Matt Garza gave up one run over six sharp innings, Jason Bartlett and Reid Brignac drove in three runs apiece and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 11-1 on Thursday night. At 17-5, the Rays are off to the best start in the majors after 22 games since 2003 when San Francisco and the New York Yankees opened 18-4 and the Royals were 17-5. Tampa Bay has won 14 of 16, outscoring opponents 117-44 during the stretch. Garza (4-1) scattered five hits, walked two and struck out nine. The right-hander improved to 1-4 in seven career games against the Royals.

The NCAA’s Board of Directors has approved a plan to expand the men’s basketball tournament from 65 teams to 68 next season. The format still must be worked out, but will include four opening-round games instead of the tourney’s one “play-in” game that was established in 2001. Under a new 14-year, $10.8 billion TV package announced last week, every tournament game will be televised live by CBS and Turner Broadcasting.

K-State men’s hoops will make the return trip to Washington State in this year’s Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series. The Cats dominated the Cougars 86-69 in Manhattan this past season as Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente each scored 21 points. Washington State will host K-State in Pullman on Friday, December 3rd, as the Cougars bring back all five starters including leading scorer Klay Thompson. Four of K-State men’s basketball’s non-conference games are now known for the upcoming season. The others are all at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, as the Cats will be in the CBE Classic with Duke, Marquette, and Gonzaga, and will face UNLV in the annual K-State Holiday Classic.

Other notable matchups in the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series include Missouri at Oregon, UCLA at Kansas, Arizona State at Baylor, Texas at USC, Stanford at Oklahoma State, and Washington at Texas A&M.

#20 Kansas State tied its season high with four home runs, while four Wildcat pitchers limited Chicago State to just three hits as K-State run-ruled the Cougars, 20-2, in seven innings Wednesday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium. K-State matched its four-home run contest against Western Michigan on March 2. The three hits allowed on Wednesday also tied for the lowest by the Wildcat pitching staff this season after limited Harvard to a trio of base hits on March 7. Adam Muenster, Blair DeBord and Matt Giller each recorded their second home run of the season against Chicago State, while Tanner Witt, who picked up his first-career homer on Tuesday, blasted his second in as many days against Cougar pitching. With his 3-for-4 day, Muenster pushed his career-long hitting streak to 21 games to move into fourth in school history. Justin Lindsey (4-2) earned the win in a predetermined pitch-count start. He worked three innings, allowing one run on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts.

The victory pushed K-State’s season record to 29-10, tying the 1976 squad for the best mark through 39 games in school history. Chicago State fell to 2-35 with the loss. K-State hits the road in the Big 12 again this weekend with a three-game series at Oklahoma. The three-game set begins with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch Friday at L-Dale Mitchell Park. Coverage begins at 6:00 on KMAN with Brian Smoller and Matt Walters in Norman.

The Oakland Raiders have signed former K-State running back Rock Cartwright to a contract. The move announced Wednesday gives Oakland needed depth. Cartwright can play halfback, fullback and return kicks. The Raiders cut halfback Justin Fargas last month and are thin at fullback. Cartwright ran for 228 yards on 64 carries last season. He also averaged 22.3 yards per kickoff return. He has 889 yards rushing in eight seasons. He has scored nine career touchdowns. Cartwright had spent his entire NFL career with the Washington Redskins.

Manhattan High has named Lisa Kinderknecht as its new volleyball coach, but she’s certainly no stranger to Indian athletics. Kinderknecht took the MHS softball team to several state tournaments, and has been a physical education teacher for many years at the school. Kinderknecht says the opening at MHS was great timing for her to get back into coaching volleyball as it will fit well into her family life. She has 12 years of assistant coaching experience at the high school level. Kinderknecht replaces Lori Martini as MHS head volleyball coach, who spent 11 years at the helm. Martini took the Tribe to 9 state tournament including a state title in 2003.

A trio of former K-State football players have signed free agent contracts with NFL teams. Nick Stringer was inked by the Cincinnati Bengals. Stringer was a first team all-Big 12 left tackle at K-State, but likely will be a guard or center in the NFL. Tight end Jeron Mastrud was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he will be reunited with fellow former Wildcat Josh Freeman, who’s the Bucs’ starting QB. Mastrud was first team all-Big 12 at K-State, as he caught 106 passes in his four year career at K-State for 1, 219 yards, ranking 1st and 2nd all-time for Wildcat tight ends in the two categories. Defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs. Fitzgerald had 40 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and an interception return for a touchdown in his one season with the Wildcats after transferring from Virginia. Defensive back Joshua Moore was picked in the 5th round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and he was the only Wildcat selected.

Former K-State Wildcat Dylan Meier was laid to rest in his hometown of Pittsburg on Monday. The 26-year old Meier passed away a week ago in a tragic hiking accident while vacationing with his family in Arkansas. K-State coach Bill Snyder joined KMAN’s Wildcat Insider, and he says a crowd of more than 1,000 people attended the funeral, as Dylan was loved by all. Snyder adds that Dylan was a world traveler and touched people all over the world. Meier started six games at quarterback for K-State in 2004 before suffering a shoulder injury. But he came back to start the first five games during his senior season in 2006 before Josh Freeman took over the position.

After a rainy, disappointing weekend at Missouri, The K-State baseball team will look to bounce back against Chicago State in a mid-week series at Tointon Family Stadium. The 27-10 Cats were swept in a doubleheader by the Tigers on Sunday after the first two days of the series were wiped out by torrential dowpours. Chicago State comes into Manhattan with a record of 2-33, a team ERA of 12.54, and one of the lowest ranked RPI’s in NCAA Division one. First pitch for K-State and Chicago State is at 6:30 pm on Tuesday night, with coverage beginning at 6:00 on SportsRadio 1350 KMAN.

The undefeated Manhattan High baseball team will get their sternest test of the season on Tuesday night at Hayden. The 8-0 Indians haven’t been pushed much early this season, while 4-6 Hayden has already faced two of the Centennial League’s other powers, Seaman and Shawnee Heights. Manhattan coach Don Hess says Hayden’s record is very deceiving, as the Wildcats don’t have a Division one player this season, but they’re still a very solid team. The Indians’ pair of aces, Alec Giambrone and Lane Trudo will both take the hill against Hayden after not pitching since April 16th against Washburn Rural. Manhattan High baseball and Hayden hit the field at 4:00 pm on Tuesday for a doubleheader in Topeka.