The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina and Marcell Ozuna homered, Jack Flaherty tossed six effective innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2. The Cardinals have won four in a row and will try to sweep the four-game series Thursday.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Three-time All-Star infielder Matt Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a contract that adds $37 million in guaranteed money for 2020 and ’21, a deal that includes an option for 2022. The 33-year-old has a $14.5 million salary this season a part of a $52 million, six-year deal that included an $18.5 million club option for 2020 with a $2 million buyout. Under the new deal, he has guaranteed salaries of $18.5 million in both 2020 and ’21.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ is trying to cut down on his strikeouts without thinking about cutting down on his strikeouts. Happ was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in late March after a terrible spring training at the plate. Happ totaled 39 home runs during the past two seasons but struck out 296 times. The 24-year-old utility player has struck out nine times in 27 at-bats so far for the I-Cubs, but has a team-high eight RBIs in six games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Mitch Haniger hit a tiebreaking homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Seattle Mariners over the Royals 6-5 after Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to a Kansas City-record 31 games. Merrifield’s RBI bunt single in the seventh tied it at 5 and moved him past Hall of Famer George Brett for the Royals mark. Haniger took Brad Boxberger deep, lifting Seattle to 12-2 following an offseason roster overhaul.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas guard Quentin Grimes announced that he would enter the NBA draft, skipping his final three seasons after a rocky and inconsistent freshman year with the Jayhawks. The five-star prospect struggled to live up to expectations, averaging just 8.4 points and 2.5 rebounds.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Nebraska running back Maurice Washington made his first court appearance on charges of texting a former girlfriend a video of her having sex with two other people. Washington did not enter pleas in Santa Clara County Superior Court after being arraigned on a felony count of possessing a video or photograph of a person under 18 who is engaging in or simulating sexual conduct and a misdemeanor count of distributing that video without consent, leading to the person suffering emotional distress.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State is starting to open things up under new coach Chris Klieman, who was hired from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. Kansas State is shedding a bit of the secrecy that longtime coach Bill Snyder had developed. Parts of practice are open to reporters and the coaching staff has embraced social media. The result is a palpable buzz around the program. A spring showcase is scheduled for Saturday at the K-State football stadium named for Snyder.

ST. LOUIS, MO., April 10, 2019 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have signed All-Star infielder Matt Carpenter to a two-year (2020-21) contract extension that includes a vesting option for 2022.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Matt has been a consistent contributor to our team since his rookie season and he has worked hard to become one of the best players in the game today,” stated Cardinals’ Chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr.  “We are pleased to have Matt under contract, along with many of our other core players, for the next several years.”

Carpenter, who was drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round (399th player overall) in 2009 out of Texas Christian University, has become one of the most accomplished leadoff hitters in Cardinals history while showing tremendous versatility in the field, serving as an everyday third baseman, first baseman and second baseman during his eight-plus (2011-19) seasons in the majors.

“Carp has been a great player and someone who has always put team first,” said Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.  “He grew up in a baseball family, has worked tirelessly to advance his skills and knowledge of the game, and he thrives at being a catalyst for our team.  We are extremely pleased to announce that Matt will remain a Cardinal beyond the 2019 season.”

Carpenter, 33, has compiled a .273 career batting mark with 134 home runs, 585 walks and a .376 on-base pct. in 1,031 career games, twice finished among the top-10 in National League MVP voting (2013 & 2018) and was named an All-Star in 2013, 2014 & 2016.  He was voted the recipient of the N.L. Silver Slugger award at second base in 2013 when he set the club single-season record for doubles (55) by a left-handed batter and also posted league highs for hits (199) and runs scored (126).

Never one to wear batting gloves, Matt has established the Cardinals franchise records for career (23) and single-season (8) lead-off homers and he has compiled the top career on-base pct. (.388) among active lead-off hitters.  Since 2013, Matt is currently leading the majors with his 245 doubles and he is one of just three players (also Mike Trout, 652 & Paul Goldschmidt, 608) with over 600 runs scored (616).

Matt collected his 1,000th career hit on March 29, becoming one of just six players to amass 1,000 or more hits while wearing the birds on the bat, joining Stan Musial, Yadier Molina, Marty Marion, Terry Moore and Pepper Martin.

Carpenter joins All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (2020-24), All-Star pitcher Miles Mikolas (2020-23) and outfielder José Martínez  (2019-20) among Cardinals who have signed multi-year contract extensions since February.

The 8:20-a.m. Sportscast with Chris Parks.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Girls Tennis

Glenwood 9, Atlantic 0
Clarinda 7, Southwest Valley 2
Lewis Central 8, Harlan 1
Shenandoah 9, St. Albert 0

Boys Tennis

Atlantic 9, Glenwood 0
Audubon 5, Red Oak 4
CB Abraham Lincoln 5, Kuemper Catholic 4
Clarinda 8, Southwest Valley 1
Denison-Schleswig 9, Sioux City East 0
Lewis Central 7, Harlan 2

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dee Gordon got three hits and drove in two runs as the high-scoring Seattle Mariners extended baseball’s best record with a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The Mariners improved to 11-2 and have scored at least five runs in 12 of those games. The Royals lost their eighth in a row. Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to 30 games, tying a Royals record set by George Brett in 1980.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Whit Merrifield has extended his hitting streak to 30 games, matching the Kansas City Royals’ team record set by George Brett in 1980. Merrifield led off the bottom of the first inning with an opposite-field triple to right against Seattle. Merrifield ended last season with a hit in 20 straight games, and has gotten a hit in all 10 Royals games this year. The major league record is a 56-game hitting streak by Joe DiMaggio in 1941.

UNDATED (AP) — The Iowa Hawkeyes have a long pipeline to the pros for tight ends and this year they have a pair of prospects expected to be first-round selections in the NFL draft. T.J. Hockenson is the reigning Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end. His teammate Noah Fant says the two of them have a friendly but fierce competition going to see who will be the first tight end taken in the draft.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina drove in three runs, Paul Goldschmidt homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0, overcoming an embarrassing play by Marcell Ozuna. St. Louis already had a 4-0 lead when Kiké Hernández led off the eighth with a drive to left. Ozuna went back and climbed up the wall, but he misjudged the ball and tumbled onto the warning track as he tried to make the play. Hernandez’s drive bounced over for a ground-rule double, but the Cardinals escaped the threat.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day injured list with a strained left groin. The same injury sidelined Ryu for more than half of last season, but he said Monday night that this injury did not feel as serious. Ryu left with two outs in the second inning of a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Dave Roberts said Ryu did not undergo an MRI and that Ryu “did feel a little better” on Tuesday.

Class A Team Scores

1. Woodbine 153
2. Fremont-Mills 140
3. Griswold 139
4. Riverside 94
5. Essex 22
6. South Page 10

Griswold’s Charli Adams won the 800M and Hope Ogg took the 100M Hurdles title. Jocelyn Amos won the 400M Hurdles and the Long Jump for the Tigers and they took the 4x100M Relay and Distance Medley. Riverside’s Kelly Clevenger won the 200M and Izzy Bluml won the 400M. Alexis Post also won the 1500M and the 3000M for the Lady Dawgs, who also won the Sprint Medley and the 4x100M Relay.

Full results here.

Class AA Team Scores

1. Underwood 150
2. AHSTW 145
3. Southwest Valley 84
4. Kuemper Catholic 77
5. Sidney 58
6. Red Oak 57

Ryann Portch of AHSTW won the 200M and 400M, Jade Draman won the 1500M, Chloe Falkena took the 3000M, Holly Hoepner won the 400M Hurdles, and Kinsey Scheffler won the Discus for the Lady Vikes.

Full results here.

Girls Soccer

Atlantic 5, Missouri Valley 2
CB Thomas Jefferson 10, Logan-Magnolia 0
Glenwood 10, Denison-Schleswig 0
Kuemper Catholic 3, Creston 2 (OT)
Lewis Central 1, Omaha South 0
Treynor 8, Nodaway Valley/WCV 0
Tri-Center 7, Harlan 1

Boys Soccer

Atlantic 7, Missouri Valley 0
CB Abraham Lincoln 4, Sioux City North 3
CB Thomas Jefferson 8, Logan-Magnolia 0
Creston 3, Underwood 2 (OT)

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa State (23-15) continued its winning ways with a 2-0 Cy-Hawk victory over Iowa (15-19) on Tuesday at Bob Pearl Field. The Cyclones are winners of five straight and have won four of their last five meetings against the in-state rival Hawkeyes.

Junior Sami Williams went 3-for-3 with a home run and a double, and also drew a walk to lead the way offensively. Harlan alum Logan Schaben was 2-of-3 at the plate with two doubles and broke up a 0-0 tie with her two-out RBI shot down the left field line in the top of the sixth inning.

The senior pitching duo of Savannah Sanders and Emma Hylen was simply tremendous on the night, combining to surrender just two hits in the shutout win.

The Atlantic Boys swept past Glenwood and the Rams returned the favor in girls tennis on Tuesday night.

The Trojan boys tennis team was a 9-0 winner over the Rams with Nile Petersen leading the way in the number one singles and teaming up with Jesse Reid to win top doubles pairing as well.

The Trojan girls fell 9-0 to Glenwood. Brooklyn Taylor won the top singles match over Hana Holtz and teamed up with Brielle Smith to win the top doubles match as well.

Full results: ATL_GWD_BGtennis19