(AP) Notre Dame will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season as part of a plan to play 10 league games and start the week of Sept. 7, alterations brought on by the pandemic. The ACC's university presidents approved the plan for an 11-game schedule, including on nonconference game, and for pushing back the league championship game from Dec. 5 to either Dec. 12 or 19. Notre Dame will play in a football conference for the first time in the 133-year history of the program if the season is played.&nbsp;

(AP) Notre Dame will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season as part of a plan to play 10 league games and start the week of Sept. 7, alterations brought on by the pandemic. The ACC's university presidents approved the plan for an 11-game schedule, including on nonconference game, and for pushing back the league championship game from Dec. 5 to either Dec. 12 or 19. Notre Dame will play in a football conference for the first time in the 133-year history of the program if the season is played.&nbsp;

Notre Dame joins ACC for 2020 season

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Sam Hilliard homered for the first time this season, Antonio Senzatela pitched out of an early jam on his way to a rare road win, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Oakland Athletics 8-3 Tuesday night.

Charlie Blackmon had two hits, David Dahl drove in a pair of runs and Nolan Arenado made up for an uncharacteristic fielding error with a single and sacrifice fly to help the Rockies to their third straight win following an opening day loss to Texas.

“We’ve got a good pitching staff always and this year we’ve been doing good,” Senzatela said. “We were just working for that in the offseason, even through the quarantine. I think we deserve this.”

Hilliard was hitless going into the day before doubling off A’s starter Daniel Mengden in the second and then homering in the fourth. Hilliard, who homered in his major league debut last August, laced a 2-2 pitch into the right-field stands after Raimel Tapia singled.

“Sam’s blast, the breaking ball in the seats was a great swing,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I like the double the other way. We saw Sam do that a number of times last year, take pitches away from him, hit them to left field. The home run gave us a big lift.”

Senzatela worked himself into an early jam but got Oakland slugger Khris Davis to pop out with the bases loaded in the first on the way to his first win on the road since July 5, 2019. The right-hander had dropped five straight away from home since then.

Senzatela (1-0) allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.

“I threw too many pitches in the first inning but I just put on myself, ‘I need to make it through five to give the team a chance to win,’ and I did it,” Senzatela said.

Tyler Kinley, Daniel Bard and Carlos Estévez combined to two-hit the A’s over the final four innings.

Ramon Laureano had two hits and Mark Canha added a sacrifice fly for the A’s, who were attempting to go 4-1 for the first time since 2010.

Oakland manager Bob Melvin had been hopeful of resting his taxed bullpen but didn’t get the chance after Mengden (0-1) lasted four innings and gave up three runs on five hits.

“Strike one can be a problem for him sometimes,” Melvin said. “He tries to be a little too fine at times. It’s getting the pitch count down and trying to get the other team to put the ball in play earlier in the count.”

The Rockies tacked on a pair in the fifth with four consecutive one-out hits and a sacrifice fly off A’s reliever Jordan Weems in his major league debut. They scored three more in the eighth.

The two-game series ends Wednesday afternoon when Oakland’s Frankie Montas (0-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his second start of the season against Colorado’s Germán Márquez (0-1, 1.59) in a matchup of right-handers. Marquez’s loss on opening day was his first in 16 interleague starts.

— Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered, and Tanner Roark gave up one run in five innings against his former team to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Washington Nationals 5-1. It was the third loss in a row for the reigning World Series champions. They have scored a total of just four runs during that skid and dropped to 1-4 for the season. Washington’s miscues Tuesday included two outfielders colliding on Guerrero’s homer, two errors by Starlin Castro that led to three unearned runs, and just one hit after the third inning. Austin Voth took the loss.

— Josh Donaldson homered and drove in two runs in his Target Field debut with Minnesota, Jorge Polanco hit a two-run shot and the Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 in their home opener. Homer Bailey pitched five innings for the victory in his first start for the Twins. Polanco’s drive capped a five-run second for the Twins, who began their 60th season in Minnesota.

—Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer, Oscar Mercado had a two-run single and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 to complete a doubleheader sweep Tuesday night. Cleveland won the opener 4-3 behind a career-high nine strikeouts by Aaron Civale and home runs from Francisco Lindor and Bradley Zimmer.

—Adam Frazier hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for an 8-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. A day after blowing a four-run lead in the ninth in what became an 11-inning loss, Pittsburgh delivered a bit of payback thanks to a shaky performance by the Milwaukee bullpen. Cole Tucker went 2 for 4 for the Pirates.

—J.D. Davis banged a two-run homer off the Pesky Pole, and left-hander David Peterson pitched 5 2/3 innings to win his major league debut and lead the New York Mets to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Mets swept the two-game series and sent the Red Sox to their fourth consecutive loss. The teams now move to New York for another two games at Citi Field.

—Javier Báez homered twice, doubled and scored on a deft dive to the plate, Alec Mills went six solid innings, and the Chicago Cubs extended their strong opening surge, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-5. Chicago has won four of its first five games, scoring first in each one.

—Jonathan Schoop and Christin Stewart each hit a two-run homer in the third inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run shot in the top of the third for Kansas City, but the Tigers answered quickly and held on from there.

—Yoshi Tsutsugo had a two-run single during a five-run third inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their fourth consecutive game, 5-2 over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night. Yonny Chirinos became the second consecutive Rays starter to go four strong innings after missing part of summer camp following a positive covid-19 test, allowing one run and four hits.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Sam Hilliard homered for the first time this season, Antonio Senzatela pitched out of an early jam on his way to a rare road win, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Oakland Athletics 8-3 Tuesday night.Charlie Blackmon had two hits, David Dahl drove in a pair of runs and Nolan Arenado made up for an uncharacteristic fielding error with a single and sacrifice fly to help the Rockies to their third straight win following an opening day loss to Texas.“We’ve got a good pitching staff always and this year we’ve been doing good,” Senzatela said. “We were just working for that in the offseason, even through the quarantine. I think we deserve this.”Hilliard was hitless going into the day before doubling off A’s starter Daniel Mengden in the second and then homering in the fourth. Hilliard, who homered in his major league debut last August, laced a 2-2 pitch into the right-field stands after Raimel Tapia singled.“Sam’s blast, the breaking ball in the seats was a great swing,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I like the double the other way. We saw Sam do that a number of times last year, take pitches away from him, hit them to left field. The home run gave us a big lift.”Senzatela worked himself into an early jam but got Oakland slugger Khris Davis to pop out with the bases loaded in the first on the way to his first win on the road since July 5, 2019. The right-hander had dropped five straight away from home since then.Senzatela (1-0) allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three.“I threw too many pitches in the first inning but I just put on myself, ‘I need to make it through five to give the team a chance to win,’ and I did it,” Senzatela said.Tyler Kinley, Daniel Bard and Carlos Estévez combined to two-hit the A’s over the final four innings.Ramon Laureano had two hits and Mark Canha added a sacrifice fly for the A’s, who were attempting to go 4-1 for the first time since 2010.Oakland manager Bob Melvin had been hopeful of resting his taxed bullpen but didn’t get the chance after Mengden (0-1) lasted four innings and gave up three runs on five hits.“Strike one can be a problem for him sometimes,” Melvin said. “He tries to be a little too fine at times. It’s getting the pitch count down and trying to get the other team to put the ball in play earlier in the count.”The Rockies tacked on a pair in the fifth with four consecutive one-out hits and a sacrifice fly off A’s reliever Jordan Weems in his major league debut. They scored three more in the eighth.UP NEXTThe two-game series ends Wednesday afternoon when Oakland’s Frankie Montas (0-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his second start of the season against Colorado’s Germán Márquez (0-1, 1.59) in a matchup of right-handers. Marquez’s loss on opening day was his first in 16 interleague starts.AROUND THE MAJORS TUESDAY— Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered, and Tanner Roark gave up one run in five innings against his former team to help the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Washington Nationals 5-1. It was the third loss in a row for the reigning World Series champions. They have scored a total of just four runs during that skid and dropped to 1-4 for the season. Washington’s miscues Tuesday included two outfielders colliding on Guerrero’s homer, two errors by Starlin Castro that led to three unearned runs, and just one hit after the third inning. Austin Voth took the loss.— Josh Donaldson homered and drove in two runs in his Target Field debut with Minnesota, Jorge Polanco hit a two-run shot and the Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 in their home opener. Homer Bailey pitched five innings for the victory in his first start for the Twins. Polanco’s drive capped a five-run second for the Twins, who began their 60th season in Minnesota.—Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer, Oscar Mercado had a two-run single and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 to complete a doubleheader sweep Tuesday night. Cleveland won the opener 4-3 behind a career-high nine strikeouts by Aaron Civale and home runs from Francisco Lindor and Bradley Zimmer.—Adam Frazier hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for an 8-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. A day after blowing a four-run lead in the ninth in what became an 11-inning loss, Pittsburgh delivered a bit of payback thanks to a shaky performance by the Milwaukee bullpen. Cole Tucker went 2 for 4 for the Pirates.—J.D. Davis banged a two-run homer off the Pesky Pole, and left-hander David Peterson pitched 5 2/3 innings to win his major league debut and lead the New York Mets to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Mets swept the two-game series and sent the Red Sox to their fourth consecutive loss. The teams now move to New York for another two games at Citi Field.—Javier Báez homered twice, doubled and scored on a deft dive to the plate, Alec Mills went six solid innings, and the Chicago Cubs extended their strong opening surge, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-5. Chicago has won four of its first five games, scoring first in each one.—Jonathan Schoop and Christin Stewart each hit a two-run homer in the third inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run shot in the top of the third for Kansas City, but the Tigers answered quickly and held on from there.—Yoshi Tsutsugo had a two-run single during a five-run third inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their fourth consecutive game, 5-2 over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night. Yonny Chirinos became the second consecutive Rays starter to go four strong innings after missing part of summer camp following a positive covid-19 test, allowing one run and four hits.

Red hot Rockies win again, go for sweep in Oakland this afternoon

The RMAC announced Monday afternoon that it is delaying the fall sports season.&nbsp; Games will now begin on September 18 while practices can officially start August 24.

The RMAC announcement, plus a separate move by another conference forced two changes to Chadron State's football schedule.&nbsp; The Eagles were supposed to open against RMAC foe Western Colorado on September 5, the only game in the conference that day. 

CSC was also scheduled to travel to Rolla, Missouri to face Missouri S&amp;T on September 12, however that game was postponed when the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced Monday morning that it was postponing football until spring 2021.&nbsp;

According to the GLVC the conference will not be playing non-conference opponents next spring, so it appears the CSC trip to Rolla will not be made up as part of the "2020-2021" season despite the S&amp;T schedule showing the game as postponed, not canceled.&nbsp; It may end up being a fluid situation dependent on the virus, as well as if the RMAC ends up playing regular season football games in the spring of 2021 as well.

The RMAC did not announce any update on when or if the September 5 CSC-WCU game would be made up.&nbsp; Chadron State's first football game is now set for September 19 at South Dakota Mines with a 6:00 kickoff. 

All other RMAC teams were not scheduled to play conference football games until September 19, so only non-conference games are impacted by the delay outside of CSC-WCU.

Could CSC and Western Colorado end up playing on November 7? The Eagles game at Western Oregon that day has already been canceled, so if the WCU game at Dixie State is also canceled at some point it would open up that date for WCU to travel to Chadron for a make-up game along with the rest of the RMAC's regularly scheduled games.

Chadron State volleyball is losing several non-conference matches in early September as the conference included a mandate volleyball could only compete in conference play.&nbsp; CSC was scheduled to play eight matches in the Steel City Showcase in Pueblo, and the Northern State Tournament in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorThe RMAC announced Monday afternoon that it is delaying the fall sports season.&nbsp; Games will now begin on September 18 while practices can officially start August 24.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">RMAC Fall return to play update. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverythingElevated?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverythingElevated</a> <a href="https://t.co/LrgFe5UmdY">pic.twitter.com/LrgFe5UmdY</a>&mdash; RMAC Sports (@RMAC_SPORTS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMAC_SPORTS/status/1287862848291352576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The RMAC announcement, plus a separate move by another conference forced two changes to Chadron State's football schedule.&nbsp; The Eagles were supposed to open against RMAC foe Western Colorado on September 5, the only game in the conference that day. CSC was also scheduled to travel to Rolla, Missouri to face Missouri S&amp;T on September 12, however that game was postponed when the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced Monday morning that it was postponing football until spring 2021.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Questions? Check out our FAQ here: <a href="https://t.co/xyD5uyJk2u">https://t.co/xyD5uyJk2u</a> <a href="https://t.co/BG3CaDcsNE">pic.twitter.com/BG3CaDcsNE</a>&mdash; Great Lakes Valley Conference (@GLVCsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/GLVCsports/status/1287795667533017093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>According to the GLVC the conference will not be playing non-conference opponents next spring, so it appears the CSC trip to Rolla will not be made up as part of the "2020-2021" season despite the S&amp;T schedule showing the game as postponed, not canceled.&nbsp; It may end up being a fluid situation dependent on the virus, as well as if the RMAC ends up playing regular season football games in the spring of 2021 as well.The RMAC did not announce any update on when or if the September 5 CSC-WCU game would be made up.&nbsp; Chadron State's first football game is now set for September 19 at South Dakota Mines with a 6:00 kickoff. All other RMAC teams were not scheduled to play conference football games until September 19, so only non-conference games are impacted by the delay outside of CSC-WCU.Could CSC and Western Colorado end up playing on November 7? The Eagles game at Western Oregon that day has already been canceled, so if the WCU game at Dixie State is also canceled at some point it would open up that date for WCU to travel to Chadron for a make-up game along with the rest of the RMAC's regularly scheduled games.Chadron State volleyball is losing several non-conference matches in early September as the conference included a mandate volleyball could only compete in conference play.&nbsp; CSC was scheduled to play eight matches in the Steel City Showcase in Pueblo, and the Northern State Tournament in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

RMAC delays fall sports; first games now September 18

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Trevor Story homered twice for Colorado after Corey Kluber left his Texas debut with shoulder tightness, and the Rockies beat the Rangers 5-2. Kluber, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Cleveland, lasted just one inning and 18 pitches in his first start in almost 15 months. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was knocked out of his last start for the Indians on May 1, 2019, after his right forearm was broken by a comeback liner.

Marlins postpone home opener Monday after COVID-19 clubhouse outbreak

The Miami Marlins’ home opener tonight against Baltimore has been postponed as the Marlins deal with a coronavirus outbreak that stranded them in Philadelphia.

The Marlins postponed their flight home Sunday night after their series finale against the Phillies.

Pitcher Jose Urena was scratched from his scheduled start in Sunday’s game, and catcher Jorge Alfaro went on the injured list Friday. No reasons were given for the moves, but manager Don Mattingly said those who tested positive would be quarantined in Philadelphia.

The Marlins’ precarious health raised anew doubts about MLB’s ability to finish the season during a pandemic.

- Gleyber Torres had the big hits as the New York Yankees took the rubber match of their three-game series with the defending World Series champs. The Yanks trailed 2-0 until Torres delivered a solo homer and a go-ahead single to lead a 3-2 victory over the Nationals in Washington. Patrick Corbin retired New York’s first 11 batters and 18 of the first 19. But Torres ended the shutout bid with a long home with one out in the seventh to chase Corbin.

— Shohei Ohtani didn’t record an out in the two-way star’s long-awaited return to the mound for the Angels, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics. The right-hander from Japan gave up Marcus Semien’s leadoff single and three straight walks before a mound visit and Mark Canha’s two-run single. The Angels wasted a big day by Mike Trout, who hit a three-run homer in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

— The Braves torched the Mets, 14-1 behind Dansby Swanson, who was 3-for-5 with a solo homer and five RBIs. Marcel Ozuna, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies also went deep as Atlanta easily captured the rubber match of the three-game set. Rick Porcello was rocked for six earned runs over just two innings in his Mets debut.

— The Giants gained a split of their four-game series with the Dodgers as Mauricio Dubon poked a tiebreaking, RBI single in the sixth inning of San Francisco's 3-1 win at Los Angeles. Darin Ruf and Donovan Solano each had two hits and an RBI in the Giants' second straight win. Tyler Rogers worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth before Trevor Gott pitched the ninth to get the save.

— Tyler Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings of the Cubs’ 9-1 thumping of the Brewers. Willson Contreras smacked an RBI double in the Cubs’ four-run fourth and a long solo homer in the seventh. Ian Happ added a two-run drive in the eighth and Anthony Rizzo belted a solo shot one out later.

— Colin Moran and Jose Osuna homered as the Pirates got their first win under new manager Derek Shelton, 5-1 versus the Cardinals. Shelton also was involved in the majors’ first socially-distanced umpire argument as he and plate umpire Jordan Baker each wore face coverings while jawing six feet apart. Winning pitcher Mitch Heller allowed a run and three hits over five innings to help Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for just the second time in their last 14 meetings.

— The Mariners finally beat the Astros for the first time in 16 tries as Kyle Lewis hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 7-6 verdict over Houston. The Mariners trailed by 1 entering the eighth until Shed Long Jr.’s run-scoring single tied it at 5 with one out. Tim Lopes had three hits and scored twice for Seattle, which went 1-18 versus the Astros last year.

— The Twins regained their power stroke as Jake Cave hit a grand slam and Nelson Cruz homered twice in a 14-2 assault on the White Sox. Cruz added two doubles and drove in seven runs for the reigning AL Central champion Twins, who set a major league record for home runs last year. Kenta Maeda allowed two runs and struck out six in five innings to win his Minnesota debut.

— Kevin Kiermaier’s first hit of the season was a two-run triple in the 10th inning that gave the Rays a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays. The Rays scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings, then fell behind again 5-4 when Blue Jays pinch-runner Santiago Espinal stole third base and scored on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Ji-Man Choi hit a solo homer and worked out a bases-loaded walk in Tampa Bay’s two-run ninth.

— The Orioles earned a 7-4 victory against the Red Sox as Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander each belted two-run homers. José Iglesias added four hits as the Birds beat the Bosox for the second straight game following a 13-2 loss on opening day. Baltimore’s Wade LeBlanc gave up two home runs but settled down over 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits while striking out four.

— Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run homers to power the Marlins to an 11-6 rout of the Phillies. Miami rallied from 4-0 and 5-4 holes to rough up embattled Phillies starter Vince Velasquez and four relievers. The Marlins took the rubber match despite the absence of hurler Jose Urena, who was scratched about 90 minutes before the first pitch amid concerns of a team outbreak of the coronavirus.

— The Tigers pulled out a 3-2 win over the Reds on C.J. Cron’s tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning. Detroit rallied after Cincinnati starter Trevor Bauer matched a career high with 13 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Spencer Turnbull pitched one-run ball over five innings for the Tigers in his first start since he went 3-17 with a 4.61 ERA last season.

— The Indians were 9-2 winners over the Royals in Carlos Carrasco’s first start since being diagnosed with leukemia over a year ago. Carrasco struck out 10 in six-plus innings, and José Ramírez homered twice in the rubber match of the series. Ramírez hit a three-run homer left-handed in the fourth and added a solo shot from the right side in the sixth.

— The Diamondbacks scored twice in each of their final two at-bats to down the Padres, 4-3. Ketel Marte scored the tying run in the eighth and lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth to put Arizona ahead. David Peralta’s RBI single capped the Diamondbacks’ scoring.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Trevor Story homered twice for Colorado after Corey Kluber left his Texas debut with shoulder tightness, and the Rockies beat the Rangers 5-2. Kluber, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Cleveland, lasted just one inning and 18 pitches in his first start in almost 15 months. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was knocked out of his last start for the Indians on May 1, 2019, after his right forearm was broken by a comeback liner.Marlins postpone home opener Monday after COVID-19 clubhouse outbreakThe Miami Marlins’ home opener tonight against Baltimore has been postponed as the Marlins deal with a coronavirus outbreak that stranded them in Philadelphia.The Marlins postponed their flight home Sunday night after their series finale against the Phillies.Pitcher Jose Urena was scratched from his scheduled start in Sunday’s game, and catcher Jorge Alfaro went on the injured list Friday. No reasons were given for the moves, but manager Don Mattingly said those who tested positive would be quarantined in Philadelphia.The Marlins’ precarious health raised anew doubts about MLB’s ability to finish the season during a pandemic.Around the Majors Sunday- Gleyber Torres had the big hits as the New York Yankees took the rubber match of their three-game series with the defending World Series champs. The Yanks trailed 2-0 until Torres delivered a solo homer and a go-ahead single to lead a 3-2 victory over the Nationals in Washington. Patrick Corbin retired New York’s first 11 batters and 18 of the first 19. But Torres ended the shutout bid with a long home with one out in the seventh to chase Corbin.— Shohei Ohtani didn’t record an out in the two-way star’s long-awaited return to the mound for the Angels, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics. The right-hander from Japan gave up Marcus Semien’s leadoff single and three straight walks before a mound visit and Mark Canha’s two-run single. The Angels wasted a big day by Mike Trout, who hit a three-run homer in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth.— The Braves torched the Mets, 14-1 behind Dansby Swanson, who was 3-for-5 with a solo homer and five RBIs. Marcel Ozuna, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies also went deep as Atlanta easily captured the rubber match of the three-game set. Rick Porcello was rocked for six earned runs over just two innings in his Mets debut.— The Giants gained a split of their four-game series with the Dodgers as Mauricio Dubon poked a tiebreaking, RBI single in the sixth inning of San Francisco's 3-1 win at Los Angeles. Darin Ruf and Donovan Solano each had two hits and an RBI in the Giants' second straight win. Tyler Rogers worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth before Trevor Gott pitched the ninth to get the save.— Tyler Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings of the Cubs’ 9-1 thumping of the Brewers. Willson Contreras smacked an RBI double in the Cubs’ four-run fourth and a long solo homer in the seventh. Ian Happ added a two-run drive in the eighth and Anthony Rizzo belted a solo shot one out later.— Colin Moran and Jose Osuna homered as the Pirates got their first win under new manager Derek Shelton, 5-1 versus the Cardinals. Shelton also was involved in the majors’ first socially-distanced umpire argument as he and plate umpire Jordan Baker each wore face coverings while jawing six feet apart. Winning pitcher Mitch Heller allowed a run and three hits over five innings to help Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for just the second time in their last 14 meetings.— The Mariners finally beat the Astros for the first time in 16 tries as Kyle Lewis hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 7-6 verdict over Houston. The Mariners trailed by 1 entering the eighth until Shed Long Jr.’s run-scoring single tied it at 5 with one out. Tim Lopes had three hits and scored twice for Seattle, which went 1-18 versus the Astros last year.— The Twins regained their power stroke as Jake Cave hit a grand slam and Nelson Cruz homered twice in a 14-2 assault on the White Sox. Cruz added two doubles and drove in seven runs for the reigning AL Central champion Twins, who set a major league record for home runs last year. Kenta Maeda allowed two runs and struck out six in five innings to win his Minnesota debut.— Kevin Kiermaier’s first hit of the season was a two-run triple in the 10th inning that gave the Rays a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays. The Rays scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings, then fell behind again 5-4 when Blue Jays pinch-runner Santiago Espinal stole third base and scored on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Ji-Man Choi hit a solo homer and worked out a bases-loaded walk in Tampa Bay’s two-run ninth.— The Orioles earned a 7-4 victory against the Red Sox as Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander each belted two-run homers. José Iglesias added four hits as the Birds beat the Bosox for the second straight game following a 13-2 loss on opening day. Baltimore’s Wade LeBlanc gave up two home runs but settled down over 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits while striking out four.— Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run homers to power the Marlins to an 11-6 rout of the Phillies. Miami rallied from 4-0 and 5-4 holes to rough up embattled Phillies starter Vince Velasquez and four relievers. The Marlins took the rubber match despite the absence of hurler Jose Urena, who was scratched about 90 minutes before the first pitch amid concerns of a team outbreak of the coronavirus.— The Tigers pulled out a 3-2 win over the Reds on C.J. Cron’s tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning. Detroit rallied after Cincinnati starter Trevor Bauer matched a career high with 13 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Spencer Turnbull pitched one-run ball over five innings for the Tigers in his first start since he went 3-17 with a 4.61 ERA last season.— The Indians were 9-2 winners over the Royals in Carlos Carrasco’s first start since being diagnosed with leukemia over a year ago. Carrasco struck out 10 in six-plus innings, and José Ramírez homered twice in the rubber match of the series. Ramírez hit a three-run homer left-handed in the fourth and added a solo shot from the right side in the sixth.— The Diamondbacks scored twice in each of their final two at-bats to down the Padres, 4-3. Ketel Marte scored the tying run in the eighth and lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth to put Arizona ahead. David Peralta’s RBI single capped the Diamondbacks’ scoring.

Story belts two homers as Rockies take series in Texas

⚾| Gering wins Legion Baseball Seniors Conference Tournament

Alliance continued to light up the scoreboard inning after inning to defeat Gering and force a second game in the Panhandle Conference Championship Series Sunday.

The Spartans led 1-0, 3-0, and 6-0 after three innings and scored in every frame en route to a 11-0 victory.&nbsp; Alliance smacked 15 hits.

Four Spartans drove in a pair of runs. Vic Hinojosa went 3/4 with a home run. Caeson Clarke had three hits and an RBI.

Trevor DuBray dazzled on the mound holding Gering to a pair of hits. He struck out six in his complete game victory.

Game Two was much more competitive and Alliance rallied to make it a nailbiter in the end before falling and giving Gering the championship.

Gering scored in the first for a 1-0 lead and took a 4-0 advantage in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. After a walk and hit-batter Riley Schanaman tripled in a run. Jack Franklin followed by reaching on an error, which allowed another run to score and Gering to take a four run lead.

Alliance roared back in the sixth to tie it 4-4. Caeson Clarke doubled in a run to slice Gering's lead to 4-1. EJ Gomez added an RBI double of his own to make it 4-2. After two Spartans reached with a single and hit-by-pitch Collin Schrawyer laced a single to center that scored two to tie the game heading into the final inning.

Gering answered with a two-out RBI single that would ultimately win the game in the seventh and got Alliance to line out and ground out with the tying run on second in the bottom of the seventh to claim the title.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Gering wins Legion Baseball Seniors Conference TournamentAlliance SRs 11, Gering 0Alliance continued to light up the scoreboard inning after inning to defeat Gering and force a second game in the Panhandle Conference Championship Series Sunday.The Spartans led 1-0, 3-0, and 6-0 after three innings and scored in every frame en route to a 11-0 victory.&nbsp; Alliance smacked 15 hits.Four Spartans drove in a pair of runs. Vic Hinojosa went 3/4 with a home run. Caeson Clarke had three hits and an RBI.Trevor DuBray dazzled on the mound holding Gering to a pair of hits. He struck out six in his complete game victory.Gering 5, Alliance 4Game Two was much more competitive and Alliance rallied to make it a nailbiter in the end before falling and giving Gering the championship.Gering scored in the first for a 1-0 lead and took a 4-0 advantage in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. After a walk and hit-batter Riley Schanaman tripled in a run. Jack Franklin followed by reaching on an error, which allowed another run to score and Gering to take a four run lead.Alliance roared back in the sixth to tie it 4-4. Caeson Clarke doubled in a run to slice Gering's lead to 4-1. EJ Gomez added an RBI double of his own to make it 4-2. After two Spartans reached with a single and hit-by-pitch Collin Schrawyer laced a single to center that scored two to tie the game heading into the final inning.Gering answered with a two-out RBI single that would ultimately win the game in the seventh and got Alliance to line out and ground out with the tying run on second in the bottom of the seventh to claim the title.

The teams are set for the 42nd Annual West Nebraska All-Star football game and the 36th Annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball game.&nbsp; The games will be played Friday, July 24, in Scottsbluff,&nbsp; with the volleyball match at 4 pm MT at Western Nebraska Community College and the football game at 7 pm MT at Bearcat Stadium.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The game was originally scheduled for early June, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp; &nbsp;Players were nominated by their high school coaches and then selected by the All-Star coaches.&nbsp; 

This years coaches.&nbsp; East Volleyball....Head Coach: Katie Hoblyn (Anslemo-Merna)...Assistant Coach: Kory Rohde (Maywood-Hayes Center).&nbsp; &nbsp;

West Volleyball...Head Coach: Blakelee Hoffman (Chadron)....Assistant Coach: Jolene Dodge (Garden County).&nbsp; &nbsp;

Coaching the East football squad....Head Coach: Jayce Dueland (Elm Creek). Assistant Coaches: Jake Harvey (Lexington), Brendan Johnsen (Alma), Matt Berry (McCook).&nbsp; 

The West football&nbsp; Coaches are...Head Coach: Jason Spady (Garden County)...Assistant Coaches: Mike Lecheer (Chadron), Dan Lenners (Chase County), Chad Dormann (Garden County).&nbsp;

Kinsey Skillstad - North Platte St. Pat’s

Charles Aufdenkamp - North Platte St. Pat’s

The teams are set for the 42nd Annual West Nebraska All-Star football game and the 36th Annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball game.&nbsp; The games will be played Friday, July 24, in Scottsbluff,&nbsp; with the volleyball match at 4 pm MT at Western Nebraska Community College and the football game at 7 pm MT at Bearcat Stadium.&nbsp; &nbsp;The game was originally scheduled for early June, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp; &nbsp;Players were nominated by their high school coaches and then selected by the All-Star coaches.&nbsp; This years coaches.&nbsp; East Volleyball....Head Coach: Katie Hoblyn (Anslemo-Merna)...Assistant Coach: Kory Rohde (Maywood-Hayes Center).&nbsp; &nbsp;West Volleyball...Head Coach: Blakelee Hoffman (Chadron)....Assistant Coach: Jolene Dodge (Garden County).&nbsp; &nbsp;Coaching the East football squad....Head Coach: Jayce Dueland (Elm Creek). Assistant Coaches: Jake Harvey (Lexington), Brendan Johnsen (Alma), Matt Berry (McCook).&nbsp; The West football&nbsp; Coaches are...Head Coach: Jason Spady (Garden County)...Assistant Coaches: Mike Lecheer (Chadron), Dan Lenners (Chase County), Chad Dormann (Garden County).&nbsp;VolleyballEast rosterKaty Bartell - Hi-LineMaShayla Burnett - Anselmo-MernaTaylor Conroy - South LoupMichaela Dukes - Wauneta-PalisadeAvery Johnson - Maywood-Hayes CenterHadley Martin - Hi-LineShaye Porter - Hitchcock CountyKinsey Skillstad - North Platte St. Pat’sAlexis Zimmer - Anselmo-MernaWest rosterNicole Birner - SidneyJaedy Commins - OgallalaAllie Ferguson - ChadronSierra Garrett - Gordon-RushvilleMattie Johnson - SidneyMallie McNair - Chase CountySophie Spady - Chase CountyTyleigh Strotheide - ChadronChloe Stupka - Creek ValleyMadelyn Watchorn - LeytonFootballEast rosterBen Anderjaska - Wauneta-PalisadeCharles Aufdenkamp - North Platte St. Pat’sCameryn Berry - McCookDalton Caley - North PlatteJackson Carter - North PlatteJace Connell - South LoupDrew Daum - McCookCharlie Gale - North Platte St. Pat’sDakota Haines - LexingtonClayton Hassett - MullenSam Heapy - Medicine ValleyNathan Hock - AlmaDeryk Huxoll - CambridgeCorban Jernigan - McCookGrant Jones - South LoupConner Kleckner - McCookTy Kvanvig - MullenRyan Lauby - OvertonKarsten McCarter - Elm CreekIsaac McCurdy - AlmaTalan McGill - North Platte St. Pat’sTreven Melroy - HoldregeJonathan Ortner - AinsworthAnthony Paz - LexingtonTJ Roe - BradyRaif Ruppert - Twin LoupDaylan Russell - AlmaBrody Stienike - GothenburgChase Swartwood - Elm CreekTucker Wyatt - GothenburgWest RosterBennet Bauerle - Chase CountyCurtiss Bruhn - ChadronKobe Clevenger - Chase CountyNicholas Coley - MitchellGarrett Conn - GeringAustin Dormann - Garden CountyBlaine Dorn - ImperialJosh Eschelman - HersheyGrant Fischer - ValentineErik Folchert - AllianceCooper Heusman - ChadronHayden Hofrock - SidneyCayden Jobman - SidneyCoy Johnson - Sandhills/ThedfordJon Keller - ValentineGage Krolikowski - ValentineColter Mann - AllianceJoe McCloud - ScottsbluffTerrance Mokeac - ScottsbluffIsaiah Neis - Garden CountyAlex Patrick - OgallalaTrevor Peterson - Chase CountyJake Sellman - HemingfordHunter Skalsky - OgallalaReid Spady - Garden CountyTrayton Travnicek - ScottsbluffCaleb Walker - ScottsbluffZak Wieser - SidneyCooper Wild - ChadronDylon Zink - OgallalaBryan Zutavern - Sandhills/Thedford

West Nebraska All Star games set for Friday

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska volleyball player and eight other women have sued the university. They allege the school did not properly respond or investigate complaints of sexual assault and harassment. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court. The complaint outlines a pattern of unresponsiveness, sloppiness and indifference by university employees in charge of investigating allegations of sexual misconduct. Seven of the women allege they were victims of rape or sexual assault. The university declined to comment on the lawsuit but said it has a strong Title IX process.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska volleyball player and eight other women have sued the university. They allege the school did not properly respond or investigate complaints of sexual assault and harassment. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court. The complaint outlines a pattern of unresponsiveness, sloppiness and indifference by university employees in charge of investigating allegations of sexual misconduct. Seven of the women allege they were victims of rape or sexual assault. The university declined to comment on the lawsuit but said it has a strong Title IX process.

Former Husker among nine women suing school regarding sex assault, harassment complaints 

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will play high school football this fall with some changes that will delay the season for large schools and limit fan attendance. The University Interscholastic League announced Tuesday a one-month delay into late September for football and volleyball at the state's largest schools. Smaller schools can start on time in August if local rules allow. 

The UIL said the delay for large schools focuses on the state's largest population areas that have been hit hardest in the coronavirus pandemic. Texas joins about a dozen states in ordering some sort of delay for fall high school sports.&nbsp;

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will play high school football this fall with some changes that will delay the season for large schools and limit fan attendance. The University Interscholastic League announced Tuesday a one-month delay into late September for football and volleyball at the state's largest schools. Smaller schools can start on time in August if local rules allow. The UIL said the delay for large schools focuses on the state's largest population areas that have been hit hardest in the coronavirus pandemic. Texas joins about a dozen states in ordering some sort of delay for fall high school sports.&nbsp;

Texas delays large-school sports, smaller schools moving ahead on schedule

Nebraska high school sports starting on time this fall

The Nebraska School Activities Association announced Monday afternoon that it is planning to begin high school sports practice and competitions on time this fall.

Check back with Panhandle Post for more on this developing story.

By: Dave Collins, Sports Director<h2>Nebraska high school sports starting on time this fall</h2>The Nebraska School Activities Association announced Monday afternoon that it is planning to begin high school sports practice and competitions on time this fall.Check back with Panhandle Post for more on this developing story.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The NSAA is preparing to begin the 2020 fall sports season as currently scheduled. Please read the full statement here - <a href="https://t.co/6xMA92fdtF">https://t.co/6xMA92fdtF</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nebpreps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nebpreps</a> <a href="https://t.co/OA75fYvuQJ">pic.twitter.com/OA75fYvuQJ</a>&mdash; NSAA (@nsaahome) <a href="https://twitter.com/nsaahome/status/1285315223990173696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Major conferences in college football are considering schedule flexibility to maintain attractive match-ups, keep players and teams safe with less travel, and finding ways to simply have as full a season as possible.

Sports Director Dave Collins offered some interesting thoughts on Twitter as to how Chadron State could bring back a match-up with arch rival Nebraska-Kearney this year.&nbsp; 

While it would take some drastic moves to actually happen, if we've learned anything in the sports world of 2020, anything is possible...

Major conferences in college football are considering schedule flexibility to maintain attractive match-ups, keep players and teams safe with less travel, and finding ways to simply have as full a season as possible.Sports Director Dave Collins offered some interesting thoughts on Twitter as to how Chadron State could bring back a match-up with arch rival Nebraska-Kearney this year.&nbsp; While it would take some drastic moves to actually happen, if we've learned anything in the sports world of 2020, anything is possible...<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">(2/2) ▪ CSC at Missouri S&amp;T on 9/12 (833m) would have to be canceled. Possible if RMAC goes to regional sked flex due to covid concerns. ▪ CSC could host/travel to play Kearney (324m) on 11/7. Is it possible?🤷‍♂️ How many things have happened in 2020 we never thought we&#39;d see?..&mdash; Dave Collins (@DMCbroadcasting) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMCbroadcasting/status/1284158807384436740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Could Chadron State football face arch-rival UNK this year?  One scenario makes it seem possible...

Junior Panhandle COVID Conference - District Tournament

Chadron 4, Sidney 3 - Championship Game 2

&nbsp;(1) Sidney 10, (5) Sheridan County 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: Monday, 8:00 amJunior Panhandle COVID Conference - District TournamentMaurice Horse Field - Chadron, NESundayChadron 7, Alliance 4 - Elimination GameChadron 9, Sidney 7 - ChampionshipChadron 4, Sidney 3 - Championship Game 2Friday&nbsp;(1) Sidney 10, (5) Sheridan County 0(3) Chadron 8, (4) Gering 0Saturday&nbsp;(2) Alliance 5, Chadron 4Gering 11, Sheridan County 1Sidney 11, Chadron 3Chadron 9, Gering 7

⚾| Chadron Wins Legion Baseball JR Districts

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Thursday, July 16

Casper Kelly Walsh 4, Chadron SRs 2

Casper Kelly Walsh 12, Chadron SRs 4

Alliance SRs 9, Rapid City Expos 4

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Thursday, July 16Casper Kelly Walsh 4, Chadron SRs 2Casper Kelly Walsh 12, Chadron SRs 4Alliance SRs 9, Rapid City Expos 4Sioux Falls 10, Alliance SRs 7Bridgeport 13, Scottsbluff 2Bridgeport 19, Scottsbluff 7

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is the conference governing body that includes Chadron State athletics, has delayed a decision on whether or not to alter fall sports schedules, which include football and volleyball.

So, as of today Chadron State is still scheduled to open the football season on September 5 against Western Colorado at Don Beebe Stadium.

As the RMAC stated in its update Thursday late afternoon the Presidents' Council will meet again at a yet-undetermined date to make any additional decisions on the fall schedules or to leave them unchanged.

The conference stated on June 30 that it would make its final decision by Friday, July 17.&nbsp; However, with new COVID-19 information and a delay in getting the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sports guidelines the conference is taking more time to determine if fall sports need to be pushed back or postponed.

We will have more on this developing story Friday.

By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorThe Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is the conference governing body that includes Chadron State athletics, has delayed a decision on whether or not to alter fall sports schedules, which include football and volleyball.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">RMAC update regarding Fall return to play. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverythingElevated?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverythingElevated</a> <a href="https://t.co/yuPYtQoaFD">pic.twitter.com/yuPYtQoaFD</a>&mdash; RMAC Sports (@RMAC_SPORTS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMAC_SPORTS/status/1283918090846089217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>So, as of today Chadron State is still scheduled to open the football season on September 5 against Western Colorado at Don Beebe Stadium.As the RMAC stated in its update Thursday late afternoon the Presidents' Council will meet again at a yet-undetermined date to make any additional decisions on the fall schedules or to leave them unchanged.The conference stated on June 30 that it would make its final decision by Friday, July 17.&nbsp; However, with new COVID-19 information and a delay in getting the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sports guidelines the conference is taking more time to determine if fall sports need to be pushed back or postponed.We will have more on this developing story Friday.

Game on! For now... RMAC delays making any changes to fall sports schedules

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Wednesday, July 15

EJ Gomez threw a gem for Alliance in the Spartans second straight shutout victory.&nbsp; Gomez limited Sidney to a pair of hits in his five innings for the complete game win.&nbsp; Gomez struck out six.

Alliance broke open a 1-0 game with four in the third inning to lead 5-0.&nbsp; Six more runs scored in the fourth frame, which sealed the run-rule shortened victory.

Jakob Callan drove in two runs and scored twice. Chase King had three RBIs and Caeson Clarke chipped in a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

Two Alliance pitchers limited Sidney to three hits in a 10-0 juniors game victory.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa threw the first four innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven. Mario Garza struck out two of the four hitters he faced to cap the win.

After a quick top of the first, Alliance got out to a fast start in the bottom half to take a 5-0 lead.&nbsp; Following a walk and two singles Kellon Muhr cleared the bases with a three-run triple for a 3-0 Spartans lead.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa followed with a two-run homer and the rout was on.

The Alliance JRs improve to 12-7 for the season.

Gering turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead and went on to defeat Chadron Wednesday 11-3.

Gering scored twice on bases-loaded walks and got RBI singles from Keenan Allen and Ryan Johnston in their six-run second inning to take control.

Allen was the starter on the mound and pitched three innings of two-hit ball. Keigin Shapland and Keagan Shifflet finished it out and allowed only two more hits. Only one of Sidney's runs was&nbsp; earned.

Dalton Wiese had two RBIs, Allen and Johnston two RBIs apiece, and Chris Bliss made it four Gering hitters to drive in multiple runs.

Gering rallied in the bottom of the final inning to win a thriller Wednesday night 7-6.

Trailing 6-5 entering the seventh Gering loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit batter. With one out Riley Hoke reached on a bunt single that tied the game 6-6. Adreick Conn was next in the box and was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run.

Chadron got off to a great start on the road scoring five times before Gering got a chance to swing the bats. But Gering chipped way in the bottom half with two to make it 5-2, and three more in the third to get within 6-5 before the rally late.

Tate Ryan and Garrett Reece each had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals in the loss.

Blake Greene pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing only three earned runs of the six he gave up total. Hoke got the final two outs in the seventh.

The scoreboard lit up with crooked numbers all over the place in game one of a doubleheader that Bridgeport won in the final at-bat. Tied 14-14 in the fifth, Ethan Eckhart drive in the winning run with an RBI single to walk-off the Regulators.

Sheridan County built a 7-1 lead in the second inning only to see Bridgeport answer seven times to go up 8-7 into the third.

The Regs slapped home plate five more times to lead 12-8, but again Bridgeport would answer with six to lead 14-12 heading into the fourth.

Five Regs had multi-RBI games led by Traiton Starr with three.&nbsp; Stunningly no one in the Regs lineup had more than one hit, but they drew eight walks and only three of their 15 runs were earned as Bridgeport committed 4 errors.

KJ Bush led Bridgeport with three RBIs.&nbsp; Eckhardt and Scout Gamble each drove in two.&nbsp; Bridgeport worked 12 walks and capitalized on six Sheridan County miscues.

Bridgeport 8, Sheridan County 6 (Game 2)

Cheyenne Indians 8, Scottsbluff JRs 0

Chappell (Buckley) SRs 12, Scottsbluff 11

Chappell touched home plate five times in
the bottom of the eighth inning and hung on to stun Scottsbluff 12-11.

After giving
up its 9-7 lead, the Zephyrs came within a run on a two-run single from Jerod
Balthazor, but he was thrown out trying to advance on the play to end the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: 8:30 am 7/16⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Wednesday, July 15Alliance SRs 11, Sidney 0EJ Gomez threw a gem for Alliance in the Spartans second straight shutout victory.&nbsp; Gomez limited Sidney to a pair of hits in his five innings for the complete game win.&nbsp; Gomez struck out six.Alliance broke open a 1-0 game with four in the third inning to lead 5-0.&nbsp; Six more runs scored in the fourth frame, which sealed the run-rule shortened victory.Jakob Callan drove in two runs and scored twice. Chase King had three RBIs and Caeson Clarke chipped in a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.Alliance is 19-9 this summer.Alliance JRs 10, Sidney 0Two Alliance pitchers limited Sidney to three hits in a 10-0 juniors game victory.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa threw the first four innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven. Mario Garza struck out two of the four hitters he faced to cap the win.After a quick top of the first, Alliance got out to a fast start in the bottom half to take a 5-0 lead.&nbsp; Following a walk and two singles Kellon Muhr cleared the bases with a three-run triple for a 3-0 Spartans lead.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa followed with a two-run homer and the rout was on.The Alliance JRs improve to 12-7 for the season.Gering JRs 11, Chadron 3Gering turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead and went on to defeat Chadron Wednesday 11-3.Gering scored twice on bases-loaded walks and got RBI singles from Keenan Allen and Ryan Johnston in their six-run second inning to take control.Allen was the starter on the mound and pitched three innings of two-hit ball. Keigin Shapland and Keagan Shifflet finished it out and allowed only two more hits. Only one of Sidney's runs was&nbsp; earned.Dalton Wiese had two RBIs, Allen and Johnston two RBIs apiece, and Chris Bliss made it four Gering hitters to drive in multiple runs.Gering is now 9-7.Gering SRs 7, Chadron 6Gering rallied in the bottom of the final inning to win a thriller Wednesday night 7-6.Trailing 6-5 entering the seventh Gering loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit batter. With one out Riley Hoke reached on a bunt single that tied the game 6-6. Adreick Conn was next in the box and was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run.Chadron got off to a great start on the road scoring five times before Gering got a chance to swing the bats. But Gering chipped way in the bottom half with two to make it 5-2, and three more in the third to get within 6-5 before the rally late.Tate Ryan and Garrett Reece each had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals in the loss.Blake Greene pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing only three earned runs of the six he gave up total. Hoke got the final two outs in the seventh.Gering is 14-8 heading into Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>Bridgeport 15, Sheridan County 14The scoreboard lit up with crooked numbers all over the place in game one of a doubleheader that Bridgeport won in the final at-bat. Tied 14-14 in the fifth, Ethan Eckhart drive in the winning run with an RBI single to walk-off the Regulators.Sheridan County built a 7-1 lead in the second inning only to see Bridgeport answer seven times to go up 8-7 into the third.The Regs slapped home plate five more times to lead 12-8, but again Bridgeport would answer with six to lead 14-12 heading into the fourth.Five Regs had multi-RBI games led by Traiton Starr with three.&nbsp; Stunningly no one in the Regs lineup had more than one hit, but they drew eight walks and only three of their 15 runs were earned as Bridgeport committed 4 errors.KJ Bush led Bridgeport with three RBIs.&nbsp; Eckhardt and Scout Gamble each drove in two.&nbsp; Bridgeport worked 12 walks and capitalized on six Sheridan County miscues.Bridgeport 8, Sheridan County 6 (Game 2)Cheyenne Indians 8, Scottsbluff JRs 0Chappell (Buckley) SRs 12, Scottsbluff 11Chappell touched home plate five times in
the bottom of the eighth inning and hung on to stun Scottsbluff 12-11.After giving
up its 9-7 lead, the Zephyrs came within a run on a two-run single from Jerod
Balthazor, but he was thrown out trying to advance on the play to end the game.

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard & Recaps - Wednesday, July 15

By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/college-football-schedules-unsettled-coronavirus-cases-spike-kansas-and-us">Kansas News Service</a>

BALDWIN CITY, Kansas — College athletics departments
 in Kansas are needing to make a call as the number of coronavirus cases
 climb across the country and in their own ranks: Cancel fall sports, 
delay them until the spring, try in-conference games only or something 
in between.

At the center of it all is football — the 
high-contact sport that brings in money from the top college level to 
the small schools.&nbsp;

Dozens of schools have reported coronavirus 
cases among team members at voluntary workouts. And earlier this summer,
 Kansas State became one of the first major college teams in the country
 to shut the workouts down because of a high number of positive tests. 
The University of Kansas soon followed suit.

Already, three of 
the five major college conferences (Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference 
and Pac-12) have said they’ll only play against teams in their 
conference. The Ivy and Patriot leagues are calling off their fall 
seasons entirely. The National Junior College Athletic Association voted
 to move football to the spring.

The Big 12, which includes KU and K-State, is expected to make its decision at the end of the month.

Without
 the money from big-time sports, universities that are already hurting 
financially after having to shift fully online in the spring will 
suffer. But so will the college towns.

Baker University drives 
the economy in Baldwin City, Kansas, a town of more than 4,700 that’s 
about a half-hour from Lawrence. Of the roughly 800-plus students on 
campus at Baker, 66% play one of the school’s 24 varsity sports.

In
 early June, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 
(NAIA) announced that all of its schools — Baker included — would be 
reduced to nine regular-season games from 11. It’s still uncertain if 
fans will be allowed to attend the home games because the NAIA is 
leaving it up to schools to follow state and local requirements.

“The potential of not having our family at games, it’s something 
that’s going to be very, very different,” Baker athletics director Nate 
Houser said.

Already, Baldwin City’s 63rd annual Maple Leaf 
Festival has been cancelled for the fall. Apryl Strawn, the manager of 
Jo’s Diner in town, said the possibility of football without fans could 
be devastating to their business.&nbsp;

“It’ll be awful,” Strawn said. “It’ll be absolutely awful.”&nbsp;

The athletes’ health vs. financial health&nbsp;

Whether
 football is played in Baldwin City or at KU, the issue is the same: How
 do you avoid transmission of coronavirus in a sport where you’re lined 
up next to each other and hit other players constantly?

It’s a question KU Director of Athletics Jeff Long has been pondering all summer, and hasn’t been able to answer.

"We
 don’t know what the impact of practicing, closed-quarters hitting, 
tackling, all those things will have on a team,” Long said during a 
Kansas City Public Library virtual forum last month.

Players came
 back to campus for voluntary workouts from all over the country, 
including Texas, which has seen a dramatic spike in cases.&nbsp;

But epidemiologist Dr. Chris Hostler, who is a consultant for the NFL
 and the Big 12 (which KU and K-State are a part of), said coronavirus 
can be anywhere.

“We’re going to continue to have athletes and 
staff who are positives, who are coming from different areas of the 
country,” said Hostler, who is based in Durham, North Carolina. “Or even
 just remaining in their communities.”

And there’s another thing 
to consider: If any scholarship athlete, man or woman, chooses to sit 
out this fall as a health precaution, would he or she lose that full 
ride to college? The Pac-12 says no. With the Big 12 leaving it up to 
its members — K-State says it will honor scholarships but is still 
working out the terms of the language, while KU hadn’t provided its 
policy by the time this story went to print.&nbsp;

But more than 
anything, college administrators are aware of the added financial pinch 
if there are no college football games this fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“When people 
ask, ‘Why is it so important for you to play football, play basketball?”
 It’s to generate the revenue to fund that program,” Long said.

A major college football program like KU or K-State generates an average of $78 million according to a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2020/04/14/college-football-major-programs-could-see-billions-revenue-go-away/2989466001/">recent study by USA Today</a>.

Within
 the Big 12, the Texas schools (Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU) 
figure to already see less money. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently 
mandated that no schools can have more than 50% fan capacity at home 
games.

But Hostler said what’s happening in Texas won’t dictate a uniform set of recommendations.

“What
 happens in West Virginia is going to be very different than what 
happens a couple states away in Iowa or in Oklahoma,” he said.

Greg Echlin is a freelance sports reporter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758329334.png" alt=" Kansas State's football team had several players test positive for COVID-19 this summer. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo" />
 <figcaption> Kansas State's football team had several players test positive for COVID-19 this summer. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/college-football-schedules-unsettled-coronavirus-cases-spike-kansas-and-us">Kansas News Service</a>BALDWIN CITY, Kansas — College athletics departments
 in Kansas are needing to make a call as the number of coronavirus cases
 climb across the country and in their own ranks: Cancel fall sports, 
delay them until the spring, try in-conference games only or something 
in between.At the center of it all is football — the 
high-contact sport that brings in money from the top college level to 
the small schools.&nbsp;Dozens of schools have reported coronavirus 
cases among team members at voluntary workouts. And earlier this summer,
 Kansas State became one of the first major college teams in the country
 to shut the workouts down because of a high number of positive tests. 
The University of Kansas soon followed suit.Already, three of 
the five major college conferences (Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference 
and Pac-12) have said they’ll only play against teams in their 
conference. The Ivy and Patriot leagues are calling off their fall 
seasons entirely. The National Junior College Athletic Association voted
 to move football to the spring.The Big 12, which includes KU and K-State, is expected to make its decision at the end of the month.Without
 the money from big-time sports, universities that are already hurting 
financially after having to shift fully online in the spring will 
suffer. But so will the college towns.Baker University drives 
the economy in Baldwin City, Kansas, a town of more than 4,700 that’s 
about a half-hour from Lawrence. Of the roughly 800-plus students on 
campus at Baker, 66% play one of the school’s 24 varsity sports.In
 early June, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 
(NAIA) announced that all of its schools — Baker included — would be 
reduced to nine regular-season games from 11. It’s still uncertain if 
fans will be allowed to attend the home games because the NAIA is 
leaving it up to schools to follow state and local requirements.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758388532.jpeg" alt=" Nate House is Baker University's athletic director. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption> Nate House is Baker University's athletic director. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>“The potential of not having our family at games, it’s something 
that’s going to be very, very different,” Baker athletics director Nate 
Houser said.Already, Baldwin City’s 63rd annual Maple Leaf 
Festival has been cancelled for the fall. Apryl Strawn, the manager of 
Jo’s Diner in town, said the possibility of football without fans could 
be devastating to their business.&nbsp;“It’ll be awful,” Strawn said. “It’ll be absolutely awful.”&nbsp;The athletes’ health vs. financial health&nbsp;Whether
 football is played in Baldwin City or at KU, the issue is the same: How
 do you avoid transmission of coronavirus in a sport where you’re lined 
up next to each other and hit other players constantly?It’s a question KU Director of Athletics Jeff Long has been pondering all summer, and hasn’t been able to answer."We
 don’t know what the impact of practicing, closed-quarters hitting, 
tackling, all those things will have on a team,” Long said during a 
Kansas City Public Library virtual forum last month.Players came
 back to campus for voluntary workouts from all over the country, 
including Texas, which has seen a dramatic spike in cases.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758418685.jpeg" alt=" The field before last year's KU vs. K-State rivarly game. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo" />
 <figcaption> The field before last year's KU vs. K-State rivarly game. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>But epidemiologist Dr. Chris Hostler, who is a consultant for the NFL
 and the Big 12 (which KU and K-State are a part of), said coronavirus 
can be anywhere.“We’re going to continue to have athletes and 
staff who are positives, who are coming from different areas of the 
country,” said Hostler, who is based in Durham, North Carolina. “Or even
 just remaining in their communities.”And there’s another thing 
to consider: If any scholarship athlete, man or woman, chooses to sit 
out this fall as a health precaution, would he or she lose that full 
ride to college? The Pac-12 says no. With the Big 12 leaving it up to 
its members — K-State says it will honor scholarships but is still 
working out the terms of the language, while KU hadn’t provided its 
policy by the time this story went to print.&nbsp;But more than 
anything, college administrators are aware of the added financial pinch 
if there are no college football games this fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;“When people 
ask, ‘Why is it so important for you to play football, play basketball?”
 It’s to generate the revenue to fund that program,” Long said.A major college football program like KU or K-State generates an average of $78 million according to a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2020/04/14/college-football-major-programs-could-see-billions-revenue-go-away/2989466001/">recent study by USA Today</a>.Within
 the Big 12, the Texas schools (Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU) 
figure to already see less money. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently 
mandated that no schools can have more than 50% fan capacity at home 
games.But Hostler said what’s happening in Texas won’t dictate a uniform set of recommendations.“What
 happens in West Virginia is going to be very different than what 
happens a couple states away in Iowa or in Oklahoma,” he said.Greg Echlin is a freelance sports reporter.

College football schedules unsettled as virus cases spike

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Tuesday, July 14

Alliance took a modest 3-0 lead into the third inning then exploded with 13 more in a 16-0 rout over Bridgeport.

Collin Schrawyer, Brantz Halouska, and Tyzen Brown all drove in two Spartan runs.&nbsp; Schrawyer was a perfect 4/4 on the night at the plate.

Caeson Clarke pitched the first four innings and allowed the only two hits for Bridgeport.&nbsp; Clarke struck out three.&nbsp; Kirk Sanders and Joel Baker handled the final three outs.

Alliance improves to 18-9, while Bridgeport slips to 6-15.&nbsp;

Alliance and Bridgeport battled in a high-scoring affair Bridgeport won 13-10.

Alliance got it started early with a 2-0 lead in the first that became 6-0 after two. Vic Hinojosa smacked a solo homer and several singles led the charge in the second.

Bridgeport struck back in the third with five runs to make it 6-5 on a pair of RBI singles surrounding an error. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch made it 6-4 before an RBI ground out got Bridgeport within a run.

Bridgeport exploded for eight more runs in the fourth to take a 13-8 lead in an inning that saw Alliance commit three errors.

KJ Bush went 3/4 with four RBIs for the Bombers. Jonathan Kruse, Larry Lofton and Trenton Carrizales all drove in a pair.

Sheridan County rallied from an early deficit to lead 8-3 but saw Gering rally back and win in the final inning.

An error led to the winning run in the seventh.&nbsp; With one out Tanner Gartner stole second then advanced to third and home on a Regulators miscue for a 10-9 advantage.

Dalton Wiese led Gering with three RBIs.&nbsp; Gartner had a pair of doubles and scored three times.

Jace Freeseman went 2/4 with two RBIs for Sheridan County. Aydon McDonald had a two hit day and scored three times.

Gering scored 13 times in the fourth inning to take complete control of a 1-1 game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brady Radzymski had two hits and drove in four runs to pace Gering. Riley Schanaman, Blake Greene and Anthony Walker all drove in two.

Quinton Janicek pitched all four innings of the run-rule shortened game.&nbsp; He allowed just two hits and struck out six.&nbsp; It took just 67 pitches to finish the job.

Gering is 13-8 this summer while Sheridan County falls to 7-11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Tuesday, July 14Alliance SRs 16, Bridgeport 0Alliance took a modest 3-0 lead into the third inning then exploded with 13 more in a 16-0 rout over Bridgeport.Collin Schrawyer, Brantz Halouska, and Tyzen Brown all drove in two Spartan runs.&nbsp; Schrawyer was a perfect 4/4 on the night at the plate.Caeson Clarke pitched the first four innings and allowed the only two hits for Bridgeport.&nbsp; Clarke struck out three.&nbsp; Kirk Sanders and Joel Baker handled the final three outs.Alliance improves to 18-9, while Bridgeport slips to 6-15.&nbsp;Bridgeport 13, Alliance JRs 10Alliance and Bridgeport battled in a high-scoring affair Bridgeport won 13-10.Alliance got it started early with a 2-0 lead in the first that became 6-0 after two. Vic Hinojosa smacked a solo homer and several singles led the charge in the second.Bridgeport struck back in the third with five runs to make it 6-5 on a pair of RBI singles surrounding an error. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch made it 6-4 before an RBI ground out got Bridgeport within a run.Bridgeport exploded for eight more runs in the fourth to take a 13-8 lead in an inning that saw Alliance commit three errors.KJ Bush went 3/4 with four RBIs for the Bombers. Jonathan Kruse, Larry Lofton and Trenton Carrizales all drove in a pair.The Alliance JRs drop to 11-6.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gering JRs 10, Sheridan County 9Sheridan County rallied from an early deficit to lead 8-3 but saw Gering rally back and win in the final inning.An error led to the winning run in the seventh.&nbsp; With one out Tanner Gartner stole second then advanced to third and home on a Regulators miscue for a 10-9 advantage.Dalton Wiese led Gering with three RBIs.&nbsp; Gartner had a pair of doubles and scored three times.Jace Freeseman went 2/4 with two RBIs for Sheridan County. Aydon McDonald had a two hit day and scored three times.Gering SRs 14, Sheridan County 1Gering scored 13 times in the fourth inning to take complete control of a 1-1 game.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady Radzymski had two hits and drove in four runs to pace Gering. Riley Schanaman, Blake Greene and Anthony Walker all drove in two.Quinton Janicek pitched all four innings of the run-rule shortened game.&nbsp; He allowed just two hits and struck out six.&nbsp; It took just 67 pitches to finish the job.Gering is 13-8 this summer while Sheridan County falls to 7-11.Chadron SRs 10, Sidney 6

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard & Recaps - Tuesday, July 14

DENVER (AP) — All those fastballs that ended up bouncing around the water fall, fountains and pine trees at Coors Field during summer camp mean one of two things for the Colorado Rockies.

Either their pitchers are rusty and the team might be in for a long haul of a 60-game season or slugger Nolan Arenado is already in midseason form and opponents had better watch out.

“I’ve hit some mistakes,” Arenado acknowledged during a power surge that featured two moon-shot homers in an intrasquad scrimmage. “I think that’s hitting, right? You’ve got to be able to take advantage of the mistakes.”

Are the Rockies once again ready to rake at the plate but flounder from the mound?

Arenado said he wasn’t worried about seeing so many misplaced pitches in camp, suggesting it was just a case of him making them pay the price.

“They’re working on different pitches, they’re trying to get their pitch count up," Arenado said. "As we get closer, yeah, you want them to be better. But we’re all working on things.”

That includes All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Charlie Blackmon, the first Major League player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Blackmon got sick last month and returned to the Rockies on July 13 after getting the all-clear.

“I wasn’t worried. I felt sick, but it was nothing compared to me having the flu,” Blackmon said, adding he was only sick for about 36 hours. “Looking back on it, I wish I had gotten this months ago and felt crappy for a day and a-half and then got on with it and lived the rest of my life and not have tried to avoid it by canceling everything in the country.

“That’s only based on my experience. It can be much more serious for” others, Blackmon added.

Arenado was glad to have his fellow slugger back.

“We know how much we need him and how important he is to our group,” Arenado said. “It’s not like if Chuck’s out, you’re going to plug in a guy who does exactly what Chuck does. You know, what Chuck does is pretty special."

DENVER (AP) — All those fastballs that ended up bouncing around the water fall, fountains and pine trees at Coors Field during summer camp mean one of two things for the Colorado Rockies.Either their pitchers are rusty and the team might be in for a long haul of a 60-game season or slugger Nolan Arenado is already in midseason form and opponents had better watch out.The Rockies insist it’s the latter.“I’ve hit some mistakes,” Arenado acknowledged during a power surge that featured two moon-shot homers in an intrasquad scrimmage. “I think that’s hitting, right? You’ve got to be able to take advantage of the mistakes.”Are the Rockies once again ready to rake at the plate but flounder from the mound?Arenado said he wasn’t worried about seeing so many misplaced pitches in camp, suggesting it was just a case of him making them pay the price.“They’re working on different pitches, they’re trying to get their pitch count up," Arenado said. "As we get closer, yeah, you want them to be better. But we’re all working on things.”That includes All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Charlie Blackmon, the first Major League player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.Blackmon got sick last month and returned to the Rockies on July 13 after getting the all-clear.“I wasn’t worried. I felt sick, but it was nothing compared to me having the flu,” Blackmon said, adding he was only sick for about 36 hours. “Looking back on it, I wish I had gotten this months ago and felt crappy for a day and a-half and then got on with it and lived the rest of my life and not have tried to avoid it by canceling everything in the country.“That’s only based on my experience. It can be much more serious for” others, Blackmon added.Arenado was glad to have his fellow slugger back.“We know how much we need him and how important he is to our group,” Arenado said. “It’s not like if Chuck’s out, you’re going to plug in a guy who does exactly what Chuck does. You know, what Chuck does is pretty special."Blackmon hopes to be ready for the Rockies’ opener at Texas on July 24.