The Morning Journal Blogs: College Insider with Steve Walker

Pierce
Winning a game for the first time at the College World Series isn’t supposed to easy.
Just ask Kent State.

Arkansas’ DJ Baxendale bounced back from one of his worst starts of the year to turn in his best.
The junior right-hander held Kent State hitless into the fifth inning and combined with Brandon Moore on a four-hitter Saturday in the Razorbacks’ 8-1 victory that spoiled the Golden Flashes’ first appearance in the College World Series....

Kent State became the first team to advance from the Mid-American Conference to the NCAA Regional Championship and a berth in the national tournament’s round of 16 known as the Super Regionals.
 
Ranked No. 25 in the nation according to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, the Golden Flashes (44-17) ran their nation-long winning streak to 20 games – including seven in the post-season – courtesy of the victory over Kentucky (45-18). The...

Perkins graduate Matt Hoty was among seven athletes from Tennessee to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Hoty followed his indoor qualification in the men’s shot put with a trip to nationals outdoors. The first-year performer, though, made it by the slimmest of margins, punching out a throw of 59-10 1/2 on his first attempt that withstood the next...