Photo by Dave Winder, MSU Athletics
RACER FLUSH PEAY IN TWINBILL SWEEP
Murray State softball swept a Battle of the Border twinbill yesterday at Racer Field, taking the first game 8-2 and the second game 2-1. In the opener, Lindsey Carroll homered and drove in four runs while Sierra Gilmore drove in two. Hannah James notched the win with 6 innings of five-hit ball with no walks and four strikeouts. In the nightcap, Lily Fischer drove in both runs in support of Jenna Veber’s complete game six-hitter. The Racers improved to 12-14 overall and 9-2 in the OVC heading into a three game home series with Tennessee State beginning at 4 pm Friday.
19TH RANKED RACERS HOST EASTERN ILLINOIS
Murray State football welcomes Eastern Illinois to Stewart Stadium on Sunday at 2 pm as the 19th-ranked Racers attempt to maintain at least a share of first place in the OVC with Jacksonville State. The 1-3 Panthers are coming off their first win of the season and head coach Adam Cushing expects a difficult challenge from the Racers who have impressed him on film. Last week against Tennessee State, the Racers received a boost from Australian punter Louis Halton who had four punts for a 47 yard average with a long of 57 yards. Racer head coach Dean Hood has a history of punters from down under beginning with his coaching days at Eastern Kentucky. Airtime for Sunday’s game is 1:30 pm on FROGGY 103.7. Murray State fans will have the opportunity to get one free general admission ticket for each general admission ticket purchased, up to eight tickets total, at the regular price of $12 for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers. This deal is only available in-person at the Murray State ticket office, at the ticket windows at Gates 3 and 4 on game day and by calling the ticket office at 270-809-3000. This offer is not available online through Ticketmaster. To receive the special rate, fans must mention the promotion when placing their order.
CALLOWAY FACES FORMER COACH IN REGION 1 SEMIFINALS
The Region 1 Girls Basketball Tournament continues tonight at the CFSB Center in Murray. In the 5:30 opener, 20-2 Marshall County will play 19-3 Graves County as the Lady Marshals put a streak of 21 straight wins over 1st Region opponents on the line. Marshall County defeated Graves County 64-50 in the teams only meeting of the season. In the second game at 8 pm, 19-6 Calloway County will square off against 14-7 McCracken County, coached by former Laker Laker head coach Scott Sivills. In the only meeting between the teams this season, the Lady Mustangs defeated the Lady Lakers 65-42 on February 20, a game Calloway played without second leading scorer Elle Carson. Airtime for tonight’s game is set for 7:45 on 104.5 WBZB and the ZENO Radio App.
BOYS REGION 2 TOURNAMENT RESULTS
UHA 69, Henderson County 53
LOUISVILLE WINS, BELMONT LOSES IN NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNEY
Louisville is moving on to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Women’s Tournament. The Cardinals rallied to beat Northwestern 62-53 and will face Oregon on Sunday. However, Belmont is done after a 70-48 second-round loss to Indiana.
NIT CONTINUES WITH QUARTERFINAL GAMES
Memphis and Western Kentucky are in the men’s NIT quarterfinals and both will play tonight in Frisco, Texas. The Tigers meet Boise State. The Hilltoppers face Louisiana Tech in their quarterfinal.
GRIZZLIES WIN
Dillon Brooks scored 25 points and Grayson Allen 20 in the Grizzlies’ 116-107 win over the Thunder in Oklahoma City. Ja Morant added 11 points and 7 assists. Memphis has won four of its last five to climb to 21-and-20 and play tomorrow and Saturday at Utah.
AREA HOCKEY ROUNDUP
The Nashville Predators host the Red Wings again tonight. The Preds are sixth in the Central with 31 points. They’re back on the road Saturday for a weekend series in Chicago. The St. Louis Blues visit the Wild tonight. The Blues enter tonight at 16-11-and-5.
BADER SHELVED, CARDINALS DOWN METS
Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader will open the season on the injured list with soreness in his right forearm. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks. Bader will be shut down from baseball activities for two weeks and then re-evaluated…Carlos Martínez threw six scoreless innings in the Cardinals 3-0 win over the Mets in Jupiter, Florida. Martínez allowed four hits and struck out five for the win. John Nogowski homered and Justin Williams smacked a two-run single for St. Louis. The Cards visit the Astros today in a game that airs at 4:55 this afternoon on WNBS.
PLAGER DIES IN ACCIDENT
The Blues are mourning after legendary former player Bob Plager died in a car accident. The crash happened yesterday on I-64 in St. Louis. Plager was 78. He was an original member of the Blues, joining the team as a defenseman in their inaugural season of 1967-68. Plager played 11 of his 14 years in the NHL in St. Louis. His number-five jersey was retired by the Blues in 2017.
VOLS HOST PRO DAY
Some former UT football players are hoping to put themselves in position to make some money today. The Volunteers football program is holding its Pro Day today. Offensive linemen Trey Smith and Brandon Kennedy, wide receiver Josh Palmer and defensive back Bryce Thompson will workout for NFL scouts at the Anderson Training Center on the Knoxville campus. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the event will not be open to the media.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
Geno Auriemma is returning to the UConn bench. He’ll be there Saturday when the Huskies meet Iowa in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament in San Antonio. The legendary head coach missed the first two rounds while in quarantine for COVID-19.
The Astros are locking up pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. long-term. Multiple reports say the 27-year-old has agreed to a five-year, 85-million dollar contract extension with Houston that begins in 2022. McCullers is 32-and-25 with a 3.70 ERA in five seasons with the Astros.
T.Y. Hilton will be back catching passes for the Indianapolis Colts this season. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver has agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Colts after testing the free-agent market. ESPN reports it’s worth 10-million dollars, with eight-million guaranteed.
The Jets are beefing up their backfield with the free-agent signing of running back Tevin Coleman. ESPN reports the two sides have agreed on a one-year contract worth up to two-million dollars. Coleman spent the last two seasons in San Francisco after four years in Atlanta.
The NHL is dismissing referee Tim Peel. After calling a tripping penalty on Nashville Tuesday in Detroit, the Predators’ broadcast picked up sound of him saying it wasn’t much but he wanted to call a penalty on Nashville. Peel had worked since 1999 and was getting set to retire.
WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD
NBA
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Indiana Pacers 116, Detroit Pistons 111
Milwaukee Bucks 121, Boston Celtics 119
Toronto Raptors 135, Denver Nuggets 111
Orlando Magic 112, Phoenix Suns 111
Cleveland Cavaliers 103, Chicago Bulls 94
Charlotte Hornets 122, Houston Rockets 97
Dallas Mavericks 128, Minnesota Timberwolves 108
Memphis Grizzlies 116, Oklahoma City Thunder 107
LA Clippers 134, San Antonio Spurs 101
Utah Jazz 118, Brooklyn Nets 88
Sacramento Kings 110, Atlanta Hawks 108
NHL
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Ottawa Senators 3, Calgary Flames 1
Minnesota Wild 3, Anaheim Ducks 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Buffalo Sabres 2
Winnipeg Jets 5, Vancouver Canucks 1
San Jose Sharks 4, Los Angeles Kings 2
MLB Grapefruit League
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Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Atlanta Braves 3
Tampa Bay Rays 7, Minnesota Twins 6
St. Louis Cardinals 3, New York Mets 0
Detroit Tigers 4, Detroit Tigers 1
Toronto Blue Jays 5, New York Yankees 0
Boston Red Sox 2, Baltimore Orioles 0
Houston Astros 11, Washington Nationals 8
MLB Cactus League
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Oakland Athletics 14, Chicago White Sox 4
Colorado Rockies 9, Milwaukee Brewers 8
Los Angeles Angels 4, Kansas City Royals 2
Texas Rangers 6, Cincinnati Reds 5
Arizona Diamondbacks 6, Cleveland Indians 5
Chicago Cubs 6, Seattle Mariners 2
San Francisco Giants 7, San Diego Padres 3
NCAA Tournament
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No Games Scheduled
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
NBA
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7:30 p.m. – Portland Trail Blazers at Miami Heat
7:30 p.m. – Washington Wizards at New York Knicks
8:30 p.m. – LA Clippers at San Antonio Spurs
10:00 p.m. – Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers
10:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
NHL
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7:00 p.m. – New York Islanders at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers
7:00 p.m. – New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals
7:00 p.m. – Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets
7:00 p.m. – Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators
7:00 p.m. – Buffalo Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins
8:00 p.m. – Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks
8:00 p.m. – Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators
8:00 p.m. – St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild
8:30 p.m. – Tampa Bay Lightning at Dallas Stars
9:00 p.m. – Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche
MLB Grapefruit League
——
1:05 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at Atlanta Braves
6:05 p.m. – Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox
6:05 p.m. – New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies
6:05 p.m. – Pittsburgh Pirates at Baltimore Orioles
6:05 p.m. – St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros
6:05 p.m. – Washington Nationals at Miami Marlins
6:37 p.m. – Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays
MLB Cactus League
——
4:05 p.m. – Arizona Diamondbacks at Kansas City Royals
4:05 p.m. – Cincinnati Reds at Chicago White Sox
4:05 p.m. – Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics
4:10 p.m. – Los Angeles Angels at Colorado Rockies
9:05 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs
9:40 p.m. – Texas Rangers at San Diego Padres
10:05 p.m. – Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants
NCAA Tournament
——
No Games Scheduled
