Metro Sports Report

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Started in center field Thursday and was 0-for-3 in the Cubs' 3-1 loss to the Pirates. Season stats: G - 55, Avg. - .278, AB - 144, H - 40, HR - 6, RBI - 18, SB - 1.

Shannon seeks happier night against Trojans

Kennedy senior Jacob Shannon has vivid memories of last year's football game against Iowa City West.

Unfortunately for Shannon, all of his memories are bad and painful.

Shannon had the tough assignment of trying to guard Iowa City West receiver Jeremy Morgan, one of the top athletes in the state last year and now a member of the University of Northern Iowa basketball team.

Shannon also suffered two injuries that night, ending his season after just three contests.

The rematch is Friday night when Kennedy and Iowa City West will match 2-0 records in Iowa City.

No.8 Kirkwood spikers top Southwestern

The Kirkwood volleyball team made their fans nervous Wednesday night when they made too many errors and dropped the first game of their ICCAC match against Southwestern Community College at Johnson Hall.

"I think we made ourselves nervous, too," said freshman Heather Poula.

The eighth-ranked Eagles settled down and rallied for a 21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-20 victory with a balanced attack to remain undefeated in the conference.

Buxton named top Minor Leaguer

Former Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Byron Buxton has been named the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Buxton played 68 games for the Kernels this past season, hitting .341 with eight home runs and 55 RBI, and was promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in late June.

Buxton hit a combined .334 this season with 12 home runs and 77 RBI in 125 games. He led the minors with 18 triples and was named the MVP and Prospect of the Year in the Midwest League. The Minnesota Twins selected Buxton in the first round (second overall) of the 2011 First Year Player Draft out of Appling County High School in Baxley, Ga.

Buxton joins Mike Trout (2010) as former Kernels who have won Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year. He is the second Twins player (Joe Mauer, 2003) to win the award since it was first presented in 1981.