Sports Update

MIAA expands, may expand more in the near future

     The MIAA has taken steps to expand the number of league members to a 14-team league.
      It was announced yesterday that the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond and Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma have been invited to join. Both schools are reporting they have accepted the invitations. Timelines of when the two schools, both members of the Lone Star Conference, will begin play will be set in the near future.
      The MIAA says they are in the process of considering an application by Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, which is making the jump from the NAIA to Division II. It has also been rumored that the University of Nebraska-Kearney could be a 16th member of the conference.

MIAA commissioner headed for Pittsburg State

     PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) - The commissioner of the MIAA has been named the new athletics director at Pittsburg State University.
      Jim Johnson will be introduced Friday as the new athletic director, Pittsburg State President said yesterday.
      Johnson will begin the job on Sept. 7. He'll replace Chuck Broyles, who in May announced that he would begin phased retirement.
      Johnson was chosen from more than 50 applicants after a national search. He will be paid $120,000.
      Before going to MIAA in 2007, Johnson was athletics director at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Before that he was associate athletics director at the University of Central Missouri.

Royals drop decision to Orioles

      KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning broke the game's final tie and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 last night to snap a five-game losing streak.
      Corey Patterson homered with two outs in the eighth off Kansas City's Robinson Tejeda to tie the score 5-5. Nick Markakis led off the third for the Orioles with his ninth home run.
      Wigginton's second sacrifice fly of the game scored Brian Roberts in the 11th and was off Blake Wood (0-2), the fifth Kansas City pitcher.
      Five Baltimore relievers combined to throw 7 2-3 scoreless innings with David Hernandez (5-7), who allowed one hit and struck out three in two innings, to get the victory. Alfredo Simon logged his 15th save in 17 opportunities.

Cardinals give Mets their first series win in more than a month

     NEW YORK (AP) - R.A. Dickey took a three-hitter into the ninth inning and Ike Davis hit a three-run homer, leading the Mets to a 4-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday that gave New York its first series victory in more than a month.
      Angel Pagan tripled and scored twice for the Mets, who took two of three from St. Louis to drop the Cardinals into second place in the NL Central, a half-game behind idle Cincinnati. New York won for only the fifth time in 18 games but improved to 28-12 in its past 40 at home.
      Working on three days' rest, Dickey (7-4) showed no ill effects of the sore left hip that prompted manager Jerry Manuel to pull the knuckleballer out of a scoreless game Sunday.