≡ THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 PAGE 5B + M1R Kinsler's hit lifts Tigers over Royals 2-1 in 10 ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT — Ian Kinsler homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning to lift the Detroit Tigers over the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Wednesday. Max Scherzer pitched eight scoreless innings for the Tigers, but Joe Nathan blew his first save chance since signing with Detroit in the offseason. Acquired from Texas for Prince Fielder in a November blockbuster trade, Kinsler homered in the fourth and won the game with a line drive to left-center field off Tim Collins (0-1). Detroit benefited from two replay overturns at first base. The second enabled Al Alburquerque (1-0) to get out of the top of the 10th. The Tigers also beat Kansas City in their last at-bat in Monday's opener, winning 4-3 on Alex Gonzalez's RBI single in the ninth. Scherzer allowed four hits and a walk with eight strikeouts, but Nathan blew a save at Comerica Park for the Alex Gordon's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the ninth tied it, and Nathan then balked the runners ahead when he pulled up in the middle of his motion. Manager Brad Ausmus and trainer Kevin Rand came scurrying out to the mound to see if something was wrong, but Nathan kept pitching. In the 10th, Kansas City's Norichika Aoki was called safe at first, and it looked like the Royals would have first and third with two outs and the game tied. But upon further review, the throw barely beat Aoki. He was called out to end the threat. There was another replay overturn in the sixth when Detroit's Tyler Collins was initially called out at first, giving Kansas City a 4-6-3 double play. The play was reviewed and Collins was ruled safe, although Detroit didn't score that inning. both walked before Kinsler's two-out hit won it. In the Detroit 10th, Austin Jackson and Nick Castellanos Scherzer can become a free agent after this season, and if he keeps pitching like this he'll be in line for quite a payday. With men on first and third and one out in the first, Billy Butler grounded into a double play on a 3-0 pitch. That turned out to be the best chance Kansas City would have against Scherzer. He wasn't in trouble again until the eighth, when Salvador Perez doubled leading off. Scherzer rebounded to strike out Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain. Ausmus then visited the mound, but he left Scherzer in. Alcides Escobar followed with a flyout on Scherzer's 110th and final pitch. Jason Vargas, who signed a $32 million, four-year contract in the offseason, was sharp in his first start for Kansas City. He allowed a run and five hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out six. first time. He was 19 for 19 at the ballpark as a visiting player before signing with Detroit before this season. Kinsler's homer in the fourth was Detroit's first hit. Kansas City Royals' second baseman Omar Infante tags Detroit Tigers' Alex Avila (13) out attempting to steal second base in the third inning of a baseball game in Detroit on Wednesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS CRIME Basketball coach pleads guilty in car theft ring ASSOCIATED PRESS ST.LOUIS — The women's basketball coach at Highland Community College in northeast Kansas, who once coached at Southeast Missouri State University, pleaded guilty to being part of a car theft ring that prosecutors said staged accidents and filed false theft reports to pocket insurance money. William J. Smith, of Highland, Kan., pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy and five counts of mail fraud. He was one of 21 people charged in a scheme to steal luxury motor vehicles from individuals and dealerships in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. The counts he pleaded to Tuesday involved obtaining fraudulent transfer titles from the Osage Nation for five vehicles in 2011 and 2012, which allowed the vehicles to be resold. Counts of mail fraud and receiving stolen vehicles were dropped. The St. Joseph News-Press reported. Prosecutors said the ring + also obtained some vehicles when purchasers made false statements on loan applications and submitted fraudulent earnings statements to receive vehicle loans. The defendants used and then sold or disposed of the vehicles while the loan defaulted. Highland president Dave Reist said Wednesday the school's attorney will consult with the Board of Trustees to decide on Smith's future. He said he hoped the decision will be made sometime early next week. He coached at Southeast Missouri State four seasons and led the Lady Redhawks to their first NCAA tournament. Smith resigned in 2006 after he was placed on paid administrative leave for personal reasons. There was also an NCAA investigation into the women's basketball program. "I apologize for the negative publicity this has brought, I am embarrassed that I let this happen." WILLIAM J. SMITH Women's basketball coach Smith, who will be sentenced July 1, apologized in a statement. "Unfortunately, I allowed myself to be in business peripherally with a person who was involved in a car theft ring," the statement said. "I have cooperated with the government in this process to bring these people to justice, however, due to my transactions with this person I feel this is the best way for me to put this situation behind me and move forward with my career. I apologize for the negative publicity this has brought, I am embarrassed that I let this happen." Smith has coached Highland for three years and his team finished second this year in the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II championship game, ending a 33-3 season. His overall record at HCC is 85-13. Apartments & Townhomes www.meadowbrookapartments.net Bob Billings Pkwy & Crestline Drive 785-842-4200 Ruck Hard & Join the KU Rugby Team College Captain, Jacob Ornburn email: jornburn@ku.edu Publicity/Recruitment Chair Chris Farley phone: 808-271-5621 Spring Season runs February through May www.kurugby.org kansasrugby@gmail.com twitter: KURugby facebook: kurugby Practice Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:30-8:15 No prior experience needed Fans welcome too! + A.