briefs
Wild Things add infielder
The Wild Things have signed infielder Kevin Rivera for the 2019 season.
The Puerto Rico native joins Washington after being selected in the 14th round by the San Francisco Giants out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy. He spent 5 seasons with The Bay Bombers between low Class A, Class A and high Class A.
Rivera’s best season came in 2016, when he was selected as a Northwest League All-Star. Playing for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, he hit .320 with 14 doubles, 41 runs and 31 RBI.
For his career, Rivera is a .266 hitter with 40 doubles and 88 RBI in 244 games. The switch-hitter also played multiple seasons in the respected Puerto Rican Winter League for the Cangrejeros de Santurce, playing against recent signing JJ Fernandez.
“Rivera has yet to be given the opportunity to play a full professional season. We have had a lot of recent success with these experienced, young prospects and letting them unleash their game”, said General Manager Tony Buccilli. “Kevin has the makings of being a staple in the middle infield. He has shown the extra base hit production we look for, bringing a style that blends run production and run creation. This is an important season for Kevin and his preparedness will dictate the results.”
The East Division Champions open the season Thursday, May 9 at River City, with the home opener slated for Friday, May 17 at Wild Things Park.
All-sports trophy
The men’s athletic program at Washington & Jefferson College and women’s program at Grove City College lead their respective races for the 2018-19 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) All-Sports Trophies after the conclusion of the winter sports season.
W&J leads the nine-school men’s race with 51 points, while Grove City leads the nine-school women’s race with 54 points.
The PAC All-Sports Trophies are awarded annually to the schools that perform the best across the board in league competition. First-place finishes are worth nine points, second-place finishes are worth eight points … a ninth-place finish is worth one point.
The W&J men, runners-up in last year’s All-Sports Trophy race, earned second-place finishes at this winter’s wrestling and indoor track and field championships, finished fourth at the swimming and diving championships and fifth in basketball.
Grove City sits in second place with 44 points and is followed by Westminster College (41), Waynesburg University (32), Saint Vincent College (31), Geneva College (27), Bethany College (25), Thiel College (17) and Chatham University (14).
The Grove City women, runners-up in last year’s All-Sports Trophy race, registered second-place finishes in swimming and diving and indoor track and field this winter. Grove City also finished third in basketball.
Last year’s All-Sports Trophy winner, Westminster, is in second with 49.50 points and is followed by W&J (42), Saint Vincent (33), Chatham (30), Bethany (29.50) and Geneva (29.50), Waynesburg (26.50) and Thiel (13).
Demaryius Thomas arrested
Former Denver Broncos and Houston Texans receiver Demaryius Thomas has been arrested on allegations including felony vehicular assault stemming from a crash earlier this month.
Thomas was taken into custody Wednesday after turning himself in and was also being held on allegations of reckless driving and not having proof of insurance, both misdemeanors, police said Thursday.
Thomas was involved in a crash on Feb. 16, a few days after he was released by the Texans. In a statement laying out the reasons for his arrest, police said Thomas was driving over 70 mph, more than twice the 30 mph speed limit, near downtown Denver when his SUV went off the road and went airborne, flipping end-over-end.
The SUV landed on its wheels and one of his two passengers suffered serious injuries, the document said.
Thomas and the other passenger also were taken to the hospital after the crash.
Thomas’ agent, Todd France, did not immediately respond to a request from The Associated Press seeking comment.