BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.

It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.

The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.

The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.

Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.

Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.

Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.

Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.

In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.

Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.

Royals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712193045820.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro, left, argues with home plate umpire Paul Clemons, right, after a play where Bobby Witt Jr. (7) was tagged out in a rundown between third and home against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — James McCann had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles emerged from a five-hour rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the eighth before scoring twice against the Kansas City bullpen, which wasted a masterful performance by starter Cole Ragans.It was 3-2 in the ninth when Royals closer Will Smith (0-2) walked Ryan Mountcastle and gave up a single to Anthony Santander. After a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk to load the bases and a strikeout, McCann lined a single into left to end it.The deciding matchup in the three-game series was supposed to start at 1:05 p.m., but didn’t get under way until early evening. The Royals weren’t scheduled to return to Baltimore after the game, so waiting out a persistent rainstorm meant the teams wouldn’t have to play a makeup months down the road.The fans who endured the long wait were rewarded by being allowed to choose any open seat in addition to receiving a voucher for a future weekday game.Ragans retired 18 of the first 19 batters, the lone exception a fourth-inning double by Adley Rutschman. The right-hander was pulled in the seventh after walking two and striking out Santander.Ragan worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.Maikel Garcia homered and Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals, who lost both games in the series on Baltimore's final at-bat.Orioles starter Corbin Burnes gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Although the right-hander kept the game close, his performance was a notch below his Orioles debut on opening day, when he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over six innings while striking out 11.Perez hit RBI singles in the first and third innings, and Garcia went deep against Mike Baumann in the seventh.In the Baltimore eighth, Gunnar Henderson hit a sacrifice fly and Rutschman singled in a run but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double.Yennier Cano (1-0) got the win with a scoreless ninth.UP NEXTRoyals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.Orioles: After a day off Thursday, the Orioles hit the road for the first time this season, sending Grayson Rodriguez (1-0, 1.50) to the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.____

 ⚾ Orioles emerge from 5-hour rain delay to beat Royals 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.

Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.

 More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.

The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.

“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”

Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”

That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.

“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”

The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.

The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.

Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.

But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.

The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.

“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” said Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, who remembers attending games downtown at old Municipal Stadium when the Royals played there from 1969-72.

“It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is,” Chasteen said. “We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”

The club also had not reached sales agreements with many landowners in the Crossroads, and other businesses had expressed concerns about traffic, congestion and parking in an already thriving residential neighborhood.

Sarah Tourville, the Royals’ executive vice president, said the goal was to move into the stadium for opening day in 2028.

The Royals moved from Municipal Stadium to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the ballpark from 2009-12. Arrowhead Stadium was built alongside Kauffman Stadium and also was renovated around the same time.

While the Royals insist on playing in a new ballpark, the Chiefs wanted to stay put with a renovation that would have touched every aspect of their 52-year-old building, from the seating bowl to luxury amenities to the tailgating scene.

“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”

The Chiefs had hoped their success, including three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, would sway voters in their favor.

“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112749211.jpeg" alt="An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>An Air Force B2 bomber flies over Kauffman Stadium before a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The future of the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City was thrown into question Tuesday night when residents of Jackson County, Missouri, resoundingly voted down a sales tax measure that would have helped to fund a new downtown ballpark along with major renovations to Arrowhead Stadium.Royals owner John Sherman and Chiefs president Mark Donovan acknowledged long before the final tally that the initiative would fail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712104528404.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure> More than 58% of voters ultimately rejected the plan, which would have replaced an existing three-eighths of a cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Truman Sports Complex — the home for more than 50 years to Kauffman and Arrowhead Stadiums — with a similar tax that would have been in place for the next 40 years.The Royals, who had pledged at least $1 billion from ownership for their project, wanted to use their share of the tax revenue to help fund a $2 billion-plus ballpark district. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who had committed $300 million in private money, would have used their share as part of an $800 million overhaul of Arrowhead Stadium.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A statement from John Sherman regarding today&#39;s Jackson County election: <a href="https://t.co/t85qx0Cwfh">pic.twitter.com/t85qx0Cwfh</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775347697345610113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’re deeply disappointed as we are steadfast in our belief that Jackson County is better with the Chiefs and the Royals,” said Sherman, who left without taking questions. “As someone whose roots run deep in this town, who has been a dedicated fan and season-ticket holder for both of these teams, and now leading a remarkable ownership group.”Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization as we move forward.”That could mean many things: The Chiefs could try again with a reworked plan more agreeable to voters, change their entire funding approach to include more private investment, or they could even listen to offers from competing cities and states — such as Kansas, just across the state line to the west — that would provide the public funding they desire.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JacksonCountyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacksonCountyMO</a>⁩ voters have spoken. I’ll say more on the election results and what happens next soon. Stay tuned! <a href="https://t.co/emqsBfJqYq">pic.twitter.com/emqsBfJqYq</a>&mdash; Frank White (@JCEFrankWhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/JCEFrankWhite/status/1775364416424280068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We’ve been talking a lot about the democratic process. We respect the process,” Donovan said. “We feel we put forth the best offer for Jackson County. We’re ready to extend the longstanding partnership the teams have enjoyed with this county.”The current lease lease at Truman Sports Complex lasts through Jan. 31, 2031. And while Sherman has said the Royals would not play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season, the Chiefs are hopeful of remaining at Arrowhead Stadium.The tax — or, more accurately, the stadium plans — received significant public pushback almost from the start, when the teams struggled to put concrete plans before voters and were accused of lacking transparency throughout the process.Last fall, the Royals unveiled two potential locations for their ballpark district, one on the eastern edge of downtown and the other across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.But, a self-imposed deadline to finalize their location lapsed without a plan, and in February, they finally announced they had scrapped both concepts and chosen a different downtown spot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ijleg960iH">pic.twitter.com/ijleg960iH</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1775340879663825097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new area, known as the Crossroads, has a vibrant arts and restaurant scene, and it is just blocks away from the T-Mobile Center and the bustling Power &amp; Light entertainment district. It also is close to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.But even then, plans remained vague. The latest ballpark renderings were made obsolete just last week when the Royals acquiesced to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ request that a major street that would have been part of the stadium footprint remain open; Lucas did not endorse the tax initiative until the Royals agreed to the change.“I think everyone has the same mixed feelings,” said Deidre Chasteen, a voter from Independence, Missouri, who remembers attending games downtown at old Municipal Stadium when the Royals played there from 1969-72.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712112786193.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman, left, address the media while Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan looks on during a news conference about a plan to extend a sales tax to provide funding to build a new stadium for the Royals and stadium improvement for the Chiefs Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson County, Mo. residents will vote on the question Tuesday, April 2. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s not that we mind paying the three-eighths-cent sales tax. I think the problem is putting the stadium where it is,” Chasteen said. “We’re saying don’t ruin businesses that have been established down there for years.”The club also had not reached sales agreements with many landowners in the Crossroads, and other businesses had expressed concerns about traffic, congestion and parking in an already thriving residential neighborhood.Sarah Tourville, the Royals’ executive vice president, said the goal was to move into the stadium for opening day in 2028.The Royals moved from Municipal Stadium to Kauffman Stadium in 1973 and extensively renovated the ballpark from 2009-12. Arrowhead Stadium was built alongside Kauffman Stadium and also was renovated around the same time.While the Royals insist on playing in a new ballpark, the Chiefs wanted to stay put with a renovation that would have touched every aspect of their 52-year-old building, from the seating bowl to luxury amenities to the tailgating scene.“We would not be willing to sign a lease for another 25 years without the financing to properly renovate and reimagine the stadium,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt, whose father, Lamar Hunt, helped get the existing stadiums built, said before Tuesday’s vote. “The financing puzzle is very important to us to make sure we have enough funds to do everything we’ve outlined.”The Chiefs had hoped their success, including three Super Bowl titles in the last five years, would sway voters in their favor.“What my dad loved best about the stadium was the connection the team had with our fanbase,” Hunt said. “He loved this building for what it means to the fans, and we still believe it is one of the best stadiums in the National Football League and a bucket-list destination for fans across the NFL.”

Voters reject stadium tax for Royals and Chiefs, leaving future in KC in question

BALTIMORE (AP) — Alec Marsh pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Maikel Garcia drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals breezed past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Tuesday night at wet and chilly Camden Yards.

Marsh (1-0) turned in the best performance of his budding career, dominating the defending AL East champions with an exceptional display of control. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775323645696495719">struck out five</a>, walked one and retired the side in order five times.

“He was outstanding,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Marsh. “Adverse conditions to pitch in against a really good lineup, and he did nothing but attack, right from the get-go.”

Now in his second season, Marsh previously hadn't gone more than six innings and never allowed fewer than three hits in any outing longer than an inning. In this one, the right-hander threw 72 pitches, only 18 of which were called balls.

“You couldn't ask for anything more,” Quatraro said.

Marsh received offensive support from Garcia, who hit a two-run double in the second inning and added an RBI triple in the fourth.

A persistent, light rain soaked the players and the announced crowd of 9,404. Temperatures dipped into the 40s soon after the game started, and a crisp breeze provided the stouthearted fans additional discomfort.

The Orioles gave their supporters little reason to stand up and cheer. Baltimore's only run came in the third inning on successive doubles by Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, but that only served to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Kansas City answered in the fourth with a walk and a triple by Garcia on a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1775305527985062234">liner off the right-field wall</a>. That was more than enough backing for Marsh, who earned the fifth spot in the Royals rotation with a strong showing in spring training.

As a rookie in 2023, Marsh lost his first eight decisions before ending up 3-9 with a 5.69 ERA.

The solid finish, along with his productive spring, gave Marsh some momentum heading into the 2024 season.

“He's been on a mission,” Quatraro said. “That's one game. We don't want to proclaim this to be a finished product. He's a very young pitcher in his big league career, but there's a lot of upside and we're excited about it.”

When the Orioles got good wood on the ball, there always seemed to be someone there to catch it.

“Good fastball, curveball had a lot of depth on it,” Baltimore's Ryan O’Hearn said. “It was one of those nights. I feel like we had a lot of balls hit right at guys. Sometimes it happens that way.”

After Marsh put in his seven innings, the bullpen finished up without incident. John Schreiber gave up a single in the eighth and Will Smith got three straight outs for his first save.

Orioles starter Cole Irvin (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings. The 30-year-old is attempting to bounce back from a disappointing season in which he went 1-4, endured three stints in the minor leagues and did not appear on Baltimore's postseason roster.

Royals reliever Jake Brentz threw in the bullpen for the first time since going on the IL last month with a left hamstring strain. Brentz, 29, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since undergoing elbow surgery in July of 2022.

The teams face a rainy forecast for Wednesday's series finale, which matches Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.50 ERA) and Royals opening day starter Cole Ragans (0-1, 3.00).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712106555574.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Alec Marsh throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Alec Marsh pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Maikel Garcia drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals breezed past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Tuesday night at wet and chilly Camden Yards.Marsh (1-0) turned in the best performance of his budding career, dominating the defending AL East champions with an exceptional display of control. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1775323645696495719">struck out five</a>, walked one and retired the side in order five times.“He was outstanding,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Marsh. “Adverse conditions to pitch in against a really good lineup, and he did nothing but attack, right from the get-go.”Now in his second season, Marsh previously hadn't gone more than six innings and never allowed fewer than three hits in any outing longer than an inning. In this one, the right-hander threw 72 pitches, only 18 of which were called balls.“You couldn't ask for anything more,” Quatraro said.Marsh received offensive support from Garcia, who hit a two-run double in the second inning and added an RBI triple in the fourth.A persistent, light rain soaked the players and the announced crowd of 9,404. Temperatures dipped into the 40s soon after the game started, and a crisp breeze provided the stouthearted fans additional discomfort.The Orioles gave their supporters little reason to stand up and cheer. Baltimore's only run came in the third inning on successive doubles by Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser, but that only served to cut the deficit to 3-1.Kansas City answered in the fourth with a walk and a triple by Garcia on a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsKC/status/1775305527985062234">liner off the right-field wall</a>. That was more than enough backing for Marsh, who earned the fifth spot in the Royals rotation with a strong showing in spring training.As a rookie in 2023, Marsh lost his first eight decisions before ending up 3-9 with a 5.69 ERA.The solid finish, along with his productive spring, gave Marsh some momentum heading into the 2024 season.“He's been on a mission,” Quatraro said. “That's one game. We don't want to proclaim this to be a finished product. He's a very young pitcher in his big league career, but there's a lot of upside and we're excited about it.”When the Orioles got good wood on the ball, there always seemed to be someone there to catch it.“Good fastball, curveball had a lot of depth on it,” Baltimore's Ryan O’Hearn said. “It was one of those nights. I feel like we had a lot of balls hit right at guys. Sometimes it happens that way.”After Marsh put in his seven innings, the bullpen finished up without incident. John Schreiber gave up a single in the eighth and Will Smith got three straight outs for his first save.Orioles starter Cole Irvin (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings. The 30-year-old is attempting to bounce back from a disappointing season in which he went 1-4, endured three stints in the minor leagues and did not appear on Baltimore's postseason roster.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals reliever Jake Brentz threw in the bullpen for the first time since going on the IL last month with a left hamstring strain. Brentz, 29, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since undergoing elbow surgery in July of 2022.UP NEXTThe teams face a rainy forecast for Wednesday's series finale, which matches Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (1-0, 1.50 ERA) and Royals opening day starter Cole Ragans (0-1, 3.00).

⚾ Alec Marsh throws 7 dominant innings to lead Royals past Orioles 

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jordan Westburg hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to carry the Baltimore Orioles past the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Monday night.

Westburg's opposite-field drive to right came on an 0-2 pitch from Nick Anderson (0-1) after the Royals rallied to tie the game in the top of the inning.

“I really wasn't trying to do too much, just trying to move the ball and get to the next man (in the lineup)," Westburg said.

Instead, the second-year infielder&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1774968257365061846">put an end to a tight contest</a>.

“That was the coolest moment of my career so far,” Westburg said. “I've never had a walk-off in all my years I've played baseball. To have my first one here in Baltimore is pretty special.”

Ryan Mountcastle homered and drove in three runs for the Orioles.

Bobby&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1774941300736889340">Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez homered</a>&nbsp;for the Royals, the second straight game in which each went deep.

With the score tied at 3 in the eighth, singles by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman put runners at the corners with two outs for Mountcastle, who&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1774962570069246236">reached on an RBI infield single</a>&nbsp;when first baseman Nick Loftin couldn't handle the throw from the shortstop Witt.

That gave closer Craig Kimbrel (1-0) a chance to seal the victory in his Baltimore debut. But Kyle Isbel singled, and pinch-runner Dairon Blanco stole second and third before scoring on a fly ball by Maikel Garcia.

Westburg delivered in the bottom half. He leaped in joy after rounding first base and was drenched in water after arriving at the plate.

“It just an euphoric feeling, seeing that ball go over the wall,” he said.

Making his Kansas City debut after signing a two-year, $32 million contract in December, Michael Wacha gave up three runs in five innings. The only three hits he allowed came in succession in the fourth, when Baltimore bounced back from a 3-0 deficit to pull even.

“Good one to build off of,” Wacha said. “I felt like I had good command of stuff early, and carried it toward the end of my outing as well.”

Orioles starter Dean Kremer allowed three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Witt hit a solo shot in the third and Perez added a two-run drive to put the Royals up 3-0.

Rutschman doubled leading off the Baltimore fourth, Anthony Santander followed with an RBI single and Mountcastle went deep.

“Our guys went out and put up a three-spot, and as a pitcher you want to be able to hold that lead,” Wacha said. “It was frustrating giving it right back to them a couple innings later.”

The Orioles fumbled two grounders for errors in the first inning, but a pair of superb fielding plays kept the game tied in the seventh. After Nelson Velázquez hit a one-out double, Mountcastle dived to snare a grounder past first base and beat Isbel to the bag. Henderson then charged to pick up a short-hop grounder to shortstop and threw out speedy Maikel Garcia.

Orioles: LHP John Means (elbow) began his rehabilitation assignment by yielding two homers and seven runs in one-plus innings for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday. “The numbers didn't show great success but he felt good physically,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday. “That's what matters in any rehab, for sure.”

Royals: INF Michael Massey (lower back strain) is “progressing well” and could begin a rehab assignment “in the next few days,” manager Matt Quatraro said.

There's rain in the forecast Tuesday night, when Orioles starter Cole Irvin is scheduled to face the Royals and Alec Marsh, who lost his first eight decisions as a rookie last year before finishing 3-9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712053097707.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)</figcaption>
 </figure>BALTIMORE (AP) — Jordan Westburg hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to carry the Baltimore Orioles past the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Monday night.Westburg's opposite-field drive to right came on an 0-2 pitch from Nick Anderson (0-1) after the Royals rallied to tie the game in the top of the inning.“I really wasn't trying to do too much, just trying to move the ball and get to the next man (in the lineup)," Westburg said.Instead, the second-year infielder&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1774968257365061846">put an end to a tight contest</a>.“That was the coolest moment of my career so far,” Westburg said. “I've never had a walk-off in all my years I've played baseball. To have my first one here in Baltimore is pretty special.”Ryan Mountcastle homered and drove in three runs for the Orioles.Bobby&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1774941300736889340">Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez homered</a>&nbsp;for the Royals, the second straight game in which each went deep.With the score tied at 3 in the eighth, singles by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman put runners at the corners with two outs for Mountcastle, who&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/1774962570069246236">reached on an RBI infield single</a>&nbsp;when first baseman Nick Loftin couldn't handle the throw from the shortstop Witt.That gave closer Craig Kimbrel (1-0) a chance to seal the victory in his Baltimore debut. But Kyle Isbel singled, and pinch-runner Dairon Blanco stole second and third before scoring on a fly ball by Maikel Garcia.Westburg delivered in the bottom half. He leaped in joy after rounding first base and was drenched in water after arriving at the plate.“It just an euphoric feeling, seeing that ball go over the wall,” he said.Making his Kansas City debut after signing a two-year, $32 million contract in December, Michael Wacha gave up three runs in five innings. The only three hits he allowed came in succession in the fourth, when Baltimore bounced back from a 3-0 deficit to pull even.“Good one to build off of,” Wacha said. “I felt like I had good command of stuff early, and carried it toward the end of my outing as well.”Orioles starter Dean Kremer allowed three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.Witt hit a solo shot in the third and Perez added a two-run drive to put the Royals up 3-0.Rutschman doubled leading off the Baltimore fourth, Anthony Santander followed with an RBI single and Mountcastle went deep.“Our guys went out and put up a three-spot, and as a pitcher you want to be able to hold that lead,” Wacha said. “It was frustrating giving it right back to them a couple innings later.”FIELDING GEMSThe Orioles fumbled two grounders for errors in the first inning, but a pair of superb fielding plays kept the game tied in the seventh. After Nelson Velázquez hit a one-out double, Mountcastle dived to snare a grounder past first base and beat Isbel to the bag. Henderson then charged to pick up a short-hop grounder to shortstop and threw out speedy Maikel Garcia.TRAINER'S ROOMOrioles: LHP John Means (elbow) began his rehabilitation assignment by yielding two homers and seven runs in one-plus innings for Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday. “The numbers didn't show great success but he felt good physically,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Monday. “That's what matters in any rehab, for sure.”Royals: INF Michael Massey (lower back strain) is “progressing well” and could begin a rehab assignment “in the next few days,” manager Matt Quatraro said.UP NEXTThere's rain in the forecast Tuesday night, when Orioles starter Cole Irvin is scheduled to face the Royals and Alec Marsh, who lost his first eight decisions as a rookie last year before finishing 3-9.

⚾ Orioles late homer spoil Wacha's debut with win over Royals

DALLAS (AP) — An attorney for Kansas City Chiefs player Rashee Rice said Monday that the wide receiver is cooperating with authorities after a speeding Corvette and Lamborghini sport utility vehicle caused a chain-reaction crash on a busy Dallas highway over the weekend.

A total of six vehicles were involved in the crash shortly before 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of North Central Expressway, Dallas police said Monday. The people in the Lamborghini and Corvette left the scene without determining if anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. Two of the drivers in the other vehicles were treated at the scene for minor injuries, and two occupants of another vehicle were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Dallas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-kansas-city-chiefs-wide-receiver-rashee-rice-collision/287-d3c39c05-b11e-4107-8c4f-87e4d12319a0">television station WFAA,</a>&nbsp;citing unnamed sources, reported that one of the speeding vehicles was registered to Rice. Police said Monday morning that they were working to identify the occupants of the Corvette and Lamborghini but did not release any information about the people they were seeking and would not confirm reports that Rice was among them.

Police spokesperson Kristin Lowman said early Monday evening that she could confirm that police had “spoken with members of legal counsel but have not conducted interviews with potentially involved individuals in Saturday’s crash.”

State Sen. Royce West, an attorney for Rice, said in a statement Monday that his client’s thoughts were with everyone impacted by the accident and that he was cooperating with local authorities.

West said in the statement that Rice “will take all necessary steps to address this situation responsibly.”

Police said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.

Rice, a member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Super Bowl-winning Chiefs team</a>, is from the Dallas area. He played for Southern Methodist University and grew up in the Fort Worth suburb of North Richland Hills.

Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in an interview Monday with KCMO Talk Radio's “Mundo in the Morning” that the team will “react accordingly” once more is known about what happened.

“In all these situations you have to wait until you have all the facts, and frankly, we don’t have all the facts at this point,” Donovan said.

Lowman said law enforcement is asking anyone with information on the crash to contact police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712017870514.png" alt="Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Rashee Rice-photo KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — An attorney for Kansas City Chiefs player Rashee Rice said Monday that the wide receiver is cooperating with authorities after a speeding Corvette and Lamborghini sport utility vehicle caused a chain-reaction crash on a busy Dallas highway over the weekend.A total of six vehicles were involved in the crash shortly before 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of North Central Expressway, Dallas police said Monday. The people in the Lamborghini and Corvette left the scene without determining if anyone needed medical attention or providing their information, police said. Two of the drivers in the other vehicles were treated at the scene for minor injuries, and two occupants of another vehicle were taken to a hospital with minor injuries.Dallas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-kansas-city-chiefs-wide-receiver-rashee-rice-collision/287-d3c39c05-b11e-4107-8c4f-87e4d12319a0">television station WFAA,</a>&nbsp;citing unnamed sources, reported that one of the speeding vehicles was registered to Rice. Police said Monday morning that they were working to identify the occupants of the Corvette and Lamborghini but did not release any information about the people they were seeking and would not confirm reports that Rice was among them.Police spokesperson Kristin Lowman said early Monday evening that she could confirm that police had “spoken with members of legal counsel but have not conducted interviews with potentially involved individuals in Saturday’s crash.”State Sen. Royce West, an attorney for Rice, said in a statement Monday that his client’s thoughts were with everyone impacted by the accident and that he was cooperating with local authorities.West said in the statement that Rice “will take all necessary steps to address this situation responsibly.”Police said the drivers of the Corvette and Lamborghini were speeding in the far left lane when they lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing the chain collision.Rice, a member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-chiefs-dynasty-kansas-city-d16a308684d97a6be2d269c8d56404be">Super Bowl-winning Chiefs team</a>, is from the Dallas area. He played for Southern Methodist University and grew up in the Fort Worth suburb of North Richland Hills.Chiefs President Mark Donovan said in an interview Monday with KCMO Talk Radio's “Mundo in the Morning” that the team will “react accordingly” once more is known about what happened.“In all these situations you have to wait until you have all the facts, and frankly, we don’t have all the facts at this point,” Donovan said.Lowman said law enforcement is asking anyone with information on the crash to contact police.

Chiefs  Rashee Rice is cooperating with police after sports car crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. finished a double shy of the cycle, Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia hit back-to-back home runs, and the Kansas City Royals routed Minnesota 11-0 on Sunday to avoid a second straight season-opening sweep by the Twins.

Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs, and Nelson Velázquez had the last of five homers for Kansas City, which gave Brady Singer (1-0) plenty of run support on a day in which he hardly needed it.

Singer, trying to bounce back from a rough 2023, allowed three hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out 10.

“The offense was incredible,” Singer said with a smile. “It makes it a lot easier to stay in the zone and trust yourself.”

The Royals got their homers from five different players, matching a franchise record last done on July 27, 2020, in Detroit. And the 11-run victory margin was their biggest since an 11-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 13, 2020.

“To get out to a lead today was nice,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “just how we started the last two games.”

Bailey Ober (0-1) retired just four batters for Minnesota, allowing eight runs on nine hits and a walk. Kody Funderburk wasn't much better, allowing two more runs on three hits and a walk while retiring five.

“He had a great spring,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Ober, whose importance to the rotation has only increased after the club lost Anthony DeSclafani to season-ending flexor tendon surgery this week. “We have high expectations for him.”

Ober wasn't able to replicate the way Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan had shut down Kansas City, though. Its offensive outburst Sunday came after a club that lost 106 games last season managed only two runs on 10 hits and four walks — while striking out 19 times — in dropping the first two games of the season to its AL Central rival.

“It was a little payback today,” Quatraro said.

Perez provided the first big blow in the first inning, when he sent a three-run homer into the left-field bullpen. But it was a six-run second, highlighted by consecutive homers for Isbel and Garcia, that gave the Royals some breathing room. Witt added a triple to his first-inning single and Perez drove in another run before MJ Melendez knocked Ober from the game.

By the time new second baseman Adam Frazier added a two-run double, the Royals were cruising with a 9-0 lead.

Witt added his 434-foot shot in the third, and all that was left to see was whether he could hit for the cycle. Nobody had done it for Kansas City since Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett accomplished the feat on July 25, 1990, in Toronto.

In the fifth, Witt struck out on a slider by Daniel Duarte. With one last chance in the seventh, the 23-year-old phenom worked a 3-1 count against Cole Sands before fouling off a pitch and swinging hard through a 95-mph fastball to end the inning.

“I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself,” Witt said. “I got a couple of pitches I should have hit.”

The Twins have a day off before RHP Louie Varland starts the opener of a two-game series in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. finished a double shy of the cycle, Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia hit back-to-back home runs, and the Kansas City Royals routed Minnesota 11-0 on Sunday to avoid a second straight season-opening sweep by the Twins.Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs, and Nelson Velázquez had the last of five homers for Kansas City, which gave Brady Singer (1-0) plenty of run support on a day in which he hardly needed it.Singer, trying to bounce back from a rough 2023, allowed three hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out 10.“The offense was incredible,” Singer said with a smile. “It makes it a lot easier to stay in the zone and trust yourself.”The Royals got their homers from five different players, matching a franchise record last done on July 27, 2020, in Detroit. And the 11-run victory margin was their biggest since an 11-0 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 13, 2020.“To get out to a lead today was nice,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “just how we started the last two games.”Bailey Ober (0-1) retired just four batters for Minnesota, allowing eight runs on nine hits and a walk. Kody Funderburk wasn't much better, allowing two more runs on three hits and a walk while retiring five.“He had a great spring,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Ober, whose importance to the rotation has only increased after the club lost Anthony DeSclafani to season-ending flexor tendon surgery this week. “We have high expectations for him.”Ober wasn't able to replicate the way Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan had shut down Kansas City, though. Its offensive outburst Sunday came after a club that lost 106 games last season managed only two runs on 10 hits and four walks — while striking out 19 times — in dropping the first two games of the season to its AL Central rival.“It was a little payback today,” Quatraro said.Perez provided the first big blow in the first inning, when he sent a three-run homer into the left-field bullpen. But it was a six-run second, highlighted by consecutive homers for Isbel and Garcia, that gave the Royals some breathing room. Witt added a triple to his first-inning single and Perez drove in another run before MJ Melendez knocked Ober from the game.By the time new second baseman Adam Frazier added a two-run double, the Royals were cruising with a 9-0 lead.Witt added his 434-foot shot in the third, and all that was left to see was whether he could hit for the cycle. Nobody had done it for Kansas City since Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett accomplished the feat on July 25, 1990, in Toronto.In the fifth, Witt struck out on a slider by Daniel Duarte. With one last chance in the seventh, the 23-year-old phenom worked a 3-1 count against Cole Sands before fouling off a pitch and swinging hard through a 95-mph fastball to end the inning.“I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself,” Witt said. “I got a couple of pitches I should have hit.”UP NEXTThe Twins have a day off before RHP Louie Varland starts the opener of a two-game series in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Witt falls double shy of cycle, KC hits 5 homers and routs Twins

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

he door has been knocked on only once in its storied program history but Season 56 produced the ram rod as the top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team captured the NJCAA Division I National Championship at the Hutchinson Sports Arena with an 88-73 victory over Triton College.

Making the most of just its 5th tournament appearance after being snubbed as an at-large berth last season, the Cougars completed the mission on its 27th straight victory to claim the College's 60th team national title and second in less than thirty days following the women's track and field's indoor title earlier in the month.

Barton completes the year at 36-1 tying for the most wins in program history while Triton finishes at 34-3 in their first ever Division I title appearance while as a team earning the Charles Sesher Sportsmanship Award.

Hometown product Myles Thompson led the Cougars for the final time with his 7th double-double performance of the year on a game high 27 points and 13 rebounds while Lajae Jones added 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 15th double-double in just twenty-two minutes in earning the 2024 Tournament MVP. The son of Cougar legend Jackie Jones finished the tournament with 66 points, 43 rebounds, and two double-doubles in the four games despite being saddled with foul trouble in a pair of contests.

Arguably a co-MVP with his week-long performance, Thompson also landed on the All-Tournament team as did Ring Malith after canning 4-of-7 from deep for 22 points and three steals.

Cooper Jackson added 14 points with 6 assists and 2 steals with Mozae Downing-Rivers dishing out a game high 7 dimes with 4 rebounds.

Four Tritons also reached double digit scoring despite being held nineteen points below their season average. Canning 5-of-6 from long distance, Dior Connors led with 24 points with Amar Augillard scoring 23 points despite an off-night 1-of-11 beyond the arc. Scoring 10 points each were Dylan Williams and X-factor AJ Dixon before fouling out with ten minutes remaining. Tolu Samuels led all players with 16 rebounds.

Barton won the rebounds by 12 while outshooting Triton 43.3% to 38.1% including 50% from three-point going 11-of-22 while the Trojans were just 8-of-28.

Both teams started off on fire by scoring in each of their first four possessions, Thompson answering the Trojans' opening triple with a trey followed by Jones arc buster answering Triton's conversion of an And-1. Thompson would again answer a Trojan jumper with an inside bucket and following another Triton basket, Jackson's three-pointer gave the Cougars' their first lead at 11-10 with 17:15 on the clock.

After Barton grabbed the lead, the Trojans fired right back with seven straight for their biggest lead of six at the 15:45 mark.

A Jones bucket and Malith's first of a trio of treys cutting the margin to one, Triton sank all three charity tosses after being fouled on a three-pointer pushing the gap back out to four.

Malith continued to stay hot tacking on seven straight points including another arc buster as Barton would never trail again for the final 28 minutes.

The game was tied just three more times with Malith's third triple followed by Thompson's jumper breaking the sixth and final deadlock.

Following a Triton trey slicing the deficit to two, Barton strung seven straight in a little over two minutes for its largest first half lead of nine coming at 39-30 with 2:26 remaining.

Triton would battle back to trail by just five twice but reserve Amiri Ndayisaba's triple with twelve seconds left in front of the Trojan bench swung the momentum to the Cougars' in a 46-39 lead to halftime.

A 12-4 stretch out of the locker room extended Barton's lead to twelve but was immediately sliced in half after Triton's six-pack answer.

Jackson's offensive rebound putback among the trees followed by Keandre Kindell's triple and Brent Moss' 1-of-2 trip to the line pushed it back to twelve with thirteen minutes left.

Three minutes later Barton had its largest advantage of fifteen after a pair of Kindell tosses and consecutive inside jumpers from Thompson for a 69-54 lead with 9:21 left on the clock.

Triton hung around and as the clock ticked under six to play, cut the deficit under double-digits and trailed by just five at 78-73 after Connors' three-pointer with 3:48 left.

Thompson, a 50% free throw shooter entering Saturday, buried a perfect two tosses on his 8-of-8 afternoon from the stripe then after Triton turned the ball over on the inbounds, muscled his way inside for another macho man signature style bucket.

Following empty possessions from each team, Jackson's step-back triple pushed the gap back to double-digits with 2:24 remaining.

Thompson's drive through the lane with eighty-six seconds left capped the squad's field goals on the day with Jackson's 1-of-2 trip to the line with forty-nine seconds put a lid on the scoring as Triton was held scoreless for the last 3:48 including a classy last possession of idle dribbling draining the remaining thirty seconds on the clock.

Lajae Jone (William French Most Valuable Player) - Barton (KS) G So.

Bradyn Hubbard - Connors State (OK) F So.

Jimmie Williams - Wallace State (AL) G Fr.

Tavion Banks - Northwest Florida State G/F So.

Myles Thompson - Barton (KS) F So.

Bud Obee Outstanding Small Player Award: Dylan Williams - Triton (IL) G So.

Charles Sesher Sportsmanship Award: Triton (IL)

Coach of the Tournament: Jeremy Coombs - Barton (KS)

- The 2024 Tournament was Barton's fifth appearance in program history – the first since 2018

- Barton's championship game appearance was just the program's second (1999)

- Triton was making their first Division I Championship appearance since becoming a DI school five seasons ago

- Triton was making their 18th overall tournament appearance and third straight including second straight semifinal game

- Triton's 34-3 record tied the most wins in team history

- The Championship appearance was Triton's third overall between DI and DII.

- 215 career steals *2nd most – 103 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)

- 401 career assists *3rd most – 52 behind Gene Butler's 453 (1990-92)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711884368743.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Infohe door has been knocked on only once in its storied program history but Season 56 produced the ram rod as the top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team captured the NJCAA Division I National Championship at the Hutchinson Sports Arena with an 88-73 victory over Triton College.Making the most of just its 5th tournament appearance after being snubbed as an at-large berth last season, the Cougars completed the mission on its 27th straight victory to claim the College's 60th team national title and second in less than thirty days following the women's track and field's indoor title earlier in the month.Barton completes the year at 36-1 tying for the most wins in program history while Triton finishes at 34-3 in their first ever Division I title appearance while as a team earning the Charles Sesher Sportsmanship Award.Hometown product Myles Thompson led the Cougars for the final time with his 7th double-double performance of the year on a game high 27 points and 13 rebounds while Lajae Jones added 14 points and 13 rebounds for his 15th double-double in just twenty-two minutes in earning the 2024 Tournament MVP. The son of Cougar legend Jackie Jones finished the tournament with 66 points, 43 rebounds, and two double-doubles in the four games despite being saddled with foul trouble in a pair of contests.Arguably a co-MVP with his week-long performance, Thompson also landed on the All-Tournament team as did Ring Malith after canning 4-of-7 from deep for 22 points and three steals.Cooper Jackson added 14 points with 6 assists and 2 steals with Mozae Downing-Rivers dishing out a game high 7 dimes with 4 rebounds.Four Tritons also reached double digit scoring despite being held nineteen points below their season average. Canning 5-of-6 from long distance, Dior Connors led with 24 points with Amar Augillard scoring 23 points despite an off-night 1-of-11 beyond the arc. Scoring 10 points each were Dylan Williams and X-factor AJ Dixon before fouling out with ten minutes remaining. Tolu Samuels led all players with 16 rebounds.Barton won the rebounds by 12 while outshooting Triton 43.3% to 38.1% including 50% from three-point going 11-of-22 while the Trojans were just 8-of-28.Both teams started off on fire by scoring in each of their first four possessions, Thompson answering the Trojans' opening triple with a trey followed by Jones arc buster answering Triton's conversion of an And-1. Thompson would again answer a Trojan jumper with an inside bucket and following another Triton basket, Jackson's three-pointer gave the Cougars' their first lead at 11-10 with 17:15 on the clock.After Barton grabbed the lead, the Trojans fired right back with seven straight for their biggest lead of six at the 15:45 mark.A Jones bucket and Malith's first of a trio of treys cutting the margin to one, Triton sank all three charity tosses after being fouled on a three-pointer pushing the gap back out to four.Malith continued to stay hot tacking on seven straight points including another arc buster as Barton would never trail again for the final 28 minutes.The game was tied just three more times with Malith's third triple followed by Thompson's jumper breaking the sixth and final deadlock.Following a Triton trey slicing the deficit to two, Barton strung seven straight in a little over two minutes for its largest first half lead of nine coming at 39-30 with 2:26 remaining.Triton would battle back to trail by just five twice but reserve Amiri Ndayisaba's triple with twelve seconds left in front of the Trojan bench swung the momentum to the Cougars' in a 46-39 lead to halftime.A 12-4 stretch out of the locker room extended Barton's lead to twelve but was immediately sliced in half after Triton's six-pack answer.Jackson's offensive rebound putback among the trees followed by Keandre Kindell's triple and Brent Moss' 1-of-2 trip to the line pushed it back to twelve with thirteen minutes left.Three minutes later Barton had its largest advantage of fifteen after a pair of Kindell tosses and consecutive inside jumpers from Thompson for a 69-54 lead with 9:21 left on the clock.Triton hung around and as the clock ticked under six to play, cut the deficit under double-digits and trailed by just five at 78-73 after Connors' three-pointer with 3:48 left.Thompson, a 50% free throw shooter entering Saturday, buried a perfect two tosses on his 8-of-8 afternoon from the stripe then after Triton turned the ball over on the inbounds, muscled his way inside for another macho man signature style bucket.Following empty possessions from each team, Jackson's step-back triple pushed the gap back to double-digits with 2:24 remaining.Thompson's drive through the lane with eighty-six seconds left capped the squad's field goals on the day with Jackson's 1-of-2 trip to the line with forty-nine seconds put a lid on the scoring as Triton was held scoreless for the last 3:48 including a classy last possession of idle dribbling draining the remaining thirty seconds on the clock.All-Tournament TeamLajae Jone (William French Most Valuable Player) - Barton (KS) G So.Chris Mpaka - Indian Hills (IA) F So.Bradyn Hubbard - Connors State (OK) F So.John-Paul Ricks - Hutchinson (KS) G So.Jabari McGhee - South Plains (TX) G So.Malique Ewin - South Plains (TX) F So.Jimmie Williams - Wallace State (AL) G Fr.Tavion Banks - Northwest Florida State G/F So.Willie Lightfoot - Odessa (TX) G So.AJ Dixon - Triton (IL) G Fr.Amar Augillard - Triton (IL) G So.Ring Malith - Barton (KS) G So.Myles Thompson - Barton (KS) F So.Bud Obee Outstanding Small Player Award: Dylan Williams - Triton (IL) G So.Charles Sesher Sportsmanship Award: Triton (IL)Coach of the Tournament: Jeremy Coombs - Barton (KS)GAME NOTES- The 2024 Tournament was Barton's fifth appearance in program history – the first since 2018- Barton's championship game appearance was just the program's second (1999)- Triton was making their first Division I Championship appearance since becoming a DI school five seasons ago- Triton was making their 18th overall tournament appearance and third straight including second straight semifinal game- Triton's 34-3 record tied the most wins in team history- The Championship appearance was Triton's third overall between DI and DII.Individual Record Book ImpactCooper Jackson- 215 career steals *2nd most – 103 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)Mozae Downing-Rivers- 401 career assists *3rd most – 52 behind Gene Butler's 453 (1990-92)

Mission complete, top ranked Barton Co. Cougars win 1st ever National Title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Byron Buxton drove in the tying run in the eighth inning, Christian Vázquez drove in the go-ahead run to start off a four-run ninth, and the Minnesota Twins rallied for a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Griffin Jax (1-0), who earned the save on opening day, picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning for Minnesota. Brock Stewart handled the ninth this time, working around a single by MJ Melendez to put the Twins on the brink of a second straight season-opening sweep of their AL Central rivals.

“I mean, up and down the lineup, fantastic. Almost every guy in this lineup did several things to help us win the game,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Our pitching staff ... had a fantastic day. The bullpen came in and just shut things down.”

Will Smith (0-1), whom the Royals signed to a $5 million deal to close out games, had a debut to forget. He hit Ryan Jeffers with one out in the ninth, walked Willi Castro on a full-count pitch, then watched Vázquez drive in the go-ahead run.

Alex Kirilloff added a sacrifice fly and Buxton a two-run double later in the ninth.

“If we continue to pitch like that,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “we’re going to be fine.”

The Royals' bullpen ultimately wasted six brilliant innings from Seth Lugo, whom they signed to a $45 million, three-year deal in the offseason. Lugo allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out four in a dominant first outing for Kansas City.

“My goal is to pitch as deep as possible,” said Lugo, who also hit a batter — before his bullpen proceeded to hit three more. "Weak contact and ground balls, that’s my game plan.”

The Twins didn't exactly do any favors for Joe Ryan, either.

The right-hander retired the first 10 batters he faced and was still cruising along until Bobby Witt Jr. legged out a double in the sixth. Steven Okert came in and, after getting a groundout and intentionally walking Salvador Perez, Melendez singled through the left side to give Kansas City the 1-0 lead.

It was still that way after the Royals' John Schreiber escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. But Edouard Julien led off the eighth with a double off James McArthur, and Buxton followed two batters later with a tying double of his own.

“We didn't put a bunch of runs on the board but we had some good swings. We just couldn't get the right swing at the right time,” Baldelli said. “We got some baserunners and we took advantage of it late in the game and separated in a good way.”

Twins INF Royce Lewis went on the injured list with a “severe quad strain” and could miss more than a month, said Derek Falvey, their president of baseball operations. Lewis hurt it on opening day Thursday rounding the bases. He had homered and singled in his two at-bats. “He's going to have some significant time down,” Falvey said.

UTIL Austin Martin was called up from Triple-A St. Paul and is prepared to make his big league debut. He had about 10 friends and family members fly into Kansas City with the hopes of seeing him play this weekend.

Twins RHP Bailey Ober will start the series finale on Sunday. RHP Brady Singer will face him for Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Byron Buxton drove in the tying run in the eighth inning, Christian Vázquez drove in the go-ahead run to start off a four-run ninth, and the Minnesota Twins rallied for a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.Griffin Jax (1-0), who earned the save on opening day, picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning for Minnesota. Brock Stewart handled the ninth this time, working around a single by MJ Melendez to put the Twins on the brink of a second straight season-opening sweep of their AL Central rivals.“I mean, up and down the lineup, fantastic. Almost every guy in this lineup did several things to help us win the game,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Our pitching staff ... had a fantastic day. The bullpen came in and just shut things down.”Will Smith (0-1), whom the Royals signed to a $5 million deal to close out games, had a debut to forget. He hit Ryan Jeffers with one out in the ninth, walked Willi Castro on a full-count pitch, then watched Vázquez drive in the go-ahead run.Alex Kirilloff added a sacrifice fly and Buxton a two-run double later in the ninth.“If we continue to pitch like that,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, “we’re going to be fine.”The Royals' bullpen ultimately wasted six brilliant innings from Seth Lugo, whom they signed to a $45 million, three-year deal in the offseason. Lugo allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out four in a dominant first outing for Kansas City.“My goal is to pitch as deep as possible,” said Lugo, who also hit a batter — before his bullpen proceeded to hit three more. "Weak contact and ground balls, that’s my game plan.”The Twins didn't exactly do any favors for Joe Ryan, either.The right-hander retired the first 10 batters he faced and was still cruising along until Bobby Witt Jr. legged out a double in the sixth. Steven Okert came in and, after getting a groundout and intentionally walking Salvador Perez, Melendez singled through the left side to give Kansas City the 1-0 lead.It was still that way after the Royals' John Schreiber escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. But Edouard Julien led off the eighth with a double off James McArthur, and Buxton followed two batters later with a tying double of his own.“We didn't put a bunch of runs on the board but we had some good swings. We just couldn't get the right swing at the right time,” Baldelli said. “We got some baserunners and we took advantage of it late in the game and separated in a good way.”TRAINER'S ROOMTwins INF Royce Lewis went on the injured list with a “severe quad strain” and could miss more than a month, said Derek Falvey, their president of baseball operations. Lewis hurt it on opening day Thursday rounding the bases. He had homered and singled in his two at-bats. “He's going to have some significant time down,” Falvey said.ROSTER MOVESUTIL Austin Martin was called up from Triple-A St. Paul and is prepared to make his big league debut. He had about 10 friends and family members fly into Kansas City with the hopes of seeing him play this weekend.UP NEXTTwins RHP Bailey Ober will start the series finale on Sunday. RHP Brady Singer will face him for Kansas City.

Buxton, Vázquez deliver timely hits as Twins rally for victory over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pablo Lopez pitched seven sparkling innings, Royce Lewis homered before leaving with an injury, and the Twins beat the Royals 4-1 to begin defense of their AL Central crown. 

Carlos Correa added three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota. That was plenty of support for Lopez, who gave up a homer to Maikel Garcia, the first batter he faced, but little else on a warm and sunny afternoon. He allowed four hits and struck out seven without a walk. 

Cole Ragans struck out nine, a Royals record for opening day, but still took the loss after pitching six strong innings..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711667585037.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pablo Lopez pitched seven sparkling innings, Royce Lewis homered before leaving with an injury, and the Twins beat the Royals 4-1 to begin defense of their AL Central crown. Carlos Correa added three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota. That was plenty of support for Lopez, who gave up a homer to Maikel Garcia, the first batter he faced, but little else on a warm and sunny afternoon. He allowed four hits and struck out seven without a walk. Cole Ragans struck out nine, a Royals record for opening day, but still took the loss after pitching six strong innings..

⚾ Lopez shuts down Royals as Twins begin defense of AL Central title with 4-1 win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals owner John Sherman said jokingly that he doesn't sleep very well under normal circumstances, so just imagine how his nights are going these days, with opening day on deck and a key vote for a downtown ballpark coming up next week.

The Royals play AL Central rival Minnesota on Thursday in their opening three-game series. After an offseason spending spree resulted in a revamped starting rotation, rebuilt bullpen and revitalized lineup, expectations in Kansas City are the highest in years for a club that lost 106 games last season.

“I'm trying not to play the expectation game,” Sherman said Wednesday before a public workout at Kauffman Stadium, the 51-year old building affectionately known as “the K” that the Royals want to replace with a downtown ballpark by 2028.

“We've done a lot to make this team better,” Sherman said. “I'm particularly encouraged by the mix of veterans in the clubhouse, the energy, setting an example for the younger guys. I would say my expectations are high. Time will tell.”

The biggest additions were starters Seth Lugo, who signed a $45 million, three-year deal, and Michael Wacha, who got a $32 million, two-year contract. They will fill out an rotation headlined by opening day starter Cole Ragans, who arrived last year in a trade with Texas, along with Brady Singer and Alec Marsh, who won the final job in spring training.

More money was spilled on the bullpen, where the Royals signed left-hander Will Smith — a three-time World Series champion — to a $5 million deal to close out games, and right-hander Chris Stratton to a $4 million deal to hold onto leads.

The biggest lineup addition is outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who signed a $13 million, two-year deal to provide some pop.

In all, just seven players are left on the 26-man roster from the club that struggled so mightily lsat season.

“That's a pretty significant revamp,” Sherman said.

One of those seven back? Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals' brilliant young shortstop, who committed to their future by signing an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed to serve as their cornerstone going forward.

That deal also sent notice to weary Royals fans, many of whom will vote Tuesday, that they are serious about winning.

On the ballot in Jackson County, Missouri, is the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium and neighboring Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs.

The Royals want to use their share of future money to help pay for a $2 billion ballpark and entertainment district in a section of Kansas City known as the Crossroads, just south of the T-Mobile Center and Power &amp; Light District. The Chiefs plan to use their share to help with an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium after the 2026 World Cup is played there.

“What keeps me up at night? It's really thinking about this decision, this process for our ownership group,” Sherman said. “This is the most important thing we'll probably do while we are the stewards of this franchise.”

Neither the Royals nor the Chiefs have said what they would do should the ballot measure fail. But Sherman is doing his best to allay concerns among voters, which range from traffic to parking to what would happen to current Crossroads businesses. He spent last weekend knocking on doors, attending a church service and taking part in a neighborhood meeting in the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is near the Crossroads and home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

“I've got my ear to the ground,” said Sherman, who joked that his wife went to a restaurant in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City recently and “she had four yeses, three nos and a couple of maybes" in her informal polling.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro made his opinion clear, wearing a shirt Wednesday that read “Vote Yes on 1.”

“When you travel around to different cities in the league, the downtown ballparks put a ton of energy into the city. The players enjoy it. The fans soak that kind of thing in,” Quatraro said. “And what a new ballpark could bring our team — the amenities, the facilities underneath (Kauffman Stadium) are smaller. The operation is continuing to grow, and players need certain things that are hard to provide here. From a player-development standpoint, I think it would be a great thing for the team.”

In the meantime, Quatraro is much like Sherman in that his expectations are high for a better season in Kansas City.

“We came into last year with great expectations as well. We don't come into any season thinking it's not going to be good,” he said. “From a team concept, we expect these guys to go out and try to win every game.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705687592823.jpeg" alt="File Photo- (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)" />
 <figcaption>File Photo- (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals owner John Sherman said jokingly that he doesn't sleep very well under normal circumstances, so just imagine how his nights are going these days, with opening day on deck and a key vote for a downtown ballpark coming up next week.The Royals play AL Central rival Minnesota on Thursday in their opening three-game series. After an offseason spending spree resulted in a revamped starting rotation, rebuilt bullpen and revitalized lineup, expectations in Kansas City are the highest in years for a club that lost 106 games last season.“I'm trying not to play the expectation game,” Sherman said Wednesday before a public workout at Kauffman Stadium, the 51-year old building affectionately known as “the K” that the Royals want to replace with a downtown ballpark by 2028.“We've done a lot to make this team better,” Sherman said. “I'm particularly encouraged by the mix of veterans in the clubhouse, the energy, setting an example for the younger guys. I would say my expectations are high. Time will tell.”The biggest additions were starters Seth Lugo, who signed a $45 million, three-year deal, and Michael Wacha, who got a $32 million, two-year contract. They will fill out an rotation headlined by opening day starter Cole Ragans, who arrived last year in a trade with Texas, along with Brady Singer and Alec Marsh, who won the final job in spring training.More money was spilled on the bullpen, where the Royals signed left-hander Will Smith — a three-time World Series champion — to a $5 million deal to close out games, and right-hander Chris Stratton to a $4 million deal to hold onto leads.The biggest lineup addition is outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who signed a $13 million, two-year deal to provide some pop.In all, just seven players are left on the 26-man roster from the club that struggled so mightily lsat season.“That's a pretty significant revamp,” Sherman said.One of those seven back? Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals' brilliant young shortstop, who committed to their future by signing an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed to serve as their cornerstone going forward.That deal also sent notice to weary Royals fans, many of whom will vote Tuesday, that they are serious about winning.On the ballot in Jackson County, Missouri, is the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium and neighboring Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs.The Royals want to use their share of future money to help pay for a $2 billion ballpark and entertainment district in a section of Kansas City known as the Crossroads, just south of the T-Mobile Center and Power &amp; Light District. The Chiefs plan to use their share to help with an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium after the 2026 World Cup is played there.“What keeps me up at night? It's really thinking about this decision, this process for our ownership group,” Sherman said. “This is the most important thing we'll probably do while we are the stewards of this franchise.”Neither the Royals nor the Chiefs have said what they would do should the ballot measure fail. But Sherman is doing his best to allay concerns among voters, which range from traffic to parking to what would happen to current Crossroads businesses. He spent last weekend knocking on doors, attending a church service and taking part in a neighborhood meeting in the 18th &amp; Vine district, which is near the Crossroads and home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.“I've got my ear to the ground,” said Sherman, who joked that his wife went to a restaurant in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City recently and “she had four yeses, three nos and a couple of maybes" in her informal polling.Royals manager Matt Quatraro made his opinion clear, wearing a shirt Wednesday that read “Vote Yes on 1.”“When you travel around to different cities in the league, the downtown ballparks put a ton of energy into the city. The players enjoy it. The fans soak that kind of thing in,” Quatraro said. “And what a new ballpark could bring our team — the amenities, the facilities underneath (Kauffman Stadium) are smaller. The operation is continuing to grow, and players need certain things that are hard to provide here. From a player-development standpoint, I think it would be a great thing for the team.”In the meantime, Quatraro is much like Sherman in that his expectations are high for a better season in Kansas City.“We came into last year with great expectations as well. We don't come into any season thinking it's not going to be good,” he said. “From a team concept, we expect these guys to go out and try to win every game.”

⚾ Royals ready for opening day, key vote next week to help fund downtown ballpark

LOS ANGELES (AP) - JuJu Watkins&nbsp;scored Southern California's first seven points of the game, giving her team a shot of confidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711447177488.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) - JuJu Watkins&nbsp;scored Southern California's first seven points of the game, giving her team a shot of confidence.The stellar freshman finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and the top-seeded Trojans led all the way in defeating Kansas 73-55 on Monday night to reach the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA Tournament.Watkins raced over to the student section at Galen Center and high-fived her way down the front row in celebration, wearing the scratch on her face like a badge of honor.“I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else,” she said.McKenzie Forbes hit a career-high six 3-pointers and scored 20 points for the Trojans (28-5), who will face fifth-seeded Baylor (26-7) in the Portland Region 3 in Oregon on Saturday.USC last went this deep when it reached the Elite Eight in 1994, 10 years after the school won the second of its back-to-back national championships.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-usc-texas-am-corpus-christi-score-93dd62ab3b84ec67ad9a3ee01bd7425f">The Trojans</a>&nbsp;beat 16th-seeded Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi in the first round.“It's just been really fun to see this place come back to life,” said Forbes, a graduate transfer from Harvard. “We didn't want to leave the court. They had that place jumping.”Freshman S’Mya Nichols scored 22 points for the Jayhawks (20-13). Taiyanna Jackson had 10 points and 18 rebounds. Kansas fell to 0-6 all-time when facing a No. 1 seed in the tournament.After Kansas got within one in the third, the Trojans took over with a 17-2 run that carried over into the fourth. Watkins had nine points and Kayla Padilla hit a 3-pointer that extended USC's lead to 64-48.Clarice Akunwafo, who at 6-foot-6 equaled Jackson's height, disrupted the Kansas center with a career-high six blocks among USC's 10 in the game and even did a little scoring down the stretch.“Their physicality not only wore down Taiyanna, but wore down our team a little bit,” Jayhawks coach Brandon Schneider said. “Even when we could get to the rim it was hard to finish.”The Jayhawks outscored USC 22-20 in the third, scoring nine in a row to close to 47-46. Watkins closed the quarter by hitting a 3-pointer and making a pair of free throws before picking up her third foul. Forbes stole the ball and Akunwafo got fouled, making 1 of 2 to keep the Trojans ahead 53-46.Kansas rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-michigan-kansas-women-score-1e45b5170df7f4a7a2c1c4a79b4bed10">to force overtime against Michigan</a>&nbsp;in the first round but was completely taken out of it in the fourth by the Trojans.Watkins got off to a sizzling start with the crowd chanting “USC! USC!” The Trojans ran off 12 straight points over the end of the first and start of the second quarter, capped by Watkins' 3-pointer that extended USC's lead to 24-9.“Ju was spectacular,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “They had to change and go to zone because of her attacking early on.”The Trojans forced 12 Kansas turnovers that led to 16 points for them in the first half, which ended with USC ahead 33-24. The Jayhawks made just one 3-pointer in the half. They started the game shooting 3 of 14 from the floor.“The difference in the game was points off turnovers,” Schneider said. “Uncharacteristically, we turned the ball over quite a bit in the first 15 minutes of the game.”Among the USC supporters were Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, former NBA player John Wall, former USC quarterback Matt Leinert and football coach Lincoln Riley.___