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Stults, Padres lose 5-1 to Rizzo, Cubs

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eric Stults had a promising first three innings for the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, allowing only one baserunner.

Then he allowed his first hit, a bunt single by Junior Lake, followed by Anthony Rizzo’s go-ahead, two-run home run on a 3-1 fastball that helped power the Chicago Cubs to a 5-1 victory.

“Obviously a good start, a poor finish,” Stults said. “I felt like early in the game, everything was working.

“Even the fourth inning, I’m fine with giving up that home run. I don’t want to give it up, but I felt like 3-1 I challenged him and he put a good swing on it.”

Jake Arrieta pitched six strong innings for the Cubs.

Arrieta (1-0) held San Diego to one run and four hits, struck out seven and walked one. He was activated May 3 after beginning the season on the disabled list with tightness in his right shoulder and came in with a 2.70 ERA in three starts.

San Diego lost its fourth straight game. It was the 15th time in 48 games the Padres scored one or no runs.

The Padres were shut out for the eighth time — most in the majors — on Wednesday night, losing 2-0 to Minnesota.

Rizzo put the Cubs ahead 2-1 in the fourth with a 417-foot homer into the sandy play area beyond the fence in right-center, his eighth.

Rizzo was with the Padres part of the 2011 season before being traded to the Cubs in the deal that sent right-hander Andrew Cashner to San Diego.

The Cubs chased Stults in the fifth with three runs and four hits. Nate Schierholtz hit a leadoff double and scored on Darwin Barney’s single to center. Arrieta sacrificed Barney, who scored on Emilio Bonifacio’s single to right. Lake doubled over center fielder Cameron Maybin’s head to bring in Bonifacio.

“I was probably too much on the plate,” Stults said. “They started to get too aggressive and I probably threw too good of pitches early in the count. I made a good pitch to Barney but other than that, the balls were up in the zone.”

Carlos Villanueva pitched the final three innings for his first save this season.

San Diego’s only run came on Seth Smith’s two-out homer to right in the first, his team-leading sixth.

Smith is batting .457 (26 for 60) in May, with eight doubles, three triples, four homers and 11 RBIs.

Stults (2-5) gave up five runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings, struck out four and walked none.

The Padres wore replica uniforms from 1984, when they beat the Cubs in the NL championship series to reach the World Series for the first time.

Cubs manager Rick Renteria spent the previous six seasons on San Diego’s coaching staff.

NOTES: The four-game series continues Friday night when Cubs RHP Edwin Jackson (3-3, 3.98) faces Padres RHP Tim Stauffer (1-0, 2.41), who will be making his first start of the season. … Padres LHP Robbie Erlin, who had been scheduled to start Friday night, went on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left elbow, retroactive to Sunday. He is 3-4 with a 4.53 ERA in nine appearances, including eight starts. To take his spot on the roster, the Padres selected RHP Blaine Boyer from Triple-A El Paso.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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