CLEVELAND (AP) – Yordano Ventura pitched 8 1-3 stellar innings and Mike Moustakas hit a three-run homer to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 7-1 on Friday night.

Ventura (6-7) blanked the Indians on four hits until Michael Brantley hit a leadoff homer in the ninth. The rookie right-hander was pulled after Jason Kipnis’ one-out single. Ventura allowed six hits and struck out four in the longest outing of his career.

Salvador Perez and Christian Colon, making his first major-league start, had three hits apiece while Lorenzo Cain snapped an 0 for 11 skid with an RBI single in the third and a run-scoring double in the fifth.

Josh Tomlin (5-6), coming off a one-hit, no-walk, 11-strikeout performance against Seattle, allowed five runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Joe Moore of Manhattan turned in a winning time of 30 minutes 14 seconds to win the 10-K

race at the Coors Freedom Run in Junction City on Friday.

He won it at the finish line after coming from behind in the final yards to defeat Fort Riley soldier Samuel Kostel. Moore stated, “I pulled even, and I could just kind of feel that I had maybe a 50-yard burst. I’d make sure that I saved it for the right time and didn’t go too soon. It worked out just right.”

In the 5K race Chris Melgares of Manhattan finished first in 16:27.

The top female finisher in the 10-K was Trisha Moore in 39:34, and in the 5-K Alaina Schroeder.

Race coordinator Trey Vernon confirmed there were more than 520 runners in the two races combined, a Freedom Run record. This is the third year the 5-K has been run in addition to the traditional 10-K.

 

The Junction City Brigade are in third place in the Mid-Plains League regular season standings at the All-Star break.

League                                                              GP         W           L

Topeka Golden Giants                              24         17            7

Midwest Athletics                                        23         15            8

Junction City Brigade                                 20        13            7

Baldwin City Blues                                        18         7             11

Topeka Senators                                            24        7             17

Rossville Rattlers                                          21          6             15

 

 

Look for a record number of runners for the Coors Freedom Run Thursday in Junction City, or in reality the Freedom Runs.

For the third consecutive year there will be a 5-K run in addition to the traditional 10-K run.

Trey Vernon, Race Coordinator, Trey Vernon said as of Thursday approximately 430 runners had signed up for the Fourth of July event. “So I’m guessing about 500 people race day which will be almost 100 over last year. ”

Vernon said the 5-K will have significantly more runners than the K. “It’s got about 300, and then there’s probably going to be close to 200 in the 10-K.  The 5-K run covers a 3.1 mile distance, and the 10-K a 6.2 mile distance.

The Freedom Run has been the traditional kickoff to Sundown Salute activities on the Fourth of July in Junction City.

The 5-K begins at 7 a.m. and the 10-K at 7:30 a.m.   Both runs begin and end at Heritage Park in downtown Junction City.

MANHATTAN, Kansas – Rising sophomore Marcus Foster has earned one of 30 college invitations to the prestigious LeBron James Skills Academy, which runs July 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hosted by the four-time NBA MVP, the camp will include four days of competitive skills workouts and 5-on-5 games to help players showcase their skills to NBA scouts.

The list of 30 college players was selected from the three Nike Skills camps (Point Guard, Kevin Durant and Big Man Academies), which were held in late June at various locations across the country. Foster was chosen for the camp after his impressive performance at the Nike Guards Academy at Kean University in Union, N.J., from June 23-25.

In addition to the 30 college players, the academy will also include 80 of the top high school players in the country.

Foster is one of five announced Big 12 players to receive an invitation to the camp, joining Perry Ellis III (Kansas), Georges Niang (Iowa State), Kelly Oubre (Kansas) and Juwan Staten (West Virginia). Other announced campers include Ron Baker (Wichita State),Sam Dekker (Wisconsin), Treveon Graham (VCU), Darrun Hilliard (Villanova), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona), R.J. Hunter (Georgia State), Stanley Johnson (Arizona), Jarrell Martin (LSU), Jordan Mickey (LSU), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), Terran Pettway (Nebraska),Michael Qualls (Arkansas), Aaron White (Iowa), Delon Wright (Utah) and Joseph Young (Oregon). A complete roster will be released in the coming days.

More information on the LeBron James Skills Academy can be found at https://www.nikeeyb.com/page/show/1140928-july-9-12-lebron-james-2014-?subseason=150585.

Foster is coming off one of the best freshmen seasons in school history, as the Wichita Falls, Texas, native led the Wildcats in eight categories, including scoring (15.5 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (27), 20-point games (eight), field goals (177), 3-point field goals (79) and free throw percentage (73.4). He was selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team by both the league coaches and The Associated Press, joining Michael Beasley as the only true freshmen in school history to earn recognition to the All-Big 12 First, Second or Third Teams and the first rookie guard.

Foster finished the 2013-14 season in the school’s freshman Top 10 in 11 categories, including first in 3-point field goals (79) and starts (33), second in 3-point field goal percentage (39.5), third in points (513) and minutes (969) and fourth in games played (33) and fifth in field goals attempted (418).

Foster helped K-State to yet another successful campaign in 2013-14, as the Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a school-record fifth consecutive season with a 20-13 overall record and fifth-place finish in Big 12 play with a 10-8 mark. He is among nine lettermen, including five with starting experience, returning in 2014-15 to go along with Division I transfers Justin Edwards and Brandon Bolden and newcomers Malek Harris, Tre Harris and Stephen Hurt. Overall, the team returns more than 70 percent of its scoring and 65 percent of its rebounding.

Season tickets for the 2014-15 season went on sale June 23 in the K-State Athletics Ticket Office. Tickets for the 17-game home schedule are available in a variety packages and can be purchased toll free at (800) 221.CATS (2287), online atwww.kstatesports.com/tickets and in-person at Bramlage Coliseum.

Release by Tom Gilbert, K-State Associate Director/Athletics Communications

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Kansas City Royals have played well away from home. They’re consistently capable of winning with only a couple of runs.

If they can keep this up for the summer, they’ll probably be right there in the pennant race at the end.

Jason Vargas threw seven scoreless innings, Raul Ibanez homered in his second game for Kansas City and the Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0 Wednesday.

“We’ve been running the ball out there and doing a good job of keeping our team in the ballgame, and when we’re not the boys are stepping up and keeping us in the ballgame,” Vargas said. “So we’ve got a good combo going on right now.”

Vargas (8-3) allowed four singles and two walks while striking out five, allowing only two runners from a diluted Twins lineup to reach second base. Only five of their 21 outs against him were outfield flies.

“He’s got all the pitches,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson hit RBI singles in the second inning against Kevin Correia (4-10), and that was all Vargas needed. With Joe Mauer missing, placed on the disabled list before the game because of a strained muscle on his right side, the Twins didn’t cause Vargas any trouble. They were shut out for the sixth time this season and lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.

“Obviously you have to score to win,” said Correia, the league leader in losses. “It’s tough. It’s a good pitching staff they have. It’s going to happen.”

With rookie Yordano Ventura and now Danny Duffy joining the veteran trio of Vargas, James Shields and Jeremy Guthrie, who are all in the top 10 in the league in innings pitched, the Royals have a deep rotation. They’ve pitched well enough to make up for substandard seasons by several key hitters.

Vargas improved to 4-1 in his last eight starts, seven of which have counted as quality: six innings or more and three runs or less. Vargas also became the first Royals left-hander to win eight games or more before the All-Star break since Chris George in 2003.

“I thought he was splendid,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He was pretty much in complete control.”

The 42-year-old Ibanez signed Monday with the Royals, the team that first gave him a regular spot in the lineup all the way back in 2001. He had two hits and two runs in this game, including the solo shot to right field in the eighth. Ibanez was released by the Los Angeles Angels last month.

Eric Hosmer, who walked three times, added an RBI single in the ninth inning for insurance.

The Royals won their fifth straight road series. After losing eight of 12 following a 10-game winning streak, Vargas put them back on track.

“Just typical Vargas, just going out, working, throwing strikes, letting his defense work,” Hosmer said. “He really knows his game plan when he’s out there.”

Correia lowered his ERA to 4.95, the only time he’s had that mark under 5.00 since his first start of the year, after surrendering six hits and two walks in six innings while striking out three. The right-hander completed exactly six innings for the fifth consecutive turn, and he has allowed two runs or fewer in four of those starts.

But the second inning was the one that hurt, when five batters reached. He struck out Billy Butler to finish the frame with the bases loaded.

NOTES: The Royals swapped RH relievers Wednesday, calling up Casey Coleman from Triple-A Omaha and sending down rookie Michael Mariot, who gave up five runs Tuesday in his second appearance in as many days. … Chris Parmelee played 1B and batted third for Mauer. He had two hits and stretched his hitting streak to a career-long 12 straight games. … One of the runners to reach second base for the Twins was Sam Fuld, who was originally ruled out on a steal attempt to end the fifth inning. Gardenhire challenged the call, which was overturned. Gardenhire is 9 for 19 on challenges this season. … With a rest day for Royals CF Lorenzo Cain, SS Alcides Escobar batted leadoff for the first time this season. … The Royals have Thursday off before a three-game series in Cleveland against the Indians. The Twins host the New York Yankees for a four-game series.

Junction City High School’s new baseball coach is ready to jump right in and get to work.

The high school announced earlier this week the hiring of Drew Biery as the next head baseball coach, replacing Heath Gerstner, who resigned in June after accepting a teaching and head baseball coaching position at McPherson High School in McPherson, Ks.

Biery said that he has already began preparing for next season and has been asking Matt Westerhaus, JCHS Athletic Director, a lot of questions.

“I like to be prepared, and so for one thing I’ve definitely been cleaning up on the rules, KSHSAA is a little bit different from the NCAA,” Biery said. ” This next week I’m going to meet with the strength and conditioning coordinator, Coach Zimmerman. Get kind of on the same page with him, make sure that I’m falling into line the way that I’m supposed to, and then from there it’s just little ideas that I’m just going to keep expanding on.”

Biery was a four year letter winner at Kansas State from 2006-2009, and was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. He spent three years in the Giants organization where he reached the AA status. During his playing career he was an infielder, primarily first base but did make the switch to catcher during his minor league career.

Biery returned to K-State in 2012 to complete his Bachelors of Science in Education and was a Graduate Assistant Coach for the Wildcats during that time.

While a Graduate Assistant Biery was in charge of the team’s equipment and video operations, while assisting with other daily functions. Biery said that he does plan on integrating what he learned over the past three years into his coaching style, particularly the use of video.

“I think that we could use video as a great way to teach kids, especially in baseball, the swing is so intricate and one little thing can throw it completely off. Being able to use video, for even pitchers, it’s priceless. I really think so.”

Biery also mentioned that he hopes to help build upon the state run the team had last year.

“The idea that I kind of want to bring around this program, is to kind of build on what they did last year, and kind of have that little sour taste in your mouth, okay well don’t let this happen again. Let’s try to build a program that is about winning, and about character, and about the attitude. Everything that you want to have.”

Biery was just recently hired as a special education teacher by Geary USD 475, and will be teaching at JCHS. This will be his first head coaching position.

The Junction City Hawks defeated Emporia 12-8 in a nine inning game Tuesday night at Rathert Field.

Tate Zimmerman was the winning pitcher for Junction City.

The Junction City Brigade swept the Topeka Senators 6-5 and 12-3 in a doubleheader Tuesday night in the Capitol City.

Junction City improved to 12-7 with the wins, while the Senators fell to 7-16 on the season.

The two teams play a single game Wednesday night at seven o’clock in Topeka.

July Newsletter From John Currie – Budget Projections and the Value of an Athletic Scholarship

Good Morning K-State Fans!