The pitching was strong and the bats were working for Junction City as the Brigade swept a doubleheader from the Liberty Monarchs 12-2 and 11-1 at Rathert Field.  Both games were called after six innings due to a ten-run rule.

Bo Ritter and Will Ervin were strong on the mound for Junction City in games one and two, respectively while Josh Kuntz hit a home run for the Brigade.

Brigade coach Seth Wheeler pointed to the pitching. “We’ve had the best pitching staff all year long, and we proved it again tonight. Bo Ritter was even very good tonight for him, That just shows how good he is when he doesn’t have his best stuff. ” Wheeler added, “And then Will Ervin was just lights out. He just rolled through those guys, and they never had a shot.”  Wheeler stated the offensive production was what Junction City has been waiting on the entire summer.

The Brigade will host the Liberty Monarchs again Saturday night at Rathert Field. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

 

CHICAGO (AP) – John Danks pitched four-hit ball into the seventh, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 Friday to split a day-night doubleheader.

The White Sox shook off a 4-2 loss in the opener to win for the 10th time in 14 games, with Danks (5-8) dominating on the mound.

Avisail Garcia tripled and scored on a single by Tyler Flowers in the second inning. Melky Cabrera doubled and came in from third on a wild pitch by Edinson Volquez (8-5).

Danks exited to loud cheers with a 2-0 lead after he walked Alex Rios leading off the seventh.

In the opener, Mike Moustakas hit a solo homer in the fifth on the 12th pitch of the at-bat to give the Royals a 2-1 lead, and Alex Rios capped a two-run sixth with his drive off Jeff Samardzija after Chicago tied it.

CHICAGO (AP) – Alex Rios and Mike Moustakas homered, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 Friday in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader.

On a scorching afternoon when the ball was carrying, the AL Central leaders took out a team showing some spark after struggling most of the way.

Moustakas hit a solo homer in the fifth to give the Royals a 2-1 lead. Rios capped a two-run sixth with his drive off Jeff Samardzija (6-5) after Chicago tied it.

All-Star Lorenzo Cain had two hits, including an RBI double for the Royals. He is 21 for 42 in his past 11 games.

Chris Young (8-5) gave up two runs and three hits, including solo homers to Geovany Soto and Adam Eaton, in five innings.

Closer Greg Holland gave up a pinch-hit single to Emilio Bonifacio with one out in the ninth before finishing for his 20th save.

 

The Junction City Brigade and Liberty Monarchs will a baseball doubleheader Friday evening at Rathert Field.

Game times are 5 and 7 p.m.

There will be a fireworks display after the second game.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the fifth time in the last two weeks, Kansas State senior defensive back Dante Barnett garnered national preseason accolades by being named to the watch list for the 2015 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced on Friday.

 

One of 50 candidates on this year’s watch list – including one of only 13 on the defensive side of the ball – Barnett is the sixth Wildcat in the last four years to be a candidate for the award. Former quarterback Collin Klein was a finalist in 2012, while linebacker Arthur Brown (2012), defensive back Nigel Malone (2012), running back John Hubert (2013) and wide receiver Tyler Lockett (2014) have also been candidates for the award.

 

Following a junior campaign in which he tallied 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and 11 total passes defended, Barnett earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches in addition to earning all-conference accolades from ESPN and Phil Steele. He was a member of the 2015 Preseason All-Big 12 team announced on Wednesday.

 

A 2015 team captain and the top active Wildcat with 176 career tackles, the Tulsa, Oklahoma, native earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors following last year’s Texas game when he totaled seven stops and four passes defended. He also had a season-high 12 tackles, including a career-best three tackles for loss against UTEP, while he had three interceptions in a four-game stretch against Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Kansas.

 

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior wide receiver Stanton Weber was one of an all-time high 197 nominees for the 2015 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works team, the organization has announced.

 

Touted as the “most esteemed off the field honor in college football,” the AFCA Good Works team has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplify a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism.

 

Weber’s inclusion on the list marks the seventh for the Wildcats in the last eight years. Tyler Lockett was a two-time nominee in 2013 and 2014, while former quarterback Collin Klein was named to the team at season’s end in 2012.

 

A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Weber has been a special teams standout each of the last three years and was named one of five captains for the upcoming season. He has 12 career special teams tackles, including eight last year to rank third on the team.

 

Off the field, the two-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 recipient has volunteered for numerous community-service activities, including: Cats in the Classroom (helping out at local elementary schools), Senior Cats (Visiting local retirement centers) and the K-State Special Olympics clinic. He has also been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in which he was the chair of the 2014-15 Powercat Choice Awards. He is also SAAC President Elect for 2015-16.

 

TCU was picked for the first time as the favorite to win the conference title in the 2015 Big 12 Football Preseason Poll, voted on by media representatives who cover the league according to a conference media release.

The Horned Frogs garnered 32 of 42 first-place votes and totaled 408 points while Baylor received the other 10 first-place nods and 384 points. TCU and Baylor tied for the Big 12 title last year.

Oklahoma was chosen third, followed by Oklahoma State in fourth and Texas in fifth to round out the top five. West Virginia placed sixth with K-State seventh, Texas Tech eighth, Iowa State ninth and Kansas in 10th.

TCU returns 17 total starters with 10 on offense, five on defense and two specialists. Among the returners is senior quarterback Trevone Boykin who was named Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after earning the honor at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

Head coaches and selected student-athletes will converge in Dallas from July 20-21 for the annual Big 12 Football Media Days. Both days will be televised live from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. CT nationally on FOX Sports 2 and on FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Southwest, FOX Sports Oklahoma, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports Kansas City. Exclusive, live coverage from the event will also be available on the Big 12’s social media platforms, including Twitter and Instagram (@Big12Conference) with #Big12FB serving as the official hashtag of the event.

2015 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
1. TCU (32) 408
2. Baylor (10) 384
3. Oklahoma 312
4. Oklahoma State 289
5. Texas 245
6. West Virginia 204
7. K-State 201
8. Texas Tech 139
9. Iowa State 83
10. Kansas 45         (first-place votes in parentheses)

 

The Junction City Brigade and Puerto Rico summer collegiate baseball teams  got their ballgame under way Wednesday night at Rathert Field, but the arrival of lightning and rain halted play with two outs in the top of the first inning. At the time the team from Puerto Rico had jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Players and coaches from the Brigade went to work on the field to try and make it playable as soon as the rain let up, but after a second round of lightning and showers at about 8:15 p.m. the game was cancelled. It will not be made up. Fans attending the game were offered a free ticket for another Brigade game.

Brigade coach Seth Wheeler noted the indications before the contest were that it looked like the weather would hold off. “Then in the top of the first, the first rain comes, and puts it where we have to do a lot of work to get ready to go again. And then right when it’s to the point we’re comfortable playing the second rain hits, and that did us in. ”

There was a lengthy conference between the coaches and umpires before the game was called off. Wheeler noted at that time the field was close to being playable, but certain parts were still wet. “I can’t get anybody hurt or else coaches giving me a call angry. The biggest thing for us is not getting anybody hurt, and we decided it that it wasn’t worth the risk.”

The Brigade are scheduled to host the Liberty Monarchs in a doubleheader Friday night at five and seven p.m. at Rathert Field.

The Mid-Plains league Manager of the Year is Tobi Cowdin.

This is Cowdin’s second season at the helm of the Rossville Rattlers.

The award is based on multiple factors including sportsmanship, record, player and coach interactions and professionalism. It was voted on by his fellow teams and managers.

Cowdin, a former summer collegiate player and current Topeka West Junior Varsity baseball coach, took over the Rattlers last season after his father, Brett Cowdin, passed away. Cowdin has led the Rattlers into second place in the conference this season with a 17-11 record at this point.

 

Kansas State senior defensive back Dante Barnett added to his preseason accolades Wednesday by being named to the watch list for the 2015 Wuerffel TSrophy, the Fort Walton Beach All Sports Association announced. The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” named 80 players to its preseason watch list.

Barnett has already been named to the watch lists for the Bednarik and Thorpe awards in addition to the Nagurski Trophy.

One of five K-State captains for the 2015 season, Barnett recorded 77 tackles as a junior and had three interceptions. He was named Second Team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches.

Off the field Barnett has volunteered for many community service activities, including Cats in the Classroom ( volunteer at local elementary schools ), Senior Cats ( spending time at local retirement homes ) and Adopt-a-Family during the holiday season.