Morning State Sports Briefs: Milwaukee Admirals begin playoffs tonight

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Milwaukee Admirals

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MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Admirals will begin their ninth straight American Hockey League playoff run tonight. That’s the longest active streak in the league. The Admirals will host Texas in the opener of a best-of-seven series.

Milwaukee had the most points in the Western Conference in the regular season, but they only went 1-5 against Texas. And the Stars reassigned some players from their parent club in Dallas, which failed to make the NHL playoffs. The Admirals didn’t have that luxury, because their parent team – the Nashville Predators – made the post-season. Milwaukee has only taken one of its last six playoff series.

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The AHL Playoffs began last night. In Houston Jed Ortmeyer finished with a goal and an assist as the Houston Aeros topped the Peoria Rivermen 4-1 in the first game of the Calder Cup playoffs. The Aeros are the minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. Robbie Earl, Warren Peters and Patrick O'Sullivan also lit the lamp in the victory. Matt Hackett stopped 17-of-18 shots to help give Houston the 1-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. Game Two will be on Friday in Houston.

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Todd Mayo, a guard from Notre Dame Prep, has signed a letter-of-intent to join the Marquette men’s basketball team this fall. Coach Buzz Williams says the 6-3 Mayo is the perfect complement to their returning Golden Eagles – and he’s been around the game his entire life. Mayo averaged 22 points and six assists for Notre Dame Prep, which made the National Prep Championship game this year. He’ll have four years of eligibility when he arrives at Marquette this summer. Williams still has one scholarship available during the current signing period. It runs through May 18th.

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The University of Wisconsin softball team swept a double-header from South Dakota State yesterday. They shut out the Jackrabbits 4-0 in the opener, and 7-0 in the nightcap. Freshman Cassandra Darrah came within three outs of a no-hitter in Game-One. She gave up one hit and struck out four, improving her record to 12-5. In the second game, Jennifer Krueger tied a Badger single-game record with three stolen bases. That gave her 32 for the season, breaking her own mark of 29 set a year ago. Meghan McIntosh and Amanda Najdek combined to throw a seven-hitter. McIntosh struck out five in five innings.

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The University of Nebraska athletic department revealed its plan last night for the $63.5-million expansion of Memorial Stadium's east side. The plan, which was approved by the Board of Regents in March, will add approximately six-thousand seats to the East Stadium and increase overall capacity to more than 91,000, the fourth-largest in the Big Ten. The project is expected to be completed in time for the 2013 season. Nebraska joins the Big Ten next fall and plays Wisconsin in its first conference game in Madison. Minnesota also hosts Nebraska in 2011 and 2013 and play in Lincoln in 2012 and 2014.

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SCORES

Midwest League

Beloit 10, Clinton 4

Cedar Rapids 6, Wisconsin 4

Quad Cities 2, Kane County 1

Burlington 8, Peoria 7

South Bend 9, Lansing 5

Great Lakes 8, West Michigan 5

Lake County 13, Dayton 1

Fort Wayne 3, Bowling Green 2

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, proam