INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
NORTHWESTERN 3 EASTERN 2
GIBSON SOUTHERN 10 EVANSVILLE HARRISON 0
ALEXANDRIA MONROE 10 MONROE CENTRAL 3
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 4 EVANSVILLE NORTH 2
MISSISSINEWA 19 JAY COUNTY 18
RIVER FOREST 15 GARY WEST 0
GUERIN CATHOLIC 9 PLYMOUTH 8
WHEELER 10 WESTVILLE 7
KOUTS 17 DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN 0
EMINENCE 15 RIVERSIDE 5
CASTON 5 MANCHESTER 4
PRINCETON 4 N. KNOX 0
SOUTH CENTRAL 8 FAIRFIELD 7
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 18 INDY GENESIS 3
LEBANON 6 WESTERN 5
HAGERSTOWN 8 TRITON CENTRAL 2
CLAY CITY 8 SULLIVAN 3
MOORESVILLE 8 BEECH GROVE 5
WES DEL 1 SOUTHERN WELLS 0
CASCADE 10 SCECINA 8
FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 10 E. NOBLE 2
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 13 BLUE RIVER 9
MACONAQUAH 17 FAITH CHRISTIAN 0
HOMESTEAD 5 WAPAHANI 0
ATTICA 22 S. NEWTON 2
LAFAYETTE JEFF 4 CHESTERTON 3
RICHMOND 11 MARION 0
RICHMOND 14 MARION 4
SOUTH BEND ADAMS 8 ANGOLA 2
HICKSVILLE 9 EASTSIDE 5
LOOGOOTEE 18 N. CENTRAL 1
COVENANT CHRISTIAN 10 SPEEDWAY 0
CHICAGO MOUNT CARMEL 17 HAMMOND NOLL 2
GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 21 ANDREAN 4
OLDENBURG ACADEMY 8 JAC CEN DEL 5
SOUTH DEARBORN 6 MILAN 1
MITCHELL 6 SPRINGS VALLEY 0
KANKAKEE VALLEY 17 GREENCASTLE 1
SEYMOUR 2 NEW ALBANY 1
NORTH PUTNAM 5 COVINGTON 3
DEKALB 7 GARRETT 2
ARGOS 27 SOUTH BEND CAREER 2
CONNERSVILLE 9 YORKTOWN 4
BROWNSBURG 14 NEW CASTLE 1
UNION COUNTY 17 WINCHESTER 12
WALDRON 6 BROWN COUNTY 5
TRI CENTRAL 10 ELWOOD 8
LOGANSPORT 11 LAPORTE 9
BENTON CENTRAL 15 RENSSELAER CENTRAL 6
BORDEN 5 CLARKSVILLE 0
NORTHEAST DUBOIS 17 PAOLI 3
HANOVER CENTRAL 12 ELKHART 2
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 14 ANDERSON 7
HEBRON 18 WHITING 5
SOUTHPORT 7 PIKE 3
NORTH POSEY 5. CENTRAL 2
HUNTINGTON NORTH 5 HARRISON 4
SOUTH ADAMS 1 UNION CITY 0
HAUSER 13 S. RIPLEY 0
BLACKFORD 11 WABASH 1
CORYDON CENTRAL 14 HENRYVILLE 6
WEST CENTRAL 4 TRITON 2
MADISON GRANT 3 DELPHI 2
FRANKFORT 16 CLINTON PRAIRIE 1
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL 8 21ST CENTURY 5
FLOYD CENTRAL 9 COLUMBUS EAST 1
NATIONAL TRAIL 7 TRI 3
BLOOMFIELD 12 SHOALS 1
CRAWFORDSVILLE 17 FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 4
MISHAWAKA 8 WESTVIEW 1
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 6 LAWRENCE NORTH 3
JENNINGS COUNTY 6 WASHINGTON 4
NEW WASHINGTON 11 TRIPLE COUNTY 4
WEST WASHINGTON 4 CRAWFORD COUNTY 2
FISHERS 5 MOUNT VERNON 0
WES DEL 20 SOUTHERN WELLS 3
PURDUE POLY 13 THRIVAL ACADEMY 1
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 8 RICHLAND COUNTY 1
GRIFFITH 5 PORTAGE 3
CONNOR 8 LAWRENCEBURG 2
TRINITY LUTHERAN 19 CARUTHERSVILLE 0
JAY COUNTY 3 MISSISSINEWA 2
BATESVILLE 7 NEW PALESTINE 0
CARMEL 1 PENN 0
GREENFIELD CENTRAL 17 LAPEL 2
HAGERSTOWN 21 TRITON CENTRAL 0
CLOVERDALE 7 WHITE RIVER VALLEY 4
NORTH MONTGOMERY 6 PORTAGE CENTRAL 1
COLUMBUS NORTH 7 JEFFERSONVILLE 2
GLENN 3 BERRIEN SPRINGS 2
KANKAKEE VALLEY 7 NORTHVIEW 1
LINTON STOCKTON 9 EASTERN GREENE 3
MONROE CENTRAL 12 ALEXANDRIA MONROE 11
FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 8 E. NOBLE 7
PERU 7 LAVILLE 1
RIVER FOREST 14 GARY WEST 2
PLYMOUTH 3 FAIRFIELD 2
GUERIN CATHOLIC 6 HOMESTEAD 3
AVON 17 LEBANON 7
FRANKLIN 8 GREENWOOD 2
CASTON 5 MANCHESTER 4
DEKALB 10 GARRETT 0
WAPAHANI 6 SOUTH-CENTRAL 5
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 5 LAWRENCE NORTH 2
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 18 INDY GENESIS 1
WINCHESTER 13 UNION COUNTY 3
MACONAQUA 17 FAITH CHRISTIAN 1
MCLEAN COUNTY 11 EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN 1
SOUTH BEND ADAMS 7 ANGOLA 6
TRITON 12 W. CENTRAL 7
BORDEN 19 CLARKSVILLE 1
LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 22 ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY 9
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 16 RICHLAND COUNTY 5
HENRYVILLE 9 CORYDON CENTRAL 6
SEYMOUR 3 NEW ALBANY 2
DELPHI 11 MADISON GRANT 8
PARKVIEW CHRISTIAN 3 HAST 2
GLENN 12 BERRIEN SPRINGS 7
NOBLESVILLE 7 CASTLE 1
HIGHLAND 9 WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 2
MOUNT VERNON 10 FISHERS 5
TRI CENTRAL 13 ELWOOD 2
PARKE HERITAGE 14 RIVERTON PARKE 7
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 15 ANDERSON 1
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 7 HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 3
CARMEL 3 PENN 2
MISHAWAKA 6 WESTVIEW 1
NORTH PUTNAM 6 COVINGTON 3
UNION CITY 7 S. ADAMS 4
JENNINGS COUNTY 8 WASHINGTON 7
CHICAGO CHRISTIAN 8 CALUMET CHRISTIAN 7
BOONE GROVE 13 MUNSTER 2
JEFFERSONVILLE 4 COLUMBUS NORTH 2
LAFAYETTE JEFF 11 CROWN POINT 1
HARRISON 6 CHESTERTON 4
LAKE CENTRAL 16 NEW PRAIRIE 4
ROSSVILLE 12 LAVILLE 9
AVON 14 KOKOMO 3
CENTER GROVE 8 FRANKLIN 7
NORTHWESTERN 12 BLUFFTON 6
ROCHESTER 6 PERU 2
PURDUE POLY 7 INDIANA DEAF 5
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
FRANKLIN COUNTY 5 CENTERVILLE 0
TRI TOWNSHIP 22 CULVER ACADEMY 8
RONCALLI 4 CASTLE 0
TECUMSEH 10 NORTHVIEW 7
SULLIVAN 10 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 6
MARTINSVILLE 21 W. VIGO 1
TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 6 N. CENTRAL 2
JENNINGS COUNTY 1 PENDLETON HEIGHTS 0
AVON 10 BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 9
NORTH NEWTON 9 COVINGTON 0
LAWRENCE NORTH 7 EASTERN HANCOCK 5
BARR REEVE 4 CLAY CITY 0
TRI 19 RANDOLPH SOUTHERN 0
KOUTS 20 LAVILLE 4
HANOVER CENTRAL 10 KANKAKEE VALLEY 9
MILFORD 19 S. NEWTON 0
HIGHLAND 7 VALPARAISO 4
NORTH PUTNAM 12 CLINTON PRAIRIE 1
SOUTH SPENCER 7 EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 2
SOUTHWESTERN 19 CROTHERSVILLE 0
JAY COUNTY 15 CELINA 8
WEST WASHINGTON 8 SALEM 6
ROCHESTER 15 PIONEER 1
WHEELER 13 MORGAN TWP. 11
BISHOP CHATARD 11 MONROE CENTRAL 0
OLDENBURG ACADEMY 16 CROTHERSVILLE 0
DELPHI 19 FAITH CHRISTIAN 5
SHELBYVILLE 10 NEW CASTLE 0
MILAN 11 RICHMOND 3
WEST CENTRAL 13 N. WHITE 2
SOUTH BEND RILEY 17 CORUNNA 0
CENTER GROVE 10 DECATUR CENTRAL 0
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 2 MACONAQUAH 1
WHITELAND 12 GREENWOOD 3
GREENCASTLE 12 CRAWFORDSVILLE 2
GREENFIELD CENTRAL 9 MADISON GRANT 1
SOUTH RIPLEY 13 S. DECATUR 12
LIVING WATER 10 MONROE CENTRAL 0
UNION COUNTY 9 PREBLE SHAWNEE 6
BEECH GROVE 17 GUERIN CATHOLIC 5
YORKTOWN 1 ELWOOD 0
FRANKLIN COUNTY 5 CENTERVILLE 0
LOGANSPORT 10 TWIN LAKES 0
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 13 NORTHVIEW 1
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 6 TERRE HAUTE NORTH 2
BROWNSBURG 12 S. DEARBORN 0
TRITON CENTRAL 8 TRINITY LUTHERAN 0
WINCHESTER 10 SOUTHERN WELLS 3
SOUTH-CENTRAL 1 WINAMAC 0
MOUNT VERNON 3 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 2
MISSISSINEWA 12 LEWIS CASS 0
MADISON 12 AUSTIN 2
CATHEDRAL 4 SOUTHPORT 2
CASCADE 16 CLINTON CENTRAL 0
HERITAGE HILLS 5 CORYDON CENTRAL 3
SOUTHMONT 10 EMINENCE 6
JASPER 3 LOOGOOTEE 2
LAWRENCEBURG 3 RUSHVILLE 2
AVON 15 TECUMSEH 10
EASTSIDE 12 HICKSVILLE 0
MITCHELL 5 N. DAVIESS 4
RONCALLI 16 N. CENTRAL 1
SEEGER 8 ROSSVILLE 2
PENN 7 MUNSTER 3
WEST VIGO 9 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 4
SULLIVAN 6 MARTINSVILLE 2
LAPORTE 11 PLYMOUTH 1
ANSONIA 8 UNION CITY 2
NORTHEAST DUBOIS 11 EASTERN GREENE 6
MOORESVILLE 10 EDGEWOOD 1
EVANSVILLE HARRISON 17 EVANSVILLE BOSSE 3
SEYMOUR 11 JEFFERSONVILLE 6
EASTERN 11 TIPTON 1
HARRISON 15 PORTAGE 9
CASTLE 6 TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 3
TRI WEST 12 BENTON CENTRAL 2
RIVERTON PARKE 20 N. VERMILLION 1
DECATUR CENTRAL 5 CHESTERTON 3
NORTH PUTNAM 11 MCCUTCHEON 1
PRAIRIE 16 GRIFFITH 0
WEST CENTRAL 19 N. WHITE 4
CENTRAL NOBLE 12 BLUFFTON 1
MILAN 11 RICHMOND 1
COVINGTON 17 N. NEWTON 12
MOUNT VERNON 13 WASHINGTON 0
BARR REEVE 6 CLAY CITY 4
FORT WAYNE CARROLL 9 ROCHESTER 8
LAKE CENTRAL 13 JENNINGS COUNTY 1
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 8 SHAKAMAK 0
HIGHLAND 14 VALPARAISO 1
LAFAYETTE JEFF 6 DELPHI 2
SOUTH BEND RILEY 9 CORUNNA 1
PERRY CENTRAL 12 PROVIDENCE 0
CONNERSVILLE 15 LAWRENCE NORTH 4
LOGANSPORT 13 TWIN LAKES 0
EASTSIDE 18 HICKSVILLE 13
JAY COUNTY 12 CELINA 4
UNION COUNTY 26 PREBLE SHAWNEE 6
MOUNT VERNON 15 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 4
CLARKSVILLE 5 FOREST PARK 4
ROSSVILLE 17 SEEGER 6
WINCHESTER 7 SOUTHERN WELLS 6
HARRISON 25 PORTAGE 4
MUNSTER 5 PENN 3
RIVER FOREST 16 GARY WEST 4
TRITON CENTRAL 10 RISING SUN 0
UNION CITY 8 ANSONIA 2
FLOYD CENTRAL 4 S. DEARBORN 0
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 18 TINDLEY 1
LEBANON 9 BLACKFORD 8
LAFAYETTE JEFF 10 FAITH CHRISTIAN 7
PIONEER 14 FORT WAYNE CARROLL 4
EDGEWOOD 19 WEST VIGO 13
LIVING WATER HOMESCHOOL 14 BISHOP CHATARD 8
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 14 LAKE CENTRAL 7
RISING SUN 8 TRINITY LUTHERAN 2
SOUTHWESTERN 14 OLDENBURG ACADEMY 0
MOORESVILLE 11 BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 10
CASTLE 15 MARTINSVILLE 2
DECATUR CENTRAL 7 JENNINGS COUNTY 0
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 10 EDGEWOOD 4
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
CHICAGO CUBS 10 TEXAS 3
KANSAS CITY 6 SAN FRANCISCO 5
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 11 PITTSBURGH 5
MINNESOTA 9 HOUSTON 6
BOSTON 14 DETROIT 5
TAMPA BAY 11 OAKLAND 0
SEATTLE 3 CLEVELAND 2
NY YANKEES 4 BALTIMORE 1
LA ANGELS 9 TORONTO 5
PHILADELPHIA 3 CINCINNATI 2
ST. LOUIS 6 MILWAUKEE 0
NY METS 5 MIAMI 2
SAN DIEGO 4 ATLANTA 1
WASHINGTON 7 COLORADO 6
ARIZONA 12 LA DODGERS 8
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 5 LOUISVILLE 4
WEST MICHIGAN 3 FT. WAYNE 1
NBA SCOREBOARD
UTAH 118 DENVER 114
LA CLIPPERS 138 PORTLAND 125
MINNESOTA 151 SAN ANTONIO 131
NHL SCOREBOARD
BUFFALO 4 CAROLINA 3
PITTSBURGH 5 DETROIT 1
DALLAS 2 VEGAS 1
EDMONTON 6 SAN JOSE 1
ARIZONA 5 ANAHEIM 4
NY RANGERS 4 COLUMBUS 0
OTTAWA 7 TAMPA BAY 4
TORONTO 7 MONTRÉAL 1
FLORIDA 4 WASHINGTON 2
WINNIPEG 2 NASHVILLE 0
NY ISLANDERS 4 PHILADELPHIA 0
BOSTON 2 NEW JERSEY 1
MINNESOTA 5 ST. LOUIS 3
SEATTLE 7 CHICAGO 3
VANCOUVER 3 CALGARY 2
COLORADO 4 LOS ANGELES 3
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
CINCINNATI 1 PHILADELPHIA 0
COLUMBUS 2 DC 0
LAFC 3 AUSTIN 0
DALLAS 1 MIAMI 0
NEW ENGLAND 4 MONTRÉAL 0
NEW YORK 1 SAN JOSE 1
CHICAGO 2 MINNESOTA 1
HOUSTON 3 LA 0
COLORADO 1 KANSAS CITY 0
NASHVILLE 0 TORONTO 0
SALT LAKE 3 CHARLOTTE 1
SEATTLE 3 ST. LOUIS 0
VANCOUVER 1 PORTLAND 0
TOP INDIANA (RELEASES)
INDIANA PACERS
There’s just one game to go.
The Indiana Pacers (34-46) will conclude its 2022-2023 campaign on Sunday against the New York Knicks (47-34) in an Easter Day matinee at Madison Square Garden.
New York currently holds a 3-0 season series record against Indiana, and have won four in a row against the Blue & Gold dating back to last season. The two teams played Wednesday in Indianapolis, with the Knicks pulling out a 138-129 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Player development will be a focal point in the finale, as neither the Knicks nor Pacers will have their postseason chances impacted by the final result. The Knicks are locked in to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference while the Pacers will not qualify for postseason play in 2023.
Both teams will likely sit key players again due to injuries. The Pacers have been without Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and Chris Duarte all for the last five games while the Knicks haven’t had Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle as they nurse injuries.
For Indiana, rookies Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard have benefited from the increased playing time. Over the last six games, Mathurin has averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while Nembahrd has put up 14.5 points, 8.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds during that span.
Indiana enters the game coming off a 122-115 loss to the Detroit Pistons (17-64) on Friday. It was the third straight loss for the Pacers and their seventh loss in eight games.
Six Pacers players scored in double figures against the Pistons, led by 22 points from Buddy Hield off the bench and 16 points from Mathurin. Nembhard finished with 12 points and 10 assists.
New York comes into its final matchup following a 113-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
After missing back-to-back games, RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Immanuel Quickley — a frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award — had 24 points.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard, G – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Jordan Nwora, C – Isaiah Jackson
Knicks: G – Immanuel Quickley, G – Quentin Grimes, F – RJ Barrett, F – Obi Toppin, C – Mitchell Robinson
Injury Report
Pacers: Oshae Brissett- questionable (sore lower back), Isaiah Jackson – questionable (head contusion), T.J. McConnell – questionable (sore right hip), Aaron Nesmith – questionable (head contusion), Jalen Smith – questionable (sore right knee), Myles Turner – questionable (sore left ankle), Kendall Brown – out (right tibia stress fracture), Chris Duarte – out (sore left ankle), Tyrese Haliburton – out (right ankle sprain/sore left elbow)
Knicks: DaQuan Jeffries – questionable (strained right calf), Jalen Brunson – out (right hand injury maintenance), Julius Randle – out (sprained left ankle), Duane Washington Jr. – out (sore bilateral hip)
Last Meeting
April 5, 2023: In a game of runs, the Knicks came up clutch in the final few minutes to post a 138-129 win over the Pacers.
Three Knicks players finished with 30 or more points, as Quickley logged a game-high 39 points, Grimes dropped a career-best 36 points and Toppin had a season-high 32 points. Additionally, Robinson finished with 14 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks.
Indiana trailed by 18 points in the first quarter but climbed all the way back.
The teams were tied with just under five minutes left before the Knicks closed the game on an 18-9 run.
Eight Pacers players finished in double-digit scoring. Smith recorded a team-high 19 points, McConnell registered 18 points and 12 assists and Mathurin chipped in 17 points and eight rebounds.
The Pacers lost the rebounding margin 52-37 and outsourced 68-54 in the paint.
New York was without Brunson, Randle and R.J. Barrett while the Pacers didn’t have Haliburton, Turner and Duarte.
Noteworthy
The Pacers have not been swept by the Knicks in a series since the 1993-1994 season.
Indiana has a record of 14-26 on the road this season.
New York owns a 100-93 record against Indiana all-time.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Tickets
2023-24 season tickets are now available. Secure your season-ticket package now to get the best possible seats for next season.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASEBALL
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nick Gonzales and Mark Mathias each clubbed home runs in the fourth inning to spark a four-run frame as the Indianapolis Indians defeated the Louisville Bats at Louisville Slugger Field on Saturday afternoon, 5-4. It was the Indians fourth straight win, earning them their first series victory of the season.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the fourth, the Indians (4-4) responded with four runs to capture the lead. Gonzales cranked a line-drive shot over the left-field wall against Chase Anderson (L, 0-1) to lead off the frame. After Endy Rodríguez reached on a fielding error by first basemen Alex McGarry, Mathias lifted a two-run home run – his first of the season. Cal Mitchell doubled and Chavez Young walked before alert baserunning led to the fourth run of the frame. With runners at the corners, Young stole second and Mitchell stole home following the throw down to second by catcher Jhonny Pereda.
The Bats (2-6) got on the board first via a solo home run by McGarry in the second inning. Following the four-run burst by Indy, Louisville plated two runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to one on a two-run double by major league rehabber Joey Votto.
Both clubs brought in a run in the seventh frame to bring the score to 5-4. Rodríguez grounded into an RBI fielders’ choice with the bases loaded to score Grant Koch. Louisville’s Nick Senzel responded with an RBI single.
Indians starter Mike Burrows left the contest with an injury after only 1.2 innings, Cam Alldred (W, 1-0) replaced him and picked up his first win of the season, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Yerry De Los Santos (S, 2) came in for the ninth, slamming the door on the Bats to earn his second save of the season.
The Indians and Bats will conclude their series on Sunday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field with a 1:05 PM ET start. In a rematch of Tuesday’s pitching matchup, RHP Quinn Priester (0-1, 14.73) will toe the rubber for Indy against RHP Ben Lively (1-0, 3.60).
INDY FUEL HOCKEY
INDIANAPOLIS – The Fuel hosted the Iowa Heartlanders for the final time this season on Saturday night. The Fuel came away with the 2-1 victory. Additionally, the coveted annual Weiner Dog race resulted in an undisputed win from the appropriately named ‘Champ’ who claimed his eighth title as the Fuel celebrated Pucks & Paws Night.
1ST PERIOD
The first period began slowly with each team taking a minor penalty in the first half of the frame but killing them off.
Despite neither team scoring, the Fuel outshot the Heartlanders 16-3 in the first period. Colin Bilek took an interference penalty at 19:57 that would spill over into the second period.
2ND PERIOD
The Fuel were able to kill off the Bilek penalty and soon after Kyle Maksimovich scored his first professional goal with the help of Luc Brown and Logan Nijhoff.
Chris Cameron gave Iowa another power play with a tripping penalty at 2:59, thirty seconds after the goal but Indy killed it off. At 8:58 in the second period, Iowa’s Kevin McKernan took a two minute penalty for interference.
At 14:59, Dan Winslow took a boarding penalty giving the Fuel another power play opportunity.
Once again, the Fuel took a late penalty that would carry over to the next period. This time, it was Bryan Lemos at 19:29 sitting for interference.
McKernan also took a ten minute misconduct call after the end of the period for abuse of officials.
3RD PERIOD
The third period opened with a minor penalty to Indy’s Chris Cameron which Iowa immediately capitalized on with a goal by Jesse Jacques to tie up the game.
At 6:40, Iowa’s Jake Durflinger took a penalty for tripping that the Heartlanders were able to kill off.
About a minute later though, the Fuel took back the lead with a goal by Seamus Malone in his first game back in two months. Maksimovich collected an assist on this goal as well along with Zach Vinnell.
With about a minute to go, Iowa took a timeout and pulled their goaltender from the net for the extra skater. With a quick chance with three seconds to go, Andrew Bellant tried for the empty net goal but was just slightly right of the net.
They dropped the puck for one more faceoff before time expired and the Fuel claimed the victory 2-1 over the Heartlanders.
The Fuel return to Indiana Farmers Coliseum tomorrow, Sunday, April 9 as they take on the Cincinnati Cyclones for Family Fun & Kids Eat Free Day.
INDY ELEVEN SOCCER
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, April 8, 2023) – While beautiful conditions for the first time at home this season provided packed bleachers at IUPUI Carroll Stadium, the Indy Eleven had its first blemish of its 2023 campaign after falling to Oakland Roots SC, 3-0. The result pushed Indy’s record to an even 1W-1L-2D, ending the squad’s undefeated streak early in the USL Championship regular season.
Oakland started the match hungry, sending many close attacking attempts into the six and putting Eleven goalkeeper Yannik Oettl to work early, starting in the 6th minute when he collected Anaur Palaez’s headed from close range on a bounce. Another close attempt for the Roots came in the 9th minute, after a Dariusz Formella and Lindo Mfeka 1-2 sprang the latter into the top of the box, where Oettl scrambled to pick off the through ball.
Possession started to turn in the Eleven’s favor around 20 minutes into the match, with some strong attempts following suit. In the 25th minute a corner by Cam Lindley was headed to the near post by Robby Dambrot – making his first start of the season following a preseason foot injury – but Roots SC ‘keeper Paul Blanchette was able to grab before it found Sebastian Guenzatti’s run.
Roots SC took the lead in the 43rd minute, when Oettl’s aggressive patrolling at the top of his penalty area and outside the box was used against him as Mfeka beat him to Formalla’s ball over the backline out of midfield. This left an empty goal for Mfeka to finish into, allowing Oakland a 1-0 heading lead at half.
The Eleven aimed to retake control in the 49th minute, when a beautiful ball from Jack Blake sent Solomon Asante into the right side of the box, but his square ball for an onrushing Douglas Martinez near the penalty area was poked away by the last defender. Near the hour mark Martinez had a great opportunity in the six off a 70-yard diagonal ball by defender Adrian Diz Pe, but he couldn’t get away from a defender in time before Blanchette stepped in.
The pace of the game increased when the second goal for Oakland came in the 71st minute. Mfeka intercepted a pass deep in the Roots’ attacking third, cut centrally into the area and rocketed a shot into the sprawled Oettl on the turf. The rebound skied into the area before being picked out of the air by Formella on the full volley to double the visitors’ lead.
A minute later Indy tried to scrape one back when Lindley drove a free kick into the heart of the area that Diz Pe fired right into the chest of Blanchette. Continual advances by the Eleven proved unsuccessful, and Oakland was able to secure the clincher from Edgardo Rito in the 78th minute, when he was put behind the backline by Joseph Nane’s long ball from midfield and chipped a stranded Oettl from 25 yards to put things all but out of reach.
A faint sense of hope came in the 83rd minute, when Oakland defender Emrah Klimenta saw his second caution after taking down Guenzatti near the corner of the area, giving the Eleven a man advantage in the late stages. Blake was again able to find space one last time via a laid off of the ball in the 88th minute for a shot to the far post that didn’t miss by much, but marked Indy’s last good look in the disappointing result.
Next up for the Boys in Blue is a cross-country trek to Southern California for a face-off with Orange County SC next Saturday, April 15 (10:00 p.m., live on ESPN+). Following that match Indiana’s Team will return home on Saturday, April 22, when Monterey Bay F.C. will make its first visit to the Circle City for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff on Community Heroes Night at “The Mike.”
Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with 17-game Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets, and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 0 : 3 Oakland Roots
Saturday, April 8, 2023
Michael A. Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
Indy Eleven: 1W-1L-2D, 5 pts.
Oakland Roots: 2W-1L-1D, 6 pts
Scoring Summary:
OAK – Lindo Mfeka (Dariusz Formella) 43’
OAK – Dariusz Formella (unassisted) 71’
OAK – Edgardo Rito (Joseph Nane) 78’
Discipline Summary:
OAK – Tarek Morad (caution) 19’
OAK – Emrah Klimenta (caution) 23’
OAK – Emrah Klimenta (second caution/ejection) 82’
IND – Juan Tejada (caution) 85’
OAK – Bryan Tamacas (caution) 86’
OAK – Neveal Hackshaw (caution) 90’+2
Indy Eleven line-up (4-3-3): Yannik Oettl; Robby Dambrot (Gustavo Riso 82’), Jesus Vazquez, Adrian Diz Pe, Younes Boudadi (Harrison Robledo 68’); Aodhan Quinn (Bryam Rebellón 68’), Cam Lindley (Alann Torres 88’), Jack Blake; Sebastian Guenzatti (captain), Solomon Asante (Juan Tejada 82’), Douglas Martinez
Indy subs: Tim Trilk (GK), Mechack Jerome
Oakland Roots line-up (5-3-2): Paul Blanchette; Guillermo Diaz, Tarek Morad, Daniel Barbir, Emrah Klimenta, Edgardo Rito; Lindo Mfeka (Bryan Tamacas 72’), Joseph Nane (Neveal Hackshaw 87’), Irakoze Donasiyano; Anuar Peláez (Jonathan Rodriguez 68’), Dariuz Formella
Oakland subs: Taylor Bailey (GK), Ethan Kohler, Trayvon Reid, Kevin Wright
INDIANA BASEBALL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A pitchers dual broke out on a sun-splashed Saturday (April 8) afternoon at Bart Kaufman Field and one swing of the bat decided the 2-0 Indiana baseball victory over Iowa.
Redshirt junior Morgan Colopy provided the only runs of the game on a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning for Indiana (21-10, 6-2 B1G). The ball was hit right down the left field line and caromed off the foul pole to set off the IU celebration.
In the top half of the inning, the Hoosiers cut down what looked to be the go-ahead run for Iowa (22-7, 2-3 B1G) at home plate.
It is the third walk-off victory of the season for Indiana and its first walk-off home run since Colin Hopkins hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning against Illinois (April 9, 2021).
Pitching was the main storyline with sophomores Luke Sinnard and Ryan Kraft combining to throw 10 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts. Sinnard fanned 12 batters over six scoreless frames with just three hits allowed in the no decision. Kraft (3-1) picked up the win with four scoreless innings and five strikeouts.
A 10th-inning single by sophomore Carter Mathison and the Colopy home run were two of only three Indiana hits in the game. Senior Phillip Glasser had the other hit with a fourth-inning single. Mathison reached base twice with a walk to go along with his single and run scored.
For Iowa, Marcus Morgan allowed one hit over five innings in the start. He struck out seven and walked two in a no decision. Zach Voelker (3-1) took the loss with two runs allowed over 4 1/3 innings of work. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out two. Six different Hawkeyes collected hits in the game, as Brennen Dorighi and Cade Moss each chipped in doubles.
Scoring Recap
10th Inning
Carter Mathison singled to start the inning and, with one out, Morgan Colopy hit a two-run home run off the left field foul pole for the walk-off win.
Indiana 2, Iowa 0
Up Next
The series finale is slated for a Noon first pitch on Sunday (April 8). The game will be available via B1G+ and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network
INDIANA SOFTBALL
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – No. 18/RV Indiana (30-10, 9-1 B1G) fell to Minnesota (22-15, 3-5 B1G), 6-5, in game two of the series, ending their historic 23 game win streak at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
INDIANA 5, MINNESOTA 6
KEY MOMENTS
• Minnesota started things off with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the second.
• The Hoosiers responded in the top of the fourth as they piled on five runs highlighted by a two RBI ground rule double from freshman Taryn Kern, 5-1
• The Golden Gophers hit another home run for two RBI to cut the lead in the bottom of the fourth and added another run in the fifth to cut the lead, 5-4.
• In the bottom of the sixth, UMN tied the ball game, 5-5, with a run scored on a fielder’s choice before walking it off with a sac fly to right field.
NOTABLES
• Kern had two RBI bringing her season total to 49 nearly breaking a 50 RBI season. She looks to pass Michelle Venturella who holds the record with 65 in the 1994 season. Venturella also holds the third highest single season record when she had 51 RBI in 1995 behind Maddie Westmoreland who totaled 52 in 2018.
• IU tallied six hits against the Gophers and earned five free passes.
UP NEXT
Indiana looks to bounce back in the final game of the series against Minnesota Jane Sage Cowles Stadium. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET on Big Ten Plus.
INDIANA WTENNIS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana Women’s Tennis (12-7) defeated Michigan State (8-11) on Saturday, 4-0, at the IU Tennis Center.
Indiana got off to a great start in doubles play when it won at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to go up 1-0 prior to singles play.
The Hoosiers took that momentum into singles to win by dominant fashion. Saby Nihalani, Mila Mejic, and Alexandra Staiculescu won at No. 2, 3 and 4 singles, respectively to clinch the win.
Indiana’s Saby Nihalani was able to sweep the second set 6-0 to take the first singles point.
Indiana’s Mila Mejic was able to close the tie break in the second set 7-1 to win the Hoosier’s second singles point.
Indiana’s season record now stands at 12-7.
INDIANA 4, MICHIGAN STATE 0
SINGLES
Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) vs. Lara Schneider (IU) 6-4, 2-3 Unf.
Saby Nihalani (IU) def. Marley Lambert (MSU) 6-3, 6-0
Mila Mejic (IU) def. Issey Purser (MSU) 6-0, 7-6 (7-1)
Alexandra Staiculescu (IU) def. Nicole Cnard (MSU) 6-4, 6-0
Juliette Nask (MSU) vs. Nicole Teodosescu (IU) 4-6-1-3 Unf.
Charlotte Gisclon (MSU) vs. Rose Hu (IU) 6-4, 1-2 Unf.
DOUBLES
Lara Schneider/Saby Nihalani (IU) def. Liisa Vehvilainen/Marley Lambert (MSU) 6-1
Alexandra Staiculescu/Nicole Teodosescu (IU) def. Issey Purser/Nicole Conard (MSU) 6-2
Lauren Lemonds/Rose Hu (IU) vs. Juliette Nask/Dagmar Zdrubecka (MSU) 4-4 unfinished
ORDER OF FINISH
Singles: 2, 3, 4, Unfinished
Doubles: 1, 2, Unfinished
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will take on Michigan tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the IU Tennis Center.
INDIANA TRACK AND FIELD
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A rainy, windy day in Knoxville made for some uncomfortable conditions on Saturday as the Hoosiers wrapped up the Tennessee Invite.
IU made the most of it, winning individual event titles in the women’s triple jump, men’s 800 meters, women’s high jump and the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase before finishing first in the men’s 4×400 relay to close out the weekend.
Mahogany Jenkins (triple jump) and Taylor Schoonveld (high jump) each produced winning efforts to ensure a weekend sweep of the women’s jumps events at the Tennessee Invite. Paola Fernandez-Sola won the long jump on Friday morning.
Camden Marshall was victorious across 800 meters, leading a charge of seven Hoosiers inside the top-20 of the event. He ran a season’s best 1:50.98 with Andrew Anderson (1:54.87) and Nico Colchico (1:55.27) running personal bests.
The Hoosiers passed the baton around in 42.22 in the men’s 4×100 relay behind the team of John Colquitt, Antonio Laidler, Trelee Banks and Christopher Grant.
IU sent athletes into the 3000-meter steeplechase for the first time this season with Jake Gebhardt winning in 8:59.77 and Alyssa Skorge in second in 10:39.55. Katelyn Winton made a debut in the event, finishing third in 11:00.28.
The Hoosiers ran 3:18.69 in the men’s 4×400 relay, overcoming Tennessee on the final lap. Jaylen Grimes ran leadoff with Marshall, Keefer Soehngen and Parker Raymond running the closing three legs.
Next weekend will feature three meets with IU entries including the Jim Freeman Louisville Invitational, Bryan Clay Invitational, and the Mt. Sac Relays.
Tennessee Invite: April 8th
Event Athletes: Mark
100 Hurdles (W): Semis 3. Hope Purcell: 14.27w | Advanced to Finals
14. Nile Brown: 15.02
High Jump (M) 2. Grayson Rolen: 2.00m/6-6.75
9. Eli Crouch: 1.85m/6-0.75 | Personal Best
110 Hurdles (M): Semis 9. John Colquitt: 15.08
Triple Jump (W) 1. Mahogany Jenkins: 12.45m/40-10.25w
6. Kelly Moran: 11.72m/38-5.5
4×100 Relay (M) 4. Indiana: 42.22
– John Colquitt, Antonio Laidler, Trelee Banks, Christopher Grant
800 Meters (W) 3. Maddie Russin: 2:11.05
19. Shynae Deas: 2:18.69
30. Elizabeth Stanhope: 2:24.91
800 Meters (M) 1. Camden Marshall: 1:50.98
4. Keefer Soehngen: 1:52.56
10. Parker Raymond: 1:54.57
11. Andrew Anderson: 1:54.87 | Personal Best
12. Nick Couyoumjian: 1:54.98
14. Nico Colchico: 1:55.27 | Personal Best
19. Jaylen Castillo: 1:55.54
100 Meters (W) 23. Olivia Gee: 12.69
29. Kylee Poulton: 13.05 | Personal Best
100 Hurdles (W): Finals 3. Hope Purcell: 14.36w
High Jump (W) 1. Taylor Schoonveld: 1.60m/5-3 | Personal Best
400 Meters (M) 8. Jaylen Grimes: 50.60
3000mS (W) 1. Jake Gebhardt: 8:59.77
7. Austin Haskett: 9:20.77
3000mS (M) 2. Alyssa Skorge: 10:39.55
3. Katelyn Winton: 11:00.28 | Personal Best
4×400 Relay (M) 1. Indiana: 3:18.69
– Jaylen Grimes, Camden Marshall, Keefer Soehngen, Parker Raymond
PURDUE BASEBALL
MINNEAPOLIS – Jake Jarvis homered twice as part of his third career five-RBI game and Jonathan Blackwell worked 6 1/3 shutout innings, leading the way as Purdue baseball rolled to a 15-3 series-clinching victory Saturday at Minnesota.
The Boilermakers (14-15, 5-3 B1G) erupted for seven extra-base hits after being limited to three singles in Friday’s win. The pitching was equally elite though. Purdue kept the Gophers (7-22, 2-3 B1G) off the scoreboard until the ninth inning Saturday, beginning the series with 17 consecutive scoreless innings.
Blackwell (3-2) worked at least five innings for his eighth consecutive start to begin the season. Saturday was his best outing of the year as he conceded just six base runners – five singles and a walk – and faced the minimum through the end of the fourth inning.
The Boilermakers scored three times in the fourth and sixth innings. Jarvis hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth as Purdue blew it open with a seven-run rally, scoring seven-plus in a frame for the second time this week and fifth time this season.
Jarvis joined Paul Toetz as Boilermakers with multiple multi-homer games this season and Jake Parr as Boilers with two career grand slams at Purdue. Jarvis also became the first Boilermaker since Kyle Johnson in 2016 with multiple grand slams in a season.
Mike Bolton Jr. and Parr both connected for a triple Saturday. Doubles came from Sam Franco, Connor Caskenette and Toetz. Despite not starting the game, Franco had an RBI in three different at-bats.
Evan Albrecht was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, registering his 16th three-hit game since the start of 2022.
Purdue opened the third, fourth and fifth innings with an extra-base hit. Jarvis went deep to begin the top of the fourth and Bolton’s gapper the following frame led to a triple and another run. With eight home runs this season, Jarvis has matched Toetz for the team lead.
Toetz made the defensive play of the day, with the second baseman’s diving stop behind the bag robbing a two-out RBI single in bottom of the sixth.
As the first man out of the bullpen, Jackson Dannelley was credited with two outs while facing only one batter. With runners on the corners and one out, he induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play ball in the bottom of the seventh.
Minnesota’s consecutive pinch-hit singles sandwiched around a wild pitch ended the shutout bid in the bottom of the ninth. Purdue’s 18 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the top of the ninth Tuesday vs. Evansville was the program’s longest streak since March 2019 (22 straight over three games).
The Boilermakers have won three straight series at Siebert Field and seven of the last nine games vs. Minnesota in Minneapolis dating back to 2017.
Sunday’s series finale is slated for 2 p.m. ET.
PURDUE SOFTBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Boilermakers posted four hits they fell, 0-7 to Wisconsin on Saturday. With Game 2’s result, the Badgers clinched the series while the Boilermakers drop to a 17-21 (2-8 Big Ten) record.
The game-winner came in the first inning.
Second baseman Jade Moy had an SC Top-10 worthy catch in the fourth inning as she racked up seven putouts, a season-high. Offensively, Moy was leadoff batter and recorded a hit to open the game.
Kiara Dillon produced a double in the fifth inning, the third of the season for the junior. Alex Echazarreta and Kiersen George also registered hits in the game.
Starting pitcher Echazarreta received the loss, moving to 5-9 on the year. The fifth-year totaled one strikeout. Madi Elish came in relief to toss the final 2.1 innings, allowing one run in the final 11 batters-faced.
Purdue will spend Easter Sunday at Bittinger Stadium, as the series finale is set for 1 p.m. ET and will be streamed on B1G+.
PURDUE WBB
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Following 39 years on the sidelines, including the last seven on staff at Purdue, women’s basketball associate head coach Beth Couture has announced her retirement. Couture’s passionate energy and wisdom has impacted the lives of countless student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans over four decades.
A collegiate coaching career that started as an assistant coach at Presbyterian in 1987, Couture’s final two seasons in West Lafayette were perhaps her most important, as she helped Purdue transition to the Katie Gearlds era.
“For me, I have a lot of gratitude and love for Katie,” Couture said. “When she took over a short time before her first season, Katie did not have to trust me as she started to rebuild this program, but she did. I have been blessed to sit beside her for the last 18 months and watch her reestablish the standard at Purdue. She has grown so much as a coach on and off the court during our time together and will do so many amazing things for Purdue. What made this decision even harder was recognizing I will miss the daily interactions with Katie, our student-athletes and the staff. I look forward to being a super fan and cheering on the Boilermakers every chance I can.”
Couture started at Purdue as an assistant coach for the 2016-17 season, before being moved up to associate head coach in 2018. Her time in West Lafayette was bookended by the Boilermakers’ last two NCAA Tournament appearances. Eighteen Boilermakers garnered All-Big Ten honors with Couture on staff, while 34 earned Academic All-Big Ten status.
Her final two seasons at Mackey Arena saw her take on a mentorship role, as Gearlds made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division I. Couture and the coaching staff worked tirelessly ahead of the 2021-22 season to help overhaul Purdue’s schematics when Gearlds took over as head coach just 47 days before the season. Their efforts led to a 10-win improvement, the largest by a first-year head coach in program history.
Couture’s swansong campaign in 2022-23 saw Purdue pick up back-to-back road ranked wins over No. 22 Illinois and No. 2 Ohio State, the latter being the first true road top-5 win in program history. The Boilermakers ended the season in the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first trip to March Madness since 2016-17.
Couture’s impact at Purdue will long exceed her tenure with her role in aiding in the recruitment process for the Boilermakers’ incoming class of 2023, which was ranked No. 21 by ESPNW.
“I’m forever grateful to and for Beth,” Gearlds said. “We only worked together for two years but it felt like a lifetime. The gratitude I have for what she taught me about this job as I transitioned from where I was to this level is something I cannot put into words. She really was my right hand these last two years. She accepted me for who I was and helped me get this program back on the right tracks. On a personal level, I never would have thought we would become best friends. But we did. I don’t know if there’s a person outside my family who has had more of an impact or who has gained my trust more than her.”
Prior to her stepping on the sidelines over 1,000 times in her coaching career, a career that featured more than 600 victories, Couture was a Kodak All-American and two-time District 6 Player of the Year at Erskine College from 1980-84. She scored more than 2,000 points and was tabbed the Erskine Most Valuable Player four years in a row, leading to her induction in the Erskine Hall of Fame in 1989.
Following two seasons as an assistant at Presbyterian, Couture led the Blue Hose for 13 seasons to amass a 258-117 record. Couture and Presbyterian reached the NCAA Division II Tournament on six occasions and won seven Southern Athletic Championships during her tenure. A four-time SAC Coach of the Year recipient, Couture guided two SAC Freshmen of the Year and three SAC Players of the Year.
In 2002, Couture became the head coach at Butler, where she posted four straight 20-win seasons and reached the WNIT five times. Her 193 wins over 12 campaigns is the most by a Butler head coach.
After serving as the head coach at Converse College for the 2014-15 season and an associate head coach at Cleveland State the following year, Couture made her way to West Lafayette ready to add to her lifetime of memories in basketball.
“There are so many moments when I look back on my career that bring me joy,” Couture added. “Beyond the on-court moments, I will always cherish hearing from my players after they graduated. It’s bigger than basketball. Watching young women go out into the world and make an impact, have incredible careers and be a part of amazing families. There is no better feeling than hearing from them when they want to update you on where their lives have taken them. It’s more than a game. You become part of a family.
“One game I will always cherish is our win this season against Ohio State. To be a part of something that has never been done before by any team at Purdue, a program that has so much rich history, was truly special. I am glad I was able to share that with Katie, the players and staff.”
While she spent 39 years on the sideline motivating her student-athletes to reach their potential on the floor, Couture has been an inspiration to so many more off the court since 2009 when she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Courageously battling until she entered remission in 2010, Couture’s teams have annually raised money and taken part in community service events that benefit not just cancer research, but the patients and their families throughout Indianapolis and the Lafayette and West Lafayette communities.
Her impact beyond basketball is immeasurable. Couture spent a lifetime immersed in setting her student-athletes up for success in the game of basketball and in life. A journey she would not hesitate to go on again.
“Coaching basketball has been my life the last 39 years,” Couture recounted. “When you coach basketball, it’s not just a job. It’s a lifestyle. Your team becomes your second family. You want them to excel in basketball. More than anything though, you want them to succeed in life. For the part I played, I will forever be thankful for all the opportunities this game gave me. I have been blessed to work with so many amazing people and incredible student-athletes. To all my former players, all I can say is thank you. You meant the world to me.”
BUTLER WLAX
The Butler women’s lacrosse team suffered a 15-5 loss against Villanova on Saturday. The Bulldogs drop to 5-6 on the season and 1-2 in conference play, while the Wildcats get their first conference win of the season and are now 9-4 overall.
How it happened
Villanova’s defense began a trend of tough defense in the first quarter, allowing just three shots and one shot on goal. On the offensive end, four different Wildcats scored to give them a 4-0 lead after one quarter of play.
The second quarter saw more offense for the Bulldogs. Leah Rubino scored two of her three goals and Luci Selander found the back of the net in the closing seconds before halftime. However, the Wildcats continued to pressure the Butler defense and used a fast-paced approach on offense. All nine of Villanova’s shots in the quarter were on goal, with six of them hitting the back of the net to extend their lead to 10-3 at half.
Butler held Villanova to two goals in the third, their lowest-scoring quarter of the game. The Bulldogs were unable to capitalize on offense, as they were held scoreless in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Rubino scored her third goal of the game off a KK Callaghan assist and Kaley Attaway also scored from an assist by Tessa Fackrell. The lead was just too much to overcome, and three Villanova goals in the quarter made the final score 15-5.
Notable Stats
Rubino recorded her fifth game this season with at least three goals.
The Bulldogs had a season-low nine draw controls.
Both teams committed 19 turnovers.
Butler recorded their lowest shot percentage (26.3%) of the season.
Caroline Smith logged nine saves and three ground balls in the game.
Villanova’s Sami Carey led all players with a game-high seven points (three goals, four assists).
Up Next
The Bulldogs return home for an in-state battle with Notre Dame on Monday. First draw is set for 2 p.m.
BUTLER BASEBALL
CINCINNATI – The Musketeers scored 13 runs off 13 hits to defeat Butler on Saturday afternoon by the final score of 13-6. The Bulldogs hit three home runs in the getaway game, but would also give up three to the home team. With the setback, Butler moves to 7-23 overall.
Joey Urban hit the first pitch of the game out of the park to give BU a quick 1-0 lead. The homer would be the first of three on the day for the Bulldogs. Garret Gray hit a solo shot in the sixth and Xavier Carter hit a two-run bomb to right center in the eighth.
BU led early in this one as Carter Dorighi recorded an RBI groundout in the third to score Vota and Kollyn All hit a sac fly to score Urban.
Xavier’s comeback started in the fifth inning. The Musketeers scored six runs in the fifth to take the lead and would add five more runs down the stretch to sweep the weekend series. DePrey, DeMartino, Helmini all hit home runs for Xavier to ignite the offense.
The win went to Jonathan Kelly while the loss fell to Jon Vore. Lukas Galdoni got the start for BU and tossed the first three innings of action. Clay Holzworth would also enter the game before Vore. The Bulldogs went with Barokas for two frames and ended the game with a single inning from Miketinac.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Tuesday, April 11 with a game at Michigan. First pitch is set for 4 PM.
BUTLER SB
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler softball team lost the BIG EAST series with Villanova when the visiting Wildcats won game three by a final score of 7-2. With a couple of conference games remaining to be played this weekend, the Bulldogs (15-23, 9-3 BIG EAST) are locked into a battle with UConn and Seton Hall for the top three positions in the standings. Villanova (21-17, 7-5 BIG EAST) currently sits in the fourth position. Butler and UConn will face off in a three-game set next weekend.
How It Happened
Butler scored first, putting single runs across in both the first and second innings. In the first, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on singles from Sydney Carter and Ella White and a walk drawn by Paige Dorsett. Kieli Ryan (2-3, RBI) hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Carter to tag home.
In the second, Butler scored its second run when Olivia Moxley (2-3, 3B, RBI) hit a triple off the wall in center and crossed the plate when Kaylee Gross produced a bunt single. The 2-0 lead held through four complete innings.
In the top of the fifth, Villanova rallied with the help of two miscues by the Bulldogs. Three singles and a double contributed to a five-run frame the gave the Wildcats a 5-2 lead. A two-run homer in the sixth extended the Villanova lead to 7-2.
Mackenzie Griman (7-10) started for Butler in the circle and took the loss. After four scoreless innings, she was tagged with five unearned runs in the fifth. Overall, she allowed seven hits and two walks, while striking out five. Sydney Cammon (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, K) and Rylyn Dyer (1.2 IP, 2 K) provided relief for the Bulldogs.
Bulldog Bits
Olivia Moxley’s triple in game three was her second of the season.
Cate Lehner (3-6) and Kieli Ryan (4-8) each batted .500 in the three-game series, leading Butler.
Ryan was the only Bulldog with a pair of RBI over the three games.
Ella White (4-11, 2B, HR, 3 R) joined Ryan in leading the Bulldogs with four hits in the series.
Up Next
Butler travels to Southern Indiana for a single game on Wednesday, Apr. 12. The following weekend, the Bulldogs play a three-game BIG EAST series at UConn.
BUTLER MTENNIS
The men’s tennis team won their BIG EAST matchup with Xavier on Saturday, 6-1. The result means Butler will move to 3-1 in conference play and 12-9 overall.
The Bulldogs sealed the doubles point, winning comfortably at courts No. 1 and No. 2. Thomas Brennan and Alvaro Huete Vadillo blanked their opponents at the top spot 6-0, while Borja Miralles and Nicolas Arts earned a 6-3 victory.
Brennan extended his win streak to five from the No. 1 singles with a straight set victory. Four other Bulldogs won their matchups to complete the scoring. Miralles and Arts carried over their success from doubles to singles to take close two set matches. Rahulniket Konakanchi and Patrick Joss impressed with controlling straight set points from the No. 4 and No. 5.
The Bulldogs wrap up their regular season slate with a matchup against Marquette next Saturday. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
Match Results – Butler vs. Xavier
Singles:
1. Thomas Brennan (BU) def. Ryan Cahill (XU) – 6-1, 6-2
2. Deacon Thomas (XU) def. Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BU) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (8)
3. Borja Miralles (BU) def. Cambell Nakayama (XU) – 7-6, 6-4
4. Rahulniket Konakanchi (BU) def. Pascal Mosberger (XU) – 6-3, 6-1
5. Patrick Joss (BU) def. Kyle Totorica (XU) – 6-0, 6-3
6. Nicolas Arts (BU) def. Marco Pennelli (XU) – 7-5, 6-3
Doubles:
1. Thomas Brennan/Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BU) def. Ryan Cahill/Shashank Reddy (XU) – 6-0
2. Borja Miralles/Nicolas Arts (BU) def. Pascal Mosberger/Cambell Nakayama (XU)– 6-3
3. Rahulniket Konakanchi/Patrick Joss (BU) vs. Deacon Thomas/Marco Pennelli (XU) – 5-3, unfinished
IUPUI MTENNIS
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The IUPUI men’s tennis team fell to Northern Kentucky on the road on Saturday afternoon, 7-0. Alex Jochim and Tom Ciszewski won the number one doubles match but the Jags couldn’t capitalize.
Jochim and Ciszewski led off the match with the number one doubles win, 6-3. NKU answered by taking the number two and three matches to seal the doubles point. Blessing Benibo and Colton Morehart fell in the number two spot, 6-4 and Kamil Kozerski and Nick Moody lost in the number three spot, 6-4.
NKU swept singles play earning the 7-0 win. Jochim fell at number one singles, 6-2, 7-6 while Ciszewski lost in the number two spot, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0. Kozerski lost in the number three singles spot, 6-1, 6-2 while Morehart lost the number four singles match, 7-5. 7-5. Benibo lost at number five singles, 6-2, 6-1 and Noah Viste fell in the number six spot, 6-2, 7-5.
IUPUI is now 5-18 overall and 1-4 in conference. They host Youngstown State on Saturday, April 15 for a 3:00 PM first serve.
BALL STATE SB
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The IUPUI men’s tennis team fell to Northern Kentucky on the road on Saturday afternoon, 7-0. Alex Jochim and Tom Ciszewski won the number one doubles match but the Jags couldn’t capitalize.
Jochim and Ciszewski led off the match with the number one doubles win, 6-3. NKU answered by taking the number two and three matches to seal the doubles point. Blessing Benibo and Colton Morehart fell in the number two spot, 6-4 and Kamil Kozerski and Nick Moody lost in the number three spot, 6-4.
NKU swept singles play earning the 7-0 win. Jochim fell at number one singles, 6-2, 7-6 while Ciszewski lost in the number two spot, 5-7, 6-4, 1-0. Kozerski lost in the number three singles spot, 6-1, 6-2 while Morehart lost the number four singles match, 7-5. 7-5. Benibo lost at number five singles, 6-2, 6-1 and Noah Viste fell in the number six spot, 6-2, 7-5.
IUPUI is now 5-18 overall and 1-4 in conference. They host Youngstown State on Saturday, April 15 for a 3:00 PM first serve.
BALL STATE MVOLLEYBALL
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State men’s volleyball (18-8, 11-3 MIVA) defeated Purdue Fort Wayne (16-12, 7-7 MIVA) 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-22) Saturday night in Worthen Arena, earning its second-straight Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) regular season crown.
This is the first time the Cardinals have won back-to-back MIVA regular season titles since the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
Ball State also shares tonight’s crown with Loyola Chicago and Ohio State. It is the first three-way tie for the MIVA regular season championship since 1996 and just the second in the history of the conference.
The Cardinals will be the No. 1 seed in next week’s MIVA Tournament quarterfinals where Ball State will host No. 8 Quincy Saturday, April 15. First serve is at 7 pm ET. BSU won the three-way tiebreaker against Loyola Chicago (11-3) and Ohio State (11-3) for the top spot in the tourney.
Ball State has won six-straight MIVA matches to put itself in contention tonight for another MIVA regular season championship and it was clear from start to finish that the Cardinals were on a mission to do just that.
The first set started as a back-and-forth affair which was to be expected in a rivalry match. Kaleb Jenness then served up four-straight points to give Ball State the upper hand with a 10-8 lead over the Mastodons. After that, the Cardinals remained in control to close out the first set, 25-17, off a Bryce Behrendt ace.
Set two pretty much mimicked the opening frame with Ball State jumping out to a 10-6 early lead after kills from Dyer Ball and Wil McPhillips. Some nice plays from veteran Felix Egharevba put the Cardinals in position to go up 2-0 in the match as Ball State continued its face paced offense to allowing BSU to take set two, 25-17 which came off a McPhillips kill.
After the break, Purdue Fort Wayne tried to redeem itself by keeping the third set close with eight ties and two lead changes.
Ball State continued to fight and was resilient to not let the match go into a fourth set. The set was knotted 20-20, but a PFW service error and then an ace from Behrendt gave Ball State the 22-20 advantage.
Jenness and McPhillips came through offensively with some much-needed kills to make the score 24-22. Purdue Fort Wayne’s Mark Frazier’s hitting error gave Ball State the win and the MIVA regular season title.
Offensively, Jennes led Ball State with a 15-kill performance off 33 swings for a .333 hitting percentage. David Flores dished out 33 assists and Behrendt had three service aces. Jenness also had eight defensive digs and Egharevba led in total blocks with six.
NOTRE DAME MLAX
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish turned in a performance for the ages on Saturday afternoon in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,000 fans at Arlotta Stadium, knocking off No. 1 Duke by a score of 17-12.
There were many standout performances on the day, as Pat Kavanagh bolstered his case for the Tewaaraton with an eight-point performance off three goals and five assists. His brother Chris tied his career high with five goals on the afternoon and Eric Dobson added a hat trick with three goals and an assist.
Defensively Chris Fake turned in a masterclass, locking down Brennan O’Neill, one of the top players in the country. Fake held O’Neill to just one point off a goal, snapping his streak of 22 games with at least three points.
In goal Liam Entenmann held one of the top attacks in the nation to 12 goals, as he made 15 saves for a save percentage of .556.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish and Blue Devils traded punches early, as the score was 2-2 with under two minutes left in the first before Duke scored in the final minute to take a 3-2 advantage into the second quarter.
The Irish came out and controlled play in the second stanza, outscoring the visitors 7-1 to take control of the game at 9-4 heading into the halftime break. Pat and Chris Kavanagh each scored twice in the period and Ben Ramsey, Jake Taylor and Dobson each added one to complete the attacking barrage.
Dobson immediately extended the lead to six in the opening minute of the third to complete his hat trick. Duke answered by scoring five of the next seven to trim the lead to three at 12-9 but then Pat Kavanagh fired in his third of the game with just over a minute remaining to push the lead back to 13-9 heading into the final frame.
The Irish left no doubt in the fourth quarter, scoring the first four goals of the final 15 minutes of action to stretch the lead to 17-9, the largest of the day. Duke managed to score the final three goals of the game but the Irish came away with the impressive 17-12 win to knock off No. 1 Duke.
NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME
The 17 goals the Irish scored are the most a Duke defense has allowed since dropping a 17-16 decision to No. 15 UNC in overtime on April 1, 2016. The last time Duke allowed 17 or more goals in regulation came in a 19-7 loss to No. Syracuse on March 22, 2015.
NOTRE DAME NOTES
The Irish are now 3-1 in program history in games featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country.
Notre Dame has now won three straight against Duke and four of the last five.
With five assists on the day, Pat Kavanagh has 117 career assists, which improves his Notre Dame program record.
Chris Kavanagh’s hat trick was the eighth of his season and 10th of his career.
Pat Kavanagh finished with eight points, giving him 195 in his career. That total moves him into third place in program history, passing Pat Walsh (192).
Pat Kavanagh also led the team in ground balls on the day and also posted a caused turnover.
Entenmann recorded 15 saves, marking his seventh straight game with double-digit saves. The 15 saves are a season-high for the senior
Dobson has 21 goals on the season and has recorded back-to-back hat tricks for the first time during the 2023 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Irish have a week off before returning to Arlotta for their regular-season home finale against No. 10/9 UNC at noon ET on Saturday, March 22. The game will air on ESPNU.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
PITTSBURGH, PA – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (17-12) clinched the series win over the Pitt Panthers (14-15) after taking games one and two, but couldn’t complete the sweep as they fell 9-5 in the final game on Sunday, April 8.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first and second inning, the Irish were able to put two runs on the board in the top of the third. Zack Prajzner and Carter Putz hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second for the Irish. Both Prajzner and Putz moved into scoring position after advancing on a wild pitch with Brooks Coetzee up to the plate. Coetzee reached on a throwing error from third, while Prajzner and Putz were able to score on the misthrow.
Leading 2-0, the Irish and Panthers each recorded scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth. Pitt made it an even ballgame in the bottom of the sixth after a two-run home run to tie it up at 2-2 heading into the seventh.
TJ Williams reached after being hit by the pitch and was followed by a single to left field from Jack Penney to get things started. Prajzner reached via a walk and it was bases loaded for the Irish with just one out in the seventh. Putz stepped up to the plate and ripped it down the right field line for a 2-RBI double as he scored Williams and Penney. With two outs, pinch hitter Nick Juaire recorded a base hit that scored Prajzner, but Putz was out at the plate to close the frame as the Irish led 5-2.
The Panthers brought it within two in the bottom of the seventh and a scoreless frame from the Irish kept it at a 5-3 ballgame going into the bottom of the eighth. A six-run offensive outing from Pitt, which included back-to-back home runs, lifted the Panthers to a 9-5 advantage heading into the ninth inning.
Notre Dame wasn’t able to bridge the gap in their final opportunity at the plate and fell 9-5 to Pitt in game three.
UP NEXT
Notre Dame is back at home on Tuesday, April 11 to take on Michigan State at Frank Eck Stadium before resuming conference play at Clemson for a three-game series starting on Friday, April 14.
NOTRE DAME SB
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Notre Dame softball team closed the weekend against the Louisville Cardinals with a 6-2 loss Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Irish scored first, but a rally from the Cardinals in the fourth inning proved to be the difference. Notre Dame is now 23-11-1 on the season, and 7-7-1 in ACC action after taking the series from Louisville. The Cardinals improve to 25-12 and 10-4 in conference action.
Graduate student Payton Tidd got the start in the circle. She worked 3.2 innings, allowing nine hits, five earned runs and struck out one before giving way to Shannon Becker. The sophomore threw 2.1 innings, allowing just three hits, one earned run and struck out two.
The offense was led by Karina Gaskins. The junior finished 2-for-4 with a home run. Macie Eck added a 3-for-3 effort. Leea Hanks and Anna Holloway each finished 1-for-3, Hanks scoring a run on Holloway’s single. Carlli Kloss added a single in the seventh inning.
How It Happened
The Irish took an early lead, plating a run in the top of the second inning. Hanks led off with a single to center and went first to third when Eck singled through the right side. Holloway dropped a single into left field for the first run of the contest.
Louisville tied it up in the third, as a two-out triple was followed with a single to knot the game at one.
The Cardinals kept a rally going in the fourth, plating four more runs. Six consecutive hits, concluding with an RBI double, opened the game up, giving Louisville the 5-1 advantage.
Gaskins cut into the lead with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning to make it 5-2, Cardinals.
Louisville tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
Notre Dame’s seventh inning had a runner reach with a base hit, but couldn’t keep the rally going, falling 6-2.
Up Next
The Irish return to the field Tuesday evening as they head to Michigan State for a matchup with the Spartans.
NOTRE DAME WLAX
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The eighth-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team fell in heartbreaking fashion to the No. 7 Eagles of Boston College at Arlotta Stadium, 12-11, Saturday afternoon.
In a tight defensive challenge the two teams battled wire to wire Saturday with the visiting ACC foe Eagles taking the final edge behind a late free position set up in the Irish end.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish and Eagles played a hard defensive first quarter with both sides shutting down the opposition until late in the first 15. BC scored twice late in the opening quarter as the Irish faced a 2-0 deficit heading into the second frame.
The Irish came out firing in the second quarter, as Wolak, Shanahan and Choma quickly found the back of the net to take a 3-2 lead three minutes into the frame. The two teams then traded a series of goals, as the Irish trailed 6-5 heading into the halftime break.
Wolak scored her second of the game to tie the game 6-6 early in the third quarter.
The Eagles beat Callahan shortly after Wolak’s game-tying tally to make it 7-6 halfway through the third quarter but it was all Irish after that as the home team carried a 10-7 lead into the final quarter, courtesy of goals from Ahern, Choma, and MK Doherty.
Doherty’s goal with three seconds left in the third kept momentum in Notre Dame’s favor as they held the Eagles scoreless through the first five minutes of the fourth.
Wolak’s goal in the fourth gave the Irish the 11-7 lead and was her seventh hat trick performance of the season.
The Eagles scored off the free position in the fourth quarter cut the Irish lead to three with 9:21 to play.
Boston College went on to tie things up with 2:30 left before being awarded a free position with 12 seconds to play in regulation. Despite the ensuing shot sailing high, the Eagles regained possession and beat Callahan for the 12-11 final.
STAT OF THE GAME
Three women hit century milestones in the contest. With her first save of the game, Callahan picked up her 100th career stop, meanwhile Dorney’s ground ball in the first quarter was career No. 100 for the graduate student. The Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., native finished the game with four ground balls.
Ahern, who led the team with four points off three goals and an assist, recorded her 200th career point Saturday. The senior now boasts 202 points behind 143 goals and 59 assists.
ND NOTES
Two individuals recorded hat tricks for the women Saturday as Madison Ahern and Jackie Wolak both tallied three goals. With her first goal of the game, and second point of the day, Ahern eclipsed the 200 career point mark.
Kasey Choma also boasted multiple goals in the loss as the senior beat the BC goalkeeper twice for her 36th and 37th tallies of the year.
With three goals against the Eagles, Ahern now leads all Irish attackers with 38 goals on the year.
Lilly Callahan recorded 11 saves on the afternoon to bring her season total to 89. All-time, she boasts 110 career saves.
Hannah Dorney’s four ground balls was a team-best, tied with Choma and Grace Weigand. In total, the Irish picked up 20 ground balls and caused six turnovers.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back on the road Monday with a battle at Butler. First draw is set for 2 p.m. and will be aired live from Indianapolis on FloSports.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Josue Urdaneta connected on the two-out, two-strike walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning scoring Mike Sears as Indiana State topped Illinois State on Saturday afternoon at Bob Warn Field, 4-3.
Sears led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a line drive single up the middle to start the late-inning rally. Grant Magill connected on the sacrifice bunt to move him to second and Seth Gergely grounded out to the second baseman moving Sears 90 feet from home plate with two outs.
Urdaneta went down 0-2 against Illinois State (10-15, 2-6 MVC) reliever Elijah Dale (2-3) before turning on a hanging slider and driving the ball over the infield and onto the outfield grass in right field. Sears touched home and Urdaneta reached first for the walk-off single as the Sycamore (17-12, 7-1 MVC) dugout spilled onto the turf in celebration.
Indiana State played from behind throughout the contest as Illinois State jumped ahead early with a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Mike Sears tied the game up in the fifth with a two-run home run and Randal Diaz connected on a late RBI groundout in the bottom of the eighth scoring Gergely to make it a 3-3 ballgame and send the contest into extra innings.
ISU’s pitching staff came through in the clutch throughout the contest. Brennyn Cutts entered the game in the top of the seventh with two-on, one-out and escaped a bases-loaded jam with an inning-ending strikeout.
Zach Davidson also escaped a two-on, one-out situation in the eighth to keep the game within striking distance. Jared Spencer (3-1) surrendered a walk to lead off the top of the ninth before retiring the final six Redbirds in order to record his third win of the season.
Keegan Watson and Sears both posted multi-hit games as the Sycamores connected on nine hits throughout the contest. Watson added a double in the fifth inning prior to Sears’ team-leading 10th home run of the season.
Connor Fenlong went 6.1 innings in the start in picking up the no-decision. The redshirt senior retired 10 batters in a row at one point on his way to surrendering seven hits and three runs while walking one and striking out two.
Shaydon Kubo and JT Sokolove both had multi-hit games for Illinois State in the loss. All nine Redbird hits were singles.
Cameron Mabee went 6.1 innings allowing six hits and two runs while striking out five in the Saturday start. Dale went the final 3.1 innings allowing three hits and two runs while striking out three.
How They Scored
Illinois State took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the second as Auggie Rasmussen and JT Sokolove both connected on RBI singles in the inning.
The Sycamores tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning on Mike Sears’ team-leading 10th home run of the season as the two-run blast cleared the left field wall and scored Keegan Watson to make it a 2-2 game.
Noah Rabin put the Redbirds back in the lead with an RBI fielder’s choice scoring Shaydon Kubo to make it a 3-2 game.
The Sycamores knotted the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth with some small ball as Seth Gergely singled and stole second base before coming around to score on Randal Diaz’s RBI grounder.
Josue Urdaneta kept his eight-game hitting streak alive with a two-out, walk-off single down to right field scoring Mike Sears to cap the scoring in Indiana State’s 4-3 win over the Redbirds.
News & Notes
The Indiana State pitching staff’s scoreless inning streak came to an end with one out in the top of the second inning. The Sycamores had held their opponents scoreless for 23.1 consecutive innings dating back to the bottom of the sixth inning on April 3 at UIC.
The 23.1 scoreless inning streak marked the ISU pitching staff’s second-longest scoreless streak in the Mitch Hannahs coaching era. ISU held opponents scoreless for 27.1 consecutive innings back in the 2014 season over a four-game stretch from March 30 – April 5 against Illinois State, Austin Peay, and Wichita State.
Luis Hernandez extended his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games following his single down the third base line in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Josue Urdaneta continued his season-best eight-game hitting streak with the walk-off single in the 10th inning. He’s posted six multi-hit contests over the streak with RBI in five of the last six games.
Seth Gergely extended his on-base streak to 13 games after his leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Mike Sears became the first Sycamore to reach double-digit home runs since Max Wright connected on a team-leading 16 in the 2021 season.
Sears becomes just the seventh Sycamore to reach double-digit home runs in a single season in the Hannahs coaching era.
Indiana State clinched its fourth consecutive series win over Illinois State dating back to the 2019 season with Saturday’s win.
The win was ISU’s first walk-off win of the 2023 season and first since the Sycamores walked off Evansville on April 22, 2022, on Keegan Watson’s game-winning home run in the 7-6 win at Bob Warn Field.
The Sycamores improve to 2-2 in extra-inning games this season.
Up Next
Indiana State continues Missouri Valley play this weekend as the Sycamores host the Redbirds in the final game of the weekend series on Sunday afternoon at Bob Warn Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on 105.5 The Legend.
INDIANA STATE SB
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State softball defeated UNI 6-4 on Saturday afternoon at Price Field, handing the Panthers their first MVC loss of the season.
The Sycamores (19-18, 8-4) finished with eight hits while UNI (21-11, 10-1) had seven on the afternoon.
Lauren Sackett went the distance for ISU, tying her career-high for strikeouts with 11.
The Action
Both teams went down in order in the first, including Lauren Sackett striking out the side in the top of the first.
UNI would score a pair of runs with a two-out double in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead. Annie Tokarek led off the bottom of the frame with a double off the wall and would be pinch ran for by Hannah Welch. Welch took third on a wild pitch and would later score on a Kennedy Shade sacrifice fly to make it a 2-1 game.
Sackett picked up two more strikeouts in the top of the third to bring the Sycamores to the plate where they would strike for four runs. Abi Chipps led off the frame with a single followed by a single from Danielle Henning and a walk by Isabella Henning to load the bases. Kennedy Shade then drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game at two apiece. Down 1-2 in the count with two outs, TeAnn Bringle then gave the Sycamores the lead with a base hit to right field which scored both Danielle and Isabella. Kennedy Shade then scored on a wild pitch to increase the Sycamore lead to 5-2.
UNI got two runs back in the top of the fourth on a double down the right field line which made it a 5-4 ballgame. Danielle Henning notched a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, driving in Kaylee Barrett to put the Trees back up by two.
The 6-4 score would hold for the final three frames as Lauren Sackett picked up three more strikeouts to finish with 11, tying her career best. She improved to 4-5 on the season with the victory.
Olivia Patton had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 while Annie Tokarek, Danielle Henning, Abi Chipps, Kennedy Shade, TeAnn Bringle and Maeve McDonough each had one hit.
Up Next
The series will wrap up on Sunday, April 9 at 12 p.m. ET at Price Field.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE SB
INDIANAPOLIS – The Purdue Fort Wayne softball team won two games against IUPUI on Saturday (April 8) to extend its win streak to nine.
The Mastodons are now 6-2 in the Horizon League and are in sole possession of first place in the league. Their nine wins in a row is also the best in the league.
GAME 1: Purdue Fort Wayne 9, IUPUI 5
The Mastodons dominated the Jaguars from start to finish in the first game of the doubleheader. After three batters both ways in the first, the ‘Dons drew out the second inning and dealt the loss to Carly Metcalf. Metcalf gave up just one hit, a double for Tori Countryman, but the ‘Dons took advantage of three walks and three errors to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
In the third, Grace Hollopeter singled, Epiphany Hang drew a walk, then Sonia Solis scored Hollopeter with a single. Countryman singled as well, loading the bases. Brooke Lickey then drew a walk to bring home Hang, but the ‘Dons left it there, making it 6-0.
Meanwhile defensively, Gracie Brinkerhoff had given up just one hit through three innings. She got the win in 4.1 innings pitched to move to 5-3.
IUPUI got on the board in the fourth with a pair of runs, but Taryn Jenkins doubled in the fifth to score Lickey to make it a five-run game. The Jaguars threatened again in the fifth with two more, but Solis answered in the sixth with a sac fly for Hollopeter. For good measure, the ‘Dons scored one more in the seventh, again taking advantage of an IUPUI miscue.
Hollopeter finished 2-for-4 with two runs. Hang drew two walks and scored two. Lickey was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs.
Alanah Jones picked up her first save of the season with five strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched.
GAME 2: Purdue Fort Wayne 4, IUPUI 1
Countryman was 3-for-3 against the Jaguars in game two, which included a two-RBI double in the fifth.
The ‘Dons struck first in the second inning when Solis made it home from third on a wild pitch. IUPUI evened up the game in the third with a run on a fielder’s choice.
In the fourth, Countryman scored on a fielding error. An inning later, she was the one that doubled to score Ella Carriere and Grace Hollopeter. This put the ‘Dons up 4-1, which held until the final pitch.
Alyson Quinlan threw five strikeouts in the complete game to pick up her third win of the year. Madison Bryant went the distance but fell to 3-8.
The Mastodons will come home for a three-game series against Cleveland Stateon Tuesday and Wednesday (April 11-12) then hit the road for three more at Robert Morris on Friday and Saturday (April 14-15).
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
ROCHESTER, Mich. – Ben Higgins and Braedon Blackford each hit a home run in Purdue Fort Wayne baseball’s 7-6 loss to Oakland on Saturday (April 8) afternoon.
Higgins hit his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning to score Blackford and make the score 6-2 in favor of Oakland. Blackford hit a three-run shot in the seventh to make the score 6-5. This would be as close as the ‘Dons would get.
Blackford now has 10 home runs on the season. He added a double to his day for two hits.
Lucas Loos had three hits for Oakland. Travis Densmore went the required five innings to get the win. He is 3-3. Brandon Decker earned his second save of the season. Jacob Myer is now 0-3 after suffering the loss. He went 3.2 innings.
The ‘Dons out-hit Oakland 10-7.
Oakland improves to 13-17 (7-5 Horizon League). The ‘Dons fall to 8-24 (5-7 Horizon League). Purdue Fort Wayne plays a road game at the Valparaiso Beacons on Tuesday in non-league play.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team used a little two-out magic on Saturday afternoon to erupt for nine runs, and the Purple Aces held off a furious ninth-inning rally by the visiting Valparaiso Beacons to even their Missouri Valley Conference series with a 9-8 win at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“Our offense came through with some big at-bats today, which was great to see,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “It is also great to see Brent Widder getting hot, as he delivered multiple times for us today.
“Tomorrow is an important day, with the series on the line.”
Evansville went 6-for-14 with two outs and produced six two-out RBI in the contest to fuel the offense.
The Purple Aces struck first in the second inning, as junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse knocked a one-out double and fifth-year outfielder Danny Borgstrom produced a sacrifice fly to give UE a 2-0 advantage.
The Beacons would answer right back with a two-out run of its own in the third inning, before Fougerousse would deliver a two-out, two-run single in the home-half of the frame to push UE’s lead to 4-1.
Two more two-out runs would score in the sixth inning to move the lead to 6-1. Graduate outfielder Eric Roberts knocked a two-out RBI double, and junior shortstop Simon Scherry followed two batters later with an RBI single for UE.
The Beacons would scratch across two runs in the seventh inning to make it a 6-3 contest. UE’s two-out magic was not done though, as Widder came through with a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning as part of a three-run frame to push the lead to 9-3. The three insurance runs were needed for UE, as Valparaiso scored five two-out runs in the top of the ninth inning, before freshman Max Hansmann got the final out to nail down his first collegiate save.
Widder went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI to help lead the UE attack. Fougerousse also had two hits and drove in three runs, and Scherry and Roberts added two hits apiece as well. Graduate reliever Michael Parks (2-0) picked up the victory on the mound, scattering two runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of relief work.
With the victory, Evansville improves to 18-12 overall and evens its MVC record at 4-4. Valparaiso, meanwhile, falls to 10-13 overall and 2-6 in the MVC with the loss. The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., as UE junior LHP Donovan Schultz (4-2, 3.82 ERA) is expected to face off against Valparaiso RHP Bobby Nowak (3-0, 2.12 ERA). Sunday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.
EVANSVILLE SB
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Freshman Jess Willsey was a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI on Saturday to pace the University of Evansville softball team to a 4-3 victory over Southern Illinois at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
Each of Willsey’s hits resulted in RBIs as the Purple Aces earned a huge rebound victory. Jenna Nink scored three runs while earning two walks and a hit.
Sydney Weatherford encountered some trouble in the first inning with four of the first five batters reaching base, resulting in a 1-0 lead for the Salukis. Weatherford escaped further damage as she recorded the last two outs. With one out in the bottom of the first, three 1-out walks loaded the bases. Facing a 3-2 count, Jess Willsey doubled to left field to score Jenna Nink and Taylor Howe and give UE a 2-1 lead.
Jenna Nink opened the bottom half of the third with an infield single. After a Howe sacrifice advanced her to second, Jess Willsey came through once again. Another double to left field scored Nink and gave UE a 3-1 edge. Southern Illinois manufactured a run in the fourth to get back within one before an RBI single tied the game in the fifth.
For the third time in the contest, it was Willsey picked up the big hit. With two outs, her single to right field score Nink to put the Aces back in the lead. SIU put its first two runners on to begin the top of half of the 6th but Megan Brenton, who entered at the top of the frame, pitched out of the jam to keep her squad on top.
Brenton recorded her fourth save of the season as she sat the Salukis down in order to clinch the win. Weatherford earned her third victory of 2023.
Sunday’s series finale is set for a 12 p.m. start time.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost the three-game series finale to Southeast Missouri State University, 14-2, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 9-22 and 2-7 in the OVC, while SEMO goes to 18-16, 7-2 OVC.
USI was under the gun from the start of the game as SEMO got the lead with a run in the top of the first. USI tied the game, 1-1, in the second when junior designated hitter Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) smacked his team-best fifth home run of the season over the right field wall.
The Redhawks took command for good in the top of the third when they scored four times to take a 5-1 lead. USI cut the deficit in the third with a single tally in the bottom of the third on a RBI-single by junior centerfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan).
SEMO pulled away with a two run fourth and five runs in the fifth before finishing out the 14-2 game with two more in the seventh.
USI sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) received the loss on the mound for the Eagles. Hutson (1-5) allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits and two walks in 3.1 innings of work.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI continues the four-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts St. Louis University for the second game of a home-and-home series in 2023. The Eagles took the first game of the series on the road, 10-2, on March 14. USI senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) led the Eagles with three hits and three runs scored in the victory.
St. Louis finished off a three-game series win at St. Bonaventure University with a 7-5 win Saturday in New York. The Billikens have won six of their last seven games and are 8-9 since the Eagles snapped their 10-game winning streak last month.
Following the mid-week game with St. Louis, USI returns to OVC action with a visit to the University of Tennessee at Martin for a three-game series April 14-16.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SB
CHARLESTON, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Softball picked up a road series win at Eastern Illinois University on Saturday, as the Screaming Eagles shut out the Panthers, 2-0, to finish off the series.
Entering Saturday’s series finale, USI was third in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with a 7-6 conference record. Eastern Illinois was second in the league table at 9-1 in the OVC, sitting percentage points behind first-place Southeast Missouri State University.
The start of Saturday’s game was reminiscent of Friday’s series opener, as both starting pitchers were dialed in early. Southern Indiana sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) held Eastern Illinois hitless through 3.1 innings. With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Panthers cracked the hit column with a double and then a single, placing runners at the corners. Newman was unfazed, as she struck out back-to-back batters to get out of the jam. The sophomore had five strikeouts through four innings.
On the flip side, Eastern Illinois junior pitcher Olivia Price was just as solid as her game 1 start on Friday. In the second and third innings, Southern Indiana sophomore infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) and senior infielder Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) each had leadoff singles, but Price was able to draw a double play in each inning.
The Screaming Eagles struck for the game’s first run in the top of the fifth inning. Gotshall led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second after a productive sacrifice from senior infielder Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana). Senior Emma Tucher (New Palestine, Indiana) pinch ran for Gotshall at second base and came around to score on a two-out, RBI single into centerfield by Martinez.
Southern Indiana threatened again and doubled its lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) began the inning with a single down the left-field line and advanced to second on an EIU error, forcing Eastern Illinois to remove Price for senior pitcher Rachel Kaufman in the circle. Two batters later, Bedrick crossed home plate on an RBI single from senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana).
Gotshall and Martinez led USI at the plate, finishing 2-for-3, while Martinez and Goodin accounted for the RBIs.
Newman locked in the 2-0 shutout win in the bottom of the seventh inning, picking up a pair of strikeouts. Newman earned her 12th win of the season to move to 12-7. She also tossed her 12th complete game and fifth shutout of the 2023 campaign. The right-hander struck out eight total in seven innings of work. The sophomore paces the OVC in wins, complete games, shutouts, and strikeouts.
Eastern Illinois’ Price dropped to 8-3 with the loss, going five innings and allowing two runs – one earned – off five hits.
With the win, the Screaming Eagles improved to 14-17 this season and 8-6 in the OVC. Eastern Illinois dropped to 20-15 overall and 9-2 in conference play, as both of EIU’s OVC losses came at the hands of USI this weekend.
The Screaming Eagles will return home to USI Softball Field Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a midweek, non-conference matchup against Butler University. Admission to all 2023 USI Softball home spring games is free, courtesy of The Women’s Hospital Deaconess. The game can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links are on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
VALPO BASEBALL
The Valparaiso University baseball team has rallied to win when trailing through eight innings twice this season, but the return of some ninth-inning magic was not quite enough on Saturday as Evansville held on for a 9-8 victory despite a five-run frame by the Beacons. Valpo outhit the hosts 14-12 but left 16 runners stranded on base at Braun Stadium in Evansville.
How It Happened
Evansville started the scoring with two runs in the second, but Valpo got one back thanks to a two-out, run-scoring single by Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) in the third to make it 2-1.
The hosts got a clutch two-out hit of their own in the bottom of the inning as a single plated a pair to make it 4-1.
Nathan Chasey (Ames, Iowa / Gilbert [Indian Hills CC]) settled in and allowed just one batter to reach over the next two innings, sending down the side in order in the fifth, which was his final frame of work.
Evansville continued to tack on with two in the sixth, but Valpo got those runs back in the top of the seventh as Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central), Renfro and Jake Skrine (Longmont, Colo. / Mead [Indiana]) started the seventh with a string of three straight doubles to make it 6-3.
The Purple Aces plated three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth that proved to be significant based on what transpired in the next half inning.
Valpo loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth, but then Evansville recorded a fly out and a strike out as the runners remained at their respective stations, leaving the bags loaded with two outs and Evansville leading 9-3.
Nolan Tucker (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central) was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Schmack singled home another and then Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) worked a walk to make it 9-6. Evansville made a pitching change, and Skrine greeted the new Ace with a single down the right-field line to score two, cutting the lead to 9-8 and moving the tying run to third. Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) hit a sharp line drive to left, but it was right at the left fielder, who made the snag for the 27th out.
Inside the Game
The season-high 16 left on base marked Valpo’s most since April 24, 2021 vs. Southern Illinois.
Valpo outhit the opponent and lost the game for the fourth time this season. Valpo has no wins when being outhit by the opposition.
Valpo incurred its first one-run defeat of the season, dropping to 3-1 in such contests. This was the team’s first one-run loss since May 13, 2022, a 7-6 defeat to Bradley.
Five Beacons had multi-hit games, led by three hits apiece from Schmack and Renfro.
Chasey made his second career start (both this season) and his first weekend start. He allowed four runs on six hits in five innings while walking three and striking out two.
Renfro extended his on-base streak to 23 games, tying Sam Shaikin’s streak from 2017. He needs one more to pass Shaikin’s streak and own Valpo’s longest on-base streak since Nolan Lodden in 2016 (34).
Schmack started in center field for the first time this season after starting in left in each of the season’s first 21 games. Matt Olive (Minneapolis, Minn. / Blake School) got the start in left, his first nod at a position other than DH this year.
Up Next
Valpo (10-13, 2-6 MVC) and Evansville will close out the series with a 1 p.m. rubber match on Easter Sunday. There will be no video stream but live video and stats courtesy of Evansville Athletics are available with the links posted on ValpoAthletics.com.
VALPO WTENNIS
The Valparaiso University tennis team boasted victories at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles spots, but visiting Illinois State earned a 5-2 victory over the host Beacons in a match that took place outdoors at the Valpo Tennis Complex on Saturday afternoon. Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) and Eleanor Chapman (East Sussex, England / Eastbourne College [UT Martin / Lipscomb]) both picked up wins in their singles matches against the Redbirds, who remained undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference play by improving to 7-0.
How It Happened
Illinois State started the match by winning on all three doubles courts.
An injury led to Illinois State winning by default at No. 1 singles.
Bertino played a strong match at No. 5 singles, taking the first set 6-4 from Elena Jankulovska and leading the second set 3-2 when Jankulovska had to retire to give Bertino the triumph.
The other Beacon victory came at No. 6, where Chapman prevailed in a pair of tight sets, 6-4, 7-6(2).
The Redbirds picked up wins at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4.
Inside the Match
Bertino picked up her 16th win of the season and the 37th of her collegiate career.
Chapman grabbed her fifth singles win of the season since joining Valpo as a midyear transfer.
Valpo has played 11 matches this spring decided by either a 4-3 or 5-2 score out of their 16 total matches, attesting to the closeness of the dual matches this year.
Up Next
The Beacons (11-8, 1-6) will host senior day on Saturday, April 15. The match will be outdoors at the Valpo Tennis Complex if weather cooperates, or if not, will be held indoors at The Courts of NWI. Valpo will recognize five seniors – Demi Jhaveri, Amanda Tabanera, Eleanor Chapman, Allison McConnell and Olivia Czerwonka.
INDIANAPOLIS SB
INDIANAPOLIS—The sixth-ranked UIndy softball team earned a pair of statement wins Saturday, downing the visiting Maryville Saints 8-0 and 6-1. In a battle of the top two teams in the GLVC, the wins allowed the Greyhounds to leapfrog Maryville into first place in the conference standings.
The action featured two-homer days from both Lexy Rees and Megan Nichols, as well as the first collegiate win for Alexa Huth.
GAME 1 | UIndy 8, Maryville 0 (5 innings)
The Hounds relied on the long ball to snap the Saints’ nine-game win streak and ultimately run-rule their guests. UIndy went yard in three consecutive innings, with Rees’ two-run blast (3rd inning) and solo shot (5th) sandwiching Emily O’Connor’s three-run dinger in the fourth inning.
O’Connor’s was good for her team-leading 10th tater of the season, while Rees notched her second career two-homer game (at Lindenwood, 4/29/22).
UIndy piled on in the fifth after Rees’ second homer, as Sydnee Perry and Maddy Stout came around on Jocelyn Calvin’s double to invoke the mercy rule.
Kenzee Smith, meanwhile, recorded her sixth shutout of the season. She surrendered a mere two hits on the way to her 21st win of the year.
GAME 2 | UIndy 6, Maryville 1
Freshman Alexa Huth (1-0) garnered her first career start and delivered a solid outing. The Fort Wayne, Ind., product allowed just four hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings of work on the way to her first collegiate victory.
With the score 3-1 Hounds, Huth struck out the first two hitters in the fifth before a walk and a single ended her day. Smith returned to the circle and took it from there, with a fielding error accounting for the lone base runner for the balance of the contest. She earned her third save of the season in the process and has not allowed an earned run in 25 consecutive innings.
The UIndy bats were effective as well, especially Megan Nichols’. The sophomore center fielder, who leads the Hounds in hitting, crushed two home runs in the game – a solo homer in the first and a two-run shot in the third.
Calvin accounted for the three remaining runs, stealing home in the fifth inning and roping a two-run single in the sixth. She and Nichols combined for four hits, four runs and five ribbies.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds wrap up their lengthy homestand with a mid-week double versus in-region Cedarville. First pitch from Baumgartner Field is set for Wednesday, April 12 at 2 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS WLAX
ST. LOUIS – On a beautiful pass from first-year transfer Megan Dunn, UIndy saw Joey Fowler corrall the ball and put the game-winning shot into the back of the net with just 11.8 seconds left to help the UIndy women’s lacrosse team secure a massive GLVC victory over No. 19 Maryville by a score of 15-14. With the win, the Hounds improve to 12-2 (3-0 GLVC) while Maryville drops its first contest of the year after starting the season 13-0.
On the offensive side of the ball, eight players recorded one or more points in the game. The duo of Dunn and Jess Soenen each had four while Olivia Bladon was close behind with three. On defense, Bladon caused a team-leading two turnovers while Audrey Moran collected the win between the pipes with 10 saves.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Action was locked even from the first whistle to the last, with the biggest lead of the game going to Maryville at 5-2 in the first quarter and then 13-10 in the third quarter. Despite this, UIndy proceeded to climb right back into the game each time as play eventually progressed to a 14-14 score with a little over three minutes remaining.
Despite a successful draw control win by Sage Da Silva with 3:18 left, a turnover by the Hounds put the ball in the hands of Maryville with time slowly winding down. On their possession, the Saints had a shot hit the post on a free position with 1:26 left which then saw Soenen scoop up the ground ball. From there, the Hounds chewed the clock down which set up the Fowler goal from Dunn.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Moran scooped up a team-high five ground balls.
-Malaena Michielin won seven draw controls for the Hounds.
-Maryville won the shots battle with 35 while UIndy had 27.
-The Saints had 15 free position shots to just three from the Hounds.
MORE NOTES
With the win, UIndy has still never lost to Maryville in women’s lacrosse. The Hounds are now 5-0 all-time in the series. However, this was the most goals given up by the Greyhounds against the Saints by a wide margin, with the previous high being two goals allowed during last season.
UP NEXT
The Hounds will head to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, April 14 for a GLVC contest against Rockhurst. Action is set for 4 p.m. ET.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES
MEN’S GOLF-THE MASTERS
Golfers and patrons alike endured a soaked Saturday at the Masters Tournament until play finally was halted in the middle of the afternoon.
Brooks Koepka will return to the course with a four-shot lead over Spaniard Jon Rahm — and 29-plus holes left to play — after heavy rain led to the suspension of the third round on Saturday in Augusta, Ga.
Inclement weather cut short Friday’s action, so the field returned Saturday morning to finish the second round and begin the third after a short rest, playing through a steady downpour.
Koepka, Rahm and amateur Sam Bennett made up the final threesome to go out. They had completed just six holes when Augusta National Golf Club made the decision to suspend play for the rest of the day at 3:15 p.m. ET.
“Ball’s not going anywhere. You’ve got rain to deal with, and it’s freezing cold. It doesn’t make it easy,” Koepka said. “You’ve got to make some pressure putts. You know it was going to be a difficult day. You’ve just got to grind through it and try to salvage something.”
The third round is scheduled to resume Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The final round, weather permitting, will begin at 12:30 p.m. with players teeing off at both holes 1 and 10.
Koepka was 1 under for his round and 13 under for the tournament when play was suspended. Rahm, who began the round two behind Koepka, followed an early birdie with consecutive bogeys and headed to the clubhouse at 9 under.
“I understand they’re trying to push us to play as many holes as possible, but it was very apparent when they tried to get the water out that it just wasn’t going to happen in our case,” Rahm said. “You can’t really say it was late because I don’t blame them for wanting us to play as much as possible.”
Bennett (2 over through six holes) was in third place at 6 under. Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Norway’s Viktor Hovland were tied for fourth at 5 under.
Koepka got up and down from a bunker for birdie at the par-5 second hole before stringing together four straight pars. Bennett began his round with two bogeys, and Rahm bogeyed Nos. 4 and 5, yielding a four-shot advantage to Koepka.
The trio was playing the seventh hole when the horn sounded. Bennett and Koepka had just hit out of a greenside bunker.
“That seventh green was soaked,” Koepka said. “It was very tough. I thought I hit a good bunker shot, and it looked like it just skidded on the water. So I’m glad we stopped.”
Koepka is in position to win his fifth major title after collecting two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships between 2017 and 2019. He would surpass contemporary Rory McIlroy and tie the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Byron Nelson at five majors.
Bennett was 8-under 136 through two rounds, the second-lowest 36-hole score by an amateur in Masters history, trailing only Ken Venturi in 1956.
“I feel comfortable out there,” Bennett said. “The bogeys on 1 and 2 weren’t because of nerves. They were simply just bad swings.”
The lowest rounds going on the course belonged to Cantlay (3 under through 13) and Fitzpatrick (3 under through 11) in the tie for fourth, along with South Korea’s Sungjae Im (3 under through seven, even for the tournament).
Defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was 2 under through 12 and 3 under for the tournament.
Tiger Woods made the cut on the number at 3 over despite finishing his second round with consecutive bogeys, tying the tournament record of 23 consecutive made cuts shared by Gary Player and Fred Couples. But Woods fell to 54th — last place — at 9 over by going 6 over through his first seven holes of the third round.
Woods started on the back nine, and after bogeys at Nos. 10 and 14, he had his approach shot at the par-5 15th roll into the water and his tee shot at the par-3 16th also find the drink, leading to two double bogeys.
NBA NEWS
AGBAJI SCORES 28, RALLIES JAZZ PAST NUGGETS 118-114
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Ochai Agbaji scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 118-114 victory over the Western Conference leading Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Luka Samanic finished with a career-high 23 points and eight rebounds for Utah. Kris Dunn chipped in 19 points, a season-high 14 assists and eight rebounds. Simone Fontecchio added 15 points.
The Jazz snapped a four-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 10 games. Their zone defense limited the Nuggets to 35 total shots in the paint. Utah, on the other hand, scored 32 baskets in the paint.
“We did a good job tonight making Denver play a type of game they don’t want to play,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “We wanted them to play over the top of us if they were going to beat us.”
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a season-high 21 points for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray added 20 points and five assists. Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 15 points apiece. Nikola Jokic tallied 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Denver lost for the fifth time in six games.
“We started off very slow, but we picked it up second quarter and end of the third quarter,” Caldwell-Pope said. “For us to start that way, we can’t come out slow like that.”
After trailing the entire first half, Denver surged ahead late in the third quarter. Caldwell-Pope buried back-to-back 3s to spark a 19-4 run that gave the Nuggets a 95-87 lead. Murray and Gordon punctuated the decisive run with two more outside baskets.
Utah rallied in the fourth quarter with Denver’s starters on the bench. Agbaji scored three baskets to key a 10-1 run that put the Jazz up 116-110 in the final minute.
He bounced back from a tough outing against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday by putting together one of his best rookie season performances on Saturday – with his family in attendance.
“I just feel like after the last game, I had to kind of show them something a little bit more,” Agbaji said.
Agbaji also lit a fire under the Jazz offense in the first quarter. He made five baskets and scored 12 points overall to help Utah sprint out to a 26-8 lead.
Denver struggled out of the gates. The Nuggets missed seven of their first eight shots and committed four turnovers in the first six minutes to fall behind by double digits.
“Horrendous start to the game,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “We just kind of showed up but give Utah credit because they built a 19-point lead early on.”
Denver nearly erased the deficit late in the second quarter. Jokic made a layup and assisted two other baskets to fuel a 12-0 run that cut Utah’s lead to 54-53 in the final minute before halftime.
The Nuggets took their first lead of the game early in the third quarter when Porter buried a 3-pointer to put Denver up 61-58.
FALSE START The opening moments of the game turned into a comedy of errors.
Jokic committed a loose ball foul on the opening tip. Agbaji immediately countered with a turnover when he tried to hand the ball to Dunn instead of throwing an inbound pass.
“Weird way to start off the game, but it was fine,” Agbaji said.
TIP INS
Nuggets: Jokic was held to six points on 2-of-5 shooting. … Caldwell-Pope blocked two shots, matching a season-high, and went 6-of-8 from 3-point range.
Jazz: Micah Potter finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds – both career highs. … Dunn had three steals, matching his season high. … Only nine Utah players dressed for the game.
UP NEXT
Nuggets host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Jazz visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
CLIPPERS BEAT BLAZERS TO BOLSTER HOPES OF AVOIDING PLAY-IN
LOS ANGELES (AP) Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, Norman Powell added 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers solidified their hopes of avoiding the play-in game with a 136-125 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
Russell Westbrook had 20 points for the Clippers, who have won four of their last six and hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference.
Wins by LA and Minnesota on Saturday ensured the Clippers can finish no lower than seventh. Their best hope of avoiding the play-in game though is beating Phoenix on Sunday in what could be a preview of a first-round series.
While the Suns are expected to sit most of their starters, which they also did Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, coach Tyronn Lue said he will play everyone that he can.
“I hope they sit all five guys. I’ll take it however I can get it,” Lue said. “My main focus is doing what we have to do to get into the playoffs. It doesn’t matter what seed.”
The Clippers need a win in the final regular-season game to avoid landing in the play-in for the second straight season. They were the eighth seed last season and lost to Minnesota and New Orleans to miss the playoffs.
“We have to win. That’s the focus,” Leonard said.
The Clippers would be assured of a top six seed if the Timberwolves beat the Pelicans on Sunday afternoon. A win would wrap up the fifth seed while a loss and Golden State win would drop them to sixth.
However, if the Pelicans win, the Clippers could fall into the seventh spot and host the play-in game on Tuesday with a loss. The only way they would avoid it in that scenario is if Portland beat Golden State and the Lakers defeated Utah.
“The parity in the West is incredible this year. I’ve seen some tough races, but this may be the toughest I’ve seen. Just all the way down to today and tomorrow, guys need to win. It’s some tough situations,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “I hate that we are not participating in it, but there’s been a lot of learning experiences this year because of that.”
Kevin Knox II had 30 points, Shaedon Sharpe 26 and Trendon Watford 24 for the Trail Blazers, who have dropped three straight and eight of their last nine.
“We played against a very desperate team. they are fighting and clawing for every win and they need it,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “Our group came out and got it going. They made some adjustments in the second half when they needed to.”
Portland led 70-64 at halftime before the Clippers went on a 14-2 run early in the third quarter to gain control.
The Trail Blazers rallied to get within 86-85 on a 3-pointer by Knox before the Clippers put it away for good with a 23-7 spurt.
Leonard had 13 points in the third quarter as the Clippers were 15 of 24 from the field, including eight 3-pointers.
“It wasn’t a great first half because we didn’t play the right way. That’s why they came out and played like they did in the third quarter,” Lue said.
Los Angeles’ largest lead was 19 in the fourth quarter.
TIP INS
Trail Blazers: In the first half, Sharpe had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting; while Watford added 18 while going 7 of 9. … Shaquille Harrison had a career-high 11 assists.
Clippers: Ivica Zubac had 14 points and 10 rebounds for his 27th double-double, which is new career high in a season.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Host Golden State Sunday in the season finale.
Clippers: Travel to Phoenix Sunday in what could be a first-round preview.
EDWARDS SCORES 33, TIMBERWOLVES BEAT SPURS 151-131
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Anthony Edwards had 33 points in 25 minutes and the Minnesota Timberwolves routed San Antonio 151-131, the most points allowed in regulation under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, on Saturday at the Moody Center.
Minnesota shot 56% on 3-pointers while making a season-high 24 3s.
“From the beginning of the game I feel like everybody was hitting and it just carried over,” Edwards said.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points, Mike Conley had 20 points and Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota.
The Timberwolves won for the sixth time in nine games. Minnesota will finish no lower than ninth in the Western Conference but still have a chance of finishing eighth ahead of New Orleans, who they host Sunday.
Julian Champagnie had 24 points to lead San Antonio, which will finish with one of the league’s three worst records. Keita Bates-Diop added 22 points and Tre Jones had 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Spurs’ final home game of the season was played in Austin. The Spurs played their final two games at the Moody Center on the campus of the University of Texas as part of the Spurs’ regional outreach initiative.
San Antonio struggled offensively with its entire starting lineup out with injury except for Jones.
“Minnesota was really hot from 3,” Popovich said. “They must have had close to 25 3s. I mean, big, but guys did well. They had 21 assists in the first half. Played physically, lot of guys got minutes that normally don’t get those minutes. Great learning situation for everybody.”
Minnesota led by as many as 33 points in the second half after being tied at 35 in the first quarter.
“Come out and be aggressive (in the second half),” Edwards said. “Do what we normally do, blow stuff up. In the first half we were just kind of letting them get into their action. Came out and blew stuff up and that pretty much changed the intensity of the game.”
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Minnesota co-owner Alex Rodriguez was sitting courtside near former San Antonio star Tony Parker. Popovich greeted Rodriguez prior to tip-off. … The Timberwolves split their four-game series with the Spurs this season. The average margin of victory in each game was 12.5 points.
Spurs: Washington scored the most points against San Antonio under Popovich, defeating the Spurs 157-153 in double overtime on Feb. 25, 2022. … Popovich said the team sent C Zach Collins home after the finger he recently received stitches on began swelling. “Looks like some sort of infection,” Popovich said. Collins will not play in the Spurs’ finale Sunday in Dallas. … Starters Keldon Johnson (sprained right foot), Jeremy Sochan (sore right knee) and Devin Vassell (injury management for left knee) all sat out with injuries. Also missing were reserve wings Doug McDermott (sprained right ankle) and Devonte’ Graham (left adductor strain). … San Antonio honored former All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge following the first quarter. Aldridge recently announced his retirement after playing 16 seasons in the league, including 5 1/2 with the Spurs. Aldridge starred at Texas before being drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in 2006. … San Antonio finished 14-27 at home this season. The Spurs were 16-25 at home last season.
WE’LL BE BACK
Popovich said the Spurs are eager to return to Austin after selling out both games at the Moody Center.
The Spurs had 16,023 attend Thursday’s game and attracted 16,148 Saturday after allotting more standing-room only tickets.
“Obviously, people enjoy it,” Popovich said of a return. “It’s great to see the place packed like that. It’s a great town, so hopefully we will be doing it more.”
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Host New Orleans on Sunday.
Spurs: At Dallas on Sunday.
MLB NEWS
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs stayed nearly unhittable, and the Tampa Bay Rays stayed perfect as they routed the Oakland Athletics 11-0 on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
At 8-0, the Rays are off to the hottest start in baseball’s wild-card era since the 2003 Kansas City Royals, who started 9-0. Tampa Bay has won all eight games by at least four runs. Springs scattered three hits, struck out seven and walked three while logging seven innings.
The Rays were 25th in homers in 2022, but they entered this contest with a major-league-leading 18. Tampa Bay hit three more Saturday, but it built a 5-0 lead by accepting six walks and three hit batsmen from Oakland’s wild pitching staff. The Rays cobbled together five runs on just three singles until Manuel Margot led off the sixth with a homer into the left field bleachers for a 6-0 lead.
Brandon Lowe blew the game open three batters later when he drove a fastball over the middle from Domingo Acevedo 431 feet into the center field seats for a 9-0 cushion. Oakland’s starter, 6-foot-6 right-handed flamethrower Shintaro Fujinami, got through three scoreless innings, but Tampa Bay chased him in the fifth on a two-run single by Randy Arozarena.
Cardinals 6, Brewers 0
Nolan Arenado hit his 300th career home run and Jordan Montgomery allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings to propel visiting St. Louis to a victory at Milwaukee, snapping the Brewers’ six-game winning streak.
Arenado’s two-run shot, his first of the season, triggered a four-run third inning that put the Cardinals up 6-0. Montgomery (2-0) struck out nine and walked two for the Cardinals’ first quality start of the season. Rookie Jordan Walker, who has hit safely in all eight games, hit his second homer of the season in the third, a two-run shot to left.
Brewers starter Eric Lauer (1-1) was tagged for six runs on seven hits in four innings, striking out four and walking three in a 93-pitch outing.
Phillies 3, Reds 2
Bryson Stott singled home Brandon Marsh with one out to cap a stunning three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning as Philadelphia rallied past visiting Cincinnati.
Andrew Vasquez (1-0) allowed one run on one hit in the ninth inning for the Phillies, who won their sixth straight at home against Cincinnati. The Reds wasted a stellar outing from starter Nick Lodolo, who struck out a career-high 12 over seven scoreless innings. He limited the Phillies to three hits.
Spencer Steer homered while Jake Fraley added a sacrifice fly for the Reds, who lost their third straight. Reliever Alexis Diaz (0-1) was dominant in the eighth, striking out the side while facing the top of the Philadelphia order. However, Diaz lost command in the ninth, walking Nick Castellanos before Alec Bohm singled.
Royals 6, Giants 5
Pinch runner Nate Eaton dove home with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning, enabling visiting Kansas City to edge San Francisco.
Eaton was called upon after Vinnie Pasquantino, who homered in Friday’s series-opening win, opened the ninth with a double off Giants closer Camilo Doval (0-1). Doval got the next two men out, but Eaton was able to take third on an infield out by Hunter Dozier, positioning himself to scamper home when Doval’s two-strike pitch to Kyle Isbel was inside and uncatchable for Blake Sabol.
Giants starter Sean Manaea was pulled after six innings after having limited the Royals to one run and three hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
Twins 9, Astros 6
Kyle Farmer went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs and Byron Buxton belted a three-run blast, lifting Minnesota to a win over Houston in Minneapolis.
Minnesota jumped to an early 4-0 lead off starter Luis Garcia before Houston pulled even in the third inning on Yordan Alvarez’s third career grand slam. After scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth, the Twins added four runs in the eighth. Twins starter Joe Ryan (2-0) allowed four runs on three hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts in six innings.
The Astros rallied in the ninth on Jeremy Pena’s two-run homer against Jovani Moran. Houston put runners at the corners before Jhoan Duran replaced Moran and struck out pinch hitter Yainer Diaz on three pitches for his second save.
Cubs 10, Rangers 3
Justin Steele allowed one run through six innings and Trey Mancini had three hits with an RBI as Chicago rolled to a victory against visiting Texas.
Patrick Wisdom and Yan Gomes homered, Ian Happ had three RBIs and Dansby Swanson had two hits and drove in a run for the Cubs, who belted out 14 hits to pick up their third straight win following a three-game skid. Steele (1-0) yielded four of Texas’ seven hits and overcame four walks. He struck out three.
Nathaniel Lowe had two hits with two RBIs for the Rangers. Corey Seager also had two hits, but committed two of Texas’ five errors. Martin Perez (1-1) allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings. He also fanned five without a walk but got limited run support.
Red Sox 14, Tigers 5
Rafael Devers hit a second-inning grand slam and added a solo shot, and visiting Boston rolled past Detroit.
Adam Duvall blasted a two-run homer and a pair of doubles while scoring three times. Raimel Tapia added a two-run, pinch-hit homer. Alex Verdugo had two hits, two runs and an RBI. Winning pitcher Tanner Houck (2-0) allowed two runs and three hits and struck out four in five innings.
Riley Greene had a two-run single and Nick Maton added an RBI double for the Tigers, who lost their third straight.
Mets 5, Marlins 2
Kodai Senga recorded a second straight solid start for New York, which continued its early-season mastery of visiting Miami.
Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar each hit two-run homers for the Mets, who have won five of six games against the Marlins. Senga (2-0) was starting against left-hander Trevor Rogers, just as he did in his major league debut last Sunday. In this game, Senga allowed one run on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts over six innings.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. belted a solo homer while Luis Arraez had an RBI single for the Marlins, who have been outscored 31-13 by the Mets.
Mariners 3, Guardians 2
Eugenio Suarez and Jarred Kelenic each collected three hits and combined to drive in three runs to propel Seattle to a win over host Cleveland.
Boosted by an early three-run lead, Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (1-0) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on six hits while striking out five and walking three.
Guardians right-hander Cal Quantrill (0-1) was tagged for three runs in five innings.
White Sox 11, Pirates 5
Luis Robert Jr., Yasmani Grandal, Oscar Colas and Elvis Andrus each drove in two runs and Chicago scored five in the seventh inning en route to a win over host Pittsburgh.
Andrew Benintendi and Tim Anderson each added an RBI for the White Sox, who had lost five of seven.
Carlos Santana hit two RBI singles among his three hits and Andrew McCutchen homered and doubled for the Pirates, who had won four straight.
Yankees 4, Orioles 1
Giancarlo Stanton homered and four New York pitchers combined on a four-hitter in a road victory over Baltimore.
Yankees starting pitcher Jhony Brito (2-0) lasted five innings to secure the victory. He gave up one run, three hits and two walks and struck out two. Michael King worked two innings, followed by an inning apiece from Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes, who was credited with his second save.
The Orioles scored their only run in the first inning on Anthony Santander’s sacrifice fly following singles by Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman.
Padres 4, Braves 1
Right-hander Michael Wacha surrendered just two hits over six shutout innings while matching his career high of 10 strikeouts to lead San Diego past host Atlanta.
Wacha also issued a walk in running his record to 2-0. Josh Hader rallied from a two-on, no-out jam with three straight strikeouts to pick up his second save in as many nights and his third of the season.
Juan Soto gave the Padres a 1-0 lead in the third with a solo homer to right off Braves starter Charlie Morton (1-1), who gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts over five innings.
Diamondbacks 12, Dodgers 8
Alek Thomas matched his career high of four hits and Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte each homered to help host Arizona defeat Los Angeles in Phoenix.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had three hits and three RBIs, Marte had three hits and two RBIs and Josh Rojas had three hits and one RBI as the Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers for the second straight night. Perdomo had three RBIs and two hits as Arizona racked up season highs for runs and hits (17).
James Outman and Jason Heyward homered and Freddie Freeman had four hits for Los Angeles, which has dropped two of three to open the four-game series.
Nationals 7, Rockies 6
Stone Garrett set career highs of four hits and five RBIs, Alex Call had two hits and two runs and Washington held on to beat Colorado in Denver.
Garrett had a home run, two doubles and a single to power Washington’s offense. Trevor Williams (1-1) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out four in 5 1/3 innings, and Carl Edwards Jr. picked up his first save for Washington.
Mike Moustakas homered, Yonathan Daza had three hits and Charlie Blackmon singled for his 1,600th career hit for the Rockies, who scored four runs in the ninth inning before being set down.
Angels 9, Blue Jays 5
Mike Trout’s three-run home run in the fifth inning capped a rally from an early four-run deficit and helped Los Angeles top Toronto in Anaheim, Calif.
Trout’s homer was one of six in the game, three by each team. Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman hit two-run shots in the third inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead, and George Springer’s solo homer in the fifth made it 5-3.
The Angels got a home run from Luis Rengifo leading off the bottom of the fifth, setting the stage for Trout later in the inning. Trout is off to a hot start, having hit safely in seven straight games. He is hitting .346 with three homers, eight RBIs and a 1.297 OPS.
NHL NEWS
CROSBY HITS 1,500 POINT MARK IN CAREER, PENS BEAT RED WINGS
DETROIT (AP) Sidney Crosby became the 15th player in NHL history to reach 1,500 career points, scoring two goals and adding an assist in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ crucial 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
“This is a team sport – that’s what we signed up for and that’s why we love this game,” Crosby said. “Maybe you get certain milestones that get you to reflect a little more, but right now I’m just thinking about our situation and what we still need to do. I’m happy to have been a part of all of this, but my mentality has always been to try to be my best and take what happens from there.”
The Penguins are in danger of seeing their run of 16 straight Stanley Cup playoff berths snapped. It’s the longest active streak among the major North American sports leagues.
Crosby has 550 goals and 950 assists and is the sixth-fastest player to hit the 1,500-point milestone, accomplishing it in his 1,188th game. The milestone came on a power-play goal at 3:01 of the third period, with Kris Letang and Jake Guentzel assisting.
“This is something only 15 players have ever done, and he’s the sixth fastest of all of them,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think that company speaks to this milestone and to the impact he’s had on the game. Not only is he one of the greatest players of his generation, he’s one of the greatest players in history.”
David Perron, who played parts of two seasons with Crosby from 2014-16, has seen it before.
“Incredibly impressive type of performance that he puts up at the right time,” Perron said. “That’s what he does. I’ve seen it on the other bench. He’s just a great guy, keeps working on his game. I ran into him at the All-Star break, we were at the same hotel. I got to spend some time with him. He just keeps working at it. He wants to keep getting better.”
Crosby became the 12th player in league history to reach 90 points in his age 35 season or older.
Alex Nylander, Danton Heinen and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins, who are fighting for one of the last playoff berths in the Eastern Conference with less than a week left in the regular season.
“Why I like these type of games, that’s a team fighting for their playoff lives and they played a really good game,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “We just had flashes of being good today but just some of our egregious mistakes ended up on the wrong players’ sticks and in the back of our net.”
Goaltender Tristan Jarry had 19 saves and improved to 3-0-0 in his career against the Red Wings.
Pius Suter scored for the Red Wings in the second period, his 14th of the season and one shy of his career best set last season. Detroit goalie Ville Husso finished with 23 saves.
Nylander, who was recalled from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday, opened the scoring at 9:25 of the first period. It was his first goal since scoring for the Chicago Blackhawks against the San Jose Sharks in March 2020.
STREAKING Detroit forward Lucas Raymond extended his point streak to four games with his assist on Suter’s goal. He has 1-5-6 in that span. … With his assist on Crosby’s milestone goal, Letang now has 27 points (7-20-27) in 30 career games against Detroit. … Malkin’s goal gives him 41 points (17-24-41) in 27 games against Detroit.
UP NEXT Penguins: Host the Blackhawks on Tuesday night. Red Wings: Host the Dallas Stars on Monday night. —
BRUINS BEAT DEVILS 2-1, MATCH NHL RECORD WITH 62ND WIN
BOSTON (AP) Now that they are on the verge of the NHL wins record, the Boston Bruins aren’t afraid to say they’re going for it.
“I think it’s an incredible accomplishment,” forward Taylor Hall said Saturday night after the Bruins tied an NHL record with their 62nd victory of the season. “And it’s OK to say that.”
Pavel Zacha scored twice in the the first five minutes, and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins held on to beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 for their fifth straight victory and their 12th in 13 tries.
Boston has three games left to try to top the record for regular-season wins set by the 1995-96 Red Wings and matched by the 2018-19 Lightning. Neither of those teams went on to win the Stanley Cup, and the Bruins insist that that remains their ultimate goal.
But coach Jim Montgomery also said that trying to win their remaining games can help them stay sharp for what they hope will be a long postseason run.
“Anytime you’re talking about putting your team’s name – and putting our ‘Spoked B’ – in the history books of the most wins ever in a regular season, it’s special,” he said. “Our regular season has been great, but we need to win our last game of the season. And that’s what we’re building towards.”
The Bruins have already clinched their third Presidents’ Trophy since 2014, and with it the No. 1 seed in the postseason. They also have 129 points and a chance at the record of 132 set by the 1976-77 Canadiens, who played an 80-game season and didn’t earn points for overtime or shootout wins.
Their first chance at the wins record is at Philadelphia on Sunday before they return home to play Washington on Tuesday and then in Montreal on Thursday.
“You’ve got to recharge, reload for tomorrow’s game as well. Because there’s no freebies,” said Linus Ullmark, who stopped 29 shots. “And as happy as we are right now with with this, we can pat ourselves a little bit on the shoulder. But there’s a new day tomorrow.”
Jesper Bratt scored and Mackenzie Blackwood made 38 saves for the Devils, who remain one point behind Carolina and two ahead of the Rangers in the race for the Metropolitan Division title. Jack Hughes assisted on the goal, giving him 96 points for the season to tie Patrik Eliáš’ franchise record.
The Devils picked up a penalty about a minute in when Ryan Graves got called for upending Brad Marchand in pursuit of a loose puck heading toward the net. Graves didn’t think much of the call, and tried to get to Marchand to let him know it, but was held back by the official.
A minute into the power play, Zacha tipped a shot from Hampus Lindholm into the net. With five minutes gone in the first, Zacha scored again, backhanding a rebound off Blackwood’s pads and into the net to make it 2-0.
The Devils cut it to 2-1 a minute later when a turnover left Bratt free all alone on Ullmark. They had another one-on-none with the goalie in the second period, but Ullmark stooped two swipes by Hughes and a rebound attempt by Yegor Sharangovich.
The Bruins killed a double-minor that straddled the break between the second and third periods.
Blackwood stopped David Pastrnak on a second-period breakaway. Pastrnak also had a wraparound attempt on an empty net in the final seconds but it appears to have been cleared off the goal line by Nico Hischier.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host Buffalo on Tuesday night in their home finale.
Bruins: Face the Flyers on Sunday night in the penultimate road game of the season.
MCDAVID REACHES 150-POINT MILESTONE; OILERS BEAT SHARKS 6-1
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) One of the NHL’s most exclusive clubs needs to make room for Connor McDavid.
McDavid became the first player in 27 years to reach 150 points in a season when he had two goals and an assist in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
His milestone day was capped with a video tribute in the Oilers locker room with congratulatory messages from the other members of the 150-point club with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito, Steve Yzerman and Bernie Nichols all welcoming the newest member.
“I haven’t put a ton of thought into it,” McDavid said about his latest milestone. “The guys kind of put a little video together of all the other five guys that have done it. It kind of hit me. That was special. To hear from all five was amazing.”
McDavid set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins early in the first period for his 87th assist and scored with 1:44 left in the first period for his 63rd goal to reach the milestone last achieved by Lemieux when he scored 161 points in 1995-96.
McDavid added another goal late in the third period to give him 64 goals and 151 points with two games remaining in the regular season.
“A special player joined an elite group of players in the history of the game,” coach Jay Woodcroft said. “Obviously what drives him is making sure that the team wins. That’s a big reason why we won today.
McDavid needs five points in the final two games to pass the single-season highs for Esposito, Yzerman and Nichols. He then would trail only Gretzky (nine seasons with at least 160 points) and Lemieux (four seasons with at least 160 points).
“I can’t say enough things about him,” linemate Zach Hyman said. “Obviously just the best player in the world and just continues to push his own envelope and continues to make himself better and make our team better.”
Hyman, Derek Ryan and Philip Broberg also scored to help the Oilers win their seventh straight game. Edmonton, which began the day three points ahead of third-place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division, closed in on clinching home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Stuart Skinner made 22 saves.
Tomas Hertl scored for the Sharks, who are assured of finishing in the bottom four of the league. James Reimer had 30 saves.
The biggest drama in the game was the milestone quest for McDavid and Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, who needed two points to become the first defenseman with at least 100 in a season since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.
While Karlsson remained stuck on 98 points, McDavid took little time to get his mark. He made a great move to the net early in the first period. The rebound went to Nugent-Hopkins, who scored his 37th goal of the season.
Then late in the first period a rebound of Warren Foegele’s shot went right to McDavid, who knocked it in for the milestone goal to make it 2-1.
“I haven’t seen him better than this,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said. “I don’t watch (Edmonton) every night. But when I turn on the TV and watch him – every time he touches the puck, he’s a threat.”
The Oilers poured it on from there and cruised to the win.
HOME COOKING
The Shark Tank has been unkind to the home team this season with San Jose just 8-21-11 in their own building. The eight home wins are the fewest in an 82-game season in the shootout era that began in 2005-06.
The last team with that few home wins in a full season was Florida in 2002-03. The Panthers won eight home games that year but did have seven ties.
CALLED UP
With Cody Ceci back home for the birth of his first child, the Oilers called up 34-year-old D Jason Demers for his first NHL game of the season. Demers, who began his career in San Jose, played in his 700th career game.
Demers had a turnover in his own zone to set up Hertl’s goal in the first period that tied the game at one.
HEALTH REPORT
Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return.
UP NEXT
Oilers: At Colorado on Tuesday night.
Sharks: At Winnipeg on Monday night.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
FAU SAYS IT AGREES TO 10-YEAR EXTENSION WITH DUSTY MAY
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Florida Atlantic basketball coach Dusty May, after leading the Owls to the Final Four this season, has received a 10-year contract extension from the school.
The university did not say if May has signed the extension, nor did it immediately respond to a request for financial terms.
Florida Atlantic went 35-4 this season and made the national semifinals, by far the best season in program history. Its season ended with a loss to national runner-up San Diego State.
“What Dusty has accomplished in his first five years at Florida Atlantic is, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable coaching feats in the history of college basketball,” FAU athletic director Brian White said.
FAU has had a winning record in all five of May’s seasons at the school. He is 101-60 with the Owls.
May said during the NCAA tournament that he intended to return to FAU.
COLLEGE HOCKEY
QUINNIPIAC BEATS MINNESOTA 3-2 IN OT, WINS NCAA HOCKEY TITLE
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Jacob Quillan scored 10 seconds into overtime to give Quinnipiac a 3-2 victory over Minnesota for its first NCAA hockey title Saturday night.
Quinnipiac (34-4-3) trailed for more than 50 minutes and took its first lead of the game when Quillan moments into the extra period. The Bobcats won the faceoff to open OT and Zach Metsa flipped a pass to a streaking Sam Lipkin, who fed Quillan for the winning goal.
It was the first Frozen Four championship game to go to OT since 2011.
John Mittelstadt scored from point-blank range with 14:25 left in the first period and Jaxon Nelson gave Minnesota (29-10-1) a 2-0 lead when he re-directed a shot by Brock Faber that bounced off the wall into the net about five minutes into the second.
Cristophe Tellier’s goal with 12:39 left in the second period trimmed Quinnipiac’s deficit to 2-1.
With 3:28 to play in regulation and the Gophers leading 2-1, Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold went with an empty net and 41 seconds later Collin Graf – who leads the team with 21 goals this season but had yet to score in three-plus tournament game – to make it 2-2 and eventually force the extra period.
The Bobcats outshot Minnesota 30-15 and had a 34-23 advantage in faceoffs won.
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
DOUBLE-A TEAM LOSES NO-HITTER 7-5 ON 5 WALKS, 4 HIT BATTERS
MADISON, Ala, (AP) The Los Angeles Angels’ Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas allowed one hit in a doubleheader and only got a split.
Three pitchers combined on a seven-inning, no-hitter for the Trash Pandas only to lose 7-5 to the Cincinnati Reds’ Chattanooga Lookouts in Saturday’s opener after wildness caused a seven-run top of the seventh.
Rocket City pitchers walked five, hit four batters and threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the seventh inning and were hurt by a dropped fly ball with the bases loaded on what could have been the final out.
Coleman Crow, a 22-year-old right-hander who was a 28th-round pick in the 2019 amateur draft, left with a 3-0 lead after six innings and 78 pitches. He struck out six and walked two.
Ben Joyce, a third-round draft pick last summer, relieved. The 22-year-old right-hander walked his first two batters, induced a popup and walked a third.
After a strikeout, Joyce (0-1) forced in a run with his fourth walk and got Jose Torres to fly to center. Jeremiah Jackson, a second-round draft pick in 2018, dropped the ball for an error that put the Lookouts ahead 4-3. Jackson, 23, was an infielder before the Angels started giving him outfield time last season.
Eric Torres, a 23-year-old left-hander who was a 14th-round pick in 2021, relieved and hit three straight batters with pitches, the last forcing in a run. Torres forced in another run with a four-pitch walk, then threw a wild pitch that increased the lead to 7-3. He hit another batter before an inning-ending strikeout.
Edgar Quero, a Cuban catching prospect who turned 20 on Thursday, hit a two-run single in the bottom half against Stevie Branche.
Andy Fisher (1-0) struck out two in a perfect sixth. Pedro Garcia relieved with two on and one out in the seventh and struck out Jackson and Tucker Flint for his second save.
Rocket City won the second game 3-0 on a one-hitter. Sam Bachman, the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft, allowed one hit in five innings – Rece Hinds’ leadoff double in the second – struck out nine and walked none. Brett Kerry finished with two hitless innings and four strikeouts.
SPORTS EXTRA
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 8 | 0 | 1.000 | – | 5 – 0 | 3 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 0 | 2 – 0 | 8 – 0 | W 8 |
| NY Yankees | 5 | 3 | .625 | 3 | 4 – 2 | 1 – 1 | 1 – 1 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 3 | W 1 |
| Toronto | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3.5 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 4 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 1 | 1 – 1 | 5 – 4 | L 1 |
| Baltimore | 4 | 4 | .500 | 4 | 1 – 1 | 3 – 3 | 2 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 1 | 4 – 4 | L 1 |
| Boston | 4 | 4 | .500 | 4 | 2 – 4 | 2 – 0 | 2 – 1 | 2 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 4 | W 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 6 | 2 | .750 | – | 2 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 0 | 2 – 0 | 6 – 2 | W 2 |
| Cleveland | 5 | 4 | .556 | 1.5 | 0 – 2 | 5 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 4 | L 2 |
| Chi White Sox | 4 | 5 | .444 | 2.5 | 1 – 2 | 3 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 2 | 4 – 5 | W 1 |
| Kansas City | 3 | 6 | .333 | 3.5 | 1 – 6 | 2 – 0 | 1 – 3 | 0 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 6 | W 2 |
| Detroit | 2 | 6 | .250 | 4 | 0 – 2 | 2 – 4 | 0 – 5 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 1 | 2 – 6 | L 3 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Angels | 5 | 3 | .625 | – | 1 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 1 – 1 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 5 – 3 | W 1 |
| Texas | 4 | 4 | .500 | 1 | 4 – 2 | 0 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 4 | L 2 |
| Seattle | 4 | 5 | .444 | 1.5 | 2 – 5 | 2 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 3 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 5 | W 2 |
| Houston | 3 | 6 | .333 | 2.5 | 3 – 4 | 0 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 6 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 6 | L 2 |
| Oakland | 2 | 6 | .250 | 3 | 2 – 4 | 0 – 2 | 0 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 2 – 6 | L 3 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 6 | 3 | .667 | – | 1 – 2 | 5 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 3 – 0 | 1 – 2 | 6 – 3 | L 2 |
| NY Mets | 5 | 4 | .556 | 1 | 2 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 5 – 1 | 0 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 4 | W 2 |
| Philadelphia | 3 | 5 | .375 | 2.5 | 2 – 0 | 1 – 5 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 5 | W 2 |
| Miami | 3 | 6 | .333 | 3 | 3 – 4 | 0 – 2 | 1 – 5 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 6 | L 2 |
| Washington | 3 | 6 | .333 | 3 | 1 – 5 | 2 – 1 | 1 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 1 | 3 – 6 | W 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 6 | 2 | .750 | – | 4 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 3 – 0 | 3 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 6 – 2 | L 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 5 | 3 | .625 | 1 | 1 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 1 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 3 | L 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 4 | 3 | .571 | 1.5 | 3 – 2 | 1 – 1 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 3 | W 3 |
| Cincinnati | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2.5 | 3 – 2 | 0 – 2 | 0 – 2 | 3 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 4 | L 3 |
| St. Louis | 3 | 5 | .375 | 3 | 2 – 4 | 1 – 1 | 0 – 3 | 1 – 1 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 5 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Arizona | 5 | 4 | .556 | – | 2 – 1 | 3 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 4 | W 2 |
| LA Dodgers | 5 | 4 | .556 | – | 4 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 4 | L 2 |
| San Diego | 5 | 4 | .556 | – | 3 – 3 | 2 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 3 | 5 – 4 | W 2 |
| San Francisco | 3 | 5 | .375 | 1.5 | 0 – 2 | 3 – 3 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 5 | L 2 |
| Colorado | 3 | 6 | .333 | 2 | 1 – 2 | 2 – 4 | 1 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 4 | 3 – 6 | L 2 |
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 xyz-Milwaukee | 58 | 23 | .716 | — | 32-9 | 26-14 | 11-5 | 35-16 | 7-3 | 1 L | ||
| 2 xy-Boston | 56 | 25 | .691 | 2.0 | 31-9 | 25-16 | 11-5 | 33-18 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 3 x-Philadelphia | 53 | 28 | .654 | 5.0 | 29-12 | 24-16 | 9-6 | 33-18 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 4 x-Cleveland | 51 | 30 | .630 | 7.0 | 31-9 | 20-21 | 13-3 | 34-17 | 7-3 | 3 W | ||
| 5 x-New York | 47 | 34 | .580 | 11.0 | 23-17 | 24-17 | 8-8 | 32-19 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 6 x-Brooklyn | 45 | 36 | .556 | 13.0 | 23-17 | 22-19 | 7-8 | 30-21 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| 7 xy-Miami | 43 | 38 | .531 | 15.0 | 26-14 | 17-24 | 9-6 | 23-28 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 8 Atlanta | 41 | 40 | .506 | 17.0 | 24-17 | 17-23 | 8-8 | 26-25 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 9 Toronto | 40 | 41 | .494 | 18.0 | 26-14 | 14-27 | 4-12 | 25-26 | 5-5 | 2 L | ||
| 10 Chicago | 39 | 42 | .481 | 19.0 | 21-19 | 18-23 | 6-9 | 26-25 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Washington | 35 | 46 | .432 | 23.0 | 19-21 | 16-25 | 8-8 | 21-31 | 3-7 | 1 W | ||
| 12 Indiana | 34 | 47 | .420 | 24.0 | 20-21 | 14-26 | 7-9 | 23-28 | 2-8 | 3 L | ||
| 13 Orlando | 34 | 47 | .420 | 24.0 | 20-21 | 14-26 | 7-8 | 20-31 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 14 Charlotte | 26 | 55 | .321 | 32.0 | 13-28 | 13-27 | 7-9 | 14-37 | 4-6 | 4 L | ||
| 15 Detroit | 17 | 64 | .210 | 41.0 | 9-32 | 8-32 | 2-13 | 8-43 | 1-9 | 1 W | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 xyz-Denver | 52 | 29 | .642 | — | 33-7 | 19-22 | 10-6 | 33-18 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 2 xy-Memphis | 51 | 30 | .630 | 1.0 | 35-6 | 16-24 | 13-3 | 30-21 | 7-3 | 1 W | ||
| 3 xy-Sacramento | 48 | 33 | .593 | 4.0 | 23-18 | 25-15 | 9-7 | 32-19 | 5-5 | 2 L | ||
| 4 x-Phoenix | 45 | 36 | .556 | 7.0 | 28-12 | 17-24 | 9-6 | 30-21 | 7-3 | 1 L | ||
| 5 LA Clippers | 43 | 38 | .531 | 9.0 | 23-18 | 20-20 | 8-7 | 26-25 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| 6 Golden State | 43 | 38 | .531 | 9.0 | 33-8 | 10-30 | 7-9 | 29-22 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 7 LA Lakers | 42 | 39 | .519 | 10.0 | 22-18 | 20-21 | 6-10 | 26-25 | 8-2 | 1 W | ||
| 8 New Orleans | 42 | 39 | .519 | 10.0 | 27-14 | 15-25 | 11-5 | 29-22 | 8-2 | 2 W | ||
| 9 Minnesota | 41 | 40 | .506 | 11.0 | 21-19 | 20-21 | 8-8 | 28-23 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| 10 Oklahoma City | 39 | 42 | .481 | 13.0 | 23-17 | 16-25 | 9-7 | 24-27 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Dallas | 38 | 43 | .469 | 14.0 | 23-17 | 15-26 | 9-6 | 28-23 | 2-8 | 1 L | ||
| 12 Utah | 37 | 44 | .457 | 15.0 | 23-18 | 14-26 | 6-10 | 24-27 | 2-8 | 1 W | ||
| 13 Portland | 33 | 48 | .407 | 19.0 | 17-23 | 16-25 | 7-9 | 23-28 | 2-8 | 3 L | ||
| 14 Houston | 21 | 60 | .259 | 31.0 | 14-27 | 7-33 | 4-12 | 12-40 | 3-7 | 2 W | ||
| 15 San Antonio | 21 | 60 | .259 | 31.0 | 14-27 | 7-33 | 2-13 | 9-42 | 2-8 | 1 L | ||
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 xyz-Boston Bruins | 79 | 62 | 12 | 5 | 129 | 58 | 290 | 168 | 33-4-3 | 29-8-2 | 9-1-0 | |
| 2 x-Carolina Hurricanes | 79 | 50 | 20 | 9 | 109 | 46 | 254 | 205 | 27-10-3 | 23-10-6 | 4-5-1 | |
| 3 x-New Jersey Devils | 80 | 50 | 22 | 8 | 108 | 48 | 280 | 220 | 23-13-4 | 27-9-4 | 5-4-1 | |
| 4 x-New York Rangers | 80 | 47 | 21 | 12 | 106 | 43 | 273 | 213 | 23-12-4 | 24-9-8 | 6-2-2 | |
| 5 x-Toronto Maple Leafs | 79 | 47 | 21 | 11 | 105 | 46 | 270 | 216 | 27-8-6 | 20-13-5 | 5-3-2 | |
| 6 x-Tampa Bay Lightning | 80 | 45 | 29 | 6 | 96 | 42 | 275 | 250 | 27-7-5 | 18-22-1 | 3-7-0 | |
| 7 Florida Panthers | 80 | 42 | 31 | 7 | 91 | 40 | 285 | 265 | 23-12-4 | 19-19-3 | 6-4-0 | |
| 8 New York Islanders | 80 | 41 | 30 | 9 | 91 | 40 | 237 | 215 | 24-13-3 | 17-17-6 | 6-3-1 | |
| 9 Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 40 | 30 | 10 | 90 | 39 | 258 | 256 | 23-12-5 | 17-18-5 | 6-4-0 | |
| 10 Buffalo Sabres | 78 | 39 | 32 | 7 | 85 | 37 | 282 | 287 | 16-20-4 | 23-12-3 | 6-3-1 | |
| 11 Ottawa Senators | 80 | 38 | 35 | 7 | 83 | 36 | 255 | 265 | 23-14-3 | 15-21-4 | 4-4-2 | |
| 12 Detroit Red Wings | 79 | 35 | 34 | 10 | 80 | 32 | 238 | 264 | 19-16-5 | 16-18-5 | 5-4-1 | |
| 13 Washington Capitals | 79 | 34 | 36 | 9 | 77 | 32 | 244 | 253 | 17-16-6 | 17-20-3 | 1-7-2 | |
| 14 Philadelphia Flyers | 79 | 29 | 37 | 13 | 71 | 27 | 210 | 265 | 17-17-5 | 12-20-8 | 4-5-1 | |
| 15 Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 31 | 43 | 6 | 68 | 26 | 226 | 298 | 17-20-3 | 14-23-3 | 4-6-0 | |
| 16 Columbus Blue Jackets | 79 | 24 | 47 | 8 | 56 | 23 | 206 | 319 | 15-22-2 | 9-25-6 | 3-6-1 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 x-Vegas Golden Knights | 80 | 49 | 22 | 9 | 107 | 44 | 265 | 227 | 24-15-1 | 25-7-8 | 6-1-3 | |
| 2 x-Colorado Avalanche | 78 | 48 | 24 | 6 | 102 | 42 | 266 | 215 | 21-13-5 | 27-11-1 | 8-2-0 | |
| 3 x-Edmonton Oilers | 80 | 48 | 23 | 9 | 105 | 48 | 318 | 257 | 22-12-6 | 26-11-3 | 9-0-1 | |
| 4 x-Dallas Stars | 79 | 44 | 21 | 14 | 102 | 40 | 273 | 215 | 21-10-9 | 23-11-5 | 7-2-1 | |
| 5 x-Minnesota Wild | 79 | 45 | 24 | 10 | 100 | 38 | 238 | 216 | 25-11-4 | 20-13-6 | 6-2-2 | |
| 6 x-Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 45 | 25 | 10 | 100 | 39 | 272 | 254 | 25-11-4 | 20-14-6 | 5-5-0 | |
| 7 x-Seattle Kraken | 79 | 45 | 26 | 8 | 98 | 45 | 283 | 248 | 20-16-4 | 25-10-4 | 7-2-1 | |
| 8 Winnipeg Jets | 79 | 44 | 32 | 3 | 91 | 43 | 236 | 218 | 25-13-2 | 19-19-1 | 6-4-0 | |
| 9 Calgary Flames | 80 | 37 | 27 | 16 | 90 | 35 | 255 | 248 | 19-16-4 | 18-11-12 | 6-3-1 | |
| 10 Nashville Predators | 79 | 40 | 31 | 8 | 88 | 35 | 219 | 229 | 21-14-4 | 19-17-4 | 5-5-0 | |
| 11 St. Louis Blues | 80 | 37 | 36 | 7 | 81 | 34 | 261 | 295 | 18-16-6 | 19-20-1 | 6-3-1 | |
| 12 Vancouver Canucks | 79 | 36 | 36 | 7 | 79 | 30 | 268 | 289 | 19-20-2 | 17-16-5 | 5-3-2 | |
| 13 Arizona Coyotes | 80 | 28 | 39 | 13 | 69 | 25 | 223 | 290 | 21-14-4 | 7-25-9 | 1-7-2 | |
| 14 San Jose Sharks | 79 | 22 | 41 | 16 | 60 | 21 | 229 | 307 | 8-22-11 | 14-19-5 | 3-5-2 | |
| 15 Anaheim Ducks | 79 | 23 | 45 | 11 | 57 | 20 | 200 | 325 | 12-23-3 | 11-22-8 | 0-9-1 | |
| 16 Chicago Blackhawks | 79 | 25 | 48 | 6 | 56 | 23 | 193 | 290 | 14-22-3 | 11-26-3 | 1-9-0 | |
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the divisional playoff format. The top three teams from each division make up the first six spots. The two remaining teams with the highest points, regardless of division, qualify for the final two wild card spots.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
TODAY IN BASEBALLL HISTORY
1912 In the first game ever played at Fenway Park, the Red Sox beat Harvard, 2-0, in an abbreviated exhibition contest played on a cold and snowy afternoon in front of 3,000 hardy fans. Crimson third baseman and captain Dana Wingate, a sophomore from Winchester, Massachusetts, becomes the first batter in the Boston ballpark, taking the first pitch for ball one before being struck out on a fastball thrown by Casey Hageman.
1913 In front of approximately 10,000 fans, who brave the frigid weather to witness the pitching duel, the Phillies beat the Dodgers, 1-0, spoiling the debut of Ebbets Field. Given special permission, Brooklyn opens the season a day early to properly inaugurate its new $75,000 Brooklyn ballpark, which took a year to build.
1916 After helping the team capture its third World Series title, Tris Speaker, declining their request to take a pay cut, is traded by the Red Sox to the Indians for Sam Jones, Fred Thomas, and $55,000. The Grey Eagle’s salary of $17,500, which Boston thinks is exorbitant due to the future Hall of Fame outfielder’s batting average dropping to .322 during the previous season.
1947 Dodger skipper Leo Durocher, feuding with the Yankees, is suspended for one year by commissioner Happy Chandler for an assortment of actions deemed detrimental to baseball, including association with known gamblers. The Brooklyn and New York clubs are both fined $2,000, and by order of the commissioner, the teams are not allowed to discuss the matter.
1953 For the first time since 1901, big leaguers play baseball in Milwaukee. In the first game ever at County Stadium, the newly-arrived Braves take on their former crosstown rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in a preseason exhibition game, which the hometown trails, 3-0, and is washed out after two innings due to rain.
1959 Dr. Creighton Hale recommends Little League pitching mounds be moved back from home plate by 24 inches. The organization’s vice president believes a ball thrown by a youngster at 70 mph from 46 feet would give the batter about the same amount of time to swing at a pitch, proportionately, as the major leaguers have.
1959 At Griffith Stadium, the Orioles become the first major league team to turn a triple play on Opening Day when Senators’ catcher Ed FitzGerald lines a Hoyt Wilhelm pitch into a 3-6-3 triple killing. Vice-President Richard Nixon, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch substituting for President Eisenhower, sees the hometown Senators post a 9-2 victory over Baltimore, behind a solid seven-hit, complete-game performance by Pedro Ramos.
1962 Keeping a Laotian prince waiting in the White House, President Kennedy opens up Washington’s new $23-million D.C. Stadium by tossing the ceremonial first pitch. JFK stays for the entire game despite a rain delay and enjoys seeing Mickey Vernon’s Senators beat the Tigers, 4-1.
1963 As a favor to former Indians infielder Johnny Berardino, now known as Johnny Beradino, who plays Dr. Steve Hardy on General Hospital, Yogi Berra makes a cameo appearance on the popular ABC soap opera. The Yankee legend, known for his paradoxical contradictions, plays the role of Dr. Lawrence Berra, a brain surgeon.
1964 Much to the chagrin of team executive Branch Rickey, the Cardinals trade Jimmie Coker and Gary Kolb to the Braves for catcher Bob Uecker. After introducing himself, the Redbirds’ new backstop is quickly informed by Rickey, “I didn’t want you. I wouldn’t trade one Gary Kolb for a hundred Bob Ueckers.”
1965 Houston begins playing in the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ when they host an exhibition game against the Yankees at the Astrodome, the first domed sports stadium. During the opening ceremonies, 24 astronauts throw 24 ceremonial first pitches as the Colt .45’s become the Astros.
1966 After sharing space at Wrigley Field in 1961 and Dodger Stadium from 1962-65 during their first five seasons in Los Angeles, the Angels move to nearby Anaheim into their own stadium. The ‘Halos,’ now known as the California Angels, host the San Francisco Giants in a preseason exhibition game in the first contest ever played at Anaheim Stadium.
1968 In Atlanta, Georgia, Bill Veeck, the former owner of the Browns, Indians, and White Sox, is among the crowd of marchers taking part in the funeral procession for civil rights leader Martin Luther King, slain five days ago in Memphis (TN). The WW II veteran, who spent 15 hours standing in line to pay his respect to JFK at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in 1963, walks the entire three-and-a-half-mile route from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College on his wooden leg without the aid of crutches.
1969 Billy Williams hits four consecutive doubles, helping the Cubs beat Philadelphia at Wrigley Field, 11-3. The Chicago outfielder’s quartet of two-baggers ties the major-league record for doubles, shared by 29 players, and last accomplished in 1963 by Detroit center fielder Billy Bruton.
1970 “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo), What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson Joltin’ Joe has left and gone away, (Hey, hey, hey…hey, hey, hey).” – PAUL SIMON, songwriter. On the Dick Cavett Show, Paul Simon tells Mickey Mantle the lyrics to Mrs. Robinson would have been ‘Where have you gone, Mickey Mantle’ but explains to his favorite player, “it’s about syllables, Mick. It’s about how many beats there are.” The songwriter’s well-known lyrics become, “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
1976 Orioles’ right-hander Jim Palmer and Boston’s Ferguson Jenkins, both future members of the Hall of Fame, stage a classic pitching duel at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium on Opening Day. The Birds, behind the eight-inning, six-hit effort by ‘Cakes,’ beat the Red Sox and Fergie, who goes the distance, 1-0, thanks to an unearned run scored in the fourth inning.
1976 The White Sox’s owner Bill Veeck, known for his promotional genius, surprises the Comiskey Park crowd on Opening Day when he, Rudie Schaffer, and Paul Richards celebrate the nation’s bicentennial wearing battered Continental Army uniforms. The trio, carrying a fife, drum, and flag, strike a pose in their tattered garb, reminiscent of Archibald MacNeal Willard’s painting The Spirit of ’76, a famous piece of art depicting Revolutionary War veterans displayed at Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition 100 years earlier.
1977 After being informed that teammate Claudel Washington wears his uniform No. 15 number, the A’s new slugger Dick Allen asks to wear #60, adding an unusual request. Above the digits, the word Wampum replaces the surname of the 1960 graduate of Wampum High School.
1977 “I have never seen such stupid ballplaying in my life.” – RAY KROC, the Padres owner, addressing the fans on the PA system during the home opener at San Diego Stadium. During the home opener against Houston at San Diego Stadium, Ray Kroc, the Padres’ new owner, uses the ballpark’s public address system to thank the fans and criticize the players for their poor play. At the start of the fast-food tycoon’s eighth-inning tirade, a streaker jumps over the railing of the stands in left field and runs haphazardly across the outfield.
1980 In the first minor league game played in Durham (NC) since 1972, the Bulls, a name last used in 1967, need to play the home opener wearing their powder blue road uniforms because their home jerseys go missing two days before the start of the season. Atlanta’s minor league director, Hank Aaron, sends a set of used Braves uniforms to wear for away contests after the club decides to continue to wear the road uniforms for the Durham Athletic Park contests.
1980 Opening Day starter Mike Parrott becomes the winning pitcher when the Mariners beat the Blue Jays at the Kingdome, 8-6. The 25-year-old Californian will not enjoy another victory for the rest of the season, finishing with a 1-16 record.
1981 On Opening Day, Fernando Valenzuela, making his first major league start in place of scheduled starter Jerry Reuss, blanks Houston on five hits at Dodger Stadium, 2-0. During the strike-shortened season, the 20-year-old rookie from Mexico will lead the league in game starts (25), complete games (11), and shutouts (8).
1985 The Mets’ offseason acquisition of Gary Carter pays immediate dividends when he connects for a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning, giving his new team a 6-5 victory over St. Louis on Opening Day at Shea Stadium. The 31-year-old All-Star catcher is the first player to end his first contest with a New York team with a round-tripper.
1985 Tom Seaver establishes a big-league record with his 15th Opening Day assignment, getting the win when the White Sox beat the Brewers at County Stadium, 4-2. The right-hander, who also got the first-day nods from the Mets (1968-77, 1983) and Reds (1978-79, 1981), will extend the mark previously held by Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators to 16 next season.
1986 Inspired by the NFL’s Champion Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle, nine Mets players record Get Metsmerized, a rap boasting a title after the team plays just one regular season game. The album, not promoted by the organization, is widely panned by critics, selling only a few thousand copies when released in August.
1987 Phil Niekro records his 312th victory, with Steve Carlton’s help, who pitches four shutout innings in relief in the Indians’ 14-3 win over the Blue Jays at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium. The appearance of the two veteran hurlers marks the first time in modern MLB history two 300-game winners pitched for the same team in the same game.
1989 On a frigid Sunday afternoon, Rick Sutcliffe adds to the wind chill, striking out 11 batters in the Cubs’ 8-3 win over Pittsburgh. Despite a temperature of 33 degrees and a stiff breeze making it feel like eight above, 11,387 fans brave the elements to watch the right-hander’s complete-game effort at Wrigley Field.
1990 Keeping with the team’s tradition of having a rookie select the music, Reds’ freshman first baseman Hal Morris picks U Can’t Touch This, following the Opening Day 8-4 extra-inning victory at the Astrodome. The iconic MC Hammer tune will become the team’s mantra and the unofficial theme song for the eventual world champs.
1990 Glenn Davis is hit by a pitch three times on Opening Day, tying a major league record shared by many major leaguers. The Houston first baseman’s body blows do not lead to any runs in the team’s 8-4 loss to Cincinnati at the Astrodome.
1990 Delino DeShields, the 21-year-old second baseman of the Expos, goes 4-for-6 to become only the second rookie to collect four hits in an Opening Day debut. Also a second baseman, Forrest Jacobs became the first major league rookie to accomplish the feat in his 1954 Opening Day debut with the Philadelphia A’s.
1990 Randy Myers, responding to reporters about the Astros being unhappy about Glenn Davis getting hit three times, replies if there is any retaliation, he and his teammates, Rob Dibble and Norm Charlton, clock at least ninety-five on the radar gun. When the Houston Chronicle beat reporter responds with “that’s pretty nasty,” the left-hander counters, “Well, we’re pretty nasty guys,” giving rise to the trio of hard-throwing Reds relievers being called the ‘Nasty Boys.’
1993 In his first at-bat after eighteen months of rehab following his hip replacement surgery, Bo Jackson connects for a home run with his first swing of the season in the team’s 11-6 Opening Day loss to New York at Comiskey Park. En route to being named the American League Comeback Player of the Year, the 1985 Heisman Trophy winner will hit 16 home runs and collect 45 RBIs in 85 games, contributing to the White Sox’s divisional title.
1993 The Rockies defeat the Expos 11-4 for their first win ever thanks to a four-run first inning sparked by Eric Young’s leadoff home run. The crowd of 80,227 at Colorado’s Mile High Stadium establishes a new major league Opening Day attendance record.
1993 At the age of 46, Nolan Ryan becomes the oldest pitcher to start and win an Opening Day game when the Rangers win their home opener against the Red Sox, 3-1. Previously, Yankee southpaw Tommy John held the distinction, being 45 years old when he started and beat the Twins in the 1989 opener at the Metrodome.
1997 In a 13-4 Rockies rout of the Reds, Ellis Burks hits two home runs at Coors Field. The homers give the Colorado outfielder four for the season, which accounts for all the hits the .154 batter has collected in the season’s first eight games.
1999 Just two days after celebrating his 80th birthday, former Orioles owner Jerold C. Hoffberger dies unexpectedly. The philanthropist enjoyed five American League pennants and two World Championships during his 14-year tenure before selling the club to Edward Bennett Williams after the 1979 season.
2000 Indians DH Jim Thome earns the platinum sombrero when he strikes out five times, tying a major league record. Cleveland still prevails in the Tropicana Field tilt, posting a 17-4 victory over Tampa Bay.
2000 Each team hit three consecutive home runs in the same game for the first time in major league history in the Twins’ 13-7 victory over the Royals. Ron Coomer, Jacque Jones, and Matt Lecroy connect consecutively in the sixth for Minnesota, and Carlos Beltran, Jermaine Dye, and Hector Carrasco go back-to-back-to-back for Kansas City in the eighth frame of the Kauffman Stadium contest.
2001 Willie Stargell, the all-time Pirate career leader in home runs, RBIs, and extra-base hits, dies from kidney problems at the age of 61. After leading the Bucs to the 1979 World Championship, ‘Pops’, a career .282 hitter, became the oldest player (39) to win an MVP award when he shares the honor with Keith Hernandez.
2001 Pittsburgh’s PNC Park makes its major league debut as hometown product Sean Casey leads the visiting Reds past the Pirates, 8-2. After collecting the first hit at Miller Park three days ago, the Cincinnati first baseman again has the honor of recording the first knock in a major league park’s opening game, making history with a two-run home run off Todd Ritchie.
2004 The Yankees and Joe Torre agree to a three-year extension. The contract also includes an additional six-year deal in which the 62-year-old manager will serve as a team advisor through the 2013 season.
2005 Juan Pierre’s consecutive innings streak ends at 1700 when his name is not in the starting lineup, but his consecutive game streak stays intact at 340, entering the contest as an eighth-inning defensive replacement. The Marlins’ center fielder joins Cal Ripken (Orioles, 1983-86) and Travis Fryman (Tigers, 1995) as the only big leaguers to play every inning for his team during a season.
2006 Cory Sullivan becomes the 11th player in big-league history to hit two triples in the same inning and the first since Gil Coan of the Senators accomplished the feat in 1951. The Colorado leadoff hitter’s two seventh-inning three-baggers contribute to the Rockies’ 10-4 win over the Padres.
2009 Just hours after pitching six shutout innings against the A’s, Nick Adenhart dies in a hit-and-run car accident. In memory of the 22-year-old right-handed rookie, the Angels postpone tonight’s game with Oakland.
2012 Joining Roy Oswalt, Barry Zito becomes only the second opposing pitcher to whitewash the Rockies at Coors Field, posting a 7-0 victory. The shutout is the Giants’ left-hander’s first in 274 starts, the longest span in major league history without one.
2016 The Twins, suffering a 7-0 loss to Kansas City, start the season 0-5 for the first time in franchise history, including the three times the team was winless after four attempts when they played as the Washington Senators before the 1961 season. The eventual nine-game losing streak will be extended to 0-6 with a heartbreaking loss tomorrow when the Royals score two runs in the bottom of the ninth before securing a 4-3 walk-off victory in the tenth inning at Kauffman Stadium.
2017 The Halos, trailing 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, stun Seattle by scoring seven times in their 10-9 victory in Anaheim. Cliff Pennington’s single into right field plates Mike Trout with the winning run, resulting in a deafening roar at Angel Stadium when the fans react to their team’s incredible comeback.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
JOHN CLARKSON
John Clarkson’s pitching statistics belong to his era: Baseball’s infancy during the 1880s.
His dominance on the mound, however, has stood the test of time.
Born July 1, 1861 in Cambridge, Mass., Clarkson began his big league journey at the age of 20 with the Worcester Ruby Legs of the National League. After only three games, however, shoulder problems forced the 5-foot-10, 155-pound right-hander back home to Cambridge.
Two years later, Clarkson emerged from the minors with Cap Anson’s Chicago White Stockings. This time, thanks to a strong curveball and a unique “drop” that would now be called a sinker, Clarkson found regular work – posting a 10-3 record in 14 games.
The next year, 1885, Clarkson improved his win total by 43 games – winning an astounding 53 contests against only 16 losses. He completed 68 of the 70 games he started, logged 623 innings pitched, struck out 308 batters and pitched a no-hitter against the Providence Grays on July 27, 1885.
He went 36-17 in 1886, then led the National League in victories for a second time in 1887 with a mark of 38-21.
“I have stood behind him day-in and day-out and watched his magnificent control,” said White Stockings second baseman Fred Pfeffer. “I believe he could put a ball where he wanted it nine times out of 10.”
Apparently, the other clubs in the National League believed Pfeffer’s assessment. Before the 1888 season, Clarkson was sold to the Boston Beaneaters for the then-astronomical sum of $10,000. He spent the next four full seasons in Boston, averaging better than 35 wins per season. In 1889, he went 49-19 with a league-best 2.73 earned-run average in 620 innings of work.
The Beaneaters released Clarkson midway through the 1892 season, but he hooked on with the Cleveland Spiders for another three years before retiring after the 1894 season. His final totals: a 328-178 record, a 2.81 ERA and 485 complete games in 518 starts.
For eight seasons from 1885 through 1892, Clarkson averaged better than 36 victories per year.
Clarkson had two brothers, Dad Clarkson and Walter Clarkson, who also pitched in the big leagues.
Clarkson passed away on Feb. 4, 1909. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1963.
ROBERTO CLEMENTE
“He played a kind of baseball that none of us had ever seen before… As if it were a form of punishment for everyone else on the field.” – Roger Angell The numbers he assembled over 18 big league seasons tell the story of a complete ballplayer. The story of Roberto Clemente, however, goes beyond mere numbers. Born Aug. 18, 1934, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Clemente excelled in athletics as a youngster – and at the age of 17 was playing for the Santurce Crabbers of the Puerto Rican Baseball League. The Dodgers signed him the following year, and by 1954 he was playing for their Triple-A team in Montreal. “Well, I said to myself, there’s a boy who can do two things as well as any man who ever lived,” said Dodgers scout Clyde Sukeforth. “Nobody could throw any better than that, and nobody could run any better than that.” Following the 1954 season, however, the Dodgers tried to slip Clemente through the offseason without putting him on the big league roster. He was taken by the Pirates in the Rule 5 draft for $4,000. Clemente worked to find his stride during the next five seasons, battling injuries and a language barrier in a country where he was a citizen but had no home. But in 1960, the Pirates and Clemente came of age as the limber right fielder batted .312 with a team-high 94 RBI to lead the Pirates to the World Series. In the Fall Classic, Clemente hit .310 to help the Pirates defeat the Yankees in seven games. During the next seven years, Clemente won four National League batting titles, the 1966 NL Most Valuable Player Award and began a string of 12 straight Gold Glove Award seasons in right field. In 1971, the 37-year-old Clemente led the Pirates back to the World Series, where Clemente hit .414 to power Pittsburgh to another world title en route to the Series’ Most Valuable Player Award. Clemente recorded his 3,000th career hit late in the 1972 season, becoming just the 11th player to reach the milestone. Clemente and the Pirates won the NL East that year, but lost to the Reds in five games in the National League Championship Series. On Dec. 31, 1972, Clemente boarded a small plane en route from Puerto Rico to Nicaragua to assist with earthquake relief. The heavily loaded plane crashed just off the Puerto Rican coast, and Clemente’s body was never recovered. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 in a special election that waived the mandatory five-year waiting period. “Baseball survives,” wrote columnist Jimmy Cannon of the New York Journal-American, “because guys like Clemente still play it.”
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW
1939 AMERICAN LEAGUE
Off the field…
“The Daughters of the American Revolution”, a colonial patriotic society in the United States open to women having one or more ancestors who aided the cause of the Revolution refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Anderson was the first African American to be named a permanent member of the Metropolitan Opera Company, as well as the first black woman to perform at the White House. In protest of their protest, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned her DAR membership and sponsored Anderson’s concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
On August 12th, Louis B. Mayer and his staff at MGM released what is considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made, the classic musical version of “The Wizard of Oz”. Although the lavish production of L. Frank Baum’s children’s book originally lost a million dollars on its initial release, its musical score, technical artistry, star-making performance from Judy Garland, and unexpected TV success turned it into a perennial classic.
In the American League…
On May 2nd, New York Yankee Lou Gehrig, also known as “The Iron Horse” voluntarily benched himself “for the good of the team” ending his consecutive-game streak at 2,130. After being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (later renamed Lou Gehrig’s Disease) the ailing first baseman continued to struggle while batting .143 with a single run batted in. Soon after, the thirty-six year-old star retired, but remained with the team as the captain. Later that season (on the Fourth of July) a tearful Gehrig spoke to 61,808 fans at Yankee Stadium stating, “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” After his moving speech, his uniform #4 was retired.
The New York Yankees hit a whopping eight homeruns in the first game of a June 28th doubleheader with the Philadelphia Athletics, and then followed up with five more in the second. Both totals set a Major League record for most homeruns in a game as well as their total of fifty-three total bases in a doubleheader. To no surprise, the Bronx Bombers swept the series winning the opener 23-2 and taking the night-game 10-0.
In the National League…
St. Louis Cardinals standout Johnny Mize equaled a National League record on July 3rd after hitting four extra-base hits including a double, triple, and two home runs during a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs.
In New York, nine players from the Giants and Dodgers combined for nine home runs in a 10-6 Brooklyn win at the Polo Grounds. The home run derby fell one round-tripper short of the record for two teams in one game set in 1923.
On September 21st, the National League announced that for the first time in the twentieth century games would be moved from one city to another in order to top one million paid attendance. As a result, a double header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies was swapped from the “City of Brotherly Love” to “The Big Apple”.
Around the league…
On June 12th, the greatest line-up in the history of baseball assembled in Cooperstown, New York for the official dedication of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Cy Young, and Connie Mack all accepted their plaques and a special six-inning game was also held at the adjacent Doubleday Field featuring the talents of many future members.
The first telecast of a Major League Baseball game took place at Ebbets Field on August 26th as the Cincinnati Reds took on the home team Brooklyn Dodgers in a double header. Announcer Red Barber broadcasted the play-by-play on Channel W2XBS as the two teams split with the visitors taking the first game 5-2 and the “Bums” taking the second game 6-1.
An “off-season” experiment known as “The National Professional Indoor Baseball League” debuted in November to poor reviews. Headed by president Tris Speaker, the league boasted ten clubs, one in each Major League city except Washington. Unfortunately, the novel concept of playing baseball indoors during the winter months failed miserably at the ticket gates and the league was disbanded within a month.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
THE HALL OF FAME
BOBBY BELL
Bobby Bell was the most highly honored college lineman of the 1962 season. His coach at the University of Minnesota described the two-time All-America choice and Outland Trophy winner as “the greatest lineman I have ever seen.”
It’s hard to believe the versatile 6-foot-4, 228-pound Bell actually began his college career as a quarterback. The Kansas City Chiefs of the then-young American Football League were so convinced that Bell would sign with the Minnesota Vikings of the rival National Football League that they didn’t even bother selecting him until the seventh round of the 1963 draft. The University of Minnesota star stunned the pro football world when he opted to sign with the Chiefs. Bell began his 12-year career with Kansas City as a defensive end.
He excelled in coach Hank Stram’s “stack defense,” which called for him to drop out of the 4-3 alignment and become a fourth linebacker. In 1965, after winning all-league honors as a defensive end the previous season, Bell was shifted to outside linebacker. His size and speed made him ideal for the position. As a linebacker, he was named All-AFL or All-NFL every year from 1965 through 1971.
During his career, the versatile Bell intercepted 26 passes, returning six for touchdowns. He also scored on an onside kick return and two fumble recoveries. Built in the shape of an inverted pyramid with massive shoulders tapering down to a 32-inch waist, Bobby presented a fearsome appearance on the field. He had the physique to withstand punishment as well as to deal it out. What made him stand out from the crowd was his superior approach to the game, a willingness to play anywhere even when injured and his great joy at just playing the game. Bell was the first Kansas City Chiefs player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
April 9, 1880 – Old Stoll Field, Kentucky – In what is considered to be the first football game of the SEC per secsports.com, Kentucky A&M, which went onto become the University of Kentucky organized a football team and played a three game series with the University of Transylvania in November 1881.
April 9, 1945 – The NFL required players to wear long stockings. ESPN tells the story that Commissioner Elmer Layden, decided that NFL players have must wear Their socks up their lower legs. I believe it was truly only an aesthetic thing, just to make the players all be in lock step uniforms. This rule, still on the books, is why NFL players wear high socks while so many NCAA teams still play bare-legged. DOn’t show your bare calves in the National Football League or you will get a hefty fine from New York!
April 9, 1997 – NFL announced it will give $3M to CFL & possible “World Classic Bowl”. The agreement was to lessen hostilities of the CFL when the NFL would schedule games in Toronto to try and expand its reach. After all Toronto is the third largest city in North America. The NFL reached a five-year partnership agreement with the CFL in 1997, which included a $3 million loan to the financially struggling Canadian league. Therefore the NFL received the CFL’s blessing to hold an annual preseason or regular season game in either Toronto or Vancouver for the duration of the agreement per the Seattle Times.
April 9, 2015 – Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu retired after 12 seasons with the Steelers per the NFL.com archives. Polamalu was selected to eight Pro Bowls and named first-team All-Pro four times. The two-time Super Bowl champion (Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII) and 2010 AP Defensive Player of the year played for the Steelers from 2003 to 2014.
APRIL 9 FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS
April 9, 1871 – Clearfield County, Pennsylvania – The great Penn Quakers fullback from 1894 to 1897, John “Jack” Minds was born. Jack is credited with one of the most influential in game innovators in football. The National Football Foundation states that Minds came up with the concept that kicking a stationary ball at the goal posts for points was a heck of a lot more accurate than using the somewhat unpredictable dropkick approach. Historians tell us Jack Minds converted the first kick from placement, a feat he often repeated during his illustrious career at Pennsylvania. When Minds was a starter at Penn the team was 55-1, losing only to Lafayette, 6-4, in an 1896 contest. The Penn teams of 1894 and 1895 were undefeated National Champions. Minds was a master of the game and actually played five positions at different points during his collegiate career. He operated at guard, tackle, end, halfback and fullback. Jack Minds collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1962.
April 9, 1898 – Green Bay, Wisconsin – Earl Curly Lambeau the great Notre Dame full back and co-founder/coach of the Packers was born per the NFL.com Archives. The Pro Football Hall of Fame tells us that Lambeau founded the Green Bay Packers in 1919 and was the team’s first playing star and its coach for 31 years. More than any other person, he is responsible for the existence today of the Packers’ unique small-town franchise. Curly led the franchise to become six-time NFL Champions during the seasons of 1929 through 1931, 1936, 1939 and 1944. Lambeau’s 226 career wins rank fifth all-time in NFL coaching history as he was the head coach of the Packers (1921-1949), the Chicago Cardinals (1950-1951) and the Redskins (1952-1953). The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Curly Labeau as a contributor in 1963
April 9, 1898 – Princeton, New Jersey – The fantastic End from Rutgers in the 1915 to 1918 seasons, Paul Robeson arrived for his date of birth. Robeson was a powerful contributor to the excellent record of Rutgers in that time frame of 22-6-3 under their legendary coach G. Foster Sanford according to the FootballFoundation.org. Paul had some fantastic plays that he made such as in the 1915 contest against Rensselaer he recovered an opponent’s fumble and set up a touchdown. In 1917 he scored on 40-yard and 37-yard pass plays against Fort Wadsworth. That same season against Syracuse Robeson caught passes on two key plays and, on defense, intercepted a pass. One of Robeosn’s greatest games was in 1917 against Newport Naval Reserve played Nov. 24. Newport was undefeated and heavily favored because it had an all-star line- up of former college stars. Paul rose above all of the stars that day as he caught a touchdown pass, and was outstanding on defense leading Rutgers to a 14-0 victory. Frank Menke named him All- America in 1917 and 1918. Walter Campfor some reason did not recognize him in 1917 but agreed with Menke the next year and picked him to the Walter Camp All-America team in 1918. The National Football Foundation selected Paul Robeson for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
April 9, 1921 – Detroit, Michigan – Vince “Bananas” Banonis the University of Detroit’s great center from 1939 to 1941 set his born on date. The NFF preserves the legacy of Banonis by sharing Staying in his hometown he went to the University of Detroit where he was named a 1941 All- American by Grantland Rice, the Associated Press, United Press and others. During his three years in college his teams went 19-7-1. In a game against Villanova he made seven consecutive tackles. His greatest play of all was against Oklahoma State. Banonis centered the ball, ran down-field, took a lateral pass from a teammate, then threw a lateral pass himself, and blocked out two men so another teammate could score a touchdown. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Vince Banonis into their legendary museum in 1986. Vince had a great 10 year pro career as he played on three world championship teams, first with the 1947 Chicago Cardinals and later with the 1952 and 1953 Detroit Lions.
April 9, 1966 – Atlanta, Georgia – The standout defensive tackle from 1985 to 1988 of the Auburn Tigers Tracy Rocker was born. Rockers was a dominant beast on the field as he earned the honor of a unanimous First Team All-America selection in 1988 and consensus pick in 1987. Rocker earned First Team All-Conference honors three times and became the first SEC player ever to win both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award in the same season, in 1988. Rocker’s 354 career tackles are the most by any down lineman in school history and got him recognized by placing him on Auburn’s Team of the Century and Team of the Decade for the 1980s. According to the NFF Tracy also recorded 48 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 21 career sacks. Tracy Rocker’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 2004. Rocker played for three seasons in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and after he hung up the helmet he has been found in the coaching profession as a defensive line coach.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
21 – 7- 14 – 32 – 9 – 16
April 9, 1931 – Chicago Blackhawks defenseman, Cy Wentworth nets the game winner against the Montreal Canadiens at 13:50 of 6th period as Chicago took the lead in the Stanley Cup finals.
April 9, 1959 – Bill Sharman, Number 21 drained an NBA record 56th consecutive foul shot as he and his Boston Celtic teammates captured the NBA title in a four game sweeep over the Minneapolis Lakers 118-113.
April 9, 1965 – The first ever game at is played at the Astrodome. The Houston Astros in their new confines defeated the visiting New York Yankees 2-1 in an exhibition game as Mickey Mantle, Number 7 hit the first unofficial MLB indoor homerun.
The website of NBA.com offers these nuggets of history for the day.
April 9, 1957 – Number 14, Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics assisted a then NBA Finals record 19 helpers in the Celtics’ 124-109 win over the St. Louis Hawks in Game 5. Magic Johnson (Lakers Number 32) set the current NBA Finals record of 21 assists in Game 3 of the 1984 NBA Finals, during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 137-104 win over Boston.
April 9, 1958 – Number 9, Bob Pettit of the St Louis Hawks made 19 free throws in his team’s 102-100 Game 5 victory over Boston. Pettit set an NBA Finals record for most free throws made in one game.
April 9, 1959 – The Boston Celtics beat the Minneapolis Lakers 118-113 in Minneapolis in Game 4 of the 1959 NBA Finals to complete the first sweep in Finals history and capture their first of eight consecutive NBA Championships.
Here are a couple of items from the Vintage Hockey Jerseys website
April 9, 1942 – The Detroit Red Wings outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs by the score of 5-3 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Wings were powered by the prowess of Eddie Bush, who set a new NHL record for points by a defenseman in a Stanley Cup finals game with 5. It wasn’t all rosey for the Detroit club that year though, as the Red Wings blew a 3-0 series lead in that Stanley Cup final to lose the Stanley Cup to Toronto. Bush played in 26 career NHL games (scoring four goals and 10 points) and 12 playoff games (7 points), but he never scored another point after his record night and played again in the NHL following the 1942 Stanley Cup collapse.
April 9, 1946 – The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 6-3 in the fifth game of the finals, to become the 1946 Stanley Cup Champions. Number 16, Elmer Lach led the way with a goal and added two assists.
April 9, 1980 – Number 9, Gordie Howe scored his last career NHL goal, in an 8-4 Hartford Whalers’ loss at Montreal, in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round. Gordie’s final tally was his 68th career playoff goal. This game also marked the only time all three NHL Howe’s scored a point in the same game with Gordie and Marty Howe each with a goal and assist and Mark Howe adding two assists.
TV SUNDAY
| COLLEGE BASEBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Rutgers at Maryland | 12:00pm | ESPNU |
| Kentucky at Georgia | 12:00pm | SECN |
| Kansas at West Virginia | 3:00pm | ESPNU |
| COLLEGE SOFTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Nebraska at Maryland | 12:00pm | BTN |
| Boston College at Georgia Tech | 12:00pm | ACCN |
| Illinois at Michigan | 2:00pm | BTN |
| Pittsburgh at North carolina | 2:00pm | ACCN |
| Mississippi St. at Texas A&M | 3:00pm | SECN |
| Kentucky at Ole Miss | 4:00pm | ESPN2 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| Masters | 2:00pm | CBS |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Cincinnati at Philadelphia | 1:05pm | Bally Sports NBCS-PHI |
| Boston at Detroit | 1:10pm | MLBN Bally Sports NESN |
| Oakland at Tampa Bay | 1:10pm | NBCS-CA Bally Sports |
| NY Yankees at Baltimore | 1:35pm | MLBN YES MASN/2 |
| Chi. White Sox at Pittsburgh | 1:35pm | NBCS-CHI ATTSN-PIT |
| Miami at NY Mets | 1:40pm | Bally Sports SNY |
| Seattle at Cleveland | 1:40pm | Root Sports Bally Sports |
| Houston at Minnesota | 2:10pm | Bally Sports ATTSN-SW |
| St. Louis at Milwaukee | 2:10pm | Bally Sports |
| Texas at Chi. Cubs | 2:20pm | MARQ Bally Sports |
| Washington at Colorado | 3:10pm | MASN/2 ATTNS-RM |
| Kansas City at San Francisco | 4:05pm | MLBN NBCS-BAY Bally Sports |
| Toronto at LA Angels | 4:07pm | MLBN Sportsnet Bally Sports |
| LA Dodgers at Arizona | 4:10pm | Spectrum Bally Sports |
| San Diego at Atlanta | 7:00pm | ESPN Bally Sports |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| NASCAR Cup: Food City Dirt Race | 7:00pm | FOX |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Atlanta at Boston | 1:00pm | Bally Sports NBCS-BOS |
| Philadelphia at Brooklyn | 1:00pm | NBCS-PHI YES |
| Charlotte at Cleveland | 1:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Indiana at New York | 1:00pm | Bally Sports MSG |
| Detroit at Chicago | 1:00pm | Bally Sports NBCS-CHI |
| Milwaukee at Toronto | 1:00pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Orlando at Miami | 1:00pm | Bally Sports |
| San Antonio at Dallas | 3:30pm | Bally Sports |
| New Orleans at Minnesota | 3:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Memphis at Oklahoma City | 3:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Sacramento at Denver | 3:30pm | NBCS-CA ALT |
| Utah at LA Lakers | 3:30pm | ATTSN-RM Spectrum |
| LA Clippers at Phoenix | 3:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Golden State at Portland | 3:30pm | NBCS-BAY Root Sports |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Boston at Philadelphia | 6:00pm | TNT |
| Colorado at Anaheim | 8:30pm | TNT |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais vs Rennes | 7:00am | beIN Sports |
| La Liga: Real Valladolid vs Mallorca | 8:00am | ESPN+ |
| English Premier League: Leeds United vs Crystal Palace | 9:00am | USA |
| Ligue 1: Ajaccio vs Auxerre | 9:00am | beIN Sports |
| Ligue 1: Reims vs Brest | 9:00am | beIN Sports |
| Ligue 1: Montpellier vs Toulouse | 9:00am | beIN Sports |
| Ligue 1: Troyes vs Clermont | 9:00am | beIN Sports |
| Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs Wolfsburg | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| La Liga: Real Betis vs Cádiz | 10:15am | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Nantes vs Monaco | 11:00am | beIN Sports |
| English Premier League: Liverpool vs Arsenal | 11:30am | Peacock |
| Bundesliga: Bochum vs Stuttgart | 11:30am | ESPN+ |
| La Liga: Almería vs Valencia | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Godoy Cruz vs Tigre | 1:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Independiente vs Estudiantes | 1:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Schalke 04 | 1:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs Pachuca | 2:00pm | TUDN |
| Ligue 1: Lorient vs Olympique Marseille | 2:45pm | beIN Sports |
| La Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Atlético Madrid | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Newell’s Old Boys vs Rosario Central | 3:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Argentina Primera División: Huracán vs River Plate | 6:00pm | Paramount+ |
| Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs Pachuca | 8:05pm | FS1 |
| Argentina Primera División: Boca Juniors vs Colón | 8:30pm | Paramount+ |
| Liga MX: Juárez vs Atlas | 10:05pm | FS1 |
| XFL | TIME ET | TV |
| Houston at San Antonio | 3:00pm | ABC |
| D.C. at Seattle | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |