Thursday September 12th Local Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in three runs in support of Stephen Strasburg, who gave the Washington Nationals six strong innings to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 for just their third win in the last nine games.

Juan Soto and Zimmerman hit RBI singles in the first inning against Martín Pérez, who fell further behind in the third when Howie Kendrick doubled in Soto with two outs and Zimmerman followed with his two-run smash into the seats for a 5-0 lead.

The Twins had their lead on Cleveland in the AL Central whittled to four games. They have five fewer losses than the Indians, who are idle on Thursday while the Twins finish with the Nationals. The division rivals will start their last head-to-head series of the season in Cleveland on Friday.

 

 

AMES — The buildup to Saturday’s Iowa-Iowa State game is bigger than it has been in years and the teams meet in Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday. Cyclone quarterback Brock Purdy says the presence of College GameDay will give the series added national exposure.

The Cyclones need to solve the Iowa defense to snap a four game skid in the series. A year ago the Cyclones scored only three points in a loss in Iowa City.

Defensive tackle Ray Lima says the players are not focused on the hoopla surrounding the game.

ISU linebacker Mike Rose says they are prepared for the physical challenge the Hawkeyes bring.

Twin brothers Landan and Levi Paulsen will start on the Iowa offensive line in their final game against Iowa State. Landan says they did not know much about the rivalry until their older sister joined the Hawkeye Marching Band.

Linebacker Nick Niemann says the Hawkeyes are trying to ignore everything surrounding the game.

Junior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette expects another close game. Two years ago he caught the winning touchdown pass in the Hawkeyes 44-41 overtime win in Ames.

Iowa linebacker Djimon Colbert says the Cyclone offense will be a tougher challenge with Brock Purdy under center.

Kickoff on Saturday is scheduled for 3 o’clock, with the pre-game at 1 o’clock on KGLO.

 

 

MASON CITY – The NIACC volleyball team stopped Hawkeye Community College three sets to two in an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference match Wednesday night in the NIACC gym.

NIACC won 25-14, 25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 15-8.

Sophomore Kennedy Meister led the Lady Trojans with 22 kills, 20 digs and two blocks.

NIACC’s Becca Steffen had seven kills, 11 digs and four ace serves. Shelby Heston had seven kills, 11 digs and three ace serves and Kayla Lentz had 26 digs.

Also for the Lady Trojans, Tessa Sienknecht had 11 assists and five digs, Megan Hollander had six kills, Alexa Loftus had five kills and five digs, Braylee Wood had three kills and two blocks and Bri Powers had seven digs.

NIACC (10-4 overall, 1-1 in the conference) returns to action Friday at home against Dakota County Technical College. The match starts at 7 p.m.

 

 

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — Jordin Canada scored a career-high 26 points and the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm beat the seventh-seeded Minnesota Lynx 84-74 in a first-round, winner-take-all playoff game. With Jewell Loyd adding 22 points, the No. 6 Storm, who play at third-seeded Los Angeles on Sunday in the single-elimination second round, got 48 out of their backcourt.

 

 

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild have re-signed left wing Kevin Fiala to a two-year, $6 million contract. The deal with the restricted free agent was done two days before the team’s first practice of training camp. The 23-year-old Swiss forward was drafted by Nashville with the 11th overall pick in the first round in 2014, was acquired by the Wild in a trade for center Mikael Granlund at the deadline last season. Fiala totaled 13 goals and 26 assists in 2018-19.