Wednesday Morning Sports – Runza Seniors Shocked by Nationals, Big Red Baseball Begins Big Ten Tourney, Day 1 State Golf Results for Stars and Bearcats, Husker Football Snags Utah Transfer, Sports Schedules

RUNZA SENIORS SHOCKED BY NORTH PLATTE AT BILL WOOD FIELD:

The Kearney Runza Seniors started their season on the wrong foot, after taking an early lead in the first inning squandered their three run advantage heading into the bottom of the sixth and ultimately falling short 8-7 at Bill Wood field Tuesday night. 

FNBO North Platte added five runs in the sixth inning and held Kearney scoreless in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings after giving up five runs in the opening frame. Runza (0-1) dropped after scoring seven runs on thirteen hits and three errors while the Nationals (3-0) earned eight runs on six hits and one error. 

Kearney opens Memorial Field for the summer tonight facing Grand Island Home Federal. Pregame coverage is set for 7:15 PM with first pitch around 7:30 PM. 

Join Austin Jacobsen for the coverage on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com.

BIG RED BASEBALL BATTLE RUTGERS TO START BIG TEN TOURNEY:

Nebraska opens play in the Big Ten Baseball Tournament with a matchup against fifth-seeded Rutgers this afternoon at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

First pitch between the Huskers and Scarlet Knights is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Through 20 all-time meetings, Nebraska holds an 11-9 advantage over Rutgers in the all-time series. The Scarlet Knights picked up a series sweep over the Huskers last season in Lincoln.

Today’s matchup marks the first meeting between the two programs in the Big Ten Tournament. KGFW’s pregame is set for 1:30 PM. 

STATE GOLF DAY 1 RESULTS: KCHS FIRST IN CLASS C, BEARCATS IN FIFTH:

The Kearney Catholic Stars’ Boys Golf team wrapped their Day 1 action at the Elks Country Club in Hastings with a strong opening performance shooting 320 as a team while Jackson Dunham holds the top individual spot at 74. 

The Kearney High Bearcat Boys Golf team is also sitting strong, with the team in fifth (310) and senior Perry Swarm in fifth individually at 71. 

More results can be found at KGFW.com. Day 2 action begins today in Class C in Columbus with Class A action in Norfolk. 

FOUR HUSKERS EARN ALL-BIG TEN RECOGNITION:

Nebraska’s Max Anderson, Brice Matthews, Gabe Swansen and Shay Schanaman received All-Big Ten honors.

Anderson and Matthews were first-team selections, while Swansen and Schanaman were second-team and third-team honorees, respectively. Anderson was one of two unanimous first-team selections, joining Michigan State’s Brock Vrandenburg.

Nebraska opens Big Ten play on Wednesday at 2 p.m. against fifth-seeded Rutgers at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

HUSKER FOOTBALL LANDS UTAH O-LINE TRANSFER:

Nebraska has dipped into the transfer portal for more depth on the offensive line: Utah transfer offensive lineman Tyler Knaak is joining the program, announcing his commitment to the Huskers on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pounder was on campus for a visit Monday and Tuesday, and he left Lincoln as a Husker ready to play for coach Matt Rhule.

Knaak, who will arrive this summer as an engineering major, entered the transfer portal on April 27. After he entered the portal, the Salt Lake City native reported offers from Kentucky, Appalachian State and Buffalo.

STUCKEY NAMED KEN JONES AWARD FINALIST:

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletes Association announced its five female and five male finalists for the 2022-23 Ken B. Jones Award. The Ken B. Jones Award recognizes the Association’s top female and male student-athletes from the academic year. 

UNK’s Luke Stuckey (Distance runner – UNK T&F) was nominated as a male finalist for this year’s ballot. Other male finalists are wrestler Dalton Abney (Central Oklahoma), soccer player Ryan McCully (Northeastern State), distance runner Matthew Oglesby (Pitt State), pole vaulter Ryan Stanley (Fort Hays).

UNK’s Matt Malcom (wrestling) won the 2021-22 award, the first Loper to do so. 

NFL ANTICIPATES FEWER KICKOFFS WITH NEW FAIR CATCH RULE:

The NFL has pushed the kickoff return further toward irrelevance with a priority on player safety.

The existence of the kickoff itself remains under careful review.

League owners voted Tuesday for a one-year trial of an enhanced touchback rule that will give the receiving team the ball at its own 25 with a fair catch of a kickoff anywhere behind that yard line.

The proposal passed despite strong pushback from coaches and players across the league who argued the rule change will create uglier plays with squib and corner kicks that make fair catches impossible.

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES/SCHEDULES:

TUESDAY RESULTS:

Boston Celtics 116-99 Miami Heat (MIA leads 3-1)

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

N/a

NHL PLAYOFFS SCORES/SCHEDULES:

TUESDAY RESULTS:

Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 Dallas Stars (VGK leads 3-0)

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

Carolina Hurricanes @ Florida Panthers (FLA leads 3-0) – 7 PM

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Golf: STATE TOURNAMENT @ Norfolk Country Club
    • KHS = 5th overall; Perry Swarm = 5th
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Golf: STATE TOURNAMENT @ Columbus Elks Country Club
    • KCHS = 1st overall; Jackson Dunham = 1st

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Golf: STATE TOURNAMENT @ Norfolk Country Club
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Golf: STATE TOURNAMENT @ Columbus
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: NAIA Championships @ Marion, IN
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: #4 Nebraska Baseball v. #5 Rutgers (1:30 PM – 5:30 PM)
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 7:15 PM)
  • Runza Senior Legion Baseball v. Grand Island Home Federal (7:15 PM – 10:15 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Pueblo, CO
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: NAIA Championships @ Marion, IN
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: #4 Nebraska Baseball v. TBD (TBA)
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Pueblo, CO
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: NAIA Championships @ Marion, IN
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: #4 Nebraska Baseball v. TBD (TBA)
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS @ Pueblo, CO
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: #4 Nebraska Baseball v. TBD (TBA)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: #4 Nebraska Baseball v. TBD (TBA)