Afternoon Sports Brief - Uecker inducted into National Assn. of Broadcasters. Brewers to pick 3 of first 38 picks in Major League First Year Player Draft

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The Milwaukee Brewers have won four of their last six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But it could be harder to keep that pace going, when the Brewers open a three game series against the Dodgers tonight at Miller Park. The Brew Crew is 4-6 with a four game losing streak, while the Dodgers are off to their best start in 31 years at 9-1. The Dodgers have never been 10-1 since moving from Brooklyn to LA in the late 1950’s but that’s the record they’re hoping to achieve tonight. As it is, the Dodgers have their best early record since 1981 when they won the World Series. Matt Kemp, who finished second behind Ryan Braun for the MVP crown a year ago, has played like fire out of the box. He’s batting .487 with six homers and 16 RBI’s, and he has homered four times in his last three games. Braun is batting .343 this year. He went 8-22 with a homer against LA a year ago. Right hander Yovani Gallardo will try to improve on his 1-1 record for Milwaukee tonight. Right hander Chad Billingsley will go for the Dodgers. He’s 2-0 with a .63 ERA. Billingsley has struck out 15 batters in two starts.

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The Brewers will have three of the first 38 picks in the Major League First Year Player Draft which starts on June fourth. The order for the draft has been announced, and Milwaukee’s first pick will be in the 27th slot. Detroit originally had that pick, but they gave it up to the Brewers because they signed free agent Prince Fielder. Milwaukee will then have its own pick at # 28. And they’ll have a compensatory pick in the 38th slot, which MLB awarded to the Brewers for losing Fielder. The Brewers will then wait awhile before taking their fourth player, who’s in the 92nd slot.

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Brewers’ radio announcer Bob Uecker will be inducted tonight into the National Association of Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Las Vegas. Uecker is in his 42nd year of calling Brewers’ games on a statewide radio network. He’ll join legendary baseball announcers Jack Buck, Vin Scully, Harry Caray, and Mel Allen in the NAB’s Hall of Fame. Uecker is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s broadcasting wing, and he has received numerous honors for his talent. The Brewers will honor “Mister Baseball” with a life sized statue outside Miller Park, to be dedicated on August 31st.

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One of Wisconsin’s top high school defensive ends says he’ll play his college football at Nebraska. Milton high school junior AJ Natter has verbally committed to the Cornhuskers in 2013. He announced his decision on Facebook, saying he chose Nebraska over Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State, Purdue, Boston College, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. Natter told the Wisconsin State Journal he felt comfortable in Lincoln, where ex-Packers’ assistant Bo Pelini has been the head coach for awhile. Natter was recruited as a defensive end, although he has played tight end and has been a punter in high school. Natter had seven sacks and 74 total tackles in his junior year at Milton. He also forced four fumbles, blocked an attempted scoring kick, and blocked a punt.

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UW Milwaukee has a big lead over second place Butler in the Horizon League all sports standings after the winter competition. Milwaukee has 45 points to Butler’s 25 in the race for the McCafferty Trophy. Green Bay is tied for ninth with Illinois-Chicago, both with 12 1/2 points. Milwaukee was in second when the winter sports seasons began but the Panthers catapulted into the lead by winning men’s and women’s swimming titles, and the men’s and women’s indoor track championships. Schools score points according to their conference finishes in the various sports. In the men’s all sports rankings, Milwaukee leads second place Valparaiso with Green Bay in 10th and last. Milwaukee has a 28-14 lead over Butler in the women’s rankings, with Green Bay fourth after winning the women’s basketball crown.

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Cole Cefalu of UW La Crosse is the WIAC’s baseball position player of the week. And Cam Seidl of Stevens Point is the league’s honored pitcher. Cefalu, a sophomore outfielder, went 11-18 at the plate last week with a homer, two doubles, six RBI’s, and three stolen bases. Seidl, a junior right hander, had a pair of complete game victories over Oshkosh and Superior. He struck out 13 batters in 16 innings, while giving up just one unearned run. In softball, Katie Keyes of La Crosse is the top position player. And Rose Tusa of River Falls is the pitcher of the week. Keyes, a senior first baseman, went 8-11 last week with a double, two walks, two RBI’s, and three runs scored. Keyes went 6-6 in the nightcap of a double header against Oshkosh. Tusa, a senior right hander, threw 22 scoreless innings last week while going 4-0 in five starts. The WIAC also recognized Thurgood Dennis of Eau Claire and Christy Cazzola of Oshkosh in outdoor track, and Zach Anderson of Stout and Becky Ponick of River Falls in outdoor field events.

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Erin Dulek of Alverno in Milwaukee has been named the Northern Athletics Conference softball pitcher of the week. Dulek, a freshman right hander from Rosholt, went 3-1 last week with a .64 ERA. She struck out 13 in a shutout against Maranatha Baptist, and she had two other complete game victories. Dulek was injured last Saturday, when she left after just two innings against Benedictine. The NAC also honored Russell Johnson of Concordia-Mequon in men’s tennis and Ben Laubusch of Lakeland in men’s golf.

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, brewers