The Baltimore Blast are in the middle of a heated season Major Arena Soccer League season. As they continue their hunt for an 11th championship title, the team is taking time to fan out across the community and connect with fans. Players from The Blast will visit several local schools and The Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital on Monday. They will visit with fans and talk about the importance of education, staying active, and being kind to one another. The local schools players from the team will be visiting are: Summit Park Elementary School, Woodholme Elementary School, Patterson High School and Winand Elementary School. The Blast are 7-1 and lead the MASL Eastern Division. The Blast play at Harrisburg on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., in Milwaukee on Feb. 2 and return home to face Utica on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Heat signing: St. Mary's College graduate Zack Haussler (Glenelg) signed a contract to play for the Harrisburg Heat. Haussler made the squad after impressing coaches at a camp.
Lacrosse
Tierney Field scheduled to host more than 60 games
US Lacrosse announced a schedule of more than 60 college and high school lacrosse games to take place at Tierney Field on its campus during the spring season. The schedule begins with three NCAA games during the weekend of Feb. 16-17, including a noon Sunday matchup between defending Division I women's champion James Madison and Connecticut. Six Division I games highlight the schedule; among them, a March 17 men's game between North Carolina and Cleveland State. High school teams from seven states and Washington, D.C., will play at Tierney Field this spring. The Baltimore County Public Schools will contest their boys and girls championship and all-star games in May. Following those, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association and the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association senior all-star games will take place May 24 and June 1, respectively. View the full schedule at uslacrosse.org/tierneyfield.
Baseball
Phils assistant GM featured at York baseball discussions
Scott Proefrock, assistant general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, will be the featured guest at Zion Lutheran Church’s ninth annual Hot Stove Baseball Talk on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the church’s sanctuary, 2215 Brandywine Lane in York, Pa. Other speakers include Mel Antonen, panelist for MASN Sports and contributor to MLB Network Radio on Sirius/XM, and Dan Connolly, senior writer for The Athletic Baltimore. The panelists will present their thoughts on major league baseball and will answer questions from the audience. There is no admission fee for the event, but a freewill offering will be taken to assist the church’s youth ministry. For more information, contact the church at 717-767-4673.
Transaction: A person familiar with the situation says free agent reliever Brad Brach and the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year contract that guarantees $4.35 million. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. Brach and the Cubs have options for 2020. The right-hander had 12 saves and a 3.59 ERA in 69 games for the Orioles and Atlanta last season. He posted a 1.52 ERA over 27 appearances following a trade to the Braves . Brach debuted with San Diego in 2011 and made an All-Star team with Baltimore in 2016.
Et Cetera
St. Frances grad Clouden has 11 assists for Spartans
St. Frances graduate Nia Clouden matched her career high with 11 assists and three players scored 14 points as No. 23 Michigan State cruised past Illinois , 77-60, in Big Ten women's basketball on Thursday night.
Women's basketball: Maryland recruits Ashley Owusu (Virginia) and Diamond Miller (New Jersey) were named to the roster for the 42nd annual McDonald's All America Games, which will be played March 27 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Arundel coach Lee Rogers will coach one of the girls teams at the event.
Men's basketball: Isaac Ray sank a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining to help McDaniel edge Washington College , 67-64, in Centennial Conference action. The host Shoremen missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 5 seconds to play, and McDaniel's Josh Sproul snagged the rebound to help seal the win.
— From Sun staff and news services