“THE SCOREBOARD”
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
WES DEL 11 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 3
ANDERSON 5 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 0
WHITELAND 7 SHELBYVILLE 1
NEW PALESTINE 11 BEECH GROVE 1
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 11 LAWRENCE NORTH 1
DECATUR CENTRAL 5 TERRE HAUTE NORTH 2
LAFAYETTE JEFF 9 LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 2
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
TEXAS DEAF 11 INDIANA DEAF 8
LAKE CENTRAL 18 CARMEL 6
KNIGHTSTOWN 12 COWAN 1
WARREN CENTRAL 3 ANDERSON 2
SHELBYVILLE 12 COLUMBUS EAST 9
TRI 17 MONROE CENTRAL 6
MOORESTOWN 12 OLDENBURG ACADEMY 2
LIVING WATER HOMESCHOOL 6 BISHOP CHATARD 3
WESTERN 10 BEN DAVIS 0
BELLMONT 14 DELTA 7
KOKOMO 11 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 5
TERRE HAUTE NORTH 10 MARTINSVILLE 4
PENN 7 NOBLESVILLE 6
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 10 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 4
CLOVERDALE 8 SHAKAMAK 7
WESTFIELD 8 ILLIANA CHRISTIAN 4
RONCALLI 14 SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 2
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 3 INTERNATIONAL 0
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 3 SHELBYVILLE 0
FISHERS 3 N. CENTRAL 0
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 3 AVON 0
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS LAX
BREBEUF 13 PARK TUDOR 5
BISHOP CHATARD 18 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 11
GUERIN CATHOLIC 15 WESTFIELD 8
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 14 AVON 1
CENTER GROVE 10 ZIONSVILLE 7
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS LAX
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
NOTRE DAME 8 CALIFORNIA 1
SETON HALL 8 BUTLER 1
ILLINOIS 6 PURDUE 4
IOWA 2 INDIANA 1 (10)
BALL STATE 9 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 6
MURRAY STATE 9 INDIANA STATE 3
BELMONT 10 VALPARAISO 0
MISSOURI STATE 6 EVANSVILLE 4
SOUTHERN INDIANA 13 EASTERN ILLINOIS 6
INDIANA COLLEGE SOFTBALL
OREGON 10 INDIANA 4
NORTH CAROLINA 9 NOTRE DAME 1
BUTLER 5 SETON HALL 3
BUTLER 4 SETON HALL 0
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 9 NORTHERN KENTUCKY 8
INDIANA MEN’S COLLEGE LAX
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA WOMEN’S COLLEGE LAX
NO GAME SCHEDULED
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE/SCORES
FRIDAY
ORLANDO 95 BOSTON 93
MILWAUKEE 117 INDIANA 101
MINNESOTA 116 LA LAKERS 104
ALL TIMES EASTERN STANDARD TIME
(1) CLEVELAND VS. (8) MIAMI
• GAME 1: CLEVELAND 121 MIAMI 100 (CLEVELAND LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: CLEVELAND 121 MIAMI 112 (CLEVELAND LEADS SERIES 2-0)
• GAME 3: CAVALIERS AT MIAMI (SAT. APRIL 26, 1 ET, TNT)
• GAME 4: CAVALIERS AT MIAMI (MON. APRIL 28, TBD)
• GAME 5: MIAMI AT CAVALIERS (WED. APRIL 30, TBD)*
• GAME 6: CAVALIERS AT MIAMI (FRI. MAY 2, TBD)*
• GAME 7: MIAMI AT CAVALIERS (SUN. MAY 4, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(2) BOSTON VS. (7) ORLANDO
• GAME 1: BOSTON 103 ORLANDO 86 (BOSTON LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: BOSTON 109 ORLANDO 100 (BOSTON LEADS SERIES 2-0)
• GAME 3: ORLANDO 95 BOSTON 93 (BOSTON LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: CELTICS AT MAGIC (SUN. APRIL 27, 7 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: MAGIC AT CELTICS (TUE. APRIL 29, TBD)*
• GAME 6: CELTICS AT MAGIC (THU. MAY 1, TBD)*
• GAME 7: MAGIC AT CELTICS (SAT. MAY 3, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(3) NEW YORK VS. (6) DETROIT
• GAME 1: NEW YORK 123 DETROIT 112 (NEW YORK LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: DETROIT 100 NEW YORK 94 (SERIES EVEN 1-1)
• GAME 3: NEW YORK 118 DETROIT 116 (NY LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: KNICKS AT PISTONS (SUN. APRIL 27, 1 ET, ABC)
• GAME 5: PISTONS AT KNICKS (TUE. APRIL 29, TBD)*
• GAME 6: KNICKS AT PISTONS (THU. MAY 1, TBD)*
• GAME 7: PISTONS AT KNICKS (SAT. MAY 3, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(4) INDIANA VS. (5) MILWAUKEE
• GAME 1: INDIANA 117 MILWAUKEE 98 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: INDIANA 123 MILWAUKEE 115 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 2-0)
• GAME 3: MILWAUKEE 117 INDIANA 101 (INDIANA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: PACERS AT BUCKS (SUN. APRIL 27, 9:30 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: BUCKS AT PACERS (TUE. APRIL 29, TBD)*
• GAME 6: PACERS AT BUCKS (FRI. MAY 2, TBD)*
• GAME 7: BUCKS AT PACERS (SUN. MAY 4, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
SERIES TIED 0-0
WESTERN CONFERENCE
ALL TIMES EASTERN STANDARD TIME
(1) OKLAHOMA CITY VS. (8) MEMPHIS
• GAME 1: OKLAHOMA CITY 131 MEMPHIS 80 (OKLAHOMA CITY LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: OKLAHOMA CITY 118 MEMPHIS 99 (OKLAHOMA CITY LEADS SERIES 2-0)
• GAME 3: OKLAHOMA CITY 114 MEMPHIS 108 (OKLHOMA CITY LEADS SERIES 3-0)
• GAME 4: THUNDER AT MEMPHIS (SAT. APRIL 26, 3:30 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: MEMPHIS AT THUNDER (MON. APRIL 28, TBD)*
• GAME 6: THUNDER AT MEMPHIS (THU. MAY 1, TBD)*
• GAME 7: MEMPHIS AT THUNDER (SAT. MAY 3, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(2) HOUSTON VS. (7) GOLDEN STATE
• GAME 1: GOLDEN STATE 95 HOUSTON 85 (GOLDEN STATE LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: HOUSTON 109 GOLDEN STATE 94 (SERIES EVEN 1-1)
• GAME 3: ROCKETS AT WARRIORS (SAT. APRIL 26, 8:30 ET, ABC)
• GAME 4: ROCKETS AT WARRIORS (MON. APRIL 28, 10 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: WARRIORS AT ROCKETS (WED. APRIL 30, TBD)*
• GAME 6: ROCKETS AT WARRIORS (FRI. MAY 2, TBD)*
• GAME 7: WARRIORS AT ROCKETS (SUN. MAY 4, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(3) LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS. (6) MINNESOTA
• GAME 1: MINNESOTA 117 LOS ANGELES 95 (MINNESOTA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: LOS ANGELES 94 MINNESOTA 85 (SERIES EVEN 1-1)
• GAME 3: MINNESOTA 116 LOS ANGELES 104
• GAME 4: LAKERS AT TIMBERWOLVES (SUN. APRIL 27, 3:30 ET, ABC)
• GAME 5: TIMBERWOLVES AT LAKERS (WED. APRIL 30, TBD)*
• GAME 6: LAKERS AT TIMBERWOLVES (FRI. MAY 2, TBD)*
• GAME 7: TIMBERWOLVES AT LAKERS (SUN. MAY 4, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
(4) DENVER VS. (5) LA CLIPPERS
• GAME 1: DENVER 112 LOS ANGELES 110 (OT) (DENVER LEADS SERIES 1-0)
• GAME 2: LOS ANGELES 105 DENVER 102 (SERIES EVEN 1-1)
• GAME 3: LOS ANGELES 117 DENVER 83 (LOS ANGELES LEADS SERIES 2-1)
• GAME 4: NUGGETS AT CLIPPERS (SAT. APRIL 26, 6 ET, TNT)
• GAME 5: CLIPPERS AT NUGGETS (TUE. APRIL 29, TBD)*
• GAME 6: NUGGETS AT CLIPPERS (THU. MAY 1, TBD)*
• GAME 7: CLIPPERS AT NUGGETS (SAT. MAY 3, TBD)*
* IF NECESSARY
> CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
THE CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS WILL BEGIN MAY 5-6, BUT CAN MOVE UP TO MAY 3-4.
> CONFERENCE FINALS
THE CONFERENCE FINALS WILL BEGIN MAY 20-21, BUT CAN MOVE UP TO MAY 18-19.
MAY 20: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 1 ON ESPN, 8:30 P.M. ET (POSSIBLE SERIES MOVE UP TO MAY 18)
MAY 21: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 1 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET (POSSIBLE SERIES MOVE UP TO MAY 19)
MAY 22: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 2 ON ESPN, 8:30 P.M. ET
MAY 23: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 2 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET
MAY 24: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 3 ON ABC, 8:30 P.M. ET
MAY 25: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 3 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET
MAY 26: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 4 ON ESPN, 8:30 P.M. ET
MAY 27: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 4 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET
MAY 28: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 5 ON ESPN, 8:30 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
MAY 29: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 5 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
MAY 30: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 6 ON ESPN, 8:30 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
MAY 31: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 6 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
JUNE 1: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 7 ON ESPN, 8 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
JUNE 2: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – GAME 7 ON TNT, 8 P.M. ET (IF NECESSARY)
> NBA FINALS
THE 2025 NBA FINALS WILL BEGIN JUNE 5, WITH ABC AS THE EXCLUSIVE BROADCASTER.
JUNE 5: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 1 ON ABC
JUNE 8: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 2 ON ABC
JUNE 11: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 3 ON ABC
JUNE 13: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 4 ON ABC
JUNE 16: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 5 ON ABC (IF NECESSARY)
JUNE 19: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 6 ON ABC (IF NECESSARY)
JUNE 22: NBA FINALS 2025 PRESENTED BY YOUTUBE TV – GAME 7 ON ABC (IF NECESSARY)
NHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE/SCORES
FRIDAY
MONTRÉAL 6 WASHINGTON 3
NEW JERSEY 3 CAROLINA 2 2OT
EDMONTON 7 LOS ANGELES 4
EASTERN CONFERENCE
OTTAWA SENATORS (WC2) VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (1A)
GAME 1: TORONTO 6 OTTAWA 2 (TORONTO LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: TORONTO 3 OTTAWA 2 OT (TORONTO LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: TORONTO 3 OTTAWA 2 OT (TORONTO LEADS SERIES 3-0)
GAME 4: MAPLE LEAFS AT SENATORS, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 7 P.M. ET; SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, TRUTV, MAX
GAME 5: SENATORS AT MAPLE LEAFS, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, TBD *
GAME 6: MAPLE LEAFS AT SENATORS, THURSDAY, MAY 1, TBD *
GAME 7: SENATORS AT MAPLE LEAFS, SATURDAY, MAY 3, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
FLORIDA PANTHERS (3A) VS. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (2A)
GAME 1: FLORIDA 6 TAMPA BAY 2 (FLORIDA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: FLORIDA 3 TAMPA BAY 0 (FLORIDA LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1 P.M. ET; TBS, TRUTV, MAX,, SN, TVAS, FDSNSUN, SCRIPPS
GAME 4: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS, MONDAY, APRIL 28, TBD
GAME 5: PANTHERS AT LIGHTNING, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, TBD *
GAME 6: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS, FRIDAY, MAY 2, TBD *
GAME 7: PANTHERS AT LIGHTNING, SUNDAY, MAY 4, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
MONTREAL CANADIENS (WC2) VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS (1M)
GAME 1: WASHINGTON 3 MONTREAL 2 OT (WASHINGTON LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: WASHINGTON 3 MONTREAL 1 (WASHINGTON LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: MONTREAL 5 WASHINGTON 3 (WASHINGTON LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: CAPITALS AT CANADIENS, SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 6:30 P.M. ET; SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, TRUTV, MAX, MNMT
GAME 5: CANADIENS AT CAPITALS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, TBD *
GAME 6: CAPITALS AT CANADIENS, FRIDAY, MAY 2, TBD *
GAME 7: CANADIENS/AT CAPITALS, SUNDAY, MAY 4, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (3M) VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES (2M)
GAME 1: CAROLINA 4 NEW JERSEY 1 (CAROLINA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: CAROLINA 3 NEW JERSEY 1 (CAROLINA LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: NEW JERSEY 3 CAROLINA 2 2OT (CAROLINA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: HURRICANES AT DEVILS, SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 3:30 P.M. ET; TBS, TRUTV, MAX, SN, SN360, TVAS, FDSNSO, MSGSN
GAME 5: DEVILS AT HURRICANES, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, TBD *
GAME 6: HURRICANES AT DEVILS, FRIDAY, MAY 2, TBD *
GAME 7: DEVILS AT HURRICANES, SUNDAY, MAY 4, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
WESTERN CONFERENCE
ST. LOUIS BLUES (WC2) VS. WINNIPEG JETS (1C)
GAME 1: WINNIPEG 5 ST. LOUIS 3 (WINNIPEG LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: WINNIPEG 2 ST. LOUIS 1 (WINNIPEG LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: ST. LOUIS 7 WINNIPEG 2 (ST. LOUIS LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: JETS AT BLUES, SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 1 P.M. ET; TBS, TRUTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS, FDSNMW
GAME 5: BLUES AT JETS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, TBD *
GAME 6: JETS AT BLUES, FRIDAY, MAY 2, TBD *
GAME 7: BLUES AT JETS, SUNDAY, MAY 4, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
COLORADO AVALANCHE (3C) VS. DALLAS STARS (2C)
GAME 1: COLORADO 5 DALLAS 1 (COLORADO LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: DALLAS 4 COLORADO 4 OT (SERIES EVEN 1-1)
GAME 3: DALLAS 2 COLORADO 1 (DALLAS LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: STARS AT AVALANCHE, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 9:30 P.M. ET; TBS, TRUTV, MAX, SN, TVAS, VICTORY+, ALT
GAME 5: AVALANCHE AT STARS, MONDAY, APRIL 28, TBD *
GAME 6: STARS AT AVALANCHE, THURSDAY, MAY 1, TBD *
GAME 7: AVALANCHE AT STARS, SATURDAY, MAY 3, TBD*
* IF NECESSARY
MINNESOTA WILD (WC1) VS. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (1P)
GAME 1: VEGAS 4 MINNESOTA 2 (VEGAS LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: MINNESOTA 5 VEGAS 2 (SERIES TIED 1-1)
GAME 3: MINNESOTA 5 VEGAS 2 (MINNESOTA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: GOLDEN KNIGHTS AT WILD, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 4 P.M. ET; TBS, TRUTV, MAX, SNW, SNP, SN1, TVAS, FDSNNO, SCRIPPS
GAME 5: WILD AT GOLDEN KNIGHTS, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, TBD *
GAME 6: GOLDEN KNIGHTS AT WILD, THURSDAY, MAY 1, TBD *
GAME 7: WILD AT GOLDEN KNIGHTS, SATURDAY, MAY 3, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
EDMONTON OILERS (3P) VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS (2P)
GAME 1: LOS ANGELES 6 EDMONTON 5 ( LA LEADS SERIES 1-0)
GAME 2: LOS ANGELES 6 EDMONTON 2 (LA LEADS SERIES 2-0)
GAME 3: EDMONTON 7 LOS ANGELES 4 (LA LEADS SERIES 2-1)
GAME 4: KINGS AT OILERS, SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 9:30 P.M. ET; SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, TRUTV, MAX, FDSNW
GAME 5: OILERS AT KINGS, TUESDAY, APRIL 29, TBD *
GAME 6: KINGS AT OILERS, THURSDAY, MAY 1, TBD *
GAME 7: OILERS AT KINGS, SATURDAY, MAY 3, TBD *
* IF NECESSARY
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
CHICAGO CUBS 4 PHILADELPHIA 0
WASHINGTON 5 NY METS 4
TORONTO 4 NY YANKEES 2
MINNESOTA 11 LA ANGELS 4
KANSAS CITY 2 HOUSTON 0
ST. LOUIS 3 MILWAUKEE 2
CINCINNATI 8 COLORADO 7
TAMPA BAY 1 SAN DIEGO 0
MIAMI 8 SEATTLE 4
ATLANTA 8 ARIZONA 2
LAS VEGAS 6 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 5
PITTSBURGH 3 LA DODGERS 0
TEXAS 2 SAN FRANCISCO 0
BALTIMORE AT DETROIT POSTPONED
BOSTON AT CLEVELAND POSTPONED
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 10 ST. PAUL 0
ST. PAUL 3 INDIANAPOLIS 0
LANSING 3 FT. WAYNE 1
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
WOMEN’S PRO VOLLEYBALL
ORLANDO 3 INDY 1
OMAHA 3 COLUMBUS 2
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER FALL: SHEDEUR SANDERS REMAINS UNDRAFTED
After two days, three rounds and 102 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders is still waiting to hear his name called.
The highly hyped Colorado quarterback, who stunningly fell out of the first round on Thursday night, was not among the 70 players selected in the second and third rounds on Friday.
Three more quarterbacks were taken on Friday after two were called in the first round at the draft held in Green Bay, Wis. However, none of them was the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame member Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s head coach at Colorado.
The first quarterback off the board Friday came eight picks in, as the New Orleans Saints selected Tyler Shough with the eighth choice in the second round. Shough actually played in seven different seasons in college, starting at Oregon in 2018 before transferring to Texas Tech for the 2021 season and then Louisville for 2024.
The next two quarterbacks went late in the third round, with the Seattle Seahawks taking Alabama’s Jalen Milroe with the 92nd overall pick and the Cleveland Browns taking Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel two picks later.
Sanders’ statistics suggested he might be more highly prized by NFL teams targeting their next long-term quarterback. During his senior year at Colorado, Sanders led the Big 12 in passing yards (4,134), touchdowns (37) and passer-efficiency rating (168.2). He topped the nation with a 74 percent completion rate.
He led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record, finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and earned Associated Press second-team all-American acclaim, with Miami’s Cam Ward receiving the first-team selection. Ward was the first overall pick in the draft Thursday, taken by the Tennessee Titans.
That capped a stellar four-year career playing for his father. In two seasons at Jackson State and two at Colorado, Sanders completed 70.1 percent of his passes for 14,347 yards, 134 touchdowns and just 27 interceptions.
The spotlight followed every move the Sanders family made over the last two years at Colorado, which carried over during the lengthy pre-draft process. Sanders’ potential destination was a hot topic on sports talk shows. Depending on the day, he was viewed as an ideal prospect for the Giants (who held the third overall pick), the Saints (ninth overall pick) and, worst-case scenario, the Pittsburgh Steelers (21st overall pick).
Sanders attended the NFL combine in February and measured in at 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds, but he did not throw for scouts until Colorado’s pro day in early April. On Saturday, the Buffaloes immortalized Sanders (and Heisman Trophy-winning teammate Travis Hunter) by retiring their numbers. There was still no sign that Sanders would be anything but a first-round selection.
But as draft day approached and uncomplimentary reports of Sanders’ interview skills and overly confident demeanor became public, the narrative shifted.
The final day of the draft is Saturday, with the fourth through seventh rounds. Of the teams believed to be most in need of a quarterback entering the draft, only the Steelers have yet to select one.
The Steelers are currently with the 21th pick of the fourth round, No. 123 overall.
LIONS EXERCISE OPTIONS TO KEEP DE AIDAN HUTCHINSON, WR JAMESON WILLIAMS UNDER CONTRACT THROUGH 2026
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions have exercised fifth-year options to keep edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and wide receiver Jameson Williams under contract through the 2026 season.
Detroit made the moves Friday, a day after signing All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph to an $86 million, four-year contract extension.
The Lions selected Hutchinson second overall and Williams No. 12 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.
Hutchinson had 7 1/2 sacks in five games last year before his season ended with a broken leg. The former Michigan star had 11 1/2 sacks in 2023 as a Pro Bowl player and 9 1/2 sacks as a rookie.
After having surgery to repair his left leg that was broken in two places, Hutchinson has posted videos on social media that show him sprinting at the team’s training facility.
Williams is coming off a breakout season. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch, ranking second in the league, and had 58 receptions for 1,001 yards with seven touchdowns along with 11 carries for 61 yards rushing and a score last year.
Off the field, Williams has had challenges.
He was suspended for two games last season by the NFL for violating the its performance-enhancing substance policy and was found with a gun in a car driven by his brother without a concealed-carry permit, but was charged with a crime.
In his second year in the league, Williams served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy and finished the season with 24 catches for 354 yards and two touchdowns along with three rushes for 29 yards and a score. As a rookie, the former Alabama star returned from knee surgery and played six games and had one catch for a 41-yard touchdown.
Detroit drafted a player who will play alongside Hutchinson next season.
The Lions took Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams with the 28th overall pick on Thursday night.
Williams joins a defensive tackle group that includes Alim McNeill and DJ Reader. McNeill may not be available to start the season after tearing an ACL and his potential absence could give an opening to Williams to play a large role as a rookie.
NBA NEWS
SATURDAY’S NBA GAMES: CAVALIERS-HEAT, THUNDER-GRIZZLIES, NUGGETS-CLIPPERS AND ROCKETS-WARRIORS
Oklahoma City has a chance to secure its spot in Round 2. Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers can get to the doorstep of the second round. And the Houston-Golden State winner is going to have control of their matchup.
Those are the headlines going into a quadruple-header of NBA playoff games on Saturday: Oklahoma City can sweep its series with a win at Memphis, Cleveland can take a 3-0 lead over Miami, the Clippers will aim for a 3-1 edge when it plays host to Memphis and the nightcap is a Rockets-Warriors matchup in San Francisco with those teams tied at a game apiece.
And there are some injury worries, particularly for Memphis and Golden State. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant took a bad fall that knocked him out of Game 3 against Oklahoma City with a bruised hip — and helped contribute to the Thunder rallying from a 29-point deficit — while Warriors forward Jimmy Butler also is dealing with the aftereffects of a fall that knocked him out of Game 2 in Houston.
“I never want to see anybody get hurt. I hope he’s OK,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Morant. “You want everybody to be at full strength. He’s a great competitor. He was playing great. Obviously, that had something to do with the game as well. It’d be wrong of me not to acknowledge that.”
The Thunder, since relocating to Oklahoma City, were 0-95 in games where they trailed by at least 27 points — until Thursday.
“Never surprised. Always impressed,” Daigneault said. “They just feel an unbelievable responsibility to one another.”
Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 1 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Cavaliers lead, 2-0.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Cavaliers by 6.5.
What to Know: Miami did a lot of things right in Game 2 — teams in playoff games were 76-0 all-time when scoring at least 112 points, making 16 3s, shooting 50% or better from the field and holding their opponent to under 50% shooting. The Heat did all that and lost Game 2 anyway, simply because of Cleveland’s barrage of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell’s ability to make huge plays down the stretch to fend off a Miami run. The Heat say Game 3 is a must-win, so expect a big push to open the game. It’ll be a good test for Cleveland, which was great on the road all year, to see how it handles a playoff road atmosphere.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies
When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 3:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Thunder lead, 3-0.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Thunder by 14.5.
What to Know: Oklahoma City will have a chance to be the first team to reach Round 2 of the playoffs, plus can finish off a first-round sweep for the second consecutive year after ousting New Orleans 4-0 last season. The 14.5-point spread, assuming it doesn’t move before game time, would be the largest according to BetMGM Sportsbook for any road team in a playoff game over the last decade. (Excluding bubble games, the biggest road favorites in the postseason since 2012 were San Antonio at Memphis in 2016 and Milwaukee at Detroit in 2019. Both were 12.5-point favorites and both covered). The challenge for Memphis will be how to fight back after losing a 29-point lead in Game 3.
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Clippers
When/Where to Watch: Game 4, 6 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Clippers lead, 2-1.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Clippers by 5.5.
What to Know: The Clippers trailed 26-19 after 9 minutes of Game 1 — and outscored the Nuggets 98-57 the rest of the way. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had 37 of those final 57 points for Denver while their teammates combined to shoot 7-for-37 and score only 20 points in those 39 minutes. That is all an obvious credit to the Clippers’ defense, which has been an overlooked story all season. Another boost for the Clippers out of that game was how Kawhi Leonard didn’t have to log big minutes; he played only 34. Denver has to get some shooting going in Game 4, after getting outscored 54-21 on 3-pointers in Game 3.
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, 8:30 p.m. EDT (ABC)
Series: Tied, 1-1.
BetMGM Sportsbook: Warriors by 2.5.
What to Know: Golden State forward Jimmy Butler’s injury status is the big question going into Game 3. And if he plays, can he be effective? The Warriors still have the upper hand in the series after getting a split of Games 1 and 2 in Houston and now come home to Chase Center — where they are 16-4 in playoff and play-in games. The Rockets are only 2-8 in that building, the third-worst record among Western Conference teams, ahead of only Utah (2-9) and Portland (1-9). Houston has to love what it has done defensively so far in the series, holding the Warriors to 95 and 94 points in the first two matches. That’s a clear trend, with the Warriors being held under 100 points in five of their last six games against the Rockets. The combined numbers from those games: Rockets 582, Warriors 579, and each team going 3-3.
NBA ROUNDUP: BIG SECOND HALF LIFTS WOLVES OVER LAKERS
Jaden McDaniels scored 30 points, Anthony Edwards had 29, and the Minnesota Timberwolves finished strong for a 116-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle added 22 points for Minnesota, which took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 will be Sunday in Minneapolis.
LeBron James netted 38 points on 13-for-21 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Los Angeles. Austin Reaves scored 20 points, thanks largely to five 3-pointers, and Luka Doncic scored 17 points but made only 6 of 16 shots from the field and 2 of 8 from 3-point range. Doncic also had five of Los Angeles’ 19 turnovers but contributed eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Timberwolves outscored the Lakers 62-46 in the second half.
Bucks 117, Pacers 101
Gary Trent Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo each scored 37 points while leading host Milwaukee to a comeback win over Indiana, cutting its deficit in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series to 2-1.
Trent was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Taurean Prince and delivered for coach Doc Rivers, hitting 9 of 12 on 3-point attempts. The nine tries tied the franchise playoff record set by Ray Allen in the 2001 Eastern Conference finals.
Pascal Siakam posted 28 points on 12-for-19 shooting for Indiana, which led by 12 points in the second quarter. Aaron Nesmith contributed 18 points while Tyrese Haliburton logged 14 points and 10 assists.
Magic 95, Celtics 93
Franz Wagner broke a late tie with consecutive driving hoops over Kristaps Porzingis, and Orlando survived a wild finish to hold off visiting Boston in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Wagner finished with a team-high 32 points and Paolo Banchero 29 for the Magic, who held serve after losing the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Boston. Game 4 also will be played at Orlando on Sunday.
Jayson Tatum had 36 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, but he also was responsible for seven of the team’s 21 turnovers. Jaylen Brown chipped in with 19 points and Derrick White had 16 to go with five assists for Boston, which also lost both of its regular-season games at Orlando.
BROOKS TO CRITICS CALLING THOMPSON DIRTY FOR FOUL ON BUTLER: ‘THE DIRTY PLAYER IS DRAYMOND’
HOUSTON (AP) — Some have questioned whether Houston’s Amen Thompson is a dirty player after Golden State’s Jimmy Butler was injured in a scary fall in Game 2 when the Rockets guard took his opponent’s legs out from under him on a hard foul.
Thompson’s teammate, Dillon Brooks, had other thoughts on the subject when asked about it Friday ahead of Saturday’s Game 3.
“No, I think the dirty player is Draymond (Green), giving him a little push as regular basketball players do,” Brooks said. “And Jimmy’s fighting in the air for a rebound and stuff happens. Amen’s not a dirty player. He has (nothing) to do with being a dirty player.”
Butler’s status for Game 3 is uncertain after he sustained what the team called a pelvic contusion in the 109-94 loss that tied the first round series at 1-1.
Brooks said they can’t take their focus away from Game 3 with concerns about what people are saying about them.
“We’re not worried about that,” he said. “We’re on to the next game and we hope Jimmy can get better.”
Golden State coach Steve Kerr said after the game that he doesn’t believe Thompson intended to hurt Butler.
“We didn’t think there was anything wrong with the play,” Kerr said. “It was just one of those plays.”
Houston coach Ime Udoka weighed in on the play Friday.
“It’s obvious it wasn’t intentional,” he said. “You look at all the bodies in between and him getting bumped and tripped and the way he fell. You don’t fall into somebody face first on purpose.”
Wednesday’s game got a bit chippy with players from both teams getting technical fouls in the second half and Houston’s Jalen Green receiving a flagrant foul when he flailed an arm into Draymond Green’s face.
“Amen’s obviously not a dirty player,” Udoka said. “There’s a difference between aggressive, physical play and being dirty and you could question some of their things as well on their on their end.”
WNBA NEWS
WNBA TRAINING CAMPS SET TO OPEN THIS WEEKEND WITH CAITLIN CLARK PREPARING FOR YEAR 2
A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier will be back on the court Sunday to renew their chase of a coveted WNBA championship when training camps open and last year’s rookie sensation Caitlin Clark begins Year 2 in the league.
Stewart and the New York Liberty will be chasing a second straight WNBA title, something Wilson and the Aces did in 2022 and 2023.
There has been a lot of player movement in the offseason with the Aces adding Jewell Loyd in a three-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. Las Vegas still has a solid core with Wilson, Loyd, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young.
New York added Natasha Cloud to bolster its roster with guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton sidelined for a few months after having knee surgery.
No team made more changes this offseason then the Fever, who are led by Clark. Indiana added Sophie Cunningham through a trade and signed free agents DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson, and Brianna Turner. Add that to Clark and Aliyah Boston and there’s a lot of excitement in Indiana.
There’s a new energy in Dallas as well with No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers joining the team. The Wings are hoping that the former UConn star can bolster a roster that features Arike Ogunbowale.
Golden State will be the first new WNBA team to take the court since the Atlanta Dream began play in 2008.
New leadership on WNBA sidelines
Eight of the 13 teams will have new head coaches this season.
Atlanta and Los Angeles turned to college coaches Karl Smesko and Lynne Roberts, respectively. Indiana brought back former coach and player Stephanie White to lead the Fever. White had been in charge of the Connecticut Sun, who replaced her with former Belgium national team coach Rachid Meziane.
Chicago, Dallas and Washington turned to former WNBA assistant coaches Tyler Marsh, Chris Koclanes and Sydney Johnson, respectively. Golden State also brought in a former assistant coach, Natalie Nakase, to be the first head coach in the expansion franchise’s history.
Familiar faces in new places
Indiana is not the only team to make major moves with several franchises adding marquee names to rosters during the offseason via free agency.
Atlanta picked up former Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner, who had spent her entire WNBA career playing in Arizona since being drafted No. 1 in 2013 by Phoenix. The Dream also added former Connecticut standout Brionna Jones.
Phoenix was active in bolstering its roster, trading for Alyssa Thomas and signing Satou Sabally.
The Sun lost their entire starting five from last season and brought back former UConn All-American Tina Charles as well as Diamond DeShields.
Former champs Taurasi and Delle Donne not in camp
Two players that won’t be in camp this year are Diana Taurasi and Elena Delle Donne.
Both announced their retirements this offseason. Taurasi had played her entire 20-year career in Phoenix, leading the Mercury to three WNBA championships. Delle Donne played in both Chicago and Washington, helping the Mystics win the franchise’s lone title in 2019.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: DEVILS TOP CANES IN 2OT, AVOID 3-0 HOLE
Simon Nemec scored 2:36 into the second overtime Friday night for the New Jersey Devils, who got back into their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 at Newark, N.J.
The Hurricanes lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday in Newark.
The Devils squandered a 2-0 third-period lead and outshot the Hurricanes 9-2 in the first overtime before Nemec ended it early in the second extra session. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer scored in regulation for the Devils. Goalie Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves.
Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored in the third period for the Hurricanes, who have lost three double-overtime games in the last two postseasons. Aho assisted on Jarvis’ goal, and Andersen recorded 34 saves.
Oilers 7, Kings 4
Evan Bouchard scored twice in Game 3, including the game-winning goal, in a third-period comeback to give host Edmonton a victory over Los Angeles and new life in its Western Conference first-round series.
Down 4-3, the Oilers scored a pair of goals nine seconds apart. Evander Kane tied the clash with 6:42 remaining in regulation by tapping home a loose puck during a wild flurry. The Kings lost a challenge for goaltender interference, which gave the Oilers a power play, and Bouchard netted his second tally.
Connor Brown scored twice and Connor McDavid (three points) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also scored for Edmonton, which trails the series 2-1. Adrian Kempe, Trevor Moore and Drew Doughty all collected one goal and one assist, Kevin Fiala scored and Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault both notched two assists.
Canadiens 6, Capitals 3
Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook recorded one goal and one assist each as host Montreal defeated Washington in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The Capitals lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Alexandre Carrier, Nick Suzuki, Christian Dvorak and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens. Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault stopped 11 shots before leaving the game in the middle of the second period. Jakub Dobes made seven saves in relief.
Connor McMichael, Jakob Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin tallied for the Capitals. Logan Thompson stopped 30 shots before he was injured in the third period and replaced by Charlie Lindgren, who made four saves.
BASEBALL NEWS
MLB ROUNDUP: PAUL SKENES FANS 9 AS PIRATES BLANK DODGERS
Paul Skenes struck out nine over 6 1/3 scoreless innings and the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates opened a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-0 victory on Friday.
Oneil Cruz hit an RBI single and later scored in a two-run fifth inning as the Pirates improved to 3-1 on their six-game road trip.
Skenes (3-2) gave up five hits with no walks on a career-high 108 pitches as he outdueled Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who entered on an 18-inning scoreless streak.
Yamamoto (3-2) allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits over five innings. Andy Pages hit a pair of doubles for Los Angeles, which lost for the fourth time in its past five games. The Dodgers are 8-10 since opening with an 8-0 record.
Nationals 5, Mets 4
James Wood singled to drive in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as host Washington snapped New York’s seven-game winning streak.
With Washington trailing 4-3, Dylan Crews led off the ninth against Ryne Stanek (0-1) with his third hit, a triple off Juan Soto’s glove at the wall, and scored on a single up the middle by Jose Tena. Two outs later, Wood hit a grounder that barely eluded second baseman Jeff McNeil and CJ Abrams raced all the way around, just beating Tyrone Taylor’s throw home.
Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos singled to start the Mets’ fourth, but Jesse Winker lined to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who threw to Abrams at second and took the return throw to complete a triple play.
Blue Jays 4, Yankees 2
Alejandro Kirk hit a two-run double with no outs in the ninth inning for visiting Toronto, which stopped a season-worst five-game losing streak with a victory over New York.
Devin Williams (0-2) blew his first save in five chances by not getting an out in the ninth with the Yankees nursing a 2-1 lead. He allowed a single to George Springer and hit Andres Gimenez with a pitch. Kirk then gave Toronto a 3-2 lead by hitting a 1-0 changeup over center fielder Trent Grisham’s head.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered for the Blue Jays, who had nine hits — matching their total from a three-game sweep in Houston. The Yankees’ Oswaldo Cabrera hit a tying single in the seventh through a drawn-in infield. Austin Wells’ sacrifice fly in the eighth gave New York a short-lived 2-1 lead.
Royals 2, Astros 0
Seth Lugo pitched eight shutout innings as host Kansas City beat Houston and extended its winning streak to five games.
Lugo (2-3) ended a three-start losing streak with his best effort in the young season as he struck out a season-best eight and allowed a season-low three hits. Kyle Isbel and Vinny Pasquantino each had a sacrifice fly.
Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. singled three times in four at-bats to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, the best current run in the majors. Astros starter Hayden Wesneski (1-2) scattered eight hits in five-plus innings and yielded two runs.
Braves 8, Diamondbacks 2
Chris Sale pitched five innings of one-run ball and remained perfect against Arizona as Atlanta won the opener of a three-game series in Phoenix.
Sale (1-2) improved to 4-0 with a 2.57 ERA in five career appearances against Arizona. Eli White and Austin Riley each had two hits and two RBIs for the Braves, while Michael Harris II had two hits and scored twice.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen (1-4) gave three runs on four hits, all in the second inning, in his five-inning outing.
Rays 1, Padres 0
Shane Baz fired seven shutout innings and visiting Tampa Bay handed San Diego just its second home loss in 14 games this season.
Baz (3-0) permitted just four hits and a walk while striking out six. Manuel Rodriguez worked the eighth and Garrett Cleavinger pitched the ninth for his first save of the season.
Michael King (3-1) absorbed the loss despite yielding only four hits and an unearned run in five innings. He walked one and struck out nine. A Xander Bogaerts error in the third led to the game’s only run on a Yandy Diaz sacrifice fly.
Rangers 2, Giants 0
Nathan Eovaldi prevailed in a pitchers’ duel with Justin Verlander, Wyatt Langford had an RBI double among three hits, and Texas opened a three-game series with a victory at San Francisco.
Chris Martin, Robert Garcia and Luke Jackson combined with Eovaldi on a four-hit shutout. Eovaldi (2-2) worked the first six innings, allowing three hits and a walk. He struck out seven.
Langford gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with his two-out RBI double in the third. Verlander (0-2) kept the score at 1-0 until the sixth, when former Giant Joc Pederson singled in a run. Verlander was charged with two runs on five hits in six innings.
Marlins 8, Mariners 4
Jesus Sanchez’s home run capped a six-run fifth inning and Miami went on to defeat host Seattle in the opener of a three-game series.
Agustin Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a double and his first major league homer for the Marlins, who have won four of their past five games. Xavier Edwards had two hits and two RBIs for Miami. Cal Quantrill (2-2) gave up four runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Dylan Moore and Jorge Polanco went deep for the Mariners, who had won four of their previous five. Seattle ace Logan Gilbert left after pitching three perfect innings with what the team called tightness in his right forearm.
Cubs 4, Phillies 0
Colin Rea went five scoreless innings and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored a run, drove in another and stole two bases as Chicago shut out visiting Philadelphia following a rain delay of more than two hours.
Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki each had two hits as the Cubs improved to 5-1 on an eight-game homestand and extended their league-leading run total to 167. Rea (1-0) gave up three hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
J.T. Realmuto had two hits for the Phillies, whose losing streak increased to five games. Taijuan Walker (1-2) went just three innings, giving up two runs on six hits.
Twins 11, Angels 4
Trevor Larnach launched a three-run homer during Minnesota’s six-run fourth inning and the Twins set a season high in runs while routing Los Angeles in Minneapolis.
Byron Buxton homered, tripled and drove in three runs, and Larnach had two hits and four RBIs for Minnesota, which won for the third time in its past four games.
Pablo Lopez (2-1), who had not pitched since April 8 due to a right hamstring strain, allowed two runs on five hits over five innings. He threw a season-high 101 pitches. Mike Trout homered for the Angels.
Cardinals 3, Brewers 2
Lars Nootbaar went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI as St. Louis edged visiting Milwaukee, which lost center fielder Garrett Mitchell in the fourth inning to left oblique tightness.
Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore (2-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings. Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save in five chances.
Brewers starter Chad Patrick (1-2) allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Christian Yelich had two hits and an RBI.
Reds 8, Rockies 7
Spencer Steer homered, Noelvi Marte and Santiago Espinal had three hits each, and Cincinnati beat Colorado on a drizzly night in Denver.
Elly De La Cruz, Blake Dunn and Austin Hays had two hits each, Graham Ashcraft (1-2) pitched an inning of scoreless relief and Emilio Pagan picked up his sixth save in seven opportunities for Cincinnati.
Jordan Beck hit two home runs for the second straight game and has five in the past three games for the Rockies. Michael Toglia finished with three hits and three RBIs, and Hunter Goodman had two doubles and scored three runs.
Athletics 6, White Sox 5
Jacob Wilson went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs as the Athletics rallied to defeat Chicago in West Sacramento, Calif., for their third straight win.
Tyler Soderstrom also had three hits, an RBI and a run, and Brent Rooker drove in the go-ahead run with a double. Justin Sterner (1-0) picked up his first major league win, and Mason Miller notched his eighth save despite serving up a two-run homer to Brooks Baldwin in the ninth.
Baldwin finished 2-for-4 and also had a double. Miguel Vargas doubled among his two hits and had an RBI for Chicago. Sean Burke (1-4) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Orioles-Tigers, ppd.
Baltimore’s scheduled game at Detroit was postponed due to rain. The contest will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.
Red Sox-Guardians, ppd.
Boston and host Cleveland had their scheduled game washed away because of rain. The clubs will add an extra game on Saturday, part of a day-night doubleheader.
NASCAR NEWS
ACTION SHIFTS TO TALLADEGA AFTER A COUPLE OF ODD TURNS
Coming off a couple of very different race weekends, NASCAR arrives at Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at the Cup Series’ biggest track.
The talk in the infield media center, garage and haulers will likely center around the last two races: a brutal Bristol for everyone not sporting Kyle Larson colors, followed by an incredibly delightful visit to Rockingham Speedway.
After last spring’s quirky, tire-falloff oddity in cool temperatures, not much happened in Thunder Valley on April 13 as Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet scorched its way around the half-mile Bristol bullring to lead 411 of the 500 laps on a warmer day.
At least the 2024 version was compelling.
The only reason Larson didn’t repeat his 462 laps led in last September’s Bristol race was because of Ryan Blaney’s strategy of not pitting, putting him in position to lead 48 circuits. But the No. 12 Ford driver lost on the yellow flag for the second straight week — not needing it when leading at Darlington and not getting it when needed at Bristol.
The excitement ramped back up on Easter weekend when the Xfinity, Craftsman Truck and ARCA series gave fans who tuned in on FS1 and the CW plenty of action and tight racing at Rockingham that Bristol sorely lacked.
The racing was so good at the 1.017-mile, D-shaped speedway located in North Carolina’s sand hills that it begged a question: Is there a future place on the Cup schedule for The Rock?
“We know that (NASCAR Executive Vice President) Ben Kennedy told the Charlotte Observer that, ‘Yes, we’re looking at Rockingham. We could go back there in 2027 if everything goes good,’” said former driver Kenny Wallace on social media.
Wallace was at the track with fellow Missourian Ken Schrader for the festivities and racing’s return and said he felt optimistic about Rockingham.
“It was a grand slam. … I feel really good that NASCAR Cup Series will be back at Rockingham in 2027,” he added.
As for the mammoth Talladega 2.66-mile high-banked challenge, it produced in a way as big as its layout one year ago.
Running fifth off the final turn, Tyler Reddick drove his No. 45 Toyota through a mess sparked by blocking from leader Michael McDowell as the field approached the checkers. The Team 23XI driver won his first 2024 race for team owner Michael Jordan as chaos started behind him.
While Reddick is the defending race winner, 15-year veteran Ricky Stenhouse Jr. notched just his fourth career victory when the Cup Series returned to the high-speed track east of Birmingham, beating Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford in early October.
Talladega also has a history of drivers recording their very first Cup wins at the Alabama superspeedway.
Keselowski found Victory Lane in 2009 for his initial triumph in NASCAR’s top series. Over three straight seasons running from 1986-88, Bobby Hillin Jr., Davey Allison, Phil Parsons and Schrader were first-time series winners. And Stenhouse (2017) and Bubba Wallace (2021) also scored checkers there for the first time.
So a driver like Ryan Preece, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Noah Gragson or Riley Herbst should hang in there, be patient and try to avoid “The Big One.”
Sunday may be your day.
GOLF NEWS
ALBATROSS KEEPS YAN LIU IN FRONT AT CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP
China’s Yan Liu recorded a rare albatross — a 3-under-par score on a hole — and emerged with the lead after the second round of the Chevron Championship on Friday in The Woodlands, Texas.
On the par-5 eighth hole at The Club at Carlton Woods, Liu’s second shot, a 7-iron from 170 yards out, found the hole.
Liu wound up shooting an even-par 72 for the day, leaving her at 7-under 137 in the first LPGA major of the season.
Four players are tied for second at 6 under: Lindy Duncan, who shot a 6-under 66 on Friday; Sarah Schmelzel, 68; Japan’s Mao Saigo, 68; and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, 71.
Angel Yin (second-round 70), Belgium’s Manon De Roey (71) and South Koreans Hye-Jin Choi (71) and Haeran Ryu (74) share sixth place at 5 under. Ryu and Liu were the co-leaders after the opening round.
Additionally, China’s Weiwei Zhang was 5 under through 15 holes and 5 under for the tournament when play was suspended due to darkness Friday evening.
Liu said of her albatross, “I take my 7-iron and I see the ball (went) in, so that’s a really cool thing. But I think (the TV crew doesn’t) have video for that hole. Little sad. …
“I think I jump twice on the fairway. Just very happy and so excited. Players in (my) group say congrats to me, so that’s very nice.”
The rest of her round was forgettable. Liu made four bogeys, and her lone birdie came on the par-5 18th hole.
Liu, a 27-year-old who has yet to win an LPGA event, admitted she will feel some pressure entering the weekend as the leader.
“I think definitely I will feel a little bit, because this — well, this is major,” she said. “I know the course going to be harder, harder, so I think just I just stay … patient, calm. Because I’m very emotional person, yes.”
Duncan started her round well, recording five birdies and four pars on the back nine, which she played first. Then, after back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 5 and 6, she closed with three consecutive birdies.
“I think I’ve been hitting the ball well,” Duncan said. “Then I’ll have a round where I putt well and I have a good feel on the greens, and that really helped me today. I just dropped a couple long ones and kept the momentum going with the short ones as well.”
World No. 1 and defending champion Nelly Korda bounced back from a 77 in the first round with a 68 on Friday, leaving tied for 46th at 1 over par. Also at 1 over par is World No. 3 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who shot a second-round 72.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU BOMBS HIS WAY TO LEAD AT LIV GOLF MEXICO CITY
Bryson DeChambeau opened with an 8-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead over fellow major champions Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm at LIV Golf Mexico City on Friday.
DeChambeau eagled his first hole of the day, the short par-4 second at Club De Golf Chapultepec, and was 4 under through three. He carded just one bogey before finishing birdie-birdie-par-birdie.
In the thin air of Mexico City, DeChambeau averaged 370 yards per drive with three 400-yard drives, per a reporter.
“Yeah, 370 is about right,” DeChambeau said. “I was flying it that far on the driving range. I’m like, ‘OK, I think that’s going to be my average,’ and if the fairways get firm, it could be more. It could be a lot more.”
The team DeChambeau captains, Crushers GC, posted a collective score of 15 under to tie for first with Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC.
Smith paired nine birdies with two bogeys.
“Just kind of getting out of my own way today was really important and just trusting it,” Smith said. “It’s a tough golf course, especially to get it in the fairway, which is something that I’ve been struggling with. I decided to just kind of let it go and get out of my own way.”
As for Rahm, the Spaniard is third in the points standings so far this season but is still searching for his first win since September at LIV Golf Chicago.
He had the same total as Smith — nine birdies, two bogeys — which included a near-ace at his finishing hole, the par-3 18th. His ball skirted right past the cup and he made a short birdie putt.
Rahm was also pleased with his start of three birdies in a row.
“What better way to start it than with three birdies in a row,” Rahm said. “That just set the tone, and felt really comfortable on the greens all day. Couldn’t really have asked for a much better score.”
Bubba Watson is alone in fourth at 5-under 66. England’s Tyrrell Hatton is fifth at 4-under 67.
TOP INDIANA HEADLINES
PORTAL DESTINATIONS (INDIANA TIES)
Luke Almodovar, So., St. Francis, Ind./NAIA (Noblesville): 20.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 apg — COMMITTED TO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE
Landen Babusiak, R-Fr., Stetson (Hanover Central/Bosco Institute): 1.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg
Reggie Bass, Jr., Lindenwood (Tech): 12.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg
Flory Bidunga, Fr., Kansas (Kokomo): 5.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg — COMMITTED TO RETURN TO KANSAS
Jalen Blackmon, Sr., Miami, Fla. (Marion): 6.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.4 apg
Vincent Brady II, Jr., Missouri State (Cathedral): 13.5 ppg, 38% on 3s — COMMITTED TO HIGH POINT
Jayden Brewer, Jr., FIU (Ben Davis): 14.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.7 apg
Xavier Booker, So., Michigan State (Cathedral): 4.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg — COMMITTED TO UCLA
Kanon Catchings, Fr., BYU (Overtime Elite/Brownsburg): 7.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg — COMMITTED TO GEORGIA
Myles Colvin, So., Purdue (Heritage Christian): 5.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.5 apg — COMMITTED TO WAKE FOREST
Tayshawn Comer, Jr., Evansville (Cathedral): 16.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.1 apg
Ryan Conwell, Jr., Xavier (Pike): 16.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.5 apg — COMMITTED TO LOUISVILLE
DaJohn Craig, So., Oregon (Lawrence Central): 1.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.5 apg — COMMITTED TO COASTAL CAROLINA
AJ Dancler, So., Le Moyne (Southport): 15.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.4 apg — COMMITTED TO COASTAL CAROLINA
Koron Davis, Jr., Lafayette (Gary Bowman): 8.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.4 apg
Micah Davis, Fr., Eastern Kentucky (Franklin): 0.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg — COMMITTED TO IU INDY
Tae Davis, Jr., Notre Dame (Warren Central): 15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.8 apg — COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA
Owen Dease, Jr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Evansville Reitz): 7.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.3 apg — COMMITTED TO VALPARAISO
Keaton Dukes, Jr., Purdue Fort Wayne (Wawasee): 1.5 ppg, 0.3 rpg
Jaxon Edwards, Jr., St. Bonaventure (Cathedral): 3.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.5 apg — COMMITTED TO IU INDY
Michael Eley, Jr., Tulane (Veritas Prep – from Fort Wayne): 8.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.8 apg
Gus Etchison, Sr., Marian/NAIA (Hamilton Heights): 19.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, So., Illinois (McCutcheon et al.): 4.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.5 apg
Maximus Gizzi, Sr., Huntington/NAIA (New Palestine): 10.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
Landin Hacker, Jr., Bellarmine (Center Grove): 5.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.9 apg
Cameron Haffner, Jr., Evansville (Westfield): 12.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.4 apg — COMMITTED TO WESTERN KENTUCKY
Brit Harris, Jr., SC Upstate (Michigan City Marquette/Bosco Institute): 11.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.7 apg
Connor Hickman, Sr., Cincinnati (Bloomington South): 8.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 apg — COMMITTED TO COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
Nick Hittle, Sr., Southern Indiana (Culver Academy): 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg
Curt Hopf, Jr., Bellarmine (Barr-Reeve): 4.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.8 apg
Drew Kegerreis, Fr., IU Indy (Roncalli): Redshirted this past season. — COMMITTED TO MISSOURI BAPTIST
J.R. Konieczny, Jr., Notre Dame (South Bend St. Joseph): 4.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.8 apg
Jalen Jackson, Jr., Purdue Fort Wayne (FW Northrop): 19.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg — COMMITTED TO BUTLER
Shilo Jackson, Jr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (North Central): 5.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.4 apg
Kamari Jones, Fr., Western Carolina (Lawrence Central): 3.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.3 apg
RaSheed Jones, So., Coastal Carolina (Marion): 11.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg
Jeffrey ‘JT’ Langston Jr., Fr., Southern Utah (San Gabriel Academy – from Fort Wayne): 6.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.6 apg
Jordan Lomax, Fr., Purdue Fort Wayne (Brownsburg): N/A
AJ Lux, Fr., Bellarmine (Crown Point): 3.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.5 apg
David Meriwether, East Tennessee State (Lawrence North): 1.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Tytan Newton, R-So., Morgan State (Richmond): 1.1 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg
Mason Nicholson, R-Jr., Jacksonville State (Gary West Side): 7.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg — COMMITTED TO VANDERBILT
Okechukwu Okeke, Sr., FIU (East Chicago Central): 4.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.1 apg
Nijel Pack, Gr., Miami (Lawrence Central): 14.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.2 apg — COMMITTED TO OKLAHOMA
Quimari Peterson, Sr., East Tennessee State (Gary West Side): 19.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.7 apg — COMMITTED TO WASHINGTON
Kiyron Powell, Jr., Western Illinois (Evansville Bosse): 2.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.2 apg
Zach Reed, R-So., Bellarmine (Brebeuf Jesuit): 3.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg
JaQualon ‘JQ’ Roberts, So., Vanderbilt (Bloomington North): 1.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg — COMMITTED TO DAVIDSON
Ron Rutland III, Fr., IU Indy (Crispus Attucks): 2.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.6 apg — COMMITTED TO MARIAN (NAIA)
Tyler Schmidt, Sr., Valparaiso (Victory Christian): 10.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.6 apg — COMMITTED TO TOWSON
Sheridan Sharp, So., Southern Illinois (Ben Davis): 4.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.3 apg
Tyler Shirley, Sr., Florida A&M (Pebblebrook Ga., from Gary): 3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg
Billy Smith, Jr., Bellarmine (Brebeuf Jesuit): 14.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.6 apg
Isaiah Stafford, Sr., Valparaiso (Crispus Attucks): 16.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg
Jahni Summers, So., Indiana State (Evansville Harrison): 5.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.6 apg
Tucker Tornatta, Fr., UIndy (Evansville Memorial): 7.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg
Cayden Vasko, So., Central Michigan (Lowell/Bosco Institute): 7.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.6 apg
Brian Waddell, Jr., Purdue (Carmel): 2.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg
Leland Walker, Jr., Florida Atlantic (North Central/Hargrave Military): 9.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.1 apg
Jalen Washington, Jr., North Carolina (Gary West Side): 5.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.5 apg — COMMITTED TO VANDERBILT
Ashton Williamson, Fr., FIU (Gary 21st Century): 7.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.7 apg
Harold Woods, Jr., Northeastern (Hammond): 11.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.4 apg — COMMITTED TO INCARNATE WORD
PORTAL NEWS
Purdue’s Brian Waddell will transfer to Bellarmine.
INDIANA FOOTBALL RECRUTING NEWS
Decatur Central WR Kasmir Hicks announced his commitment to Indiana. Hicks is the #1 rated player in the state according to On3sports. Hicks chose IU over Cincinnati, Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, Northwestern, Stanford, Wisconsin, Louisville, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Last season Hicks caught 54 passes for 877 yards and 13 TD’s. He also rushed for 479 yards and five scores.
PURDUE FOOTBALL RECRUTING NEWS
Purdue adds TE ArMari Towns from Southside HS in Alabama. Towns is a 3-star recruit by 247Sports.
COLTS FOOTBALL
COLTS ADD TALENT, DEPTH AND COMPETITION TO DEFENSE ON DAY 2 OF 2025 NFL DRAFT WITH DE J.T. TUIMOLOAU, CB JUSTIN WALLEY
Chris Ballard called up Ryan Day on Friday to pick the Ohio State Buckeyes head coach’s brain on a few players, prime among them defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. And while Ballard was doing his due diligence, so was Day.
“I’m trying to figure out why he didn’t go in the first round,” Day wondered in his conversation with the Colts’ general manager.
“We had a good grade on him,” Ballard said, “but (Day) was pretty effusive with his praise.”
Tuimoloau ripped off 12.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for a loss during a dominant senior season for the championship-winning Buckeyes in 2024. At 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds, and with some high-end athletic traits, Tuimoloau’s blend of top-level production and athleticism felt more than worthy of a first-round pick to his college coach.
For the Colts, though, getting Tuimoloau in the second round was an ideal outcome to begin Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Later in the night, the Colts jumped at the chance to draft Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley with the 80th overall pick in the third round.
And while Day had questions about why Tuimoloau wasn’t a first-round pick, Ballard later Friday answered questions about why Walley was a third-round pick instead of hearing his name called at some point on Day 3.
But here’s the thing with the NFL Draft, especially as it presses on past the first 50 or so picks: There’s nothing close to a consensus on certain prospects. One team might have a player graded in the third-round range while another might view him as a seventh-round pick. Or, in the case of respected draft media analysts, there could be a massive gap in evaluations: The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had a sixth-round grade on Walley, while NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had him ranked 94th on his big board – well within the range of being a third-round pick.
Ballard highlighted Walley’s “speed, toughness, instincts – he’s got good ball skills,” as well as the 5-foot-10 cornerback’s competitiveness in explaining why the Colts valued him at pick No. 80.
“I don’t care where everybody thinks they’re going to go – I don’t,” Ballard said. “We grade them and we take them. We think he’s got a chance to be a really good starting corner in this league.”
Tuimoloau and Walley, notably, have a few things in common. Both have extensive starting experience in the Big Ten: Tuimoloau started 41 games for Ohio State, while Walley started 42 for Minnesota. And they’ve each had plenty of production in their careers: Tuimoloau totaled 23.5 sacks and 43.5 tackles for a loss for the Buckeyes, and Walley had 34 passes defensed (seven interceptions, 27 pass break-ups) with the Golden Gophers.
Along with Tyler Warren – another hyper-productive Big Ten player – the Colts have unintentionally had a regional focus in this year’s draft (although the Big Ten is, well, hardly a regional league anymore).
“I wish I could say that was some master plan, but it just kind of worked out that way,” Ballard said. “And look, I mean, the Big Ten, I think it was proven. I mean, that’s really good football. I mean, you’ve got the national champion (Ohio State). You had Penn State playing in the playoffs. So, it’s excellent football. Minnesota had a good football team. It just kind of worked out that way.”
Notably, too, Tuimoloau will turn 22 on May 10 while Walley will turn 23 a few weeks into his rookie season. Usually, players with 40-plus starts at the college level are older prospects – think 24- or 25-year-old rookies. The relative youth both players lends itself to a higher ceiling than some older prospects.
“These are experienced players, and they’re not older, like they’re younger,” Ballard said. “They’re young by age, which is a little unique in this year’s draft. There are guys up that are turning 24/25 years old. There was one thing I kind of peeked at. I said, ‘Man, these guys played a lot of football, but they’re still under the age of 23.”
Another thing Tuimoloau and Walley have in common is an unclear path to starting as rookies – but that’s not a bad thing.
The Colts’ defensive end depth chart is highlighted by two former first-round picks (Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu) and two respected veterans (Samson Ebukam, Tyquan Lewis). Tuimoloau will compete for playing time with some established guys, but having a deep defensive line rotation is critically important to the Colts, especially with Dayo Odeyingbo leaving to sign with the Chicago Bears in free agency.
“We’ve got a good group,” Ballard said. “And look, Dayo was a really good football player, which the market ended up showing, least from what he got paid. He did a lot of great things for us. You can never have enough. I mean you just can’t, especially as the season gets – it’s 17 games. I mean I know that’s kind of a – everybody just kind of blinks at it, but I mean that’s a long season. I mean, you got to have as many defensive linemen that can. (You) can ever have enough rushers.”
At cornerback, the Colts aggressively targeted veteran Charvarius Ward in free agency and return one of the NFL’s better slot cornerbacks in Kenny Moore II. At the other outside corner spot, 2023 seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones has proven to be a tremendous Day 3 find, and the Colts haven’t given up on 2023 second-round pick JuJu Brents, either.
“The more good players you have in the room, the chance they all have a chance to get better and compete and help,” Ballard said. “And look, at some point you’re going to need them all.”
And that’s maybe the best point to re-iterate here: Maybe drafting Tuimoloau and Walley didn’t fill positional needs. But they’ll compete for playing time, and that pushes forward the need for increased competition across the roster Ballard extolled back in January.
“There’s got to be some stress. There has to be,” Ballard said a few days after the 2024 season ended. “There has to be real stress within that locker room, an uncomfortability that if I don’t play well enough, my (butt) will not be on the field playing.”
Tuimoloau and Walley will almost certainly play at some point in 2025, perhaps significantly. They’ll have to compete to earn those snaps. And from a roster building standpoint, there’s nothing wrong with adding competition – especially when doing so is a major emphasis for the Colts in 2025.
INDIANA PACERS
GARY TRENT JR. MAKES MOST OF CHANCE TO START, HAS 9 3S AND 37 POINTS TO HELP BUCKS BEAT PACERS
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gary Trent Jr. made the most of his rare chance to start.
Trent tied a franchise playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored a playoff career-high 37 points to spark the Milwaukee Bucks to a 117-101 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night in Game 3 of their first-round series.
Trent, who started nine of the 74 games he played in this season, said he found out Thursday morning that he’d be starting.
“My mindset was just come in and get a win. Obviously, we know what it means if we would have lost this game,” Trent said. “Every day, every game, come in and make an impact on both ends.”
Trent swished two long-range shots to give the Bucks an early lead after they never led Tuesday while falling into a 2-0 hole.
The veteran guard’s shooting kept the Bucks in the game in the first half, even after he departed briefly with a left shin contusion. But with his teammates struggling from the perimeter, Milwaukee left the court at halftime trailing by 10 with a restless crowd looking on.
Trent stayed hot in the second half as Milwaukee surged. He connected on three 3-pointers early in the third to pull the Bucks even at 62 and never slowed down as the frenzied capacity crowd chanted his name.
Trent finished 9 for 12 behind the arc to tie Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s Bucks mark for most 3-pointers in a postseason game.
“It’s really a blessing and a testament to my hard work and everything that I put into it,” Trent said. “I was a big fan of Ray Allen as a kid and watched him accomplish great things as a Buck.”
Backcourt mate Damian Lillard said he pushed the Bucks to sign Trent over the offseason because he doesn’t shy away from big moments.
“One thing I told the team when they were trying to get Gary here and I was trying to make that connection, I told them that he’s one of the most confident players I’ve played with,” Lillard said. “He’s an unshakeable guy. He’s very stubborn. He’s a guy that’s not going to fold up and when moments come, he’ll be there.”
Trent’s big game wasn’t unexpected to Lillard.
“When he has a performance like tonight, I know how much he really believes in himself,” he said. “This type of game doesn’t surprise me and it came at a time that we needed it.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who matched Trent with 37 points, said Trent made a difference on both ends of the court. The pair are the first Bucks teammates with 35 or more points in a playoff game.
“Incredible game by Gary, not just offensively, but defensively,” Antetokounmpo said. “He set the tone.”
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANS SPLIT SECOND DOUBLEHEADER IN THREE DAYS AT ST. PAUL
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Indianapolis Indians offense backed a stellar start from Bubba Chandler to take Game 1 of the seven-inning doubleheader at the St. Paul Saints, 10-0, on Friday night at CHS Field. Indy dropped the second contest, 3-0.
The Game 1 shutout was Indianapolis’ first of the season, with just three hits allowed tying a season-low for the second time in three days. Indy’s last shutout came on Aug. 17, 2024, also against the Saints.
The Indians (12-11) offense came out of the gate hot in the opener as Darick Hall opened the scoring with an RBI groundout and Jack Suwinski followed one batter later with an RBI single off of starter Marco Raya (L, 0-1). Indy broke the game open in the second inning, posting a five spot behind a pair of two-RBI singles from Brett Sullivan and Ji Hwan Bae and a bases-loaded balk that brought Bae around to score.
Indianapolis capped its scoring with a run in each of the next three frames, which included Jack Suwinski’s first home run of the year and Nick Solak’s fourth. Solak also led the way for the Indians offense with his team-leading third three-hit game of the season while Bae matched a team-high with three RBI.
Chandler (W, 1-0) twirled 5.0 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and striking out four, lowering his season ERA to 1.33 (3er/20.1ip) and his WHIP to a staggering 0.64. He tossed five fastballs over 100 mph, all in the fifth inning, and 14 over 99 mph. Burch Smith and Eddy Yean combined for the final 2.0 innings to hold the shutout intact.
St. Paul (10-12) quickly took a 1-0 lead in Game 2 as Patrick Winkel hit a solo home run off lefty Nick Dombkowski (L, 1-0) in the second inning. That run proved to be enough for the victory as Darren McCaughan (W, 1-0) and Anthony Misiewicz (S, 2) only allowed two hits on the way to a shutout performance.
Indy is looking to even its seven-game set with St. Paul tomorrow at 3:07 PM. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-2, 5.06 ERA) will take the mound for the Indians for the sixth time this season against lefty Aaron Rozek (0-0, -.–).
INDY IGNITE
ORLANDO RALLIES TO TOP INDY IN FOUR SETS
The Indy Ignite keep battling tooth-and-nail but they haven’t been able to find their way back to a victory.
Tonight at Fishers Event Center, the Ignite fell in four sets to the visiting Orlando Valkyries (22-25, 25-16, 26-24, 28-26) for their fifth straight loss. The final two sets went to extra points before Orlando prevailed, dropping Indy to 12-13 in Pro Volleyball Federation competition. It’s the first time the Ignite have slipped below the .500 mark, but they remain fourth in the standings and the first-year franchise can still clinch a playoff spot as soon as Sunday’s home battle against San Diego.
For the third straight match, Indy won the opening set, methodically pulling away to a 25-22 win behind seven kills, five digs and a block from opposite hitter Azhani Tealer, 16 assists from setter Sydney Hilley and five kills by outside hitter Nina Cajic, playing her first match in six weeks.
Orlando (15-10) rebounded quickly to take the second set, 25-16. Indy appeared poised to take the third set when the Ignite grabbed a 23-21 advantage, but the Valkyries rallied with three straight points. The Ignite fought off one set point before a pair of Orlando kills gave the Valkyries a crucial 26-24 win and momentum-swinging 2-1 set lead.
“This game is so momentum-based,” Ignite head coach George Padjen said. “When you miss the execution on one or two balls here and there, it just shifts like that. All of a sudden, game three goes away and you’re in game four and fighting for your life.”
The fourth set saw the Ignite ferociously fight back from a 22-18 deficit to tie it at 23-all. Indy denied Orlando three match points with a Caitie Baird kill, followed by a Cajic block and kill, before back-to-back Valkyrie kills gave the visitors the 28-26 set triumph and match victory.
“I think we played them really well,” Tealer said. “There were a couple sets where we had to come from behind a lot, and that’s really hard to play into against a really good team like that. I thought we were neck-and-neck with them the whole time. It was just a couple points, couple bad plays here and there that come back to bite you.”
Tealer led the Indy attack with 21 kills and sensational kill percentage (.488) and efficiency (.349). The PVF All-Star also had 13 digs, four blocks and a service ace. Cajic finished with 15 kills, nine digs and a block. Hilley set up the attack with 51 assists and 11 digs.
Indy still clinches the fourth and final PVF playoff spot with two wins in its final three matches or one win coupled with a loss by the Grand Rapids Rise. Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET match with San Diego is the Indy 500 Match.
INDIANA SOFTBALL
INDIANA FALLS TO NO. 7 OREGON ON A RAINY FRIDAY NIGHT
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––– After two innings of play and a long rain delay, Indiana dropped a Friday night game to No. 7 Oregon, 10-4, at Andy Mohr Field.
With the loss, Indiana’s season record is now 30-14 and 8-9 in the conference.
INDIANA 4, No. 7 OREGON 10
KEY MOMENTS
Indiana finished the first inning with a 3-0 advantage from Aly VanBrandt’s 3-run home run over the right field wall.
Oregon responded with scoring on a wild pitch and RBI single to cut into the lead, 3-2.
The Ducks took the lead in the top of the third, scoring five runs to go up 7-2.
To open up the bottom of the third, Minnick hit a double to the right center gap that broke the program’s career (55) and single season record (20).
Josie Bird laced a single to left field to bring VanBrandt home and make the score, 9-4, in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Indiana got two runners on but couldn’t string any more offense together to capitalize.
NOTABLES
Minnick became the program’s all-time doubles leader, hitting her 55th of her career, 20th of the season.
The 20th also marked the record for the most in a season.
VanBrandt tallied her fourth home run of the season.
Redshirt Junior Melina Wilkinson stole her 20th base of the season.
UP NEXT
Indiana will return to play the second game of the series against No. 7 Oregon tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Andy Mohr Field.
INDIANA BASEBALL
HOOSIERS DROP FRIDAY PITCHER’S DUEL
IOWA CITY, Iowa. – The Indiana Baseball team (23-19, 12-10 B1G) got all it could ask for from its pitching staff on Friday (April 25) evening at Banks Field. Four pitchers – led by redshirt senior Gavin Seebold – combined to throw 9.1 innings of two-run baseball. The Hoosiers’ staff struck out 10 batters and scattered just three extra-base hits.
But as has been the case often this season, it was the timely hit that avoided the visitors in a 2-1 (F/10) defeat to Big Ten-leading Iowa on Friday night. The Hoosiers stranded 13 runners on base and scored just once, a first-inning RBI single from junior second baseman Tyler Cerny. IU managed just four hits – all singles – on the night.
After Seebold pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning, IU felt like it had a chance to strike in the tenth. With two runners on, freshman designated hitter Hogan Denny smoked a ball 110 miles per hour off the bat. But on a cold and windy night, the ball hung in the air and landed in the glove of the left fielder. Freshman outfielder Caleb Koskie flew out on the next pitch to strand a golden opportunity.
Iowa got runners on in the tenth via a walk and a single into right field. First baseman Blake Guerin called game with a RBI bunt single to the right side. IU never had a chance to make the play and the hosts picked up their 29th win of the season. The Hawkeyes never led the entire way.
Seebold (L, 3-5) was tagged with the loss but provided one of the gutsiest pitching performances of the season. He matched a career high with seven strikeouts and tossed 82 pitches in relief. He recorded 13 crucial outs but it wasn’t enough in the end. IU’s bullpen got 23 outs while allowing just two runs.
The Hoosiers will look to even the series tomorrow in Iowa City with veteran ace Cole Gilley on the bump. IU’s bats will hope to bounce back in what is expected to be a warmer day at the ballpark. First pitch is set for 3:02 p.m. ET/2:02 p.m. CT at Banks Field.
Scoring Recap
Top First
The Hoosiers struck first for their only run of the game. Tyler Cerny ripped an RBI single into center field in what ended up as the lone score for the visitors.
Indiana 1, Iowa 0
Bottom Sixth
Daniel Rogers evened the scoring with a massive solo home run to right field.
Indiana 1, Iowa 1
Bottom Tenth
IU lost its third extra-innings game of the season when Tyler Guerin laid down a game-winning sacrifice bunt.
Iowa 2, Indiana 1
Top Hoosier Performers
#12 Denny, Hogan
1-2, 3 BB
#29 Kraft, Ryan
3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K
#40 Seebold, Gavin
4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 7 K
Inside the Box Score
• IU’s offense managed just four hits – all singles.
• The Hoosiers’ pitching staff had 10 strikeouts and allowed just three extra-base hits.
• Both teams combined to leave 25 runners on base.
Notes to Know
• Senior pitcher Gavin Seebold matched a career high with seven strikeouts on Friday in Iowa. The veteran came in and delivered 4.1 fantastic innings of relief. He pitched three-straight scoreless innings – including one in the bottom of the ninth – to force extra innings. It was by far his best outing of the season against one of the Big Ten’s best offenses.
• IU dropped to 1-3 in extra-inning games this season, having lost all three games that went to extra innings away from Bart Kaufman Field. It’s the first walk-off loss that the Hoosiers have faced since giving up a three-run home run in the bottom of the tenth at Nebraska last season (May 11, 2024).
• It is the first loss that IU has taken while giving up two-or-fewer runs since – ironically – a 2-1 defeat to Iowa at Banks Field three seasons ago (May 21, 2022). That game also saw the Hoosiers strand double-digit runners on the bases in a tight defeat.
• Senior lefty Ryan Kraft continues to be rock solid out of the bullpen for the Hoosiers. He tossed 3.1 scoreless innings in relief. Over his last six outings, Kraft has allowed just two earned runs. He’s been responsible for keeping the game in check on each of the last three Fridays. IU has allowed just 11 runs in the past three series-opening contests.
Up Next
The Hoosiers will look to even the series tomorrow afternoon in Iowa City (April 26). All the games this weekend will be broadcasted on B1G+. The series with Iowa can also be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
PURDUE BASEBALL
ANOTHER CROOKED NUMBER IN THE 8TH NOT ENOUGH IN OPENER AT ILLINOIS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Purdue Baseball’s lineup came alive with a long rally in the eighth inning for the second game in a row but could not complete the comeback in a 6-4 series-opening loss at Illinois on Friday.
The Boilermakers (24-17, 6-13 Big Ten) broke up the shutout with a four-run inning, putting the tying run into scoring position in the top of the eighth and bringing it to the plate again in the ninth.
The most significant play of the night came as part of the game’s third batter. Collin Jennings robbed Logan Sutter of a two-run homer with a leaping catch at the right field wall in the first inning. Jennings then connected for a two-run shot in the bottom half of the frame as the Illini’s third batter of the game.
Illinois (24-15, 11-8 Big Ten) scored all six of its runs via an extra-base hit while enjoying a 5-1 edge in XBHs. In the Illini’s four-run third inning, Jack Zebig and Jennings both connected for an RBI double. But the big blow was a two-out, two-run homer from Kyle Schupmann.
Carter Doorn, Justin Guiliano and Maclane Finley teamed up to post five consecutive zeros as Purdue kept the home side from extending its lead. Finley struck out three while retiring all seven batters he faced over 2 1/3 innings of flawless relief work.
Brandon Anderson singled in the first, third and ninth innings. He also drove in Purdue’s first run of the night with an RBI groundout in the top of the eighth. The third baseman posted multiple hits and an RBI for the fourth consecutive game. He’s 10-for-18 with six RBI in the last four games. Anderson and shortstop Camden Gasser both made diving plays on the left side of the infield to take away hits from the Illini.
Singles from Ty Gill and Eli Anderson ignited the four-run rally in the eighth inning. Purdue did not hit the ball out of the infield again after Anderson’s pinch-hit knock into right center but still managed to force Illinois to put its closer on the mound.
Sutter extended his RBI streak to five consecutive games when he plated Eli Anderson with an infield hit as the fifth batter of the extended frame. Aaron Manias won a full-count battle to draw a bases loaded walk with two outs, putting the tying run on base. Schupmann booted a ground ball at third base that would have ended the inning. But Zach Bates ended the threat with a strikeout and retired four of the five batters he faced while recording a four-out save (his fifth).
STREAKS EXTENDED
• Logan Sutter: 11-game on-base, 9-game run scored, 5-game RBI
• CJ Richmond: 8-game on-base
• Brandon Anderson: 4th consecutive game with multiple hits and an RBI
Tyler Schmitt pitched into the eighth inning for Illinois, inducing 11 ground ball outs and striking out five over 7 1/3 innings. He issued just one walk after entering the night with more walks than strikeouts for the season.
The Boilermakers surrendered at least four runs in an inning for the fifth consecutive game. They’re 1-4 in those games.
Illinois improved to 13-2 at home this season and 33-5 since the start of the 2024 campaign. The Fighting Illini are 6-1 at home in Big Ten play this year.
The series continues Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
PURDUE GOLF
BOILERMAKERS START SLOW IN ROUND ONE OF BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
BALTIMORE, Md. – The Purdue men’s golf team struggled early and late in the first round of the Big Ten Championships held at the Baltimore Country Club.
The Boilermakers tallied a 5-over par 285 to finish round one in 12th place, currently 15 shots behind leader Illinois, but just eight shots behind second-place Indiana. Only four schools were under par (UCLA at 2-under par; Oregon at 1-under par) and the Boilermakers are just five shots out of fifth place entering tomorrow’s big second round.
The Boilermakers are looking for their first Big Ten Championship since 1981, but have much ground to catch up on Saturday and Sunday.
Purdue started slow, being 4-over par through the first four holes after Purdue started on the back nine. Purdue started making birdies, moving to as low as 2-under par through 10 holes, but then struggled on what was playing the easiest stretch on the course – holes 4, 5 and 6 – playing the three holes in a combined 4-over par, before settling in at 5-over par 285.
The Boilermakers’ counting team played the seven-easiest holes on the course, the holes that averaged an under-par score in round one, in a combined 5-over par, while playing the rest of the course in even-par.
Leading the Boilermakers in round one was sophomore Sam Easterbrook with a 1-under par 69. Easterbrook played his first three holes in par-birdie-bogey-birdie, then managed to par the remaining 14 holes for his 19th round this season of par or better.
He now has 11 rounds in the 60s, tied for the second most in a season in school history.
Jenson Forrester recorded three birdies, four bogeys and 11 pars for a 1-over par 71, sitting in the top 30 after round one.
Kent Hsiao was 2-under par through 13 holes, before running into trouble on the par-4 5th hole with a double-bogey, after a fluky mishit cost him two strokes. He would go on to bogey two of the final four holes for a 2-over par 72.
Nels Surtani fired a 3-over par 73, while Supapon Amornchaichan shot a 4-over par 74.
Purdue will be paired with Rutgers and No. 26 Northwestern in Saturday’s second round, teeing off at 9 a.m. ET, off hole 10.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
RADEL TOSSES A GEM AS IRISH SHUT DOWN GOLDEN BEARS
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Jack Radel registered a career-high 12 strikeouts, Davis Johnson belted a pair of home runs, and the Notre Dame baseball team took an 8-1 win over California in game one of a three-game ACC series.
The Irish struck in the bottom of the first inning to get on the scoreboard early. Carson Tinney beat the shift with a single, and Davis Johnson crushed a home run to right field two batters later for a 2-0 lead.
Jack Radel retired the side in order in both the second and the third innings before the Golden Bears used a solo home run to make it a 2-1 game. The Irish came right back in the bottom half of the inning to regain a two-run advantage. Parker Brzustewicz led off with a single to left-center field, and Nick DeMarco drew a two-out, four-pitch walk to put a pair on base. DM Jefferson hit a ground-rule double to the right-center gap to plate Brzustewicz as Notre Dame went ahead 3-1.
Radel struck out six of the next eight batters he faced as he continued to keep the Golden Bears at bay. The Irish offense rewarded the sophomore right-hander with more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Connor Hincks laced a one-out single to right field, and Estevan Moreno powered a home run into the wind in left for a 5-1 advantage.
Radel continued his masterpiece on the mound by retiring the side in order in the top of the seventh with a pair of strikeouts on either end of a fly out to center field. The offense again added to the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Carson Tinney was hit by a pitch with one out, and Bino Watters added a single to put two runners on base. Davis Johnson then had his second no-doubt home run of the contest to right field to make it an 8-1 lead for the home side.
Kellan Klosterman came on in relief in the eighth and used a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to record a pair of outs before DM Jefferson made a highlight-reel diving catch in center field to end the inning. Oisin Lee entered the game in the top of the ninth with bases loaded and no outs and promptly struck out the first batter he faced. Lee induced a soft pop up to Estevan Moreno at shortstop then slammed the door shut on the inning and the game with a strikeout to preserve the 8-1 win.
Jack Radel matched his longest outing of the season with 7.0 innings on the mound while recording a new career-high of 12 strikeouts. The sophomore needed just 93 pitches to earn the win on the night. Kellan Klosterman went one-plus on the mound with no runs on two hits. Oisin Lee went the final 1.0 with two strikeouts, no hits, and no runs.
Davis Johnson had his first multi-home run effort of his collegiate career as the sophomore was 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, and two runs scored. Bino Watters was 2-for-4 with a double and a run, and Connor Hincks went 2-for-4 with a run. Estevan Moreno hit a two-run home run, and Carson Tinney was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. DM Jefferson had a double and an RBI, and Parker Brzustewicz added a hit and a run. Jared Zimbardo also picked up a hit in the win.
The Irish (22-17, 8-14 ACC) are set to face Cal for game two of the three-game series on Saturday starting at 2:00 p.m. The game will also be the team’s Pediatric Cancer Awareness game as part of the ACC’s inaugural Cancer Awareness Week among the baseball programs. There will be a ceremonial first pitch approximately 15 minutes before game time. All regular season home games are free at Frank Eck Stadium.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
NOTRE DAME DROPS SERIES OPENER TO NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame softball team dropped game one of the weekend series to North Carolina Friday night, 9-1 in six innings. The Irish are now 23-27-1 on the year and 7-15 in ACC play.
Micaela Kastor made her 19th start of the season. The junior struck out nine Tar Heels on the night and now has 110 on the season, extending her career high for a single season.
Notre Dame got hits from Addison Amaral, Anna Holloway and Kaia Cortes tonight. The Irish scored their run on an RBI fielders choice from Emily Tran in the bottom of the fifth, her 13th run batted in of the season.
Tomorrow’s game against North Carolina is set for a 1 p.m. start with a senior day ceremony taking place prior to the game. Fans are encouraged to get to Melissa Cook Stadium early tomorrow as Notre Dame will honor Rachel Allen, Shannon Becker, Anna Holloway, Jane Kronenberger, Alexis Laudenslager and Emily Tran.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
YOHAN TRAORE CHOOSES BUTLER FOR UPCOMING 2025-26 SEASON
Yohan Traore, a 6-11 forward who spent last season at SMU, has signed an athletic aid agreement to join the Butler Basketball program for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Traore averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for SMU during the 2024-25 season, shooting better than 50 percent from the field. He made 16 starts, playing in 32 of SMU’s 35 contests (missing those three games due to injury). Traore helped the Mustangs to 24 wins and a No. 1 seed in the 2025 NIT.
Originally from Tours, France, Traore was a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school. Ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the Class of 2022 by both Rivals and Sports Illustrated (and 15th by 247sports), Traore began his career at Auburn before spending his sophomore season at UC Santa Barbara.
“Yohan is another significant addition to our roster and he’s a great fit for the culture we continue to build here at Butler. He has experience playing in power conferences, and earned All-Big West honors as a sophomore,” said Butler head coach Thad Matta. “He attacks the glass, especially on the offensive end, and has the ability to score at the rim, facing up, and from three-point range. He has an imposing frame that will help our team defensively. It will be great to get him on campus soon.”
Traore earned All-Big West honorable mention honors while at UC Santa Barbara during his sophomore season (2023-24). At UCSB, he averaged 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds, shooting 58 percent. He scored in double figures in 24 of his 30 games. Traore appeared in 25 games as a freshman at Auburn during the 2022-23 campaign.
Traore is the fifth transfer addition who has been announced for the Bulldogs’ 2025-26 roster, joining Michael Ajayi (Gonzaga), Jalen Jackson (Purdue Fort Wayne), Drayton Jones (South Carolina State) and Yame Butler (Drexel).
Season tickets for the upcoming 2025-26 basketball season are on sale now. Additional updates on Butler’s non-conference schedule will be announced soon. The Bulldogs will also once again host all 10 BIG EAST rivals at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Fans can email tickets@butler.edu or call the ticket office at 317-940-3647 for more information on securing season tickets.
BUTLER BASEBALL
BUTLER FALLS TO SETON HALL IN GAME ONE
On Friday afternoon the Butler Baseball team fell to Seton Hall 8-1 in the first game of their three game weekend series. With the loss, the Dawgs are now 3-7 in conference play and 14-27 overall.
The Pirates pitching was the difference in today’s game. Steven Svenson threw 5 innings, he didn’t allow a run and allowed just two hits. Svenson was the winning pitcher. John Downing pitched 3 solid innings for Seton Hall. Downing picked up 5 strikeouts while just giving up 1 run on 3 hits.
Seton Hall’s 8 runs came on 7 hits. Nick Ferri picked up 4 RBI’s during the game. In the 8th inning, Ferri drove in 2 runs then came around to score later in the inning. Justin Ford of the Pirates knocked in two runs in the 6th with a triple.
For the Dawgs, the lone run they scored came in the 8th. A Jack Bello single drove in Jack Moroknek. Pitching wise, Andrew Hendrickx was responsible for the loss. He gave up 1 run in 3 innings. The majority of the damage was given up by Jack Bello. Bello gave up 7 runs on 5 hits.
Butler and Seton will be back in action again tomorrow at 4pm.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
LEHNER BREAKS TWO PROGRAM RECORDS AS BUTLER SOFTBALL SWEEPS DOUBLEHEADER AT SETON HALL
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Butler softball team took games one and two in its final BIG EAST series of the season at Seton Hall. The Bulldogs (25-19, 14-9 BIG EAST) came from behind to win game one of the doubleheader, 5-3, and then shut out the Pirates (27-20, 10-10 BIG EAST) in game two.
With six hits and four stolen bases, Cate Lehner broke two of Butler’s single-season program records over the two games. She surpassed Jenna Foreman who had produced 63 hits and 35 stolen bases during the 2018 season.
Game 1: Butler 5, Seton Hall 3 (7 innings)
Seton Hall put one on the board in the first inning, using a single followed by a run-scoring double.
In the top of the fifth inning, Cate Lehner hit her 64th single of the season, breaking Butler’s program record for single-season hits. With two outs, Paige Dorsett then hit a ball over the center-field fence, giving Butler a 2-1 lead. After three straight singles, Kieli Ryan drew a walk and pushed Makena Alexander across. The Bulldogs were up, 3-1.
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Pirates had runners on first and second with two outs. A double to center field scored one, but Hailey Conger threw out the second runner at the plate to keep the Dawgs in front, 3-2.
In the sixth, Dorsett picked up her third RBI of the game with single that allowed Conger to cross. The lead was back to two runs.
Two singles started the seventh for Butler. Cate Lehner then reached on an infield single that allowed Sydney Carter to score from third. Butler was up, 5-2, and three outs from victory.
In the bottom half of the final inning, Seton Hall hit a lead-off home run to close the gap to two. After a walk and a pitching change, the side was retired with a double play and a ground out.
Katie Petran (7-5) started in the circle for Butler and earned the win. In 6.0 innings, she allowed three runs on nine hits and six walks with one strikeout. Rylyn Dyer entered in the seventh with one on and nobody out. She retired the side and picked up a save.
Game 2: Butler 4, Seton Hall 0 (7 innings)
After three scoreless innings, Cate Lehner scored in the fourth when Ella White reached on a throwing error. One batter later, Paige Dorsett hit a sacrifice fly to left, allowing White to score from third.
One inning later, Leigh Vande Hei gave the Dawgs a three-run advantage with a single that pushed Olivia Moxley across.
Butler’s final run came in the sixth with Dorsett put the ball in play, allowing Hailey Conger to score on the putout at first.
Rylyn Dyer (7-7) pitched a complete-game shutout victory in the circle. In 7.0 innings, she allowed only three hits with one walk and a pair of strikeouts.
Bulldog Bits
With her 64th hit this season, Cate Lehner broke Butler’s single-season program record. She surpassed Jenna Forman who had 63 hits in 2018. Lehner finished the day with six hits and now has 68 in 2025 and 182 for her career.
Lehner also broke Butler’s single-season program record for stolen bases. With four on the day, she now has 36 in 2025. She surpassed Jenna Foreman who stole 35 bases in 2018. Lehner now has 79 in her career, which is second on Butler’s All-Time list.
Paige Dorsett’s home run in game one was her second this season and the 16th of her career. Her double was her ninth this season and the 31st of her career. Dorsett totaled five RBI on the day.
Katie Petran’s win in game one was her seventh this season and the 22nd in her career.
Rylyn Dyer’s performance in game two produced her second shutout and third complete-game victory of the season. Her game one save was her fourth this season, giving her six in her career.
Up Next
Butler will look for a series sweep as Seton Hall and the Bulldogs play game three on Sunday at noon.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
CARDINALS BEAT CHIPPEWAS 9-6 IN FRIDAY’S OPENER AT CMU
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Ball State baseball team rode strong performances by Alex Richter at the plate and Keegan Johnson on the mound to a 9-6 win over Central Michigan on Friday afternoon at Keilitz Field.
The Cardinals (30-13, 16-3 Mid-American Conference) got out to a 5-0 lead over the Chippewas (16-26, 8-11 MAC) after Ben Giovannetti and Gavin Balius hit RBI singles and Richter followed with a three-run homer in the second inning. Clay Jacobs extended the edge to 6-0 with an RBI bunt to score Blake Bevis in the fifth frame.
Central got on the board with a single tally in the bottom half of the fifth, but Ty Davis responded with a two-run blast in the seventh inning to put the visitors ahead 8-1. The hosts plated four runs in the sixth and two in the eighth, but Lucas Letsinger came on with two runners on base and the Cardinals up three to get a strikeout and get out of the jam in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Richter’s second home run of the day was of the solo variety and gave the Cardinals a 9-4 advantage in the top of the eighth. The senior finished the day with two home runs and four RBI and took possession of the team lead with 14 homers so far this year.
Owen Quinn entered the game with a runner on and nobody out in the ninth inning and was facing a bases loaded with one out situation when he induced a double play to clinch the win and be rewarded with his third save of the season.
Ball State starting pitcher Keegan Johnson (7-1) got the win and struck out eight in six innings of one-run ball.
Joining Richter with two hits on the day for the Cardinals were Davis, Bevis, Balius, Dylan Grego and Garrett Arnold. Bevis crossed home plate three times.
Ball State has now reached at least 30 wins in 12 straight completed seasons and all 19 of head coach Rich Maloney’s campaigns in Muncie.
“Our boys stayed the course despite losing the freebie war,” Maloney said. “Alex Richter’s two home runs and Ty Davis’ long balls led our offense. Owen Quinn closed up shop for us with Dylan Grego’s unassisted double play. Good team win in a tough battle.”
Chippewas’ starter Alejandro Espinoza (2-7) surrendered nine hits and five runs in two innings to suffer the loss.
Ball State and CMU are set to play the middle game of the set at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
RACERS BREAK GAME OPEN LATE TO CLAIM SERIES OPENER AGAINST SYCAMORES
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Murray State broke open the game with three runs in the top of the sixth inning as the Racers claimed the Friday night series opening win over Indiana State at Bob Warn Field, 9-3.
Murray State (29-9, 11-5) went ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth as Dom Decker singled home Carson Garner to take the lead against Indiana State (20-21, 8-8) starter Breyllin Suriel (0-4). The Racers added three more runs in the sixth highlighted by Dan Tauken’s two-run single, while Conner Cunningham, Jonathan Jogart, Luke Mistone, and Brady Grabowski added RBIs down the stretch in the Racers’ win.
The Sycamores kept the game close for a majority of the contest as Indiana State strung together a rally in the sixth inning with Keegan Garis scoring on Andrew Ortiz’s single. Carter Beck added an RBI single in the seventh and Ortiz homered in the eighth to cap the Indiana State scoring on the day.
Beck, Ortiz, and Jackson Taylor combined for all eight of Indiana State’s hits on the day as the Sycamores struggled to get the offense going on the scoreboard against Murray State starter Nic Schutte (4-3). Beck went 3-for-5 with an RBI atop the Sycamore lineup, while Taylor added a three-hit game with a double. Ortiz added two hits highlighted by the eighth inning home run.
Suriel went 5.0 innings in his first Friday night start of the 2025 season as the junior right-hander allowed six hits and four runs while striking out six. Ty Brooks worked 3.0 innings out of the bullpen allowing two runs while striking out two, while Zac Laird and Colby Morse combined for the ninth inning.
Five Murray State hitters recorded multi-hit games on Friday as the Racers connected on 12 hits overall in the contest. Carson Garner and Will Vierling both doubled in the win.
Schutte went 6.0 innings allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out seven in claiming the series-opening win. Dylan Zentko worked 1.2 innings allowing three hits and a run, while Graham Kelham (S, 1) struck out all four batters he faced in recording his first save of the 2025 season.
How They Scored
Murray State took the 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth as Carson Garner connected on a leadoff double down the left field line. Two batters later, Dom Decker connected on the RBI single back up the middle putting the Racers ahead early.
The Racers scored three runs in the top of the sixth as the first five batters reached base in the frame to add to the lead. Dan Tauken connected on the two-run bases-loaded single scoring Will Vierling and Luke Mistone, while Decker scored on a ground-ball double play to make it a 4-0 game.
Indiana State took advantage of a pair of Murray State errors to make it a 4-1 game in the bottom of the sixth. Keegan Garis reached on an errant throw from the MSU pitcher and advanced to second on the play. Andrew Ortiz followed with an infield single and Garis crossed the plate as the ball drifted away from the MSU first baseman to put the Sycamores on the board.
The Sycamores continued to rally back in the bottom of the seventh as Eli Gipson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Carter Beck singled off MSU reliever Dylan Zentko scoring Gipson to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
Murray State added insurance in the top of the eighth as Conner Cunningham connected on a sacrifice fly to center scoring Decker, while Jonathan Hogart followed with an RBI single through the left side bringing home Tauken to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Andrew Ortiz made it a 6-3 game in the bottom of the eighth inning as the freshman outfielder connected on a solo home run down the right field line.
The Racers plated three in the top of the ninth inning as Mistone singled home Garner, before Brady Grabowski capped the Murray State scoring with a two-run single scoring Mistone and Vierling to put the margin at 9-3.
News & Notes
Jackson Taylor ran his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games following his single in the bottom of the second inning. He finished the game 3-for-4 with a double
Carter Beck ran his hitting streak to a team-best 11 games on Friday evening as the sophomore center fielder singled in the third inning. He finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Jeremy Martinez recorded his seventh runner caught stealing in the top of the eighth after throwing out Jonathan Hogart attempting to take second to end the inning.
Murray State claimed the series opening win over Indiana State for the third consecutive season after taking the Friday win.
Andrew Ortiz homered for the second time of the 2025 season as the freshman cleared the right field wall in the eighth inning. It marked his first home run since April 12 against Southern Illinois and continued an Indiana State stretch of home runs in four consecutive home games.
Up Next
Indiana State continues the home stand tomorrow afternoon as the Sycamores take on Murray State tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. The Sycamores will have a pregame ceremony recognizing the Baseball Alumni in attendance, while members of the 1995 MVC Championship team will throw out the first pitch. The game will be carried live on 105.5 The Legend.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES SIGN NAIA FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN IAN SCOTT
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball head coach Matthew Graves announced the signing of Ian Scott to the 2025-26 roster.
Scott, Plainfield, Ind. native, spent the last four seasons at NAIA’s Grace College. The Lancers accumulated a 121-21 record over the four years as Scott amassed 1,580 career points. Grace won their conference tournament and won three games in the NAIA Tournament, advancing all the way to the NAIA Elite Eight. The Lancers were selected as the No. 2 seed in their region.
Scott said one of the reasons he chose Indiana State was the family factor. “Having a good community of people that I know … was important,” said Scott. He noted that the recruiting process was done well, and the staff did well in breaking down what his role on the team would be.
The 6-7 forward is leaving his four-year career at Grace as a 65.0% shooter from the field and a 38.0% (41-108) shooter from downtown. He recorded 899 total rebounds (6.5 RPG), 388 total assists (2.8 APG), and 185 total blocks (1.3 BPG).
Entering Indiana State as a graduate transfer, Indiana State coming off an NAIA First-Team All-American season at Grace in the 2024-25 year, finished second in the national Player of the Year voting. He was selected as the Player of the Year in the Crossroads League in 2024-25 and for the NCCAA.
“We are excited to have Ian as a part of the Sycamore family,” said Coach Graves. “He has won at a high level at both Plainfield and Grace. His development under a tremendous Coach Moore at Grace has prepared him to make progression to Indiana State. Ian is a leader both on and off the floor and impacts winning. We are excited to welcome Ian and his family back home to the Wabash Valley.”
Appearing in 138 total games in his career, he started 35 (all 35 games in Grace’s season) in 2024-25 and led the Lancers in scoring (638 points, 18.2 PPG), rebounds (288, 8.2 RPG), field goal percentage (63.2%), steals (47), blocks (65), and minutes (1,098, 31.4 MPG). He finished second on the team in assists (151, 4.3 APG), while swatting an average of 1.9 BPG.
Scott intends to pursue a master’s in biology while at Indiana State.
Scott Family Ties with Sycamore Athletics
The Scott family won’t be unfamiliar to Indiana State Athletics. His sister, Ella, is a rising junior middle blocker on the volleyball team. She has 386 kills through 208 sets played so far, and she finished fifth in the league last season in blocks, averaging just under one per set. In 2023, Ella was named to the league’s All-Freshman team. His mother, Livia Hester Scott, was a four-year student-athlete on the Indiana State women’s basketball team from 1992-96 and was an all-conference selection. She totaled 1,332 points and 753 rebounds in 107 games. His father, John, is also a graduate of Indiana State. Both John and Livia received their undergraduate degree in 1996; Livia earned her master’s degree in 2003. The grandmother of the family is also an Indiana State graduate.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE SOFTBALL
MASTODONS END DRAMATIC SOFTBALL CONTEST WITH WALK-OFF VICTORY
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – A 95-minute lightning delay was not enough to keep the Purdue Fort Wayne softball team from picking up a Horizon League win over Northern Kentucky. The Mastodons beat NKU 9-8 on a walk-off RBI single from McKenna Minton.
Friday’s (April 25) contest was as exciting as they come. It featured 17 runs, 21 hits, four home runs and a five-run comeback from Purdue Fort Wayne.
There were three lead changes in the game, the first coming in the second inning. NKU jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a two-RBI double, but the ‘Dons answered in the bottom of the frame. Addison Zimpleman and Gwen McMenemy singled to get on, then freshman Alexa Carter sent a long ball over the left field wall to go up 3-2.
NKU had two homers in the third, then the ‘Dons got two runners aboard in the third. The 95-minute lightning delay cooled down the Mastodons, then NKU built up an 8-3 lead by the fifth inning.
In the fifth, the Mastodons mounted their comeback. Zimpleman had a two-run homer after Bailey Manos had reached on a single.
An inning later, Brooke Lickey and Minton singled, then Manos walked to load the bases. Tori Countryman stepped in, and on the third pitch of her at bat, she sent a deep shot to the right field wall, recording a double and three RBIs. This tied the game at eight apiece with one more inning to play.
In the seventh, NKU worked a runner around to third after a walk, but Alanah Jones struck out two batters to strand two on the base paths. In the bottom of the inning, Kennedy Peckinpaugh singled, then Morgan Cantrell pinch ran. She advanced to second on a sac bunt from Gwen McMenemy, then Minton’s single up the middle with two outs brought her home for the game winner.
Jones tossed her 15th complete game of the season. She finished with six strikeouts to improve to 11-14. Brooklyn Ballis took the loss in relief for NKU to fall to 8-10.
Purdue Fort Wayne improved to 15-22 and 11-8 in Horizon League play. NKU fell to 21-22, 11-7. These two teams will meet again tomorrow (Saturday, April 26) for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. at Warrior Park.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
DEVERMAN SETS NEW CAREER-HIGH IN STRIKEOUTS IN LOSS TO MISSOURI STATE
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The University of Evansville baseball team played a close game with the Missouri State Bears but ultimately fell in its first game of the weekend 6-4.
An explosive fifth inning and a career-high from two Purple Aces players weren’t enough to give UE a Friday night win at Hammons Field. Evansville’s offense had 12 hits to lead the game, bouncing back from a tough midweek matchup at Western Kentucky on Tuesday. Junior infielder Drew Howard (Ferdinand, Ind. / Forest Park HS) tied his career-high with three hits to lead the Aces at the plate on Friday night. While starting pitcher Kenton Deverman (Dardenne Prairie, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt West HS) set a new career-high in strikeouts, taking down 10 batters for the UE defense.
“That’s a tough one to lose to open up the weekend,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following the game. “There were a couple of close plays that didn’t go our way, as we had great efforts on the mound from Deverman and [reliever Max] Hansmann. The effort and energy were there, but it was not enough to get the win.”
Evansville’s bats got going early at Hammons Field as infielder Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley) had the first hit of the game. But the Aces weren’t able to bring runners home early on Friday night as they stranded five in the first three innings. Meanwhile, Missouri State took an early 3-0 lead with two hits and a run in the first inning and a two-run homer in the second.
Deverman locked in on the mound for UE, striking out at least two batters in three of the next four innings. Deverman’s performance on the mound helped Evansville blank the Bears for back-to-back innings in the third and fourth. The Aces offense then exploded in the top of the fifth, batting through the entire order to take their only lead of the night.
Howard began the inning with his second single of the game to be the first of four straight UE hits. Evansville broke the shutout on a two-RBI single through the right side from outfielder Charlie Longmeier in the third at-bat of the fifth. McGinnis also got aboard with the Aces’ fourth hit in a row for his second hit of the game.
UE’s next two batters struck out, but Evansville was able to score with two outs on the board. Designated hitter Brodie Peart (Markham, Ontario) put a single into left, scoring Longmeier for the tying run. Peart’s single was followed by a double from first baseman Jake McGhee (Fenton, Mo. / Christian Brothers Academy) to give the Aces a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the inning.
The lead didn’t last long for UE, as back-to-back singles to begin the fifth for Missouri State became a tying sacrifice fly. Evansville’s defense turned its 26th double play of the season to get out of the inning with the game knotted up at four runs apiece. Howard picked up his third single to open the sixth inning but was picked off at first in the next at-bat. The Aces weren’t able to get another runner aboard in either the sixth or the seventh innings.
Deverman had his best inning on the mound in the bottom of the sixth. He struck out the side, taking all three Bears batters down in order with only 14 pitches. The final out of the sixth inning for Deverman was his 10th of the game, a new career-high for the sophomore lefty. Deverman is the first UE pitcher to record 10 strikeouts in a game since Tyler Denu in 2023, also at Missouri State.
The bottom of the seventh inning began with two straight outs to right fielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo. / Northeast CC), looking to be similar to the sixth. But a double to the right corner followed by a long single to right put the Bears back in front on a close play. Evansville almost got the out at home on the fifth run, but a video review determined the tag was just behind the runner’s hand touching home plate.
Missouri State was able to add one more run in the seventh with its third hit of the inning and an error at first base. The Aces were able to get out of the inning with an infield ground out, facing a two-run deficit with only two innings left. McGhee hit his second hit of the night in the top of the eighth to take first base. But he would be the last base runner for UE as Evansville didn’t have another hit in the 6-4 loss.
Four Aces had multiple hits on the night to give UE 12 total hits in the game. Howard had three hits for the first time since February, while Longmeier, McGinnis, and McGhee had two each. Longmeier was the only batter with two RBIs while catcher Matt Flaherty (Lake Zurich, Ill. / Bellarmine) led Evansville in the field with 12 putouts.
The Aces will look to even the series on Saturday afternoon in Hammons Field. First pitch for the second game of the weekend against Missouri State is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
USI TAKES THE SERIES OPENER FROM EIU, 13-6
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball pounded out 17 hits in winning the series opener with Eastern Illinois University, 13-6, Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which has won three-straight games, is 20-22 overall and 9-7 in the OVC, while EIU is 21-18, 9-6 OVC.
The Screaming Eagles spotted the Panthers leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before using a three-run fourth inning to tie the game, 4-4. Junior shortstop Clayton Slack drove in the first two runs of the frame with a single to right center, while sophomore second baseman Parker Martin drove in the tying run with a double to left center.
USI would take its first lead of the game, 6-4, in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI-groundout by junior designated hitter Charlie Marisca and an RBI single up the middle by junior leftfielder Hunter Miller. The Eagles would carry the two-run advantage into the sixth when they increased the margin to 7-4 when Martin scored on an RBI ground out by senior centerfielder Khi Holiday.
After the Panthers closed the gap to 7-5 in the top of the seventh, the Eagles pushed the lead back to 8-5 when Miller struck again with an RBI double to right center in the bottom half of the frame. USI sealed the victory with another five runs in the bottom of the eighth for the 13-6 victory.
Martin, Miller, and sophomore Cameron Boyd led the Eagles in the victory with three hits each. Boyd, Miller, Marisca, and Slack also tied for the team lead with two RBIs apiece.
On the bump, USI junior right-hander Blake Kimball got back on track with his team-best fifth win of the year. Kimball, who won for the first time in three decisions, allowed four runs on nine hits and three walks. The junior right-hander also struck out a season-high six batters.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI and EIU continue the series Saturday at 3 p.m. and conclude the three-game set Sunday at 1 p.m.
Following the three-game series with EIU, USI will be on the road for the next four games. The Eagles will visit Illinois State University April 30 for a single game and the University of Tennessee at Martin May 2-4 for a three-game OVC series.
VALPO BASEBALL
BEACONS FALL TO BRUINS IN SERIES OPENER
The Valparaiso University baseball team fell 10-0 in eight innings to Belmont on Friday at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tenn. Bruins starting pitcher Joe Ruzicka threw a one-hitter, allowing one walk and striking out seven while pitching all eight innings.
How It Happened
Valpo committed a pair of errors in the opening inning, leading to an unearned run to start the game’s scoring.
Belmont’s Pete Daniel homered just past the 400-foot sign in straightaway center in the third. Valpo centerfielder Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) made a leaping attempt, but both his glove and the ball landed on the wrong side of the wall.
Valpo starter Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) posted zeros in each of the next two innings. He faced the minimum in the fourth with help from a double play, then a nice grab in left by Patrick Ilitch (Detroit, Mich. / University Liggett) contributed to a scoreless fifth to keep the deficit at two.
Belmont scored four in the sixth, all unearned after a two-out error extended the inning. Jake Maddox hit a three-run homer that lifted the lead to 6-0.
Valpo went to the bullpen in the seventh, and the Bruins tacked on a run to make it 7-0.
The Bruins scored three more times in the bottom of the eighth to invoke the run rule.
Inside the Game
Five of the six runs charged to Lockwood were unearned, so he yielded just one earned run over his six innings.
Valpo’s defense has been shaky this week as the Beacons have committed three errors in back-to-back games and multiple errors in three straight.
Thaxton accounted for the team’s only hit on Friday, extending his on-base streak to 19.
This was the first time an opposing team limited Valpo to a single hit since May 25, 2022 vs. Indiana State in the first round of the MVC Tournament. (The 2022 season both started and ended with Valpo being one-hit, opening day at Memphis and the MVC Tournament vs. Indiana State.)
Up Next
The Beacons (8-28, 3-13 MVC) and Bruins will do it again on Saturday with a 2 p.m. start at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville. The game will air on ESPN+.
VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL
SHON TUPUOLA TO CONTINUE BASKETBALL CAREER AT VALPO
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball program and head coach Roger Powell Jr. have announced the signing of Shon Tupuola (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg [Saint Mary-of-the-Woods]), who will join the program as a junior for the 2025-26 season.
Tupuola averaged 14.5 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore this past season at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, playing a key role on a team that won conference regular-season and tournament titles before going on to beat nationally-ranked opponents in each of the first two rounds of the NAIA National Championship.
“Shon brings physicality, toughness and athleticism to our team,” Powell said. “He has an ability to make an impact above the rim offensively and defensively. He gives us even more size in the paint.”
Tupuola scored in double figures 23 times this season and 35 times in his two seasons at SMWC. He played in 61 games and made 59 starts over the two years under head coach Jesse McClung, who is now an assistant coach on Valpo’s staff.
“The coaching staff was a big factor in my decision to come to Valpo,” Tupuola said. “When I was there, it felt like a family environment. It seemed like everybody was nice and the campus was really nice, too. The coaching staff sees that I’m going to keep getting better and developing.”
Tupuola played two exhibition games at Valpo while at SMWC, including this past season when he poured in 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting while securing four rebounds in just 14 minutes of action. He had 16 double-figure rebounding performances this season and 28 total over the last two years. He posted 26 double-doubles in his two seasons with the Pomeroys, totaling 710 points and 743 rebounds over the two years.
“I would say a strength of my game is that I’m a really good rebounder,” Tupuola said. “I like dunking and I’m an angry dunker. I’m going to bring some energy to the house. I’m really good at shot blocking and everyone loves a shot blocker and someone who can dunk, so fans are getting a high-energy player. My energy feeds onto my teammates, so the whole team is going to be energized. I think of ‘ETT,’ empty the tank, every time I play.”
That saying came from McClung, who has been an influential coach in Tupuola’s life.
“Coach Jesse was the first one who recruited me after my injury,” Tupuola said. “He’s been a really good role model for me. He shows me how to be a good person off the court, too. Being coached by him is the best. He doesn’t coach by fear, he coaches by love. As long as you’re doing what he tells you to do, he’s got your back. I feel like my transition to the Division-I level is going to be smoother because he is with me. He knows how I think and how I play.”
Tupuola describes himself as a late bloomer, as he did not start playing AAU/travel until his senior year of high school.
“I was benched my whole eighth-grade year and didn’t touch the court,” he said. “In ninth grade, I was benched. I didn’t start getting minutes until my sophomore year of high school. I’m still developing my game. When I had my injury, I started giving up on basketball. Coach Jesse emailed me and we developed a relationship. I focused on rehabbing and studying the game mentally, watching a lot of old-school basketball. Now, I’m excited to bring the energy back to Valpo.”
Off the court, Tupuola is deciding upon his degree program, with interest in digital marketing and business. He was a boy scout as a child and enjoys being outdoors including white water rafting, extreme downhill biking and four-wheeling. He hopes to at some point try skydiving. Tupuola also enjoys amusement parks and spending time with friends and family.
Among Tupuola’s eye-popping numbers are his collegiate career highs of 28 points and 26 rebounds. He also blocked 124 shots over his two seasons at SMWC.
“I’ve put in hours of unseen work that is starting to pay off with the opportunity to play at the Division-I level, but I still have more to accomplish,” he said. “One of my goals this year is to be the MVC Defensive Player of the Year. I believe I can do it, but not until I put in the hard work. This is a top-10 conference nationally, so I know it’s going to be very competitive. It’s not going to be easy, but if I keep outworking everyone, the sky is the limit.”
OWEN DEASE SET TO JOIN VALPO BASKETBALL PROGRAM
The Valparaiso University men’s basketball program and head coach Roger Powell Jr. have announced the signing of Owen Dease (Evansville, Ind. / Evansville Reitz [Texas A&M Corpus Christi]), who will join the team as a redshirt senior for the 2025-26 season.
“I’m super close with [assistant coach] Jesse McClung, I’ve known him since middle school,” Dease said. “Because of my relationship with him, I knew I would be taken care of at Valpo. I can tell from the vibe of the coaching staff in general that it’s a family-based environment. Coach Powell seems to be a great coach with a system where there is freedom to play. He has produced many pro and NBA players, so his connections are extremely important. You don’t have to play in a power conference to be able to play at the next level as long as you have the connections and produce. The Missouri Valley Conference is very respected.”
Dease spent the last four years at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, redshirting his freshman year in 2021-22 before playing in 85 games and making 50 starts over the last three seasons. He holds a career scoring average of 7.6 points per game and was a touch shy of averaging double figures this past season, pouring in 9.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 91.7 percent at the free-throw line and 37.8 percent from 3.
“I plan to bring a winning culture to Valpo,” Dease said. “I can do everything on the court. I like hitting ‘home runs,’ so look out for some highlights. I’m excited to show people how to win as a leader on and off the court while developing my game so I can be a prospect and try to go to the league.”
After being part of the program when Texas A&M Corpus Christi reached the NCAA Tournament in 2022 as a redshirt, Dease played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament on a team that beat SEMO in the First Four before playing top-seeded Alabama in the Round of 64. He scored 14 points off the bench against the Crimson Tide.
“Owen is a proven winner at the collegiate level,” Powell said. “He has produced on teams that went to the NCAA Tournament. He has great length and shooting ability, which are two areas that we needed to improve. We are excited to bring him back to his home state of Indiana.”
Dease scored in double figures 31 times over the last three seasons including 15 times this past season. He tallied a season-high 20 points twice including an 8-of-11 shooting showing in the Nov. 4 season opener at Purdue.
Dease, who is graduating in May with a degree in kinesiology/exercise science, will pursue a master’s degree while at Valpo. Off the course, he enjoys spending time with his 10-month-old daughter, Cohen.
“Being a father really puts into perspective that you don’t have another day, you have to do it now,” Dease said. “It’s motivating to know that someone else is depending on you.”
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
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”
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
April 26
1902 — Cleveland’s Addie Joss pitched a one-hitter in his major league debut. Joss allowed a scratch single to Jessie Burkett as the Indians beat the St. Louis Browns 3-0.
1904 — Ty Cobb, making his pro baseball debut at the age of seventeen, hits a home run and double for the Augusta Tourists in the South Atlantic League.
1905 — Jack McCarthy of the Cubs threw out three runners at the plate, each of whom became the second out of a double play. McCarthy’s defense preserved a 2-1 win over the Pirates.
1907 — Johnny Bates of the Boston Doves hit for the cycle against the Brooklyn Superbas.
1941 — The Chicago Cubs became the first major league team to install an organ at their ballpark. Roy Nelson took to the keyboard and played a pregame program.
1952 — Detroit’s Art Houtteman’s had his no-hit bid broken up on a two-out ninth-inning hit by Harry Simpson but the Tigers routed the Indians 13-0.
1961 — Roger Maris of the New York Yankees began his successful run at Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record with the first of his 61 homers, connecting in the fifth inning against Detroit right-hander Paul Foytack.
1969 — The Baseball Records Committee decides to give Babe Ruth credit for one more home run during his career for a total of 715.
1970 — Willie McCovey and Dick Dietz each hit grand slams as the San Francisco beat Montreal 11-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
1980 — Steve Carlton of Philadelphia pitched the sixth one-hitter of his career against St. Louis for a National League record. The Phillies beat the Cardinals 7-0. Ted Simmons singled to lead off the second inning. Carlton walked one batter and struck out five.
1982 — Boston Red Sox rookie Wade Boggs collects his first major league hit when he singles against Rich Dotson of the Chicago White Sox.
1988 — New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez hits a pair of home runs and drives in seven runs during a 13-4 rout of the Atlanta Braves. The seven RBI give Hernandez 1,000 for his major league career.
1990 — Nolan Ryan tied Bob Feller’s major league record of 12 one-hitters as the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 1-0. Ryan struck out 16 as he allowed only Ron Kittle’s check-swing single in the second inning.
1994 — Baltimore’s Brady Anderson has four extra-base hits in the Orioles’ 10-4 win over Oakland. Anderson’s two doubles and two homers came while leading off an inning.
1995 — The Colorado Rockies posted an 11-9 victory over the New York Mets in 14 innings, tying the NL record for innings played in a season opener.
1997 — Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs breaks the major league record for most home runs by a second baseman.
2000 — Vladimir Guerrero of the Montreal Expos hits his 100th career home run.
2006 — Mike Piazza hits his 400th career home run.
2016 — Andrew McCutchen hit three homers and drove in five runs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 9-4.
2019 — All eyes are turned on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who makes his major league debut with the Blue Jays.
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April 27
1909 — The Chicago White Sox win their third straight 1-0 game over St. Louis in three days.
1918 — The Brooklyn Dodgers finally win after a major league record 0-9 start, with a 5-3 victory over the New York Giants in the opening game of a doubleheader.
1929 — Brooklyn relief pitcher Clise Dudley homered on the first major league pitch he saw at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl.
1930 — Chicago White Sox first baseman Bud Clancy had no chances in a nine-inning game against St. Louis.
1944 — Jim Tobin of the Braves pitched a no-hitter against the Dodgers in Boston, winning 2-0. He also hit a homer.
1947 — Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium drew a crowd of more than 58,000 to honor the ailing great. In the game, Sid Hudson of the Washington Senators beat Spud Chandler 1-0.
1963 — Two two-sport players pitched in the fourth inning in a game at Fenway park. NBA players, Gene Conley of the Celtics and Red Sox and Dave DeBusschere of the Knicks and White Sox. The Red Sox won 9-5.
1968 — Tom Phoebus of the Orioles no-hit the Boston Red Sox 6-0 at Baltimore.
1973 — Kansas City’s Steve Busby pitched his first of two career no-hitters with a 3-0 victory over the Tigers at Detroit.
1983 — Walter Johnson’s record of 3,508 career strikeouts was eclipsed by Houston’s Nolan Ryan — a record that stood for 56 years. Ryan fanned Montreal pinch-hitter Brad Mills in the eighth inning as the Astros beat the Expos 4-2.
1994 — Scott Erickson, who allowed the most hits in the majors the previous season, pitched Minnesota’s first no-hitter in 27 years as the Twins beat Milwaukee 6-0. Last season Erickson led the majors in losses (19), hits (266) and runs (138).
1996 — Barry Bonds became the fourth major leaguer with 300 homers and 300 steals when he homered in the third inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 6-3 victory over the Florida Marlins. His father, Bobby Bonds, godfather Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson are the only other players to reach 300-300.
2000 — Chicago White Sox shortstop Jose Valentin hit for the cycle and drove in five runs in a 13-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Valentin hit the cycle in order: single, double, triple, home run.
2002 — Derek Lowe, who struggled to keep his job as a closer last season, pitched a no-hitter against Tampa Bay. Brent Abernathy was the only baserunner Lowe allowed in Boston’s 10-0 victory.
2003 — Kevin Millwood pitched a no-hitter to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the San Francisco Giants 1-0. Millwood struck out 10 and walked three.
2004 — Chad Moeller of the Milwaukee Brewers hit for the cycle in a 9-8 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
2005 — Mark Grudzielanek hit for the cycle in his first four at-bats in St. Louis’ 6-3 victory over Milwaukee.
2009 — West Virginia State’s Bo Darby hit home runs in five consecutive at-bats over two games, including four in one contest. The sophomore outfielder homered in his first four trips to the plate against Salem International. He also connected in his final at-bat two days earlier against the University of Charleston. Darby homered twice more in the second game of the doubleheader, giving him six for the day with 14 RBIs.
2011 — Chipper Jones drives in three runs in Atlanta’s 7-0 win over San Diego, moving past Mickey Mantle on the all-time RBI list with 1,512.
2012 — Scott Hairston of the New York Mets hit for the cycle in an 18-9 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
2014 — José Abreu sets a record for most RBIs by a rookie in April when he drives in 4 runs in a 9 – 2 win over the Rays, giving him 31 ribbies for the month.
2015 — Today’s scheduled game between the Orioles and the White Sox is postponed because of violent protests in downtown Baltimore, MD, following the death of a black man in police custody a week earlier.
2016 — Trevor Story of the Rockies sets a new National League rookie mark with his 9th homer of April, breaking the record of 8 set by Albert Pujols in 2001.
2021 — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has the first three-homer game of his career and drives in 7 runs in the Blue Jays’ 9-5 win over the Nationals.
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April 28
1901 — Cleveland pitcher Bock Baker gave up a record 23 singles as the Chicago White Sox beat the Indians 13-1.
1915 — The Detroit Tigers trim the St. Louis Browns, 12 – 3, with Ty Cobb stealing home in the 3rd inning. Cobb will steal home six times this season.
1930 — The first night game in organized baseball was played in Independence, Kan. In a Western Association game, Muskogee defeated Independence 13-3.
1934 — Detroit’s Goose Goslin hit into four double plays, but the Tigers still beat Cleveland 4-1.
1956 — Cincinnati rookie Frank Robinson hit the first home run of his 586 lifetime homers in a 9-1 win over Chicago. Robinson homer came off Paul Minner in Crosley Field.
1961 — Warren Spahn, at the age of 40, no-hit the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Milwaukee.
1966 — Cleveland’s Sonny Siebert defeated the Angels 2-1 as the Indians tie the modern major league record with its 10th straight win since opening day.
1971 — Hank Aaron connected off Gaylord Perry for his 600th career home run in the Atlanta Braves’ 10-inning, 6-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
1982 — Philadelphia’s Pete Rose went 5-for-5 to tie Max Carey for the NL record with nine career 5-hit games. The Phillies scored six runs in the top of the ninth to beat Los Angeles 9-3.
1985 — The New York Yankees hire Billy Martin as their manager for a fourth time. The fiery Martin, one of George Steinbrenner’s favorite managers, replaces Yogi Berra, who is fired just 16 games into the season.
1988 — The winless Baltimore Orioles set an American League record by losing their 21st straight, falling to the Minnesota Twins 4-2.
1989 — Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees set a major league record when he led off a game with a home run for the 36th time in his career, breaking a tie with Bobby Bonds.
1999 — Colorado’s Larry Walker hit three home runs and drove in eight runs to lead the Rockies to a 9-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
2001 — The Seattle Mariners defeat the Chicago White Sox, 8 – 5, for their 20th win this month, setting a new major league record for April.
2001 — Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals ties the major league record for home runs in April by a rookie with 8.
2006 — Barry Bonds hits a bases-clearing double to tie Babe Ruth for third on the all-time career list with 1,356 extra-base hits.
2006 — St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hits his 13th home run in April to tie the major league record, matching the mark shared by Ken Griffey, Jr. in 1997 with Seattle and Luis Gonzalez in 2001 with Arizona.
2007 — Trevor Hoffman pitches in his 803rd game for the San Diego Padres, breaking the record for games pitched with one club.
2010 — Major League Baseball announces a number of changes to the rules that govern the All-Star Game that have been agreed with the Players’ union: the designated hitter will now be used in all games, not just those played in American League parks; a pitcher who started a game on the last Sunday before the All-Star break will not be eligible to play in the game and will be replaced on the roster, although he will still be recognized as an All-Star (this will become known as the Sunday Starter rule); rosters are expanded to 34 players, adding one position player; one of the position players will be designated as being able to re-enter the game in case of injury – catchers are already allowed to do so in those circumstances.
2011 — Ben Zobrist set a Tampa Bay record with eight RBIs, hitting a home run and two doubles as the Rays routed the Minnesota Twins 15-3 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
2012 — Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated major league debut for the Nationals.
2016 — Marlins 2B Dee Gordon, the defending National League batting champion, is suspended for 80 games for testing positive for PEDs.
2019 — The Nationals do something unprecedented as three players all 21 or younger – Juan Soto, Victor Robles and Carter Kieboom – all homer against the Padres.
April 29
1902 — Baltimore Orioles infielder John McGraw is hit by pitches five times, but home plate umpire Jack Sheridan refuses to allow him to take first base. In the 9th inning, McGraw is hit for the last time and sits down in the batter’s box in protest. American League president Ban Johnson will suspend McGraw for five games.
1918 — Center fielder Tris Speaker executed the fourth unassisted double play of his career in the Cleveland Indians’ 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
1922 — The New York Giants hit four inside-the-park home runs in a 15-4 win at Braves Field in Boston. George Kelly hit two and Ross Youngs and Dave Bancroft hit the others. Youngs also hit for the cycle and added a double while going 5-for-5 and driving in five runs.
1931 — Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians pitched a 7-0 no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns, including his brother Rick. Wes also knocked in four runs with a homer and a double.
1933 — In a strange play at home plate, catcher Luke Sewell of the Washington Senators tagged out two Yankees runners on the same play. Lou Gehrig had held up, thinking a fly ball would be caught. Dixie Walker closed up on him, and both were tagged out trying to score.
1958 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox becomes the tenth major league player to get 1,000 extra-base hits.
1981 — Steve Carlton struck out Montreal’s Tim Wallach in the first inning of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 6-2 victory over the visiting Expos to become the sixth major league pitcher — and first left-hander — to strike out 3,000 batters.
1986 — Roger Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 batters as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1.
1987 — Andre Dawson had five hits and hit for the cycle to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory the San Francisco Giants.
1988 — The Baltimore Orioles ended their 21-game losing streak by winning their first game of the season, 9-0 over the Chicago White Sox on a combined four-hitter by Mark Williamson and Dave Schmidt.
1994 — Kirk Rueter of the Montreal Expos becomes the first major league pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to start his career with a 10-0 record.
1996 — New York Mets closer John Franco becomes the first left-hander in major league history to record 300 saves.
1997 — Chili Davis of the Kansas City Royals becomes the 75th major leaguer to hit 300 home runs.
2005 — In the first matchup between 300-game winners in almost 18 years, the Cubs’ Greg Maddux outdueled the Astros’ Roger Clemens in Chicago’s 3-2 win over Houston. Maddux earned his first win of season and 306th of his career, allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings.
2006 — Albert Pujols sets a major league record with his 14th home run in April.
2007 — Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had an unassisted triple play in the seventh inning of the Rockies’ 9-7 win over Atlanta.
2015 — In what was believed to be the first major league game played without fans in attendance, Chris Davis hit a three-run homer in a six-run first inning and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 8-2. After a pair of postponements caused by rioting in Baltimore, the Orioles and Chicago White Sox played at Camden Yards. The gates at Camden Yards were locked because of concern for fan safety following recent rioting in Baltimore after a 25-year-old black man died in police custody.
2017 — Carlos Gomez hit for the cycle for the second time and Rougned Odor hit a tiebreaking two-run homer to help the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3.
2017 — Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner hit consecutive homers off Hector Neris in the ninth, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers rally for a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Los Angeles trailed 5-2 before the three straight homers.
2020 — The Hall of Fame announces the cancellation of its annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown, NY, scheduled for the last week-end of July, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the ceremony will be combined one year later with the one for the Class of 2021.
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April 30
1903 — The New York Highlanders won their home opener at Hilltop Park, 6-2 over Washington.
1919 — Philadelphia’s Joe Oeschger and Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes pitched complete games in a 9-9, 20-inning tie. Both teams scored three runs in the 19th inning. Oeschger gave up 22 hits and walked five, while Grimes allowed 15 hits and walked five.
1922 — Charlie Robertson of the Chicago White Sox pitched a 2-0 perfect game against the Detroit Tigers. Johnny Mostil, playing left field for the only time, made two outstanding catches.
1923 — The New York Yankees sign 20-year-old prospect Lou Gehrig to a contract paying him a salary of $2,000 and a bonus of $1,500.
1940 — James “Tex” Carleton of the Brooklyn Dodgers threw a 3-0 no-hitter at Cincinnati.
1944 — In the first game of a doubleheader split, New York first baseman Phil Weintraub drove in 11 runs and player-manager Mel Ott scored six runs as the Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 26-8. Brooklyn won the nightcap 5-4.
1946 — Bob Feller struck out 11 New York Yankees en route to his second of three career no-hitters, a 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium.
1952 — Ted Williams plays his final game before leaving for military duty in Korea.
1958 —Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox became the 10th major leaguer to reach 1,000 extra-base hits in a 10-4 loss to the Kansas City Athletics at Fenway Park.
1961 — Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hit four home runs and drove in eight runs in a 14-4 victory over the Braves in Milwaukee. Hank Aaron hit two homers for the Braves.
1967 — Steve Barber and Stu Miller of the Baltimore Orioles combined on a no-hitter in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader.
1969 — Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds struck out 13 en route to a 10-0 no-hitter over the Houston Astros, the third of his career.
1986 — The Seattle Mariners strike out 16 more times in a 9 – 4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, to set a major league record of 36 strikeouts in two consecutive games.
1988 — New York and Cincinnati hooked up in a wild game at Riverfront Stadium, with the Mets winning 6-5 on a delayed call by first base umpire Dave Pallone. The call resulted in a $10,000 fine and 30-day suspension of Reds manager Pete Rose when Pallone accidentally poked Rose in the cheek and Rose shoved Pallone twice.
1994 — Toronto’s Joe Carter finished April with 31 RBIs to set a major league record for the month. Colorado’s Andres Galarraga finished with 30 to set a National League record.
1996 — Jeff King of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the third major leaguer to hit two home runs in one inning twice in his career.
2000 — Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks defeats the Chicago Cubs, 6-0, as he becomes only the third pitcher in major league history to win six games in April.
2002 — Al Leiter cruised through seven three-hit innings in the New York Mets’ 10-1 rout of Arizona to become the first pitcher to beat all 30 teams in the majors.
2005 — Major league players are asked by Commissioner Bud Selig to agree to a 50-game suspension for the first offense, a 100-game suspension for the second offense and a lifelong ban after the third offense for the use of steroids.
2008 — Julio Franco announces his retirement as a player at age 49.
2012 — Ryan Braun hit three homers and a two-run triple in Milwaukee’s 8-3 win over San Diego. No player had hit three homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.
2017 — Anthony Rendon had 10 RBIs, three home runs and six hits, powering the Washington Nationals past the New York Mets 23-5. Rendon went a career-best 6 for 6 and scored five times.
2019 — CC Sabathia becomes the 17th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts.
2020 — The latest event to be cancelled due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic is the annual Little League World Series.
2022 — Clayton Kershaw becomes the Dodgers all-time franchise leader for strikeouts when he fans Spencer Torkelson of the Tigers in the 4th inning. With 2,697 strikeouts, he moves past Hall of Famer Don Sutton.
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May 1
1884 — Toledo’s Moses Fleetwood Walker became the first black player in the pre-modern era of the major leagues. His Blue Stockings lost 5-1 to Louisville.
1891 — In front of almost 10,000 fans, Cy Young of the Cleveland Spiders defeats the Cincinnati Reds, 12 – 3, in the first game ever played in Cleveland’s League Park.
1901 — Chicago’s Herm McFarland hit the first grand slam in American League history and Dummy Hoy also homered in the Chicago White Sox’ 19-9 rout of the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers committed an AL record 12 errors, 10 by the infield, in the loss.
1906 — John Lush of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched a no-hitter at Brooklyn, beating the Dodgers 6-0.
1920 — Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves and Leon Cadore of the Brooklyn Dodgers each pitched 26 innings in a 1-1 tie, the longest in major league history.
1920 — Babe Ruth hit his first home run as a Yankee, and 50th of his career, as New York beat Boston 6-0 at the Polo Grounds.
1925 — The Philadelphia Athletics introduce another future Hall of Famer, 17-year-old catcher Jimmie Foxx, who pinch-hits a single in the 9-4 loss to the Washington Senators.
1926 — Legendary pitcher Satchel Paige makes his debut in the Negro Southern League.
1944 — George Myatt of Washington went 6-for-6 and the Senators beat the Boston Braves 11-4.
1951 — New York’s Mickey Mantle hit his first major league home run in an 8-3 loss at Chicago. The first of Mantle’s 536 homers came in the sixth inning off Randy Gumpert.
1968 — Philadelphia Phillies pitcher John Boozer was ejected by umpire Ed Vargo at Shea Stadium for throwing spitballs during his warmup pitches. Boozer was the second major league pitcher to be ejected from a game for this.
1969 — Houston’s Don Wilson beat the Cincinnati Reds with a 4-0 no-hitter at Crosley Field, one day after the Reds’ Jim Maloney no-hit the Astros and nine days after Wilson absorbed a 14-0 pounding by Cincinnati.
1973 — The San Francisco Giants scored seven runs with two outs in the ninth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7.
1975 — Hank Aaron collects four hits and two RBI in the Brewers’ 17-3 win over Detroit. This brings his career RBI total to 2,211, breaking Babe Ruth’s published record of 2,209.
1984 — Dwight Gooden became the first teenager to strike out a least ten batters in a game since Bert Blyleven did it in 1970. The Mets’ 19-year-old phenom would set a major league rookie record with 276 strikeouts.
1991 — Rickey Henderson surpassed Lou Brock as baseball’s career stolen base leader with his 939th steal as the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Yankees 7-4.
1991 — Nolan Ryan pitched his seventh no-hitter, struck out 16 and shut down the best-hitting team in the majors, as the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.
1992 — The Dodgers postponed a three-game series against Montreal because of rioting in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict.
1992 — Rickey Henderson garners his 1,000th stolen base.
2000 — San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds becomes the first player to hit a ball into San Francisco Bay (McCovey’s Cove) as the first “splashdown” home run at Pacific Bell Park.
2002 — With a save against the Chicago Cubs, San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman set the major league record for the most saves with one team, 321. He broke Dennis Eckersley’s record of 320 with Oakland.
2012 — Orioles manager Buck Showalter wins his 1,000th game as a major league skipper when the O’s defeat the Yankees, 7-1.
2015 — Alex Rodriguez ties Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time home run list when he hits number 660 against the Red Sox.
2020 — Even though there is no baseball being currently played, P Emmanuel Clase of the Indians manages to get himself suspended, as the results of a test are positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid. He will be suspended for 80 games from whenever the season eventually starts.
2022 — Kelsie Whitmore becomes the first woman to start a game in the Atlantic League, which is now part of Organized Baseball as a partner league of Major League Baseball, when she starts in left field for the Staten Island FerryHawks against the Gastonia Honey Hunters.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
April 26
1905 — Jack McCarthy of the Cubs became the only outfielder in major league history to throw out three runners at the plate, each of whom became the second out of a double play. The victims were the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 2-1 loss.
1912 — 1st homerun hit at Fenway Park (Hugh Bradley, Red Sox).
1931 — Lou Gehrig hits a HR but is called out for passing a runner, mistake costs him AL home run crown; he & Babe Ruth tie for season.
1950 — The University of Miami ends the longest winning streak in collegiate tennis by defeating William & Mary 8-1. William & Mary, unbeaten in five years, had won 82 consecutive meets.
1952 — Patty Berg scores 64, best competitive round of golf by a woman.
1961 — Roger Maris hits 1st of 61 homers in 1961.
1964 — The Boston Celtics capture their sixth consecutive NBA title with a 105-99 victory over the San Francisco Warriors in Game 5 of the finals.
1966 — Red Auerbach retires as Boston Celtic’s coach.
1983 — NFL Draft: Stanford quarterback John Elway first pick by Baltimore Colts.
1992 — NFL Draft: University of Washington defensive end Steve Emtman from first pick by Indianapolis Colts.
1995 — The Colorado Rockies post an 11-9 victory over the New York Mets in 14 innings, tying the NL record for innings played in a season opener.
2002 — Odalis Perez of Los Angeles faces the minimum 27 batters in his first career shutout. Perez was perfect for six innings in a 10-0 win over the Cubs at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
2003 — NFL Draft: USC quarterback Carson Palmer first pick by Cincinnati Bengals.
2008 — NFL Draft: University of Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long first pick by Miami Dolphins.
2009 — French swimmer Frederick Bousquet sets a world record in the 50-meter freestyle, becoming the first person to break the 21-second barrier. Bousquet breaks the record at the French championships finishing in 20.94 seconds.
2012 — Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is selected first overall in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts, followed by Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, who is taken by the Washington Redskins.
2012 — The Charlotte Bobcats finish with the worst winning percentage in NBA history after a 104-84 loss to the New York Knicks. The Bobcats’ 23rd consecutive loss leaves them with a winning percentage of .106 (7-59) in the lockout-shortened season. The record was set 39 years ago, when the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers finished 9-73 (.110) in a full regular season.
2014 — Wladimir Klitschko toys with Alex Leapai and knocks him out in the fifth round to retain his four heavyweight belts in Oberhausen, Germany.
2015 — FC Bayern Munich wins the 2014–15 Bundesliga for a 25th time.
2018 — NFL Draft: Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield first pick by Cleveland Browns; 4 QBs taken in top 10 selections for first time in history.
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April 27
1929 — Ryder Cup Golf, Moortown GC: Great Britain beats U.S., 7-5.
1956 — Rocky Marciano retires as the undefeated heavyweight boxing champion. He finished with a 49-0 record, including six title defenses and 43 knockouts.
1960 — The Minneapolis Lakers announce they will relocate to Los Angeles.
1961 — NFL officially recognizes Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
1968 — Jimmy Ellis wins the heavyweight boxing title with a 15-round decision over Jerry Quarry in Oakland, Calif. This is the final bout of an eight-man elimination tournament to fill Muhammad Ali’s vacated title.
1982 — NFL Draft: University of Texas defensive end Kenneth Sims first pick by New England Patriots.
1983 — Walter Johnson’s record of 3,508 career strikeouts was eclipsed by Houston’s Nolan Ryan — a record that stood for 56 years. Ryan fanned Montreal pinch-hitter Brad Mills in the eighth inning as the Astros beat the Expos 4-2.
1994 — Scott Erickson, who allowed the most hits in the majors the previous season, pitches Minnesota’s first no-hitter in 27 years and the Twins beat Milwaukee 6-0.
1996 — Barry Bonds became the fourth major leaguer with 300 homers and 300 steals when he homered in the third inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 6-3 victory over the Florida Marlins. His father, Bobby Bonds, godfather Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson are the only other players to reach 300-300.
1994 — Dave Hannan scores 5:43 into the fourth overtime to keep the Buffalo Sabres going in the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils, the sixth-longest game in NHL history.
2002 — Derek Lowe pitches a no-hitter against Tampa Bay. Brent Abernathy is the only baserunner Lowe allows in Boston’s 10-0 victory.
2003 — Kevin Millwood pitches his first career no-hitter to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the San Francisco Giants 1-0.
2007 — Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets clubhouse employee, pleads guilty to distributing steroids to major league players for a decade and agrees to help baseball’s steroids investigators.
2008 — Ashley Force becomes the first woman to win a national Funny Car race. The 25-year-old beats her father, drag racing icon John Force, in the final round of the 28th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals to deny him his 1,000th winning round in his 500th NHRA tour event.
2009 — The Denver Nuggets match the biggest victory in playoff history with their 121-63 rout of New Orleans in Game 4 of their first-round series. The Minneapolis Lakers had the other 58-point postseason victory, beating the St. Louis Hawks 133-75 in 1956.
2011 — Nathan Horton scores 5:43 into overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series. Boston had never won a playoff series after trailing 0-2 in 26 tries.
2011 — Dwayne Roloson makes 36 saves and Tampa Bay completes a big series comeback and eliminates Pittsburgh with a 1-0 win in Game 7. Roloson becomes the second goalie to go 6-0 in elimination games. He allowed only four goals in winning the final three games as the Lightning erased a 3-1 series deficit.
2013 — The Detroit Red Wings make the playoffs for the 22nd straight season after Henrik Zetterberg had two goals and an assist in a 3-0 victory over Dallas. The Red Wings own the longest active playoff streak in major professional sports, six years longer than the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs’ stretch of postseason play.
2014 — Three-time Olympic champion Kerri Walsh wins her record 47th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour title, teaming with April Ross to beat Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta Silva and Maria Antonelli in the Fuzhou Open final.
2014 — Lydia Ko, three days after her 17th birthday, birdies the final hole for her third LPGA Tour victory and first as a professional, holding off Stacy Lewis and Jenny Shin in the inaugural Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic.
2017 — Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett is picked first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft. Chicago sends a third-round pick, a fourth and a 2018 third to San Francisco to switch and selects quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who started only 13 games for North Carolina. The 49ers take defensive end Solomon Thomas from just down the road at Stanford.
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April 28
1923 — Wembley Stadium opens – Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United (FA Cup).
1931 — Program for woman athletes approved for 1932 Olympics track & field.
1956 — Cincinnati Reds outfielder Frank Robinson hits his 1st of 586 HRs.
1957 — LPGA Western Open Women’s Golf, Montgomery CC: Patty Berg wins her 6th WO by 1 stroke from Wiffi Smith.
1961 — Milwaukee Braves’ future HOF pitcher Warren Spahn throws his second career no hitter at 41.
1966 — Boston edges the Los Angeles Lakers 95-93 in Game 7, giving the Celtics and coach Red Auerbach eight straight NBA titles. Auerbach, who announced his retirement earlier, is replaced by center Bill Russell, the first black head coach of a major U.S. sports team.
1967 — Muhammad Ali refuses induction into the U.S. Armed Forces. He is arrested and the New York State Athletic Commission suspends his boxing license and strips him of his heavyweight title.
1972 — Courts award 1968 Kentucky Derby prize money to 2nd place winner due to the winner being given drugs before the race.
1987 — The NBA awards expansion franchises to Charlotte, N.C. and Miami for 1988, and Minneapolis and Orlando, Fla., in 1989.
1987 — NFL Draft: University of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
1990 — Boston set single-game NBA playoff records for scoring and shooting accuracy in a 157-128 rout of the New York Knicks to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.
1992 — Video replay is used to decide a playoff game for the first time. In game six of the Detroit-Minnesota division semifinal, Sergei Fedorov of the Red Wings appears to hit the crossbar behind Minnesota goalie Jon Casey during overtime. The Stars ice the puck immediately, but referee Rob Shick calls for a video review. The replay shows the puck enters the goal just below the crossbar and caroms off the frame at the back of the net. Fedorov is awarded the goal to give the Red Wings a series-tying 1-0 victory.
1995 — Michael Jordan, in his first playoff game since his return from retirement, scored 48 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-100.
1995 — The Orlando Magic give the Boston Celtics their worst defeat in team history, 124-77, in a playoff opener.
2001 — Colorado’s Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 16th career playoff shutout, making 20 saves in a 2-0 win over Los Angeles.
2003 — Andre Agassi recaptures the world no. 1 ranking to become the oldest top-ranked male in the history of the ATP rankings (33 years, 13 days).
2007 — NFL Draft: LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell first pick by Oakland Raiders.
2009 — Washington edges the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference series to cap a comeback from a 3-games-to-1 deficit. It is the franchise’s first series victory since the 1997-98 season, when Washington made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.
2010 — Montreal beats Washington 2-1 to complete a come-from-behind 4-3 series victory and eliminate the NHL’s best regular-season in the first round of the playoffs. The Canadiens are the ninth No. 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 in 32 matchups since the NHL went to its current playoff format in 1994 — and the first to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
2011 — Canada’s Patrick Chan wins his first world figure skating title in record fashion. Chan sets world records for the free skate and total points to claim titles at the world figure skating championships in Moscow.
2011 — NFL Draft: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first pick by Carolina Panthers.
2016 — The Los Angeles Rams select California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and the No. 2 selection for the Philadelphia Eagles is North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz. It’s the second straight year that two QBs went 1-2 and the seventh time in the modern era of the draft since 1967.
2018 — Shaquem Griffin is the first one-handed person to be drafted into the NFL, for the Seattle Seahawks.
April 29
1901 — His Eminence, ridden by Jimmy Winkfield, wins the Kentucky Derby by 1 1/2 lengths over Sannazarro in the only Derby ever raced in April.
1961 — ABC’s “Wide World of Sports,” debuts.
1963 — LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Marilynn Smith beats Mickey Wright by 1 shot in 18-hole playoff.
1970 — Los Angeles Lakers guard Jerry West hits a 60-foot desperation shot at the buzzer to tie Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. The Knicks outscore the Lakers 9-6 in the overtime for a 111-108 win.
1980 — NFL Draft: Oklahoma running back Billy Sims first pick by Detroit Lions.
1981 — MLB Philadelphia Phillies Steve Carlton is 1st lefty to strike out 3,000 batters.
1981 — NFL Draft: South Carolina running back George Rogers first pick by New Orleans Saints.
1985 — Tony Tubbs captures the WBA heavyweight title with a unanimous 15-round decision over Greg Page in Buffalo, N.Y.
1985 — New York Yankees fire manager Yogi Berra 16 games into season, despite assurance from owner George Steinbrenner that he would be kept for the whole season. Billy Martin named as replacement.
1986 — Roger Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 batters as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1.
1986 — NFL Draft: Auburn running back Bo Jackson first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
1988 — The Baltimore Orioles end their 21-game losing streak by winning their first game of the season, 9-0 over the Chicago White Sox.
1990 — Pat Riley becomes the winningest coach in NBA playoff history as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 104-100. Riley’s 100th victory put him ahead of Red Auerbach.
1998 — For the first time in the 124-year history of the Kentucky Derby, a redraw is ordered during the post-position draw. Churchill Downs officials allowed ESPN to control the announcing of the draw. Commentator Chris Lincoln called the No. 15 pill twice while picking the draft order for post positions.
2000 — Lennox Lewis knocks down Michael Grant three times in the first round and knocks him out at 2:53 of the second at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles. The combined weight of 497 pounds made it the heaviest title fight ever.
2003 — Indiana outscores Boston 5-0 in overtime for a 93-88 victory, cutting the Celtics’ first-round series lead to 3-2. It’s the first overtime shutout in NBA playoff history.
2006 — NFL Draft: North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams first pick from Houston Texans.
2007 — Phoenix guard Steve Nash has 23 assists, one shy of the NBA playoff record, to help Phoenix to a 113-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
2010 — The NCAA’s Board of Directors approve a 68-team format for the men’s basketball tournament beginning next season. It’s the first expansion since 2001 when the tourney went from 64 to 65 teams.
2013 — NBA veteran center Jason Collins becomes the first male professional athlete in the major four American sports leagues to come out as gay. Collins writes a first-person account posted on Sports Illustrated’s website. The 34-year-old free agent played for six NBA teams in 12 seasons.
2014 — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is banned for life by the NBA in response to racist comments he made in an audio recording. The Clippers’ owner is also fined $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA Constitution.
2018 — Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal equals his Open-era record for most wins at the same event (11 Monte Carlo) with his 11th Barcelona ATP title.
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April 30
1922 — Charlie Robertson of the Chicago White Sox pitches a 2-0 perfect game against the Detroit Tigers.
1939 — Lou Gehrig sets a MLB record playing his 2,130th consecutive and final game for the New York Yankees.
1958 — Ted Williams is 10th major league player to get 1,000 extra-base hits.
1961 — Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hits four home runs in a 14-4 victory over the Braves in Milwaukee.
1961 — LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 5th major title by 1 stroke from Patty Berg & Louise Suggs.
1962 — LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 8th major title in a playoff with Ruth Jessen.
1971 — The Milwaukee Bucks become the second team to register a four-game sweep in the NBA championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 118-106.
1975 — Larry O’Brien is named the NBA’s third commissioner, following J. Walter Kennedy (1963-75) and Maurice Podoloff (1946-63). O’Brien holds the position until 1984.
1976 — Muhammad Ali wins a unanimous 15-round decision over Jimmy Young in Landover, Md., to retain his world heavyweight title.
1985 — NFL Draft: Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith first pick by Buffalo Bills.
1987 — NY Islander Mike Bossy plays his final game.
1989 — U.S. beats Costa Rica 1-0, in 3rd round of 1990 world soccer cup.
1992 — The Red Wings and Canucks become the ninth and 10th teams in NHL history to rebound from 3-1 deficits to win playoff series. Detroit beats the Minnesota North Stars 5-2 in the Norris Division, while Vancouver defeats the Winnipeg Jets 5-0 in the Smythe Division.
1993 — Top-ranked Monica Seles is stabbed during a changeover in Hamburg, Germany. Guenter Parche, 38, reaches over a courtside railing and knifes Seles in the back. She has an inch-deep slit between her shoulder blades and missed the remainder of the 1993 season.
2005 — James Toney outpoints John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title in New York. Toney, a former champion at three other weights, wins his third heavyweight bout, becoming the third one-time middleweight champion to take boxing’s top crown.
2010 — Tiger Woods matches the worst nine-hole score of his PGA Tour career and winds up with a 7-over 79 to miss the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship. Woods finishes at 9-over 153, the highest 36-hole total of his career. It’s the sixth time in his 14-year career he misses a cut.
2012 — Manchester City defeat Manchester United 1-0 in what is claimed to be the biggest match in the English Premier League’s history.
2014 — Anze Kopitar scores the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and Jonathan Quick makes 39 saves to cap the Los Angeles Kings’ comeback from three games down with a 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 7 of the first rounds. This is the fourth time an NHL team won a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games.
2015 — For the first time in 51 years, the NFL draft returns to Chicago. Florida State’s Jameis Winston is selected by Tampa Bay as the first selection.
2023 — Seattle Kraken become first NHL franchise to earn its first-ever playoff series win against reigning Stanley Cup champion, eliminating Colorado Avalanche in 7 games.
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May 1
1891 — Legendary pitcher Cy Young wins first game played at Cleveland’s League Park.
1920 — Legendary slugger Babe Ruth records his first HR for the New York Yankees.
1920 — Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves and Leon Cadore of the Brooklyn Dodgers both pitch 26 innings in a 1-1 tie, the longest game in major league history.
1926 — Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige (19) debuts in the Negro Southern League.
1943 — Count Fleet, ridden by Johnny Longden, wins the Kentucky Derby by three lengths over Blue Swords.
1948 — Citation, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Kentucky Derby by 3½ lengths over Coaltown. It’s Citation’s toughest race in winning the Triple Crown.
1951 — Future Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Mickey Mantle hits first career home run.
1954 — 80th Kentucky Derby: Raymond York wins aboard Determine, his only Derby success.
1955 — American golfer Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins the Peach Blossom LPGA Tournament in Spartanburg, South Carolina, her final victory before her death the following year.
1959 — Floyd Patterson scores 11th round KO of Englishman Brian London in Indianapolis; his 4th World Heavyweight Boxing title defence.
1965 — The Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 in Game 7 to capture the Stanley Cup.
1965 — 91st Kentucky Derby: Bill Shoemaker wins aboard Lucky Debonair, the third of his 4 Derby victories.
1969 — Leonard Tose buys NFL Philadelphia Eagles for a professional sports record $16.15m.
1976 — 102nd Kentucky Derby: Puerto Rican jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. wins aboard Bold Forbes, the second of 3 Derby successes.
1981 — Tennis player Billie Jean King acknowledges a lesbian relationship with Marilyn Barnett – becoming first prominent sportswoman to come out.
1982 — Gato del Sol, ridden by Ed Delahoussaye, comes from last place in a field of 19 to win the Kentucky Derby. Gato del Sol, finishes 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Laser Light, who beat Reinvested by a neck for second. He finishes in 2:02 2/5 and returns $44.40 for a $2 bet. Air Forbes Won, the 5-2 favorite of the crow of 141,009, finishes seventh.
1984 — NFL Draft: Nebraska wide receiver Irving Fryar first pick by New England Patriots.
1988 — After scoring 50 points in Game 1, NBA Eastern Conference playoff series, Michael Jordan has 55 in Chicago Bulls 106-101 win vs Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2; first to score 50+ points in consecutive playoff games.
1991 — Nolan Ryan pitches his seventh no-hitter in a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Ryan faces 29 batters, striking out 16 and walking two.
1991 — Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics sets a major league record by stealing his 939th base, eclipsing Lou Brock’s career mark.
1992 — The Pittsburgh Penguins become the 11th NHL team to rebound from a 3-1 deficit and win a playoff series after beating the Washington Capitals 3-1.
1992 — Rickey Henderson, baseball’s career stolen base leader, steals his 1,000th base in the first inning of Oakland’s 7-6 win over Detroit.
1993 — Bruce Baumgartner wins his 11th straight national wrestling title by beating Joel Greenlee 6-0 in the 286-pound freestyle division at the U.S. championships in Las Vegas.
2002 — Padres closer Trevor Hoffman sets MLB record for saves for one team (321) in 4-3 win v Chicago Cubs in San Diego.
2003 — The three-time defending champion Lakers beat Minnesota 101-85 to win the series 4-2. It’s the 13th straight playoff series won under Phil Jackson, and Jackson-coached teams have an NBA-record 25 consecutive series wins.
2004 — Smarty Jones splashes his way past Lion Heart in the stretch to win the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones runs his record to 7 for 7 and becomes the first unbeaten Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977.
2005 — 17-year old Lionel Messi scores his 1st senior league goal for FC Barcelona in 2-0 win against Albacete Balompié, at the Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona.
2006 — Detroit, winner of the President’s Trophy by leading the league in points (124) this season, is eliminated in the first round for the third time in five postseasons after a 4-3 loss to Edmonton in Game 6.
2008 — Johan Franzen records his second hat trick in three games with three more goals and helps Detroit complete a four-game sweep of Colorado with an e is 8-2 win. He is the first player with two hat tricks in one playoff series since Jari Kurri did it for Edmonton in 1985.
2010 — Jockey Calvin Borel steers Super Saver through the mud to win his third Kentucky Derby in four years, beating Lookin At Lucky by 2 1/2 lengths. The win ends trainer Todd Pletcher’s Derby drought. Pletcher, who had four horses in the race, came into the race 0 for 24 since 2000.
2019 — Argentine forward Lionel Messi scores twice for his 600th goal for FC Barcelona in a 3-0 home win over Liverpool in a Champions League semifinal.
2021 — 147th Kentucky Derby: Medina Spirit gives jockey John Velazquez his fourth Derby win and trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the race.
TV SPORTS SATURDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Toronto at NY Yankees | 1:05pm | MLBN YES Sportsnet |
| Baltimore at Detroit | 1:10pm | MLBN MASN2 FanDuel Sports DET |
| LA Angels at Minnesota | 2:10pm | FanDuel Sports West Twins.TV |
| Milwaukee at St. Louis | 2:15pm | FanDuel Sports MW FanDuel Sports WI |
| Cincinnati at Colorado | 3:10pm | FanDuel Sports Ohio Rockies.TV |
| Philadelphia at Chi. Cubs | 4:05pm | FOX |
| Texas at San Francisco | 4:05pm | FOX |
| Chi. White Sox at Athletics | 4:05pm | NBCS-CA CHSN |
| NY Mets at Washington | 4:05pm | SNY MASN |
| Boston at Cleveland | 6:10pm | NESN CleGuardians.TV |
| Houston at Kansas City | 7:10pm | FS1 SCHN FanDuel Sports KC |
| Atlanta at Arizona | 8:10pm | FanDuel Sports South DBacks.TV |
| Tampa Bay at San Diego | 8:40pm | Padres.TV FanDuel Sports Sun |
| Pittsburgh at LA Dodgers | 9:10pm | SNLA ATTSN-PIT |
| Miami at Seattle | 9:40pm | FanDuel Sports FL ROOT |
| NBA PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| East Quarterfinals Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat | 1:00pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| West Quarterfinals Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies | 3:30pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| West Quarterfinals Game 4: Denver Nuggets at LA Clippers | 6:00pm | TNT truTV MAX |
| West Quarterfinals Game 3: Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors | 8:30pm | ABC |
| NHL PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| East Quarterfinals Game 3: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers | 1:00pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| West Quarterfinals Game 4: Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild | 4:00pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| East Quarterfinals Game 4: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators | 7:00pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| West Quarterfinals Game 4: Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche | 9:30pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| NFL | TIME ET | TV |
| NFL Draft | 12:00pm | ABC |
| COLLEGE BASEBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Miami at Boston College | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| Oklahoma at Georgia | 12:00pm | SECN |
| Arkansas at Florida | 3:00pm | SECN |
| Texas A&M at Texas | 4:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Vanderbilt at Mississippi | 6:00pm | SECN |
| Tennessee at LSU | 8:00pm | ESPNU |
| COLLEGE SOFTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Texas at Oklahoma | 12:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Florida at LSU | 2:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Alabama at Florida | 2:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Clemson at Georgia Tech | 7:00pm | ACCN |
| Missouri at Alabama | 9:00pm | SECN |
| UFL | TIME ET | TV |
| Michigan at St. Louis | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| Xfinity: Ag-Pro 300 | 4:00pm | CW |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour: Zurich Classic | 1:00pm | GOLF |
| PGA Tour: Zurich Classic | 3:00pm | CBS |
| LPGA Tour: Chevron Championship | 3:00pm | GOLF |
| MMA | TIME ET | TV |
| UFC: Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates | 9:00pm | ESPN2 |
| BOWLING | TIME ET | TV |
| PBA Elite League: Battle of the Brands | 3:00pm | FS1 |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| EPL: Chelsea vs Everton | 7:30am | USA Peacock |
| Serie A: Como vs Genoa | 9:00am | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Holstein Kiel | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Bayern München vs Mainz 05 | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Freiburg | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Holstein Kiel vs Borussia M’gladbach | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| EPL: Newcastle United vs Ipswich Town | 10:00am | USA Peacock |
| EPL: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Southampton vs Fulham | 10:00am | Peacock |
| EPL: Brighton & Hove Albion vs West Ham United | 10:00am | Peacock |
| Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Saint-Étienne | 11:00am | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| Serie A: Internazionale vs Roma | 12:00pm | CBS Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Eintracht Frankfurt vs RB Leipzig | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Le Havre vs Monaco | 1:00pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| MLS: Austin vs LA Galaxy | 1:45pm | FOX MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Cincinnati vs Sporting KC | 2:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Toronto FC vs New York City | 2:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| Serie A: Lazio vs Parma | 2:45pm | Paramount+ |
| Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais vs Rennes | 3:05pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| Copa del Rey: Barcelona vs Real Madrid | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| MLS: New York RB vs CF Montréal | 4:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United | 7:30pm | FOX MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Charlotte vs New England | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Columbus Crew vs SJ Earthquakes | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: San Diego vs Real Salt Lake | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Houston Dynamo vs Austin | 8:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Nashville SC vs Chicago Fire | 8:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Colorado Rapids vs Seattle Sounders FC | 9:30pm | MLS Season Pass |