Sports shorts: Week of Oct. 6, 2022

Sports shorts for the week of Oct. 6, 2022.

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Baseball

Kelly graduate Ford Proctor became the 16th member of the San Francisco Giants to hit a grand slam as his first big league homer. Called up from the Triple A Sacramento, the 25-year-old rookie took a first pitch from Colorado Rockies’ starter Ryan Feltner and launched it over the left-center field wall to help the Giants down the Rockies 6-4 on Sept. 30 in Colorado.

Proctor told MLB.com, “It’s hard to describe. One of probably my best baseball memories so far. I honestly don’t remember rounding the bases. It was the fastest I’ve ever run around the bases, I know that.”

Mary-Hardin Baylor

Former West Orange-Stark standout K.J. Miller continues to break football records at Mary-Hardin Baylor, a Division III school located in Belton, Texas.

Last Saturday, Oct. 1, Miller set a new NCAA DIII record for punt return yards in a career with 1,585 yards. The senior also caught five passes with two touchdowns in MHB’s 38-7 win over Austin College.

Golf

The 81st Beaumont City Golf Tournament is scheduled for Oct. 22-23 at Henry Homberg Golf Course (5940 Babe Zaharias Drive).

“We picked the middle of October since we typically have good weather and the chance of storms are over,” said Andy Hebert, director of golf at Henry Homberg Golf Course. “We’ve already had lots of interest in this year’s event.”

The entry fee is $60 for 36-hole medal play, flighted by handicap. Players must have an established handicap for flighting purposes.

The city champion must be a permanent resident of Beaumont, but anyone can enter the competition.

Austin Williams was last year’s winner and is expected to defend his championship. Williams has captured the trophy 10 times.

For more information, interested participants can call Andy Hebert at (409) 842-3220. 

Lamar Cardinals

Senior goalkeeper Nicole Panis has been having a historic season for the LU women’s soccer team. Having set a new school record in shutouts with 17, she is on the verge of setting a new record for most wins in program history. But before Panis gets focused on this weekend’s matchups, she recently added her fourth Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the season following last week’s performances.

Panis recorded her fifth and sixth shutouts last week in wins against the University of Incarnate Word and Southeastern Louisiana to keep LU’s historic unbeaten start in tact at 9-0-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play. Against UIW, Panis picked up five saves on just seven shots as LU won the Battle of the Cardinals 2-0. Then on Sunday, Panis would make three saves and would help keep the Lions off the scoresheet in a half that saw LU play with only 10 players.
All-time, Panis has won five weekly conference awards with one being from the Western Athletic Conference.

The Cards will host Northwestern State on Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. and McNeese on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.

Despite being winless this season, LU football has had a player named Southland Conference Player of the Week. Freshman running back/kick returner Damashja Harris received the honor Oct. 3 following his efforts on the field in a 37-34  Homecoming loss to Houston Christian.

Joining a list that already includes kicker Chris Esqueda and defensive lineman Jack McCarthy, Harris added his name after setting a school record against HCU. After the Huskies scored a touchdown to take a two-score lead, Harris, and the Cardinals, answered right back with a momentum-stealing 100-yard kickoff return for a score. He also became the first player in team history to return a kick 100 yards, which surpassed the previous mark of 98 yards set by Zae Giles in 2016.

LU (0-5, 0-2) will travel to San Antonio on Saturday, Oct. 8, to play No. 10 Incarnate Word (4-1, 1-1) at 4 p.m. UIW has won the last two meetings by a combined score of 77-37.