‘A’ North softball title game moved to Winslow
The site of the Class A North softball regional championship game scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, has been moved to Winslow High School. Game time is 3 p.m. The venue was changed because of vandalism to the field at Cony High School in Augusta.
URI’s Coutts named All-A10 second team
Former Orono High School baseball standout Jackson Coutts, now a freshman at the University of Rhode Island, has been named to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference second team as well as the league’s All-Rookie team.
Coutts concluded his freshman season at URI as the team’s leading hitter with a .310 batting average while also leading the Rams in conference play with 27 hits, 11 walks, 14 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
He also had 10 multi-hit games and reached base safely in each of Rhode Island’s last 36 games.
URI finished the season with a 24-27 record overall, 13-11 in conference play.
Lawmakers express support for revised PawSox stadium plan
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island lawmakers have expressed support for a more expensive but less risky plan to replace the aging stadium of the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The House Finance Committee considered the revised proposal on Thursday. State and city officials say it’s a promising framework that needs fine-tuning.
Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello announced the new plan on Tuesday. It removes the state’s $23-million backing and instead relies on special revenue bonds.
Tax revenues raised directly by the ballpark and its surrounding area would be devoted to paying off the bonds. If revenues don’t match expectations, there would be no further recourse.
House officials say that makes the bill less risky, but it raises the costs of financing. They say it’s too early to estimate how much more expensive it would be.
Buffalo Bills release center Eric Wood
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Eric Wood can finally announce he’s retiring after the Buffalo Bills released the veteran center in a move considered a formality after he was diagnosed with a career-ending neck injury in January.
The NFL transactions list on Thursday listed the Bills reaching an injury settlement and releasing Wood under the designation: “Termination of vested veteran.”
The decision by the Bills ends a lengthy waiting period for the team and Wood.
By waiting until Thursday, the Bills limited the effect the player’s remaining bonus money will have on their salary cap. The more than $10 million in bonus money owed to Wood will now only count against the team’s salary cap this year rather than be spread over the two years left on the contract.
Wood declined to comment on being released by the Bills in a text to The AP. Wood did say he’s planning to attend Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s annual charitable auction and golf tournament in Buffalo this weekend.
Though Wood said he’ll never play again, the nine-year veteran balked at the last minute to announce his retirement during a news conference in January.
Wood read from a prepared statement and spoke for less than two minutes in revealing end of season tests discovered two discs being dangerously close to his spinal cord.
“Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout my career. And because of that, I am here today,” Wood said. “I’m sure there are a lot of unanswered questions. I hope to address those at a later date. Thanks, and go Bills.”
According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams could have asked for a portion of bonus money to be returned if a player retired before his contract expired. There was, however, a gray area if a player retired as a result of a career-ending injury.
Wood is from Cincinnati and spent four seasons playing at Louisville before being selected by the Bills with their second of two first-round picks in the 2009 draft. Wood earned a starting job entering his rookie season and appeared in 121 games, including one in the playoffs.
He was a respected team leader, popular in the community for his charitable work, and was the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2015 and ’16.
Aside from Wood, Buffalo’s offensive line must also replace starting left guard Richie Incognito, who abruptly retired in April and was then released by the Bills earlier this month.