Lakewood Blueclaws

Lakewood BlueclawsBlueClaws bats fail to support fireballer Knapp.

Jason Knapp began Friday night's game for the Lakewood BlueClaws blazing a 94 mile-an-hour called third strike past Delmarva lead-off batter Xavier Avery.

Unleashing a fastball that lit up the center field radar gun at 97 and a diving breaking ball in the mid 70's, the 6-foot-6 right-hander allowed three hits, two earned runs, struck out 10, and walked two before being lifted with two away in the sixth inning with the score even at 1.

The magnificent Lakewood debut by Philadelphia's 2008 second round draft pick failed to prevent the BlueClaws from dropping their second game in a row to Baltimore affiliate Delmarva, 3-1, before 7,897 at FirstEnergy Park.

But it at least had to make the Philadelphia scouting department happy.

"Knapp was tremendous," said Lakewood manager Dusty Wathan as he sat at his desk and prepared to file his computer and phone reports of the game to the Philadelphia organization.

"He was under control, I thought, the whole night," Wathan said. "It was nice to watch, fun to watch. All in all, for his first time out, it was very good."

"I felt all right, pretty much like I usually feel," said the graduate of North Hunterdon High School, who will turn 19 August 31.

Knapp is ranked by Baseball America as the 10th best prospect in the Phillies system.

"I don't feel like I dominated like I could have and I don't feel like I got hit around too much," he said. "I would say (for me) an average performance."

After Knapp walked No. 3 hitter Ron Welty in the sixth, Joe Mahoney, a 6-foot-7, 250 pound first baseman, greeted reliever Justin De Fratus with a tie-breaking triple to deep right.

"I wanted to try and get him through that sixth but with that walk I couldn't let him go any further," Wathan said.

Trailing 1-0, Lakewood tied the score in the fifth on a home run by second baseman Jesus Villegas. The shot onto the berm in left field marked Villegas' first long ball in 234 professional at bats.

Lakewood, 2-for-12 in the series with runners in scoring position, got a two-out, line-drive single to left with runners at first and second by Troy Hanzawa in the fourth inning. On the play Wathan, coaching third base, held lead runner Sebastian Valle, a catcher-DH, at third.

Leftfielder Kyle Hudson's strong throw home appeared as if it would have retired Valle had he attempted to score.

''The ball was hit right at their leftfielder and Valle is not our fastest guy on the team," said Wathan. "You want to give yourself a chance (to score) and I didn't think we had a chance there."

Zach Collier fanned to end the inning.

Original Source : http://www.app.com/article/20090410/SPORTS/90410098/1002

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden'The Secret Garden' coming to McLeod Theater.

A “Secret Garden” grows on the McLeod Theater stage at Southern Illinois University Carbondale April 16-19.

The Department of Theater and the School of Music join forces to bring the Frances Hodgson Burnett story of redemption, inner healing and the power of a positive mindset for four performances. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday’s performance is a 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $6 for students. Tickets are available the day of the performance at the McLeod Theater Box Office or in advance by calling 618/453-3001.

Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote “The Secret Garden” 100 years ago. The original Broadway production debuted in 1991 and ran for 709 shows, and won three Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Scenic Design.

This production features sets by guest artist Laurencio Carlos Ruiz, costumes by Kathryn Wagner, and lighting by Mark Varns. The production elements come together to keep the visual and story-telling elements in constant motion.

“The story is about rebirth, life that grows from what is seemingly dead,” J. Thomas Kidd, director and choreographer, said. “We tried to capture that in the production. We wanted to see the production grow.”

The inspirational story focuses on young Mary Lennox, an orphaned girl sent to live with her widowed uncle. Mary discovers a neglected and locked secret garden, formerly kept by her uncle’s deceased wife, Lily. Mary sets out to restore and bring new life to the garden and the household. Her efforts and the story of her uncle Archibald’s release from the past touch anyone who has ever known loss or disappointment.

Ellen Conn, dramaturge for “The Secret Garden,” and her assistant, Jenna Brown, offer a free pre-show lecture on April 19 beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Dean’s Conference Room, adjacent to the McLeod Theater lobby. They will discuss the “three promises” playwright Marsha Norman believes are central to the play.

The production features University students and some younger actors from the community. Taking the lead role of Mary Lennox is 15-year-old Skylar C. Drummond, a freshman at Johnston City High School. Carbondale sixth-grader Isaiah Herzog plays Mary’s sickly cousin Colin Craven.

Here is a complete cast list, by hometown:

Illinois

• Bloomington -- Erik Lehmkuhl, freshman in musical theater, as Lt. Wright

• Carbondale -- Jonathan Hughes, senior in theater, as Dickon Sowerby; Isaiah David Herzog, sixth-grade student at Unity Point Elementary School, as Colin Craven.

• Carterville -- Travis Westbrook, senior in musical theater, as Timothy/Servant

• Collinsville -- Katelyn Ratliff, freshman in musical theater, as the Maid

• Edwardsville -- Jason Miller, junior in theater, as Ben Weatherstaff

• Hawthorne Woods -- Peter Chudyba, senior music major, as Uncle Albert Lennox

• Johnston City -- Skylar C. Drummond, freshman at Johnston City High School, as Mary Lennox

• Manteno -- Sabreena Cardreva, freshman theater and English education major, as Ayah

• Marion -- Callie Meiners, junior in theater, as Mr. Medlock

• Mundelein -- Mike Johnston, junior in theater, as Shelley/Servant

• Murphysboro -- Timothy Jackson Wessel, freshman in musical theater, as Lt. Shaw

• Park Ridge -- Rob Riddle, graduate student in opera, as Neville Craven

• Pinckneyville -- Stacie McDaniel, a junior in theater, as Mrs. Shelley

• Princeton -- Emily Smith, senior in musical theater, as Claire Holmes

• Quincy -- Steve Looten, Jr., senior in theater, as Major Holmes

Kentucky

• Wilmore -- Carl Herzog, sophomore in vocal performance and theater, as Fakir

Minnesota

• Little Falls -- Danna Pantzke, graduate student in music, as Martha Sowerby

Missouri

• St. Louis -- Casey Levan, senior in musical theater, as Betsy

North Carolina

• Wendell -- Landon Chase Sutton, graduate student in opera, as Archibald Craven

South Carolina

• Irmo -- Leigh Ann Murdaugh, graduate student in opera, as Lily Craven

Texas

• Pittsburgh -- Karen Massey, graduate student in opera, as Alice/Mrs. Winthrope

Canada

• Lethbridge, Alberta -- Andrea Gedrasik, graduate student in opera, as Rose Lennox

Original Source : http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/04/10/breaking_news/doc49de777c23899500321625.txt

Deviled Eggs

Deviled EggsDeviled eggs or eggs mimosa are hard-boiled eggs cut in half and filled with the hard-boiled egg's yolk mixed with different ingredients. Deviled eggs are usually served cold. They are served as a side dish, appetizer or a main course, and are a common holiday or party food. Deviled eggs are one way of using Easter eggs after the children have found them.

In different countries

The deviled egg originated in ancient Rome according to the show The Secret Life Of.... They are still popular across the continent of Europe. In France they are called œuf mimosa; in Hungary, töltött tojás; in Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, where they are usually filled with caviar and served in rémoulade sauce, they are known as "Russian Eggs" (a title that comes from the presence of the caviar). Deviled eggs are a common dish in the United States. In the Midwestern and Southern U.S., they are commonly served as hors d'oeuvres before a full meal is served, often during the summer months. Deviled eggs are so popular, that in the United States special and carrying trays are sold specifically for them. Prepared and packaged deviled eggs are now available in some U.S- supermarkets.

Original Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviled_eggs

Melissa Huckaby

Melissa HuckabySunday School Teacher Booked in Sandra Cantu's Murder.

Eight-Year-Old Victim's Body Found in Sunday School Teacher's Suitcase.

Police have arrested a Sunday school teacher on suspicion of kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body was found stuffed into the teacher's suitcase in an irrigation pond.

The teacher, Melissa Huckaby, 28, of Tracy, Calif., was Cantu's neighbor, and Huckaby's 5-year-old daughter was one of the girl's playmates.

Huckaby has said in a published interview that Sandra had visited her home March 27, the day she vanished.

Though Huckaby owned a suitcase that she said was stolen after she left it in her driveway -- evidently the same suitcase in which Sandra Cantu's body was found April 6 -- it appears police did not believe her story.

Original Source : http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=7313938&page=1