Mid-Columbia briefs: Stemp plans to sign with Tampa Bay Rays
Stemp will sign with Tamp Bay Rays
Former Kennewick High baseball star Trek Stemp is about to become a former Washington State standout.
The All-Pac-12 second baseman posted Monday on Twitter that he would sign with the Tamp Bay Rays, two days after being drafted by the club in the 29th round.
“Proud to announce I’ll be signing with the Rays. Thanks to everyone for the congrats and support #RaysUp” he posted Monday.
He said he will leave Wednesday and report to the Princeton Rays in West Virginia, the club’s Advanced Rookie team in the Appalachian League.
Stemp, a redshirt junior, indicated Saturday he was on the fence about returning to WSU for his senior year and was finding it hard to say no to starting his professional career.
After taking a redshirt year last season, Stemp had a rejuvenated 2016, leading the Cougars in hitting at .355 (fifth in the Pac-12) and 32 runs scored.
Another former Tri-Cities standout, Isaac Benard, was drafted by the Rays in the 23rd round. Benard said Saturday he was planning on signing and expected to report to the Hudson Valley Renegades in Fishkill, N.Y., a Short Season Class A team in the New York-Penn League.
Fever owner finalist for IFL Hall of Fame
Tri-Cities Fever owner Teri Carr is one of 10 finalists for induction to the Indoor Football League Hall of Fame, the league announced Monday.
Carr is joined by a pair of former Tri-Cities players: defensive back Lionell Singleton and linebacker Ameer Ismail.
The Fever have thrived in 12 seasons under Carr, who was named the IFL Executive of the Year in 2011. The team has twice been named the IFL’s top franchise and also won the Community Relations Award and Best Game Operations honor in 2014.
Singleton played four seasons in the IFL, all with the Fever, and ranks second in league history with 30 interceptions. His 454 interception return yards is a league record. He was named to All-IFL teams three times during his career, including first team in 2012 and ’13.
Ismail played for three IFL teams including the Fever. He was the IFL defensive player of the year in 2012 with the Bloomington Edge and racked up 357 tackles during his three-year career.
Three finalists will be selected for induction, which will be announced Thursday.
Legion baseball
Trevor Oldham threw a five-hitter and didn’t allow any earned runs to lead the Southridge Bandits to a 4-2 win over the Twin City Titans on Sunday in the Bandit Bash.
Oldham walked two and struck out seven, while Bryce Grigg and Kyle Harvey each had a pair of hits.
The Bandits later beat the Central Washington Spuds 11-6. Jake Harvey was 3-for-4 and scored twice, while Kyle Harvey and Brian Black each drove in a pair of runs.
Twin City | 011 | 000 | 0 | — | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Southridge | 003 | 001 | x | — | 4 | 11 | 2 |
Highlights: Webb (TC) 6IP-11H-3ER-0BB-3K; Haughton (TC) 2B; Jones (TC) 2B; Oldham (S) 7IP-5H-0ER-2BB-7K; Grigg (S) 2x3, R; K. Harvey (S) 2x3, R; Black (S) 2B, RBI.
CW Spuds | 101 | 040 | 0 | — | 6 | 10 | 5 |
Souhtridge | 023 | 231 | x | — | 11 | 14 | 0 |
Highlights: J. Harvey (S) 3x4, 2R; Grigg (S) 2x3, R; K. Harvey (S) 2B, 2 RBI, 2R; Black (S) 2x3, 2 RBI, 2R; Grade (S) 2x3, 2B, 2 RBI, R.
▪ Gerald Hein was sharp for seven-plus innings on the mound, and Andrew Townsend and TJ Rea each drove in a pair of runs as the Kennewick Outlaws eluded the Marshalls from Utah 10-6 on Sunday in Salt Lake City.
Rea’s two-out single with the bases loaded jump started a five-run fourth inning for the Outlaws.
Kennewick Outlaws | 020 | 521 | 000 | — | 10 | 9 | 4 |
Utah Marshalls | 100 | 100 | 013 | — | 06 | 8 | 2 |
Hein (K) 7.1IP-5H-2ER-2BB-6K; Martin (K) 1IP-1H-0R-0BB-2K, 2B, RBI, 2R; Loftus (K) 2B, R; Sellers 2B, R; Bergdahl (K) 2x5, R; Townsend (K) 2 RBI; Rea (K) 2 RBI.
College basketball
The Eastern Washington women are reaping the rewards of back-to-back 20-win seasons, getting an invitation to the Preseason Women’s NIT in November.
The Eagles will tip off the season Nov. 11 against Washington at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.
Former Chiawana star Hayley Hodgins wrapped up her EWU career as the program’s career scoring leader. However, sister Delaney Hodgins will returning after an oustanding sophomore season in which she was second on the team in scoring (15.7 ppg behind Hayley’s 21.3) and aveaged 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists, and shot 47 percent from the field.
Ultra running
Jesse Lang of Richland won a 50-kilometer race Saturday at Beacon Rock State Park in North Bonneville.
Lang, a member of the Nomad Running Club, finished the event in 4 hours, 55 minutes, 51 seconds, winning by more than 14 1/2 minutes over the next competitor.
Todd Wagnon (Richland) placed 21st in 6:56.08.
Tri-City Herald
This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Mid-Columbia briefs: Stemp plans to sign with Tampa Bay Rays."