Clipper Invite set for Saturday

COLUMBIANA — The 27th Clipper Cross Country Invitational will be held Saturday at the Ward Athletic Complex behind Columbiana High School.

Twenty schools are entered, including host Columbiana, East Palestine, Heartland Christian, Lisbon, Oak Glen, Southern, Springfield and United.

Saturday’s schedule includes fifth- and sixth-grade 2K race at 10:15 a.m., middle school girls 3K race at 10:45 a.m., middle school boys 3K race at 11:15 a.m., high school girls 5K race at 11:45 a.m. and high school boys 5K race at 12:25 p.m.

Sloan still represents Indians

GIRARD — Braxton Sloan is still an Indian.

Sloan starred at Southern Local as a freshman last season before transferring to Girard.

Seventh-ranked Girard (7-0) hosts fifth-ranked Poland (6-1) at 7 p.m. today in a game that will be televised live on MyYTV. Sloan wears No. 9.

The game features two of the top three teams in the Division V, Region 17 computer ratings. The Girard Indians average 50.6 points a game and are coming off their first-ever win over South Range, 56-35, last week. Sloan had a touchdown catch and two interceptions against South Range.

Sloan is Girard’s third-leading receiver with 15 catches for 250 yards (16.7). He also has four punt returns for 54 yards (13.5).

At cornerback, Sloan has made 39 tackles, including 29 solos.

White impresses at West Liberty

WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty University sophomore Kyia White has been named the Hilltopper of the Week after delivering standout performances that helped power the volleyball team to a pair of home victories last week.

White, a former East Liverpool HIgh School standout, was a consistent force at the net and on the defensive end as she totaled 16 kills, 21 digs and two aces in wins over Salem University and Fairmont State.

The Hilltoppers are 9-9 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain East Conference.

White has played in 52 sets, serving a team-high 18 aces and ranking third on the team in kills (118),

The Hilltoppers will play at Frostburg State (Md.) at 7 p.m. today.

Doubles teams fall

COLUMBUS — East Liverpool and Beaver Local’s girls doubles tennis teams were eliminated in the first round of the Div. II district tournament on Wednesday at the Columbus Academy.

East Liverpool’s Lana Le and LaNease Andrews fell to Wellington School’s Dea Singh and Naomi Livits 6-0, 6-0. Beaver Local’s Emily Wain and Kara Wain fell to Columbus Academy’s Sophie Wu and Lara Wood, 6-1, 6-0.

Columbus Academy’s Gabrielle Stewart and Ella Tsao as well as Columbus School for Girls’ Priya Mehta and Victoria Dizon were the finalists who qualified for the state tournament.

Chester-Newell Sportsmen events set

GEORGETOWN, Pa. — Two hunter eductation classes will be held at the Chester-Newell Sportsmen Club, 131 Gas Valley Road.

One will be held from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 26 for those who took an online course but still needs the safe gun handling and test.

The other from 1-6:30 p.m. Nov. 15-16 is the tradtional two-day class with study material, gun handling and test.

Register online at www.register-ed.com. For more information, call or text (304) 374-5587.

A concealed carry class will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 1. Cost is $75. To register, call or text James at (757) 288-4772.

Turkey shoots are held at 10 a.m. Sunday. Signups start at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $30 for nine rounds and includes the money shoot.

Dodgers advance to NLCS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Orion Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday to win their NL Division Series 3-1.

Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees after his throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.

Realmuto had pointed to first when the broken-bat, two-hopper hit off Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound.

Kerkering picked up the ball and in one motion made a sidearm throw, 46 feet from the plate. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt, and fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet

“It’s brutal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s one of those things that it’s a PFP, a pitcher’s fielding practice. He’s done it a thousand times. And right there he was so focused, I’m sure, on just getting the hitter and just sort of forgot the outs and the situation.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the distraught reliever reached the dugout.

“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”

This was the second postseason series to end on a walk-off error, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. A wild relay throw by Texas second baseman Rougned Odor on a potential double-play grounder allowed Josh Donaldson to score and give Toronto a 7-6, 10-inning win and a three-game sweep of their 2016 AL Division Series.

Los Angeles ended a postseason series with a walk-off win for the third time after Bill Russell’s single against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 1978 NLCS and Chris Taylor’s homer in the 2021 NL wild card game.

Nick Castellanos’ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan had put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.

Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on Max Muncy’s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.

Kerkering walked Kiké Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a routine grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.

Philadelphia, wearing its powder blue throwback uniforms on the road for the second straight day, was knocked out in the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reached the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.

Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki, averaging 99.5 mph his his fastball, threw three innings of hitless relief, combining with Tylor Glasnow, Sheehan and winner Alex Vesia on a four-hitter.

Glasnow allowed two hits and three walks in six innings with eight of the 12 strikeouts by Dodgers pitchers.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB