“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA 3 TAMPA BAY 1 (11)
DETROIT 9 OAKLAND 0
TORONTO 6 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2 (11)
BALTIMORE 14 NY YANKEES 1
BOSTON 10 TEXAS 6
CLEVELAND 6 KANSAS CITY 1
SEATTLE 5 HOUSTON 1
TORONTO 5 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4
CINCINNATI 5 WASHINGTON 4 (10)
MILWAUKEE 6 CHICAGO CUBS 5
ST. LOUIS 3 MIAMI 0
NY METS 9 ARIZONA 0
LA DODGERS 5 PITTSBURGH 2
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 3 MEMPHIS 2
SOUTH BEND 7 PEORIA 6
SOUTH BEND 4 PEORIA 0
FT. WAYNE 5 WEST MICHIGAN 2
WNBA SCORES
SUN 93 STORM 73
2023 INDIANA FOOTBALL”HOOSIER HERITAGE” SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, AUG. 18
ANDERSON AT YORKTOWN, 7 PM
FRANKLIN COUNTY AT NEW CASTLE, 7 PM
LEBANON AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS, 7:30 PM
MADISON AT GREENFIELD, 8 PM
MUNCIE CENTRAL AT DELTA, 7:30 PM
NEW PALESTINE AT WESTFIELD, 7 PM
NOBLESVILLE AT MOUNT VERNON, 7 PM
SHELBYVILLE AT GREENSBURG, 7 PM
FRIDAY, AUG. 25
FRANKLIN AT MOUNT VERNON, 7 PM
GREENFIELD AT GREENSBURG, 7 PM
NEW CASTLE AT TRITON CENTRAL, 7 PM
NEW PALESTINE AT DECATUR CENTRAL, 7 PM
NORWELL AT DELTA, 7 PM
PENDLETON HEIGHTS AT ANDERSON, 7 PM
RUSHVILLE AT SHELBYVILLE, 7 PM
YORKTOWN AT MUNCIE CENTRAL, 7 PM
FRIDAY, SEP. 1
DELTA AT SHELBYVILLE ©, 7:30 PM
MOUNT VERNON AT GREENFIELD ©, 7 PM
NEW CASTLE AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS ©, 7:30 PM
YORKTOWN AT NEW PALESTINE ©, 7 PM
FRIDAY, SEP. 8
GREENFIELD AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS ©, 7 PM
MOUNT VERNON AT NEW PALESTINE ©, 7 PM
SHELBYVILLE AT NEW CASTLE ©, 7:30 PM
YORKTOWN AT DELTA ©, 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, SEP. 15
DELTA AT MOUNT VERNON ©, 7 PM
NEW CASTLE AT YORKTOWN ©, 7 PM
PENDLETON HEIGHTS AT NEW PALESTINE ©, 7 PM
SHELBYVILLE AT GREENFIELD ©, 7 PM
FRIDAY, SEP. 22
NEW CASTLE AT DELTA ©, 7:30 PM
NEW PALESTINE AT GREENFIELD ©, 7 PM
PENDLETON HEIGHTS AT MOUNT VERNON ©, 7 PM
YORKTOWN AT SHELBYVILLE ©, 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, SEP. 29
DELTA AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS ©, 7:30 PM
GREENFIELD AT YORKTOWN ©, 7 PM
MOUNT VERNON AT NEW CASTLE ©, 7 PM
SHELBYVILLE AT NEW PALESTINE ©, 7 PM
FRIDAY, OCT. 6
DELTA AT GREENFIELD ©, 7:30 PM
MOUNT VERNON AT SHELBYVILLE ©, 7 PM
NEW CASTLE AT NEW PALESTINE ©, 7 PM
PENDLETON HEIGHTS AT YORKTOWN ©, 7 PM
FRIDAY, OCT. 13
GREENFIELD AT NEW CASTLE ©, 7 PM
NEW PALESTINE AT DELTA ©, 7:30 PM
SHELBYVILLE AT PENDLETON HEIGHTS ©, 7 PM
YORKTOWN AT MOUNT VERNON ©, 7 PM
©CONFERENCE GAME
COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 – 10-11 A.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 8 – 9-10:30 A.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 10 – 9-10 A.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 15 – 9-10 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 – 6-8 P.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 17 – 6-8 P.M.
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: GUNNAR HENDERSON, ORIOLES POUND YANKEES
Gunnar Henderson homered twice, collected four hits in his first four at-bats and went 4-for-7 as the visiting Baltimore Orioles cruised to a 14-1 rout of the New York Yankees on Thursday night for a split of a four-game series.
Henderson opened the game with a homer off Luis Severino (1-4), singled in the second and in the Orioles’ seven-run third, then added his second homer during Baltimore’s five-run fourth.
Ryan O’Hearn drove in four runs, with three of the RBIs coming on a pair of hits in the third inning. Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish (5-4) gave up three hits in six innings. Bradish got the big run support after exiting a game without a single run of support from the Orioles’ offense for the sixth time on Saturday when Baltimore took a 1-0 loss to Minnesota.
Severino was rocked for seven runs and 10 hits — one shy of his career high — in 2 2/3 innings. He has allowed 16 runs and 19 hits in his two most recent outings, spanning 6 2/3 innings. The Yankees ended the game with utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the mound for the fourth time this season.
Mets 9, Diamondbacks 0
Francisco Lindor had the first five-hit game of his career and Carlos Carrasco pitched eight stellar innings to help New York roll over Arizona and finish a three-game sweep in Phoenix.
Lindor homered, had two triples and scored three times to lead a 17-hit attack as New York won its fifth straight game. Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez each homered and drove in three runs for New York. Carrasco (3-3) allowed three hits and one walk. He struck out four and left after 96 pitches.
Diamondbacks All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll departed in the seventh inning with an apparent right shoulder injury. It is the second time in a week in which Carroll injured the shoulder. He is expected to have an MRI exam on Friday. Arizona has lost four straight games and eight of its last 12.
Dodgers 5, Pirates 2
Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy hit home runs, Julio Urias went six strong innings, and host Los Angeles turned back Pittsburgh.
Urias (6-5) gave up two runs on three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts as he looked more like his former self while making his second start since returning from a seven-week absence because of a hamstring injury.
Rookie Nick Gonzales had a two-run double for the Pirates, who lost for the fifth time in their past six games following a four-game winning streak. The Dodgers won three games in the four-game series and took the season series 4-3 despite dropping a three-game set at Pittsburgh in April.
Blue Jays 6, White Sox 2 (Game 1, 11 innings)
Consecutive RBI singles from George Springer, Bo Bichette, Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke things open in the 11th inning as visiting Toronto topped Chicago in the opener of a doubleheader.
Toronto collected six straight singles overall to fuel the rally, with just three leaving the infield. Cavan Biggio punctuated the burst with a two-run double. The Blue Jays had just one hit through the first 10 innings.
Oscar Colas and Andrew Vaughn started the Chicago 11th with a double and a single against Thomas Hatch to plate runs. Yimi Garcia got the final two outs to earn the save in a game in which the only runs came in the final inning.
Blue Jays 5, White Sox 4 (Game 2)
Bo Bichette had four hits, Whit Merrifield smacked two solo home runs and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in two runs as visiting Toronto secured a doubleheader sweep.
Toronto out-hit Chicago 16-9 in the nightcap. Matt Chapman, Danny Jansen, Cavan Biggio, and Guerrero added two hits apiece as the Blue Jays earned a sweep of the three-game set to finish 6-0 against the White Sox this season.
Andrew Benintendi and Seby Zavala had two hits apiece for Chicago, which has lost five of six to fall to a season-low 15 games under .500.
Guardians 6, Royals 1
Andres Gimenez, Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor each blasted solo home runs to help Cleveland beat visiting Kansas City in the opener of a four-game series.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee allowed one run and four hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked four. Eli Morgan (4-1), Enyel De Los Santos, Trevor Stephan and Nick Sandlin followed with scoreless innings apiece for the Guardians, who have won four of six to remain within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.
Royals starter Jordan Lyles was aiming to win back-to-back starts after losing his first 11 decisions this season, but he departed after five innings with the score tied 1-1. He surrendered six hits, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Drew Waters had two hits for Kansas City, which has lost four straight.
Cardinals 3, Marlins 0
Jack Flaherty pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Nolan Arenado slugged a go-ahead home run, leading St. Louis to a win in Miami.
The Marlins fell short of completing a four-game sweep, but Luis Arraez went 3-for-5 to raise his best-in-the-majors batting average to .388. He also has 12 three-hit games this season. Flaherty (6-5) scattered nine hits, just two for extra bases. He walked two and struck out five. In two career games in Miami, Flaherty is 2-0 with 11 strikeouts in 13 scoreless innings.
Marlins rookie Eury Perez (5-3) allowed just three hits, two walks and one run in six innings. He struck out seven and lowered his ERA to 2.36.
Phillies 3, Rays 1 (11 innings)
Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner delivered RBI singles in the 11th inning on Thursday, lifting Philadelphia to a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Matt Strahm (5-3) tossed two scoreless innings, ending the game by getting Wander Franco to bounce into a double play. The Phillies have won 12 straight road games, while the Rays lost their season-worst fifth consecutive game.
The Phillies were able to break through in the 11th inning off Ryan Thompson (1-2), the eighth Tampa Bay pitcher. Pinch runner Edmundo Sosa began the inning at second base, and with one out, Garrett Stubbs was hit by a pitch. Schwarber dribbled a run-scoring single to right, and Turner lined an RBI hit.
Tigers 9, Athletics 0
Javier Baez reached base four times, scored two runs and drove in two more, four pitchers combined on a shutout, and host Detroit thumped Oakland.
Jake Marisnick doubled and homered for the Tigers, who salvaged the finale of a three-game series. Kerry Carpenter added two hits and an RBI as every starter in the Tigers’ lineup had at least one hit. Michael Lorenzen, the team’s All-Star representative, tossed five innings. He gave up three hits and struck out four. Lorenzen (3-6) collected his first victory since May 16.
Oakland starter Hogan Harris (2-3) allowed seven runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out six in 4 2/3 innings.
Reds 5, Nationals 4 (10 innings)
Nick Senzel made a game-saving catch in the ninth inning and then hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the 10th as Cincinnati rallied to complete a four-game sweep over host Washington.
Cincinnati has won five straight games and 20 of 24. The Reds are 14-1 in their last 15 road contests. The Reds extended their home-run streak to 20 games, one behind the franchise record of 21, set in 1956.
With the score tied, Washington’s Riley Adams doubled with one out in the ninth against Tony Santillan (1-0), but Senzel made a jumping catch at the wall in right for the second out before a pop out ended the inning. In the 10th, with Tyler Stephenson starting on second, Senzel homered off Hunter Harvey (3-4). Alexis Diaz survived an eventful 10th for his 25th save.
Brewers 6, Cubs 5
Victor Caratini hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning, helping host Milwaukee overcome squandering a three-run lead in a victory over Chicago.
After the Cubs’ Yan Gomes tied things with a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the eighth off J.C. Mejia (1-0), the Brewers’ own reserve catcher burned his former team by clubbing a shot well into the right field seats off Michael Fulmer (0-5). Caratini’s homer was his fifth of the season.
Joel Payamps worked around a lead-off single by Trey Mancini in the ninth inning to record his third save for the Brewers, who avoided a third straight defeat to split this four-game set.
Red Sox 10, Rangers 6
Boston erased a one-run deficit by scoring six times in the seventh inning and went on to defeat visiting Texas.
Enrique Hernandez’s two-run single against Grant Anderson put the Red Sox ahead 6-5 in the seventh and opened the floodgates. Christian Arroyo, Connor Wong, Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida added RBI hits as the Red Sox piled up seven hits — six singles and a double — against four Texas relievers in the inning.
Wong had three of Boston’s 13 hits overall. Corey Seager led Texas with three hits, including his 11th home run of the season to cap the scoring in the ninth.
Mariners 5, Astros 1
George Kirby carried a shutout into the seventh inning and Seattle rode two home runs from Eugenio Suarez and one from J.P. Crawford to a road win over Houston.
Kirby (8-7), added to the American League All-Star Game roster on Tuesday, recorded his 14th quality start, matching Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman for the most in the majors. The 25-year-old right-hander allowed one run on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
Astros rookie right-hander Ronel Blanco (2-1) recorded a career-high nine strikeouts but was undone by the longball. Suarez had a two-run blast in the second, and an inning later, Crawford recorded his eighth homer to extend the Mariners’ advantage to 3-0. Suarez added a 420-foot home run to center off Rafael Montero in the ninth for his 11th homer this season and 14th career multi-homer game.
MEN’S GOLF
JONAS BLIXT GETS HOT ON BACK 9 AT JOHN DEERE CLASSIC, TAKES FIRST-ROUND LEAD WITH 62
SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — Jonas Blixt heated up on the back nine at TPC Deere Run on Thursday, playing his last six holes in 6 under for a 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead over Grayson Murray in the first round of the John Deere Classic.
Murray was 8 under through 13 holes but stalled from there. He bogeyed his final hole and shot 64. Cameron Young, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 19, also closed with a bogey and was part of a big group three shots back.
The 39-year-old Blixt, a three-time winner on tour, has only conditional status and is making his first PGA Tour start since the Byron Nelson in May. He spent most of the past six weeks working at home with his swing coach and missed the cut last week on the Korn Ferry Tour, but he felt like something clicked on the range on Tuesday.
“I kind of came to the point in my season where it’s so late that I don’t feel any pressure anymore really and just kind of go out and swing at it,” Blixt said. “Golf is weird. Like, tomorrow I can shoot 100 I feel like, but today was a great day.”
Blixt shot 7-under 29 on the back nine — his first time breaking 30 for nine holes on tour — and the 62 matches his career-best round. He drove the green on the 360-yard, par-4 14th hole and made a 43-foot putt for eagle. On the par-4 18th, he hit his approach from a fairway bunker within 5 feet for a closing birdie.
Blixt last won in 2017 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, paired with Cameron Smith in the team event. He had back surgery two years later and has struggled since. He entered the week ranked 842nd in the world.
“I played a lot of years on tour, and I’m very thankful for it, and I got to play with a lot of good players, a lot of good golf courses, a lot of good sponsors,” Blixt said. “Sometimes you just have to be grateful for what you have and what you experience as well and not always think about what could have been. So I kind of lean on that a little bit. Obviously I’m still hungry. I’m not saying that I’m quitting.”
Murray’s 64 was his best round on tour in three years.
“I’ve been playing really good on the Korn Ferry Tour and got a win about a month ago and a third place out there,” he said. “I’m in a good position out there to lock up my card here soon, and I felt like coming out here with an opportunity to kind of double dip, as you could say, and play a little more free knowing that my card is pretty much locked up out there.”
Murray, a winner at the Barbasol Championship in 2017, suffered a knee injury in a scooter crash in Bermuda in October, forcing him to withdraw from the Bermuda Championship. He didn’t play again until January on the Korn Ferry Tour, and since then he has worked on spending his free time productively.
“I try to fill my time with some positive things off the course, whether it’s going to the gym or hitting up a movie,” he said. “We have a lot of down time, and I would say I was not good at prioritizing that in the past.
“I’m 29 years old now. I’ve been out here a long time, and I kind of had a coming-to-Jesus moment a little bit and said, hey, look, I have an opportunity here. I probably haven’t reached my prime yet.”
Joining Young at 65 were Greyson Sigg, Garrick Higgo, Adam Schenk, Nate Lashley and Richy Werenski.
WOMEN’S GOLF
XIYU JANET LIN SOAKS UP PEBBLE BEACH VIEWS AND SHARES LEAD WITH HYO JOO KIM AT US WOMEN’S OPEN
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Pebble Beach was everything the best women golfers in the world imagined for the first U.S. Women’s Open with its raw beauty, marine layer and chill in the air.
For some of them, it was a sheer beast.
Xiyu Janet Lin and Hyo Joo Kim could soak up the scenery, each of them with a 4-under 68 on Thursday to share the lead after one round of a historic week on one of the most famous golf courses in America.
“We’re part of the history. It’s really cool,” Lin said. “I kind of told myself no matter what, this is going to be a memorable week.”
It was a forgettable start for Jin Young Ko, whose 79 was her worst U.S. Women’s Open score by four shots. And she had company. The top four players in the women’s world ranking combined to go 22-over par with Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko at 76 and Lilia Vu at 79.
Rose Zhang, the 20-year-old Stanford sensation who won in her pro debut last month, wasted a good start with a double bogey on the eighth hole that slowed her momentum. She played the final 10 holes in 2 over for a 74.
“I felt like the game in general was pretty solid. It was just the mishap on 8 that kind of turned my entire round a little bit,” Zhang said.
She didn’t make a birdie the rest of the way, and had to chip on her last four holes — one of them from the wrong side of the green on the par-3 17th just as Gary Woodland did in 2019 when he won the U.S. Open. She nearly holed it, a perfectly clipped wedge she had never tried in competition.
“Always something new,” Zhang said with a laugh.
Lin began her round on the tough par-4 10th hole, and she saved par on four of her opening five holes before holing an 8-foot birdie putt on the 15th. The Chinese player’s lone bogey came at the end when she failed to get up-and-down from short of a bunker on No. 9.
“At the beginning, putting definitely save me,” said Lin, who took only 25 putts and was leading the field in the key putting statistic. “Making those short putts really kind of boosted my confidence, making me feel more comfortable to attack when I needed to.”
Kim, whose lone major was the Evian Championship in 2014, was 4 under through eight holes until her lone bogey at No. 9. She made only one birdie the rest of the day, holing a 20-footer on the 17th that allowed her to catch Lin.
She was happy with her score and the location.
“I think I can brag about this, my opportunity to play at Pebble Beach,” Kim said.
Irish amateur Aine Donegan didn’t get her clubs until Tuesday — only to find her driver damaged — and had a 69 that included a wedge she holed out from 96 yards on the 15th. She was in a large group one shot behind that include the more notable Irish player, Leona Maguire, who birdied the 18th.
Maguire is coming off a tough loss two weeks ago in the Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol when she lost the 54-hole lead with a 74.
“I think when you’ve got another major coming up as quick as this was and at somewhere like Pebble, I think your focus shifts pretty quickly,” Maguire said. “Looking forward to another opportunity this week, hopefully.”
This has been among the most anticipated events of the year for women’s golf because of the location. Pebble Beach is the most iconic of U.S. Open venues, and the most recognizable with its seaside views on half of the holes.
Lin said she got the best advice from the person working on her clubs.
“He just told me, ‘Whatever hole you’re at, just take 30 seconds to look up at the view and you will be very grateful where you are.’ I think it’s absolutely right,” she said. “Yeah, even today when there was some stressful shots coming up, I just kind of tell myself how grateful I am to be actually hitting a shot on this hole.”
Jin Young Ko was already losing ground when she pulled her tee shot left and over the cliffs onto the beach at the par-3 17th, leading to double bogey. In 24 previous rounds in the U.S. Women’s Open, she never had worse than a 75.
She played with Korda, the No. 2 player in the world who missed the cut at the Women’s PGA two weeks ago. Korda began her big day at Pebble Beach by sending her opening drive over the cliff and onto the beach at No. 10 for a double bogey.
Lydia Ko hit a wild hook on the par-3 fifth hole and wound up with a quadruple-bogey 7 that sent her to a 76 and ruined an otherwise solid round.
Michelle Wie West and Annika Sorenstam are playing what likely will be their last U.S. Women’s Open, both drawn back by the lure of playing Pebble Beach. Both are likely to be leaving earlier than they wanted. Wie West shot 79 and Sorenstam had an 80.
Zhang holds the Pebble Beach record for women, a 63 last September at a college tournament. This is a different course, a stronger test. She made birdie putts at Nos. 3 and 4 and was as calm as the ocean until No. 8.
Her 4-hybrid tailed off to the right down a bank of thick grass, and she never found the ball and had to return to the fairway. It was a quick reminder that the U.S. Women’s Open was far different from college.
“Definitely very different,” she said. “Pin locations were tucked very close to the edges, and even if you do hit a great shot, sometimes you’re punished for going at the pin and being really aggressive. … And tees were longer, too. That minimizes your birdie chances. And even if you are playing solid golf, less birdies equal higher scores.”
NFL NEWS
EAGLES QB JALEN HURTS SAYS, ‘THERE’S A THRILL IN NOT BEING SATISFIED’
Jalen Hurts has no time to be satisfied.
After a breakout season in which he nearly led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl victory and earned him a record-setting contract, Hurts is working like a “madman” to be even better.
“Everybody aspires to be the best and works to be the best, but ultimately you have to find some separation,” Hurts said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “And that’s the thrill. There’s a thrill in not being satisfied and there’s a thrill in being on this journey, and I have embraced that. I love this game and I know my purpose within this game. I truly just want to be intentional. … So every day I just try to be the best that I can be and that is not based off of external factors. Those things don’t matter. You just try and control what you can.”
The 24-year-old quarterback drafted in the second round in 2020 emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars in his second full season as a starter. Hurts threw for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and ran for 760 yards and 13 scores. He finished second in voting for AP NFL MVP and third for the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Hurts was spectacular in the Super Bowl, throwing for 304 yards and one TD with 70 yards rushing and three scores. But he also lost a fumble that was returned for a TD in a 38-35 loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In April, the Eagles rewarded Hurts with a $255 million, five-year contract extension that was the richest in NFL history until Lamar Jackson surpassed it two weeks later.
Hurts also received a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in a busy offseason that included his acting debut in a short film by Teyana Taylor. Last week, Hurts signed a multiyear deal with A Shoc beverages to promote Accelerator energy drinks, giving him an equity stake in the business.
Despite a hectic schedule over the summer, Hurts has made sure to keep focused on improving his game. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson rave about his work ethic.
“We’ll never put a ceiling on what he can accomplish,” Johnson said. “I think with Jalen, nothing that he ever does will surprise me. He works like a madman. He’s very, very diligent. He’s very intentional about what he wants, and that shows on a daily basis in how he operates.”
The Eagles went 16-2 with Hurts last year, including 14-1 in the regular season. They lost two games that he missed with a shoulder injury. Some in Philadelphia are concerned Hurts can’t sustain his excellence because his running style makes him susceptible to injury.
If Hurts is planning to stay in the pocket more this season, he’s not saying.
“I put a lot of work in. I invest a ton into this and always have, and I just want to continue to quantify my work,” he said when asked about it. “That’s been something that I’ve been able to do since I’ve been in college. So that’s always my goal. Find those weaknesses and turn them into your strengths. And then if you do have a strength, boost it and make it a touch stronger.”
NBA NEWS
PELICANS SIGN FORWARDS JONES AND LIDELL, AND CENTER ZELLER TO CONTRACTS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans signed forwards Herb Jones and E.J. Lidell, and veteran center Cody Zeller, the club announced Thursday.
Jones, a 2021 second-round draft choice out of Alabama, was a starter throughout last season after emerging as the club’s most decorated defensive player as a rookie. His four-year extension is reportedly worth about $56.3 million.
Zeller’s one-year deal, worth a reported $3.2 million, comes after the Pelicans let go of reserve centers Willy Hernangomez and Jaxson Hayes in free agency, creating the need for a reserve to spell starter Jonas Valanciunas.
Lidell was the Pelicans’ second-round draft choice out of Ohio State in 2022, but was lost to a right knee injury for his entire rookie season. He has returned in time to join the Pelicans’ Las Vegas NBA Summer League squad, which opens play on Friday night. Lidell was on a two-way contract before the Pelicans opted on Thursday to give him a three-year contract reportedly worth about $6.2 million.
The 6-foot-7 Jones’ average steals of 1.6 per game this past season tied for fourth in the NBA. He also averaged 9.8 points and 0.6 blocks.
The 6-11 Zeller is 10-year veteran who spent his first eight seasons in Charlotte before one-year stints each in Portland and Miami.
Last season, he averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds and started in two games for the Heat. He also appeared in 21 playoff games for as a reserve during Miami’s run to the finals, averaging 2.2 points and 2.3 rebounds.
Lidell, who is 6-6, hasn’t played meaningful basketball since his junior season at Ohio State in 2021-22, when he averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.6 blocks per game and was named first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defense.
BRITNEY SPEARS SAYS WEMBANYAMA’S SECURITY STRUCK HER IN LAS VEGAS, SPURS ROOKIE SAYS HE WAS GRABBED
LAS VEGAS (AP) — San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama said Thursday he believes Britney Spears grabbed him from behind as he was walking into a restaurant at a Las Vegas casino, and that the security detail he was with pushed the pop star away.
Wembanyama said he wasn’t told that Spears was the person who grabbed him until hours later, and that he never actually saw her.
Spears, who filed a report with Las Vegas police, said in posts on Twitter and Instagram that the run-in was “super embarrassing,” and denied grabbing Wembanyama, saying she only “tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.”
She said she had recognized him earlier in the evening and when seeing the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft — a 7-foot-3 French standout who is entering the NBA with as much acclaim as anyone since LeBron James 20 years ago — and she “decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success.”
Spears said, “His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face.”
Police said a report was filed on an incident at the Aria Resort & Casino, but gave no further details.
Spears’ attorney Mathew Rosengart declined comment, citing the police investigation.
Wembanyama said security advised him to not stop for anyone as he walked into the restaurant, mindful that pausing could cause a stir and allow a crowd to build.
“Something did happen, a little bit, when I was walking with some security from the team to some restaurant,” Wembanyama said. “We were in the hall. There was a lot of people, so people were calling (at) me, obviously. There was one person who was calling me but we talked before with security.
“I couldn’t stop. That person was calling me, ‘Sir, sir,’ and that person grabbed me from behind,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t see what happened because I was walking straight and didn’t stop. That person grabbed me from behind — not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind. I just know the security pushed her away. I don’t know with how much force but security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy a nice dinner.”
Spears said in her social media posts that she gets swarmed by people all the time, including that same night, but her “security team didn’t hit any of them.”
TMZ first reported details of the event that took place Wednesday night near a restaurant at the casino. TMZ said Spears was in a group of four trying to enter a restaurant for dinner and that she “was swarmed by fans as she entered the casino.” TMZ’s account of the encounter with Wembanyama was similar to Spears’; the site said she tapped him on the shoulder and wound up being struck in the face and having her glasses knocked off.
“I didn’t know for a couple hours, but when I came back to the hotel … I thought it was no big deal, and then security of the Spurs told me it was Britney Spears,” Wembanyama said. “At first, I was like, ‘You’re joking,’ but yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears. I never saw her face. I just kept walking straight.”
He was unaware that the situation had made headlines until Thursday.
“I saw the news obviously this morning. I woke up to a couple of phone calls,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama will make his NBA Summer League debut with the Spurs on Friday night in Las Vegas against the Charlotte Hornets. He signed some autographs for fans at the Aria on Wednesday night and did the same for a small number of onlookers as he entered a local high school for practice with the Spurs on Thursday morning.
NHL NEWS
LONGTIME KINGS STAR ANZE KOPITAR SIGNS TWO-YEAR, $14M EXTENSION
Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar signed a two-year, $14 million extension on Thursday.
Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and five-time All-Star, is now under contract with the club through the 2025-26 season. The 17-year-veteran turns 36 in August.
“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement that will keep Anze in Los Angeles as our group takes the next step in competing for a Stanley Cup,” Kings general manager Rob Blake said in a news release. “He is the heart and soul of this team as our captain and he will continue to play a major role on our club.”
Kopitar had 28 goals and 74 points in 82 games last season while winning the Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) for the second time in his career.
Last season was Kopitar’s most productive campaign since having 35 goals and 92 points in the 2017-18 season. That stellar campaign also marked the second time in three seasons that Kopitar won the Selke Award as the league’s top defensive forward.
“Los Angeles has become home for me and my family, and I’m excited to extend my career here,” Kopitar said. “I’ve been with this organization through it all and I know our group is close to achieving something special. I look forward to helping us reach that next level and achieving the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup again.”
Kopitar was a big component when the Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. He scored 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 20 games during the 2012 postseason and 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 26 games during the 2014 playoffs.
Overall, Kopitar has 77 postseason points (24 goals, 53 assists) in 92 games.
In 1,292 regular-season games with the Kings, Kopitar has 393 goals and 748 assists for 1,141 points. He ranks second in franchise history in games played and assists, third in points and fourth in goals.
Kopitar made the All-Star team in 2008, 2011, 2015, 2018 and 2020. He has 12 seasons of 20 or more goals.
NFL NEWS
LB JOHNIE COOKS, FORMER NO. 2 OVERALL PICK, DIES AT 64
Johnie Cooks, a linebacker who starred at Mississippi State before going on to a 10-year NFL career, died on Thursday. He was 64.
“When you think of Mississippi State Football, you think of legends like Johnie Cooks,” Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett wrote on Twitter. “The Bulldog Family lost an all-time great today. On behalf of our program, we extend our condolences to the Cooks family.”
A cause of death was not announced.
The Baltimore Colts made Cooks the No. 2 overall selection in the 1982 NFL Draft. He finished sixth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in the strike-shortened 1982 season and went on to play six-plus seasons for the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts.
He spent time with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns to finish his career, playing on the Giants team that beat the Buffalo Bills 20-19 to win Super Bowl XXV.
Cooks played in 128 career games, starting 97 of them, and totaled 32 sacks, five fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown) and four interceptions in that time.
At Mississippi State, Cooks once recorded 24 tackles in a single game against Auburn. He was named All-SEC three times and earned recognition from five All-America teams at the end of the 1981 college season. He is in the university’s athletics hall of fame.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2023
2022 Record: 11-2 overall,7-2 in Big Ten
Head Coach: James Franklin, 10th year: 78-36, 13th year overall: 102-51
Are you finally ready to do this, Penn State?
Are you done being – give or take a spot – the perennial third best team in your own division? Are you ready to end the designation of being one of the most successful football programs in the College Football Playoff era that hasn’t played in the mini-tournament?
Granted, being third best team in the Big Ten West over the last several seasons is like calling George Harrison the third best Beatle or Krist Novaselic the third member of Nirvana – which would make Michigan State the Ringo and Pat Smear, but I digress – and now it’s Penn State’s time to be the star.
Michigan was able to break through. Michigan State got to a College Football Playoff. From the West, Wisconsin appears to be finally making the pivot needed to push that one extra step. This year though, Penn State has everything in place to finally have its best Big Ten team the CFP era before it all goes haywire once USC and UCLA join next year.
Yeah, the Nittany Lions won a Big Ten title under James Franklin and went to the Rose Bowl in 2016, but the team started 2-2, needed a gag by Minnesota to kickstart everything, and there wasn’t a College Football Playoff appearance.
Even so, Franklin continues to be among the most underappreciated massive coaching talents in college football.
Michigan was able to break through. Michigan State got to a College Football Playoff. From the West, Wisconsin appears to be finally making the pivot needed to push that one extra step. This year though, Penn State has everything in place to finally have its best Big Ten team the CFP era before it all goes haywire once USC and UCLA join next year.
Yeah, the Nittany Lions won a Big Ten title under James Franklin and went to the Rose Bowl in 2016, but the team started 2-2, needed a gag by Minnesota to kickstart everything, and there wasn’t a College Football Playoff appearance.
Even so, Franklin continues to be among the most underappreciated massive coaching talents in college football.
The offense was hardly awful last year. It hit a few snags, but overall it finished third in the Big Ten in both scoring and yards, had a nice balance, and it didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Now with the young new guys about to take over the attack should be far more explosive, and it starts with …
Alright, let’s see what all this Drew Allar fuss is about. All Sean Clifford did was throw for close to 11,000 career yards and 86 touchdowns with a Rose Bowl win and a Cotton Bowl victory, and yet the new Green Bay Packer will probably be forever known as 1) the guy Will Levis couldn’t beat out and 2) the guy who started instead of Allar.
The 6-5, 242-pound Allar is a former five-star recruit who got his feet wet with a little bit of time logged in throughout the year – throwing for 344 yards and four scores – and now it’s bombs away. He’s it. He’s the franchise. He’s the quarterback who’s supposed to be the star of stars who takes up the Penn State program another notch – no pressure.
The receiving corps can hit home runs. The top three pass catchers from last year might be done, but KeAndre Lambert-Smith is back after averaging over 16 yards per catch, TE Theo Johnson also averaged over 16 yards on his 20 grabs, and about to be the new main man is Kent State transfer Dante Cephas. Over the last two seasons he caught 130 passes for 1,984 yards and 12 touchdowns averaging well over 15 yards per pop.
Allar will get all of the headlines, but in terms of star power recruits, RB Nicholas Singleton was right there. The 6-0, 228-pounder has a terrific blend of power and speed, and he showed it all off right away with a team high 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns averaging 6.8 yards per carry.
Singleton was great, fellow then-freshman Kaytron Allen was terrific – 867 yards and ten scores – and helping in the rotation is Minnesota transfer Trey Potts, a tough runner who came up with over 1,000 yards over the last two seasons. It also helps that …
This should be one of the best Penn State offensive lines in years. It was great for the ground game and good enough in pass protection. It starts with Olu Fashanu at left tackle. Allar might grow into the team’s best pro prospect, but when it comes to the NFL, he’d be holding Fashanu’s beer if either of them were old enough.
Fashanu is an All-American who should be a top 15 overall pick, the interior is a rock with Sal Wormley, Hunter Nourzad, and Landon Tengwall all likely all-stars, and with just enough veteran depth to be okay.
The defense could’ve been a bit better on third downs, allowed a few too many passing yards, struggled to generate key stops against Ohio State and Michigan and … that’s all nitpicking. The defense was great – No. 1 in the Big Ten in sacks and tackles for loss, 16th in the nation in total D, amazing in the red zone, 10th in the country in run defense – and it should be every bit as strong, but …
The secondary has to overcome a few massive losses. New San Francisco 49er safety Ji’Ayir Brown led the team in tackles and interceptions, and new Pittsburgh Steeler Joey Porter Jr. was one of the best all-around corners in college football. However, Kalen King is a special future NFL corner who’s back on one side, and there’s just enough experience returning to be fine at safety.
The pass rush will be there. Outside linebacker Abdul Carter led the team with 6.5 sacks, end Chop Robinson was second with 5.5, and Adisa Isaac led the way with 11 tackles for loss. These three should combine for well over 30 tackles for loss again, and they’re not alone. Veteran Hakeem Beamon is a good interior pass rusher, and LB Curtis Jacobs is potentially the team’s leading tackler to go along with a whole bunch of plays behind the line.
The linebacking corps is still emerging, and it should grow into a huge plus with the three main starters back. Carter is a force – 56 tackles to go along with all of those plays in the backfield – Jacobs was third on the team with 52 stops, and Tyler Elsdon gets all over the place from his spot in the middle.
Sept 2 West Virginia
Sept 9 Delaware
Sept 16 at Illinois
Sept 23 Iowa
Sept 30 at Northwestern
Oct 7 OPEN DATE
Oct 14 UMass
Oct 21 at Ohio State
Oct 28 Indiana
Nov 4 at Maryland
Nov 11 Michigan
Nov 18 Rutgers
Nov 25 at Michigan State
TOP INDIANA RELEASES
INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANS WALK OFF REDBIRDS TO PRESERVE PRIESTER’S GEM
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians defended a gem taken into the eighth inning by ace Quinn Priester with a walk-off sacrifice fly courtesy of Miguel Andújar, defeating the Memphis Redbirds on Thursday night at Victory Field, 3-2.
With one out and the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, back-to-back singles by Chris Owings and Endy Rodríguez set up the game-winning run at third base for Andújar, who sent a long fly ball to straightaway center field against Kody Whitley (L, 1-5) for the victory. It was the Indians’ (39-44, 6-3) first walk-off win since Aug. 3, 2022 (1) vs. Louisville and their first walk-off sacrifice fly since Aug. 27, 2021 vs. Louisville.
The low-scoring affair began with a leadoff double for Richie Palacios, and Memphis (41-43, 2-7) quickly plated one on a Chase Pinder single. Indianapolis then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, with consecutive singles by Rodríguez and Andújar beginning the frame. Two runs came around to score via a run-scoring fielder’s choice and throwing error by shortstop Juniel Querecuto.
As the Indians took the lead, Priester was in the midst of his seventh quality start this season. After allowing a third-inning single to Palacios, who he then picked off at first base, Priester retired 13 consecutive batters through the seventh inning. In the eighth, Memphis tied the game on back-to-back one-out extra-base hits by Taylor Motter and Querecuto.
Colin Selby entered in relief of Priester and stranded the go-ahead run on second base in the eighth inning – the lone runner left on base for Memphis in the entire contest. Hunter Stratton (W, 2-4) then came in for the ninth and struck out one in a perfect frame to set up the walk-off win.
The Indians pitching staff issued no walks in the victory for the fourth time this season and first since June 9 vs. Omaha. The offense laid down two sacrifice bunts, its most since matching that mark on June 21, 2022 vs. Memphis.
The series at Victory Field continues Saturday at 7:05 PM ET as the Indians will look to clinch at least a series split vs. the Redbirds. RHP Jared Jones (0-1, 5.87) will take the hill for Indianapolis against LHP Andrew Suarez (4-2, 4.38).
INDY ELEVEN W
FLINT, MICHIGAN (Thursday, July 6, 2023) – Indy Eleven handed Flint City AFC its first loss of the 2023 season to advance to the USL W League Central Conference Final. The 3-0 win sets Indy up with a Conference Championship match-up against Minnesota Aurora FC Saturday.
Grace Bahr got the scoring started by converting a penalty kick, her second in as many matches, to give the Girls in Blue the early lead in the 14th minute. The tally was her third of the season, all coming on set pieces, and proved to be the match winner.
Indy doubled its lead after Sam Dewey had a brilliant shot that went off the crossbar make it back into play and into the Eleven’s possession. Maddy Williams found herself with the ball and played it to the six for Dewey, who snuck a back heel into the lower 90 for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. The assist was the first for Williams.
A second-half insurance goal came from Katie Soderstrom who scored her seventh of the season off Rafferty Kugler’s first assist of 2023 in the 49th minute.
Nona Reason earned the clean sheet in goal for the Eleven, her fifth of the season.
Indy is now 3-0 all-time versus Flint City, outscoring the side 12-1. In its 24 overall matches over two seasons, the Eleven have tallied three-plus goals in a match 13 times. Overall, Indy has a plus-40 goal differential in 2023, outscoring its opponents 43-3.
The Girls in Blue will face Minnesota Aurora FC in the Central Conference Final Saturday at 3 p.m. ET at Atwood Stadium in Flint, Michigan. Minnesota Aurora defeated Chicago City SC, 1-0, in game one of the Central Conference Semifinals.
Indy and Minnesota have only met once in the league’s two-year history, with the Eleven falling 2-1 to Minnesota in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.
USL W League
Flint City AFC 0:3 Indy Eleven
Thursday, July 6, 2023 – 7:00 PM
Atwood Stadium – Flint, Mich.
2023 USL W League Records
Indy Eleven: 9W-1L-1D (+40 GD)
Flint City AFC: 9W-1L-3D (+21 GD)
Scoring Summary
IND – Grace Bahr (penalty) 14’
IND – Sam Dewey (Maddy Williams) 42’
IND – Katie Soderstrom (Rafferty Kugler) 49’
Discipline Summary
IND – Annika Creel (caution) 45+2’
IND – Rafferty Kugler (caution) 79’
Indy Eleven lineup: Nona Reason, Lizzie Sexton (Jenna Chatterton 61’), Grace Bahr, Annika Creel (Rhonda Ojongmboh 74’), Rafferty Kugler, Ella Rogers, Greta Kraszula, Sam Dewey (Susie Soderstrom 61’), Addie Chester (Emma Johnson 74’), Maddy Williams, Katie Soderstrom (Megan Wilson 74’)
IND substitutes: Emily Edwards, Maisie Whitsett
INDY ELEVEN M
#INDvTUL Preview
Indy Eleven vs FC Tulsa
Saturday, July 8, 2023 – 7:00 p.m. ET
Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
2023 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 5W-6L-5D (0), 20 pts; 7th in Eastern Conference
FC Tulsa: 3W-7L-7D (-8), 16 pts; 9th in Eastern Conference
Community Health Network Sports Medicine Indy Eleven Injury Report
OUT: DF B. Rebellon (L adductor)
QUESTIONABLE: None
SETTING THE SCENE
The Boys in Blue return to action Saturday when they host FC Tulsa for the first first of two meetings this season (10.8). Tulsa leads the all-time series 4-1-1.
The Eleven are coming off a 2-2 draw vs San Diego Loyal SC and are 2-1-2 in their last five games. With a 5-6-5 record, Indy is seventh in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference.
Tulsa is 1-3-1 in its last five matches and is coming off a 3-2 win vs Detroit City FC. TUL sits ninth in the Eastern Conference at 3-7-7.
SERIES VS. FC TULSA
Saturday marks the seventh meeting between the two teams, with FC Tulsa holding the 4-1-1 all-time advantage in USL Championship action. The is the first meeting of two this season.
In the most recent match-up, current Eleven assistant coach Ayoze scored both goals for the Boys in Blue.
TUL leads: 4-1-1
GF 6, GA 10
Recent Meetings
10.1.22 home L, 2-4
8.20.22 at TUL L, 0-1
10.23.21 home D, 1-1
9.8.21 at TUL L, 1-2
8.4.21 at TUL W, 2-0
Last Match
2022 USL Championship Regular Season – Matchday 32
Indy Eleven 2:4 FC Tulsa
Saturday, October 1, 2022
IUPUI Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
Scoring Summary
TUL – Luca Sowinski (Sean McFarlane) 17′
IND – Ayoze (unassisted) 24′
TUL – Dario Suarez (penalty kick) 50+’
TUL – Luca Sowinski (Rodrigo da Costa) 48’
IND – Ayoze (penalty kick) 54’
TUL – Luca Sowinski (Dario Suarez) 62’
QUINN NAMED TO USLC TEAM OF THE WEEK
JULY 4, 2023
For the second time this season, midfielder Aodhan Quinn was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week, while Adrian Diz Pe earned bench honors. The duo helped the Boys in Blue improve to 5-6-5 on the season after last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with San Diego, which featured two goals from Quinn.
Quinn scored on a pair of penalty kicks to bring his team-leading total to five goals this season, all of which have come from the spot. Saturday was the second match Quinn successfully converted a pair of PKs, also doing so in a 4-0 win over Eastern Conference leader Charleston Battery on June 2. He successfully completed 56 of 63 passes and won five of eight duels.
Diz Pe registered eight clearances, two tackles and a pair of interceptions to help anchor the Indy backline.
LAST TIME OUT
IND 2:2 SD
Aodhan Quinn scored a pair of penalty kicks and helped earn Indy Eleven a come from behind 2-2 draw against San Diego Loyal SC.
Quinn’s penalties came in the 66th and 82nd minutes to salvage the tie. Quinn matched the PK total in Indy’s 4-0 win at Charleston on June 2, which was the first time the Eleven had converted on a pair since May 29, 2021 at Louisville City.
San Diego struck first in the 32nd-minute after the Eleven were whistled for a foul in the Indy box. San Diego captain Charlie Adams stepped up to the spot and converted on the penalty. San Diego doubled its lead in the 58th-minute when Tumi Moshbane found Evan Conway on a through ball into the 18 that Conway slotted into the lower right corner.
Indy was forced to play a man down starting in the 58th-minute when Gustavo Rissi was issued a red car for denial of a goal scoring opportunity.
Scoring Summary
SD – Charlie Adams (penalty) 32’
SD – Evan Conway (Tumi Moshbane) 54’
IND – Aodhan Quinn (penalty) 66’
IND – Aodhan Quinn (penalty) 82’
Discipline Summary
IND – Robby Dambrot (caution) 7’
IND – Macauley King (caution) 14’
SD – Adrien Perez (caution) 40’
IND – Adrian Diz Pe (caution) 57’
IND – Gustavo Rissi (ejection) 58’
SD – Ronaldo Damus (caution) 74’
SD – Collin Martin (caution) 89’
IND – Cam Lindley (caution) 100+12’
INDIANA VOLLEYBALL
AIRD ANNOUNCES NEW ASSISTANT COACH, ADDITIONAL STAFF PROMOTIONS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana volleyball head coach Steve Aird announced the addition of Kevin Hodge as a full-time assistant coach for the program along with promotions for the other three members of his 2023 staff on Thursday evening (July 6).
In accordance with an NCAA proposal put into effect July 1, which increases the number of countable coaches in specific sports, women’s volleyball programs are allowed three paid assistant coaches beginning in the 2023 season, eliminating the previously designated volunteer role.
Rachel Morris was promoted to associate head coach while continuing her duties as the team’s recruiting coordinator. Brett Agne was elevated to a full-time assistant coach while also serving as the program’s technical coordinator. Hallie Enderle now assumes the title of director of operations.
“I’m excited to finalize our staff and get to work on the 2023 season. I am grateful for IU Athletics and their continued support of the volleyball program,” Aird said. “Our staff has a great mix of experience and energy. We will work hard to give this group every opportunity to succeed as we continue to grow and develop. We feel good about the trajectory of the program and the quality of the people within it. I’m thrilled to add Kevin to the mix and very proud of all the hard work the staff has put in this spring and summer. They are bright, hardworking, loyal people that truly love what we are building in Bloomington.”
Kevin Hodge | Assistant Coach
Dublin, Ohio
Hodge joins the IU program after working as the Director of Girls Indoor Recruiting at WAVE, California’s premier club volleyball program, since 2015. He took on a variety of roles for the club, most notably being named 2019 National 17’s Club Coach of the Year.
At Penn State, Hodge played four seasons Nittany Lion Men’s Volleyball team from 1998-2002 where he was a teammate of Aird’s. Hodge helped lead Penn State to four consecutive Final Four appearances and was named to the EIVA All-Tournament team in 2001.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Head Coach Steve Aird and Athletic Director Scott Dolson for giving me the incredible opportunity to be a part of this amazing athletic department, volleyball program and conference,” Hodge said. “I am beyond grateful to be a part of the Indiana University Volleyball staff. I truly believe that with this staff, group of athletes and support of the entire athletic department, Indiana Volleyball will continue to climb the ranks of the B1G and make waves on a national level. I have always believed in person before athlete and intend to bring that same mentality to Bloomington.”
Following his playing career, Hodge served three years as a volunteer assistant coach under legendary Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Russ Rose. The Nittany Lions won three-straight Big Ten titles (2003-05) in those three seasons.
He would serve one year as an assistant coach in 2006 at the University of Cincinnati, overlapping with Aird once again in the Queen City. Hodge began his club coaching journey in 2007 with Team Z out of Cincinnati before moving out to Southern California.
Hodge has spent time working with the Junior Volleyball Recruiting Association (JVRA) as the Advisory Board Chair and has helped coach some of the nation’s premier talent at WAVE.
Often regarded as one of the top coaches in the region, Hodge will assume his role in Bloomington effective immediately ahead of the 2023 season.
“I have known Steve for over 25 years. From being teammates at Penn State, to coaching club volleyball at multiple clubs around the country, and now having children the same age, I don’t have the words to truly express how excited I am to be able to work alongside him once again,” Hodge said. “He has been one of the great mentors throughout my career and he is far more than just a friend, he is family. I have also had the privilege of working side by side with Rachel at the club level, both coaching and administratively, and I hold her in the highest regard not just as a coach, but as a leader of young women in our sport.”
Rachel Morris | Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Morris, entering her second year on staff, has been named associate head coach while continuing her duties as the recruiting coordinator.
A graduate of the University of Oregon, Morris works directly with the setters, helping Camryn Haworth to First Team All-Big Ten honors in 2022.
An AVCA Regional Coach of the Year and recipient of the AVCA’s 30 under Thirty award, Morris has expansive coaching experience at the high school, club and collegiate levels.
She worked with Hodge at WAVE and helped coach sophomore opposite hitter/middle blocker Avry Tatum in club and high school volleyball from 2018-2021.
“I am beyond grateful to Steve for this promotion to Associate Head Coach. This program, department, university and all of Hoosier Nation have impacted my life in ways I could have only imagined when I took this job last winter,” Morris said. “Steve is someone who truly has a gift of seeing just how great people can be, well before they can see it in themselves. He continues to give us all, staff and athletes, the space to grow and make a difference at the highest level.”
During the 2022 campaign, Morris helped lead the Hoosiers to a 16-16 record including a 9-11 finish in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers won nine conference matches for the first time since 2010 and finished eighth in the Big Ten, the highest team’s finish since the conference expanded to 14 teams.
IU beat No. 5 Ohio State and No. 25 Michigan on the road, marking the first season in program history with multiple road victories over ranked teams. The win over the Buckeyes was the first over a top-five team on the road in program history and the second-highest ranked win in the team’s history.
Brett Agne | Assistant Coach and Technical Coordinator
South Lyon, Mich.
Agne, who enters his third year on staff at IU, has been promoted to assistant coach for the first time in his career. He will continue his duties as technical coordinator as well.
“I’m extremely excited to get started as an assistant coach with IU and continuing the great progress we made last season and into the spring,” Agne said. “I wouldn’t be in this position without Coach Aird and I’m super grateful for him and this program.”
A graduate of Bowling Green in 2018, Agne got his start in the club game working extensively with Premier Volleyball Academy in Ohio. During his time at PVA, he worked as a coach and academy league coordinator while serving as one of the most important figures in the club.
From 2019-2020, Agne served as the technical coordinator for the Toledo volleyball program helping to run practices, create scouting reports and breakdown film for athletes and coaches.
“It’s a really big moment for the NCAA and volleyball community,” Agne said. “To see tech people take over assistant jobs at some of the top places in the country is really cool. If you’re behind the scenes, you know how important those people are and how much volleyball IQ they have. It’s really good for the sport.”
Agne began as IU’s technical coordinator in 2021 before being elevated to Director of Volleyball Operations in 2022. He has served in a variety of roles during his time in Bloomington including as assistant coach through the spring season in 2023.
He will continue his current role while taking on an expanded on-court coaching presence for the Hoosiers during the 2023 fall season.
Hallie Enderle | Director of Operations
Mankato, Minn.
Enderle, who enters her second year on staff, has been promoted to Director of Operations where she will continue to oversee travel coordination, equipment management, meals and all day-to-day athlete and coach needs for the Hoosiers.
A four-year player at Central Michigan, Enderle works full-time for the Indiana volleyball program while also pursuing her PhD in School Psychology from IU. She graduated from CMU with a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation in 2016.
“I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to continue my journey with Indiana Volleyball as the Director of Volleyball Operations,” Enderle said. “I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Aird and IU Athletics for the opportunity to be a part of this program. Working with this staff and these athletes has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I am beyond excited for my second season.”
In 2021, Enderle served as Head Coach for Northern Indiana Volleyball Association’s 18-1s, bringing home a USAV National Championship at the 18 Patriot Division.
Previously, Enderle served as the head coach for ages 14-16s for Krush Volleyball Club for four seasons and head varsity coach for Beal City High School for one season. Currently, Enderle is in her second year coaching and overseeing operations for BTown Volleyball Club.
“Hallie is so passionate about her role and cares very deeply about the staff and the athletes in this program,” Aird said. “Her energy is incredible and we are so fortunate to have her on board. I know she will continue to do amazing things and work extremely hard in this role.”
2023 Staff Roles:
Steve Aird – Head Coach
Rachel Morris – Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Kevin Hodge – Assistant Coach
Brett Agne – Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator
Hallie Enderle – Director of Operations
INDIANA FOOTBALL
‘TREMENDOUS UPSIDE’ HIGHLIGHTS QUARTERBACK BATTLE
By: Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When it comes to Indiana’s starting quarterback, who’s it gonna be?
The short answer — we don’t know.
The long answer — we’ll know sometime during fall camp.
For now, we know head coach Tom Allen pushes a tough-minded approach critical to a winning season, and it begins with quarterback, the most important position in all of sports.
Brendan Sorsby and Tayven Jackson are the top contenders. As a true freshman, Broc Lowry is still learning the college game, and veteran Dexter Williams II is likely several months away from full health after knee surgery.
Spring practice provided some insight, but there’s plenty of work to do before a decision is made, and that goes beyond the quarterback battle given the necessity of having a more potent and explosive offense. The Hoosiers ranked 10th in the Big Ten in scoring last year with a 23.3-point average.
“We have two young quarterbacks with a tremendous upside,” Allen says. “We have to keep developing them. Our weapons have to get better. This summer will be huge.”
As offensive coordinator Walt Bell says, “All three quarterbacks have the ability to be really good.”
Matching production to ability requires game experience. IU coaches tried to simulate that in spring practice — without the contact.
“The only way to master any skill in life — weight lifting, business, boxing, wrestling — is to go through failure,” Bell says. “There will be failure every day. The best weightlifter in the world, it’s not like he hasn’t missed a lift or two.
“The name of the game is continuous improvement. Try to be better every day. Have a faster mindset. No one has ever had a perfect day.”
Coaches pushed the spring intensity and while the quarterbacks weren’t hit, they were challenged.
“As far as handling adversity,” Bell says, “they did a nice job. We created a lot of adversity for them. We tried to put them in rough positions. If they can’t handle us in the meat of practice, it will be hard to handle somebody on Saturday.”
During the spring, which involved thousands of reps, Bell says Jackson and Sorsby were solid.
“The majority of the time they kept the ball out of harm’s way. There were few turnovers. They both did a nice job of moving the ball.
“They’re still young. We can clean up their mistakes. Both are physically talented and love football. They compete. They are confident in themselves.”
Williams spent the spring in basically a graduate-assistant role. He was like a coach, helping with play signals and providing guidance to those practicing.
“I think that’s good for him, not only from the mental side, but his general outlook,” Bell says.
Famed orthopedic surgeon James Andrews operated on Williams, a reflection of IU’s strong medical care for its athletes.
“The fact (Andrews) did the surgery speaks for itself,” Bell says.
Williams has begun running and, Bell adds, is doing everything he’s supposed to do.
“He’s doing great, but in terms of being ahead of schedule, or behind schedule, that’s way above my ability level. He’s a great kid. I can’t wait to get him back.”
Allen has said when Williams is physically ready, he’ll get a chance to compete for the starting job.
Jackson’s transfer from Tennessee created instant buzz, partly because he’s the younger brother of IU All-America basketball player Trayce Jackson-Davis, mostly because he was a four-star prospect out of nearby Center Grove High School and twice led the Trojans to 14-0 records and Class 6A state titles. Like Sorsby, he has run-pass ability crucial for an offense that wants to attack defenses with all available weapons.
Allen and his staff recruited Jackson hard, but ultimately lost out to Tennessee. They made the most of their second chance.
Bell says he was in Los Angeles recruiting a transfer quarterback when word broke Jackson was considering joining the Hoosiers.
“As I walk out of the house, Coach Allen calls and says get on a plane. I look at my phone, and I have 97 messages that said Tayven is in the transfer portal. I took a redeye flight to Bloomington. I landed and came to the building in the clothes I was traveling in.
“It was not a true recruitment. We had a day with him, and he decided to come. That was it.”
Not having an established quarterback isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Bell adds.
“Our quarterback room is right where it needs to be. The guys are athletic; they can move; they have the physical ability to throw and distribute the ball. I feel good about that.
“So many times, when you have a proven guy, it’s hard to hold the other 10 on offense to a high standard when you’re not holding the quarterback to a high standard. When you have a legit competition and every rep matters, it bleeds into everyone’s performance.”
PURDUE TRACK
BOILERMAKERS TO COMPETE AT U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS
By: Charlie Healy
EUGENE, Ore., and KINGSTON, Jamaica – Several current and incoming members of the Purdue track & field team are competing at the 2023 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and the 2023 JAAA National Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, from June 7-9.
Rising sophomores Seth Allen and Eric Young II are headed to Hayward Field in Eugene, while incoming Boilermakers Britannia and Britannie Johnson are at Kingston’s National Stadium.
Allen will compete in the discus final on Saturday, July 8, at 6 p.m. ET. He will be joined in Oregon by Young II, who is running in the 200-meter. The first round on the track is on Sunday, July 9, at 5:26 p.m. ET, and the final is at 7:54 p.m. ET.
In Kingston, Britannia and Britannie Johnson both will compete in the discus and the shot put. The discus final is on Thursday, July 6, at 3:30 p.m. ET, while the shot put final is set for Friday, July 7, at 6:08 p.m. ET.
Fans can find more information about the 2023 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships at USATF.org, and details about the JAA National Junior Championships is available at AthleticsJA.org. Live results also are available from both Hayward Field and National Stadium.
PURDUE SWIMMING
VIETA MEDALS TWICE AT CENTRAL AMERICAN & CARIBBEAN GAMES
By: Ben Turner
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – Purdue’s Maycey Vieta won a bronze medal in 10-meter diving on consecutive days for Puerto Rico at the Central American and Caribbean Games, claiming the territory’s first diving medals at the quadrennial showcase since 2014.
The reigning Big Ten champion on the tower teamed with the University of South Carolina’s Emanuel Vazquez to win bronze in Tuesday’s mixed 10-meter competition. It was Puerto Rico’s first medal in a mixed diving event.
The following day, Vieta was third in both the preliminary and final to win another bronze medal individually. They represent the first international medals for the 2021 NCAA bronze medalist and three-year medalist at the Big Ten Championships.
Vieta grew up in Ohio and became eligible to compete for Puerto Rico via her father Mark’s family ancestry. She also competed for Puerto Rico at the Diving World Cup in the spring 2021 and World Aquatics Championships last summer. Up next, she’s traveling to Japan to compete at the World Aquatics Championships again.
Purdue will also be represented by divers Brandon Loschiavo, Greg Duncan and Jordan Rzepka (all for the United States) as well as swimmers Kate Beavon (South Africa) and Jinq En Phee (Malaysia) at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Additionally, associate head coach David Boudia is serving as a coach for USA Diving.
In the individual 10-meter event, Vieta improved on her prelim list score (269.10) in the final (272). Of her 10 dives Wednesday, three were the top-scoring of those respective rounds. Her forward 3 ½ (107B) was her best dive in both the prelim and final, producing a 70.5 in the afternoon and 69 in the evening. The first dive of her list – a back 2 ½ with 1 ½ twists – produced a round-high mark of 67.2 in the final.
Vieta & Vazquez posted a five-dive list of 254.40, finishing strong with their top two scores – 68.16 in round 4 and 66.24 in round 5.
PURDUE BASEBALL
LARUE JOINS BASEBALL AS ASSISTANT COACH
By: Ben Turner
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball has bolstered its coaching staff with the addition of new assistant coach Seth LaRue, head coach Greg Goff has announced.
After playing for Goff on Campbell’s 2014 Big South Conference Tournament championship team that won 41 games and represented the league at an NCAA Regional, LaRue went on to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Campbell. He most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Indiana (2023) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2020-22).
Purdue assistant coach Chris Marx both coached (2015) and worked alongside (2016) LaRue at Campbell. Both men are Evansville natives that have coached at USI.
As a three-year assistant coach at Southern Illinois from 2017-19, LaRue had a lead role in the instruction of hitting and base running while coordinating the in-game offensive strategy. The Salukis stole 375 bases across those three seasons, ranking fourth nationally during that span. SIU’s stolen base total climbed from 100 in 2017 to 131 in 2018 to a program-record 144 in 2019 – boasting the top two individual leaders in the Missouri Valley Conference all three years. An 80% percent conversion rate in both 2018 and 2019 helped SIU rank among the top five nationally and lead the MVC in steals both years. Southern also led the league in triples in each of his final two seasons in Carbondale.
“We’re excited to have Seth join our staff and program at Alexander Field,” Goff said. “He played for me at Campbell and worked with Coach Marx in Buies Creek while earning his master’s degree. Seth has a great feel for the game and is an ideal match for the style of play we like to employ at Purdue. More importantly, he’s a man of great integrity with a tremendous work ethic. He is a proven winner in every regard. I can’t wait until our players have the opportunity to work with him this fall.”
As the lead assistant at USI this past school year, LaRue continued to coach the hitters and base runners while working with the outfielders and catchers defensively. In their first season at the Division I level, the Screaming Eagles led the Ohio Valley Conference in on-base percentage. He has served as the third base coach at SIU, TAMUCC and USI.
“I want to thank Coach Goff for the opportunity to join the Purdue Baseball program,” LaRue said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to coach in my home state for one of the premier athletic and academic institutions in the country. I’m also thrilled for the chance to work with Coach Goff and Coach Marx, who both had such a profound impact on me as a player and person. They’ve continued to mentor and support me on my coaching journey. I couldn’t be more excited to get to work.”
With LaRue spearheading the daily hitting development, A&M-Corpus Christi set team records for runs (401), RBI and triples in 2022. Tre Jones led the Southland Conference in slugging percentage while connecting for 12 home runs and 18 doubles. Brendan Ryan was 26 of 27 on stolen bases attempts to set a team record. Both players were first-team all-conference honorees. LaRue also helped recruit lefthanded pitcher Zach Garcia, who was the Southland Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American in 2022.
Southern Illinois had seven players selected in the MLB Draft from 2017-19 and LaRue helped recruit three other draftees to campus.
LaRue was a utility man during his playing days, seeing action as a catcher, infielder and outfielder. He started 53 of Campbell’s 56 games as a senior in 2015 and played in 97 games total as an upperclassman. He was a two-year starter and two-year academic all-conference honoree at Olney Central College from 2012-13. He played summer ball in both the Coastal Plain and Ohio Valley Leagues, representing the Wilson Tobs at the 2014 CPL All-Star Game.
LaRue earned both his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science and master’s in business administration from Campbell.
LaRue’s Coaching Career by Season
• Purdue – Hired in July 2023
• Southern Indiana – 2023
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 2020-22
• Southern Illinois – 2017-19
• Campbell – 2016
BUTLER ATHLETICS
GRANT LEIENDECKER RETURNS TO BUTLER IN ATHLETICS LEADERSHIP ROLE
INDIANAPOLIS – Grant Leiendecker ’11, a member of the Bulldogs’ 2010 and 2011 men’s basketball teams that reached the national championship game, has returned to Butler University as Associate Vice President—Athletics. He is expected to start in mid-August and will report to Barry Collier, Vice President and Director of Athletics.
In this newly created position, Leiendecker will serve as a senior leader in the athletics department with responsibility for leading the comprehensive advancement program for athletics. Additionally, he will play a pivotal role in elevating the focus on delivering exceptional fan experiences while leveraging his experience at other top programs to foster an environment that supports optimal performance for our student-athletes and teams.
“Grant has proven to be an incredible fundraiser over this initial decade of his career in college athletics,” Collier said. “The opportunity to bring Grant back to Butler provides our University, Athletics Department and our student-athletes with another talented and dedicated Bulldog focused on providing an exceptional student-athlete experience and enhancing Butler’s standing nationally and within the BIG EAST and Pioneer Football League.”
Leiendecker returns to Butler after spending the previous four years as Assistant Vice President, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development at Marquette University. In addition to leading the athletics development team at Marquette, Leiendecker served as a member of the athletics and university advancement leadership teams. Under his leadership, Marquette Athletics achieved consistent annual growth in total fundraising and donor participation over the previous four years, culminating with a total of more than $15.7 million in commitments in the most recent fiscal year. Leiendecker previously served as Director of Major Gifts for The Rams Club at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. As a member of the UNC athletics fundraising team, he played an integral role in achieving record-setting fundraising years of more than $60 million for three consecutive years.
“Grant will work alongside Barry, (Vice President for University Advancement) Jonathan Purvis, (Associate Athletic Director of Development) Ken LaRose, and our talented fundraisers to advance the mission of our University,” Butler University President James Danko said. “Athletics continues to be a great source of pride for Butler and a connection point to our alumni, students, and friends of the University. Grant is an excellent ambassador for his alma mater and will be able to develop meaningful relationships with those who generously support Butler.”
“I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to return home and serve my alma mater in this role,” Leiendecker said. “For my wife Kylee and I, Butler University holds a special place in our hearts, and we are eager to reunite with our Bulldog family. I’m grateful to Jim Danko and Barry Collier for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to lock arms with the Butler community, staff, and student-athletes in our effort to help Butler Athletics reach unprecedented heights.”
Leiendecker was a scholarship member of the Butler men’s basketball program. He was inducted into the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021 along with his teammates on the 2010 and 2011 teams that made appearances in the national championship game.
He graduated from Butler in 2011 with a degree in finance. After graduation, he served as a postgraduate intern at the NCAA in Indianapolis before moving to Chapel Hill to attend graduate school. Leiendecker earned a master’s degree in sport administration from UNC in 2014.
Grant and Kylee have five children—Luke, Louise, Lucy, Lettie, and Lawson.
About Butler University
Butler University is a nationally recognized comprehensive university encompassing six colleges: Arts, Business, Communication, Education, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Pharmacy & Health Sciences. Approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students are enrolled at Butler, representing 46 states and 24 countries. More than 75 percent of Butler students will participate in some form of internship. Butler students have had significant success after graduation, as demonstrated by the University’s 99 percent placement rate within six months of graduation. The University was recently listed as the No. 1 regional university in the Midwest, according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, in addition to being included in The Princeton Review’s annual “best colleges” guidebook.
About Butler Athletics
Butler University, located in Indianapolis, Ind., participates in intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA Division I level. Nineteen of Butler’s 20 teams compete in the BIG EAST, while the football program is a member of the Pioneer Football League. The Bulldogs have a long history of athletic success, including back-to-back trips to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship Game in 2010 and 2011, and the University is home to one of the nation’s great intercollegiate basketball facilities, Hinkle Fieldhouse. For more information about Butler Athletics, visit www.ButlerSports.com.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S GOLF
CARDINALS ADD SABRINA LANGERAK TO 2023 CLASS
MUNCIE, Ind. – Head Coach Cameron Andry and the Ball State women’s golf team announced the addition of Sabrina Langerak to the 2023 recruiting class on Thursday.
Langerak joins Jenna Estravillo, Jaiden Gregston, Juanita Villafañe Gonzalez, and Madelyn Young as members of the 2023 class. The five Cardinal recruits hail from Kentucky, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Illinois, as well as Columbia. The class bolsters a talented group with experience in top quality tournaments.
Sabrina Langerak
Grand Rapids, Michigan | NorthPointe Christian | Taylor
2022 Crossroads League Tournament Champion
2022 Crossroads League Newcomer of the Year
Two-time All-Crossroads League
Has four tournament victories
Academic Highlights
CSC Academic All-District
Two-time NAIA Scholar Athlete
WGCA All-American Scholar
Andry on Sabrina
“I am really excited to welcome Sabrina to our program! She is a proven winner at the collegiate level. Her work ethic and desire to be great will be a great fit on our team!”
BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
CARDINALS ANNOUNCE 2023 SOCCER SCHEDULE
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State soccer team and Head Coach Josh Rife announced the schedule for the 2023 campaign on Thursday.
The Cardinals open 2023 with two friendly matches, the first at Indiana on August 6, followed by Holy Cross in Muncie on August 11.
Ball State opens the regular season at home against Mercyhurst on August 17. The Lakers finished 2022 with a 10-6-4 record and lost in the conference semifinal match. The Cardinals end August with two Power 5 matches on the road, one against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8/20) and the other against the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8/24).
The Cardinals start September on the road with matches against the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (9/3), before heading to Nashville, Tennessee, for a contest with the Vanderbilt Commodores (9/7). Last season, Vanderbilt earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament and won its opening round contest. Ball State returns to Muncie for the final non-conference home match with Austin Peay on September 10. The Cardinals make the short trip down I-69 for the final non-conference matchup of the season against the Butler Bulldogs on September 14.
Ball State opens Mid-American Conference play at home against Miami on September 21. The Cardinals travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan, for the first MAC road test against Eastern Michigan on September 24. Ball State closes out the month with a showdown with Toledo on September 28.
On October 1, Ball State hits the road for a battle with Western Michigan. The Cardinals return to the friendly confines of the Briner Sports Complex for a matchup with Kent State on October 5. Ball State hits the road for a two-game stint, first at Buffalo (10/8), followed by Akron (10/12). The Ohio Bobcats come to town on October 15. BSU returns to the road for the final time of the regular season for a contest with NIU on October 19.
Ball State ends the season with two matches at home. The Cardinals battle the Bowling Green Falcons on October 22, before the Central Michigan Chippewas end the regular season on October 26. The MAC Tournament is scheduled for October 29, November 2, and November 5.
Josh Rife on the 2023 Schedule
“This will be another challenging and exciting fall season for our team. Each non-conference match will help prepare us for the always difficult MAC season. Like every year, we hope to position ourselves to win a MAC championship and hopefully this season we take the final step to be crowned MAC Champions.”
BALL STATE MEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S TENNIS WELCOMES MASON TRAN TO ITS 2023-24 ROSTER
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State men’s tennis longtime head coach Bill Richards has announced the signing of transfer Mason Tran to the Cardinals’ 2023-24 roster.
“Mason will be a great addition to our program,” Richards said. “He was a good national level player throughout his junior career and had an outstanding freshman year at Pacific. The top level of DIII tennis is very strong and there is no doubt many of those players can play at the DI level. We are confident Mason will make a strong contribution here.”
Tran has spent his last two season playing for Pacific University in Forest Grave, Oregon. He played at the No. 1 singles position as both a freshman and sophomore. In 2022, Tran ended the season ranked No. 5 in the nation in NCAA Division III.
In 2022, Tran garnered Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American honors. He was tabbed the Northwest Conference Freshman of the Year and was named First Team Northwest Conference. Trans also became the first player in Pacific University history to reach the semifinal round of the NCAA DIII Tournament. He finished the 2022 season with a 23-6 overall singles mark and a 22-8 doubles ledger.
Prior to his collegiate career, Tran turned in a successful junior career that placed him as a four-star recruit where he was ranked 106th nationally according to tennisrecruiting.com.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
SYCAMORES SIGN OUTFIELDER ANA MACHA AHEAD OF 2024 SEASON
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State head softball coach Mike Perniciaro announced the addition of outfielder Ana Macha to the program Thursday morning.
Macha, a 5-3 outfielder from Westfield, Indiana, joins the Sycamores with two seasons of eligibility after spending the last two seasons at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. She was a Second Team All-Gulf South Conference selection last season after hitting a team-best .433 with 37 runs scored in 49 games. Macha was 24-for-26 in stolen base attempts for Lee and led the Flames in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, runs scored and stolen bases. In conference play, Macha led the Gulf South in hits, batting average and on-base percentage while finishing second in stolen bases.
Macha played in 50 games in her freshman season at Lee, ranking third on the team in 2022 with a .368 batting average. Her 43 runs scored that season ranked second on the team, and she was 17-for-21 in stolen base attempts. Macha had 43 hits for a Lee team that went 29-23, with six of those hits going for extra-bases. She had three doubles, two triples and a homer that season.
Prior to her time at Lee, Macha played at Guerin Catholic (Ind.) HS, where she compiled a batting average of nearly .500 for her career. In her senior season in 2021, Macha hit .630 in 100 at-bats with 10 extra-base hits. She also hit .385 in both her freshman and sophomore seasons. In addition to her accomplishments with the bat, Macha stole 72 bases in her three seasons of high school softball with a career-best 38 stolen bases in 2021.
Macha joins a Sycamore team that is coming off one of its best seasons in program history. Indiana State won a program-record 32 games in 2023, including a 17-10 record in MVC play. The 17 Missouri Valley Conference wins also represented the most in program history. Indiana State reached the MVC Championship Game for the first time since 2015, while five Sycamores earned spots on the All-MVC Teams and three made the MVC All-Tournament Team.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WBB
CONTRACT EXTENDED FOR MASTODON WBB HEAD COACH MARIA MARCHESANO
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue University Fort Wayne and head women’s basketball coach Maria Marchesano have agreed to a contract extension, Director of Athletics Kelley Hartley Hutton announced on Thursday (July 6).
Marchesano, who led Purdue Fort Wayne to the 2023 Horizon League semifinals in Indianapolis, now has her contract extended through the 2027-28 season.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have Coach Marchesano leading our women’s basketball program,” Hartley Hutton said. “Though Maria has tremendous support from our growing Mastodon women’s basketball fan base, this is about setting our student-athletes up for success. It has been a pleasure to observe our team grow and transform its style of play and culture in just two seasons. She has already assembled a first-class staff and healthy team culture focused on learning, competing, and winning.”
The Fort Wayne native took over the program in 2021, and the Mastodons have gone from one to 14 wins in two seasons. The Mastodons also picked up nine wins in the Horizon League in 2022-23, their most league wins since 2010-11. In Marchesano’s two seasons at the helm, Purdue Fort Wayne has won more league games than the previous seven seasons combined.
“Being back home and a part of the Mastodon family over the past two years has been a huge blessing,” Marchesano said. “I am so grateful for the belief and trust that this administration has demonstrated to me through this process and I couldn’t be more excited for the future of this program. I especially want to thank Director of Athletics Kelley Hartley Hutton, Vice Chancellor Glen Nakata, and Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer for working diligently to get this done, but more importantly for their continuous support of our entire program.”
In her two years with the Mastodons, she has coached three All-League players. Shayla Sellers was an All-League Third Team pick in 2021-22 and made the All-Defensive Team in 2022-23, Amellia Bromenschenkel was a Third Team selection in 2022-23, and Ryin Ott was a Horizon League All-Freshman Team honoree in 2021-22 despite playing just 20 games.
In addition to her teams’ on-court accomplishments, the Mastodons have also been successful in the classroom. The women’s team had the highest GPA in the Purdue Fort Wayne athletic department in 2022-23 with a 3.59 team GPA. The Mastodons also had four student-athletes earn College Sports Communicators Academic All-District awards in 2023: Ryin Ott, Riley Ott, Audra Emmerson and Bromenschenkel.
Marchesano, an Elmhurst High School and Butler University alumna, returned to the Summit City after spending four years at Mount St. Mary’s, where she was named the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year in 2021. She led the Mount to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 after winning the NEC Tournament.
The 2023-24 edition of the Mastodons will kick off the season in November.
EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL
PETER FUNK NAMED ASSISTANT COACH/CHIEF OF STAFF FOR UE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Peter Funk has been named the Assistant Coach/Chief of Staff for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team in an announcement from Purple Aces head coach David Ragland.
“I am very excited to announce the addition of Peter Funk to our coaching staff. Peter is as well rounded of a young coach as I have had the pleasure of being around,” Ragland said. “Peter is extremely relational to everyone he encounters, especially student athletes which is huge in our program. He is also knowledgeable of the game of basketball and has a strong ability to clearly communicate instructions with players. I have known Peter since he was a student manager while I was on staff at Valpo. I have had the opportunity to watch him grow in this profession as a GA and most recently the Director of Basketball Operations all at Valpo.”
Funk brings a familiarity of the Missouri Valley Conference as he joins the UE staff from Valparaiso. As the Director of Basketball Operations for the Beacons from July of 2021 until May of 2023, he performed a multitude of duties with the program. When it came to game-planning, he oversaw the scouting, facilitation and development of opponent scouting reports.
He played a vital role in their recruiting efforts, overseeing aspects of the process for both domestic and international recruits. Along those lines, he facilitated and organized on-campus recruiting visits and presentations. When it came to the day-to-day operation of the Valpo program, Funk was instrumental in multiple different ways. He was responsible for organizing team travel, overseeing player academics, putting together the daily team and staff schedules, working with student managers, serving as the liaison to compliance and more.
“Peter will assist with our offensive game plan while also serving as our chief of staff. As our chief of staff, Peter will oversee our staff’s administrative duties and assist when needed,” Ragland continued. “With the new rule changes, men’s and women’s basketball staffs are allowed to add additional staff members to assist in on court coaching and some recruiting responsibilities. Peter will have a heavy hand in some assistant coaching responsibilities while he oversees the administrative duties for our staff.”
Prior to his full-time work at Valparaiso, Funk was a graduate assistant from 2019 through 2021. One of the highlights of his time as a GA was being named to TopConnect Graduate Assistant Leadership Academy. Funk worked heavily in player development while gaining experience in areas that he would later to on a full-time bases as the Director of Basketball Operations.
In 2019, Funk received his undergraduate degree from Valpo, earning summa cum laude distinction. He received his Master’s in Sports Administration from the institution in 2021, graduating with Highest Distinction and a perfect 4.0 GPA.
MARIAN CROSS COUNTRY
MARIAN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY ANNOUNCE 2023 SCHEDULE
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian cross country team has finalized their 2023 schedule, as announced by head coach Mike Holman on Thursday afternoon. The 2023 season will feature five regular season meets, leading up to the Crossroads League Championship on November 3.
Marian will open their 2023 season on September 15, traveling to Upland, Ind. to compete in Taylor’s Ray Bullock Invite, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The Knights will take a week off before finishing the month of September with a trip to Louisville to race in the annual Louisville Cross Country Classic, hosted at Tom Sawyer Park on the September 30. The month of October will feature three meets for Marian, with the team heading to Mishawaka, Ind. to run in the Bethel University Invite on October 6. On October 13, Marian will travel to Peoria, Ill. for the Bradley University Pink Classic, before closing the regular season a week later in Grand Rapids, Mich. at the Great Lakes Challenge, hosted by Aquinas College.
The Crossroads League Championship is scheduled for November 3, with Taylor serving as the host for the 2023 league meet. The season will conclude with the NAIA National Championships, with Marian looking to send runners to the national meet for the second consecutive season. The NAIA National Championship will be held on November 17 in Vancouver, Wash.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
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/
MANCHESTER 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/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 57 | 33 | .633 | – | 34 – 13 | 23 – 20 | 17 – 10 | 14 – 3 | 9 – 7 | 4 – 6 | L 5 |
| Baltimore | 51 | 35 | .593 | 4 | 26 – 18 | 25 – 17 | 16 – 11 | 15 – 7 | 10 – 7 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| NY Yankees | 48 | 40 | .545 | 8 | 27 – 21 | 21 – 19 | 13 – 17 | 8 – 8 | 14 – 8 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Toronto | 48 | 40 | .545 | 8 | 23 – 18 | 25 – 22 | 7 – 20 | 14 – 5 | 11 – 8 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| Boston | 45 | 43 | .511 | 11 | 23 – 22 | 22 – 21 | 16 – 11 | 11 – 8 | 7 – 6 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 45 | 43 | .511 | – | 26 – 19 | 19 – 24 | 12 – 14 | 18 – 12 | 5 – 4 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| Cleveland | 43 | 44 | .494 | 1.5 | 22 – 21 | 21 – 23 | 7 – 8 | 11 – 12 | 13 – 6 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Detroit | 38 | 48 | .442 | 6 | 19 – 23 | 19 – 25 | 2 – 14 | 15 – 11 | 7 – 9 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 37 | 52 | .416 | 8.5 | 20 – 23 | 17 – 29 | 6 – 16 | 15 – 11 | 9 – 14 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| Kansas City | 25 | 63 | .284 | 20 | 13 – 31 | 12 – 32 | 4 – 10 | 7 – 20 | 4 – 11 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 51 | 37 | .580 | – | 27 – 18 | 24 – 19 | 11 – 11 | 11 – 5 | 16 – 11 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| Houston | 49 | 39 | .557 | 2 | 24 – 20 | 25 – 19 | 5 – 5 | 8 – 11 | 16 – 8 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| LA Angels | 45 | 44 | .506 | 6.5 | 23 – 20 | 22 – 24 | 8 – 9 | 11 – 8 | 15 – 12 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| Seattle | 43 | 43 | .500 | 7 | 24 – 20 | 19 – 23 | 7 – 11 | 7 – 6 | 13 – 10 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 25 | 64 | .281 | 26.5 | 12 – 32 | 13 – 32 | 5 – 15 | 7 – 8 | 4 – 23 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 58 | 28 | .674 | – | 30 – 15 | 28 – 13 | 22 – 6 | 8 – 1 | 10 – 7 | 9 – 1 | W 1 |
| Miami | 51 | 38 | .573 | 8.5 | 28 – 17 | 23 – 21 | 11 – 15 | 11 – 6 | 9 – 10 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Philadelphia | 47 | 39 | .547 | 11 | 22 – 16 | 25 – 23 | 8 – 13 | 9 – 4 | 11 – 12 | 8 – 2 | W 3 |
| NY Mets | 41 | 46 | .471 | 17.5 | 20 – 19 | 21 – 27 | 13 – 13 | 5 – 14 | 13 – 9 | 6 – 4 | W 5 |
| Washington | 34 | 53 | .391 | 24.5 | 13 – 31 | 21 – 22 | 9 – 16 | 5 – 9 | 9 – 13 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Cincinnati | 49 | 39 | .557 | – | 23 – 21 | 26 – 18 | 12 – 11 | 11 – 12 | 9 – 6 | 8 – 2 | W 5 |
| Milwaukee | 47 | 41 | .534 | 2 | 24 – 20 | 23 – 21 | 6 – 1 | 15 – 8 | 8 – 15 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 40 | 46 | .465 | 8 | 21 – 22 | 19 – 24 | 6 – 13 | 12 – 11 | 9 – 8 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 40 | 47 | .460 | 8.5 | 22 – 21 | 18 – 26 | 5 – 5 | 11 – 15 | 13 – 9 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| St. Louis | 36 | 51 | .414 | 12.5 | 17 – 25 | 19 – 26 | 5 – 8 | 11 – 14 | 7 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Arizona | 50 | 38 | .568 | – | 24 – 23 | 26 – 15 | 11 – 14 | 8 – 4 | 17 – 11 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| LA Dodgers | 49 | 38 | .563 | 0.5 | 27 – 16 | 22 – 22 | 9 – 6 | 15 – 12 | 14 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| San Francisco | 47 | 40 | .540 | 2.5 | 24 – 21 | 23 – 19 | 10 – 9 | 13 – 7 | 13 – 9 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| San Diego | 41 | 46 | .471 | 8.5 | 23 – 22 | 18 – 24 | 10 – 9 | 7 – 13 | 12 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 3 |
| Colorado | 33 | 55 | .375 | 17 | 20 – 24 | 13 – 31 | 11 – 14 | 8 – 10 | 5 – 17 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1900 By defeating the Cubs, 11-4, Beaneaters’ hurler Kid Nichols takes only nine seasons to get his 300th victory. The 30-year-old righty will amass 361 wins during his 15-year career and remain the youngest player to accomplish the feat.
1909 In a 15-3 blow-out of the Browns, the White Sox collect 12 stolen bases. The thievery at Chicago’s South Side Park includes the theft of home plate three times.
1920 After he appears in 55 games, the Giants trade Benny Kauff and cash to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League for Vern Spencer. Although acquitted of the charges, the New York outfielder, slated to rejoin the team in 1921, is banished from baseball for life by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis after being implicated in a car theft ring during the offseason.
1923 Lefty O’Doul, who will become an outstanding major league hitter later in his career, gives up 13 runs in the sixth inning as the Indians rout the Red Sox, 27-3. The San Francisco native will finish his 11-year stint in the majors with a lifetime batting average of .349.
1923 The Indians become the first American League team to score a run in every inning when they rout Boston, 27-3, in the first game of a doubleheader at Cleveland’s Dunn Field. The Tribe tallies nearly half their runs in the sixth frame, crossing the plate 13 times, in a contest that takes only two hours and ten minutes to complete.
1931 The White Sox outlast and outslug the Browns, beating St. Louis in 12 innings, 10-8. During the Sportsman’s Park contest, the five pitchers who take the mound do not record a strikeout, making it the longest game in major-league history without a strike three.
1936 The Senior Circuit wins its first All-Star game, edging the American League at Braves Field in Boston, 4-3. The Junior Circuit had taken the first three contests of the Midsummer Classic.
1936 Joe DiMaggio becomes the first rookie to appear in an All-Star Game when he starts in right field and bats third for the Junior Circuit in the team’s 4-3 loss to the National League at Boston’s Braves Field. The 21-year-old Yankees outfielder doesn’t fare well in the fourth edition of the Midsummer Classic, committing an error and making the last out of the game with a man in scoring position to finish his day 0-for-5 at the plate.
1937 With Franklin D. Roosevelt in attendance at Griffith Stadium in Washington, Yankees’ first baseman Lou Gehrig drives in four runs with a home run and a double to lead the AL to an 8-3 victory over the National League in All-Star action. FDR, who tosses the ceremonial first pitch, is the first U.S. president to attend an All-Star Game.
1948 On his 42nd birthday, Negro League legend Satchel Paige signs a contract to pitch with the Indians. Though viewed by many as another publicity stunt by team owner Bill Veeck, the crafty right-hander will finish the season 6-1 for the eventual world champs.
1951 Hoot Evers strokes four singles and a double in the Tigers’ 13-3 rout of the Indians. The Detroit outfielder’s 5-for-5 day is productive when he scores five times in the Briggs Stadium contest.
1951 At Fenway Park, Yankee manager Casey Stengel replaces Joe DiMaggio with rookie Jackie Jensen after the Red Sox score six runs in the first frame. The skipper’s second-inning decision to ‘rest’ aging superstar after the Clipper takes his position in the outfield strains an already acrimonious relationship.
1953 The Dodgers set a major league mark for the most consecutive games with a home run by a team with a least one round-tripper in their 24 contests. Brooklyn starter Preacher Roe hits the record-breaking homer with a third-inning blast in the team’s 9-5 victory over Pittsburgh at Forbes Field.
1953 The Browns, with their 6-3 loss to the Indians at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, set a major league record, losing their 20th consecutive home game. The non-winning streak dates back to June 3.
1959 At Forbes Field, Hank Aaron’s eighth-inning single ties the score, and a triple hit by Willie Mays plates Aaron with the winning run in the 5-4 All-Star victory in the first of the two Midsummer Classics to be played during the season.
1964 In the only All-Star Game ever played at Shea Stadium, the National League evens the all-time series at 18 victories for each circuit by beating the AL, 7-4, with a dramatic ninth-inning rally that includes a three-run homer by Phillies slugger Johnny Callison. Home team second baseman Ron Hunt becomes the first Mets player selected as a starter in the Midsummer Classic.
1968 Throwing just nine pitches, Tom Seaver earns the only save of his 20-year major league career when the Mets beat the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium, 4-2. Tom Terrific strikes out Dick Allen on three pitches and then quickly dispatches Johnny Callison and Tony Taylor on outfield flies.
1970 Rico Carty, the National League’s leading hitter, becomes the first player voted to play in the All-Star Game as a write-in candidate. The ballot, drawn up by managers and general managers before spring training, did not list the Braves outfielder’s name.
1970 Lew Krausse tosses the first shutout in Brewers’ history, blanking the White Sox at Milwaukee’s County Stadium, 1–0. The game’s lone run scores from second base on Joe Horlen’s errant throw fielding a sacrifice bunt, plating Mike Hegan, who had doubled to lead off the seventh inning.
1971 After the first plan of placing the new inductees in a separate wing creates a storm of controversy, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and Hall of Fame president Paul Kirk announce former Negro League players will have full membership in the Cooperstown shrine. Last month, the HOF created a committee to select players annually who played at least ten years in the Negro Leagues and were ineligible for induction into the regular Hall.
1974 The Cubs snap Buzz Capra’s nine-game winning streak when the team beats the Braves at Wrigley Field, 4-3. The 26-year-old All-Star right-hander establishes a franchise mark for consecutive victories, finishing the season with a 16-8 record, posting a major league-leading ERA of 2.28.
1975 During an 8-6 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Giants outfielders Gary Thomasson, Bobby Murcer, and Chris Arnold each nail a baserunner trying to score. The rare feat last occurred in 1905 when Cubs flycatcher Jack McCarthy accomplished the feat with his three outfield assists.
1982 Harold Baines hits three consecutive home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the White Sox over the Tigers, 7-0. The Chicago right fielder hits solo round-trippers leading off the fifth and seventh frames before going deep in the eighth with the bases full to seal the deal in the Comiskey Park contest.
1998 In a game remembered more for ‘Glory,’ a patriotic-colored Beanie Baby souvenir given to the fans, the American League beats the senior circuit, 13-8, in the thin air at Coors Field in Denver. The 21-run total surpasses the previous record set in 1954, when the AL beat the National League in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium, 11-9.
1998 Jeff Shaw becomes the first player to participate in an All-Star Game wearing a uniform for a team he hasn’t yet played for when he allows three hits and a run pitching an inning for the National League squad before appearing in a regular-season game for the Dodgers. The 32-year-old closer, who posted a 1.81 ERA and 23 saves in the first half of the season for the Reds, was traded three days ago by Cincinnati to Los Angeles for Paul Konerko and Dennys Reyes.
2000 The Butte Copper Kings’ John Rocker Awareness Night promotion’ is a huge success when the Angel rookie-league club offers free admission to anyone belonging to a group insulted by the Atlanta reliever in his Sports Illustrated interview. The 672 fans in attendance for the Pioneer League contest, one of the team’s largest crowds of the season, include single moms with multiple children, people with purple hair, ‘foreigners’, and people with alternative lifestyles.
2003 Shea Hillenbrand becomes the sixth player to homer in three consecutive innings, tying a big-league record. The third baseman’s fourth, fifth, and sixth inning round-trippers account for half of the runs the Diamondbacks score in their 14-6 victory over Colorado at Bank One Ballpark.
2004 Blanking the Royals, 12-0, Twins’ hurler Kyle Lohse helps establish a club record, throwing the team’s third consecutive shutout. Johan Santana (Royals, 4-0) and Brad Radke (Royals, 9-0) started the streak of 27 scoreless innings, which is also a franchise record.
2004 Kazuhisa Ishii tosses a one-hitter in the Dodgers’ 11-0 defeat of Arizona. The 30-year-old Japanese southpaw retires the first 12 batters he faces before issuing a leadoff walk to Luis Gonzalez and a single by Shea Hillenbrand, but the left-hander proceeds to set down the next 15 D-Backs to finish his masterpiece.
2006 John Lackey retires the next 27 A’s batters after leadoff batter Mark Kotsay doubles to start the bottom of the first inning on a 3-0 count and after falling behind Nick Swisher on the same count. The 3-0 Angel victory, which takes 2 hours and 1 minute to complete, also halts LA shortstop Orlando Cabrera’s streak of reaching base safely in 63 consecutive games, twenty-one shy of Ted Williams’ record of 84 straight games established in 1949.
2006 Travis Hafner hits his fifth grand slam of the season when he clears the bases in the second inning of the Indians’ 9-0 win over Baltimore at Jacobs Field. The Cleveland DH becomes the first player in major league history to accomplish the feat before the All-Star break and surpasses the franchise record of four baggers established in 1951 by Al Rosen.
2007 Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki records the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history when he hits Chris Young’s fastball into deep right-center field at San Francisco’s AT&T Park. The fifth-inning blast caroms off the park’s quirky configuration, getting past NL center fielder Ken Griffey Jr., allowing the American League leadoff hitter, who will be named the game’s MVP, to complete his way around the bases for the historic round-tripper.
2008 After taking a nine-run lead into the sixth inning, the Mets hold on to beat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, 10-9. The game is eerily similar to a 1992 contest, also played in Philadelphia, that caused Hall of Fame announcer Bob Murphy to remark after the final out, “they win the damn thing by a score of 10 to 9!”
2008 To reach the postseason for the first time since 1982, the Brewers trade four highly touted farm hands to the Indians to obtain CC Sabathia. Milwaukee sends last year’s first-round draft pick, Matt LaPorta, minor league pitching prospects Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson, and Taylor Green (player to be named later), the team’s minor league player of the year, to Cleveland for last season’s American League Cy Young Award winner.
2009 Without throwing a pitch, Alan Embree is credited with the win when Colorado scores the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Nationals at Coors Field, 5-4. After entering the tied contest with two outs in the top of the frame, the Rockies reliever picks off Austin Kerns off first base (caught stealing/PO –> P-1B-SS-P) for the third out of the frame without facing a batter.
2010 With the score tied at seven in the bottom of the ninth at Coors Field, Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta makes Evan MacLane’s major league debut memorable when he leads off the inning, hitting a walk-off home run off the 27-year-old rookie. The Cardinals’ southpaw is the first hurler to surrender a game-winning homer to the first major league batter he faces since Padres’ right-hander J.J. Trujillo accomplished the dubious deed, allowing Baltimore’s Tony Batista to end a game with a round-tripper in 2002.
2010 Adam Dunn becomes the second Washington Nationals player to hit three home runs in a game and the first major leaguer to accomplish the feat at the three-year-old Nationals Park. The first baseman’s offensive output, which matches Alfonso Soriano’s performance in 2006, helps the home team edge San Diego, 7-6, on a hot night in the nation’s capital.
2011 Trailing by four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Indians rally to beat the Blue Jays, 5-4. Travis Hefner delivers the keynote blast, whose walk-off grand slam off Luis Perez to deep right field delights the Progressive Field fans.
2011 Trying to grab the ball tossed into the stands by Josh Hamilton, Ranger fan Shannon Stone dies when he tumbles over the railing and falls 20 feet to the concrete pavement below. The 39-year-old Brownwood (TX) firefighter had attended the game with his six-year-old son, Cooper.
2011 The Cubs erase an eight-run deficit, beating Washington at Nationals Park, 10-9. The defeat of the hometown team marks the largest blown lead in franchise history for the Nats, including their tenure in Montreal as the Expos.
2012 In the bottom of the first inning at Minute Maid Park, first base umpire Sam Holbrook tosses Zack Greinke from the game. The arbitrator took exception when the Brewers starter, who had thrown only four pitches, spiked the ball after he called Jose Altuve safe on a close play in which the Milwaukee hurler covered the bag in the 6-4 loss to Houston.
2012 Bryce Harper becomes the youngest position player to make an All-Star team when he is named to replace Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who cannot participate because of an injury. The 19-year-old Nationals outfielder, who is older than hurlers Dwight Gooden (Mets) and Bob Feller (Indians) when they played in their first Midsummer Classics, surpasses backstop Butch Wynegar (Twins) as the youngest non-pitcher to be selected.
2016 Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, with his twenty-first home run, ties the National League mark shared by Dave Kingman (Giants,1972) and Albert Pujols (Cardinals, 2001) for the most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break. Mark McGwire established the major league record, going deep 30 times before the Midsummer Classic while playing for the A’s in 1987.
2017 Eight seconds before a 5 p.m. ET deadline, the Reds and their No. 2 overall pick, Hunter Greene, reportedly agree to a record $7.23 million bonus. The 17-year-old two-way Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, CA) senior, a recent subject on a Sports Illustrated cover, has been selected primarily as a pitcher but will bat and play shortstop occasionally.
2017 Carlos Carrasco tosses an immaculate inning when he strikes out the side in the fifth frame on nine pitches in the Indians’ 11-2 victory over the Tigers at Progressive Field. The Venezuelan right-hander is only the second pitcher in franchise history, along with Justin Masterson, who accomplished the feat in 2014.
2019 In his 89th game in the majors, Mets first baseman Pete Alfonso records his 30th home run when he goes deep off Aaron Nola in the team’s 8-3 loss at Citi Field. The 24-year-old rookie’s total is second only to Rudy York (1934-37) and Mark McGwire (1986-87), who went deep 31 times at the same point in their careers.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
DEACON WHITE
3rd Baseman
At one time in Deacon White’s professional career, he played all nine positions on the field, including two appearances pitching. But it was as a barehanded catcher – and later as a third baseman – that White left an indelible mark on the game.
White was a standout catcher in a catcher-important era. Catchers did not use any equipment and were positioned much farther back from the pitcher than in modern baseball. Just catching the ball was considered an advantage, but White could catch and throw runners out.
On May 4, 1871, while playing for the Cleveland Forest Citys, White recorded the first hit in the history of the National Association, recognized as the first major league. He led the NA with 77 RBI in 1873 while playing for the Boston Red Stockings, then paced the league with a .367 batting average during its final season of 1875. He helped the Red Stockings post a record of 71-8 that season.
When the National League was born in 1876, White joined the Chicago White Stockings, becoming the first NL RBI champ by driving in 60 runs. The next season back in Boston, White led the NL in hits (103), triples (11), RBI (49), batting average (.387) and OPS (.950). Starting that season, White began slowly moving from behind the plate to other positions. In 1882 with the Buffalo Bisons, White transitioned to third base, where he spent the remainder of his career.
After stints with Detroit and Pittsburgh following his five-year stay in Buffalo, White joined the Buffalo Bisons of the Players League in 1890 for his final big league season. At the age of 42, White played in 122 games and posted a .381 on-base percentage.
In 20 big league seasons, White posted a career batting average of .312 to go with 2,067 hits in just 1,560 games. He led his league in batting average twice and RBI three times.
White is the oldest player elected to the Hall of Fame, having a birthday – Dec. 2, 1847 – that predates any other inductee elected as a player to the Hall of Fame.
White passed away on July 7, 1939. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
AMERICANS ARE IN LEAD
This news story is about the 1912 Stockholm Olympics and in particular a pentathalon gold medal win by a Carlisle student named James Thorpe on July 7, 1912. Yes this is before the great gridiron player was famous and James was in fact Jim Thorpe wins the Gold as he finished first in 4 of the events of the Pentathalon. The Americans were leading in the medal count after just four days after Thorpe’s Gold and one by fellow American 100 meter champ R. C. Craig of the Detroit YMCA took first place in his event in the early days of the Olympiad. In 1913 Jim Thorpe was stripped of the medals due to playing baseball professionally in 1910 but in 1982 the Olympic honor was restored to the star athlete who played many years as a college and pro football player.
July 7, 1928 – Sliced Bread is sold for the first time by the Chillcothe Baking Company in Missouri as inventor Otto Frederick Rohwedder invents a machine to evenly portion the loaves. It really has nothing to do with the game of football but now we have a reference point when someone says it is the best thing since sliced bread!
July 7, 1936 – The RCA Company shows the first real TV program which entertained viewers with a comedy monologue, dancing, a fashion show and short documentary on trains. Where would we be without football on TV?
NOTABLE JULY 7 BIRTHDAYS
July 7, 1958 – Matt Suhey was a Penn State University Running Back that played Pro ball for the Chicago Bears as their Full Back.
July 7, 1973 – Aaron Beasley was an NFL Defensive Back that played for the Jaguars, Jets and Falcons. He played college football for the Mountaineers of West Virginia.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
WARREN AMLING
Position: Guard/Tackle
Years: 1944-1946
Place of Birth: Pana, IL
Date of Birth: Dec 29, 1924
Place of Death: Columbus, OH
Date of Death: Nov 01, 2001
Jersey Number: 90
Height: 6-0
Weight: 197
High School: Pana, IL (Pana HS)
A star fullback and team captain at Pana High School in Illinois, Warren Amling continued his winning ways while attending the Ohio State University. The three-year letter- winner became the Buckeyes’ captain in 1946 and was selected as a first team All-America at two different positions, as a guard in 1945 and then again at tackle in 1946. On offense, the 5’11”, 197-pound Amling was called “an excellent technician,” because he matched the best blocking techniques against whatever defense was used. As a defensive guard, his stamina and body balance made him extremely difficult to block. His senior year ,Amling was asked by Coach Paul Bixler to switch to tackle because the team needed help at that position. Surprising quickness and intelligence overcame size and he again was a standout. Amling also excelled on Buckeye basketball teams in 1945, 1946, and 1947. He played in three NCAA tournaments. After earning a bachelor of science degree, he graduated with honors from Ohio State’s Veterinary Medicine School. Dr. Amling practiced most of his career in London, Ohio serving in medical and management positions with the John Sawyer Company and the Ohio Feed Lot.
SPORTS NUMBERS
51 – 2 – 6 – 9 – 4
July 7, 1900 – Boston Beaneaters pitcher Kid Nichols notches his 300th career MLB victory with an 11-4 win over Chicago Orphans. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame Charles “Kid” Nichols recorded 362 victories as he played for 15 seasons in the MLB. That lofty total over a century later, still ranks among the game’s all-time top win totals. Nichols was a professional baseball success story right out of the gate, and after being signed by Boston in 1890 he won 20-or-more games every year for his first 10 seasons, relying almost completely on his fastball throughout his career. For clarity Nichols currently sits at 7th on the MLB all-time wins list for a pitcher behind Cy Young (511), Walter Johnson (417), Pete Alexander (373), Christy Mathewson (373), Pud Galvin (365), and Warren Spahn (363).
July 7, 1912 – At the Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden all-around athlete Jim Thorpe took home gold medals in 4 of the 5 events his competed in. The former Carlisle football star would eventually lose the honor of gold for decades when the Olympic Committee stripped him of his winnings when they found out he was paid to play baseball in 1910.
July 7, 1919 – The Philadelphia Phillies had some fast players on their roster in 1919. The Phils baserunners tied an MLB record of 8 steals in an inning as they took these all in the 9th frame of a 10-5 loss vs NY Giants.
July 7, 1923 – The Cleveland Indians set an American League record of 27 runs including 13 in the 6th inning in a 27-3 win against the Boston Red Sox
July 7, 1936 – The 4th MLB All Star Game took place at Braves Field in Boston and the winds of change were blowing, mainly from the Windy City. After losing the first 3 All Star Games, finally the National League broke through and won by the score of 4-3. To aid in the cause were 4 different Cubs players scoring all the runs for the NL squad: Augie Galan, Number 51 homered a solo shot in the fifth inning; Number 2 Billy Herman; Frank Demaree wearing Number 6; and Gabby Hartnett in his Uniform Number 9
July 7, 1937 – The very next year at the 5th MLB All Star Game played at Griffin Stadium in Washington DC. The American League won the game 8-3 powered by Number 4 Lou Gehrig drove in 4 of the runs with a Home Run as well as a later double.
July 7, 1948 – The Cleveland Indians in a surprising move by signed a 42 year old veteran Negro Leagues pitcher Satchel Paige to a Major League contract. Paige who wore Number 31 that season, in 7 starts pitched 3 complete games with 6 wins and an ERA of 2.48 in the partial season with the club. Oh and did I mention he also had a save too?
TV FRIDAY
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA: John Deere Classic | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| US Women’s Open | 6:00pm | USA |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Toronto at Detroit | 6:40pm | Sportsnet Bally Sports |
| Philadelphia at Miami | 6:40pm | NBCS-PHI Bally Sports |
| Atlanta at Tampa Bay | 6:40pm | Bally Sports |
| Chi. Cubs at NY Yankees | 7:05pm | MARQ YES |
| Texas at Washington | 7:05pm | MASN/2 Bally Sports |
| Kansas City at Cleveland | 7:10pm | Bally Sports |
| Oaklnad at Boston | 7:10pm | NBCS-CA NESN |
| Baltimore at Minnesota | 8:10pm | MASN/2 Bally Sports |
| Cincinnati at Milwaukee | 8:10pm | Bally Sports |
| Seattle at Houston | 8:10pm | Root Sports ATTSN-SW |
| St. Louis at Chi. White Sox | 8:10pm | Bally Sports NBCS-CHI |
| Seattle at Houston | 8:10pm | Root Sports ATTSN-SW |
| NY Mets at San Diego | 9:40pm | SNY Bally Sports |
| Pittsburgh at Arizona | 9:40pm | ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports |
| LA Angels at LA Dodgers | 10:10pm | Bally Sports Spectrum |
| Colorado at San Francisco | 10:15pm | ATTSN-RM Spectrum |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| ARCA: Zinsser SmartCoat 150 | 6:00pm | FS1 |
| NBA SUMMER LEAGUE | TIME ET | TV |
| New Orleans vs. Minnesota | 4:30pm | NBATV |
| Denver vs. Milwaukee | 5:00pm | ESPNU |
| Chicago vs. Toronto | 6:30pm | NBATV |
| Portland vs. Houston | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Cleveland vs. Brooklyn | 8:30pm | NBATV |
| Charlotte vs. San Antonio | 9:00pm | ESPN |
| Sacramento vs. Atlanta | 10:30pm | NBATV |
| Golden State vs. LA Lakers | 11:00pm | ESPN |
| SOCCER MATCHES | TIME ET | TV |
| NWSL: Orlando Pride vs OL Reign | 7:00pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: Racing Louisville FC vs Kansas City Current | 8:00pm | Paramount+ |
| NWSL: Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Liga MX: Puebla vs Santos Laguna | 9:00pm | TUDN |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| Wimbledon | 6:00am | ESPN |
| TRACK & FIELD | TIME ET | TV |
| US Outdoor Championships | 10:00pm | CNBC |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Indiana vs Washington | 7:00pm | ION |
| Atlanta vs Chicago | 8:00pm | ION |
| Las Vegas vs Dallas | 8:00pm | ION |
| Phoenix vs Minnesota | 8:00pm | ION |