Sports briefs
Wild Things make moves
The Frontier League has not announced if it will be playing baseball in 2020 but that hasn’t stopped the Wild Things from putting together a roster.
Washington has signed three players this week and put a starting pitcher on the inactive list.
Signed were pitcher Keven Pimentel and outfielders E.P. Reese and Robbie Thorburn. Pitcher Michael Austin, who had been in the Wild Things’ starting rotation each of the last two seasons, was deactivated.
Pimentel played one season in the Colorado Rockies’ farm system after going 22-4 over two seasons at NCAA Division II power Tampa. Pimentel played two seasons at Miami (Fla.) before transferring to Tampa.
Thorburn spent three seasons in the Baltimore Orioles’ farm system, reaching the high-Class A level. Reese is a center fielder who was drafted in the 25th round last year by the Houston Astros out of Winston-Salem State.
Austin had a 9-11 record, including a 6-8 mark last season, with Washington. He led all Wild Things pitchers last season in starts and innings pitched.
W&J’s Wang named Academic All-American
Men’s tennis player Nate Wang was selected as the 58th Academic All-American in Washington & Jefferson College history by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Wang, a Venetia resident and Peters Township graduate, was one 45 Division III student-athletes and the only one from the Presidents’ Athletic Conference honored on the Academic All-America Men’s At-Large Teams.
A third-team selection, Wang is a biochemistry major with a German minor. He had a 3.88 GPA entering the spring semester. Wang was recently selected as W&J’s male recipient of the Paul Reardon Award, which is presented to a pair of juniors who exemplify excellence in the classroom and athletics.
In singles play, Wang has a 33-5 overall record, which includes a 17-1 mark in the PAC. In doubles, he is 29-10 overall.
Wang was voted PAC Player of the Year and received PAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player following his sophomore season. He earned All-PAC first team in both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles in 2019.
American sprinter Coleman suspended
American sprinter Christian Coleman was suspended Wednesday by the Athletics Integrity Unit for missing doping tests.
The AIU updated its list of athletes on provisional suspension to include the 100-meter world champion. Coleman has been temporarily banned until a hearing conducted under World Athletics Anti-Doping rules.
Coleman had a previous whereabouts charge dropped last year and was a favorite for Olympic gold in the 100 meters ahead of the Tokyo Games. Those games have been postponed to next year.
Coleman wrote on Twitter that drug testers were unable to find him Dec. 9 while he was shopping at a nearby mall for Christmas presents. That was his third infraction in a 12-month period.
Belmont draw
It wasn’t quite the post position trainer Barclay Tagg wanted for Tiz the Law. Still, it wasn’t far off for the colt who on Wednesday was made the early 6-5 favorite for the Belmont Stakes.
Tagg was hoping Tiz the Law would land spots anywhere from 5 to 7 for Saturday’s beginning of the reconfigured Triple Crown. Tiz the Law drew the No. 8 post in the 10-horse field and will be ridden by Manny Franco.
The field in post-position order with jockey and odds: Tap It to Win, John Velazquez, 6-1; Sole Volante, Luca Panici, 9-2; Max Player, Joel Rosario, 15-1; Modernist, Junior Alvarado, 15-1; Farmington Road, Javier Castellano, 15-1; Fore Left, Jose Ortiz, 30-1; Jungle Runner, Reylu Gutierrez, 50-1; Tiz the Law, Franco, 6-5; Dr Post, Irad Ortiz Jr., 5-1; Pneumatic, Ricardo Santana, 8-1.