Metro Sports Report

Local players in pro baseball

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - The Quakes did not play Tuesday. Season stats: G - 31, Avg. - .283, AB - 113, H - 32, HR - 4, RBI - 20, SB - 4.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Started at second base Tuesday and was 0-for-4 with a run scored in the Lugnuts' 7-4 win at Lake County. Season stats: G - 31, Avg. - .200, AB - 100, H - 20, HR - 2, RBI - 10, SB - 0.

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Pinch hit and struck out Tuesday in the Cubs' 9-4 loss to the Rockies. Season stats: G - 7, Avg. - .214, AB - 14, H - 3, HR - 0, RBI - 0, SB - 0.

Puk's big decision: Gators or pro ball?

A.J. Puk isn't sure if he wants to attend college after he graduates from Cedar Rapids Washington this month or get a job, so in that sense he's like a lot of high school seniors.

In Puk's case, however, he'll have to decide whether he wants to attend the University of Florida on a baseball scholarship or sign a pro baseball contract.

The baseball draft starts June 6.

"We'll see how it turns out. Either way, it's a good opportunity for me," Puk said Monday after playing in the Perfect Game Pre-Draft Showcase before dozens of pro scouts at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Puk is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound lefthander with a fastball that normally sits in the 90 to 92 mph range when he's feeling good. He can hit 94 on occasion, but sat mostly in the high-80's Monday with a little stiffness in his back.

Fluke hit sinks Kernels at Beloit

BELOIT, Wis. - Chad Lewis singled home Ryan Matthews in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Beloit Snappers a 3-2 win over the Kernels Monday night before 449 fans at Pohlman Field.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Lewis hit a grounder toward the middle and it hit the second base bag to elude the Kernels middle infielders.

Either shortstop Niko Goodrum or second baseman Jorge Polanco were likely to glove the ball had it not hit the base. A potential force-out at second base would have kept the score tied and sent the game to extra innings.

The second walk-off hit for Lewis in the series gave Beloit the series, 2-1, as the Kernels lost for the first time in a series finale.

Saints roll to Kennedy Invitational title

Xavier's Maddie Bertsch shot a 76 for runnerup medalist Monday and the Saints claimed first place at the Kennedy Invitational girls golf meet at Ellis Park.

Bertsch was one of four Saints to finish in the top 10. Grace Winker was fifth, Kara Zwanziger seventh and Lisa Olberding ninth.

Xavier won by 12 strokes over Ottumwa. Linn-Mar was fourth, Kennedy sixth, Prairie seventh and Jefferson ninth in the nine-team field.