DALLAS (AP) — Dallas police said Wednesday that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway.

Police said that arrest warrants have been issued for the 23-year-old for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. Rice's attorney, state Sen. Royce West, said last week that Rice had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-dallas-lamborghini-d36bee33712ebb41c4b78f7c3b54b833">driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle</a>&nbsp;when the crash occurred.

Arrest warrants were also issued Theodore Knox, 21, who was driving the other speeding sports car, a Corvette, police said. Police said that arrest warrants have been issued for Knox for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury.

Police said that the passengers in two speeding sports cars who left the scene will not be charged. Police said that Rice and Knox were not currently in custody. West had no immediate comment on Rice's behalf, and it was not clear whether Knox had an attorney.

The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police have said. Police said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini left following the crash without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information.

Rice last week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.

Aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Collision involving bodily injury, a third-degree felony, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and collision involving injury is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.

Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company. And West has said the Corvette belonged to Rice.

Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby Southern Methodist University, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams.

The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712789752508.png" alt="In this screen grab taken from dash camera video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a chain-reaction crash on the North Central Expressway, in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, that Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this screen grab taken from dash camera video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a chain-reaction crash on the North Central Expressway, in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, that Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — Dallas police said Wednesday that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-24b9e3281d0bca8c0c13a0cedda57b93">chain-reaction crash</a>&nbsp;on a Dallas highway.Police said that arrest warrants have been issued for the 23-year-old for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. Rice's attorney, state Sen. Royce West, said last week that Rice had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-sports-car-crash-dallas-lamborghini-d36bee33712ebb41c4b78f7c3b54b833">driving a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle</a>&nbsp;when the crash occurred.Arrest warrants were also issued Theodore Knox, 21, who was driving the other speeding sports car, a Corvette, police said. Police said that arrest warrants have been issued for Knox for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712017870514.png" alt="Rice-photo KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Rice-photo KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>Police said that the passengers in two speeding sports cars who left the scene will not be charged. Police said that Rice and Knox were not currently in custody. West had no immediate comment on Rice's behalf, and it was not clear whether Knox had an attorney.The Chiefs had no immediate comment.The crash involved the Lamborghini, a Corvette and four other vehicles and left four people with minor injuries, police have said. Police said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini left following the crash without determining whether anyone needed medical attention or providing their information.Rice last week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/doub11e_r/">posted to his Instagram Story</a>&nbsp;that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-rashee-rice-car-crash-dallas-bbc86e5cccc79d7bbce5103070995994">taking “full responsibility”</a>&nbsp;for his part in the wreck.Aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Collision involving bodily injury, a third-degree felony, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and collision involving injury is punishable by up to five years in prison.Police have said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.Rice was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-corvette-lamborghini-crash-dallas-2f3ac72c23b1d9ca4860f8cacc8b173e">leasing the Lamborghini</a>&nbsp;from The Classic Lifestyle, said Kyle Coker, an attorney for the Dallas-based exotic car rental company. And West has said the Corvette belonged to Rice.Rice was born in Philadelphia but grew up in the Fort Worth, Texas, suburb of North Richland Hills. He played college football at nearby Southern Methodist University, where a breakout senior season in 2022 put the wide receiver on the radar of NFL teams.The Chiefs selected him in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly became one of the only dependable options in their passing game.

Chiefs' Rice facing charges after high-speed crash in Dallas

One day after a complete game victory on the mound against state ranked Great Bend, Nolan Dreher signed his letter of intent to play at Fort Hays State University.

As a younger player he "got to see the big kids" play at FHSU. Now Dreher is one of the big kids.

The senior right handed pitcher is 3-0 on the season with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed two unearned runs through 18 1/3 innings. There have only been seven hits against Dreher while he has struck out 19 and walked only five. Opponents are hitting only .121 against him.

Hays High coach Dustin Dreher called him a bulldog on the mound. The pitcher's presence though is evident in the dugout during games that he doesn't play.

Dreher is 4-1 in his career over ten appearances with seven of those being starts. This season he has picked up wins over Liberal, Garden City and Great Bend.

Dreher's most recent win against Great Bend was a two-hit shutout where he faced just one batter over the minimum and threw just 73 pitches over seven innings.

Between high school seasons Dreher knew he needed to add size. The 2023 season he played at around 140 pounds. Now in 2024 he is at 170 pounds. The extra muscle and strength has helped him throw harder but also more efficiently.&nbsp;

While he has shown the ability to strike guys out Dreher has no problem letting his defense do the work. The future Tiger calls his current Indian teammates the defense in the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712775718222.jpeg" alt="Nolan Dreher.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Nolan Dreher.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>One day after a complete game victory on the mound against state ranked Great Bend, Nolan Dreher signed his letter of intent to play at Fort Hays State University.As a younger player he "got to see the big kids" play at FHSU. Now Dreher is one of the big kids.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797928123&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/nolan-dreher-signing" title="Nolan Dreher Signing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Nolan Dreher Signing</a></div></div>The senior right handed pitcher is 3-0 on the season with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed two unearned runs through 18 1/3 innings. There have only been seven hits against Dreher while he has struck out 19 and walked only five. Opponents are hitting only .121 against him.Hays High coach Dustin Dreher called him a bulldog on the mound. The pitcher's presence though is evident in the dugout during games that he doesn't play.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797928066&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/dustin-dreher-on-nolan-dreher-signing" title="Dustin Dreher On Nolan Dreher Signing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Dustin Dreher On Nolan Dreher Signing</a></div></div>Dreher is 4-1 in his career over ten appearances with seven of those being starts. This season he has picked up wins over Liberal, Garden City and Great Bend.Dreher's most recent win against Great Bend was a two-hit shutout where he faced just one batter over the minimum and threw just 73 pitches over seven innings.Between high school seasons Dreher knew he needed to add size. The 2023 season he played at around 140 pounds. Now in 2024 he is at 170 pounds. The extra muscle and strength has helped him throw harder but also more efficiently.&nbsp;While he has shown the ability to strike guys out Dreher has no problem letting his defense do the work. The future Tiger calls his current Indian teammates the defense in the state.

⚾ Nolan Dreher to play for FHSU

NEW YORK (AP) —Track and field is set to become the first sport to introduce prize money at the Olympics, with World Athletics saying Wednesday it would pay $50,000 to gold medalists in Paris.

The move is a symbolic break with the amateur past of the Olympics in one of the games' most-watched events.

The governing body of athletics said it was setting aside $2.4 million to pay the gold medalists across the 48 men's, women's and mixed events on the track and field program for this year's Paris Olympics. Relay teams will split the $50,000 between their members. Payments for silver and bronze medalists are planned to start from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe told reporters that the move is meant "to recognize that the revenue share that we receive is in large part because our athletes are the stars of the show.”

The prize money will come out of the share of Olympic revenue that that the IOC distributes to World Athletics.

However, the move could upset the balance of power in the Olympic movement ahead of the Paris Games. Coe said World Athletics only gave the International Olympic Committee “a heads-up” of its intentions on Wednesday morning, shortly before it published its announcement.

In response, the IOC said it was up to each sport's governing body to decide how to spend its share of Olympic revenue.

“The IOC redistributes 90% of all its income, in particular to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs),” the IOC said. “This means that, every day, the equivalent of $4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organizations at all levels around the world. It is up to each IF and NOC to determine how to best serve their athletes and the global development of their sport.”

The modern Olympics originated as an amateur sports event and the IOC does not award prize money. However, many medalists receive payments from their countries’ governments, national sports bodies or from sponsors.

“I’m probably the last generation to have been on the 75-pence (95-cent) meal voucher and second-class rail fare, competing for my own country. So believe me, I do understand the nature of the transition we’ve been in,” Coe said.

The British runner won gold in the 1,500 meters at the 1980 and 1984 Games in an era when Olympic track was on the verge of opening up to professional athletes.

“It’s a completely different planet from when I was competing, so it's very important that this sport recognizes the change in that landscape and the added pressures on many competitors.”

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee awarded $37,500 to gold medalists at the last Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021. Singapore's National Olympic Council promises $1 million for Olympic gold, a feat only achieved once so far by a Singaporean competitor.

In sports like tennis and golf, the Olympic tournament is the only time in a season that many pro players compete for free, with medals on offer but no prize money. But Coe didn't want to speculate on whether other events could follow track and field’s lead.

“I’ve always made it a point not to speak on behalf of other sports,” Coe said.

The move by World Athletics could be seen as an indicator of Coe’s intentions for the Olympics as a whole if he makes a run for the IOC presidency.

“I haven’t ruled it in, and I certainly haven’t ruled it out,” Coe said last year when asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-seb-coe-bach-president-74a613d21a31f4d531d16be941cb640d">whether he would consider running</a>&nbsp;for the IOC’s top post when Thomas Bach’s term ends in 2025. The IOC typically disapproves of any public campaigning for the presidency and Coe's comments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ioc-olympic-president-thomas-bach-462eec41df6b52811403c287075640bc">drew criticism</a>&nbsp;from Bach.

There's no sign yet of any other Olympic sport following track's lead. World Athletics is an outlier financially since it gets almost all its funding from its own events like the world championships. The governing bodies for many smaller sports depend on their IOC payments to survive the four-year cycle until the next Games.

World Aquatics, which oversees events like swimming, diving and water polo, told The Associated Press it considered introducing Olympic prize money in the run-up to the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo but instead opted to increase prize funds at its own competitions. Its world championships paid $20,000 per individual gold medal this year.

Olympic gold medalists in track and field will still earn less prize money than at World Athletics' own world championships.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hungary-athletics-worlds-highlights-photo-gallery-3ecbf37f788ff8522c38b55df7e54c8f">Last year's edition in Budapest</a>&nbsp;paid out prize money down to eighth place with $70,000 on offer for individual gold medalists.

Athletes will have to pass “the usual anti-doping procedures” at the Olympics before they receive the new prize money, World Athletics added.

It’s uncertain how prize money would fit into the American college system, though recent changes that allow players to profit from sponsorship deals have undercut restrictions on athlete payments.

“I sincerely hope so," Coe said when asked if he expected the NCAA to allow college athletes to accept Olympic prize money. "The rules and protocols have changed, and I can’t imagine the NCAA would think that this is in any way other than helpful for the support and the ecosystem that the athletes are now operating under.”

NEW YORK (AP) —Track and field is set to become the first sport to introduce prize money at the Olympics, with World Athletics saying Wednesday it would pay $50,000 to gold medalists in Paris.The move is a symbolic break with the amateur past of the Olympics in one of the games' most-watched events.The governing body of athletics said it was setting aside $2.4 million to pay the gold medalists across the 48 men's, women's and mixed events on the track and field program for this year's Paris Olympics. Relay teams will split the $50,000 between their members. Payments for silver and bronze medalists are planned to start from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.World Athletics President Sebastian Coe told reporters that the move is meant "to recognize that the revenue share that we receive is in large part because our athletes are the stars of the show.”The prize money will come out of the share of Olympic revenue that that the IOC distributes to World Athletics.However, the move could upset the balance of power in the Olympic movement ahead of the Paris Games. Coe said World Athletics only gave the International Olympic Committee “a heads-up” of its intentions on Wednesday morning, shortly before it published its announcement.In response, the IOC said it was up to each sport's governing body to decide how to spend its share of Olympic revenue.“The IOC redistributes 90% of all its income, in particular to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs),” the IOC said. “This means that, every day, the equivalent of $4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organizations at all levels around the world. It is up to each IF and NOC to determine how to best serve their athletes and the global development of their sport.”The modern Olympics originated as an amateur sports event and the IOC does not award prize money. However, many medalists receive payments from their countries’ governments, national sports bodies or from sponsors.“I’m probably the last generation to have been on the 75-pence (95-cent) meal voucher and second-class rail fare, competing for my own country. So believe me, I do understand the nature of the transition we’ve been in,” Coe said.The British runner won gold in the 1,500 meters at the 1980 and 1984 Games in an era when Olympic track was on the verge of opening up to professional athletes.“It’s a completely different planet from when I was competing, so it's very important that this sport recognizes the change in that landscape and the added pressures on many competitors.”The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee awarded $37,500 to gold medalists at the last Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021. Singapore's National Olympic Council promises $1 million for Olympic gold, a feat only achieved once so far by a Singaporean competitor.In sports like tennis and golf, the Olympic tournament is the only time in a season that many pro players compete for free, with medals on offer but no prize money. But Coe didn't want to speculate on whether other events could follow track and field’s lead.“I’ve always made it a point not to speak on behalf of other sports,” Coe said.The move by World Athletics could be seen as an indicator of Coe’s intentions for the Olympics as a whole if he makes a run for the IOC presidency.“I haven’t ruled it in, and I certainly haven’t ruled it out,” Coe said last year when asked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-seb-coe-bach-president-74a613d21a31f4d531d16be941cb640d">whether he would consider running</a>&nbsp;for the IOC’s top post when Thomas Bach’s term ends in 2025. The IOC typically disapproves of any public campaigning for the presidency and Coe's comments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ioc-olympic-president-thomas-bach-462eec41df6b52811403c287075640bc">drew criticism</a>&nbsp;from Bach.There's no sign yet of any other Olympic sport following track's lead. World Athletics is an outlier financially since it gets almost all its funding from its own events like the world championships. The governing bodies for many smaller sports depend on their IOC payments to survive the four-year cycle until the next Games.World Aquatics, which oversees events like swimming, diving and water polo, told The Associated Press it considered introducing Olympic prize money in the run-up to the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo but instead opted to increase prize funds at its own competitions. Its world championships paid $20,000 per individual gold medal this year.Olympic gold medalists in track and field will still earn less prize money than at World Athletics' own world championships.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hungary-athletics-worlds-highlights-photo-gallery-3ecbf37f788ff8522c38b55df7e54c8f">Last year's edition in Budapest</a>&nbsp;paid out prize money down to eighth place with $70,000 on offer for individual gold medalists.Athletes will have to pass “the usual anti-doping procedures” at the Olympics before they receive the new prize money, World Athletics added.It’s uncertain how prize money would fit into the American college system, though recent changes that allow players to profit from sponsorship deals have undercut restrictions on athlete payments.“I sincerely hope so," Coe said when asked if he expected the NCAA to allow college athletes to accept Olympic prize money. "The rules and protocols have changed, and I can’t imagine the NCAA would think that this is in any way other than helpful for the support and the ecosystem that the athletes are now operating under.”

Track and field becomes first sport to pay prize money at Olympics.

&nbsp; SPOKANE, Wash. – Four members of the Fort Hays State Women's Wrestling Team will compete at USA Women's Nationals in Spokane, Wash., April 12-14. This event will feature freestyle competition for the 8U-14U divisions as well as the U15, U17, U20, and U23.&nbsp;

The four student-athletes from FHSU competing this weekend are Marissa Porsch, Ashlynn Goodwin, Lila Bloomer and Isabell Oritz.

Live stream and results are available through FloWrestling and TrackWrestling at the following link -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/opentournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=814929132">LIVE COVERAGE</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712764222892.jpeg" alt="FHSU-WRE.jpg" />
 <figcaption>FHSU-WRE.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics&nbsp; SPOKANE, Wash. – Four members of the Fort Hays State Women's Wrestling Team will compete at USA Women's Nationals in Spokane, Wash., April 12-14. This event will feature freestyle competition for the 8U-14U divisions as well as the U15, U17, U20, and U23.&nbsp;The four student-athletes from FHSU competing this weekend are Marissa Porsch, Ashlynn Goodwin, Lila Bloomer and Isabell Oritz.Live stream and results are available through FloWrestling and TrackWrestling at the following link -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/opentournaments/VerifyPassword.jsp?tournamentId=814929132">LIVE COVERAGE</a>

🤼‍♀️ Four FHSU women to compete in USA Nationals

Wednesday, April 10
 KAYS: Tiger Talk, 12:10pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 6:00pm

Thursday, April 11
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 12:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian softball vs. Goodland (DH), 3:45pm

Friday, April 12
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 5:30pm

Saturday, April 13
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pm

Sunday, April 14
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pm

Wednesday, April 10
 KAYS: Tiger Talk, 12:10pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 6:00pmThursday, April 11
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 12:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian softball vs. Goodland (DH), 3:45pmFriday, April 12
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 5:30pmSaturday, April 13
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pmSunday, April 14
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

Garrett Hampson began the Kansas City 10th on second as the automatic runner, replacing Vinnie Pasquantino. Hampson raced home when Perez led off the inning with a single to center against Wander Suero (0-1).

“We’re gonna play hard,” Perez said. “We’re gonna do our best, especially right now. We've got new comfort.”

James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Perez and Nelson Velázquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia each drove in a run.

Nick Anderson, Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and McArthur combined for five scoreless innings of four-hit ball in relief of Royals starter Cole Ragans.

“These guys are incredible,” Ragans said of the bullpen. “They pitched incredible. They kept us right there. That’s really, really big.”

Witt's biggest contribution may have been a diving stop on a two-out single by Jeremy Peña in the top of the 10th. Had the ball gotten past the young shortstop, the Astros likely would have taken the lead.

“I thought it did have a chance of going through,” Peña said. “I’ll shout out to Bobby Witt. (He) made a nice play.”

Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won two in a row. Peña had two hits and scored a run.

The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but Ragans limited the damage to a run-scoring fielder’s choice for Yainer Diaz.

“I don’t think (Ragans) had his best stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s a good lineup, and they made him work. (But) if we turn that double play in the first or he’s able to get Alvarez out one of those times with two strikes, he’s coming out of there with one or maybe no runs. Credit to him really."

Alvarez singled in Peña with two out in the second, and then doubled home Mauricio Dubón in the fourth.

Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.

Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.

“We had some opportunities to get some guys in (with) less than two outs," Houston manager Joe Espada said. "We just couldn’t capitalize.”

Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.

Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth stopped Javier’s scoreless streak at 15 innings to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfroe with a two-out triple, and then scored on an error on third baseman Alex Bregman.

Astros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. They selected the contract of Suero from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.

Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.

The Astros and Royals continue their three-game series Wednesday. RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his major league debut for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712718313385.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez slides into third safely as he advances on a Nelson Velázquez double during a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez slides into third safely as he advances on a Nelson Velázquez double during a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a game-ending single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.Garrett Hampson began the Kansas City 10th on second as the automatic runner, replacing Vinnie Pasquantino. Hampson raced home when Perez led off the inning with a single to center against Wander Suero (0-1).“We’re gonna play hard,” Perez said. “We’re gonna do our best, especially right now. We've got new comfort.”James McArthur (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.Perez and Nelson Velázquez each had two hits for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia each drove in a run.Nick Anderson, Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and McArthur combined for five scoreless innings of four-hit ball in relief of Royals starter Cole Ragans.“These guys are incredible,” Ragans said of the bullpen. “They pitched incredible. They kept us right there. That’s really, really big.”Witt's biggest contribution may have been a diving stop on a two-out single by Jeremy Peña in the top of the 10th. Had the ball gotten past the young shortstop, the Astros likely would have taken the lead.“I thought it did have a chance of going through,” Peña said. “I’ll shout out to Bobby Witt. (He) made a nice play.”Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for Houston, which had won two in a row. Peña had two hits and scored a run.The Astros loaded the bases with three straight singles to start the first inning, but Ragans limited the damage to a run-scoring fielder’s choice for Yainer Diaz.“I don’t think (Ragans) had his best stuff,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “That’s a good lineup, and they made him work. (But) if we turn that double play in the first or he’s able to get Alvarez out one of those times with two strikes, he’s coming out of there with one or maybe no runs. Credit to him really."Alvarez singled in Peña with two out in the second, and then doubled home Mauricio Dubón in the fourth.Ragans surrendered 10 hits in five innings for Kansas City. He struck out five and walked one.Houston went 5 for 18 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.“We had some opportunities to get some guys in (with) less than two outs," Houston manager Joe Espada said. "We just couldn’t capitalize.”Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was charged with three runs, two earned, and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three.Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly in the fifth stopped Javier’s scoreless streak at 15 innings to start the season. Witt drove in Hunter Renfroe with a two-out triple, and then scored on an error on third baseman Alex Bregman.TRANSACTIONSAstros: Placed LHP Framber Valdez on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. They selected the contract of Suero from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his place. The Astros also recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Sugar Land and optioned RHP Blair Henley to the minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Oliver Ortega to the 60-day IL.Royals: Acquired RHP Colin Selby from Pittsburgh for minor league pitcher Connor Oliver. To make room on the 40-man roster for Selby, LHP Josh Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL. The Royals also signed RHP Zach Davies to a minor league deal.UP NEXTThe Astros and Royals continue their three-game series Wednesday. RHP Spencer Arrighetti will make his major league debut for Houston against Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71 ERA).

⚾ Salvador Perez leads Royals past Astros for 5th straight win

ELLIS – The TMP-Marian
softball team got back into the win column Tuesday with a pair of wins over
Ellis. The Monarchs won the opener 7-2 then took game two 14-5. They are now
6-2 on the season and will host Goodland Thursday.

Game 1:
TMP-Marian 7, Ellis 2
The Monarchs scored single runs in each of the first three innings to grab a
3-0 lead. Halle Dreiling drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. The Monarchs
went up 2-0 on a passed ball. Nicole Schumacher added an RBI double in the third
for the 3-0 lead.

TMP scored three in the sixth
to go up 6-0. They scored two of the runs on errors, the other on a Bridget Feldt
RBI single.

Following a Kaydawn Haag
home run, Dreiling doubled to drive in Raegan Allen in the seventh.

Dreiling , Brooke
Koeningsman and Feldt all had two hits with Dreiling driving in two runs.

Brynn Rebel struck out
12 and picked up the complete game victory in the circle allowing one unearned
run on three hits.

Game 2: TMP-Marian
14, Ellis 5
The Monarchs scored four in the top of the first and three in the second to
take control. The later added four in the fifth and three in the sixth.

Brooke Koeningsman drove
in the first run with a single. Halle Dreiling scored on a wild pitch. Addison
Watson knocked in two more runs with a single.

Bria Windholz drove in
two the Monarchs four runs in the second with a double to push the lead to 7-1.

After the Railers scored
twice in the second and twice in the fourth to pull within 7-5, TMP blew game
open with a four-run fifth. Molly Helget drove in the first run with a bunt, Hannah
Rose knocked in two more with a double followed by an RBI single from Dreiling.

Hannah Rose, Brooke
Koeningsman and Addison Watson all had three of the Monarchs 17 hits. Rose,
Halle Dreling, Bria Windholz and Watson drove in two runs each.

Windholz allowed two earned
runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and seven walks and picked up the complete
game victory.

Hays PostELLIS – The TMP-Marian
softball team got back into the win column Tuesday with a pair of wins over
Ellis. The Monarchs won the opener 7-2 then took game two 14-5. They are now
6-2 on the season and will host Goodland Thursday.Game 1:
TMP-Marian 7, Ellis 2
The Monarchs scored single runs in each of the first three innings to grab a
3-0 lead. Halle Dreiling drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. The Monarchs
went up 2-0 on a passed ball. Nicole Schumacher added an RBI double in the third
for the 3-0 lead.TMP scored three in the sixth
to go up 6-0. They scored two of the runs on errors, the other on a Bridget Feldt
RBI single.Following a Kaydawn Haag
home run, Dreiling doubled to drive in Raegan Allen in the seventh.Dreiling , Brooke
Koeningsman and Feldt all had two hits with Dreiling driving in two runs.Brynn Rebel struck out
12 and picked up the complete game victory in the circle allowing one unearned
run on three hits.Game 2: TMP-Marian
14, Ellis 5
The Monarchs scored four in the top of the first and three in the second to
take control. The later added four in the fifth and three in the sixth.Brooke Koeningsman drove
in the first run with a single. Halle Dreiling scored on a wild pitch. Addison
Watson knocked in two more runs with a single.Bria Windholz drove in
two the Monarchs four runs in the second with a double to push the lead to 7-1.After the Railers scored
twice in the second and twice in the fourth to pull within 7-5, TMP blew game
open with a four-run fifth. Molly Helget drove in the first run with a bunt, Hannah
Rose knocked in two more with a double followed by an RBI single from Dreiling.Hannah Rose, Brooke
Koeningsman and Addison Watson all had three of the Monarchs 17 hits. Rose,
Halle Dreling, Bria Windholz and Watson drove in two runs each.Windholz allowed two earned
runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and seven walks and picked up the complete
game victory.

🥎 Monarchs take two in Ellis

HAYS - Hays High scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to break up a tie game for a 7-4 win over Garden City on Tuesday. The Indians improve to 4-2 overall and 4-0 in Western Athletic Conference play and have won four straight over Garden City who dropped to 3-2 and 0-1 in the WAC.

Hays answered three Garden City runs in the top of the third with three of their own in the bottom of the same inning. The Indians took their first lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth.&nbsp;

Garden City answered back with a single tally in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.

Haley Rees, Avery Solida and Lauren Klein each recorded one out singles to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Rees stole home to put Hays ahead 5-4. Dani Willeford drove in Klein and Dezarae Schmidt for the final runs.

Riley Dreher worked around two runners in the top of the seventh for the complete game victory. Dreher allowed four runs on six hits. Just one of the runs were earned. She struck out even and walked three.

Rees, Klein and Solida each recorded two hits. Schmidt, Rees and Klein each scored two runs for the Indians who scored in three separate innings.&nbsp;

Hays travels to Dodge City for four games this Friday and Saturday. They will face Wichita Northwest and Derby on Friday then Goddard-Eisenhower and Maize South on Saturday.

Hays PostHAYS - Hays High scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to break up a tie game for a 7-4 win over Garden City on Tuesday. The Indians improve to 4-2 overall and 4-0 in Western Athletic Conference play and have won four straight over Garden City who dropped to 3-2 and 0-1 in the WAC.Hays answered three Garden City runs in the top of the third with three of their own in the bottom of the same inning. The Indians took their first lead with a single run in the bottom of the fourth.&nbsp;Garden City answered back with a single tally in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.Haley Rees, Avery Solida and Lauren Klein each recorded one out singles to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Rees stole home to put Hays ahead 5-4. Dani Willeford drove in Klein and Dezarae Schmidt for the final runs.Riley Dreher worked around two runners in the top of the seventh for the complete game victory. Dreher allowed four runs on six hits. Just one of the runs were earned. She struck out even and walked three.Rees, Klein and Solida each recorded two hits. Schmidt, Rees and Klein each scored two runs for the Indians who scored in three separate innings.&nbsp;Hays travels to Dodge City for four games this Friday and Saturday. They will face Wichita Northwest and Derby on Friday then Goddard-Eisenhower and Maize South on Saturday.

🥎 Hays takes a game from Garden City

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post

HAYS - Hays High hosted Great Bend in a key Western Athletic Conference doubleheader on a picture perfect Tuesday. Both teams came in state ranked with Great Bend at #7 and Hays at #8 according to the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.

Game 1: Hays 4, Great Bend 0 Nolan Dreher faced just one batter over the minimum in a complete game 4-0 shutout.

Dreher hit the first batter of the game with the first pitch of the game. He would be in control rest of the way. The Panthers stranded the lead off runner and it would be their only runner left at the end of any inning.

Hays struck for three in the bottom of the first. A triple by Tiger Johnson drove in Cooper Sanders and Johnny Cano for a 2-0 advantage. Lex Lummus knocked in Johnson with a single and a 3-0 score.

The Indians left two runners on the bases at the end of the first and three more at the end of the second. Hays loaded the bases with two outs but could not take advantage.

Hays flashed the leather behind their starting pitcher to limit the opportunities for Great Bend to score. Hays turned a double play in the third inning to eliminate a lead off single. Haselhorst threw out a Panther trying to steal to end the fourth. The Indians then picked off a runner in the fifth.&nbsp;

Hays added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Ian McGuire drove in Carter Graham for a 4-0 edge.

Dreher(3-0) retired the final inning on three pitches. He threw just 73 pitches in the seven inning complete game. Carson Umphries (2-1) took the loss for Great Bend.

Game 2: Hays 5, Great Bend 4 Hays High completed the sweep with a come from behind 5-4 win over Great Bend in game two.

Great Bend scored two in the second and one in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage. The Panthers recorded just two hits in the two innings but three walks and was hit by a pitch.

Hays finally scratched a run across the plate in the fourth. Johnny Cano led off the inning with a double. He later scored on a Tiger Johnson ground out and a 3-1 score.

Hays went from trying to get runners on the base paths to four crossing the plate in the fifth. Carter Graham led off the inning with a triple then scored on a bunt single by Ian McGuire. Corbin Werth was hit by a pitch. Following a passed ball Cooper Sanders laid down a bunt on a squeeze play that scored McGuire. The Indians ran the same squeeze play and Johnny Cano brought in Sanders for a 4-3 lead. Johnson drove in the final run for Hays on a sacrifice bunt and a 5-3 score.

The Panthers knocked in a single run in the sixth but didn't have anybody aboard when Carter Graham ended the game on a strike out.

Graham(2-0) earned the win in relief. He pitched four innings of one run ball. Hunter Herrman took the loss for Great Bend.

Hays improved to 9-1 on the season and is 6-0 in conference games. Great Bend falls to 8-3, 2-2.

The Indians are home on Friday when they host Clay Center.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays PostHAYS - Hays High hosted Great Bend in a key Western Athletic Conference doubleheader on a picture perfect Tuesday. Both teams came in state ranked with Great Bend at #7 and Hays at #8 according to the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797345991&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hhs-bsb-dh-coach-interview-v-great-bend-april-4th-2024-01" title="HHS BSB DH Coach Interview V Great Bend April, 4th 2024 01" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">HHS BSB DH Coach Interview V Great Bend April, 4th 2024 01</a></div></div>Game 1: Hays 4, Great Bend 0 Nolan Dreher faced just one batter over the minimum in a complete game 4-0 shutout.Dreher hit the first batter of the game with the first pitch of the game. He would be in control rest of the way. The Panthers stranded the lead off runner and it would be their only runner left at the end of any inning.Hays struck for three in the bottom of the first. A triple by Tiger Johnson drove in Cooper Sanders and Johnny Cano for a 2-0 advantage. Lex Lummus knocked in Johnson with a single and a 3-0 score.The Indians left two runners on the bases at the end of the first and three more at the end of the second. Hays loaded the bases with two outs but could not take advantage.Hays flashed the leather behind their starting pitcher to limit the opportunities for Great Bend to score. Hays turned a double play in the third inning to eliminate a lead off single. Haselhorst threw out a Panther trying to steal to end the fourth. The Indians then picked off a runner in the fifth.&nbsp;Hays added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Ian McGuire drove in Carter Graham for a 4-0 edge.Dreher(3-0) retired the final inning on three pitches. He threw just 73 pitches in the seven inning complete game. Carson Umphries (2-1) took the loss for Great Bend.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797345976&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hhs-bsb-highlights-v-great-bend-g1" title="HHS BSB Highlights V. Great Bend G1 4-9-24" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">HHS BSB Highlights V. Great Bend G1 4-9-24</a></div></div>Game 2: Hays 5, Great Bend 4 Hays High completed the sweep with a come from behind 5-4 win over Great Bend in game two.Great Bend scored two in the second and one in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage. The Panthers recorded just two hits in the two innings but three walks and was hit by a pitch.Hays finally scratched a run across the plate in the fourth. Johnny Cano led off the inning with a double. He later scored on a Tiger Johnson ground out and a 3-1 score.Hays went from trying to get runners on the base paths to four crossing the plate in the fifth. Carter Graham led off the inning with a triple then scored on a bunt single by Ian McGuire. Corbin Werth was hit by a pitch. Following a passed ball Cooper Sanders laid down a bunt on a squeeze play that scored McGuire. The Indians ran the same squeeze play and Johnny Cano brought in Sanders for a 4-3 lead. Johnson drove in the final run for Hays on a sacrifice bunt and a 5-3 score.The Panthers knocked in a single run in the sixth but didn't have anybody aboard when Carter Graham ended the game on a strike out.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797346342&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hhs-bsb-highlights-v-great-bend-g2-4-9-24" title="HHS BSB Highlights V. Great Bend G2 4-9-24" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">HHS BSB Highlights V. Great Bend G2 4-9-24</a></div></div>Graham(2-0) earned the win in relief. He pitched four innings of one run ball. Hunter Herrman took the loss for Great Bend.Hays improved to 9-1 on the season and is 6-0 in conference games. Great Bend falls to 8-3, 2-2.The Indians are home on Friday when they host Clay Center.

⚾ Hays sweeps Great Bend in state ranked showdown

WICHITA, Kan. - In the final game of the series against Newman University on Tuesday evening, the Fort Hays State baseball team faced defeat, falling 12-5. The Tigers (21-17, 9-15 MIAA) found themselves in an early deficit after a three-run inning from the Jets (10-29, 6-18 MIAA).

However, the Tigers wasted no time in responding. In the top half of the second, Luis Ayala's&nbsp;single drove in a run, showing the team's resilience. Tiger starter Tanner Vaughn&nbsp;retired the side in order in the second but faced challenges in the third, leading to his replacement by Spencer Maley. Vaughn's outing lasted 2 2/3 innings, where he surrendered seven hits and struck out a batter.

A hit-by-pitch on Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;followed by Zane Knox's&nbsp;double put two Tigers on base with no outs. Trey DeGarmo's&nbsp;groundout managed to score Kreutzer from third, and Ayala's subsequent groundout earned him his second RBI of the game, bringing the score to 5-3.

The fifth inning mirrored the fourth, with Isaiah Ural's&nbsp;walk setting the stage for Elliott Herrmann's&nbsp;RBI double. Kreutzer capitalized on an error, scoring Herrmann.

Unfortunately, the sixth inning proved challenging for the Tigers, with the Jets scoring five runs on three hits. The Jets added two more runs in the seventh, solidifying their lead at 12-5.

The Tigers ended with six hits, two extra base hits and walked three times. The two extra base hits came from Herrmann and Knox. Herrmann, Kreutzer, DeGarmo&nbsp;and Ayala were the Tigers able to notch an RBI.&nbsp;

Fort hays State baseball will head to Topeka, Kan. to face off against the ranked Ichabods. The first contest is set for 5 p.m. on Friday (April 12).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712712383237.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsWICHITA, Kan. - In the final game of the series against Newman University on Tuesday evening, the Fort Hays State baseball team faced defeat, falling 12-5. The Tigers (21-17, 9-15 MIAA) found themselves in an early deficit after a three-run inning from the Jets (10-29, 6-18 MIAA).However, the Tigers wasted no time in responding. In the top half of the second, Luis Ayala's&nbsp;single drove in a run, showing the team's resilience. Tiger starter Tanner Vaughn&nbsp;retired the side in order in the second but faced challenges in the third, leading to his replacement by Spencer Maley. Vaughn's outing lasted 2 2/3 innings, where he surrendered seven hits and struck out a batter.A hit-by-pitch on Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;followed by Zane Knox's&nbsp;double put two Tigers on base with no outs. Trey DeGarmo's&nbsp;groundout managed to score Kreutzer from third, and Ayala's subsequent groundout earned him his second RBI of the game, bringing the score to 5-3.The fifth inning mirrored the fourth, with Isaiah Ural's&nbsp;walk setting the stage for Elliott Herrmann's&nbsp;RBI double. Kreutzer capitalized on an error, scoring Herrmann.Unfortunately, the sixth inning proved challenging for the Tigers, with the Jets scoring five runs on three hits. The Jets added two more runs in the seventh, solidifying their lead at 12-5.The Tigers ended with six hits, two extra base hits and walked three times. The two extra base hits came from Herrmann and Knox. Herrmann, Kreutzer, DeGarmo&nbsp;and Ayala were the Tigers able to notch an RBI.&nbsp;UP NEXTFort hays State baseball will head to Topeka, Kan. to face off against the ranked Ichabods. The first contest is set for 5 p.m. on Friday (April 12).&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Jets use big inning to soar past Tigers

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's golf team continued its spring schedule on April 8-9 at the ATU Spring Regional Preview. Senior Morgan Brasser&nbsp;finished in a tie for 17th out of 95 competitors, turning in a cumulative score of 7-over par after three rounds at Rivercut Golf Course, a par-72, 5,885-yard layout.

Brasser opened the tournament at 2-over par through round one. She carded two birdies and four bogeys across the first 18 holes, sitting in a tie for eighth after day one. She maintained that position after a 3-over 75 in round two, featuring three more birdies. Brasser's six birdies on the week were the most by any Tiger and tied the sixth-most pars with 33.

Shauna Lee tied for 87th after rounds of 88, 85 and 92, while Ella Neuhauser&nbsp;placed 92nd with rounds of 92, 91 and 88. Hayden York&nbsp;finished right behind Neuhauser, firing rounds of 92, 91 and 90.

The Tigers placed 18th as a team with a three-round total of 1,037 (346-342-349). The team had a combined 11 birdies and 76 pars across the tournament.

Henderson State won the team title at 20-over par, with their own Jinna Boonbumroongsuk taking first. She finished with rounds of 70, 73 and 69.

Fort Hays State travels to Bolivar, Mo. to compete at in the MIAA Championships. The tournament is set to start Monday (April 22) and conclude Wednesday (April 24).

FHSU Results18th - Team - 339 - 352 -- 349 (+173) T17th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/morgan-brasser/7686">Morgan Brasser</a>&nbsp;– 74 - 75 - 79 - 228 (+7) T87th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/shauna-lee/7687">Shauna Lee</a>&nbsp;- 88 - 85 – 92 – 265 (+49) 92nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/ella-neuhauser/7689">Ella Neuhauser</a>&nbsp;- 92 - 91 – 88 - 271 (+55) 93rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/hayden-york/7688">Hayden York</a>&nbsp;- 92 - 91 - 90- 273 (+57)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712762141285.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsSPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Fort Hays State women's golf team continued its spring schedule on April 8-9 at the ATU Spring Regional Preview. Senior Morgan Brasser&nbsp;finished in a tie for 17th out of 95 competitors, turning in a cumulative score of 7-over par after three rounds at Rivercut Golf Course, a par-72, 5,885-yard layout.Brasser opened the tournament at 2-over par through round one. She carded two birdies and four bogeys across the first 18 holes, sitting in a tie for eighth after day one. She maintained that position after a 3-over 75 in round two, featuring three more birdies. Brasser's six birdies on the week were the most by any Tiger and tied the sixth-most pars with 33.Shauna Lee tied for 87th after rounds of 88, 85 and 92, while Ella Neuhauser&nbsp;placed 92nd with rounds of 92, 91 and 88. Hayden York&nbsp;finished right behind Neuhauser, firing rounds of 92, 91 and 90.The Tigers placed 18th as a team with a three-round total of 1,037 (346-342-349). The team had a combined 11 birdies and 76 pars across the tournament.Henderson State won the team title at 20-over par, with their own Jinna Boonbumroongsuk taking first. She finished with rounds of 70, 73 and 69.UP NEXTFort Hays State travels to Bolivar, Mo. to compete at in the MIAA Championships. The tournament is set to start Monday (April 22) and conclude Wednesday (April 24).FHSU Results18th - Team - 339 - 352 -- 349 (+173) T17th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/morgan-brasser/7686">Morgan Brasser</a>&nbsp;– 74 - 75 - 79 - 228 (+7) T87th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/shauna-lee/7687">Shauna Lee</a>&nbsp;- 88 - 85 – 92 – 265 (+49) 92nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/ella-neuhauser/7689">Ella Neuhauser</a>&nbsp;- 92 - 91 – 88 - 271 (+55) 93rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/hayden-york/7688">Hayden York</a>&nbsp;- 92 - 91 - 90- 273 (+57)&nbsp;&nbsp;

⛳ FHSU women 18th, Brasser top 20 at Spring Regional Preview

ELLSWORTH – The TMP-Marian
girls track and field team had two individual champs along with three second place
finishers and won the Ellsworth Invitational Tuesday by four points over second
place Sacred Heart. The Monarch boys finished 10th.

Shyanne Yost won the high
jump at 4-10. Hoisington freshman Sofia Simic and fellow teammate Tessa
Wentling also cleared 4-10 but both missed jumps at 4-8 giving Yost the title. Wentling
also missed a jump at 4-10 and finished third.

Shalee Gottschalk won
the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.26. Gottschalk was second in the 300 hurdles
at 49.22.

Sophomore Anna Cappuccio
placed second in the pole vault at 8-6.

Emma Basgall placed
second in the long jump with a personal best 16-6.50. Teammate Nevaeh Weigel
finished third in the long jump at 16-4.75.

Macara Rohr placed second
in the triple jump at 34-1 and was third in the 400 with a personal best time
of 1:04.55.

Trego’s Dani Shubert won
the discus with a toss of 104-9. Teammate Annabelle Malsom place third at 96-9.

Reece Smith placed third
in the 800 with a personal best 2:43.46.

Trego’s Jaryn Windholz
won the boys javelin with a personal best toss of 155-9.

Hays PostELLSWORTH – The TMP-Marian
girls track and field team had two individual champs along with three second place
finishers and won the Ellsworth Invitational Tuesday by four points over second
place Sacred Heart. The Monarch boys finished 10th.Shyanne Yost won the high
jump at 4-10. Hoisington freshman Sofia Simic and fellow teammate Tessa
Wentling also cleared 4-10 but both missed jumps at 4-8 giving Yost the title. Wentling
also missed a jump at 4-10 and finished third.Shalee Gottschalk won
the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.26. Gottschalk was second in the 300 hurdles
at 49.22.Sophomore Anna Cappuccio
placed second in the pole vault at 8-6.Emma Basgall placed
second in the long jump with a personal best 16-6.50. Teammate Nevaeh Weigel
finished third in the long jump at 16-4.75.Macara Rohr placed second
in the triple jump at 34-1 and was third in the 400 with a personal best time
of 1:04.55.Trego’s Dani Shubert won
the discus with a toss of 104-9. Teammate Annabelle Malsom place third at 96-9.Reece Smith placed third
in the 800 with a personal best 2:43.46.Trego’s Jaryn Windholz
won the boys javelin with a personal best toss of 155-9.

🏃‍♀️ Monarch girls win Ellsworth Invite, Yost, Gottschalk champs

The TMP-Marian boys golf team finished eighth as a team at
Sugar Hills Golf Club in Goodland Tuesday, in their first tournament of the season.

The Monarchs were led by Heuer Brungardt, finishing in a tie
for sixth with a 15-over 86.

He was nine shots back of the winner Eli Jones from Norton
who fired a six-over 77.&nbsp;

Ellis’ Austin Carroll also turned in a sixth-place finish at
86.

The Monarchs finished with a team score of 399. 

Goodland won the team title with a total of 345. Followed by
Colby (358) and Norton (362)

Ellis was sixth with a team total of 396.

Griffin Schumacher was T41st (101), Evan Balthazor finished T49th
(105), Eli Stein finished T60th (107), Peyton Schwartz was T75th
(112) and Henry Meitner placed 96th (127).

Hays PostThe TMP-Marian boys golf team finished eighth as a team at
Sugar Hills Golf Club in Goodland Tuesday, in their first tournament of the season.The Monarchs were led by Heuer Brungardt, finishing in a tie
for sixth with a 15-over 86.He was nine shots back of the winner Eli Jones from Norton
who fired a six-over 77.&nbsp;Ellis’ Austin Carroll also turned in a sixth-place finish at
86.The Monarchs finished with a team score of 399. Goodland won the team title with a total of 345. Followed by
Colby (358) and Norton (362)Ellis was sixth with a team total of 396.Griffin Schumacher was T41st (101), Evan Balthazor finished T49th
(105), Eli Stein finished T60th (107), Peyton Schwartz was T75th
(112) and Henry Meitner placed 96th (127).

⛳ TMP boys open season with 8th place finish at Goodland

MAYETTA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State men's golf team secured fifth place on Tuesday at the Firekeeper Open. The Tiger golfers had an exhilarating weekend, triumphing over three nationally ranked teams in the tournament. The competition unfolded at the Firekeeper Golf Course, a par-72 course spanning 7,030 yards.

The Tigers finished 3-over par with a total of 867 strokes over three rounds. Fort Hays State demonstrated exceptional prowess in the final round, clinching the best round score of the day at 277. This remarkable score stands as the lowest in modern team history. The team amassed 45 birdies and 165 pars, ranking third in the tournament for pars. They also boasted the best stroke average on par 3's, at 3.08.

The Tigers closed with three golfers in the top 20, including Cooper Scheck&nbsp;(T17th), Jackson Rader&nbsp;(T19th), and Tanner Copeland&nbsp;(T19th). Scheck's standout performance came in the third round, finishing 1-under par with six birdies. He posted rounds of 73, 74, and 68, tying for second with 38 pars during the tournament. Scheck and Copeland boasted a par 3 stroke average of 2.83, ranking them third in the tournament.

Senior Copeland marked his 100th round as a Tiger golfer, culminating with a career-low round of 69. Copeland shot rounds of 75, 72, and 69, leading the team with 11 birdies. Rader also delivered a top-20 performance, tied with Copeland. He posted scores of 73 and 76 before shooting a 67 in round three. Rader's round three score of 67 marks the best since Maddux Miles in 2010. He birdied six times during the round, ending the tournament with 11 birdies, equaling Copeland's count. Rader boasted the best par 4 score on the team at 3.97, trailing the leader by just 0.20.

Cole Streck&nbsp;tied for 31st place, recording rounds of 74, 73, and 73. Streck excelled in the second and third rounds, securing six birdies and going 2-over par in those two rounds. Streck concluded with eight birdies and 36 pars, going 4-over par in the two-day tournament. His 36 pars tie for the seventh most in the tournament and the second most on the team.

Jacob George&nbsp;tied for 76th place, finishing 19-over par. George posted rounds of 79, 74, and 82, concluding the tournament with five birdies. Copeland shone in the third round, going just 5-over par while securing a pair of birdies. Parker Krob&nbsp;tied for 81st, shooting 10-over par. Krob exhibited a commendable performance in the last round, achieving an even score on the back nine and finishing 6-over par for the round. Krob recorded round scores of 79, 82, and 78.

Alex Gentry of Central Missouri clinched the individual title after shooting 13-under par, four strokes ahead of the next spot on the leaderboard. Gentry commenced the tournament with a stellar round of 66, followed by scores of 68 and 69 to finish strong. Central Missouri secured the team victory, with two Mules finishing in the top five. The Mules concluded the tournament at 19-under par, with rounds of 281, 278, and 286.

The team will look to the MIAA Championships in Kansas City, Mo. Action is set to begin Monday and conclude Wednesday (April 17).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712712051336.jpeg" alt="Gene Cassell/Washburn Sports Information" />
 <figcaption>Gene Cassell/Washburn Sports Information</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMAYETTA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State men's golf team secured fifth place on Tuesday at the Firekeeper Open. The Tiger golfers had an exhilarating weekend, triumphing over three nationally ranked teams in the tournament. The competition unfolded at the Firekeeper Golf Course, a par-72 course spanning 7,030 yards.The Tigers finished 3-over par with a total of 867 strokes over three rounds. Fort Hays State demonstrated exceptional prowess in the final round, clinching the best round score of the day at 277. This remarkable score stands as the lowest in modern team history. The team amassed 45 birdies and 165 pars, ranking third in the tournament for pars. They also boasted the best stroke average on par 3's, at 3.08.The Tigers closed with three golfers in the top 20, including Cooper Scheck&nbsp;(T17th), Jackson Rader&nbsp;(T19th), and Tanner Copeland&nbsp;(T19th). Scheck's standout performance came in the third round, finishing 1-under par with six birdies. He posted rounds of 73, 74, and 68, tying for second with 38 pars during the tournament. Scheck and Copeland boasted a par 3 stroke average of 2.83, ranking them third in the tournament.Senior Copeland marked his 100th round as a Tiger golfer, culminating with a career-low round of 69. Copeland shot rounds of 75, 72, and 69, leading the team with 11 birdies. Rader also delivered a top-20 performance, tied with Copeland. He posted scores of 73 and 76 before shooting a 67 in round three. Rader's round three score of 67 marks the best since Maddux Miles in 2010. He birdied six times during the round, ending the tournament with 11 birdies, equaling Copeland's count. Rader boasted the best par 4 score on the team at 3.97, trailing the leader by just 0.20.Cole Streck&nbsp;tied for 31st place, recording rounds of 74, 73, and 73. Streck excelled in the second and third rounds, securing six birdies and going 2-over par in those two rounds. Streck concluded with eight birdies and 36 pars, going 4-over par in the two-day tournament. His 36 pars tie for the seventh most in the tournament and the second most on the team.Jacob George&nbsp;tied for 76th place, finishing 19-over par. George posted rounds of 79, 74, and 82, concluding the tournament with five birdies. Copeland shone in the third round, going just 5-over par while securing a pair of birdies. Parker Krob&nbsp;tied for 81st, shooting 10-over par. Krob exhibited a commendable performance in the last round, achieving an even score on the back nine and finishing 6-over par for the round. Krob recorded round scores of 79, 82, and 78.Alex Gentry of Central Missouri clinched the individual title after shooting 13-under par, four strokes ahead of the next spot on the leaderboard. Gentry commenced the tournament with a stellar round of 66, followed by scores of 68 and 69 to finish strong. Central Missouri secured the team victory, with two Mules finishing in the top five. The Mules concluded the tournament at 19-under par, with rounds of 281, 278, and 286.UP NEXTThe team will look to the MIAA Championships in Kansas City, Mo. Action is set to begin Monday and conclude Wednesday (April 17).&nbsp;&nbsp;

⛳ Tiger men finish fifth, three individuals in top 20 at Firekeeper Open

Hays High vs Great Bend Tuesday, April 9 Hays, Kan. - Leo Harper Field

Radio: KFIX (96.9) <a href="https://kfix.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video: Hays High Sports Network <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/1050550">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

The Hays High Indians baseball host the Great Bend Panthers in a WAC doubleheader and a battle of ranked teams Tuesday at&nbsp;Leo Harper Field in Hays.&nbsp;

The first pitch is set for approximately 4:00p.m.&nbsp;

Live coverage includes The Hays High Sports Network and
Eagle Radio.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699014932.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays High vs Great Bend Tuesday, April 9 Hays, Kan. - Leo Harper FieldRadio: KFIX (96.9) <a href="https://kfix.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video: Hays High Sports Network <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/1050550">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Hays High Indians baseball host the Great Bend Panthers in a WAC doubleheader and a battle of ranked teams Tuesday at&nbsp;Leo Harper Field in Hays.&nbsp;The first pitch is set for approximately 4:00p.m.&nbsp;Live coverage includes The Hays High Sports Network and
Eagle Radio.

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays High hosts Great Bend

&nbsp;"A complete player." That is how Hays High soccer coach Daniel Kelly described senior Brantlee Staab on Tuesday. Kelly spoke about Staab who had just signed to play soccer at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas.

Kelly wasn't just referring to Staab's statistical leadership. Staab was a leader of the team as well as on the stat sheet. He tied for the team lead in goals (10) and assists (7) for the 10-7-1 Indians. A season where he missed four games due to an injury.

Staab was a captain this past fall but helped lead the team as a freshman and sophomore when the team struggled in the final results.&nbsp;

Kelly mentioned that Staab stepped up to show the rest of the team what it takes to play at a high level and that led to more success in the recent seasons.&nbsp;

As for Staab, he fell in love with the game at a young age. He was the first in his family to take on the sport and enjoyed the fast paced action of the sport and the running aspect.

It's not just a three month season for Staab. Twice a week he travels to Wichita to practice and then plays most weekends in Kansas City. He also takes part in 3v3 and 4v4 events as well.

Staab is a three-time Western Athletic Conference first team selection.

One of the things that Staab is looking forward to from the academic side of things is coaching. He currently coaches in Hays at the youth level. To the young players he says "Hard work and dedication. You can't make it as far as the pros if you don't have hard work and dedication."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712683851192.jpeg" alt="Brantlee Staab" />
 <figcaption>Brantlee Staab</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;"A complete player." That is how Hays High soccer coach Daniel Kelly described senior Brantlee Staab on Tuesday. Kelly spoke about Staab who had just signed to play soccer at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas.Kelly wasn't just referring to Staab's statistical leadership. Staab was a leader of the team as well as on the stat sheet. He tied for the team lead in goals (10) and assists (7) for the 10-7-1 Indians. A season where he missed four games due to an injury.Staab was a captain this past fall but helped lead the team as a freshman and sophomore when the team struggled in the final results.&nbsp;Kelly mentioned that Staab stepped up to show the rest of the team what it takes to play at a high level and that led to more success in the recent seasons.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797097636&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/brantlee-staab-signing" title="Brantlee Staab Signing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Brantlee Staab Signing</a></div></div>As for Staab, he fell in love with the game at a young age. He was the first in his family to take on the sport and enjoyed the fast paced action of the sport and the running aspect.It's not just a three month season for Staab. Twice a week he travels to Wichita to practice and then plays most weekends in Kansas City. He also takes part in 3v3 and 4v4 events as well.Staab is a three-time Western Athletic Conference first team selection.One of the things that Staab is looking forward to from the academic side of things is coaching. He currently coaches in Hays at the youth level. To the young players he says "Hard work and dedication. You can't make it as far as the pros if you don't have hard work and dedication."<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1797097636&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/brantlee-staab-signing" title="Brantlee Staab Signing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Brantlee Staab Signing</a></div></div>

⚽ Brantlee Staab goes from Hays High to Southwestern College

Tuesday, April 9
 KFIX: Hays High baseball vs. Great Bend (DH), 3:45pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 6:00pm

Tuesday, April 9
 KFIX: Hays High baseball vs. Great Bend (DH), 3:45pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 6:00pmWednesday, April 10
 KAYS: Tiger Talk, 12:10pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 6:00pmThursday, April 11
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros, 12:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian softball vs. Goodland (DH), 3:45pmFriday, April 12
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 5:30pmSaturday, April 13
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pmSunday, April 14
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals at New York Mets, 12:00pm

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A basketball beatdown. A coaching clinic. A double-digit domination.

Take one guess who finished off a romp through college basketball again. You bet, it’s UConn — a team built to win now, and often, and by a lot every time it takes the court.

Coach Dan Hurley's Huskies delivered the latest of their suffocating hoops performances Monday night, smothering Purdue for a 75-60 victory to become the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships.

Tristen Newton&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1777529515146727550">scored 20 points</a>&nbsp;for the Huskies, who won their 12th straight March Madness game — not a single one of them decided by fewer than 13 points.

UConn was efficient on offense but won this with defense. The Huskies (37-3) limited the country’s second-best 3-point shooting team to a mere seven shots behind the arc and only a single make, while happily allowing 7-foot-4 AP Player of the Year Zach Edey to go for 37 points on 25 shot attempts.

<a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1777541833658187900">UConn won its sixth overall title</a>&nbsp;and joined the 2006-07 Florida Gators and the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils as just the third team to repeat since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and ’70s.

“I just think it’s the best two-year run in a very, very long time, just because of everything we lost from last year’s team,” said Hurley, whose top two scorers from last year now play in the NBA. “To lose that much and do it again, it’s got to be as impressive a two-year run since at least prior to Duke.”

The 2024 Huskies are the sixth team to win all six tournament games by double-digit margins. They won those games by a grand total of 140 points, blowing past the 1996 Kentucky team, which won its six by 129.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A basketball beatdown. A coaching clinic. A double-digit domination.Take one guess who finished off a romp through college basketball again. You bet, it’s UConn — a team built to win now, and often, and by a lot every time it takes the court.Coach Dan Hurley's Huskies delivered the latest of their suffocating hoops performances Monday night, smothering Purdue for a 75-60 victory to become the first team since 2007 to capture back-to-back national championships.Tristen Newton&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MarchMadnessMBB/status/1777529515146727550">scored 20 points</a>&nbsp;for the Huskies, who won their 12th straight March Madness game — not a single one of them decided by fewer than 13 points.UConn was efficient on offense but won this with defense. The Huskies (37-3) limited the country’s second-best 3-point shooting team to a mere seven shots behind the arc and only a single make, while happily allowing 7-foot-4 AP Player of the Year Zach Edey to go for 37 points on 25 shot attempts.<a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1777541833658187900">UConn won its sixth overall title</a>&nbsp;and joined the 2006-07 Florida Gators and the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils as just the third team to repeat since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and ’70s.“I just think it’s the best two-year run in a very, very long time, just because of everything we lost from last year’s team,” said Hurley, whose top two scorers from last year now play in the NBA. “To lose that much and do it again, it’s got to be as impressive a two-year run since at least prior to Duke.”The 2024 Huskies are the sixth team to win all six tournament games by double-digit margins. They won those games by a grand total of 140 points, blowing past the 1996 Kentucky team, which won its six by 129.In a matchup of two top seeds, they wore down the Boilermakers (34-5), who made it this far a year after becoming just the second No. 1 in the history of March Madness to fall in the first round. But Purdue left the same way it came — still looking for the program’s first NCAA title.So much for the free-for-all this new age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals was supposed to become. UConn has figured out how to dominate and replenish its roster with players who understand their roles.Cam Spencer, a transfer from Rutgers, Stephon Castle, a blue-chip freshman, and Alex Karaban, a sophomore from last year’s team, spent the night guarding the 3-point line and making life miserable for Purdue’s guards.“They just made a decision — we can defend the perimeter, and we can take this away from you, you’re going to get the ball to your best player, he’ll be 1-on-1, and that’s that,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.This was only the second time this season Purdue didn’t put up 10 3-point attempts, and how ’bout this final score: Edey 37, the rest of the Boilermakers 23.How serious was Hurley about defending the perimeter? When Braden Smith wiggled loose for a semi-open look to make Purdue’s first 3 of the game with 2:17 left in the first half, the coach bolted onto the floor and called timeout.And that was that from behind the arc.“Coaches made a point that we’d be really locked in if we controlled their 3-point attempts,” Spencer said. “Holding them to seven shows we were locked in on making sure their guards didn’t get involved in the game.”With his Xs-and-Os masterpiece, Hurley joins former Florida coach Billy Donovan in the back-to-back club, and is in company with Bill Self and Rick Pitino as only the third active coach with two championships. News broke over the weekend that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-calipari-arkansas-570669b80b59b362ab2d75d83246f36b">it appears there's a job opening at Kentucky</a>, and the UConn coach's name has come up there.“I don't think that's a concern,” Hurley said. “My wife, you should have her answer that.”No way the Huskies would want to lose him.Hurley earned every penny in this one. In the first half, he begged with, swore at and generally berated the refs about over-the-backs, elbows and hip checks that weren’t called.Once, when that didn’t work after Edey set a hard (and probably legal) pick against Castle, Hurley started in on Edey himself as the center walked toward the Purdue bench for a timeout.But the coach’s best work came in whatever hotel room he used to draw up the game plan.“The whole game plan was no Smith, no Loyer, no Jones, no Gillis,” Hurley said, as he ticked off the last names of the Purdue guards. “We knew if we keep them below 18, 20 points as a group, and they had no chance to win, no matter how well Zach played.”It's no slight on Edey, who battled gamely, finishing with 10 rebounds to record his 30th double-double of the season. But this game proved the number crunchers and analytics experts right. UConn let Edey back in and back down all night on 7-2 Donovan Clingan, giving up difficult 2s in the post in exchange for any 3s.“They only doubled late in the second half, but by that point we had dug ourselves too deep of a hole,” Fletcher Loyer said.The defensive dominance put the finishing touch on a tournament in which UConn's average margin of victory was 23.3 points. Sure, Hurley might have to replace two or three of these players, but the coach said he'll worry about that in a week or two.