LITTLE ROCK — BASEBALL Former Natural to start for Royals
The Kansas City Royals purchased the contract of Northwest Arkansas Naturals right-hander Anthony Lerew on Wednesday.
Lerew, 26, went 10-6 with a 4.09 ERA for the Northwest Arkansas this year and was 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two playoff starts. Lerew was 8-2 with a 2.07 ERA in his final 12 starts.
Lerew appeared in 11 games with the Atlanta Braves in 2005-2007. He is scheduled to start today for the Royals against the Boston Red Sox.
Lerew is the first player in the Naturals' two-year history to go directly to the Royals without making a stop at Class AAA Omaha. To make room for him on the roster, left-hander Bruce Chen was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a torn left oblique muscle.
HORSE RACING Bowker named state steward
Stan Bowker, an association steward at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs during the 2009 season, has been named state steward to replace Gary Wilfert, according to Ron Oliver, manager of the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Bowker has worked in the racing industry for approximately 40 years, including a stint as racing secretary at Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha, Neb., in the late 1960s.
John Ferrara, who has worked at Oaklawn in the past, will join Larry Snyder as an association steward during the 2010 live meeting.
Oaklawn also has hired former trainer Bev Fowler as stall superintendent. Fowler, who worked in Oaklawn's racing office late last season, replaces the recently retired Francis Klein.
FOOTBALL OBU's Young wins national award
Ouachita Baptist wide receiver Jeremy Young has been named the National Offensive Player of the Week by Web site d2football.com. Young, who was also the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week, set a school record with 261 receiving yards in the Tigers' 24-14 victory over Valdosta State.
Young had touchdown catches of 60 and 56 yards in the game.
SOCCERMarshall named player of week
Lyon College's Katie Marshall was named the TranSouth Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. Marshall, a junior forward from Tustin, Calif., scored three goals in a 6-0 victory over the University of the Ozarks. The Pipers are 5-0-1 on the season.
Lyon men defeat Union
The Lyon College Scots scored twice in the final 25 minutes to defeat Union University 2-1 in Jackson, Tenn., on Wednesday.
Lyon (6-1, 1-0 TranSouth Conference) broke a two-match losing streak to Union (1-6, 0-1). After Union scored on a penalty kick, Lyon's Gabriel LeBlanc tied the game. Greg Buford scored the game-winner for Lyon in the 83rd minute. Matt Callaway earned the victory in goal for the Scots, his school-record 24th of his career.
VOLLEYBALL UAM-Henderson match moved to Magnolia
Tonight's Gulf South Conference volleyball match between Arkansas-Monticello and Henderson State will be played in Magnolia instead of Monticello.
UAM's home venue, Steelman Field House, sits in close proximity to the light poles at Convoy Leslie-Cotton Boll Stadium. It was discovered last Thursday that the poles have small, fatigue-related cracks in the base plates, and UAM officials decided to close the stadium until a solution could be determined.
Sports, Pages 25 on 09/24/2009