Category: Sports

Pirates acquire 2017 All-Star Cory Dickerson from the Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates today acquired outfielder Corey Dickerson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Daniel Hudson, minor league infielder Tristan Gray and cash considerations. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington.

The 28-year-old Dickerson was named to the 2017 American League All-Star team after hitting .282 (166-for-588) with 33 doubles, four triples, a career-high 27 home runs, 62 RBI, .325 OBP, .490 slugging percentage and .815 OPS in 150 games with the Rays.

“Corey Dickerson adds a quality power threat to our lineup as evidenced by his 60-plus extra base hits and 20-plus home runs each of the last two seasons,” said Huntington. “Corey is a driven player who will also add a quality presence to our clubhouse.”

Dickerson broke into the big leagues in 2013 with Colorado and played in 69 games during his first season with the Rockies. In 2014 during his first full season with Colorado, the left-handed hitting Dickerson hit .312 with 27 doubles, six triples, 24 home runs and 76 RBI in 131 games. He ended the 2014 campaign with a team-leading 24 home runs and 57 extra base hits while finishing second on the team with 76 RBI. He also fell 24 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the National League batting title.

Dickerson has produced a career average of .280 (546-for-1952) with 127 doubles, 20 triples, 90 home runs, 256 RBI, .325 OBP, .504 slugging percentage and .829 OPS in 563 games between Colorado (2013-15) and Tampa Bay (2016-17).

 

WPIAL Quarterfinal Basketball: February 22, 2018

The first round of the WPIAL basketball playoffs are over, and the quarterfinals get started tonight. While several county teams have bowed out, others begin their trek toward the top tonight.

Here’s a list of all the games from last night and tonight, including our doubleheader that starts coverage at 6:00pm:

BOYS

Wednseday’s Scores
[4A] Uniontown 59, Central Valley 57
[4A] Ambridge 62, Deer Lakes 56
[4A] Valley 76, South Park 69
[4A] South Fayette 48, Freeport 45

6:30pm
[3A] Aliquippa vs. Riverside (at Ambridge) [WBVP/WMBA]

7:30pm
[1A] Cornell vs. Clairton (at Peters Twp.)
[1A] Imani Christian vs. Monessen (at Chartiers-Houston)

8:00pm
[3A] Lincoln Park vs. Burgettstown (at Ambridge) [WBVP/WMBA]
[3A] CW North Catholic vs. Washington (at Moon)
[3A] Shady Side Academy vs. Seton-LaSalle (at Sewickley Academy)
[1A] Propel Andrew Street vs. Vincentian (at Northgate)
[1A] Eden Christian vs. Union (at Fox Chapel)

GIRLS

Wednseday’s Scores
[3A] Laurel 45, South Side Beaver 33
[3A] Seton-LaSalle 50, Riverside 48
[3A] Avonworth 67, South Allegheny 30
[3A] Apollo-Ridge 47, Charleroi 35

6:30pm
[4A] Ambridge vs. CW North Catholic (at Moon)
[4A] Beaver vs. Belle Vernon (at Canon-McMillan)
[2A] OLSH vs. Brentwood (at Sewickley Academy)
[2A] Leechburg vs. Chartiers-Houston (at West Allegheny)
[2A] Vincentian vs. California (at Northgate)
[2A] Serra Catholic vs. Greensburg Central Catholic (at Fox Chapel)

8:00pm
[4A] Blackhawk vs. Elizabeth Forward (at Canon-McMillan)
[4A] Central Valley vs. Keystone Oaks (at West Allegheny)

Aliquippa opens Head Football Coaching position. (UPDATED With Sandy Giordano’s Report!)

The Aliquippa school board met Wednesday night February 21, 2018 to decide whether to open up the head coaching position for the high school football team. The school board voted 6 to 3  to open up the position which means the end of an era for now  former coach Mike Zmijanac who had been at the helm for the last 21 years. Zmijanac had led Quips on and impressive run during his tenure.  Zmijanac is an Aliquippa graduate, a retired Aliquippa teacher and is recognized as one of the greatest coaches in WPIAL history. He is 13th on the WPIAL all-time list for wins and his record in 21 seasons is 237-36. His .868 winning percentage is the best among any WPIAL coach with more than 200 wins. Zmijanac also is one of only eight WPIAL coaches who have won six championships, and he has guided the Quips to a WPIAL title game a record 10 consecutive seasons. In Zmijanac’s 21 seasons, the Quips have played for a WPIAL title 13 times and a PIAA title four times. Theschool board has now said they will advertise the position of Head Football Coach with letter of interest and resume to be turned in by March 9.”. People like coaching legend Joe Hamilton and former Blackhawk AD Jack Fullen were among the many people who showed up in support  for coach Zmijanac at the meeting .  Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano was at last night’s meeting and filed this report….

Bucs sign Michael Saunders to Minor League deal with Spring Training invite!!!

The Pirates have signed outfielder Michael Saunders to a Minor League contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training, the team announced Wednesday.

Saunders will wear No. 12 with Pittsburgh.

The 31-year-old was an All-Star in 2016 with the Blue Jays after hitting .298/.372/.551 with 16 home runs and a .923 OPS in the first half. But he slumped heavily in the second half, hitting .178/.282/.357 with eight homers and a .639 OPS.

Saunders signed as a free agent with the Phillies last winter on a one-year, $9 million deal, but was unable to bounce back in 2017. He hit just .205/.257/.360 with six homers and a .617 OPS in 61 games before Philadelphia released him in June.

The Blue Jays brought Saunders back on a Minor League deal about a week later, and he played 12 games for Toronto in September before again becoming a free agent.

WPIAL First Round Playoff Basketball: February 21, 2018

The final set of first-round playoff games in the WPIAL Boys’ and Girls’ basketball playoffs will be played tonight, and that includes a doubleheader on Beaver County Radio. Central Valley plays Uniontown at Peters Township High on 1230 WBVP, while Ambridge plays Deer Lakes at Fox Chapel on 1460 WMBA. Both of these 4A Boys’ playoff games are set for 8:00, with pregame beginning at 7:30.

Here’s tonight’s full schedule, along with last night’s results:

BOYS

Tuesday’s Scores
[5A] Moon 59, Albert Gallatin 44 [WBVP/WMBA]
[5A] West Allegheny 63, Laurel Highlands 54
[5A] Trinity 61, Greensburg-Salem 52
[5A] Hampton 52, Gateway 50
[5A] McKeesport 61, Armstrong 42
[2A] Shenango 64, Frazier 48
[2A] Springdale 34, California 33
[2A] Chartiers-Houston 50, Neshannock 47
[2A] Leechburg 62, Fort Cherry 50

8:00pm
[4A] Central Valley vs. Uniontown (at Peters Twp.) [WBVP]
[4A] Ambridge vs. Deer Lakes (at Fox Chapel) [WMBA]
[4A] South Park vs. Valley (at North Hills)
[4A] Freeport vs. South Fayette (at North Catholic)

GIRLS

Tuesday’s Scores
[6A] Hempfield 64, Seneca Valley 40
[6A] Latrobe 44, Shaler 31
[6A] Mt. Lebanon 31, Penn Hills 30
[6A] Upper St. Clair 38, Butler 32
[6A] Norwin 48, Pine-Richland 29

6:30pm
[3A] Riverside vs. Seton-LaSalle (at North Hills)
[3A] South Side Beaver vs. Laurel (at North Catholic)
[3A] South Allegheny vs. Avonworth (at Fox Chapel)
[3A] Apollo-Ridge vs. Charleroi (at Peters Twp.)

Piratesget Bryce Brentz from Red Sox for cash!!!

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates added another player to their outfield competition on Tuesday afternoon by acquiring Bryce Brentz from the Red Sox.

Pittsburgh traded cash to Boston for Brentz, a 29-year-old who hit 31 home runs for Triple-A Pawtucket last season. Brentz made his Major League debut for the Red Sox against the Pirates in 2014, his first hit was a double off Francisco Liriano — and played 25 games in ’16, posting an overall .287/.311/.379 line with one homer in 90 career MLB plate appearances.

rentz spent all of last season in Triple-A, where he slashed .271/.334/.529 while setting a career high in homers and driving in 85 runs. He recently became expendable for the Red Sox, who needed to clear a 40-man roster spot to fit free-agent signing J.D. Martinez.

 

WPIAL First Round Playoff Basketball: January 19, 2018

After taking silver in both the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs last year, #1 seed Lincoln Park is looking for the gold this time around in the 2018 playoffs. Their run begins with a first round match with Carlynton at CW North Catholic on Monday night. Pre-game on Beaver County Radio is at 7:30, tip-off is at 8:00.

Below is the entire schedule for Day 3 of the First Round of the WPIAL Basketball Playoffs.

BOYS

6:30pm
[3A] Avonworth vs. Shady Side Academy (at North Catholic)
[3A] Burgettstown vs. East Allegheny (at Peters Twp.)

8:00pm
[3A] Lincoln Park vs. Carlynton (at North Catholic)
[3A] South Allegheny vs. Seton-LaSalle (at Peters Twp.)

Pitt loses 19th straight conference game!!!!!

  1. Florida State rallies in second half to defeat Pittsburgh
    By JOE REEDY, Associated Press
    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton took his two of his leading scorers out of the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh. Their replacements ended up being more than adequate.
    PJ Savoy led the Seminoles with 18 points and M.J. Walker added 16 as they were able to rally and pull away in the second half for an 88-75 victory over the Panthers.
    Hamilton said after the game that Terance Mann, who is averaging a team-high 14.4 points, and Brian Angola, who is third on the team at 13.2, did not start and play the first half due to “a minor indiscretion.”
    Savoy and Walker both said that they didn’t know they were starting until five minutes before the game.
    “I was pleased with the way everyone responded,” Hamilton said. “PJ and M.J. showed a lot of poise. They didn’t have any problems adjusting at all.”
    All five of Savoy’s field goals were 3-pointers as he led the Seminoles (19-8, 8-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) in scoring for the second time this season. The 6-foot-4 junior missed seven games but is averaging 12.3 points and is 10 of 21 on 3-pointers in three games since returning from a knee injury.
    “My teammates were able to find me in open spots. Hitting my first two shots was able to give me a lot of energy,” he said.
    Walker, a 6-5 freshman, didn’t seem fazed about getting his first collegiate start. He was 7 of 8 at the foul line as Florida State went 29 of 40, including 13 of 17 in the second half.
    “It was my first start since high school but I was able to adjust and play my game,” he said.
    The Panthers (8-20, 0-15) led 39-38 at halftime after hitting 10 of 17 from 3-point range in the first half but Florida State took the lead with a 9-2 run to start the second half. Pitt, which was 2 of 6 on 3-pointers in the second half, was still within three (74-71) with 3:29 remaining but FSU took control with a 7-1 run.
    The Seminoles, who were 26 of 47 from the field, took 18 more trips to foul line and had a 36-24 advantage in points in the paint. They also had a 17-3 edge in second-chance points.
    “We couldn’t guard effectively without fouling. That’s another sign of our inexperience,” Panthers coach Kevin Stallings said after three of his players fouled out, including two starters. “We did a very good job of taking care of the ball and for the most part getting good shots.”
    Jared Wilson-Frame and Shamiel Stevenson led Pittsburgh with 17 points each and Parker Stewart added 16.
    BIG PICTURE
    Pittsburgh: It was only the third time in ACC play that the Panthers had led at halftime and first time in any road game this season. However, Pitt’s losing streak in regular-season ACC games is now at 19. Its last win ironically was a year ago against Florida State.
    Florida State: A loss to the Panthers would have been detrimental to the Seminoles’ NCAA Tournament hopes, but barring a collapse in the final two weeks of the regular season, they have set themselves up well for consecutive NCAA appearances for the first time since 2012.
    STAR WATCH
    Mann and Angola both got in during the second half. Mann scored four points in 14 minutes while Angola was scoreless, going 0 for 2 from the field, in five minutes.
    TIP-INS
    Phil Cofer was held scoreless in the first half for the second straight game but ended up scoring 14 points. The senior had 17 in the second half and overtime of last Wednesday’s win over No. 11 Clemson. … FSU redshirt freshman Mfiondu Kabengele had 13 points, which is his most in ACC play. He was 9 of 11 from the foul line.
    UP NEXT
    Pittsburgh has its next two games at home, starting Wednesday against Wake Forest.
    Florida State has a week off before going to North Carolina State on Feb. 25.
    ___
    More AP college basketball: https://collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
    ___
    Follow Joe Reedy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joereed