Boston College honoring Baylor graduate Burke

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

Baseball pitcher Jeff Burke from Baylor School has been chosen to receive Boston College's Timothy M. Padulsky Award on April 28 as the sophomore who has "mentored and encouraged other students to develop effective skills in inclusive leadership and teamwork," according to the school release. Burke, the son of Chattanooga Lookouts owner Frank Burke, is part of a BC program mentoring elementary school students and has traveled the last two years on service trips to New Orleans, helping rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katina. He also is the baseball team's representative on the student-athlete advisory committee. "When you think of the 'Ever to Excel' motto that we have here at BC, [Burke] is someone who exemplifies that better than anyone I've ever coached here," Eagles baseball coach Mike Gambino said. "From his GPA to his community service to how hard he works on the baseball field, he strives to excel in everything he does." Calling the award "a really nice honor" and "really humbling," Burke explained that he tries "to make sure I'm as positive as I can be. ... Even when I feel like I'm having a tough time or terrible luck, I realize that I'm so lucky and blessed with my opportunities."

• Scott Gillespie had two doubles and an RBI and scored a run in Covenant's 6-3 USA South baseball loss to Methodist on Thursday at Wilson, N.C. Perry Rigby tripled in a run and scored for the Scots (20-9, 14-5), who had only five hits in the opener of a three-game series. Steven Kirby of Methodist (18-11, 12-7) broke a 3-3 tie with a sixth-inning home run, his first of the season.

• Zack Sutton was 4-for-5 with a homer, a double, six RBIs and four runs and Jack Whaley went 5-for-5 with a triple, a double, four RBIs and four runs as Sewanee overpowered visiting Rust 25-2 in NCAA Division III baseball Thursday. Then Sewanee won again, 10-1. Michael Walker and Grant Goodson each was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs in the first game for the Tigers (11-19), who outhit Rust 24-5 in support of four pitchers. Tony Dykes and Chris Erdmier each had two RBIs, Nate Barnett was 2-for-3 with three runs and Nathan Warren was 2-for-3 with two runs. In game two, four Tigers pitchers combined on a three-hitter, and Whaley was 1-for-2 with three runs and an RBI, Ben Clune tripled and both scored and drove in two runs and Walker was 1-for-1 with two runs and two RBIs as well. Jackson Cooper was 2-for-3 and scored a rn.

Basketball

• Former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball standout Herbert "Book" McCray and former Auburn star and UTC assistant coach Gerald White have set up middle school all-star basketball games Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame High School between Chattanooga and Atlanta eighth-graders. The City of Champions girls' game is set up for 1 p.m.; the boys play at 3. "It's going to be a festive atmosphere, similar to the NBA All-Star weekend," McCray said, noting that 3-point and free-throw shooting contests will be held and an all-academic team will be announced. Admission costs $5. "Gerald does work with young people in Atlanta and I do work with young people here," McCray said, "and we have talked many times about making our kids ambassadors for their cities and building relationships. And playing against the best, our best will get better." Atlanta will host the games next April.

Soccer

• Emily Moseley from Father Ryan High School in Nashville and Elena Sanchez from Homestead, Fla., are the two newest recruits for the UTC soccer team. Moseley's father, Glen, played football for Sewanee in the 1980s and set a record for tackles, and her mother, Kathy, played women's soccer at Sewanee. Emily helped Father Ryan win the Division II state title in 2012 and finish second last fall. She also played basketball and runs track for the Purple Irish and was the soccer team captain and team MVP as an all-state senior. Sanchez likewise was the team captain for South Dade Senior High School and was part of the Pinecrest Premier club team that won the 2012 Disney Championship tournament.

Tennis

• Covenant College's Gretchen Rowe made the USA South women's tennis all-conference second team, and freshman teammate Gracie Smith was a third-team selection. The Lady Scots are seeded third for the conference tournament. Lindsay Geving was their all-sportsmanship representative; Michael O'Brien was picked from the Covenant men's team. Hannah Rogers was the school's softball sportsmanship pick. Rowe, a second-generation Covenant athlete, is a junior with USAS season records of 8-0 in doubles and 7-2 at No. 2 singles. Smith set a program record with 15 singles wins in 20 matches overall; she was 10-2 in league singles and 6-1 with Geving in USAS doubles.

• Sewanee's Lindsey Liles is the Southern Athletic Association women's tennis player of the week for the second time this season, joining Bronte Goodhue and Annie Veron to give the Tigers the honor five times in 2014. In SAA matches against Hendrix and Rhodes, Liles won 8-2 and 8-1 in doubles and 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-1 in singles. She is undefeated in singles and 13-1 in doubles.

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