Month: June 2014

Big inning propels T-Bones

A big fourth inning lifted the T-Bones to a 6-2 victory over the Wichita Wingnuts on Thursday night in front of a crowd of 5,203 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

T.J. Mittelstaedt led off the fourth inning with a double to right field, which was the T-Bones’ first hit of the game. He advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Wingnuts starting pitcher Anthony Capra. After David Espinosa’s second walk of the night, Danny Richar grounded into a fielder’s choice, which scored Mittelstaedt.

Later in the inning, Nick Schwaner was hit by a pitch and Nick Giarraputo walked, loading the bases. Vladimir Frias came through with a two-run single that put the T-Bones up 3-1.

Wichita tallied its first run on an RBI double by J.T. Wise, scoring Brent Clevlen. The Wingnuts would add a run in the seventh as Carlo Testa scored on a Clevlen RBI single.

The T-Bones added two more runs on a two-RBI double, scoring Robby Kuzdale and Mittelstaedt in the bottom of the seventh inning. Frias also had an RBI double in the eighth inning to make the score 6-2.

Daniel Barone, who worked around a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the top of the first, earned the victory for the T-Bones, his third of the year. He pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and one earned run, to go along with one walk and five strikeouts. Kris Regas (4) got the save.

With the win, the T-Bones split this Kansas Turnpike Showdown with Wichita, two games to two. They welcome the Laredo Lemurs to CommunityAmerica Ballpark on Friday night at 7:05 for the start of a three-game series. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

– Story from T-Bones

UG to study convention center along I-435 corridor

The Unified Government Commission tonight approved sending out requests for proposals for a feasibility study on a convention center along the I-435 and Village West corridor.

The convention center project comes at the same time as a hotel is being planned next to the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, near I-70 and I-435. The commission voted 7-0 to give the go-ahead for the feasibility study for a convention center.

UG Administrator Doug Bach said there has been some interest in a convention center along the I-435 corridor during the past few years. Recently a few developers have come in to discuss it, he added.

He told the commission that the staff felt that if the UG ever moved forward with such a project, it should have control over the site and the size of the facility, finding out what is the real demand for it and what the size should be.

He recommended that the UG issue a request for proposals, and select a consultant to do this study. He said the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Kansas City, Kan., and community partners are willing to take on almost all of the cost of the $50,000 study. At the Monday meeting, he mentioned the Hollywood Casino-Kansas Speedway as another group that was willing to help fund the study.

Commissioner Mike Kane said a lot of major conventions can’t be held here because the I-435 corridor area doesn’t have a convention center. Currently, the Village West area has some hotels, and some have meeting space, but not a convention center.

“One of the big missing pieces out west is convention space,” Mayor Mark Holland said. A convention center could have the same major effect as the Sporting Park stadium or Legends, he believes. It could compete not just regionally, but nationally for conventions, he believes.

Mayor Holland noted earlier in the meeting that the Republican National Committee currently is in the Kansas City area looking at Kansas City as one of the four finalists for the 2016 national convention. Kansas City, Kan., has passed a unanimous resolution supporting it, along with Kansas City, Mo., and has committed tourism dollars toward it, he said.

See earlier story, https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-to-look-at-convention-center-for-village-west-area/

Dwyer voted MLS Player of Month

Dom Dwyer

Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer was voted Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month for May, MLSsoccer.com announced on Thursday.

The 23-year-old continued his breakout season with six goals in May and did so by scoring in four straight MLS matches, tied for the longest such goal-scoring streak in MLS this season and second best in team history.

Dwyer moved into second place in the MLS Golden Boot race with 10 goals during the 2014 season, one shy of New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips, and is now one of 11 players all-time with a 10-goal season in a KC uniform. Dwyer is also tied for the League lead with three game-winning goals and three multi-goal games, while ranking second in both shots (50) and shots on goal (20).

Dwyer is one of Sporting Kansas City’s seven nominees on the fan ballot for the 2014 MLS All-Star Game. Fan voting is available online at MLSsoccer.com through July 11 and Dwyer is also in contention for the “More than a Vote” Challenge, in which one MLS forward will be voted into the All-Star Game based on goals scored by fans in EA Sports FIFA 14.

Sporting Kansas City selected Dwyer in the first round of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation adidas signing out of the University of South Florida. In three MLS seasons, Dwyer has contributed 13 goals and two assists in 37 games played (including postseason) and scored the game-winning goal in the Eastern Conference Championship to propel Sporting KC to MLS Cup 2013.

In 2013, Dwyer recorded 26 goals across six competitions while splitting time between Sporting Kansas City and the team’s USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC. He set the USL PRO single-season scoring record with 15 goals in 13 regular season games and led the Lions to the USL PRO title with four goals in the final to earn Championship MVP honors.

Dwyer received nearly twice as many MLS Player of the Month votes as runner-up Obafemi Martins and more votes than the remaining three nominees combined (Fabian Espindola, Javier Morales and Diego Fagundez). He becomes the first Sporting KC player to win the award since Graham Zusi in June 2011 and the ninth different player in club history to collect the honor.

Under a new format in 2014, Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month is determined by the fans via online voting. Five nominees are selected each month by the editorial staff of MLSsoccer.com.

KC All-Time Players of the Month (9)
April 2000: Miklos Molnar
May 2000: Tony Meola
May 2003: Preki
June 2004: Chris Klein
August 2005: Scott Sealy
June 2006: Jose Burciaga Jr.
April 2007: Eddie Johnson
June 2011: Graham Zusi
May 2014: Dom Dwyer

2014 MLS Players of the Month
March: Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas)
April: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders)
May: Dom Dwyer (Sporting KC)
– Story from Sporting KC