Prep sports roundup: Westlake baseball continues its late-inning heroics
Noah Stead hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, and the Warriors hung on for a 7-6 victory over Oaks Christian in a battle for first place in the Marmonte League.
Ryan Sheffer homered for Oaks Christian. Mason Charles had three hits for Westlake, which is 15-4 and 9-1. Oaks Christian is 12-7 and 7-3.
Thousand Oaks 6, Newbury Park 3: Omar Heredia had a two-run home run for Thousand Oaks.
Corona Centennial 6, Eastvale Roosevelt 2: Charles Rogers and Jaden Walk-Green each had two hits for Centennial.
Corona 4, Corona Santiago 3: Brady Ebel hit a two-run home run and Mason Sims struck out six in six innings for Corona.
Norco 9, King 0: Zion Martinez had two hits and three RBIs and Landon Hovermale threw five scoreless innings for Norco.
Mater Dei 2, JSerra 1: Giovanni Rudisill had an RBI single in the sixth inning for Mater Dei to break a 1-1 tie. Jackson Campbell threw a complete game, striking out five.
Chatsworth 3, Saugus 2: Four Chatsworth pitchers combined on a four-hitter.
Birmingham 7, Liberty 5: In Las Vegas, Isaac Monterrubio, Sebastian Valadez and Nicolas Penaranda each had two hits for Birmingham. Later, Birmingham lost to Palo Verde 9-3.
Calabasas 10, Canyon 3: The Coyotes won the nonleague game.
Damien 3, Upland 0: Rudy O'Dell threw six shutout innings.
Bishop Alemany 6, Paraclete 4: Jonathan Alvarez had two hits and Chase Stevenson had two RBIs for Alemany (9-10).
San Clemente 5, Beckman 0: Mike Erspamer struck out nine with no walks in a complete-game performance.
Viewpoint 3, Van Nuys 0: Izzy Parsky struck out 10 and allowed one hit.
El Camino Real 1, Fresno Hoover 0: Christian Gastelum struck out 12 and allowed one hit.
Vista Murrieta 12, Great Oak 4: RJ Holmes, Ryland Duson, Brady Luyben and Taytum Reeves each had two hits for Vista Murrieta.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 8, Chaminade 5: Keira Luderer homered for the Knights. Finley Suppan had a two-run home run for Chaminade.
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Aston Villa's North Stand plans set for approval – and could transform the club and the area
Birmingham City Council's planning committee will convene on August 28, with a view to voting on plans to expand Villa Park. Planning permission is sought for the extension of the stadium's North Stand, increasing its size by 5,926 seats to take the ground's overall capacity to 48,809. This marks a key date in Aston Villa's ambition to raise the maximum number of spectators above 50,000 in time for the 2028 European Championship, being co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, in which theirs is set to be one of the nine grounds staging games. Advertisement A raised capacity would also assist with Villa's efforts to grow matchday revenues, helping them comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). Presently, a major issue impacting the ability to drive revenues is stadium capacity. West Ham United, for example, boast a ground that holds 20,000 more spectators than Villa Park's 42,640. Within draft papers seen by The Athletic are the details of the application. Pertinently, it indicates that the planning application has been recommended for approval by council planners and, therefore, work on extending the North Stand should be authorised. Technically, the draft documents relating to Villa Park's expansion could change or be dropped at any stage and will be confirmed shortly. The draft paper, though, has summarised: 'The Birmingham Development Plan (BDP) supports the enhancement of the city's sporting infrastructure and recognises the role of major sporting venues in contributing to Birmingham's international profile, economy and social wellbeing.' Villa's vision has long been to create a 50,000-plus capacity stadium for themselves, increasing the maximum crowd size by 8,000 in time for Euro 2028. To meet that target, it is felt work would have to begin next summer at the latest. The North Stand, behind one of the goals and opposite the famed Holte End, is integral to the redevelopment — the planning committee will decide whether to sanction plans to house more than 12,000 spectators there. Incremental additions to the three other sides of the ground will lead to the targeted capacity and, longer-term, to a 52,500-seat venue. The Athletic has seen copies of redevelopment proposals, which show a higher overall structure and seating in the upper tier of the North Stand than currently exists, with a redesigned lower tier also creating additional capacity. The new North Stand will wrap around into the neighbouring main Trinity Stand. 'The current facade (front of the stand) would be retained, reclad and glazed, to modernise the existing structure,' the report says. 'The existing roof would be replaced by a new structure that would appear to float above the stand, allowing the light to pass through.' Building works would result in an extended North Stand 'arrival plaza' for visiting teams to enter the stadium, as well as relocating present security operations into the revamped structure. As previously explained, expanding Villa Park has been a complex issue. Planning permission was secured in December 2022, albeit under a different construction model, and intended to be put into action at the end of the 2023-24 season. However, that project was shelved the following year, with the latest expansion proposal being announced this April. In the new application, Villa have used recommendations from 2022 to form the base of their planning, such as the advice given on travel plans and transport assessments. This time, their North Stand rebuild is described as more 'pragmatic.' Advertisement 'The supporting transport assessment notes this increase in capacity is less than previously approved, so any impacts will be slightly less,' the report reads. 'The club have now reassessed their vision and decided to realise this in a different way. This involved securing independent planning permissions for the redevelopment of the new club shop and the transformation of the existing 'Academy' building on site, fronting onto Witton Lane, into 'The Warehouse' (a newly developed live entertainment venue opening next to Villa Park). 'Both permissions have now been implemented, with the new club shop opening in April 2025 and The Warehouse due to open by December 2025.' Reasons for supporting the North Stand plans are given, including the 'considerable social and economic benefits' of the encompassing area. The report states that Villa Park attracts approximately 1.17million visitors annually, which contributes an estimated £41.1m ($55.3m) in local spending. Moreover, should the building work proceed — which would take around two years to complete — further economic benefits include the creation of 192 full-time jobs. The report notes the measures required to support the stadium expansion. To help deal with the higher footfall and, consequently, an increased level of matchday traffic within a compact, urban area to the north of Birmingham's city centre, there are several 'soft measures' being considered. Research indicates that 59 per cent of supporters for 3pm kick-offs arrive by car, 30 per cent on train and three per cent via bus. As a result, improvements are needed in off-site, off-street parking, as well as more effective rail and bus services. Taxi pick-up areas and more coach and bus routes to and from the ground are other examples of soft measures required. Meanwhile, harder measures — more objective and essential — will be discussed, including additional pedestrian routes, areas to park bikes and semi-permanent barriers at nearby Aston train station. Advertisement As is customary for an application such as this, various groups related to the redevelopment have been asked if they objected to the planning application. These ranged from historical and conservation groups, as well as national highways, Network Rail, the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and Severn Trent Water — which recommended a drainage plan — plus the West Midlands' fire and police services. Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) stated there is 'an opportunity to make further sustainable transport commitments' and outlined a desire to work with the council on specific points. These consist of train schedules, mitigation plans, bus routes and accident-data analysis. Leisure services commented on a lack of soft landscaping, 'suggesting more consideration could be made on incorporating further trees within the car parking areas'. Similarly, other environmental groups recommended that certain conditions be met, such as additional details regarding new planting and how to implement an ecological management plan. For example, the RSPB Bird & Wildlife Conservation Charity suggested installing swift nest bricks to aid local biodiversity. There were no objections from the aforementioned groups. Before the application was submitted, local residents and councillors held two meetings in May to discuss the planning application. Afterwards, a statement from the local 'Community Engagement' group came out in support of the proposals. One letter from a resident in support was received, who said that a high-end sporting venue is a net positive, though they insisted transport assessments should be more ambitious. This, naturally, included the redesign of neighbouring Witton rail station, which the club said was a 'vital component' of ensuring the redevelopment proceeds. Any capacity increase would place an unmanageable strain on local transport, so Villa need the stadium expansion to happen alongside the station's rebuild. There is pragmatism from all parties that, while a total and costly rebuild of Witton station is off the table, smaller changes to it would enable Villa Park's capacity to be increased, as outlined in The Athletic's report in May. Advertisement There was no universal agreement from residents. Objectors cite issues around noise and general disruption, with the stadium expansion, in their view, blocking sunlight and proving an eyesore. To counteract this argument, within the planning application, it is explained that the stadium's extension 'would respond sensitively to the surrounding low-rise residential housing within proximity to the (North) Stand, by reducing the roof impact and using transparent materials to minimise visual intrusion'. An upshot of more supporters on matchdays would mean an increase in traffic and the amount of rubbish left on the surrounding streets, which has been a long-standing issue in the Aston area and one that local councillors have looked to resolve by increasing street cleaning and the number of bins available. One particular objection was that Villa allegedly blocked a resident's mobile phone data on matchdays. 'AVFC has no control over mobile networks and matters related to mobile data performance or telecommunication signal quality are the responsibility of mobile network operators, not the football club,' was the response stated within the report. Nonetheless, the overall feedback, logistically and personally, is strongly in favour of expansion. Should the council's planning committee members believe the same, it will mark a significant step in the long-term ambitions of redeveloping Villa Park. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
How Detroit Tigers' Casey Mize overcame 'tough thoughts' for first MLB All-Star appearance
Casey Mize is one of the calmest players on the Detroit Tigers. But it's easy to imagine the frantic tone in his voice when he called clubhouse manager Dan Ross. He had an urgent – and unusual – request. "Dan, I need nice clothes," Mize said. "I don't own any." And so Ross sent Mize to State and Liberty in Birmingham — 20 miles north of Comerica Park. There, he picked out a light gray suit and a black T-shirt off the rack. A few days later, the 28-year-old showcased his new outfit: Mize made a decked-out appearane for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show in Atlanta on July 15, just hours before the All-Star Game. ROTATION AND RELIEF: Tarik Skubal's gifts to Tigers rookie Troy Melton "Normally, that's not my thing," said Mize, a late All-Star replacement. "I don't own nice clothes or enjoy the camera or spotlight. But it was cool for my wife and me to be able to do that." After years of physical setbacks, mental hurdles and frustrating underperformance, Mize – the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018 – has emerged from those dark days. His journey to his first All-Star Game in his five seasons has given him a newfound perspective about his life – both on and off the field – which he detailed in the American League clubhouse in July. "I'm proud to be where I am now," Mize said. "If you asked me when I was 21 how many of these I would be at, I would say a lot more than one at this stage in my career. If you asked me again when I was 25, I might say zero." Entering the All-Star break this season, Mize had a 3.15 ERA in 16 starts, up from a sub-3.00 ERA through his first 15. "I'm really proud that I was able to work through some things and perform at the level that I always knew I was capable of," said Mize, whose ERA hit 3.50 through 19 starts entering Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. "To put my belief on the field feels good, and to get rewarded for it by being here and experiencing this is pretty special." THE INJURY: Tigers' Casey Mize to undergo Tommy John surgery, might miss entire 2023 season In the Tigers' clubhouse at Comerica Park, Mize is locker buddies with left-hander Tarik Skubal. Both former top prospects pitched for the AL team in the All-Star Game. Skubal, twice sidelined by elbow surgery, has had a front-row seat to Mize's roller-coaster ride — from No. 1 overall pick to Tommy John surgery to All-Star. "I'm proud of him," Skubal said. "Everything he has gone through, ups and downs, a lot of downs, injuries, coming back from injury and not performing the way he's expected to perform, the way he expects of himself, and then going into an offseason and revamping his arsenal, and coming into spring training with not really a spot on the roster. Every start that he's had, he's earned it, and he's earned this moment. I couldn't be happier for him, not only as a teammate, but also as a friend." A sports psychologist Barely two years after he was drafted, Mize was on the fast track to becoming a frontline starter for the Tigers. Rising quickly through the Tigers' system, he made his MLB debut in 2020, then posted a 3.71 ERA across 30 starts in his first full season in 2021 — only to undergo Tommy John surgery in June 2022 to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He didn't pitch again until 2024. "I fought some thoughts," Mize said. "I feel like did a pretty good job of flushing those, but to say that I never had any doubts or never any fear of, 'My career is not going to be what I thought it was going to be.' That came into my head at times." After elbow surgery, Mize found himself buying into negative thoughts. He felt miserable. His wife, Tali, helped him build a foundation for positivity by discovering their community at church. He also began meeting with a sports psychologist employed by the Tigers. "I wanted to deal with those tough thoughts I was having about my career," Mize said. "I wanted to be able to combat those thoughts. I'm also a guy that's going to leave no stone unturned. I was like, 'I'm doing everything I can physically right now, so that when I'm back, I'm the best play I can be.' I wanted to do the same thing mentally." He started the sessions in 2023. The conversations became more frequent before spring training in 2024, as he prepared for his return to competition. They still talk to this day. "I've learned, the longer you sit on those thoughts, and the longer you let it build up, the more negatively it's going to impact you," Mize said. "I've worked through a lot of those thoughts. Now, I don't think that way anymore. I just take my career as it comes at me." The Zack Wheeler model For Mize, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler is a symbol of hope. Wheeler, now 35, was drafted No. 6 overall in 2009 and made his MLB debut in 2013. He had a 3.54 ERA across 32 starts in 2014, his first full season — only to undergo Tommy John surgery in March 2015. After the procedure, he didn't pitch again in the majors until 2017. There are parallels to Mize's journey. "In his first year back, he see-sawed a little bit," Mize said, "and then in his second year, he took off, and it's been domination ever since, and he's still going. That's always a guy I've kept an eye on, like this is still possible for me." THE COMEBACK: After 2 years, Tigers' Casey Mize — the No. 1 pick in 2018 draft — makes MLB return In 2017, Wheeler returned from Tommy John surgery with a 5.21 ERA in 17 starts. In 2024, Mize made his return from Tommy John surgery with a 4.49 ERA in 22 games. For Mize, the offseason between 2024 and 2025 became a chance to revamp the way he pitches. He was determined to make a big jump in his second year removed from elbow surgery, so he traveled to Driveline Baseball in Tampa, Florida, and Maven Baseball in Atlanta, to work on his pitch mix. He added breaking balls, boosted the velocity of his splitter and chased more whiffs. "How can we get to be the best player I can be?" Mize said. "That was the mentality switch a little bit this offseason. How can I get better? Because I was tired of not being a contributor.' The overhaul worked. Mize became an All-Star for the first time at age 28 in his fifth MLB season. Wheeler didn't make his first All-Star Game until 2021, his age-31 season and his seventh in MLB. From 2021-25 – over nearly nearly 900 innings and 144 starts (entering Sunday) – the Phillies ace owns a 2.90 ERA. He has established himself as one of MLB's best pitchers — if not the best — over a five-year span. In 2025, Wheeler is earning $42 million. Meanwhile, Mize is making $2.34 million in his second of three arbitration years. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2026 season. "Maybe I won't make $45 (million) a year or whatever he's doing and logging 200-some innings every year," Mize said. "But if I look at his career, I'm like, 'There are some similarities here.' That guy gives me some hope." 'My good luck charm' The combination of hope and diligence carried Mize all the way to the All-Star Game. Before taking the mound, he spent time on the red carpet. Tali joined him. Mize found his suit and shirt off the rack. But his wife faced a more complicated challenge. Pregnant with their first child, she spent an entire day at the mall searching for something to wear. Eventually, she gave up and ordered a dress that arrived just in time, thanks to overnight shipping. "She looked amazing," Mize said. Although Mize battled negative thoughts, the past few years have been full of positives: finding a church community, learning from a sports psychologist, returning from elbow surgery, developing as a pitcher, contributing to one of the best teams in baseball and earning his first All-Star appearance. His perspective on the game has shifted. "I was away from the game for so long, and I would've done anything to play and compete," Mize said. "I keep trying to remind myself that, 'You just gave up six runs to the Mariners. You would have loved to done that in 2023, just to literally be out there playing.' When I think of my career and the things I want to do, it's much more short-term than it used to be." Above all, Mize is preparing for something entirely differnet: Becoming a girl dad. "She's my good luck charm, I think — my little girl on the way," Mize said. "It's been a great year with great things happens and great things to look forward to. It's been wonderful." Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Casey Mize overcame 'tough thoughts' for 2025 MLB All-Star Game
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Auburn earns bowl nod in ESPN's preseason projections
After missing out on bowl season last year, the Auburn Tigers are poised to make another run at postseason play. What is a realistic expectation for the Tigers postseason fate? ESPN experts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach expect Auburn to meet up with an ACC team at season's end, but in two different destinations. Bonagura and Schlabach project the Tigers to face Boston College in postseason play, however, Bonagura has the Tigers and Eagles facing off in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday, Dec. 19 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, while Schlabach forecasts Auburn facing Boston College closer to home in the Birmingham Bowl on Monday, Dec. 29. If this forecasted matchup were to take place, it would be a game against teams that are projected to barely cross the threshold into bowl eligibility. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, Auburn is projected to win 6.9 games while Boston College sits at 5.9. However, the two teams are on opposite paths in terms of postseason forecasts. Auburn has an 83.6% chance to win six games while Boston College has a 58.7% chance. For playoff consideration, Auburn has a 12% chance while Boston College has a less than 1% chance. Auburn football has lost seven games in each of the last four seasons, but the program is even more starved for a bowl win. The last bowl win the Tigers earned was in the 2018 season when Auburn boat raced Purdue in the Music City Bowl, 63-14. Since then, Auburn has lost four-straight postseason games, including its most recent game against Maryland in the 2023 Music City Bowl. The SEC is projected to be well represented in postseason play. ESPN's FPI gives 13 of 16 SEC teams at least 60% odds to reach the six wins needed to earn bowl eligibility, nine teams have 30% or greater odds to make the College Football Playoff, and three teams have at least an 11% chance to win the College Football National Championship. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: ESPN pairs Auburn with Boston College in preseason bowl forecast
