Briefs
Carr eliminated in NCAA wrestling
Illinois wrestler Mike Carr, a graduate of South Fayette, won twice then lost in the consolation rounds Friday in the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland Friday.
Carr defeated Brent Moore of Virginia Tech, 8-5, then downed Nick Gil of Navy, 5-4, before losing 8-6 in overtime to Sa’Derian Perry of Eastern Michigan.
Meanwhile, Ohio State sits atop the team leaderboard after three sessions.
The Buckeyes extended their lead over defending champion Penn State to 80 ½-67 during the day session Friday at Quicken Loans Arena. Six Buckeyes will compete in semifinal matches Friday night.
Michigan is third at 59 1/2, followed by Iowa at 53 1/2.
Nathan Tomasello (125 pounds), Luke Pletcher (133), Joey McKenna (141), Micah Jordan (157), Myles Martin (184) and Rio Olympics gold-medalist Kyle Snyder (285) advanced for the Buckeyes, who are trying to win their second team title in four years.
Ohio State went 19-1 Thursday.
The Nittany Lions, who have won six of the last seven team championships, sent defending individual champions Zain Retherford (149), Jason Nolf (157), Vincenzo Joseph (165), Mark Hall (174) and Bo Nickal (184) into the semifinals.
Ohio State’s top-seeded 197-pounder Kollin Moore was swept off his feet and pinned in just 1:30 by Kent State’s unseeded Kyle Conel. Penn State 197-pounder Shakur Rasheed gave up a late takedown and lost 5-4 to North Carolina State’s Mike Macchiavello.
Lehigh’s Darian Cruz, last year’s 125-pound champion, will try to defend his title.
Retherford and Snyder are vying for their third individual titles. Illinois’ Isaiah Martinez, a runner-up last season, is aiming for his third after advancing at 165 pounds.
Weiss sets
strikeout record
Senior pitcher Cassie Weiss, a graduate of McGuffey, established the Bethany College career strikeout record, as the Bison defeated Roger Williams 6-1 Friday afternoon at the PFX Spring Games. Bethany would later conclude the day with a 9-0 run-rule loss to Hope.
Weiss struck out the side in the first inning. Weiss continued to mow down Roger Williams batters in the second inning, striking out the side once again. The third strikeout in the inning was her sixth of the game and 464th of her career, breaking the all-time strikeout record previously held by former Bison Rachael Shaffer (2000-03).
Wild Things
re-sign Harris
When the Wild Things signed outfielder James Harris July 8, 2017, and he subsequently made his debut with the team during a game against the Gateway Grizzlies just before the 2017 Frontier League All-Star Break, the Oakland, Calif., native became the first former MLB first-round draft choice to play for the Wild Things in the franchise’s history. On Friday, Harris was re-signed for the 2018 season.
Harris is the 10th former first rounder to play in the Frontier League. One of them, Josh Smoker, who played for the Rockford Aviators in 2014, is now competing for a spot on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ opening-day roster. Re-signing with the Wild Things is an opportunity for Harris to continue to play professionally, ultimately giving him the chance to continue to work towards his goal of playing in the major leagues.
The 24-year-old outfielder was drafted 60th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays (first round compensatory) in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft at 17 years old, one pick ahead of Pirates’ first baseman Josh Bell.
That is the same high school that produced Ricky Henderson, the all-time MLB leader for stolen bases and runs scored. Harris played parts of seven seasons in two separate farm systems: Tampa Bay and Oakland.
Saints sign punter for $20 million
Saints punter Thomas Morstead figured he had a good command of his value after nine NFL seasons, and he had no interest in playing or living anywhere but New Orleans.
Morstead said Friday that he has signed a new five-year, $20 million contract with the Saints.
He told the Associated Press his new contract begins in the current league year, replacing the final year of his previous contract that was due to expire after next season. The deal guarantees $9 million over the first two seasons and includes the possibility for additional bonuses, Morstead said.
The 32-year-old Morstead served as his own agent on what is his third NFL contract since being drafted in 2009 and helping New Orleans capture its only Super Bowl championship as a rookie.
Morstead has averaged 47 yards per punt during his career. That ranks third all-time in the NFL, less than a yard behind the averages of the two players ahead of him, Shane Lechler and Johnny Hekker.