Compiled by Craig Potter
Today’s SportsROC Report includes stories on LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez returns to Rochester, the IL wins the Triple-A All-Star game, the Rochester Knighthawks re-sign a defenseman, the Rochester Rattlers are in a must-win game this weekend, and the Teal beats the Gold to close the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp.
Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez always enjoys coming to Rochester
If there was one place on the LPGA Tour that Nancy Lopez tried to make every year, it was Rochester.
Lopez returned to the Flower City to be a part of the Danielle Downey Classic for the second consecutive year.
In 2014, the final year of the Wegmans LPGA Championship in Rochester, Lopez was forced to miss that tournament as she was slated to appear in a Legends Tournament that week.
However, she came to Rochester and Brook-Lea Country Club for the inaugural Danielle Downey Classic as the Honorary Chair.
Through her alustrious career, Lopez has appeared on the coveted cover of Sports Illustrated. She still is the only golfer to win the Rookie of the Year Award, Player of the Year Award, and Vare Trophy in the same year. Throughout her storied career, throngs of adoring fans – known as “Nancy’s Navy” – enjoyed following Lopez around the golf course wherever she played.
Lopez participated in the Pro-Am on Wednesday, playing 9 holes. She teed off early in the morning to help avoid the hot and humid conditions that developed as the day went on.
*Check out the separate story on Nancy Lopez in Sports.
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The International League All-Stars took on the Pacific Coast League All-Stars on Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C., and battled from behind for a 4-2 victory.
Rochester Red Wings hurler Jason Wheeler started the game on the mound for the IL. He pitched 2 innings, yielding 2 hits, including a walk and 2-run homer that put the IL Stars behind 2-0 in the top of the 2nd inning.
The IL Stars tied the game on a pair of solo home runs in the 2nd and 4th frames.
Red Wings pitcher Jose Berrios hurled the 3rd inning for the IL, giving up 1 hit.
Rochester second baseman Jorge Polanco started the game as well, getting a single to lead off the home third, but was left stranded. Polanco doubled in the fifth to put runners on second and third. A groundout plated what proved to be the game-winning run for the IL, 3-2.
Red Wings pitching coach Stu Cliborn also participated in the game.
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Defenseman Dylan Evans re-signs with Knighthawks
Good things have come in fours for the Rochester Knighthawks this offseason. Two days after announcing the re-signing of Brad Gillies to a four-year deal, the Knighthawks secured another defenseman, Dylan Evans, to a similar contract.
“I am excited. My plan is to play here the rest of my career,” said Evans. “I am glad to be back and I am glad it is long term.”
For the 28-year-old Brampton, Ontario native, the deal is the longest of his career. His body of work over the past six seasons has been impressive. Not only did he play a key role in the run of three straight titles from 2012-14, but he has become one of the most prolific faceoff men in the history of the Knighthawks.
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Rattlers look to get back on winning side
The Rochester Rattlers squared off against the Charlotte Hounds on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Wegman’s Sports Complex at Aquinas Institute. Rochester lost 14-11 to the Hounds on April 30, in Charlotte. Jordan Wolf paced the Rattlers with 3 goals in that game.
The Hounds have been playing well and bring a 3-game winning streak into the contest. With their win in Week 11, and the New York Lizards loss, the Hounds moved into a tie for first place in Major League Lacrosse (MLL), both with 6-3 records.
The Rattlers (5-4) are one game behind in 4th place as the Chesapeake Bayhawks (6-4) hold third place.
The New York Lizards come to Rochester the following Saturday, July 23.
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Teal beats Gold in Sabres 3-on-3 Development Camp game
From sabres.com, William Borgen was the obvious choice to shoot first for the Team Teal when a scoreless tie rolled into a three-player shootout in the championship matchup of the French Connection Tournament at HARBORCENTER on Tuesday. Borgen had already scored two shootout goals on the day, both game-winners.
On this occasion, he missed. But so did the next shooter, and then so did the next nine. Goalie Steve Racine proved unsolvable on the worn ice as both teams exhausted all their scorers, and thus it was up to Borgen to take a second attempt. This time, he scored, and his team won the third annual 3-on-3 tournament 1-0 over Alex Nylander’s Team Gold.
When the day began, Borgen’s squad included William Carrier, Paul Geiger, Victor Olofsson and Austin Osmanski. They won only two games in the round-robin portion of the tournament, both on Borgen’s shootout goals. Olofsson went down with an injury during their quarterfinal matchup with Hudson Fasching’s Gray team, a 1-0 Teal win, and Fasching switched over to Teal.