By opening against Oregon State, Northwestern State will face its first Pac-12 opponent since splitting two games at Arizona in the 2016 season. It will mark the second time this season the Demons make their debut in a road stadium, having done so March 17-18 at Nebraska. “It was crazy,” senior center fielder Kwan Adkins said. “We were all sitting there, sure we were going to different places. Finally, at the last minute, we find out we’re going to Oregon State. It was tremendous. I’m ready to experience it.”CORVALLIS REGIONAL GAME TIMES – JUNE 1#2 LSU vs. #3 San Diego State – 4 PM ET#1 Oregon State vs. #4 Northwestern State – 10:30 PM ET#RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/bDdf6fKeWU— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) May 28, 2018 “It means a lot, knowing they didn’t what they wanted to last year,” said junior left-hander Ridge Heisler, who has started each series or tournament opener since April 6. “This year, the motto was, ‘Change It.’ I definitely think we did. I’ve never been to Oregon. It’s a different place, but it’s going to be a lot of fun.”.@SouthlandSports: AQ CLINCHED! ??@NSUDemonsBSB will have a #RoadToOmaha! pic.twitter.com/BPkUnC37Kg— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) May 27, 2018 “They weren’t one of the teams we did a lot of preliminary stuff on,” second-year head coach Bobby Barbier said of the Beavers, who reached the College World Series semifinals a year ago. “I know they’re a really good baseball team. Their coach (Pat Casey) does a tremendous job out there. I look forward to seeing a different brand of baseball. That West Coast baseball is a little different than what we play down here. I’m looking forward to competing against those guys.” Surrounded by a bevy of purple-clad fans at Chili’s, the Northwestern State baseball team spent most of the 11 o’clock hour Monday morning anxiously awaiting their NCAA Regional destination. For much of the selection show, the Demons stayed on edge before being revealed as the No. 4 seed in the Corvallis Regional. While the Demons are more than familiar with LSU, whom they faced on May 15, Oregon State and San Diego State will be first-time foes for Northwestern State. The Demons enter the Corvallis Regional as winners of 16 of their last 20 games, including posting a 4-0 mark in the Southland Conference Tournament. “We were ready to hear our name,” said Southland Conference Player of the Year and SLC Tournament Most Valuable Player David Fry. “It’s amazing where baseball can take you. I never thought I’d be going to Oregon in my whole life.” The trip to the West Coast was unexpected for the Demons, whose three other NCAA Regional appearances have come in Baton Rouge (1991, 2005) and Stillwater, Oklahoma (1993). In addition to the Beavers (44-10-1), Northwestern State (37-22) is joined in Corvallis by No. 2 seed LSU (37-25) and third-seeded San Diego State (39-19). Northwestern State, playing In its first NCAA Regional since 2005, will face the region’s top seed and the No. 3 national seed Oregon State at 9:30 p.m. Friday on a game that will air nationally on ESPNU. Northwestern State locked up its second automatic regional bid in school history with its first Southland Conference Tournament championship. The Demons and San Diego State (Mountain West) each won their conference tournaments while Oregon State and LSU were at-large selections to the tournament. NATCHITOCHES, La. – After a 13-year wait, what did a few more minutes matter? Like many of his players, Barbier has never been to Oregon. He has been to an NCAA Regional, having been a junior on the Demons’ 2005 entrant. NCAA Corvallis Regional ScheduleFridayGame 1, 3 p.m. (CDT): No. 3 San Diego State (39-19) vs. No. 2 LSU (37-25), ESPNUGame 2, 9:30 p.m. (CDT): No. 4 Northwestern State (37-22) at No. 1 Oregon State (44-10-1), ESPNUSaturdayGame 3, 3 p.m. (CDT): Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loserGame 4, 9 p.m. (CDT): Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winnerSundayGame 5, 2 p.m. (CDT): Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loserGame 6, 8 p.m. (CDT): Game 5 winner vs. Game 4 winnerMondayGame 7 (if necessary) 9 p.m. (CDT): Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loserNote: TV networks for Games 3-7 are TBD
SANTA MARIA QUOTES-SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2019
JOCKEY QUOTESDRAYDEN VAN DYKE, LA FORCE, WINNER: “Mike and Paradise Woods stumbling at the start really didn’t change anything for me. I had a great outside post and she tends to like being in the clear, my horse. It did help a little, her stumbling, obviously because it made the trip more difficult for him and only helped us.“She’s just an honest trying filly, she’s very, very classy.“Paddy put the cheaters on her today, not blinkers but the firs, just a little on the side to change a little something, change it up and I think it helped. Like I said, she really brings it every time.“It’s very rewarding getting this win with her. She ran second to Unique Bella so many times so I really believe she deserves this.”MIKE SMITH, PARADISE WOODS, SECOND: “She stumbled really bad, which she’s done in the past. I still thought I could win it at the quarter pole, but by the time I got out, the winner kicked away from us and we couldn’t get ’em.”TRAINER QUOTESPATRICK GALLAGHER, LA FORCE, WINNER: “The filly was in a good spot. The favorite stumbled at the start. I have to watch the replay, but we thought she (Paradise Woods) would be on the lead but it didn’t turn out that way, La Force put it together and we were very happy. Chuck gave instructions to the jockey when we were in the Paddock and that was it. “We finally got the win today after knocking on the door so many times. We’re just glad to get there and win. Winning a graded race is a big help for a broodmare prospect so now, she’s done that. We’re really, really happy with her performance.“Yes, anything can happen in racing and something just happened. The favorite (Paradise Woods) was one-to-five and she didn’t probably have her best shot today. La Force has been running in these spots for quite a while now and she’s been close and then…sometimes you get disappointed and you really shouldn’t. If you’re running second or third in a graded stakes with a filly, you should always be very happy.”OWNER QUOTESCHARLES WINNER, LA FORCE, WINNER: “It is very rewarding, thank you to Paddy who did a great job, thank you to Drayden who always rides her beautifully. She tries hard every single time. Paddy’s done a great job with her and it all worked out today. Drayden told me she’d win!“I’m so happy for my partners Ro and Ward. It was a terrific race, and to beat Paradise Woods was really special because she is a special horse. We’re dreaming!”ROBERTA WILLIFORD, LA FORCE, WINNER: “We’re happy, anytime you win your happy. I’m proud of the filly, I’m proud of Paddy, I love my co-owner and my husband.“WARD WILLIFORD, LA FORCE, WINNER: I’m smiling this is a thrill, winning a graded stakes at Santa Anita is as good as it gets. I’m sure there’s a few things we can maybe do more of, but this was absolutely fabulous”NOTES: The winning owners are Roberta Williford, Ward Williford, and Charles Winner.German-bred La Force’s proud owners, from left, Charles Winner, Roberta and Ward Williford, savor victory after the Grade II $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia CA. © BENOIT PHOTO
Man Utd ramp up Smalling fee to £25m with Spurs, Arsenal and Everton all keen
MANCHESTER UNITED have reportedly ramped up their transfer fee of Chris Smalling to £25m with Spurs, Arsenal and Everton all keen on the defender.Metro claim that Roma, who are looking to turn the England star’s loan into a permanent deal this summer, are said to be shocked by the Red Devils’ valuation.1 Chris Smalling has impressed during his time on loan at RomaCredit: Getty Images – GettyOle Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are keen to avoid losing another centre-back on the cheap after recouping just £6m for Jonny Evans’ departure in 2015.The Northern Irishman has starred for Leicester this season, and has also attracted £35m interest from Arsenal and Manchester City in recent years.MAN UTD NEWS LIVE: Follow for the latest United newsRoma meanwhile had hoped to strike a deal for Smalling for less than £20m, yet United are mindful of other clubs keeping tabs on him.The 30-year-old is loving life in the Italian capital and has made no secret of his desire to end his time at Old Trafford after nine years at the club.However, the Fulham defender has also been offered a route back into English football with both Spurs and Everton keen on a move.Arsenal had been listed as another possible destination for Smalling, who has revived his career in Serie A.The star – dubbed ‘Smalldini’ after his fine form – has even been offered a chance at an England recall by Gareth Southgate.The Three Lions boss suggested that Smalling’s limitations in playing out from the back meant he was not suited to his blueprint back in 2017.But the England boss now admits he was “unfair” on Smalling and paved the way for a potential way back into the fold.Southgate said: “I’ve never ruled anybody out. I think that would be wrong.“I think I said I probably regretted the way the message came across if, by praising others for certain attributes, there was criticism for Chris. It was my fault and it was unfair on him.”Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland flew out to Italy to watch Smalling in action before Christmas.The England boss added: “I spoke to him when I left him out the squad and explained what I explained to everybody.Most Read in FootballTHROUGH ITRobbie Keane reveals Claudine’s father was ’50-50′ in coronavirus battleTOP SELLERGavin Whelan has gone from League of Ireland to David Beckham’s InstagramPicturedAN EYEFULMeet Playboy model and football agent Anamaria Prodan bidding to buy her own clubI SAW ROORodallega saw Rooney ‘drinking like madman’ & Gerrard ‘on bar dancing shirtless’ExclusiveRIYAD RAIDMan City’s Riyad Mahrez has three luxury watches stolen in £500,000 raidNEXT STEPJonny Hayes set to move to English Championship having been let go by CelticMAKE YOUR DEBUT Bet £5 get £20 in free bets for new customers at Ladbrokes“Of course because of the way it came out, there was little point – I wasn’t going to say anything that hadn’t already been said.“But I think he’s done well in Italy. He’s playing at another big club.“He was obviously playing at a big club before. We’re watching everybody because we’ve got to make sure we make the right decision.”Man United ace Chris Smalling ‘in talks with Tottenham and Everton over transfer’ as Woodward demands £16.5m
Kane told to snub interest from Man Utd and Real Madrid to stay at Spurs
HARRY KANE has been urged to stay at Tottenham and help them win trophies by football legend John Barnes.The striker is sure to be linked with a host of Europe’s biggest clubs in the summer, with Manchester United believed to be long-term admirers.3 Harry Kane is sure to be linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs this summerCredit: PA:Press Association3 Football legend John Barnes has urged Kane to stick it out at SpursCredit: ReutersThe likes of Real Madrid and even soon-to-deposed Premier League champs Manchester City would also throw their hat into the ring.And with Spurs set for another trophy-less season, interest in the England captain is sure to heat up.But Barnes, who spent 10 years with Liverpool and was regarded as one of the finest players of his generation, believes Kane should spurn the interest.Speaking to to BonusCodeBets.co.uk, the 56-year-old said: “Harry Kane should not look to leave Tottenham if he loves Spurs and is a fan of the club.TOTTENHAM NEWS LIVE: FOLLOW LATEST SPURS UPDATES”If all players wanted to leave their club to win a trophy, all the players would go to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City or a Liverpool, and you’ll never have anyone playing anywhere else.”You know you’re a Tottenham fan, you want to play for Tottenham so stay at Tottenham to try and help them win.”Very similar with Bryan Robson at Manchester United. United and England captain at the time, whilst United were not doing well, he could have easily left.”He thought I’m going to stay at Manchester United and help them to win.”Kane was on the way back to full fitness after a hamstring injury before coronavirus put the Premier League season on hold.The pandemic of course put paid to the European Championships this summer, with captain Kane a key figure for Gareth Southgate’s England side.And Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will be desperate for his star man to return to spearhead a change in fortunes and the season on a high.Most Read In FootballTHROUGH ITRobbie Keane reveals Claudine’s father was ’50-50′ in coronavirus battleTOP SELLERGavin Whelan has gone from League of Ireland to David Beckham’s InstagramPicturedAN EYEFULMeet Playboy model and football agent Anamaria Prodan bidding to buy her own clubI SAW ROORodallega saw Rooney ‘drinking like madman’ & Gerrard ‘on bar dancing shirtless’ExclusiveRIYAD RAIDMan City’s Riyad Mahrez has three luxury watches stolen in £500,000 raidNEXT STEPJonny Hayes set to move to English Championship having been let go by Celtic3The Londoners could miss out on a Champions League spot, with Goal claiming Kane would be “disillusioned” to miss out on club football’s biggest prize.And they say sources close to Kane have made it known, should the North London side miss out, he would be keen on a move to Old Trafford.Kane’s contract – signed in the summer of 2018 – runs until 2024, but the club are reported to be “facing a battle” to keep him.Most valuable players in world revealed with Lionel Messi down in EIGHTH as Kylian Mbappe leads list at £189m
Australia and New Zealand win Oceania U18s titles
As regional champions, Australia’s boys will now compete at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games sevens competition in October if given the go-ahead by their National Olympic Committee (NOC). As per an International Olympic Committee ruling, only one male and one female team can attend the Youth Olympic Games from each nation.It was not all plain-sailing for Australia, the setback to Samoa having been preceded by a scrappy 29-25 win over the Cook Islands. But they rallied well, scoring 104 points with only five conceded in reply in their final three pool games against the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga.As well as beating Australia, unbeaten Samoa enjoyed emphatic victories over the Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands and also got the better of Fiji and Tonga in one-score games.Australia started the final in determined fashion and scored early through Jordan Williams. Less than a minute later Australian captain Jack Walsh crossed for the first of his three tries to make the score 10-0 before Samoa quickly responded with a converted try for Tuna Tuitama. Walsh crossed again, however, to take Australia’s lead into double figures at the break. In a one-sided second half, Walsh completed his hat-trick and Williams scored a second with Tolu Koula also getting on the scoresheet.“Obviously we came off a loss against Samoa at the start but from there on we built further. We really bonded well throughout the week and the team came through for each other. It was good to get a win in the last game,” said Walsh.Fiji defeated Tonga 21-14 in the third place play-off and the Cook Islands finished the weekend strongly with a 41-5 win over the Solomon Islands in the fifth place play-off.”The rugby standard was unreal, you had no easy games. All the teams were really good and had the ability to win,” Walsh added.
“It bothers me to see someone with more Golden Balls than Cristiano”
Cristiano Ronaldo was not present in the victory of Juventus against Udinese 4-0 thanks to the goals of Gonzalo Higuaín, Douglas Costa and Paulo Dybala He did it twice. The Portuguese was low but still made headlines in the press conference before the game.In the press room of Juventus Stadium, Maurizio Sarri acknowledged that one of the purposes for this season is for Cristiano to fight the Golden Ball again, aware that if you reach that individual performance you will bring your team close to the titles. 7 “I would like to help Cristiano become the best player in the world for the sixth time. It bothers me to see someone with more Golden Balls than Ronaldo,” said Maurizio Sarriin clear reference to Leo Messi, who in 2019 won his sixth award and leads Cristiano Ronaldo in one, who won for the last time in 2017. Sarri acknowledged seeing Paulo Dybala triumphing in that individual prize. “Paulo is also able to fight for this goal and I think he will be able to leave his mark on world football,” he added about the bigoleador before the Udine team. The Portuguese has played 23 games so far this season in which he has scored 16 goals Among all competitions.
Bubbling Kitten for Sweet Ruckus Trophy at Caymanas Park
TODAY marks the final racemeet before Christmas, and with the 10-race programme offering a $5.4 million Pick-9 carryover, a payout in excess of $8 million looks a real possibility.Three trophy races will be run on the afternoon, including the annual renewal of the Sweet Ruckus Trophy over 1400 metres for native and imported two-year-olds, with a purse of $850,000.The other trophy races on the card are the round-five Stewards’ Cup for maiden two-year-old colts and geldings, and the Restricted Allowance II for the Titania Trophy over 1100 metres, which is confined to fillies and mares.The Philip Feanny-trained BUBBLING KITTEN, who impressed in the Dye Job Sprint, over 1200 metres, on December 12, renews rivalry with the runner-up and then-favourite, BLUE DIXIE, in a small field of six, and judging from the manner of her victory, she looks hard to oppose.Dye Job SprintBUBBLING KITTEN beat BLUE DIXIE by all of six and a half lengths in the Dye Job Sprint, covering the distance in the smart time of 1:13.1 under former champion jockey Wesley ‘Callaloo’ Henry, who again has the ride.With the tongue tie fitted for that race, the bay filly, by Blue Pepsi Lodge out of Shanna D, showed good speed to dispute the early lead with RALLY BABY and skittered away on entering the straight for a facile win, behind splits of 23.0 and 46.1.She is still extremely fit, and with the additional furlong no obstacle, should lead home Gary Subratie stable companions BLUE DIXIE and GOLDEN GLORY.Subratie indicated last Saturday that BLUE DIXIE had some minor issues for the Dye Job Sprint, but is expecting a better race today, and has called up outgoing champion jockey Dane Nelson to try and make a difference. BLUE DIXIE looks a safe exacta horse.I also like the well-advanced newcomer, SIR RAJA BABA (working well) to lead home EQUUS in the Stewards’ Cup, in which nine two-year-olds will run; fleet-footed FIRE ALARM ahead of COMMANDING AVIATOR in the Titania Trophy; MESSITHEGREAT to recoup losses in the sixth; CRUCIAL VALOR in the seventh; and PRINCESS SHEMIKA to stave off CHEERS in the eighth.
Injured Bishoo ruled out of third Test
SYDNEY, Australia (CMC):West Indies’ hopes of using two spinners for the third Test match against Australia have been squashed after leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was ruled out of the final game here starting today (last night Jamaica time).Captain Jason Holder announced that Bishoo had not fully recovered from a left shoulder injury and was not available for selection.The one specialist spinner left in the squad is left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who played in the first match in Hobart and the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.”We’re down to one spinner with the injury to Bishoo, so we just have to work with what we have. I’m sure Kraigg Brathwaite will come to the fore and bowl a bit more,” Holder told reporters on the eve of the match.”I’ve seen they’ve gone with two spinners. We’ve been accustomed to spin-bowling in the Caribbean and, hopefully, our batsmen can get into that a lot better than we have in this series.”Heavy defeatsWest Indies have already lost the series following heavy defeats in the first two Tests. They went down by an innings and 212 runs in the Hobart opener before losing by 177 runs in the second Test in Melbourne last week.Holder said the team was buoyant following their improved outing in the second match, when they showed more resistance than in the three-day defeat in Hobart.”We showed some improvement with the bat in Melbourne and we will look to take that into this match here. From the start of the tour, many people say the odds are against us, but we have belief and we will put up a good showing,” Holder contended.
Barcelona cruise, Bayern rally at the death
BARCELONA, Spain (AP):Barcelona’s big three of Lionel Messi, Luis Su·rez and Neymar all scored to beat Arsenal 3-1 yesterday, sending the defending champions into the Champions League quarter-finals for a ninth consecutive season with a 5-1 victory on aggregate.Leading the tie after Messi scored both goals in a 2-0 first-leg win, Su·rez passed for Neymar to open the scoring in the 18th minute at Camp Nou.Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny struck in the 51st and the English side threatened to add another, before Su·rez answered with an acrobatic goal in the 65th.Messi chipped in Barcelona’s third with two minutes to play, following a pair of timely stops by goalkeeper Marc-AndrÈ ter Stegen to protect the lead.Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, whose side was eliminated from the round of 16 for a sixth straight year, said Barcelona’s strike trio took the game to the level of “art”.”We played against the team with the best strikers I have seen,” Wenger said. “The three together are exceptional. Messi is incredible. They are two or three players who transform normal life into art.”BAYERN MUNICH ADVANCEAlso yesterday, Bayern Munich fought back to beat Juventus 4-2 in extra time to advance.Thomas Mueller equalised in the first minute of injury time, and Bayern Munich scored two more goals in extra time.Thiago Alcantara scored in the 108th minute to put Bayern ahead for good in the second-leg match of the last 16 and Kingsley Coman, on loan from Juventus, added the hosts’ fourth goal just two minutes later to seal a 6-4 victory on aggregate.Bayern trailed 2-0 at half-time after goals from Paul Pogba and Juan Cuadrado put Juventus firmly in charge. The home side looked to be on the way out until Robert Lewandowski scored in the 73rd and Mueller’s late header changed everything.”To score four goals against an Italian side, wow, compliments to my team,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said.
US rule the World
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania:Jamaica had to play second fiddle to the United States in the Nike USA versus The World events on yesterday’s final day of competition at the 2016 Penn Relays.Jamaica’s only success came in the men’s 4×100 metres, where they took advantage of a big mistake by a strong USA Red team to win the event in 39.70 seconds. Jermaine Hamilton, Julian Forte, Rasheed Dwyer and Oshane Bailey were the members of the winning Jamaica quartet. USA Blue placed second in 39.02, with third going to St Kitts in 39.49. The USA Red team included the likes of Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers.Jamaica were second in three women’s relays the 4x100m in 42.90, 4x200m in 1:31.34, and 4×400 m in 3:29.00. The Americans won five of six relays contested.- R.G