Sports Shorts
READ MORE ONLINE
www.PASportsOnline.com For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, please see our new site at www.PASportsOnline.com
Former Stanford pitcher off to good start in the minor leagues by Rick Eymer
she’s one of the best in the country. We’re really excited that she’s coming to Stanford.� At Stanford, she’ll join a frontline that returns all three starters, including its top two scorers — fifth-year senior Courtney Verloo (10 goals, 11 assists) and junior Chioma Ubogagu (5 goals, 11 assists), an All-Pac-12 first team selection. The Cardinal finished 21-2-1, reached its fifth consecutive NCAA College Cup and won its fourth consecutive Pac12 title.
tanford grad Mark Appel was a popular figure in his brief stay with the short season Single-A Tri-City ValleyCats. He figures to grab just as much attention when he makes his first start for the Quad Cities River Bandits on Sunday in Davenport, Iowa. Appel, who was chosen by the Houston Astros as the first overall pick in this year’s First-Year Player Draft, made two appearances, pitched a total of five innings and recorded a pair of no decisions as he launched his professional baseball career. The ValleyCats, who play in Troy, N.Y. in the New York-Penn League, held a press conference with Appel on July 4. He made his first start the next day. Before his next start, a solid threeinning effort on Tuesday, Appel was kept busy with appearances and autograph signings at the park. The River Bandits, part of the full season Single-A Midwest League, are also home to 2012 overall No. 1 draft pick Carlos Correa, who will be playing in the Futures All-Star Game on Sunday. Quad Cities reported it will be the first time that consecutive No. 1 overall picks will appear on the same roster in Minor League baseball history. Appel, who threw 106 innings in 14 starts for the Cardinal during the spring, is working on a pitch count and could have his season end early as he becomes adjusted to pro ball. In his latest start, Appel threw three scoreless innings, striking out five, in a game eventually won by the Aberdeen Ironbirds in 10 innings. He has yet to walk a batter in five professional innings. Appel will make the start against Dayton in the Quad Cities ballpark on the shores of the Mississippi River.
(continued on page 30)
(continued on page 31)
S
Taylor Uhl (left), who was the nation’s leading scorer in women’s soccer last season with 21 goals and nine assists while playing for Minnesota, will bring her scoring talents to Stanford and play for the Cardinal this fall.
Stanford scores with nation’s best
Cardinal women’s soccer team welcomes NCAA scoring leader Taylor Uhl from Minnesota by Dave Kiefer Stanford Athletics/gostanford.com
T
aylor Uhl, the nation’s leading scorer last season while playing for the University of Minnesota women’s soccer team, has transferred to Stanford and be immediately eligible to play this fall. As a sophomore in 2012, Uhl scored 21 goals and had nine assists for a national-best 51 points while leading the Golden Gophers to an 11-7-2 record and a berth in the Big Ten Conference tournament. Uhl scored or assisted on 68 percent of the team’s 44 goals and was named
an NSCAA third-team All-American. On Monday, the last of the paperwork was completed, including the receipt of a waiver from Minnesota that allow Uhl to be immediately eligible. Unlike football, basketball, and ice hockey, there is a one-time transfer exception. This means that if an institution has no objection, the student-athlete does not have to sit out a year. “It was a huge need for us,� Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “We’ve been looking for a goalscorer and a prominent forward, and
BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC
Stanford’s Gibbs receives wild card into tourney by Keith Peters eing a two-time NCAA singles champion does have its perks. Stanford’s Nicole Gibbs learned that on Thursday as she was given a wild card into the main draw of the 2013 Bank of the West Classic. It’s the second time in as many years that Gibbs has received a wild card after winning the NCAA title. Gibbs was not alone in the gift-receiving department as
B
Page 28ĂŠUĂŠ Ă•Â?ÞÊ£Ó]ÊÓä£ÎÊUĂŠ*>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠĂœĂœĂœÂ°*>Â?Âœ Â?ĂŒÂœ"˜Â?ˆ˜i°Vœ“
Daniela Hantuchova also received a wild card into the main event, set for July 22-28 at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Center. Gibbs recently completed her junior year by leading the Cardinal to the NCAA team title while capturing her second consecutive NCAA singles title and earning All-America honors for the third time. With her team and individual titles this (continued on next page)
Harjanto Sumali
OF LOCAL NOTE . . . Menlo School’s Austin Marcus and Jack Redman have been named to the Cal-Hi Sports all-state baseball team. Marcus, a catcher, was named to the first team for small schools while Redman, a pitcher, was named to the second team . . . The Stanford Girls’ Water Polo Club 18U team finished 10th at the US Club Championships last weekend in Southern California. Stanford opened bracket play with a 13-10 loss to Huntington Beach and followed that with a 10-4 loss to Xtreme. A 12-10 win over San Jose Aquatics moved Stanford into the consolation quarterfinals. In its fourth match, Stanford handed Foothill an 8-2 loss. In the semifinals for 9-12th place, Stanford posted an 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Water Polo Club. In the game for ninth place, Stanford was beaten by CHAWP, 9-6. Competing for Stanford was Katherine Moore, Sami Strutner, Courtney Batcheller, Caroline Anderson, Lauren Lesyna, Allison Larko, Tayler Peters, Jessica Heilman, Carla Tocchini, Cathy Cantoni, Niki Reynolds, Rachael Vaughn-Hulbert, Emily Fong and Keri Clifford. The Stanford boys will be sending a contingent of teams to the US Club Championships this weekend, also being hosted by the Inland Empire at Corona, Ramona, Norco and Santiago high schools plus the RCC Aquatic Complex.
Appel already moving up
Courtesy University of Minnesota
GIRLS’ LACROSSE . . . Menlo School girls’ coach Jen Lee coached the West team and had four local players competing for her at the Under Armour All-America Girls Lacrosse Classic last weekend in Towson, Md. Playing for the West team was Alyssa Sherman of Menlo plus Caroline Cummings, Brigid White and Libby Muir of Sacred Heart Prep. None of those players are yet committed to college. “Sherman was outstanding on defense,� Lee said “and Muir fared the best, garnering all-tourney honors in midfield. �The West team posted a great win over Midwest (10-8), and challenged Philadelphia’s team in a hard-fought game, outscoring them 5-3 in second half before dropping a 10-7 decision. The West also lost to Long Island and Washington, D.C. Next up will be the 2013 Girls’ Champion All-American Showcase, July 21-23, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Recent Menlo graduate Michaela Michael, who missed the regular season with an injury, is back healthy and will participate again. She was the MVP of her team last year in this tournament. Michael will be joined by Cummings and Palo Alto High grad Nina Kelty. Menlo grad Ali Kim was going to attend, but had a conflict with her Brown University camp. “The Florida event is also extremely well done, and there are only four teams and roughly 80 girls,� said Lee. “Nice honor, invite and opportunity.�
PRO BASEBALL
Former Stanford All-American Mallory Burdette will have to qualify to reach the main draw in the Bank of the West Classic.