THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2023

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

LAKE CENTRAL 13 VALPARAISO 4

BOONE GROVE 13  KNOX  1

LAPORTE 11 CROWN POINT 1

NEW PRAIRIE 12 ELKHART 1

LOOGOOTEE 8 WASHINGTON 0

CHESTERTON 15 MERRILLVILLE 3

LOOGOOTEE 8 WASHINGTON 0

TRI TOWNSHIP 12 LAKE STATION 1

HAMMOND NOLL 16 HAMMOND MORTON 5

HEBRON 19 WHEELER 4

PORTAGE 17 MICHIGAN CITY 15

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 11 BENTON CENTRAL 7

WESTVILLE 22 SOUTH BEND CAREER 4

CARROLL FLORA  8 N. MIAMI 7

SOUTH ADAMS 22 RANDOLPH SOUTHERN 0

NORTHRIDGE 20 LAKELAND 1

CLINTON CENTRAL 13 BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 6

OAK HILL 16 TAYLOR 6

SOUTHWESTERN 16 SHAWE MEMORIAL 0

NORTH POSEY 10 VINCENNES LINCOLN 0

SWITZERLAND COUNTY 9 MILAN 4

SOUTHERN WELLS 15 EASTBROOK 11

BISHOP CHATARD 13 HERRON 0

SOUTH BEND ADAMS 8 JIMTOWN 1

SHENANDOAH 10 HAGERSTOWN 4

BOWMAN ACADEMY 10 E. CHICAGO CENTRAL 9

SEEGER 25 N. VERMILLION 4

KNIGHTSTOWN 6 BLUE RIVER VALLEY 5

PARK TUDOR 23 SHERIDAN 2

NORTH DAVIES 16 SHOALS 2

WARSAW 14 TIPPECANOE VALLEY 2

INDIAN CREEK 9 EDGEWOOD 7

FORT WAYNE SNIDER 11 E. NOBLE 7

MADISON GRANT 20 ELWOOD 1

FORT WAYNE LUERS 13 BELLMONT 2

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 13 SOUTH BEND CLAY 3

TRI-WEST 12 SOUTHMONT 0

CENTRAL NOBLE 9 GOSHEN 8

PENN 8 GLENN 2

RIVERTON PARKE 14 PARIS 6

NORTH MONTGOMERY 5 WESTERN BOONE 3

FORT WAYNE SOUTH 17 WOODLAN 16

PERRY MERIDIAN 8 FRANKLIN 1

ALEXANDRIA MONROE 28 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 0

CARMEL 12 LAWRENCE NORTH 4

MCCUTCHEON 7 LOGANSPORT 5

MOORESVILLE 12 DECATUR CENTRAL 1

CASCADE 13 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 3

WESTFIELD 6 CATHEDRAL 5

HERITAGE 6 FORT WAYNE NORTH 1

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA 7 DEKALB 6

EMINENCE 15 INDIANA DEAF 12

TRITON CENTRAL 16 RITTER 0

MARTINSVILLE 5 GREENWOOD 0

SPEEDWAY 6 BEECH GROVE 5

PIKE 8 BEN DAVIS 7

NEW CASTLE 4 RUSHVILLE 1

WEST VIGO 13 GREENCASTLE 0

FORT WAYNE CARROLL 5 LEO 0

OWEN VALLEY 14 BROWN COUNTY 3

MISHAWAKA MARIAN 18 BREMEN 1

RONCALLI 8 BREBEUF 7

GUERIN CATHOLIC 7 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 2

CONNERSVILLE 5 CENTERVILLE 1

GREENFIELD CENTRAL 13 DELTA 3

AVON 13 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 7

KOKOMO 6 LAFAYETTE JEFF 5

WESTERN 10 HAMILTON HEIGHTS 1

CRAWFORDSVILLE 8 DANVILLE 7

EASTERN 6 MANCHESTER 2

COLUMBUS EAST 6 MADISON 4

SULLIVAN 20 N. PUTNAM 9

MOUNT VERNON 14 SHELBYVILLE 2

SOUTH-CENTRAL 14 EASTERN 8

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 8 MATTOON 6

YORKTOWN 9 PALESTINE 7

LEBANON 8 FRANKFORT 3

NORTHWESTERN 14 PERU 6

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

LAPORTE 4 VALPARAISO 2

NEW PRAIRIE 9 ELKHART 0

LAKE CENTRAL 14 CROWN POINT 4

ILLIANA CHRISTIAN 16 TRI TOWNSHIP 0

HANOVER CENTRAL 12 HAMMOND MORTON 2

ANDREAN 11 KANKAKEE VALLEY 0

PORTAGE 14 CHESTERTON 0

WAPAHANI 10 TRI 4

HOBART 9 HIGHLAND 2

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH 12 SOUTH BEND CLAY 3

SEEGER 15 N. VERMILLION 3

SOUTH SPENCER 20 EVANSVILLE BOSSE 3

ORLEANS 9 MITCHELL 1

CASTLE 10 BOONVILLE 0

EASTBROOK 18 SOUTHERN WELLS 1

MISHAWAKA MARIAN 6 BREMEN 5

COWAN 20 MUNCIE CENTRAL 1

MOUNT VERNON 13 EVANSVILLE HARRISON 5

LOGANSPORT 13 ROCHESTER 3

TRITON CENTRAL 12 SOUTHWESTERN 0

NORTH POSEY 9 TECUMSEH 2

MILAN 14 SWITZERLAND COUNTY 4

SHENANDOAH 11 CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN 2

LEWIS CASS 4 TIPTON 3

NORTH MIAMI 18 NORTHWESTERN 0

LAKE STATION EDISON 16 HAST  13

HEBRON 17 KNOX 6

INDIANAPOLIS TECH 8  CHRISTEL HOUSE 7

TELL CITY 13 WOOD MEMORIAL 1

SOUTH-CENTRAL 12 LAVILLE 0

WEST NOBLE 13 WHITKO 9

CONNERSVILLE 11 MOUNT VERNON 5

FRANKLIN 20 PERRY MERIDIAN 9

JENNINGS COUNTY 5 JEFFERSONVILLE 1

HERITAGE HILLS 10 PRINCETON 2

WAWASEE 17 WESTVIEW 10

MISSISSINEWA 19 PERU 7

KOKOMO 5 ZIONSVILLE 3

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 10 TWIN LAKES 3

BEECH GROVE 6 CATHEDRAL 0

DEKALB 14 FORT WAYNE SNIDER 6

LOOGOOTEE 7 SOUTHRIDGE 3

CHRUBUSCO 11 MANCHESTER 4

HARRISON 6 ROSSVILLE 4

PARIS 4 RIVERTON PARKE 1

EASTERN HANCOCK 17 WARREN CENTRAL 1

WESTERN BOONE 11 N. MONTGOMERY 1

EDGEWOOD 13 INDIAN CREEK 3

MARTINSVILLE 14 GREENWOOD 3

FORT WAYNE CARROLL 23 WARSAW 1

WOODLAN 2 FORT WAYNE NORTHRUP 0

RONCALLI 19 BREBEUF 1

COVENANT CHRISTIAN 11 SCECINA 1

NORTH DAVIESS 7 N. CENTRAL 5

PROVIDENCE 6 EASTERN 4

TRI-WEST 10 SOUTHMONT 0

NEW HAVEN 16 FORT WAYNE NORTH 6

BLUFFTON 9 FORT WAYNE WAYNE 6

LANESVILLE 18 CROTHERSVILLE  0

PENN 16 GLENN 4

BISHOP CHATARD 22   SHERIDAN 1

EASTERN GREENE 11 MONROVIA 1

LEBANON 17 FRANKFORT 0

NOBLESVILLE 14 CARMEL 8

OWEN VALLEY 18 BROWN COUNTY 3

COLUMBIA CITY 17 GARRETT 1

WEST VIGO 8 GREENCASTLE 1

DANVILLE 15 CRAWFORDSVILLE 4

PLAINFIELD 12 WHITELAND 1

CENTER GROVE 13 SHELBYVILLE 1

GREENFIELD CENTRAL 19 WESTFIELD 12

FRANKLIN CENTRAL 7  NEW PALESTINE 6

SULLIVAN 3 N. PUTNAM 2

CASCADE 17 BEN DAVIS 1

MOORESVILLE 5 DECATUR CENTRAL 1

SOUTH DEARBORN 13 JAC CEN CEL 3

ROBINSON 10 DUGGER UNION 0

WESTERN 11 HAMILTON HEIGHTS 0

WESTERN BOONE 18 N. MONTGOMERY 1

NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

2023 AT&T NBA PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

GAME 1: ATLANTA 116, MIAMI 105

GAME 2: L.A. LAKERS 108, MINNESOTA 102 (OT)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

CHICAGO 109 TORONTO 105

OKLAHOMA CITY 123 NEW ORLEANS 118

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

GAME 5 —CHICAGO @ MIAMI | 7 ET (TNT)

GAME 6 — OKLAHOMA CITY @ MINNESOTA | 9:30 ET (ESPN)

2023 NBA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE

EASTERN CONFERENCE

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (1) VS. TBD (8)

GAME 1: TBD VS. BUCKS | SUN., APRIL 16 | 5:30 ET (TNT)

GAME 2: TBD VS. BUCKS | WED., APRIL 19 | 9 ET (NBA TV)

GAME 3: BUCKS VS. TBD | SAT., APRIL 22 | 7:30 ET (ESPN)

GAME 4: BUCKS VS. TBD | MON., APRIL 24 | TBD

*GAME 5: TBD VS. BUCKS | WED., APRIL 26 | TBD

*GAME 6: BUCKS VS. TBD | FRI, APRIL 28 | TBD

*GAME 7: TBD VS. BUCKS | SUN., APRIL 20 | TBD

BOSTON CELTICS (2) VS. ATLANTA HAWKS (7)

GAME 1: HAWKS VS. CELTICS | SAT., APRIL 15 | 3:30 ET (ESPN)

GAME 2: HAWKS VS. CELTICS | TUES., APRIL 18 | 7 ET (NBA TV)

GAME 3: CELTICS VS. HAWKS | FRI., APRIL 21 | 7 ET (ESPN)

GAME 4: CELTICS VS. HAWKS | SUN, APRIL 23 | 7 ET (TNT)

*GAME 5: HAWKS VS. CELTICS | TUES., APRIL 25 | TBD

*GAME 6: CELTICS VS. HAWKS | THURS., APRIL 27 | TBD

*GAME 7: HAWKS VS. CELTICS | SAT., APRIL 29 | TBD

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (3) VS. BROOKLYN NETS (6)

GAME 1: NETS VS. 76ERS | SAT., APRIL 15 | 1 ET (ESPN)

GAME 2: NETS VS. 76ERS | MON., APRIL 17 | 7:30 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: 76ERS VS. NETS | THURS., APRIL 20 | 7:30 ET (TNT)

GAME 4: 76ERS VS. NETS | SAT., APRIL 22 | 1 ET (TNT)

*GAME 5: NETS VS. 76ERS | MON., APRIL 24 | TBD

*GAME 6: 76ERS VS. NETS | THURS., APRIL 27 | TBD

*GAME 7: NETS VS. 76ERS | SAT., APRIL 29 | TBD

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4) VS. NEW YORK KNICKS (5)

GAME 1: KNICKS VS. CAVALIERS | SAT., APRIL 15 | 6 ET (ESPN)

GAME 2: KNICKS VS. CAVALIERS | TUES., APRIL 18 | 7:30 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: CAVALIERS VS. KNICKS | FRI., APRIL 21 | 8:30 ET (ABC)

GAME 4: CAVALIERS VS. KNICKS | SUN., APRIL 23 | 1 ET (ABC)

*GAME 5: KNICKS VS. CAVALIERS | TBD

*GAME 6: CAVALIERS VS. KNICKS | TBD

*GAME 7: KNICKS VS. CAVALIERS | TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

DENVER NUGGETS (1) VS. TBD (8)

GAME 1: TBD VS. NUGGETS | MON., APRIL 16 | 10 ET (TNT)

GAME 2: TBD VS. NUGGETS | WED., APRIL 19 | 10 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: NUGGETS VS. TBD | FRI., APRIL 21 | 9:30 ET (ESPN)

GAME 4: NUGGETS VS. TBD | SUN., APRIL 23 | 9:30 ET (TNT)

*GAME 5: TBD VS. NUGGETS | TUES., APRIL 25 | TBD

*GAME 6: NUGGETS VS. TBD | THURS., APRIL 27 | TBD

*GAME 7: TBD VS. NUGGETS | SAT., APRIL 29 | TBD

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (2) VS. L.A. LAKERS (7)

GAME 1: LAKERS VS. GRIZZLIES | SUN., APRIL 16 | 3 ET (ABC)

GAME 2: LAKERS VS. GRIZZLIES | WED., APRIL 19 | 7:30 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: GRIZZLIES VS. LAKERS | SAT., APRIL 22 | 10 ET (ESPN)

GAME 4: GRIZZLIES VS. LAKERS | MON. APRIL 24 | TBD

*GAME 5: LAKERS VS. GRIZZLIES | WED., APRIL 26 | TBD

*GAME 6: GRIZZLIES VS. LAKERS | FRI., APRIL 28 | TBD

*GAME 7: LAKERS VS. GRIZZLIES | SUN., APRIL 30 | TBD

SACRAMENTO KINGS (3) VS. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (6)

GAME 1: WARRIORS VS. KINGS | SAT., APRIL 15 | 8:30 ET (ABC)

GAME 2: WARRIORS VS. KINGS | MON., APRIL 17 | 10 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: KINGS VS. WARRIORS | THURS., APRIL 20 | 10 ET (TNT)

GAME 4: KINGS VS. WARRIORS | SUN., APRIL 23 | TBD

*GAME 5: WARRIORS VS. KINGS | WED., APRIL 26 | TBD

*GAME 6: KINGS VS. WARRIORS | FRI., APRIL 28 | TBD

*GAME 7: WARRIORS VS. KINGS | SUN., APRIL 30 | TBD

Eight 1: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS | SUN., APRIL 16 | 8 ET (TNT)

GAME 2: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS | TUES., APRIL 18 | 10 ET (TNT)

GAME 3: SUNS VS. CLIPPERS | THURS., APRIL 20 | 10:30 ET (NBA TV)

GAME 4: SUNS VS. CLIPPERS | SAT., APRIL 22 | 3:30 ET (TNT)

*GAME 5: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS | TUES., APRIL 25 | TBD

*GAME 6: SUNS VS. CLIPPERS | THURS., APRIL 27 | TBD

*GAME 7: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS | SAT., APRIL 20 29 | TBD (TNT)

* IF NECCESSARY

NHL SCOREBOARD

NY ISLANDERS 4 MONTRÉAL 2

DALLAS 5 ST. LOUIS 2

CALGARY 3 SAN JOSE 1

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD

HOUSTON 7 PITTSBURGH 0

SEATTLE 5 CHICAGO CUBS 2

LA ANGELS 3 WASHINGTON 2

NY YANKEES 4 CLEVELAND 3

MINNESOTA 3 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1

OAKLAND 8 BALTIMORE 4

TAMPA BAY 9 BOSTON 7

TORONTO 4 DETROIT 3 (10)

KANSAS CITY 10 TEXAS 1

NY METS 5 SAN DIEGO 2

ST. LOUIS  7 COLORADO 4

ARIZONA 7 MILWAUKEE 3

MIAMI 3 PHILADELPHIA 2 (10)

ATLANTA 5 CINCINNATI 4

LA DODGERS 10 SAN FRANCISCO 5

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

ST. PAUL 5 INDIANAPOLIS 1

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

NBA NEWS

LAVINE SCORES 39, BULLS BEAT RAPTORS 109-105 IN PLAY-IN GAME

TORONTO (AP) Zach LaVine scored 39 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 against his former team and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in a play-in tournament game Wednesday night.

Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed 66-47 in the third quarter before LaVine carried them back. He scored 17 points in the third as Chicago cut the gap to nine, then added 13 more in the fourth to help the Bulls advance.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan said LaVine was “phenomenal” against the Raptors.

“His performance was extraordinary,” Donovan said. “It gave us life and it gave us hope.”

The Bulls will visit the Miami Heat on Friday night for the chance to earn the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, and a first-round playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chicago went 3-0 against the Heat this season. The Bulls won in Miami twice, including on opening night.

“They’re going to make adjustments. We are, too,” LaVine said. “It’s going to be whoever wants it more. I think it comes down to that.”

The Bulls shot 3 for 19 from 3-point range through the first three quarters but LaVine connected twice as Chicago made four of seven from distance in the fourth.

Fred VanVleet had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Pascal Siakam scored 32 points, but Toronto’s season ended in disappointment as the Raptors – with DeRozan’s nine-year-old daughter, Diar, screaming when they shot – went a dismal 18 for 36 at the free throw line. Toronto missed six attempts from the line in the fourth quarter.

“I thought we played well enough to win tonight but it just didn’t go our way,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

Scottie Barnes had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, and O.G. Anunoby scored 13 points. Toronto didn’t win three straight until January and never won more than four in a row in a season that struggled to generate any momentum.

“We’re going to have to be better,” Siakam said. “Not consistent enough and that’s got to change.”

Chicago’s Alex Caruso connected from the corner to tie the score at 91-all with 7:08 left in the fourth quarter and Patrick Beverley’s 3 with 5:07 remaining gave the Bulls a 96-93 lead. It was Beverley’s first basket of the game.

VanVleet’s 3 with 3:11 to go knotted it again at 100-all, but LaVine and DeRozan replied with baskets for the Bulls.

Barnes and Siakam each made one of two at the line inside the final two minutes, and VanVleet missed a 3 that would have tied the game.

Siakam’s driving dunk with 19 seconds left cut it to 105-104. After a timeout, LaVine pushed the lead to three with a pair of free throws. Caruso fouled Siakam on a 3 but the Raptors star missed his second and third attempts.

The Raptors led 28-23 after one and 58-47 at the break after VanVleet connected on a halfcourt heave at the halftime buzzer.

VanVleet’s 3 with 9:09 left in the third gave Toronto a 19-point edge, but LaVine and the Bulls trailed 81-72 heading to the fourth.

DOING IT FOR DAD

After talking her dad into skipping a day of school to attend the game, DeRozan’s daughter sat in a courtside seat adjacent to the Chicago bench.

“I just saw it,” DeRozan said of Diar’s screams. “She went viral.”

Toronto was 8 for 14 at the line in the opening half.

DeRozan said he’s sending Diar back to school, meaning she won’t be at Friday’s game against the Heat.

SHOWING HIS COLORS

Former NBA All-Star Charles Oakley, who played for both the Bulls and Raptors, sat in a courtside seat. Oakley wore a black hoodie with Toronto Raptors printed in gold letters on the back.

TIP-INS

Bulls: LaVine shot 13 for 15 at the free throw line. The Bulls went 18 for 22. … Patrick Williams scored 10 points.

Raptors: VanVleet had eight assists. … Siakam had nine rebounds.

GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER LEADS THUNDER PAST PELICANS IN PLAY-IN

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted his 32-point night with a go-ahead baseline jumper and four clutch free throws in the final 29 seconds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Josh Giddey had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, the only Western Conference team still playing with a losing record.

“We’ve been battle tested. We’ve played in a lot of close games all year, for the past couple of years,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Even when the season wasn’t going our way, we played in a lot of close games and we have good habits and we know what gets it done down the stretch.”

The loss eliminated the ninth-seeded Pelicans, while 10th seed Oklahoma City advanced to play at Minnesota on Friday night for the right to enter the NBA playoffs as an eighth seed and meet No. 1 Denver.

Brandon Ingram scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to give the Pelicans a slim chance to come back.

But after Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws, Herbert Jones threw away an inbound pass, virtually sealing New Orleans’ fate.

Lu Dort scored 27 for the Thunder, including a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left.

Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 18 rebounds for New Orleans, but checked out with 4:26 after apparently hurting his right foot. He returned only briefly in the final minute.

Trey Murphy III scored 21 points, Jones had 20 and CJ McCollum 14 for the Pelicans, who a season ago went 2-0 in play-in games as a ninth seed to advance to the first round of the playoffs.

This time New Orleans, which was at the top of the Western Conference standings in December, was left to wonder what might have been had Zion Williamson not gone out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury on Jan. 2.

New Orleans led 69-62 early in the third quarter before the Thunder surged in front with a 13-2 run capped by Gilgeous-Alexander’s driving layup as he was fouled.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 in the period and Giddey added 12, including his third 3 of the game to give Oklahoma City a 95-85 lead.

But New Orleans quickly tightened the game back up early in the fourth with a 7-0 run that included reserve guard Josh Richardson’s 3 that pulled the Pelicans to 98-96.

The Pelicans went back in front when Richardson’s steal and breakaway dunk made it 101-100, but as the Thunder came back up the court, Richardson was called for a foul after knocking Giddey to the floor near midcourt. Giddey angrily came to his feet and started angrily toward Richardson. Teammates held both at bay while officials called for a video review and determined that Richardson had committed a flagrant foul.

Giddey made one of two free throws to tie it and set the stage for an intense finish.

Dort, who averaged 13.7 points during the regular season, scored 14 in the first quarter. But the Pelicans surged in front late in the first half when Murphy hit a pair of 3s to help New Orleans go into halftime with a 63-57 lead.

Ingram appeared to turn his left ankle when he stepped on a foot late in the second quarter. He did not check out of the game, however, and played most of the second half.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander’s seven first-half points were his lowest in any first half this season. His 17 points in the third quarter marked the 40th time he scored at least 10 in a third quarter this season. … Oklahoma City outscored New Orleans 21-11 in points off turnovers. The Pelicans committed 11 turnovers, the Thunder seven.

Pelicans: Played without prominent frontcourt reserve Larry Nance Jr., who had been questionable since injuring his left ankle on Sunday in a loss at Minnesota to close the regular season. … Outrebounded the Thunder 48-38. … Williamson, who missed his 46th straight game as he continues his recovery from a Jan. 2 right hamstring injury, took part in warmups and finished up with a windmill dunk.

MAVS GM HARRISON STAYS GUARDED ON NBA PROBE, IRVING, DONCIC

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said he didn’t expect the trade for Kyrie Irving to spark a playoff run the way his first blockbuster move did a year earlier.

Missing the postseason completely started the clock early for the Mavs in their attempt to re-sign Irving in free agency and see how the pairing with fellow All-Star Luka Doncic looks long-term.

The exit interview with Irving was Monday, the day after the season ended under the cloud of an NBA investigation. The league announced the probe after Irving didn’t play and Doncic was limited to the first quarter when Dallas still had a chance to make the play-in tournament with two games remaining.

Irving and Doncic both sat for a meaningless season finale after a loss to Chicago in the game in question eliminated the Mavs a season after they went to the Western Conference finals.

Harrison said Tuesday he didn’t know much about the NBA’s investigation and wouldn’t comment further. The 0-2 finish by Dallas put the club in the best position possible to keep a first-round pick that otherwise will go to the New York Knicks from Dallas’ 2019 trade for Kristaps Porzingis.

The second-year GM wasn’t much more enlightening on the topics of Irving’s future and the mindset of Doncic, who openly expressed his frustration with a losing season and said off-court issues were taking away his joy for the game.

“Had a great conversation,” Harrison said of his postseason meeting with Irving, an enigmatic eight-time All-Star acquired in February after telling Brooklyn he wanted to be traded. The move ended a drama-filled stint with the Nets.

“I think the things that he said along the way about how he feels here, how he feels appreciated, how he feels accepted and allowed to be himself,” Harrison said. “I think those are the things that he’s said kind of consistently, and that’s what gives me the optimism that he wants to be here.”

Doncic said he didn’t agree with, but understood, the decision to sit Irving and four other regulars on the night he played before coming out a few seconds into the second quarter of a 115-112 loss to the Bulls, when a rag-tag bunch of reserves couldn’t hold an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The 24-year-old said in his season-ending interview he was happy in Dallas, and Harrison said he didn’t go to sleep at night worried about Doncic’s future because the four-time All-Star has three years left before a player option kicks in on the $215 million rookie supermax contract he signed two years ago.

Still, there’s the question of keeping Doncic happy in Dallas with plenty of recent scenarios around the league of unhappy superstars forcing their way out.

“I don’t know what keeping Luka happy here means,” Harrison said. “If you win, then I’m assuming he’s going to be happy. If we win and he’s not happy, then I wouldn’t know how to keep him happy. So I think the goal is to win. I’m assuming that works. It will work for me.”

Before the 2022 trade deadline, Harrison sent Porzingis to Washington in a deal that brought Spencer Dinwiddie to Dallas. Dinwiddie was an important piece of the run to the West finals, but he went to the Nets along with defensive ace Dorian Finney-Smith in the deal for Irving.

Harrison said the difference between the outcomes in the two trades was the Mavs were already on a roll when they made the move last year. This year, a team that couldn’t find the same defensive formula got even worse on that end without Finney-Smith, and never found traction.

Doncic and Irving were 5-11 together, with each missing multiple games because of injuries. After winning their first two games with Irving, the Mavs went 7-18 the rest of the way.

“I didn’t know if this would be like a magic pill. I don’t think I had any visions of that,” Harrison said. “But I figured it couldn’t be worse than what it was. I also looked at it as a long-term play, not a short-term play.”

That part is next for Harrison and owner Mark Cuban.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW SET FOR PHILADELPHIA 76ERS PROPOSED ARENA

Philadelphia officials have announced “an independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the Philadelphia 76ers’ proposal to build a $1.3 billion sports arena next to the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, an idea that’s drawn strong opposition from some Chinatown residents and leaders.

Mayor Jim Kenney on Wednesday called the proposal announced last summer “an exciting opportunity” but said officials must understand the impact it may have on the surrounding communities before any plans move forward.”

In the coming months, he said, city and public agency partners as well as third-party consultants will complete technical studies on the feasibility and impacts of such an arena in the proposed location. He said that would include assessing “building design, community impact and urban planning, economic impact and parking/traffic impact.”

Kenney also said the developers must ensure that the project “works for the surrounding communities” that would be affected and urged that they be “involved and engaged throughout every step of this process.”

The city’s announcement came hours before an evening meeting scheduled in Chinatown by opponents of the arena, which would be built just a block away from the community’s prominent gateway arch with a planned opening in 2031.

The 76ers’ current home is in south Philadelphia, a few miles (kilometers) from downtown, along with most of the city’s other pro sports teams. Supporters say the proposed arena, to be based around public transit, would bring needed investment and development, with a “world-class sports and entertainment hub” envisioned nearby.

Neeta Patel, interim executive director of Asian Americans United, hailed the city’s announcement and said community groups expect the city’s examination to include “a comprehensive analysis of the environmental, economic, social, and cultural impact” of such a project on the community. Patel said data on downtown arenas show that such projects “provide little to no benefit for cities while funneling profits to their rich developers.”

Opponents earlier this year announced the formation of a coalition of several dozen groups with aid from a national civil rights legal organization to fight the plan. Some residents and business owners have expressed concerns about possible traffic and parking problems, spiking property values that force out residents, and potential ill effects on traditional celebrations and festivals as well as disruptions due to years of construction.

An earlier proposal for a sports facility in the Chinatown area failed in 2000 and so did a 2008 proposal that hoped to put a casino near the current proposed arena site. Opponents also point to disruption from decades of developments such as the convention center and the Vine Street Expressway (I-676).

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

MICHIGAN STATE’S IZZO SAYS A FEW PLAYERS COULD ENTER DRAFT

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said “a bunch of guys” in college basketball are putting their names in the NBA draft.

“I think that’s the popular thing to do,” Izzo said Wednesday.

A few Spartans may join the trend, declaring themselves eligible to at least be evaluated for the draft with an opportunity to withdrawal from it in June, he said.

“Jaden (Akins) could,” Izzo said. “ (A.J.) Hoggard and Tyson (Walker) could. Guys could put their names in and see where they’re at. That’s the next thing to deal with, and it seems to be more common now. We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks.”

If all three of the Spartans’ standout guards return, Izzo will have a talented and experienced team that will get a boost from one of the top recruiting classes that includes a pair of McDonald’s All-America selections.

“We got something to celebrate,” Izzo said.

Recently, Walker and forward Malik Hall announced plans to come back for a fifth season. Izzo said Hall had foot surgery after being hobbled for much of last season.

Walker, Hoggard and Akins helped Izzo become the first coach to earn 25 straight bids to the NCAA Tournament this year. Izzo advanced to his 15th Sweet 16, winning a record 16th March Madness game with a lower-seeded team before being eliminated by Kansas State in overtime.

The Hall of Fame coach won the 2000 national championship and reached the Final Four for the eighth time in 2019.

Izzo seems set up to have a chance to add to both totals next season.

Five of his top six scorers are back — potentially at least — and a few reserves return along with highly-touted freshmen Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears.

“Pretty solid group coming back with a great group of recruits coming in,” Izzo said. “There is a lot of optimism.”

IOWA ST REWARDS OTZELBERGER WITH EXTENSION THROUGH 2028-29

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger has received a two-year contract extension that keeps him with the Cyclones through the 2028-29 season.

Athletic director Jamie Pollard announced the extension Monday, noting Otzelberger has led the team to the NCAA Tournament each of his first two seasons and signed the highest-rated recruiting class in program history.

“The complete transformation of our program in such a short time is a testament to Coach Otzelberger’s leadership and vision for Cyclone Basketball, and he is most deserving of this extension and a compensation increase,” Pollard said.

When Otzelberger was hired away from UNLV, he agreed to a lower salary to help the athletic department manage buyout costs of the previous staff.

Otzelberger’s annual salary will increase from $2 million to $2.5 million on July 1, $3 million in 2024 and $3.5 million in 2025. He will received $100,000 increases each of the following years.

Iowa State was 19-14 overall and finished fifth in the Big 12 Conference with a 9-9 record. The Cyclones had a nation-leading six wins over top-10 teams and were one of two teams to win eight against Top 25 opponents.

Otzelberger took over a team that won two games in 2020-21 and led it to 22 wins and an NCAA regional semifinal in his first year for the biggest turnaround ever by a Power Five program.

His latest recruiting class was ranked No. 8 by ESPN, ninth by 247Sports and 10th by Rivals and features McDonald’s All-American Omaha Biliew.

JIM HARRICK JR., SON OF FORMER UCLA COACH, DIES AT 58

Former Pepperdine player and longtime college assistant Jim Harrick Jr. has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 58.

According to UCLA, the son of former Bruins title-winning coach Jim Harrick died Tuesday in San Marcos, Calif., after a 2 1/2-year battle with a glioblastoma brain tumor.

The younger Harrick was the interim coach at San Diego State for the final seven games of the 1991-92 season after that school fired Jim Brandenburg. Harrick went 0-7 to complete a 2-26 campaign.

Harrick played for his father at Pepperdine for two seasons from 1985-87. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.2 assists in 45 appearances (eight starts).

The younger Harrick served as an assistant on his father’s staffs at Rhode Island and Georgia. He also was an assistant at Valparaiso, Marshall and Loyola Chicago in addition to the stint at San Diego State.

Harrick Jr. was fired at Georgia in March 2003, shortly after being suspended due to allegations he was involved in academic fraud and paying the bills of a player.

Jim Harrick Sr. coached UCLA to the 1995 national title during eight seasons (1988-96) at the school. The elder Harrick is 84.

GONZAGA G MALACHI SMITH DECLARES FOR NBA DRAFT

Gonzaga guard Malachi Smith announced Wednesday that he is entering his name in the NBA draft.

Smith averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 37 games (one start) for the Bulldogs this season. He didn’t say if he would retain his college eligibility.

“Every moment this season has been a blessing and I am grateful for the memories I have made that I will never forget,” Smith wrote in his announcement on Twitter. “… I am grateful for the journey because it has prepared me for this moment. With that said I will be declaring for the 2023 NBA DRAFT.”

The 2022-23 season was Smith’s first season at Gonzaga. He began his career by playing one campaign at Wright State before playing two seasons at Chattanooga. He was the Southern Conference Player of Year in his second season at Chattanooga when he averaged 19.9 points and 6.7 rebounds in 35 games (34 starts).

Gonzaga’s roster will be in further disarray if Smith doesn’t return. Julian Strawther declared for the draft earlier this week, Drew Timme has indicated his time with the school is over and Rasir Bolton is out of eligibility. Anton Watson is still deciding whether or not to declare for the NBA draft.

In addition, reserves Hunter Sallis, Dominick Harris and Efton Reid have entered the transfer portal.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

GAMECOCKS-IRISH TO OPEN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN PARIS

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina and Notre Dame will open the next women’s college basketball season in Paris, the schools announced Wednesday.

The Nov. 6 matchup will mark the first time an NCAA regular-season game has been played in the French capital.

Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley said she didn’t hesitate when invited to take part. “Playing Notre Dame in Paris is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our student-athletes,” she said.

South Carolina reached its third straight Final Four this past season and was undefeated until losing to Iowa 77-73 in the national semifinals.

Notre Dame advanced to the Sweet 16, where it lost to Maryland 76-59.

Fighting Irish coach Niele Ivey said the women’s college game is on the rise and “having this exposure will help grow the game on an international level.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

FINGER SURGERY PUTS BROWN’S BID FOR BUCKEYES’ QB JOB ON HOLD

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Devin Brown, who is competing with Kyle McCord for the Ohio State starting quarterback’s job, had surgery on his throwing hand Wednesday and will miss the rest of spring practice.

Coach Ryan Day said McCord and Oregon State transfer Tristan Gebbia would be the top two quarterbacks in the spring game Saturday.

McCord has more experience than Brown and is considered the front-runner to succeed C.J. Stroud. McCord started against Akron in 2021 and appeared in seven games last season as the top backup.

Brown, who redshirted last season and did not play in a game, had surgery on a finger on his right hand. Day, who didn’t disclose how or when Brown was hurt, said Brown should resume throwing soon.

Day said the competition between McCord and Brown remains too close to call.

“It would be nice to have it be black and white,” he said. “I can’t sit here and tell you it is right now. I think they’ve both done really good things, they both have things they can improve on. There are no games or agenda here. It’s two guys competing, and one day one guy has the upper hand and the next day the other guy might have the upper hand.”

NFL NEWS

AP MOCK NFL DRAFT: CJ STROUD GOES TO THE PANTHERS

The Carolina Panthers have been on the clock since making a blockbuster trade last month to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft and get their choice of potential franchise quarterbacks.

There’s still no general consensus on which QB will go first.

Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud? The Panthers themselves are still trying to decide and they’re doing their due diligence on Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in the process.

The Panthers traded four picks, including No. 9 overall and a first-rounder next year, along with wide receiver DJ Moore to give new coach Frank Reich a quarterback to build around.

The first edition of the AP’s 2023 mock draft says it’ll be Stroud.

1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago): C.J. STROUD, QUARTERBACK, OHIO STATE

Stroud’s size — 6-foot-3, 214 pounds — gives him an edge over Young — 5-foot-10, 204. Stroud has a strong, accurate arm and possesses the leadership ability and other intangibles that Reich values.

2. Houston Texans: BRYCE YOUNG, QUARTERBACK, ALABAMA

Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, becomes the face of the Texans and allows Houston to move past Deshaun Watson. His size is below standard but it was never an issue when Young played at a high level at Alabama. He can make every throw, has strong pocket presence and is a dynamic playmaker.

3. Arizona Cardinals: WILL ANDERSON, EDGE, ALABAMA

New coach Jonathan Gannon benefited from having a dominant defensive line last season as a defensive coordinator for the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. Anderson is the best pass rusher in the draft and Arizona has to replace T.J. Watt and Zach Allen.

4. Indianapolis Colts: ANTHONY RICHARDSON, QUARTERBACK, FLORIDA

Another pick inspired by the Eagles. New coach Stane Steichen, the former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, had tremendous success with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Colts owner Jim Irsay is a big fan of Hurts’ style. Richardson has incredible athleticism, a strong arm and elite talent. He needs time to work on accuracy and mechanics.

5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): JALEN CARTER, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, GEORGIA

Before his off-field issues, Carter was a potential No. 1 overall pick if Chicago didn’t trade down. He’s too talented to slip further. Carter is the right fit for Seattle and coach Pete Carroll.

6. Detroit Lions (from Los Angels Rams): DEVON WITHERSPOON, CORNERBACK, ILLINOIS

Witherspoon has slid on some drafts probably because a hamstring injury limited his workouts. He was impressive at Illinois’ pro day and is widely considered the top cover cornerback. The Lions had the NFL’s second-worst pass defense in 2022.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: TYREE WILSON, EDGE, TEXAS TECH

Size, build, speed, Wilson has it all for an edge rusher. The Raiders can team Wilson up with Maxx Crosby to get after the elite QBs in the AFC West.

8. Atlanta Falcons: MYLES MURPHY, EDGE, CLEMSON

Murphy instantly upgrades a pass rush on a defense that had the second-fewest sacks in 2022.

9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): PETER SKORONSKI, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, NORTHWESTERN

The Bears need to protect Justin Fields so it starts with Skoronski covering his blindside.

10. Houston Texans (mock trade from Philadelphia via New Orleans): LUKAS VAN NESS, EDGE, IOWA

After taking Young at No. 2, the Texans swing a deal in our first mock trade and move up to grab an elite edge rusher in Van Ness.

11. Tennessee Titans: WILL LEVIS, QUARTERBACK, KENTUCKY

Titans can’t pass up this opportunity to take Levis. He didn’t have eye-popping stats at Kentucky but he has size, build, makeup and experience in a pro-style offense that teams desire.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (mock trade from Houston via Cleveland): NOLAN SMITH, EDGE, GEORGIA

Smith joins former Bulldogs teammates Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean on a revamped defense in Philly.

13. New York Jets: PARIS JOHNSON, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, OHIO STATE

Johnson has all the physical tools and intangibles to anchor the O-line, protect Aaron Rodgers and help the Jets improve their run game.

14. New England Patriots: CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ, CORNERBACK, OREGON

Gonzalez is an immediate starter for Bill Belichick’s defense, giving the Patriots the bigger cornerback they lack in the secondary.

15. Seattle Seahawks (mock trade from Green Bay): JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, WIDE RECEIVER, OHIO STATE

Seattle moves up to take the first wide receiver. Smith-Njigba teams up with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to give Geno Smith another dynamic option.

16. Washington Commanders: JOEY PORTER JR., CORNERBACK, PENN STATE

The Commanders tab a physical cornerback, taking the son of former Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: BRODERICK JONES, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, GEORGIA

The Steelers get an athletic left tackle to protect Kenny Pickett’s blindside.

18. Detroit Lions: CALIJAH KANCEY, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, PITTSBURGH

After selecting a CB earlier, the Lions continue to bolster a poor defense with an interior d-lineman who can get after QBs.

19. Kansas City Chiefs (mock trade from Tampa Bay): DARNELL WRIGHT, OFFENSIVE TACKLE, TENNESSEE

The Super Bowl champs move up to select a right tackle after more turnover on their offensive line.

20. Green Bay Packers (mock trade from Seattle): DALTON KINCAID, TIGHT END, UTAH

Kincaid will quickly become Jordan Love’s go-to target as he settles into a starting role.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: ZAY FLOWERS, WIDE RECEIVER, BOSTON COLLEGE

Flowers slots in nicely with veterans Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.

22. Baltimore Ravens: CAM SMITH, CORNERBACK, SOUTH CAROLINA

Smith provides immediate help for a pass defense that finished 26th.

23. Vikings: JORDAN ADDISON, WIDE RECEIVER, USC

Addison is polished enough to instantly step in to replace Adam Thielen.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: MICHAEL MAYER, TIGHT END, NOTRE DAME

Mayer upgrades the run game and pass game, giving Trevor Lawrence a potential top target.

25. New York Giants: JALIN HYATT, WIDE RECEIVER, TENNESSEE

Giants get a wideout with game-breaking speed in Hyatt.

26. Dallas Cowboys: BIJAN ROBINSON, RUNNING BACK, TEXAS

Cowboys replace Ezekiel Elliott with the best back in the draft.

27. Buffalo Bills: JACK CAMPBELL, LINEBACKER, IOWA

The 2022 Dick Butkus award winner replaces Tremaine Edwards.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: DEONTE BANKS, CORNERBACK, MARYLAND

Bengals add a physical, athletic cornerback to a depleted secondary.

29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco): MAZI SMITH, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, MICHIGAN

In a draft stocked with interior d-linemen, Saints get a big man with freakish athletic skills.

30. Chicago Bears (mock trade from Philadelphia): BRYAN BRESEE, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, CLEMSON

Chicago moves back into the first round to get a run stuffer.

31. Buccaneers (mock trade from Kansas City): BRIAN BRANCH, SAFETY, ALABAMA

After trading back, Bucs get a safety many have them taking at 19.

NFL DRAFT TOP TIGHT ENDS

MICHAEL MAYER NOTRE DAME

Mayer had his eye on a college basketball scholarship when he entered Covington Catholic High School in Independence, Kentucky, but was convinced to give football a shot, joining his quarterback brother, A.J. He was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior (catching 15 TDs and picking off four INTs), helping his school win a state title. Mayer’s Notre Dame career started with a bang, as he garnered Freshman All-American and third-team All-ACC honors by tying for the Irish lead with 42 receptions (450 yards, 10.7 per, two TDs in 12 games, three starts). He again topped the squad with 71 receptions (840 yards, 11.8 per) and tied for the team lead with seven receiving scores in 12 starts his sophomore campaign. Mayer was a first-team Associated Press All-American and John Mackey Award (nation’s top tight end) finalist his junior season, breaking his own school record for tight ends with nine receiving touchdowns and leading the team with 67 receptions for 809 receiving yards (12.1 per). He also set the Notre Dame record for tight ends in single-season receptions and receiving yards in 2021 and is the school’s all-time leader in all three categories for the position.

Overview

Big combination tight end with the demeanor for run blocking and the size for tough, chain-moving catches underneath. Mayer will come into the league with better blocking technique than most tight ends in this year’s draft. He’s built for in-line duty and was an extension of the Notre Dame offensive line at times. His feet are a little heavy getting into and through his routes, but he has the hand strength and contact balance to win heavily contested catches on the first two levels. Mayer might need to polish his route running to become a high-volume target, but he’s a safe pick and will be a good pro who can become a plus player as a run blocker and pass catcher.

Strengths

• Possesses ideal frame and demeanor to play Y tight end in the NFL.
• Makes effort to strain and win his run blocks.
• Meets defender with foot slide to gain positioning.
• Fits up his run blocks with decent force.
• Can climb on top of defender’s toes before snapping break off.
• Maintains his stride speed through route turns.
• Rarely distracted by route or catch conflict.
• Sinks suddenly into zone void and presents numbers to his quarterback.
• Plays big when it’s time to win the contested catch.

DALTON KINCAID UTAH

Kincaid played just one year of high school football after focusing on basketball (he played for a national championship-winning AAU squad) but was an all-state pick at Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas in that lone football season. He signed with non-scholarship program San Diego for 2018, starting three of 12 games played that year and scoring 11 touchdowns (24-374-15.6). Kincaid was a third-team Associated Press FCS All-American in 2019, scoring eight more times and averaging 19 yards a reception (44-835) in 12 appearances. Utah saw his potential and gave him a scholarship for the 2020 season, in which he played five games with one start (made one catch for 14 yards). Kincaid was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection in 2021, topping the Utes with eight touchdown receptions (36-510-14.2) and starting 13 of 14 games played. He became Utah’s top receiving threat in 12 games (nine starts) as a senior, missing one game with a shoulder injury. Also, he opted out of the Rose Bowl, citing an injury. The 2022 first-team All-Pac-12 selection caught 70 passes for 890 yards (12.7 per) and eight scores, garnering third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press.

Overview

Move tight end whose premium talent as a pass-catcher will be the primary focus for evaluators. Kincaid is a fluid route runner with the athleticism and play speed to create mismatches against lesser coverage. Impeccable ball skills and sticky hands allow him to tilt 50/50 contested throws in his favor. He lacks the play strength and technique to work in-line, but can handle some positional blocking in space from time to time. Kincaid can manage a more extended route tree, allowing calculating play-callers to open up the entire field and stress coverages. He will need to acclimate to a more physical/athletic brand of coverage, but should blossom into a weapon.

Strengths

• Fluid athlete with impressive catch radius.
• Gets into routes with good initial burst.
• Has enough speed to threaten vertically and across the field.
• Sweet feet to break and separate from coverage.
• Possesses outstanding ball-tracking and focus as receiver.
• Makes well-timed moves for jump-ball victories.
• Hands are sticky and sure through contact.
• Above average run-and-catch fluidity on the move.

Weaknesses

• Liability as a run blocker.
• Jarred off of his base by average contact.
• Struggles to stay connected to a block for long.
• Routes could use better speed variance.
• Physical defenders are able to slow his routes.

DARNELL WASHINGTON GEORGIA

Washington was rated one of the top 25 recruits in the country after his career at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas. He started seven of 10 games played in 2020 for the Bulldogs (7-166-23.7) as a true freshman. Washington missed the first four games of the 2021 campaign with an injury from preseason camp but returned to start six of 11 contests (10-154-15.4, one TD) for the national champions. He was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2022 (28-454-16.2 two TDs), starting 14 of 15 games played as Georgia repeated as champs.

Overview

In-line tight end with rare size and power at the point of attack to help soften defensive edges up front. Despite sloppy overall technique, Washington can be effective at moving defenders when he’s centered on his block. He must improve his footwork and hand usage, as NFL defenders will slip away from his clutches more easily if he’s unsound. He plods into his routes but catches with above-average focus and can be a handful to bring down. Washington could become a dominant run blocker with better technique, which makes me wonder if a team might give him a look at offensive tackle at some point in his career.

Strengths

• Massive frame and shredded physique.
• Mismatches linebackers at the point of attack.
• Pure power to torque and displace defender.
• Creates considerable advantage near goal line.
• Size requires careful coverage consideration.
• Able to adjust to off-target throws and catch in congestion.

Weaknesses

• Footwork into block fits needs work.
• Gets into blocks with wide hands.
• Waist-bender and head-ducker at point of attack.
• Angles to second level lack accuracy.
• Stiff-kneed, limiting speed to attack seam.
• Unable to sink and break off routes underneath.

LUKE MUSGRAVE OREGON STATE

Luke is the nephew of former Oregon and NFL quarterback Bill Musgrave, who has been a long-time coach at the college and NFL levels. His father, Doug, also played quarterback for two years at Oregon. Luke’s journey took him to Corvallis, where he made his own path after starring at Bend Senior High School. He started once in 12 games played as a true freshman (2-18-9.0) and then three times in seven games in 2020 (12-142-11.8). Musgrave took a step forward in 2021, catching 22 passes for 304 yards (13.8 per) and a score in 13 games (nine starts). He also blocked a punt and returned it 27 yards against Utah. Musgrave started hot in 2022, catching 11 passes for 169 yards (15.4 per) and a score in two games. However, he missed the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Overview

Between the abbreviated 2020 season and an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Musgrave’s snaps have been somewhat limited, but it’s easy to like what he’s put on tape. His route running harkens back to his slalom days with nimble feet and smooth hips helping to generate rhythm and separation in and out of breaks. He needs a little more bulk for combat in the trenches, but he offers what evaluators are looking for in technique, strain and demeanor. Musgrave has starter potential and should gain a coveted slot on draft boards from teams looking to add versatility to their 12 personnel (two tight ends) packages.

Strengths

• Oily hips and feet.
• Eludes coverage contact with smooth transitions of tempo.
• Routes gain momentum with burst through turns to mismatch linebackers.
• Gets head around to track vertical throws without losing a step.
• Footwork is controlled and patient fitting his run blocks.
• Strikes with inside hands and clean, upward punch.
• Makes good effort to sustain at point of attack or in space.

Weaknesses

• Needs to pair his feet with his hands in run game.
• Could use a little more strength at the point of attack.
• Average hand fighting inside the route.
• Will drift through intermediate cuts at times.
• Modest catch radius on throws outside the frame.

SAM LAPORTA IOWA

Overview

Highly targeted tight end whose playing style and physical abilities land somewhere between a connected (in-line or wing) and move tight end. LaPorta has the ability to threaten zone coverage and will make the basic catches. However, he lacks the desired elusiveness and ball skills to come away with the more challenging catches. LaPorta takes on run-blocking chores with inconsistent positioning but has the potential to improve with more work in that phase of the game. His catch production is splashy, but he appears to have average-starter potential at the next level.

Strengths

• High-volume target from a variety of alignments.
• Alters tempo to improve separation potential.
• Creates leverage for route breaks.
• Footwork and feel to handle more complex route work.
• Effective smacking defenders away with a stiff-arm.
• Tough to tackle once he gathers some momentum.
• Attaches into in-line blocks with inside hands.
• Does a decent job of staying after his block.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistent angles and accuracy as blocker in space.
• Takes the worst of it as lead blocker.
• Has trouble getting to square contact on the move.
• Needs to work back to meet the throw.
• Below average catch success when challenged.
• Allows defender angles to contest the throw.
• Needs to get hands catch-ready more quickly.

DAD SAYS UNIVERSITY FAILED TO TREAT NFL VETERAN WHO SHOT 6

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The father of a former NFL player who fatally shot six people before killing himself two years ago is suing the alma mater where his son played football.

An autopsy eventually diagnosed Phillip Adams with an unusually severe form of the degenerative brain disease commonly known as CTE that has been shown to cause violent mood swings and memory loss.

Now, Alonzo Adams says South Carolina State University did not follow safety protocols or properly train employees to treat the sustained head trauma that his son suffered during a college career that lasted from 2006 to 2009.

That alleged “negligence, carelessness, recklessness, willfulness, and wantonness” contributed to Adams’ death following the April 8, 2021, mass shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina, according to the wrongful death lawsuit filed March 31. Police found Adams with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Sam Watson, a spokesman said South Carolina State University, said the institution does not comment on current or pending litigation.

The NFL journeyman also sustained “head trauma” during his six years as a professional cornerback, according to the complaint. During a three-game span with the Raiders in 2012, Adams had two concussions.

The local coroner has said the family told investigators that Adams complained of excruciating injury-related pain, had issues with his memory and struggled to sleep. His sister told USA Today after the killings that the family had noticed concerning signs of rapidly deteriorating mental health like an escalating temper and lack of personal hygiene.

Because he didn’t retire by 2014, he would not have been eligible for testing included in a broad settlement between the league and former players over long-lasting concussion-related injuries.

An agent has previously told The Associated Press that the Adams did not participate in other physical and mental health programs available for ex-players.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB ROUNDUP: RAYS GO TO 12-0 ON SEASON

Taj Bradley won his major league debut with five solid innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays extended their winning streak to a dozen games with a 9-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Rays’ run of 12 consecutive victories to start the season is the third-best mark in modern-era major league history, trailing the 13-win streaks turned in by the Milwaukee Brewers (1987) and Atlanta Braves (1982). Bradley (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits while whiffing eight and walking one.

Randy Arozarena stroked a three-run homer and had four RBIs for Tampa Bay, and Wander Franco had three doubles, two runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. Christian Bethancourt and Vidal Brujan each went 2-for-3.

Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, and Reese McGuire had three hits and two runs. Alex Verdugo, Justin Turner and Enrique Hernandez each went 2-for-4. In his third start of the season, Boston’s Chris Sale (1-1) was hit hard, yielding six runs (five earned) on seven hits. He fanned six and walked two.

Blue Jays 4, Tigers 3 (10 innings)

George Springer singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th, and Toronto came back to defeat visiting Detroit.

Toronto scored two in the ninth to tie the game, two innings after Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run home run that gave Detroit a 3-1 lead in the seventh. Nick Maton had a solo shot in the fourth for the Tigers, who have lost six in a row.

Detroit left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez allowed one run, seven hits and one walk in six innings, striking out three. Toronto right-hander Kevin Gausman allowed three runs and five hits while striking out 11 in eight innings, as neither starter factored into the decision. Jordan Romano (2-0) allowed only a walk in the top of the 10th to earn the win.

Astros 7, Pirates 0

Jose Urquidy allowed two hits over six innings as Houston drubbed host Pittsburgh in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Urquidy (1-0) allowed three walks and struck out two for the Astros. Alex Bregman belted a three-run homer, Corey Julks added a solo shot and Jose Abreu had an RBI double for Houston.

Pittsburgh starter Rich Hill (0-2) took the loss despite yielding just two runs on five hits to go along with two walks in six innings.

Mets 5, Padres 2

Brandon Nimmo finished with three hits and two RBIs, and Tylor Megill combined with four relievers on a six-hitter for host New York, which beat San Diego to take of three in their series.

Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hit the tying and go-ahead solo homers while Tommy Pham had an RBI single for the Mets, who have won four of six. Megill (3-0) gave up two runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in five innings.

Juan Soto hit a long two-run homer in the first for the Padres, who lost a series for the first time this season.

Diamondbacks 7, Brewers 3

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer among his three hits to lead Arizona past Milwaukee in the rubber match of a three-game series in Phoenix.

Drey Jameson made his first start of the season and pitched four scoreless frames, allowing three hits and striking out four, leaving with a 5-0 lead. Kyle Nelson (2-0) picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He fanned three.

Janson Junk (0-1) made his Brewers debut while filling in for an injured Brandon Woodruff, taking the loss while going 4 2/3 innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Twins 3, White Sox 1

Sonny Gray pitched five shutout innings and Ryan Jeffers scored two runs to lead host Minnesota over Chicago to take two of three in the series in Minneapolis.

Gray (2-0) allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five while lowering his ERA to 0.53. Jhoan Duran picked up his third save.

Lenyn Sosa homered, and Luis Robert Jr. and Seby Zavala had doubles for the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Yankees 4, Guardians 3

Oswaldo Cabrera hit a go-ahead single with one out in the ninth inning off Emmanuel Clase to lift visiting New York over Cleveland.

The Yankees’ rally started when Giancarlo Stanton legged out an infield single and took second base after shortstop Amed Rosario committed a throwing error. After Clase (1-1) struck out Franchy Cordero, Cabrera roped a slider off the base of the right field wall to plate pinch runner Gleyber Torres.

Guardians starter Peyton Battenfield allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4 2/3 innings in his major league debut.

Mariners 5, Cubs 2

Jarred Kelenic homered for the third straight game and Teoscar Hernandez added a solo blast as visiting Seattle posted a win over Chicago.

Logan Gilbert (1-1) allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings for Seattle, which avoided a three-game sweep and concluded its six-game road trip with a 3-3 mark. Ty France extended his hitting streak to 10 games with two hits and an RBI and a run.

Chicago trailed 5-1 before Cody Bellinger belted a solo homer against Paul Sewald in the ninth inning. Seattle took the lead for good with two runs in the third to snap Cubs starter Marcus Stroman’s scoreless streak at 14 innings. Stroman (2-1) pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Cardinals 7, Rockies 4

Nolan Gorman hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, Tyler O’Neill homered among his two hits, and St. Louis beat host Colorado in Denver.

Nolan Arenado also went deep, Paul Goldschmidt had two doubles, Andre Pallante (1-0) pitched around a blown save and Ryan Helsley earned his third save.

Jurickson Profar homered and Charlie Blackmon had two hits for Colorado. The Rockies finished their homestand 3-4.

Braves 5, Reds 4

Eddie Rosario hit a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to spark Atlanta to a win over visiting Cincinnati to sweep the three-game series.

It was Atlanta’s first three-game series sweep of Cincinnati since 2014. Kirby Yates (1-0), who pitched one inning of scoreless relief, earned the win. A.J. Minter, who blew the save in the first game of the series, pitched a perfect ninth and picked up his second save.

Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene worked six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits to go along with a season-high 10 strikeouts. Atlanta’s Spencer Strider pitched five innings and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.

Marlins 3, Phillies 2 (10 innings)

Bryan De La Cruz hit an RBI single down the first base line in the top of the 10th inning to lift Miami over host Philadelphia.

De La Cruz had three hits and two RBIs and Jorge Soler hit a solo home run for the Marlins, who won two of three in the series. Marlins starter Edward Cabrera allowed seven hits and two runs with four strikeouts and one walk in five innings. A.J. Puk (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott had two hits and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Stott has nine multi-hit games this season for the Phillies. Gregory Soto (1-2) took the loss. The Phillies went down in order in the bottom of the 10th with the automatic runner stranded at second base.

Angels 3, Nationals 2

Logan O’Hoppe’s RBI single in the sixth inning snapped a 2-2 tie, and four Los Angeles relievers combined for four scoreless innings on the way to a victory over Washington in Anaheim, Calif.

Griffin Canning made the start on the mound for the Angels, his first major league appearance since July 2, 2021, before a stress fracture of his lower back sidelined him. He got a no-decision but pitched well, giving up two runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter while throwing 69 pitches.

After the Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth, the Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning. Washington starter MacKenzie Gore nearly escaped, striking out Gio Urshela and O’Hoppe. But Brett Phillips followed with a walk, driving in a run and tying the game at 2-2.

Royals 10, Rangers 1

MJ Melendez drove in three runs, Bobby Witt Jr. recorded his first three-hit night of the season and Kansas City snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory in Arlington, Texas.

Kansas City starter Brad Keller (2-1) impressed, limiting Texas to just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over 6 2/3 innings. The only blemish on the night for Keller was giving up a solo homer to Nathaniel Lowe in the first inning.

After that, KC controlled the game. The Royals scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead, the last two coming on a two-run double by Melendez off Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi (1-2) allowed six runs on 10 hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over five innings. Rangers reliever Taylor Hearn gave up four runs in the seventh.

A’s 8, Orioles 4

Carlos Perez had three hits, including a home run, and Oakland ended a six-game losing streak with a win at Baltimore.

Brent Rooker homered, singled and had three RBIs for Oakland, which plated eight runs for the second straight game. Chad Smith (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the win.

Rooker and Jace Peterson opened the Oakland eighth with singles off Keegan Akin (0-1). Cionel Perez replaced Akin and Aledmys Diaz loaded the bases with a bunt single. Jesus Aguilar’s sacrifice fly put the A’s ahead 5-4, and Oakland scored runs on a safety squeeze and Perez’s RBI single to take control for good.

Dodgers 10, Giants 5

Max Muncy continued his domination of San Francisco with two home runs, Clayton Kershaw (2-1) overcame a shaky start to go six innings and visiting Los Angeles secured a road series win over its Northern California rival.

With the game tied at 3-3, Giants reliever Taylor Rogers (0-1) walked Trayce Thompson, Chris Taylor and Mookie Betts to open the sixth. Freddie Freeman then drew a run-scoring walk off Rogers on the 15th pitch of his at-bat.

Will Smith then greeted Rogers’ replacement, John Brebbia, with a sacrifice fly before Muncy played long ball again, smacking a three-run shot to right field to make it a five-run inning and an 8-3 lead. After having just one homer in the season’s first 10 games, Muncy had four in the series, giving him 25 in his career in just 252 career at-bats against the Giants.

UMPIRE HOSPITALIZED AFTER BEING HIT IN HEAD BY RELAY THROW

CLEVELAND (AP) — Umpire Larry Vanover is being evaluated for a concussion and other injuries at a hospital after being struck in the head with a relay throw during Wednesday’s game between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

The 67-year-old Vanover was knocked down by the throw from Guardians All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez, who wheeled and fired toward the plate and hit Vanover, positioned on the infield grass between second and the mound, on the left side of his head.

Major League Baseball said Vanover said is being checked for a head injury “and other potential medical issues. The timeline on his return is to be determined.”

Plate umpire Chris Guccione told a pool reporter Vanover had “a pretty good-sized knot” on his head. He’s been taken to Cleveland Clinic.

“They’re going to do a concussion test and it sounded like he was coherent and that he knew kind of what was going on,” Guccione said. “But he did have that glazed look on him. He’s going to be at the hospital for the rest of the night maybe.

“That was scary. Very hard to focus after that after you see a colleague get hit. But they gave me updates, and I was like, ‘All right. He’s good. He’s in safe hands.’ So, we moved on.”

Vanover, who had ejected Yankees manager Aaron Boone in the first inning following a controversial play, was knocked off his feet by the throw. His hat flew from his head as he tumbled to the turf.

Giménez was visibly upset and many in the matiness crowd of 23,164 at Progressive Field gasped when Vanover was hit.

Vanover got to his feet without assistance and was checked by Cleveland’s trainer before being escorted off the field. Vanover has 29 years of major league umpiring experience.

The game continued with a three-ump crew.

HAPP, CUBS AGREE TO $61 MILLION, 3-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 2024-26

CHICAGO (AP) All-Star outfielder Ian Happ and the Chicago Cubs agreed Wednesday to a $61 million, three-year contract covering 2024-26.

Happ agreed in January to a $10.85 million, one-year contract. His new deal calls for a $3 million signing bonus payable June 1 and salaries of $20 million in both 2025 and 2026, and $18 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision and a hotel suite on road trips.

The 28-year-old would have been eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.

Happ entered Wednesday’s game against Seattle batting .314 with one home run and six RBIs.

Happ was a first-time All-Star last year, when he hit .271 with 17 home runs, a career-high 42 doubles and 72 RBIs. Happ also earned his first NL Gold Glove. He hit a career-high 25 home runs in 2021.

INJURED METS CLOSER DÍAZ HOPES TO RETURN THIS SEASON

NEW YORK (AP) Mets closer Edwin Díaz hopes to return this season from a torn right patella tendon.

“I’m feeling great,” Díaz said Wednesday in his first comments since he was hurt March 15 while celebrating Puerto Rico’s 5-2 victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. “We are working hard to see if I can come back as soon as possible. But everything’s going in the right direction. The doctors say I’m doing great.”

The usual timeline for a return from a torn patella tendon is eight months, though Mets general manager Billy Eppler said some players have returned in six.

The regular season is scheduled to end Oct. 1. Last season, the World Series ended on Nov. 5.

“The trainers and I are working hard,” Díaz said. “If the knee is responding to the testing, then I have to start running, I have to get on the mound, I have to start throwing. If everything goes well, I think I can be back sooner than eight months.”

Díaz, standing on crutches outside the Mets clubhouse, said he is doing a lot of arm exercises and trying to maintain his usual level of conditioning.

“This is a good time to get all of my body stronger,” Díaz said.

Díaz said he didn’t have second thoughts about participating in the WBC.

“I think people can get hurt in their home (or) any place,” Díaz said. “Happened to me at the WBC and that’s part of the game. I wasn’t pitching, I was celebrating with my team. If I have the chance to play again for my country, yeah, I would do it.”

Díaz spoke five days after he received the loudest ovation during introductions prior to the home opener. With his entrance song “Narco” blasting form the Citi Field loudspeakers, Diaz hopped up the dugout steps and waved to the sellout crowd.

“I didn’t know I was coming until the day before,” Díaz said with a grin. “I was really happy to come and show the fans I’m doing good.”

RANGERS SS SEAGER OUT AT LEAST 4 WEEKS WITH HAMSTRING STRAIN

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will miss at least four weeks after being placed on the injured list Wednesday with a left hamstring strain after getting hurt running the bases.

General manager Chris Young said Seager had an MRI that showed a Grade 2 strain. Seager, who got hurt in the fifth inning of Tuesday night’s game against Kansas City, spent nearly a month on the IL with a left hamstring strain during the 2019 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Somebody of Corey’s caliber is not replaceable, but it leads to opportunity for other players to step up. And that’s what good teams do,” Young said. “All good teams, every team, goes through injuries. And we knew something like this would happen, didn’t know when or to whom.”

Texas went into Wednesday night’s game against the Royals leading the AL West with a 7-4 record.

While Seager went on the 10-day IL, the Rangers activated switch-hitting center fielder Leody Taveras from that list. Taveras, who was set to return from his rehab assignment sometime this week, began the season on the IL because of a left oblique strain sustained during batting practice early in spring training.

Taveras was back in the lineup batting seventh for the Rangers. Josh Smith was the starting shortstop and hitting second, Seager’s usual spot in the order.

Seager was off to an impressive start in the second year of his $325 million, 10-year contract with the Rangers. He got hurt running out an opposite-field double into the left-field corner, his fifth consecutive game with an extra-base hit. He was seventh in the American League hitting .359 overall, and with nine walks had a .469 on-base percentage.

“He’s disappointed. Obviously, no player wants to be injured. Corey is off to a great start. He’s been swinging, even through spring training to the beginning of the season, as well as anybody in the game,” Young said. “He’s bummed about it, disappointed not to be out there with his teammates. … We’ll get him back healthy and he’ll pick right up where he left off.”

After cleanly making the turn around first, Seager took a few more steps before he suddenly pulled up and then limped the rest of the way to second base. He briefly reached toward the back of his leg, bent down and then almost immediately started going back toward the Rangers dugout, even before a team trainer got all the way out to check on him.

Smith took over as the pinch-runner and stayed in the game at shortstop. Smith avoided an IL stint last week after he got hit by a pitch in the face and needed six stitches. The Rangers also have utility player Ezequiel Duran on the roster who can play short.

“We feel like we have good depth and versatility in the infield with Smith and Duran and certainly we are excited to see more of them and hopefully fill the void as best we can until Cory is ready to come back,” Young said.

Seager played 151 games in his debut with the Rangers last season, when he never missed more than three games in a row. He hit a career-high 33 homers and was an All-Star for the third time.

But he missed about 2 1/2 months of the 2021 season with the Dodgers because of a fractured right hand after getting hit by a pitch. Along with the previous hamstring injury, he was limited to only 26 games in 2018 because of right elbow surgery.

ROCKIES RHP MÁRQUEZ GOES ON IL WITH FOREARM INFLAMMATION

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Germán Márquez was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with inflammation in his right forearm.

Márquez left his start Monday night against St. Louis after experiencing tightness in the middle of his forearm while warming up for the sixth inning. He is 2-1 this season with a 4.41 ERA.

The 28-year-old Márquez had discomfort in his elbow in 2019 that led to the Rockies shutting him down in August. He said Monday night this was nothing like that pain.

Márquez has 979 career strikeouts with the Rockies. He is six away from tying Jorge De La Rosa for the most in team history.

To take his spot on the roster, Colorado recalled infielder/outfielder Nolan Jones from Triple-A Albuquerque.

YANKEES INFS LEMAHIEU, TORRES DEALING WITH LEG INJURIES

CLEVELAND (AP) — New York Yankees infielders DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres are dealing with leg injuries that kept them out of Wednesday’s starting lineup for the series finale against the Cleveland Guardians.

LeMahieu’s quadriceps tightened Tuesday night while he was running the bases in New York’s 11-2 win and Torres was pulled in the ninth inning with a hip flexor.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone doesn’t think either injury is serious, but he’s not taking any chances. He characterized LeMahieu’s injury as day to day and said both he and Torres could be options off the bench in Wednesday’s game.

Boone said there are no plans for LeMahieu to undergo testing. Boone doesn’t think the quad injury is related to the 34-year-old compensating for a chronic toe condition he’s dealt with for a few seasons.

Boone said LeMahieu’s quad tightened while he was running the bases during the middle innings. LeMahieu reached base three times, scored twice and finished the game. Boone intended to play him Wednesday before LeMahieu reported lingering tightness.

“It’s not something we want to mess with,” Boone said.

A three-time All-Star, LeMahieu led the AL in batting in 2020 with a .364 average.

Torres went 1 for 4 with walk on Tuesday, leaving the game for a pinch runner after a ninth-inning single.

With LeMahieu and Torres out, rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe is batting leadoff for the first time. The 21-year-old Volpe has gotten off to a slow start, batting just .129 (4 for 31) with 12 strikeouts.

TWINS’ FARMER HIT IN FACE BY 92 MPH PITCH; ORAL SURGERY NEXT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota’s Kyle Farmer was hit in the face by a fastball on Wednesday, a frightening mistake by Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito that had the Twins shortstop scheduled for oral surgery to realign four teeth and repair a major laceration around his jaw.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said the initial diagnosis revealed no fracture after the 92 mph pitch from Giolito ran inside and knocked Farmer to the dirt in the fourth inning. Giolito immediately raised his arms toward his head and walked forward from the mound out of concern for Farmer, who laid face down for a few minutes as the Twins tended to him.

Farmer eventually climbed to his feet with assistance and walked slowly to the dugout with a towel pressed against his face, his head hunched down.

“You kind of didn’t hear a pin drop for three innings. It was kind of weird in the dugout,” Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton said, adding: “Everybody was thinking more about him than the game, especially when something horrific happens like that. If you’ve got any type of heart, you care about that person before you do this game. It was tough to finish.”

Giolito was shaken up by the sight, too.

“It’s something that obviously I feel very, very bad about,” he said. “Never want to hit anyone up there.”

White Sox manager Pedro Grifol wished Farmer a “speedy recovery” as well.

“Guys are throwing harder and harder in the game,” Grifol said. “Pitching up in the zone, it’s one of the things the last couple years that’s really taken to the front of game plans.”

The fact that Farmer didn’t have a fracture, Baldelli said, was “probably some sort of miracle.”

The manager was effusive in his praise for his players for the way they refocused and went on to take the series from the White Sox with a 3-1 win.

“They’re amazing. I barely had the ability to do my job, and they’re going out there and playing,” Baldelli said. “They went out there and did everything they could possibly do to come together and win this ballgame.”

Willi Castro entered as a pinch-runner for Farmer, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Cincinnati. He has started seven of 12 games for the Twins, filling in at second base for Jorge Polanco and more recently at shortstop for Carlos Correa.

Polanco (left knee inflammation) is on the injured list along with three other regulars: Joey Gallo, Max Kepler and Alex Kirilloff. Correa (mid-back spasms) missed his fourth straight game on Wednesday. He could return to the lineup on Thursday.

MLB TEAMS EXTEND BEER SALES AFTER PITCH CLOCK SHORTENS GAMES

PHOENIX (AP) — Thanks to the pitch clock, the action is moving much faster at Major League Baseball games.

It also means a little less time for fans to enjoy a frosty adult beverage.

To combat that time crunch, at least four teams — the Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers — have extended alcohol sales through the eighth inning this season. Others, like the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, still have seventh-inning cutoffs, but haven’t ruled out changes.

“Totally makes sense to me,” said Tom Lienhardt, who was sipping on a beer Tuesday night before the Brewers-Diamondbacks game at Chase Field. “Since the games are shorter, you’ve got to adjust.”

Teams historically have stopped selling alcohol after the seventh.

At least one team, the Baltimore Orioles, already sold alcohol through the eighth inning, or until 3 1/2 hours after first pitch, whichever came first.

MLB games have been considerably shorter this season, largely thanks to a series of rule changes, particularly the new pitch clock. Through the first 1 1/2 weeks of the season, the average game time was down 31 minutes, on track to be the sport’s lowest since 1984.

The minor leagues played with the pitch clock last season. At least one minor league general manager — Kevin Mahoney of the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones — said there was no dropoff in concession sales even with shorter games.

Still, some big league teams have felt the need to make adjustments.

The Rangers allowed some alcohol sales in the eighth inning last season, but have made that option more widely available in 2023. The team said the move to offer in-seat service to everyone — fans can order on their phones — was done partly in reaction to the pitch clock and the potential of shorter game times so fans would not have to miss extended action waiting in lines at concession stands.

Brewers President of business operations Rick Schlesinger confirmed to MLB.com that their team’s move to extend alcohol sales through the eighth was an experiment.

“If it turns out that this is causing an issue or we feel that it might cause an issue, then we’ll revert to what we have done previously,” Schlesinger said.

MLB says it does not regulate when teams sell alcohol. Most franchises have used the seventh inning as a cutoff, at least partly to avoid overserving customers who could then get in their cars and drive home.

But in reality, most teams already had areas around the ballpark where fans could get alcohol after the seventh, even if the concession stands stopped serving. Many parks are connected to restaurants or have VIP areas where the booze still flows.

“If it cuts off sales in the seventh inning, the eighth inning or the ninth inning, that really doesn’t affect our stance because regardless, we just don’t want people to drink alcohol and then drive home from the game,” said Erin Payton, Regional Executive Director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

NHL NEWS

NELSON SCORES 2 AS ISLES TOP CANADIENS, CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

NEW YORK (AP) Brock Nelson scored twice as the New York Islanders beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 Wednesday night and clinched a playoff berth.

The Islanders are awaiting the outcome of the Florida Panthers-Carolina Hurricanes game on Thursday to determine their first-round playoff opponent. New York missed the postseason last year, and that led to the firing of head coach Barry Trotz in May.

“We’ve played a lot of hockey, but now it gets fun,” Zach Parise said. “You zero in on a team. You focus on their strengths and weaknesses and it really turns into a chess match. Once we find out our opponent, it will be a lot of video and a lot of learning.”

The Islanders’ victory also eliminated Pittsburgh from the postseason race, ending the Penguins’ run of playoff appearances at 16 years, which was the longest active playoff streak in major North American professional sports.

Hudson Fasching and Anders Lee also scored for New York, and Ilya Sorokin made 16 saves as the Islanders closed out their regular season. Noah Dobson added two assists.

Rem Pitlick and Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal, and Sam Montembeault finished with 31 saves in the Canadiens’ next-to-last game of the regular season.

Lee scored a power-play goal at 16:01 of the third period to give the Islanders 4-2 lead. The Islanders captain redirected a shot from Sebastian Aho for his 28th goal of the season.

“Our power play is going to have to score some goals in the playoffs,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “It was a big goal for us, at a big moment, it’s nice to get that monkey off our back.”

Suzuki cut the Canadiens deficit in half with a crafty short-handed goal at 14:38 of the second period. Montreal’s captain beat Islanders defenseman Samuel Bolduc in a foot race and, with one hand, lifted the puck over the glove of Sorokin. Bolduc did not play another shift after the goal.

“He could have maintained body position on Suzuki and didn’t,” Lambert said. “There’s a young player, learning and growing. He will learn from those situations.”

Nelson extended the Islanders’ lead to 3-1 with his second goal of the game midway through the second period. New York generated several scoring opportunities on an extended shift in the offensive zone, and Nelson eventually redirected Dobson’s shot at 10:20. Scott Mayfield also assisted on the play.

“This one feels good,” Nelson said. “We had a chance at home, wanted to take advantage of it and I thought we did everything we needed to. … Crowd was good, I thought we had good energy, a good start. We definitely want more now.”

The Islanders outshot the Canadiens 19-6 in the middle period.

Nelson scored his team-leading 35th goal to open the scoring at 10:27 of the first period. The 31-year-old entered the offensive zone with possession of the puck and fired a wrist shot from the high slot past the glove of Montembault. Kyle Palmieri and Adam Pelech picked up assists.

Before the first goal of the game, Sorokin made a neat save with his right pad on Canadiens forward Denis Gurianov to keep the game scoreless.

“A great atmosphere tonight, a playoff atmosphere. You could tell what that game meant for them,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said of the crowd at UBS Arena. “I felt it gave us energy to give them a game. I thought we did. … Obviously it’s not this year for us, but every game is something you can grab from.”

Fasching helped the Islanders regain a one-goal edge with a timely goal at 18:57 of the first. Jean-Gabriel Pageau set up Parise for a deflection that rang off the crossbar and Fasching crashed the net and buried the rebound to give New York a 2-1 lead.

Pitlick blasted a one-timer to tie the game at 1 at 17:38 of the first period. Jake Evans stole the puck from Dobson and found Pitlick alone in the circle.

NOTES: Canadiens forward Joel Teasdale made his NHL debut. … Josh Bailey returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous three games. … Mathew Barzal and Alexander Romanov continue to skate on their own, but haven’t participated in a team practice as of yet. Barzal sustained a lower-body injury on Feb.18 against the Boston Bruins, and Romanov has been sidelined with an upper-body injury he suffered on April 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

UP NEXT

Islanders: Will play Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricanes in opening round of the playoffs.

Canadiens: Close out their season by hosting Boston on Thursday.

STARS TAKE CENTRAL DIVISION LEAD WITH 5-2 VICTORY OVER BLUES

ST. LOUIS (AP) Wyatt Johnston scored twice, Tyler Seguin had a goal and an assist and the Dallas Stars beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Wednesday night to take the Central Division lead.

Dallas moved ahead of idle Colorado for the top spot in the Central with 106 points. Colorado has 105 points, but has two games left to one at home against St. Louis on Thursday night for the Stars.

“We definitely know what’s at stake and know what the standings are like,” Johnston said. “We can only really control what we can control and that’s, you know, trying to win games.”

Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz also scored for Dallas and Scott Wedgewood made 16 saves. The Stars finished with 25 road victories to tie the franchise record set in 2005-06.

“An important win,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We want to keep the pressure on Colorado and keep our hopes alive to win the division. And, you know, that was the goal coming onto the road trip to make sure we took care of our business and win two games and we did that.”

Jason Robertson (109 points) had three assists for the Stars to move past Jeremy Roenick (107 in 1992-93) and Jimmy Carson (107 in 1987-88) for points in a season by a U.S.-born player age 23 or younger.

“Everyone’s burying,” Robertson said. “I mean when everyone’s scoring goals, guys are contributing, right, and our power play’s been kind of hot lately too, so, a lot of secondary (assists). It’s good though. We’re producing, we’re winning games.”

Robert Thomas had a goal and an assist for St. Louis. Jakub Vrana also scored and Joel Hofer made 32 saves.

“They won a lot of draws in our zone,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “Personally, I didn’t think we fought enough to get out there, put pressure on them and kill the play. We let ourselves get picked too easily, and then it causes issues.”

Hintz and Johnston cashed in on a double-minor penalty called on Sammy Blais with power-play goals 48 seconds apart early in the second period to make it 4-2.

The goals were nearly identical, with Hintz and Johnston left alone in the slot to bury one-timers off passes behind the net to give the Stars a 4-2 lead.

“I think we were just buzzing around, retrievals were great, just trying to really get shots through and I mean, everyone just really contributed,” Robertson said.

Seguin, who played in his 900th game, extended the advantage with another power-play goal late in the second.

Dallas went 3 for 4 with the man advantage, taking advantage of a penalty kill that entered the contest 29th in the NHL with a paltry 72.9% success rate.

“We took some unnecessary penalties in the second period that cost us,” Berube said. “They entered our zone too easily on their breakouts. They had too much time with the puck, that’s the bottom line. Not enough pressure.”

SHINING STAR

Miro Heiskanen (73 points) had two assists to pass Sergei Zubov (71 in 2005-06) for the most points in a season by a defenseman in Dallas history.

Heiskanen, who has 62 assists, also passed Craig Hartsburg (60 in 1981-82) for the most assists in a season by a defenseman in franchise history and tied Reijo Ruotsalainen (73 in 1984-85) for the most points in a season by a Finnish-born defenseman.

“He did it without it affecting his defensive game,” DeBoer said. “He plays against all the best players every night too.”

ZADOROV HAS HAT TRICK, FLAMES BEAT SHARKS 3-1 IN FINALE

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) Defenseman Nikita Zadorov had his first career hat trick and the Calgary Flames ended a disappointing season with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.

Calgary finished fifth in the Pacific at 38-27-17 and 93 points, a year after winning the division with 111. The Flames have missed the playoffs in nine of their last 14 seasons and made the postseason in consecutive years just once in that span.

Dustin Wolf made 23 saves for the Flames in his NHL debut. From Gilroy, California, the 21-year-old Wolf was recalled from the Calgary Wranglers, where he leads the American Hockey League with 41 victories.

Noah Gregor scored for San Jose and Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 46 shots. The Sharks will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

Zadorov gave the Flames the lead at 4:01 of the third, taking a pass from defense partner MacKenzie Weegar and snapping a shot from the blue line into the top corner. Zadorov’s third goal came into an empty net with a minute left.

Forward Matt Coronato also made his NHL debut for the Flames. The 20-year-old selected in the first round of the 2021 draft signed with Calgary on March 26 after his college season with Harvard ended.

Coronato played on a line with fellow rookie Jakob Pelletier and Nazem Kadri, and showed his offensive instincts throughout the night, generating a few scoring chances and finishing with four shots on goal.

UP NEXT

Sharks: At Edmonton on Thursday night in season finale.

Flames: End of season.

HARTMAN SUSPENDED FOR WILD’S FINAL REGULAR-SEASON GAME

Ryan Hartman of the Minnesota Wild has been suspended one game for interfering with Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, which will cause him to miss the regular-season finale but make him available for the start of the playoffs.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the suspension Wednesday after a disciplinary hearing by phone with Hartman, who won’t be able to play Thursday night at Nashville. The Wild are locked into the third seed in the Central Division.

Any longer of a suspension would have caused Hartman to miss Game 1 or more of their first-round series. Minnesota will open on the road against either Dallas or defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado.

Hartman hit Ehlers when the Jets forward did not have the puck on a play midway through the third period of the teams’ game in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Tuesday. He was given a minor penalty for interference.

“He’s in a vulnerable position,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “He is. And you hate to see those hits.”

The league agreed. In a video announcing the suspension, player safety called it “a forceful body check on a player who is not eligible to be hit and is not prepared to protect himself” and disagreed with Hartman’s argument that he was just bracing for contact.

Bowness did not have an update on Ehlers’ condition after the Jets’ win that clinched a playoff spot, the second and final wild card in the Western Conference.

It’s Hartman’s second career suspension after being banned one playoff game in 2018 for an illegal check to the head of Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog while with Nashville. He previously has been fined six times, and this suspension will cost him $9,189, with the money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Hartman’s suspension was not the only discipline handed out from a game between division rivals that got heated, with 51 combined penalty minutes and a fight — and even included Bowness and Minnesota coach Dean Evason yelling at each other from the opposing benches.

Jets defenseman Neal Pionk was fined $5,000, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, for cross-checking Wild forward Marcus Johansson in the final minute.

“They got really dirty,” Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck said afterward. ”I don’t know why. We were playing hard. I guess they were playing hard, too, but they were getting a little unnecessary. I think maybe the refs let it get a little out of control. That’s playoff hockey right there. That’s it.”

The playoffs begin Monday.

MEN’S GOLF NEWS

PGA TOUR HAS 7 TOURNAMENTS IN THE FALL TO SECURE FULL CARDS

The PGA Tour on Wednesday announced a fall schedule that will have seven tournaments for players to either retain full status, earn a spot in the Masters or become eligible for some of the $20 million events the following season.

This will be the first time since 2013 the fall is not the start of a new season. The tour is returning to a calendar season that begins in January, part of a shakeup that allows the top players to compete against each other more often.

Missing from the fall schedule is the Houston Open, which is moving to the spring in 2024, and the CJ Cup in South Korea.

The CJ Cup has been played twice in Las Vegas (2020-21) and last year in South Carolina because of the COVID-19 pandemic. One possibility is that CJ returns in 2024 as the new title sponsor of the Byron Nelson, as AT&T is ending its title sponsorship of the longtime Dallas-area event.

Only the top 70 players — down from 125 — qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs this year, with the top 50 advancing to the second event. Those 50 players are eligible for all the designated events in 2024 that offer the $20 million purses. The top 30 advance to the Tour Championship.

The FedEx Cup points continue into the seven-tournament fall schedule for players who finish No. 51 and beyond. That allows them to either finish in the top 125 to retain full tour status or be among the top 10 not already eligible who qualify for two $20 million events at the start of the new season.

Winners of fall events, which offer a total of $56.6 million prize money, earn an invitation to the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship and the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

Four of the seven fall tournaments are in the U.S., though the schedule manages a geographical flow.

The fall starts Sept. 14-17 in Napa, California, with the Fortinet Championship before taking a two-week break for the Ryder Cup in Italy.

Then it goes westward on Oct. 5-8 from Mississippi to Las Vegas to Japan. After a week off, the tour heads east to the tip of Baja California in Mexico, then to Bermuda and ends with the RSM Classic at Sea Island along the Georgia coast on Nov. 16-19.

The HSBC Champions in Shanghai is no longer on the schedule. It has been a World Golf Championships event since 2009 but has not been played since 2019 because of the pandemic. That ends the WGCs; the Dell Match Play is not part of the 2024 schedule.

NASCAR NEWS

NASCAR STAR CHASE ELLIOTT SET TO RETURN FROM BROKEN LEG

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Chase Elliott will return to racing this weekend at Martinsville Speedway after he missed the last six NASCAR Cup races with a broken left leg.

The 27-year-old Elliott was injured in a snowboarding accident in Colorado. The 2020 Cup Series champion rehabilitated in Colorado before returning to his home in Dawsonville, Georgia, in late March to continue physical therapy.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver tested this week in the Chevrolet Driver-in-the-Loop simulator in Concord, North Carolina, before making the final decision to return at Martinsville.

“We’re looking forward to having Chase back in his race car to pick up where he left off,” team owner Rick Hendrick said. “Since the injury, he’s worked extremely hard and focused all his time and energy on returning to the No. 9 team. Throughout the last six weeks, he’s stayed fully engaged with everything we’re doing, and we know he’s chomping at the bit to get on the racetrack and compete for wins.”

Josh Berry filled in for Elliott in five of the last six Cup Series events with a best finish of second, which came at Richmond Raceway. Jordan Taylor drove the No. 9 Chevrolet at Circuit of The Americas, starting fourth and finishing 24th in his Cup debut.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Indians were held scoreless until the eighth inning as the St. Paul Saints took the second game of the six-game set at Victory Field on Wednesday afternoon, 5-1.

The loss marks Indy’s fifth consecutive at Victory Field to open the 2023 campaign. The Indians (5-6) last started 0-5 at home in 1979 when they were swept by Springfield in a four-game series to begin the season and lost the series opener of their next homestand against Evansville.

St. Paul (6-4) opened the scoring with a three-spot in the fourth inning, courtesy of a run-scoring throwing error by catcher Grant Koch on a double-steal attempt and subsequent two-run home run by Andrew Bechtold off starter Luis Ortiz (L, 0-1). The Saints tacked on two more in the seventh with another two-run homer by Andrew Stevenson.

The Indians recorded just two hits via a Nick Gonzales single and Chavez Young double in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, before stringing a pair of hits together to plate a run in the eighth. Chris Owings opened the penultimate frame with a one-out double. After moving to third on a passed ball, he was brought home on Koch’s first RBI knock in Triple-A.

Saints starter Bailey Ober (W, 1-1) dazzled with two hits and six strikeouts across 6.0 shutout innings. In the Indians bullpen, Colin Selby and Yerry De Los Santos closed the game with 2.0 scoreless innings to fend off St. Paul’s offense.

Indianapolis will look for its first home victory of the season tomorrow night at 6:35 PM ET at Victory Field. RHP Louie Varland (1-0, 1.80) will take the mound for the Saints, while Indy hasn’t named a starter.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University graduating forward Race Thompson is one of 64 college basketball seniors invited to the Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament, an event that has showcased players abilities in front of professional scouts since 1953.

The 12-game tournament begins tonight at 7 p.m. ET when his team, Portsmouth Sports Club, faces Mike Duman Auto Sales.

Thompson played 130 games in his career and scored 997 points. He averaged 7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds and shot 51.1% from the floor. The last Hoosier to participate in the Tournament was Juwan Morgan in 2019. He has seen NBA action with Utah, Boston, and Toronto.

The Minnesota native is one of six Big Ten players in the event, which also includes several players with ties to the state of Indiana or previously have played in the Big Ten.  https://www.portsmouthinvitational.com/tournament/2023/roster

For tournament information click here:  https://www.portsmouthinvitational.com/about/

Over the years the P.I.T. has been a showcase for five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History (Rick Barry, Earl ‘The Pearl” Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen) and for many others who have gone on to NBA stardom including current NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler. Today scouts from numerous international leagues have joined in on the annual April pilgrimage to Portsmouth.

INDIANA SOFTBALL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – No. 24 Indiana (31-12, 9-2 B1G) dropped their midweek matchup against Notre Dame (25-11-1, 7-7-1 ACC), 9-1, on Wednesday evening at Melissa Cook Stadium.  

INDIANA 1, NOTRE DAME 9

KEY MOMENTS

•  Indiana scored the first run in the top of the second after sophomore Kinsey Mitchell slapped one into left field to score Brianna Copeland.

• Copeland would close out the 1-2-3 inning with a swing and a miss from Notre Dame’s batter.

• The Fighting Irish fought back in the third as they fanned through three Indiana batters before taking a 2-1 lead.

• ND continued with the momentum as they pushed the lead out, 5-1, to close out the fourth.

• Junior Brooke Benson recorded a hit for the Hoosiers in the top of the fifth with a beautiful bunt but couldn’t find any offensive rhythm before the Irish extended the lead with three more runs to end the inning.

• Sophomore Sarah Stone hit a leadoff double down the left field line to open the sixth, but Notre Dame would tack on another run with an RBI single for the run-rule.

UP NEXT

The Hoosiers welcome Nebraska to Andy Mohr Field this weekend for another Big Ten series. Game one against the Huskers will be broadcasted on B1G+ at 6 p.m. ET.

PURDUE SOFTBALL

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  —  A four-run sixth inning, which saw an RBI double by Tyrina Jones and a two RBI triple by Jordyn Ramos, sealed Purdue softball’s 5-1 victory vs. SIUE.

The win snapped Purdue’s four-game losing streak, improving the squad’s record to 18-22 heading into its home series vs. Michigan this weekend.

The Boilermakers scored five runs on four hits, while their strong eye at the plate led to eight walks. Defensively, Purdue made no errors, caught a runner stealing, and recorded a double play on a line drive to Jones with the toss to second baseman Jade Moy for the out.

Earning the win was Madi Elish, who entered in relief in the top of the sixth inning for Alex Echazarreta. The win was Elish’s seventh of the year (7-2) after allowing no runs and no walks after pitching the last 1.2 innings. Echazarreta was solid in the circle, allowing one run and striking out three batters over 5.1 innings.

Following a 1-1 stalemate through five innings of play, shortstop Jones recorded the eventual game-winning RBI double in the sixth, scoring Kiara Dillon from third. Then, in the same inning with two outs on the board, Purdue poured on the runs with Ramos, a freshman, registering her first triple, scoring two runners. The Boilermakers’ final run came with Anna Lonchar scoring on a passed ball.

Kyndall Bailey notched Purdue’s first run in the second inning, marking the fourth time in the last five games the sophomore has scored for the Boilermakers.

Up next, Purdue will host Michigan over the weekend. Friday’s 5 p.m. ET, Saturday’s 2 p.m. ET and Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET games will all be streamed on B1G+.

BUTLER SOFTBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Butler softball team fell, 4-1, to Southern Indiana in a nonconference contest. The Bulldogs (15-24) were limited to just three hits on the day, while the Screaming Eagles (15-17) tallied nine singles and a double to earn the victory.

How It Happened

Southern Indiana took an early lead, scoring two in the first inning off two singles and a double and another run in the second off three singles. The Screaming Eagles led, 3-0, after two full innings.

In the fourth, a bases-loaded sacrifice fly extended the Southern Indiana lead to 4-0.

In the top of the sixth, Cate Lehner singled and stole second. Loren Simpson put the ball in play and an error allowed Lehner to score Butler’s first and only run.

Mackenzie Griman (7-11) started for Butler in the circle and took the loss. In one full inning, she allowed two runs on three hits while striking out one. Sydney Cammon (2.1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2K), Rylyn Dyer (2.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, K), and Kayla Noerr (0.2 IP) each spent some time pitching for the Bulldogs.

Bulldog Bits

Cate Lehner’s stolen base was her 12th of the season.

Up Next

Butler heads to UConn for a three-game BIG EAST series with the Huskies, who are currently leading the conference standings. Games are scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Apr. 14-16.

IUPUI SOFTBALL

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The IUPUI softball team finished out the three-game series at Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, taking one game out of three. The Jags finished out game two with a 7-3 victory to start the day then fell in the series finale, 2-1.

IUPUI started game two of the doubleheader on Tuesday but it was postponed heading into the seventh inning due to darkness. The Norse and Jags picked the game up on Wednesday with IUPUI coming out on top 7-3.

Kennedy Cowan knocked a homer to score three RBI in the win while Jordan Jenkins knocked in two runs with a double. Rachael Gregory also hit an RBI double with Jaida Speth scoring the seventh run with a sacrifice fly.

Alexa Holman earned the win in game two of the series, throwing a complete game with four strikeouts.

After starting out hot with the 7-3 win, the Jags fell in the series finale, 2-1. Northern Kentucky took the lead in the bottom of the third inning with two runs, 2-0. In the top of the fourth frame, IUPUI chipped away at the lead with one run, 2-1. Gregory grounded out to the second baseman to score Kendal Calvert.

NKU’s Lauryn Hicks shut the Jaguar offense down after the one run in the fourth to seal the 2-1 lead. Jenkins and Speth each recorded singles in the loss.

Madison Bryant took the loss in the circle for IUPUI giving up two runs on three hits with four strikeouts.

IUPUI returns to Indy with a 10-23 overall record and 6-7 Horizon League record. They host Youngstown State for a three game series on Friday, April 14 and Saturday, April 15.

NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame earned a 9-1 six inning victory over the visiting Indiana Hoosiers Wednesday night at Melissa Cook Stadium. Indiana entered the contest receiving votes in several national polls, including a No. 24 ranking according to D1Softball.com. The Fighting Irish improve to 25-11-1 on the season, while Indiana is now 31-12.

Payton Tidd threw the complete game in the circle. Tidd matched a season-high seven strikeouts, throwing 6.0 innings, allowing three hits and an earned run in her 12th win of the season.

The Irish offense was led by Mickey Winchell out of the nine-spot. The freshman outfielder finished with three of the offense’s 12 hits, driving in two and scoring a run. Lexi Orozco added a 2-for-3 effort with an RBi and a run scored, with Carlli Kloss finishing 2-for-4. Joley Mitchell, Cassidy Grimm, Lea Hanks, Macie Eck and Anna Holloway each added a hit in the victory.

How It Happened

Indiana got on the board first in the second inning. A lead off hit batter and a stolen base set up the Hoosiers with a runner in scoring position. A single to left brought her in and Indiana took the 1-0 lead.

It was all Irish after that, as Notre Dame scored nine unanswered runs to earn the win.

The Irish  took the lead in the bottom of the third, with two runs. A lead-off double from Eck started the rally, and a bunt single put runners on the corners. Winchell drove a single up the middle to score one. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners as a wild pitch brought in Anna Holloway to put the Irish up, 2-1.

Notre Dame played three more runs in the fourth. A lead-off single and an error on a fielder’s choice put two on. Tidd dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and Emily Tran, who was pinch running for Orozco, slid around the tag attempt at home for the third run. An RBI ground out from Holloway and Winchell again up the middle scored the next two as the Irish took the 5-1 lead.

Three more runs came in in the fourth. Mitchell led off with a single, a walk to Gaskins and back-to-back RBI singles from Orozco and Hanks put Notre Dame up 7-1. Eck followed with a ground ball to the right side to add another run to extend it to 8-1.

The sixth inning started with a bunt single by Winchell, followed by another single from Kloss. A double steal put two in scoring position for Cassidy Grimm who drove a single the other way to bring in the ninth and final run of the game.

Up Next

The Irish return to action this weekend at Melissa Cook Stadium. Notre Dame will play host to the #14/17 Virginia Tech Hokies in a three-game ACC series beginning Friday evening.

NOTRE DAME WLAX

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program heads back on the road for the final time in the regular season with a pair of games at Pitt and Robert Morris.

The Irish close out their road ACC schedule Friday evening against the Panthers before rounding out their non-conference schedule at RMU for a Sunday matinee game.

GAME 14 DETAILS

Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. | Highmark Stadium

Schedule: April 14 — 5 p.m. ET

TV: ACCNX

Live Stats: UND.com

Twitter Updates: @NDWomensLax

For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame

GAME 15 DETAILS

Location: Moon Township, Pa. | Joe Walton Stadium

Schedule: April 16 — 1 p.m. ET

Live Stats: UND.com

Twitter Updates: @NDWomensLax

For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame

FOR STARTERS

Notre Dame is coming off a record-breaking performance with a program best 26 goals in their road win at Butler Monday.

Fourteen individuals highlighted the box score, including Fran Frieri and Jaclyn Marszal who both registered their first career goals in the victory. Seventeen women have now notched at least one goal this season with Ava Kristynik also picking up her first of 2023 in the win.

Notre Dame’s 37 points in the win at Butler matched a program record, previously set earlier this season against Central Michigan.

Their 26 goals against Butler was a season-high for the Irish, topping that previously set of 24 in February.

The 23-goal victory was also the largest margin of victory for the Irish this year and their three goals against was second fewest in 2023.

The Irish are back on the road this weekend to conclude their road slate with a pair of games in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They’ll first face ACC rival Pitt Friday before a trip across the city to RMU to round out their nonconference schedule.

Notre Dame remained in eighth following last weekend’s matchup against fellow top-10 foe Boston College.

Live stats will be available for the contest as well as a the game being aired on the ACCNX (Friday at Pitt).

The attacking trio of  Choma, Ahern, and Wolak have combined for 173 of the 297  Irish points. The dynamic attack team posted 25 points last week against BC and Butler.

In her last ACC road contest, at Virginia, Wolak set a career best mark in goals (six) and points (eight), scoring nearly half of the team’s 13 goals in Charlottesville.

Ahern recently tied her career high for points in a game with eight off six goals and two assists, matching the mark she recorded in a win over Jacksonville during the 2022 season.

Choma now has a team-high nine hat tricks on the season. Ahern and Wolak follow close behind with seven a piece in 13 games played.

THE NOTRE DAME – PITT SERIES

The Irish and Panthers have met once previously, with the Irish taking the 19-7 home victory over Pitt in 2022.

Current senior Kasey Choma led the Irish in points last season against Pitt, registering five goals and an assist for six points total. Madison Ahern also recorded multiple goals (four) while other current members of the team tallied one goal each in Jackie Wolak, Keelin Schlageter and MK Doherty.

Lilly Callahan came into the game late in the fourth, stopping one shot in 3:56 played against the Panthers in 2022.

THE NOTRE DAME – RMU SERIES

Notre Dame owns a 2-0 undefeated record against the RMU Colonials, having played twice in the 2021 season. All-time the Irish have outscored the Colonials 32-2, picking up a 16-2 regular season win before rolling to a 16-0 shutout in the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament two years ago.

Seven current Irish women have success over the Colonials, highlighting the box score in two meetings with RMU. With four goals and an assist against RMU in two games played, Choma leads all current team members with five career points against the Pittsburgh based team. Jackie Wolak (2-2-4) and Keelin Schlageter (3-1-4) are tied for second-most among current Irish teammates. Ali McHugh, Madison Ahern, Alison Harbough and Hannah Dorney also sport points against RMU while Dorney’s two caused turnovers in the first round of the NCAA tournament led the team in the category.

IN THE POLLS

Notre Dame is ranked No. 8 in this week’s ILWomen/IWLCA poll.

Five other ACC programs are currently ranked in the top-25 according to the  IL Women/IWLCA Preseason Poll, including #1 Syracuse, #5 North Carolina, #7 Boston College, #12 Virginia,  and #19 Clemson.

NEARING THE MARK

With her first save against BC, Lilly Callahan eclipsed the 100 career save mark. She now boasts 113 stops in 27 games played, with a .509 save percentage.

Hannah Dorney, last week’s ACC co-Defensive Player of the Week, hit 100 career ground balls when the Irish hosted BC last weekend. She now has 105 career pick ups.

Ahern’s five goals against UNC brought her career tally to 140. She followed it up with four points against the Eagles, including a hat trick which gave her 202 career points. After six points at Butler Monday the senior owns 208 career points off 145 goals and 63 assists.

BALANCED ATTACK

The Irish returned 3 of the 4 top scorers from the 2022 season in Kasey Choma, Madison Ahern, Jackie Wolak.

The top scorers were assisted by Kelly Denes who won 100 draw controls and tallied 14 goals of her own. This season Denes boasts 83 draw controls and currently sits at 187 career draws.

Choma, Ahern, and Wolak lead the Irish in points combining for 173 points.

Choma is currently  ranked sixth in the ACC for goals per game (3.15) and 24th nationally.

Wolak is ranked in the top five in the ACC for points per game (5.15) and assists per game (2.54). Her assists per game is also 12th-best nationally while her points per game average ranks eighth.

Denes is ranked third in the ACC for draw controls per game tallying 6.38.

Seventeen different players have scored at least one goal this season with 13 having found the back of the net multiple times.

THREE-HEADED MONSTER

The attacking trio of Choma, Ahern, and Wolak are combining for 173 points.

Choma leads the Irish with 41  goals and 10 assists, Wolak has 34 goals and 33 assists, and Ahern has 40 goals and 15 assists.

Wolak leads the team in points with 67, while Ahern boasts 55 and Choma has 51.

Choma  now has tallied a team-high nine hat tricks in the 2023 season and Wolak has tallied seven.

Wolak’s game against Virginia saw her set career-high performances in goals (six) and points (eight).

Choma, Ahern, and Wolak have all been named to the 2023 Tewaaraton Watchlist.

Choma, Ahern and Wolak combined for 17 points in the win over Brown (03/27/23).

They combined for 11 of the team’s 21 goals against the Bears.

The trio combined for 12 of the team’s 17 total points at Virginia to close out March’s conference slate.

Wolak ranks in the top five in the ACC and nationally for assists per game (2.54).

Choma tallied a new career high in goals (8) and tied her career high in points (8) in the Virginia Tech game.

SMOTHERING DEFENSE

The Irish held the nation’s top scoring offense to just nine goals, which is more than 12 below Clemson’s season average when they played the Tigers in February.

Notre Dame is the first team this season to hold the Tiger attack under a double-digit goal total in a game.

Mary Kelly Doherty ranks in the top-10 among ACC foes in caused turnovers per game.

The Irish have held eight of their 13 opponents to single digits.

Last week, Hannah Dorney was named ACC co-Defensive Player of the Week for her transition play against UNC and Brown.

Emma Schettig won ACC Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Notre Dame defense hold Duke to just six goals.

Notre Dame has caused havoc on defense, averaging 9.85 caused turnovers per game, a mark that ranks 15th in the nation and second in the ACC.

The Irish defense held Virginia Tech to its lowest goal total of the season and tied for its lowest in program history.

CALLAHAN IN THE CREASE

Callahan made her first double-digit save performance of her career, finishing with 15 saves against Northwestern. This also established a new career high in saves for her.

She ranks in the top 10 in the country in goals-against average (8.21) and top-20 in save percentage (.490). Her GAA is seventh nationally and third among all ACC goaltenders.

Callahan earned her first career win in her first career start while holding the San Diego State attack to just two goals .

The two goals Callahan allowed marked the lowest scoring output in SDSU program history, which dates back to the 2012 season.

In 45 minutes played Monday against Butler, Callahan held the opposition scoreless, stopping all seven shots faced.

DOMINATING THE DRAW

The Irish have won the draw control battle in 10 of their 13 games this season.

Notre Dame currently ranks No. 4 in the country in draw control percentage (.619) and  in the top 10 for draw controls per game 17.23.

Kelley Denes leads the Irish in draws per game (6.38) and is the primary player used at the draw for the Irish. She ranks in the top-20 nationally for draw controls per game and third in the conference.

The Irish draw control unit held the nations leader on the draw circle to only four draw controls in their matchup against Duke.

The Irish currently have won the draw control battle on the season by a margin of 224-138.

LEADERSHIP GROUP

On Dec. 20, the Irish named three team captains for the 2023 campaign: Hannah Dorney, Kasey Choma, and Madison Ahern. Dorney is serving as a team captain for the second consecutive season.

ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS

Two Irish were named Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans including Kasey Choma (First Team), Madison Ahern (HM).

Ahern and Choma were also named Preseason All-Americans on February 3. Choma was named to the second team and Ahern to the third team.

Kasey Choma was named to the USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-American squad, and was also ranked among the top 20 lacrosse players recognized as the game’s biggest difference makers checking in at #19.

Choma and Ahern claimed silver for the USA Super Sixes team at the 2022 World Games.

TEWAARATON WATCHLIST

Kasey Choma and Madison Ahern were each named to the initial watch list for the 2023 Tewaaraton Award, the Tewaaraton Foundation announced on February 10.

Choma has been named to the watch list for the third consecutive season and this is Ahern’s second consecutive watchlist.

ALL STAR STAFF

Head Coach Christine Halfpenny announced the addition of Associate Head Coaches Adam Sear and Lauren Benner.

Sear comes to Notre Dame from the University of Michigan. He spent five seasons with the Wolverines.  He will assist in coordinating the offensive effort for the Irish.

Benner joins the Irish after spending a season with Loyola. She will serve as the defensive coordinator and work extensively with the goalie unit.

The Irish also welcome back Bridget Deehan as a volunteer assistant. Deehan graduated from Notre Dame as a two-time All-American goalkeeper.

NEWCOMERS

The Irish welcome a 7-member freshman class as part of the 35-player roster, which includes two attackers, three midfielders, two goaltenders .

Emma Murphy was named No. 5 in the IL Women Top 100 Freshman Power Rankings and Jaclyn Marszal was tabbed No. 42 in the IL Women Top 100 Freshman Power Rankings.

BALL STATE SOFTBALL

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – – The Ball State softball team closed its Mid-American Conference midweek series at Western Michigan with an 11-2 victory Wednesday afternoon at Ebert Field.

In the day’s opening game, the Cardinals (18-21; 8-9 MAC) used a solo home run from fifth-year senior shortstop Amaia Daniel to take an early 1-0 lead. However, the Broncos (13-17; 7-4 MAC) tied the score with a run in the fourth and used an error in the fifth to plate three more to win the contest 4-1.

The nightcap saw the reverse, with Western Michigan pulling out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. However, Ball State used strong base running from senior center fielder Remington Ross and a three-run double from redshirt senior catcher Jazmyne Armendariz in the top of the third to take a 4-1 advantage.

The Cardinals added two more runs in the fifth, two more in the sixth, and three more in the seventh to give freshman pitcher Bridie Murphy all the run support she would need. Murphy pitched the first 4.2 innings, allowing just four hits and one run to improve to 6-2 on the year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ross ended the day with three stolen bases, raising her season tally to 16 … In fact, she is a perfect 16-for-16 on the year and is now 37-for-38 over her two-year Ball State career.

Armendariz was credited with a career-high four RBI in the second game, driving three in on a third-inning double and adding another on a fifth-inning double … In addition, with the two RBI doubles, Armendariz raised her team-leading doubles tally to 11.

Redshirt sophomore Emma Eubank pitched the final 2.1 innings in the nightcap, holding WMU to two hits and one unearned run.

Daniel added her fourth home run of the season in the opening game, raising her career total to 18 with a solo shot in the third.

Senior third baseman Haley Wynn added her 17th career home run, and eighth of the season, in the second game, a solo blast to center in the top of the seventh.

Redshirt sophomore first baseman McKayla Timmons capped the scoring for the Cardinals with her eighth home run of the season, and 12th of her career; a two-run blast in the seventh inning of the nightcap.

The Ball State defense was credited with three double plays over the two games, raising its season total to 18.

SCORING SUMMARY- GAME 1: Ball State 1 – Western Michigan 4

T3 | Daniel’s fourth home run of the season gives the Cardinals an early edge. (1-0)

B4 | An RBI double from Cassidy Brendtke ties the score. (1-1)

B5 | With bases loaded and two outs, an error on a fly to right center field allows three runs to score. (1-4)

SCORING SUMMARY- GAME 2: Ball State 11 – Western Michigan 2

B1 | Haley Boxwell drives in a run with a single to second. (1-0)

T3 | After an infield single and stealing second and third, Ross comes around to score on a bunt single from Daniel. (1-1)

T3 | With two outs and bases loaded, Armendariz clears the bases with a three-run double to left center. (1-4)

T5 | Maddie Weaver smashes an RBI double in to left field, driving home Kaitlyn Mathews who reached on an error. (1-5)

T5 | Hayley Urban follows with an RBI single to center field to bring home Weaver. (1-6)

T6 | Junior pinch hitter Samantha-Jo Mata makes it a six-run game with an RBI double to center, driving in Daniel. (1-7)

T6 | Armendariz picks up her fourth RBI of the game with a double to left field to drive in freshman pinch runner Grace Spencer. (1-8)

T7 | Wynn’s 17th career home run extends Ball State’s lead to eight runs. (1-9)

T7 | Timmons gets into the action with a two-run bomb, also driving in freshman pinch runner Ashlee Lovett. (1-11)

B7 | A Ball State error allowed Western Michigan to pick up a second run. (2-11)

UP NEXT

The Ball State softball team returns home this weekend for a three-game series versus Buffalo. The Cardinals and Bulls are currently scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a noon single game Sunday.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE SOFTBALL

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Sonia Solis was a spectacular 7-for-7 with seven RBIs, including a grand slam, on Wednesday (April 12) in Purdue Fort Wayne softball’s split with Cleveland State.

GAME 1 – Cleveland State 12, Purdue Fort Wayne 9

Game one of the doubleheader was an absolute slugfest. The Mastodons recorded a season-high 14 hits and the Vikings had 11. There were five combined home runs and two grand slams, one for each team.

Solis took her first at bat with bases loaded and sent it over the left field wall, making up for a double in the series opener yesterday that was just inches short. It was her third home run of the season and second grand slam of her Mastodon career. She was not done though, as she doubled in the third and singled in the fourth and sixth. Her single in the fourth brought in two runs, bringing her game total to six RBIs. Given available single-game records, her six RBIs ties the second-most in the program’s Division I history.

Cleveland State responded to Solis’ grand slam with a home run in each of the second, third, fourth and sixth innings, the last of which was a grand slam to go up 11-8. In the seventh, the ‘Dons scored one on a wild pitch to cut it back to a three-run game. They had the tying run at the plate, but the Vikings escaped with the win to clinch the series.

The Vikings threw four pitchers with Meridith Rankl picking up her first win of the year in 2.0 innings pitched. Alyson Quinlan took the loss despite six strikeouts in five innings.

GAME 2 – Purdue Fort Wayne 5, Cleveland State 2

Game two was more of a pitcher’s battle than the first. Aside from a three-run second inning for the ‘Dons, neither team scored more than one in a frame.

The ‘Dons scored three in the second behind a CSU miscue and three singles from Solis, Tori Countryman and Taylor Warne. The Mastodons led the rest of the way.

The Vikings scored in the third with a double to right center, then the ‘Dons erased it with a run of their own in the fifth. Solis was the one responsible, singling through the left side to score Hollopeter. The Vikings had a chance in the seventh with the tying run on deck. They scored one, then Alanah Jones struck out one and forced the others into a pop out and a ground out.

Jones picked up her seventh win of the year to move to 7-8. She went the distance, striking out five. Melissa Holzopfel took the loss in 6.0 innings. The ‘Dons got 10 hits off her pitching.

With the split, Purdue Fort Wayne moves to 15-20, 7-4 Horizon League, while the Vikings go to 12-23 and 7-4. Purdue Fort Wayne will take the field again on Friday (April 14) when they visit Robert Morris for a league series.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL

DAYTON, Ohio – The Dayton Flyers defeated Purdue Fort Wayne 8-3 on Wednesday (April 12) in non-league baseball action. Caileb Johnson had a home run and two singles in the game for the Mastodons.

Jacob Walker doubled and scored on a Johnson single in the first inning to put the ‘Dons up 1-0. Dayton scored four in their half of the first to go up 4-1.

The ‘Dons made it 4-2 in the fourth with a single run. Jarrett Bickel singled and scored on a Cade Nelis double. The ‘Dons had a chance for more but stranded runners at the corners in the inning. Dayton responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Johnson added a solo home run for the ‘Dons in the seventh. He now has five home runs on the season. Nelis had two hits with a double and a hit by pitch. Cade Fitzpatrick recorded two singles. Brendan Reid, Jacob Myer and Kyle Maurer each had scoreless outings in relief.

Enas Hayden took the loss. He is 0-3 after going 2.0 innings in the start. Seth Claybourne (1-0) got the win for Dayton. Marcos Pujols had two home runs for the Flyers.

Dayton improves to 10-22. The ‘Dons fall to 8-26. Purdue Fort Wayne returns to non-league play this weekend when Milwaukee comes to Mastodon Field for a three-game set.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball program has announced the additions of Jalen Jackson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop High School/UIC) and Rasheed Bello (Chicago, Ill./DePaul Prep/UW-Parkside) for the 2023-24 campaign.

“I am thrilled about the additions of two transfer guards early in the spring recruiting cycle,” Purdue Fort Wayne head coach Jon Coffman said. “Our program has been built on players that love to play, live in the gym and are obsessed with their player development. Both Jalen and Rasheed fit this mold and are tremendous creators that will thrive in our pace and space style of play.”

Jackson (6-2, 200, guard) comes to Purdue Fort Wayne after playing his freshman campaign at UIC in 2022-23. Jackson averaged 7.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists for the Flames. He had back-to-back 20-point games with 21 at Belmont and 23 against Indiana State in February. The Northrop High School Graduate was an Indiana All-Star in 2022. His mother Katie played volleyball and basketball for the ‘Dons from 1997-99. She is the girls basketball coach at Northrop High School. Jackson comes to the Mastodons with three seasons of eligibility. “Jalen is tied to our program in so many ways,” Coffman said. “He is a Fort Wayne native who loves his hometown and is ecstatic to represent both our university and city on a national stage! His mother played at IPFW, grandfather taught at the University and Jalen played high school right down the road from campus. And further Jalen, like two of our fall signees—Khoi Thurman and Jermaine Coleman, played for the Indy Heat EYBL program based out of Fort Wayne. Jalen is another gym rat in this recruiting class who is obsessed with his player development. He is a versatile, physical guard that lives in the paint, can really pass it and finds ways to score it in a variety of ways. We are excited to watch him grow on his successful freshman campaign at UIC.”

Bello (6-0, 170, guard) arrives in Fort Wayne after two decorated seasons at NCAA Division II member UW-Parkside. The Chicago native was named the 2022-23 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year after averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He helped the Rangers to a 21-9 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He had 13 games of 20 or more points including 36 in a win over Grand Valley State on Jan. 5. Bello was also named to the GLIAC’s All-Defensive Team. He was selected as the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 2021-22 after averaging 9.1 points per game. In high school, Bello was an All-Catholic League and All-State Honorable Mention selection as a senior. Bello comes to Purdue Fort Wayne with two seasons of eligibility.

“Rasheed is another college-proven guard that filled up his resume with accolades, including GLIAC Player of the Year and an NCAA Tournament, stacked a college stat sheet and won a ton of games,” Coffman said. “He is a proven winner and leader at the collegiate level. He has excelled with every new challenge and grown each year. We look forward to him continuing this trend. Rasheed is an elite-lead guard that can play with the ball in his hands or without the ball. He can score it, is super-efficient, can really shoot it and like Jalen finds a way to live in the paint and create for his teammates.”

Jackson and Bello join previously announced prep signees Khoi Thurman, CJ Hadnot and Jermaine Coleman as additions in 2023-24. (link)

“Both Jalen and Rasheed can really pass the basketball and make the players around them better,” Coffman continued. “I am also excited about both of their abilities to defend the ball at a high level. With the losses of a special, special 2023 senior class, it is exciting to watch the next generation of Mastodons step in and step up to build on the program’s success.”

Only Wright State and Northern Kentucky have more overall victories than Purdue Fort Wayne (181) in the Horizon League over the last 10 seasons. These newcomers will look to add to that win total in November.

SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball grabbed a 4-1 win against Butler University on Wednesday, as early offense and solid pitching led the Screaming Eagles to the midweek victory.

With Wednesday’s win, USI improved to 15-17 on the season. Out of the Big East Conference, Butler dropped to 15-24 overall.

The Screaming Eagles had a fast start to Wednesday’s contest, receiving solid defense and early scoring. To end the top of the first inning, sophomore outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) made a highlight catch, and the momentum carried into USI’s first at-bats in the bottom of the first. Junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) and Nalley led off USI’s half of the first with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) doubled to right-center field to score both runners and give Southern Indiana an early 2-0 advantage.

Through four innings, USI doubled its lead to 4-0. Bedrick and senior Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) tacked on RBIs in the second and fourth frames, respectively. Freshman pitcher Raegan Gibson (Louisville, Kentucky) made her first career start for USI, hurling four shutout innings with three strikeouts and only two hits allowed. Gibson picked up her first career win.

Butler scored its only run in the sixth inning, as USI locked down the game the rest of the way. Freshman pitcher Kylie Eads (Indianapolis, Indiana) finished the game after coming in for Gibson. Eads received her second save of the season after going three innings, giving up one unearned run and only one hit, and striking out a batter.

Offensively, Bedrick went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI for USI. Fair had two RBIs on the double. Seven other Screaming Eagles tallied a hit in the game.

For Butler, senior pitcher Mackenzie Griman dropped to 7-11 on the season with the loss, surrendering two runs off three hits in her only inning of work in the first inning.

The Screaming Eagles continue their four-game homestand Saturday and Sunday, taking on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Ohio Valley Conference action from USI Softball Field. Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1 p.m., and Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for a 12 p.m. first pitch. Admission to all 2023 USI Softball home spring games is free, courtesy of The Women’s Hospital Deaconess.

All three games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links are on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.

INDIANAPOLIS WTENNIS

INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 7 UIndy women’s tennis team only needed two wins to pick up their fifth win in a row and they did exactly that, sweeping a shorthanded IUPUI squad 4-0. The Hounds are now 13-5 on the season.

INS AND OUTS

The Hounds faced a squad of only four, and thus, started needing only one victory to win the doubles point. Maria Fiacan and Margarita Andreiuk secured it with 6-0 complete domination effort.

Singles was once again a one-and-done affair with Fiacan being the one to do the honors, winning 6-1 6-2 to win the match. Despite the early win, Anna Novikova, Lea Cakarevic and Andreiuk all had won their first sets.

UP NEXT

The Hounds are on the road at McKendree to end their regular season this Saturday.

IUPUI SOFTBALL

INDIANAPOLIS—The No. 6 UIndy softball team celebrated a perfect spring afternoon in the Circle City with a pair of shutout wins against visiting Cedarville Wednesday. With both the starting pitching and the bats clicking, the Greyhounds disposed of the non-conference Lady Jackets by a combined score of 20-0.

The doubleheader marked the end of a 10-game homestand for the Hounds, who moved to 38-4 on the season.

GAME 1 | UIndy 12, Cedarville 0 (5 innings)

With pitching ace Kenzee Smith dealing, the Greyhound hitters hung crooked numbers in all four of their turns at bat in the abbreviated win. Seven Hounds earned at least one ribbie in the game, including RBI doubles from Lexy Rees and Tori Angles.

The cherry on top came from Piper Belden, however, as the senior from Greenwood, Ind., came off the bench to deliver a dramatic three-run blast in the bottom of the fourth. She pulled an 0-1 offering just over the right field fence for her first career home run.

Smith (22-3) was her normal stingy self in the circle, allowing just one hit – a second-inning single – the entire game. She faced exactly one over the minimum, fanning three on her way to her seventh shutout of the season.

Two- and three-hole hitters Megan Nichols and Emily O’Connor combined to score five runs, while Tara Williams and Megan Wineinger both had late-game pinch hits.

GAME 2 | UIndy 8, Cedarville (6 innings)

Game-two starter Alexa Huth (2-0) was also impressive in the circle. Just four days removed from earning her first collegiate win, the freshman hurler recorded her first career shutout Wednesday, striking out seven and walking zero in six scoreless frames. She currently sports a tidy 0.98 ERA in nine appearances on the year.

But as in game 1, the showstopper came in the form of a late home run. This time it was O’Connor in the spotlight, as her grand slam walked the Greyhounds off with another run-rule win.

Sydnee Perry had a pair of extra-base hits with an RBI double in the first and a two-run homer in the fifth. Dominique Proctor had two hits as well, and Jocelyn Calvin scored twice.

UP NEXT

The Greyhounds jump back on the bus this weekend for its longest road trip of the conference season. They’ll head to the Kansas City area to take on Rockhurst Saturday and William Jewell on Sunday.

INDIANAPOLIS BASEBALL

DALLAS – University of Indianapolis pitcher Brady Ware has been selected as NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week after a historic performance for the ages where he tossed a no-hitter, while also hitting for the cycle.

Ware is the second Greyhound to earn the NCBWA’s national pitching award since its inception in 2011, the first being Jordan Tackett in 2015. Kaleb Cunningham is the only non-pitcher to earn the national honor, being named NCBWA National Hitter of the Week on Mar. 31, 2011.

Over the weekend series with Drury, Ware grabbed seven RBIs with six hits, four of them coming during his legendary outing. Ware from the mound tossed 110 pitches in the seven-inning outing, striking out 11 while walking five.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

INDIANAPOLIS TENNIS

INDIANAPOLIS – The first official NCAA Regional Rankings are here and the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds are the top team in the Midwest on both the men’s and women’s rankings.

The men’s team carries a perfect 9-0 record in the region while holding a 12-2 mark on the season against DII opposition. For the women, they sit 8-0 in the Midwest, holding a 11-4 DII mark.

MEN’S MIDWEST RANKINGS

		vs. DII	In-Region
1	UIndy	12-2	9-0
2	Ferris State	10-3	9-1
3	Tiffin	12-1	11-1
4	Southwest Baptist	14-5	12-4
5	Wayne State (Michigan)	10-8	8-4
6	Drury	9-3	9-3
7	Grand Valley State	8-7	8-4
8	Hillsdale	10-6	10-4
9	McKendree	7-1	6-1
10	Findlay	7-7	7-7

WOMEN’S MIDWEST RANKINGS

		vs. DII	In-Region
1	UIndy	11-4	8-0
2	Grand Valley State	11-4	11-2
3	Wayne State (Michigan)	13-2	11-1
4	Tiffin	11-5	10-5
5	Findlay	10-5	10-5
6	Michigan Tech	7-5	6-3
7	Drury	11-3	11-3
8	Southwest Baptist	12-5	11-4
9	Lewis	9-5	7-5

MARIAN WLAX

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Marian lacrosse team picked up the road win against Bethel 14-7 on Wednesday, improving their record to 7-1 in WHAC action and 12-3 overall.

The Knights hardly wasted any time before Madison Ash got the opening goal of the day on the assist from Katelynn Gray, before Gray found Madeline Dumke 26 seconds later to put Marian up 2-0 early in quarter one. A few turnovers and an empty possession with a saved shot attempt kept the Knights off the board for a little over four minutes. A turnover caused by Mallory Miranda helped spark the offense, as Emily Blackburn got Marian going at the 9:09 mark. Marian worked a pair of possessions before scoring again, as Ella Grace Giedd connected with Grace Martin for another Knights goal. The Pilots would answer after a Marian shot attempt, but Dumke had an answer with her score on the man-advantage goal.

Both teams picked up the scoring in the second quarter, as each scored one goal more than the previous quarter. Once again it was the Knights scoring first as Ash connected with Giedd at the 11:34 mark, extending the lead to 6-1. Ashlynn Gray added to Marian’s scoring before seconds later Bethel responded with back-to-back goals. The Knights returned the favor, as Ash. Gray, Jada Taylor, Martin, and Giedd all scored in under five minutes to help Marian have the 11-3 lead into the halftime break.

Bethel came out on the attack to start the second half, outscoring Marian 4-3. The Pilots scored first, but it was Ash. Gray completing the hat trick for the quick answer, while a score from Giedd put Marian in the lead 13-4. The Pilots continued to battle, as they added on three goals to cut their deficit to six. The Knights would have the last say of the quarter with Ash. Gray notching her fourth goal of the night, putting her team on top 14-7.

Unlike the first three quarters, an unusual scoreless fourth quarter left the Knights on top 14-7. Both sides fired off shots with Marian outshooting Bethel 6-5, but neither team could get one to find the back of the cage.

Ashlynn Gray scored four goals and Giedd recorded the hat trick, while Dumke and Martin each notched two scores each. Blackburn, Ash, and Taylor all added one goal. Katelynn Gray, Giedd, and Ash led the Knights with two assists each. Chase Searcy and Miranda led Marian with three and two caused turnovers, while Giedd and Blackburn picked up two ground balls. Katherine Hirsch earned the win in goal, allowing three scores in the first half while making two saves. Grace Coyne came in the second half, allowing four goals and making three saves.

Marian will close out the regular season on Saturday when they host No. 3 Lawrence Tech at 6 p.m.

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

MLB STANDINGS

American League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Tampa Bay	12	0	1.000	–	9 – 0	3 – 0	3 – 0	3 – 0	3 – 0	10 – 0	W 12
NY Yankees	8	4	.667	4	4 – 2	4 – 2	2 – 1	2 – 1	0 – 0	7 – 3	W 2
Toronto	8	4	.667	4	2 – 0	6 – 4	0 – 0	5 – 1	2 – 1	7 – 3	W 3
Baltimore	6	6	.500	6	3 – 3	3 – 3	2 – 4	0 – 0	4 – 2	5 – 5	L 1
Boston	5	7	.417	7	2 – 4	3 – 3	2 – 4	3 – 0	0 – 0	4 – 6	L 3
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Minnesota	8	4	.667	–	4 – 2	4 – 2	0 – 0	5 – 1	2 – 1	6 – 4	W 2
Cleveland	7	6	.538	1.5	2 – 4	5 – 2	1 – 2	0 – 0	6 – 4	5 – 5	L 2
Chi White Sox	5	8	.385	3.5	1 – 2	4 – 6	0 – 0	1 – 2	2 – 2	4 – 6	L 2
Kansas City	4	9	.308	4.5	1 – 6	3 – 3	1 – 3	0 – 3	1 – 2	4 – 6	W 1
Detroit	2	9	.182	5.5	0 – 3	2 – 6	0 – 8	0 – 0	2 – 1	2 – 8	L 6
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
LA Angels	7	5	.583	–	3 – 3	4 – 2	1 – 2	0 – 0	4 – 2	6 – 4	W 2
Texas	7	5	.583	–	6 – 3	1 – 2	1 – 2	2 – 1	0 – 0	5 – 5	L 1
Houston	6	7	.462	1.5	3 – 4	3 – 3	0 – 0	4 – 6	0 – 0	4 – 6	W 1
Seattle	5	8	.385	2.5	2 – 5	3 – 3	0 – 0	3 – 4	1 – 2	4 – 6	W 1
Oakland	3	9	.250	4	2 – 4	1 – 5	1 – 5	1 – 2	1 – 2	2 – 8	W 1

National League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Atlanta	9	4	.692	–	4 – 3	5 – 1	2 – 1	6 – 0	1 – 3	7 – 3	W 3
NY Mets	7	6	.538	2	4 – 2	3 – 4	5 – 2	0 – 3	2 – 1	5 – 5	W 1
Miami	6	7	.462	3	3 – 4	3 – 3	4 – 6	0 – 0	0 – 0	5 – 5	W 2
Philadelphia	4	8	.333	4.5	3 – 3	1 – 5	1 – 2	2 – 1	0 – 0	4 – 6	L 2
Washington	4	9	.308	5	1 – 5	3 – 4	1 – 2	0 – 0	2 – 2	3 – 7	L 2
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Milwaukee	8	4	.667	–	5 – 1	3 – 3	3 – 0	4 – 2	1 – 2	7 – 3	L 1
Pittsburgh	7	5	.583	1	3 – 3	4 – 2	0 – 0	1 – 2	0 – 0	6 – 4	L 1
Chi Cubs	6	5	.545	1.5	5 – 4	1 – 1	0 – 0	2 – 3	0 – 0	5 – 5	L 1
St. Louis	5	7	.417	3	2 – 4	3 – 3	0 – 3	1 – 2	2 – 1	4 – 6	W 2
Cincinnati	4	7	.364	3.5	3 – 2	1 – 5	1 – 5	3 – 2	0 – 0	4 – 6	L 3
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Arizona	8	5	.615	–	5 – 2	3 – 3	0 – 0	2 – 1	6 – 4	7 – 3	W 1
LA Dodgers	7	6	.538	1	4 – 2	3 – 4	0 – 0	0 – 0	7 – 6	5 – 5	W 1
San Diego	7	6	.538	1	3 – 3	4 – 3	4 – 3	0 – 0	3 – 3	6 – 4	L 1
San Francisco	5	7	.417	2.5	2 – 4	3 – 3	0 – 0	0 – 0	1 – 2	4 – 6	L 1
Colorado	5	8	.385	3	3 – 4	2 – 4	2 – 2	1 – 2	2 – 4	3 – 7	L 2

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 xyz-Boston Bruins	81	64	12	5	133	60	300	173	34-4-3	30-8-2	9-1-0
2 x-Carolina Hurricanes	81	51	21	9	111	47	260	209	28-10-3	23-11-6	4-5-1
3 x-New Jersey Devils	81	51	22	8	110	49	286	222	24-13-4	27-9-4	6-4-0
4 x-Toronto Maple Leafs	81	49	21	11	109	48	276	220	27-8-6	22-13-5	6-2-2
5 x-New York Rangers	81	47	21	13	107	43	275	216	23-12-5	24-9-8	6-1-3
6 x-Tampa Bay Lightning	81	45	30	6	96	42	278	254	27-8-5	18-22-1	3-7-0
7 x-New York Islanders	82	42	31	9	93	41	243	222	25-13-3	17-18-6	5-4-1
8 x-Florida Panthers	81	42	31	8	92	40	286	267	23-12-5	19-19-3	6-3-1
9 Pittsburgh Penguins	81	40	31	10	90	39	260	261	23-13-5	17-18-5	5-5-0
10 Buffalo Sabres	80	40	33	7	87	37	287	295	16-20-4	24-13-3	7-2-1
11 Ottawa Senators	81	39	35	7	85	37	258	267	24-14-3	15-21-4	5-3-2
12 Detroit Red Wings	81	35	36	10	80	32	240	274	19-17-5	16-19-5	4-5-1
13 Washington Capitals	81	35	37	9	79	33	251	260	18-16-6	17-21-3	2-6-2
14 Philadelphia Flyers	81	30	38	13	73	28	217	273	18-18-5	12-20-8	3-6-1
15 Montreal Canadiens	81	31	44	6	68	26	228	302	17-20-3	14-24-3	3-7-0
16 Columbus Blue Jackets	80	24	47	9	57	23	209	323	15-22-2	9-25-7	2-6-2
Western Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 x-Vegas Golden Knights	81	50	22	9	109	45	269	228	25-15-1	25-7-8	6-1-3
2 x-Dallas Stars	81	46	21	14	106	42	284	218	21-10-9	25-11-5	8-2-0
3 x-Edmonton Oilers	81	49	23	9	107	49	320	258	22-12-6	27-11-3	9-0-1
4 x-Colorado Avalanche	80	49	24	7	105	43	272	221	21-13-6	28-11-1	8-1-1
5 x-Los Angeles Kings	81	46	25	10	102	40	275	254	26-11-4	20-14-6	5-5-0
6 x-Minnesota Wild	81	46	25	10	102	39	243	221	25-12-4	21-13-6	5-3-2
7 x-Seattle Kraken	81	46	27	8	100	46	288	253	20-16-4	26-11-4	7-3-0
8 x-Winnipeg Jets	81	46	32	3	95	45	245	221	26-13-2	20-19-1	7-3-0
9 Calgary Flames	82	38	27	17	93	36	260	252	20-16-5	18-11-12	6-2-2
10 Nashville Predators	80	41	31	8	90	35	222	231	21-14-4	20-17-4	5-5-0
11 St. Louis Blues	81	37	37	7	81	34	263	300	18-17-6	19-20-1	5-4-1
12 Vancouver Canucks	81	37	37	7	81	31	271	294	19-20-2	18-17-5	5-3-2
13 Arizona Coyotes	81	28	40	13	69	25	224	294	21-15-4	7-25-9	1-7-2
14 San Jose Sharks	81	22	43	16	60	21	232	316	8-22-11	14-21-5	3-6-1
15 Chicago Blackhawks	81	26	49	6	58	24	200	296	14-23-3	12-26-3	2-8-0
16 Anaheim Ducks	81	23	46	12	58	20	206	333	12-24-4	11-22-8	0-8-2

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 BASEBALL HISTORY

1883      “Good ballplayers make good citizens.” – Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States. Chester A. Arthur brings the Forest Cities ball club, a recently defunct franchise of the National Association, to the White House, making it the first professional team to visit with a president in Washington, D.C. Later in the season, the country’s Commander-in-Chief will host the new National League’s New York Gothams, who will become better known as the Giants in 1885.

1914      Major league baseball returns to Baltimore as the first Federal League game is played with approximately 27,000 fans in attendance to watch the Terrapins beat the Buffalo Blues at Terrapin Park, 3-2. After the elimination of the hometown Orioles from the National League at the end of the 1899 season, John McGraw’s club joined the new rival American League in 1901, staying in the Charm City for two seasons before moving to New York to become the Yankees, after briefly known as the Highlanders.

1921      After President Warren Harding, an avid baseball fan, tosses the ceremonial first pitch at Griffith Stadium, Washington loses to the Red Sox, 6-3. The contest marks the first time in six Opening Days contests the Senators have failed when the United States President throws out the first pitch.

1926      On Opening Day, 38-year-old Senators’ hurler Walter Johnson strikes out a dozen A’s batters when he outduels Eddie Rommel for 15 innings, beating Philadelphia at Washington’s Griffith Stadium, 1-0. In his next-to-last season, the’ Big Train finishes the campaign 15-16 (.484) with an ERA of 3.63 for the fourth-place club.

1933      At Sportsman’s Park in the season’s second game, Browns’ flycatcher Sammy West goes 6-for-6, collecting five singles and a double. The southpaw-swinging outfielder’s offensive output isn’t enough when the team drops a 4-3 decision to the White Sox in 11 innings.

1939      In a spring training game played in Norfolk, Virginia, Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig, with apparent muscle loss, especially around his shoulders, goes deep twice in a 14-12 exhibition loss against the Dodgers. The second and ninth-inning home runs will be the last round-trippers the ‘Iron Horse’ will ever hit.

1953      On Opening Day, thanks to the three-hit pitching of Max Surkont, the former Boston Braves win their first game representing the city of Milwaukee by beating the Reds, 2-0 at Crosley Field. The contest marks the first time since Baltimore shifted to New York to become the Highlanders, later renamed the Yankees, fifty years ago that a franchise has moved to a different city.

1954      Not wanting to be associated with Communists, Cincinnati plays its first game as the Redlegs. The team will employ the new widely-accepted moniker for six seasons before the club reverts to the Reds, a shortened version of the Red Stockings, the team’s original name from 1882-1899.

1954      Willie Mays, who missed nearly two seasons due to military service, homers in his first game back, a sixth-inning blast off Carl Erskine that will prove the difference in the Giants’ 4-3 Opening Day victory over Brooklyn. The 22-year-old center fielder’s prodigious poke at the Polo Grounds might have traveled over 600 feet if the upper left-field stands had not impeded the ball.

1954      Seven years after the team had threatened to strike over Jackie Robinson integrating baseball, North Carolina A&T graduate Tom Alston becomes the first black player to appear in a Cardinals uniform. The highly-touted first baseman, acquired from the PCL’s San Diego club in exchange for veteran infielder Dick Sisler and $100,000, pops out to first base in his first major league at-bat.

1954      In the first season opener at Forbes Field in 61 years, Curt Roberts makes his major league debut, becoming the first black to play for the Pirates. In his first at-bat, the former Kansas City Monarch second baseman, signed by 72-year-old general manager Branch Rickey, triples off future Hall of Fame right-hander Robin Roberts in the first inning of the team’s 4-2 victory over beat the Phillies.

1954      In a 9-8 victory over the Braves, Reds’ outfielder Jim Greengrass hits four doubles, tying a 1901 Opening Day record set by Tigers’ first baseman Pop Dillon. In the same contest, Hank Aaron goes hitless in five attempts in his first major league game with the Braves.

1954      Philadelphia A’s second baseman ‘Spook’ Forrest Jacobs becomes the first major league rookie to collect four hits on Opening Day. In 1990, Expo second baseman Delino DeShields, going 4-for-6, becomes the second freshman to accomplish the feat on the first day of the season in the team’s 6-5 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

1954      On Opening Day at Busch Stadium off Chicago hurler Paul Milner, Wally Moon hits a home run off Paul Milner in his first major league at-bat in the Cardinals’ 13-4 loss to the Cubs. The 24-year-old Redbird center fielder, the eventual National League’s Rookie of the Year, also homers in the last at-bat of his freshman season.

1957      The Red Sox select right-hander Russ Meyer (1-6, 6.21) off waivers from the Redlegs. The ‘Mad Monk’ will appear in only two games for Boston, posting a 5.40 ERA in five innings of work that includes a start.

1962      On a wintry day, the Mets play their first home game ever when only 12,000 fans show up at the Polo Grounds to see the return of National League baseball to the Big Apple. On Friday the 13th, the Pirates score the decisive run on two eighth-inning wild pitches thrown by Ray Diavault, beating the New York expansion team, 4-3.

1962      On Opening Day, Detroit’s starting pitcher Frank Lary pulls a muscle while legging out a seventh-inning triple in the team’s 5-3 victory over New York at Tiger Stadium. Subsequent arm problems resulting from compensating for the injury shortens the Yankee Killer’s career.

1963      Reds’ second baseman Pete Rose triples off Pirates’ pitcher Bob Friend to collect his first major league hit. The future all-time hit leader, who will amass 4,256 hits during his 24-year career, had gone hitless in his first 11 major league at-bats.

1964      After beating the Reds, 6-3, in the traditional Opening Day game in Cincinnati, Houston is in first place for the first and only time as the Colt .45s. Next season, the team becomes known as the Astros, reflecting Houston’s role in the nation’s space program.

1969      After the Cubs, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth, rally to beat the Expos, 7-6, twenty-seven-thousand fans spontaneously swarm Wrigley Field in an early-season frenzy. The fans’ reaction marks the first animated display of affection for the team since 1960, when Don Cardwell threw his no-hitter on Chicago’s north side.

1970      In their home opener at the Oakland Coliseum, a 2-1 victory over Milwaukee, the A’s use gold-colored bases. The MLB’s Rules Committee will quickly ban this colorful innovation, introduced by team owner Charlie O. Finley.

1975      The Astros retire Don Wilson’s number 40 posthumously in tribute to the right-hander, who was found dead of asphyxiation by carbon monoxide in the garage of his family’s home in January. The 29-year-old fireballer, the author of an 18 strikeout game that tied a major league record, spent nine seasons with Houston, compiling a 104-92 record and an ERA of 3.15.

1978      In New York’s Opening Day 4-2 victory over Chicago, Reggie Jackson hits a three-run homer in the first inning, his fourth consecutive round-tripper at Yankee Stadium, after going deep three times in last year’s Fall Classic finale. The game becomes delayed when the crowd celebrates by showering the field with Reggie! Bars, a chocolate and peanut candy bar with a picture of the slugger given to every fan entering the game.

1978      On Opening Day, Roger Maris returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time since being traded to the Cardinals in 1966. After shunning many previous invitations, the prodigal son returns to help Mickey Mantle hoist the club’s World Champion flag when team owner George Steinbrenner promises to install sod and lights on the baseball field at his children’s school in Gainesville (FL).

1980      At Royals Stadium, Dan Quisenberry and Jamie Quirk become the first Q battery when Quiz enters in the seventh inning. The pitcher-catcher combo combine to face nine Tigers in Kansas City’s 3-2 victory, with the 27-year-old right-handed reliever leaving the game after giving up a two-run homer to Champ Summers with two outs in the ninth.

1983      The Phillies, trailing by five runs entering the ninth inning, beat the Mets, 10-9, when Bo Diaz hits a walk-off bases-loaded home run. The Philadelphia catcher’s ‘ultimate grand slam,’ a home run that wins a game when a team is down by three runs in the bottom of the final frame, is tossed by Neil Allen, who faces only the last batter.

1984      On the same date he got his first major league hit 21-years earlier, Pete Rose, as a member of the Expos, doubles off Phillies hurler Jerry Koosman for his 4000th hit, becoming the first player in the National League to reach the milestone. Montreal beats Philadelphia in the Friday the 13th contest at Olympic Stadium, 5-1.

1985      With his team down 7-4 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Mariners’ left fielder Phil Bradley erases the three-run deficit with a walk-off grand slam. The game-ending round-tripper comes off Twins’ closer Ron Davis, who had given up a hit and two walks before surrendering the ‘sayonara slam.’

1987      In San Diego’s home opener, the Padres waste no time making up a two-run first inning deficit when the first three batters up in the bottom of the first homer off of Giant starter Roger Mason. Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn, and John Kruk all go deep to establish a major league record.

1990      “I chose the Moose because they are funny, neat, and friendly. The Moose would show that the Mariners enjoy playing and that they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.” -AMMON SPILLER, a fifth-grader from Central Elementary School in Ferndale, WA. In front of the first sellout crowd (54,874 fans) at the Kingdome, Mariner Moose makes his debut on Opening Night, Friday the 13th, the first mascot in franchise history. The team chose a suggestion summited by Ammon Spiller, a fifth-grader from Ferndale, WA, from over 2,500 entries submitted by children 14 and under across the Pacific Northwest.

1993      Lee Smith passes Jeff Reardon to become the all-time major league saves leader when the Cardinals beat the Dodgers, 9-7. The right-hander reliever tosses a scoreless ninth inning at Chavez Ravine to record the 358th of his career.

1997      Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox official mascot, makes his debut, emerging from the legendary left-field wall to everyone’s surprise on Opening Day. The green furry creature, who is not warmly received at first by the Fenway Faithful, becomes more endearing to the fans when the former player and current broadcaster Jerry Remy begins to create stories about the costumed character, sharing them during televised NESN games.

1998      Before tonight’s game against the Angels, a 500-pound concrete and steel beam falls into the empty loge boxes between third base and left field at Yankee Stadium. The mishap causes the postponement of the next two games scheduled for the Bronx ballpark, with the team scheduling one of the games across the river at Shea Stadium.

1999      At the Kingdome, Rangers’ starter Mike Morgan beats the Mariners for the first time since 1980 when he hurled for the A’s. The interval of 19 years, eight months, and nine days is the longest span a hurler has gone between victories over one team.

2002      After striking out three batters on nine pitches in the top of the ninth inning, Cardinal closer Jason Isringhausen gets credit for the win when the Redbirds score a run in the bottom of the frame for a 2-1 walk-off victory over Houston. During his immaculate inning, the right-handed reliever’s victims include Daryle Ward, Jose Vizcaino, and Julio Lugo, who all go down swinging.

2004      At SBC Park, Barry Bonds hits his 661st career homer off Brewers hurler Ben Ford to move up to third on the all-time home run career list, passing his godfather, Willie Mays, and leaving the 39-year-old Giant left fielder 53 behind Babe Ruth (714) and needs 94 to tie Hank Aaron (755). Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator Larry Ellison, a Giants fan who also ‘caught’ and gave No. 660 to a grateful Bonds, scoops the historic 468-foot seventh inning blast out of McCovey Cove, decides to keep this wet souvenir.

2005      A nearby pedestrian saves eight-year-old Patrick McCarthy from getting run down by a truck when the boy starts to run into Boston’s Newbury Street traffic. The hero, who prevents the tragic accident by putting out his arm and saying `Whoa, watch out, buddy,’ turns out to be the boy’s favorite player, Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez.

2008      At the new Yankee Stadium, workers dig up a tattered David Ortiz jersey buried in the concrete by a Red Sox fan working on the construction site who had hoped to put a hex on the Bronx Bombers. The ballpark’s first ‘souvenir’ fetches a $175,100 bid in an auction to benefit the Jimmy Fund, a charity that raises money for cancer patients and their families at the Dana-Farber Institute.

2008      Reds hurler Johnny Cueto walks his first batter of the season, ending a string of 22 strikeouts without issuing a base-on-balls. The rookie right-hander is the only post-1900 pitcher to fan as many 18 batters without throwing a ball four in his first two starts.

2009      Nick Swisher, who throws 22 pitches, allowing just one hit and one walk before retiring the next three consecutive batters, including a swinging strikeout of Gabe Kapler, becomes the first position player to pitch for the Yankees since Wade Boggs took the mound in 1997. During the 15-5 rout by the Rays at Tampa’s Tropicana Field, the fun-loving first baseman volunteered to pitch the eighth inning to help save the bullpen after starter Chien-Ming Wang lasts only one inning.

2009      In a somber pregame meeting, Philadelphia president David Montgomery informs the players that Harry Kalas, who arrived at Nationals Park with the players on the team bus, collapsed in the broadcast booth and died shortly after being taken to a nearby hospital. In tribute to the 73-year-old Hall of Fame voice of the Phillies, Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, and Scott Eyre, before their 9-8 victory over Washington, light up a cigarette and pass it around in honor of the broadcaster, whose smoking habit was legendary.

2009      LA’s second baseman Orlando Hudson completes his cycle in the Chavez opener with a sixth-inning triple down the right-field line in the team’s 11-1 rout of the Giants. The 31-year-old Darlington (SC) native, playing his first home game since signing with the team as a free agent, becomes the first Dodger to hit for the cycle at Dodger Stadium and the first franchise player to accomplish the feat in a nine-inning game since Gil Hodges did it in 1949.

2010      The ‘Bring Back Orbit’ Facebook group hopes to convince the Astros to reinstate the mascot, replaced by Junction Jack in 2000 when the team moved from the Astrodome to Enron Field. The social media effort pays off when the franchise announces the lovable lime-green outer-space creature’s return for 2013, their first season in the American League.

2011      Chipper Jones spoils Florida’s bid for a shutout when he homers in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Braves’ 5-1 loss at Turner Field. The Atlanta third baseman joins Eddie Murray (1,917) and Mickey Mantle (1,509) in becoming only the third switch hitter in major league history to compile 1,500 RBIs.

2012      Josh Thole’s bizarre base running blunder leads to a very odd double play in the second inning of the Mets’ 5-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park. After successfully reaching second base on R.A. Dickey’s sacrifice bunt, the 25-year-old Mets’ catcher shocks everyone, including the Philadelphia defense, by returning to first base, where he is tagged out to complete the unusual 3-1-6-4 twin killing.

2012      After surrendering a leadoff single to Cameron Maybin to start the game, Aaron Harang strikes out the next nine consecutive Padres in L.A.’s 9-8 victory at Dodger Stadium. The 34-year-old right-hander’s performance is one more than Johnny Podres’ franchise mark of 8 but falls one short of the major league record held by Tom Seaver, who fanned ten straight Friars for the Mets in 1970.

2015      Jon Lester finally attempts a pickoff at first base, ending a streak covering 66 appearances. The Cubs southpaw, who signed a six-year free-agent deal worth $155 million to start for Chicago this season, last threw over to first base on April 30, 2013, while pitching for the Red Sox.

2019      Chris Davis ends his recording-setting streak of consecutive at-bats without a hit with a two-run single in the first inning of the Orioles’ 9-5 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Baltimore first baseman’s safety snaps the major league record at 54 straight hitless at-bats by a position player, easily extending the previous mark of 46 set by utilityman Eugenio Vélez, who established the dubious distinction over two seasons while playing with the Giants (0-for-9) and Dodgers (0-for-37), respectively in 2010 and 2011.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

EARLE COMBS

Though Earle Combs may have been overshadowed by more celebrated teammates Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, the center fielder and lead-off hitter on some of the most successful Yankees teams of the 1920s and ‘30s was held in high regard by those in the game.

“He was a table-setter for Ruth and Gehrig,” said fellow Hall of Fame player Joe Cronin. “He was always on base, it seemed, when they’d hit a homer.

“He was an important cog in that Yankee team of 1927 that a lot of people consider the best of all time. He was a great fielder, a great lead-off hitter and fast as the devil – he could really get to the ball.”

A line drive hitter, a ballhawk in center field and a speed demon in the field and on the bases, Combs was part of four pennant-winning teams and three World Series championships during his 12 seasons with the Yankees.

Included in Combs’ legendary run was the famed 1927 team, nicknamed Murderers’ Row and considered by many as the best team in baseball history. It also produced one of the great outfields, with left fielder Bob Meusel hitting .337, Combs .356, and Ruth .356 – with 60 home runs.

Surrounded by such a powerful lineup, Combs’ ability to showcase his speed on the basepaths was negated. But this didn’t stop a young Combs from one day broaching the subject with manager Miller Huggins.

“Down in Louisville,” Combs said, “they called me the ‘The Mail Carrier.’”

“Up here,” Huggins said, “we’ll call you the ‘The Waiter.’ When you get on first base, you just wait there for Ruth or Gehrig, or one of the other fellows, to send you the rest of the way around.”

Huggins, a fellow Hall of Famer, would later remark: “If you had nine Combses on your ball club, you could go to bed every night and sleep like a baby.”

Nicknamed The Kentucky Colonel, the lefty swinging Combs finished with 1,866 hits and a .325 batting average during a career cut short by injuries. He collected more than 200 hits in a season three times, scored more than 100 runs eight straight years, from 1925 through 1932, and hit better than .300 in eight full seasons with a high of .356 in 1927.

In 16 World Series games, Combs hit .350 with 17 runs scored.

“Combs was more than a grand ballplayer. He was always a first-class gentleman,” Ruth said. “No one ever accused him of being out on a drinking party and you’d laugh at the words he used for cussing. Often he’d sit in his room and read the Bible, for he came from a strict mountaineer family. But Earle was all man, and a great competitor.”

Combs was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1970. He passed away on July 21, 1976.

CHARLES COMISKEY

In his five-plus decades in the game, Charlie Comiskey found success as a player, manager and owner at the big league level.

Comiskey’s baseball career began as a talented pitcher for amateur ball clubs in Chicago. Despite his father’s objections, Comiskey jumped to a team in Dubuque, Iowa, where arm troubles forced him to switch to first base. Comiskey was one of the original first basemen who did not “hug the line” and played closer to second base to cut off grounders hit toward right field.

In 1882, Comiskey was offered a contract by the St. Louis Brown Stockings in the new American Association. By the following year, Comiskey was managing the team at age 23 and guided St. Louis to four straight pennants from 1885-88. In 1886, Comiskey’s Browns defeated Cap Anson’s Chicago White Stockings of the National League in a six-game series following the season, a precursor of the modern World Series.

In 1892, Comiskey became manager of the National League’s Cincinnati Reds. While there, Comiskey convinced sportswriter Ban Johnson to form the Western League, an organization that would eventually challenge the powerful NL.

Comiskey remained in Cincinnati for three years before purchasing the Western League’s Minnesota franchise and moving it to St. Paul. In 1900, Comiskey received permission from the National League to move his club to Chicago, so long as he didn’t use the city in the team’s name. Happy to oblige, Comiskey cleverly named his team the White Sox, in reference to the NL team he defeated in the 1886 postseason series.

Together, Johnson and Comiskey positioned the Western League, now called the American League, as a direct competitor to the senior National League. Meanwhile, Comiskey was building his Chicago club into a powerhouse. The White Sox captured American League pennants in 1901 – the first year of the AL – and then again in 1906, when they went on to defeat the crosstown Cubs in the World Series.

In 1910, Comiskey paid roughly $750,000 to build his most tangible legacy: Comiskey Park. An impressive steel and concrete structure that would favor the White Sox’s pitching and defense, Comiskey Park would become an enduring symbol of the team for the next 80 years.

Comiskey was also building his reputation as a compassionate owner who loved his team’s fans. He handed out nearly 75,000 tickets to school boys each season and let fans move to the high-priced sheltered seats in the ballpark when it rained.

“Those bleacherites made this big new plant possible,” Comiskey said. “The fellow who can pay only 25 cents to see a ball game always will be just as welcome at Comiskey Park as the box seat holder.”

Though his purse strings were tighter with his players, Comiskey spent enough to build a formidable squad in the 1910s. Featuring players like Eddie Collins, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Eddie Ciccote, the White Sox captured Comiskey’s second World Series championship in 1917.

Comiskey continued as owner of the White Sox until his passing on Oct. 26, 1931. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939.

BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW

1942 AMERICAN LEAGUE

Off the field…

Under Executive Order 9066, more than 120,000 Japanese and persons of Japanese ancestry living in western U.S. were moved to “relocation centers,” (some for the duration of the war). After voluntary evacuation was prohibited, the Army forcibly moved approximately 110,000 evacuees, most of whom were American citizens, to ten relocation centers in the Western states. Smaller numbers of Germans, Italians, and other nationalities were also forcibly relocated. Although food and shelter was provided and wages were paid to those who wished to work, living conditions were poor and induced several uprisings.

The worst nightclub fire disaster in history occurred when the infamous Coconut Grove of Boston caught fire claiming the lives of four-hundred ninety-two patrons and injuring one-hundred sixty-six others. It is believed that the fire originally started in the Melody Lounge when a sixteen-year-old bar boy named Stanley Tomaszewski, lit a match to replace a light bulb that had been removed by a patron. What exactly happened next is still unclear, but artificial palm trees and drapery quickly caught fire and it took only fifteen minutes for flames to engulf the entire building.

In the American League…

Boston Red Sox slugger and American patriot Ted Williams enlisted in the military as a Naval aviator on June 2^nd. He was able to finish the season, as did many other players who enlisted or were awaiting the draft, which moved at a very slow pace despite the early discouragements of the war. American League regulars who were also enlisted at the time included Johnny Rigney, Joe Grace, Johnny Berardino, Cecil Travis, Bob Feller, Pat Mullin, Buddy Lewis, Sam Chapman and Johnny Sturm.

On June 6^th, Gene Stack of the Chicago White Sox became the first Major League draftee to die on active duty after suffering a heart attack following an Army ball game.

The New York Yankees infield combined to turn seven double plays (a Major League record) during an August 14^th, 11-2 massacre over the Philadelphia Athletics. All-Star catcher Bill Dickey gunned down two runners following third strikes and Phil Rizzuto, Johnny Murphy and Red Rolfe combined on five others. The Yankees went on to finish the season with one-hundred ninety double-plays just missing their previous record of one-hundred ninety-four that was set in ’41.

In the National League…

Boston Braves ace Jim Tobin became the only Major League pitcher ever to hit three successive home runs during a May 13^th, 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Braves Field. His last round tripper (in the eighth) broke a 4-4 tie and set the momentum for a win.

On June 19^th, Boston Braves slugger Paul Waner joined Cap Anson and Honus Wagner as the only National League players to tally over three-thousand hits. The deciding mark came courtesy of visiting pitcher Rip Sewell of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On the same day his wife gave birth to a son, Chicago Cubs shortstop Lennie Merullo set a Major League record with four separate errors in the second inning of a nightcap against the Boston Braves. Despite the new father’s poor play, the Cubs went on to win 12-8 after losing the first 10-6.

Around the League…

President Roosevelt granted Major League Baseball the go-ahead to play despite the travel and material restrictions of WW II. In his famous “Green Light” letter FDR stated that he honestly felt that it would be in the best interests of the country to keep baseball going. He also encouraged more night baseball games so that war workers could attend, as a well needed distraction.

Major League owners met to discuss the impact of wartime regulations on the 1942 season. Later, it was agreed that each team would be granted fourteen night games with one exception in Washington who was granted twenty-one. It was also determined that two All-Star Games would be played (one with a military All-Star team) and that all curfews for night games would be set with no inning to start after 12:50.

On March 18^th, two black players Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland requested a walk-on tryout with the Chicago White Sox during a spring training session in Pasadena. Manager Jimmie Dykes reluctantly allowed them to work out with the ball club, but dismissed both without an offer.

Baseball’s top magazine publication “The Sporting News” published a controversial editorial calling for continued segregation on the ball field and in the stands. The racial column stated that members of each race “prefer to draw their talents from their own ranks and both groups know their crowd psychology and do not care to run the risk of damaging their own game.”

FOOTBALL HISTORY

THE HALL OF FAME

ELVIN BETHEA

Elvin Bethea, an outstanding prospect from North Carolina A&T, was the Houston Oilers third-round pick in the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft. Most observers agree that for a third-rounder, he was a steal. In hindsight, and after 16 seasons of outstanding play with the Oilers, it’s safe to say he was more than a “steal,” he was clearly one of the best players selected, and that in a draft that produced three future Hall of Fame players, Larry Csonka, Art Shell, and Ron Yary.

An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Bethea played in 210 games during his long career in Houston. He was named first- or second-team All-AFL/AFC six times and second-team All-Pro four times. Considered a leader both on and off the field, Bethea was durable and dependable. He started at defensive end in the 1968 season opener and didn’t miss a game until breaking his arm in a game against the Oakland Raiders on November 13, 1977.

When he retired – which was put off by a year per the Oilers’ request – he held three team records relating to career service: most seasons (16), most career regular season games played (210), and most consecutive regular season games played (135). He also saw action in eight Oilers playoff games.

Although sacks were not an official National Football League statistic until 1982, Elvin’s unofficial 105-career quarterback sack total still ranks as the best in Oilers/Tennessee Titans history as are the 16 sacks he recorded in 1973. Six times he led his team in that department. His best single game performance as a pass rusher came in a game against the San Diego Chargers in 1976 in which he recorded 4 sacks and one fumble recovery.

More than just a pass rusher, Bethea was also effective against the run. Even though 1974 was the first year such statistics were compiled by the Oilers, his 691-career tackles, are still among the best in franchise history, even excluding the first six years of his career.

April 13, 1908 – Groundbreaking on Philadelphia’s Shibe Park home of A’s & Phillies as well as the Eagles and Steagles too! Shibe Park is also often referred to as Connie Mack Stadium, named after the legendary player /manager of the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 to 1950. From 1940 through 1948 according to an article on Philly.curbed.com, the Eagles called Shibe Park, a steel and concrete stadium that sat 40,000 people home. The French Renaissance-style stadium was the venue in 1948 of the NFL Championship during a blizzard where the Eagles hosted and defeated the Chicago Cardinals to claim the League title.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR APRIL 13

April 13, 1897 – Collierville, Virginia – Virginia Military Institute’s standout halfback from 1917, 1919 and 1920 Jimmy Leech was born. Leech left the school for a year in 1918 to join the Marines and fight in World War I. The National Football Foundation has a nice biography sketch on Leech that says that in 1920 he made 26 touchdowns and drop-kicked extra points and field goals. His 210 points led the nation. VMI won all nine games, whipping major foes such as Pennsylvania 27-7, Virginia 22-6, North Carolina 23-0, and North Carolina State 14-0. VMI out-scored its nine opponents 431-20. Jimmy Leech received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.

April 13, 1918 – Rice Lake, Wisconsin – The Minnesota Golden Gopher halfback from 1932 to 1934, Francis “Pug” Lund was born. Lund is described as a well-rounded back by his bio on the National Football Foundation’s website as not only was he an efficient runner but he was willing to serve out crushing blocks to keep defenders away from offensive teammates too. The DailyGopher.com website shares that Pug was a tough guy too. In the 1933 against Pitt he hurt his pinky finger and because he kept playing the injury didn’t heal correctly therefore just before the beginning of the 1934 season Lund had the finger amputated in an effort to not slow him down. During an early season game against the Nebraska Corn Huskers Pug had his low moment of his career when he fumbled 7 times as he tried to get used to holding a ball with 4 fingers on his left hand. Losing the finger worked out though as he was the hero of the 1934 rematch against Pitt where he had one of the shining moments of his collegiate career. The two teams met that day each carrying in the moniker of being undefeated for the season. The Gophers trailed the Panthers team by six as the clock was winding down on the game. Minnesota had managed to move the ball down the field in one last gasp attempt to obtain at least a tie. But they were faced with a fourth and four deep in Pittsburgh territory at the 17 yard line. It all came down to this play. Lund took the pitch and surveyed the field, looking for a glimpse of daylight to escape through. At the last moment he spotted end Bob Tenner in the open field, fired a strike to the rangy receiver and Minnesota suddenly had the touchdown which beat Pitt, 13-7, and ignited a Gopher charge to a perfect eight-game record and the National Championship. Pug was a key player in this run as he averaged just about 6 yards per carry and threw some very accurate passes that kept defensive opponents at bay. Lund was also a true ironman of the game, in fact Minnesota coach Bernie Bierman stated. “He was our spark plug,” Bierman said. “He was battered and broken up, teeth knocked out, finger amputated, thumb broken, and through all that he carried on. Our opponents might break him in two, but they couldn’t stop him.” The Gophers coach would go on to say that Pug was the greatest player he had ever witnessed on the field. Lund was versatile as he handled the punting, passing, rushing, and blocking. Pug’s career total of 2098 rushing yards is twice as many as the next most prolific rusher of his time. Add to that some pretty good passing stats for the era 85 attempts, 29 completions, and 10 interceptions. The National Football Foundation selected Pug Lund for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1958.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

5 – 6 – 31 -15 – 24 – 9 – 6 – 1

April 13, 1926 – Walter Johnson, at the ripe old age of 38, hurled his 7th career Opening Day shutout of an opponent. Johnson pitched his entire career, 1907 through 1927 with the Washington Senators franchise where he claimed two League MVP awards and three Triple Crowns, helped with the 1924 World Series and was a five time winner of having MLB’s best ERA.

April 13, 1954 – Hank Aaron, wearing Number 5 played his first game as a member of the Milwaukee Braves

April 13, 1962 – St Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial, Number 6 sets another record as he scored the 1869th run in his career. This was tops on the National League.

TV THURSDAY

COLLEGE BASEBALL	TIME ET	TV
Kentucky at LSU	7:00pm	SECN
Miami at North Carolina	7:00pm	ACCN
Missouri at Texas A&M	8:00pm	ESPNU
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA Tour: RBC Heritage	2:00pm	GOLF
LPGA: LOTTE Championship	7:00pm	GOLF
MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Oakland at Baltimore	1:05pm	MLBN NBCS-CA MASN/2
Boston at Tampa Bay	1:10pm	MLBN NESN Bally Sports
Philadelphia at Cincinnati	6:40pm	NBCS-PHI Bally Sports
Minnesota at NY Yankees	7:05pm	MLBN YES Bally Sports
Detroit at Toronto	7:07pm	MLBN Sportsnet Bally Sports
Pittsburgh at St. Louis	7:45pm	MLBN ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports
Milwaukee at San Diego	9:40pm	MLBN Bally Sports
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Carolina at Florida	7:00pm	Bally Sports
Boston at Montréal	7:00pm	Sportsnet NESN
Detroit at Tampa Bay	7:00pm	Bally Sports
New Jersey at Washington	7:00pm	MSGSN NBCS-WSH
Ottawa at Buffalo	7:00pm	Sportsnet MSG-BUF
Pittsburgh at Columbus	7:00pm	ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports
Toronto at NY Rangers	7:00pm	Sportsnet MSG
Winnipeg at Colorado	8:00pm	Sportsnet ALT
Minnesota at Nashville	8:00pm	Bally Sports
St. Louis at Dallas	8:00pm	ESPN
Philadelphia at Chicago	8:30pm	NBCS-PHI NBCS-CHI
San Jose at Edmonton	9:00pm	NBCS-CA Sportsnet
Los Angeles at Anaheim	10:00pm	Bally Sports
Vancouver at Arizona	10:00pm	Sportsnet Bally Sports
Vegas at Seattle	10:30pm	ESPN
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
UEFA Europa League: Feyenoord vs Roma	12:45pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa Conference League: Gent vs West Ham United	12:45pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Arsenal vs Godoy Cruz	1:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Saint-Gilloise	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa League: Juventus vs Sporting CP	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa League: Manchester United vs Sevilla	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa Conference League: Anderlecht vs AZ	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa Conference League: Basel vs Nice	3:00pm	Paramount+
UEFA Europa Conference League: Lech Poznań vs Fiorentina	3:00pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Colón vs Talleres Córdoba	3:30pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: River Plate vs Gimnasia La Plata	6:30pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Tigre vs Sarmiento	8:30pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Champions League: Tigres UANL vs Motagua	10:00pm	FS1

SPORTS FRIDAY

COLLEGE BASEBALL	TIME ET	TV
Maryland at Ohio State	5:00pm	BTN
Miami at North Carolina	6:00pm	ESPNU
Tennessee at Arkansas	8:00pm	SECN
Indiana at Illinois	8:00pm	BTN
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA Tour: RBC Heritage	2:00pm	GOLF
LPGA: LOTTE Championship	7:00pm	GOLF
MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Arizona at Miami	6:40pm	Bally Sports
Philadelphia at Cincinnati	6:40pm	NBCS-PHI Bally Sports
San Francisco at Detroit	6:40pm	NBCS-BAY Bally Sports
Cleveland at Washington	7:05pm	MASN/2 Bally Sports
Minnesota at NY Yankees	7:05pm	YES Bally Sports
Tampa Bay at Toronto	7:07pm	Sportsnet Bally Sports
LA Angels at Boston	7:10pm	NESN Bally Sports
Baltimore at Chi. White Sox	7:10pm	NBCS-CHI MASN/2
Atlanta at Kansas City	8:10pm	MLBN Bally Sports
Texas at Houston	8:10pm	MLBN ATTSN-SW Bally Sports
Pittsburgh at St. Louis	8:15pm	ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports
Milwaukee at San Diego	9:40pm	Bally Sports
NY Mets at Oakland	9:40pm	SNY NBCS-CA
Colorado at Seattle	10:10pm	ATTSN-RM Root Sports
Chi. Cubs at LA Dodgers	10:10pm	MARQ Spectrum
MOTORSPORTS	TIME ET	TV
NASCAR Truck: Long John Silver’s 200	7:30pm	FS1
NBA PLAYOFFS	TIME ET	TV
East – TBA at Miami	7:00pm	TNT
West – TBA at Minnesota	9:30pm	ESPN
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Buffalo at Columbus	7:30pm	Bally Sports MSG-BUF
Colorado at Nashville	8:00pm	ALT Bally Sports
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Serie A: Cremonese vs Empoli	12:30pm	Paramount+
Bundesliga: Schalke 04 vs Hertha BSC	2:30pm	ESPN+
Serie A: Spezia vs Lazio	2:45pm	Paramount+
La Liga: Rayo Vallecano vs Osasuna	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Toulouse vs Olympique Lyonnais	3:00pm	beIN Sports
Liga MX: Necaxa vs Puebla	9:05pm	TUDN
NWSL: Portland Thorns vs Houston Dash	10:30pm	CBSSN