THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2024

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES

EVANSVILLE NORTH 13 EVANSVILLE REITZ 1

HERITAGE HILLS 6 WASHINGTON 3

BISHOP CHATARD 16 PURDUE POLY 5

BISHOP CHATARD 15 PURDUE BROAD RIPPLE 5

PRINCETON 13 EVANSVILLE HARRISON 3

NORTH POSEY 8 TELL CITY 1

ALEXANDRIA MONROE 11 MARION 1

GIBSON SOUTHERN 22 TECUMSEH 2

SPRINGS VALLEY 2 EASTERN 2

EAST CENTRAL 5 FRANKLIN COUNTY 4

EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN 6 MOUNT CARMEL 5

PROVIDENCE 11 AUSTIN 1

NORTH DAVIESS 12 VINCENNES RIVET 2

SEYMOUR 5 COLUMBUS EAST 1

SILVER CREEK 4 UNIVERSITY 1

WESTFIELD 8 BEECH 4

CLARKSVILLE ACADEMY 15 MISHAWAKA MARIAN 7

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES

ORLEANS 12 PERRY CENTRAL 6

HERITAGE HILLS 5 EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 1

CASTLE 9 PENN 4

TRINITY LUTHERAN 11 SOUTHWESTERN 5

SCECINA 18 HERRON 6

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 3 EASTERN 0

JENNINGS COUNTY 20 BLOOMINGTON NORTH 0

EAST CENTRAL 12 DIXIE HEIGHTS 6

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

FINAL FOUR-APRIL 6

3:09 P.M.

SEMIFINAL GAME 1

(11) NC STATE VS. (1) PURDUE

STATE FARM STADIUM

5:39 P.M.

SEMIFINAL GAME 2

(4) ALABAMA VS. (1) UCONN

STATE FARM STADIUM

DAILY SCHEDULE: https://www.ncaa.com/mens-final-four/schedule

MEN’S NIT CHAMPIONSHIP

SETON HALL 79 INDIANA STATE 77

WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT FINAL FOUR SCHEDULES

NORTH CAROLINA STATE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA 7:00

UCONN VS. IOWA 9:30

https://www.ncaa.com/womens-final-four/schedule

NBA SCOREBOARD

PHILADELPHIA 109 MIAMI 105

NEW YORK 120 SACRAMENTO 109

DALLAS 109 ATLANTA 95

GOLDEN STATE 133 HOUSTON 110

LA CLIPPERS 102 DENVER 100

STANDINGS: https://www.foxsports.com/nba/standings

NHL SCOREBOARD

NY ISLANDERS 4 COLUMBUS 2

TAMPA BAY 7 MONTRÉAL 4

BOSTON 4 CAROLINA 1

FLORIDA 6 OTTAWA 0

PITTSBURGH 4 WASHINGTON 1

COLORADO 5 MINNESOTA 2

NASHVILLE 6 ST. LOUIS 3

WINNIPEG 5 CALGARY 2

LOS ANGELES 2 SAN JOSE 1

STANDINGS: https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/standings

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

DETROIT 6 NY METS 3 (11)

NY METS 2 DETROIT 1

PITTSBURGH 7 WASHINGTON 4

CLEVELAND 4 MINNESOTA 2

ST. LOUIS 8 MIAMI 5

KANSAS CITY 10 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1

STANDINGS: https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/standings

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

INDIANAPOLIS 7 MEMPHIS 5

UFL SCORES:

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

STANDINGS: https://www.foxsports.com/ufl/standings

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CAITLIN CLARK OF IOWA IS THE AP PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN WOMEN’S HOOPS FOR THE 2ND STRAIGHT SEASON

Caitlin Clark is capping her illustrious college career with another record-breaking season and another set of prestigious awards.

The star guard from Iowa was honored Thursday as The Associated Press Player of the Year in women’s basketball for the second consecutive year.

Clark received 35 votes from the 36-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Cameron Brink of Stanford received the other vote. Voting was done before March Madness began.

The 22-year-old Clark is the sixth player to win the award more than once and fifth to do it in consecutive seasons.

The NCAA Division I career scoring leader set numerous records while helping Iowa reach the Final Four for a second consecutive season. A semifinal matchup with UConn awaits on Friday night in Cleveland.

Clark’s play with her logo-depth 3-pointers and dazzling passes has captured the hearts of fans who showed up by the thousands wearing her No. 22 jersey whether Iowa was at home or on the road all season.

“I think that’s the best part about what I get to do. I grew up having those role models and aspiring to be where I am today,” Clark said. “It’s super special to see your impact not only in the state of Iowa but across the country. … To be able to have that impact on the next generation is really special, and you just hope to dream and aspire to be like you one day and chase after all their dreams.”

Opposing coaches have called her a generational talent and tried to stifle her creativity and scoring, but she averaged 31.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during the regular season to help Iowa go 29-4 and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Her games have become appointment viewing for millions — the Elite Eight rematch with LSU earlier this week was seen by more than 12 million, a record for any women’s college basketball game — and raised the profile of the sport even higher as it enjoys a surge in popularity. She is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft later this month, a slot held by the Indiana Fever.

Clark has been quick to credit her teammates and coach, and note that the women’s game had stars like Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore and many others long before she started dazzling fans in an era where scores of games are easily found on TV every season.

Her college career will be come to an end this weekend and it has been quite a ride for the West Des Moines native.

“I feel like I’ve talked about her, like used every word imaginable to describe her,” coach Lisa Bluder said. “She is spectacular. I don’t know how else to describe what she does on the basketball court.”

SOUTH CAROLINA’S DAWN STALEY IS THE AP COACH OF THE YEAR FOR THE 2ND TIME

Dawn Staley did a masterful job guiding a young South Carolina team back to the Final Four with an undefeated record for the second straight season.

Staley was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s college basketball Coach of the Year for the second time. She received 27 votes from the 35-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. She also won the award in 2020.

Staley joins an elite group of coaches that include Geno Auriemma (9), Muffet McGraw (4), Kim Mulkey (3) and Brenda Frese (2) who have won the AP award multiple times since it was first given in 1995.

Lindsay Gottlieb of Southern California, Felisha Legette-Jack of Syracuse and Scott Rueck of Oregon State tied for second with two votes each. Voting was done before the NCAA Tournament.

South Carolina faces North Carolina State on Friday night in a national semifinal and is the overwhelming favorite to win its second title in three years and third overall, all since 2017. The Gamecocks are two wins away from completing the 10th undefeated season in NCAA Division I history.

Staley has rebuilt the program into a power since she arrived in 2008 and last year’s team was expected to add another championship until Iowa knocked off the Gamecocks in the Final Four. This season, Staley had to replace her entire starting lineup and still guided them back to the semifinals for a fourth consecutive year.

She’s built a fanbase that has led the nation in attendance the past 10 years and in 2021 the school announced a new, seven-year contract that will pay her $2.9 million this season and grow to $3.5 million in the final season of 2027-28. She said then the $22.4 million deal should make an impact and perhaps lead to equity in the men’s and women’s games.

Along the way, Staley has become a voice of leadership and direction in the women’s game. The former point guard is already the first Black coach to win two NCAA titles — success that has given Staley the platform to champion issues off the court. She continues to speak out about gender equity, diversity and opportunities for women.

Staley has also been an outspoken supporter of her players and athletes in general. A year ago, she was asked about her team when others had suggested her players were bullies.

“That’s a good question,” she replied. “We’re not bar fighters. We’re not thugs. We’re not monkeys. We’re not street fighters.”

“If you really knew them, if you really knew them, like you really want to know other players that represent this game, you would think differently,” she added. “So don’t judge us by the color of our skin. Judge us by how we approach the game.”

STAR SHUSH: HAWKEYES COACH WANTS FINAL FOUR TOUTED AS ‘IOWA VERSUS UCONN’

CLEVELAND — Iowa returns to the Final Four with a chance to shift the narrative following a runner-up finish to LSU in 2023, and head coach Lisa Bluder would like all of the Hawkeyes — not just repeat Naismith Player of the Year Caitlin Clark — on the playbill.

“Obviously we have one of the best players in the country on our team, and we’re thrilled to have that,” Bluder said of Clark on Thursday. “But I do not want this to be a game that’s promoted as Caitlin versus Paige. And I know it already has been. But I don’t want that. I want it to be Iowa versus UConn and let these two women do what they do best.”

Clark and UConn’s Paige Bueckers are the All-American faces of two dominant programs with the Hawkeyes’ ascension directly tied to the homegrown talent at the offensive controls. Bueckers was part of a star-studded recruiting haul for traditional power UConn, which makes its 23rd Final Four appearance under coach Geno Auriemma.

Bueckers missed last season with a torn ACL, her second season-wrecking injury since joining the Huskies in 2020, and has already declared she’ll be back next season to spend another year under Auriemma — and with the six current teammates not available for UConn this weekend because of season-ending injuries. Those sidelined include 2021 No. 1 recruit Azzi Fudd and fifth-year guard Aubrey Griffin.

Star power is undeniable with the tandem, as showcased in their Final Four-clinching performances on Monday night.

Bueckers is averaging 28 points and nine rebounds in the NCAA Tournament. Clark scored 41 points in the regional final on Monday and drilled 9 of 20 attempts from 3-point range.

“Like Coach said, it’s not Paige versus Caitlin, and it takes the entire team to win a basketball game,” Clark said. “Both of us are going to do everything we can.

“But I think the coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is. Obviously she’s been kind of dealt a tough hand and only has positive things to say about her teammates. And the way she carries herself on and off the court and the way she works hard, none of that has changed.”

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

SETON HALL RALLIES LATE TO STUN INDIANA STATE FOR NIT TITLE

Dre Davis made a spinning layup with 16 seconds left as Seton Hall rallied from a late seven-point deficit to shock Indiana State 79-77 in the NIT championship game Thursday in Indianapolis.

Al-Amir Dawes led the Pirates (25-12) with 24 points as they won their second NIT title, joining the 1953 squad in raising the tournament trophy. Kadary Richmond chipped in 21 points and 13 rebounds for Seton Hall, which closed the game on a 9-0 run.

Indiana State (32-7) was led by Isaiah Swope’s 19 points and Julian Larry’s 18 points and six assists. Robbie Avila and Jayson Kent added 13 points apiece, while Ryan Conwell managed just three points on 1-of-10 shooting.

The Sycamores missed a pair of 3-pointers on their final possession with a chance to win the game, leaving the partisan crowd in stunned silence as the Pirates ran onto the floor in celebration. Indiana State, which was playing less than 100 miles from its campus, held a 77-70 lead with under three minutes remaining but did not score again.

Conwell and Swope each made a 3-pointer to help Indiana State build a 77-70 lead with about three minutes to go.

The Pirates did not go away, however, as Richmond converted a layup and then Dawes made two foul shots to make it a one-possession game. Avila missed a 3-pointer on the other end and then Dawes drew Seton Hall even with a tough 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:05 to go.

After an empty possession by the Sycamores, Davis got the ball with the shot clock winding down and made a smooth, twirling drive for the go-ahead bucket.
Neither team led by more than six points in the first half until Seton Hall gained some separation en route to an 11-point advantage late in the session. Larry made two 3-pointers to help Indiana State inch closer before buckets by Avila and Larry forged a 39-39 tie at the break.

The Pirates were ahead by as many as nine early in the second half before the Sycamores stormed back, setting up the exciting finish.

UCONN, PURDUE, ALABAMA, NC STATE RIDE TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITIONS STRAIGHT INTO THE FINAL FOUR

Connecticut and Purdue needed the right fit. Alabama needed more bodies. North Carolina State had big holes to fill in the backcourt.

They all mined the transfer portal effectively enough that those pieces are key reasons that they’ve reached the Final Four, headed to the desert with a chance to hoist a trophy. It’s a reminder that finding experienced help has become a essential piece of building a top team in today’s game — each added at least one player in his fifth college season — and meshing new pieces into different personalities is a high-reward part of the equation.

“Getting players with a lot of life to them,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said before the reigning champs beat Illinois in the Elite Eight. “Avoiding zombies and dead-heads on your roster. Outgoing, different types of personality. It helps you in these bigger moments.

“I think that’s something that we spend a lot of time thinking about with a couple of the years where we didn’t play our best in March. Get guys that are alive, that aren’t going to shrink when the lights get bright in March.”

The Huskies have one in 6-foot-4 guard Cam Spencer.

Spencer — who had played three seasons at Loyola Maryland and last year at Rutgers — found a home in the starting lineup alongside Associated Press first-team All-American Tristen Newton and returning big man Donovan Clingan for a roster that lost some major pieces from last year’s title run.

Spencer is the team’s No. 2 scorer (14.4 per game) while shooting 44% from 3-point range and 92% from the foul line. He will celebrate his 24th birthday Saturday, the same day the Huskies face the Crimson Tide in the national semifinals.

“He’s super easy and super fun to play with on offense,” UConn teammate Alex Karaban said.

Alabama coach Nate Oats brought in four transfers after losing four starters, including No. 2 overall NBA draft pick Brandon Miller. One of those, lanky 6-11 forward Grant Nelson from North Dakota State, played a huge role in getting the program to its first Final Four, going for 24 points and 12 rebounds i n the Sweet 16 win against No. 1 region seed North Carolina.

Another is 6-3 guard Aaron Estrada, a 6-3 guard who arrived as a two-time Coastal Athletic Association player of the year at Hofstra. Alabama is his fourth school in a five-year career, and he’s an every-game starter as the team’s No. 2 scorer (13.4).

“I think I adjusted pretty well,” Estrada said. “I just want to win. So whatever the team needed me to do, whether to score that night, rebound, get assists, play defense, I’m going to do it. I think coming to Alabama was an easy adjustment for me.”

At Purdue, the Boilermakers found veteran help by adding a 1,500-point scorer in Lance Jones, a 6-1 guard with 113 starts in four seasons at Southern Illinois. And while 7-foot-4 Zach Edey was the star (40 points, 16 rebounds), Jones came through with one of the biggest shots of the Elite Eight matchup against Tennessee, rattling home a 3-pointer from the right wing with 2:42 left to give Purdue a 66-60 lead.

It took some nerve, too, considering Purdue was just 2 of 13 shots from beyond the arc to that point.

“Coach (Matt Painter) tells us: just be ready to shoot the ball when it comes your way and you’re wide open,” Jones said. “I put a lot of work in my shot, and I have a lot of confidence in that. And my teammates have a lot of confidence in me.”

It is the second consecutive year that N.C. State has bolstered its roster through the portal — though this time to improbable heights.

Fifth-year guard DJ Horne spent two years at both Illinois State and Arizona State, and he’s the team’s top scorer (16.8) after the departures of last year’s Jarkel Joiner-Terquavion Smith backcourt tandem. Stanford transfer Michael O’Connell has been vital at the point both as a steady playmaker with only 17 turnovers in the current nine-game winning streak, as well as a shot maker going back to his banked-in 3 to force overtime against Virginia and extend N.C. State’s unexpected Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title run.

Throw in last year’s portal addition of big man DJ Burns Jr. — who has made himself the face of this year’s NCAA Tournament with his nimble post moves and big personality — and the Wolfpack’s run is comparable to that last Final Four trip in 1983 under the late Jim Valvano.

“I’m glad he’s here,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said of Burns. “I’m glad he’s on my team. I don’t know how you guard him. I’m excited, and I hope nobody figures that out.”

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

JUDGE DENIES FLORIDA STATE’S REQUEST TO DISMISS ACC LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SCHOOL

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A judge in North Carolina on Thursday denied Florida State’s request to dismiss the Atlantic Coast Conference’s lawsuit against the school, which is trying to sue its way out of the league.

A little less than two weeks after a hearing in Mecklenburg County, Judge Louis A. Bledsoe III ruled that the ACC had sufficiently argued it had followed conference procedures in filing suit in December against Florida State and that North Carolina is the appropriate jurisdiction for the case.

A hearing in FSU’s lawsuit against the ACC is scheduled for Tuesday in Leon County, Florida.

Florida State is challenging the ACC’s exit fees and the validity of a contract called a Grant of Rights that binds league members together through their media rights. The ACC’s contract with ESPN runs through 2035-36 school year, a contract that lags way behind the value of those signed by the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.

Florida State claims it would cost $572 million to exit the conference. The school says its athletics department is in danger of not being able to compete with Big Ten and SEC schools because of the growing revenue gap.

The day before the school’s board or trustees approved the filing in a public meeting, the ACC filed its lawsuit in North Carolina against Florida State.

Clemson recently filed a similar lawsuit to Florida State’s against the ACC in South Carolina.

The ACC claims that both schools are breaching their contracts with the conference by suing.

NBA NEWS

JULIUS RANDLE NEEDS RIGHT SHOULDER SURGERY, WILL MISS THE REST OF NEW YORK KNICKS’ SEASON

NEW YORK (AP) — Julius Randle needs right shoulder surgery and will miss the rest of the season, a crushing blow for a New York Knicks team that was surging before the All-Star forward was hurt in January.

The Knicks said Thursday that Randle would be re-evaluated in five months, meaning it’s unclear if he will even be ready for the start of next season.

But they had focused on their possibilities for this season when Randle dislocated his shoulder Jan. 27 in a victory over the Miami Heat. The Knicks ended up 14-2 that month, tied for the second-most wins in franchise history in a month.

But without Randle, and fellow starters OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson out for most of their games since then, the Knicks had fallen into fifth place in the Eastern Conference entering their game Thursday against Sacramento.

Randle was hurt after landing hard with 4:27 remaining in the victory over the Heat when Jaime Jaquez Jr. stepped in front of him trying to take a charge on Randle’s drive to the basket. He has since been rehabbing the shoulder in hopes of avoiding surgery and returning in time for the postseason.

But coach Tom Thibodeau said in recent days Randle hadn’t been cleared to practice in situations where the shoulder could be hit. The regular season ends next weekend.

NBA ROUNDUP: KNICKS RALLY PAST KINGS

Jalen Brunson scored 35 points and handed out 11 assists as the host New York Knicks erased a 21-point deficit and pulled away for a 120-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

The Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak and moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the sixth-place Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference standings. New York has the same record as the fourth-place Orlando Magic but would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker.

After learning Julius Randle would be out for the season due to a shoulder injury that he sustained Jan. 27, the Knicks trailed by 21 early in the second quarter before gradually rallying and outscoring Sacramento 33-22 in the fourth.

Josh Hart added a season-high 31 points to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists for New York. De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points but shot 2-for-9 in the fourth as the Kings fell one game behind the seventh-place New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference.

76ers 109, Heat 105

Tyrese Maxey had 37 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lift Philadelphia past host Miami.

Joel Embiid added 29 points in his second game back from knee surgery. Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 18 points for the Sixers, who ended the night on a 15-3 run to win their third game in a row and move within a half-game of the seventh-place Heat in the East.

Terry Rozier led Miami with 22 points, Jimmy Butler added 20 points, and Bam Adebayo had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Warriors 133, Rockets 110

Klay Thompson knocked down seven 3-pointers en route to a game-high-tying 29 points as Golden State won at Houston.

The Warriors dealt a crushing blow to the Rockets’ play-in hopes, as Houston is now four games behind Golden State for the final Western Conference play-in spot with six games remaining in the regular season. The Warriors also own the head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping the teams’ three-game season series.

Jabari Smith Jr. paced Houston with 24 points. Cam Whitmore supplied 17 points for the Rockets, who failed to take advantage of 21 Golden State turnovers.

Mavericks 109, Hawks 95

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combined for 51 points as Dallas held off visiting Atlanta for its eighth win in nine games.

Irving scored 26 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Doncic, who scored a franchise-record 73 points against the Hawks on Jan. 26 in Atlanta, finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 17 points and seven rebounds and Dejounte Murray chipped in 16 points for the Hawks, who had won six of their previous seven games.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

ATHLETICS ANNOUNCE PLANS TO PLAY THE NEXT 3 SEASONS IN MINOR LEAGUE PARK NEAR SACRAMENTO

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park near Sacramento until their planned new stadium in Las Vegas is built.

The A’s announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time.

“We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum,” owner John Fisher said in a statement. “Even with the long-standing relationship and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach. We understand the disappointment this news brings to our fans, as this season marks our final one in Oakland. Throughout this season, we will honor and celebrate our time in Oakland, and will share additional details soon.”

The A’s announced their intention last April to move to Las Vegas and MLB owners unanimously approved in November the application to relocate.

The decision angered the fans in Oakland and the team’s previously low attendance dropped precipitously with the club drawing a league-low 832,352 fans to the outdated Coliseum last season. The A’s drew 13,522 fans on opening night this year with a few thousand others protesting Fisher in the parking lot, and failed to reach 7,000 fans in any of the next six games.

The A’s will now play the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, near the state capitol and the NBA arena where the Sacramento Kings play. The minor league stadium has 10,624 fixed seats and can currently hold 14,014 fans with lawn seating and standing room.

The stadium will likely need additional work to upgrade clubhouses, batting and other facilities in order to host a major league team.

“The MLBPA has had preliminary discussions with MLB about a range of issues related to the temporary relocation and we expect those discussions to continue,” the players union said in a statement.

The team will be simply known as the Athletics, or A’s, without a city designation during the stay in Sacramento.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the A’s to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories,” said Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, who also owns the minor league River Cats. “Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country.”

The River Cats will still play in their stadium the next three years and share it with the A’s.

Commissioner Rob Manfred thanked the Kings and the leaders in the Sacramento area for getting an agreement done.

By staying in Northern California, the A’s are hopeful of keeping a large share of their local television rights held by NBC Sports California, which is worth a reported $67 million a year.

With the A’s leaving Oakland after this season, the Coliseum complex that once was also home to the NFL’s Raiders, the NBA’s Warriors and the NHL’s Seals will have no major sports teams.

Those teams combined to win 10 championships while in Oakland — four each for the A’s and Warriors and two for the Raiders. The only cities with more combined titles in MLB, the NBA and NFL since the A’s arrived in Oakland in 1968 are Los Angeles, Boston and New York.

PITCHER MIKE CLEVINGER AND CHICAGO WHITE SOX FINALIZE A $3 MILLION, 1-YEAR CONTRACT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Right-hander Mike Clevinger and the Chicago White Sox finalized a $3 million, one-year contract on Thursday.

The 33-year-old was optioned to the Arizona Complex League White Sox. Infielder José Rodríguez was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.

Clevinger went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA and two complete games in 24 starts with the White Sox last season, then became a free agent.

He is 60-39 with a 3.45 ERA in 128 starts and 24 relief appearances in eight seasons with Cleveland (2016-20), San Diego (2020-22) and Chicago (2023). He missed the 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery.

The 22-year-old Rodríguez hit .262 with 21 homers and 62 RBIs in 106 games last year with Triple-A Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham.

Clevinger was investigated by Major League Baseball after he was accused of domestic abuse. It announced in March 2023 that he would not face any discipline.

In a statement, the commissioner’s office said its investigation included interviews of more than 15 people, including Clevinger and a woman who said she is the mother of Clevinger’s child, as well as thousands of electronic communications and other documents.

MARLINS RHP EURY PEREZ TO HAVE TOMMY JOHN SURGERY

Miami Marlins right-hander Eury Perez will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2024 season, the team announced Thursday.

The decision came after Perez visited Dr. Keith Meister for the second time in approximately two weeks. He will have the procedure on his right elbow on Monday.

“I know Eury is really frustrated,” Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said. “He’s really disappointed, but he also understands that this is a minor setback in what’s going to be a really long career.”

Perez initially was diagnosed with mild elbow inflammation, with surgery not being recommended at that point. He began playing catch shortly after that diagnosis before elbow discomfort prompted a second visit to Meister.

“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster,” Bendix said. “Initially having the frustration of the elbow soreness and followed by the positive outlook on you don’t need surgery right now. There was an understanding that the ligament was not in great shape and essentially, you can pitch with it until you can’t, and nobody knows when that’s going to be. You have to try and see when the symptoms return. And unfortunately, that happened now. Better now than in the middle of the season.”

Perez, who turns 21 on April 15, made his major league debut in 2023 and finished 5-6 with a 3.15 ERA in 19 starts. He struck out 108 batters and walked 31 in 91 1/3 innings before his season was cut short by left SI joint inflammation.

MLB ROUNDUP: METS RALLY IN 9TH, BEAT TIGERS TO SPLIT DH

Pete Alonso hit the game-tying homer leading off the ninth inning and Tyrone Taylor had the walk-off RBI single one out later as the host New York Mets edged the Detroit Tigers 2-1 in the second game of a doubleheader Thursday.

A trio of Detroit pitchers combined to carry a one-hitter into the ninth inning, but Alonso hit Alex Faedo’s second pitch beyond the center-field wall. Brett Baty worked a six-pitch walk against Faedo (0-1) and moved to second on Starling Marte’s bunt before scoring easily on Taylor’s single to left.

The Mets improved to 1-5. New York hasn’t opened 0-6 since 1963. The Tigers were trying to open 6-0 for the first time since 2015.

Reed Garrett (1-0) allowed two hits over three scoreless innings of relief for the Mets. Starter Jose Butto gave up one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings. Javier Baez went 1-for-3 with a second-inning RBI single and a stolen base for the Tigers, who got just five runners into scoring position.

Tigers 6, Mets 3 (11 innings, Game 1)

Gio Urshela had three hits — including a two-run single that capped a three-run 11th inning — for visiting Detroit, which overcame a three-run deficit to beat New York in the first game of a doubleheader.

Colt Keith snapped a 3-3 tie with a one-out run-scoring double for the Tigers, who trailed 3-0 before earning their fifth straight win — the longest season-opening winning streak for Detroit since it opened 6-0 in 2016. Andy Ibanez delivered a sacrifice fly to get the Tigers on the board in the sixth inning, and Riley Greene hit a game-tying homer in the eighth for the Tigers.

Francisco Alvarez (two-run double) and Brett Baty (single) had RBI hits for the Mets, who are 0-5 for the first time since 2005. Mets starter Adrian Houser gave up one run on three hits and three walks while striking out three over five-plus innings.

Royals 10, White Sox 1

Nelson Velazquez and MJ Melendez homered, and Seth Lugo escaped several jams as host Kansas City blasted Chicago.

Lugo (1-0) allowed five singles and a walk through the first four innings, avoiding damage with the help of three double-play grounders. In 6 2/3 innings, Lugo allowed a run on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Kansas City broke the game open with an eight-run seventh inning highlighted by Kyle Isbel’s two-run bloop single to right and shortstop Braden Shewmake’s three-run error. Melendez’s two-run homer capped the Royals’ biggest inning of the year.

Guardians 4, Twins 2

Tanner Bibee struck out nine batters over 5 1/3 innings and Steven Kwan had three hits to fuel Cleveland over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez and Tyler Freeman each had an RBI single and Will Brennan added a sacrifice fly during a three-run fourth inning. Kwan had a double and two singles for his second straight three-hit performance. He also scored a run to help the Guardians secure their second three-game winning streak of the campaign. The lone blemish for Bibee (1-0) was Edouard Julien’s homer to lead off the fifth inning. Bibee allowed five hits and did not walk a batter.

Carlos Correa had three hits and Willi Castro scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning for the Twins, who struck out 15 times and were 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Pirates 7, Nationals 4

Martin Perez pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Pittsburgh had plenty of early offense to support him in a win over host Washington.

Connor Joe homered, Bryan Reynolds was involved in rallies in each of the first two innings and Michael A. Taylor posted three hits as the Pirates bounced back from their only loss of the season and completed a season-opening road trip with a 6-1 record.

CJ Abrams homered for the Nationals and had two of the team’s eight hits.

Cardinals 8, Marlins 5

Ivan Herrera and Nolan Gorman drove in two runs apiece as St. Louis rallied to win its home opener over winless Miami.

Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos (1-0) earned the victory and Ryan Helsley closed out the ninth inning for his second save of the season.

Jake Burger hit two solo homers for the Marlins and Josh Bell hit a two-run shot.

NFL NEWS

BILLS GM: ‘TIMING MADE SENSE’ FOR STEFON DIGGS TRADE

Trading star wide receiver Stefon Diggs was not an easy decision, according to Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane.

“These moves are never easy — very hard, not made overnight, anything like that — but any time you make a move like this, as I said, very difficult, you’re doing it because you’re trying to win,” Beane said summarizing his thought process in dealing Buffalo’s four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to the Houston Texans.

“Sometimes people may not see that. This is by no means the Bills giving up or trying to take a step back or anything like that. Everything we do, we’re trying to win, and we’re going to continue to do that. It’s April … we’ll continue to work on this roster and make sure we’re ready to play come September.”

The Bills are absorbing a massive dead cap hit — $31.1 million — to reset the depth chart at wide receiver. In return, Buffalo picked up a second-round pick in the 2025 draft.

Diggs, 30, had at least 1,100 yards in each of his four seasons with the Bills. But he hasn’t always lived a harmonious existence in Buffalo and spent part of last offseason away from the team in an apparent rift with the coaching staff.

Beane said “it’s not the first time we’ve been called to ask would we move him” but felt the timing and value was right before he stamped the trade with the Texans on Wednesday.

“I think with this move, as we’re talking with Houston in this case the last couple days, the value seemed to make sense and the timing made sense for them and for us,” Beane said.

The deal leaves quarterback Josh Allen with little familiarity in the WR room.

Before Diggs was traded, the Bills lost free agent Gabe Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars and signed free agent Curtis Samuel. Khalil Shakir is the team’s top returning receiver with 39 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.

Diggs led the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 yards in his first season with the Bills in 2020. He totaled 37 TDs over four years as Allen’s go-to guy outside.

LIKELY NO. 1 PICK CALEB WILLIAMS VISITED BEARS ON WEDNESDAY

Courtship of quarterback Caleb Williams by the Chicago Bears advanced to the next step on Wednesday with the USC product visiting Halas Hall three weeks before the 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams widely is expected to be the No. 1 pick by the Bears, who traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month.

This is at least the third meeting between team officials and Williams, who underwent medical testing he had resisted at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, according to multiple reports.

Prior to Williams’ pro day at USC, the Bears spent parts of three days with Williams in a contingent that included general manager Ryan Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, among others.

Williams is expected to visit the Washington Commanders, his hometown team, before the draft and met with head coach Dan Quinn around his pro day.

Williams shared part of his visit with Alabama outside linebacker Dallas Turner. Turner is an option for the Bears in the first-round, too. Chicago holds the No. 1 and No. 9 overall picks.

Poles said last week the Bears would welcome Williams to the Chicagoland area and introduce him to the surroundings that could be his next home during the team visit.

The GM is also hands-on with prospects and took a trip to personally test the stamina and competitive endurance of Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright before selecting him in the first round last year.

Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 and passed for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Trojans in 2023.

In three seasons at Oklahoma (2021) and USC combine, Williams put up prolific passing numbers: 10,082 yards, 93 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with 27 rushing TDs.

LAWYER: CHIEFS WR RASHEE RICE WAS DRIVING LAMBORGHINI IN CRASH

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was driving the Lamborghini at the center of a six-car, hit-and-run crash in Dallas on Saturday, Rice’s attorney said Thursday in a news conference.

Two people were hospitalized with minor injuries sustained in the chain-reaction collision that occurred after Rice’s Lamborghini and a Corvette crashed while speeding, police said. Two others were treated for lesser injuries at the scene.

Royce West, Rice’s attorney, said Rice “wants to make certain it’s understood and appreciated that he’s going to do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible.”

West said Rice knows someone could have been seriously injured.

“He understands that, he appreciates that, that’s why he wanted to come out and say he’s going to be responsible for making certain that the victims are made whole as best as possible,” the lawyer said.

Rice and the driver of the Corvette both fled the scene, according to police, and West said “that’s still being investigated.” He said Rice is cooperating with police.

On Wednesday, Rice met with police and apologized on social media for his role in the crash.

“Today I met with Dallas PD investigators regarding Saturday’s accident. I take full responsibility for my part in this matter and will continue to cooperate with the necessary authorities,” he posted to his Instagram story. “I sincerely apologize to everyone impacted in Saturday’s accident.”

Rice, who turns 24 on April 22, grew up in the North Texas suburb of North Richland Hills and attended college in Dallas at SMU.

He recorded 79 catches and 938 yards with a team-leading seven touchdown receptions in 16 games (eight starts) last year after being selected by Kansas City in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He also had 26 catches for 262 yards and a score in four playoff games to help the Chiefs secure their second straight Super Bowl title.

NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: JETS CLINCH PLAYOFFS BEHIND GABRIEL VILARDI’S HAT TRICK

Gabriel Vilardi notched his first NHL hat trick to help the Winnipeg Jets clinch a playoff spot with a 5-2 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Thursday.

Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist, Tyler Toffoli also scored, Josh Morrissey had two assists and Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for the Jets, who remain four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for second place in the Central Division with six games left for each.

MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist, Daniil Miromanov also scored and Dustin Wolf made 40 saves for the Flames, who have lost seven of eight and six straight on the road.

Calgary’s Martin Pospisil received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for elbowing Josh Morrissey with 44 seconds left in the second period.

Kings 2, Sharks 1

Akil Thomas scored his first NHL goal to help visiting Los Angeles beat San Jose.

Adrian Kempe also scored and David Rittich made 15 saves for the Kings, who pulled within a point of the Nashville Predators for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Klim Kostin scored for the second straight game and Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the Sharks, who have lost 11 of 12.

Predators 6, Blues 3

Filip Forsberg scored twice in a three-point game to pace host Nashville to a victory over St. Louis that snapped a three-game skid and strengthened the Predators’ playoff chances.

Roman Josi, Anthony Beauvillier, Michael McCarron and Mark Jankowski also scored for the Predators, who hold the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. Goaltender Juuse Saros sparkled with 44 saves, while Gustav Nyquist collected three assists, including the 300th of his career. Ryan O’Reilly added two assists.

Brandon Saad, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who are clinging to their flickering playoff hopes with only six games remaining. Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots and Justin Faulk had two assists.

Panthers 6, Senators 0

Matthew Tkachuk scored a goal and added two assists, Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves and visiting Florida blanked Ottawa.

The shutout was the fifth of the season for Bobrovsky, who also shut out the Senators 5-0 on Nov. 27. Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Nick Cousins each logged a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who won for just the third time in 11 outings (3-7-1). Anton Lundell and Dmitry Kulikov also found the back of the net for Florida, while Aleksander Barkov and Eetu Luostarinen had two helpers apiece. Florida has won all three meetings against Ottawa this season, outscoring the Senators 14-2.

Senators starting goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped 13 of the 17 shots he faced before being replaced by Anton Forsberg in the second period. Forsberg yielded two goals on 14 shots as Ottawa lost its second game in a row.

Bruins 4, Hurricanes 1

Brad Marchand’s 400th career NHL goal began a first-period offensive onslaught from Boston en route to a big win over Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.

Boston scored its first three goals in the first 10:46 and wound up winning its third straight game. David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen also scored in the opening stanza and added an assist each while Hampus Lindholm sealed the win with a late empty-netter. Pavel Zacha dished out two assists, and Jeremy Swayman earned his third straight win, making 28 saves.

Jake Guentzel scored the lone goal and Frederik Andersen made 24 stops for Carolina, which is 11-3-1 in its past 15 games.

Penguins 4, Capitals 1

Visiting Pittsburgh scored twice in the first period and held on to beat Washington.

Lars Eller had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who extended their point streak to seven games (5-0-2). Ryan Shea, Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Michael Bunting also scored, and Reilly Smith and Kris Letang added two assists apiece.

Pittsburgh goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 30 shots. Alex Ovechkin scored and Charlie Lindgren made 20 saves for the Capitals, who have lost four straight (0-3-1).

Islanders 4, Blue Jackets 2

Noah Dobson scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period for visiting New York, which moved into an Eastern Conference wild-card spot by beating Columbus.

Pierre Engvall and Bo Horvat scored in the first period and Kyle Palmieri added an empty-netter with 38 seconds left for the Islanders, who have won three straight games to move into a playoff position.

Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist and Dmitri Voronkov also scored for the Blue Jackets, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Greaves made 24 saves in relief of Danil Tarasov, who stopped 13 of 15 shots before exiting with an upper-body injury late in the first period.

Lightning 7, Canadiens 4

Steven Stamkos scored two goals and had an assist and Nikita Kucherov added a goal and two assists to lead visiting Tampa Bay over Montreal.

Nicholas Paul also scored twice, Michael Eyssimont had a goal and an assist and Brandon Hagel added another goal for the Lightning, who moved to within two points of third-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division. Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point each had two assists for Tampa Bay, which improved to 10-1-1 over its past 12 games.

Joel Armia scored twice, Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadiens. Alex Newhook and Brendan Gallagher each added two assists and Cayden Primeau finished with 28 saves.

Avalanche 5, Wild 2

Jonathan Drouin scored two goals and dished one assist, and Colorado pulled away to beat Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn.

Nathan MacKinnon also posted a three-point night with one goal and two assists for the Avalanche. Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen added one goal apiece.

Vinni Lettieri and Declan Chisholm each scored one goal for the Wild.

COYOTES ANNOUNCE PLAN TO BUILD PRIVATELY FUNDED ARENA

The Arizona Coyotes will attempt to purchase land in Phoenix to build a privately funded arena and entertainment district, the team announced Thursday night.

The plan hinges on the club winning a land auction for the 110-acre site that will be auctioned off by the Arizona State Land Department on June 27. The appraised price of the site is $68.5 million.

According to multiple media reports, the Coyotes are the only acknowledged bidder for the land, but others could emerge to participate in the live auction to be held in Phoenix.

The NHL franchise relocated to Arizona from Winnipeg in 1996 and played in Phoenix until a move to Glendale, Ariz., in 2003. The latter city terminated its lease with the Coyotes following the 2021-22 season.

The team is now in its second season of playing at 5,000-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz.

Last year, the Coyotes lost an election among Tempe voters in a plan to build a $2.3 billion arena and entertainment district.

The upcoming land bid could be the club’s final attempt at staying in the Phoenix area.

“There is no other place that we can play in Arizona,” Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez told GoPhnx.com. “If there is not a successful or winning bid, then we will have to explore relocation of this franchise.”

The development plans include a 17,000-seat NHL arena that can be expanded by about 1,500 seats for other events. The location would add a 3,000-seat music theater, 400,000 square feet of retail space, 400,000 square feet of office space, 1,900 luxury residential units plus dining, bars, a farmers’ market and parking structures.

“It’s privately funded, we’re buying the land, we’re paying for all of the building,” Gutierrez told GoPhnx.com. “I want to be very clear so people understand. Alex (Meruelo, the Coyotes owner) is putting up the money to do this. He’s on the hook for it, and that is not the case with any other building in the state of Arizona. That somehow got misconstrued even in Tempe. We were paying for it all.

“In this case, we’re buying the land at an auction. We’re building all the buildings. We’re maintaining all the buildings. We’re not asking for a single dollar from taxpayers to do any of those things. I think it’s very important for people to understand that.”

MEN’S GOLF

MASTERS ’24: COMPETING TOURS CONVERGE ON AUGUSTA NATIONAL CHASING THE SAME PRIZE

Jon Rahm went from wearing a Masters green jacket in April to a LIV Golf black letterman’s jacket in December.

Those two images — one in Butler Cabin with Scottie Scheffler, the other in a New York studio with Greg Norman — illustrate the great divide in golf that has scattered the sport’s biggest stars across two tours. The rival circuits are not pitted against each other, and therein lies the problem facing golf: They’re never together.

That’s what makes the Masters feel bigger than ever.

It already is the most anticipated tournament of any year because of Augusta National and all the history and memories it has created over 90 years. One year after the PGA Tour and LIV first mixed at the Masters, it now feels like a reunion long overdue.

“The first time there was that split, this war between the tours,” Xander Schauffele said. “It brought a lot of eyeballs because of that — sort of LIV versus the PGA Tour kind of thing. … I think the tone might be different from a fan’s perspective.

“But I think it will still be great viewing,” he said. “One, it’s the Masters. And two, I think everybody is just probably excited to see everyone compete again.”

When the first tee shot in the 88th Masters Tournament is struck on April 11, it will be the first time in 263 days that all the world’s best players will be chasing the same prize.

Rahm and Scheffler. Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy. Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth. Even aging stars Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

Savor these moments, because there doesn’t seem to be peace in the immediate future.

The PGA Tour invited the Saudi backers of LIV Golf to the table in a stunning agreement last June to become commercial partners.

But then Congress got involved. The Justice Department had antitrust concerns. The tour began receiving offers from U.S. private equity groups. As the tour narrowed its list of suitors, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia flexed its financial muscle by luring away Rahm with an offer believed to be in the neighborhood of the tour’s entire prize fund for the year.

The PGA Tour tour now has a $3 billion investment from a consortium of billionaire sports owners in the U.S., all while still negotiating with the Saudis. A month before the Masters, Woods, Spieth and the rest of the player-directors on the PGA Tour board met for the first time with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who refers to LIV as his “baby.

LIV doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, and there is no consensus on how to bring LIV players back into the fold, if they even want to come back.

“We can’t keep going this direction,” Bryson DeChambeau said. “It’s great to have the majors where we all come together, but we want to be competing — at least I want to be competing — every week with all of the best players in the world.”

The closest the two tours have been to each other was early February — about 300 miles (480 kilometers) separated the Phoenix Open from LIV Golf Las Vegas. Otherwise, they feel galaxies apart.

For now, the boundaries only vanish at the four majors. That starts with the Masters.

“That’s what is making this Masters and many other majors so much fun — not only for me and for players, but for spectators — is for all of us to be able to play together again and showcase what we’re capable of,” Rahm said.

The show starts with Scheffler, the undisputed No. 1 in the world even with LIV players plunging in the ranking because their league does not get points.

His tee-to-green statistics are among the best since the peak years of Woods. And then Scheffler got the putter going and he won against two of the strongest fields in consecutive weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. His most recent start was a runner-up finish in the Houston Open.

Rahm has been watching — that’s about all he can do. And the Masters provides an arena for him to have a say about that.

“I’m fully aware of where Scottie is,” Rahm said. “I don’t need to be playing next to him to know what’s going on. Anytime you’re doing the history he’s been able to do, it’s quite impressive.”

The only history that matters to McIlroy is joining the most exclusive club in golf. Only five players have won the four professional majors dating to the inception of the Masters in 1934. Woods was the most recent in 2000, and he got it done at the British Open on his first try.

Of the other four players with the career Grand Slam, no one waited longer than three years to get the last leg. McIlroy is going on his 10th year, and it’s been that long — 10 years — since he won any major championship.

“I’m under no illusion that the clock is ticking and it has been 10 years since I’ve won one of them,” McIlroy said. “I just need to keep putting myself in those positions, and sooner or later it’s going to happen.”

This is his 16th Masters. Only one player — Sergio Garcia — has played the Masters more often before finally winning. Garcia won his green jacket in his 19th attempt.

McIlroy won in Dubai at the start of the year, though his PGA Tour performance has been mediocre by his standards. He has been at the forefront of this disruption in golf, going from one of LIV’s loudest critics to resigning from the PGA Tour board and now pushing as hard as anyone for golf to find harmony, even if that means bringing back LIV players without penalty.

Woods has been the strongest and steadiest opposition to LIV Golf, and now the biggest name in the sport is lending his voice by getting an unlimited term on the PGA Tour board. He also was behind a change that gives players a majority on the board.

As for golf? That remains a mystery, as it has for the last five years since he capped that remarkable comeback from four back surgeries by winning a fifth green jacket and his 15th major. Woods had ankle surgery after last year’s Masters and is walking better. His ambitious goal was to play once a month through the major championship season.

That hasn’t gone to plan, not even close. Woods has played only 24 holes in one tournament this year, withdrawing after six holes of the second round at Riviera with the flu.

There remains a curiosity about the divide and how they perform. Rahm has played only five times since November leading up to the Masters. Is that enough? What does guaranteed cash do for motivation?

Those questions might have been answered last year. Koepka was runner-up at the Masters along with Mickelson. Patrick Reed was another shot behind. Koepka won the PGA Championship. Cameron Smith was fourth at the U.S. Open.

“This has kind of been my time,” Koepka said as he goes after a sixth major since 2017.

And now it’s everyone’s time to get on the same golf course, in the same clubhouse, on the same range chasing the same prize, with no emphasis on money. That doesn’t happen very often these days.

MASTERS ’24: CAPSULES OF 10 KEY PLAYERS AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL

A capsule look at 10 key players for the Masters, to be played April 11-14 (listed in predicted order of finish):

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

Age: 27.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 1.

Worldwide victories: 9.

Majors: Masters (2022).

Masters appearances: 4.

Masters memory: Having such a large lead that he could 4-putt the final hole in 2022 and still win by three.

Backspin: Scheffler is the most overwhelming Masters favorite since Tiger Woods in 2013. He already has two wins this year and nearly had a third in a row at the Houston Open. His tee-to-green game is at levels not seen since Woods at his peak.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

Age: 30.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 5.

Worldwide victories: 8.

Majors: None.

Masters appearances: 6.

Masters memory: Runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2019. Rallying against Hideki Matsuyama in 2021 until hitting 8-iron to the water on the 16th.

Backspin: Schauffele has not won since the summer of 2022. He has played in the final group at Riviera and The Players Championship, so his game is trending. He has had two chances at winning the Masters, in 2019 and 2021.

JON RAHM

Age: 29.

Country: Spain.

World ranking: 3 (LIV).

Worldwide victories: 20.

Majors: Masters (2023), U.S. Open (2021).

Masters appearances: 7.

Masters memory: Rally to beat Brooks Koepka and winning the Masters on the birthdate of Seve Ballesteros.

Backspin: Rahm will try to join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only back-to-back winners. The focus will be stronger than ever after his decision to join LIV Golf in December. He has not won since the Masters last year.

JORDAN SPIETH

Age: 30.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 19.

Worldwide victories: 16.

Majors: Masters (2015), U.S. Open (2015), British Open (2017).

Masters appearances: 10.

Masters memory: Going wire-to-wire to win the Masters in 2015.

Backspin: Spieth is coming up on two years since his last win and he missed two straight cuts at The Players Championship and Valspar Championship. But Augusta National suits him and his putting. He holds the record for leading after seven straight rounds and has played in the final group three times.

RORY MCILROY

Age: 34.

Country: Northern Ireland.

World ranking: 2.

Worldwide victories: 34.

Majors: U.S. Open (2011), British Open (2014), PGA Championship (2012, 2014).

Masters appearances: 15.

Masters memory: Losing a four-shot lead in the final round of 2011.

Backspin: McIlroy decided to play eight tournaments this year leading up to the Masters, all the while trying to limit chatter about the one major that eludes him. This is his 10th chance at trying to complete the career Grand Slam. More telling is it’s been 10 years since he last won a major.

BROOKS KOEPKA

Age: 33.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 31 (LIV).

Worldwide victories: 15.

Majors: U.S. Open (2017, 2018), PGA Championship (2018, 2019, 2023).

Masters appearances: 8.

Masters memory: Two runner-up finishes, most recently losing 54-hole lead to Jon Rahm last year.

Backspin: Koepka still burns over his lost chance from a year ago, when he lost a four-shot lead on a marathon Sunday and went 22 straight holes without a birdie. He got back his major mojo by winning the PGA Championship. But he now has two close calls at Augusta (2019 and 2023).

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

Age: 32.

Country: Japan.

World ranking: 14.

Worldwide victories: 18.

Majors: Masters (2021).

Masters appearances: 12.

Masters memory: Becoming the first Japanese man to win a major at Augusta National in 2021.

Backspin: Injuries have slowed his progress the last two years. He won at Riviera with a record 62 in the final round and has looked ready to return among the elite in golf.

WYNDHAM CLARK

Age: 30.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 4.

Worldwide victories: 3.

Majors: U.S. Open (2023).

Masters appearances: None.

Masters memory: Flying private with Augusta National member Johnny Harris for his first practice round on March 5.

Backspin: The U.S. Open champion has two other wins against the strongest fields, and he might have more wins if not for finishing runner-up in consecutive weeks to Scottie Scheffler. He is No. 4 in the world and has never played in the Masters.

TIGER WOODS

Age: 48.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 950.

Worldwide victories: 93.

Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), U.S. Open (2000, 2002, 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007).

Masters appearances: 25.

Masters memory: Five green jackets.

Backspin: In the five years since Woods won his fifth Masters, he has only one round in the 60s at Augusta National. He had his ankle fused after withdrawing on the weekend last year. But he will have played only 24 holes in one tournament going into the Masters.

PHIL MICKELSON

Age: 53.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 161 (LIV).

Worldwide victories: 47.

Majors: Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), PGA Championship (2005, 2021), British Open (2013).

Masters appearances: 30.

Masters memory: The leap when he won his first major with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 2004 Masters.

Backspin: Mickelson, for all he has been through, can still surprise. He won the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50. And he closed with a 65 at Augusta National last year to finish runner-up alongside Koepka. He has only two top 10s at LIV Golf the last two seasons.

MASTERS ’24: FACTS AND FIGURES FOR THE FIRST MAJOR OF THE YEAR

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Facts and figures for the Masters:

Tournament: The 88th Masters Tournament.

Dates: April 11-14.

Site: Augusta National Golf Club.

Length: 7,555 yards.

Par: 36-36—72.

Purse: To be announced ($18 million in 2023).

Field: 88 players (five amateurs), with one spot open for Texas Open winner.

Cut: Top 50 and ties.

Defending champion: Jon Rahm.

Last year: Jon Rahm had to play 30 holes on Sunday in a rain-delayed Masters. He got within two shots of Brooks Koepka in the morning, and then pulled away with a 3-under 69 to win by four shots over Koepka and Phil Mickelson. Koepka went 22 consecutive holes Sunday without a birdie and shot 75. Mickelson shot 65 and at 52 became the oldest runner-up in Masters history.

Tiger tales: Five-time champion Tiger Woods has never missed the cut as a pro at the Masters. He has played only 24 holes of tournament golf this year, most recently six holes on Feb. 16 in the Genesis Invitational before withdrawing with the flu.

LIV and let live: The field includes 13 players (seven Masters champions) who play for Saudi-funded LIV Golf.

Grand Slam, Take 10: Rory McIlroy tries for the 10th time to win the Masters and complete the career Grand Slam. He has gone 10 years since winning his last major.

The newcomers: Two players in the top 10 in the world, U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark (4) and Ludvig Aberg (9), are making their Masters debuts.

The odds ( FanDuel Sportsbook ): Scottie Scheffler (+430), Rory McIlroy (+1200), Jon Rahm (+1300), Xander Schauffele (+1800), Brooks Koepka (+1900), Jordan Spieth (+2100), Tiger Woods (+11000).

Key statistic: Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark are the only players to win on the PGA Tour this year while ranked in the top 50 in the world.

Noteworthy: Rory McIlroy is playing in his 16th Masters. Sergio Garcia (19) is the only player who had that many appearances before winning.

Quoteworthy: “I think it will be great viewing. One, it’s the Masters. Two, everyone is probably excited to see everyone compete again.” — Xander Schauffele.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-7:30 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday, 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 2-7 p.m. (CBS).

Interactive: https://www.masters.com/en_US/index.html. Live video channels from the 4th, 5th and 6th holes, Amen Corner, the 15th hole, 16th hole and a featured group. Estimated times — Hole Nos. 4,5 and 6 from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekend; Amen Corner (Nos. 11, 12 and 13) from 10:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend; Nos. 15 and 16 from 11:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the weekend; and featured group from 9:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 10:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekend. The Masters iPad application will display the video channels and a live digital simulcast of CBS Sports’ weekend coverage.

NOTAH BEGAY III: TIGER WOODS HAS ‘ZERO MOBILITY’ WITH ANKLE

Tiger Woods has been dealing with health issues for quite some time now.

While that’s hardly breaking news, Notah Begay III likely raised a few eyebrows when discussing the health of the 15-time major champion during a conference call on Wednesday, per USA Today.

“He’s trying to formulate a strategy and approach that he can work within given the constraints that he’s presented with. And he’s got some constraints,” said Begay, a longtime friend and commentator for NBC Sports.

“He’s got zero mobility in that left ankle and really has low-back challenges now, which he knew he was going to have.”

Woods withdrew from his own tournament, the Genesis Invitational in February, due to what he said was the flu — although many questioned if it was a back issue. The 48-year-old has been nursing several injuries — including a severe injury to his right leg — since he was involved in a car accident in February 2021.

“For the past couple months, he’s been trying to find a way to recover,” Begay said. “He can play the golf. We always knew the question was going to be, ‘Can he walk the 72 (holes)?’ That’s still up in the air. But can he recover, from one round to the next? That’s the biggest question that I really don’t know and he’s not going to know either until he gets out there and figures out whether the way he’s prepared for this year’s Masters is going to work for him.”

Multiple media outlets reported that Woods played a round of golf last weekend at Augusta National Golf Club in preparation for the Masters Tournament, which begins next Thursday.

Woods, who has officially entered to go after his sixth Masters title, played Saturday’s round with his good friend Justin Thomas and ANGC chairman Fred Ridley in Augusta, Ga.

Since his last Masters victory in 2019, Woods finished tied for 38th in the 2020 event, did not participate in 2021, finished 47th in 2022 and withdrew last year because of plantar fasciitis after making the 36-hole cut.

AKSHAY BHATIA SHOOTS 63 TO GRAB VALERO TEXAS OPEN LEAD

Akshay Bhatia poured in nine birdies without a bogey Thursday to separate from the field and stake a three-shot lead at the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.

Bhatia’s 9-under 63 at the resort’s Oaks Course gave him a major head start toward winning his second PGA Tour title — which would come with a berth into his first Masters. This week’s winner will receive the final invitation into next week’s major, if not already qualified.

Bhatia, 22, won the Barracuda Championship last season to notch his first PGA Tour win. He birdied four of his final five holes Thursday to soar past Justin Lower, who set the early pace with a bogey-free, 6-under 66.

Brendon Todd birdied four of his last five holes to tie Lower for second at 6 under at day’s end.

Max Homa opened with a 4-under 68 and is tied for fourth with Denny McCarthy, Tyson Alexander and Austin Eckroat. Just behind them is Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked player in the field; the Northern Irishman posted a 69 consisting of three birdies and 15 pars.

Corey Conners of Canada, the defending champ, opened with a 2-under 70.

Jordan Spieth took a wild ride en route to a 1-over 73. After four bogeys and two birdies on his front nine, he added one more of each before an out-of-bounds tee shot led to a double bogey at the par-5 14th.

But Spieth turned around and aced the par-3 16th before adding his final birdie of the day. His tee shot at the 199-yard hole took two big hops before tracking straight into the hole.

WOMEN’S GOLF

FOUR SHARE LEAD AT LPGA’S T-MOBILE MATCH PLAY

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda shot a bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 on Thursday to tie for the lead after the second round of the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas.

First-round leader Sei Young Kim of South Korea stumbled to a 2-over 74 on Thursday at Shadow Creek Golf Course but still shares the lead at 4-under 140. Also tied for the lead are Angel Yin (68 on Thursday) and Rose Zhang (73).

Ireland’s Leona Maguire and Japan’s Minami Katsu, who both shot 69 in the second round, are tied for fifth place at 3 under.

England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff (68) and Japan’s Yuka Saso (74) share seventh place at 1 under.

Wednesday and Thursday consisted of stroke play with a cut to the top 65 players and ties after 36 holes. The field will be cut to the top eight after stroke play on Friday. Saturday morning will begin the single-elimination match-play bracket, with the semifinals taking place Saturday afternoon and the championship match contested on Sunday.

Ciganda, 33, owns two career LPGA wins, but both occurred in 2016. She tied for third at the Ford Championship last week after missing the cut in two of her previous three starts this season.

“I played very solid the last two days,” Ciganda said. “I feel like I’ve been hitting lots of greens and I think that’s key in Shadow Creek. If you can hit fairways and greens and avoid those bogeys, those mistakes, I think it’s big.

“And, yeah, my putting was working so I made some good putts, some good saves, and then, yeah, I played really good and take advantage of the holes that I hit good shots. Yeah, make five birdies, no bogeys, so very happy with a bogey-free round.”

Yin logged five birdies and a lone bogey at the par-4 15th hole.

“I think it’s a very interesting perspective to put into this golf course in stroke play,” Yin said. “I think it challenges people with different games. … Now with stroke play in play, you soften up the greens, soften up the fairways, soften up the front of the green. So it … takes and gives. So I think now you have a broader range of players now on the leaderboard.”

Zhang remains in contention for the top qualifying spot despite posting four bogeys and three birdies.

Kim endured an up-and-down round that began with two bogeys on the back nine before she birdied Nos. 17 and 18. Her front nine featured seven pars and two bogeys.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda is tied for 20th at 2 over par after a 73 on Thursday. Defending champion Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand made the cut on the number at 9 over after a second-round 79.

NASCAR NEWS

WEEKEND PREVIEW: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

During a six-year period after the turn of the century, Hendrick Motorsports owned Martinsville Speedway, at least where competition on the track was concerned.

Jeff Gordon won both 2003 races at the 0.526-mile short track from the pole, embarking on a dominant run during which he and Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson would take the checkered flag in 10 of 13 races.

Hendrick Motorsports will celebrate its 40th anniversary at Martinsville this weekend, with team owner Rick Hendrick serving as honorary pace car driver and Gordon and 1984 Martinsville winner Geoff Bodine performing Grand Marshal duties for Sunday’s Cook Out 400 (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

It was Bodine’s victory in the eighth race of the 1984 season that kept Hendrick in business. Including that triumph, the organization has accumulated 28 wins at the historic short track, a record for team victories at a single venue.

In recent years, however, Hendrick has been forced to share the Martinsville spotlight with Joe Gibbs Racing. In the fall race of 2009, Denny Hamlin started his own streak of three straight victories at the venerable facility.

In the nine most recent Martinsville races, Hendrick and Gibbs drivers have won four each, the only exception being NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney’s victory for Team Penske in last year’s Playoff race.

Though the four recent Hendrick wins are evenly divided among four drivers — Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, William Byron and defending spring race winner Kyle Larson — Martin Truex Jr. has accounted for most of JGR’s success with three victories to one for teammate Christopher Bell.

Starting with the fall race of 2019, Truex won three of four events at Martinsville. He comes to Sunday’s race after suffering a heart-wrenching loss last Sunday at Richmond, where a late caution gave Hamlin a chance to steal the win.

In 2022, Truex struggled at Martinsville — and elsewhere — in the Next Gen Cup car introduced into the Cup Series that year. Since then, his fortunes have improved dramatically.

“Definitely high confidence going into Martinsville compared to the first year of this car,” said Truex, who led 228 laps at Richmond before finishing fourth after an overtime restart. “To be able to go run like we did at Richmond, it gives me a lot of confidence going forward that our Martinsville stuff should be good.

“I love going there. It’s been a really good track for us over the years, aside from the first year of the Next Gen.”

Note: Given the clear advantages of securing pit stall No. 1, it’s surprising that no Cup driver has won a Martinsville race from the pole position since Johnson accomplished the feat in the spring race of 2013. Hamlin, who leads active drivers with five wins at the paper-clip-shaped track, is the only driver in Sunday’s race who has won at Martinsville from the pole (2010).

–Justin Allgaier leads hungry JR Motorsports contingent at Martinsville

In the first Dash 4 Cash race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the incentive for JR Motorsports drivers is clear. They will be competing for the victory, not the $100,000 prize that goes to the Dash 4 Cash winner, in Saturday’s DUDE Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

No JRM driver finished high enough last Saturday at Richmond to qualify for the initial Dash 4 Cash bonus, which is available to four eligible drivers: Richmond winner Chandler Smith and runner-up Aric Almirola, both of Joe Gibbs Racing; Sunoco rookie leader Jesse Love of Richard Childress Racing; and Parker Kligerman of Big Machine Racing.

Though out of the running for the bonus, JRM’s Justin Allgaier and teammate Brandon Jones are the only former Martinsville winners in the field for Saturday’s race. Allgaier won the 2023 fall race at the 0.526-mile short track.

“It’s great to be returning to Martinsville this weekend,” Allgaier said. “We showed last fall that we were capable of getting to Victory Lane there, and I feel just as confident that we will have a fast Jarrett Chevrolet when we hit the track on Friday (for practice and qualifying).

“(Crew chief) Jim (Pohlman) and this entire No. 7 team has been fighting hard all year long and I know that we will give it everything we have to get a solid finish and be in position for the win come Saturday night.”

Jones hopes to reverse his fortunes after an early engine failure knocked him out of last Saturday’s Richmond event.

“We had great speed in Richmond last weekend, but just had some bad luck come our way,” Jones said. “Martinsville has always been a strong track for me, so I am ready to get there and try to turn our luck around.

“I trust this Menards/Atlas Roofing team will give me a fast car like they have all season, so it’s time to get it done.”

One word of caution: there have been 13 different winners in the last 13 Xfinity races at Martinsville, which didn’t host the series between 1994 and 2006 and experienced another gap between 2006 and 2020.

Kenny Wallace was the last repeat winner at the track (1992 and 1994).

–Supercars star Cam Waters to make NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck debut

In a case of extremes, 11-time Australian Supercars winner Cam Waters will make his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start in Friday night’s Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

At the other end of the spectrum, Waters’ ThorSport Racing teammate, Matt Crafton, will make his record 550th Truck Series start — all consecutive — at the 0.526-mile short track.

Waters follows three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen into the NASCAR ranks. Van Gisbergen won his NASCAR Cup Series debut in last year’s Chicago Street Race and now competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“I’m absolutely pumped, so I’m super excited to be finally having a race over here in a truck,” said Waters, who will drive ThorSport’s No. 66 Ford on Friday. “I’ve always followed NASCAR and done a little valuable stuff myself on dirt in Australia, so to do a pavement oval is pretty cool for me and something I’ve always wanted to do.

“I’ve wanted to do it for years, but with what I do in Australia, (that) has always been my focus and still is my focus, for sure. But we came to Martinsville 12 months ago and watched a race, and that’s what probably sparked a bit more interest in me to pursue it.

“I’ve just been chipping away in the background over the last 12 months to make something happen like this.”

Starting in 2001, Crafton has raced at Martinsville 40 times in the Truck Series, winning twice and posting a record 23 top 10s. The three-time series champion has completed a record 8,736 of a possible 8,915 laps at the vaunted short track.

For the fourth time since the inception of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 1995, the first five races of the season have produced five different winners and five different polesitters.

Corey Heim, winner of the Mar. 23 race at Circuit of The Americas, leads the series by eight points over second-place Ty Majeski and by nine points over third-place Tyler Ankrum.

The last 10 Truck Series races at Martinsville have produced 10 different winners. Heim is the defending winner of Friday night’s event.

TENNIS NEWS

RAFAEL NADAL WITHDRAWS FROM MONTE CARLO MASTERS

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he withdrew from the Monte Carlo Masters because his body is not ready for the rigors of a tournament.

“Hi all, these are very difficult moments for me, sporting wise,” the 22-time Grand Slam champion wrote on social media. “Unfortunately I have to tell you that I am not going to be playing in Monte-Carlo. My body simply won’t allow me. And even if I am working hard & making the maximum effort every day with all the will to play and compete again at tournaments that have been very important for me, the truth is that I can’t play today.

“You have no idea how hard this is for me to not be able to play these events. The only thing I can do is to accept the situation and try to look at the immediate future keeping the excitement and will to play in order to give me a chance for things to get better.”

Nadal, 37, is an 11-time champion at the Monte Carlo Masters, a clay-court ATP 1000 tournament that begins on Sunday in Monaco.

He has played in just one ATP event this year — the Brisbane International in January — after being sidelined for almost a year with a hip flexor injury. He won two matches before losing to Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals.

ATP ROUNDUP: NUNO BORGES DELIGHTS HOME-COUNTRY CROWD IN ESTORIL

Home-country favorite Nuno Borges upset No. 3 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 7-6(4), 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Millennium Estoril Open in Estoril, Portugal, on Thursday.

Borges, who is seeking his first ATP Tour win, saved two set points serving at 5-6 in the first set during the one-hour, 37-minute match on clay courts. Down 3-1 to open the match, Borges rallied to set up the tiebreaker.

Also upset was No. 5 seed Arthur Fils of France, who was eliminated by Chile’s Cristian Garin, 2-6, 6-4, 6-5.

The tournament’s top seeds, No. 1 Casper Ruud of Norway and No. 2 Hubert Hurkacz of Poland advanced in straight sets. Ruud defeated Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-2, and Hurkacz topped Great Britain’s Jan Choinski 7-6 (5), 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Other winners were Richard Gasquet of France and Spaniards Pedro Martinez and Pablo Llamas Ruiz.

Grand Prix Hassan II

Roberto Carballes Baena defeated No. 7 seed Dan Evans of Great Britain 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the second round in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Spaniard scored on 72 percent of his points on first serve and also fought off six of seven break points.

Mariano Navone of Argentina fought off Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinal round.

Also moving on was American qualifier Nicolas Moreno De Alboran, who beat Belgium’s David Goffin 6-3, 6-4.

WTA ROUNDUP: DANIELLE COLLINS WINS TWICE IN CHARLESTON

Danielle Collins extended her winning streak to 10 matches, winning twice on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Credit One Charleston (S.C.) Open.

First, Collins upset second-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in a second-round match that had been pushed back to Thursday due to rain. Then Collins blitzed Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-2 in a matchup of unseeded U.S. players.

Collins, a 30-year-old Floridian who is retiring at the end of the season, captured the Miami Open championship last week.

Next up for Collins will be a match against 11th-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium, who got past seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-4, 6-1. Earlier Thursday, Mertens defeated France’s Varvara Gracheva 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

The United States’ Jessica Pegula cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Poland’s Magda Linette.

In other third-round action, Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka, the 12th seed, rallied past the United States’ Taylor Townsend 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarters. Third-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece downed Australia’s Astra Sharma 6-4, 6-1, and fourth-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia eliminated 15th-seeded Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-4.

Ninth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova of Russia toppled fifth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 7-5, 6-1, and Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian beat 10th-seeded Emma Navarro of the United States 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

Stephens won her second-round match earlier Thursday, defeating 14th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 6-4.

Copa Colsanitas

Home-country favorite Camila Osorio, the sixth seed, moved into the quarterfinals at Bogota, Colombia, with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Romania’s Anca Alexia Todoni.

Osorio overcame eight double faults in part by winning 45 percent of her return points. Todoni put just 48 percent of her first serves in play.

The rest of the scheduled Thursday slate was delayed due to a power failure.

INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES/NEWS

INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS THUNDER

With five games left in the regular season, the Pacers (43-34) need every win they can get to secure a top-six seed an automatic berth in the playoffs. They will face a stiff test on Friday, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder (52-24) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Pacers are 1-0 against the Thunder this season, having won 121-111 in Oklahoma City on March 12. Friday’s rematch will have significant stakes for both squads.

Indiana dropped to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings on Wednesday night. The Blue & Gold had a three-point lead with 1:30 to play in Brooklyn, but the Nets outscored them 10-3 down the stretch to hand the Pacers a 115-111 defeat.

The Pacers are now a half-game back of Miami for sixth place in the East and a game-and-a-half up on eighth-place Philadelphia. The Heat and the Sixers play on Thursday night in Miami and the Pacers host Miami on Sunday in a pivotal matchup that will determine which team has the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Thunder, meanwhile, are in a three-team race for the top seed in the Western Conference. As of Thursday morning, Oklahoma City is a game back of both Minnesota and Denver with all three teams having six games remaining.

Oklahoma City has been shorthanded over its past two games, as leading scorers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (quad) and Jalen Williams (ankle) have missed the Thunder’s last two games, losses at Philadelphia and Boston.

Gilgeous-Alexander will get strong consideration in MVP voting, as the 25-year-old guard ranks third in the NBA in scoring at 30.3 points per game. He is shooting 53.9 percent from the field and averaging 5.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and a league-leading 2.1 steals per contest. Williams averages 19.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, while rookie center Chet Holmgren contributes 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.

Pacers starting center Myles Turner did not play on Wednesday after dislocating his right index finger in the first half of Monday’s game against the Nets. Fourth-year big man Jalen Smith started in Turner’s place, with third-year center Isaiah Jackson getting minutes off the bench.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Jalen Smith

Thunder: G – Cason Wallace, G – Josh Giddey, F – Luguentz Dort, F – Aaron Wiggins, C – Chet Holmgren

Injury Report

Pacers: Myles Turner – questionable (dislocated right index finger), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right shoulder labral tear)

Thunder: TBA

Last Meeting

March 12, 2024: The Pacers went into Oklahoma City and knocked off a Thunder team that at the time was in first place in the Western Conference, coming away with a 121-111 win.

Indiana scored 72 points in the paint and limited the Thunder to 43.8 percent shooting on the other end. Six Pacers, including all five starters, finished in double figures for the Blue & Gold.

Myles Turner led the way with 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting and also blocked four shots. Tyrese Haliburton (18 points and 12 assists) and Pascal Siakam (18 points and 11 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 30 points on 12-of-27 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists in the loss. Luguentz Dort scored 18 for Oklahoma City, while Chet Holmgren tallied 15 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks.

Noteworthy

With a win on Friday, the Pacers would sweep the season series with the Thunder for the third time in the past five years.

Tyrese Haliburton has 703 assists this season and needs 11 on Friday to break Mark Jackson’s franchise record for most assists in a single season, a mark set in the 1997-98 season.

The Thunder acquired Brownsburg native and former Butler star Gordon Hayward from Charlotte at the trade deadline on Feb. 8. The 34-year-old Hayward has appeared in 21 games for Oklahoma City (starting one) and averaged 4.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)

Tickets

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, April 5 at 7:00 PM ET.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASEBALL

PLASSMEYER’S PUNCHOUTS, OFFENSIVE OUTPOURING PROPEL INDIANS TO FIRST HOME WIN IN ‘24

INDIANAPOLIS – Southpaw Michael Plassmeyer spun a gem with 5.0 one-run innings and eight strikeouts to lead the Indianapolis Indians to their first win at Victory Field in 2024 on Thursday night over the Memphis Redbirds, 7-5.

Plassmeyer (W, 1-0), who started on Opening Night for the Indians on Friday in Louisville, had struck out six batters through three scoreless innings of work before giving up a triple and sacrifice fly to begin the fourth inning. Through two starts (9.0 innings) to begin the season, he has racked up 14 strikeouts.

The Indians (2-3) got on the board first in the top of the second inning, after Billy McKinney roped a double for the first extra-base hit of the game and was driven in on a Carter Bins single.

After Memphis (3-2) tied the game on Moisés Gómez’s sacrifice fly, Indy’s offense came alive with a trio of run-scoring doubles throughout the fifth and sixth innings. With two outs in the fifth, Malcom Nuñez extended his own torrid stretch of extra-base hits with a double to plate Liover Peguero. The momentum carried into the sixth, and with the bases loaded Nick Gonzales and Gilberto Celestino went back-to-back with doubles to score four more. Joshua Palacios capped Indy’s scoring with an RBI single three batters later.

The Redbirds rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth inning. César Prieto launched a three-run home run and with two outs, Luken Baker roped an RBI double to bring Memphis within two. Geronimo Franzua (S, 1) then entered and induced a game-ending fly out on one pitch.

Victor Santos (L, 0-1) surrendered two Indians runs across 5.0 innings, exiting after Indy took the lead in the fifth inning.

Indy’s offense was highlighted by Jake Lamb’s three-hit day. Nick Gonzales and Gilberto Celestino extended their respective hitting streaks to all five games to begin the season, with Gonzales going 2-for-5 with a run, double and pair of RBI. Nuñez and Bins joined Gonzales with two-hit offerings.

The Indians and Redbirds continue their six-game series on Friday night at 7:05 PM ET. Featured as MiLB.tv’s Free Game of the Day, RHP Paul Skenes (0-0, 0.00) will take the mound for Indianapolis in his second Triple-A start. Countering for the Redbirds is RHP Adam Kloffenstein (0-0, 4.50).

INDY ELEVEN SOCCER

INDY ELEVEN TO PLAY CHICAGO FIRE FC II IN U.S. OPEN CUP THIRD ROUND

CHICAGO (Thursday, April 4, 2024) – Indy Eleven will begin competition in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Chicago Fire FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) Wednesday, April 17. Kick is set for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Admission for the match will be $10 for the general public with purchasing information available in the coming days.

Thirty-two teams will compete in the Third Round of the 106th edition of the tournament, which includes Second Round winners and 16 teams from the USL Championship. Third Round winners will join eight Major League Soccer sides and the top eight teams from the 2023 USL Championship season in the Round of 32, taking place May 7-8.

Chicago Fire II defeated Chicago City SC, 6-0, in the First Round and Forward Madison, 2-0, in the Second Round to advance to face the Boys in Blue. The teams met Feb. 10 in 2024 preseason action, with Indy coming away with a 2-0 victory.

The Boys in Blue appeared in the Third round of the 2023 edition of the U.S. Open Cup, falling to MLS-side Columbus Crew, 1-0.

Broadcasts of all matches will stream live on usopencup.com, mlssoccer.com, and uslsoccer.com during the Third Round as well as the Rounds of 32 and 16. This unparalleled access to the tournament ensures soccer fans across the country will have access to every action-packed match – including the entrance of USL Championship and Major League Soccer sides – in the nation’s oldest and most prestigious soccer competition.

Third Round Match-Ups
Home teams listed first; visit usopencup.com for full schedule details including venues and times

Tuesday, April 16
Louisville City FC (USL Championship) vs. Greenville Triumph SC (USL League One)
Detroit City FC (USL Championship) vs. Michigan Stars FC (NISA)
Charlotte Independence (USL League One) vs. Rhode Island FC (USL Championship)
New Mexico United (USL Championship) vs. Lubbock Matadors (USASA / NPSL)
Oakland Roots SC (USL Championship) vs. El Farolito (USASA / NPSL)

Wednesday, April 17
Hartford Athletic (USL Championship) vs. New York City FC II (MLS NEXT Pro)
North Carolina FC (USL Championship) vs. Carolina Core FC (MLS NEXT Pro)
Richmond Kickers (USL League One) vs. Loudoun United FC (USL Championship)
Miami FC (USL Championship) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USL League One)
Memphis 901 FC (USL Championship) vs. Miami United FC (USSSA-S / USSL)
FC Tulsa (USL Championship) vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USL League One)
Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL League One)
Chicago Fire FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) vs. Indy Eleven (USL Championship)
Union Omaha (USL League One) vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (USL Championship)
Monterey Bay FC (USL Championship) vs. Irvine Zeta FC (NISA)
Las Vegas Lights FC (USL Championship) vs. Spokane Velocity FC (USL League One)

Round of 32 MLS/USL Championship Clubs
Atlanta United FC
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo FC (Defending U.S. Open Cup Champion)
Los Angeles FC
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City

Charleston Battery
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Orange County SC
Phoenix Rising FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio FC
Tampa Bay Rowdies

Remaining U.S. Open Cup Schedule
Third Round | Tuesday, April 16 – Wednesday, April 17             
Round of 32 | Tuesday, May 7 – Wednesday, May 8                   
Round of 16 | Tuesday, May 21 – Wednesday, May 22               
Quarterfinal | Tuesday, July 9 – Wednesday, July 10                  
Semifinal | Tuesday, Aug. 27 – Wednesday, Aug. 28             
Final | Wednesday, Sept. 25

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is U.S. Soccer’s Club Championship and has crowned a champion annually since 1914 (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19). The historic tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer and is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and the world’s third-longest continuously run national cup tournament.

Indy travels to Louisville this Saturday for a USL Championship match with rival Louisville City FC at 4 p.m. ET. The match will air nationally on CBS and on SiriusXM Channel 157.

INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SCALIA WINS 2024 HANES ORIGINAL SOFT TOUCH WOMEN’S 3-POINT CHAMPIONSHIP

PHOENIX – Indiana senior guard Sara Scalia hit 19 3-pointers in the final round as she won the 2024 Hanes Women’s 3-Point Championship at Global Credit Union Arena on the campus of Grand Canyon University on Thursday night.

In three rounds of the 35th annual event, Scalia hit a combined 56 made 3-pointers including a high of 21 in the opening round. She advanced to the finals with a 17 in the semifinals and took the crown over Missouri’s Hayley Frank by a score of 19-18. She is the second Hoosier in program history to win the competition, as Aulani Sinclair won the event in 2013. She advanced to face Nebraska’s Keisei Tominaga in the Sketcher’s Battle of the Champions where she ultimately fell, 20-16. 

One of the nation’s best 3-point shooters this season, Scalia knocked down an IU single season record 103 triples in her final season with the Cream and Crimson. She ranks fourth in NCAA Division I in three pointers made, fourth in 3-pointers per game (3.22) and 12th in 3-point percentage with a 43 percent clip. The Stillwater, Minn. native was IU’s second leading scorer this season with 16.3 points per game and had three or more triples in 21 times. Scalia scored in double figures in 28 games with 10 games with 20 points or more and a season-high 32 points against Bowling Green.

A 2023-24 All-Big Ten first team honoree, Scalia finished her five-year career as a five-time All-Big Ten selection. She was also a Top 10 finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale award for nation’s top shooting guard while also earning WBCA All-Region honors and was the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 20.

IU’S HOLMES AND SCALIA TO PARTICIPATE IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE ALL-STAR GAME

CLEVELAND – Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia will participate in the 2024 Women’s College All-Star Game on April 6, joining other seniors from across the country in a nationally televised contest on ESPN2. The game will be held at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Wolstein Center on the campus of Cleveland State in downtown Cleveland.

The Women’s College All-Star Game will provide 20 of the country’s brightest stars one final opportunity to represent their programs and be recognized against the backdrop of the sport’s championship weekend. Intersport, an award-winning Chicago-based agency that first launched a national women’s college basketball all-star event alongside the WBCA 25 years ago, will host the event.

Tickets for the Women’s College All-Star Game, which start at just $15, are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the event’s website at www.womenscollegeallstar.com.

A unanimous All-Big Ten First Team, All-Big Ten Defensive team and USBWA and AP All-American this season, Holmes Maine led Indiana (and second in the Big Ten) in scoring with 19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and shooting a league-best 65.0 percent from the floor in 31 games. She scored in double figures in 30 of 32 games including 17 20-point games and two 30-point efforts along with a team-high six double-doubles. Nationally, Holmes ranks third in field goal percentage, 12th in field goals made (260), 24th in points per game and 31st in points (633). She is a finalist for the 2024 Lisa Leslie Award, which honors the nation’s top center and appeared on a variety of national player of the year lists as a candidate including the Wooden Award, Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy and USWBA Ann Meyers Drysdale award. The Gorham, Maine native finished her IU career as the program’s all-time leading scorer and second leading scorer between the men’s and women’s program with 2,518 career points. She also finishes with the program’s best field goal percentage for a career, shooting 64.0 percent from the floor while pulling down 986 rebounds and finishing second in all-time blocks with 256.

One of the nation’s best 3-point shooters this season, Scalia knocked down an IU single season record 103 triples in her final season with the Cream and Crimson. She ranks fourth in NCAA Division I in three pointers made, fourth in 3-pointers per game (3.22) and 12th in 3-point percentage with a 43 percent clip. The Stillwater, Minn. native was IU’s second leading scorer this season with 16.3 points per game and had three or more triples in 21 times. Scalia scored in double figures in 28 games with 10 games with 20 points or more and a season-high 32 points against Bowling Green. A 2023-24 All-Big Ten first team honoree, Scalia finished her five-year career as a five-time All-Big Ten selection. She was also a Top 10 finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale award for nation’s top shooting guard while also earning WBCA All-Region honors and was the Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 20.

Holmes will be on Team Lieberman while Scalia is set to play with Team Miller, which will be coached by Naismith Hall of Famers and basketball legends Nancy Lieberman and Cheryl Miller, respectively.

National brands have committed to the event and will activate during the experience through product distribution and other engagement opportunities, including State Farm, Zappos.com, Skechers and Under Armour.

INDIANA BASEBALL

BASEBALL CENTRAL: MARYLAND

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –  Big Ten play resumes this weekend as the Indiana Baseball team (16-14, 1-2 B1G) travels to College Park for a massive RPI-boosting opportunity against Maryland. The Terrapins enter the weekend in the top-40 of the latest rankings and sit 3-3 in conference play.

This marks the third time in the tenure of head coach Jeff Mercer that IU heads to face Maryland. He’s 4-7 against the Terrapins in his time at IU but 3-3 when games are played in College Park. Fans will best remember IU’s 20-5 victory in 2019 when Grant Richardson hit three home runs as part of a nine-homer day for the Hoosiers.

IU picked up another massive win for the resume on Tuesday night, beating Indiana State (No. 15 RPI) 16-7 behind a four-hit day from sophomore shortstop Tyler Cerny. The Hoosiers hit three home runs on the day with junior third baseman Josh Pyne providing the go-ahead shot in the sixth inning.

This is the first of four Big Ten road trips in the regular season. IU will also visit Minnesota, Purdue and Nebraska before the season is over. All three games will be available on BTN+. First pitch Friday is set for 6:00 PM. Stay tuned to Indiana Baseball on X and Facebook (@IndianaBase) for any schedule updates.

Gameday Info

at Maryland (Friday, April 5th  – 6:00 PM)

Live Video: bit.ly/3TGJSEx

Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio

Live Stats: bit.ly/49mb6WI

at Maryland (Saturday, April 6th  – 2:00 PM)

Live Video: bit.ly/3TGJSEx

Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio

Live Stats: bit.ly/49mb6WI

at Maryland (Sunday, April 7th  – 1:00 PM)

Live Video: bit.ly/3TGJSEx

Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio

Live Stats: bit.ly/49mb6WI

Probable Starters

Indiana at Maryland

• Friday – Ty Bothwell, LHP (IU) vs. Kenny Lippman, RHP (UMD)

• Saturday  – Connor Foley, RHP (IU) vs. Logan Koester, RHP (BU)

• Sunday  – TBD vs. Joey McMannis, RHP (UMD)

Player and Stat Trends

Closing in on 200

• Brock Tibbitts (182) and Josh Pyne (182) are neck-in-neck as they try to become the next members of the 200-hit club at IU. They would be the first pair of teammates from the same recruiting class to reach the plateau since Kyle Schwarber and Sam Travis (2012-14). 23 players in program history, which dates back to the 1890’s, have recorded 200-career hits. Only nine players have ever reached 200 hits in their first three years on campus.

200 of His Own

• Ty Bothwell is also searching for 200 … strikeouts. He is 18 away from becoming the 10th member of the 200-strikeout club at IU. He is currently third on the team with 33 punchies this season behind only Connor Foley’s 54.

Ironman Brock

• Brock Tibbitts is on a run of 149-straight starts without missing a contest. He is searching to become the third player since 2008 to have a stretch of at least 150-consecutive starts. Jerrud Sabourin made a 220-straight starts from 2008-11 while Craig Dedelow had 175-consecutive starts (2015-17).

• He picked up an unfortunate injury against Indiana State, taking him out of the game without a plate appearance. His run of starts could be in jeopardy on Friday against Maryland but his 149-straight starts without a missed game is the third-longest streak in the past 16 years and easily the longest of the Jeff Mercer era.

Racking Up Hits

• Devin Taylor (43) and Tyler Cerny (45) are top-10 in the Big Ten in hits this season and could be chasing special numbers in Bloomington this season. Only once at IU has a pair of teammates (Alex Dickerson and Jerrud Sabourin, 2010) each had 92+ hits respectively in the same campaign. Only one player ever (Alex Smith, 1985) has had 100+ hits in a season.

• Cerny, who is enjoying a fantastic sophomore season, is among the best in the Big Ten in RBIs (No. 1, 36), hits (No. 3, 45), runs scored (No. 6, 31), home runs (No. 9, 6), at-bats (No. 1, 129) and doubles (No. 4, 11).

Notable

New Month, New Slate

• While the month of March didn’t go the favor of the Hoosiers, a new month brings 16 addition opportunities to flip the script of the season. IU welcomed the challenge, knocking off No. 17 Indiana State on Tuesday (April 2) with a big comeback. The Hoosiers now make the trip to College Park to visit Maryland in the year’s first Big Ten road trip. Maryland swept IU in Bloomington last year.

Freshmen Production

• Needing a jolt of energy in the lineup, head coach Jeff Mercer has turned to some young talent to help boost the offense in the final half of the year. Jasen Oliver, Andrew Wiggins and Joey Brenczewski all figure to keep a prominent role in the lineup through the second half of the season.

• Oliver, the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on April 1st, and Wiggins both had four-hit games this past week. Oliver (3) and Wiggins each produced home runs while Brenczewski continues to hit the ball on a rope into the outfield. Oliver has 21 hits this year and is riding a 12-game hitting streak. Brenczewski (19) and Wiggins (9) continue to make solid contact in every at-bat.

A Model of Consistency

• Brock Tibbitts has been a rock for the Indiana Baseball program these past three years. Despite not being one of the top recruits out of his home state of Ohio, Tibbitts has turned himself into a top-10 round pick in this summer’s MLB draft and a potential All-Big Ten player.

• He’s on a run of 149-straight starts without missing a game and has never missed a contest in his college career. On the season, he’s hitting .336 while sharing the team lead in RBI’s (32). He took an unfortunate twist in his knee against Indiana State on Tuesday, putting his streak in jeopardy. Regardless, his streak of consecutive starts is the third-longest since 2008 and easily the longest in the Jeff Mercer era.

Ty and Foley Make a Dynamic Duo

• Despite the shared struggles by the pitching staff so far this year, sophomore Connor Foley and sixth-year senior Ty Bothwell have been more than outstanding for the Hoosiers.

• Bothwell went a career high eight innings last Friday night to beat Butler while Foley added 5.2 innings and nine strikeouts the next morning. The two have combined for a 6-2 record while pitching 70.2 innings and striking out 87 batters.

• D1 Baseball tabbed Connor Foley as its No. 39 2024 MLB Draft Prospect at the midway point of the season. Foley, a draft-eligible sophomore, is the No. 2 Big Ten prospect behind Iowa’s Brody Brecht on the same list.

Big Ten Play Resumes

• The race to the Big Ten Tournament is officially on for Indiana. The Hoosiers will play seven Big Ten opponents over the next seven weekends in hopes of qualifying for a conference-best 11th-straight Big Ten Tournament.

• The conference figures to be wide open over the next seven weeks. There is only one

undefeated team (Nebraska) and one winless team (Northwestern) through two weekends. IU will face Maryland, Minnesota, Purdue and Nebraska on the road. It still has Penn State, Rutgers and Michigan remaining on the home slate.

Scouting the Opponent

Maryland (21-8, 3-3 B1G)

• The defending Big Ten champions are off to a 21-8 start and a 3-3 record in conference play. Maryland took two of three from Michigan State but lost a series at Michigan.

• Eddie and Chris Hacopian lead the way offensively, hitting .373 and .339 respectively. The two have combined for nine home runs and 51 RBIs.

• Kenny Lippman, Logan Koester and Joey McMannis have been the weekend rotation for a majority of the year and will continue to do so this weekend.

• Maryland is 11-2 in two-run games this year with multiple walk-off victories including two against Michigan State and one on Wednesday against UMBC.

Inside the Series

Indiana vs. Maryland

• Maryland and IU have been two of the best teams in the conference over the past six years, combining to win three of the available four Big Ten regular season crowns since 2019.

• The Terrapins got the better part of the Hoosiers in 2023, sweeping in Bloomington to take a commanding lead in the Big Ten. The teams met twice in the Big Ten Tournament in 2022, splitting the matchups. IU got the best of Maryland in 2019, outscoring the Terrapins 39-9 in the final two games of the series.

• All-time the series favors IU 13-11, dating back to the first matchup in 1987. Maryland holds a 6-4 advantage over the past 10 matchups with three of them going into extra innings.

INDIANA SWIMMING

INDIANA DOMINATES BIG TEN POSTSEASON AWARDS

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the second-straight season, Indiana swimming and diving swept the men’s Big Ten postseason awards as part of its five-award haul, the conference office announced on Thursday (April 4).

Indiana has captured 10 of the last 12 men’s postseason awards going back to 2022, as the Hoosier men have captured three consecutive Big Ten Championships and top-five finishes at the NCAA Championships.

The Hoosiers won the conference championship double, winning both the men’s and women’s titles for the first time since 2019. IU is one of two Big Ten programs to win both championships within the same season. Indiana’s men finished fourth at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, and the women placed seventh, representing the Big Ten’s top national finishers at each competition.

Big Ten Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Ray Looze

Big Ten Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Ray Looze

Indiana head swimming coach Ray Looze is the only Big Ten head coach to win both the men’s and women’s coach of the year award in the same season, completing the feat for a third time this season. He was previously awarded both in back-to-back seasons: 2016 and 2017. Looze is now a 14-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, winning his eighth men’s award and sixth women’s award. He’s won the men’s award each of the last three seasons and seven times in the last nine years.

The Indiana women tied their program-record seventh-place national finish for a second-straight season and have placed top 10 in the NCAA team standings at seven of the last eight national meets. Junior swimmers Anna Peplowski and Ching Hwee Gan combined for three medals. Four relays reached the podium for the first time in program history, and all five scored for the first time since 2004.

IU’s men earned their fifth top-five national finish in six years. Fourteen Hoosiers combined for 43 All-America honors, both totals are Indiana’s most since 19 athletes from the 1974 squad totaled 50 honors in a second-place team finish.

Big Ten Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Drew Johansen

Indiana head diving Drew Johansen repeats as the Big Ten Diving Coach of the Year, his third straight conference coaching award after also winning the women’s honor in 2022. Johansen is now a six-time winner, earning his fourth men’s coach of the year award.

Johansen led his squad to a dominant performance at the 2024 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving and Championships and was named the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Men’s Diving Coach the Year earlier this week. Hoosier divers scored 121 points, better than all but 10 combined swimming and diving programs, and 66 points better than the next-best diving program (Ohio State divers totaled 55 points). IU has eclipsed 100 diving points at back-to-back NCAA meets, earning 104 points in 2023.

At the NCAA Championships, the trio of juniors Carson Tyler and Quinn Henninger and sophomore Maxwell Weinrich combined for a program-record six medals from the three diving events – two gold, two silver, two bronze – and eight All-America finishes.

Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Year: Brendan Burns

Senior Brendan Burns caps his career with his third-straight Big Ten Swimmer of the Year award after perhaps his most challenging NCAA Championships yet.

On the third day of the meet, Burns repeated as NCAA Champion in the 100-yard backstroke in 43.86 despite swimming from lane one. Burns is a three-time national champion, also winning the 200-yard butterfly in 2022.

On the last day, Burns took on the daunting 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard butterfly double for the first time in his career and reached the podium in each event. Burns reached the podium in all six events he swam, including three relays.

Big Ten Men’s Diver of the Year: Carson Tyler

Junior Carson Tyler secured Indiana’s fifth Big Ten Diver of the Year award in six years after former teammate Andrew Capobianco won four between 2019-2023. Tyler was also named the CSCAA Men’s Diver of the Year and Big Ten Diver of the Championships.

Tyler won two NCAA Championships, repeating as platform champion after earning his first-career 3-meter title one day before, which was won by Capobianco last season. Combining the championships and a bronze-medal finish on 1-meter, Tyler totaled 56 points over the week – a total that outscored every other diving program.

Tyler won on platform with a score of 515.75, IU’s best-ever mark at an NCAA Championships.

INDIANA SOFTBALL

INDIANA HEADS NORTH FOR ROAD SERIES AT MICHIGAN STATE

EAST LANSING, Mich. ––––– Indiana Softball will be back in action this weekend for a road series at Michigan State from Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7 at Secchia Stadium.

Indiana enters the weekend with a 23-12 record. The Hoosiers were initially set to host Purdue on Wednesday, April 3, but it was postponed due to inclement weather.

QUICK HITTERS:

Indiana leads all teams in the Big Ten in home runs with 40.

Seven of the nine routine starters for Indiana are hitting at or above a . 300 batting average. Five Hoosiers have charted 20 or more RBI, including junior Taylor Minnick who leads the team with 36.

Freshman Aly VanBrandt leads the team in batting average, posting a mark of .370. The true freshman was Michigan Miss Softball in 2023 and returns to her home state this weekend. VanBrandt is an Ottawa Lake native which is under two hours away from East Lansing.

Against FAU earlier this month, Indiana defeated the Owls, 4-1. In the game, redshirt senior Cora Bassett recorded her 200th career hit. The hit occurred on the same field as her first career hit as Bassett began her college career playing in a tournament at FAU in 2020 when she was a student-athlete at Purdue.

LAST TIME OUT:

In Indiana’s last series, the Hoosiers dropped all three games to Michigan at home.

The Hoosiers were supposed to play in a doubleheader against Purdue in Bloomington on Wednesday, but the games were postponed due to inclement weather.

In the Michigan series, Indiana was neck-and-neck in game one early on, as both teams were trading runs early on, eventually taking a 5-4 lead, but Michigan pulled away to win 15-6 in six innings.

The Hoosiers would drop games two and three, 7-1 and 10-1 (F/5), respectively.

On Sunday, freshman Alex Cooper made her first career start in the circle. Cooper had been used in relief settings before but had never started as a pitcher before in college.

Indiana welcomed back its 1983 Women’s College World Series team for the weekend, recognizing the team’s members, head coach Gayle Blevins and honoring the team with their World Series rings.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:

Michigan State enters the weekend series with a 13-19 overall record and a 1-5 mark in conference play.

The Spartans were swept in their first Big Ten series at Northwestern and then took one game in the Iowa series.

The series between the Spartans and Hoosiers will be the first time Michigan State has hosted games at Secchia Stadium this season.

In the non-conference slate, Michigan State played close with some tough teams, including nearly defeating No. 15 Arkansas, No. 24 Boston and FAU, losing those three games by a combined four runs.

Hannah Hawley is Michigan State’s top hitter, posting a .368 batting average on 35 hits, nine doubles, eight home runs and 18 RBI.

In the circle, Liv Grey is the Spartans’ go-to arm, she has a 2.29 ERA and 116 strikeouts with a 9-9 record.

SERIES NOTES:

Indiana leads the all-time series against Michigan State, 77-59.

Indiana has won the last three meetings over Michigan State, sweeping them in Bloomington in 2023.

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

BOILERMAKERS BATTLE NORTH CAROLINA STATE IN SATURDAY’S NATIONAL SEMIFINALS

GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 38 /// NCAA TOURNAMENT NATIONAL SEMIFINALS

[1 – MW] Purdue (33-4) vs. [11 – S] North Carolina State (26-14)

Saturday, April 6, 2024

6:09 p.m. ET | 3:09 p.m. PT

Glendale, Arizona | State Farm Stadium (63,000)

TELEVISION: TBS, TNT, TruTV (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson)

NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One (Kevin Kugler, Clark Kellogg, Jim Jackson)

PURDUE RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)

THE NOTES TO KNOW

•  The Midwest Region champion, Purdue Boilermakers, continue its quest for their first National Championship when it faces North Carolina State in the National Semifinals at Phoenix’s State Farm Stadium on Saturday. The Boilermakers last appeared in the NCAA Championship game in 1969 and are looking for their second title game appearance in school history.

• The Boilermakers are the Big Ten’s first representative in the Final Four since Michigan State in 2019.

• Purdue will play a game in April for the first time in school history and Saturday’s expected crowd of 60,000-plus will be the largest crowd to ever see Purdue play.

• With the win over Tennessee on Sunday, the Boilermakers won their 33rd game of the year and are now 33-4 on the season. The 33 victories are a continuing school record, and marks only the second season in Purdue history with at least 30 victories (30-7 in 2017-18).

• Purdue has won its first four games in the NCAA Tournament by a combined 85 points (78-50 vs. Grambling; 106-67 vs. Utah State; 80-68 vs. Gonzaga; 72-66 vs. Tennessee). It is the third-largest margin of victory through four games in NCAA Tournament history. 

• Purdue made its second Elite Eight in the last five seasons (2019) after going 19 years between appearances (2000). The Boilermakers are one of six teams (Purdue, Arkansas, Duke, Gonzaga, Miami, UConn) with multiple Elite Eight appearances in the last five seasons.

• With the win over Tennessee, Purdue improved to 10-0 this season against nationally-ranked teams. The Boilermakers are the second team in the last 15 years to play at least 10 games against nationally-ranked teams without a loss (2012 Kentucky; 10-0).

• Purdue has won 21 straight non-conference, regular-season and postseason games against power-conference OR nationally-ranked teams. It equals the second-longest streak in NCAA history, and is just behind the 22 straight by UCLA from 1971 to 1974. A win over North Carolina State would give Purdue 22 straight wins against power-conference or nationally-ranked teams outside of the Big Ten. Purdue’s last loss against a power-conference or ranked team not in the Big Ten was Dec. 8, 2020, vs. Miami, Fla. (58-54).

• Purdue is 19-5 (.783) against nationally-ranked teams since the start of the 2021-22 season, easily the best record in America (Arizona; 14-7).

• Braden Smith is the second player in NCAA history with at least 450 points, 275 assists and 200 rebounds in a season (BYU’s Kyle Collinsworth – 2016).

• Braden Smith moved into second place on the Big Ten’s single-season assists list with 278 (Cassius Winston – 291), needing 14 assists to break the record for most assists by a player in Big Ten history.

• Zach Edey scored 40 points with 16 rebounds in the win over Tennessee. He has had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in five straight NCAA Tournament games, tying the longest streak in NCAA Tournament history (David Robinson – 5 games).

• In four NCAA Tournament games this season, Zach Edey has 120 points, 65 rebounds and seven assists. Edey joins Jerry West (1959) and Larry Bird (1979) as the only players in NCAA Tournament history to reach those marks in a single NCAA Tournament.

• Zach Edey ranks third in points (2,459) and rebounds (1,299) in Big Ten history and needs just six rebounds to move into second place, tying Minnesota’s Jordan Murphy (1,305; 2016-19).

• Purdue was voted No. 3 in the final AP poll on March 18. With the No. 3 final ranking, Purdue has now been ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll for 36 straight weeks, the longest-active streak in America by 17 weeks (UConn – 19). It has been ranked in the top 3 in 30 of those weeks. The 36 weeks of being ranked in the top 5 is the third longest in confererence history (41 — Ohio State, 1960-63; 38 — Indiana, 1975-77).

• The No. 3 ranking in the final AP poll matches the highest final ranking in school history (also 2023, 1994, 1988).

in school history, when it takes on North Carolina State on April 6.

• Purdue is looking to reach the National Championship game for the first time since 1969, when it lost to Lew Alcindor and UCLA. The Boilermakers faced another ACC team in the semifinals, North Carolina, to reach the finals (92-65 win).

• Purdue will face an ACC team in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since, the Virginia game in the 2019 Elite Eight. Coincidentally, that game also came after a contest with Tennessee.

• Purdue’s 92 assists entering the Final Four are the most since the 1994-95 Kentucky team had 100 assists entering the Final Four. Purdue has assisted on 92 of its 122 made field goals (75.4 percent).

• Zach Edey is the first player to lead the country in scoring and reach a Final Four since Oscar Robertson in 1960.

• Purdue is second nationally behind Kansas (66.9) in assist rate, assisting on 65.8 percent of all its made field goals.

• Purdue is averaging 83.5 points per game, an increase of 10.8 points per game from a year ago, the Boilermakers’ highest increase in scoring average since the 1992-93 to 1993-94 season (+13.5).

• Purdue ranks 10th nationally in scoring offense, its highest NCAA ranking in the 19 years under Matt Painter.

• The Boilermakers rank second nationally in rebound margin (behind Saint Mary’s) at +11.6. Purdue led the country a year ago (+10.8).

• Purdue is 27-0 when it has 13 or fewer turnovers on the season. The Boilermakers are 6-4 when they have 14 or more turnovers.

• Purdue has trailed by 10 or more points in six games this year. The Boilermakers are 4-2 in those games with wins over Alabama, Minnesota, Illinois and Tennessee. The losses are to Nebraska and Ohio State.

• Purdue has started the same starting five in all 37 games. Purdue has never had a season where it started the same five all season.

• A year ago, Purdue shot 32.2 percent from 3-point range, a number that ranked 281st nationally. This year, Purdue is at 40.6 percent, leading the country in 3-point percentage. Purdue had one player (Braden Smith) shoot over 36.0 percent from deep a year ago. This year, Purdue has seven players over 36.0 percent and another (Lance Jones) at 35.8 percent.

• Purdue is 39-1 (Nebraska; Jan. 2024) in its last 40 games when making 10 or more 3-pointers. Purdue made 11 in the win over Utah State.

• During this senior group’s career (since 2010-11), Purdue is 49-2 when shooting 50.0 percent or better from the field (losses to Indiana – Feb. 4, 2023; Michigan State – Feb. 26, 2022).

• Since the 2020-21 season, Purdue is 39-4 when having single-digit turnovers. In the four losses, Purdue is 20-of-82 (.244) from deep.

• Zach Edey’s assist-to turnover ratio over his four years (FR – 0.26; SOPH – 0.69; JR – 0.68; SR – 0.91).

• Zach Edey has scored at least 22 points in 14 straight games. He has grabbed at least 12 rebounds in 10 of those games.

• Zach Edey became the first player since Lew Alcindor (1967-68) to have at least 50 points, 35 rebounds and to shoot better than 65.0 percent from the field in the first two NCAA Tournament games.

• Zach Edey became the first player since Memphis’ Larry Kenon in 1975 to have at least 30 points, 20 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists in an NCAA Tournament game.

• Zach Edey ranks fifth on the NCAA’s all-time free throw attempts list with 424. The NCAA record for free throws attempted are 444 by Furman’s Frank Selvy in 1953-54. Edey’s 424 free throw attempts are the most for a player since 1970 (Pete Maravich – 436).

• Mason Gillis’ 40.8 career 3-point percentage (146-of-358) is the sixth-best percentage in school history. His season 3-point percentage of 47.5 (56-of-118) is third in school history.

• Lance Jones’ 76, 3-pointers this season are tied for the 15th most in a season in Purdue history.

MEDIA GAME NOTES: https://gopack.com/documents/2024/4/4/GAME38_Purdue_Game_Notes.pdf

NC STATE NOTES:

PHOENIX, Ariz – The NC State men’s basketball team arrived in Phoenix, Ariz., Wednesday afternoon for the 2024 Final Four.

The Pack opens play in the Final Four on Saturday evening when it faces No. 1 seed Purdue. Tipoff against the Boilermakers is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on TBS.

NC State fans can also listen to Gary Hahn and Tony Haynes call the action on the Wolfpack Sports Network.

Pack Notes

– NC State won the South Region and advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1983 with a 76-64 win over Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday evening.

– The Pack put together a dominating second half, outscoring Duke 55-37, to overcome a six-point halftime deficit. NC State shot 73.1 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes (19-26), including 85% (17-of-20) on two-point field goals.

– For the sixth consecutive game, NC State’s defense held its opponent under 40 percent shooting as Duke shot just 32.2 percent from the field. The Blue Devils field goal percentage was a season-low for an NC State opponent.

– In the two games in Dallas, NC State’s defense held Marquette and Duke to a combined 32.8 percent shooting from the field and just 17.6 percent (9-of-51) from three-point range. Duke’s 64 points were the second fewest it scored in a game this season while Marquette’s 58 points were just fourth time it was held under 60 points.

– DJ Burns, Jr., led NC State over Duke with a season-high 29 points. He finished the game 13-of-19 from the field and added three assists (zero turnovers) and two blocks. Burns was dominant in the second half as he scored 21 of his 29 points in the final 20 minutes and was 9-of-11 from the field.

– Burns, Jr., was named the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player. In four NCAA Tournament games, Burns is averaging 18.3 points per game and shooting 73.3 percent from the field. He is also averaging 5.0 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per contest.

– DJ Horne added 20 points in the win over Duke. He is averaging 16.5 points per game in the NCAA Tournament and 2.5 three-pointers made per contest. Horne is just the third player in program history –  joining Scott Wood (2012-13) and Rodney Monroe (1990-91) – to hit over 100 three-pointers in a single season. Wood and Monroe are currently tied for first place on the program’s single-season three-point list with 104. Horne needs just two three-pointers to become the program’s single-season three-point leader.

NC State Series with Purdue

– Saturday is the 7th all-time meeting between NC State and Purdue. The Pack leads the all-time series, 4-2, but Purdue has won the last two games.

– The two programs last met on December 12, 2021 in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., with top-ranked Purdue defeating NC State in overtime, 82-72. NC State never trailed in regulation and led by as many as 13 points in the second half. The Pack still had an eight-point lead at the final media timeout of the second half, but Purdue closed regulation on a 12-4 run to force overtime and ran away with the win in the extra five minutes.

NC State in the NCAA Tournament

– This is the Pack’s second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 29th all-time. NC State has an all-time record of 41-26 in the NCAA Tournament.

NC State in the Final Four

– This is NC State’s fourth appearance in the NCAA Final Four.

– It previously made the Final Four in 1950, 1974 and 1983.

MEDIA GAME NOTES: https://gopack.com/documents/2024/4/4/NC_State_Game_Notes_-_Purdue_4.6.pdf

PURDUE BASEBALL

BOILERMAKERS FLY EAST FOR FIRST TRIP TO RUTGERS SINCE 2019

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Purdue (17-12, 2-4 Big Ten) at Rutgers (19-9, 1-2 Big Ten)

Friday to Sunday, April 5-7 / Watch B1G+

Series Opener: Friday, April 5 at 6 p.m. ET

Middle Game: Saturday, April 6 at 3 p.m. ET

Series Finale: Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. ET

Bainton Field / Piscataway, New Jersey

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS

Friday: Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) vs. RU’s Justin Sinibaldi (Sr, LHP)

Saturday: Luke Wagner (Sr, LHP) vs. RU’s Zack Konstaninovsky (Fr, RHP)

Sunday: Jonathan Blackwell (Sr, LHP) vs. RU’s Christian Coppola (So, RHP)

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time: Rutgers leads 11-10

All-Time in Piscataway: Rutgers leads 4-2

2023: Purdue won 2 of 3 (April 28-30 in West Lafayette)

Last Series in Piscataway: Rutgers won 2 of 3 (April 2019)

First Meeting: Purdue 15, Rutgers 9 (March 1999 in Boca Raton, Fla.)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Baseball’s first trip to New Jersey in five years doubles as the backend of its consecutive weekend road trips Big Ten play as the Boilermakers fly east for a three-game series at Rutgers.

First pitch at Bainton Field in Piscataway is set for 6 p.m. ET on Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. This year will mark the first time Purdue has played a night game at Rutgers, which added lights to its ballpark a year ago.

Pennsylvania natives Jordan Morales (Souderton, 60 miles from Piscataway) and Luke Wagner (New Cumberland, 150 miles from Piscataway) are scheduled to start on the mound for the Boilermakers in the first two games of the series.

Both teams had their midweek games washed out due inclement weather this week. Rutgers hosts Nebraska next weekend and has Maryland (May 3-5) and Ohio State (May 16-18) coming to Piscataway later this season. After the postponement of Wednesday’s home game, Purdue’s schedule now features a seven-game road stretch on the heels of the 13-game homestand. But the schedule turns home heavy again after this weekend as the Boilers play 17 of their final 24 regular-season games at home – including four weekend series at Alexander. The remaining weekend road trips are to Northwestern (April 26-28) and Michigan (May 10-12).

The Scarlet Knights lead the Big Ten in batting average (.330), stolen bases (62 of 74) and fielding percentage (.977). They also strike out the fewest in the league (5.96 K/game) while ranking seventh nationally in batting average. Rutgers is 96-47 overall since the start of the 2022 campaign, including an impressive 41-10 mark at home. However, a 51-32 record in true road games since 2022 has proven RU can win anywhere.

Purdue remains top three nationally with 32 double plays turned and enjoyed a clean week defensively on the artificial turf in Terre Haute and Columbus last week. It’s another artificial turf surface this weekend in Jersey.

The Boilermakers won last year’s series with Rutgers during the final weekend of April at Alexander Field, enjoying a notable edge in team on-base percentage (.400 to .303) over the three games. Connor Caskenette homered twice and Jo Stevens drove in three runs via a pair of extra-base hits in the series-opening win. Jonathan Blackwell and Aaron Suval teamed up for the game 2 win on the mound, with Suval posting four zeros as part of an 11-out save. The Scarlet Knights used a six-run seventh inning to overcome a 5-0 deficit Sunday, rallying to avoid the sweep.

Since Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2015, the home team has won 11 of the 18 regular-season meetings in the series.

ACTIVE STREAKS

• Jo Stevens – 15-game on-base streak; 9-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 5/18/23)

• Mike Bolton Jr. – 12-game on-base streak in Big Ten play (since 4/29/23); 8-game on-base streak in all games

• Luke Gaffney – 7-game on-base streak; 6-game on-base streak in Big Ten play

• Jackson Dannelley – 14 consecutive inherited runners stranded (since 5/20/23)

WEEKEND #3 OF BIG TEN PLAY

• Purdue (2-4) at Rutgers (1-2)

• Michigan (4-2) at Iowa (4-2)

• Illinois (5-1) at Minnesota (1-2)

• Ohio State (2-1) at Nebraska (3-0)

• Indiana (1-2) at Maryland (3-3)

• Northwestern (0-3) at Penn State (1-5)

• Niagara at Michigan State (3-3)

TOP 10 IN THE BIG TEN ENTERING THE WEEKEND

• Camden Gasser – 1st in OBP (.542), 1st in Walks (31), T-2nd in Sac Bunts (5), T-7th in Steals (10), T-8th in Runs (29)

• Luke Gaffney – T-1st in RBI (36), 3rd in Runs (32), 4th in Slugging (.664), T-5th in Triples (2), T-6th in hits (43), T-6th in Doubles (10), 7th in OPS (1.126), 7th in Batting Avg (.391), T-8th in HR (6)

• Logan Sutter – 1st in Doubles (14), 8th in Slugging (.648), 10th in RBI (28), 10th in OPS (1.089)

• Couper Cornblum – T-1st in Triples (3), 8th in At-Bats (115)

• Jackson Dannelley – 1st in Saves (5)

• Jordan Morales – T-3rd in Wins (4), 7th in Innings (38), T-8th in Strikeouts (38)

• Luke Wagner – T-3rd in Wins (4)

• Connor Caskenette – 5th in RBI (33), T-5th in HBP (10), T-8th in HR (6)

• Mike Bolton Jr. – T-5th in Steals (11)

• Jo Stevens – T-5th in Triples (2), T-7th in HBP (9)

PURDUE VOLLEYBALL

ANDERSON SELECTED FOR U21 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Setter Taylor Anderson was selected by USA Volleyball for the 2024 U21 Women’s National Team.

Anderson is one of 20 players in the nation to be tapped for the honor, including one of three setters, to train in Anaheim, California on June 14-22. During that time, 12 of the 20 athletes will be selected to represent the United States at the 2024 U21 Women’s NORCECA Continental Championship on June 23-July 1 in Toronto, Canada.

It is the third consecutive year a Boilermaker has earned this opportunity, with Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine members of the 12-woman roster a year ago, while Raven Colvin and Chicoine played on the team in 2022.

Coming off a 2023 season which culminated in an All-Big Ten Freshman Team nod, Anderson is one of two Purdue true-freshmen to average 9.88 assists per set in her inaugural season. Additionally, she produced the most blocks by a freshman setter in Purdue history (95). During the NCAA tournament, the San Antonio, Texas, native set a record for Purdue in an NCAA tournament match with 60 assists in the NCAA Second Round vs. No. 6-seed Marquette, breaking an 18-year-old record that was set by Renata Dargan in December 2004. Anderson racked up 1,107 assists during her inaugural year, ranking fourth in the Big Ten as she helped lead Purdue to a 23-9 (15-5 Big Ten) record and a third-place team finish in the Big Ten standings.

Anderson is the fourth Boilermaker to be tapped in 2024 by USA Volleyball. Eva Hudson attended the U.S. Women’s National Team Spring Training Camp in March and Lourdes Myers the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Program in February in addition to assistant coach Michael Bouril joining the Women’s Collegiate National Team as performance analyst this summer.

NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL

IRISH HOSTING VIRGINIA FOR STRIKEOUT CANCER WEEKEND

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team will host the Virginia Cavaliers this weekend for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Melissa Cook Stadium, playing Friday at 5 pm, Saturday at 1 pm and wraps up Sunday at noon. This weekend will also be the program’s 14th annual Strikeout Cancer weekend, with the program hosting a variety of events to raise money and awareness for families who have had children diagnosed with cancer.

Surrounding this weekend, the program will host a trivia night and silent auction Saturday evening at the South Bend Cubs training facility. Following the game Sunday, the team is hosting a home run derby for fans. To participate, fans can pay $5 cash for five swings, to $10 for 10 swings if paying by card. All money raised this weekend goes to benefit the Harper Cancer Research Institute and the Samantha Hickey Memorial Foundation. In the past the program has also used this money to help pay for lodging for a family while a child undergoes chemotherapy treatment, sending children on ‘Wish’ trips, purchasing a therapy dog for a child, funding a playroom at Beacon Children’s Hospital, the funds are used directly to impact the children and their families in a real, tangible way.

On the diamond, the Irish are coming off of a 1-2 weekend at North Carolina. After falling in the first game of the series, the Irish responded with a 10-5 win to even the series, before falling in the bottom of the seventh in the series finale. Overall, the Irish are 21-12 on the season and 6-6 in the ACC.

Virginia enters at 24-10 and 7-5 in the league. The last time Virginia competed in an ACC series, the Cavaliers took the series from the 17th-ranked Clemson Tigers in Charlottesville. Virginia enters having won nine of their last 10 games and five consecutive.

All three games this weekend will be live on the ACC Network Extra, with live stats available for each game.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HIDALGO, WESTBELD EARN WBCA ALL-AMERICA RECOGNITION

CLEVELAND — The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its 2024 Division I Coaches’ All-America honors, and a pair of Irish earned recognition from the organization.

Freshman Hannah Hidalgo was one of 10 athletes to be named to the formal team after averaging 22.6 points and 4.6 steals per game this season en route to being named ACC Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP. The latter mark led the nation and the former ranked second in the nation amongst freshmen.

In addition to Hidalgo’s accolade, Maddy Westbeld earned WBCA Coaches’ All-America honorable mention status. The senior averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season and was named to the All-ACC Second Team.

NOTRE DAME BASEBALL

NOTRE DAME BASEBALL HOSTS NO. 2 CLEMSON FOR HOME SERIES

The Irish (14-12, 2-10 ACC) will host their second home series of the year, this one against No. 2 Clemson. Led by John P. and Catherine Murphy Head Baseball Coach Shawn Stiffler in his second season with the Irish, Notre Dame welcomes 19 newcomers to the roster.

By The Numbers

2            

Shawn Stiffler is in his second season with the Irish, after leading Notre Dame to a 30-24 season in 2023. He owns a 384-234 career record. Stiffler came to South Bend after spending the 10 seasons at the helm of the VCU program.

2            

Notre Dame ranks No. 2 in the nation in fielding percentage at 0.985, with 673 putouts, 229 assists and just 14 errors.

2            

INF Connor Hincks ranks T-second in the ACC in triples with three. Hincks, in his first year of a regular starting role, has 13 extra-base hits thus far this season, adding six doubles and four home runs.

3            

INF Estevan Moreno is the only player in Division I baseball to hit three home runs in two separate games this season. Moreno hit three home runs in the 15-11 Saturday win at Tennessee Tech and in the 11-2 midweek victory at home vs. Purdue. He tied a program record for home runs in a single game with both performances. He has achieved the feat three times, the most of any Irish player in program history (also hit three April 21, 2023 vs. Virginia).

3            

Three Irish pitchers have been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List: RHPs Radek Birkholz, Bennett Flynn and Nate Hardman.

5            

RHP Matt Bedford has been a consistent starter for the Irish, ranking T-first in the ACC this season with 8 starts.

6            

Six of Notre Dame’s 2024 opponents are ranked in the Top 25 (D1Baseball): No. 2 Clemson, No. 10 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia Tech, No. 14 Florida State, No. 19 NC State and No. 21 Wake Forest

9            

OF David Glancy leads the Irish with nine home runs on the season, ranking eighth in the ACC with 0.39 home runs per game. He also leads the team in RBI (31).

15          

Notre Dame’s 15 home runs in the weekend series at Tennessee Tech were more than any team in Division I baseball over the course of that week, and in fewer games than any of the other teams in the Top 10 of that category that weekend.

27

Notre Dame is ranked No. 27 in the RPI, joining eight other ACC teams in the Top 30 of the rankings: No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 13 Virginia, No. 18 Duke, No. 24 Virginia Tech, No. 25 Wake Forest and No. 28 NC State.

19          

The Irish introduce 19 newcomers, featuring 10 freshmen and nine grad transfers, to the 2023 roster.

24          

INF Connor Hincks leads the ACC in fielding double plays this season with 24. Notre Dame has turned 25 double plays this season, tied for first in the ACC. Notre Dame’s 0.96 double plays per game rank 22nd in the nation.

43          

Notre Dame scored 43 runs in the series at Tennessee Tech (14-3 game one, 15-11 game two, 14-11 game three). It marked just the third time Notre Dame has scored 40 runs in three straight games against a single team since 2001 (the team scored 40 against Rutgers over three games in 2006 and 42 against Wake Forest over three games in 2022).

48          

D1Baseball tabbed OF T.J. Williams as No. 48 on the publication’s Midseason Top 100 Outfielders List. This season, Williams is batting .407 with 35 hits, five home runs and 21 RBI.  His 0.510 on-base percentage ranks third in the ACC.

100       

Perfect Game ranked two Irish players in their Top 100 Lists for each class. David Lally Jr. ranked No. 69 among the nation’s sophomores, and Jack Penney came in at No. 71 among juniors.

2024

Following the series sweep at Rice, Notre Dame received votes in the National College Baseball Writers Association poll.

Notre Dame’s four wins to begin the season was the program’s best start since 2004, when the Irish opened the season 7-0.

Notre Dame split the four-game series at FIU, going 2-2 in Miami Feb. 23-25.

The Irish launched several comeback campaigns to earn the series sweep of Tennessee Tech March 1-3. The Irish posted 15 home runs over the weekend, the most of any Division I team that week and in fewer games than the rest of the Top 10. INF Estevan Moreno hit three home runs in Saturday’s contest, tying a program record, which he had already matched once before.

Notre Dame scored 43 runs in the series at Tennessee Tech (14-3 game one, 15-11 game two, 14-11 game three). It marked just the third time Notre Dame has scored 40 runs in three straight games against a single team since 2001 (the team scored 40 against Rutgers over three games in 2006 and 42 against Wake Forest over three games in 2022).

Notre Dame’s home opener was an 11-2 win over Purdue. Moreno set a program record for most career games with three home runs, hitting three bombs in the victory.

The Irish fell victim to a sweep to open ACC play at Virginia Tech. INF Connor Hincks had a standout weekend for Notre Dame, posting a .417 batting average with five hits, two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI. Three of his hits, two RBI and one run came in Sunday’s game. He started all three games at first base for Notre Dame and played a role in two double plays, including an unassisted double play Saturday. In total, Hincks noted 22 putouts, two assists and zero errors on the weekend.

Notre Dame took both games at Radford 10-3, 11-6. Five Irish batters posted multi-hit games in the first win, while OF Simon Baumgardt hit his first-career grand slam to cement the second win.

The Irish fell to Florida State in Tallahassee, as the Seminoles continued their unbeaten streak and entered the national rankings after the weekend.

Notre Dame earned its first ACC series win at home vs. Miami, as pitching was the difference for the Irish in the wins.

The Irish fell in all three games at No. 22 NC State. After an eight-inning 10-0 loss in the series opener, Notre Dame battled in both games to a tie score in the second game, and a 6-4 lead in the third game, heading to the bottom of the ninth. In both games, NC State posted walk-off hits to take the games.

New Lineup in 2024

Notre Dame returns five regular starters from the 2023 lineup in DM Jefferson, Brady Gumpf, TJ Williams, Jack Penney and Estevan Moreno.

With the graduation of key pieces of the 2023 lineup (and 2022 College World Series team) in Carter Putz, Zack Prajzner, Jack Zyska, and Brooks Coetzee, new faces for the Irish have emerged in the lineup.

Notre Dame welcomes nine graduate transfers and 10 freshmen to the roster in the 2024 season.

The Outfield

Notre Dame returns three experienced outfielders in TJ Williams, DM Jefferson and Brady Gumpf. Williams, one of the top defensive centerfielders in college baseball, led the ACC in 2023 in sacrifice bunts (11).

The three are joined by graduate transfers Tito Flores and David Glancy. Flores is a two-time Big Ten all-tournament team selection, while Glancy led St. John’s with 13 home runs in 2023, and is ranked as one of D1Baseball’s Top 100 outfielders entering 2024.

No. 1 Jefferson: Has played most games as the starting DH for the Irish in 2024.

No. 2 Glancy: Leads the team in home runs (9) and RBI (31); Hit two home runs in four series this season – at Rice, at FIU, at Virginia Tech and vs. Miami. Was responsible for Notre Dame’s first home run of the season at Rice. Hit two home runs in the 12-10 (10 innings) loss to Miami, including a grand slam. Also went 4-5 with 4 RBI and hit a home run to give Notre Dame a ninth-inning 6-4 lead in the series finale at No. 22 NC State, but the Irish were unable to hold on.

No. 6 Williams: A four-year member of the Irish, and a leader on the team, Williams currently leads the Irish with a .407 with 35 hits, five home runs and 21 RBI.  His 0.510 on-base percentage ranks third in the ACC. He posted the first multi-home run game of his career with two home runs in the 13-4 win at FIU (2/23/24).

No. 7 Flores: Ranks on the team in RBI (23) on the season. Hit Notre Dame’s first grand slam of the season in the ninth inning of the Rice series finale, cementing the sweep.

No. 16 Bowen: Has appeared in three games and scored two runs this season; marked his first appearance for the Irish at Rice as a pinch runner, and took his first at-bat at Radford.

No. 21 Gumpf: Ranks third on the team in doubles (8); Hit two doubles in a single game March 9 at Virginia Tech, a single-game career high for the senior; Hit his first home runs of the season at Tennessee Tech, with one homer on Friday (March 1) and one on Sunday (March 3).

The Infield

Jack Penney and Estevan Moreno will look to build off their success in the infield in 2023. Penney tied for the team lead with 10 home runs before being sidelined by an injury, while Moreno, in a breakout freshman season, became the first Irish player since 2016 to hit three home runs in a single game (4/21/23 vs. Virginia). He has again achieved the feat twice since then, setting a program record.

The Irish also return Connor Hincks, Casey Kmet, Nick DeMarco and Rory Fox, all of whom saw playing time last season.

Joining the infield are impact transfers Simon Baumgardt and Josh Hahn. Baumgardt is ranked in D1Baseball’s Top 50 third basemen entering 2024.

No. 3 Moreno: The only player in Division I baseball to have three home runs in two separate games this season; Hit three home runs in the 15-11 win at Tennessee Tech and the 11-2 win vs. Purdue, tying a program record for home runs in a single game. He has achieved the feat three times, the only Irish player in program history to do so (also hit three homers April 21, 2023 vs. Virginia). Moreno is tied for the team lead in double (9).

No. 11 Penney: Leads the team with in runs scored (28) and walks drawn (19) this season.

No. 12 Hincks: Leads the ACC in fielding double plays (24) and is tied for the second in triples (3). Had a standout weekend for the Irish at Virginia Tech, posting a .417 batting average with five hits, two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI; started all three games at first base for Notre Dame and played a role in two double plays, including an unassisted double play.

No. 15 Hahn: Recorded the go-ahead RBI after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the first game of the series at Rice.

No. 18 Baumgardt: Has started all 26 games at third base, and is tied for the team lead in doubles (9).

Behind the Plate

With the departure of Vinny Martinez, the catcher position is open entering 2023-24 for the Irish, and multiple players could compete for playing time from the catchers group, which includes senior Tony Lindwedel, junior Joey Spence, and freshmen Carson Tinney, Troy Reader and Davis Johnson.

No. 8 Tinney: Started 11 games at catcher; hit the first homer of his career to score the go-ahead run in the series finale at Rice.

No. 13 Spence: Started 9 games at catcher, one at Tennessee Tech and one at FIU; posted his first home run of the season at Virginia Tech (March 10).

No. 28 Lindwedel: Started seven games at catcher, posting his first hit of the season at Radford (March 12).

No. 55 Johnson: Saw first collegiate action as a pinch hitter on March 8 at Virginia Tech, and saw first action behind the plate on March 9 at Virginia Tech.

On the Mound

Matt Bedford, Jack Radel and Rory Fox have earned starting roles over the past few weeks for the Irish, as Caden Spivey, Bennett Flynn and Ricky Reeth have seen significant time as relievers.

Senior Jackson Dennies comes off a season in which he pitched 46.1 innings and posted 49 strikeouts. Dennies is ranked in D1Baseball’s Top 150 starting pitchers in the nation entering 2024.

Radek Birkholz also returns for the Irish, and will join transfers Bennett Flynn, Will Jacobsen and Nate Hardman in relief roles for Notre Dame.

Jack Findlay continues to recover from an injury.

Rice: The Irish started Spivey (Friday), Dennies (Saturday) and Bedford (Sunday). Birkholz (Friday), RHP Tobey McDonough (Saturday) and LHP Ryan Lynch (Sunday) earned the wins.

Hardman posted two saves on the weekend, a figure which was tied for the ACC lead after the first week.

FIU: The Irish started Spivey (Friday), Dennies (Saturday Game One), Bedford (Saturday Game Two) and McDonough (Sunday) at FIU. Flynn and RHP Jack Radel earned the two wins, and Bedford and Hardman absorbed the losses. Radel’s win was the first of his college career, while Flynn’s win was his first in an Irish uniform. Flynn also earned a save, his first at Notre Dame.

Tennessee Tech: The Irish started Bedford (Friday), Dennies (Saturday) and Spivey (Sunday) against the Golden Eagles. On Friday, Bedford went three full innings only allowing one hit. Birkholz entered to pitch for his second win, and Flynn got three innings of work, earning a save with an impressive seven strikeouts in nine batters faced. After a rocky start Saturday, Rory Fox secured the win, while Ricky Reeth pitched an impressive four innings with four strikeouts. The Irish got down early on Sunday, but a group effort including Jack Radel’s three full innings allowed the Irish to battle back. Keenan Mork secured his first-career win, and Hardman earned the save.

Purdue: Bedford earned the win via the bullpen day setup, going three innings and only allowing two hits and zero runs.

Virginia Tech: The Irish started Reeth (Friday), McDonough (Saturday) and Bedford (Sunday). All three shouldered losses. Fox and Flynn entered in their respective games for meaningful innings, but the Irish were unable to secure a lead.

Radford: Notre Dame took the bullpen approach at Radford, as 11 different pitchers saw action over the two-game span. Freshman RHP Jack Radel made his first-career start and earned the win on March 12, and RHP Nate Hardman posted a win, his first in an Irish uniform, in the March 13 contest.

Florida State: The Irish struggled at Florida State, as McDonough, Bedford and Reeth shouldered the losses. Notre Dame’s staff showed promise through impressive performances from Radel, Cooper, Fox and Spivey.

Western Michigan: Radek Birkholz pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

Miami: Notre Dame made a statement on the mound Friday and Saturday, with Spivey and Reeth earning the wins after strong starts from Bedford and Radel. After extra innings on Sunday, Flynn shouldered the loss.

NC State: Bedford, Radel and Fox again started on the mound for the Irish, with Radel allowing just one run in 4.0 innings of work on Saturday. Bedford, Spivey and Reeth absorbed the losses.

John P. And Catherine Murphy Head Baseball Coach

Shawn Stiffler is in his second season with the Irish, and led Notre Dame to a 30-24 record in his first season. He owns a 384-234 career record.

Stiffler came to South Bend after spending the last 10 seasons at the helm of the VCU program where he accrued a 340-198 overall record, and dominated the Atlantic 10 with a record of 146-71.

He was a monumental piece in VCU’s success where he turned the Rams into one of the most consistent programs in the country, as it is one of just seven programs nationally to earn 34 or more wins in each of the last eight full seasons.

In Stiffler’s 10-seasons at the helm of the VCU program, the Rams won Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championships in 2017, 2019 and 2021. The 2017 A-10 Regular Season Championship was the first in program history at VCU.

Stiffler also led VCU to the NCAA Championship Tournament in 2015, 2021 and 2022.

Stiffler earned American Baseball Coaches’ Association (ABCA) East-Region Coach of the Year honors following the 2015 season in which he led VCU to the A-10 Championship and its first-ever Super Regional.

The 2019 A-10 Coach of the Year guided four Rams to All-American honors, five Freshman All-Americans, 20 ABCA All-Region honorees and 48 All A-10 selections.

Meet the Assistants

Assistant coach Logan Robbins (position players) enters his second season at Notre Dame and joined the Irish after spending seven seasons at Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia.

Robbins led the Monarch offense to new heights as hitters finished second in Conference USA in 2021 and 2022, hitting a .301 and a .296 team average, respectively.

In 2021, the Monarchs finish second in the country with 105 home runs, smashing the previous home run record of 67, followed by a 2022 squad that hit 128 home runs as a team, finishing third nationally.

Robbins offense finished in the top 15 nationally in home runs, home runs per game, scoring and slugging percentage.

Robbins played at Western Kentucky University and was a 10th round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2011.

Assistant coach Seth Voltz (pitchers) begins his second season with Notre Dame, having joined the Fighting Irish after spending the 2022 season under Stiffler at VCU, and previously worked as an assistant coach at Wofford College.

Voltz led the Rams to the 2022 Atlantic 10 Championship, winning 17-consecutive games `Hill Regional where they notched wins over North Carolina and Georgia.

VCU finished the 2022 campaign with a 42-20 record, and ranked in the top 20 in Division I in ERA (3.91 – 9th), WHIP (1.29 – 12th) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.12 – 10th).

Voltz was an assistant coach with the Wofford Terriers from 2017-20.

He helped the Terriers win the first Southern Conference Regular Season Championship in program history in 2021, after a 36-21 regular season and a 21-9 SoCon record.

The 492 strikeouts in the 2021 campaign is the second-most in SoCon history and the third-most in program history.

After graduating from VCU in 2012, where he was a four-year letterwinner under Stiffler, he began his coaching career as the Rams’ volunteer coach and then coached as an assistant at UT Martin from   2015-16.

Ryan Munger (position players/catchers) assumes an assistant coach role after serving as Notre Dame’s volunteer assistant coach in 2023. Munger served as an assistant coach at Davidson for the previous seven seasons, and was elevated to recruiting coordinator in July of 2018.

After joining Davidson in the fall of 2013, Munger worked primarily with the catchers and assisted with hitting. In 2022, he helped guide the Wildcats to a 43-13 overall mark, a 20-4 Atlantic 10 Conference record as Davidson earned the 2022 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship, finishing a game ahead of Stiffler’s VCU team.

In his time with Davidson, Munger helped lead the program to new heights, winning the most games in a season in program history in 2017, 2018 and further improving that total during the 2022 season. He led the Wildcats to their first-ever conference title in the program’s 115-year history in 2017, and was just the second four-seed to ever sweep an NCAA Regional.

Munger played baseball at Duke and was a team captain in 2012 and 2013.

BUTLER SOFTBALL

BUTLERSOFTBALL HEADS TO CHICAGO TO FACE DEPAUL

Series Information – vs. DePaul
DATE:                                    Friday-Sunday, April 5-7
LOCATION:                         Chicago / Cacciatore Stadium
LIVE STATS:                      butlersports.com
LIVE VIDEO:                      FloSports Gm1 | Gm2 | Gm3
TICKETS:                          depaulbluedemons.com
 
Full Notes

The Butler softball team is heading to DePaul for a three-game BIG EAST series this weekend. The Bulldogs (15-19, 4-8 BIG EAST) are coming off a conference series with Seton Hall in which they went 1-2, winning the third game. The Blue Demons (7-23, 2-7 BIG EAST) most recently lost all three games in a series with St. John’s.

Bulldog Bits                                                                                       

           (as of 4-4-24)

Ella White leads the BIG EAST (15th nationally) with four sacrifice flies. Addition conference (national) rankings include: 10 doubles-3rd (69th), 31 RBI-3rd (91st), .626 slugging %-5th,

and 6 HR-7th.

Paige Dorsett leads the BIG EAST with 41 hits.

Monique Hoosen is fourth in the BIG EAST with 7 home runs.

Kieli Ryan leads the BIG EAST (15th nationally) with 10 base runners caught stealing.

Katie Petran is second in the BIG EAST (60th nationally) with 10 wins in the circle and is ninth with 67 strikeouts.

Cate Lehner leads the BIG EAST (60th nationally) with 0.21 sacrifice bunts per game and is third in the conference (54th nationally) with 15 stolen bases.

        vs. Seton Hall (Mar. 28-30)

Cate Lehner had four hits to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Paige Dorsett had three hits that included a home run and a double. Dorsett’s 2 RBI were matched by Sydney Carter and Hailey Conger.

Kaylee Gross was 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts.

Katie Petran pitched 13.0 of the 22.0 total innings, earning a 2.08 ERA and one victory.

SCOUTING DePaul (7-23, 2-7 BIG EAST)

Series- DePaul leads, 20-12

2023 (Indianapolis): Butler 2-1 / Butler 4-3 / Butler 13-5

2022 (Chicago): Butler 6-5 / DePaul 7-6 / Butler 4-3

2021 (Indianapolis): DePaul 2-0 / DePaul 5-1 / DePaul 3-1

The teams met in the BIG EAST Tournament in 2023 (DePaul 4-2) and in 2021 (Butler 8-1).

2024 BIG EAST series results: Georgetown (L-W-W), UConn (L-L-L), St. John’s (L-L-L)

Wins for the Blue Demons this season include: Northern Illinois, Memphis, SIUE, and San Jose State.

Losses include: No. 13 Florida, No. 17 Texas A&M, No. 18 UCLA, Northwestern, and Michigan State.

DePaul vs. (opponents)                                                                    Butler

runs:                90-170                                                                           146

hits:                  171-242                                                                         254

RBI:                  80-160                                                                           132

SB:                    40-19                                                                              35

ERA:                4.82-2.50                                                                      4.87

Batting leaders:

#8 Brooke Johnson (.417) 35H, 8HR, 18RBI

#10 Riley Pool (.347) 26H, 3HR, 6RBI

#3 Carly Alvers (.247) 21H, 8RBI

#24 Bibianna Rodriguez (.242) 16H, 13 RBI

Pitching leaders:

#20 Brenna Smith (1-4) 2.86 ERA, 33K

#6 Bella Nigey (4-9) 3.90 ERA, 36K

BALL STATE BASEBALL

BULLDOGS OPEN BIG EAST PLAY WITH SERIES AT CREIGHTON

Butler and Creighton will play a three-game BIG EAST series this weekend with games scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.

Projected Starters

Game One: RHP Tyler Banks (Butler) vs. RHP Dominic Cancellieri

Game Two: TBD (Butler) vs. RHP Chad Saner

Game Three: RHP Nate Rosser (Butler) vs. RHP Jimmy Burke

Scouting Creighton

The Blue Jays are 22-4 this season with wins that include No. 24 Nebraska, Stanford, Charleston Southern, Portland, UIC, Army, and Air Force. Their four losses have come to Louisiana Tech, Portland, San Francisco, and Stanford. The team has outscored its opponents, 233-120.

Series vs. Creighton

Creighton leads the series 20-4, with the first contest taking place in 2014. The Blue Jays have won the past eight games, sweeping the 2023 and 2021 series at Butler and the 2022 series at Creighton. Butler’s last win over Creighton was a 5-0 victory at Butler on April 13, 2019, the final game of that three-game series.

Last Meeting vs. the Blue Jays

Butler hosted the Blue Jays from April 28-30 in 2023. Creighton won game one, 16-3, and game two, 5-3. Game three went into extras, as the Blues Jays used a three-run eleventh inning to secure the victory.

Lewis Lands on BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

Over four games vs. Indiana last week, Kade Lewis went 6-for-13 (.462) with three home runs and a double. He tallied 10 RBI, including a game-winning three-RBI home run in the ninth inning of game four.

Last Week

Butler split four games with Indiana, taking the first and final games of the series. Andrew Crumbley picked up the win in game one, while Cole Graverson earned a save and then the win in game four. In addition to Kade Lewis’ three-home-run ten-RBI performance, Joey Urban had six hits with two home runs and three RBI.

National Top-5

Carter Dorighi is fifth in the nation with 1.85 hits per game, and he heads into the weekend twelfth with 48 total hits. He leads the BIG EAST in both categories. He had a six-hit game earlier this year at Morehead State on March 3 and leads Butler with 15 multi-hit games this season.

BIG EAST Standings

Georgetown     19-8, 3-0

Creighton         22-4

St. John’s         18-6-1

Seton Hall        16-12

Xavier              14-14

Butler               12-14

UConn             10-15

Villanova          7-18, 0-3

Bulldog Bits

– Butler is second on the BIG EAST in home runs (40) and sacrifice flies (14)

– BU is third in the conference double plays (20)

– The Bulldogs are fourth in the BIG EAST in hits (265) and scoring (8.1)

Butler Bulldog in Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame

Dave Schrage, who was Butler’s head baseball coach from 2016-22, was inducted into the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023. Schrage was a standout outfielder for the Blue Jays, from 1980-83, and then coached for 38 years, serving as head coach at six Division I schools.

Up Next

Butler plays two midweek games, hosting Evansville on Tuesday, Apr. 9, and traveling to Notre Dame on Wednesday, Apr. 10. Next weekend, the Bulldogs host Georgetown for a three-game BIG EAST series.

IUI SWIMMING

OTERO AND ZIETLOW NAMED #HLSD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

INDIANAPOLIS – Emmaleigh Zietlow and Sebastian Otero earn the 2024 #HLSD Athlete of the Year titles as announced by the league office today. Zietlow and Otero earn the award after their continuous excellence in the pool and on the boards this season which saw a NCAA Championship appearance for Otero.

Zietlow, a junior from Hartland, Wisconsin earn Athlete of the Year after being named Horizon League Swimmer of the Meet at the 2024 Horizon League Championships. She totaled 150 points with three individual wins, one meet record and three relays. Zietlow took gold in the 200 free, 500 free and 1650 free where she set a new Horizon League Championship record with a time of 16:25.95.

Zietlow was also named a league-high Horizon League Swimmer of the Week five times this season.

Sebastian Otero adds yet another title to his career with the #HLSD Athlete of the Year award. He was also named Diver of the Meet after winning the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the 2024 Championships. Otero set new IUPUI records in both the 1-meter (395.48) and the 3-meter (423.38) this season.

The sophomore out of Fishers, Indiana was the only Horizon League athlete to compete at the Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. He was also named a league-high Horizon League Diver of the Week six times this season.

Otero and Zietlow join Logan Kelly (2023 #HLSD Athlete of the Year) as the only student-athletes in IUPUI program history to earn the title.

Lillian Brandt and Nathan Rariden were also named Sportsmanship Award Finalists.

The full list of #HLSD awards are below.

Women’s Athlete of the Year: Emmaleigh Zietlow, IUPUI

Men’s Athlete of the Year: Sebastian Otero, IUPUI

Women’s Sportsmanship: Brooke Eichel, Cleveland State

Men’s Sportsmanship: Terin Frodyma, Youngstown State

Women’s Sportsmanship Finalists

Lillian Brandt, IUPUI

Jordyn Shipps, Oakland

Hailey Clark, Youngstown State

Men’s Sportsmanship Finalists

Andrew Arslanian, Cleveland State

Nathan Rariden, IUPUI

Jonas Cantrell, Oakland

BALL STATE TRACK

TRACK AND FIELD READY TO TAKE ON TENNESSEE RELAYS

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State Track and Field will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee on Friday morning for the Tennessee Relays. 

A few individuals are coming off a big weekend at the Texas Relays and Raleigh Relays. Jenelle Rogers and Malina Miller represented the Cardinals at the Texas Relays (Mar. 29). Rogers won the heptathlon, collecting a total of 5,825 points. Miller competed in the high jump, hitting a mark of 1.65m. At the Raleigh Relays (Mar. 29), Sarah Mahnensmith competed in the 5k, finishing with a time of 17:06.48. 

Looking forward to the upcoming meet, field events are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Friday morning and track events are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Friday afternoon. 

The Tennessee Relays will be live streamed Friday and Saturday through the SEC Network+ beginning Friday at noon. 

Following this weekend, the Cardinals will host the We Fly Track and Field Challenge April 12-13. Senior day will take place Saturday, April 13 with senior recognition scheduled for 10:45 a.m. 

Ball State Individual Entries in the Tennessee Relays

Friday – Field Events

2:30 p.m. ET – Discus 

5:00 p.m. ET – Javelin

Saturday – Track Events

5:00 p.m. ET – 1500m 

5:50 p.m. ET – 200m

7:15 p.m. ET – 5K

Saturday – Field Events 

12:00 p.m. ET – Shot Put

12:30 p.m. ET – Triple Jump 

2:30 p.m. ET – High Jump

Saturday – Track Events

12:00 p.m. ET – 100m Hurdles Prelims

12:40 p.m. ET – 4x100m Relays

1:00 p.m. ET – 800m

1:30 p.m. ET – 100m Hurdles Finals

1:50 p.m. ET – 100m Dash

2:30 p.m. ET – 400m Dash

4:30 p.m. ET – 4x400m Relays

BALL STATE SOFTBALL

SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO BUFFALO FOR WEEKEND SERIES

THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: After Mother Nature took out Tuesday’s scheduled home doubleheader versus Western Michigan, the Ball State softball team returns to the road this weekend for a three-game series at Buffalo … The Cardinals and Bulls are currently scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday at Nan Harvey Field.

» THE OVERALL RECORD: Ball State enters the Buffalo series with a 1163-1162-4 (.500) overall record dating back to 1975 … The Cardinals have tallied 30-or-more wins in 16 seasons, most recently a 37-18 mark in 2021 … Of the 16 seasons with 30-or-more wins, 11 have come in the past 16 years.

» A QUICK LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Led by first-year head coach Helen Peña, the Cardinals own a 15-20 overall record … Ball State maintains a .243 team batting average, led by redshirt junior utility player McKayla Timmons at .347 … Timmons ranks third both in the MAC and nationally with 15 home runs, while ranking fourth in the league with 37 RBIs … Graduate third baseman Haley Wynn is second on the squad in average (.300), home runs (6) and runs scored (25) … In the circle, the Cardinals own a 4.06 ERA led by senior Francys King who boasts an 8-8 record and a 3.63 ERA over 102.1 innings of work … King has also tallied three complete game shutouts this season and leads the team lead with 48 strikeouts … Sophomore Bridie Murphy has a team-best .274 average against over 83.0 innings, to go along with a 6-7 record, one save and 44 strikeouts … Murphy picked up her first complete game shutout of the season in the 5-0 victory over Ohio (March 16).

» CARDINALS VERSUS THE BULLS: Ball State holds a 29-8 lead in the all-time series versus Buffalo, including four straight wins … Last season, the Cardinals swept a three-game series in Muncie, out-scoring the Bulls 21-6 … BSU also holds a 13-5 edge in games played in Buffalo, including a 4-0 victory in the last contest played at Nan Harvey Field on April 24, 2022 … However, the Bulls swept a doubleheader one day earlier by scores of 11-8 and 9-4.

» SCOUTING THE BULLS: Buffalo enters the weekend with an 11-18 (3-5 MAC) record after having its Tuesday doubleheader at Akron canceled due to weather … Alexis Lucyshyn leads the squad with a .310 average and has team-highs of 27 hits and 19 RBI … Abbey Nagel is second on the squad with a .289 average, while Mia Mitchell has five of the team’s nine home runs and leads the squad with 19 runs scored … Lucyshyn is also UB’s leader in the circle with a 7-7 record and 2.21 ERA over 85.2 innings of work … She has limited opposing batters to a .222 average, owns five complete game shutouts and ranks second in the MAC with 101 strikeouts.

BALL STATE NEWS & NOTES:

» MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS: Ball State was picked to finish fourth among 11 teams in the Mid-American Conference’s annual preseason poll … The Cardinals, who finished fourth in the league last season with a 17-12 MAC record, are looking for a second consecutive  MAC Softball Championship berth, with the league’s top six teams advancing to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, for the three-day event which runs May 8-11.

» THE WYNN FACTOR: Graduate third baseman Haley Wynn has taken advantage of her extra year of eligibility, leading the team with 36 hits so far this season … That raises her career total to 217 which is seventh in program history … Wynn has registered at least one hit in 24 of first 35 games of the season, including six home runs to up her career long ball total to 25 which is tied for ninth in program history.

» MORE ON WYNN: Haley Wynn is one of the most prolific batters in program history ranking 19th on Ball State’s career charts with a .329 career average … She is also 12th all-time in slugging percentage (.538) and 16th in on base percentage (.406) … In addition, her 157 career runs scored are third in program history and 35th among all active NCAA Division I players … She also ranks 26th among active DI players with 43 career doubles which is eighth in program history.

» TIMMONS CLIMBING THE CHARTS TOO: After leading the Ball State offense with a .347 batting average, a .842 slugging percentage and a .470 on base percentage through the first 35 games of the season, McKayla Timmons continued her climb up BSU’s career charts … She currently ranks fourth in program history in slugging percentage (.687), fifth in on base percentage (.450) and ninth in batting average (.343) … Timmons, who has blasted a team-leading 15 home runs so far this season, including her first collegiate grand slam at Georgia State (Feb. 24), is also one of the program’s top home run hitters with her 31 career long balls tying for fifth on BSU’s all-time list.

» RBI LEADER: McKayla Timmons enters the Buffalo series ranked 33rd nationally with her 37 RBIs this season … The effort included seven RBIs in the 9-5 (9) win over Georgia State (Feb. 24) and six in the 13-9 victory at Marshall (March 7) … The program record for RBIs in a single game is eight by Stacy Payton versus Oakland on May 4, 2019.

» BALL STATE’S BEST THIEF: Senior outfielder Remington Ross enters the Buffalo series as the greatest base thief in program history with a .965 (55-for-57) career stolen base percentage at Ball State … Last season, she went a perfect 23-for-23 in stolen base attempts and ranked second in the MAC and 54th nationally with a 0.47 steals-per-game average … Ross, who is seventh in program history with 55 career stolen bases, had been successful in her previous 36 stolen base attempts before being caught stealing for just the second time in her Ball State career at Georgia State (Feb. 24) … She has stolen six straight bases since.

» SPEAKING OF STOLEN BASES: Ball State enters the weekend ranked second in the league and 27th nationally with 59 stolen bases this season … Haley Wynn and Remington Ross are tied for the team lead with 10 apiece, while McKayla Timmons and senior outfielder Kaitlyn Mathews are right behind with nine … Overall, 10 different Cardinals have stolen at least one base this season … Ball State’s 59 stolen bases in 2024 are already the 17th-most in a season in program history … The program record is 151 set by the 2008 squad.

» A SLAMMING FIRST HIT: Redshirt sophomore Jessica Hoffman had just two career at bats when she stepped up to the plate with bases loaded in the 10-8 win over Fordham (Feb. 11) … She proceeded to blast her first career hit over the fence in right center field for her first career home run and Ball State’s first grand slam since April 6, 2022 … A regular in the lineup since, Hoffman has 27 career hits and is third on the team with a .284 average this season … Of her 27 hits, 12 have driven in at least one RBI and she currently ranks second on the squad with 23 RBIs.

» WE’RE LOVING LOVETT: Sophomore Ashlee Lovett leads the Ball State offense with a .304 batting average in MAC play, registering seven hits in 23 at bats … She has three doubles, has tallied three RBI and scored a pair of runs … She is also tied for the team lead with three stolen bases in league play, while owning the second-best on base percentage at .414.

» KING OF THE PEN: Senior Francys King leads the Ball State pitching staff with a 3.63 ERA over 102.1 innings of work … She has earned the victory in eight of BSU’s 15 wins, including three of the team’s four complete game shutouts … King has 17 career collegiate pitching victories, with 11 coming at Ball State and six coming in her two seasons at Tennessee State (2021-22).

» TRIPLING UP: The Ball State defense owns one of the nation’s five triple plays this season, turning what was a squeeze bunt attempt into a triple killing in the fifth inning of the 5-4 win over Jacksonville State on Feb. 17 … The bunt was fielded by Haley Wynn at third base, who threw to McKayla Timmons to get the out at first … The play then went to catcher Jazmyne Armendariz to get the runner out trying to advance home, who in turn threw to shortstop Maia Pietrzak to get the final out … It was just the second recorded triple play in program history, with the first coming in 1985.

BALL STATE BASEBALL

BASEBALL SCHEDULED FOR THREE-GAME SET AT MIAMI STARTING FRIDAY

The Ball State baseball team rides a four-game winning streak in Mid-American Conference play (six games overall) into this weekend’s series at Miami (OH).

The Cardinals (18-12, 5-7 MAC) take on the RedHawks (12-14, 7-5 MAC) in Oxford starting Friday at 3 p.m. Games on Saturday and Sunday are scheduled for 1 p.m., and links to the video streams and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.

Ball State most recently beat Bellarmine 7-2 in a rain-shortened game on Tuesday at Ball Diamond after sweeping Ohio last weekend. Prior to that, the Cardinals took down USI in a midweek contest and claimed the final game of a series at Toledo to kickstart their hot stretch.

Miami swept a set at Akron during Easter weekend and stand at fourth in the conference standings. The RedHawks have played common opponents with Ball State, hosting Bowling Green (lost three games March 8-10) and Butler (lost 13-10 on March 19).

SCOUTING MIAMI (OH): The RedHawks are in their first season under the direction of head coach Brian Smiley, who was a longtime assistant coach at Indiana State. Miami finished in a tie for seventh place in 2023 with a 13-17 league record (21-35 overall).

The RedHawks score 7.5 runs per game, which is third in the MAC, while they lead the league in turning double plays (25, No. 26 in NCAA Division I), getting hit by pitches (55, No. 21), sac flies (18, No. 22), sac bunts (18, No. 30) and triples (11, No. 19).

Junior outfielder Zach MacDonald paces the team in batting average (.360), slugging percentage (.680) and home runs (eight) while leading the league with 35 runs scored. Projected Friday starting pitcher Patrick Mastrian IV sports a 1-1 record and 6.21 ERA in 33.1 innings, while Saturday starter Nick Vardavas is 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 33.2 innings pitched. Junior right-handed pitcher Peyton Olejnik leads the pitching staff in wins (four), ERA (4.30) and strikeouts (40).

LAST TIME IT HAPPENED: Multiple Cardinals put up big offensive performances to lead to last weekend’s sweep over Ohio at Ball Diamond.

Decker Scheffler notched five hits in Saturday’s 14-7 triumph over the Bobcats and was the first Ball State player to do so since Jeff Reidel also had five hits against Western Carolina on March 9, 2018.

Hunter Dobbins went for Ball State’s first multi-homer game and grand slam of the year to lead the Cardinals’ offense in Friday’s 12-3 victory. Matthew Rivera (May 16 at USI) and Adam Tellier (May 27 at Kent State) did the same in May of 2023.

Merritt Beeker tallied 13 strikeouts in 7.0 innings of two-run ball on Friday to earn his third win of the year and MAC Pitcher of the Week recognition. Beeker was the first Ball State pitcher to notch that many punchouts since Kyle Nicolas fanned 17 on March 6, 2020 against Sacred Heart.

LEAGUE LEADERS: The Ball State offense leads the Mid-American Conference in total home runs (46, No. 29 in NCAA Division I), hits (291, No. 42) and doubles (53), while the Cardinals pitching staff paces the MAC and ranks No. 32 nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (10.2).

Michael Hallquist leads the league in total bases (89, No. 13 in Division I), hits (45, No. 25), home runs (11, No. 34) and runs batted in (34) while ranking third in slugging percentage (.730) and sixth in batting average (.369). Fellow senior outfielder Nick Gregory is the toughest hitter in the MAC to strike out with an 6.7 percent strikeout rate.

Beeker’s 16.1 strikeouts per nine innings and 59 total strikeouts pace the MAC and rank 5th and 10th nationally, respectively.

DYNAMIC DUO: Hallquist and Scheffler have settled in to the 2-3 spots in the batting order over the last few weeks, as the seniors rank 1-2 on the Ball State offense in batting average and hits, while Scheffler paces the group in triples (two) and stolen bases (nine).

Both are riding seven-game hitting streaks into this weekend’s series at Miami, and Scheffler has reached base safely in 23 straight games.

CLAY IS CRUSHING: Senior outfielder Clay Jacobs was inserted into the starting lineup on March 17 against Bowling Green and has started in the 11 games since after only one start prior to the game against the Falcons.

Jacobs is batting .333 with three home runs, six RBI and 12 runs scored since becoming a lineup regular, including a two-homer, three-RBI and two-walk performance against Southern Indiana on March 26.

SIX-GAME STREAK: Ball State’s six-game winning streak is the longest current successful stretch in the conference ahead of Miami’s three-game streak.

The Cardinals are tied with Bowling Green for the best winning streak of 2024.

Up Next

Ball State is scheduled to play at Indiana at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

NO. 11 MEN’S VOLLEYBALL WINS SHARE OF MIVA REGULAR SEASON TITLE FOR THIRD-STRAIGHT SEASON

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State men’s volleyball (19-9, 12-3 MIVA) defeated Quincy (5-18, 1-14 MIVA) 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-15) Thursday night in Worthen Arena, earning its third-straight Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) regular season crown.

This is the first time the Cardinals have won three-straight MIVA regular season titles since the 1995, 1996, and 1997 seasons. The sole possession of the MIVA regular season title will be determined Saturday when Ball State hosts McKendree for its regular season finale.

The first set started as a back-and-forth affair as Quincy gave Ball State a run for its money leading from start to almost finish. The Hawks suffered from attack errors late in the first stanza which put the Cardinals in a 24-23 position to take the opening set. A kill from Rodney Wallace sealed the first set win over Quincy for Ball State.

The Cardinals finally began to find its groove in the second period building a five-point advantage (19-14) off a Dyer Ball kill. As the Hawks tried to make a comeback the Cardinals quickly stopped them in their tracks with some nice defensive blocks at the net which led to Ball State taking set two, 25-17.

After the break, Quincy tried to redeem itself by keeping the start of the third set close although Ball State seemed to be on a mission. The Cardinals jumped ahead by nine 20-11 and never looked back as Lucas Machado sealed the sweep over the Hawks with a kill for match point.

Offensively, it was a well-rounded offense as nine Cardinals tallied one or more kills which was led by Tinaishe Ndavazocheva with nine. The Cardinals also brought their ace game with seven as Wil McPhillips, Ndavazocheva, and Braydon Savitski-Lynde each served up two aces apiece.

The Ball State men’s volleyball team closes its 2024 regular season action on Saturday against McKendree. First serve is at 5 pm ET. The Cardinals will also recognize their seniors following the match.

BALL STATE GYMNASTICS

SZYMANSKI WOWS ON BARS TO CLOSE GYMNASTICS’ 2024 SEASON

MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State gymnastics team closed the 2024 season Thursday night with several solid individual performances in the second round of the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional hosted by Michigan at the Crisler Center.

“I feel like all our individuals came in and did the gymnastics they have been doing all season,” head coach Joanna Saleem said. “To do that as an individual when you don’t have your team with you is challenging. Tonight was fun and exciting. It shows how competitive and consistent they have been.”

Leading the way for the Cardinals was freshman Ashley Szymanski who closed her stellar debut season with another strong bars performance, earning a 9.900. It was the team’s highest score of the day and tied for seventh overall in the regional’s second round.

“It’s wonderful to see Ashley be able to come in and perform at this stage and do it like she has all season,” Saleem added.

In her NCAA individual debut, sophomore Zoe Middleton shined in the all-around, including scoring a 9.850 on bars and 9.800s on both floor and vault.

Overall, the Cardinals registered seven scores of 9.800-or-higher, including a pair of 9.825s on vault and floor from senior Suki Pfister in what could be her final collegiate meet.

Also closing out her collegiate career with a 9.825 was graduate Megan Teter on bars. It was her ninth score if 9.800-or-higher this season in her extra year of eligibility.

And in perhaps her final collegiate vault, senior Victoria Henry closed her season with a 9.725.

“In some ways, you wish there was more as those young women have contributed so much to our program,” Saleem said about the team’s seniors. “You could see the emotion on Megan’s face when she landed. For her to have such a solid bars routine is huge for us, but also for her. She’s put so much into our team over her five years and has left an amazing legacy of character, hard work and determination.”

ROTATION 1

Middleton started her all-around night with a 9.850 on bars, tying her second-best score of the season on the apparatus.

ROTATION 2

In her second rotation, Middleton scored a 9.575 on beam to raise her all-around total to 19.425.

In her first of two events on the day, Pfister was credited with a 9.825 on floor.

Henry closed her senior season with a 9.725 on vault.

ROTATION 3

In her third event of the afternoon, Middleton turned in another solid performance on floor, earning a 9.800 to raise her all-around total to 29.225.

In her final vault of the season, Pfister closed her illustrious career with a 9.825.

Teter finished her collegiate career in style, earning a 9.825 in her final bars routine.

ROTATION 4

Middleton closed her day with a 9.800 on vault, giving her an all-around total of 39.025.

In her NCAA Regional individual debut, Szymanski saved BSU’s best routine for last, landing a 9.900 on bars. It was her seventh bars performance of 9.900-or-higher this season.

UP NEXT

Thursday’s effort closed another record-setting season for the Ball State gymnastics program which turned in three of the top four team scores in the program’s record book, including breaking the program record with a 198.025 and adding the second-best score with a 197.425.

In all, the Cardinals recorded five of the top eight team scores in program history, while also accounting for 12 of the top 33. The team also established new event records on bars (49.775), floor (49.625) and vault (49.375) this season.

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

SCHERTZ NAMED COLLEGEINSIDER.COM MID-MAJOR COACH OF THE YEAR

BOSTON, Ma. – Indiana State men’s basketball head coach Josh Schertz has been awarded the Hugh Durham award, announced by CollegeInsider.com. The award is presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball.

This award is Coach Schertz’s first National Coach of the Year award at Indiana State, going along with the MVC Coach of the Year, and NABC District 16 Coach of the Year this season. Schertz also was named a semifinalist for the 2024 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Jim Phelan award.

The third-year coach at Indiana State has guided the Sycamores to a 32-6 overall record heading into the program’s first-ever National Invitational Tournament (NIT) championship appearance. The No. 1 seeded Sycamores defeated SMU, Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Utah to advance to the NIT Championship in Indianapolis, held at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Sycamores will play Seton Hall on Thursday, April 4 for the championship.

This season the Sycamores, led by Coach Schertz, became the first team in Missouri Valley history to have five players earn spots on All-Conference Teams. Robbie Avila, Ryan Conwell, Jayson Kent, Isaiah Swope, and Julian Larry were each named to All-MVC teams, Conwell earned Newcomer of the Year, and Xavier Bledson won Sixth Man of the Year. Kent and Larry were added to the All-Defensive Team, and Conwell and Swope were named to the All-Newcomer Team.

ISU won the MVC regular season championship outright for the first time since 2000 with a 26-5 overall regular season record and 17-3 MVC record. The 17 wins set a program record for wins in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The Sycamores head into the NIT Championship Thursday night with a 32-6 record, accounting for the 2nd most single-season wins in Indiana State history. Adding onto the 2023-24 season’s history, the Sycamores led the conference in back-to-back seasons in scoring offense (84.4), field goal percentage (50.5%), assists (594), and three-pointers made (currently at 415 in 38 games). The 415 triples have shattered the previous record set by last season’s team of 340.

Indiana State finished the regular season leading the MVC in multiple categories: scoring offense (84.4 PPG), scoring margin (+12.41), free throw percentage (79.7%), field goal percentage (50.5%), three-point field goal percentage (38.5%), three-pointers made (373), three-pointers per game (10.97), total assists (594), and assists per game (17.5). The Sycamores were No. 1 in the league for both offensive and defensive efficiency.

The Sycamores stellar play has earned them national rankings from the AP Top 25, USA TODAY Coaches Poll, and CollegeInsider.com. In the AP poll, ISU was ranked for a week at No. 23 and was No. 24 in the Coaches Poll, both are the highest since the 1978-79 season. Indiana State was ranked No. 1 for three-straight weeks in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll.

Coach Schertz led Indiana State to back-to-back postseason appearances, appearing in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) last season, also earning the No. 1 seed in that tournament.

INDIANA STATE CONCLUDES STORYBOOK SEASON WITH NIT CHAMPIONSHIP HEARTBREAKER

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana State’s storybook season fell one game short of a title, as the Sycamores fell to Seton Hall in a 79-77 heartbreaker Thursday night inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Sycamores finish the 2023-24 season at 32-7, the second-most wins in a season in program history. Isaiah Swope led the Trees with 19 points, 16 of which came in the second half. Julian Larry added 18 points and six assists, while Jayson Kent and Robbie Avila had 13 points apiece. Ryan Conwell grabbed 12 rebounds in the contest.

Indiana State had an answer for every Seton Hall run in the first half, with Kent and Larry knocking down threes to tie the game at 16 eight minutes in. The Pirates took their largest lead of the game late in the first half at 36-26, but back-to-back three-pointers from Larry ignited the Sycamores inside the last four minutes of the opening period.

Eight of Larry’s 18 points came inside the last three minutes of the first half, as he capped an 11-0 Indiana State run to close the half with a layup inside the last 30 seconds. After facing a 10-point deficit at the final media timeout of the first, the Sycamores went into the locker room deadlocked at 39 with their foes from the Big East.

Seton Hall had the hot start coming out of the intermission in building a 51-42 lead, using an 8-0 run to build its advantage. Swope quickly responded for the Sycamores with 11 points in the first seven minutes of the half, as Indiana State rebounded from a sluggish start to knot the score at 53-all.

The Pirates maintained a slim lead through the middle stages of the half, but a dunk by Kent brought the crowd to its feet and sparked a rally for the Sycamores. Xavier Bledson converted on a three-point play just past the midway point of the half and Larry connected on another trey as Indiana State took its first lead of the second half with 8:42 left.

Indiana State’s biggest run came in the late stages of the game. Trailing 70-69 with five minutes remaining, the Sycamores went on an 8-0 run that spanned just over a minute to go in front 77-70. Kent put the Trees in front with a layup, and consecutive threes from Conwell and Swope sent the crowd into a frenzy as the Sycamores built their largest lead of the game with just over three minutes remaining.

As quick as the scoring run was, the Sycamores hit a dry spell following it, with Seton Hall scoring the last nine points of the game. A stepback three from Al-Amir Dawes followed by a layup from Dre Davis inside the last 30 seconds gave the Pirates a two-point lead and Indiana State was unable to find the equalizer. Threes from Swope and Conwell were off the mark, as the Sycamores’ magical run fell one possession short.

Seton Hall finished with the top two scorers in the game. Dawes had a game-high 24 points and was named the NIT Most Outstanding Player, while Kadary Richmond had 21 on his way to All-Tournament Team honors. Davis, who had the go-ahead basket, finished with 18.

News and Notes

Indiana State closed the 2023-24 season at 32-7. The Sycamores reached the NIT Championship Game for the first time in program history and also won the MVC Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2000.

Indiana State’s 32 wins were the program’s most since the 1978-79 season (33).

Ryan Conwell and Robbie Avila were both named to the 2024 NIT All-Tournament Team. Avila, a First Team All-MVC selection this season, averaged 17.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for the tournament. Conwell, the MVC Newcomer of the Year this season, averaged 19.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the tournament.

Robbie Avila became the 42nd player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points in Thursday’s game. Avila finished the 2023-24 season with 1,007.

Averaging 8.75 turnovers per game through the first four games of the NIT, ISU committed 15 miscues in the championship.

Isaiah Swope had his best shooting night, finishing 7-for-12 from the floor. The 58.3% game is his best since January 13 at versus Belmont (61.5%).

Ryan Conwell fell one shy of his career high in rebounds with 12.

INDIANA STATE TRACK

TREES TRAVEL SOUTH FOR TENNESSEE INVITATIONAL

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State track and field heads south for the second time in a three-week span as the Sycamores take part in the Tennessee Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Both days’ events will start at 9 a.m., with SEC Netwrok+ streams of both days’ coverage starting at noon.

Who’s In The Field?

Joining Indiana State and host institution Tennessee in this weekend’s field are Alabama A&M, Austin Peay, Ball State, Bowling Green, Carson-Newman, Central Michigan, Chicago State, Dayton, Denison, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Marian (Ind.), Middle Tennessee, Milligan, Northern Kentucky, Purdue Fort Wayne, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Truett-McConnell, UNC Asheville, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina and Xavier.

This weekend’s field is the largest Indiana State has competed in this outdoor season, with 26 different schools competing in the field in Knoxville.

Last Time Out

Indiana State track and field put together a second straight strong showing to begin the outdoor season, posting 20 first-place finishes Friday and Saturday at the EIU Big Blue Classic.

The Sycamores’ throws group was responsible for one-third of the Trees’ first-place finishes with seven of the eight throws winners coming from Indiana State. Elias Foor (discus), Justin Miller (javelin) and Lillian Gibbs (javelin) all set program top-10 marks for the Trees, while the Sycamores also swept the top spots in the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 100/110m hurdles and 400m hurdles.

Indiana State finished the weekend with 43 top-three finishes, with 26 coming on the women’s side and 17 on the men’s side. The Sycamores also finished the weekend with 61 top-five MVC marks, 35 of which were set either Friday or Saturday.

Out Of The Blocks

Indiana State currently has one event where it owns the top mark in the MVC on both the men’s and women’s side, with that being the 200m. Both of the Sycamores’ top 200m times were set at last week’s EIU Big Blue Classic, courtesy of Tahj Johnson and Janiya Bowman.

Johnson clocked the only time in the conference under 21 seconds this season, crossing the line in 20.95. Bowman ran a time of 24.19 on the women’s side, while also winning the long jump at the EIU Big Blue Classic with a top mark of 5.80m (19-00.50).

Fantastic Foor

Indiana State thrower Elias Foor started his 2024 outdoor season with back-to-back career-best weekends at the Ole Miss Classic and EIU Big Blue Classic. Foor has already set personal bests in the hammer throw (61.72m/202-06) and discus (59.51m/195-03) just two meets into the outdoor campaign, while also recording the best outdoor shot put mark (17.16m/56-03.75) of his career.

Foor earned his first career MVC weekly honor following the Ole Miss Classic, as he was selected as the MVC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after posting strong marks in both the hammer throw (61.72m/202-06) and discus (53.77m/176-05). His current marks in the shot put, discus and hammer throw all rank within the top 48 for NCAA East Region qualifying.

Record Setter

After earning Second Team All-America honors during the 2023-24 indoor season, pole vaulter Will Staggs wasted no time getting his outdoor campaign started on the right foot.

Staggs broke Indiana State’s outdoor pole vault record that had stood for 30 years by clearing 5.36m (17-07.00) in windy conditions at the season-opening Ole Miss Classic. He now owns both the indoor and outdoor program records in the pole vault after clearing 5.52m (18-01.25) during the most recent indoor season.

Climbing The Charts

Indiana State has fared well in the outdoor-only events this season, including multiple program top-10 marks in the javelin. Lillian Gibbs moved all the way up to second in program history in the event on the women’s side in just her second collegiate meet, recording a mark of 44.39m (145-08) at the EIU Big Blue Classic.

Justin Miller also had a career-best mark in the javelin at the EIU Big Blue Classic, with his top mark of 56.76m (186-03) moving up to 10th in program history in the event. Gibbs and Miller both currently rank second in the MVC in the event.

Up Next

Indiana State competes in the Gary Weineke Memorial April 13 in Champaign, Illinois.

INDIANA STATE BASEBALL

SYCAMORES OPEN MVC ROAD PLAY WITH WEEKEND SERIES AT MURRAY STATE

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State remains on the road as the Sycamores travel to Murray State continuing Missouri Valley play with a three-game series against the Racers at Johnny Reagan Field. None of the weekend games will be carried on ESPN+, but all three contests will be broadcast live on 105.5 The Legend.

Game times for the weekend feature a 6 p.m. ET first pitch on Friday, a 3 p.m. ET first pitch on Saturday, and a 2 p.m. ET first pitch in the series finale on Sunday as Indiana State makes its first trip to Murray, Ky. since the 2007 season.

The Sycamores (21-6, 5-1) head into the weekend series looking to extend a 12-series conference winning streak dating back to the end of the 2022 season. Indiana State swept the visiting UIC Flames this past weekend at Bob Warn Field winning by scores of 10-6, 9-8 (11), and 4-1, to take the conference lead in the standings through the first two weeks.

Indiana State is looking to bounce back after a midweek loss at Indiana this past Tuesday evening as the Sycamores’ third six-game winning streak in the 2024 season came to an end. The Hoosiers topped the Sycamores 16-7 at Bart Kaufman Field to split the season series against ISU.

IU utilized six-run innings in both the fourth and sixth frames to secure the season split and run their winning streak over the Sycamores in Bloomington to four consecutive games dating back to 2018.

Parker Stinson went 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and four RBIs to pace the Sycamore offense as Indiana State was clicking at the plate early. Dominic Listi went 1-for-1 with three runs scored reaching base in all four plate appearances, while Luis Hernandez homered for the eighth time in 2024.

The Sycamores entered the week ranked for the second time in the 2024 season as ISU clocked in at No. 17 in the Perfect Game poll, while sitting at No. 25 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. It marked ISU’s second appearance in the Perfect Game poll after entering at No. 24 back on February 26. ISU has also received votes in the USA Today poll for six consecutive weeks dating back to the start of the 2024 season.

Indiana State has put together one of the top offenses in the Missouri Valley in conference play through the first six games as the Sycamores have combined to hit .305 from the plate with five players over the .300 mark. Dominic Listi (.455) leads ISU with 10 hits and a .586 on-base percentage, while Grant Magill (.368), Luis Hernandez (.360), Mike Sears (.348), and Adam Pottinger (.333) have all seen success at the plate.

Sears has provided the early power surge for Indiana State connecting on four home runs this past weekend against UIC, while Hernandez (2), Pottinger, Diaz, and Dom Krupinski have also gone deep in conference play. Overall, the Sycamores have outscored their opponents 39-26 over the six games while posting 20 extra-base hits.

The Indiana State pitching staff has continued its dominance on the mound against Valley competition this season with 11 different pitchers combining to post a 3.86 ERA over 56.0 innings. The Sycamores have posted a 67:34 strikeout-to-walk ratio while allowing opponents to hit a Valley-low .198 from the plate.

The Sycamore rotation has been a strength of the group with Brennyn Cutts, Luke Hayden, and Cameron Holycross holding the line through the first two weekends. Jacob Pruitt is expected to be back in the rotation soon posting a 1.06 ERA with a 31:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over three starts on the year and will provide an added boost.

The bullpen has continued to work effectively highlighted by multiple appearances from Cam Edmonson (1-0, 0.00 ERA), Zach Davidson (0-0, 1.42 ERA), and Jared Spencer (1-0, 2.45 ERA). Simon Gregersen has taken on the closer role with a save and a 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 4.1 innings in conference play.

Listi (.386) and Hernandez (.372) have been Indiana State’s offensive mainstays in the 2024 season with the duo both boasting 20-plus game on-base streaks through the first 27 games of the season. Listi has reached base in every contest sitting second in the Valley with a .545 on-base percentage, while Hernandez posted a 24-game hitting streak and has tied a career-best 26-game on-base streak heading into the weekend. He leads the Valley with 42 hits, while sitting among the conference leaders in runs (25), RBIs (33), and slugging percentage (.619).

Sears’ recent power surge gave him a conference-leading 12 home runs after this past weekend against the Flames as the Sycamore third baseman has posted back-to-back double-digit home run seasons. Parker Stinson added his eighth home run of the 2024 season on Tuesday against Indiana, while Diaz (5), Pottinger (2), and Grant Magill (2) also have multiple home runs on the year.

Indiana State’s pitching staff sits among the national leaders in multiple pitching categories on the season including ERA (4.67), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.43), strikeouts per nine innings (10.4), and WHIP (1.43). Sixteen different pitchers have combined to pitch 235.0 innings on the year while allowing opponents to hit .249 from the plate on the season.

Davidson (13 appearances) and Gregersen (11 appearances) have been among ISU’s top options in the 2024 season, while Hayden and Cutts have made a team-high seven starts apiece on the year. Eight different pitchers have recorded at least 20 strikeouts on the year highlighted by Hayden’s 38 on the season, while Cutts (35) and Pruitt (31) also have 30-plus.

Scouting Murray State

Murray State enters the weekend series posting a 19-10 overall record including a 3-3 mark in Missouri Valley play. The Racers are 12-4 overall at home through the early part of the season with a strong record at Johnny Reagan Field. MSU has picked up series sweeps over Purdue Fort Wayne, Lindenwood, and Little Rock at home this year, but have fell in each of their last four home games, including getting swept at home by Belmont this past weekend.

Murray State was selected fourth overall in the MVC preseason poll receiving 67 total points as voted on by the league’s head coaches. Shortstop Drew Vogel was named to the preseason All-MVC team and is coming off a 31-28 record in the 2023 season with a semifinal appearance at the MVC Championships.

Murray State started conference play in Evansville over the March 22-24 weekend taking all three games against the Purple Aces by scores of 13-6, 7-6, and 6-5 (10). The Racers fell in a tough home series to Belmont dropping 15-4, 14-4, and 13-7 decisions at home this past weekend.

Carson Garner paces the Murray State offense with a .388 average with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs as the Racers have hit .300 as a team from the plate through the first 29 games of the season. Taylor Howell has also provided a power bat with 10 homers and 34 RBIs, while Dan Tauken (.323), Dustin Mercer (.318), Drew Vogel (.315), and Ethan Krizen (.311) have all been solid contributors in the lineup.

The Murray State pitching staff has utilized 15 different arms on the year in posting a 5.66 ERA over 249.2 innings. The Racers have added a 244:102 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while allowing opponents to hit .275 from the plate.

Series History

Indiana State owns the 13-3 all-time edge over Murray State dating back to the inaugural matchup back in the 1992 season. The Sycamores hold the 2-1 edge over the Racers in Valley play following last season’s series win in Terre Haute.

ISU is 6-0 all-time in Murray, Ky. sweeping the series in both the 2000 and the 2007 seasons. The Sycamores topped the Racers 4-2, 11-2, and 5-2 to open the 2000 season under former head coach Bob Warn. ISU followed up in the 2007 season winning by scores of 20-2, 5-1, and 12-4 under former coach Lindsay Meggs.

Last season, Indiana State rallied back after dropping the first game of the series to claim the Saturday and Sunday contests and the Missouri Valley win over Murray State in the Racers’ first season in the MVC.

Pottinger (.500) paced the Indiana State offense over the three-game series with a trio of RBIs and two runs scored, while Magill added a .400 average with a double over the weekend series. Sears and Stinson both homered for the Sycamores as the pitching staff seized control over the final two games of the series paced by Connor Fenlong’s complete-game shutout on Saturday afternoon.

The Sycamore pitching staff combined to post a 4.67 ERA over 27.0 innings in the series with a 20:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. ISU limited the Racers to a .257 batting average. Cam Edmonson, Zach Davidson, and Kyle Cortner all posted 0.00 ERAs over multi-inning stints against Murray State, while Jacob Pruitt saw time out of the bullpen for ISU.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL

MASTODON BASEBALL HOSTS FIRST-PLACE NORSE IN WEEKEND SERIES

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue Fort Wayne (10-18, 4-5 Horizon League) is set to host first-place Northern Kentucky (19-9, 9-0 Horizon League) for their first weekend series in April.

Game Day Information 
When: 
Friday, April 5 | 3 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 6 | 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 7 | 1 p.m. ET
Where: Mastodon Field | Fort Wayne, Ind.

Live Stats: Link

Series History: The ‘Dons and Norse have a long history dating back to 1989. NKU leads the series 22-16, but the series is an even 8-8 when played in Fort Wayne.

Weather: 

Friday: High of 47/low of 30, 17% chance of rain

Saturday: High of 52/low of 32, 3% chance of rain

Sunday: High of 60/low of 41, 20% chance of rain

Probable Starters:

Purdue Fort Wayne: RHP Mac Ayres, RHP Carter Sabol, TBD

Northern Kentucky: TBD

Scouting the Norse: Northern Kentucky is 19-9 overall but a perfect 9-0 in the Horizon League this season. The Norse have swept Oakland, Milwaukee, and Youngstown State in their first three League series. Jake Paulick leads the League with a .413 average while Liam McFadden-Ackman is the League leader in on-base percentage (.540), RBIs (45), and runs scored (38). On the mound, Tanner Gillis leads the League with 43 punchouts.

‘Dons & Ends:

– Justin Osterhouse leads the team with 12 multi hit games.

– Justin Osterhouse (.680), Jacob Walker (.538), and Grant Thoroman (.573) each own a slugging percentage above .500.

– The ‘Dons are 38-of-44 in stolen base attempts this season.

– Six Mastodons have thrown 20 or more innings this season.

Closing Fee: Senior Kevin Fee came into Saturday’s game in the fifth inning and picked up the win after finishing out the game. He threw 4.2 scoreless innings in his longest outing since 2021.

Fee Time: Kevin Fee owns 75 pitching appearances in his Mastodon career, third in program history. Adam Feris (2002-05) has the record with 78 trips to the mound for the ‘Dons. Matt Ransbottom (2007-11) is second with 76 appearances.

Justin Time: Justin Osterhouse leads the team in batting average (.388), slugging percentage (.680), and on base percentage (.457). He ranks in the top 10 of the Horizon League in each of those categories as well and is one of only four hitters in the league hitting with 40 hits. The freshman is also a threat on the bases as one of only six players with double-digit steals.

National Recognition: On April 3, Justin Osterhouse was named to the Perfect Game USA 2024 Midseason Freshman All-American Second Team.

Last Time Out: Purdue Fort Wayne lost two of three last weekend against Milwaukee. The ‘Dons took Saturday’s game 9-5 and with five runs in the sixth inning.

Up Next: The ‘Dons take a midweek trip to Bowling Green next week on Wednesday (Apr. 10).

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

NO. 20 ‘DONS TAKE DOWN NO. 14 LEWIS IN FIVE-SET MARATHON

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a two-hour, 50-minute MIVA slugfest, No. 20 Purdue Fort Wayne beat No. 14 Lewis 3-2 (25-19, 25-21, 30-32, 19-25, 16-14) on Thursday night (April 4) on the Arnie Ball Court behind a career-high-tying 24 kills from Mark Frazier.

The Mastodons jumped out to a 9-4 lead in set five, but Lewis fought all the way back to tie it up at 13. The Flyers held off one set point from the ‘Dons, but Jon Diedrich got a kill to pave the way for another chance. Lewis then had an attack error to give the Mastodons the match.

Early on, the two teams traded mini-runs early in set one, as the two were tied at 15. Carlos Mercado had an ace that trickled over the net to go up 20-17 and force a Lewis into a timeout. From there, Frazier had two kills in the final two points to give the ‘Dons set one. Frazier had four kills in the frame while Diedrich led the team with five.

The ‘Dons had a late 4-0 run to go up 22-17 in set two, then it was even the rest of the way to give the Mastodons a 2-0 set lead.

The Mastodons almost swept the match with a heroic comeback in set three. Down 22-15, the ‘Dons mounted a 9-1 run to tie it at 23. The two teams traded set point opportunities, but the Flyers ultimately took the set to extend the match.

The Flyers took set four by hitting a team-best .333 and combining for 4.5 blocks. They also had 15 digs in the fourth set alone.

Purdue Fort Wayne had 10.0 blocks as a team, helping hold Lewis to .262 hitting. The ‘Dons also had 10 aces, which is a season-best.

Diedrich finished with 23 kills to go with Fraziers 24. Andrej Polomac dished out 56 assists and added two kills to help the team hit .309. Mercado had 11 kills on a .364 percentage. Wilmer Hernandez had a match-high 13 digs while Polomac, Diedrich and Frazier all added nine. Casey Lyons and Diedrich had six blocks each.

Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 13-11 and 7-8 in the MIVA to keep a top-four finish within reach. Lewis falls to 15-13 and 8-7. The Mastodons will host Quincy on Saturday (April 6) at 5 p.m. for Senior Day. The ‘Dons will honor Diedrich, Hernandez, Mercado, Bryce Walker and Davey Singer prior to the match.

EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL

SCHEDULE UPDATED AS SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO DRAKE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With inclement weather on the forecast in Des Moines on Sunday, the University of Evansville softball team will face Drake in a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Friday with the series finale slated for Saturday at 2 p.m.  ESPN+ will have the live coverage of all three games.

Last Time Out

– After dropping the first two games of the series against UIC, the Purple Aces rallied to take the finale in walk-off fashion, earning a 3-2 win

– Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th, Zoe Frossard and Taylor Howe both reached on walks before Jess Willsey forced a Flames error that scored Frossard to tie the game

– Alexa Davis re-entered the game for Howe and scored the winning run on a wild pitch

– Sydney Weatherford tossed another complete game on the way to her third win of the season

In a Zone

– Sydney Weatherford’s strong pitching continued against UIC as she allowed just two earned runs in 14 innings of work while picking up win #3 of 2024

– In her last six appearances, she has given up just five earned runs in 37 frames, good for an ERA of 1.02

– Her MVC earned run average is 1.37 while her season ERA is just 1.99

– Weatherford was at her best in the series against Valparaiso as she allowed one unearned run in 12 innings of work on her way to a pair of victories

Locked In

– Evansville’s top offensive performer has been Zoe Frossard, who leads the team in batting average (.344), on-base percentage (.474) and walks (21)

– Over the last 15 games, Frossard is batting .500 with 21 hits in 42 at-bats

– Her on-base tally is third in the MVC while her 21 walks is second and 19 runs is tied for 9th in the Valley

– She has started all 34 games for the Aces and has scored 16 runs in the last 15 games

Raising Her Average

– Batting .333 (14-for-42) in her last 14 games, Brooke Voss has seen her average rise from .146 to .244

– Over that time, Voss has accumulated 12 runs and six RBI

– Voss went 3-for-7 with two runs scored in the final two games of the UIC series

EVANSVILLE BASEBALL

BASEBALL TO BATTLE BELMONT THIS WEEKEND IN NASHVILLE

EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  Two surging Missouri Valley Conference baseball teams will square off this weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, as the University of Evansville Purple Aces will do battle with the Belmont Bruins at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville.  The series begins on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. in a game that can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and seen live on ESPN+.

Evansville will bring a 12-16 overall record into the series after knocking off Austin Peay, 13-6, on Tuesday.  The Purple Aces have won three out of the last four games, after winning a Valley series against Southern Illinois and knocking off Austin Peay.  Graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger continues to lead the UE offensive attack with a .388 batting average.  He enters the weekend ranked 15th nationally in on-base percentage at .549, while also ranking second in NCAA Division I baseball with 17 hit-by-pitches.  Shallenberger enters the weekend needing just two more hit-by-pitches to tie Troy Beilsmith’s UE career record of 51.

Junior outfielder Harrison Taubert and graduate third baseman Brent Widder rank second and third on the team in hitting with .330 and .322 averages respectively.  Taubert currently leads the MVC in hitting in league play with a .524 Valley average, while Widder leads the MVC with 12 doubles.  In fact, Shallenberger, Taubert, Widder and graduate catcher Brendan Hord all rank in the MVC’s top five in doubles this year.

Belmont will bring a 16-13 overall record and 4-2 MVC mark into this weekend’s series after winning its fourth-straight game on Wednesday over Lipscomb.  The Bruins swept Murray State in a three-game Valley series last weekend, led by current MVC Player of the Week Mason Landers.  Landers hit .462 and launched three home runs in the three-game sweep of Murray State.  Overall, Landers ranks second on the team in hitting at .342, while launching a team-best 11 home runs.  Senior outfielder Sam Slaughter leads Belmont in hitting overall with a .379 average on the season.

Belmont leads the all-time series over UE, 18-4, including sweeping a three-game series in Evansville last season.  Evansville played that series short-handed though, as UE played without Shallenberger, 2023 first-team all-MVC second baseman Kip Fougerousse, and 2023 honorable mention all-conference starting pitcher Nick Smith last season.

Freshman left-hander Kenton Deverman (2-1, 4.68) is expected to get the start in Friday’s series opener for UE.  He is expected to be opposed by Belmont’s Will Pryor (3-1, 4.14 ERA).

SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL

USI RETURNS TO OVC ACTION BY HOSTING LINDENWOOD

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball returns to Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend when it hosts Lindenwood University for a three-game series. The USI-Lindenwood series starts Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch before continuing Saturday at 3 p.m. and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. 

Fans wearing tie-die apparel will receive free admission to the game and can claim a mystery prize. Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2024 can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and on the USI Baseball Schedule.

Following the USI-Lindenwood series, USI returns to the road for four games, beginning with a stop at Saint Louis University April 9. 

USI Baseball Notes

USI starts this week with a split. The USI Screaming Eagles, who are 13-16 overall and 3-3 in the OVC, started this week with a split with Murray State University. USI started the series with a 10-5 win on the road, but lost the rematch at the USI Baseball Field, 13-6.

USI vs. Murray State. Junior second baseman Lane Crowden led the Eagles with a .571 average in two games (4-7) and was followed by senior infielder/designated hitter Tucker Ebest hit .500 (5-10) with five RBI.

USI Eagles 2-3 road swing. The USI Screaming Eagles are 1-3 on the five-game road swing. The Eagles lost to Ball State University last week before losing two of three with Morehead State University over the weekend and posting a win over Murray State to start the week. USI junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen leads the hitters during the trip with a .500 average (11-22) and led the team with four home runs. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis drove in a team-high eight RBI.

Ellis leads Eagles in homers. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis leads the USI Eagle with six this season. Junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen follows Ellis with five round trippers.

The Last 10 Games for USI. USI is 4-6 in the last 10 games and is starting to roll. Senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka is hitting .429 (6-14) in five of the games, while junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen has hit a team-best five home runs. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis has driven in a team-high 10 RBI during the last 10 games.

Leaders at the plate in 2024. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis is hitting a team-high .421 and six home runs this season, while senior outfielder Ren Tachioka, who has been on the shelf for the last week, follows with a .406 mark (28-69). Senior infielder/designated hitter Tucker Ebest has driven in a team-best 25 RBI.

Leaders on the mound in 2024. USI junior right-hander Gavin Seebold and Gavin Morris lead the team with three victories each. Morris also has a team-high 36 strikeouts. Junior right-hander Tyler Hutson has a team-best four saves.

In the OVC. USI as a team is fourth in the OVC in pitching with a team 6.14 ERA and fifth in the league in hitting with a .276 team batting average. Junior right-hander Gavin Seebold is sixth in pitching with a 4.23 ERA, while freshman right-hander Grant Parson is ninth with a 4.67 ERA. Junior right-hander Gavin Morris is third in the OVC overall with 36 strikeouts. Note: Senior Jack Ellis has not played in enough games to be eligible to be ranked in the overall league rankings (75 percent of games and 2.5 at-bats per game.

In OVC Games Only. In conference games only, senior designated hitter Jack Ellis is third in the OVC in batting average (.478) and second in hits (11).

Lindenwood in 2024. The Lions of Lindenwood University are 8-20 overall and 2-4 in the OVC this season. Lindenwood has split its games this week, losing to Southern Illinois University and defeating Blackburn College.

USI vs. Lindenwood. The Screaming Eagles trail the all-time series with the Lions, 6-2, and lost two of three in the OVC last year in St. Charles.

Saint Louis in 2024. The Billikins of Saint Louis University are 20-6 overall and have won four-straight games. Saint Louis is set to play at St. Joseph’s University this weekend in Pennsylvania.

USI vs. Saint Louis. The series is tied, 1-1, after USI took the only meeting last year, 10-2.

SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL

EAGLES VISIT SKYHAWKS IN OVC PLAY

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball continues its Ohio Valley Conference season this weekend with a trip to the University of Tennessee at Martin. Originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, the series has shifted forward a day with a single game on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

Southern Indiana (14-13, 8-4 OVC) has won eight of its last 10 games and is second in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, one game back of first.

USI is coming off its third consecutive OVC series win last weekend after taking two of three at home against Southeast Missouri State University. The series victory put USI over .500 overall for the first time this season. The Screaming Eagles bookended the series with a pair of one-run wins.

At the plate, Southern Indiana hit .263 against SEMO. Senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) led USI with a .556 (5-9) batting average, scoring twice in the series. Junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) was 4-10 with her first home run of the season and a pair of RBIs. Plus, Gotshall pushed her hitting streak and on-base streak to a career-best eight games through the weekend series.

Junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana), who won OVC Pitcher of the Week prior to the SEMO series, went 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA and 17 strikeouts in two complete games and 14 innings pitched against the Redhawks. 10 of Newman’s 17 strikeouts on the weekend came in the series opener.

In USI’s last 10 games, Gotshall and senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) have been leading the offensive charge for the Screaming Eagles with both hitting above .400 and posting an OPS above 1.100. Fair has hit .440 (11-25) with four extra-base hits and a team-best 10 RBIs in the last 10 contests. Meanwhile, Gotshall has batted .424 (14-33) with six extra-base this and seven RBIs. In addition to Gotshall’s career-high eight-game hitting and on-base streak, Fair has reached base in each of the last 10 games.

On the season, three Screaming Eagles pace the squad with a .324 batting average. Fair, Gotshall, and sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) are tied for the team lead. Stapleton has a team-best 13 runs scored, while Fair leads USI with 15 RBIs. Fair and Gotshall are tied for a team-high nine extra-base hits (seven doubles, one triple, and one home run). Senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) is also hitting above .300 with two home runs and 13 RBIs.

In the pitching circle, Newman fronts the pitching staff with a 12-5 record and a 2.00 ERA in 18 starts. The right-hander also has three shutouts and 17 complete games. Newman entered the week top 10 in the nation in innings pitched (119.0) and strikeouts (135) and leads the OVC in both categories.

UT Martin (20-15, 6-6 OVC) has had a solid stretch of play in recent weeks. On Wednesday, the Skyhawks split a non-conference doubleheader on the road against Southeastern Conference foe University of Mississippi. UT Martin defeated Ole Miss in the first game, 4-1, before falling in the second game, 4-2. Before the battle against Ole Miss, the Skyhawks won two of three last weekend in OVC play at Tennessee State University in a high-scoring series. UT Martin scored 25 runs to the Tigers’ 14 runs in the three-game set.

UT Martin has showcased one of the top offenses in the OVC, hitting .292 with 174 runs scored. Senior outfielder Kaci Fuller tops the squad with a .415 batting average, 49 hits, 37 runs, and 12 extra-base hits. Fuller has 26 RBIs, one shy of the team lead. The team high belongs to senior utility Katie Dreiling, who has 27 RBIs and is batting .352.

Dreiling is also a key starting pitcher, logging a 5-4 record and a 3.46 ERA in 12 starts and 58.2 innings. Dreiling leads the pitching staff with 57 strikeouts. Senior pitcher Brooklyn Linneman is 7-3 in 10 starts, posting a 1.46 ERA in 57.2 innings. The Skyhawks’ pitching staff has a collective 2.97 ERA and 170 strikeouts.

The Skyhawks have a 5-2 advantage in the series history, but the Screaming Eagles won two of three at home last season against UT Martin. UT Martin had won four straight contests against USI, sweeping a pair of games in 1991 and 1992. All previous seven matchups were hosted by Southern Indiana.

The series can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.

UINDY FOOTBALL

UINDY UNVEILS 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

INDIANAPOLIS—The University of Indianapolis officially released its 2024 football schedule Thursday. The Greyhounds have 11 regular-season games on the first the time since 2021, starting with the season opener at Hillsdale on Sept. 2.
 
Hillsdale is one of three tough non-conference games on the early-season slate, as the Greyhounds also travel to Wayne State on Sept. 21 before hosting Saginaw Valley for Homecoming on Sept. 28.
 
The Hounds’ home opener comes in week two, with GLVC-rival Truman visiting Key Stadium on Sept. 9. The meat of the conference schedule starts Oct. 5 at William Jewel – the first of seven consecutive GLVC games.
 
The NCAA Division II playoffs kick off with first-round action in Nov. 23 and run until the national championship game Dec. 21.
 
Stay tuned to tuned to UIndyAthletics.com for ticket information.


2024 UINDY FOOTBALL HOME SCHEDULE

DATE	OPP.	TIME	THEME
9/14	Truman	6 PM	Family Night
9/28	Saginaw Valley	6 PM	Homecoming Weekend
10/12	Quincy	6 PM	Southside Festival
11/2	SW Baptist	6 PM	UIndy Fac/Staff Appreciation Night
11/9	Missouri S&T	2 PM	Armed Forces/First Responders Appreciation Day

MARIAN CROSS COUNTRY

MARIAN’S MIKE HOLMAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AT CONCLUSION OF THE 2024 SEASON

INDIANAPOLIS – One of the greatest coaching eras at Marian University will see its conclusion at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, as Michael Holman, Marian men’s and women’s cross country and track and field head coach, has announced his pending retirement. Holman, who is in his 12th season at Marian University and his 46th year as a high school or colleigate coach, has taken the Knights’ cross country and track and field programs to new heights, setting a standard of excellence.

“I want to thank President Elsener, the Board of Trustees, and especially our Athletic Director Steve Downing for giving me the opportunity to lead the Men’s & Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country programs for the last 12 years,” said Holman. “It’s been an incredible journey from our humble beginning of 40 athletes to the 130 athletes we have today. I feel very good about leaving each program (four high schools and Marian University) better than when I arrived. I would like to thank every assistant coach and every athlete I’ve had the honor and privilege to coach throughout my career.

Most importantly, I want to thank my wife and best friend, Lu Ann Holman, for all her support along with my sons Eric and Kiel. They always supported  my travels with love and patience as I chased my passion. Without my family, none of this would have been possible. I’ve stood on the shoulders of some of the greatest coaches in the world while being true to myself and giving back as much I as could to this great profession. I look forward to the next chapter. MAY GOD BLESS ALL.”

Mike Holman began coaching at Marian University in 2012, accepting the title as the program’s second-ever cross country and track and field head coach. Under his leadership at Marian, the Knights captured 21 Crossroads League championships in track and field for men and women, and one Crossroads League Championship on the cross country course, with the men winning the championship in 2016.

Under his tutelage, the Knights earned 20 All-Crossroads League honors in cross country for men and women and over 200 honors in men’s and women’s track and field. The Knights have earned a combined 170 NAIA Scholar-Athlete awards in men’s and women’s track and field and cross country. Holman led two runners to NAIA All-American honors in cross country, and in track and field saw his men earn 57 All-American awards in 19 events, while the women have claimed 41 All-American accolades in 18 events. Including relay participants, Marian has earned over 190 NAIA All-Americans since Holman’s arrival in 2012.

Marian’s prowess on the national stage of track and field took off during the 2016 Indoor NAIA Championships, when Coach Holman guided Taylor Killings to the 60m hurdle National Championship, the first individual title for Marian in school history. The Knights finished 11th in the 2016 NAIA Indoor Championships, and later in the outdoor season, Killings would go on to win the 110m hurdle championship at the 2016 NAIA National Championships. Holman led the Knights even further in 2017, as a repeat championship from Killings in the 60m hurdles along with a national championship from Presley Martin in the 800m pushed Marian to a seventh place finish. The two championships in the same event stood as a Marian record for most national championships in one meet until the 2024 season.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MNCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

“SPORTS EXTRA”

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

3 – 13 

April 5, 1925 – A big scare in the world of baseball when star New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, Number 3 collapses in a preseason exhibition game against the National League’s Brooklyn Dodgers. Docotors had recommended that the Bambino not make the trip down south to play the game, but he did anyway, knocking two home runs over the wall before leaving the game with what ended up being the symptoms of an ulcer. 

April 5, 1934 – Speaking of Babe Ruth, it was on this day that he received a contract to talk on NBC radio weekly, in three 15 minute audio broadcasts for the lofty sum of $39,000 over 13 weeks. This was $4000 more than the Yankees were paying him to play for a season at the time.

April 5, 1967 – Number 13, Wilt Chamberlain hauled in an NBA record 41 rebounds against the defending champion Boston Celtics. Number 13 also scored 20 points as the 76ers handed the Celts their third consective loss with a 115-104 final score in the Eastern NBA Playoffs.

April 5, 1973 – The NFL officially adopted the numbering system for players that included having QBs be number 1-19, and other playing positions having ranges of uniforms numbers as well.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

April 5, 1973 – The National Football League revisies its rules to adopt the jersey numbering system with:

1-19: Quarterbacks and specialists

20-49: Running backs and defensive backs

50-59: Centers and linebackers

60-79: Defensive linemen and offensive linemen other than centers

80-89: Wide receivers and tight ends

Numbers 0, 00, and 90-99 are no longer allowed to be issued, even though these numbers were rarely issued anyways. Numbers 90-99 would be allowed again in 1984 for defensive linemen and linebackers in addition to the above mentioned numbers according to the American Football Database.

Other rule revisions for the NFL were Defensive players cannot jump or stand on a teammate while trying to block a kick.

The clock is to start at the snap following a change of possession. Previously, the clock would start on a change of possession when the ball was spotted ready for play by the referee.

If there is a foul by the offensive team, and it is followed by a change of possession, the period can be extended by one play by the other team.

If the receiving team commits a foul after the ball is kicked, possession will be presumed to have changed; the receiving team keeps the ball.

Of course this had some tweaks along the way with expanding the numbers for skill players in 2020 and the reinstating of the number 0 in 2022.

April 5 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays

April 5, 1871 – Springville, New York – Glenn “Pop” Warner the legendary head coach of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School was born. Pop’s contributions to football are numerous. The was the first to teach the spiral punt technique,  first in using the “dummy practice,” unbalance lines and he innovated both the single-wing and the double-wing formations that helped create both the modern spread and shot gun formations. His football mind was always at work trying to give his teams an advantage by creating the concept of the screen pass, hidden ball plays, mousetrap plays, the naked reverse and the rolling block. Warner also developed better body blocking techniques as well as introducing the three point stance according to the National Football Foundation. Besides coaching Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle team he also led squads at Pittsburgh, Georgia, Cornell, Temple and Stanford for a total combines record of 319-106-32. Pop Warner was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.

April 5, 1951 – Owosso, Michigan – The Michigan State Spartans hard hitting safety , Brad Van Pelt was born.  The National Football Foundation voters chose the name of Brad Van Pelt for selection into the College Hall of Fame in 2001. Brad then went on to become a 5 time Pro Bowler as played in the NFL for 14 years with the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and Oakland Raiders. 

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

APRIL 5

1913 — Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field hosted its first game, an exhibition. Before a crowd of 25,000, the Dodgers beat the Giants, 3-2. Casey Stengel hit a an inside-the-park homer for Brooklyn.

1971 — In their last opening day, the Senators, behind pitcher Dick Bosman, beat the Oakland A’s 8-0 before 45,000 fans at RFK Stadium.

1972 — For the first time in Major League Baseball history, the regular season fails to open due to the player strike which started on April 1st. 86 games will be lost before the labor dispute is settled.

1979 — Baltimore manager Earl Weaver got his 1,000th career victory when the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox.

1983 — The San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 16-13 in the highest-scoring opening day game in 50 years. Winning pitcher Tim Lollar also drove in three runs.

1993 — The expansion Florida Marlins won their first game, 6-3 over the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Joe Robbie Stadium. The new Colorado Rockies lost to the Mets 3-0 in New York.

1998 — Andy Benes pitched seven strong innings and Matt Williams had three hits and an RBI in to lead Arizona to its first victory, a 3-2 win over San Francisco. The Diamondbacks (1-5) had the second longest, season-opening losing streak for an expansion team in its first season.

2003 — Kansas City became the first major league team to start 5-0 after a 100-loss season.

2004 — Carlos Beltran of Kansas City and Shannon Stewart of Minnesota combined to set a record. For the first time in modern history, two players hit game-winning home runs on the same day. The Royals beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-7, while the Twins overcame the Cleveland Indians, 7-4, in 11 innings. The Royals also were the first team since 1901 to recover from a ninth-inning deficit of four runs on opening day.

2004 — Atlanta Braves general manager John Schuerholz announces the team will retain Bobby Cox as the team’s manager through the 2005 season.

2005 — The Washington Nationals, formerly known as the Montreal Expos, lost their inaugural season opener Philadelphia 8-4.

2006 — Ivan Rodriguez went 5-for-5 with a single, homer, three doubles and five RBIs, leading Detroit to a 14-3 rout over Kansas City.

2010 — Garrett Jones homered in his first two at-bats, pinch-hitter Ryan Church doubled home three runs in Pittsburgh’s 11-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2012 — J.P. Arencibia’s three-run homer in the 16th inning sent the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians in the longest opening-day game in major league history. The marathon eclipsed the previous longest openers — 15 innings between Cleveland and Detroit in 1960 and 15 innings between Philadelphia and Washington in 1926.

2013 — Chris Davis extended his torrid start with a grand slam and five RBIs, and the Baltimore Orioles beat Minnesota 9-5 in their home opener. Davis became the fourth player in major league history to homer in his first four games of the season. In the four games, Davis was 9 for 15 (.600) with four homers and 16 RBIs. Davis’ 16 RBIs in his team’s first four games broke the old big league record of 12 and he became the first player to hit a home and drive in three runs in each of the first four games to start a season.

2015 — The Los Angeles Dodgers set a baseball record with a $270 million opening-day payroll, including nearly $44 million going to players no longer on the team. Major League Baseball’s average salary on opening day also set a mark at $4.2 million.

2021 — 38,238 paying spectators make their way to Globe Life Field for the Rangers’ home opener, a 6 – 2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Because of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, it is the first time fans are allowed to a regular season game since the ballpark opened a year ago, and the first sporting event to be held without attendance restrictions anywhere in the U.S. since the start of the health crisis.

BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW: 1964 (BASEBALL ALMANAC)

Off the field…

On February 9th, the British rock group The Beatles arrived in America for an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was the “Fab 4’s” first trip to the United States and introduced their unique sound and stylish appearance to millions of American teenagers. By the week of April 4th, The Beatles had taken over the radio airways and held the top five slots on the American pop charts.

The highly contested and still criticized Warren Commission delivered its final report on September 27th concluding that President John F. Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, had acted alone and on his own recourse.

American’s first computer dynasty International Business Machines (also known as IBM) introduced the first 360 Computer, which was defined as a second-generation system based on transistors. The groundbreaking machine was instantly heralded as a huge success and became the standard for computers of many businesses for many years.

In the American League…

Mickey Mantle set the tenth Major League record of his career after hitting two “switch” home runs in a single game against the Chicago White Sox. Mantle’s first shot off Ray Herbert (a left-handed effort) traveled 461 feet and finally stopped 502 feet from the plate. Later in the game, “The Mick” added a second round-tripper (swinging right-handed) that guaranteed rookie pitcher Mel Stottlemyre’s 7-3 debut victory.

Decades before the “Roberto Alomar incident” Golden Glove first baseman Vic Power of the California Angels was suspended for ten days and fined $250 after spitting on umpire Jim Honochick during a doubleheader loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Kansas City A’s rookie Bert Campaneris became only the second player (Bob Nieman) since 1900 to hit two home runs in his Major League debut during a 4-3 win over Jim Kaat and the Minnesota Twins. He also set the mark as the first American League player ever to knock one out on the first pitch thrown to him. Bill Roman of the Detroit Tigers equaled the feat later in the season during a 7-6, loss to the New York Yankees for his first (and last) career home run.

In the National League…

Willie Mays became the first African-American player to hold the “team leader title” after San Francisco Giants’ skipper Alvin Dark named him as the team’s captain.

On April 6th, “Shea Stadium” was officially dedicated as the New York Mets ballpark. The $25 million dollar facility was named after William A. Shea who christened baseball’s newest cathedral by pouring a mixture of water from the Harlem River (near the old Polo Grounds) and the Gowanus Canal (near the site of Ebbetts Field) over the infield in a pre-game ceremony.

The St. Louis Cardinals became only the second team in the modern era (1923 Giants) to score at least one run in every inning while rolling over the Chicago Cubs during a September 13th outing at Wrigley Field. “Redbirds” Lou Brock and Julian Javier led the rally with one homer each and Curt Simmons topped Dick Ellsworth on the mound for the 15-2 win.

Around the League…

Subscription television for baseball games debuted on July 17th as the first pay cablecast (a night game between the LA Dodgers and Chicago Cubs) was broadcasted live from Los Angeles. The home team emerged as 3-2 winners thanks to the solid arm of Don Drysdale who sat down ten batters.

The National League avoided an umpires’ strike by agreeing with the officials on a new five-year contract that increased both pensions and insurance payments.

After an eleven year stint in Milwaukee, the Braves Board of Directors unanimously voted to request permission from the National League to move the struggling franchise to Atlanta. Milwaukee County officials immediately sued to block the move despite the team’s faltering attendance of 800,000 for the past two seasons. In November, the league ordered the Braves to stay put in Milwaukee for the upcoming season, but permitted a move to Atlanta in 1966.

Major League Baseball finally approved a free-agent draft system that mimicked the one used in professional football. Order of selection was determined in reverse order of each club’s previous season standings and all draftees were to be included on the forty man roster. They also restored all powers rescinded after Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s death in 1944 to the baseball commissioner’s office. The decision waived all owners’ rights to take legal action in the event of disagreements and granted the commissioner total authority to judge whether actions taken by a team and/or owner were in the best interests of the game.

BASEBALL’S GREAT PITCHERS

PHIL NIEKRO

Philip Henry Niekro Jr. was born in Blaine, Ohio, on April Fools’ Day — April 1, 1939. That was appropriate, for he spent much of his career fooling batters with a pitch that most other pitchers wanted no part of.

The first of the Niekro family in America were Jozef Niekra, from Slodkow, Polish Russia, who had come to the U.S. in 1901, and Magdalena “Maggie” Mieszegr, from Blinow, Polish Russia. It isn’t known if the two knew each other in Europe, but they were married in Monongah, West Virginia, where Jozef worked in the local coal mines, on February 9, 1903 — only 19 days after Maggie’s arrival in America.

READ MORE: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/phil-niekro/

TODAY IN NBA HISTORY

April 5, 1967

Wilt Chamberlain, playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, grabbed an NBA playoff record 41 rebounds in a 115-104 win over Boston.

April 5, 1981

The Philadelphia 76ers rejected an NBA playoff record 20 shots in a 125-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Spectrum in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

April 5, 1984

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hit his trademark skyhook in a game against Utah in Las Vegas to surpass Wilt Chamberlain’s career total of 31,419 points, becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer as the Lakers defeated the Jazz 129-115. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to score a record 38,387 points in his legendary career.

April 5, 1995

Charlotte limited Philadelphia to a franchise-low 66 points during the Hornets’ 84-66 win over the visiting Sixers. The teams also combined to score an NBA record-low 19 second-quarter points, with the Hornets accounting for 11 and the Sixers eight.

April 5, 2001

Wang Zhizhi of the Dallas Mavericks played in his first NBA game, a 108-94 win over Atlanta, becoming the first Chinese player to compete in the NBA. Wang had six points and three rebounds in eight minutes of play.

April 5, 2009

Jason Kidd sets the Dallas Mavericks record for first-half assists (16) and assists in regulation (20) as Kidd passes Magic Johnson (10,141) for the NBA’s 3rd most leader in assists with (10,148) as Dallas beat Phoenix, 140-116.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

APRIL 5

1915 — Jess Willard beats Jack Johnson in the 26th round to win the world heavyweight boxing title in Havana.

1927 — Johnny Weissmuller breaks his own 200-meter freestyle record by seven seconds in 2:08. He also lowers his own record in the 100-yard freestyle to 51 seconds, a record that stood for 17 years.

1952 — Henry Wittenberg wins the 191-pound AAU wrestling title for the eighth time. Wittenberg won over 350 bouts in 13 years, including a gold medal in the 1948 Olympics.

1959 — Art Wall birdies five of the last six holes to cap a final-round 66 and edge Fred Hawkins by one stroke to win the Masters.

1967 — ’76er Wilt Chamberlain sets NBA record with 41 rebounds in single game.

1970 — New York beats Detroit 9-5 to take fourth place and the final playoff berth in the NHL’s East Division. The Rangers are the first team to advance to the playoffs on the basis of goals scored when they finish tied with Montreal.

1972 — Major League Baseball for the first time fails to open because of a player strike, which started April 1 and would be settled April 13.

1973 — NFL adopts jersey numbering system.

1984 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hits a sky hook with 8:53 left in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 129-115 victory over the Utah Jazz to become the NBA’s top career scorer. Wilt Chamberlain, with 31,419 points, held the record since his retirement in 1973.

1987 — Wayne Gretzky wins 7th straight NHL scoring title.

1989 — LA Dodgers Orel Hershiser’s consecutive scoreless streak of 59 innings ends.

1990 — John Stockton reaches 1000-assist mark for NBA record 3 years in a row.

1992 — 11th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Stanford beats Western Kentucky, 78-62.

1993 — Donald Williams scores 25 points to lead North Carolina to a 77-71 win over Michigan in the NCAA championship.

1993 — MLB expansion teams Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies make their MLB debuts.

1997 — Bruce Baumgartner wins a record eighth World Cup wrestling gold medal, beating David Musolbes 2-1 in overtime at 275 1/2 pounds as the United States routs Russia 25-7.

2004 — Led by 24 points from Emeka Okafor and 21 from Ben Gordon, the Connecticut Huskies outclass Georgia Tech 82-73 to win the men’s national championship.

2005 — 24th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Baylor beats Michigan State, 84-62.

2005 — The Washington Nationals lose their inaugural season opener, 8-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies; first team to represent the nation’s capital since the Washington Senators left after the 1971 season.

2008 — The Boston Celtics sets an NBA record for biggest single-season turnaround with a 101-78 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. The Celtics improve to 61-15, 37 more wins than last season.

2008 — Memphis beats UCLA 78-63 in the NCAA semifinals to go to 38-1 and become the winningest team in a season. Kansas’ Brandon Rush scores 25 points, and the Jayhawks defeat North Carolina 84-66 in the second semifinal.

2009 — Brittany Lincicome sinks a 6-foot eagle putt on No. 18 to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship for her first major title.

2010 — Duke wins its fourth NCAA basketball championship, holding off Butler 61-59 and surviving Gordon Hayward’s last-second desperation shot that hits the rim.

2011 — 30th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Texas A&M beats Notre Dame, 76-70.

2016 — UConn wins an unprecedented fourth straight women’s national championship, capping another perfect season by routing Syracuse 82-51. Geno Auriemma passes UCLA’s John Wooden with his 11th national title and a sixth undefeated season.

2019 — OKC G Russell Westbrook becomes first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for the third consecutive season.

2021 — 82nd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Baylor Bears become second consecutive first-time NCAA champions with 86–70 over previously undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs.

2023 — 84th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas: UConn defeat the San Diego State Aztecs, 76–59 for Huskies’ 5th national title; MOP: Adama Sanogo (UConn).

TV SPORTS FRIDAY

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)

1 a.m. (Saturday)

FS2 — AFL: Carlton at Fremantle

AUTO RACING

3 p.m.

FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: Qualifying, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

5 p.m.

FS1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series: Qualifying, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

7:30 p.m.

FS1 — NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series: The Long John Silver’s 200, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Va.

9:30 p.m.

FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Firebird Motorsports Park, Chandler, Ariz. (Taped)

10:25 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Practice, Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan

1:55 a.m. (Saturday)

ESPN2 — Formula 1: Qualifying, Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan

COLLEGE BASEBALL

3 p.m.

BTN — Michigan at Iowa

7 p.m.

ACCN — Wake Forest at Virginia Tech

8 p.m.

SECN — Vanderbilt at LSU

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)

6:30 p.m.

CBSSN — Reese’s NABC All-Star Game: East vs. West, Phoenix

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)

7 p.m.

ESPN — NCAA Tournament: NC State vs. South Carolina, Final Four, Cleveland

ESPN2 — NCAA Tournament: NC State vs. South Carolina, Final Four, Cleveland (The Bird & Taurasi Show)

9:30 p.m.

ESPN — NCAA Tournament: UConn vs. Iowa, Final Four, Cleveland

ESPN2 — NCAA Tournament: UConn vs. Iowa, Final Four, Cleveland (The Bird & Taurasi Show)

COLLEGE GYMNASTICS (MEN’S)

8 p.m.

BTN — Big Ten Championships: From Champaign, Ill.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

6 p.m.

SECN — Missouri at Arkansas

6:30 p.m.

ESPNU — Oklahoma at Texas

8 p.m.

PAC-12N — UCLA at Oregon St.

10 p.m.

PAC-12N — Washington at Oregon

GOLF

10:30 a.m.

GOLF — Korn Ferry Tour: The Club Car Championship, Second Round, The Landings Club – Deer Creek Course, Savannah, Ga.

4 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The Valero Texas Open, Second Round, TPC San Antonio, San Antonio

7 p.m.

GOLF — LPGA Tour: The T-Mobile Match Play – Day 3, Third Round, Shadow Creek, Las Vegas

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S)

2:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — Chipotle High School Nationals: TBD, Semifinal, Brownsburg, Ind.

4:30 p.m.

ESPN2 — Chipotle High School Nationals: TBD, Semifinal, Brownsburg, Ind.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (GIRL’S)

10:30 a.m.

ESPNU — Chipotle High School Nationals: TBD, Semifinal, Brownsburg, Ind.

12:30 p.m.

ESPNU — Chipotle High School Nationals: TBD, Semifinal, Brownsburg, Ind.

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races

IIHF (WOMEN’S)

11 a.m.

NHLN — World Championship Group Stage: Sweden vs. China, Group B, Utica, N.Y.

7 p.m.

NHLN — World Championship Group Stage: Czech Republic vs. U.S., Group A, Utica, N.Y.

LACROSSE (MEN’S)

9 p.m.

ESPNU — NLL: Buffalo at Colorado

MLB BASEBALL

1 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Toronto at NY Yankees OR Oakland at Detroit

4 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Tampa Bay at Colorado OR Baltimore at Pittsburgh

6:40 p.m.

APPLETV+ — NY Mets at Cincinnati

8:05 p.m.

APPLETV+ — Houston at Texas

9:30 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Boston at LA Angels OR Seattle at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m.)

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

NBATV — Sacramento at Boston

10 p.m.

NBATV — Minnesota at Phoenix

NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL

7 p.m.

ESPNEWS — Eastern Conference Semifinal: Long Island at Osceola

RUGBY (MEN’S)

4:55 a.m.

FS2 — NRL: St. George Illawarra at Newcastle

10:30 p.m.

FS2 — MLR: Dallas at Seattle

TENNIS

7 a.m.

TENNIS — Marrakech-ATP, Estoril-ATP Quarterfinals

11 a.m.

TENNIS — Charleston-WTA Quarterfinals

6 p.m. TENNIS — Charleston-WTA Quarterfinals