LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – David Beaty’s first spring game as coach at Kansas could have gone better.

Senior quarterback Michael Cummings, who is fighting for the starting job, had to be helped off the field early in the second quarter after hurting his knee. Even though he was wearing a red jersey to prevent getting hit, Cummings was tackled by senior safety Michael Glatczak.

“I’m not sure exactly what happened there,” said Beaty, who was hired last fall to replace the fired Charlie Weis. “I was blocked on that deal. I’ve heard conflicting stories.”

Cummings had thrown for 43 yards before leaving the game, which the blue team made up mostly of first-team players won 20-7 over a white team comprised primarily of backups.

Beaty said that Glatczak may have been blocked into Cummings, and that it was too early to tell the extent of the injury. Cummings was still being evaluated after the game.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) – Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has been on the sidelines for enough spring games to know the difference between a crisp showing and a sloppy one.

The Wildcat’s game Saturday, which was moved to Sporting Park in suburban Kansas City due to renovations at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, fell into the latter category.

“When the fans leave early,” Snyder said, “that tells you that we were not very good.”

The first-team purple squad came away with a 55-24 win, but the Wildcats collectively turned the ball over four times and had several miscues on special teams that led to easy scores.

“We’ll somehow, someway become as good as we can,” Snyder said. “We just didn’t play well.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Seven members of the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox have been fined and six have been suspended by Major League Baseball for their roles in a brawl this week.

Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura was suspended seven games, fellow starter Edinson Volquez suspended five games, and outfielder Lorenzo Cain and reliever Kelvin Herrera suspended two games apiece for taking part in the benches-clearing fight Thursday night.

White Sox pitchers Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija were suspended five games.

All six players were fined an undisclosed amount Saturday, along with White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers. The Royals-White Sox game on Saturday was rained out, meaning all suspensions will begin Sunday unless a player chooses to appeal.

The Junction City Blue Jay golf team won the Salina South Invitational on Friday at the Salina Municipal Golf Course. There were 13 teams in the invitational.

Coach Tim Hickert reported that JCHS senior Steve Kim finished second out of the 78 golfers in the individual competition with a 2-over-par 72.

The rest of the Junction City results included Madison Roether with a round of 79 for 9th place, Logan Roether 80, tie for 10th, Shane Lee 81, 13th, Tre Reynolds an 85, and Trevor Daily 107.

 

 

Outdoor Junction City Family YMCA soccer games scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled due to wet grounds following the Friday night rain.

The instructional program that was scheduled in the YMCA gym will be held as scheduled.

CHICAGO (AP) – Friday night’s game between Kansas City and Chicago has been suspended by rain with the Royals and White Sox tied at 2 heading into the ninth inning.

Managers Robin Ventura of the White Sox and Ned Yost of the Royals huddled with the umpires after the eighth inning, and then crew chief Tim Welke waved the players off the field.

The game was suspended after a 40-minute delay. It will be resumed on Saturday at 1:10 CT with the Royals batting in the top of the ninth. Saturday’s originally scheduled game will begin when the suspended game is over.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey says he’s spoken to representatives of All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston “in the last three days” as the sides negotiate a long-term contract.

Speaking in advance of next week’s draft, Dorsey said Friday that the lines of communication remain open with Houston, who has been given the franchise tag but has yet to sign his tender.

The Chiefs began discussing a deal with Houston prior to last season, but were unable to come to an agreement. Houston then broke Derrick Thomas’s franchise record with 22 sacks last season, a virtuoso performance that sent his value soaring.

Houston has not reported to the Chiefs for their voluntary offseason workouts, which began on Monday. He has posted videos of himself working out independently on Twitter.

CHICAGO (AP) – The Kansas City Royals have recalled left-hander Brandon Finnegan from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Finnegan was the 17th overall pick in last year’s draft. He had a 1.29 ERA in seven regular-season appearances with the Royals in 2014, and then went 1-1 with a 10.50 ERA in seven postseason games.

The 22-year-old Finnegan was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts with Northwest Arkansas at the time of the promotion. Royals manager Ned Yost said Finnegan will work as a reliever with the major league club.

Kansas City used five relievers in a 13-inning victory at the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

The Royals also optioned infielder Orlando Calixte to Triple-A Omaha on Friday. Calixte was hitless in two at-bats for the Royals.

CHICAGO (AP) – Manager Ned Yost insists his Kansas City Royals are not to blame for a string of fights and that opponents are mostly at fault.

Yost says his team has not started “any of this.” He says opponents are trying to get under his players’ skin and that his team has to remain composed.

Yost spoke before Friday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, a day after the teams were involved in a benches-clearing melee that resulted in five players being ejected. It could also lead to discipline from the league.

The defending AL champion Royals were leading the Central division at 12-4. But while the wins are mounting, so are the skirmishes.

The latest was at the end of the seventh inning Thursday, when Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura snagged a grounder by Adam Eaton and the men appeared to have words.

USD 475 officials have announced that the track meet scheduled for today at Manhattan High School has been cancelled.

The Junction City Lady Jay and Blue Jay track teams had been scheduled to participate in the meet.

The cancellation notice was issued following the possibility severe weather could develop in the region later in the day on Friday.