ST. LOUIS, MO., April 10, 2019 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have signed All-Star infielder Matt Carpenter to a two-year (2020-21) contract extension that includes a vesting option for 2022.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Matt has been a consistent contributor to our team since his rookie season and he has worked hard to become one of the best players in the game today,” stated Cardinals’ Chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr.  “We are pleased to have Matt under contract, along with many of our other core players, for the next several years.”

Carpenter, who was drafted by the Cardinals in the 13th round (399th player overall) in 2009 out of Texas Christian University, has become one of the most accomplished leadoff hitters in Cardinals history while showing tremendous versatility in the field, serving as an everyday third baseman, first baseman and second baseman during his eight-plus (2011-19) seasons in the majors.

“Carp has been a great player and someone who has always put team first,” said Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.  “He grew up in a baseball family, has worked tirelessly to advance his skills and knowledge of the game, and he thrives at being a catalyst for our team.  We are extremely pleased to announce that Matt will remain a Cardinal beyond the 2019 season.”

Carpenter, 33, has compiled a .273 career batting mark with 134 home runs, 585 walks and a .376 on-base pct. in 1,031 career games, twice finished among the top-10 in National League MVP voting (2013 & 2018) and was named an All-Star in 2013, 2014 & 2016.  He was voted the recipient of the N.L. Silver Slugger award at second base in 2013 when he set the club single-season record for doubles (55) by a left-handed batter and also posted league highs for hits (199) and runs scored (126).

Never one to wear batting gloves, Matt has established the Cardinals franchise records for career (23) and single-season (8) lead-off homers and he has compiled the top career on-base pct. (.388) among active lead-off hitters.  Since 2013, Matt is currently leading the majors with his 245 doubles and he is one of just three players (also Mike Trout, 652 & Paul Goldschmidt, 608) with over 600 runs scored (616).

Matt collected his 1,000th career hit on March 29, becoming one of just six players to amass 1,000 or more hits while wearing the birds on the bat, joining Stan Musial, Yadier Molina, Marty Marion, Terry Moore and Pepper Martin.

Carpenter joins All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (2020-24), All-Star pitcher Miles Mikolas (2020-23) and outfielder José Martínez  (2019-20) among Cardinals who have signed multi-year contract extensions since February.

The 8:20-a.m. Sportscast with Chris Parks.

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Girls Tennis

Glenwood 9, Atlantic 0
Clarinda 7, Southwest Valley 2
Lewis Central 8, Harlan 1
Shenandoah 9, St. Albert 0

Boys Tennis

Atlantic 9, Glenwood 0
Audubon 5, Red Oak 4
CB Abraham Lincoln 5, Kuemper Catholic 4
Clarinda 8, Southwest Valley 1
Denison-Schleswig 9, Sioux City East 0
Lewis Central 7, Harlan 2

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dee Gordon got three hits and drove in two runs as the high-scoring Seattle Mariners extended baseball’s best record with a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. The Mariners improved to 11-2 and have scored at least five runs in 12 of those games. The Royals lost their eighth in a row. Whit Merrifield extended his hitting streak to 30 games, tying a Royals record set by George Brett in 1980.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Whit Merrifield has extended his hitting streak to 30 games, matching the Kansas City Royals’ team record set by George Brett in 1980. Merrifield led off the bottom of the first inning with an opposite-field triple to right against Seattle. Merrifield ended last season with a hit in 20 straight games, and has gotten a hit in all 10 Royals games this year. The major league record is a 56-game hitting streak by Joe DiMaggio in 1941.

UNDATED (AP) — The Iowa Hawkeyes have a long pipeline to the pros for tight ends and this year they have a pair of prospects expected to be first-round selections in the NFL draft. T.J. Hockenson is the reigning Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end. His teammate Noah Fant says the two of them have a friendly but fierce competition going to see who will be the first tight end taken in the draft.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina drove in three runs, Paul Goldschmidt homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0, overcoming an embarrassing play by Marcell Ozuna. St. Louis already had a 4-0 lead when Kiké Hernández led off the eighth with a drive to left. Ozuna went back and climbed up the wall, but he misjudged the ball and tumbled onto the warning track as he tried to make the play. Hernandez’s drive bounced over for a ground-rule double, but the Cardinals escaped the threat.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day injured list with a strained left groin. The same injury sidelined Ryu for more than half of last season, but he said Monday night that this injury did not feel as serious. Ryu left with two outs in the second inning of a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Dave Roberts said Ryu did not undergo an MRI and that Ryu “did feel a little better” on Tuesday.

Class A Team Scores

1. Woodbine 153
2. Fremont-Mills 140
3. Griswold 139
4. Riverside 94
5. Essex 22
6. South Page 10

Griswold’s Charli Adams won the 800M and Hope Ogg took the 100M Hurdles title. Jocelyn Amos won the 400M Hurdles and the Long Jump for the Tigers and they took the 4x100M Relay and Distance Medley. Riverside’s Kelly Clevenger won the 200M and Izzy Bluml won the 400M. Alexis Post also won the 1500M and the 3000M for the Lady Dawgs, who also won the Sprint Medley and the 4x100M Relay.

Full results here.

Class AA Team Scores

1. Underwood 150
2. AHSTW 145
3. Southwest Valley 84
4. Kuemper Catholic 77
5. Sidney 58
6. Red Oak 57

Ryann Portch of AHSTW won the 200M and 400M, Jade Draman won the 1500M, Chloe Falkena took the 3000M, Holly Hoepner won the 400M Hurdles, and Kinsey Scheffler won the Discus for the Lady Vikes.

Full results here.

Girls Soccer

Atlantic 5, Missouri Valley 2
CB Thomas Jefferson 10, Logan-Magnolia 0
Glenwood 10, Denison-Schleswig 0
Kuemper Catholic 3, Creston 2 (OT)
Lewis Central 1, Omaha South 0
Treynor 8, Nodaway Valley/WCV 0
Tri-Center 7, Harlan 1

Boys Soccer

Atlantic 7, Missouri Valley 0
CB Abraham Lincoln 4, Sioux City North 3
CB Thomas Jefferson 8, Logan-Magnolia 0
Creston 3, Underwood 2 (OT)

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa State (23-15) continued its winning ways with a 2-0 Cy-Hawk victory over Iowa (15-19) on Tuesday at Bob Pearl Field. The Cyclones are winners of five straight and have won four of their last five meetings against the in-state rival Hawkeyes.

Junior Sami Williams went 3-for-3 with a home run and a double, and also drew a walk to lead the way offensively. Harlan alum Logan Schaben was 2-of-3 at the plate with two doubles and broke up a 0-0 tie with her two-out RBI shot down the left field line in the top of the sixth inning.

The senior pitching duo of Savannah Sanders and Emma Hylen was simply tremendous on the night, combining to surrender just two hits in the shutout win.

The Atlantic Boys swept past Glenwood and the Rams returned the favor in girls tennis on Tuesday night.

The Trojan boys tennis team was a 9-0 winner over the Rams with Nile Petersen leading the way in the number one singles and teaming up with Jesse Reid to win top doubles pairing as well.

The Trojan girls fell 9-0 to Glenwood. Brooklyn Taylor won the top singles match over Hana Holtz and teamed up with Brielle Smith to win the top doubles match as well.

Full results: ATL_GWD_BGtennis19

The OA-BCIG girls track team won the Spartan Invitational hosted by West Monona on Tuesday night. The Falcons scored 142 points and Logan-Magnolia scored 111 in second.

Logan-Magnolia’s Courtney Sporrer won the 400M and 1500M. Kylie Morrison won the 800M. Taylor Sporrer won the 3000M.

Team Scores

1. OA-BCIG 142
2. Logan-Magnolia 111
3. West Monona 88
4. Missouri Valley 58
5. MVAOCOU 54
6. Boyer Valley 42
7. Westwood 29
8. West Harrison 28
9. Whiting 21
10. Ar-We-Va 14

Full results here: 2019 West Monona Girls Spartan Invite

The Harlan boys track team won their home Ken Carstens Inviational on Tuesday night. The Cyclones scored 124 points to edge by Atlantic by 3.

The Cyclones only won the 4x400M but had a number of events with 2-3 finishers to rack up the points to win the meet.

Atlantic had 6 event wins on the night. Tyler Moen won the 200M. Zade Niklasen won the 400M and Chase Mullenix took the 800M title. Craig Alan Becker won the 1600M and Jalen Petersen won the 3200M. The Trojans also won the Sprint Medley.

Team Scores

1. Harlan 124
2. Atlantic 121
3. Treynor 80
4. St. Albert 75
5. OA-BCIG 71
6. Lewis Central 65
7. Underwood 53
8. CB Thomas Jefferson 40
9. Woodbine 38
10. Denison-Schleswig 36
11. CB Abraham Lincoln 32
12. Harlan JV 6

Full results: Ken Carstens HCHS Invitational 2019 Results