Expect multiple Ohio players to receive invitations to the nation's top high school football all-star game.

The initial list of 400 nominations for the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl includes 26 players from the state. Five players from the Greater Cleveland area -- Glenville wide receiver Marshon Lattimore, Glenville offensive lineman Marcelys Jones, Glenville defensive back Erick Smith, St. Ignatius linebacker Kyle Berger and St. Ignatius offensive lineman Jimmy Byrne -- are on the list.  Yes, Glenville and St. Ignatius will be fun to watch this season.

Berger and Jones are key parts of Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class. St. Vincent-St. Mary linebacker Dante Booker, Lancaster offensive lineman Kyle Trout and Cass Tech (Mich.) defensive back Damon Webb are other Ohio State recruits nominated to play in the game. The Buckeyes' recruiting class currently includes nine players. 

Four Ohio players, including Cleveland Heights wide receiver Shelton Gibson, participated in this year's All-American Bowl. Former Mentor standout Tom Strobel participated in the 2012 game. Strobel is a redshirt freshman at Michigan.

The 2014 game is Jan. 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Rolling off the The Ohio State University press any fall now: "How to Rebuild a Football Program in Two Years."

Friday marks the two-year anniversary of former coach Jim Tressel resigning amid a cash-for-tattoos scandal involving multiple key players. Tressel announced his resignation on Memorial Day, a move designed to minimize the news. The decision didn't work. The story generated an abundance of headlines, especially considering Ohio State president Gordon Gee didn't fire Tressel.

Almost every football-related move involving Ohio State has worked since Tressel's announcement. Luke Fickell was named interim coach for 2011 and guided a team lacking talent to a 6-7 record. The presence of an interim coach without an ego allowed Ohio State to conduct a thorough, well-funded, national coaching search.

The search yielded Urban Meyer, who won two-time national titles at Florida and cured his coaching burnout by spending 2011 in a broadcast booth. Meyer's Ohio roots and experience running a football program at Florida that doubled as a major business made him the perfect candidate for Ohio State.
 
Meyer's offense and coaching style offered a stark contrast to Tressel's drab ways. He brought SEC recruiting tactics to the Big Ten, immediately convincing players headed to other conference schools to commit to Ohio State.

The innovation, influx of talent and schedule filled with inferior opponents resulted in Meyer going 12-0 in 2012. Ohio State didn't play 13th or 14th games because of an NCAA-mandated postseason ban. The Buckeyes were also forced to work with 82 instead of 85 scholarships.

Consider last season a successful training camp mixed with some low-risk games.

This season will be different. Ohio State is expected to win the Big Ten title. Some envision the Buckeyes meeting the SEC champion in the BCS championship game.

Not even loyalists who create Brutus Buckeye sand sculptures on vacation expected Ohio State to return to the national title race this quickly.

Ohio State might want to start selling its how-to book soon. Meyer, after all,  makes more than $4 million per year.

Nobody said rebuilding is cheap.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Not even Nick Swisher can put a cheery spin on the 2013 Ohio college baseball season.

The NCAA Division I baseball tournament begins Friday at 16 sites across the country. None of those sites are in Ohio.

The state has just one representative in the 64-team field: Bowling Green. The Falcons aren't a threat to win the Louisville Regional. They improved to 24-29 by winning the Mid-American Conference tournament last weekend. Bowling Green's RPI rating ranks 202nd out of 298 Division I programs.

Swisher's college program, Ohio State, has the highest RPI among Ohio's Division I programs. The Buckeyes are No. 63, but they failed to receive an NCAA at-large spot following a 1-2 showing in the Big Ten tournament. Ohio State played an ambitious non-conference schedule and finished 2013 with a 35-23 record. Too many whiffs against quality opponents left Ohio State sour on Selection Monday.

A slow start and injuries doomed 2012 College World Series participant Kent State. The Golden Flashes, ranked No. 88 in the RPI, went 36-23. So much for 2012 producing immediate momentum.

Ohio's other Division I programs -- Xavier (32-26, RPI 111), Toledo (25-33, 181), Miami (26-30, 183), Cincinnati (23-32, 234), Akron (15-37, 245), Youngstown State (14-42, 269), Ohio (14-39, 278) and Dayton (11-38, 280) -- failed to crack the RPI top 100.

The state didn't fare much better at the Division II and III levels. No Ohio school reached the final eight in either division. Marietta won the Division III World Series in 2011 and '12.

The state's draft prospect also appear grim. It's unlikely anybody from an Ohio college will be selected in the first round.

Kent State pitcher Tyler Skulina is the state's highest rated prospect, according to Baseball America. The venerable publication ranks Skulina as this year's 73rd best prospect. Only five other Ohio college players are ranked among the publication's top 500 draft-eligible prospects.

In short, there are no Nick Swishers in the state this year. Swisher was drafted 16th overall by the Oakland A's after leading Ohio State to the NCAA tournament.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Somebody must have angered Alabama football coach Nick Saban on the golf course during the Memorial Day weekend.

Saban brought some zingers to the SEC meetings on Tuesday in Destin, Fla.  Saban directed one of the zingers at old SEC running mate and current Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.

A reporter mentioned to Saban that the Crimson Tide would have likely missed last season's BCS title game had Ohio State been eligible. The Buckeyes went 12-0 yet faced a one-year NCAA-mandated postseason ban for the cash-for-tattoos scandal.

Saban responded by pulling the cover off his verbal driver.

"How well would they have done if they had played the six teams that were ranked in the top 10?" Saban asked reporters. "Would they have beat them all? Would they beat three of them?

"And I think they have a really good team and I think Urban is a great coach. I'm not questioning any of that. But I'm just saying that's where the strength of schedule and who you play doesn't get sort of accounted for quite equally."

Ohio State didn't play one team ranked in the top 20 of the final Associated Press Top 25.  Michigan and Nebraska, the highest ranked teams Ohio State faced in 2012, ended the season ranked 24th and 25th, respectively.  The Buckeyes ended the year ranked third behind Alabama and Oregon. Alabama was one of five SEC teams to end the season ranked in the top 10.

Perhaps Saban used Tuesday's forum to plug his own 2013 team. Ohio State is no longer on probation and plays just three teams  -- No. 14 Michigan, No. 19 Wisconsin and No. 24 Northwestern -- in the Athlon Sports preseason Top 25 released Tuesday.

The more voters hear about the vast differences between the SEC and Big Ten, the more inclined they might be to place a one-loss SEC team ahead of an undefeated Big Ten team on their ballots. This marks the final year of the current BCS system. Perception still matters. Saban knows this.

As random as his attack on Ohio State appears, it's a calculated move by a coach who has won two straight national titles.

Expect Meyer to be asked about Saban's comments the next time he speaks with reporters.

His response, like Saban's comments Tuesday, will likely feature political undertones.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Sports Illustrated ditched the glamorous for the obvious.

The magazine named Cornell wrestler Kyle Dake its male college athlete of the year on Wednesday. Dake isn't a recognizable name among casual sports fans. But there's not a more accomplished athlete roaming a college campus.

Dake won his fourth NCAA Division I title in March by defeating four-time Ohio state champion and Penn State junior David Taylor (St. Paris Graham) in the 165-pound final. The bout represented perhaps the most anticipated final in college wrestling history, and the NCAA juggled the weight classes so the 165-pound final was the final bout contested. Even a sport as archaic as wrestling bends for TV purposes.

Dake also won titles at 141, 149 and 157 pounds, making him the first Division I wrestler to win four national titles at four different weights. He accomplished the feat without taking a redshirt season. Cael Sanderson and Pat Smith are the only other wrestlers to win four NCAA titles. Sanderson, coincidentally, is Penn State's coach, so he sat in the opposing chair for Dake's historic victory in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dake ended his career with a 137-4 record. He didn't lose as a junior or senior. And he has Ohio ties. His father, Doug, won a state title at Westlake High School before wrestling at Kent State. Kyle attended high school in New York. Having some Ohio blood never hurts in wrestling.

Speaking of help, wrestling should benefit from Sports Illustrated selecting Dake over SEC football or Big East basketball players. The sport's Olympic future will be determined by an IOC vote later this month. The star power Dake provides comes at an ideal time.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Mid-American Conference Tournament

When: Wednesday-Saturday

Where: All Pro Freight Stadium, Avon

Wednesday: Game 1, Ball State. vs. Miami, 9 a.m.; Game 2, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green, 12:30 p.m.; Game 3, Buffalo vs. Toledo, 4 p.m.;  Game 4, Kent State vs. Central Michigan, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday: Game 5, Game 2 loser vs. Gamer 3 loser, 9 a.m.; Game 6, Game 1 loser vs. Gamer 4 loser, 12:30 p.m.; Game 7, Game 1 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 4 p.m.; Game 8, Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7:30 p.m.

Friday: Game 9, 9 a.m.,; Game 10, 12:30 p.m.; Game 11, 4 p.m.; Game 12, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Championship game, 1 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio)

Recent champions:  2012, Kent State; 2011, Kent State; 2010, Kent State; 2009, Kent State; 2008, Eastern Michigan

Big Ten Tournament 

When: Wednesday-Sunday

Where: Target Field, Minneapolis

Wednesday: Game 1, No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 5 Illinois, 12:05 p.m.; Game 2, No. 3 Nebraska vs. No. 6 Michigan, 3:35 p.m.

Thursday: Game 3, Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 12:05 p.m.; Game 4, Highest seed of Game 1 and 2 winners vs. No. 2 Ohio State, 3:35 p.m.; Game 5, Lowest seed of Games 1 and 2 winners vs. No. 1 Indiana, 7:05 p.m.

Friday: Game 6, Game 3 winner vs. Lowest seed of Games 4 and 5 losers, 3:35 p.m.; Game 8, Game 5 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday: Game 9, 3:35 pm..; Championship game, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday (If necessary): Second championship game, 12;05 p.m.

Recent champions: 2012, Purdue; 2011, Illinois; 2010, Minnesota; 2009, Indiana; 2008, Michigan

Ohio State released a finalized 2014 schedule Thursday. Let's take an early look at what should be Urban Meyer's third season in Columbus.

Aug. 30 vs. Navy (at M&T Bank Stadium) -- At least one Ohio team will win on the Baltimore Ravens' home field in 2014.

Sept. 13 vs. Kent State -- If the 2014 Golden Flashes resemble the 2012 version, don't look for the Buckeyes to cover the point spread.

Sept. 20 vs. Virginia Tech -- Will Frank Beamer still be coaching the Hokies? 

Sept. 27 vs. Cincinnati -- Anybody know what conference Cincinnati will be in by 2014? 

Oct. 4 at Maryland -- The Terrapins' first Big Ten home game. And the Terrapins first Big Ten sellout. 

Oct. 18 vs. Rutgers -- Fortunately, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood isn't known for chucking footballs at players.

Oct. 25 at Penn State -- Year 3 of Penn State's sanction period. Maybe Bill O'Brien will be coaching the Browns by this point. 

Nov. 1 vs. Illinois -- Ohio native Tim Beckman won't be around for this game if Illinois' 2013 resembles its disastrous 2012.

Nov. 8 at Michigan State -- One can only hope the Urban Meyer-Mark Dantonio tiff escalates. Coach-vs.-coach rivalries add needed spice to Big Ten. See, SEC.

Nov. 15 at Minnesota -- Thinking about this kickoff temperature makes one shiver.

Nov. 22 vs. Indiana -- The Buckeyes' third bye week of 2014.

Nov. 29 vs. Michigan -- In the words of Brady Hoke, nobody "chickening" out of this game. Jim Delany wouldn't allow it, either.

Dec. 6 Big Ten title game -- Meyer displaying bold side by allowing his PR staff to already insert this into the schedule.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Early risers -- or those skipping work -- receive a two-for-one special Wednesday at Classic Park.

No, we're not talking about hot dogs, sodas or gigantic fish sandwiches.

This is a surprise baseball-related special provided by the Indians. Relievers Vinnie Pestano and Blake Wood, a duo with extensive major-league experience, are pitching the first two innings against Lansing on rehabilitation assignments.

Wood is throwing the first inning. Pestano is pitching the second. The duo will likely be done with their work by noon. The game begins at 11 a.m.

Pestano, the Indians' primary eighth-inning bridge to closer Chris Perez, is on the 15-day disabled list with elbow tendinitis. If Wednesday goes well, Pestano could rejoin the Indians as early as Friday. Pestano was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 1. The Indians are off Thursday. Pestano, 28, is a Captains alum, having made 29 Midwest League appearances in 2008.

Wood hasn't pitched since 2011 because of Tommy John surgery. The Indians claimed him on waivers from the Royals last October. Wood, 27, appeared in 106 major-league games from 2010-11.

The duo's appearances will rekindle memories of other notable rehab assignments in Captains' history:

Omar Vizquel -- The Hall of Fame candidate went 1-for-14 in four games in 2003. Watching him take infield had to be a career highlight for those players who never advanced beyond the Single-A level.

Bob Wickman -- Two appearances. Two scoreless innings in 2003. If only he made it look that easy with the Indians...

Casey Blake -- The infielder walked twice and cracked a two-run homer in a one-game stint in 2006.

Jake Westbrook -- Started games in 2007 and '08. Lasted five innings, but allowed four runs and six hits, in '07.
 
Fausto Carmona (Roberto Hernandez) -- Performed well as Fausto Carmona, throwing four scoreless innings in 2008 and striking out seven in 6 1/3 scoreless innings in 2009. He produced duds as Roberto Hernandez, allowing seven hits and five runs in two outings in 2012. 

Joe Borowski -- Pitched a scoreless inning in 2008. Demonstrated to young players you don't need a five-star -- or even a two-star -- fastball to reach the major leagues.

Shin Soo Choo -- Struggled with his timing, going 0-for-8 in three games in 2011. Choo has been fine since departing the Captains.

Carlos Santana -- Cracked a two-rum homer in his lone game with the Captains in 2012. The Indians could be in major trouble if Santana plays at Classic Park at any point this season.

Jack Hannahan -- Went 1-for-8 in two games in 2012. He never fared much better over similar two-game stretches with the Indians.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

High school basketball star Andrew Wiggins made his college choice Tuesday.

He selected Kansas.

The subdued ceremony at Huntington Prep (W.Va.) created a stir. Wiggins was also considering North Carolina, Florida State and  Kentucky.

Wiggins will likely last one year at Kansas. Thin NBA drafts should quickly boost his earning potential.

Maybe Wiggins will resemble Danny Manning and lead Kansas to a national title. Maybe the Jayhawks will flop like they did in the waning stages of this past season's NCAA regional semifinal game against Michigan.

Either way, expect one group of Northeast Ohio teenagers to closely follow Kansas next season.

On its way to winning the Division I state title, Mentor faced Wiggins and Huntington Prep. The Cardinals lost, 61-59, in the Dunk 4 Diabetes Classic on Jan 26 at Walsh University. Wiggins scored 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

Facing Wiggins aided Mentor's championship run. How many Ohio teams on Mentor's schedule faced the nation's top forward? None.

Mentor was close to playing Walnut Hills in the state final. Walnut Hills fell to Huntington Prep, 61-54, in December. Walnut Hills lost to Toledo Rogers, 58-51, in the state semifinal.

Benedictine, another News-Herald team, was pounded by Wiggins and Huntington Prep, 81-40, on the second day of the Dunk 4 Diabetes Classic. The Bengals parlayed a difficult schedule into a regional spot in Division II.

For more on Mentor's memorable game against Wiggins, here's John Kampf's game story (with video) from January.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Today's college notes leads with an item about Notre Dame College and Lake Erie College's spots in the Learfield Sports Directors Cup standings. Both schools rank among the top 100 in the Divisions II standings entering the spring championship season.  

The Learfield Cup awards schools points based upon performances at NCAA championship events. Lake Erie, which moved to Division II in 2009-10, is looking to crack the top for the first time in school history. 

The Learfield Cup awards titles and points at all levels. Below is a list of where Ohio schools rank in the standings:

Division I

15. Ohio State

86. Kent State 

96. Akron

104. Miami

111. Dayton

123. Ohio

136. Cincinnati

139. Bowling Green

150. Toledo

165. Cleveland State 

177. Xavier

Division II

1. Ashland 

26. Findlay

78. Notre Dame 

83. Lake Erie

101. Tiffin

149. Cedarville

Division III

25. Mount Union (Having a powerful football team helps)

26. Ohio Northern 

43. Kenyon

60. Denison

74. Heidelberg 

77. Wittenberg

102. Case Western Reserve

104. Wooster

117 Marietta 

162. Oberlin

184. Otterbein

217. Defiance

234. Mount St. Joseph

283. John Carroll

Full Division I standings

Full Division II standings

Full Division III standings

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

The television networks responsible for telling college conferences what to do announced matchups for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge earlier this week. Here's what you need to know about the tantalizing two nights of December basketball:

December 3

Florida State at Minnesota -- No Tubby could mean big problems for the Golden Gophers.

Illinois at Georgia Tech -- Would love to see Deron Williams and Kenny Anderson matchup in their college primes. 

Indiana at Syracuse -- Tom Crean should point in Jim Boeheim's direction and shout: "You wrecked our 2012-12 season."

Michigan at Duke -- NCAA title game preview?

Notre Dame at Iowa -- Oddest pairing of the event.

Penn State at Pitt -- Former rivals stopped playing when Pitt started winning. Take the Panthers by 35.

December 4

Boston College at Purdue -- Eagles traveling a long way to play a game few will watch.

Maryland at Ohio State -- Isn't this a Big Ten game? Oh, wait. We're a year ahead of ourselves.

Miami at Nebraska -- Great matchup Oh, wait. Wrong sport. Plus, we're 20 years behind ourselves.

North Carolina at Michigan State -- Magic has a statue outside the Breslin Center. Might be time to construct one of Michael outside the Dean Dome.

Northwestern at North Carolina State -- Nothing moves tickets like Chris Collins' return to Tobacco Road.

Wisconsin at Virginia -- Charlottesville has been described as a sleepy college town. Wisconsin's offense has been known to put thousands to sleep.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

High school seniors who have decided to play football at Mount Union almost always graduated as a champion.

Some graduated with two titles. Lucky ones captured three.

Coach Larry Kehres ran out of fingers to place his NCAA Division III championship rings. Kehres, who announced his retirement from coaching Wednesday to become the school's athletic director, led the Purple Raiders to 11 national titles. His son, Vince, will replace him.

Vince, the program's defensive coordinator the past eight years, certainly has the pedigree to become a successful head coach. But it's hard imagining the school duplicating Mount Union's sprint under the 63-year-old Kehres.

Mount Union went 332-24-3 in 27 season under Kehres. The Purple Raiders won national titles in 1993, '96, '97, '98, 2000, '01, '02, '05, '06, '08 and '12.

The gaudy winning percentage and titles raise an obvious question: Is Kehres the greatest coach in college football history?

Knute Rockne and Bear Bryant flourished at higher, more cutthroat levels in different eras. But Rockne, Bryant and other Division I coaching legends weren't forced to endure the rigors of a playoff.

Kehres' final Mount Union team meandered a 32-team bracket and played five consecutive weekends, increasing the possibility of a postseason upset. Kehres' teams, though, rarely lost to inferior opponents.

They also won by startling margins. Mount Union defeated Christopher Newport, Johns Hopkins, Widener , Mary-Hardin Baylor  and St. Thomas by a combined 272-89 in the 2012 postseason. The lopsided scores were a staple of Mount Union's championship seasons.

Kehres coached at a level that didn't offer scholarships. Players who don't receive substantial financial aid packages must pay to attend school and play a violent sport. Division III teams don't face the same roster restrictions as Division I programs. Rosters exceeding more than 120 players are common at the Division III level. The numbers are difficult to manage, but they allow coaches to gradually develop players.

John Gagliardi, who retired from coaching Division III St. John's (Minn.) College after last season, won a record 489 games in 60 seasons. Gagliardi led St. John's to three Division III titles.

Eddie Robinson won 408 games in 57 years at Grambling. Robinson led Grambling to two undefeated seasons.

Bryant won six national titles (in a non-playoff format) coaching Alabama from 1958 to 1982. Rockne went 105-12-5 and won three national titles in 13 years at Notre Dame.

Pick a legendary coach from any generation and any level. Finding one whose accomplishments equal Kehres' might as tough as going from fifth- to first-string on the Purple Raiders' depth chart.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

Canton to Cleveland. Cleveland to Canton.

Kevin Jones' wandering from the NBDL to the NBA filled local transaction pages and notes columns during the Cavaliers' season.

Now, it's baseball player Nick Hagadone living a nomadic existence.

Hagadone, a left-handed relief pitcher, was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take Vinnie Pestano's place in the Indians' bullpen. Pestano went on the disabled list retroactive to May 1 with an elbow injury.

This marks Hagadone's second promotion from Columbus this season. Pestano is eligible to end his stint on the disabled list on May 16, so Hagadone might want to bypass signing a long-term lease in Cleveland.

Hagadone is in one of his three option years, meaning the Indians can send him to and from Triple-A as many times as they want. Considering the Indians have a solid bullpen, it's possible Hagadone's 2013 might resemble the year Jones experienced. Jones was reassigned to Canton six times in 2012-13.  He finished the year with the Cavaliers.

Arm injuries are a major part of baseball and the Indians don't risk losing Hagadone if they send him to Columbus. He's performed at both levels. Hagadone entered Tuesday with a 2.25 ERA in nine appearances with the Indians and he hasn't allowed an earned run in four appearances with the Clippers.

As long as he's producing frequent zeros, Hagadone could be making regular trips along Interstate 71 -- north and south.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

The never-ending Division I conference shuffling has reached a league with a Northeast Ohio presence.

The Horizon League announced Tuesday that Oakland (Mich.) University will join the conference effective July 1, 2013. The conference didn't waste time making the announcement. Oakland's board of trustees voted Tuesday to accept the Horizon League's invitation. Cleveland State is one of the conference's veteran members.

Oakland is ditching the Summer League to join the Horizon League. The school is joining the conference in 18 sports, including men's basketball. Sorry, tennis fans. The  Grizzlies' men's tennis program isn't making the move.

Oakland will replace Loyola University of Chicago, which bolted the Horizon League last month to join the Missouri Valley Conference. Creighton's decision to join the Big East resulted in the Missouri Valley Conference looking for a new member.

"Oakland University is the perfect fit at the perfect time for the Horizon League," Commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone said in a statement. “They bring a well-respected and growing athletics program and we are adding a university that is aspirational. We look forward to working with President Gary Russi, Athletics Director Tracy Huth and his staff on behalf of the student-athletes. This is an exciting beginning to our external growth plan."

External growth plan? Translation: Expect more movement. Additional translation: the Summit League better begin cutting favorable deals to prevent further losses.

Here's the Horizon League's 2013-14 lineup: Cleveland State, Detroit,  Green Bay, Illinois-Chicago, Milwaukee, Valparaiso, Wright State and Youngstown State.

The lists comes with a caveat. All conference affiliations are subject to rapid change.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy
 

A May, June, July or August night without a minor league baseball game being played in Northeast Ohio might be as rare as five straight spring days without rain. Yes, we're enjoying the weather so much it's time to purchase new running shoes.

In a random act of blogging kindness, we're going to save you from carrying around four pocket schedules and wading through four flashy websites and list the non-baseball reasons for attending games the next four months.

Get ready to polish your Jim Tressel bobblehead and devour cheap hotdogs. We're offering a list of Northeast Ohio's top minor league baseball promotions.

May 5, Akron Aeros, University of Akron Jim Tressel bobblead -- Insert tattoos on the doll's arms at your own risk.

May 18, Akron Aeros, Goodyear Bobble Blimp -- Hope this toy doesn't fly off the shelf.

May 18, Lake Erie Crushers, Hockey Night -- The one night fighting might be allowed on a baseball field.

May 22, Akron Aeros, Ode to Oats -- Oatmeal and oatmeal raisin cookies might the healthiest concession stand fare this side of California.

May 25, Lake County Captains, Restaurant Appreciation Night -- Don't minor league teams want customers eating in the ballpark instead of somewhere else before the game?

May 28, Akron Aeros, Price is Right Night -- Will Cleveland native Drew Carey host the between-inning contests?

June 5, Akron Aeros, Condiment Wars -- Wear a poncho because ketchup and mustard stains have been known to wreck shirts.

June 28, Lake County Captains, Cleveland Sports History Night -- Leave the depressing moments for the later innings.

June 29, Lake County Captains, LanceStrong Night -- Frauds get in for free.

July 1, Lake County Captains, Tribute to Canadian Baseball Night -- And now pinch-hitting for the Captains ... Matt Stairs. 

July 14, Lake Erie Crushers, Banker's Appreciation Night -- Bring your checkbook.

July 15, Akron Aeros, National Cow Appreciation Night -- This reporter once tried milking a cow on the field before a State College Spikes game. Embarrassing moment No. 227.

July 20, Lake County Captains, "A Captains Story" Bobblehead Night -- The 2013 version of the story might not have a happy ending judging by the season's first month.

July 25, Lake Erie Crushers, Delivery Appreciation Night -- Good night to arrive on time.

July 29, Mahoning Valley, Organized Dance Night -- As long they don't start doing the Macarena this promotion should fly.

Aug. 8, Akron Aeros, Jamaican Independence Day-Cool Runnings 20th Anniversary -- Postgame scoreboard showing of the John Candy film would be nice.

Aug. 8, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Hasthag Twitter night  -- #the #ncaa #would #not #approve #of #this #promotion.

Aug. 10, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Francisco Lindor Bobblehead Night -- The  19-year-old shortstop prospect played all of five games for the Scrappers in 2011.

Aug. 21, Mahoning Valley Scrappers,  Quarter Hot Dog Night -- Please limit purchases to four per customer.

Aug. 22, Lake Erie Crushers, Browns vs. Steelers Night -- Make this Barkevious Mingo vs. Jarvis Jones night.

Aug. 22, Lake County Captains, College Football Night -- One can only hope the score doesn't resemble those posted during 2012 games involving Lake Erie College and Notre Dame College.

Aug. 24, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Vinnie Pestano Bobblehead Night --Too bad there wasn't an MP3 player somewhere inside the doll reciting the witty one-liners Pestano posts on his Twitter account.

Akron Aeros promotional schedule 

Lake County Captains promotion schedule

Lake Erie Crushers promotional schedule

Mahoning Valley Scrappers promotional schedule

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy

  

Anybody who covers minor league baseball long enough witnesses some odd occurrences.

A game ending on a wild pitch? Unfortunately, it happens.

A man setting himself on fire and rounding the bases following a Saturday night game? Self-promoters will do anything for attention and a few thousand dollars.

A former No. 1 overall draft with immense talent resuming his career at the short-season Class A level after missing more than two years because of drug problems? Only one Josh Hamilton exists.

But here's a new one that popped into the email Friday: the Lake County Captains and Peoria Chiefs played to a 2-2 tie.

A tie? Believe it.

The Captains and Chiefs started their game Thursday night in Peoria, Ill. The weather turned nasty after the Captains took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning. The game was suspended.

The teams were hoping to complete the game and play a regularly-scheduled contest Friday afternoon. But weather patterns roaming central Illinois didn't allow it to happen.

The teams play in separate Midwest League divisions and don't meet again this season. The Chiefs never received a chance to bat in Thursday's eighth inning, meaning the game reverts back to the seventh inning under the suspended game rule (Rule 4.2 in the Major League Baseball rulebook). The game was tied, 2-2, after seven innings.

All stats through seven innings count. The game, though, will not count on either team's record, allowing those who design pages containing Midwest League agate to rejoice. Here's the final box score for those who always wanted to examine numbers from a professional baseball game listed as a tie.

The Captains are now on their way to Burlington, Iowa, where they begin a three-game series with the Bees on Saturday.

Wonder if Manager Scooter Tucker has concocted a ploy to regain his team's focus following a tie? 

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy  

Consider Friday the biggest day in Lake Erie College men's lacrosse history.

The Storm, a four-year-old program, meets Seton Hill (Pa.) in the semifinals of the ECAC Division II tournament at 2 p.m. at Tullio Field in Erie, Pa.

Lake Erie is ranked 10th in this week's United States Intercollegiate Athletic Conference poll. Seton Hill is ranked eighth. The winner likely faces top-ranked Mercyhurst in Sunday's title game.

A victory could lead to a breakthrough event for Lake Erie's athletic program. The school has never had a team qualify for a NCAA tournament since moving to Division II in 2009. The top four teams from each region qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament.The NCAA field will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

So, yes, the stakes are high.

Lake Erie (11-3) is  0-4 all-time against Seton Hill. The Griffins defeated the Storm, 16-8, on March 30.

Here is a link to a video from Lake Erie's athletics website of Coach Greg Stocks discussing the tournament. Stocks was named ECAC Coach of the Year earlier this week. Lake Erie senior Keegan Bal was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year.

Happy May Evaluation Day. Let's recap April in the Indians' farm system.

Columbus (14-12)

Offensive MVP: Outfielder Jeremy Hermida clubbed 18 homers and batted .296 for the Marlins in 2007.  Six years later, he's a solid Triple-A bat. Hermida ended the month with  a team-high four homers and batted .256. With Matt LaPorta trying to recover from a hip injury and Yan Gomes bouncing between Columbus and Cleveland, Hermida ended the month as the Clippers' top threat. Hermida is a low-cost insurance plan who isn't ticketed for Cleveland unless Indians outfielders spend more time roaming the Cleveland Clinic hallways than the Progressive Field outfield.

Top pitcher:  Carlos Carrasco started the month by plunking Kevin Youkilis following a batting-practice pitch he threw to Robinson Cano. Since his demotion to Columbus, Carrasco has 17 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings. He has a suspension awaiting when he returns to the big leagues, but his stuff appears sharp, a sign he has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery.

Akron (11-14)

Offensive MVP: Who knows what position Chun-Hsiu Chen projects to play in the big leagues? But the 24-year-old native of Taiwan hit .351 with nine extra-base hits in 22 games. Nineteen of his 22 appearances have come as the Aeros' starting designated hitter.

Top pitcher:  T.J. House didn't last beyond the sixth inning, but he went 2-1 with a 3.22 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 22 1/3 inning. The 23-year-old House was recently promoted to Columbus, where he allowed five hits and two runs in six innings in his first Triple-A start.

Carolina (10-15)

Offensive MVP: Francisco Lindor (.341) and Tyler Naquin (.319) are performing like first-round draft picks, but second baseman Joe Wendle hit .426 and struck out just nine times in 14 games before going on the disabled list with a left orbital fracture.

Top pitcher: Eight innings. Three hits. No runs. One walk. Eight strikeouts. Jordan Cooper's best April outing was his final one. And his other three outings were solid, thus the tidy 2.19 ERA.

Lake County (8-17)

Offensive MVP: The Captains had a forgettable month, but 2012 11th-round draft pick Logan Vick hit .303 and posted as many walks (12) as strikeouts (12) in 23 games. Vick, who played at Baylor, might not last the entire season in Lake County.

Top pitcher: Young starters Mitch Brown (9.22 ERA), Luis DeJesus (6.75) and Dylan Baker (4.95) experienced developmental pains. Jake Sisco, a 2011 third-round draft pick, didn't struggle. He ended the month with a 2.18 ERA.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy