Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:47am Cape Lax's 'Drive for Five' ends in state title By Gianna Banner
Video: Highlights of State Championship game and reaction
Cape Henlopen's senior Anna Frederick and coach PJ Kesmodel thought they didn't play their best lacrosse game Thursday night, but they played well enough to beat Tower Hill and be crowned DIAA Girls Lacrosse State Champions once again.
The top two Delaware girls lacrosse teams battled it out at Dover High until the very end, but the top-seeded Vikings scored five unanswered goals to open the second half and won 12-10.
Frederick scored first with less than a minute off of the clock, but Tower Hill's Ellie Wakefield found Alexandra du Pont to tie the game up 1-1 early.
The game remained close, and the score knotted up three more times.
Tower Hill took the lead when senior Sophia McCoy scored back-to-back goals to give the Hillers the 6-4 edge with 13:03 left in the half. But Frederick scored her second goal to knot the game at six heading into the break.
Cape's Sara Young, who led the Vikings with three goals on the night, began scoring in the second to lift the Vikings 7-6. Katherine Judge, Allie Yeager, Karalyn Joseph, and one more by Young extended the Cape lead 11-6.
With 12 minutes left to play, Tower Hill began to close the gap. Jenna Chodos, who scored three goals in the first half, added one more to get a Hillers rally started. Freshman Kiva Walsh and McCoy followed, but it wouldn't be enough as Cape ran down the clock.
Cape won their fifth straight title and finished the season 17-1. The Vikings only loss was against Queen Annes County, a Maryland school.
No.2-seeded Hillers finished the season with a 14-4 record.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - 3:49pm Chase Utley out 2-4 weeks with oblique strain By Associated Press
Updated Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:15am
The Philadelphia Phillies have placed five-time All-Star second baseman Chase Utley on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain.
Utley could miss up to four weeks. The team announced that Michael Martinez had his contract selected and will join the team in Washington Friday.
"We do believe and hope that Chase will be ready to play in Philadelphia within 15 days," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We are being cautious with this injury as it is a tricky one and want to make sure it isn't an issue for him throughout the season."
Utley is batting .272 with seven homers and 25 RBIs. Freddy Galvis has replaced him in the starting lineup.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - 11:14pm Blue Jays spoil O's Guasman's debut By Ian Harrison/AP
Updated Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:11am
With his first major league start in the books, Kevin Gausman was looking forward to a good night's rest.
Edwin Encarnacion hit his fifth career grand slam, J.P. Arencibia homered and drove in four runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Baltimore 12-6 on Thursday night, spoiling Gausman's Orioles debut.
"Definitely a learning experience for me but it was awesome," Gausman said. "It was everything I could have imagined and more.
"I've been waiting my entire life for this," he added. "I haven't been able to sleep very much lately. That was something that was kind of great to get out of the way. Hopefully I can sleep tonight."
The fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Gausman allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out five.
"He gave us a chance to win against a team swinging the bat as hot as anybody," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I thought he handled himself the way you'd like to see a young pitcher handle himself. He's only going to get better."
The youngest starter in the AL at 22 years and 137 days, Gausman showed some veteran composure in the third, loading the bases with none out before retiring the next three batters.
"His changeup was a big pitch for him tonight and he was able to use it in some key situations," catcher Matt Wieters said. "The slider was there if we needed it, too.
"That's a good hitting team and a good hitting fastball team and he was able to make some balls miss some barrels," Wieters added.
Even Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was impressed.
"He's got a great arm," Gibbons said. "He pitched with good composure. He looks like he belongs out there. For a debut he did a heck of a job."
Promoted from Double-A Bowie to face Toronto, Gausman learned that big league hitters are a cut above the opponents he's been facing.
"I threw a great changeup 3-2 to (Colby) Rasmus and he just kind of spit on it," Gausman said. "At this level, those guys are so good it's kind of crazy."
Gausman (0-1) is the 11th pitcher to start for Baltimore this year. The Orioles used 12 starters all of last season.
Baltimore's Chris Davis hit his major league leading 15th home run, a leadoff shot in the fourth. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones hit back-to-back homers off Brandon Morrow to start the eighth but it wasn't enough for the Orioles, who lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Baltimore's Manny Machado went 3 for 4 with three doubles, boosting his major league-leading total to 21.
Morrow (2-3) allowed six runs and a season-high 10 hits in seven-plus innings. He walked one and struck out five.
"It's frustrating for me to go out give up the two home runs without getting an out there in the eighth," Morrow said. "It's a good win, but it put a sour taste in my mouth."
Brett Cecil and Brad Lincoln each worked one inning of scoreless relief as Toronto won for the third time in four games.
Machado gave the Orioles an early lead with a two-run double in the third. Davis made it 3-0 by homering on Morrow's first pitch of the fourth, but the Blue Jays rallied with two runs off Gausman in the bottom half. Adam Lind and Arencibia led off with consecutive doubles and Emilio Bonifacio hit a sacrifice fly.
Arencibia put the Blue Jays in front with a two-out, first-pitch drive in the fifth for his 11th homer.
Troy Patton was replaced after issuing back-to-back two-out walks in the sixth. Pedro Strop came on and walked Jose Bautista before Encarnacion homered off the left field foul screen, Toronto's first grand slam this season.
Five of the eight walks issued by Baltimore pitchers came around to score.
"You like your chances when you score six but not when you walk that many people," Showalter said.
After Alexi Casilla hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh, Markakis hit his fifth home run in the eighth and Jones followed with his seventh. It's the third time this season the Orioles have hit consecutive homers.
Toronto put it away with four runs off T.J. McFarland in a bat-around eighth. Anthony Gose scored from second on a passed ball after Wieters threw to second, Arencibia hit an RBI grounder, Brett Lawrie singled home a run and Rasmus hit a sacrifice fly.
Left fielder Nate McLouth tumbled into the stands after running into the wall in foul territory while retiring Rasmus for the first out of the sixth. Fans tried to indicate that McLouth had dropped the ball, but third base umpire Manny Gonzalez ruled it an out. After the play, a fan in the second deck threw a drink at McLouth, bringing Showalter out for a discussion with the umpires.
Both Showalter and McLouth downplayed the incident.
"It just kind of startled me for a second," McLouth said. "I'm not really sure how close it landed. That's just one person doing something they shouldn't do."
NOTES: The Blue Jays are 15-0 when scoring five runs or more. ... Jones, who has been bothered by a sore groin, made his third straight start at DH. Jones played 162 games last year and has yet to miss a game this season. ...Toronto will promote LHP Sean Nolin from Double-A to make his major league debut Friday against the Orioles. RHP Chad Jenkins will start Sunday. ... To clear a roster spot for Gausman, the Orioles optioned RHP Jake Arrieta to Triple-A Norfolk and designated RHP Alex Burnett for assignment. ... A moment of silence was held before the game in memory of scout Epy Guerrero, who died Thursday at 71. ... Former Blue Jays infielder Homer Bush threw out the first pitch. ... Showalter celebrated his 57th birthday.
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 4:30pm Elon to join UD in CAA By Sean Greene
Updated Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:45am
Elon University will become the 10th full-time member of the Colonial Athletic Association, Delaware's home conference, in the 2014-2015 school year, the school and conference announced Thursday.
The school, located about 20 miles east of Greensboro, North Carolina, will transition out of the Southern Conference to join the league Delaware has been in since the 2001-2002.
The Phoenix will bring in a men's basketball program that had its best season since 2006 by finishing 21-12, losing in the Southern Conference semifinals to fellow future-CAA member College of Charleston, and earning a bid in the CIT where they lost to Canisus.
Elon has statistically struggled in men's basketball however, with last year's 178th finish in the RPI their only top-200 placing since a 172th-best showing in 2005-2006.
Elon's football program has had some success in the historically strong SoCon, earning a FCS tournament bid in 2009, but have gone 3-8 and 5-6 during the past two years.
CAA schools have been looking for new members to join the conference after the recent defections of Virginia Commonwealth (A-10), George Mason (A-10), Old Dominion (Conference USA), and Georgia State (Sun Belt). The conference announced this winter that Charleston would join the league, however they do not currently have football.
Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:25am 9th inning rally eliminates Delaware baseball from CAAs By Sean Greene
No. 5 Northeastern scored four runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to shock Delaware and eliminate the Blue Hens from the 2013 CAA Tournament Thursday in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
No. 3 Delaware's day started with a 9-6 loss to No. 6 James Madison in a continuation from Wednesday's washout, but it appeared things were looking okay in their first game in the loser's bracket.
Starter Adam Lewis had allowed three runs on six hits through the first 8 innings of the second game, while the offense scored three runs in the 4th inning and also had a 2-run homer by Nick Ferdinand in the 5th inning to put Delaware ahead 5-3.
Pinch-hitter Chris Branigan walked with the bases loaded in the 9th inning to give Delaware one more insurance run, but then things unraveled in the 9th.
Lewis surrendered a leadoff home run and a single before being replaced by Caravel-alum Eric Buckland. Buckland forced a fly out before giving up a pair of singled which brought the score to 6-5. After another fly out put Delaware an out away from victory, Buckland gave up a walk which loaded the bases.
Jason Vosler's 2-run single to right field proved to be the game winner, ending Delaware's season at 33-22, their most wins since 2004.
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 6:04pm Blue Rocks wake up to a victory By Sean Greene
John Lamb pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball as the Blue Rocks won a 5-1 day-game over Lynchburg Thursday at Frawley Stadium.
The Hillcats bats failed to awaken for the 10:35 first-pitch as they mustered just three hits against Lamb, who struck out 8 to improve to 3-4 on the season.
Wilmington did most of their offensive damage in the 4th inning, plating 4 runs on an RBI single by Cheslor Cuthbert, sacrifice fly by Jack Lopez, and a 2-run single off the bat of Alex Hudak.
Cuthbert later added an insurance run in the 8th with an RBI double.
Wilmington is off on Friday and begins a road trip with a double-header at Myrtle Beach Saturday at 6:05.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 11:47am Softball Tournament Bracket Announced By WDEL Staff
Updated Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 5:26pm
A.I. duPont defeated St. Mark's 5-4 Thursday afternoon to earn the final bid into the DIAA Softball Tournament. There will be 8 1st round games Saturday throughout Delaware.
Play-In Round
Thursday, May 23
No. 15 A.I. duPont 5, No. 15 St. Mark's 4
1st Round
Saturday, May 25
No. 16 DMA at No. 1 Caravel - 11am
No. 15 A.I. duPont at No. 2 Laurel - 1pm (at Laurel Little League)
No. 14 Hodgson at No. 3 Charter - 11am
No. 13 Appoquinimink at No. 4 Polytech - 11am
No. 12 Sussex Tech at No. 5 Sussex Central - 11am
No. 11 Milford at No. 6 Padua - 1pm (at Midway Little League)
No. 10 Red Lion at No. 7 Delmar - 1pm
No. 9 St. Georges at No. 8 Indian River - 1pm
2nd Round
Tuesday, May 28 - Sites/Times TBA
DMA/Caravel vs. IR/St. Georges
Play-In/Laurel vs. Delmar/Red Lion
Hodgson/Charter vs. Padua/Milford
Polytech/Appo vs. SussexTech/SussexCentral
Monday, May 20, 2013 - 1:56am Baseball Tournament - Round 2 By WDEL Staff
Updated Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 11:04pm
St. Mark's pulled a second straight upset to advance to the semifinals of the DIAA Baseball Tournament which are scheduled for Saturday at Frawley Stadium.
2nd Round
No. 1 St. Elizabeth 5, No. 9 Milford 1
No. 13 St. Mark's 12, No. 12 Appoquinimink 1
No. 2 Caravel 5, No. 7 Sussex Central 4
No. 6 Dover 4, No. 3 A.I. duPont 1
Semifinals
Saturday, May 25
At Frawley Stadium - Times TBA
No. 1 St. Elizabeth vs. No. 13 St. Mark's
No. 2 Caravel vs. No. 6 Dover
Friday, May 24, 2013 - 12:11am Chicago Fire acquire D Soumare from Union By Associated Press
The Chicago Fire acquired defender Bakary Soumare from the Philadelphia Union on Thursday for a second round-pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money.
This will be the second stint with the Fire for Soumare, who is expected to be available Saturday at Real Salt Lake.
He was chosen with the second overall pick in the 2007 SuperDraft and spent three seasons with the Fire before transferring to French First Division team Boulogne in August 2009. In January 2012, he was loaned to German club Karlsruher SC, and he signed with the Union on June 26, 2012 after they traded with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to move up in the MLS Allocation order. Soumare started all four matches he appeared in for Philadelphia.
Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 7:07pm Philly embracing role as Title Town for colleges By Dan Gelston/AP
Leave the Philadelphia sports championships to the amateurs.
While fans of the city's Big 4 are used to coming home empty-handed in the postseason, if they even make the postseason, there are joyous celebrations on the mound, the pitch, the ice, just about every year in one of sports' most populous markets.
Maybe the Eagles or Flyers could learn a lesson about what it takes to win a title in Philly.
Each year, teams and players in all levels of play win championships here as a rush of second-tier events have flooded the market. From rugby to lacrosse, and even squash, Philly has become a championship city. Just don't ask the pros.
This weekend, the men's and women's NCAA lacrosse titles will be awarded here. The collegiate rugby championship is up next in June.
There are conference championships in soccer and even the organization formerly known as the Lingerie Football League is calling Philly home.
Don't forget, the Frozen Four - NCAA's hockey championship - is on tap for 2014.
It's almost enough to make the most hardcore fan forget that the Eagles, Flyers, 76ers and Phillies all missed the playoffs in the last year.
OK, maybe not.
Still, the influx of big-time events only bolsters the market's reputation as a top sports city and stuffs the coffers for hotels, restaurants and everyone connected to Lincoln Financial Field, PPL Park or the Wells Fargo Center.
"Every city in America wants these events," Peter Luukko, Flyers president, said. "We want to be the best. It just supplements our regular seasons."
City officials expect 10,000 hotel room nights and an economic impact of $25 million pumped into Philadelphia this weekend because of lacrosse. The NCAA Divisions I, II, and III men's championships will be held at the Linc. The D-II and D-III championship games are Sunday and D-I national title contest is Monday.
The women's national championship game is Sunday at Villanova Stadium.
"The Philadelphia region is one of the strongest lacrosse communities in the nation," Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro said.
Lincoln Financial Field hosted the men's lacrosse championship in 2005 and 2006 to huge attendance numbers. The event drew 111,227 in 2005, and 120,614 the next year. After the Eagles went 4-12, this will be the first time there's genuine excitement at the stadium in a couple of years.
Gymnastics, squash and table tennis have all held major events in Philadelphia the last five years, as well. The NCAA also picks the Wells Fargo Center as a frequent spot for the first weekend of the men's basketball tournament.
So why chase these events? Stadiums have dates to fill and need a financial boost from tourists. Plus, the lacrosse weekend will be aired on various ESPN outlets that will bring exposure to the city and corporate names plastered on the arenas.
Full stadiums in dry periods bring a buzz to the city that can't be found elsewhere.
"Part of what our charge to, is to be part of this community," Luukko said. "When these events come to town, the hotels are full, the restaurants are full. It's our contribution to the community as well."
After two failed bids, Luukko helped to bring the 2014 Frozen Four to the Wells Fargo Center. Earlier this year, Penn State and Vermont played a regular-season game at the home of the Flyers, in front of 19,529 fans.
"It's validation we're not just a Flyers town," Luukko said, "but a hockey town."
PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union of MLS, is again the site of the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship. The event runs June 1-2, and will feature schools like Arizona, Florida and Dartmouth.
"We want to do big events," Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz said. "Not smaller events."
The rugby championship drew about 18,200 fans last year after 17,894 attended in 2011.
"We don't want to abuse the building with too many events," Sakiewicz said. "But at the same time, we're fine putting American football on it, rugby, lacrosse. We have a dog show coming to PPL Park. We can handle a variety events, we just have to be mindful of what kind of events we put in the building."
Sakiewicz said PPL Park could expand - just not yet. After all, it was built with more than soccer in mind, making it a desirable location for all types of sports.
"The sightlines are so good for soccer, but they're even better for other sports that maybe aren't played as widely across the pitch," he said. "You have really good sightlines for lacrosse, rugby and American football.
"That's a benefit."
Sakiewicz would like to see PPL Park expand its use for more than just sports.
"It's been kind of tough to win any bids and get music into the building," he said. "But we have a great diversity of sporting events at PPL and we'll continue to grow that."
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 5:20pm Ursuline's Brown - WDEL Female HS Athlete of the Week By Sean Greene
VIDEO: Interview with Ursuline's Rachel Brown
Ursuline Academy rower Rachel Brown is this week's WDEL Female High School Athlete of the Week.
The senior signed a scholarship last Friday to join Clemson University's crew team next season.
Rachel only picked up the sport a year ago, and says one of her other favorite sports helped her quickly adjust inside of the boat.
"I used to be a ski racer and that gave me a lot of leg strength, and rowing is a lot of legs."
Andrew Madden, rowing coach with the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association, says Rachel does all the small things to succeed.
"A lot of hard work, and lot of showing up every day. A lot of it is general athleticism, a lot of it is also the desire to get yourself to the level where you can be recruited."
Rachel says she wants to study biology at Clemson with the goal of eventually becoming a doctor. She says volunteering at Salem Memorial Hospital in New Jersey helped guide her in that direction.
"I got to visit with the patients and I was alongside with the doctor, and he showed me all sorts of (things) and I really enjoyed doing it."
She said the most memorable part of her experience was helping in the E.R.
"It was the excitement. There's always an adrenaline rush, there's always something new to do."
And Clemson hopes to get a boost of adrenaline from Ursuline's Rachel Brown next year, she is this week's WDEL Female High School Athlete of the Week. In Wilmington, SG 1150AM WDEL Sports.
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