Kansas
Tree quarantine: State stepping in to stop spread of Bradford pears
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – You see them pop up all over Kansas this time of year. While they’re popular for beautification, the Callery, “Bradford” pear trees are an invasive species that can choke out plants that grow naturally in Kansas. The Kansas Department of Agriculture is stepping in to protect native plants with a tree quarantine to stop the spread.
“We are trying to reduce the amount of spread and further infestation by creating a quarantine,” said Kansas Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Specialist Scott Marsh.
The quarantine will start in 2027. That process will involve prohibiting people from moving the trees around or into Kansas.
“Nobody is required to cut down these trees that they already have growing in their yards or landscape, but we do highly recommend that they do,” Marsh said.
He said most tree nurseries already do not sell Callery pears anymore and by 2027, no nursery in Kansas should have them for sale. The reason for the quarantine: The trees are invasive.
“It can change our habitat in quite a few ways either by displacing some of our more desirable trees or by shading areas where other sun-loving perennials and grasses might want to grow,” K-State Sedgwick County Extension Office Horticulture Agent Matthew McKernan explained.
McKernan said it’s important to protect native plants because they keep the rest of the habitat alive.
“It’s important that we try to maintain and protect some of that biodiversity in our plant material in order to support greater biodiversity in animals and insects especially,” he said.
Marsh said there is potential for a Callery pear buyback program to start in Sedgwick County, similar to programs in Shawnee and Johnson counties in which native trees replace the invasive species when the pear trees are cut down.
Copyright 2024 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com
Kansas
Kansas State heads to super regional claiming Fayetteville Regional beating Southeast Missouri St.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Brendan Jones batted 3 for 5 and drove in three runs, David Bishop added two RBIs and Kansas State beat Southeast Missouri State 7-2 on Sunday night in the Fayetteville Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas State will head to Charlottesville, Virginia, to face Virginia in a best-of-three super regional series next weekend.
It’s Kansas State’s first trip to the super regionals in 11 years. The No. 3-seed Wildcats (35-24) went undefeated in three games at Fayetteville. Kansas State outscored opponents 33-12, the bulk coming in a 19-4 win over Louisiana Tech in a Friday night, Saturday morning game that was interrupted by weather conditions.
The Wildcats scored four in the bottom of the second and three in the third against the Redhawks.
Bishop and Danniel Rivera each singled in a run, Raphael Pelletier grounded out to force in the third and Jones singled through the right side of the infield to score Rivera for a 4-0 lead.
Kansas State used four pitchers — Cole Wisenbaker (4-0) got the win with three innings of work following starter Ty Ruhl. They scattered seven hits.
Bryce Cannon’s two-run home run in the top of the eighth was all the offense produced by Southeast Missouri State (36-27).
Kansas
Kansas City Royals Place Free Agent Addition On Injured List
The Kansas City Royals placed pitcher Michael Wacha on the injured list on Sunday with a “small, non-displaced” fracture in his left foot, per manager Matt Quatraro. Lefty Daniel Lynch IV will be called up from Triple-A to take Wacha’s spot in the rotation.
“We don’t think it’s worth pushing him out there.”#Royals SP Michael Wacha is heading to the IL today with a non-displaced left foot fracture.#WelcomeToTheCity
🔗 https://t.co/76FWOFMj7f pic.twitter.com/l1AfgtEdpN— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 2, 2024
There is not yet a timetable for Wacha’s return to action. But Quatraro told reporters that his absence will be determined by how the soreness in his foot progresses. Wacha will continue working out his arm by taking a knee while playing catch. However, a full return to action will depend on how he can manage the pain in his foot.
Kansas City Royals Place Michael Wacha On Injured List
Kansas City signed Wacha this winter to a two-year, $32 million deal as part of a rotation restructuring. The offseason aggression has paid off, as the Royals have ridden a strong pitching rotation, including Wacha, to great success this season.
Wacha is not an ace, but he is providing quality mid-to-back of-the-rotation innings that Kansas City expected. The 32-year-old has pitched better this season than his overall numbers suggest. Wacha has posted a 4.24 ERA (97 ERA+) in 68 innings across 12 starts. He doesn’t strike many out but relies on limiting walks and inducing poor contact.
Plus, his numbers would look better if not for a below average strand rate (68.7 percent). In other words, when he leaves games with runners on base, Royals relievers fail to strand them more often than not. The relievers gave up the run scoring walks/hits, but the runs get charged to Wacha.
Daniel Lynch IV
With Wacha on the injured list, the Royals will turn to a former top prospect in Lynch. Part of the reason why Kansas City added so many veteran pitchers this winter is due to a failure to develop young arms. Lynch represents one of those failed pitching prospects.
Entering this season, Lynch has struggled to a 5.18 ERA and in 51 starts across three big league seasons. The organization wanted to win in the majors again and just could no longer promise innings to young pitchers that just were not improving.
Daniel Lynch was fantastic on Sunday. The secret? More spin and movement from his arsenal — especially the slider.
Lynch has always averaged 2000-2100 on his FF and SL. On Sunday, he touched 2300 inconsistently with the heater and averaged 2286 on the slider. pic.twitter.com/FrluEi3wXM
— Preston Farr (@royalsminors) May 21, 2024
And while he’s looked good in three MLB outings this season (a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings), Lynch has not pitched that well in the minors. In nine starts, Lynch produced a 4.76 ERA in 45 1/3 innings with below average strikeout rates. The 27-year-old has shown promise with intriguing stuff but has not put it all together in a consistent manner.
That said, it seems that the Royals expect Wacha to spend minimal time on the injured list. Though the organization likely still views its former 34th overall pick in positive light, Lynch just needs to provide league-average production until Wacha return.
Main Photo Credits: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas
JayhawkSlant – Stephen Miller ready for official visit to Kansas next weekend
Stephen Miller is ready to start his official visits this upcoming weekend and the Jayhawks will get a chance to make a strong first impression.
Miller, a safety, from Greene County High, has been talking with Kansas defensive coordinator and safeties coach Brian Borland.
Borland made the trip to Georgia to watch Miller practice and has been targeting him as one of the top defensive backs on the recruiting board.
“Getting to know Coach Borland has been great,” Miller said. “Coach Borland is a good guy. He’s been good to communicate with and really just to learn things about.”
Miller said Borland watched their entire practice and the two had a chance to visit after it was over.
“Me and Coach Borland have a good relationship,” Miller said. “I’ve been talking to him since day one, since I got an offer from Kansas. And our relationship has been great. He came down and visited my school. He stayed the whole practice, and we chatted it up after practice and everything.”
During the spring there are a lot of times when college coaches stay for a portion of practice and then move on to their next stop. It meant a lot to Miller that Borland stayed for the whole practice and talked with him later.
“For him to come down and watch it all that meant a lot,” Miller said. “That’s how I know he cares about me a lot. He stayed the entire time so that just meant a lot and let me know a lot it’s a real thing between us.”
He is looking forward to taking his first official visit and starting a busy month with the Jayhawks.
“I look forward to seeing a lot of things and I know it will be great,” Miller said. “I’m looking to see what they have to offer. I want to get up there and really make a bond with other coaches I haven’t talked to yet. I’m just looking to have a good time and looking forward to seeing a place I could call home one day.”
Miller will visit Mississippi State after Kansas and follow that with a trip to West Virginia on June 21. He said a midweek visit could take place with North Carolina State the week of the West Virginia visit.
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