to work with medical experts and governmental authorities to gather additional information, evaluate emerging data and technologies, and monitor developments regarding the pandemic to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Courtesy: NU Athletic CommunicationsAfter meeting Tuesday morning, the Big Ten issued the following statement saying the conference will postpone all fall sports for 2020-21, including regular season contests, tournaments and Big 10 Championships, due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp; The entire statement is posted below.&nbsp;&nbsp; In making its decision, which was based on multiple factors, the Big Ten Conference relied on the medical advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. “Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President. “The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been&nbsp;at the center of every&nbsp;decision&nbsp;we have made&nbsp;regarding the ability to proceed forward,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there&nbsp;was&nbsp;too&nbsp;much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow&nbsp;our student-athletes to compete this fall. “We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the&nbsp;future of the talented young women and&nbsp;men who compete in the Big Ten Conference.&nbsp;Although that&nbsp;knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult.&nbsp;While I know&nbsp;our decision today will be disappointing&nbsp;in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am heartened and inspired by their resilience, their insightful and discerning thoughts, and their participation through our conversations to this point. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions&nbsp;is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.” The fall sports&nbsp;included in this announcement&nbsp;are men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. The Big Ten Conference will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring. Decisions regarding winter and spring sports will also continue to be evaluated.&nbsp; The Big Ten Conference is proud of its 14 world-class research institutions and has leveraged their resources and expertise to address this pandemic over the past five months. The Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee have engaged in extensive research and sharing of materials and conversations with federal, state and local government agencies, and professional and international sports organizations in order to track and better understand the daily updates surrounding this pandemic.&nbsp;Their advice and counsel have been invaluable as they have worked tirelessly over the past several months in their efforts to create and maintain a safe environment for athletics. The Big Ten Conference will continue to work with medical experts and governmental authorities to gather additional information, evaluate emerging data and technologies, and monitor developments regarding the pandemic to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following the announcement from the Big Ten,&nbsp; Univeristy of Nebraska officials announced the following statement.&nbsp; Statement by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter, Nebraska Athletic Director&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2225">Bill Moos</a>&nbsp;and Nebraska Head Football Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=7076">Scott Frost</a> "We are very disappointed in the decision by the Big Ten Conference to postpone the fall football season, as we have been and continue to be ready to play. Safety comes first. Based on the conversations with our medical experts, we continue to strongly believe the absolute safest place for our student athletes is within the rigorous safety protocols, testing procedures, and the structure and support provided by Husker Athletics.&nbsp; We will continue to consult with medical experts and evaluate the situation as it emerges. We hope it may be possible for our student athletes to have the opportunity to compete."&nbsp;&nbsp;