102.7FM KPGZ is excited to announce it is adding radio coverage of Kearney High School home softball games to the Bulldog Radio Network this fall. This will be the first season the radio station has covered softball games.

Bulldog radio network announcers Kelly Gentry and Eric Stevens will be calling the home softball games beginning at 5 pm on Tuesday, September 10, when the Bulldogs face Staley High School.

*“We are excited to be able bring Bulldog softball to 102.7, and that our listeners are enthusiastic to have the softball games on the radio.” - Brian Watts. Photo by Ray Weikal.*

“We had great success announcing Bulldog baseball games this spring,” said 102.7FM general manager Brian Watts. “We are excited to be able bring Bulldog softball to KPGZ, and that our listeners are enthusiastic to have the softball games on the radio.”

Parents and fans requested softball and baseball games to be broadcast on the radio station last year, but logistics and the time frame of getting the broadcast setup were obstacles for the station. With more time, KPGZ was able to work on the details and can now produce quality game broadcasts for fans.

Bulldog sports game broadcasts bring a vast audience to the radio station. Broadcasts of high school sports bring double or triple the listening audience to 102.7FM. The station now broadcasts football, boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball to a wide audience around the world on the radio, their website 1027KearneyMO.com and the KPGZ mobile app.

Sponsorship spaces are available at all levels and can be reserved now by calling Brian Watts at 816-826-1111.

Jim Dickerson contributed to this story.

The Bulldog baseball team traveled to Ozark, MO, last weekend to compete for the Class 5 title. They brought home the third place trophy when they shutout Ft. Zumwalt South on Saturday by a score of 1-0.

*Senior Pitcher Bryce Page - Photo by David Haggart*

Senior pitcher Bryce Page pitched 6-2/3 innings for the Bulldogs and shut out Ft. Zumwalt South, a team that has averaged eight hits per game this season. Page managed the zone the way that he wanted to. He was moving the ball in and out and he commanded the inside of the zone throughout the game. Page gave up five hits, no runs, no errors, four walks, and five strikeouts.

Carter Cox for Zumwalt went 4-2/3 and gave up five hits, the one hit by Carson Sheer to drive in Kearney's only run, five walks and five strikeouts.

The top of the Bulldogs’ batting order did the damage against Zumwalt. Chase Porter was 2 for 3 with some nice hits and Manny Linthacum continued to be hot as he was 3 for 4 with some nicely executed late count hits. Carson Sheer hit a ball over the shortstops head and got our lone RBI of the game, ultimately clinching the win for Kearney.

Manny Linthacum came in to pitch on relief for Page in the last inning and had a single hit off of him. Zumwalt’s Nathan Mehrhoff ran from second base around third but became trapped in a pickle between third and home. Mehrhoff was finally tagged by catcher Jack Helberg and that ended the game for a Bulldog win.