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Average MLB fastball velocity is up again

National Sports

NEW YORK — Chad Tracy notices how much baseball has changed in the 13 years since he took his last big league at-bat. “You watch a Triple-A game, most everybody that’s coming out of the bullpen left-handed or right-handed is throwing 95-plus,” the Boston Red Sox manager said. “Back in the day, it was you’d get a lead and you’d get to the lower part of a bullpen and you’d see some guys coming out throwing 88.” Heading into the All-Star break, velocity is on track to set a record for the sixth straight season. Four-seam fastballs averaged 94.7 mph through Saturday, up ...

Spieth searching for British Open magic

National Sports

SOUTHPORT, England — Jordan Spieth was four days shy of turning 24 when he delivered pure magic in the final hour at Royal Birkdale to win the British Open for the third leg of the Grand Slam. It was among the most astonishing finishes in a major championship. Perhaps even more astonishing? He has only two PGA Tour victories since. He has played in the final group at a major only once. What hasn’t changed is his optimism that he can get back to his best golf, now matter how far away that looks for a player who is No. 51 in the world, who has not been to the Tour Championship the ...

No. 6 Dragons eliminate Bobcats

Local Sports

JOHNSTON — The Johnston baseball program celebrated its 12th-straight Central Iowa Metropolitan League championship this summer. Marshalltown baseball coach Colton Hanke was excited to have fielded teams at all three competitive levels. The two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum got ...

Greenwood powers Trojans into regional final

Local Sports

STATE CENTER — Anything West Marshall junior Aubree Greenwood contributes on top of her pitching is considered gravy. As if throwing a five-hitter wasn’t enough, Greenwood popped her first home run of the season to lead the No. 14 West Marshall softball team to a Class 2A Region 1 triumph over Woodward-Granger on Friday night, 6-1. The Trojans (23-10) will take on No. 2 Grand View Christian (26-3) in Monday’s 7 p.m. regional final at Des Moines Hoover in hopes of advancing to state for the first time since 2017. The Thunder won both regular-season meetings with West Marshall on ...

Fever pull away from Aces, 109-75

Local Sports

LAS VEGAS — Caitlin Clark had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points, and the Indiana Fever beat A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces 109-75 on Sunday night. Mitchell became the fifth player in WNBA history to score at least 25 points in six consecutive ...

Spartans survive Trojans in 10

Local Sports

GRUNDY CENTER — A pitcher’s duel for the ages was a draw. In the end, it came down to one more play made by Grundy Center. Spartan senior Pete Lebo hit a walk-off, two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to send Grundy Center past the West Marshall baseball team ...