UMaine softball players receive regional honors
ORONO — University of Maine softball senior catcher Janelle Bouchard and junior pitcher Erin Bogdanovich have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Northeast Region Third Team.
Bouchard, the America East Player of the Year, enters NCAA Regional play as Maine’s leader in hitting (.395), total hits (60) and doubles (13).
Bogdanovich earned the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player accolade after winning back-to-back games in the postseason, including the championship clincher. Bogdanovich was named the America East Pitcher of the Year and selected to the first team after cruising to an undefeated 8-0 mark during league regular season play. The junior lefty enters regional action at 10-4 with a 2.87 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 109.2 innings.
Saints owner says heirs tried to kill him
The bitter dispute between New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson and his heirs is getting nastier.
A court document filed this week reveals part of Benson’s deposition transcript from March 28-29, and he accuses his heirs of trying to kill him.
Benson is locked in a legal battle with daughter Renee Benson and grandchildren Rita LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc over the future of his business empire, which includes the ownership of the NFL and NBA teams.
Benson, 88, is angling to leave full ownership of the teams to his third wife, Gayle Benson.
In the deposition, Benson is asked why he wants to leave “zero” in the family trust to his heirs.
“Well, they tried to kill me for one thing,” Benson testified.
Benson was asked how and replied, “By picking on my wife and when I wasn’t [feeling] very good, they were very hostile.”
Rangers unveil plans for new stadium
The Texas Rangers and the city of Arlington unveiled plans for a new retractable-roof stadium on Friday.
The Rangers could be playing in a new ballpark by the 2021 season, according to city and team officials.
Rangers owner Ray Davis and Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams made the announcement at a news conference at Arlington City Hall.
The Rangers currently play in Globe Life Park, where they have a lease through the 2023 season. The Rangers have called Globe Life home since the ballpark opened in 1994.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the city of Arlington and Rangers have agreed on a plan to build a stadium that would be funded in part by tax dollars that are currently being used to pay off AT&T Stadium, the next-door home of the Dallas Cowboys.
The new ballpark, which will be built on part of the parking lots at Globe Life Park, would cost up to $1 billion and be split equally between the city and the Rangers, officials said. The agreement would extend the lease with the Rangers through 2054.
Four more minor leaguers suspended for PED use
Three minor-league pitchers and a minor-league outfielder were suspended Friday after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
The commissioner’s office announced the sanctions against Toronto Blue Jays outfielder David Harris, Seattle Mariners right-hander Jose Luis Santiago, Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Sebastian Martinez and Colorado Rockies right-hander Jose Rodriguez.
Harris and Santiago were suspended for 76 games each. Both are currently playing in Class A. Martinez and Rodriguez, who are both on Dominican Summer League rosters, were each banned for 72 games.
The latest suspensions under the minor league program bring the total to 68 this season.