Friday March 29th Local Sports

THIS WEEKEND ON AM-1300 KGLO:

== FRIDAY
— NCAA Men’s Sweet 16 — 5:00

 

== SATURDAY
— Iowa women’s basketball — NCAA Sweet 16 vs. North Carolina State — pre-game 10:15, tipoff 10:30

— Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland — 1:10 first pitch (coverage joined after Iowa women’s basketball)

— NCAA Men’s Elite 8 — 5:00

 

 

== SUNDAY
— Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland — 12:30 pre-game, 1:10 first pitch

— NCAA Men’s Elite 8 — coverage after Twins baseball

 

 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota newcomer Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run double in the seventh inning, Jose Berrios outdueled Corey Kluber and the Twins gave manager Rocco Baldelli a win in his debut, starting the season by beating the Cleveland Indians 2-0 Thursday.

Berrios set a Twins opening day record with 10 strikeouts, with the 24-year-old right-hander picking up where he left off as an All-Star in 2018. The youngest opening day starter for the Twins since Brad Radke in 1996, Berrios allowed just two hits and one walk in 7 2/3 innings with his curveball in prime form. Then Taylor Rogers recorded the last four outs for the save, stretching his scoreless streak to 27 straight innings.

Kluber hardly deserved defeat, after retiring the first 14 batters he faced until Gonzalez drew a walk. Byron Buxton broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out double in the sixth. Then the Twins took the lead in the seventh solely with hits by new players, singles by Nelson Cruz and C.J. Cron and then the game-breaker by Gonzalez.

The two teams take today off and will resume their series this weekend with the first pitch both days scheduled for 1:10 PM.

 

 

WOODRIDGE, ILLINOIS — Lewiston/Auburn scored three goals in the third period on their way to a 7-4 win over the North Iowa Bulls in the second day of round robin pool play in the Fraser Cup Championship Tournament in Woodridge Illinois Thursday. Bulls coach Todd Sanden says his team didn’t have their best game.

After the Bulls took a 4-3 lead with just under six minutes to go in the second period, Lewiston/Auburn switched out goaltenders, which Sanden says was the turning point of the contest.

With the win Lewiston/Auburn qualified for this weekend’s championship round, while the Bulls now face an elimination game today against the Helena Bighorns. Sanden says the mindset for today’s game is a simple one.

Matt Rozman had two goals for the Bulls while Harrison Stewart and Jack Giddings each added a goal. Faceoff this afternoon between North Iowa and Helena is scheduled for 4 o’clock. In Pool B, Texas and St. Louis have punched their tickets into the championship round this weekend after both have beaten Binghamton. The two teams will face each other today to decide where they’ll sit in the bracket for Saturday’s semifinal games.

 

 

GREENSBORO — Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder says the Hawkeyes are not satisfied by just getting to the Sweet 16 for the seventh time in program history. Iowa plays North Carolina State Saturday morning in a regional semifinal in Greensboro.

A win would give the Hawkeyes their fourth trip to the Elite Eight and first since a Final Four run in 1993.

Bluder says there are a lot of similarities between the Hawkeyes and Wolfpack.

Bluder says the teams employ different styles.

Tipoff is scheduled for 10:30 Saturday morning, with the pre-game at 10:15 on KGLO.

 

 

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State and women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly have agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2025. Fennelly finished his 24th season at Iowa State with an upset to loss at home to Missouri State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The 61-year-old Fennelly had been signed through 2022. Financial terms were not disclosed.

 

 

CEDAR FALLS Northern Iowa coach Mark Farley says finding a new quarterback is a priority for the Panthers this spring. Eli Dunne threw for more than 25 hundred yards and 18 touchdowns in leading UNI to the second round of the FCS playoffs last season.

Farley says spring drills are always about filling holes in the lineup.

Farley says it is also a good time to stress fundamentals.

UNI started spring practice on Wednesday

 

 

CHARLES CITY — The Mason City High boys soccer team opened up the season yesterday with an 8-0 win over Charles City. Isaac Fetkether had three goals, Jacob Wolf scored twice, with solo goals by Eddie Lara, David Johnson, and Lucas Benitez. Mason City returns to action on Tuesday April 9th when they travel to Ankeny.