Local News

Mitch Keller honored by Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates have named Mitch Keller their Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the 2016 campaign.

Keller, 20, graduated from Xavier High School in 2014 and was selected in the second round of the Major League draft that year. He compiled a 9-5 record and 2.35 ERA with two minor league teams this season, going 8-5 with West Virginia in the South Atlantic League and 1-0 with Bradenton in the Florida State League after a late-season promotion.

Keller, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, struck out 138 batters in 130 1/3 innings and walked only 19. He was the starting pitcher in the South Atlantic League all-star game.

Mitch Keller sparkles in High-A debut

BRADENTON, Fla. - Mitch Keller has shown why the Pittsburgh Pirates promoted him to Bradenton in the Florida State League this week.

The Xavier High School grad sparkled in his debut for the Bradenton Marauders Tuesday night in an 8-1 victory over Jupiter before 456 fans at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fla.

Keller did not allow a run in six innings and got the victory. He allowed only five hits, with seven strikeouts and one walk with a fastball that was clocked in the high-90's.

Keller, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, compiled an 8-5 record and 2.46 ERA for West Virginia in the Low-A South Atlantic League this season, with 131 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 124.1 innings. That earned Keller the promotion to Bradenton and the High-A Florida State League.

Keller, 20, was selected by the Pirates in the second round of the 2014 draft.

Kibby named Principal/AD at Liberty

Scott Kibby has been selected as the principal and athletic director for Liberty High School, the Metro Sports Report learned Sunday.

The new Liberty High School is scheduled to open for the 2017-18 school year and is currently under construction in North Liberty.

Kibby is currently the athletic director at Iowa City West. He previously served as the athletic director at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Jenks takes 3rd at New Balance mile

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Linn-Mar senior Stephanie Jenks placed third in the mile run at the New Balance Nationals indoor meet at The Armory in Staten Island, N.Y., on Sunday.

Jenks was timed in 4 minutes, 44.94 seconds. Katie Rainsberger of Colorado won the race in 4:36.61.

Jenks finished fifth in the 5K race on Friday in 16 minutes, 40 seconds.