The Junction City Brigade defeated the Baldwin City Blues 13-1 in the Mid Plains league Cowdin Cup playoffs Saturday night at Rathert Field.

The Junction City Brigade defeated the Baldwin City Blues 13-1 in the Mid Plains league Cowdin Cup playoffs Saturday night at Rathert Field.

Brigade post a victory at Rathert Field

The Junction City Brigade will host the Baldwin City Blues in the Cowdin Cup playoffs Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Rathert Field.

The Junction City Brigade will host the Baldwin City Blues in the Cowdin Cup playoffs Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Rathert Field.

Brigade will play in the Cowdin Cup playoffs

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years, even if the neighboring Royals go through with plans to build a new ballpark elsewhere.

The NFL franchise and its Major League Baseball counterpart have played at the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, when Arrowhead opened just across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium. Both have undergone massive renovations over the years, the most recent tying them to a new lease with Jackson County that expires in January 2031.

Yet the Royals have made it clear that they intend to build a new stadium, either in downtown Kansas City or neighboring Clay County, and that they are aiming for a spring vote to renew a sales tax that would help to fund the construction.

That leaves the Chiefs to decide whether they will pursue more renovations to Arrowhead Stadium or likewise build anew.

“If the Royals decide to stay in Jackson County, we’ve had discussions about how we do that together. And if they go, then that is a variable and we’ve got to be ready to either continue on that path or pivot,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday.

"Our team has done a really good job at just being ready. And I feel like we’re pretty well prepared for whatever happens.”

Donovan underscored the preference of chairman Clark Hunt to remain in Arrowhead Stadium, though. It was Hunt's father, Lamar Hunt, who founded the franchise and relocated it from Dallas to Kansas City for the 1963 season.

“We've gone through the process and made some progress there,” Donovan said on report day for Chiefs veterans for training camp. “There are still three viable options on the table that we've got to do the due diligence on: renovate-upgrade, build new on-site or build new somewhere else. All three of those options are still part of our dialogue. We've learned a lot in this process. The good news is we think the building itself is actually, structurally pretty sound. Which gives us the opportunity.”

“Having said that,” Donovan added, “we've learned it's going to take a significant annual investment to keep that building sound.”

While the Royals would use their share of a renewed tax to fund their new ballpark, the Chiefs would use their share not only for upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium but also to offset the annual upkeep that is certain to rise as the building ages.

Another complication for the Chiefs is the fact that they are due to host World Cup games at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026, and that means some costly alterations to the 51-year-old building over the next three years so that it meets FIFA standards.

“That would be really fast-forwarding everything to try to tie it all together,” Donovan admitted. “The question then becomes, ‘What are we going to do for the World Cup to be compliant to host that amazing event that potentially we could keep or benefit from or not have to redo?’ Versus, ‘We’ve got to make the building requirement-proof for World Cup, and we have to do that absolutely perfect, (but) we also have to play a football season pretty quickly after that, and we want our fans to have the best possible experience.’ So, we can’t really sacrifice the football experience because we did some things for the World Cup.”

While the futures of the Royals and Chiefs are closely linked, they differ in one very glaring way: on-field success.

The Royals began the day with the second-worst record in the majors — with little reason to hope for improvement — resulting in widespread fan apathy toward a $2 billion ballpark and mixed-use village at least partially funded by the public. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off their third Super Bowl appearance in four years and just hoisted another Lombardi Trophy.

“Yeah, it's a special time to be a part of the Chiefs organization, right? It's a special time to be a Chiefs fan,” Donovan said. “It's also a really special time to be a part of this community. We're proud of being a part of this community and being a contributor to this community. Kansas City is on a really, really good trend when you look at what we’re doing.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs believe Arrowhead Stadium remains structurally sound and prefer to renovate their famous facility in the coming years, even if the neighboring Royals go through with plans to build a new ballpark elsewhere.The NFL franchise and its Major League Baseball counterpart have played at the Truman Sports Complex since the early 1970s, when Arrowhead opened just across the parking lot from Kauffman Stadium. Both have undergone massive renovations over the years, the most recent tying them to a new lease with Jackson County that expires in January 2031.Yet the Royals have made it clear that they intend to build a new stadium, either in downtown Kansas City or neighboring Clay County, and that they are aiming for a spring vote to renew a sales tax that would help to fund the construction.That leaves the Chiefs to decide whether they will pursue more renovations to Arrowhead Stadium or likewise build anew.“If the Royals decide to stay in Jackson County, we’ve had discussions about how we do that together. And if they go, then that is a variable and we’ve got to be ready to either continue on that path or pivot,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said Friday."Our team has done a really good job at just being ready. And I feel like we’re pretty well prepared for whatever happens.”Donovan underscored the preference of chairman Clark Hunt to remain in Arrowhead Stadium, though. It was Hunt's father, Lamar Hunt, who founded the franchise and relocated it from Dallas to Kansas City for the 1963 season.“We've gone through the process and made some progress there,” Donovan said on report day for Chiefs veterans for training camp. “There are still three viable options on the table that we've got to do the due diligence on: renovate-upgrade, build new on-site or build new somewhere else. All three of those options are still part of our dialogue. We've learned a lot in this process. The good news is we think the building itself is actually, structurally pretty sound. Which gives us the opportunity.”“Having said that,” Donovan added, “we've learned it's going to take a significant annual investment to keep that building sound.”While the Royals would use their share of a renewed tax to fund their new ballpark, the Chiefs would use their share not only for upgrades to Arrowhead Stadium but also to offset the annual upkeep that is certain to rise as the building ages.Another complication for the Chiefs is the fact that they are due to host World Cup games at Arrowhead Stadium in 2026, and that means some costly alterations to the 51-year-old building over the next three years so that it meets FIFA standards.“That would be really fast-forwarding everything to try to tie it all together,” Donovan admitted. “The question then becomes, ‘What are we going to do for the World Cup to be compliant to host that amazing event that potentially we could keep or benefit from or not have to redo?’ Versus, ‘We’ve got to make the building requirement-proof for World Cup, and we have to do that absolutely perfect, (but) we also have to play a football season pretty quickly after that, and we want our fans to have the best possible experience.’ So, we can’t really sacrifice the football experience because we did some things for the World Cup.”While the futures of the Royals and Chiefs are closely linked, they differ in one very glaring way: on-field success.The Royals began the day with the second-worst record in the majors — with little reason to hope for improvement — resulting in widespread fan apathy toward a $2 billion ballpark and mixed-use village at least partially funded by the public. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off their third Super Bowl appearance in four years and just hoisted another Lombardi Trophy.“Yeah, it's a special time to be a part of the Chiefs organization, right? It's a special time to be a Chiefs fan,” Donovan said. “It's also a really special time to be a part of this community. We're proud of being a part of this community and being a contributor to this community. Kansas City is on a really, really good trend when you look at what we’re doing.”

Chiefs prefer renovating Arrowhead Stadium

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Lorenzen threw seven innings of three-hit ball to help the Tigers beat the Royals 3-0. Lorenzen ran his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star right-hander stranded runners at the corners in the second and another at third base in the fourth. Tyler Holton worked a perfect eighth for Detroit before Jason Foley handled the ninth inning for his fourth save. Zack Greinke took the loss for Kansas City, allowing two runs over four innings in his first start since landing on the injured list with shoulder tendinitis. The Tigers have won five straight series against the Royals, and they are 7-3 against their AL Central rivals this season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Lorenzen threw seven innings of three-hit ball to help the Tigers beat the Royals 3-0. Lorenzen ran his scoreless streak to 23 2/3 innings dating to June 30 at Colorado. The All-Star right-hander stranded runners at the corners in the second and another at third base in the fourth. Tyler Holton worked a perfect eighth for Detroit before Jason Foley handled the ninth inning for his fourth save. Zack Greinke took the loss for Kansas City, allowing two runs over four innings in his first start since landing on the injured list with shoulder tendinitis. The Tigers have won five straight series against the Royals, and they are 7-3 against their AL Central rivals this season.

Tigers shut out the Royals

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Men's and women's basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season.

The conference, which has 14 schools for the upcoming season before the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer, released its basketball scheduling matrix on Thursday.&nbsp;<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2023/7/20/big-12-announces-2024-womens-basketball-opponents.aspx">Each team will play five Big 12 opponents twice</a>&nbsp;(home and away), and once each against the remaining eight league foes — four at home, four on the road.

As a 10-team league since 2011-12, each team had played every other one twice — home and away — for an 18-game conference slate.

BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became Big 12 members earlier this month.

<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2023/7/20/big-12-announces-2024-womens-basketball-opponents.aspx">The Big 12 revealed which opponents each team would play</a>&nbsp;twice, then which they would play at home only and on the road only. The full schedule with dates will be released at a later date.

Conference officials said the opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Men's and women's basketball teams in the expanded Big 12 will still play 18 conference games each during the 2023-24 season.The conference, which has 14 schools for the upcoming season before the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC next summer, released its basketball scheduling matrix on Thursday.&nbsp;<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2023/7/20/big-12-announces-2024-womens-basketball-opponents.aspx">Each team will play five Big 12 opponents twice</a>&nbsp;(home and away), and once each against the remaining eight league foes — four at home, four on the road.As a 10-team league since 2011-12, each team had played every other one twice — home and away — for an 18-game conference slate.BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became Big 12 members earlier this month.<a href="https://big12sports.com/news/2023/7/20/big-12-announces-2024-womens-basketball-opponents.aspx">The Big 12 revealed which opponents each team would play</a>&nbsp;twice, then which they would play at home only and on the road only. The full schedule with dates will be released at a later date.Conference officials said the opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitiveness.

Big 12 unveils basketball scheduling plan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven dominant innings, and Miguel Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run, as the Detroit Tigers held on for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. Jason Foley worked the eighth before Alex Lange finished up the ninth for his 16th save. He left runners on the corners by striking out Kyle Isbel. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for Kansas City. He pitched well before leaving with two outs in the sixth inning with a cramp in his hamstring. Yarbrough allowed three runs on six hits and a walk.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two runs and four hits over seven dominant innings, and Miguel Cabrera drove in the go-ahead run, as the Detroit Tigers held on for a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. Jason Foley worked the eighth before Alex Lange finished up the ninth for his 16th save. He left runners on the corners by striking out Kyle Isbel. Ryan Yarbrough took the loss for Kansas City. He pitched well before leaving with two outs in the sixth inning with a cramp in his hamstring. Yarbrough allowed three runs on six hits and a walk.

Eduardo Rodriguez pitches Detroit to a win over Kansas City

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Longtime college administrator Lew Perkins, who played basketball at Iowa before serving as the athletic director at several universities and taking on an influential role within the NCAA, died Tuesday. He was 78.

Perkins' family announced his death in a statement issued by Kansas, where he served as the athletic director from June 2003 through September 2011, a period that included a men's basketball national championship.

No cause was given, though Perkins had been battling the effects of Parkinson's disease.

"Lew made an indelible impact on Kansas Athletics and served his role at KU with passion and vigor on a daily basis,” Jayhawks athletic director Travis Goff said. “We will forever be grateful for his dedication to this university and athletic department. We are thinking of Lew’s amazing family during this time and sending our deepest thoughts and sympathies.”

Perkins was chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees in 2005. He also served on the NCAA championships and competition cabinet and the NCAA bowl certification committee.

Perkins grew up in Massachusetts before joining the Hawkeyes, where he played from 1965-67 under Hall of Fame basketball coach Ralph Miller. He then embarked on a career in administration at the University of South Carolina-Aiken, where he helped the school grow from a junior college to a four-year school as both athletic director and basketball coach.

Perkins returned to USC-Aiken in 2005 to receive an honorary doctorate.

He went on to serve as the associate athletic director at Penn before getting the AD job at Wichita State, which was then serving two years of probation. He made the controversial decision to end the school's football program in a cost-saving move, but Perkins was also praised for the hiring of successful basketball coach Eddie Fogler.

Perkins left for Maryland in 1987, where the men's basketball program was reeling from the death of star basketball player Len Bias. During his brief stay, Perkins brought in basketball coach Gary Williams, who later led the Terps to a national title.

Perkins spent the next 13 years as the athletic director at Connecticut, where the women's basketball program won four national titles and the men's basketball and soccer programs also claimed championships. He also was instrumental in the development of the Huskies' football program, which joined the Division I level in 2000 and the Big East a year after his departure.

The often-affable Perkins is perhaps known for his time at Kansas, though.

While he was the Jayhawks' athletic director, their long-downtrodden football program won the 2008 Orange Bowl under Mark Mangino and, months later, the men's basketball national title under Bill Self. The schools' athletic budget soared and significant upgrades were made to Memorial Stadium, the Booth Family Hall of Athletics and other facilities on campus.

Perkins' tenure ended in scandal when, in March 2010, the school announced it was conducting an internal investigation of the athletics ticketing office. A separate investigation led by the FBI and IRS led to federal charges against five employees and one consultant and alleged that they had stolen more than $2 million in tickets to be illegally resold.

Perkins announced months later that he would retire, and he stepped away from the Jayhawks in September 2010.

"Lew did a lot of good things in his time here at KU,” Self said. “He was a big contributor in us changing the mindset of the athletic department and also competing for championships on a more consistent level. ... The one thing I will remember most about Lew was he always put the student-athletes first, and the student-athletes that got to know him well, all loved him.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689850295011.png" alt="Lew Perkins photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Lew Perkins photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Longtime college administrator Lew Perkins, who played basketball at Iowa before serving as the athletic director at several universities and taking on an influential role within the NCAA, died Tuesday. He was 78.Perkins' family announced his death in a statement issued by Kansas, where he served as the athletic director from June 2003 through September 2011, a period that included a men's basketball national championship.No cause was given, though Perkins had been battling the effects of Parkinson's disease."Lew made an indelible impact on Kansas Athletics and served his role at KU with passion and vigor on a daily basis,” Jayhawks athletic director Travis Goff said. “We will forever be grateful for his dedication to this university and athletic department. We are thinking of Lew’s amazing family during this time and sending our deepest thoughts and sympathies.”Perkins was chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees in 2005. He also served on the NCAA championships and competition cabinet and the NCAA bowl certification committee.Perkins grew up in Massachusetts before joining the Hawkeyes, where he played from 1965-67 under Hall of Fame basketball coach Ralph Miller. He then embarked on a career in administration at the University of South Carolina-Aiken, where he helped the school grow from a junior college to a four-year school as both athletic director and basketball coach.Perkins returned to USC-Aiken in 2005 to receive an honorary doctorate.He went on to serve as the associate athletic director at Penn before getting the AD job at Wichita State, which was then serving two years of probation. He made the controversial decision to end the school's football program in a cost-saving move, but Perkins was also praised for the hiring of successful basketball coach Eddie Fogler.Perkins left for Maryland in 1987, where the men's basketball program was reeling from the death of star basketball player Len Bias. During his brief stay, Perkins brought in basketball coach Gary Williams, who later led the Terps to a national title.Perkins spent the next 13 years as the athletic director at Connecticut, where the women's basketball program won four national titles and the men's basketball and soccer programs also claimed championships. He also was instrumental in the development of the Huskies' football program, which joined the Division I level in 2000 and the Big East a year after his departure.The often-affable Perkins is perhaps known for his time at Kansas, though.While he was the Jayhawks' athletic director, their long-downtrodden football program won the 2008 Orange Bowl under Mark Mangino and, months later, the men's basketball national title under Bill Self. The schools' athletic budget soared and significant upgrades were made to Memorial Stadium, the Booth Family Hall of Athletics and other facilities on campus.Perkins' tenure ended in scandal when, in March 2010, the school announced it was conducting an internal investigation of the athletics ticketing office. A separate investigation led by the FBI and IRS led to federal charges against five employees and one consultant and alleged that they had stolen more than $2 million in tickets to be illegally resold.Perkins announced months later that he would retire, and he stepped away from the Jayhawks in September 2010."Lew did a lot of good things in his time here at KU,” Self said. “He was a big contributor in us changing the mindset of the athletic department and also competing for championships on a more consistent level. ... The one thing I will remember most about Lew was he always put the student-athletes first, and the student-athletes that got to know him well, all loved him.”

Former KU, Wichita State athletics director Lew Perkins dies at 78

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dairon Blanco tripled, doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals overcame Spencer Torkelson’s two-homer night to outscore the Detroit Tigers 11-10 on Tuesday. Blanco tripled and scored to help the Royals tie it at 2 in the third, and had a run-scoring single to cap a five-run fourth. He doubled and scored in both the sixth and eighth innings for his first career four-hit game. Seven consecutive Royals reached safely in the fourth en route to a 7-2 lead. Freddy Fermin and Drew Waters had RBI doubles and Edward Olivares slapped a two-run single through a drawn-in infield. Torkelson had career highs with five RBIs and 10 total bases.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dairon Blanco tripled, doubled twice, singled and drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals overcame Spencer Torkelson’s two-homer night to outscore the Detroit Tigers 11-10 on Tuesday. Blanco tripled and scored to help the Royals tie it at 2 in the third, and had a run-scoring single to cap a five-run fourth. He doubled and scored in both the sixth and eighth innings for his first career four-hit game. Seven consecutive Royals reached safely in the fourth en route to a 7-2 lead. Freddy Fermin and Drew Waters had RBI doubles and Edward Olivares slapped a two-run single through a drawn-in infield. Torkelson had career highs with five RBIs and 10 total bases.

Royals outscore the Tigers

The Junction City Brigade will host the Kansas City Knights Wednesday evening at seven o'clock at Rathert Field. It will be the final regular season game for the Brigade before the postseason Cowdin Cup playoffs.

The Junction City Brigade will host the Kansas City Knights Wednesday evening at seven o'clock at Rathert Field. It will be the final regular season game for the Brigade before the postseason Cowdin Cup playoffs.

Brigade will host the Kansas City Knights

The Chiefs are headed back to training camp at Missouri Western State University as the defending Super Bowl champions but with question marks on both side of the ball. They will be breaking in two new offensive tackles in Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor ahead of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, along with trying to find a couple of wide receivers who can replace JuJu-Smith Schuster. On defense, star tackle Chris Jones wants a long-term deal and skipped the entire offseason program. The Chiefs need him on the field to help a pass rush that lost veteran defensive ends Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap from last season.

The Chiefs are headed back to training camp at Missouri Western State University as the defending Super Bowl champions but with question marks on both side of the ball. They will be breaking in two new offensive tackles in Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor ahead of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, along with trying to find a couple of wide receivers who can replace JuJu-Smith Schuster. On defense, star tackle Chris Jones wants a long-term deal and skipped the entire offseason program. The Chiefs need him on the field to help a pass rush that lost veteran defensive ends Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap from last season.

Chiefs prepare for training camp

The Junction City Brigade defeated the Kansas City Monarchs 10-6 in baseball at Rathert Field Monday night. The Brigade earned their 21st victory of the season.

Junction City will host the Kansas City Knights at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Junction City Brigade defeated the Kansas City Monarchs 10-6 in baseball at Rathert Field Monday night. The Brigade earned their 21st victory of the season.Junction City will host the Kansas City Knights at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Brigade defeat the Kansas city Monarchs

The 2023 Shrine Bowl brought memorable moments to many, all for a good cause. Take a look at the game, parade and pep rally below.

By James BellHays PostThe 2023 Shrine Bowl brought memorable moments to many, all for a good cause. Take a look at the game, parade and pep rally below.<figure>
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📷 Capturing the spirit: A look at the 2023 Shrine Bowl

The Junction City Brigade have earned the number one seed in the postseason Cowdin Cup playoffs for the Mid Plains League. Because of a first round bye the Brigade do not compete in the playoffs until July 22nd.

To avoid a long layoff until the 22nd the Brigade have scheduled two games at Rathert Field this week. They will host the Kansas City Monarchs Monday ( this ) evening July 17th at 7:30 p.m. and the Kansas City Knights Wednesday July 19th at 7 p.m.

The first playoff game for Junction City on the 22nd will begin at 7 p.m. Game two will be played Monday July 24th. If the Brigade win that series they would play for the Cowdin Cup.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655811104614.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Dewey TerrillJC PostThe Junction City Brigade have earned the number one seed in the postseason Cowdin Cup playoffs for the Mid Plains League. Because of a first round bye the Brigade do not compete in the playoffs until July 22nd.To avoid a long layoff until the 22nd the Brigade have scheduled two games at Rathert Field this week. They will host the Kansas City Monarchs Monday ( this ) evening July 17th at 7:30 p.m. and the Kansas City Knights Wednesday July 19th at 7 p.m.The first playoff game for Junction City on the 22nd will begin at 7 p.m. Game two will be played Monday July 24th. If the Brigade win that series they would play for the Cowdin Cup.

Brigade schedule two games this week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered and tripled with three RBIs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 for their second win in 10 games. In a game that sped by in 1 hour, 54 minutes, Brady Singer won for the second time in seven starts since June 4. Singer allowed four runs and seven hits in a season-high eight innings. He needed 70 pitches through seven innings and led 7-0 before Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer and Francisco Mejía hit a three-run drive. Zach Eflin gave up a season-high five runs and seven hits.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. homered and tripled with three RBIs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 for their second win in 10 games. In a game that sped by in 1 hour, 54 minutes, Brady Singer won for the second time in seven starts since June 4. Singer allowed four runs and seven hits in a season-high eight innings. He needed 70 pitches through seven innings and led 7-0 before Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer and Francisco Mejía hit a three-run drive. Zach Eflin gave up a season-high five runs and seven hits.

Royals defeat Tampa Bay

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luke Raley had a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep. Jose Siri hit a pair of solo homers as the Rays won the first game 6-1 to open the second half. AL East-leading Tampa Bay has won three in a row after a season-high seven-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost eight of nine, dropping to 26-67. Salvador Perez had four hits in the opener. His fifth-inning double made him the sixth Kansas City player with 500 extra-base hits.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luke Raley had a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 to complete a doubleheader sweep. Jose Siri hit a pair of solo homers as the Rays won the first game 6-1 to open the second half. AL East-leading Tampa Bay has won three in a row after a season-high seven-game losing streak. Kansas City has lost eight of nine, dropping to 26-67. Salvador Perez had four hits in the opener. His fifth-inning double made him the sixth Kansas City player with 500 extra-base hits.

Royals are swept in doubleheader

The game between the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays Friday night was postponed. So the teams will play a split doubleheader Saturday in Kansas City. The Royals said the first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. and the second contest at 6:10 p.m.

The game between the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays Friday night was postponed. So the teams will play a split doubleheader Saturday in Kansas City. The Royals said the first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. and the second contest at 6:10 p.m.

Royals will play a split doubleheader Saturday

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

WICHITA, Kan.  – The Purple &amp; Black – Kansas State's men's basketball alumni team – will host an open scrimmage at Bramlage Coliseum on Friday night (July 14) as they prepare for the start of The Basketball Tournament (TBT). 

The event is open and free to the public with doors to the Northwest entrance of Bramlage Coliseum opening at 6 p.m., CT with the event expected to start at 6:30 p.m., CT. Fans are encouraged to park in the west lots. The team is also hosting a Meet &amp; Greet at Powercat Sports Grill following event. The Purple &amp; Black will open the TBT on Thursday, July 20 against the DaGuys STL at 6 p.m., CT in the Wichita Regional at Koch Arena. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AWICHITA%3ATBT23%3ATBT3%3A&amp;linkID=wichita&amp;shopperContext=&amp;pc=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=&amp;groupCode=TBTS&amp;cgc=&amp;dataAccId=504&amp;locale=en_US&amp;siteId=ev_wichita">here</a>. The Basketball Tournament is a $1 million winner-take-all summer tournament featuring former college and professional athletes. The 64-team field runs from July 19 to August 3 with regionals in Dayton, Louisville, Lubbock, Syracuse, West Virginia, Wichita and Xavier. The Final Four is in Philadelphia August 2-3. &nbsp; Organized by former Wildcats&nbsp;Jordan&nbsp;Henriquez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Martavious&nbsp;Irving, the Purple &amp; Black Team is in seventh year competing in the TBT. Henriquez will serve as the team's GM and head coach for the third straight summer, while he will be assisted by former Wildcats&nbsp;Clent Stewart&nbsp;(2004-08) and&nbsp;Curtis Kelly&nbsp;(2008-11). Aside from Henriquez and Irving, the team includes several notable Wildcats including the school's all-time leading scorer&nbsp;Jacob Pullen&nbsp;(2007-11),&nbsp;Henry Walker&nbsp;(2006-08),&nbsp;Thomas&nbsp;Gipson&nbsp;(2011-15),&nbsp;D.J. Johnson&nbsp;(2012-17),&nbsp;Justin Edwards&nbsp;(2013-16),&nbsp;Marcus Foster&nbsp;(2013-15),&nbsp;Kamau&nbsp;Stokes&nbsp;(2015-19) and&nbsp;Mike McGuirl&nbsp;(2017-22). Members of the 2023 Elite Eight run –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/abayomi-iyiola/9697">Abayomi Iyiola</a>&nbsp;(2022-23) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>&nbsp;(2022-23) – are also on the roster. The team also includes&nbsp;Marquis Addison&nbsp;(Missouri Southern State) and&nbsp;Khalid Thomas&nbsp;(Southern Idaho/Arizona State/Portland State). For more information on Purple &amp; Black and tickets for this year's TBT, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thetournament.com/">TheTournament.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689359586547.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsWICHITA, Kan. – The Purple &amp; Black – Kansas State's men's basketball alumni team – will host an open scrimmage at Bramlage Coliseum on Friday night (July 14) as they prepare for the start of The Basketball Tournament (TBT). The event is open and free to the public with doors to the Northwest entrance of Bramlage Coliseum opening at 6 p.m., CT with the event expected to start at 6:30 p.m., CT. Fans are encouraged to park in the west lots. The team is also hosting a Meet &amp; Greet at Powercat Sports Grill following event. The Purple &amp; Black will open the TBT on Thursday, July 20 against the DaGuys STL at 6 p.m., CT in the Wichita Regional at Koch Arena. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AWICHITA%3ATBT23%3ATBT3%3A&amp;linkID=wichita&amp;shopperContext=&amp;pc=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=&amp;groupCode=TBTS&amp;cgc=&amp;dataAccId=504&amp;locale=en_US&amp;siteId=ev_wichita">here</a>. The Basketball Tournament is a $1 million winner-take-all summer tournament featuring former college and professional athletes. The 64-team field runs from July 19 to August 3 with regionals in Dayton, Louisville, Lubbock, Syracuse, West Virginia, Wichita and Xavier. The Final Four is in Philadelphia August 2-3. &nbsp; Organized by former Wildcats&nbsp;Jordan&nbsp;Henriquez&nbsp;and&nbsp;Martavious&nbsp;Irving, the Purple &amp; Black Team is in seventh year competing in the TBT. Henriquez will serve as the team's GM and head coach for the third straight summer, while he will be assisted by former Wildcats&nbsp;Clent Stewart&nbsp;(2004-08) and&nbsp;Curtis Kelly&nbsp;(2008-11). Aside from Henriquez and Irving, the team includes several notable Wildcats including the school's all-time leading scorer&nbsp;Jacob Pullen&nbsp;(2007-11),&nbsp;Henry Walker&nbsp;(2006-08),&nbsp;Thomas&nbsp;Gipson&nbsp;(2011-15),&nbsp;D.J. Johnson&nbsp;(2012-17),&nbsp;Justin Edwards&nbsp;(2013-16),&nbsp;Marcus Foster&nbsp;(2013-15),&nbsp;Kamau&nbsp;Stokes&nbsp;(2015-19) and&nbsp;Mike McGuirl&nbsp;(2017-22). Members of the 2023 Elite Eight run –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/abayomi-iyiola/9697">Abayomi Iyiola</a>&nbsp;(2022-23) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>&nbsp;(2022-23) – are also on the roster. The team also includes&nbsp;Marquis Addison&nbsp;(Missouri Southern State) and&nbsp;Khalid Thomas&nbsp;(Southern Idaho/Arizona State/Portland State). For more information on Purple &amp; Black and tickets for this year's TBT, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thetournament.com/">TheTournament.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 MBB: Purple & Black to Host Scrimmage at Bramlage Coliseum

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — While TCU went to the national championship game last season,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-kansas-state-wildcats-texas-christian-horned-frogs-76f0a265b025bea7ce8a485a14be3ecd">Kansas State is the defending Big 12 champion</a>.

“A big win that probably gave us a little bit of cache as far as what we’re doing is the right way, and our kids believe that what we are doing is the right way," coach Chris Klieman said Thursday during Big 12 media days at AT&amp;T Stadium, where seven months earlier the Wildcats beat TCU in the Big 12 title game.

TCU had the Big 12's first undefeated regular season since 2009 before that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-kansas-texas-christian-horned-frogs-state-wildcats-2161b88c6177c50d5547c0487fb65d24">overtime loss to the Wildcats</a>. The Horned Frogs still got in the four-time College Football Playoff, beating Michigan in the semifinal game before losing to Georgia.

Kansas State is going into its fifth season under Klieman after his championship-filled time at FCS power North Dakota State.

“It’s a new year, and we’ve been talking about that since we got back in mid-January, that you need to stay humble. You need to eat crumbs. You need to stay hungry,” Klieman said. “What you did yesterday is great, but it pales in comparison to what you can do today.”

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — While TCU went to the national championship game last season,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-kansas-state-wildcats-texas-christian-horned-frogs-76f0a265b025bea7ce8a485a14be3ecd">Kansas State is the defending Big 12 champion</a>.“A big win that probably gave us a little bit of cache as far as what we’re doing is the right way, and our kids believe that what we are doing is the right way," coach Chris Klieman said Thursday during Big 12 media days at AT&amp;T Stadium, where seven months earlier the Wildcats beat TCU in the Big 12 title game.TCU had the Big 12's first undefeated regular season since 2009 before that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-kansas-texas-christian-horned-frogs-state-wildcats-2161b88c6177c50d5547c0487fb65d24">overtime loss to the Wildcats</a>. The Horned Frogs still got in the four-time College Football Playoff, beating Michigan in the semifinal game before losing to Georgia.Kansas State is going into its fifth season under Klieman after his championship-filled time at FCS power North Dakota State.“It’s a new year, and we’ve been talking about that since we got back in mid-January, that you need to stay humble. You need to eat crumbs. You need to stay hungry,” Klieman said. “What you did yesterday is great, but it pales in comparison to what you can do today.”

Chris Klieman addresses Big 12 Media Days

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brett Yormark was definitely trying to send a message during his introduction as the Big 12 commissioner last year when he said the league was “open for business.”

A year into the job, Yormark said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-college-football-sports-texas-4064ffcb7f86561578586c7bced78513">that statement</a>&nbsp;was more than just about ongoing realignment and the potential of additional expansion during a transformative time throughout college football.

“I think people took that as, my god, this guy’s new and he wants to go and disrupt, I guess, in some respects,” Yormark said Wednesday at the start of Big 12 football media days. “Open for business was that we were going to explore every and all possibility to grow revenue, to diversify our conference and do things that hadn't been done before. And we did a lot of that."

And, yes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-spring-meetings-revenue-brett-yormark-1d929732c119ae45b3d44aedf569ef2d">there is still a plan for expansion</a>, even though Yormark doesn't really want to talk about it.

The Big 12 is already bigger after BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became members July 1, about 17 months after their invitations to the evolving conference. There will be 14 teams this fall with Texas and Oklahoma, the league's only remaining national champions in football, playing their final seasons before heading to the Southeastern Conference next summer.

“We do have a plan and hopefully we can execute that plan sooner than later,” Yormark said, without being specific. “I love the composition of this conference right now. ... And if we stay at 12 (teams), we’re perfectly fine with that.”

Yormark said the Big 12 isn't chasing a certain number of schools.

Before becoming commissioner, Yormark had never had a job in college athletics. He came from Jay-Z's Roc Nation, where he was the chief operating officer on the commercial side of the business. He is a former CEO of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and also worked for NASCAR.

“When I took this job, it was the first time I really experienced college football. And candidly, I’m hooked,” he said.

At the end of the Big 12's spring business meetings last month, Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said there was a great deal of enthusiasm about the state of the conference and prospects for the future.

“The general sense is that when we hired Brett Yormark we hit the jackpot,” Schovanec said. “It was a little less than a year ago when we were conducting the search and we were considering our possibilities. Some were identified as moderate reward, moderate risk. One was identified as high risk, high reward, and we went with the high risk, high reward, and we’re benefiting.”

The Big 12 last fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-spring-meetings-revenue-brett-yormark-1d929732c119ae45b3d44aedf569ef2d">extended its media rights deal with ESPN and Fox Sports</a>&nbsp;through the 2030-31 school year, which Yormark said created stability and clarity for the league. That deal was set to expire in two years, after the departures of Texas and Oklahoma.

The Big 12 recently completed its first conference-wide strategic plan since 2011, the first year as a 10-team league. A business advisory board was formed, and plans were announced for a league-wide Pro Day with the NFL and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-conference-basketball-mexico-a8e2366d11224e05db865eeb35116265">men's and women's basketball games</a>&nbsp;in Mexico City late next year with the possibility of a football bowl game in Monterrey.

“It’s been a very busy 11 months, but it’s not necessarily about where we've been,” Yormark said. “For all of us, it’s about where we’re going as we look forward. We will continue to innovate, create and positively disrupt, living at the intersections of culture, sports and business.”

A record record revenue distribution of $440 million will be split among the 10 current schools for the past academic year, and those numbers are expected to grow moving forward with additional teams. Asked about where he felt the Big 12 ranked among the Power Five conferences, Yormark said he's not really competing with other leagues.

“I want the Big 12 to be the best version of ourselves. And if we can do that, we’re in a great place,” he said. “So it’s not about ranking us within the Power Five. But I can tell you this, there’s been no better time to be a part of the Big 12 than right now. And this thing is going to grow..”

Yormark said he anticipates 2023 being a season of celebration in the Big 12, which saw TCU reach the national championship game last year where it lost to Georgia.

“We’re going to celebrate our continuing eight (members), we’re going to celebrate our new four," he said. "And, in fact, we’re going to celebrate Texas and Oklahoma and all the contributions they’ve made to this conference since day one, because they’ll always be a big part of this conference.”

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brett Yormark was definitely trying to send a message during his introduction as the Big 12 commissioner last year when he said the league was “open for business.”A year into the job, Yormark said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-college-football-sports-texas-4064ffcb7f86561578586c7bced78513">that statement</a>&nbsp;was more than just about ongoing realignment and the potential of additional expansion during a transformative time throughout college football.“I think people took that as, my god, this guy’s new and he wants to go and disrupt, I guess, in some respects,” Yormark said Wednesday at the start of Big 12 football media days. “Open for business was that we were going to explore every and all possibility to grow revenue, to diversify our conference and do things that hadn't been done before. And we did a lot of that."And, yes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-spring-meetings-revenue-brett-yormark-1d929732c119ae45b3d44aedf569ef2d">there is still a plan for expansion</a>, even though Yormark doesn't really want to talk about it.The Big 12 is already bigger after BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially became members July 1, about 17 months after their invitations to the evolving conference. There will be 14 teams this fall with Texas and Oklahoma, the league's only remaining national champions in football, playing their final seasons before heading to the Southeastern Conference next summer.“We do have a plan and hopefully we can execute that plan sooner than later,” Yormark said, without being specific. “I love the composition of this conference right now. ... And if we stay at 12 (teams), we’re perfectly fine with that.”Yormark said the Big 12 isn't chasing a certain number of schools.Before becoming commissioner, Yormark had never had a job in college athletics. He came from Jay-Z's Roc Nation, where he was the chief operating officer on the commercial side of the business. He is a former CEO of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and also worked for NASCAR.“When I took this job, it was the first time I really experienced college football. And candidly, I’m hooked,” he said.At the end of the Big 12's spring business meetings last month, Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said there was a great deal of enthusiasm about the state of the conference and prospects for the future.“The general sense is that when we hired Brett Yormark we hit the jackpot,” Schovanec said. “It was a little less than a year ago when we were conducting the search and we were considering our possibilities. Some were identified as moderate reward, moderate risk. One was identified as high risk, high reward, and we went with the high risk, high reward, and we’re benefiting.”The Big 12 last fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-spring-meetings-revenue-brett-yormark-1d929732c119ae45b3d44aedf569ef2d">extended its media rights deal with ESPN and Fox Sports</a>&nbsp;through the 2030-31 school year, which Yormark said created stability and clarity for the league. That deal was set to expire in two years, after the departures of Texas and Oklahoma.The Big 12 recently completed its first conference-wide strategic plan since 2011, the first year as a 10-team league. A business advisory board was formed, and plans were announced for a league-wide Pro Day with the NFL and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-conference-basketball-mexico-a8e2366d11224e05db865eeb35116265">men's and women's basketball games</a>&nbsp;in Mexico City late next year with the possibility of a football bowl game in Monterrey.“It’s been a very busy 11 months, but it’s not necessarily about where we've been,” Yormark said. “For all of us, it’s about where we’re going as we look forward. We will continue to innovate, create and positively disrupt, living at the intersections of culture, sports and business.”A record record revenue distribution of $440 million will be split among the 10 current schools for the past academic year, and those numbers are expected to grow moving forward with additional teams. Asked about where he felt the Big 12 ranked among the Power Five conferences, Yormark said he's not really competing with other leagues.“I want the Big 12 to be the best version of ourselves. And if we can do that, we’re in a great place,” he said. “So it’s not about ranking us within the Power Five. But I can tell you this, there’s been no better time to be a part of the Big 12 than right now. And this thing is going to grow..”Yormark said he anticipates 2023 being a season of celebration in the Big 12, which saw TCU reach the national championship game last year where it lost to Georgia.“We’re going to celebrate our continuing eight (members), we’re going to celebrate our new four," he said. "And, in fact, we’re going to celebrate Texas and Oklahoma and all the contributions they’ve made to this conference since day one, because they’ll always be a big part of this conference.”

 Commissioner sends a message at Big 12 Media Days

NEW YORK (AP) — Owners of teams in two of the Oakland Athletics' former cities will help evaluate whether the franchise should move to Las Vegas.

Philadelphia Phillies chief executive officer John Middleton and Kansas City Royals CEO John Sherman will serve on Major League Baseball's relocation committee, a person familiar with their appointment told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.

They join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-oakland-las-vegas-manfred-labor-1e413d70856914f1e16550f95969aa22">Milwaukee Brewers chairman Mark Attanasio, picked last month by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to chair the relocation committee</a>. That group will evaluate the team's application, define the new operating territory and television territory, then make a recommendation to Manfred and the eight-man executive council. The council formulates a recommendation to all 30 clubs, which must approve the move by at least three-quarters vote.

There has been no announced timetable for MLB to consider a relocation.

Oakland's lease at the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season and the A's, who have the worst record, lowest attendance and smallest payroll in the major leagues, say they hope to move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas would become the fourth home for a franchise that started in Philadelphia from 1901-54, moved to Kansas City for 13 seasons and arrived in Oakland for 1968.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-oakland-athletics-governor-signing-f190c44133bbcee47a15278135b6088f">Nevada's Legislature approved providing $380 million in public financing</a>&nbsp;for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-2092e0d3230241253e8997998852fe54">proposed $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof on the Tropicana hotel site of the Las Vegas Strip</a>. The new venue would be close to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/48012d">Allegiant Stadium, where the NFL’s Oakland Raiders moved to in 2020</a>, and T-Mobile Arena, where the current Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights started play in 2017 as an expansion team.

Since the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers for 1972, the only team to relocate has been the Montreal Expos, who became the Washington Nationals in 2005.

NEW YORK (AP) — Owners of teams in two of the Oakland Athletics' former cities will help evaluate whether the franchise should move to Las Vegas.Philadelphia Phillies chief executive officer John Middleton and Kansas City Royals CEO John Sherman will serve on Major League Baseball's relocation committee, a person familiar with their appointment told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made.They join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-oakland-las-vegas-manfred-labor-1e413d70856914f1e16550f95969aa22">Milwaukee Brewers chairman Mark Attanasio, picked last month by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to chair the relocation committee</a>. That group will evaluate the team's application, define the new operating territory and television territory, then make a recommendation to Manfred and the eight-man executive council. The council formulates a recommendation to all 30 clubs, which must approve the move by at least three-quarters vote.There has been no announced timetable for MLB to consider a relocation.Oakland's lease at the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season and the A's, who have the worst record, lowest attendance and smallest payroll in the major leagues, say they hope to move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas.Las Vegas would become the fourth home for a franchise that started in Philadelphia from 1901-54, moved to Kansas City for 13 seasons and arrived in Oakland for 1968.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-oakland-athletics-governor-signing-f190c44133bbcee47a15278135b6088f">Nevada's Legislature approved providing $380 million in public financing</a>&nbsp;for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oakland-athletics-las-vegas-stadium-2092e0d3230241253e8997998852fe54">proposed $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof on the Tropicana hotel site of the Las Vegas Strip</a>. The new venue would be close to&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/48012d">Allegiant Stadium, where the NFL’s Oakland Raiders moved to in 2020</a>, and T-Mobile Arena, where the current Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights started play in 2017 as an expansion team.Since the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers for 1972, the only team to relocate has been the Montreal Expos, who became the Washington Nationals in 2005.

Royals owner will serve on committee to evaluate possible move of the Oakland Athletics

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ryan Yarbrough won his return to the mound for Kansas City after being hit in the face by a line drive two months ago and the Royals beat Shane Bieber for the first time, snapping a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Yarbrough suffered several facial fractures when he was hit on May 7 by a line drive clocked at 106.2 mph. The left-hander held the Guardians to one run and six hits over six innings. Michael Massey hit a two-run triple in Kansas City’s three-run sixth off Bieber, who came in 6-0 in 14 career starts against the Royals.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ryan Yarbrough won his return to the mound for Kansas City after being hit in the face by a line drive two months ago and the Royals beat Shane Bieber for the first time, snapping a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Yarbrough suffered several facial fractures when he was hit on May 7 by a line drive clocked at 106.2 mph. The left-hander held the Guardians to one run and six hits over six innings. Michael Massey hit a two-run triple in Kansas City’s three-run sixth off Bieber, who came in 6-0 in 14 career starts against the Royals.

Yarbrough helps lead Kansas City to victory

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is returning to the mound to start against Cleveland in his first major league game since the left-hander was hit in the face by a line drive two months ago. Yarbrough was activated from the 60-day injured list before the team’s final game before the All-Star break. The 31-year-old suffered multiple fractures around his eye when he was hit with a 106.2 mph smash by Oakland’s Ryan Noda on May 7. The ball ricocheted off Yarbrough to Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, who threw Noda out at first. Yarbrough was hospitalized following the scary incident.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is returning to the mound to start against Cleveland in his first major league game since the left-hander was hit in the face by a line drive two months ago. Yarbrough was activated from the 60-day injured list before the team’s final game before the All-Star break. The 31-year-old suffered multiple fractures around his eye when he was hit with a 106.2 mph smash by Oakland’s Ryan Noda on May 7. The ball ricocheted off Yarbrough to Royals All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, who threw Noda out at first. Yarbrough was hospitalized following the scary incident.

Yarbrough will pitch for Kansas City

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State tied for league-high honors by having five of its football players land on the 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 team as voted on by media representatives who cover the league, the conference office announced Wednesday. 

Offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/cooper-beebe/11081">Cooper Beebe</a>, kickoff/punt returner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>, safety&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kobe-savage/11150">Kobe Savage</a>&nbsp;and tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;were named to the team, while running back&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;was named the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year. It is the second-straight year K-State had at least five players on the Preseason All-Big 12 team as it led the league with six in 2022. The Wildcats tied for the most this season with Texas. Beebe, a Preseason All-American by numerous publications, has started 35 career games and has not surrendered a sack in his last 803 pass blocking plays dating back to the 2020 Iowa State contest. He earned First Team All-America honors a season ago in addition to being named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year by the league's coaches. A product of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe helped lead an offensive unit that ranked 15th nationally with 208.3 rushing yards per game, the Wildcats' best national ranking since 2003 (9th) and best mark since 2016 (231.8). A native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, Brooks enters the 2023 season ranked second in school history and tied for sixth in Big 12 history with four punt return touchdowns. He also ranks fifth in K-State history in both punt return average (14.6) and punt return yards (641), and eighth in punt return attempts (44). He ranked second in the Big 12 with 168 punt-return yards a year ago as he earned All-Big 12 Second Team accolades, his second time earning postseason All-Big 12 honors. Savage, a transfer from Tyler JC prior to the 2022 season, made a splash in his first 10 games last year before an injury ended his campaign. Despite missing the final four games of the 2022 season, Savage still tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles as he earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the league's coaches in addition to earning votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. A native of Paris, Texas, Savage tied for sixth in the Big 12 with three interceptions. Sinnott exploded onto the scene last season as he earned All-Big 12 First Team honors after leading all Big 12 tight ends/fullbacks and ranked fourth nationally by averaging 14.4 yards per catch. Additionally, he ranked sixth in K-State history by a tight end with 447 receiving yards and eighth with 31 catches. The Waterloo, Iowa, product had four touchdown catches on the year, including a two-score effort at Baylor to become the first Wildcat tight end with a multi-touchdown game since 1996. Ward arrives at K-State after spending the previous four seasons at Florida State, totaling 1,241 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. Last season, the Plant City, Florida, native led the Seminoles with 649 yards and seven touchdowns en route to All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades. K-State takes part in the 2023 Big 12 Media Days Presented by Old Trapper next Thursday at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Representing the Wildcats along with head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/chris-klieman/1976">Chris Klieman</a>&nbsp;is Beebe, Savage, quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;and linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/daniel-green/11104">Daniel Green</a>. Fans can watch Big 12 Media Day on both ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+, while coverage throughout the day will be available on K-State's social channels. Kansas State opens the 2023 season by hosting SEMO inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, September 2 in a 6 p.m., contest that will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Tickets to the seven-game home slate can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688582160421.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State tied for league-high honors by having five of its football players land on the 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 team as voted on by media representatives who cover the league, the conference office announced Wednesday. Offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/cooper-beebe/11081">Cooper Beebe</a>, kickoff/punt returner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>, safety&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kobe-savage/11150">Kobe Savage</a>&nbsp;and tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;were named to the team, while running back&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;was named the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year. It is the second-straight year K-State had at least five players on the Preseason All-Big 12 team as it led the league with six in 2022. The Wildcats tied for the most this season with Texas. Beebe, a Preseason All-American by numerous publications, has started 35 career games and has not surrendered a sack in his last 803 pass blocking plays dating back to the 2020 Iowa State contest. He earned First Team All-America honors a season ago in addition to being named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year by the league's coaches. A product of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe helped lead an offensive unit that ranked 15th nationally with 208.3 rushing yards per game, the Wildcats' best national ranking since 2003 (9th) and best mark since 2016 (231.8). A native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, Brooks enters the 2023 season ranked second in school history and tied for sixth in Big 12 history with four punt return touchdowns. He also ranks fifth in K-State history in both punt return average (14.6) and punt return yards (641), and eighth in punt return attempts (44). He ranked second in the Big 12 with 168 punt-return yards a year ago as he earned All-Big 12 Second Team accolades, his second time earning postseason All-Big 12 honors. Savage, a transfer from Tyler JC prior to the 2022 season, made a splash in his first 10 games last year before an injury ended his campaign. Despite missing the final four games of the 2022 season, Savage still tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles as he earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the league's coaches in addition to earning votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. A native of Paris, Texas, Savage tied for sixth in the Big 12 with three interceptions. Sinnott exploded onto the scene last season as he earned All-Big 12 First Team honors after leading all Big 12 tight ends/fullbacks and ranked fourth nationally by averaging 14.4 yards per catch. Additionally, he ranked sixth in K-State history by a tight end with 447 receiving yards and eighth with 31 catches. The Waterloo, Iowa, product had four touchdown catches on the year, including a two-score effort at Baylor to become the first Wildcat tight end with a multi-touchdown game since 1996. Ward arrives at K-State after spending the previous four seasons at Florida State, totaling 1,241 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. Last season, the Plant City, Florida, native led the Seminoles with 649 yards and seven touchdowns en route to All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades. K-State takes part in the 2023 Big 12 Media Days Presented by Old Trapper next Thursday at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Representing the Wildcats along with head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/chris-klieman/1976">Chris Klieman</a>&nbsp;is Beebe, Savage, quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;and linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/daniel-green/11104">Daniel Green</a>. Fans can watch Big 12 Media Day on both ESPNU and Big 12 Now on ESPN+, while coverage throughout the day will be available on K-State's social channels. Kansas State opens the 2023 season by hosting SEMO inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, September 2 in a 6 p.m., contest that will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Tickets to the seven-game home slate can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 5 Wildcats earn preseason All-Big 12 honors

IRVING, Texas –&nbsp;Junior quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the Big 12 Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, in addition to being named to the 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, along with three of his teammates.

The team and individual awards, as chosen by media representatives who cover the league, were announced by the league office. Joining Daniels on the All-Big 12 First Team are junior running back Devin Neal, redshirt-senior center Mike Novitsky and junior cornerback Cobee Bryant.

Daniels becomes the first Kansas player to be named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and the second Jayhawk to be named a preseason individual award winner by the Big 12, joining Dorance Armstrong, who was the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.

With four selections, the Jayhawks are tied with Kansas State and trail only Texas (five) for the most players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. It also marks the first time since 2007 that Kansas has had more than two players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

Daniels, a native of Lawndale, California, returns for his junior season under center following a breakthrough campaign in 2022. Despite missing four games due to injury, Daniels took the league by storm, leading the Jayhawks to their first 5-0 start since 2008. He was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection after completing 152-of-230 (66.1 percent) passes for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns. Daniels capped off the season with a record-setting performance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where he went 37-of-55 for 544 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 25 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.

Daniels has already received Preseason All-Big 12 First Team honors from Athlon Sports and was a Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team selection by Phil Steele heading into the 2023 season. In addition to being a Second Team Academic All-American last season, Daniels was named the Walter Camp National FBS Offensive Player of the Week following his performance at Houston. He was also a four-time Manning Award Star of the Week and three-time Davey O’Brien Great 8 List honoree in 2022.

Neal, from Lawrence, Kansas became the 13th Jayhawk in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season as a sophomore, totaling 1,090 yards and nine touchdowns on 180 rushing attempts. He added 183 yards and a touchdown on 21 receptions, totaling 1,273 all-purpose yards for the season. Neal had three 100-yard rushing games in 2022, including a career-high 224 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma State. Against OSU, Neal also had 110 yards on six receptions, becoming the first Jayhawk to total 200-plus rushing yards and 100-plus receiving yards in the same game.

Neal has previously received Preseason All-Big 12 honors from both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele after being named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last season. He is a two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week in his career and he was named the Doak Walker Award National Running Back of the Week following the Oklahoma State game last season. Neal is the only returning 1,000-yard rusher in the Big 12.

Novitsky, a Victor, New York native, started all 13 games at center for KU in 2022 and he has been the starter in all games he’s played as a Jayhawk since arriving prior to the 2021 season. In 846 snaps last season, Novitsky didn’t allow a single sack, while allowing only two quarterback hits, and he anchored an offensive line that was No. 7 in the country last season with just 12 sacks allowed. In Novitsky’s two seasons at Kansas, the Jayhawk offensive line ranks third in the country for fewest sacks allowed.

Novitsky is a two-time All-Big 12 selection during his time at Kansas, earning second team honors in 2022 after receiving honorable mention in 2021. A member of the Preseason Rimington Trophy Watch List last season, Novitsky already been named a Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection by Athlon and was picked to the second team by Phil Steele.

Bryant, from Evergreen, Alabama, was KU’s lone First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2022 after a sophomore season in which he finished three interceptions, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He had the game-clinching interception and returned it for a touchdown in overtime at West Virginia on Sept. 10 and added a blocked field goal return for a touchdown in the season-opening victory against Tennessee Tech. Bryant totaled 38 tackles on the year, with 32 solo and six assist stops, and he ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 12 passes defended.

After earning All-Big 12 First Team honors from the coaches and second team from the Associated Press in 2022, Bryant has started the 2023 season as a Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection by both Phil Steele and Athlon. In addition, he’s been named to the Lott IMPACT Preseason Watch List, which honors college football’s defensive best in character and performance.

The Jayhawks return 17-of-22 starters from the 2022 team, which experienced a breakthrough season as it played in the program’s first bowl game since 2008 with an appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Kansas will host seven games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium during the 2023 season, beginning on Friday, September 1, against Missouri State. The following week, Kansas hosts Illinois on Friday, September 8, for a nationally televised contest on ESPN2. Other home opponents for the Jayhawks include Big 12 newcomers BYU and UCF along with conference foes Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Kansas State.

Season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale starting at just $195. Seating options include bowl seating, the Meritrust Touchdown Club, and more. Mini plans are also available and designed to allow fans to pick the games that work the best for them. During the purchasing process, fans have the option to add a premium seatback to their order for less than $8 per game. To purchase tickets, and for more information, please click&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.

Furthermore, Sports Combo Passes for KU Students are also available for just $175. The pass includes access to both football and basketball tickets and can be purchased online through Enroll and Pay. For more information on student tickets, or to purchase today, click&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/students/">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688582075388.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas AthleticsIRVING, Texas –&nbsp;Junior quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the Big 12 Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, in addition to being named to the 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, along with three of his teammates.The team and individual awards, as chosen by media representatives who cover the league, were announced by the league office. Joining Daniels on the All-Big 12 First Team are junior running back Devin Neal, redshirt-senior center Mike Novitsky and junior cornerback Cobee Bryant.Daniels becomes the first Kansas player to be named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and the second Jayhawk to be named a preseason individual award winner by the Big 12, joining Dorance Armstrong, who was the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.With four selections, the Jayhawks are tied with Kansas State and trail only Texas (five) for the most players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. It also marks the first time since 2007 that Kansas has had more than two players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.Daniels, a native of Lawndale, California, returns for his junior season under center following a breakthrough campaign in 2022. Despite missing four games due to injury, Daniels took the league by storm, leading the Jayhawks to their first 5-0 start since 2008. He was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection after completing 152-of-230 (66.1 percent) passes for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns. Daniels capped off the season with a record-setting performance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where he went 37-of-55 for 544 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 25 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.Daniels has already received Preseason All-Big 12 First Team honors from Athlon Sports and was a Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team selection by Phil Steele heading into the 2023 season. In addition to being a Second Team Academic All-American last season, Daniels was named the Walter Camp National FBS Offensive Player of the Week following his performance at Houston. He was also a four-time Manning Award Star of the Week and three-time Davey O’Brien Great 8 List honoree in 2022.Neal, from Lawrence, Kansas became the 13th Jayhawk in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season as a sophomore, totaling 1,090 yards and nine touchdowns on 180 rushing attempts. He added 183 yards and a touchdown on 21 receptions, totaling 1,273 all-purpose yards for the season. Neal had three 100-yard rushing games in 2022, including a career-high 224 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma State. Against OSU, Neal also had 110 yards on six receptions, becoming the first Jayhawk to total 200-plus rushing yards and 100-plus receiving yards in the same game.Neal has previously received Preseason All-Big 12 honors from both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele after being named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last season. He is a two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week in his career and he was named the Doak Walker Award National Running Back of the Week following the Oklahoma State game last season. Neal is the only returning 1,000-yard rusher in the Big 12.Novitsky, a Victor, New York native, started all 13 games at center for KU in 2022 and he has been the starter in all games he’s played as a Jayhawk since arriving prior to the 2021 season. In 846 snaps last season, Novitsky didn’t allow a single sack, while allowing only two quarterback hits, and he anchored an offensive line that was No. 7 in the country last season with just 12 sacks allowed. In Novitsky’s two seasons at Kansas, the Jayhawk offensive line ranks third in the country for fewest sacks allowed.Novitsky is a two-time All-Big 12 selection during his time at Kansas, earning second team honors in 2022 after receiving honorable mention in 2021. A member of the Preseason Rimington Trophy Watch List last season, Novitsky already been named a Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection by Athlon and was picked to the second team by Phil Steele.Bryant, from Evergreen, Alabama, was KU’s lone First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2022 after a sophomore season in which he finished three interceptions, nine pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He had the game-clinching interception and returned it for a touchdown in overtime at West Virginia on Sept. 10 and added a blocked field goal return for a touchdown in the season-opening victory against Tennessee Tech. Bryant totaled 38 tackles on the year, with 32 solo and six assist stops, and he ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 12 passes defended.After earning All-Big 12 First Team honors from the coaches and second team from the Associated Press in 2022, Bryant has started the 2023 season as a Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection by both Phil Steele and Athlon. In addition, he’s been named to the Lott IMPACT Preseason Watch List, which honors college football’s defensive best in character and performance.The Jayhawks return 17-of-22 starters from the 2022 team, which experienced a breakthrough season as it played in the program’s first bowl game since 2008 with an appearance in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.Kansas will host seven games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium during the 2023 season, beginning on Friday, September 1, against Missouri State. The following week, Kansas hosts Illinois on Friday, September 8, for a nationally televised contest on ESPN2. Other home opponents for the Jayhawks include Big 12 newcomers BYU and UCF along with conference foes Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Kansas State.Season tickets for the 2023 campaign are on sale starting at just $195. Seating options include bowl seating, the Meritrust Touchdown Club, and more. Mini plans are also available and designed to allow fans to pick the games that work the best for them. During the purchasing process, fans have the option to add a premium seatback to their order for less than $8 per game. To purchase tickets, and for more information, please click&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=FB&amp;linkID=kansas&amp;shopperContext=&amp;caller=&amp;appCode=">here</a>.Furthermore, Sports Combo Passes for KU Students are also available for just $175. The pass includes access to both football and basketball tickets and can be purchased online through Enroll and Pay. For more information on student tickets, or to purchase today, click&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/students/">here</a>.

🏈 Jalon Daniels named Big 12 preseason offensive player of the year

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

Another thrilling season of Champions Indoor football is officially in the books, and Salina Liberty head coach Heron O'Neal will have yet another piece of hardware to add to his collection after being named Co-Head Coach of the Year.

Alongside Gillette HC Cedric Walker, O'Neal collects the third Coach of the Year honor of his career, and his second while with the Liberty (2019).

Under his direction, Salina improved from 3-21 in their first two seasons, to 49-17 over their last five campaigns, including a 6-4 postseason record, four straight championship appearances, and a title in 2022.

This year's team saw more of the success that the Salina faithful have come to expect, finishing second in the league with an 8-2 regular season record, and finishing runner-up to the eventual champion Omaha Beef.

The Liberty finished out the year second in scoring offense (45.5 ppg), and in total offense (220 yds/g), while holding opponents to just 210 yards per game on defense.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributorAnother thrilling season of Champions Indoor football is officially in the books, and Salina Liberty head coach Heron O'Neal will have yet another piece of hardware to add to his collection after being named Co-Head Coach of the Year.Alongside Gillette HC Cedric Walker, O'Neal collects the third Coach of the Year honor of his career, and his second while with the Liberty (2019).Under his direction, Salina improved from 3-21 in their first two seasons, to 49-17 over their last five campaigns, including a 6-4 postseason record, four straight championship appearances, and a title in 2022.This year's team saw more of the success that the Salina faithful have come to expect, finishing second in the league with an 8-2 regular season record, and finishing runner-up to the eventual champion Omaha Beef.The Liberty finished out the year second in scoring offense (45.5 ppg), and in total offense (220 yds/g), while holding opponents to just 210 yards per game on defense.