LOUISVILLE, Ky. – SIU Edwardsville’s Haley Chambers’ perfect game and Weber State’s Sara Hingsberger’s productivity at the plate earned those student-athletes 2015 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Pitcher and Player of the Week honors, respectively, for games played over March 16-22.

Chambers, a native of Coatesville, Ind., put on a masterful performance in her final outing of the week against Ohio Valley Conference foe Morehead State. The junior lefty twirled a near perfect, perfect game striking out 20 of a possible 21 batters in a 1-0 road win.

“It not only means a lot to me, but to the coaching staff, the team, and to the school,” Chambers said. “Not only do they know my name now, they know who SIUE is. It puts us on the map, which I think is the most important thing that comes out of this.”

Selected the OVC Pitcher of the Week, Chambers struck out the first 17 batters of the game and after a fly ball to end the sixth, she calmly sent the final three batter back to the dugout on her own. Her career-high strikeout performance was one shy of the Div. I seven-inning record set in 1991 by Michele Granger of California.

“It really didn’t sink in until coach told me I was the National Pitcher of the Week,” continued Chambers. “I really didn’t think a lot of it (perfect game) after it happened. I think it finally clicked that I did something that doesn’t usually happen. It’s almost like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of achievement.

For the week, Chambers was 3-0 with a 0.76 ERA, allowing two runs on 11 hits with 37 strikeouts and two walks in 18.1 innings of work. After picking up a win in relief against in-state foe Bradley (4.1 IP, 4K), she posted a complete game four-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 5-1 win over Eastern Kentucky. It was her second perfect game and fourth no-hitter of her collegiate career.

“Obviously, it’s a great award for Haley,” said SIUE head coach Sandy Montgomery. “She has worked hard as a pitcher and has made a lot of strides this year from a command standpoint and her presence on the mound. I think this award is a direct reflection of that. What it means to our program is national recognition for a mid-major. I think that’s huge from a recruiting standpoint. I think it’s great for our kids and our institution to be on the national map in whatever capacity. What a better way to do it than for one of your players to get an honor even if it is just for a week.”

Montgomery on the perfect game – “I told Haley after the game that I have been involved in many perfect games in my lifetime as a player and as a coach and none was as mind-boggling as this one. To get 20 strikeouts in a game and be virtually unhittable shows the tremendous focus that she had at that moment in time. Everybody on the team knew what was going on. I think our team was extremely excited for her and certainly excited to be a part of it.”

Hingsberger was 10-for-14 (.714) at the plate with nine runs scored and seven RBI helping Weber State post a 5-0 week, including a three-game sweep in a Big Sky Conference-opening against North Dakota. The Eagle, Idaho native recorded four doubles and a home run, and scored the game-winning run in two of the Wildcats’ wins, which also catapulted her to a Big Sky Player of the Week honor.

“The biggest thing I focused on was trusting myself and having fun,” said Hingsberger. “Whenever I would start thinking too much about an at-bat or what the pitcher is throwing, I’d just stop and tell myself to have fun. “On Wednesday, before our games against UVU, Coach Amicone told me not to worry about mechanics and just have fun, and it really stuck. I couldn’t be happier with how our team has been performing. It’s a great feeling to know you have an entire team to back each other up.” 

Posting a .778 on base percentage, Hingsberger, who also walked three times and was plunked, reached base safely in 14-of-18 plate appearances and did not strike out. In addition, she slugged 1.214, scored twice in four games and recorded four multi-hit contests. The sophomore right fielder was a week-best 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in game two versus UND and closed out the week with two doubles and three RBI in the series finale. Her long ball came in the Wildcats’ first game of the week at Utah Valley State.

“Sara is a tremendous competitor,” commented Weber State head coach Mary Kay Amicone. “This week she really lit a fire under all of us. Her determination and athleticism are top notch. We are really proud of her.”

Player of the Week
March 24 – Sara Hingsberger (Weber State)
March 17 – Bianka Bell (LSU)
              – Shelby Pendley (Oklahoma)
March 10 – Kacie Burnett (Idaho State)
March 3 – A.J. Andrews (LSU)
Feb. 24 – Jenna Lilley (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Lauren Haeger (Florida)
Feb. 10 – Lindsey Stephens (Texas)

Pitcher of the Week
March 24 – Haley Chambers (SIU Edwardsville)
March 17 – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 10  – Ally Carda (UCLA)
March 3 – Delanie Gourley (Florida)
Feb. 24 – Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon)
Feb. 17 – Shelby Turnier (UCF)
Feb. 10 – Miranda Kramer (Western Kentucky)

Selected Top Performances

LSU’s Bianka Bell batted .700 (7-10) with a double, three home runs, nine RBI and a 1.700 slugging percentage to garner her second straight SEC Player of the Week recognition… UCF’s Shelby Turnier earned American Pitcher of the Week plaudits as she tossed a no-hitter and one-hit shutout with 27 strikeouts in two complete-game wins over league rival East Carolina… Louisiana-Lafayette’s Lexie Elkins batted .529 (9-17) with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, six runs and did not strikeout in 21 plate appearances to garner Sun Belt Player of the Week honors…James Madison Megan Good was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 20 innings of work to grab CAA Freshman of the Week accolades…  Georgia’s Chelsea Wilkinson was tabbed SEC Pitcher of the Week with a perfect 3-0 record, 18 strikeouts and a 0.50 ERA, and was part of a combined no-hitter versus Georgia Tech… Louisville’s Kelsi Jones collected ACC Player of the Week recognition after batting .556 (10-18) with a double, home run, six RBI, six runs and a .692 OBP (8 walks)… In her lone start, LSU Carley Hoover limited the nation’s top hitting team, Oklahoma to just two hits and three total base runners to earn a complete-game shutout and SEC Freshman of the Week honors… Manhattan’s Elena Bowman smacked five home runs, knocked in 12, scored nine times and posted a .552 OBP to garner Metro Atlantic and ECAC Player of the Week honors… CAA Pitcher of the Week, Morgan Lashley of Hofstra, was 3-0, struck out 20 and did not allow a run in 20 innings… Western Kentucky’s Miranda Kramer, theConference USA Pitcher of the Week, was 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA, a two-hit shutout at then-No. 14 Tennessee, and 30 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a 0.95 batting average in 14 innings… Southern Illinois’ Merri Anne Patterson slugged two game-winning home runs and finished the week batting .462 (6-13) with three long balls, seven RBI and five runs scored on her way to Missouri Valley Player of the Week honors… Big South Pitcher of the Week, Kensley Loudermelk of Presbyterian, was 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA, two shutouts and 17 strikeouts in 16 innings of work… Arizona’s Katiyana Mauga batted .533 (8-15) with a double, four home runs, 10 RBI and five runs scored…Co-CAA Player of the Week, Lisa Stacevicz of Delaware, batted .611 (11-18) with seven doubles and seven RBI… Omaha’s Jaylee Hinrichs earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors after tossing two one-hit shutouts with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings of work… Big East Player of the Week, Kristen Boros of Butler, batted .556 (10-18) with a triple, three home runs, 10 RBI… MEAC Player of the Week, Emerie Germ of North Carolina Central, batted .562 (18-32) with four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and 11 runs… Longwood’s Emily Murphy blasted five home runs, two multi-homer games, with nine runs and seven RBI to take home Big South Player of the Week honors… Marshall’s Shaelynn Braxton earned Conference USA Player of the Week recognition after batting .500 (6-12) with a grand slam and nine RBI.

The people who are willing to put money on it believe it’s likelier than not that U.S. President Donald Trump will be impeached by the end of the year, or at least by the end of his first term.

The odds of impeachment jumped sharply over the past few days, in the wake of a news report indicating that Trump directly ordered his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow.

Watch: Trump instructed Cohen to lie to Congress about Moscow project, report alleges. Story continues below.

Traders gave Trump a 51-per-cent chance of being impeached by the end of 2019, as of Friday at PredictIt, a real-money platform where “investors” can bet on political outcomes.

The odds of a 2019 impeachment had been sitting around 38 per cent until the Buzzfeed story broke.

The chances that Trump will be impeached at some point in his first term were only slightly higher at 53 per cent, up from around 47 per cent earlier in the week. This suggests that most of those betting on a Trump impeachment expect it to happen soon.

Citing two unnamed law enforcement officials, Buzzfeed reported that after the 2016 election, Trump personally instructed Cohen to lie to Congress by claiming that negotiations on the Moscow project had ended months earlier than was the case.

“Even as Trump told the public he had no business deals with Russia … sources said Trump and his children Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. received regular, detailed updates about the real estate development from Cohen, whom they put in charge of the project,” the news site reported.

Since the story broke, Democrats in Congress have called on Trump to “resign or be impeached.”

TORONTO — From Ryan Gosling’s coffee house surprise to Xavier Dolan’s letter to Leonardo DiCaprio, there was plenty to keep people talking at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Here are some highlights of the fest, which wraps Sunday:

Standout Films:

“A Star is Born“: All hype aside, Bradley Cooper’s glossy directorial debut makes a strong case for his talent on both sides of the camera lens. His remake of the legendary Hollywood tale, told and retold over the years, pulses with energy at every turn. But it’s Cooper as country musician Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga playing aspiring singer Ally who steal the show as two forlorn souls with instant chemistry. That leaves many of the film’s other thrilling performances still to be discovered by audiences when it hits theatres next month. Sam Elliott is already a serious bet for a supporting actor Oscar nod for his role as Jackson’s brother, while Dave Chappelle and Andrew Dice Clay are almost unrecognizable in smaller parts.

“First Man“: Director Damien Chazelle provides an intimate and thrilling look into the life of Neil Armstrong and his moon-landing journey with the Apollo 11 through extreme close-ups and a powerful score from Justin Hurwitz. Ryan Gosling embodies Armstrong’s stoic, steely nature while Claire Foy deftly portrays the fear and frustration brewing beneath the surface of his wife, Janet. Although we already know the outcome of the 1969 lunar mission, Chazelle’s storytelling will have you on the edge of your seat. See it in Imax for the full experience.

“If Beale Street Could Talk“: Director Barry Jenkins follows up his 2016 best-picture Oscar winner “Moonlight” with a poetic look at an African-American family fighting for justice in 1970s New York. KiKi Layne stars as a 19-year-old fighting to free her falsely accused husband, played by Toronto native Stephan James, from prison before the birth of their child. Regina King is a standout as the teen girl’s mother desperately trying to find evidence to support her son-in-law’s case. The drama is an intoxicating blend of style and substance, with artful shots, a sharp script and harrowing archival photographs depicting racially charged police violence from the time.

“Roma“: With an astounding debut acting performance from Yalitza Aparicio and expertly crafted black-and-white shots, Alfonso Cuaron’s semi-autobiographical drama is an arresting experience that will linger long after you’ve left the theatre. Aparicio stars as a live-in maid for an upper-middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City, delivering a heartbreaking vulnerability that perhaps only a newcomer can. As the story follows her character for a year, capturing the intimate details of her daily routine and the struggles she faces on and off the job, one can’t help but feel deeply connected to her and greatly affected by her journey. Bring tissues. And try to see it in the theatre before it hits Netflix, if possible.

“Firecrackers“: Canadian director Jasmin Mozaffari’s debut feature is a marvel of cinematic images that captures the ignorance of youth and the troubling circumstances that sometimes keep young women away from their dreams. Set in a run-down Ontario town, the story follows best friends Lou and Chantal as they plan to make their escape into an adulthood of freedom in the big city. Unfortunately, those plans are quickly cut short, opening the film to a sharp examination of how gender roles influence expectations, and the way money restricts dreams. It’s a startling and potent portrayal of how the Instagram generation isn’t necessarily living their best life.

Most Polarizing Films:

“American Dharma“: Lauded documentarian Errol Morris has waged tête-a-têtes with consequential figures including two former U.S. defence secretaries, but the director was the one who found himself on the defensive with his latest project on Steve Bannon. Some questioned whether Morris should’ve provided the former strategist to U.S. President Donald Trump with a cinematic platform to share his controversial views. Critics were split on whether Morris gave Bannon too long a leash during their one-on-one discussions — or just enough rope to hang himself.

“Vox Lux“: Director Brady Corbet’s story of a pop star with a troubled past left audiences unsettled, but also left some critics wondering if Natalie Portman delivered the kind of performance that could earn the film accolades and major cult status.

Standout Performances:

Yalitza Aparicio: While she had never acted before taking on the starring role of a Mexican maid in “Roma,” Aparicio delivers a mind-blowing sense of truthfulness and sensitivity that should easily secure her an Oscar nomination. Her performance is even more remarkable when you see the emotionally charged scenes she had to lead, not to mention the pressure she faced in having to portray a character who is based on director Alfonso Cuaron’s real-life childhood nanny.

Stephan James: Remember his name, because this Toronto native is storming Hollywood. James blew away critics with his performances in two high-profile projects at TIFF this year — the Barry Jenkins film “If Beale Street Could Talk” and the Amazon series “Homecoming” with Julia Roberts. Both are vastly different stories that prove James, who was named a TIFF Rising Star in 2015, has depth and a leading-man presence.

Anthony Ramos: After playing dual roles in “Hamilton” on Broadway — starring as both John Laurens and Philip Hamilton — the 26-year-old actor showed his versatility on the big screen at TIFF with two starkly different characters. Ramos portrayed a responsible family man thrust into a life-changing scenario when he records a black man’s death at the hands of police in “Monsters and Men.” His turn as Lady Gaga’s campy gay best friend in “A Star is Born” showcased a much lighter side and his uncanny ability to shine even in the shadow of the pop singer’s superstardom.

Memorable Moments:

BITS AND FIGHTS: Festival opener “Outlaw King” could’ve attracted buzz for its ultra-violent historical action sequences, but it was two full-frontal nude scenes by Chris Pine that stole the show. The actor’s crown jewels dominated headlines about the star who during the festival press conference proclaimed, “I don’t want this film to be all about that moment.” Whether or not the tale of Scotland’s legendary Robert the Bruce will be remembered best its brief nudity, it’s safe to say more than a few viewers will stream the movie on Netflix upon its release in November to see what the fuss is about.

COFFEE RUN: Ryan Gosling caused a stir when he dropped by a small cafe that was a good 20-minute drive from the festival strip where most celeb-sightings take place. It was the culmination of a weeklong social media campaign by Joelle Murray, owner of Grinder Coffee, to get the “First Man” star to swing by. She says he was as charming as expected, taking time to greet each customer and shake their hands.

JOYFUL JULIA: Julia Roberts gave one fan an experience of a lifetime during a Q-and-A for the Amazon series “Homecoming.” When she learned he’d flown in from Indonesia to see her, the star went into the audience, gave him a hug and brought him onstage for a photo-op. “I’m in love with you!” she declared into the microphone for everyone to hear.

WEIGHTY ROLES: Joel Edgerton nibbled on a bowl of fresh berries and a plate of sliced bananas after skipping breakfast to swim laps in the hotel pool. The actor, who worked double duty as director on the gay-conversion therapy drama “Boy Erased,” was still trying to shed the pounds from his recent turn as Falstaff in Netflix’s upcoming “The King,” starring Timothée Chalamet. “He’s so slight he made me look bigger anyway,” Edgerton confided. “I was cultivating this big beard and growing my belly out. It was kind of fun to sit on the couch and let myself go.”

“HI LEONARDO“: Thus begins the letter that Montreal filmmaker Xavier Dolan wrote to Leonardo DiCaprio as a child, which he read aloud at the premiere of his first English-language film, “The Life and Death of John F. Donovan.” Eight-year-old Dolan tells DiCaprio that he’s also an actor, and he hopes they can work together if the “Titanic” star shoots a film in Montreal. Now the director of a film centring on the correspondence between a young fan and an actor, the grown-up Dolan told the crowd that DiCaprio’s work revealed a world of film “beyond what we imagine as children.”

ROCHESTER, Minn. – For the second consecutive season, Rock Valley (Ill.) defeated Herkimer (N.Y.) in the NJCAA Division III Softball Championship Game. This year’s edition saw the top-seeded Golden Eagles hold off a seventh-inning push from the No. 2 seed Generals for a 3-2 victory.

Spurring Rock Valley on to victory was freshman pitcher Morgan Adolph. For her dominance throughout the tournament, she was named the championship’s Most Valuable Player and received the Most Outstanding Pitcher award.

Sophomore catcher Vivi Marquez excelled as well for the Golden Eagles, earning the Most Outstanding Offensive Player award. Rock Valley sophomore first baseman Kaytee Keefe received the Marucci Elite Hitter award, while sophomore third baseman Haley Love was tabbed Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the tournament. The trio was joined by Golden Eagles freshman pitcher Katie Starkey and freshman left fielder Abby Kissack on the all-tournament team.

Rock Valley began its quest for the championship with an 18-0 run-rule victory over Allegheny County-South (Pa.) in the opening round. The Golden Eagles defeated St. Cloud Tech (Minn.) 4-1 in the quarterfinals before topping Herkimer for the first time in the tournament with a 2-1 win in the semifinals.

Rock Valley finished off the season with a 52-5 record after the title game victory. Herkimer dropped to 38-9 for the year with both of their only two losses DIII opponents coming at the hands of the Golden Eagles.

— Courtesy of NJCAA.org

Canadians aren’t keeping up with the need to protect their homes against catastrophic events made more common by climate change, says a coast-to-coast study from the University of Waterloo.

“Homeowners can do a lot themselves to reduce risk of flooding,” said Natalia Moudrak, study co-author and researcher at the university’s climate adaptation centre.

Climatologists have long warned that extreme weather, including floods, will become more common as temperatures warm.

Insurance payouts on the rise

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reports that insurance payouts from extreme weather have more than doubled every five to 10 years since the 1980s.

The Waterloo study reports that property and casualty payouts averaged about $405 million a year from 1983 to 2008. Since then, payouts have more than quadrupled to $1.8 billion, mostly from flooding.

That’s not inflated by rising real estate values.

“All of this data is corrected for inflation and it’s corrected for wealth creation,” said co-author Blair Feltmate Thursday. “This is an actual increase in the amount of money being paid out.”

Earlier: Trudeau calls N.B. community’s response to flooding “inspiring.” Story continues below.

At the same time, the study found a large number of Canadians are vulnerable to flooding. It concluded about 1.7 million households representing about 20 per cent of Canada’s population are at risk.

Repairs can be expensive. The average cost to homeowners for flood damage in the Greater Toronto Area is estimated at $43,000.

And for some, insurance is out of reach.

“Increasingly,” said Feltmate, “people cannot get insurance for their homes because they have experienced one or more floods or they live in an area that’s designated high-risk and the premiums that the insurers would have to charge are off the charts.”

Many subsidy programs confusing, difficult to apply for

At the same time, householders aren’t doing everything they can to protect themselves and their homes — even when subsidies are available for measures such as sump pumps.

“The uptake for these subsidies is quite low,” said Moudrak. “On average across Canada, the uptake on these subsidies is below 10 per cent, even in the really bad flood-prone areas.”

That’s partly because many of the programs are confusing and difficult to apply for, said Feltmate, although he added municipalities are fixing those problems.

The report points out easy and inexpensive ways to make homes more floodproof.

Installing a sump pump with backup power is one of the best moves, it says. Backwater valves can prevent nasty backflows from overloaded sewer systems from surging into basements.

The report recommends walking around a house during a rain to see how and where water is draining, then regrading areas where moisture pools near foundations. And leaves should be prevented from plugging street drains.

“Homeowners need to take a more active role in protecting themselves,” Moudrak said.

The report also looks at municipalities. Feltmate said communities are taking steps to adapt to new weather coming with a shifting climate, but the rate of change is outpacing efforts.

“We have an adaptation deficit growing in Canada right now,” he said.

Money laid out ahead of time pays off, said Feltmate. The study suggests every dollar spent on preparing for a flood or other weather catastrophe saves between $3 and $12 in cleanup costs.

“It’s a lot cheaper not to have the problem,” he said.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that one of the study’s authors was David Feltmate. His name is Blair Feltmate.