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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- As a high school player in Peoria, big games and big runs were normal for Kendrick Foster. Thirteen times he topped 200 yards at Richwoods High School and 14 times he scored on runs of at least 50 yards.But after last Novembers season-ending loss to Northwestern, Foster was barely playing at Illinois and wanted out .Ten months later, Foster is still at Illinois, and hes the owner of a day like no other Illini running back has ever had.The redshirt junior touched the ball just four times in Saturdays 52-3 win over Murray State. But two of those runs were 56-yard touchdowns and he finished with 118 yards. Thats an average of 29.5 a carry, a school record.I felt like I was in high school again, I felt natural, having fun with my teammates, said Foster, who briefly took a knee and offered thanks after the second touchdown, before his offensive teammates surrounded him to celebrate.That moment was a long way from Nov. 30, the Monday after Illinois loss to Northwestern. Foster was a week removed from his best game at Illinois, an 11-carry, 57-yard performance in a loss to Minnesota. The primary back, KeShawn Vaughn, was out with an injury. But when Vaughn returned against Northwestern, Foster didnt touch the ball.So Foster announced on his Twitter account he planned to transfer. He says his family, and particularly his father, persuaded him to stay.James Foster was a high school running back in Peoria in the 1990s, and after playing in junior college transferred to Illinois but never saw the field because of an injury.I had a lot of choices in front of me on the table and I chose to stay, Kendrick Foster said. My dad had a big say in it.First-year Illinois coach Lovie Smith says he knew little about that history. But he said Foster has been a steady presence since Smith was hired in March.My first day here, he was one of the bright-eyed guys looking at me. Hes done everything weve asked him to do, Smith said.That included losing weight, about 10 pounds, according to Foster. At just 5-9 and 195 pounds, Foster still is not the top back at Illinois. Most of those teammates who swarmed him to celebrate late in the second quarter Saturday were at least a full head taller.The top job belongs to Vaughn, the 5-10, 210-pound sophomore whom both Smith and offensive coordinator Garrick McGee have made clear will get most of the carries in an Illinois offense that stresses the run.But the lighter Foster is the first back off the bench. Against Murray State, he was a faster, more elusive change of pace from Vaughn.On Fosters first touchdown, he burst through a huge hole and was too fast to be caught by the Racers. The second score required a little more finesse, with Foster heading right, then weaving left and right again before breaking up field. But again, once he hit his stride, there was no catching him.Smith called the pair of touchdowns dream runs, particularly for someone in Fosters position.All running backs dream of scoring, longer runs, you know, breaking it and not getting caught from behind, he said. And youre a backup running back, at that. And youre going to have limited reps. You need to make the most of it.After wanting to leave Illinois, Foster now says he is just happy he stayed and has earned a chance to play with North Carolina coming to Champaign this Saturday.I was just so thankful. Im just finally getting the opportunity to display my talent and show what Peoria, Illinois, produces, he said.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP---Online: Associated Press college football coverage: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org/Lakers Jerseys 2019 .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. 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"It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said.CHICAGO -- Star slugger Anthony Rizzo hit a soft liner for the Chicago Cubs final out, which only seemed fitting.While the rest of Chicagos lineup can take consolation knowing Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is about to get a few days off, Rizzo and shortstop Addison Russell wont share in that small solace. The duo that totaled 204 RBI in the regular season is a combined 2 for 45 through six games in the postseason.Kershaw only underscored their struggles during Los Angeles 1-0 win Sunday night that tied the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.Kershaw held Chicago to two hits over seven innings and Kenley Jansen finished with two perfect innings, but that 1-2 punch could quiet Murderers Row.The other Cubs have done plenty of damage, with six players getting a hit in an 8-4 Game 1 victory. Rizzo and Russell, however, were a combined 0 for 9 Saturday night before going hitless in six at-bats in Game 2.Rizzo said changing his plate approach at this point in the series would be foolish. While it sounds counterintuitive, hes learned that patience is the quickest way to end a slump.I dont think its fair to everyone trying to get six, seven, eight hits at one time. Ive done that before in my career, he laughed ruefully, and it doesnt work.You just keep going through the process, he added. Keep battling, keep grinding.Rizzo and Russell were key contributors for baseballs best regular season team, but both have made every pitcher look unhittable in October, even as Chicago rolled past San Francisco in four games during an NL Division Series.Weve been taking some good hacks, said Russell, whose tailspin actually began at the end of the regular season. Theyre just not falling.Rizzo batted .292 with 32 homee runs and 109 RBI during the regular season.dddddddddddd Hes gone 1 for 23 in the playoffs with just a single and three walks, including the only one Kershaw issued in seven innings.When Rizzo got to 3-0 in that at-bat, he was bristling for a pitch to hit.No doubt, he said. Its a 1-0 game at that point. One swing changes that.He nearly did that in the fourth inning, turning a 1-1 fastball from Kershaw into a towering shot that cleared the outfield wall in right by plenty -- it landed on Sheffield Avenue, behind Wrigley Field -- but hooked just outside the foul pole. Kershaw threw high and tight on the next pitch, then coaxed Rizzo into grounding out.Rizzo was hoping for a second bite at the long ball in the seventh. But Kershaw walked him on the next pitch.Anytime you can get on, Rizzo said, his voice trailing off.Russell hit only .238 in the regular season, but contributed plenty of power, with 21 homers and 95 RBI. Yet, like Rizzo, hes got only a single in his 22 at-bats. He sat out the Cubs playoff run last year due to an injury, but he said that lack of experience wasnt an excuse.He got ahead early and he throws strikes, Russell said. He had his stuff tonight. ... Ive got to learn to grind out the at-bats better, extend the pitchers more.Kershaw yielded only two hits in seven innings. Tough as he was on Rizzo, the left-hander dominated Russell, who grounded out in his first at-bat then produced a pair of routine flyouts.Rizzo said neither he nor Russell had a reason to hang their heads, at least on this night.We just faced the best pitcher on the planet, he said. ' ' '