A check of the Mid Plains League scoreboard shows the Junction City Brigade got their first win of the season Monday evening.

They defeated the Liberty Monarchs 4-2 at Rathert Field.

The Brigade are 1-4 on the young season.  They play Liberty again Tuesday night in Liberty, Missouri.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Season tickets for Kansas State’s highly-anticipated 2018-19 home men’s basketball schedule will go on sale Monday, June 11, athletic department officials announced today (June 4).

Season ticket prices remain unchanged for the Wildcats, who return 10 lettermen from a squad that won 25 games and advanced to the Elite Eight for the 12^th time in school history and the first time since 2010. Fans have a variety of ticket packages and prices from which to choose, including the Pick 5 mini plan.

With the Wildcat 4-Pack, fans can purchase four season tickets in the bench (sections 1-2, 10-17, 26-27), general admission (sections 24-25) and/or Cat Cushion areas (sections 13-14, 26) at $900, $1,100 or $1,200, depending on location, for a savings up to $95 per ticket.

Young Alumni packages are available for all K-State undergraduate degree recipients in the past five years (December 2013 to May 2018). These ticket packages are $200 and just $100 for those with Young Alumni football season tickets with an option to utilize the 5-month payment plan for $20 per month. Young Alumni can purchase up to two season tickets at the discounted rate. Young Alumni season ticket holders can select seats in any open location, excluding chairbacks in sections 5-7, with no Ahearn Fund seat donation required.

Season tickets will be available online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets starting Monday, June. 11. The first 500 accounts that order or renew season tickets on the first day will receive a free NCAA Elite Eight rally towel, in addition to all the early-bird (Friday, June 29) and priority deadline (Friday, July 20) specials.

 

Early-bird and priority deadlines are set for Friday, June 29, and Friday, July 20, respectively. Early-bird renewals will receive a $10 discount off the season processing fee when ordering online, an additional $15 savings off the fee when paying in full online by e-check and a five-month credit card payment option. Priority renewals will receive priority seating selections, a four-month credit card payment option and a promo code for 20 percent off in the Online Team Store.

Current season-ticket holders should receive their renewal information in the mail by the first week of June and have until Friday, July 20 to arrange payment and retain their seats for the 2018-19 season. New full season-ticket requests will be able to select their seat during the ordering process from any seat location available last season. Click here for a preview of what is available.

An Ahearn Fund contribution is required for all premium, chairback and cushioned seating. Specific required giving levels by section are listed at www.AhearnFund.com.

The Ticket Office will also utilize an online seat selection process, similar to football season tickets, with all season ticket holders who have purchased by July 20 receiving an appointment time to add, relocate or select new ticket locations. Additional chairback and bench seats in Section 18 will be available during this process.

Like the past few seasons, all season ticket holders will receive concessions discounts including $1 off all hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and large souvenir fountain drinks at any of the main concession stands.

With the Pick 5 mini-plan, fans can purchase five vouchers that can be redeemed for five tickets of their choice for any non-conference game or any mid-week Big 12 game (excluding Big Monday matchups and the Kansas game) for only $50 with the price set to increase to $75 on October 1.

In addition to the home schedule, season ticket holders and Ahearn Fund members will have the first opportunity to pre-order tickets for the Wildcat Classic at Sprint Center against Vanderbilt on Saturday, December 22.

Tickets are priced at $150 for courtside, $50 for lower-level sides, $25 for lower-level corners and $15 for lower-level ends and upper-level sides at the Sprint Center. Season ticket holders who purchase by July 20 can receive lower-level side tickets for $40, lower-level corners for $20 and lower-level ends and upper-level sides for $10.

K-State officials are still working to complete this year’s non-conference schedule. The schedule will be highlighted by visits from fellow NCAA Tournament squads Kansas, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia and NIT participants Baylor and Oklahoma State.

All-Big 12 selections Dean Wade (16.2 ppg., 6.2 rpg.) and Barry Brown, Jr. (15.9 ppg., 3.1 rpg.) form the core of a group of 10 lettermen returning for the Wildcats in 2018-19. Wade and Brown were among the top scoring tandems in the country, ranking seventh and eighth, respectively, in scoring in the Big 12 and accounting for nearly 44 percent of the team’s scoring. Brown scored in double figures in a team-best 29 games, just one ahead of Wade’s 28, while the two combined for 22 20-point games. The Wildcats also return rising juniors Xavier Sneed(11.1 ppg., 5.1 rpg.) and Makol Mawien (6.8 ppg., 3.4 rpg.) as well as point guards, senior Kamau Stokes (9.0 ppg., 3.4 apg.) and sophomore Cartier Diarra (7.1 ppg., 2.0 apg.). Sneed averaged 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in the Wildcats’ four-game run in the NCAA Tournament en route to earning NCAA South Regional All-Tournament honors with Brown.

Fans can purchase season tickets in a variety of ways, including toll free at (800) 221.CATS (2287), online at www.kstatesports.com/tickets and in-person at the Athletics Ticket Office located in Bramlage Coliseum.

 

TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The 1998 Davey O’Brien Award winner and runner up for the Heisman Trophy, K-State’s Michael Bishop was one of 76 Football Bowl Subdivision players named to the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation announced today.

A member of K-State Football’s Ring of Honor, K-State Athletics Hall of Fame and state of Kansas Hall of Fame, Bishop is on the ballot for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame for a third-straight year.

One of the most dynamic players in program history, Bishop played a major role in propelling the Wildcats to their first-ever No. 1 national ranking during the second of his two seasons at K-State (1997-1998). He still holds the K-State season passing efficiency record after a 159.6 rating in 1998 (164-of-295 for 2,844 yards and 23 TDs/4 INTs) in addition to ranking second in season total offense at 3,592 yards.

Bishop went 22-3 as a starter, including a 15-1 mark in Big 12 play, as his 88-percent winning clip is the best mark in school history. He also earned All-Big 12 honors both as a junior and senior and a First Team All-American in his final campaign.

A product of Willis, Texas, Bishop was taken in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft by New England, but he saw his most extensive action as a professional in the CFL as he played nine seasons that was highlighted by a Grey Cup championship in 2004 with the Toronto Argonauts.

“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the Class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019.”

The ballot was emailed today to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which will deliberate and select the class. The FBS Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, and the Divisional Honors Court, chaired by former Marshall head coach, longtime athletics director and NFF Board Member Jack Lengyel, include an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.

“Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi. “There is no group more knowledgeable or passionate about college football than our membership, and the tradition of the ballot helps us engage them in the lofty responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport.”

The announcement of the 2019 Class will be made Monday, January 7, 2019, in Santa Clara, California. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Levi’s Stadium. Some of the electees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The January 7 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. Several of the electees will also participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.

“We cannot thank CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock and his staff enough for the opportunity to continue the tradition of announcing our Hall of Fame Class in conjunction with the National Championship,” said Hatchell. “Our presence at the title game has significantly raised the profile of the announcement, allowing us to shine a much brighter light on the accomplishments of our game’s greatest legends.”

The 2019 class will officially be inducted during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 10, 2019, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December and honored on the field during the 15th Annual National Hall of Fame Salute during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2019 season.

RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — When Matt Olson puts the barrel of the bat on the ball, they results are no-doubters.

Olson hit a three-run homer in the eighth as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Sunday to win the series.

Olson went 5 for 11 with three home runs, eight RBIs and scored five times in the series. His shortest of the three homers was 428 feet on Friday.

The A’s are 9-2 in their past 11 road games. The Royals have lost 21 of 31 home games.

Olson drove a 3-0 pitch by Burch Smith 454 feet over the right-center field fence with Jed Lowrie and Chris Davis aboard. Lowrie’s single scored Dustin Fowler, who had three hits, with the first run of the inning to snap a 1-1 tie.

“I got the green light, and I think 3-0 you tend to get one of the best fastball counts nowadays,” Olson said. “So he threw one over the plate and I was ready for it.”

Olson upped his home run total to 12 and has four in his past four games.

“When he squares it up like that I don’t think it really matters,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of the size of the park and the wind.

Smith walked two of the five batters he faced and has issued 18 free passes in 25 2-3 innings.

“It’s hit and miss,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Smith’s command. “Today was definitely not good. He was behind on almost every hitter he faced.”

Royals starter Jakob Junis (5-5) was charged with three runs over 7 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and striking out a career-high nine.

“I threw some good fastballs, had my slider working and went with a good game plan,” Junis said.

The three KC hits equaled a season low.

“I just wish we could get Jake some runs, to give him something to protect,” Yost said.

Jon Jay snapped the longest active homerless drought in the majors for a non-pitcher with a third inning home run for the Kansas City run. He went 500 plate appearances between home runs. His previous was on July 5 a pinch-hit homer for the Chicago Cubs against Tampa Bay right-hander Erasmo Ramirez at Wrigley Field.

Mark Canha doubled down the left-field line and scored on Jonathan Lucroy’s single in the third for the initial Oakland run.

Starter Daniel Gossett limited the Royals to two hits over five innings, with the Jay homer his only hiccup. Gossett, who is 4-14 in 23 career starts, threw only 63 pitches before leaving with right elbow tightness. He is returning Monday to Oakland for a MRI.

“A little discomfort, pretty precautionary,” Gossett said. “I just wanted to get out of there, didn’t want to overextend anything. I didn’t want it lead to anything (that) might be worse.”

He was replaced by rookie Lou Trivino (3-0), who pitched two hitless innings to pick up the victory. Trivino has a 0.82 ERA, allowing two runs and 15 hits over 22 innings, while striking out 23.

The Junction City Brigade lost to the Topeka Golden Giants 7-4 Saturday night in Topeka.

The Brigade will host the Kansas City Monarchs in their home opener Sunday evening at 6 p.m.

The Junction City Junior Baseball Association will hold their opening ceremony for the 2018 summer season on Sunday at Rathert Field. It will be held ahead of the Junction City Brigade – Kansas City Monarchs baseball game that begins at 6 p.m. That will be the home opener for the Brigade.

Association President Jim Poole said all the teams need to arrive in uniform about 4:45 p.m. There will be a brief opening ceremony and the players and coaches will participate in a parade of teams around the base paths. Then they will line up again for a first pitch ceremony and the national anthem. At that point the Brigade will begin their game.

There are 18 Junior Baseball Association teams from Junction City and nine from surrounding communities. Poole said nearly 500 players will be competing this summer.

You can listen to the Brigade game on KJCK AM 1420 beginning at 5:50 Sunday evening.

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jorge Soler hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals bounced back after wasting a four-run lead to defeat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on Saturday for their third win in four games.

 

Tim Hill (1-1), a 28-year-old rookie left-hander, allowed Chad Pinder’s tying single in the eighth and got his first major league win.

Soler hit his ninth home run on a curveball from Yusmeiro Petit (2-2) with an 0-2 count.

Kelvin Herrera pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

Kansas City built a 4-0 lead on Salvador Perez’s two-run double in the first and a two-run second helped by a replay reversal. Ryan Goins was called out at first by Cory Blaser when he tried to bunt for a single, then was ruled safe on a video review. Alcides Escobar tripled on the next pitch and scored on Jon Jay’s double.

Oakland closed on RBI singles by Jed Lowrie in the third and Bruce Maxwell in the fourth, and Maxwell led off the seventh with his first home run since Sept. 2. That drive chased Jason Hammel, who allowed three runs and seven hits. Hammel had won his previous two outings after going 0-5 in his first nine starts.

Oakland starter Trevor Cahill, who pitched for the Royals last season, gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He has not won since beating the Chicago White Sox on April 17 in his first appearance this season.

The Junction City Brigade fell to the Topeka Golden Giants 17-14 Friday night in the capitol city.

The Brigade ( 0-2 ) will play at Topeka again at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.

The Junction City Brigade lost to the Topeka Golden Giants 13-3 in the season opener for Junction City Thursday night in the capitol city.

The teams play again tonight in Topeka.

The home opener for the Brigade is Sunday evening at Rathert Field against the Kansas City Monarchs.