Month: June 2014

T-Bones can’t find strike zone in loss

The T-Bones struggled to throw strikes Monday night, walking 11 batters in an 11-2 loss to the Wichita Wingnuts at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas City starter Pat Doyle struggled with his command through his five innings of work, walking six with two wild pitches. Only 68 of Doyle’s 123 pitches were deemed strikes.

Doyle ran into early trouble in the first, loading the bases with only one out. Chris McMurray then drew a walk, Doyle’s third of the inning, which forced in a run and gave Wichita an early 1-0 lead.

Doyle again struggled to find the plate in the second, walking David Amberson and throwing two wild pitches that allowed Amberson to advance to third. Carlo Testa then smacked an infield single off first baseman Nick Schwaner’s glove, scoring Amberson. Doyle walked Jake Kahaulelio before serving up a two-run double to Brent Clevlen, extending the Wichita advantage to 4-0.

In the seventh, leading 5-0, the Wingnuts scored again because of Kansas City walks. Kansas City reliever Kristhiam Linares walked the bases loaded before walking Amberson and forcing in Wichita’s sixth run. Zach Fowler would relieve Linares, but served up a walk of his own and force in yet another run.

The T-Bones finally got on the board in the eighth when Testa misplayed a fly ball off the bat of Danny Richar that rolled to the wall and scored two. The late rally wouldn’t be enough, though, as Kansas City allowed four more runs over the game’s final two frames. Wichita starter Justin Klipp (3-0) picked up the win for the Wingnuts, tossing seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts. Doyle (1-2) took the loss.

Kansas City falls to 8-10, while Wichita moves to 14-5. The T-Bones continue their series with Wichita Tuesday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=177728

– Story from T-Bones

Election day is today for Piper school LOB increase

Today is election day for residents of the Piper School District.

A special election on increasing the local option budget will be held today. Voters will decide to approve or reject changing the local option budget from 30 percent to 31 percent.

There are two polling locations for the election to be held on June 3 – Piper Community Center and Open Door Baptist Church. On election day, voters must go to their designated polling place. All voters have been notified by mail of their designated polling place.

Advance voting was available in this election. Those who requested a ballot by mail have until 7 p.m. today to return it to the election office at 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For more information call the election office at 913-573-8500.

More details on the election are on the school district’s website at www.piperschools.com. Voters must be registered to vote and live in Piper School District to be eligible to vote in this election.

To see an earlier column published about the school district finance in the Wyandotte Daily News, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/educators-stress-importance-of-qualified-workers/.

New 4-H agent hails from Wyandotte County

Olivia Moore

by Mary Rupert

Wyandotte County’s new 4-H agent is a homegrown product.

Olivia Moore, 22, became the new Extension agent in 4-H and youth development about seven weeks ago.

The former member of the Chaparral 4-H Club, Moore graduated from Washington High School in 2009 and from Kansas State University in 2013.

At K-State, she majored in animal science and industry, with an emphasis on production and management.

She has nine years of experience as a 4-H member in Wyandotte County.

“I showed horses, I raised them, in addition to raising chickens for meat and eggs, and for show, for market,” Moore said. “I did a leadership project, table setting project, wildlife project, quilting, a huge variety of things.”

Through the years, she believes her biggest 4-H accomplishment was to win the senior horse showmanship award at the Wyandotte County Fair.

Moore said she learned much from her 4-H experiences.

“I learned a lot of self-control and responsibility because you have to feed your animals every day, rain or snow, wind or sunshine, because they are counting on you to get them fed,” she said. “In addition, I learned humility and being humble, and really learning what you want to. 4-H is self-led. You do a lot of your 4-H work away from other people.”

Since her days in the 4-H program, she has seen changes in the numbers of large livestock animals in the county fair. Traditionally the fair was a showcase of large livestock animals, but it now seems to be moving to a smaller animal showcase including chickens and rabbits, that can be housed in a backyard, and toward nontraditional programs such as robots and wind technology, she said.

As the new 4-H agent in Wyandotte County, Moore would like to increase the number of youth participating in the program here. In 2013, there were 220 youth involved in community clubs, and 1,500 youth involved with 4-H in general here, including after-school and special interest programs, and others using the 4-H curriculum, she said.

In the future, Moore said she would like to see the 4-H program embrace technology, increase the number of youth participants, increase readiness and the skill set necessary for youth to advance to college, technical training or the military service.

“It’s definitely an exciting time to be in Extension and an amazing time to be in Wyandotte County,” she said.