2012 » s behind St. Louis for th

ESTERO, Fla. -- A big lead was gone, and No. 8 Ohio State looked to be in trouble.Kelsey Mitchell wasnt bothered whatsoever.Mitchell scored 24 points, including 3-pointers on consecutive possessions early in the fourth quarter after her team fell behind, and the Buckeyes held off No. 11 Syracuse 77-72 on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Buckeyes (5-1) led by 15 points early in the second half before needing to rally.They just came in the rhythm of the offense, Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said of Mitchells two big 3-pointers late. Shes such a great player and makes a lot of big shots.The Buckeyes (5-1) will meet No. 5 Baylor on Sunday in the championship game.Theyve got a great team, talented, well-coached, McGuff said of the Bears, who rolled past DePaul in Saturdays other semifinal. Theyre the biggest team in college basketball and weve got a great challenge on our hands. But thats why we came to this tournament.Sierra Calhoun scored 19 points, Stephanie Mavunga had 13, and Shayla Cooper grabbed 10 rebounds for Ohio State.Alexis Peterson led all scorers with 29 points for Syracuse (4-2). Brittney Sykes had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Gabby Cooper scored 12 for Syracuse -- which will meet No. 18 DePaul in the consolation game Sunday.Petersons 3-pointer from the left wing with about 40 seconds left tied the game at 72. But she was called for a blocking foul as Mitchell dribbled near the sideline on the next Ohio State possession, and the Buckeyes star coolly hit both to put her team back up by two.Another free throw made the lead 75-72, and Petersons deep 3-point try from the right wing in the final seconds was short. A pair of free throws then closed the scoring.We played really well in the second quarter and the start of the third quarter, McGuff said. Then our defense really started breaking down and you cant give a team like Syracuse open 3s.Syracuse needed only 1:49 of the first quarter to put together an 11-0 run, with four different players doing the scoring and the last three baskets in that stretch all coming from 3-point range.But the Buckeyes controlled much of the rest of the half, taking a 44-34 lead into the locker room and pushing the margin out to 15 early in the third quarter.Syracuse wasnt done.A 7-0 run got the Orange within two late in the third, and Sykes layup with 7:37 left put Syracuse back on top 62-60. Thats when Mitchell answered with the back-to-back 3-pointers, and Buckeyes would not trail again.BIG PICTURESyracuse: The Orange have now dropped two of their last three games after a 3-0 start to the season. Each of those three games have been of the down-to-the-wire variety. ... Cooper was 4 for 16 from the field -- 0 for 1 from 2-point range, and 4 for 15 from 3-point range.Ohio State: Both of the Buckeyes games in the tournament so far have been close in the fourth. ... Ohio State outscored Syracuse 32-16 in the paint.SPLIT DECISIONPeterson went 1-1 on Saturday.The native of Columbus, Ohio was rooting for No. 2 Ohio State to beat No. 3 Michigan in football earlier in the day -- and the Buckeyes took care of her wishes, prevailing 30-27 in double overtime. But her wish to beat the Buckeyes fell short, despite her season-high point total.UP NEXTSyracuse: Faces No. 18 DePaul on Sunday in the tournament consolation game.Ohio State: Faces No. 5 Baylor on Sunday in the tournament championship game.Devin Williams Brewers Jersey . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Jacob Nottingham Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/599y-yasmani-grandal-jersey-brewers.html .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Brewers Jerseys China . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. Lorenzo Cain Brewers Jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room.CHICAGO -- Kyle Hendricks began the season as the Cubs No. 5 starter. Hes on pace to finish it as the major leagues ERA leader and -- if manager Joe Maddon has his way -- potentially with an even bigger trophy.Hendricks threw seven dominant innings to lower the majors best ERA to 2.09 and Anthony Rizzo homered to lead the Cubs past the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Tuesday night for Chicagos 21st victory in August.He has to be in Cy Young contention, Maddon said. Put the radar gun in your back pocket and look at what hes doing. There has to be strong consideration, not just consideration.Hendricks (13-7) allowed three hits and has given up three or fewer runs in 18 straight starts. He didnt allow a hit until Gregory Polancos bloop to left-center in the fifth and faced the minimum 17 batters until John Jasos two-out double in the sixth.Not bad for a guy who doesnt often hit 90 mph with his fastball.Hes not the guy whos getting away with plus-plus stuff. Hes just executing his game plan and he knows how to attack hitters, Rizzo said. He studies hitters and he went to Dartmouth and he has a really good education. So he out-tricks guys.Rizzo belted a two-run homer off Chad Kuhl (3-2) in the first and Miguel Montero added an RBI single an inning later as the Cubs improved to 84-47 despite only five hits.Carl Edwards Jr. worked the eighth and Aroldis Chapman hit 103 mph in a perfect ninth to finished the four-hitter for his 31st save. The Cubs improved to 21-6 this month, one win shy of the best August in franchise history set in 1932.Hendricks is well ahead of No. 2 Madison Bumgarner of San Francisco (2.49) in the ERA race. He only struck out four, but the Pirates had little solid contact as he kept them off-balance with a mix of pitches, including two- and four-seam fastballs.My fastball command was really good, Hendricks said. My curveball may have been the best its been all year. I threw a lot of good ones today.Andrew McCutchens one-out single in the seventh was the other hit off the right-hander. Hendricks is seeking to become the first Cubs pitcher to win the major league ERA title since Bill Lee in 1938.ddddddddddddSince Sept. 1, 2015, Hendricks is 18-7 with a 2.25 ERA, Cy Young Award-type numbers.Where I was at last year and my goals coming into this year, what I was trying to do, I definitely didnt see myself as being a part of that, Hendricks said. I had my sights set a little lower.Kuhl, in his ninth major league start, allowed three runs and four hits in five innings as the Pirates lost their second straight after winning four in a row.Jordy Mercer doubled with two outs off Edwards in the eighth before pinch-hitter Matt Joyce flied deep to center to end Pittsburghs best threat.The Pirates fell 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild-card as they flailed away against Hendricks.The command, the execution, manager Clint Hurdle said. I thought I was back in 1987 with Greg Maddux on the mound.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (elbow inflammation) played catch, a day after being put on the 15-day disabled list. He could return as soon as Sept. 9. Hopefully, (the rehab) will go quickly, Cole said. . INF Jung Ho Kang (shoulder), working out with Indianapolis, is expected to begin an official rehab stint with the Triple-A team this week.Cubs: RHP John Lackey (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Thursday. If it goes well, he could start Sunday vs. San Francisco.SUSPECT FIELDA large chunk of the outfield in center and right fields was re-sodded and looks chewed up after Wrigley Field hosted Pearl Jam and Billy Joel concerts while the Cubs were away.Its like a field after a concert, RF Jason Heyward said.UP NEXTRHP Jason Hammel (13-7, 3.21) was moved up to start Wednesday nights series finale against RHP Ryan Vogelsong (3-3, 3.02). LHP Mike Montgomery was pushed to Thursday. Hammel was lifted after allowing three runs in 2 1/3 innings Saturday. He wants to get back out there, Maddon said. ' ' '