THE SCOREBOARD
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
JAY COUNTY 5 DELTA 4
SOUTH DECATUR 7 NORTH DECATUR 5
MUNCIE CENTRAL 3 BLACKFORD 2
SOUTH ADAMS 3 MONROE CENTRAL 0
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON 15 EMINENCE 2
BISHOP CHATARD 3 PARK TUDOR 2
HAGERSTOWN 10 DALEVILLE 0
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 30 PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY 3
WINCHESTER 6 TRI 3
FRANKLIN COUNTY 5 RUSHVILLE 1
INDIANAPOLIS TECH 6 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 0
HORIZON CHRISTIAN 9 INDIANAPOLIS KINGS 1
ANDERSON 12 PURDUE POLY NORTH 2
SHELBYVILLE 4 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 3
GREENWOOD 5 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 3
RIVERTON PARKE 6 GREENCASTLE 2
WES DEL 16 FRANKTON 5
IRVINGTON PREP 21 TINDLEY 0
UNION CITY 7 KNIGHTSTOWN 0
COVENANT CHRISTIAN 7 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 5
COLUMBUS NORTH 5 FISHERS 0
TRI-WEST 4 N. MONTGOMERY 2
FRANKFORT 5 CRAWFORDSVILLE 1
WESTFIELD 3 KOKOMO 0
CONNERSVILLE 9 GREENSBURG 6
ZIONSVILLE 4 CENTER GROVE 1
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 6 RICHMOND 5
LINCOLN 8 SETON CATHOLIC 4
CARMEL 3 MOUNT VERNON 2
AVON 5 PLAINFIELD 1
BREBEUF 10 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 6
CENTERVILLE 11 MUNCIE BURRIS 0
LEBANON 3 DANVILLE 0
NORTHEASTERN 4 EASTERN HANCOCK 3
GUERIN CATHOLIC 4 NOBLESVILLE 3
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/BASEBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/15/2023
CENTRAL INDIANA SOFTBALL SCORES
UNION COUNTY 6 CENTERVILLE 2
WAPAHANI 16 DELTA 4
KNIGHTSTOWN 4 TRI 3
FRANKTON 6 TIPTON 1
DALEVILLE 24 SHORTRIDGE 1
PARK TUDOR 14 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 0
BROWNSBURG 13 SOUTHPORT 3
SHENANDOAH 4 RUSHVILLE 2
NORTH CENTRAL 19 GUERIN CATHOLIC 1
BEECH GROVE 3 BISHOP CHATARD 2
MONROVIA 8 SCECINA 1
HAUSER 17 MORRISTOWN 0
UNION CITY 9 LINCOLN 2
RIVERTON PARKE 11 S. PUTNAM 1
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 17 WARREN CENTRAL 2
CONNERSVILLE 1 LAWRENCEBURG 0
CRAWFORDSVILLE 13 FRANKFORT 3
MOUNT VERNON 21 ANDERSON 6
MARTINSVILLE 4 INDIAN CREEK 2
LEBANON 11 GREENCASTLE 10
IRVINGTON PREP 14 TINDLEY 2
WESTFIELD 8 WESTERN 3
SPEEDWAY 19 BEN DAVIS 7
COVENANT CHRISTIAN 6. MERIDIAN 5
NOBLESVILLE 16 MCCUTCHEON 6
OAK HILL 3 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 1
NEW PALESTINE 20 ZIONSVILLE 1
TRI-WEST 20 N. MONTGOMERY 0
MOORESVILLE 2 CASCADE 1
YORKTOWN 13 NORTHEASTERN 2
SHELBYVILLE 11 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 1
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/SOFTBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/15/2023
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
ATLANTA 12 TEXAS 0
HOUSTONJ 6 CHICAGO CUBS 4
ARIZONA 5 OAKLAND 2
SAN DIEGO 4 KANSAS CITY
LA DODGERS 9 MINNESOTA 8 (12)
LA ANGELS 9 BALTIMORE 5
NY YANKEES 7 TORONTO 4
SEATTLE 10 BOSTON 1
WASHINGTON 10 NY METS 3
ST. LOUIS 18 MILWAUKEE 1
COLORADO 9 CINCINNATI 8
SAN FRANCISCO 6 PHILADELPHIA 3
TOP NATIONAL NEWS
NHL PLAYOFFS
STARS BEAT KRAKEN 2-1 IN G7 TO ADVANCE TO WEST FINAL, JOHNSTON SCORES DAY AFTER 20TH BIRTHDAY
DALLAS (AP) Wyatt Johnston is no longer a teenager, not that he’s played like one at all during his rookie season with a Dallas Stars team that is headed to the Western Conference final.
A day after his 20th birthday, Johnston scored a crucial goal for the Stars off a hard ricochet in their 2-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken in Game 7 in the second-round series Monday night.
“It’s a world-class play by one of the youngest players in the league,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He’s been fantastic all year. He’s a big part of our group. It feels like the deeper we get, the more we rely on him, the more responsibility he wants.”
Roope Hintz also scored for the Stars and 24-year-old goalie Jake Oettinger had 22 saves while again bouncing back after a loss.
Dallas moves on to play first-year Stars coach DeBoer’s former team, the Vegas Golden Knights. Game 1 of the West final is Friday night in Las Vegas.
DeBoer improved to 7-0 in Game 7s, this being the fourth different team he led to a win in the finale of a best-of-seven series that went the distance. Darryl Sutter and Scott Bowman are the only other coaches to do that.
It was the fourth time in five seasons the Stars got a Game 7 – the others were all away from home. They hadn’t won a Game 7 at home since 2000, when they made the Stanley Cup Final for the season in a row, a year after their only title.
In the only other Game 7 they hosted at American Airlines Center, the Stars lost 6-1 to St. Louis in a second-round series in 2016.
Johnston made it 2-0 with 7:12 left, when he gathered a puck that ricocheted off the back boards to the left of the Seattle net. The kid who has played in every game this season, and is living with veteran Joe Pavelksi’s family, then sent a shot that went off the shoulder and mask of goalie Phillip Grubauer before going into the net.
Grubauer stopped 26 shots, two weeks after his 33 saves when Seattle won at Colorado 2-1 in another Game 7 to knock out last year’s Stanley Cup champion.
Hintz’s ninth goal of the playoffs was credited as an unassisted tally and came with 4:01 left in the second period, the deepest in this series any game got before a score.
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored with 17.6 seconds left, preventing the second shutout this postseason season for Oettinger. Bjorkstrand had the both goals against the Avalanche in that Game 7 last month.
This series finale came exactly one year after Oettinger’s 64-save performance in another Game 7 – a 3-2 loss at Calgary after Johnny Gaudreau’s OT goal ended the first-round series.
Oettinger improved to 5-0 after losses this postseason. He allowed four goals on 18 shots during Game 6 in Seattle on Saturday, when he was pulled 4 1/2 minutes into the second period.
“Yeah, that’s playoff hockey. I don’t think had my best series of my career, but it shows how good of a team we are,” Oettinger said. “It’s ups and downs and, you know, you think might be out of it, and the next thing you know you’re going to the conference final.”
Dallas and Las Vegas will meet in the Western Conference Final for the second time in four seasons. The Stars beat the DeBoer-coached Golden Knights in five games in 2020, the postseason that was played in the NHL’s bubble in Toronto and Edmonton during the pandemic.
The second-year Kraken had forced Game 7 with a 6-3 win at home on Saturday.
“We pushed as hard as we could push tonight. We couldn’t find our top gear,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “Give Dallas a lot of credit in that regard. To a certain degree, they answered the game that we played in Game 6. They came home into their home building and put us under pressure.”
Adam Larsson had four of Seattle’s 13 blocked shots in the first period, two in quick succession before Dallas had its only power play. After blocking Evgenii Dadonov’s shot, Larsson knocked away Jamie Benn’s attempt on a rebound before the Stars captain was cross-checked by by Eeli Tolvanen in front of the net.
Seattle then had seven blocked shots during the power play, not allowing the Stars to get a shot on goal even while they pretty much kept the puck in their offensive zone that entire time.
The Kraken had only eight more blocked shots the rest of the game.
Dallas had the only shot, a short-hander try by Hintz, when the Kraken had its only man-advantage after Benn was called for a high stick later in the first period.
Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen got a puck past Grubauer only 3 1/2 minutes into the game, but it ricocheted off the crossbar and went out of play behind the net.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Nolan Gorman and Nolan Arenado hit three-run homers and combined for nine RBIs to power the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 18-1 on Monday.
Gorman finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs while Arenado went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. St. Louis’ Tommy Edman had four hits and four RBIs, Lars Nootbaar also scored four times and Paul Goldschmidt added two hits and two RBIs.
Andrew Knizner hit a grand slam off Brewers infielder Mike Brosseau in the eighth inning to cap the scoring. Jack Flaherty (3-4) fanned a season-high 10 while blanking the Brewers on three hits in seven innings as the Cardinals won for the seventh time in eight games.
Freddy Peralta (4-3) allowed six runs on six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings for the Brewers, whose three-game winning streak ended.
Angels 9, Orioles 5
Shohei Ohtani crushed a three-run homer, finished a double away from hitting for the cycle and picked up the win on the mound as Los Angeles earned a victory over host Baltimore.
Ohtani went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, three runs and a walk to offset a night in which he allowed a career-high-tying three homers over seven innings. The right-hander yielded a season-high-tying five runs on four hits. Ohtani (5-1) became the first starting pitcher to reach base five times in a game since the Yankees’ Mel Stottlemyre against the Washington Senators in September 1964.
Chad Wallach went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and Gio Urshela went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Angels. Adam Frazier and Anthony Santander each hit a two-run homer and Cedric Mullins added a solo shot for the Orioles.
Nationals 10, Mets 3
Joey Meneses hit three run-producing doubles and finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs in Washington’s victory against visiting New York.
Nationals starter Patrick Corbin (2-5) went six innings for the victory. He allowed two runs on eight hits. CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals managed to split the four-game series.
Mets starter David Peterson (1-6) gave up six runs on nine hits in five innings. Starling Marte, Jeff McNeil and Eduardo Escobar had two hits apiece for the Mets, who lost for the 11th time in 16 games.
Yankees 7, Blue Jays 4
Aaron Judge homered twice and drove in three runs as visiting New York held on to defeat Toronto.
Willie Calhoun added a two-run home run for the Yankees, who took the opener of a four-game series for their sixth win in eight games.
Jimmy Cordero pitched two perfect innings as the Yankees’ opener. Jhony Brito (3-3) replaced Cordero in the third and allowed four runs (two earned) and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah (1-4) allowed five runs, six hits and a career-high seven walks in four-plus innings.
Braves 12, Rangers 0
Atlanta ripped five two-run home runs as they cruised to victory in Arlington, Texas.
Kevin Pillar and Ronald Acuna Jr. had two-run shots in the second inning, Orlando Arcia added one in the sixth, Austin Riley followed with one in the seventh and Marcell Ozuna capped the two-run homer party with his own in the ninth.
Those long balls, coupled with a strong start by right-hander Charlie Morton, helped the Braves end a four-game losing streak and spoil Cody Bradford’s major league debut. Bradford allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over five innings.
Astros 6, Cubs 4
Alex Bregman broke a tie with a two-out, two-run home run in the seventh inning and Houston bullpen shut down visiting Chicago.
Phil Maton, Seth Martinez, Rafael Montero (1-3), Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris combined to allow one hit and one walk over five scoreless innings. The quintet totaled eight strikeouts, and Neris tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
The Astros scored four runs in the first inning, and the Cubs touched Framber Valdez for four runs in the fourth. Chicago got a sacrifice fly from Yan Gomes and a three-run homer from Christopher Morel to tie the game.
Mariners 10, Red Sox 1
Cal Raleigh became the first catcher to ever homer from both sides of the plate in a game at Fenway Park as Seattle cruised past Boston.
Raleigh, who went 3-for-5, hit two-run shots in the fifth and sixth innings, logging his second multi-homer game of the season. Eugenio Suarez also blasted a two-run homer as part of Seattle’s 15-hit attack.
Rafael Devers and Pablo Reyes each had two hits for Boston, which has lost four in a row. Devers had the Red Sox’s lone RBI.
Padres 4, Royals 0
Michael Wacha took a no-hitter into the eighth inning as San Diego snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over visiting Kansas City.
Wacha (4-1) struck out a career-high 11 and faced two hitters over the minimum through seven innings before Michael Massey opened the eighth with a line-drive single to right. That was the last batter for Wacha, who gave up one hit, one walk and hit one batter over seven-plus innings.
Nick Martinez completed the two-run shutout. Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Ha-Seong Kim each drove in a run. Royals starter Brad Keller (3-4) gave up three runs (two earned) and walked eight in 3 2/3 innings.
Dodgers 9, Twins 8 (12 innings)
Trayce Thompson worked a bases-loaded walk in the 12th inning as host Los Angeles recovered in the late innings following multiple blown leads to extend their winning streak to six games by beating Minnesota.
Max Muncy hit two home runs and Will Smith also went deep as the Dodgers won despite failing to hold an early four-run lead and a three-run advantage in the eighth. They also blew a one-run lead in the ninth before rallying from a one-run deficit in the 10th.
Christian Vazquez had three hits and a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning for the Twins. Jorge Polanco had a home run among his three hits for Minnesota, while Trevor Larnach hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to tie the score at 6-6.
Rockies 9, Reds 8
Brenton Doyle homered twice, Mike Moustakas also went deep and Colorado beat Cincinnati in Denver.
Harold Castro had three hits and three RBIs while Randal Grichuk added two hits and two runs for the Rockies. Daniel Bard (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the win, and Pierce Johnson got the final three outs for his seventh save.
Spencer Steer had three hits and Jake Fraley, Jonathan India and Henry Ramos had two hits apiece for the Reds. Ben Lively (1-1) took the loss in relief.
Diamondbacks 5, Athletics 2
Geraldo Perdomo and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit two-run homers, Merrill Kelly tossed seven-plus sharp innings and Arizona did all its scoring early in a victory at Oakland.
Perdomo went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs for the Diamondbacks, who posted their fourth win in a row. Kelly (4-3) was charged with two runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk while striking out nine.
Jace Peterson homered for Oakland, which dropped its third straight and fell for the eighth time in nine games. A’s starter Drew Rucinski (0-4) yielded five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Giants 6, Phillies 3
Michael Conforto homered, singled and drove in three runs to lift host San Francisco past Philadelphia.
Casey Schmitt added two hits while Mitch Haniger and Brandon Crawford each had an RBI single for the Giants, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Scott Alexander (3-0) threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and Camilo Doval got the last four outs for his ninth save.
Alec Bohm hit a home run, a double, a sacrifice fly and had three RBIs for the Phillies, who have dropped two in a row following a five-game winning streak.
OAKLAND A’S REACH AGREEMENT FOR POTENTIAL STADIUM SITE ON LAS VEGAS STRIP
LAS VEGAS (AP) The Oakland Athletics have reached an agreement with Bally’s and Gaming & Leisure Properties to build a potential stadium on the Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip.
Bally’s Corp. made the announcement Monday for a 30,000-seat stadium on the 35-acre site. The project is expected to cost about $1.5 billion, and the A’s are asking for nearly $400 million in public support from the Nevada Legislature, which could vote on a proposal this week.
The A’s previously previously signed an agreement to build a stadium also on Tropicana Avenue but on the other side of Interstate 15 that runs alongside the Strip. They were expected to ask the Legislature for $500 million in public funds for the 49-acre site that would have included much more than a stadium.
The new agreement is a scaled-down proposal but the location is in closer walking distance for fans who are staying in hotels on the south end of the Strip.“We are excited about the potential to bring Major League Baseball to this iconic location,” A’s President Dave Kaval said in a statement. “We are thrilled to work alongside Bally’s and GLPI, and look forward to finalizing plans to bring the Athletics to Southern Nevada.”
Kaval has said he hopes to break ground on a new ballpark next year and open the venue in time for the 2027 season. The A’s have a lease at Oakland Coliseum through 2024, and they could play the 2025 and ’26 seasons at Las Vegas Ballpark, home to their Triple-A affiliate Aviators.
The Tropicana opened in 1957 and in its heyday drew such A-listers as Sammy Davis Jr. Now the Trop is overshadowed by nearby megaresorts such as the MGM Grand, New York-New York and Mandalay Bay, and soon it likely will meet the fate of so many other historic Las Vegas hotels that are no longer around.
“We are honored to have been selected to partner with the Oakland Athletics on this monumental step in helping to bring Major League Baseball to the great city of Las Vegas, and to be a part of the once-in-a-generation opportunity of having a professional baseball team located within a short walk of the Las Vegas Strip,” Bally’s President George Papanier said in a statement. “The Tropicana has been a landmark of Las Vegas for generations, and this development will enhance this iconic site for generations to come.”
The A’s had been looking for a new home for years to replace the outdated and run-down Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. It is averaging less than 9,500 fans at home this season, by far the lowest among the 30 teams.
The team had been in negotiations with the city of Oakland to build a stadium on the waterfront but switched the focus entirely to Las Vegas last month. The A’s exclusive negotiating rights deal with the Port of Oakland for the Howard Terminal site expired last Friday, allowing the port to negotiate with other parties interested in using the downtown site.
On Friday, the A’s also reached a deal with the Culinary Union, a politically powerful Nevada union that represents more than 60,000 workers mostly in the Las Vegas area, which guarantees that A’s workers have the right to organize and negotiate union contracts.
“We hope there will be a path forward for all stakeholders so the Las Vegas A’s can join the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Las Vegas Raiders to continue this transformation as Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, also becomes the sporting capital of the world,” Culinary Union secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge said in a statement.
NFL NEWS
QB MATT RYAN JOINS CBS AS ANALYST, SAYS HE’S NOT RETIRING AS PLAYER
ATLANTA (AP) Matt Ryan has joined CBS as an analyst, though he’s not giving up on landing with another team as a quarterback.
CBS announced Monday that Ryan, a four-time Pro Bowler and the 2016 NFL MVP with the Atlanta Falcons, will serve as a studio and game analyst across multiple platforms for the upcoming season.
“Excited to join the NFLonCBS family! Looking forward to breaking down the game this season,” Ryan wrote on his Twitter account.
But, he added, “P.S. – this is not a retirement post.”
The 37-year-old Ryan is coming off a disappointing season with the Indianapolis Colts, who acquired him in a trade last year after he spent 14 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
Ryan was twice benched by the Colts and finished the season as the third-string quarterback. He was released in March in a move that saved Indianapolis about $17.2 million in salary cap space for 2023.
After going two months without landing with another team, Ryan decided to give broadcasting a try.
“It is truly an honor to join this exceptional team at CBS Sports,” he said in a statement released by CBS. “I have been blessed to have incredible teammates throughout my career and I am fortunate that will continue here working with and learning from the very best in the industry.”
Ryan is one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history, spending nearly all of his 15-year career with the Falcons.
He guided Atlanta to six playoff appearances, three division titles and won the MVP award in 2016 as the Falcons reached the Super Bowl for only the second time in franchise history. They held a 28-3 lead over New England late in the third quarter of the title game, only to have Tom Brady direct a stunning comeback that ended with the Patriots winning 34-28 in overtime.
Ryan and the Falcons never seemed to recover from that disappointment. They made the playoffs the following year but lost at Philadelphia in the divisional round, then went 25-40 over his final four seasons in Atlanta.
With the Falcons in rebuilding mode and needing to shed a huge amount of money under the cap, Ryan was dealt to the Colts for a third-round draft pick.
The Colts had hoped he would be the quarterback who could lead the team to the Super Bowl, but he was benched by coach Frank Reich, regained the starting job after Reich was fired, only to be benched against by interim coach Jeff Saturday after Indy squandered a 33-0 halftime lead in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
He started 12 games for the Colts, completing 67% of his passes for 3,057 yards with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Indianapolis went 4-7-1 with Ryan as the starter and finished 4-12-1.
Over his career, Ryan ranks among the top 10 in NFL history in passing yards (62,792), touchdowns (381), completions (5,551) and attempts (8,464).
CBS plans to use Ryan as a game analyst as well as provide commentary on the “The NFL Today” and other shows across all network platforms.
“As one of the NFL’s marquee quarterbacks for the past 15 years, we’re thrilled to add Matt to our talented roster of NFL analysts,” Howard Bryant, executive producer and executive vice president for CBS Sports, said in a statement. “He has played the game at the highest level, including winning an MVP award and taking his team to the Super Bowl, and will bring a fresh perspective to CBS Sports. We look forward to Matt sharing his knowledge, insight and opinions with our viewers and bolstering our NFL coverage.”
PEACOCK WILL EXCLUSIVELY CARRY NFL PLAYOFF GAME IN A FIRST FOR STREAMING SERVICE
(AP) — The NFL is taking another big step into streaming by putting one of its playoff games exclusively on a digital platform for the first time.
The league and NBCUniversal announced Monday that the Saturday night game on wild card weekend will be on Peacock.
The Peacock exclusive game on Jan. 13 would start at 8:15 or 8:30 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on NBC stations in the markets of the two teams. It will also be available on mobile devices through the NFL+ package. It will be preceded by a late afternoon playoff game on NBC and Peacock that will kick off at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Subscription rates for Peacock start at $4.99 per month.
“We had our first season with Amazon (this past year) and I think that with the digital platforms, we’re ready for live sports at scale. And the next step is to step into the postseason,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president and chief operating officer of NFL Media. “We like the plan that Peacock and NBC put together. In this case knowing we’re going to have a bigger audience and focused on having the widest reach possible across each platform.”
The league has made forays into streaming games for nearly a decade, but has gone all in over the past couple seasons. Amazon Prime Video became the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football” last season while ESPN has had one international game per season on ESPN+ since 2021.
Under the NFL’s 11-year contract with NBCUniversal that began this season, Peacock has an exclusive regular-season game. That will be on Dec. 23 when the Buffalo Bills face the Los Angeles Chargers in prime time. The Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers matchup on NBC will precede that.
“We spent a lot of time with the NFL and had productive meetings about the proper positioning of that (Peacock) game,” NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua said last week when the regular-season schedule was released. “We think that’s going to be a great combination of using the power of NBC with that late-afternoon game and driving that audience to Peacock for the regular-season exclusive game.”
The Saturday night wild-card game the past two seasons has drawn over 20 million viewers. Last season’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chargers averaged 20.6 million while Buffalo and New England averaged 26.4 million.
Whether Peacock can match or get close to those numbers remains to be seen. Last season’s 15-game Thursday night package on Prime Video averaged 9.58 million according to Nielsen and 11.3 million according to Amazon’s first-party measurement. The most-watched game was the first one between Kansas City and the Chargers. Nielsen had the average at 13 million while Amazon reported 15.3 million.
NBC will have three games during the first weekend of the postseason, marking the first time a network has had that many on a single playoff weekend.
NBC also has the prime-time Sunday game on Jan. 14, while Fox and CBS will have the earlier contests. ESPN has the Monday night game to close the opening weekend on Jan. 15. This will be the third year the NFL has played the wild-card games over three days.
Under the NFL’s contract, each of the four broadcast partners – NBC, CBS, Fox and ESPN/ABC – get at least one wild-card game. Of the two remaining games, one game rotates each year between NBC, CBS and Fox, while the other will likely be up for bid each year. That means Amazon or ESPN+ could eventually be in the running for a future postseason game.
NBA NEWS
JA MORANT IN LIMBO AGAIN AS HE AWAITS REVIEW OF LATEST GUN VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA
(AP) — Ja Morant still had his endorsement deals Monday. While his latest gun video on social media is costing him plenty in public relations currency, he hasn’t lost any money.
Any, or all, of that could change any day. Once again, Morant is in limbo – awaiting the outcome of yet another NBA investigation into what could end up becoming a cataclysmic off-court decision.
“This is going to be a hot question,” Syracuse professor of sport management Rick Burton said Monday. “I don’t think they can hit pause on this. I think that there will be too much demand for, ‘What are you going to do?’”
The NBA already suspended the two-time All-Star guard eight games in March for livestreaming himself holding an apparent handgun in Colorado. That cost him about $669,000 in salary.
How Morant’s sponsors react to him being caught on social media apparently holding a weapon for the second time in less than three months is another issue.
Morant has endorsement deals with Nike and the sports drink Powerade, which is owned by Coca-Cola. Endorsement deals traditionally include confidentiality and morals clauses.
Representatives of Nike, which started selling Morant’s Ja 1 shoes on April 19, did not return a message from The Associated Press on Monday. Powerade pulled his ad almost immediately after the March video.
In April, Morant countersued a Memphis teenager accusing the Grizzlies guard of punching him during a pickup court fight last summer at Morant’s home. The countersuit noted the lawsuit jeopardized relationships with sponsors including some “unconsummated deals.”
Burton, commissioner of Australia’s National Basketball League from 2003-07, said research shows some athletes believe negativity can help them break out as a “perfect pitch person.” Burton wrote in 2001 about the demand for antiheroes or athletes with controversial images.
“I’m sure the people at Nike are trying to figure out, ‘Does this make him more relevant to a certain audience? And is this something we’re going to ride out?’” said Burton, who noted Nike doesn’t often give up on an athlete trending negatively.
Memphis suspended Morant on Sunday from team activities, though that’s unclear what that involves in the offseason. The Grizzlies were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. Charity events are the biggest offseason events until training camp in late September. Players start receiving game checks when the season begins in October.
Criminal charges are not likely with no indication of where the latest Instagram video was streamed.
Morant has a home in Tennessee, where Republican leaders have repeatedly worked to relax state gun laws, including in 2001 when they allowed most adults 21 and older to carry handguns without first obtaining a permit. A federal judge has since cleared the way to drop that minimum age to 18.
The issues are much broader for the face of the franchise and one of the NBA’s more marketable players.
“Hopefully, the young man will figure out what he’s got to do to turn the ship around if he wants to continue in not only the money, but his career in the NBA,” said Rob Prazmark, founder and CEO of 21 Marketing, whose clients have included the NBA and USA Basketball.
Morant now is facing criticism – even from his own fans. He remained among Twitter’s top trending topics nationally even 24 hours after his latest suspension.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for June 1. Commissioner Adam Silver, who cited Morant for “conduct detrimental to the league” when suspending him in March, traditionally holds a news conference before the Finals start.
Spotrac.com noted Monday that Morant is projected to be paid $33.5 million for the 2023-24 season if the NBA salary cap is $134 million. A suspension of 20 games or fewer would cost Morant $231,034 per game while more than 20 games would mean he loses $304,545 a game.
Morant said when the Grizzlies’ season ended that he needed to work on his decision-making.
“I’ve got to be better in that area,” Morant said.
The Grizzlies hold the No. 25 overall pick in the June draft and now likely are preparing for the possibility Morant won’t be available when the season starts in October.
The biggest question now is just how long that might be.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Beginning next year, high school basketball teams will shoot two free throws for common fouls when in the “bonus.” This change to Rule 4-8-1 eliminates the one-and-one scenario and sets new foul limits each quarter for awarding the bonus free throw.
Rules changes were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its annual meeting April 24-26 in Indianapolis. The recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
In addition to awarding two foul shots for all common fouls, teams will reach the bonus when their opponent commits five fouls in each quarter and team fouls will reset at the end of each quarter. Previously, teams were awarded the one-and-one bonus when their opponents committed seven fouls in a half and two foul shots when 10 fouls were committed each half.
“The rules committee studied data that showed higher injury rates on rebounding situations and saw this as an opportunity to reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. “Additionally, resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow and allow teams to adjust their play by not carrying foul totals to quarters two and four.”
The throw-in procedure for front-court violations was simplified in Rules 7-5-2 through 7-5-5. When the ball is in team control in the offensive team’s frontcourt and the defensive team commits a violation, a common foul prior to the bonus, or the ball becomes dead, the corresponding throw-in by the offensive team will be at one of four designated spots determined by where the infraction took place. The designated spots are either the nearest 28-foot mark along each sideline or the nearest spot 3 feet outside the lane line on the end line. The one exception is when the defensive team causes a ball to be out of bounds, the throw-in shall be the spot where the ball went out of bounds.
Throw-in administration was also addressed in a change to Rule 7-6-6. When an official administers a throw-in to the wrong team, the error can be fixed before the first dead ball after the ball becomes live unless there has been a change in possession.
Other approved rules changes include:
- Rule 2-1-3 establishes the official placement of a shot clock operator at the scorer’s table for those states utilizing the shot clock.
- Rule 3-4-5 clarifies that multiple styles of uniform bottoms may be worn by teammates, but they must all be like-colored and adhere to uniform rules outlined in Rule 3-6-2 regarding logos and trademarks.
- Rule 3-5-6 addresses undershirts and allows teams to wear a single solid color or solid black for visiting teams with dark jerseys. This provides an opportunity for schools with hard-to-find colors to have all players wear a black undershirt.
- Rule 9-3-3 was amended to allow a player to step out of bounds and return to the court if the player gains no advantage. A player is penalized only if, after returning inbounds, the player is the first to touch the ball or avoids a violation.
A complete listing of the basketball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Basketball.”
According to the 2021-22 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, basketball is the third-most popular high school sport for boys with 521,616 participants in 18,428 schools nationwide. It is the fourth-most popular girls sport with 370,466 participants in 17,901 schools.
INDYCAR
The time has come for the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to embark on a legacy-defining month as preparations get underway for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 28.
There are 34 entries set to contest the 33 starting spots for this year’s edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” including nine former winners.
Marcus Ericsson delivered a composed performance last year by fending off a late charge by Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren to claim his maiden “500” win, which gave team owner Chip Ganassi his fifth victory in the race as a sole team owner. Other former winners aiming for a spot in the race this year include four-time winner Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021) and two-time winner Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), plus single winners Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019). The record for winners in one field is 10, set in 1992.
SEE: Entry List
Castroneves earned a spot with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in the most prestigious club in motorsports – four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500 – with his emotional victory May 30, 2021, in the No. 06 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing. A record-breaking fifth would put Castroneves alone at the top with most victories. Additionally, Castroneves and Kanaan are both 48 years old, and a victory by either would make them the oldest winner in “500” history, a record held by Al Unser, who won the 1987 edition just five days shy of his 48th birthday.
Ericsson has a chance to become the first back-to-back winner since Castroneves accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002. If Ericsson secures a repeat win, he would earn a bonus of $420,000 courtesy of BorgWarner, the namesake of the Indy 500 trophy. That amount is more than the entire yearly purse up to and including the 50th anniversary of the “500” in 1961, which paid out $397,910. The field payout jumped to $425,652 in 1962.
The field includes seven past INDYCAR SERIES champions: Dixon, Hunter-Reay, Kanaan, Josef Newgarden, Pagenaud, Alex Palou and Power.
Katherine Legge makes her long-awaited return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month, having last raced in the Indianapolis 500 in 2013. A two-time starter of the historic race, she will drive a one-off entry as the fourth car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Simona de Silvestro was the last female to drive in the race, in 2021.
There will be four drivers competing for top rookie honors, featuring multiple Argentina touring car champion Agustín Canapino, along with last year’s INDY NXT by Firestone race winners Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb. RC Enerson, who narrowly missed making the field of 33 in 2021, is back for another run but this time with Abel Motorsports, an INDY NXT by Firestone team making its first attempt at the “500.”
Practice opens Tuesday, May 16 and runs through Friday, May 19. PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, followed by a two-hour practice Monday, May 22. The traditional final practice, two hours again this year on Miller Lite Carb Day, will be held Friday, May 26.
Live Race Day coverage begins on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network at 11 a.m. (ET), with the green flag set for 12:45 p.m.
2023 ENTRY BREAKDOWN:
Winners (9): Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato
Rookies (4): Agustín Canapino, RC Enerson, Benjamin Pedersen, Sting Ray Robb
U.S. drivers (13): Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Conor Daly, RC Enerson, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Sting Ray Robb, Alexander Rossi
International drivers (21, from 14 countries): Agustín Canapino, Helio Castroneves, Devlin DeFrancesco, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Romain Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Callum Ilott, Tony Kanaan, Katherine Legge, Christian Lundgaard, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward, Simon Pagenaud, Alex Palou, Benjamin Pedersen, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, Rinus VeeKay, Stefan Wilson
Engines (34): Honda 17, Chevrolet 17 (all cars use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires)
INDIANA BASEBALL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.– The regular season home finale for the Indiana baseball program arrives in the form of a non-conference matchup against Evansville. The Hoosiers and Purple Aces take to the field at 6 p.m. in game carried on the Big Ten Network
Indiana (38-14) have won seven straight games entering the week, while Evansville (31-20) won three of four games last week. The Hoosiers swept a weekend series over Purdue, while the Purple Aces won two of three games against Bradley at home.
Quick Hitter
Indiana is 33-20 all-time against Evansville in the previous 53 games played. Tuesday will mark 54th overall meeting and 27th in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers have won 25 of 29 home games in 2023. Its 15-straight wins to open the season marks the longest home winning streak in Bart Kaufman Field history and the second-longest streak in program history.
Senior Phillip Glasser saw his 45-game reached base come to an end at Northwestern, which tied for the longest streak in program history since at least 2005.
Glasser is among the top-50 active hitters in a bevy of categories, including No. 5 with 269 career hits.
Among relief pitchers nationally, sophomore Ryan Kraft’s 48 innings of relief work is among the most in the country, sitting sixth nationally.
Freshman Devin Taylor carried a 32-game reached base streak that spanned Feb. 25-April 28, which is the longest streak for an IU freshman since at least 2005.
Taylor earned his third B1G Freshman of the Week award on April 17 and joined some exclusive company at IU and the Big Ten in the process.
Sophomore Luke Sinnard struck out 12 Iowa batters over six scoreless innings for his second career double-digit strikeout game of the season.
Sinnard is tied for the biggest strikeout game in the conference this season at 13 versus Morehead State.
Head coach Jeff Mercer became the eighth IU skipper to reach 100 victories in the cream and crimson with a series finale win at Auburn on February 19, 2023. He then won his 200th career game as a head coach at Illinois on April 15.
Scouting the Opponents
Evansville enters the week with a 31-20 overall record and a 13-11 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference after a series win over Bradley last weekend.
Chase Hug leads the team with a .332 average and .462 on-base percentage thanks to a team-best 66 hits and 43 walks. Of his 66 hits, he has 14 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs.
Eric Roberts leads the team in home runs (17), RBIs (51) and runs scored (52). Kip Fougerousse also has double-digit home runs with 11, to go along with 40 RBIs.
As a team, Evansville ranks among the top-40 nationally in walks (271) as an offense and walks per nine innings (3.74) as a pitching staff.
Projected starting pitcher Tyler Denu owns 10 starts with 44 innings of work and a 4.30 ERA. He has 43 strikeouts to 22 walks and a .259 batting average against.
Nate Hardman has been the anchor at the backend of the bullpen with a 1-1 record and eight saves over 25 appearances. He has 42 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings of work.
Inside the Series
Indiana and Evansville will meet for the 54th time in program history. The Hoosiers are 33-20 all-time versus the Purple Aces after splitting four games in 2022.
At home, Indiana owns an 18-8 mark with wins in six of its last seven games played in Bloomington, which includes a series victory over Evansville in 2022 (2-1).
The first meeting came on April 15, 1949, in Evansville, Indiana. The game was an 11-0 victory by IU. Later that season, the Hoosiers won a pair of games in Bloomington, 7-6 and 4-3.
In Evansville, the Hoosiers are 14-12 overall, while IU is 1-0 in neutral site meetings.
Of the 54 meetings, 16 have been decided by one run with each team winning eight of those games.
Thirty-four of the all-time meetings have been decided by three-or-fewer runs.
The last seven meetings have all been decided by four runs or fewer.
INDIANA MEN’S GOLF
AUBURN, Ala. –––– The Indiana Men’s Golf team shot a 297 (+9) during the first round of the NCAA Regional. The Hoosiers are tied for seventh place at the Auburn University Club after 18 holes of play on Monday.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
2023 NCAA Auburn Regional • Auburn, Ala.
Auburn University Club
Par 72 • 7,591 yards
Live Scoring via GolfStat
Tournament Central Page
Team Standings: T-7th/13 – 297 (297; +9)
Top Indiana Player: Drew Salyers – 72 (72; E)
CHIP-INS
• Junior Drew Salyers tied for 11th among the field, recording three birdies and shot for par on 12 holes in the process.
• Fifth-year senior Mitch Davis secured a top-30 finish after day one, checking in tied for 26th. He birdied on hole No. 1 and 4.
• Senior Noah Gillard shot for par in seven of the back-nine holes.
• Fifth-year senior Thomas Hursey birdied on hole No. 3.
• Fifth-year senior Harry Reynolds shot for birdie on hole No. 8, recording two strikes on a par 3.
HOOSIERS IN THE STANDINGS
t-11. Drew Salyers – 72 (E)
t-26. Mitch Davis – 74 (+2)
t-34. Noah Gillard – 75 (+3)
t-42. Thomas Hursey – 76 (+4)
t-61. Harry Reynolds – 79 (+7)
FROM THE MAYER
“We played solid and put ourselves in position,” head coach Mike Mayer said on the team’s day one performance. “We are right where we need to be to make a run tomorrow.”
UP NEXT
Indiana will be back in action for day two competition tomorrow morning, the five Hoosiers will tee off from the times of 8:55 to 9:39. Indiana is paired with Tennessee and Washington for tee times.
PURDUE MEN’S GOLF
SALEM, S.C. – The Purdue men’s golf team didn’t play its best round, but made some timely birdies late to sit in ninth place after day one at the NCAA Salem Regional at the Cliffs at Keowee Falls.
The Boilermakers totaled a 5-under par 283 to trail fifth place by just five shots entering Tuesday’s second round. The top-five finishers will move to the NCAA National Championships in Scottsdale, Arizona, late next week.
Arkansas leads at 22-under par 266, while New Mexico is second at 16-under par. North Carolina is third at 15-under par, Northern Illinois is fourth at 13-under par. Georgia Tech (-10), Georgia Southern (-9), Texas A&M (-7) and Clemson (-6) round out the top eight.
The 13 teams in the field took advantage of near-perfect conditions, registering 305 combined birdies and 17 eagles. The average score for the 70 players in the field was 71.24 on the par-72 layout.
The Boilermakers struggled a bit on the outward nine, playing the opening nine in a combined 4-over par. However, Purdue righted the ship some on the back nine, playing the inward nine in 7-under par combined to remain in the hunt for one of the coveted five positions.
Leading Purdue was Herman Sekne and Nels Surtani, who are tied for 22nd at 3-under par 69.
The tally marked Sekne’s ongoing school-record, 14th round in the 60s, while now setting the career record for rounds in the 60s with 25. Surtani posted his sixth round in the 60s and 14th round this year or even-par or better.
Nick Dentino fired a 1-under par 71, good for T-33, while Kent Hsiao and Peyton Snoeberger shot 2-over par 74s, good for T-56.
The Boilermakers will tee off round two at 9:25 a.m. ET, off hole No. 10, while being paired with Middle Tennessee State and San Diego State.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference announced its weekly Player and Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday. Ty Weatherly earned a Pitcher of the Week accolade after a phenomenal week on the mound for Ball State.
Weatherly recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts against Miami. He got the win and improved to 2-3 on the year. He scattered three hits, and none were extra-base hits. He also tallied a career high in innings pitched with seven. He held Miami hitters to a .130 batting average.
“Ty Weatherly was simply marvelous,” said Head Coach Rich Maloney. “He commanded four pitches for strikes and gave our team a big lift.”
Ball State returns to the road for a midweek contest against Southern Indiana on Tuesday, May 16. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team hits the road for the final time during the regular season for a contest with Southern Indiana on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
The Cardinals are coming off a 2-1 series victory with Miami over the weekend. The Cardinals enter Tuesday with a 32-18 record, while the Screaming Eagles are 15-35.
Earlier today, Ty Weatherly was named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week. Weatherly recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts against Miami. He got the win and improved to 2-3 on the year. He scattered three hits, and none were extra-base hits. He also tallied a career high in innings pitched with seven. He held Miami hitters to a .130 batting average.
Gold Glove Peltier
At the conclusion of last season, Ryan Peltier was honored as the best defensive third baseman in the NCAA and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. After being named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earning a spot on the All-MAC Second Team for back-to-back seasons, Peltier was awarded the first Gold Glove in BSU history. He was a 2023 Preseason All-American honoree from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Peltier is second on the team with a .365 batting average, which is tied for 129th in the NCAA and fourth in the MAC. He has pelted a team-best 14 homers and has a team-high 51 RBIs. His 14 home runs are tied for 125th in the NCAA and are tied for fifth in the conference. He has a slugging percentage of .690, which is 84th in the country and first in the MAC. Peltier has scored 61 runs, which is tied for 33rd in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. He leads the team in doubles with 17 and he has added three triples. His 17 doubles are tied for 93rd in the NCAA and are fifth in the conference. His three triples are tied for 129th in the country and are tied for third in the MAC.
What Can Brown Do for You?
Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. Brown was the only Mid-American Conference player selected to the top-100 list. He was also tabbed as one of the top mid-major prospects for the 2023 season. Brown also landed on the 2023 MLB Draft: Rising Righthanded Pitchers watch list. Last season, Brown earned recognition as a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American along with the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He also earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team.
Brown currently has 54 strikeouts, which is second on the team. He his 4-1 on the year and has thrown 27 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .170 against him for the season. He has a 4.88 ERA.
Don’t Mess with Tex
Trennor O’Donnell leads the team with a 2.93 ERA. His ERA is tied for the 49th best in the country and is second in the MAC. His 82 strikeouts are tied for 73rd in the NCAA and sixth in the MAC. He has a 4-2 record and has thrown 73 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .219 against him.
Decking It All Over the Park
Decker Scheffler leads the Cardinals with .379 batting average, which is tied for 76th in the NCAA and is third in the MAC. He has 40 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 12 doubles, five homers, and three triples. His three triples are tied for 129th in the country and tied for third in the conference. Scheffler is tied for 106th as the toughest player to strikeout in the NCAA and is fourth in the MAC.
Scouting the Cardinals
Adam Tellier is third on the team with a .338 average. He has 50 runs scored, 35 RBIs, 24 walks, 11 doubles, seven home runs, and three triples. His three triples are tied for 129th in the NCAA and are tied for third in the MAC. Justin Conant rounds out the .300 hitters with a .310 average. He has 25 runs scored, 21 walks, 17 RBIs, five doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Nick Gregory might only be hitting .250, but he leads the team with 42 walks. His 42 walks are tied for 68th in the NCAA and are third in the MAC. He has scored 41 runs and driven in 18 runs. Blake Bevis is second on the team with 10 home runs and is hitting .262 for the year.
Ty Weatherly has 52 strikeouts on the season and is second on the staff. He has a 6.50 ERA in 54 innings of work and a 2-3 record. Ty Johnson is third on the team with 57 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings of work. He has a 4-2 record with a 3.35 ERA and has two saves. Logan Schulfer is fourth on the team with 56 strikeouts. He as a 3-2 record with a 7.16 ERA. Tanner Knapp has 44 strikeouts in 50 innings. He is 2-2 on the season with a 6.12 ERA. Sam Klein has 35 strikeouts. He is 6-2 on the season with a 5.34 ERA. Jacob Hartlaub is the remaining pitcher with more that 20 strikeouts, with 25. He has a 3-2 record with a 6.75 ERA and has one save.
Ball State vs. Southern Indiana: The Series
Ball State and Southern Indiana will meet for just the second time. The Cardinals won the lone matchup earlier this season, 7-6, in 11 innings. BSU will take on USI for the first time in Evansville.
Scouting the Screaming Eagles
Tucker Ebest leads USI with a .327 batting average. He has a team-high 12 home runs, a team-best 51 RBIs, and has drawn the most walk on the squad with 32. He has added 38 runs scored, eight doubles, and one triple. Evan Kahre is second on the team with a .310 batting average. He has added 36 runs scored, 21 RBIs, seven doubles, three triples and two home runs. Ren Tachioka and Caleb Niehaus are tied for the team lead with three triples.
Blake Ciuffetelli paces the pitching staff with 40 strikeouts. He has a 2-1 record with a 5.86 ERA. Tyler Hutson is second on the team with 39 strikeouts. He as an ERA of 5.96 and a 1-7 record.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — For the second time, incoming freshman Hannah Hidalgo will represent USA Basketball overseas.
On Monday, the organization announced 12 athletes — including Hidalgo — who will participate in the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled for July 15-23 in Madrid. It will feature 16 teams from across the globe, and the United States will be a part of Group B with Chinese Taipei, Germany and Mali.
Hidalgo also made the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup team and recently was a member of the inaugural USA women’s team at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit.
The dozen women were chosen out of a pool of 24, all of whom spent the weekend participating in the Women’s U19 National Team Trials in Colorado Springs. They represented three different classes — eight of the athletes recently completed their freshman year, 10 are graduating as part of the class of 2023, and six women are part of the 2024 group.
Hidalgo, who is from outside of Philadelphia, shined this spring when she posted a record-breaking 26 points at the McDonald’s All-America Games in late March. She signed with the Irish in November and will arrive on campus in a few weeks for the summer.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
For the first time in program history, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (29-19) will take the field at the historic Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL to face the Northwestern Wildcats (8-38) for the second time this season.
Irish Set to Play at Wrigley Field
The Irish took home their fifth midweek win of the season as they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 12-0 on Tuesday, April 4 at Frank Eck.
Notre Dame is 77-60-1 all-time against Northwestern, including a 3-2 neutral site record.
The Irish head into the matchup with Zack Prajzner leading the way with a .303 batting average, followed by Vinny Martinez who is hitting at a clip of .294.
Prajzner has tallied a team best 56 hits and 40 runs and is second on the team with 11 doubles.
Carter Putz and Martinez lead the Irish with 35 RBI a piece.
Putz has recorded 51 hits, a team-best 12 doubles, and eight home runs.
Jack Penney and Vinny Martinez are leading the team with 10 home runs a piece.
Notre Dame Faces Akron in Final Home Series of the Season
The Fighting Irish close out their final home series of the year with a sweep against the Akron Zips, taking home the Degree Day win on Sunday at Frank Eck Stadium.
The Irish took home game one 5-2 before taking the series with a 5-4 victory over the Zips in the second game.
RHP Blake Hely recorded a season-high nine strikeouts across just 5.0 innings pitched in the game two win.
Notre Dame closed the series with a 2-1 win, taking home the final game in abnormal fashion. Tied in the bottom of the ninth, Brady Gumpf singled, Nick DeMarco walked, and Estevan Moreno also singled. TJ Williams stepped up to the plate and was hit by a pitch to score the final run for the Irish’s second walk-off HBP of the season.
Irish Fall to NC State
Notre Dame took game one of the three game series against NC State, as they defeated the Wolfpack in the first game on Thursday, May 4.
Taking home the 9-7 win in game one, Vinny Martinez led the Irish with three hits and three RBI, followed by Williams, Prajzner, Putz, and Moreno, who tallied two hits a piece.
This was Martinez’s third game in a row where he recorded a home run as his 10th homer of the season gave the Irish the 9-7 lead and eventual game one victory.
The Irish fell in game two 5-1 and game three 6-1.
Florida State at Frank Eck Stadium
The Irish took home their fourth conference series win as they took down the Seminoles last weekend. After falling 3-2 to FSU in game one on Friday night, the Irish dominated game two 12-2 and completed the series win with a 12-8 win in game three.
The Irish tallied 27 hits between games two and three as they were led by Brooks Coetzee with five hits on the weekend, followed by Brady Gumpf, Vinny Martinez, Carter Putz, and Zack Prajzner, who finished with four hits a piece.
Coetzee finished the weekend with three doubles and his second home run of the year, as well as drove in eight runs for the Irish.
Brady Gumpf went 4-6 at the plate, batting .667 on the series.
Putz had a big day in the final game of the series as he finished the day 3-5, recording four RBI, scoring three runs, and homering twice in the 12-8 win.
Blake Hely started on the mound in game two, advancing to 3-1 on the year as he pitched 7.0 innings, striking out eight batters, and giving up just two runs on five hits.
Irish Take on MSU for the Second Time This Season
The Irish fell to the Spartans for the second time this season on Tuesday, April 25 in East Lansing.
Tied at 5-5 in the sixth, Michigan State recorded a six-run inning in the seventh to take the lead 11-5. The Spartans would tack on one more run in the bottom of the eighth to take the win 12-5.
Carter Putz and Brady Gumpf led the Irish with two hits a piece and DM Jefferson recorded his first triple of the season.
The Irish fell to Michigan State in their first extra-inning game of the season at Frank Eck Stadium on Tuesday, April 11 in the first Irish-MSU matchup of the season.
TJ Williams went 3-4 on the day, recording four RBI and his third home run of the year. Zack Prajzner finished the day with two hits as he tallied homer number four of the season.
Falling 7-6 after a Spartan home run in the top of the 11th, the Irish were unable to get the offense rolling in the bottom frame and dropped their first midweek of the season.
Notre Dame Sweeps No. 8 Virginia
The Irish notched their first sweep of the season as they downed No. 8 Virginia at Frank Eck Stadium April 21-23, playing in their fifth doubleheader of the season.
The Irish recorded six home runs in the first win of the series on Friday night as Estevan Moreno led the way with three homers for the Irish. Jack Penney, DM Jefferson, and Brady Gumpf each recorded a home run as well in the 10-7 victory. Penney leads the Irish with nine home runs on the season.
Jefferson’s long ball was the first home run of his career as Gumpf tallied his first homer of the 2023 season.
The Irish finished with a season-high 17 hits in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, April 23 as they took home the series with a 10-2 win.
Jack Penney led the Irish with four hits, followed by Zack Prajzner and DM Jefferson who recorded three hits a piece. Carter Putz and Vinny Martinez finished with two hits, while TJ Williams, Danny Neri, and Estevan Moreno each finished with one hit in the win.
The Irish capped off their weekend sweep with a 5-4 victory in the second game of the doubleheader.
Blake Hely finished with a season-high 7.1 innings pitched and season-high eight strikeouts as he took home his second win of the season in the final game.
Vinny Martinez batted .700 in the series against No. 8 Virginia, finishing the weekend with seven hits, six RBI, three runs, two doubles, and one home run.
Valparaiso and Western Michigan Come to Frank Eck
The Irish defeated Valparaiso and Western Michigan in their home midweeks to advance to 8-4 at home.
Winning 7-3 over Valpo, the Irish were led by Vinny Martinez who finished the day with two home runs. He also recorded three hits, three runs, and two RBI.
The Irish defeated Western Michigan 2-1 on Wednesday at home as they were led by TJ Williams, who finished with two hits, including a double to left center field.
Irish Travel to Clemson
Notre Dame took game one of the three-game series at Clemson as the Irish offense was hot to start the series, recording 11 hits while winning 10-4 on Friday.
The 10-4 victory was sparked by a big third inning as Notre Dame picked up their eighth ACC win of the year.
Jack Penney and Brooks Coetzee each recorded three hits a piece in the win with Coetzee also recording three RBI and Penney recording two runs.
TJ Williams also tallied his fourth home run of the year in the fifth inning for a two-run home run that extended the lead 8-2.
The Irish fell 5-1 in game two on Saturday and 6-4 in game three on Sunday.
The Irish are now 8-10 in the ACC after dropping the Clemson series on the road.
Michigan State Matchup at Frank Eck
The Irish fell to Michigan State in their first extra-inning game of the season at Frank Eck Stadium on Tuesday, April 11.
TJ Williams went 3-4 on the day, recording four RBI and his third home run of the year. Zack Prajzner finished the day with two hits as he tallied homer number four of the season.
Falling 7-6 after a Spartan home run in the top of the 11th, the Irish were unable to get the offense rolling in the bottom frame and dropped their first midweek of the season.
Conference Play Resumes at Pitt
The Irish took the series at Pitt after winning games one and two on Thursday and Friday. After winning 10-8 in game one, the Irish took game two 11-2 after a big offensive frame in the ninth.
The Irish fell short of the sweep as they dropped Sunday’s game 9-5 against the Panthers.
A six-run first inning gave the Irish an early advantage in game one as Danny Neri capped off the scoring frenzy with his fourth home run of the year in the top of the first.
Jack Penney led off the second with his seventh home run of the season as he homered to right center to tack on another run for Notre Dame and make it a score of 7-2.
The Panthers were able to close the gap to 10-8 with just one out in the bottom of the ninth as Sammy Cooper would come in to close for the Irish.
Pitt chopped a ground ball to Penney at third who turned a double play to preserve the Irish lead. Cooper picked up his second save of the season as Notre Dame took home the 10-8 victory to open the series.
Jackson Dennies started on the mound in game two and finished the day pitching 4.2 innings, recording six strikeouts, and allowing no runs and just one hit.
Leading 4-1 heading into the top of the ninth, the Irish offense dominated in the final inning scoring seven runs off of six hits in the frame to go on and take the 11-2 win.
Irish Take on Northwestern
The Irish are now five-for-five in midweek matchups as they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 12-0 on Tuesday, April 4 at Frank Eck.
Notre Dame is now 6-3 after their second shutout win of the season.
Jack Penney recorded his sixth homerun of the year in the bottom of the seventh and Joey Spence would record his first career home run in the bottom of the eight for a two-run homerun to extend the Irish lead 12-0 heading into the ninth.
The Irish will face the Wildcats again on the road on Tuesday, May 16.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Indiana State right-hander Connor Fenlong was named the Missouri Valley Pitcher of the Week for the second time in 2023 as the redshirt senior was recognized by the conference office on Monday afternoon.
Fenlong becomes ISU’s first pitcher to claim the award multiple times in the same season since Geremy Guerrero picked up the honors back on March 22 and April 5, 2021. The Gouverneur, N.Y. native previously received the award on April 24 following his complete-game shutout win over Southern Illinois.
The Sycamore pitching staff has claimed fourth weekly honors this season with Matt Jachec (Apr. 10) and Zach Davidson (May 8) also claiming the recognition in 2023.
Fenlong recorded his Missouri Valley-leading third complete game shutout of the 2023 season as the redshirt senior quelled the Murray State bats on Saturday afternoon. He retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed just one runner in scoring position in the game. He was particularly effective late and did not allow a ball out of the infield over the final two innings.
Fenlong allowed just two singles and two walks in the contest to limit a MSU offense that had 16 hits on Friday night, to just a .071 batting average in the contest. He added three strikeouts in the win.
Fenlong posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his collegiate career after blanking Bradley (2-0) last weekend in Peoria. Overall, he has gone 19.0 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to April 29 against Evansville.
The Sycamores close out the 2023 regular season this weekend with a three-game series at Missouri State running from May 18-20 in Springfield, Mo.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF
BATH, Mich. – Hunter Mefford had a team-best 72 in the opening round of Purdue Fort Wayne’s first-ever team round in the NCAA Bath Regional.
Mefford’s round of 72 bests the only Mastodon to play in an NCAA Regional before this season. Zach Schroeder’s best round in 2018 was a 75.
All five Mastodons parred the course’s signature hole, the 128-yard 17th with an island green, in the opening round.
Tournament jitters were no problem for Mefford, as he started his round with five pars and a birdie. His birdie came on the 364-yard sixth hole. After a pair of bogeys, the First Team All-Horizon League selection had five more pars and another birdie on 14. One of the highlights of Mefford’s day came on 13, when he hit a long second shot from the left rough that rolled up and onto the green where he managed a par. He finished his day with a 1-over 72, and is in 44th place individually.
Jadden Ousley shot a 3-over 74 with an even front nine. After a bogey on his opening hole, he rattled off eight bogey-free holes. This included a birdie on six, which was thanks to a perfectly placed drive on the 364-yard hole between bunkers. With just a wedge in, he left himself with about 12 feet and drained the putt. His back nine featured a stretch of five pars in a row from 11 to 15.
Kasey Lilly shot a 75 to finish one shot behind Ousley. Like Mefford, Lilly started his round with four pars in a row. He birdied hole eight, then parred hole nine, a gorgeous 486-yard par-4 that runs along a lake. Lilly found another birdie on the 560-yard 14th after knocking his second shot to about 30 yards. He floated his pitch onto the green and sank a reasonably-sized putt for birdie.
From the No. 3 spot, Burke Pitz shot a 75 as well, tying Lilly and Nick Holder. Pitz had a pair of birdies on the front nine, which came in a five-hole bogey-free stretch. He joined Mefford and Ousley with a birdie on hole six. He followed it up with a par on seven and a birdie on eight, dropping a seven-foot putt. He finished his first NCAA round with four pars in a row.
Apart from three holes, Holder was bogey-free the rest of the round. He bookended the front nine with bogeys with seven pars in between. He birdied the first hole after the turn, a 408-yard par-4 with a tricky approach due to the water on the left. Holder had six more pars before he finished his round with a birdie on 18, a 589-yard par-5 that runs along the lake parallel to nine.
Purdue Fort Wayne shot 296 (+12) as a team and is in 13th place in the 13-team field of some of the best teams in the country. Georgia leads the field with an 18-under 266. Top-seeded Illinois is tied for second with the host Michigan State Spartans at 272 (-12).
The second round of the NCAA Regional will begin on Tuesday (May 16) with tee times for the Mastodons starting at 9:50 a.m. with Holder. Mefford will be the last off the tee at 10:34 a.m.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse has been one of the top newcomers in the Missouri Valley Conference this year, after spending the last two seasons at Indiana University. On Tuesday night, Fougerousse will help lead the Purple Aces against his former team, as UE will put a seven-game winning streak against Big Ten competition on the line with a 5 p.m. showdown with the red-hot Indiana Hoosiers. Tuesday’s game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network.
Evansville will bring a 31-20 overall record into Tuesday night’s contest. The Purple Aces have opened the month of May 6-2 overall, thanks in large part to the hitting of Fougerousse. Fougerousse has hit safely in each of the last nine games, and in 19 out of the last 20 games overall, while hitting .419 (31-for-74) with five doubles, six home runs and 21 RBI over the last 20 contests. Overall, Fougerousse ranks second on the team with a .314 average and 11 home runs, while ranking third on the squad with 40 RBI.
Fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug continues to lead the Purple Aces overall with a .332 average, while graduate utility player Eric Roberts continues to add the power and speed with 17 home runs and a team-best 18 stolen bases. Evansville, which has only had its main starting lineup intact for just five games since the first week of the season due to various injuries, is beginning to get healthy as well, as senior Brent Widder returned to the lineup against Bradley over the weekend. Senior outfielder Mark Shallenberger, who has been limited to just 18 games this year in the outfield due to injury, is also starting to heat up, as he has hit .294 over the last five games. Both Widder and Shallenberger were first team all-MVC performers a season ago.
Indiana will enter Tuesday night’s game at 38-14 overall after sweeping a three-game Big Ten series from Purdue over the weekend. The Hoosiers have won seven-straight games and are 25-4 at home this season, and are currently receiving top 25 attention in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Sophomore third baseman Josh Pyne was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday, after he helped the Hoosiers dismantle Purdue and Xavier last week by hitting .588 with two home runs and 14 RBI. Ironically, Pyne and Fougerousse were high school teammates at Linton-Stockton High School during their prep days.
Indiana leads the all-time series over UE, 33-20. The series dates back to 1949. The two teams split a four-game home-and-home series last year, with IU winning two out of three games in Bloomington, and Evansville posting an 8-4 win in Evansville. The Purple Aces have won seven-straight games against Big Ten competition dating back to a 6-5 defeat at the hands of the Hoosiers in Bloomington last March to conclude the three-game set in Bloomington.
Evansville will send senior LHP Tyler Denu (3-3, 4.30 ERA) to the mound to make his 11th start of the year on Tuesday night. IU is expected to start freshman RHP Ethan Phillips (3-0, 5.11 ERA). Tuesday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball announced the signing of 6-foot-10 center Nolan Causwell and 6-foot-5 guard Xavier McCord for the 2023-24 season. Causwell and McCord are the third and fourth players to sign with USI and Head Coach Stan Gouard this spring.
“We are thrilled to welcome Nolan and Xavier to our basketball family,” said Gouard. “Both of are tremendous student athletes, who will fit in perfectly with our program and culture, and we are very excited to see their impact on our team.”
Causwell transfers to USI after spending the 2022-23 season with Tennessee Tech University. He played in 27 of Tennessee Tech’s 33 games, averaging 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The incoming senior center scored a season-high 12 points twice (at Butler University; vs. Kentucky Christian University) and grabbed a season-best seven rebounds versus the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Prior to signing with Tennessee Tech, Causwell spent a pair of seasons with Laramie County Community College and one season at Gulf Coast State College. He averaged 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 49 games for Laramie, posting a two-year best 10.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest in 2021-22.
Causwell posted a junior college-high 26 points versus Western Nebraska Community College and 17 rebounds versus McCook Community College.
“Nolan is a young man that we have a ton of history with, beginning with his Juco days,” said Gouard. “In addition to OVC experience and toughness, he has intangibles that will be vital to our team’s success.
“Nolan has a great basketball DNA with his dad (Duane Causwell) being a former NBA first round pick,” continued Gouard. “Nolan has grown up around basketball, which has given him a great feel for the game. We are thrilled that Nolan has chosen to finish his collegiate career as a Screaming Eagle.”
McCord joins USI after spending the last three seasons at Laramie. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 81 games (78 starts) for the LCCC Golden Eagles.
During his three-seasons at Laramie, McCord posted a career-best 39 points as a redshirt freshman versus Central Wyoming College and 16 rebounds as a sophomore versus Western Nebraska Community College. He also had five games of 30-or-more points during his career at Laramie.
“Xavier is an explosive athlete with a lot of potential,” Gouard said. “He will fit in well with our offensive style and will be called upon to impact on our team immediately.
“Xavier’s athleticism will make him a fan favorite, because of his ability to attack the rim,” Gouard continued. “In addition to his offensive abilities, he is a tough defender and will be asked to make a difference on both ends of the court.”
The Eagles completed their first NCAA Division I season under Gouard by earning a trip to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and to the Collegiate Basketball Invitational (CBI). USI was 16-17 overall during the first Division I schedule, placing seventh in the OVC with a 9-9 conference mark.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball begins the final week of the 2023 regular season by hosting Ball State University Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. The USI-Ball State matchup also is the final home date of the season for the Screaming Eagles.
Following Tuesday’s home game, USI finishes the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference schedule on the road when it visits Tennessee Tech University May 18-20 in Cookeville, Tennessee. The first pitches of the series is Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. before concluding Saturday at 2 p.m.
USI Baseball Notes:
USI blanked by Oral Roberts: The USI Screaming Eagles were swept by #16 Oral Roberts University over the weekend (12-4 Friday, 9-2 Saturday, 5-0 Sunday).
Eagles looking to reverse course this week: USI is looking to reverse course to end the 2023 campaign and snap an eight-game losing streak. The Eagles have not gotten into the win column since defeating Southern Illinois University Edwardsville April 29.
USI finishes home schedule: The Eagles finish their first NCAA I home slate with the matchup with Ball State University Tuesday. USI, which is 8-15 at home this year, is led by a .438 batting average by junior catcher Parker Stroh. Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest has a team-best five home runs and 32 RBIs this year at the USI Baseball Field.
Eagles in the OVC standings: The Eagles starts the final week of the regular season in eighth place in the OVC standings and a grasp on the final spot in the league’s post-season tournament by percentage points. To secure a spot in the OVC Championship, USI must match Lindenwood University win-for-win in the final weekend to clinch a berth (USI is at Tennessee Tech University; Lindenwood hosts SIUE). The OVC Championship is scheduled for May 24-27 in Marion, Illinois.
Leading hitters: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest leads the Eagles with a .327 average, 12 home runs, and 51 RBIs this spring. Ebest is followed by senior outfielder Evan Kahre and junior outfielder Drew Taylor, who are hitting .310 each.
Last five, last 10 games: Junior outfielder Ren Tachioka is the leading USI hitter over the last five games, batting .333, and 10 games, hitting .412.
Versus the OVC: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest has a team-best .397 batting average and five RBIs in OVC play. Senior catcher/second baseman Lucas McNew leads the squad in OVC action with 21 RBIs.
Among the OVC leaders: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest leads the OVC in RBIs per game (1.16) and tied for third in total RBIs (51). Sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken is second in the league in on-base percentage (.489).
Van Grieken gets hit for record. Sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken has been hit by a pitch in a season more than any other Eagle, getting hit 23 times this season. The mark of 20 was previously held by Wes Fink (2008) and Nick Gobert (2018).
McNew climbing the USI All-Time charts: Senior catcher/infielder Lucas McNew is fifth all-time at USI in home runs (24); fifth in RBIs (169) and sixth in doubles (51).
Ball State this spring: The Cardinals of Ball State University are 32-18 in 2023 and are 14-12 since playing USI in March. Ball State also is 6-4 in its last 10 games.
VALPO MEN’S GOLF
Valparaiso University men’s golf senior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) and sophomore Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield) golfed the first 18 holes of the three-day, 54-hole NCAA Bath Regional on Monday at the par-71, 7090-yard Eagle Eye Golf Club in Bath, Mich.
VanArragon turned in a 73 (+2) to finish the day tied for 51st in a 75-player field. Delisanti stroked a 74 (+3) to complete Day 1 at t-59. VanArragon drained three birdies in the opening round, while Delisanti recorded a pair.
“Both Caleb and Anthony hit a lot of good shots today,” head coach Dave Gring said. “Sometimes the scorecard doesn’t really provide the full picture, and that was certainly the case with today’s round. Both of the guys hit 14 greens in regulation and they put themselves in some good positions for birdie. The ball-striking was very solid, but missing the greens in regulation on the short side makes it really tough to get up-and-down. Anthony had a couple of 3-putts and Caleb had one; proximity to the hole is a premium on this golf course.”
No. 34 Georgia posted a team score of 266 (-18) to grab the top spot on the team leaderboard through one day of competition, while Georgia’s Ben Van Wyk is the individual leader after carding a 65 (-6).
“Caleb had an extremely rare triple-bogey on the 17th hole and simply hit his pitching wedge slightly right of his target line on the island green,” Gring said. “I was impressed by how he kept his emotions in check and he bounced back with a good birdie on his last hole. Anthony’s poise was also really good all day despite hitting some really good balls off the tee and into the greens and not getting the results he desired.”
Round 2 of the regional will occur on Tuesday. A link to live scoring via GolfStat can be found on ValpoAthletics.com.
“This tournament is played over three days with three rounds, so we still have a lot of golf left to play,” Gring said. “The wind is going to be 180 degrees different than these past two days, and it will be more gusty. The course is going to play a lot different than today, but we have a good game plan in place.”
SPORTS EXTRA
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 31 | 11 | .738 | – | 19 – 3 | 12 – 8 | 10 – 7 | 9 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Baltimore | 26 | 15 | .634 | 4.5 | 13 – 7 | 13 – 8 | 6 – 6 | 10 – 3 | 5 – 3 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Toronto | 24 | 17 | .585 | 6.5 | 12 – 4 | 12 – 13 | 4 – 7 | 8 – 2 | 5 – 4 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| NY Yankees | 24 | 19 | .558 | 7.5 | 16 – 10 | 8 – 9 | 7 – 7 | 7 – 6 | 6 – 4 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| Boston | 22 | 20 | .524 | 9 | 13 – 11 | 9 – 9 | 7 – 7 | 7 – 2 | 3 – 2 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 23 | 19 | .548 | – | 14 – 8 | 9 – 11 | 5 – 5 | 10 – 6 | 2 – 1 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Cleveland | 19 | 21 | .475 | 3 | 9 – 12 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 6 | 4 – 5 | 8 – 5 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Detroit | 18 | 21 | .462 | 3.5 | 9 – 9 | 9 – 12 | 2 – 14 | 4 – 2 | 3 – 3 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 14 | 28 | .333 | 9 | 7 – 12 | 7 – 16 | 2 – 11 | 4 – 6 | 3 – 4 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 12 | 31 | .279 | 11.5 | 6 – 17 | 6 – 14 | 2 – 5 | 4 – 7 | 3 – 9 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 25 | 16 | .610 | – | 12 – 7 | 13 – 9 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 1 | 11 – 5 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Houston | 22 | 19 | .537 | 3 | 9 – 11 | 13 – 8 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 7 | 4 – 5 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| LA Angels | 22 | 20 | .524 | 3.5 | 10 – 9 | 12 – 11 | 4 – 7 | 3 – 3 | 9 – 7 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Seattle | 21 | 20 | .512 | 4 | 10 – 12 | 11 – 8 | 2 – 2 | 5 – 5 | 7 – 5 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 9 | 34 | .209 | 17 | 4 – 19 | 5 – 15 | 1 – 9 | 3 – 3 | 4 – 13 | 2 – 8 | L 3 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 26 | 15 | .634 | – | 10 – 9 | 16 – 6 | 10 – 3 | 6 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Miami | 20 | 21 | .488 | 6 | 11 – 11 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 12 | 5 – 4 | 6 – 3 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Philadelphia | 20 | 21 | .488 | 6 | 11 – 7 | 9 – 14 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 6 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| NY Mets | 20 | 22 | .476 | 6.5 | 7 – 8 | 13 – 14 | 9 – 8 | 1 – 5 | 7 – 6 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Washington | 18 | 23 | .439 | 8 | 8 – 14 | 10 – 9 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 5 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 23 | 18 | .561 | – | 13 – 8 | 10 – 10 | 3 – 0 | 4 – 3 | 6 – 10 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 22 | 19 | .537 | 1 | 10 – 9 | 12 – 10 | 2 – 1 | 7 – 4 | 6 – 3 | 2 – 8 | W 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 19 | 22 | .463 | 4 | 11 – 11 | 8 – 11 | 3 – 7 | 3 – 5 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 6 | L 3 |
| Cincinnati | 18 | 23 | .439 | 5 | 12 – 9 | 6 – 14 | 7 – 9 | 3 – 6 | 1 – 3 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| St. Louis | 17 | 25 | .405 | 6.5 | 7 – 13 | 10 – 12 | 0 – 3 | 6 – 5 | 4 – 9 | 7 – 3 | W 4 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 27 | 15 | .643 | – | 16 – 6 | 11 – 9 | 4 – 2 | 10 – 6 | 12 – 7 | 8 – 2 | W 6 |
| Arizona | 24 | 18 | .571 | 3 | 14 – 10 | 10 – 8 | 4 – 5 | 4 – 2 | 12 – 9 | 6 – 4 | W 4 |
| San Diego | 20 | 22 | .476 | 7 | 11 – 11 | 9 – 11 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 6 | 9 – 9 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| San Francisco | 18 | 23 | .439 | 8.5 | 11 – 10 | 7 – 13 | 5 – 6 | 5 – 2 | 2 – 7 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Colorado | 18 | 24 | .429 | 9 | 9 – 11 | 9 – 13 | 6 – 8 | 7 – 6 | 3 – 6 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1912 The National Commission suspends Detroit outfielder Ty Cobb, barring him from playing this season due to his attack on Claude Lucker, a handicapped fan, two days ago. In support of their not-so-popular teammate, the Tigers go on strike to protest the decision, which will end after one game with the reinstatement of the Georgia Peach.
1913 🇪🇸 Alfredo Cabrera, born in the Canary Islands, becomes the first person from Spain to appear in the majors. The 32-year-old Cardinal shortstop plays in only one big-league game, going 0-for-2 in a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
1917 Thanks to a scoring change made after the game by a panel of sportswriters reversing the first-inning hit into an error, Bob Groom of the Browns no-hits the White Sox, 4-0. Ernie Koob, his St. Louis teammate, also threw a no-hitter yesterday against the Pale Hose.
1932 Lefty Gomez throws a five-hitter en route to an 8-0 victory over Cleveland, giving the Yankees their fourth consecutive shutout. The southpaw’s performance joins Johnny Allen, George Pipgras, and Red Ruffing, who also held their opponents scoreless.
1933 Senators’ third baseman Cecil Travis becomes the second rookie to collect five hits in his major league debut, joining Hall of Fame left fielder Fred Clarke, who accomplished the feat in 1894 for the Louisville Colonels. In the 12-inning Griffith Stadium contest, the 19-year-old freshman strokes five singles in the team’s 12-11 victory over Cleveland.
1939 Four years after the Senior Circuit began playing evening tilts, the American League plays their first night game when Cleveland defeats the hometown A’s at Shibe Park, 8-3. The small crowd of 15,109 fans, about half of the expected attendance, results from unseasonably cold temperatures in Philadelphia.
1953 After loading the bases against the Yankees in the top of the ninth inning, the White Sox pinch-hit southpaw pitcher Tommy Byrne for the right-handed hitting third baseman Vern Stephens, who has ten career grand slams. The unusual move pays off when the lefty pinch-hitter homers off Ewell Blackwell to give Chicago a 5-3 victory.
1954 In their inaugural season in Baltimore, the Orioles draw a record 46,796 fans at Memorial Stadium for a doubleheader with the Yankees. The Birds split the twin bill with the Bronx Bombers, losing the first game 2-0 and taking the nightcap, 6-2.
1959 In Pittsfield (MA), Amherst and Williams reenact their original contest, celebrating the centennial of the first intercollegiate baseball game. Massachusetts. Commissioner Ford Frick, American League president Joe Cronin, and National League president Warren Giles are on hand to enjoy the festivities, including a chess match that also occurred between the schools a century ago.
1965 Future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, pitching 3.2 innings in relief, wins his first major league game when the Orioles defeat the Yankees at Memorial Stadium, 7-5. The 19-year-old Orioles’ rookie right-hander makes the day more memorable when he hits a two-run homer off Jim Bouton in the fourth inning.
1966 Bob Swift is named Detroit’s acting manager when Chuck Dressen suffers a heart attack, his second in two years. In August, the 67-year-old recovering Tiger skipper will die due to being stricken with a kidney infection.
1967 Reliever Phil Regan loses his first game in 77 appearances. The ‘Vulture’ gets pinned with his first defeat in over a year when Astros’ third baseman Bob Aspromonte hits a two-run triple in the tenth to beat the Dodgers, 5-3.
1969 Jim Bouton records his first victory as a knuckleball pitcher when the Pilots hold on to defeat Boston, 10-9, in an extra-inning contest played at Fenway Park. The 30-year-old right-hander throws three scoreless innings and gets the win when Seattle scores six runs in the 11th inning, and the Red Sox’s five-run rally falls a run short in the bottom of the frame.
1970 During a game against the Giants at Dodger Stadium, Alan Fish, sitting with friends from the Poinsettia Playground in the second-row seats along the first-base line, is struck in the head by a foul ball off the bat of Manny Mota. The 14-year-old boy will die four days later to become the first fatality resulting from a batted ball in major league history.
1972 First baseman Greg Luzinski rings the replica of the Liberty Bell hanging in dead center field on the fourth level with a Ruthian blast at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium off Burt Hooton. The 500-foot clanger, overshadowed by Rick Monday’s three routine round-trippers, will account for the Phillies’ only run when they lose to the Cubs, 8-1.
1978 Pete Rose surpasses Mickey Mantle for the most runs scored by a switch-hitter when he crosses the plate for 1677th time in his career, tallying on Del Unser’s single in the third inning of the Phillies 13-0 rout of the Cubs at Wrigley Field. ‘Charlie Hustle’ will extend the mark to 2,165 before ending his 24-year tenure in the major leagues in 1986.
1978 Indians southpaw David Clyde, who pitched straight out of high school for the Rangers five years ago, earns his first major league victory since May 15, 1974, when he throws a complete game to beat the A’s, 3-2, at Cleveland Stadium. The 23-year-old left-hander, acquired from Texas in an offseason trade, will start the season with four consecutive wins, en route to posting an 8-11 (.421) record along with an ERA of 4.28 for the Tribe.
1981 Astros’ shortstop Craig Reynolds hits three triples in one game, helping Houston beat the Cubs, 6-1. The Texas native, who is only the 29th player since 1920 to have accomplished this feat, scores only one run but drives in four with his three-baggers in the Astrodome contest.
1983 In an 11-4 rout of the Pirates, rookie right fielder Darryl Strawberry hit his first major league home run, a two-run round-tripper off Pittsburgh’s Lee Tunnell at Three Rivers Stadium. The troubled Mets outfielder, the eventual franchise leader with 252 homers, will hit a total of 335 during his turbulent 17-year career with the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, and Yankees.
1984 Although the Twins sell 51,863 tickets for their Family Day promotion, only 6,346 fans are on hand to see the team’s 8-7 loss to the Blue Jays. The inflated attendance results from a massive ticket buyout plan conceived by businessman Harvey Mackay, who paid $218,718 for 44,166 discounted ducats to keep the team in Minnesota, knowing if the club does not sell 2.41 million tickets, it can void its lease with the Metrodome.
1988 Mets catcher Gary Carter hits his 299th career home run, connecting for a three-run round-tripper off Greg Booker in the seventh inning of the team’s 7-4 victory over the Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium. The future Hall of Fame backstop will go 230 at-bats and three months before hitting #300 on August 11th.
1995 The first printed reference to ‘Manny Being Manny’ is attributed to Mike Hargrove by Newsday’s Jon Heyman. In a feature titled Baseball Homecoming, the Indian skipper reportedly uses the phrase to describe his young outfielder, Manny Ramirez.
1996 In a 13-1 rout over the Astros, Sammy Sosa becomes the first Cub to hit two home runs in one inning. The slugger accomplishes the feat leading off the seventh with a solo shot off Jeff Tabaka and then hits a two-run round-tripper off Jim Dougherty later in the frame.
1997 Trailing 11-2 after three innings, the Expos come back to beat the Giants at Olympic Stadium, 14-13. David Segui’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning plates Mike Lansing to break the 13-13 deadlock.
2000 After a fan steals Los Angeles’ catcher Chad Kreuter’s hat and hits him in the back of the head, many Dodgers, including coaches John Shelby and Rick Dempsey, go into the stands and start fighting with the Wrigley Field faithful. The melee, which delays the game for nearly ten minutes, ends with the arrest of several fans and litter all over the field.
2001 Chicago outfielder Sammy Sosa becomes the thirty-third major leaguer to reach 400 career homers when he goes deep off Houston’s Shane Reynolds at Wrigley Field. The popular Dominican outfielder has hit 371 homers as a Cub, putting him third on the all-time franchise list behind Ernie Banks (512) and Billy Williams (392).
2002 The New York Times reports October 1, the first scheduled day of the postseason, is among the possible strike dates in consideration by the Players Association. In yesterday’s edition, the newspaper indicated an early August date was another possibility for a labor action by the major leaguers without a new CBA in place.
2004 Ben Sheets,
en route to a complete-game three-hitter, becomes the 14th pitcher in baseball history to strike out 18 batters in a nine-inning game when the Brewers beat the Braves at Miller Park, 4-1. The 25xyear-old right-hander whiffs eight of the final 11 hitters he faces to break the team record of 14 established by Moose Haas in 1978.
2006 In a game that features the Molina brothers as the respective catchers for their teams, Jose’s theft in the fourth proves to be the key to an Angel four-run inning. Blue Jays backstop Bengie takes second base without drawing a throw from his older brother, advancing on defensive indifference in the seventh inning of an 8-3 Los Angeles victory in Anaheim.
2006 For the fourth time in Yankee history, the team overcomes a nine-run deficit, defeating the Rangers at the Stadium, 14-13. Trailing 9-0 after an inning and a half, the Bronx Bombers battle back and win the game when Jorge Posada hits a two-out, two-run walk-off home run.
2006 After drawing a warning from home plate umpire Joe West for throwing a ball behind Barry Bonds, Astros’ hurler Russ Springer strikes the Giants slugger on the shoulder with the fifth pitch of the at-bat. This incident will cost the 37-year-old right-handed reliever four games when baseball suspends him for his action against the San Francisco superstar, who needs just one home run to equal Babe Ruth’s career home run mark.
2008 Jayson Werth ties the Phillies’ single-game RBI record when he drives in eight runs in Philadelphia’s 10-3 win over Toronto. The 28-year-old center fielder, who equals the franchise mark shared by Kitty Bransfeld (1910), Gavvy Cravath (1915), Willie Jones (1958), and Mike Schmidt (1976), accomplishes the feat with three home runs in the team’s 10-3 victory over Toronto in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Park.
2008 Before starting the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, the visiting Mets conduct a closed-door clubhouse meeting to clear the air concerning comments made yesterday by closer Billy Wagner about his teammates’ availability after games. Although the reliever addresses the issue, his remarks focus on the team’s lackluster start to the season and the need to get it done on the field.
2011 Astros owner Drayton McLane sells the team for approximately $685 million to a group led by Jim Crane, who failed in his attempts to buy this team in 2008, the Cubs in 2009, and the Rangers with Mark Cuban in 2010. During McLane’s tenure with Houston, which started in 1992, the club appeared six times in the postseason, including a losing trip to the World Series in 2005.
2011 Vin Mazzaro, demoted the minors after the game with an ERA of 22.74, established a franchise record by allowing 14 runs in the 19-1 Indians’ rout of the Royals. The 25-year-old right-handed reliever recorded just seven outs while giving up ten runs in the fourth inning and another four in the fifth frame before being removed.
2012 At Tropicana Field, the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame, now located inside the Rays’ ballpark, unveil the statue of Casey at the Bat, a seven-foot-tall sculpture that weighs over 600 pounds. The work, created by renowned sculptor Mark Lundeen, is on loan from Mike Elwell, an artist from St. Petersburg, Florida.
2017 At Comerica Park, Chris Davis hits a pair of extra-inning home runs, a solo shot in the 12th and two-run round-tripper an inning later, in the Orioles’ 13-11 victory over the Tigers in 13 innings. Each team scored three times in the 12th, with Baltimore taking the lead for good in the 13th on the O’s first baseman’s second overtime homer.