Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2017)
SPORTS FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS College World Series Heimlich won’t join Beavers in Omaha Embattled pitcher doesn’t want to be a distraction “I want to wish my teammates the best. I hope they understand this decision as my family and I continue to work through this together.” By ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press Oregon State pitcher Luke Heimlich, who as a teenager pleaded guilty to molesting a 6-year-old girl, will not accompany the Beavers to the College World Series. The 21-year-old left-hander made the announcement in a state- ment released Thursday through a representative for his family. He called going to the series something that he and his teammates have worked toward all year. “I’m sad to say I am not joining them because doing so would only create further distraction for my teammates, more turmoil for my family and given the high profi le of the national championship, direct even more unwanted attention to an innocent young girl,” the statement said. Details about the molestation were revealed last week in a story published by The Oregonian/ OregonLive. In an editorial accom- panying the article, the newspaper said it learned about Heimlich’s 2012 conviction in Washington state after running a background check that it routinely does for in-depth profi les. “I want to wish my teammates the best. I hope they understand this decision as my family and I continue to work through this together. My hope is to return to OSU next year as a student-athlete and continue to earn the trust of my community,” — Luke Heimlich, Oregon State University pitcher on his decision to skip the Col- lege World Series after a report by The Oregonian/OregonLive revealed that as a teenager Heimlich pleaded guilty to mo- lesting a 6-year-old girl. Mark Ylen/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP, File In this March 4, 2017, fi le photo, Oregon State pitcher Luke Heimlich throws during an NCAA college baseball game against UC Davis in Corvallis, Ore. Heimlich, who as a teenager pleaded guilty to mo- lesting a 6-year-old girl, will not accompany the Beavers to the College World Series. The 21-year-old left-hander made the announcement in a statement released through a representative for his family. He called going to the series something that he and his teammates have worked toward all year. Heimlich’s statement said. Heimlich was the top pitcher during the regular season for the Beavers, who have lost just four games. He has compiled an 11-1 record with a 0.76 ERA. He had been projected to be an early round pick in Major League Baseball’s draft, which ended Wednesday without him being selected. The Beavers are the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Heimlich pitched in the opening round for the Beavers, before the story broke. He asked that he be removed from the US Open Fowler leads US Open on day of highs Longest course in majors challenging some of world’s top players See US OPEN/2B Williams holds steady East Oregonian AP Photo/David J. Phillip Rickie Fowler acknowledges the crowd after his fi rst round of the U.S. Open golf tournament Thursday, June 15, 2017, at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis. See BEAVERS/2B Rodeo Blue Mountain barrel racer still 2nd overall at CNFR By DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press ERIN, Wis. — Erin Hills made its debut as a U.S. Open course Thursday with a most gracious welcome for Rickie Fowler, who matched the record to par in the opening round with a 7-under 65 on the longest course in major championship history. Fowler had a one-shot lead over Paul Casey and Xander Schauffele. And they plenty of company. The low scoring suggested the 11-year-old course was a cream puff, rotation in the super regional round. The Beavers (54-4) are sched- uled to play Cal State Fullerton (39-22) on Saturday in the College World Series opener for both teams in Omaha. Prosecutors in Washington state initially charged Heimlich with two counts of molestation for abuse that began when the girl was 4, The Oregonian said. He ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of molestation between February 2011 and December 2011, a period during which he was 15. Prosecu- tors dismissed the other charge as part of a plea bargain. He entered a diversion program, received two years of probation and was ordered to attend sex offender treatment for two years, according to court records. He was sentenced to 40 weeks of detention at Washington’s Juvenile Rehabilitation authority. But that sentence was suspended and he served no time, according to court records, because he successfully completed probation. Heimlich of Puyallup, Wash- CASPER, Wyo. — Blue Mountain’s Danyelle Williams was bumped down to the sixth in the third round, but remained at second in the barrel racing aggre- gate after Wednesday perfor- mance at the College National Finals Rodeo was complete. Williams, who was second at the CNFR in 2016, will enter the short-go on Saturday .31 seconds off the time of current leader Kailee Webb of Wyoming who has a three-round tome of 43.5 seconds. Williams’ Blue Moun- tain team- mate Jessica Lewis was unable to Williams crack the top 10 with her run on Wednesday night at Casper Events Center, but did have her best time of the week with a 14.95 and is 15th in the aggregate with 45.49 in three. Lauren Leyva was the only other member of the Blue Moun- tain team competing in the second See RODEO/2B MLB Gimenez’s two homers lift Twins Escobar also goes yard, Berrios shuts down M’s By DAVE CAMPBELL Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — After going deep twice in a game for the fi rst time in his big league career, Chris Gimenez still has more mop-up relief appearances this season than home runs. Wait, maybe the Minnesota Twins have Seattle Mar- iners pitcher Ariel Miranda looks back after he gave up a two-run home run to Minnesota Twins’ Edu- ardo Escobar, right, in the fi rst inning of a baseball game Thurs- day, June 15, 2017, in Minneapolis. this whole thing backward with their backup catcher. “Hopefully I’m one of the better hitting pitchers in the league,” Gimenez said with a wide smile, after his pair of drives on Thursday spurred the Twins to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Eduardo Escobar sparked a fi ve-run fi rst inning with a two-run shot, and Jose Berrios (6-1) took over from there by pitching a career-best eight innings to win his third straight start. The fi rst-place Twins raised AP Photo/Jim Mone See MARINERS/2B Sports shorts NCAA suspends Pitino 5 games LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has suspended Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino for fi ve Atlantic Coast Conference games following its sex scandal investigation. The governing body on Thursday also placed the basketball program on four years’ probation, vacated wins in which ineligible players participated and handed down a 10-year show- cause order for former basketball operations director Andre McGee. The long-awaited announcement reiterated the NCAA’s original Pitino view that Pitino should have known about McGee’s activities with former escort Katina Powell. She alleged in a 2015 book that McGee had hired her and other escorts to strip and have sex with Louisville recruits and players. Powell alleged that McGee paid her $10,000 for 22 shows at the Cardinals’ dormitory from 2010- 14, a period that includes their NCAA title run. “It gives me a sense of security. I don’t have any post-traumatic stress or anything like that, but it’s become part of my game now, and it’s a little bit of a comfort knowing it’s there.“ — Greg Deichmann LSU outfi elder on the protective cage that covers the right side of his face when he bats. The second-round pick of the Oakland A’s, Deichmann broke his cheekbone in three places when he was hit by a pitch in a preseason scrimmage and said he plans to con- tinue wearing the cage in the pros. First two claims in NFL concussion settlement released (AP) — The fi rst two claims in the NFL’s billion-dollar concussion settle- ment were announced, a total of $9 million in benefi ts. The U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsyl- vania overseeing the process was notifi ed Thursday that the claims were approved. The payouts were for $5 million for a qualifying diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and $4 million for a qualifying diagnosis of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). The names of the former players were not disclosed as part of the fi lings. Those amounts mean that both individuals played a minimum of fi ve NFL seasons and were diagnosed before their 45th birthdays. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1968 — Lee Trevino becomes the fi rst golfer to play all four rounds of the U.S. Open under par as he beats Jack Nicklaus by four strokes. 1993 — Michael Jordan scores 55 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 111-105 victory and a 3-1 lead over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. Jordan is the fi fth player to score 50 in the fi nals and the fi rst since Jerry West in 1969. 2008 — Tiger Woods wins the U.S. Open in a 19-hole playoff over Rocco Mediate, his 14th career major. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com
