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Nats get first win of the spring

By WTOP Staff

Craig Heist, wtop.com

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Rick Ankiel hit his first home run of the spring and John Lannan pitched three solid innings as the Nationals beat the Mets 3-1 for their first win of the Grapefruit League season.

Lannan had his problems early in the first inning, falling behind 1-0 after facing just two batters.

The left-hander walked lead-off hitter Andres Torres, who promptly stole second base. Daniel Murphy then drilled a line shot to center for a base hit scoring Torres to give the Mets the lead. After getting Justin Turner to fly out, Lannan got Ike Davis to hit into a double play.

After a 1-2-3 second inning, Lannan ran into more difficulty in the third. With one out, he gave up back-to-back singles to Ruben Tejada and Torres then got the final two outs to end the threat.

“I felt good, but the first one is always the weirdest one just trying to get back in the swing of things,” Lannan said. “The first inning was a little tough but I got into a rhythm in the second and third, so I’m kind of happy with it.”

Having been the Nats Opening Day starter two of the last three seasons, this is no doubt a different kind of spring for Lannan, knowing he is battling for the fifth starter position with Chien-Ming Wang and Ross Detwiler. Results for left-hander this spring could mean more than it has in the past.

“You can’t really look at result that much as long as you feel good,” he said. “But results, you always want to compete. I’m competing for a spot and I want to go out there and compete against teams that I will be facing during the regular season so I’m trying to get my work in but I’m also trying to compete.”

Lannan’s approach to this spring is the same at it’s always been.

“I compete every year, he said. “I never took a spot for granted so you know, it just drives me to learn something every day and become a better pitcher.

Ankiel’s HR

After the Nats fell behind 1-0 in the first, Rick Ankiel hit a Dillon Gee pitch the opposite way to left for a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1.

Ankiel is trying a much more relaxed approach at the plate this season, something he is hoping leads to better results at the plate.

“It’s always good to have results especially with stuff you are working on,” Ankiel said. “It just builds confidence with the stuff you are doing so it drives you that much more to be committed to the approach.”

Being able to drive the ball out of the ballpark to left field is a good sign the approach is working for him so far.

“Whenever I watch a game and you see someone drive it the other way, you know that was probably their approach and what they were trying to do. So, it feels good when you are up there working on just driving it basically, but to get a pitch away and stay behind it and drive it, feels good.”

Harper Hustle

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper went 2-for-2 with a walk and is now 4-for-7 in three games with a .571 average.

He singled in his first at bat against Gee in the second, drew a walk off Matt Harvey in the fourth and then beat out an infield hit to third in the sixth against left-hander Daniel Herrera, who made Harper look a little silly on two round house curve balls during the at-bat.

“He throws a loopy curve ball and it’s pretty hard to stay back on that but you just try to do what you can do with it,” Harper said. “I tried to Ichiro it but that didn’t happen so I just tried to put the bat on the ball and it just happened and I started running.”

Wang impresses

Nats right-hander Chien-Ming Wang pitched Monday afternoon in a Minor League intrasquad game at the Nationals minor league complex in Viera.

Wang went two innings, allowing three hits and struck out three without walking a batter. He threw 31 pitches, 25 for strikes. He was in the upper 80’s most of the time but did top out at 91 mph on the gun and manager Davey Johnson liked what he saw.

“I thought he looked good,” Johnson said. “Even warming up, he looked stronger earlier. You remember last year he would start off a little tentative and get stronger in maybe the second or third inning? He was better the last time out but he got better as the game went on. I think the times I have seen him this year, he might not have been loose but it’s perky coming out of his hand, easier, and he looks stronger to me.”

Wang was working on his curve ball during the outing, but Johnson would like him to curtail that before his next outing.

“His next start is going to be at home on the 10th and I want him to concentrate on building enough arm strength by throwing more fastballs between starts and don’t worry about the breaking ball until the last half of the spring.”

A Brave new world

The Nationals head for Disney on Tuesday to take on the Atlanta Braves at 1:05. Gio Gonzalez makes his first start of the spring for the Nats and will be opposed by Kris Medien.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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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