Weekday Morning Sports – Wednesday 10/15/14

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Sports Radio 1400 WSJM     @wsjmsports      wsjmsports.com     Wednesday, October 15, 2014

MLB – League Championship Series (Best of 7)
Yesterday
NLCS: San Francisco Giants 5, St. Louis Cardinals 4 – F/10        (Giants lead series 2-1)
ALCS: Kansas City Royals 2, Baltimore Orioles 1                        (Royals lead series 3-0)

NL: Giants 5, Cardinals 4 – F/10 – Small-ball Giants take 2-1 series lead
The San Francisco Giants have taken a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series on a ball that barely traveled 30 feet from home plate. A wild throw by reliever Randy Choate (CHOHT) on Gregor Blanco’s bunt allowed Brandon Crawford to score the winning run in the bottom of the 10th in the Giants’ 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

AL: Royals 2, Orioles 1 – Royals just one win away from Fall Classic
The Kansas City Royals are one victory away from advancing to their first World Series in 29 years. The Royals nipped Baltimore 2-1 to take a 3-0 lead in their American League Championship Series at Kauffman Stadium. Billy Butler’s sixth inning sacrifice fly broke a 1-1 tie for the Royals, who didn’t allow a hit after the third inning. Game 4 is this afternoon.

Today
ALCS: Baltimore (Gonzalez 10-9) at Kansas City (Vargas 11-10), 4:07 p.m.    (Royals lead series 3-0)
NLCS: St. Louis (Miller 10-9) at San Francisco (Vogelsong 8-13), 8:07 p.m.   (Giants lead series 2-1)

MLB – Detroit’s Dombrowski hoping to upgrade CF, bullpen
Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski says he would like to address the team’s center-field situation and bullpen after Detroit won its fourth straight AL Central title but was swept out of the playoffs in the division series. Detroit’s relief pitching was shaky all season, especially during the ALDS loss to Baltimore. The Tigers traded center fielder Austin Jackson in the deadline deal that brought star left-hander David Price to Detroit. Rajai Davis, Ezequiel Carrera and Don Kelly played center after that. Dombrowski says he’d be interested in a lefty-hitting center fielder who could be platooned with Davis _ or someone who might be able to play center full time.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings, 8:00 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Detroit Pistons at Charlotte Bobcats, 11:00 a.m.

NBA – Detroit’s Meeks out 8 weeks with back issue
Detroit Pistons guard Jodie Meeks is expected to miss about eight weeks because of a stress reaction of his lower back. The injury was discovered following a CT scan. Meeks signed a $19.5 million, three-year deal with the Pistons this offseason. He was diagnosed with back spasms last week and had additional testing done because of continuing discomfort. Meeks started 70 games last season, averaged a career-high 15.7 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range for the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s the second Detroit guard to go down with an injury recently. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is dealing with a left knee strain, although the team said an MRI showed no structural damage.

NBA – NBA to test shorter game 
The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will play a 44-minute preseason game on Sunday as the NBA experiments with a shorter game. The contest will be four minutes shorter than the NBA’s standard 48-minute game. The league says the teams will play four 11-minute quarters, one minute shorter than normal. There also will be only two mandatory timeouts per quarter. There are three mandatory timeouts in the second and fourth quarters of the 48-minute game.

NFL – NFL, union discuss player conduct policy
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players’ union chief DeMaurice Smith have agreed to continue discussing changes to the league’s personal conduct policy following a four-hour session in New York on Tuesday.  In an email to player representatives afterward, Smith says he made it clear to the league that the union wants due process.

NCAA Football – No. 8 Michigan St still tweaking its defense
The pieces are in place. Now Michigan State’s defense just needs a bit of fine-tuning.  Coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday that the Spartans need to allow fewer “explosive’ plays,” defined by Michigan State as runs of 15 yards or more and passes of 20 yards or more.  That starts with slowing the nation’s leading rusher, Indiana’s Tevin Coleman, when the Spartans visit Indiana on Saturday. Michigan State is second in the conference in rushing defense but allowed 129 rushing yards over the weekend during a 45-31 win at Purdue. That included a 52-yard touchdown run by the Boilermakers.

NCAA Football – Notre Dame’s lineman Williams out until June
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says defensive lineman Ishaq Williams has told him he won’t be allowed to play this season and hopes to return to the university in June. Kelly said Tuesday that Williams and cornerback KeiVarae Russell are the only two players of the five investigated for possible academic dishonesty who have informed him of their statuses after honesty committee hearings. Russell announced through social media last week he hope to return in June. “Our goal is for Ishaq to earn a Notre Dame degree,” said Shaun Williams, Ishaq’s father, in a telephone interview. The university announced in August it was investigating whether players had turned in papers and homework completed by others. Kelly says he hasn’t talked with receiver DaVaris Daniels, linebacker Kendall Moore and safety Eilar Hardy. Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown says all five are still enrolled at Notre Dame.

NCAA Football – Notre Dame’s big games usually mean big losses
Fifth-ranked Notre Dame will be looking for only its second victory against top five teams since 1998 when it faces second-ranked Florida State on Saturday. The Irish have a record of 1-16 against top five teams since then, losing by an average of nearly 23 points.  Coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday that teams are measured by how they do against the best. Kelly says he believes Notre Dame is getting to the point where it can beat a top five opponent, saying the Irish expect to win at Florida State. Kelly says there is no secret to beating top teams, but that it is a process and a journey Notre Dame currently is on.

NCAA Football – Winston adviser wants explanation for late hearing 
In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the adviser for the family of Jameis Winston has asked Florida State why it has chosen now to engage in the Title IX process and accuses the school of trying to protect its own interests and responding to media pressure. Florida State announced last week it will use an independent official in a student code of conduct hearing. A female student said Winston sexually assaulted her in December 2012. Attorney David Cornwell notes in a letter that university and federal policy requires a timely investigation. He asks university officials why Florida State ignored those guidelines and writes that Winston deserves a prompt explanation. Florida State Attorney Willie Meggs declined to press charges against Winston last December due to a lack of evidence.

NCAA – Slive stepping down as SEC boss
One of the most powerful figures in college sports is stepping down. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive will retire next summer after 13 years leading the league to unprecedented success and prosperity. The 74-year-old Slive said his retirement will take effect July 31, and also announced he plans to begin treatment for a recurrence of prostate cancer. Under his leadership, the SEC became the nation’s most premier football conference, dug out from under a pile of NCAA compliance issues and won seven consecutive BCS titles. Overall, the SEC won 67 national championships in 15 of its 21 sponsored sports since he took over in 2002.

NASCAR – Keselowski and Stewart fined for post-race fracas
NASCAR fined Brad Keselowski $50,000 and Tony Stewart $25,000 for their roles in the fracas after the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway over the weekend. Both drivers were also placed on probation. NASCAR said the penalties “are about maintaining a safe environment following the race.” Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin were not penalized for their roles in the post-race skirmishes after Saturday night’s race. The sequence of events began on the cool-down lap when Hamlin admittedly brake-checked Keselowski to show his displeasure with how Keselowski raced him over the final two laps. Keselowski then tried, but failed, to spin Hamlin. As Keselowski walked between two team haulers, Kenseth rushed in from behind and jumped him. Crew members quickly peeled Kenseth away and he made it clear he was upset Keselowski hit him while his seatbelts were off and his window net down.

Golf – PGA – Kaymer in control
U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer seized control with a tap-in birdie followed by an eagle on his way to a 6-under 65 and a two-shot lead over Bubba Watson in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. British Open and PGA champion Rory McIlroy fell back after a strong start and had a 69. Jim Furyk, the alternate in the 36-hole exhibition for the year’s four major champions, was seven shots behind after a 73. The Grand Slam of Golf concludes today.

Golf – Americans try to solve Ryder Cup with task force
The PGA of America wants to take a closer look at its Ryder Cup failures by creating a task force that includes Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, along with three past captains of losing American teams. The 11-member “Ryder Cup Task Force” announced early today has five players, three former captains and three PGA of America officials. The purpose is to examine everything from how the captains are picked to how the players qualify for the team, and when the captain’s picks are decided. Europe has won the Ryder Cup eight of the last 10 times.

WNBA – New York Liberty, coach Bill Laimbeer part ways
The New York Liberty have split with coach and general manager Bill Laimbeer. The WNBA team said Tuesday it didn’t renew his contract. The Liberty went 26-42 in Laimbeer’s two seasons and missed the playoffs both years. The former Detroit Pistons star led the Detroit Shock to three WNBA titles as the team’s general manager and coach from 2002 to 2009. Allan Houston, the Knicks’ assistant general manager who also oversees Liberty basketball operations, thanked Laimbeer for his “hard work and contributions.” Houston says the Liberty have “a loyal and passionate fan base” and the franchise will aim to “reach our ultimate goal of a WNBA championship.”

AHL – 12-game suspension for AHL player Gillies
An Adirondack Flames player has been suspended 12 games by the American Hockey League for slamming an opposing player’s head onto the ice during a game. Left-wing Trevor Gillies skated up to Rochester rookie forward William Carrier during a scrum, punched him several times and slammed his head on the ice as he went down.  Gillies was assessed two game misconducts, a fighting major and an instigating minor during the third period of the Flames’ 6-1 loss in Rochester on Friday. Carrier did not throw a punch during the melee.  While playing for the New York Islanders during the 2010-11 season, Gillies was suspended nine games for punching a player. The first game back, he was ejected for a hit and suspended another 10 games. Gillies is eligible to return to the lineup on Nov. 15.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Volleyball
River Valley 3, Eau Claire 0
Decatur 3, Marcellus 0
Watervliet 3, Lawton 1

Cross Country
BCS League Championship at Centreville

Boys Girls
  1. Bridgman
  2. Mendon
  3. Bronson
  4. Centreville
  5. White Pigeon
  6. New Buffalo
  7. Buchanan
  8. Brandywine
  9. Lake Michigan Catholic
  10. Cassopolis
  1. Mendon
  2. Bridgman
  3. Bronson
  4. Lake Michigan Catholic
  5. New Buffalo
  6. Buchanan
  7. White Pigeon
  8. Centreville
  9. Cassopolis
  10. Brandywine

Wolverine Meet at Coloma (Sarrett Nature Center)

Boys Girls
  1. Sturgis
  2. Otsego
  3. Vicksburg
  4. Three Rivers
  5. Plainwell
  6. Berrien Springs
  7. South Haven
  8. Paw Paw
  9. Allegan
  10. Coloma
  11. Dowagiac
  12. Edwardsburg
  1. Otsego
  2. Vicksburg
  3. Plainwell
  4. Edwardsburg
  5. Sturgis
  6. South Haven
  7. Three Rivers
  8. Allegan
  9. Berrien Springs
  10. Coloma
  11. Paw Paw
  12. Dowagiac

Girls Swimming
Battle Creek Lakeview 111.5, St. Joseph 74.5
Lakeshore 101, Portage Northern 69
Sturgis 101, South Haven 85

Today
Boys Soccer – MHSAA District Tournament 
Division 2 (Three Rivers)
Mattawan vs. Sturigs, 5:00 p.m.
St. Joseph vs. Niles, 7:00 p.m.

Division 3 (Coloma)
Brandywine vs. Paw Paw, 5:00 p.m.
South Haven vs. Dowagiac, 7:00 p.m.

Division 4 (New Buffalo)
Hartford vs. Bangor, 5:00 p.m.
Lake Michigan Catholic vs. Bridgman, 7:30 p.m.

Division 4 (Marcellus)
Marcellus vs. Howardsville Christian, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Heritage vs. Cassopolis, 7:45 p.m.

Girls Volleyball
Benton Harbor at Lakeshore
St. Joseph at Niles
New Buffalo at White Pigeon
Brandywine at Bronson