INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SEMI-STATE
NORTH
CLASS 4A AT LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON (LOEB STADIUM)
11 AM ET | G1: LAKE CENTRAL (22-9) VS. WESTFIELD (21-10)
2 PM ET | G2: HOMESTEAD (19-10) VS. CONCORD (20-10)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 3A AT KOKOMO (MUNICIPAL STADIUM)
11 AM ET | G1: TWIN LAKES (25-4) VS. DELTA (21-8)
2 PM ET | G2: FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER (24-8) VS. NEW PRAIRIE (24-5)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 2A AT OAK HILL
11 AM ET | G1: MADISON-GRANT (17-10) VS. ILLIANA CHRISTIAN (19-9)
2 PM ET | G2: WESTVIEW (19-10) VS. ROCHESTER COMMUNITY (20-10)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 1A AT LAPORTE (SCHREIBER FIELD)
10:30 AM CT | G1: MORGAN TOWNSHIP (13-13) VS. FREMONT (13-13)
1:30 PM CT | G2: LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (25-6) VS. UNION CITY (16-6)
7 PM CT | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
SOUTH
CLASS 4A AT MOORESVILLE (PIONEER FIELD)
11 AM ET | G1: NEW PALESTINE (25-5) VS. MOORESVILLE (30-3)
2 PM ET | G2: FLOYD CENTRAL (25-3) VS. AVON (18-15)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 3A AT CASTLE (UNIVERSITY OF EVANSVILLE)
10 AM CT | G1: CRAWFORDSVILLE (19-12) VS. BREBEUF JESUIT (23-9)
1 PM CT | G2: SILVER CREEK (24-8) VS. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (19-9)
7 PM CT | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 2A AT PLAINFIELD
11 AM ET | G1: GREENCASTLE (16-10) VS. NORTH POSEY (24-5)
2 PM ET | G2: KNIGHTSTOWN (18-8) VS. PROVIDENCE (19-7)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
CLASS 1A AT JASPER (RUXER FIELD)
11 AM ET | G1: SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH) (14-8) VS. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (17-15)
2 PM ET | G2: BARR-REEVE (25-6) VS. SHAKAMAK (21-7)
8 PM ET | CHAMPIONSHIP: G1 WINNER VS. G2 WINNER
4A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/Gy192ADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/LTKEoADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-4a-baseball-state-tournament-class-4a-state-championship.htm
3A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/TebSvADqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/X93YfgDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-3a-baseball-state-tournament-class-3a-state-championship.htm
2A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/Px-26ADpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/UQqFlgDpEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-2a-baseball-state-tournament-class-2a-state-championship.htm
1A SEMI-STATE BRACKET: https://www.maxpreps.com/tournament/LSqLFgDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/Pxpp7QDqEe-A2Aqb9tl3hA/baseball-24/2023-24-ihsaa-class-1a-baseball-state-tournament-class-1a-state-championship.htm
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL STATE FINALS FRIDAY/SATURDAY
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 5:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM CT
CASCADE (29-2) VS. LAPEL (24-5)
CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT
NEW PALESTINE (25-4) VS. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (24-4)
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 4:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM CT
TECUMSEH (24-9) VS. ROSSVILLE (27-3)
CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP | 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT
TRI-WEST HENDRICKS (28-6) VS. WESTERN (28-2)
INDIANA BOYS GOLF REGIONALS
1. LAKE CENTRAL | SANDY PINES GC | THURS, 8 AM CT |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 1-5)
2. WARSAW COMMUNITY | STONEHENGE GC | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 6-10)
3. HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) | COYOTE CROSSING GC | FRI, 9 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 11-15)
4. MUNCIE CENTRAL | THE PLAYERS CLUB | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONAL 16-20)
5. WASHINGTON | COUNTRY OAKS GC | THURS, 8:30 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 21-25)
6. PROVIDENCE | CHAMPIONS POINTE GC | THURS, 8 AM ET |
FEEDER SECTIONALS: (SECTIONALS 26-30)
NBA FINALS SCHEDULE
GAME 1: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, THURSDAY, JUNE 6 (8:30 ET)
GAME 2: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (8 ET)
GAME 3: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 (8:30 ET)
GAME 4: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, FRIDAY, JUNE 14 (8:30 ET)
GAME 5: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, MONDAY, JUNE 17 (8:30 ET)*
GAME 6: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS, THURSDAY, JUNE 20 (8:30 ET)*
GAME 7: MAVERICKS VS. CELTICS, SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (8 ET)*
* = IF NECESSARY
WNBA SCORES
CONNECTICUT 76 WASHINGTON 59
NEW YORK 88 CHICAGO 75
SEATTLE 80 PHOENIX 62
NHL PLAYOFFS
2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL
FLORIDA PANTHERS (1A) VS. EDMONTON OILERS (2P)
GAME 1: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 8, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 2: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 10, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 3: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 13, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
GAME 4: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 15, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 5: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 18, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 6: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 21, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 7: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 24, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA 2 MILWAUKEE 1 (10)
CLEVELAND 8 KANSAS CITY 5
PITTSBURGH 1 LA DODGERS 0
TAMPA BAY 9 MIAMI 5
NY METS 6 WASHINGTON 3
NY YANKEES 5 MINNESOTA 1
BALTIMORE 10 TORONTO 1
ATLANTA 8 BOSTON 3
CHICAGO CUBS 7 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6
DETROIT 3 TEXAS 1
HOUSTON 8 ST. LOUIS 5
CINCINNATI 4 COLORADO 1
LA ANGELS 4 SAN DIEGO 2
SEATTLE 4 OAKLAND 3
ARIZONA 8 SAN FRANCISCO 5
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES
COLUMBUS 15 INDIANAPOLIS 4
SOUTH BEND 7 W. MICHIGAN 3
PEORIA 6 FORT WAYNE 5 (10)
COLLEGE BASEBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT (SUPER REGIONALS)
BEST OF THREE
X-IF NECESSARY
SUPER REGIONALS
HOST SCHOOL IS GAME 1 HOME TEAM; VISITING SCHOOL IS GAME 2 HOME TEAM; COIN FLIP DETERMINES GAME 3 HOME TEAM
AT LINDSEY NELSON STADIUM
KNOXVILLE, TENN.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
TENNESSEE (53-11) VS. EVANSVILLE (38-24), 3 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
TENNESSEE VS. EVANSVILLE, 11 A.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-TENNESSEE VS. EVANSVILLE 6 P.M.
AT DICK HOWSER STADIUM
TALLAHASSEE, FLA.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
FLORIDA ST. (45-15) VS. UCONN (35-24), NOON
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
FLORIDA ST. VS. UCONN, 11 A.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-FLORIDA ST. VS. UCONN, NOON
AT DAVENPORT FIELD AT DISHAROON PARK
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
VIRGINIA (44-15) VS. KANSAS ST. (35-24), 7 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
AT MONONGALIA COUNTY BALLPARK
MORGANTOWN, W.V.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
VIRGINIA (44-15) VS. KANSAS ST. (35-24), 7 P.M.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
X-VIRGINIA VS. KANSAS ST., 3 P.M.
AT KENTUCKY PROUD PARK
LEXINGTON, KY.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
KENTUCKY (43-14) VS. OREGON ST. (45-14), 6 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
KENTUCKY VS. OREGON ST., 9 P.M.
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-KENTUCKY VS. OREGON ST., TBD
AT FOLEY FIELD
ATHENS, GA.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
GEORGIA (42-15) VS. NC STATE (36-20), NOON
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
GEORGIA VS. NC STATE, NOON
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-GEORGIA VS. NC STATE, TBD
AT DOUG KINGSMORE STADIUM
CLEMSON, S.C.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
CLEMSON (44-14) VS. FLORIDA (32-28), 2 P.M.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA, 2:30 P.M.
MONDAY, JUNE 10
X-CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA, TBD
AT OLSEN FIELD
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
TEXAS A&M (47-13) VS. OREGON (40-18), 2 P.M.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES
OKLAHOMA 6 FLORIDA 5 (8)
MLS
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
UFL
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES
MLB BANS TUCUPITA MARCANO FOR LIFE FOR BETTING ON BASEBALL, FOUR OTHERS GET ONE-YEAR SUSPENSIONS
NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from baseball for life for betting on the sport and four others were suspended for one year by Major League Baseball on Tuesday in the game’s biggest gambling scandal in decades.
MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook. He became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly was suspended for one year for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues and three minor leaguers also were banned for one year for betting on big league games: pitchers Jay Groome of San Diego and Andrew Saalfrank of Arizona, and infielder José Rodríguez of Philadelphia. Each of those four players wagered under $1,000. Saalfrank and Rodríguez played previously in the majors.
“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “The longstanding prohibition against betting on Major League Baseball games by those in the sport has been a bedrock principle for over a century. We have been clear that the privilege of playing in baseball comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behavior that are legal for other people.”
Marcano is the first active major leaguer banned for life under the sport’s gambling provision since New York Giants outfielder Jimmy O’Connell in 1924. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader, agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after an investigation concluded he bet on Cincinnati Reds games while managing the team.
Major League Rule 21, posted in every clubhouse, states betting on any baseball game in which a player, umpire, league official or team employee has no duty to perform results in a one-year suspension. Betting on a game in which the person has a duty to perform results in a lifetime ban.
Marcano became the second North American athlete banned for gambling in recent months. The NBA gave Toronto’s Jontay Porter a lifetime ban in April after concluding he disclosed confidential information to bettors and wagered on games, including on the Raptors to lose.
MLB said it was tipped off in March about the betting activity by a legal sports betting operator. None of the players punished played in any games on which they wagered, and all players denied to MLB they had inside information relevant to their bets or the games they gambled on – testimonies that MLB says align with the data received from the sportsbook.
In its announcement, MLB detailed the bets alleged for each player,
Marcano’s 387 baseball bets included international games and 231 MLB-related wagers for $87,319 between Oct. 16, 2022, and last Nov. 1. Twenty-five of those bets included wagers on Pirates games while he was on the team’s major league roster. Now 24, Marcano, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24 and was receiving medical treatment at PNC Park last year.
Marcano bet almost exclusively on the outcomes of games and lost all of his parlay bets involving the Pirates, winning just 4.3% of all of his MLB-related bets.
Marcano made his major league debut on April 1, 2021, and has a .217 average with five homers, 34 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 149 games. He has played in both the infield and outfield.
“While the thorough investigation revealed no evidence of any games being compromised, influenced or manipulated in any way in this case, protecting the integrity of our game is paramount,” the Pirates said in a statement.
The other four players did not bet on games involving their assigned teams.
Kelly placed 10 bets on nine major league games from Oct. 5-17, 2021, while a minor league player assigned to Houston’s Triple-A Sugar Land farm team. The bets included wagers on outcomes, over/under on runs and an individual pitcher’s strikeout total. Three of the nine games involved the major league Astros. His wagers totaled $99.22 and resulted in $28.30 of winnings.
Kelly, 31, was 3-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 28 games this season, last pitching on Saturday at Atlanta. The former first-round draft pick appeared in 46 games over the past three seasons.
Groome, a 25-year-old who had been on a minor league injured list since mid-April, placed 32 MLB-related bets from July 22, 2020, through July 24, 2021, including 24 on the Boston Red Sox major league team while he was assigned to Boston’s High-A team in Greenville, South Carolina. The sport detailed he wagered $453.74 on 30 MLB games and had a net loss of $433.54, receiving payouts on only two wagers. His betting included parlays.
Rodríguez, 23, has been at Double-A Reading this season. He placed 31 bets on baseball on Sept. 30, 2021, and from June 5 through July 30 in 2022, including 28 on MLB and three on college baseball. The total included seven involving the Chicago White Sox at the time he was assigned to their Double-A team in Birmingham, Alabama. Two of the White Sox bets involved outcomes and the others were on runs scored. He bet $749.09 on baseball, of which $724.09 was on MLB-related bets that included parlays.
Saalfrank, 26, pitched in 21 games for Arizona last year between the regular season and postseason, including three World Series games, and two this year before he was optioned to Triple-A Reno on May 1. He placed 29 baseball bets from Sept. 9 through Oct. 29 in 2021 and on March 9, 2022, including 28 on MLB and one parlay on college baseball. He placed four bets on the big league Diamondbacks while on the injured list of their Low A farm team. His baseball bets totaled $445.87 on baseball, including $444.07 on MLB, and lost $272.64 on MLB bets and $1.80 on the college wager. He won just five of 28 MLB bets, which included outcomes, runs and pitcher strikeouts.
IPPEI MIZUHARA, EX-INTERPRETER FOR BASEBALL STAR SHOHEI OHTANI, PLEADS GUILTY IN SPORTS BETTING CASE
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud on Tuesday and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off sports betting debts.
Ippei Mizuhara ’s crimes stunned the baseball world, shattering his image as Ohtani’s shadow at ballparks around the U.S. He entered his guilty plea Tuesday in federal court in Santa Ana, California.
The ex-interpreter had exploited his personal and professional relationship with Ohtani to plunder millions from the two-way player’s account for years, at times impersonating Ohtani to bankers. Mizuhara signed a plea agreement that detailed the allegations on May 5, and prosecutors announced it several days later.
Mizuhara’s attorney declined to comment outside the courthouse. Mizuhara spoke briefly in court acknowledging his guilt. “I worked for victim A and had access to his bank account and had fallen into major gambling debt,” he told the court. “I went ahead and wired money … with his bank account.”
Federal prosecutors will be holding a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“Now that the investigation has been completed, this full admission of guilt has brought important closure to me and my family. I want to sincerely thank the authorities for finishing their thorough and effective investigation so quickly and uncovering all of the evidence,” Ohtani said in a statement.
“This has been a uniquely challenging time, so I am especially grateful for my support team – my family, agent, agency, lawyers, and advisors along with the entire Dodger organization, who showed endless support throughout this process.
“It’s time to close this chapter, move on and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames.”
Tuesday’s court hearing lasted approximately 45 minutes.
Mizuhara’s winning bets totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his own bank account and not Ohtani’s. But his losing bets were around $183 million, a net loss of nearly $41 million. He did not wager on baseball.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, and the false tax return charge carries a sentence of up to three years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.
He also is required to pay Ohtani restitution that could total nearly $17 million, as well as more than $1 million to the IRS. Those amounts, however, could change prior to sentencing.
Federal prosecutor Jeff Mitchell told the court Mizuhara was hired as an interpreter for a Major League Baseball player who didn’t speak English, and helped translate between him and his financial advisors, who did not speak Japanese. In 2018, Mizuhara helped the player open a bank account in Phoenix to deposit payroll and received login information for the account, Mitchell said.
When Mizuhara was unable to pay sports gambling debts, he deceived the bank to get money from the account to pay them off, Mitchell said. He did this by signing into the account online and changing the registered phone number and email for the account so communication would be routed to Mizuhara instead of the player, Mitchell said. On multiple occasions from 2021 to 2024, Mizuhara initiated wire transfers from the account and received a six-digit code from the bank to complete the transactions, Mitchell said.
Mitchell said the amounts transferred exceeded $16 million.
Mizuhara’s plea deal was negotiated with prosecutors before he was even arraigned in federal court in Los Angeles in mid-May. He was initially charged with one count of bank fraud.
There was no evidence Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player cooperated with investigators, authorities said.
The Los Angeles Times and ESPN broke the news of the prosecution in late March, prompting the Dodgers to fire the interpreter and MLB to open its own investigation.
MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from wagering on baseball, even legally. MLB also bans betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
In a statement Tuesday, MLB said: “Based on the thoroughness of the federal investigation that was made public, the information MLB collected, and the criminal proceeding being resolved without being contested, MLB considers Shohei Ohtani a victim of fraud and this matter has been closed.”
Ohtani has sought to focus on the field as the case winds through the courts. Hours after his ex-interpreter first appeared in court in April, he hit his 175th home run in MLB, tying Hideki Matsui for the most by a Japan-born player, during the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the San Diego Padres in 11 innings.
Mizuhara’s hearing came hours after MLB banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano from baseball for life in the wake of another gambling scandal. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook. He became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling. Four others were suspended Tuesday.
MLB ROUNDUP: LUIS GIL KEEPS ROLLING AS YANKS BEST TWINS
Rookie Luis Gil allowed one hit in six scoreless innings to win his seventh straight start and combined with three relievers on a two-hitter as the New York Yankees earned a 5-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
New York, which is riding a six-game winning streak, has won 10 of its past 12 games and 17 of its past 21. Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton went deep and Aaron Judge had a two-run double for the Yankees.
A day after being named American League Rookie of the Month and AL Pitcher of the Month for May, Gil (8-1) allowed only a double by Christian Vazquez with one out in the third. The former Minnesota farmhand struck out six and walked three.
Royce Lewis returned from a right quad injury that he sustained in the season opener on March 28 and homered in the seventh for the Twins. Minnesota starter Bailey Ober (5-4) allowed three runs on three hits in five innings.
Cubs 7, White Sox 6
Ian Happ had three hits, including a two-run, go-ahead double in the bottom of the eighth, as the host Cubs rallied from an early five-run deficit to beat the White Sox.
Happ went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs, while Christopher Morel and Patrick Wisdom both homered for the Cubs.
Luis Robert Jr. homered and finished with two hits and two runs while Lenyn Sosa went 2-for-3 with a two-run shot for the White Sox, who have lost 12 in a row to match the third-longest losing streak in franchise history.
Reds 4, Rockies 1
Frankie Montas took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Elly De La Cruz homered and Cincinnati beat Colorado in Denver.
Montas (3-4) struck out a season-high nine and walked two. He had his no-hitter broken up by Elias Diaz’s leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh but retired the next three batters to wrap up his longest outing of the season for the Reds.
Diaz finished with two hits and Brendan Rodgers had an RBI double in the ninth for the Rockies, who have dropped four in a row.
Guardians 8, Royals 5
Tyler Freeman’s two-run, game-tying homer highlighted a five-run seventh inning and Cleveland rallied from a five-run deficit to down visiting Kansas City.
Cleveland trailed 5-3 in the seventh with Royals ace Seth Lugo still on the mound. Will Brennan opened the frame with a single and Freeman chased Lugo by golfing a breaking ball into the left-center-field stands to make it 5-5. Reliever Sam Long (0-1) went on to take the loss.
Cade Smith (3-0) got the win and Emmanuel Clase recorded his 19th save for the AL Central-leading Guardians, who have won 16 of their past 20 games. Bobby Witt Jr. had a pair of two-run shots for Kansas City.
Phillies 2, Brewers 1 (10 innings)
Nick Castellanos hit a walk-off double to right field in the 10th inning as host Philadelphia defeated Milwaukee.
With pinch runner Whit Merrifield on second base to open the bottom of the 10th, the Brewers’ Joel Payamps (1-2) intentionally walked Bryson Stott before Castellanos hit a first-pitch sinker to lift the Phillies to victory.
Blake Perkins and Christian Yelich had two hits apiece for the Brewers, who were unable to score in the top of the 10th. Phillies second baseman Stott cut down Oliver Dunn at home for the second out.
Pirates 1, Dodgers 0
Rookie Jared Jones tossed six scoreless innings and Jack Suwinski belted a solo homer in his return to the majors, lifting host Pittsburgh over Los Angeles.
Jones (4-5) scattered three hits, three walks and struck out six to record his first win since May 16. David Bednar retired the side in order in the ninth for his 12th save of the season for the Pirates.
Freddie Freeman had two of the five hits for the Dodgers, who were shut out for the fourth time this season.
Rays 9, Marlins 5
Brandon Lowe drove in five runs as visiting Tampa Bay continued to dominate Miami.
Since 2019, the Rays are 22-3 against the Marlins. Lowe stroked a three-run homer and added a two-run double. He was hitting just .170 with one homer and eight RBIs in 53 at-bats through the end of May, but in 11 at-bats this month, he is batting .364 with one homer and five RBIs.
Miami’s Bryan De La Cruz homered and knocked in two runs, and Otto Lopez also had two RBIs.
Mets 6, Nationals 3
Harrison Bader had two hits, including a two-run homer, David Peterson pitched into the seventh inning and visiting New York beat Washington.
Pete Alonso had a solo homer and a single for the Mets, who have won the first two games of the three-game series. Peterson (1-0) was making his second start in his return from offseason hip surgery. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Washington left-hander DJ Herz (0-1) was called up from Triple-A Rochester to make the start after Trevor Williams was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor muscle strain. Herz, 23, gave up four runs on seven hits over four-plus innings in his major league debut.
Orioles 10, Blue Jays 1
Ryan Mountcastle had two home runs and five RBIs, Corbin Burnes pitched seven strong innings and visiting Baltimore routed Toronto.
Connor Norby added a two-run shot for his first hit in the majors as the Orioles improved to 2-0 in the four-game series. Burnes (6-2) allowed one run, four hits and one walk while striking out five.
George Springer hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays, who fell to 2-3 on their seven-game homestand.
Braves 8, Red Sox 3
Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia each homered and Max Fried struck out a career-high 13 to propel visiting Atlanta over Boston.
The score was 3-3 until Albies hit a three-run home run against Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (2-5) in the sixth inning. Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna scored on Albies’ fourth homer of the season. Fried (6-2) went seven innings for the Braves. He surrendered four hits and three runs (two earned).
First baseman Dominic Smith hit his second home run of the season for the Red Sox. Smith also made two errors in the second inning that led to two unearned runs.
Tigers 3, Rangers 1
Zach McKinstry and Riley Greene each homered and Jack Flaherty tossed five scoreless innings as Detroit earned a victory over Texas in Arlington, Texas.
Alex Faedo, Shelby Miller and Tyler Holton followed Flaherty before Jason Foley retired the only batter he faced for his 12th save. The Tigers won their third straight game and prevailed for the eighth time in their past 11.
Rangers starter Dane Dunning (4-4) allowed three runs on four hits over five innings. Ezequiel Duran’s two-out single in the ninth scored Texas’ lone run.
Astros 8, Cardinals 5
Yainer Diaz homered for the second consecutive game and Houston held off a late charge from visiting St. Louis.
Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Pena recorded two hits apiece for the Astros. Tayler Scott (2-2) earned the win in relief, and Ryan Pressly worked a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the year.
Alec Burleson, Masyn Winn (3-for-3) and Nolan Gorman homered for the Cardinals. Andre Pallante (1-2) allowed six runs in three innings.
Angels 4, Padres 2
Zach Neto’s two-run double in the seventh inning snapped a tie and helped lift Los Angeles to a victory over San Diego in Anaheim, Calif.
The Angels won back-to-back games at home for the first time this season. They are just 9-21 in Anaheim. Carlos Estevez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save. Matt Moore (2-2) got the win with an inning of hitless relief.
Making his major league debut, Padres right-hander Adam Mazur gave up one run on two hits and four walks in six innings. Reliever Yuki Matsui (3-2) took the loss.
Diamondbacks 8, Giants 5
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Gabriel Moreno and Kevin Newman had two RBIs apiece to help Arizona notch a victory over San Francisco in Phoenix.
Blaze Alexander had three hits, two runs and one RBI as the Diamondbacks stretched their winning streak to four games. Ketel Marte had three hits and a walk for the Diamondbacks, who have won the first two contests of the three-game series.
Mike Yastrzemski hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the eighth inning for the Giants, whose season-worst losing streak reached six games.
Mariners 4, Athletics 3
J.P. Crawford, Josh Rojas, Ty France and Luke Raley all doubled during a three-run third inning that helped Seattle edge host Oakland in the opener of a three-game series.
Rojas finished with three hits and Raley had two for the Mariners, who won their fourth game in a row.
JJ Bleday finished with two singles for the A’s, who were outhit 10-8 en route to their fifth loss in six games.
AVISAÍL GARCÍA CUT BY MIAMI MARLINS, WHO OWE THE OUTFIELDER $24.6 MILLION
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins parted ways with one of their unsuccessful and costly free agent signings when they designated Avisaíl García for assignment on Tuesday owing a little more than $24.6 million for the remainder of the outfielder’s contract.
The 32-year-old failed to fulfill expectations during his two full seasons in Miami. García signed a $53 million, four-year deal as a free agen t just before the lockout in December 2021, but his tenure with the Marlins consisted of poor offensive production and multiple stints on the injured list.
García had been sidelined because of a left hamstring strain and recently hit 2 for 19 (.105) during a five-game injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville.
“Since I’ve been here Avi’s been really great to me,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “A good teammate. Unfortunately, he had a lot of injuries. He was on the IL more than he played.”
García is owed $24,612,903 from his contract: $7,612,903 from the remainder of his $12 million salary this season, $12 million for 2025 and a $5 million buyout of a $12 million team option for 2026.
If he clears waivers and is released, which is likely, any team could sign him for a prorated share of the $740,000 major league minimum.
In García’s first season, injuries limited him to 98 games and he hit .224, with eight home runs and 35 RBI. Last season, the production worsened as García appeared in 37 games and hit three homers. He played in 18 games this season, relegated to a platoon role before encountering another injury setback.
During the club’s opening homestand this season, García became the target of repeated jeers from Marlins fans.
Before joining the Marlins, García hit 29 homers and drove in 86 runs — both career highs — with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021. The 13-year veteran made the AL All-Star team as a member of the Chicago White Sox in 2017.
“He’s done a lot in the game. Not a lot of guys can say that,” Schumaker said.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
JAYDA COLEMAN’S HR POWERS SOONERS OVER FLORIDA, INTO WCWS FINAL
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jayda Coleman delivered a walk-off home run to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning to give Oklahoma a 6-5 win over Florida on Tuesday in the Women’s College World Series semifinal.
Coleman belted Keagan Rothrock’s 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to send the Sooners to the WCWS Championship Series against Texas.
Oklahoma (57-7) will take on Texas in the best-of-three series beginning Wednesday. The Sooners are going for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
Florida (54-15) jumped ahead 2-0 and then 4-2, thanks to a pair of two-run home runs in the first two innings off Kelly Maxwell. Jocelyn Erickson went yard in the first inning, and Ariel Kowalewski homered in the second after Oklahoma’s Ella Parker hit a tying two-run shot in the bottom of the first.
The Gators made it 5-2 on Reagan Walsh’s homer in the third before Maxwell settled in and gave the Sooners’ offense room to work.
Oklahoma added two in the fourth on Cydney Sanders’ home run and then tied it in the sixth on Parker’s RBI single.
Maxwell went the distance for the Sooners, yielding four hits, striking out eight and walking five.
There was a scary collision in the fifth between Parker and Florida shortstop Skylar Wallace.
Parker was trying for second on a hit to right-center, with Wallace stepping in front of her just before the ball arrived. Wallace was called for obstruction, though the collision knocked the ball loose anyway.
Both players stayed on the ground for several minutes before Parker walked off the field under her own power and Wallace recovered and remained in the game.
NBA NEWS
KRISTAPS PORZINGIS SAYS HE PLANS TO BE READY FOR GAME 1 OF NBA FINALS MATCHUP WITH MAVERICKS
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis plans to be ready for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. His left calf is another issue.
“I don’t know. We’ll see,” the 7-footer said Tuesday. “I have a couple of more days. I’ve done a lot of work up until this point and I’ve done everything needed to get back into playing shape. … (Being available to play) is the plan right now. But, again, it’s a couple of more days, and I think that can make a difference. Every day gives me a bit more time to get even better.”
Porzingis hasn’t appeared in a game since sustaining a strained calf in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round playoff series against Miami on April 29.
He called the rehab process challenging, despite his team going 9-1 without him and dispatching of Cleveland and Indiana to earn a Finals pairing with the Dallas Mavericks, a team he played for from 2019-22.
“It’s been a long process, I’m not going to lie,” Porzingis said. “But I’ve tried to stay as engaged as I can and be around the team and do my work, and hang with the team.”
The Latvian big man has ramped up his participation level on the court this past week, going through light 5-on-5 workouts with the team. But it’s been limited, with no real scrimmaging.
“So, in that sense, it hasn’t been perfect, obviously,” he said. “But I’ve tried to build up as much as I can to this point from all aspects.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis is “on pace” to be ready on Thursday and said he wasn’t worried about his long layoff.
“Obviously, you can’t simulate the intensity and speed of the game. It just comes with a little bit of reps,” Mazzulla said. “KP’s a great player. I think just because you’ve been out for month doesn’t mean you have to relearn how to play basketball. He’s been doing a lot of great things for his career, he’s done a lot of great things for us this season on both ends of the floor. … I expect him to pick up right where he left off. But, obviously, there will be a little bit of rust. Just not concerned because of the work he’s put in.”
Asked if he was able to run without pain in his calf, Porzingis paused briefly, before saying, “Yes.”
“I have to feel confident. I don’t want to go out there and thinking about something,” he said. “Once I’m out there, it has to be full focus on playing my best basketball and trying to help this team win. … I just try to be the best I can be with the given circumstances.”
But he also said he’s confident that the training staff is secure that he is ready to return.
“I’ve done the things necessary to check the boxes. Of course, it’s hard to imitate the same intensity at practice,” he said. “But I have to be confident that it’ll be alright.”
Porzingis said he is looking forward to facing the Mavericks.
“I’m happy for everybody in Dallas. A lot of good relationships there, and I think they deserve to have the success they’ve had this season,” Porzingis said.
While in Dallas, Porzingis developed a good relationship with Mavericks star Luka Doncic. They just didn’t mesh as well on the court.
Porzingis declined to answer a question about why their pairing didn’t produce the success that Doncic has found alongside Kyrie Irving.
“It didn’t work out,” Porzingis said. “I’m not even thinking about that right now. I’m focused on the job at hand. And we can talk about that later.”
NBA FINALS PROPS AND PICKS: GET BEHIND HISTORIC FAVORITE BOSTON?
The Boston Celtics take on the surging, interesting, puzzling – and significant underdog – Dallas Mavericks as the NBA Finals begin Thursday night in Boston.
The Celtics are -220 favorites (FanDuel) and the third-heaviest Finals favorites since the ABA-NBA merger.
Taking the Mavericks at +184 (FanDuel) isn’t the worst bet, though, considering this Dallas team is nowhere near the season-opening version.
Find out where we land with each team after dissecting a couple of interesting betting stats.
The trend
For Game 1, the most identifiable trend has been the public’s infatuation with the Mavericks. Depending on the sportsbook, 70 percent or more of the money has landed on Dallas +6.5 points.
Moreover, according to Vegas Insider, at BetMGM, as of Monday the public was crushing the Dallas futures with 85 percent of the mobile/online bets and 80 percent of early dollars backing the Mavericks to win the Finals.
Boston has rolled through its Eastern Conference playoff schedule, going 12-2 straight up but only 7-7 against the spread.
The Mavs’ surprising run stands at 12-5 straight up and 11-6 against the spread.
This is a nice spot to “zag,” so we’ll grab the Celtics, fade the public, and eagerly watch a fourth-quarter rally to cover.
The bet: Celtics -6.5 in Game 1.
Mavericks closer look
You can have faith in the “Big Two” from Big D: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. These guys are eager for the fight, and especially given the perception by bookmakers worldwide.
Bets on the Mavs range from taking Dallas +2.5 games in the series (-250 at DraftKings) or +1.5 games (-134 at FanDuel) to individual performances, though Doncic at -205 (DraftKings) to score the most total points on either team during the series seems a bit too steep.
This Mavs team won 16 of their final 20 regular-season games and has looked terrific in the postseason. Still, it’s a tall task to take the title this quickly.
For a wager on the team, pushing the Celtics to seven games and falling short (Game 7 is in Boston) is priced juicier than a Boston 4-1 or 4-2 series win.
The bet: We kind of like that +450 (BetMGM) on the Mavs to lose in seven games.
Celtics closer look
Oh, the overthinkers have to be anxious as Game 1 approaches. The Celtics face a team that is only now reaching peak performance, so Boston is in for a struggle, right?
Not so fast.
The Celtics are a heavy favorite for good reason. They can put Jrue Holiday on Kyrie – or Luka! – and find some level of effectiveness. Big man Kristaps Porzingis is a great rim protector but also nimble enough to contest 3s when switches are needed.
Derrick White not hitting? No worries. Here’s Al Horford, or Jaylen Brown, or Jayson Tatum – or Porzingis to pick up the slack.
The Boston perspective shows a chance to find value in backing the favorites.
The bet: We especially like Tatum’s odds-on favoritism to take down the Finals MVP at -120 (FanDuel, BetMGM). With Tatum carrying such a high volume, this feels much better than just betting the Celtics at -220.
NY MAN CHARGED IN SPORTS BETTING SCANDAL THAT LED TO JONTAY PORTER’S BAN FROM NBA
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York man was charged Tuesday in a sports betting scandal that spurred the NBA to ban Jontay Porter for life, with the charges marking the first known criminal fallout from the matter.
Porter isn’t named in the court complaint, but its specifics about “Player 1” match the details of the former Toronto Raptors player’s downfall this spring. It’s unclear whether Porter himself is under investigation in the criminal case — Brooklyn federal prosecutors declined to comment on whether he is.
The court complaint against Long Phi Pham says the player communicated directly with defendant Pham and other conspirators.
Current contact information for Porter couldn’t immediately be found.
According to the complaint, the player told Pham and others, via encrypted messages, that he planned to take himself out of Jan. 26 and March 20 games early, claiming injury or illness. Porter played 4 minutes, 24 seconds against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first of those games, then 2 minutes 43 seconds against the Sacramento Kings in the second game, both times falling short of wagering lines based on his expected performance.
Pham and other conspirators — whose names are redacted in the court complaint — used that advance knowledge to place bets on Porter underperforming, prosecutors allege. The bets paid off to the tune of more than $1 million for the group, according to prosecutors.
A message seeking comment was left for Pham’s lawyer. Pham, 38, of Brooklyn, was being detained after an initial court appearance Tuesday. Accused of conspiring to defraud a sports betting company, he’s due back in court Wednesday for a bail hearing.
Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said the alleged conspirators “participated in a brazen, illegal betting scheme that had a corrupting influence on two games and numerous bets.”
“Whether on the court or in the casino, every point matters,” Peace said in a statement.
The NBA banned Porter in April, after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information about his health to a sports bettor, and that Porter himself wagered on games using someone else’s account — even betting on the Raptors to lose.
“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” League Commissioner Adam Silver said at the time in a press release. Portions of that release are quoted in the court complaint against Pham.
Messages seeking comment were left for the NBA and the Raptors.
Porter was on what’s called a two-way contract, meaning he could play for both the Raptors and their affiliate in the G League. His salary for this year was around $410,000; had the Raptors signed him to a standard NBA contract next season, as seemed possible, his salary would have exceeded $2 million.
The 24-year-old Porter averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26 games, including five starts. He also played in 11 games for Memphis in the 2020-21 season.
REPORTS: LAKERS LEANING TOWARD HIRING JJ REDICK
If the Lakers were to hire a coach tomorrow, it would be JJ Redick, according to ESPN and Stadium.
Redick and New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego were previously reported to be the leading candidates to replace Darvin Ham as head coach of the Lakers, but Los Angeles hasn’t completed its interview process, according to The Athletic.
Even so, the current leader in the clubhouse is Redick. The Athletic’s sources have said that the Lakers are “zeroing in” on Redick, 39, and that he is considered “the front-runner.”
A former Duke 3-point marksman who spent 15 years in the NBA, Redick is employed by ESPN in a broadcasting role and launched a podcast with Lakers forward LeBron James, “Mind the Game.”
He also interviewed with the Hornets to become a first-time head coach and was in the running to replace Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors last summer.
Redick, who will be covering the NBA Finals for ESPN over the coming days, has a history playing under former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has been an “unofficial” resource for the Lakers during the hiring process.
The Lakers are not afraid to turn to former players as coaches and can point to the strong success of NBA Finals head coaches Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics and Jason Kidd of the Mavericks — not to mention Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors — as recent examples that would align with the Redick move.
Mazzulla, 35, was promoted before last season to head coach of the Celtics without previous experience in the role. He attempted to hire Redick as an assistant coach. As a player at West Virginia, Mazzulla led an upset of Duke in the 2008 NCAA Tournament two years after Redick was drafted by the Orlando Magic.
The Athletic reported at the end of the regular season that Lakers’ decision-makers viewed Redick as a “Pat Riley-like coaching” candidate.
Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham, 50, after two seasons including an appearance in the Western Conference finals in 2023.
Ham posted a 90-74 record but was 9-12 in the playoffs since replacing Frank Vogel in 2022.
WNBA NEWS
CAITLIN CLARK, PHYSICAL PLAY AND QUESTIONS ABOUT FOULS DOMINATING DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE WNBA
Caitlin Clark has been tested during her first month in the WNBA with physical play from opponents that has brought an increased spotlight on the league.
Not all of the attention has been positive.
The conversations exploded over the weekend when Chicago’s Chennedy Carter gave a shoulder shot to Clark that knocked her to the floor before an inbound pass during the third quarter of the Sky-Indiana Fever game on Saturday.
“I think everybody is physical with me, they get away with things that probably other people don’t get away with,” Clark, who like many good offensive players sometimes flails when hit to draw the attention of officials, said after a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks last week. “It’s tough, but that’s just the fact of the matter.
“This is a very physical game, and you’re going to get pressure, this is professional basketball,” Clark said. “It is what it is, honestly.”
The officials said Carter’s action was an away-from-the-ball foul and didn’t review the play. It was deemed a common foul at the time. The league upgraded the play to a flagrant-1 violation foul a day later.
Though the WNBA hasn’t commented on the physical plays involving Clark, the Carter=Clark collision had people talking across not only the sports media landscape, but also shows like “The View.”
There’s no shortage of opinions on the physicality that the No. 1 pick has faced this season, either arguing that not enough is being done to protect her, that she is being targeted by other players because of the media attention she receives, that race is a factor or that it is just the natural competitive evolution in the growing sport of women’s basketball.
Going into Tuesday’s games, Clark is currently 11th in average fouls drawn per contest, averaging 4.2 per contest, tops among rookies in that category. She is third overall in total fouls drawn with 46, but the Fever (2-9) have played the most games.
Clark has said she won’t let the physical play get into her head and that she will continue to play her game. At times, however, her frustration has shown when she feels she doesn’t get a call. She has been hit with a league-leading three technical fouls. A seventh technical during the regular season would result in a one-game suspension.
Fever coach Christie Sides understands Clark’s frustrations and isn’t taking the “it is what it is” approach. Sides believes some of the fouls against Clark have crossed the line and said she will continue to send video clips to the league until something is done about it.
The Carter foul happened in Clark’s first pro matchup with college rival Angel Reese, a 71-70 Indiana win. That game was watched by an average of 1.53 million viewers with a peak of over 2.19 million.
Reese has had her own “welcome to the WNBA moments.” Most notably, when she was thrown to the ground on a hard foul by Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas in a Sky-Sun game last month.
The officials immediately went to the monitor to review the situation and upgraded the foul to a flagrant-2 on Thomas, which comes with an automatic ejection.
“It’s not just cause I’m a rookie,” Reese said of the physical play that comes her way. “I’m a player. I’m a basketball player. They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie. I mean, I want them to come at me every day, I want them to come at everybody. I mean, they’re not supposed to be nice to me. I hope you all know that.
“They’re not supposed to be nice to me or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or cause I’m a rookie.”
AP WNBA POLL
Connecticut remains a unanimous No. 1 choice in this week’s AP WNBA poll. The Sun are the only undefeated team left in the league. Minnesota edged Las Vegas for the second spot. New York was fourth with Seattle fifth. Atlanta and Dallas were next, followed by Phoenix and Chicago. Los Angeles, Indiana and Washington rounded out the rankings.
CAITLIN CORNER
Clark finished off a brutal early schedule where the Fever played 11 games in 20 days with the worst shooting performance of her young professional career. Clark went 1-for-10 against New York in a 36-point blowout loss Sunday night and finished with three points. Still she’s averaging, 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds. Clark earned Rookie of the Month honors from the league earlier this week.
ROOKIE WATCH
Minnesota rookie Alissa Pili had a breakout game last week against Phoenix, scoring 20 points and connecting on seven of her nine shots from the field. Pili was 4-for-4 from behind the 3-point line in the blowout win. Reese continues to put up impressive rebounding numbers in her young career. She’s leading the league averaging five offensive rebounds a game which would be second all-time in WNBA history behind Yolanda Griffith’s 5.1 in 2001.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jewell Loyd of Seattle earned AP Player of the Week honors. The Seattle Storm guard averaged 20.5 points, 6.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds to help the team win both its games. Other players receiving votes included DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas of Connecticut, Jonquel Jones of New York, Napheesa Collier of Minnesota, Tina Charles of Atlanta and A’ja Wilson of Las Vegas.
GAME OF THE WEEK
New York at Connecticut, Saturday. The winner of this game will most likely be the Eastern Conference representative in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game. The Liberty beat the Sun in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs last season, winning the best-of-five series in four games.
EZI MAGBEGOR CAPS BIG DAY BY LEADING STORM PAST MERCURY
Ezi Magbegor, who earlier in the day signed a contract extension through the 2025 season, had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to an 80-62 victory over the visiting Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday.
Seattle earned its fifth straight win while Phoenix lost for the fifth time in six games.
Magbegor, an All-Star center who is in her fifth WNBA season, all with the Storm, was set to become a free agent after this season.
The Storm took the lead for good after a 12-0 run gave them a 14-4 edge with 3:53 left in the first quarter. Magbegor had six points in the run.
The Storm built their lead to 38-18 after scoring 11 unanswered points, capped by two free throws by former Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (17 points, four assists).
The Storm were shooting 14 of 24 from the field at that point while the Mercury were 6 of 22.
Jewell Loyd contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Victoria Vivians had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Storm (6-3).
Seattle’s lead grew to as many as 21 points before Phoenix scored the last eight points of the first half to cut the deficit to 46-33.
Phoenix star Diana Taurasi had two points at the break on 1-of-5 shooting from the field.
Taurasi finished with seven points, shooting 3 of 12, including 0 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Phoenix went scoreless for almost the first five minutes of the third quarter, allowing Seattle to take a 55-33 lead after a 9-0 stretch.
A 3-point shot by Kahleah Copper with 5:16 remaining in the quarter ended the 0-for-6 Mercury’s drought from the field.
Phoenix also had four turnovers at that point to start the second half.
The Mercury did not come closer than 14 points the rest of the game.
Copper led Phoenix with 19 points but shot 6 of 18 from the field. Natasha Cloud added 10 pointes, six rebounds and five assists.
Phoenix made 33.8 percent of its shots from the field, including 4 of 23 (17.4 percent) from 3-point range, and finished with 17 turnovers.
Seattle hit 40.6 percent from the floor, including 8 of 23 (34.8 percent) from deep, and gave the ball away 15 times.
BREANNA STEWART POWERS LIBERTY PAST SKY
Breanna Stewart had 33 points and 14 rebounds to help the visiting New York Liberty beat the Chicago Sky 88-75 on Tuesday.
The Liberty (8-2) won their fourth in a row and avenged their loss to the Sky (3-5) on May 23. New York went on a 15-2 run to start the fourth quarter after Chicago erased a 17-point first-half deficit.
Guard Sabrina Ionescu added 24 points and seven rebounds for Liberty, who held the Sky to a season-low 32.4 percent from the floor.
Chicago rookie Angel Reese was ejected after receiving two technical fouls with 2:31 remaining in the game. Reese finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds but shot 3 of 12 from the floor in the loss.
New York controlled the game in the first quarter, shooting 57.9 percent in the frame to take a 31-15 lead after one. Stewart paved the way with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
Chicago responded in the second quarter. Chennedy Carter, who received a flagrant foul after knocking down Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark on Saturday, scored 10 of her 15 first-half points in the quarter. The Sky outscored the Liberty 33-18 in the frame and entered the break trailing 49-48.
After a low-scoring third quarter, New York took control in the fourth. Trailing 66-65 entering the final period, the Liberty jumped ahead 80-68 with 6:02 left in the game. New York held Chicago to 2-of-16 shooting from the floor in the quarter to pull away for the win.
Carter led the Sky with 16 points off the bench while Marina Mabrey added 15, and veteran Elizabeth Williams scored 10 points.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton had 14 points and five assists for the Liberty, who made 10 of 32 shots from beyond the arc.
SUN REACH 9-0 AT MYSTICS’ EXPENSE
DeWanna Bonner paired 20 points with eight rebounds as the Connecticut Sun pulled away from the visiting Washington Mystics to remain undefeated, winning 76-59 in a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game on Tuesday at Uncasville, Conn.
Brionna Jones added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting for the Sun, who became the seventh team in WNBA history to begin a season 9-0. All of the previous six reached the WNBA Finals, with three winning the championship. Alyssa Thomas tallied seven points, seven rebounds and seven assists as Connecticut beat Washington for the seventh-straight time.
Mystics rookie and former UConn star Aaliyah Edwards bundled a career-high 14 points with nine rebounds for Washington, which set a franchise record with its ninth-straight loss to open the season. Myisha Hines-Allen supplied 10 points off the bench for the Mystics.
The Sun seized control by outscoring Washington 26-10 in the third quarter to flip their one-point halftime deficit into a 58-43 lead.
Connecticut blitzed the Mystics by opening the third quarter on a 13-2 run, which Tyasha Harris capped with a trey to give the Sun their first double-digit lead at 45-35 with 5:24 left in the period. Harris scored eight points in the third and finished with 14.
Washington didn’t hit a shot in the second half until Julie Vanloo’s 3-pointer at the 5:07 mark pulled the Mystics within 45-38. Vanloo finished with five points and five assists. Connecticut went up 51-40 on Bonner’s triple with 3:15 left in the third and led by at least 10 for the rest of the game.
The Sun shot 47.4 percent from the field and held Washington to 31.3 percent shooting as the Mystics finished with their lowest point total this season.
Bonner scored 10 points in the first quarter, including five during an 8-1 run that sprung the Sun ahead 19-12. Washington kept Connecticut scoreless over the period’s final 1:58 to pull within 19-18 entering the second.
The Sun pushed their lead to 29-24 midway through the second stanza before going over four minutes without a field goal as the Mystics pulled even at 30 with 2:25 left.
After Harris’s jumper ended Connecticut’s shooting drought with 50 seconds left, Vanloo found Stafanie Dolson in the left corner for a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that propelled Washington into halftime leading 33-32.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
GENO AURIEMMA SIGNS 5-YEAR EXTENSION WITH UCONN
Legendary UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma signed a five-year contract extension worth $18.7 million, the program announced Tuesday.
Auriemma, 70, previously said he had no intention to retire after the 2023-24 season. His new agreement runs through April 2029.
Auriemma’s deal carries a base salary of $400,000 and is bolstered by “additional compensation for speaking, consulting and media obligations” worth $2.94 million for the upcoming 2024-25 season. That figure will increase by $200,000 per year through the life of the contract.
In a statement, Auriemma thanked UConn’s leadership for their trust in him and their commitment to women’s basketball.
“I still find it hard to believe that I’ve been at UConn for over half my life,” Auriemma said. “I feel like there’s so much more that can be done, and will be done, and I’m excited to be the one to do it with my staff and my team. I’m probably as excited about these next few years as I’ve ever been over the last 40.”
The 2024-25 season will be Auriemma’s 40th at UConn, and he will return a core that features National Player of the Year candidate Paige Bueckers and fellow stars KK Arnold and Azzi Fudd.
Auriemma owns a 1,213-162 record (88.2 percent) as UConn’s coach and has led the Huskies to 23 Final Four trips and 11 national titles.
“Geno has been such a mainstay at UConn that it’s impossible to overstate his lasting positive influence on our student-athletes, the women’s basketball program and Connecticut as a whole,” UConn president Radenka Maric said in a statement. “His leadership and nearly 40 years of commitment to our university have brought immeasurable value and name recognition to both UConn and the entire state.”
NFL NEWS
REPORT: 49ERS’ MCCAFFREY INKS 2-YEAR EXTENSION
The San Francisco 49ers are signing running back Christian McCaffrey to a two-year extension with an average annual value of $19 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The new deal ties McCaffrey to the 49ers through the 2027 season.
McCaffrey will receive an extra $8 million on top of what he was scheduled to make in the first two years of the extension as well as an additional $24 million in guarantees, per Schefter.
The 27-year-old was already the league’s highest-paid running back by AAV and guaranteed money before the extension, according to Over the Cap.
McCaffrey excelled in his first full season in San Francisco, rushing for a league-high 1,459 yards and leading the NFL in scrimmage yards with 2,023. His 21 scrimmage touchdowns (14 rushing, seven receiving) also paced the league.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has accumulated 3,233 yards and 31 touchdowns since being traded from the Carolina Panthers to the 49ers during the 2022 campaign.
McCaffrey has made three Pro Bowls and a pair of first-team All-Pro teams since being selected eighth overall in the 2017 draft. The Stanford product has totaled 10,505 yards and 81 scores in 91 career games.
REPORT: COWBOYS WR CEEDEE LAMB TO SKIP MINICAMP
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is not expected to attend a mandatory minicamp that begins Tuesday as he seeks a contract extension, ESPN reported.
Lamb, 25, who also skipped voluntary OTAs last month, is due to earn $17.99 million in 2024 under his fifth-year option. That’s a bargain-basement price for a player coming off a record-setting All-Pro season in 2023.
Lamb will be subject to fines for missing minicamp. Those fines would total $16,953 for missing Tuesday, $33,908 for Wednesday and $50,855 if the minicamp extends to a third day, according to The Dallas Morning News.
His expected absence Tuesday comes one day after Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson reset the wide receiver market with a reported four-year, $140 million extension.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Lamb broke Hall of Fame member Michael Irvin’s single-season franchise marks with an NFL-high 135 catches and 1,749 yards, adding a career-high 12 touchdown catches in 17 starts.
Lamb has racked up 395 catches for 5,145 yards and 32 touchdowns in 66 games (61 starts) since being selected by the Cowboys with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
STEELERS’ CAM HEYWARD AT OTAS DESPITE CONTRACT ISSUES
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was all smiles as he welcomed Cam Heyward to the opening day of organized team activities on Tuesday, despite the defensive tackle’s desire for a contract extension.
Heyward, entering the final year of his current contract (four years, $65.6 million), is a three-time All-Pro and the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He has played in 194 career games (159 starts) across 13 seasons with Pittsburgh, recording 647 tackles and 80.5 sacks.
He skipped voluntary workouts last month and it was believed he’d sit out OTAs, too.
But he showed up and let reporters know what he wants in a new contract.
“I’m looking to be here,” Heyward said. “I want to be valued at my position. I understand I came off a rough season but I don’t think it’s a step down from where I can play. I think when I’m at the top of my game, I’m still a top-five player at my position.”
Heyward, 35, played only 11 games last season because of a Week 1 groin injury. Heyward finished with 33 tackles and two sacks during the 2023 campaign.
Heyward told reporters he intends to take part in minicamp and training camp.
Heyward’s average annual salary of $16.4 million ranks just 25th among defensive linemen, per Spotrac.
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa tops the list with an average salary of $34 million. Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs, a defensive tackle, is second at $31.75 million.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
ALABAMA LANDS 4-STAR QB KEELON RUSSELL, FORMER SMU COMMIT
Alabama and new coach Kalen DeBoer persuaded four-star quarterback Keelon Russell to flip his commitment from SMU to the Crimson Tide on Tuesday.
Russell, a Texas native, is ranked No. 38 overall in the Class of 2025 and No. 6 among quarterbacks by the 247Sports composite. He marks the first high school quarterback to commit to Alabama since DeBoer was hired to replace retired legend Nick Saban.
Russell told ESPN that the Alabama coaching staff presented him with a clear plan for his college path in Tuscaloosa.
“They laid out the spot for me on the depth chart — it’s something a quarterback dreams of,” Russell told ESPN. “I felt like if I took the role that I could do some amazing things at high levels.”
Alabama enters 2024 with Jalen Milroe occupying the No. 1 spot on the QB depth chart.
The roster also includes rising sophomore Ty Simpson and a pair of redshirt freshmen, Dylan Lonergan and Austin Mack. Alabama lost 2024 quarterback commit Julian Sayin when he flipped to Ohio State over the winter.
RUNNING BACK BO JACKSON COMMITS TO OHIO STATE
Bo knows football. And he’ll continue knowing it at Ohio State.
As the namesake of a legendary football player with an equally memorable marketing machine surrounding him who even played the same position, Lamar “Bo” Jackson Jr. should be used to the comparisons by now. But he’s paving his own path on the gridiron at this point, as evidenced by the consensus four-star running back’s commitment to the Buckeyes on Tuesday.
Jackson selected Ohio State over offers from the likes of Georgia, Penn State, Alabama and Michigan, among others.
The fifth-ranked player in the state of Ohio per the 247Sports composite rankings, the Cleveland-area product (Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School) posted to social media Tuesday afternoon “It’s Official 1000% Committed.”
Those same rankings list Jackson as the No. 5 running back in the country for the 2025 class, reporting that he ran for 1,700 yards while averaging over 10 yards per carry in 2023.
NHL NEWS
(SPORTING NEWS)
WHO WILL WIN THE STANLEY CUP? PICKS, PREDICTIONS, ODDS FOR OILERS VS. PANTHERS IN 2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final comes down to arguably the best all-around team in hockey and the club sporting the best player currently in the league, as the Panthers and the Oilers are the last two squads standing in the NHL playoffs.
Florida is back in the Stanley Cup Final after losing to Vegas in last year’s championship series. This year, the Panthers took out the Lightning, Bruins, and Rangers en route to the franchise’s third finals appearance, and the team is hoping the third time’s the charm to win the club’s first-ever Stanley Cup.
On the other side, the Oilers finally reached their first Stanley Cup Final in the Connor McDavid era. The Oilers superstar, paired with Leon Draisaitl, finally got over the Western Conference hump this year, taking out the Kings, Canucks, and Stars en route to the franchise’s first finals appearance since 2006. The Oilers have not hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1990, going over 30 years without a championship in Edmonton.
It’s no fluke that either team is here. It will be a well-earned championship for either side if they can ascend the final steps to reach the top of the NHL’s mountain. Will it be McDavid hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time, cementing his status as a legend of the sport? Or will the Panthers finally bring a championship back to Sunrise?
Here is everything you need to know about the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Panthers and the Oilers.
Oilers vs. Panthers prediction
There is no offense like the Oilers’ offense. The combination of McDavid and Draisaitl is enough to make any defensive unit’s heads spin, but when you pair those two with the complementary pieces at the top of the Oilers’ offense like Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evander Kane, then Edmonton is constantly a threat to score.
The biggest knock on Edmonton in years past was their inability to win the low-scoring games. Between shaky goaltending and lackluster defense, it’s seemingly always been the Oilers’ Achilles’ heel. However, the defense has improved drastically, and even though Stuart Skinner is not a bona fide elite option in net, he’s shown flashes of brilliance during this playoff run.
With the Panthers, there really is no weakness. Their depth at forward and on defense is incredible, and Sergei Bobrovsky is providing sensational goaltending. Aleksander Barkov is one of the most underrated players in the game, Matthew Tkachuk is proving yet again he is simply a gamer in the playoffs, and Carter Verhaeghe might be the most clutch player currently in the league.
Florida can beat you in so many ways, which is what makes the team incredibly dangerous this time of year. The Panthers can play fast and beat you in transition in high-scoring affairs, or they can shut down the defensive zone and come out on top in a goaltending battle. Perhaps the most important fact is that no one can muck it up quite like the Cats — a requirement this time of year on the hockey calendar.
When it comes to playoff hockey, experience is a major factor. If you look at all of the previous Stanley Cup champions in recent history, more often than not, it’s taken a team multiple times to finally get over the hump to lift the Stanley Cup.
McDavid is going to get his Stanley Cup. He’s too good of a player not to win a championship — it’s a matter of when, not if — but this Florida team is simply too good to lose two years in a row in the finals.
For the first time in Panthers history, a Stanley Cup will be brought to South Beach.
Prediction: Panthers in six.
Oilers vs. Panthers regular season series
The Panthers swept the regular season series against the Oilers, scoring five goals in both contests.
Nov. 20, 2023: Panthers 5, Oilers 3
Dec. 16, 2023: Panthers 5, Oilers 1
Edmonton struggled to contain Florida’s offense in the two previous matchups in the season. In the first meeting, the Oilers got out to a 2-0 start in the first period before the Panthers ripped off five of the next six goals. The next time around, it was all Florida, as the Eastern Conference squad got out to a fast 3-0 start in the first and never looked back, with Bobrovsky turning aside 38 shots.
One thing certainly to note — Stuart Skinner has yet to play against the Panthers. Backup goaltender Calvin Pickard got his first start of the season against Florida in November, and then he was in the crease again for the second game between the two.
Oilers vs. Panthers key storyline: Can Florida contain Edmonton’s lethal power play?
Special teams always play a major role in a playoff series. Whether it’s the power play or penalty kill, it’s going to be a factor in the outcome. That is especially true when one team has arguably the most dominant power play unit in NHL history.
Putting Edmonton on the man advantage is hockey’s equivalent to a death sentence. You are tasked with containing the sport’s best player (McDavid), the game’s top passer (Draisaitl), a defenseman with a cannon of a shot (Evan Bouchard), a forward who knows exactly where to be in front of the net (Hyman) and an exceptional center in the faceoff dot (Nugent-Hopkins). The group possesses an uncanny ability to cycle the puck, constantly moving in the offensive zone before finally finding the perfect scoring chance. So far in the playoffs, the Oilers have converted on 37.3 percent of their PP chances — even higher than their 26.3 percent from the regular season.
Florida’s penalty kill is elite, as it’s successfully killed 88.2 percent of the power plays it’s given up. However, the Panthers have to stay out of the box. No team has taken as many infractions as the Eastern Conference champs, with over 200 penalty minutes entering the Stanley Cup Final.
Paul Maurice’s crew was able to contain New York’s power play in the conference finals, but Edmonton is an entirely different beast. You’re playing with fire by asking the penalty kill to come through frequently against McDavid, Draisaitl, and Co.
MEN’S GOLF
GOLF GLANCE: THE MEMORIAL HOSTS ELITE FIELD FOR $20M SIGNATURE EVENT
Field Level Media’s Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: RBC Canadian Open (Robert MacIntyre)
THIS WEEK: the Memorial Tournament, Dublin, Ohio, June 6-9
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (Par 72, 7,571 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $4M)
Defending Champion: Viktor Hovland
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @MemorialGolf
NOTES: This is the seventh of eight signature events this season, featuring a $20M purse and 700 FedEx Cup points to the winner. … Muirfield Village has played host to the tournament every year since 1976 and is the only course in the United States to host the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup. … Each of the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings are in the 73-player field along with nine of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. … MacIntyre withdrew from the event one day after claiming his first PGA Tour victory. … The four sponsors exemptions this week are Billy Horschel, Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Alex Noren. 2024 Jack Nicklaus Award winner Jackson Koivun, a freshman at Auburn, was also awarded a spot in the field as the best Division I college golfer. … The Aon Swing 5 players who earned spots in the field are Davis Riley, Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup, Victory Perez and Davis Thompson, who replaced MacIntyre.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+360 at DraftKings) has won four of his past seven starts, including the Masters, The Players Championship and two signature events. He finished third last year, one stroke out of a playoff between Hovland and Denny McCarthy. … Xander Schauffele (+900) makes his first start since claiming his first career major at the PGA Championship. … Rory McIlroy (+900) seeks his third win of the season but has never finished better than T4 at the Memorial (2016). … Viktor Hovland (+1600) is trying to join Tiger Woods as the only player to win the Memorial in consecutive years. He’s coming off a solo third at the PGA Championship. … Patrick Cantlay (+2500) is seeking his first win since 2022. However, the 2019 and 2021 champion’s 70.32 career scoring average at Muirfield Village is the lowest among players with at least 10 rounds. … Ludvig Aberg (+2500).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: The U.S. Open, Village of Pinehurst, N.C., June 13-16
LPGA Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: 79th U.S. Women’s Open (Yuka Saso)
THIS WEEK: ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, Galloway, N.J., June 7-9
Course: Seaview, Bay Course (Par 71, 6,190 yards)
Purse: $1.75M ($262,500)
Defending Champion: Ashleigh Buhai
Race to the CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday: 12-2 p.m. (Golf Channel); 12-3 p.m. (Peacock); Saturday, 4-7 p.m. (Peacock), 5-7 p.m. (GC); Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Peacock), 8-10 p.m. (GC — Encore Presentation)
X: @ShopRiteLPGA
NOTES: Annika Sorenstam (1998, 2005) and Anna Nordqvist (2016) share the tournament scoring record of 196. … The tournament returned to the Bay Course after being held at the Greate Bay Resort and Country Club from 1988-97.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Meijer LPGA Classic, Belmont, Mich., June 13-16
PGA Tour Champions
LAST TOURNAMENT: Principal Charity Classic (Ernie Els)
THIS WEEK: American Family Insurance Championship, Madison, Wis., June 7-9
Course: University Ridge GC (Par 72, 7,083 Yards)
Purse: $2.4M (Winner: $360,000)
Defending Champion: Steve Stricker
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday, 7-9 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (GC)
X: @amfamchamp
NOTES: Stricker has finished in the top 10 in all but one of his seven starts this season, although he’s still seeking his first win of 2024. … Milwaukee native Jerry Kelly has won the event in two of his past five starts. … Alker withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Fran Quinn. Also withdrawing were Alex Cejka, David Toms and Scott Verplank. They were replaced by John Huston, Tim O’Neal and Jason Gore.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Dick’s Open, Endicott, N.Y., June 21-23
LIV Golf League
LAST TOURNAMENT: Singapore (Individual: Brooks Koepka; Team: Ripper GC)
THIS WEEK: Houston, June 7-9
Course: Golf Club of Houston (Par 72, 6,789 Yards)
Purse: Individual, $20M (Winner: $4M), Team, $5M (Winner: $3M)
Defending Champion: Inaugural event
2024 Leaders: Players, Joaquin Niemann; Team, Crushers GC
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday, 1 p.m. ET (The CW App, LIV Golf Plus, Caffeine); Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m. (The CW, The CW App, LIV Golf Plus)
X: @livgolf_league
NOTES: This is LIV Golf’s first event in Texas and the eighth of 13 regular-season events in 2024, followed by the team championship. … Thirteen four-player teams and two wild-card players will compete in a 54-hole event with daily shotgun starts. … The Golf Club of Houston was the site of the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open from 2006-19 before the event moved to Memorial Park in 2020.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Nashville, June 21-23
AUTO RACING
NASCAR GRANTS LARSON A WAIVER TO COMPETE IN PLAYOFFS AFTER MISSING COCA-COLA 600 FOR INDY 500
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR on Tuesday granted Kyle Larson the waiver he needs to remain eligible to compete in this year’s playoffs despite missing the Coca-Cola 600 because he instead ran the Indianapolis 500.
The decision came after nearly nine days of internal NASCAR debate over whether Larson should be punished for choosing to stay in Indianapolis, where rain delayed the May 26 race by four hours. That meant Larson had zero chance of making it back to Charlotte in time to start the Coca-Cola 600.
But it was always his intent to race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Larson did make it to the track, only for the race to be called for rain before he ever turned a lap in his No. 5 Chevrolet. Justin Allgaier started in Larson’s place and was credited with a 13th-place finish.
“This was without a doubt unchartered waters; in the past, those waivers had been given mostly for medical reasons or for drivers suspended from our event, and those waivers were granted fairly quickly,” said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “This one was unprecedented in that we had a driver miss one of our races, one of our Cup championship events, to be at another event. That’s why it took as long as it did. The time we took, which was a week, was exactly the right time we needed to make the decision.”
Larson appeared to react to the waiver with a meme he posted on social media of him giving the thumbs-up.
Larson, who has two wins this season that make him automatically eligible for the playoffs, had his Cup Series standings altered after Sunday’s race outside St. Louis. Although he was listed as second in the overall standings, all his playoff points had been wiped away.
The playoff points were restored in Tuesday’s standings.
“To not have Kyle Larson in our playoff and give our fans the opportunity, the chance to him race for a championship, at the end of the day, that didn’t feel that was the right decision for us to make,” Sawyer said.
Larson, who finished 18th at Indianapolis in large part because of a late speeding penalty, had worked out a minute-by-minute plan with Hendrick Motorsports to ensure he’d make the start of the Coke 600. But when rain disrupted the Indy 500, Rick Hendrick decided to keep Larson in Indianapolis.
All of Hendrick Motorsports was in constant contact with NASCAR and under the impression there was no issue so long as Larson made it back to compete in the 600.
Sawyer said no one from Hendrick was ever guaranteed a waiver if Larson did not make the NASCAR race.
“Under normal circumstances, completing ‘The Double’ is one of the toughest tests in sports. Despite our best efforts, this year’s combination of weather conditions in Indianapolis and Charlotte made it impossible,” Hendrick said. “Although losing ground in the standings was hard to swallow, we were especially disappointed for the fans at the Coca-Cola 600 who were not able to see Kyle race.
“I’m extremely proud of everything he did to prepare and the months of planning by our team and our partners at Arrow McLaren to run these two crown jewel events. We hoped race day would play out differently, but the program was still incredibly positive for everyone involved. Kyle’s performance throughout May was a great reflection on the level of talent competing each week in the NASCAR Cup Series. We appreciate NASCAR communicating with us throughout the effort and granting our request for a playoff waiver.”
Larson was the fifth driver in history to attempt to run the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. Only Tony Stewart in 2001 completed all 1,100 miles.
There is concern now that NASCAR’s tough stance will deter drivers from trying the feat in the future. Larson had a two-year deal with Arrow McLaren and Hendrick to run Indy again in 2025, but it is not clear if NASCAR’s lengthy deliberations will upend those plans.
WHAT IS A WAIVER
Waivers in NASCAR until now have been handed out like candy.
When NASCAR launched the playoff system in which a regular-season victory locked a driver into the playoffs, it wanted to ensure the driver wouldn’t start skipping races because their slot in the championship playoffs was guaranteed.
So NASCAR said the drivers still needed to participate in all the events. But if they got injured? Well, then a waiver was available to excuse the absence from the Cup Series event.
Since then, the issue has become murky at best. NASCAR has granted waivers for physical injuries and illness but also for mental health and a suspension for accusations of domestic violence. Matt Kenseth, who had not driven in the Cup Series since 2018 when Chip Ganassi hired him during Larson’s suspension in 2020 for using a racial slur, even got a waiver.
Age waivers have been given in the Truck Series for drivers who missed the start of the season because they weren’t old enough to compete full time. Chase Elliott, Larson’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, last year was given two waivers: one for missing races while injured, the second for missing a race while he was under NASCAR suspension for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin.
The rulebook states that “Unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR, driver(s) and Team Owner(s) must start all Championship Events of the current season to be eligible for The Playoffs. If a starting position was not earned, then the driver(s) and Team Owner(s) must have attempted to Qualify, at the discretion of the Series Managing Director, for the Race.”
Sawyer conceded that although the rain in Indianapolis meant Larson was not at Charlotte in time for the start of the race, Larson made every attempt to race the 600.
“Our decision-making was, although we had the inclement weather in Indy as well as Charlotte, Kyle made every attempt to get to Charlotte,” Sawyer said. “He was standing in the pit box with his helmet on, ready to go, and unfortunately we had weather in Charlotte, as well, and we weren’t fortunate enough to get the race going again.”
MEN’S TENNIS
NOVAK DJOKOVIC WITHDRAWS FROM THE FRENCH OPEN WITH A KNEE INJURY AND WILL LOSE THE NO. 1 RANKING
PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic pulled out of the the French Open with an injured knee on Tuesday, an abrupt end to his title defense and to his current stay at No. 1 in the rankings.
“I am really sad to announce that I have to withdraw from #rolandgarros,” Djokovic posted on social media. “I played with my heart and gave my all in yesterday’s match and unfortunately, due to a medial meniscus tear in my right knee, my team and I had to make a tough decision after careful consideration and consultation.”
The tournament said the extent of the injury was found during an MRI exam Tuesday. Djokovic was hurt during a fourth-round victory against No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo on Monday that lasted five sets spread across more than 4 1/2 hours. It was his second consecutive five-setter, with his total time on court across the two exceeding 9 hours.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was supposed to face No. 7 seed Casper Ruud, the runner-up each of the past two years at Roland Garros, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Instead, Ruud gets a walkover into the semifinals, where he will face No. 4 Alexander Zverev or No. 11 Alex de Minaur.
With Djokovic, the owner of three French Open titles, gone from the bracket, and Rafael Nadal — owner of a record 14 — eliminated in the first round, someone will be holding the French Open men’s trophy for the first time on Sunday.
The group of remaining contenders includes No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner, a 22-year-old Italian who defeated No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday to get to the semifinals and now is assured of replacing Djokovic atop the ATP rankings next week.
Sinner won the Australian Open in January and becomes the first man from his country to reach No. 1.
His match against Dimitrov was in progress when news of Djokovic’s withdrawal spread. So Sinner had no idea until he was asked about it during an on-court interview after his win.
“Seeing Novak (injured) is, for everyone, disappointing,” Sinner said, “so I wish him a speedy recovery.”
And as for his newfound status?
“It means a lot to me, for sure,” said Sinner, who will face No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz or No. 9 Stefanos Tsitsipas in Friday’s semifinals.
Amid a season in which Djokovic is only 18-6 and has not reached a final at any tournament, let alone won one, he needed to get back to the title match at the French Open to continue to add to his record for most weeks at No. 1.
For years and years, Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer ruled men’s tennis as the so-called Big Three, accumulating a total of 66 major championships among them. But Federer, now 42, is retired, and Nadal, who turned 38 on Monday, is trying to figure out how much longer he can compete after missing most of the past 1 1/2 seasons with injuries.
No one knows yet how long Djokovic, 37, will be sidelined or what, if any, effect this might have on his future.
Wimbledon, where has won seven titles, starts July 1, and the tennis competition at the Paris Olympics starts at Roland Garros on July 27.
“I saw that he was obviously physically struggling (Monday), and I honestly thought … he was on the verge of losing,” said U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, who made her way into the women’s semifinals with a three-set win over Ons Jabeur and will play No. 1 Iga Swiatek on Thursday.
Seeing Djokovic pull out the win against Cerundolo, Gauff said, made her think “that he would win the title.”
Djokovic’s knee had been bothering him for a couple of weeks before he arrived in Paris for the French Open — something he kept to himself until after the win against Cerundolo. Early in the second set Monday, Djokovic tweaked his knee and took a medical timeout. A trainer worked on the joint then and during subsequent changeovers, and Djokovic took what he said a tournament doctor told him was the maximum dose of pills allowed to dull the pain and reduce any inflammation.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow — or, after tomorrow, if I’ll be able to step out on the court and play,” Djokovic said Monday evening.
Djokovic trailed by two sets to one, and was down a break at 4-2 in the fourth, against Cerundolo before raising his level of play once the medication kicked in.
“I was,” Djokovic said afterward, “maybe three or four points away from losing this match.”
Yes, he stuck it out, and, yes, he came back to win — it was his 370th victory in Grand Slam play, breaking a tie with Federer for the most in tennis history — but it was costly. And Djokovic said Monday he thought it could have been prevented if the clay inside Court Philippe Chatrier had been cared for better.
Both in that match — and during his 4 1/2-hour victory in the third round, which ended at after 3 a.m. Sunday — Djokovic tried to get the chair umpires to have the court swept more frequently to improve traction.
“I mean, today I injured myself. Yes, I survived. I won the match. Great. But will I be able to play next one?” he said, tapping his palms on a table for emphasis.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
COCO GAUFF AND DEFENDING CHAMPION IGA SWIATEK WILL MEET IN THE FRENCH OPEN SEMIFINALS
PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff ‘s long and successful Tuesday at Roland Garros began when she arrived at about 8:15 a.m. There was a warmup session. A couple of meals. A couple of matches. Oh, and a couple of victories — first, one to reach the singles semifinals, and then one to reach the doubles quarterfinals, which wrapped up a little past 4:30 p.m.
“It goes by really fast, I will say,” the 20-year-old American said. “When you’re playing the match, it just goes by really fast.”
There is more work to be done, and there are more long days on the horizon, for Gauff, who will meet defending champion and No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek in singles on Thursday.
“It’s good to just keep going and not think about this match as something huge — just another match — to not put too much baggage on your shoulders,” Swiatek said. “But I guess Coco is not easy. She really likes playing on clay, especially here. I’ll just focus on myself and I’ll prepare tactically and we’ll see.”
Swiatek picked up yet another lopsided victory, beating Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2 and stretching her French Open winning streak to 19 matches as she seeks a third trophy in a row in Paris and her fourth in five years.
“She’s, I feel like, way better than anyone else on clay, and especially here. It’s very tough,” Vondrousova said. “I feel like on the court, you have nothing to maybe offer. She’s just too strong here.”
No. 3 Gauff came back to defeat three-time major finalist Ons Jabeur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the semifinals at a third consecutive Grand Slam tournament.
“I’ve been trying to do better at being consistent in the big tournaments,” Gauff said, “and I’m reaching that level of consistency.”
She won her first major title at the U.S. Open in September, then made it to the semifinals at the Australian Open in January. Gauff was runner-up to Swiatek at the French Open in 2022.
Overall, Swiatek has won 10 of 11 meetings against Gauff, including a 6-4, 6-3 semifinal win on clay last month en route to the Italian Open title.
“I definitely think I have to find a better way to play her than the last times I played on clay, because I’ve obviously been unsuccessful the last couple of times we’ve played — regardless of the surface and anything,” Gauff said. “She’s definitely a tough opponent for me. And for anybody.”
Sure is.
The day’s biggest news was that defending champion Novak Djokovic withdrew from the men’s bracket because of a torn meniscus in his right knee. He will be replaced at No. 1 in the ATP rankings by Jannik Sinner next week.
Casper Ruud, the runner-up in Paris the past two years, got a walkover into the semifinals, where he will play Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur. Sinner beat Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday and next meets Carlos Alcaraz or Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Other than a tough three-set triumph over Naomi Osaka in the second round, Swiatek has been dominant in this French Open. Take away the 17 games Osaka managed to win, and Swiatek has dropped a total of only 11 games in her other four matches.
Swiatek followed up her 6-0, 6-0 shutout of Anastasia Potapova in the fourth round by grabbing the initial seven games against Vondrousova.
“I felt,” Swiatek said, “like I was in the zone.”
And make no mistake: Vondrousova is no slouch. In addition to being a Grand Slam champion, she was a finalist at Roland Garros in 2019, won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and currently is ranked No. 6.
But she never stood a chance against Swiatek, who compiled 25 winners to just 10 unforced errors. Swiatek, a 23-year-old from Poland, faced just one break point — and, naturally, she saved it.
“Everything worked,” Swiatek said.
Against the eighth-seeded Jabeur, Gauff pulled away to lead 5-2 lead in the last set, then needed a trio of match points to close things out, acknowledging afterward that she grew a little tight. In the last game, Gauff needed to save a break point, before Jabeur dismissed one match point with a disguised drop shot that earned a roar from the stands. The 29-year-old Tunisian responded by putting her right index finger to her ear.
But on Gauff’s next opportunity to seal the victory, Jabeur badly flubbed an overhead. Gauff smiled, then raised her arms and yelled.
“My favorite thing about Coco is her fighting spirit. I think she’s playing, like, great tennis right now, but I saw her playing better before,” Jabeur said. “Obviously she’s such a fighter. She always tries to find ways. She’s really smart on the court.”
With the crowd at the main stadium loudly supporting Jabeur at times, Gauff did not play badly in the opening set. But Jabeur was superb, winning 17 of 18 first-serve points, never facing a single break point and accumulating a 12-5 edge in total winners.
When she delivered an ace at 114 mph (184 kph) to end the set, Jabeur nodded repeatedly.
“She’s a tough opponent and she’s well-loved on tour,” Gauff said. “I could tell by the crowd today — I know you guys wanted her to win. Honestly, whenever she’s not playing (me), I cheer for her, too.”
TOP INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES
COLTS NEWS
COLTS S DANIEL SCOTT (ACHILLES) TO MISS 2024 SEASON
Indianapolis Colts safety Daniel Scott will miss his second straight season due to injury in 2024.
Scott, 25, ruptured an Achilles tendon during a practice last week, coach Shane Steichen confirmed Tuesday
A fifth-round pick in 2023, Scott missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL sustained during OTAs last June.
Scott played college football at Cal from 2018-22, recording 137 tackles and seven interceptions.
COLTS OWNER JIM IRSAY LEADS LIST OF HALL OF FAME PRESENTERS
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay will present Dwight Freeney for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer, the third time Irsay has done such honors.
The seven-member Class of 2024 will be enshrined on Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio. The other inductees, and their presenters are:
–Randy Gradishar: Tom Jackson, former Denver Broncos teammate
–Devin Hester: Juanita Brown, mother
–Andre Johnson: Gary Kubiak, former Houston Texans head coach
–Steve McMichael: Jarrett Payton, longtime friend and son of McMichael’s teammate, Walter Payton
–Julius Peppers: Carl Carey, longtime friend, mentor and agent
–Patrick Willis: Ernicka Willis, sister
The presenter introduces the enshrinee via video and is present on stage as the bronze bust is uncovered.
Irsay previously presented Colts greats Marvin Harrison (2016) and Edgerrin James (2020).
It’s the second time for Payton, who was just 12 when he presented his father for enshrinement in 1993.
Ernicka Willis will become the second sister to fill the role. She follows Elaine Anderson, who spoke on behalf of her brother, Cliff Branch, when he was enshrined posthumously in 2022.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
CLIPPERS’ OFFENSE BOOMS FOR 22 HITS AS INDIANS FALL SHORT IN SERIES OPENER, 15-4
INDIANAPOLIS – The Columbus Clippers used three four-run innings and 22 hits to blitz the Indianapolis Indians 15-4 on Tuesday night in the series opener at Victory Field.
The Clippers (22-35) pounced on southpaw Michael Plassmeyer (L, 1-5) in the first inning with four runs on five hits to jumpstart the offensive outpouring.
After Columbus doubled its lead to 8-0 in the third, Indianapolis (24-32) chipped away in the home half thanks to a Jason Delay two-run bloop single into shallow right field that plated Brenden Dixon and Mike Jarvis. Sacrifice flies by Malcom Nuñez and Jarvis provided Indy with its final runs of the contest, but the Clippers scored seven unanswered down the stretch to hand the Indians their seventh consecutive loss.
Columbus’ 22-hit display marked the most by an Indy opponent since July 15, 2019, when the Indians yielded 22 knocks in a 20-1 loss to Syracuse.
Connor Gillispie (W, 1-5) tossed 5.0 innings with six strikeouts while allowing one run. Gavin Williams, making a rehab start for Columbus, allowed three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings of work while punching out five hitters.
The Indians and Clippers continue the six-game series on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM. Right-hander Daulton Jefferies (0-1, 7.20) gets the ball for Indianapolis, while Columbus has yet to name a starter.
INDIANA FEVER
CLARK EARNS LATEST ACCOLADE WITH ROOKIE OF MONTH HONOR
Two-time AP National Player of the Year. Three-time unanimous first team All-American. NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer in men’s and women’s basketball. The fastest rookie in WNBA history to record 100 points and 50 assists. The fastest rookie in WNBA history to record 150 points, 50 rebounds, and 50 assists.
Now the WNBA’s Rookie of the Month for the month of May.
In a city that worships May for its speed, Caitlin Clark is racing towards greatness.
Through the first nine games of her professional career, Clark has already scored in double digits seven times. In five of those seven games she reached the 20 point mark. And in just her eighth game as a pro, she dazzled a crowd of over 16,000 with a 30-point performance.
She’s known for her offense – Clark led all rookies in points per game in May with 17.6 – but her activity on the defensive side of the ball is crucial to her development as a WNBA player. She recorded multiple steals or multiple blocks in five of those first nine games, including a four-steal game in a win at Los Angeles as well as a three-steal and three-block game against the same Sparks team just four days later.
“I certainly know there’s pressure there. That’s been like my entire career,” Clark said. “I just have fun playing basketball. I know this is a team sport. It’s not all about me…I’m definitely a perfectionist but I’m at my best when I allow myself to have a little grace and not expect everything to go exactly how it should, but at the same time that’s what allowed me to be so great.”
Through the first three weeks of the WNBA season, Clark is a top-3 rookie in all three major stat categories, as well as in steals and blocks per game. She leads the rookie class in points per game by a margin of five, and has tallied 92 more points in her young career than the next closest rookie, Rickea Jackson.
Six different TV networks have already set records for most-watched WNBA games, and five of those televised games featured Clark and the Fever. Her ability to pull attention to the WNBA is unprecedented, as is her level of skill.
“This is the most competitive league in the world,” Clark said. “…I think the biggest thing is just to continue to give it an opportunity, continue to attract fans from the college game…When people gave it an opportunity and actually watched it they continued to come back for more and it’s the same thing with the WNBA.”
As Clark takes her May averages of 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists into June, the 2-8 Fever look to capitalize on her impressive arrival to the professional game. With a less hectic schedule that allows for more rest and practice time, Clark is poised to reach another gear before the end of June. Until then, she’ll add her first WNBA in-season award to a list that will surely grow as her historic debut season roars on.
PURDUE WRESTLING
ERSLAND PROMOTES VEGA TO HEAD ASSISTANT
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Wrestling head coach Tony Ersland announced the promotion of Leroy Vega to head assistant coach on Tuesday morning, rewarding his dedicated service to the program since joining in 2019.
“We are thrilled to be able to promote Leroy to the head assistant position,” Ersland said. “Every year he’s been with us he has become more and more instrumental in growing this program and we are confident that he will continue to help us reach our goals. His success on the recruiting trail and development of our guys in the room is invaluable to this team and I am excited to keep working alongside him.”
Vega takes the step up after serving as an assistant coach for the 2023-24 season. He had previously served as the team’s player development associate and as a volunteer assistant for his first three years with the Boilermakers.
Specializing in coaching the lighter weights, Vega has played a vital role in the program’s success in the early part of the lineup in recent years. His influence helped bring Matt Ramos to West Lafayette and his coaching helped develop him into Purdue’s 60th All-American and 13th NCAA finalist. In his five seasons on staff, he has coached seven All-Americans, 32 NCAA qualifiers, and 26 Big Ten placewinners.
The upcoming 2024-25 seasons will be Vega’s sixth with the Boilermakers. Before joining the program, he spent eight years as the head coach of his alma mater Portage High School in northwestern Indiana. During his span as head coach, Vega had 41 Indiana High School Athletic Association state tournament qualifiers, with 10 appearing in the finals and three Portage wrestlers claiming an individual title. In 2015, the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association named Vega its coach of the year.
Vega wrestled collegiately at Minnesota from 1999 to 2002 and scattered his name throughout the legendary program. Individually, Vega earned All-America honors three times at 125 pounds and captured the Big Ten Conference 125-pound title in 2002. His performances helped the Gophers win three Big Ten team titles and back-to-back NCAA team titles in 2001 and 2002.
PURDUE TRACK
BOILERMAKERS PRIMED FOR NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
EUGENE, Ore. – The 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships will conclude the 2023-24 season for the Purdue track & field team on June 5 and 7 in Euguene, Oregon.
The Boilermakers earned five entries at the national championship meet, which returns to the new Hayward Field for the third time in the last four seasons. The Old Gold and Black will be represented by graduate students Cameron Miller (200-meter) and Safin Wills (triple jump), junior Praise Aniamaka (triple jump), sophomore Seth Allen (discus) and the men’s 4×400 relay.
The championships begin on Wednesday, June 5, with the 200-meter semifinal at 9:44 p.m. ET / 6:44 p.m. PT and the 4×400 semifinal at 10:48 p.m. ET / 7:48 p.m. PT. The second day of the men’s competition is on Friday, June 7. The discus will get Purdue’s day started at 8:35 p.m. ET / 5:35 p.m. MT, followed by the triple jump at 9:20 p.m. ET / 6:20 p.m. PT. The 200m final is scheduled for 10:37 p.m. ET / 7:37 p.m. PT and the 4×400 final is at 11:21 p.m. ET / 8:21 p.m. PT.
Fans unable to cheer on the Boilermakers in person can follow along with live results and watch all of the action live on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Additional NCAA Championships information, including the complete schedule, is available at NCAA.com. Updates from Eugene can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Direct links to follow along also are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
Purdue has five entries at this week’s national championships, up from three a year ago. The Boilermakers’ five men’s qualifiers is tied for second-most among Big Ten programs.
The NCAA Championships feature 24 entries in each event, 12 who qualified from the NCAA East First Round and 12 from the west. Purdue’s five entries all earned national championships berths in Lexington, Kentucky, from May 22-25.
SETH ALLEN: DISCUS
Allen qualified for his first NCAA Championships and will compete in the discus on Friday at 8:35 p.m. ET. He is the No. 17 seed and earned a spot in the second of two flights. Allan advanced to nationals with a throw of 57.87 meters to finish sixth at the NCAA First Round on May 24. The Austell, Georgia, native owns the second-best discus mark in school history, as a 60.95m-throw won him the Big Ten title on May 12.
PRAISE ANIAMAKA: TRIPLE JUMP
The back-to-back Big Ten champion in the triple jump, Aniamaka will compete at his third national championship meet and second outdoors. He is the No. 12 seed on Friday at 9:20 p.m. ET in flight one. Aniamaka earned his trip to Oregon when he was seventh at the first round with a jump of 15.93m on May 24. He won his second Big Ten title with a meet-record jump of 16.49m on May 12, which moved him up to No. 2 in Purdue’s record book. The Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, native was ninth nationally at each of his previous two NCAA appearances, outdoors in 2023 and indoors earlier this season.
CAMERON MILLER: 200m
The school record-holder both indoors and outdoors in the 200m, Miller improved his record time to qualify for his fourth NCAA Championships on May 24. As the No. 12 seed, Miller races in the 200m semifinal on Wednesday at 9:44 p.m. ET in heat three, lane four. The final is on Friday at 10:43 p.m. ET. Miller qualified for nationals in 20.25, ninth overall at the east prelims. Indoors earlier this year, Miller earned First Team All-America honors in the 200m, and he also was eighth outdoors and fourth indoors in 2023 at nationals in the 200m. From Dallas, Texas, Miller is a four-time First Team All-American. A 19.97-w won him a Big Ten title on May 12.
SAFIN WILLS: TRIPLE JUMP
Wills qualified for his third NCAA Championships in the triple jump and competes on Friday at 9:20 p.m. ET. Seeded No. 14, he is in the first flight after a jump of 15.91m was eighth at the NCAA First Round on May 24. Wills was 15th nationally in the triple jump and 20th in the long jump in 2022, and he reached nationals in the triple jump in 2021 and was 22nd. From Rock Hall, St. Andrew, Jamaica, Wills was fifth at Big Tens in the triple jump with a mark of 15.95m on May 12 that put his name in the record book at No. 8 all-time.
MEN’S 4X400 RELAY
The men’s 4×400 relay team broke the school record to punch their nationals ticket on May 24. Seeded 18th, the Boilermakers run in the semifinal on Wednesday at 10:48 p.m. ET in heat two, lane three. The final is on Friday at 11:21 p.m. ET. Junior Brett Otterbacher, Miller, sophomore Connor Czajkowski and freshman Nickens Lemba were 10th at the first round to earn the first of three non-automatic qualifying spots. They ran a school-record 3:03.72, which topped the previous mark of 3:04.74, set in 2016. The time also bested Purdue’s Big Ten bronze medal-winning mark by more than three seconds.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL ADDS HOME GAME WITH BOISE STATE IN 2025
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame football team has announced a matchup with Boise State University on October 4, 2025, in Notre Dame Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the Fighting Irish and Broncos.
A member of the Mountain West Conference, Boise State finished 8-6 in 2023, 6-2 in the MWC and made an appearance in the 2023 LA Bowl against UCLA.
Notre Dame will face Northern Illinois for the first time in 2024 and with the Boise State game now announced, the Irish will have faced or plan to play 90 of the 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams at least once in program history.
Notre Dame is 32-6 all-time against teams that will comprise the Mountain West Conference in 2024 and 16-4 against MWC teams in Notre Dame Stadium.
Kickoff times and network broadcast designation will be announced at a later date.
TE’O, LYGHT EARN SPOTS ON 2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOT
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Storied Notre Dame greats, linebacker Manti Te’o and defensive back Todd Lyght, have been selected to the National Football Foundation’s 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
To be eligible for the ballot, a player must have been recognized as a First Team All-American and have completed his college football career at least ten full seasons ago.
Te’o and Lyght join a group of 77 players and nine coaches from the FBS, and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.
In total, 49 former Irish student-athletes and six former Irish coaches are in the College Football Hall of Fame, including Michael Stonebreaker, Notre Dame’s most recent inductee (2023). Notre Dame’s 55 hall of fame members are the most of any institution in the country.
Te’o was a unanimous First Team All-American in 2012, and the first player in history to sweep the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Bednarik, Butkus, Lombardi and Nagurski awards in the same season. He was the first exclusively defensive player to finish in the top two of the Heisman voting since 1980, and led Notre Dame to a national championship appearance in his senior season.
Te’o is one of 11 NFF National Scholar-Athletes on the 2025 ballot, having earned the honor in 2012. He was selected with the 38th-overall pick (second round) of the 2013 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.
Lyght was a two-time First Team All-American, with unanimous honors in 1989 and a consensus nod in 1990. He helped lead Notre Dame to the 1988 National Championship and an appearance in the 1991 national championship. He was a finalist for the Thorpe Award in 1989, and his eight interceptions that season still rank tied for third in Irish records.
Lyght was the fifth-overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.
The announcement of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2025, with specific details to be announced in the future.
BUTLER TRACK
HAMLIN, LE PALLEC AND CUTHBERTSON SET TO TOE THE LINE AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Butler track and field team is ready to race at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Eugene, Ore. Three different Bulldog men will make their first outdoor championship appearances on Wednesday and Friday.
The championships are set to begin on Wednesday and run through Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene. Each event will have 24 student-athletes that feature 12 qualifiers from the East First Round in Lexington, Ky., and 12 coming from the West First Round in Fayetteville, Ark.
The men will run on Wednesday and Friday, while the women will compete on Thursday and Saturday.
ESPN+ will stream a majority of the action from Eugene with links available on ButlerSports.com. The competition will also be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks.
Wednesday, June 5
William Cuthbertson will kick off competition for the Bulldogs in the 800-meter semifinal beginning at 9:14 p.m. ET.
Cuthbertson qualified for the championships after breaking a new program record of 1:46.51 in the 800-meter finals at the NCAA East First Round in Lexington. The graduate student didn’t earn an automatic bid but ran the next three fastest times to place 10th in the event.
Florian Le Pallec advanced to the finals in the 10,000 meters after placing ninth at the NCAA East First Round in 29:20.01. The Bulldogs will be racing in the 10K finals for the fourth consecutive season after former All-American Barry Keane made appearances in the event the last three seasons (2021-2023).
Le Pallec will look to cap off his incredible season in the 10K on Wednesday at 10:08 p.m. ET.
Friday, June 7
Jesse Hamlin will round out the Bulldog competitors in the 5,000 meters. Hamlin punched his ticket to Eugene after posting a time of 13:53.35 to place sixth in the NCAA East First Round.
Hamlin will look to carry the momentum into Friday night with the race slated to start at 10:55 p.m. ET.
Daily Schedule
Wednesday
Men’s 800-meter Semifinal – 9:14 p.m. ET
William Cuthbertson (11th, 1:46.51)
Men’s 10,000-meter Finals – 10:08 p.m. ET
Florian Le Pallec (21st, 29:20.01)
Friday
Men’s 5,000-meter Finals – 10:55 p.m. ET
Jesse Hamlin (17th, 13:53.35)
IU-INDIANAPOLIS MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL ADDS GRADUATE TRANSFER TO INCOMING CLASS
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball program rounded out its signing class this week as the Jaguars signed graduate transfer Briggs McClain (Martinsburg, W.Va. / St. Maria Goretti Catholic / Manhattan) to financial documents to join the program. McClain, a 6-foot-4 guard, played at Manhattan last season after playing his first three seasons at Hartford. The West Virginia-native will have one final season of eligibility, beginning this fall.
“We’re super excited to add Briggs to the program. He brings a ton of Division I experience and is a little different than some of the other guards we have on the roster. He’s a bigger point guard that brings a bit of a change of pace offensively, but that can also knock down shots from the perimeter,” head coach Paul Corsaro said. “He’s played a lot of college basketball, so he’s a guy that’s comfortable with the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. He’s going to give us a steady influence and provide a ton of leadership and direction for some of our younger guys.”
McClain appeared in 23 games at Manhattan last season, averaging 5.7 points in 18.0 minutes per game. He shot 40 percent from the floor and 78.1 percent from the free throw line while scoring in double-digits twice for the Jaspers. McClain began his career at Hartford, playing three seasons for the Hawks before they moved to Division III after the 2022-23 season. He enjoyed a breakout year at Hartford as a junior, averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game while shooting 41.9 percent overall and 35.1 percent from three-point range. He scored 20-or-more seven times that season with a season-high 24 points against Sacred Heart.
All total, McClain has played in 90 career games and averaged 7.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game for his collegiate career. He becomes the program’s 13th new addition for the upcoming 2024-25 season and tenth transfer to join the program.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL STAFF FINALIZED AS COACH GRAVES BRINGS ON BRADLEY FEIG
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball head coach Matthew Graves finalizes his staff with the hiring of assistant coach Bradley Feig.
Feig comes directly from the University of New Orleans, where he has spent the last seven years between earning his degree before joining the men’s basketball staff. He was the Director of Basketball Operations/On-Campus Recruiting the last two years, and prior to that served as the Video & Analytics Coordinator/Internal Operations for two years. In 2020, Feig earned his undergraduate degree from UNO in marketing then furthered his education by earning his MBA in business administration in December 2021, earning Summa Cum Laude honors on both.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Bradley to ISU as he checks numerous boxes for me in this position,” said Coach Graves, “due to his work ethic and wealth of knowledge from the technology standpoint from creating PowerPoints, film edits, graphics, etc. His knowledge of analytics in helping with self-scouting and opponent scouting will greatly enhance our ability to be efficient. Bradley’s ability to work with administrators is outstanding as he will be helping with various administrative duties in his role along with recruiting on campus.”
In the last two seasons at UNO, Feig has managed the team’s operations, facilitated the program’s fundraising efforts, and coordinated volunteer and life skills programming and execution. In the two years prior, he managed video components and assisted with scouting, including video scouting reports and statistical and analytical breakdowns of the opponents.
Throughout his time in undergrad, Feig spent his three years as a student assistant for the UNO basketball team, assisting in all aspects from player development, video scouting, and gameday management.
“I’m extremely thankful to Coach Graves for the opportunity to join his staff at Indiana State University,” said Feig. “I am elated to join the Sycamore family and the great Wabash Valley community. The passion of the ISU fanbase is second to none. Being immersed in the basketball rich state of Indiana is an experience that I’m looking forward to. I am excited to get to work and help bring more championships home to Terre Haute.”
In his years overseeing community service, the team ranked No. 1 nationally in 2020 and No. 5 nationally in 2023 in these efforts among all division I men’s basketball programs. Feig also played an instrumental role in player development of nine all-conference selections, including first team all-conference selections Derek St. Hilaire and Troy Green in 2022, as well as Jordan Johnson. Johnson led the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage in 2023 and was an all-conference selection in 2023 and 2024.
UINDY BASEBALL
GREYHOUNDS SEASON ENDS AT WORLD SERIES
CARY, N.C. – The University of Indianapolis baseball team’s season has come to an end at the NCAA DII Championship in Cary, N.C. The Greyhounds battled the No. 3-seeded Catawba Indians early on Tuesday morning, attempting a comeback but falling short with a final score of 15-9.
The Greyhounds send off a truly special group of seniors which have helped bring UIndy back-to-back regional titles for the first time in program history. Those seniors included Drew Donaldson, Zach Fell, Cameron Ginter, Scott Henrich, Jackson Kirkpatrick, Brandon Markarian, Brady Mundell, Logan Peterson, Zach Rana, Blake Sarjent, Dakota Sill, Will Spear, Caleb Vaughn, Luis Vergara, E.J. White, Zack Williams and Nolen Wolf.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
3 – 1
June 5, 1911 – Boston Red Sox pitcher Joe Wood struck out 3 pinch hitters in 9th to preserve the 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
June 5, 1920 – Thomas Shibe, the Philadelphia Athletics Vice President, denied charges that baseballs are livelier than before.
June 5, 1941 – Grappler Sandor Szabo defeated two sports star Bronko Nagurski in St. Louis, to become wrestling champ. Nagurski, who wore Number 3 in football was a back for the NFL’s Chicago Bears and is in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Hall of Fame as he was a champions at both.
June 5, 1948 – Philadelphia Phillies slugger Richie Ashburn, Number 1 set a National League rookie consecutive hitting streak at 23.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
June 5 Football History Headlines
June 5, 1887- Walter Camp suggested a rule change at a Rules Convention meeting that the 2nd Referee on the field (who was charged with the ball) should be called the Umpire. Camp also put in place a method for rules revisions to be requested and revised using a graduate committee that had representation from each member school as well as the team captains.
The Newspaper.com Football History headline is from the St. Louis Star and Times on June 6, 1941 where they had the headline of,
Bronko Nagurski Disqualified in Ring Bout
June 5, 1941- Sandor Szabo becomes the Wrestling Champion after defeating former champ and Pro Football Hall of Fame player Bronko Nagurski. Nagurski is also recognized as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and held the wrestling title multiple times in his second sport. The article says that the referee in the match had warned Nagurski multiple times of illegal tactics of grasping a hold of the ropes and then butting Szabo. The disqualification ended the fight and handed the title to Szabo. Bronko is of course a very colorful player in gridiron history, starring for the Chicago Bears.
June 5, 1952- The first national televised sporting event in the U.S. occurred when the Jersey Joe Walcott versus Ezzard Charles title boxing match aired. It wouldn’t be long until football was broadcast nationally as well. Local broadcasts had first taken place in 1939. Sept 30, 1939 was college’s first locally televised game between Fordham and Waynesburg and the NFL local debut to TV was in the NYC area on October 22, 1939 in a game that saw the Brooklyn Dodgers face the Philadelphia Eagles. The broadcast of the title fight though did not go off without a hitch. The Morning News of Wilmington, Delaware ran an article on their June 6, 1952 edition that said, Walcott Charles Bout TV Fails at Decision Time. Apparently the broadcast was darn near perfect through the 15 rounds of the fight but then just as the decision was to be announced viewers were cut off from what NBC later described as the television mobile unit losing power. Can you say Heidi Game!
If you want to be able to be able to read through some old articles like The St. Louis Star and Times, you need to check out Newspapers.com. At Newspapers.com, you can get access to over 640 million pages’ worth of news from the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and more dating back from 1798 to yesterday. Get a free one week subscription to Newspapers.com by visiting SportsHistoryNetwork.com/newspapers. And with a paid subscription, you’ll also be helping to support the production of this and other Sports History Network shows.
June 5 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
June 5, 1920 – Marion Motley is a Pro Football Hall of Fame fullback and linebacker that played professionally for the Cleveland Browns. Motley was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
June 5, 1925 – Art Donovan Jr. is a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle that played professionally for the Baltimore Colts, New York Yanks and the Dallas Texans during his great career was born.
June 5, 1976 – Gibonsville, North Carolina – Torry Holt is well remembered as the great St. Louis Rams WR that caught passes from Kurt Warner as part of the Greatest Show on Turf. Mr. Holt also excelled as a receiver in college at North Carolina State University. His collegiate accolades are well remembered in the College Hall of Fame after he was induced in 2019. The website Holt Brothers.com shares with us that during his senior year at NC State, Torry was a first-team All-American and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year. He had 88 receptions for 1,604 yards, and a record number of touchdowns for NC State with 16. During his junior year, he set Wolfpack season records with 62 receptions for 1,099 yards, becoming the first player in team history to gain more than 1,000 yards in a season. Torry was the sixth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Rams and was an integral piece of thier prolific offense. And what did Holt do in the NFL well for starters he is the only receiver in NFL history to record 1,300 or more yards in six consecutive seasons. The NFL.com tells us that Torry had 13382 yards receiving and 74 touchdowns during his time in the NFL with both the Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
June 5
1915 — Philadelphia’s Grover Cleveland Alexander lost his no-hitter when Artie Butler punched a single with two outs in the ninth. Alexander struck out Bob Bescher for the final out to beat St. Louis 3-0. Alexander went on to pitch three more one-hitters during the season.
1929 — The Cincinnati Reds scored nine runs in the sixth inning en route to a 21-4 romp over the Chicago Cubs.
1935 — Chicago White Sox rookie John Whitehead loses to St. Louis 2-0. It was his first loss after winning his first eight starts, an AL record for the start of a career.
1949 — Commissioner Happy Chandler lifted the ban on all players who jumped to Mexico, starting in 1946.
1955 — Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees hit a home run off Chicago’s Billy Pierce that traveled about 550 feet. The ball cleared the left-field upper deck at Comiskey Park.
1959 — Pittsburgh’s Dick Stuart hit the longest home run at Forbes Field. Stuart smashed a shot over the center-field wall off Chicago pitcher Glenn Hobbie.
1966 — Leo Cardenas of the Reds hit four home runs in a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs. Cardenas hit two home runs in each game as Cincinnati won the opener 8-3 but dropped the second game 9-5.
1986 — San Diego’s Steve Garvey was ejected for the first time in his career when he argued a play at home plate. Garvey, the on-deck hitter, protested the last out of a triple play by the Atlanta Braves. Television replays showed that Bip Roberts was indeed safe. The Padres lost 4-2.
1989 — The Blue Jays lost their debut in the SkyDome as Glenn Braggs hit a two-run homer to lead the Milwaukee Brewers past Toronto 5-3. The $375 million complex featured a $100 million, four-section, retractable roof.
1997 — Alex Rodriguez of the Mariners became the first Seattle player to hit for the cycle in a nine-inning game. He completed the cycle with a double in the ninth of a 14-6 win at Detroit.
2001 — Colorado pitcher Mike Hampton had two homers, three RBIs and recorded his eighth win as Colorado defeated Houston 9-4.
2008 — Atlanta’s Chipper Jones became the third switch-hitter in major league history to hit 400 career home runs. Jones’ homer off Ricky Nolasco was one of his four hits in the 7-5 comeback win over Florida. Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray were the first two reach the milestone.
2013 — The Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners played the first game in major league history when each team scored five or more runs in the game when it was scoreless through the ninth. Alejandro De Aza and Alex Rios each had an RBI single in the 16th inning, and Chicago won 7-5.
2015 — Oakland’s Pat Venditte became the first pitcher in 20 years to throw with both arms in the same game, but the Boston Red Sox beat the Athletics 4-2 on a night a fan sustained life-threatening injuries when she was struck by a broken bat.
2021 — Team USA secured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics by winning the Americas Olympic Qualifier.
June 6
1918 — Casey Stengel, after being traded by Brooklyn in the offseason, made his return to Ebbets Field a memorable one. In his first at-bat, Stengel called time, stepped out of the batter’s box and doffed his cap. A bird flew out and the fans broke into laughter.
1934 — Myril Hoag hit a major league record six singles in the New York Yankees’ 15-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox.
1939 — The New York Giants hit five home runs in the fourth inning in a 17-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at the Polo Grounds. With two out, Harry Danning, Al Demaree, Burgess Whitehead, Manny Salvo and Joe Moore connected as the Giants scored eight runs in the inning.
1945 — In the first game of a doubleheader, Boston’s Boo Ferriss scattered 14 hits to beat Philadelphia 5-2. Ferris, 8-0 on the year, tied the AL mark held by Chicago’s John Whitehead for wins at the start of a career.
1975 — Cleveland manager Frank Robinson hit two three-run homers in a 7-5 win over the Texas Rangers.
1986 — San Diego Padres manager Steve Boros was ejected before the first pitch of the game with the Atlanta Braves when he tried to give umpire Charlie Williams a videotape of a disputed play in the previous night’s 4-2 loss to Atlanta.
1992 — Eddie Murray drove in two runs at Pittsburgh to pass Mickey Mantle (1,509) as the all-time RBI leader among switch-hitters.
1995 — J.D. Drew of Florida State hit a record-setting three homers in his final three at-bats in a 16-11 loss to Southern California in the College World Series. Drew finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and 12 total bases, also a series record.
1996 — For the second time in major league history and first in the AL, a cycle and a triple play took place in the same game. Boston’s John Valentin hit for the cycle, while Chicago turned a triple play in the Red Sox’s 7-4 victory. In 1931, Philadelphia’s Chuck Klein hit for the cycle in the same game that the Phillies turned a triple play against the Chicago Cubs.
2000 — The Rally Monkey is born, thanks to the Anaheim Angels’ video crew playing a clip from the 1994 film Ace Ventura, Pet Detective on the JumboTron. With the words Rally Monkey superimposed over a monkey jumping up and down in the Jim Carrey movie, the crowd goes wild as the Angels score two runs in the bottom of the 9th to beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5.
2003 — Insisting the corked bat, designed to put on home run displays during batting practice, was accidentally used in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is suspended for eight games by Major League Baseball. Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president of on-field operations, agrees that the Cubs outfielder’s use of an illegal bat was an “isolated incident,” but one that still deserves a penalty.
2007 — Trevor Hoffman became the first major leaguer with 500 career saves when he closed out the San Diego Padres’ 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2017 — Scooter Gennett hit four home runs, matching the major league record, and finished with 10 RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 13-1. Gennett became the 17th player to homer four times in one game.
2022 — Eduardo Escobar hits for the cycle in an 11-5 win over the Padres; he is the first Mets player to do so since Scott Hairston in 2012, and the first player for any team to accomplish the feat at Petco Park.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
June 5
1884 — James McLaughlin becomes the first jockey to win three straight Belmont Stakes when he rides Panique to victory. He won with George Kinney (1883) and Forester (1882). McLaughlin repeats his feat in 1886-88. McLaughlin’s triple is matched by jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. in 1984.
1925 — Willie McFarlane beats Bobby Jones by one stroke in the second round of a playoff to capture the U.S. Open. Macfarlane shoots a 291 at Worcester (Mass.) Country Club.
1927 — Johnny Weissmuller sets 100-yard & 200-yard free-style swim record.
1937 — War Admiral, ridden by Charles Kurtsinger, wins the Triple Crown with a three-length victory over Sceneshifter in the Belmont Stakes.
1943 — Count Fleet, ridden by Johnny Longden, wins the Triple Crown by 25 lengths in the Belmont Stakes. Count Fleet goes at off at 1-20 odds in a race with no place or show betting.
1952 — Jersey Joe Walcott scores a 15-round unanimous decision over Ezzard Charles in Philadelphia to retain the world heavyweight title.
1961 — The newly formed American Basketball League adopts the 3-point field goal.
1977 — The Portland Trail Blazers hold off the Philadelphia 76ers 109-107 to win the NBA championship in six games. Portland becomes the first team in the 31-year history of the league to win four straight after losing the first two games.
1985 — Steve Cauthen wins the Epsom Derby aboard Slip Anchor and became the only American jockey to win both the English Derby and Kentucky Derby. Cauthen had ridden Affirmed to victory in the 1978 Kentucky Derby.
1993 — Julie Krone guides Colonial Affair to victory in the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race.
1994 — Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Sergi Bruguera produce the best day of tennis in Spanish history. Sanchez Vicario beats Mary Pierce 6-4, 6-4 in the French Open final and Bruguera retains his title by defeating another Spaniard, Alberto Berasategui, 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.
1999 — Steffi Graf wins her sixth French Open title and her first Grand Slam championship in almost three years, beating top-ranked Martina Hingis 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
1999 — Charismatic loses his bid to become the 12th Triple Crown winner when he fractures his left front cannon bone and sesamoid while finishing third to Lemon Drop Kid in the Belmont Stakes.
2004 — Smarty Jones loses his Triple Crown bid and his perfect record when Birdstone runs him down near the finish of a thrilling Belmont Stakes. Birdstone, a 36-1 long shot ridden by Edgar Prado, returns $74, $14 and $8.60.
2005 — Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal beats unseeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina in four sets to win the French Open men’s singles title. The No. 4-seeded Nadal becomes the youngest men’s Grand Slam champion since Pete Sampras won the U.S. Open at 19 in 1990.
2011 — Rafael Nadal wins his record-equaling sixth French Open title, beating Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1 in the final.
2016 — Novak Djokovic becomes the first man in nearly a half-century to win four consecutive major championships and finally earned elusive French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
2021 — Luis Saez rides Essential Quality to wins the 153rd Belmont Stakes.
June 6
1919 — Man o’ War wins his first race, a 5-furlong contest over a straightaway at Belmont Park. The 3-to-5 favorite wins by six lengths, covering the distance in 59 seconds.
1924 — Cyril Walker captures the U.S. Open with a three-stroke victory over Bobby Jones.
1936 — Granville, ridden by James Stout, wins the Belmont Stakes by a neck over Mr. Bones. Bold Venture, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, does not run in the race.
1946 — The National Basketball Association is founded at the Commodore Hotel in New York.
1966 — NFL & AFL announce their merger.
1969 — Joe Namath resigns from NFL after Pete Rozelle, football commissioner, said he must sell his stake in a bar.
1976 — 30th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Phoenix Suns, 4 games to 2.
1981 — Summing, ridden by George Martins, wins the Belmont Stakes, spoiling Pleasant Colony’s Triple Crown bid.
1987 — Bet Twice, ridden by Craig Perret, breezes to a 14-length victory in the Belmont Stakes to deny Alysheba the Triple Crown. Alysheba is a distant fourth.
1987 — West Germany’s Steffi Graf, eight days shy of her 18th birthday, becomes the youngest women’s champion of the French Open when she beats Martina Navratilova 6-4, 4-6, 8-6.
1992 — NY Mets first baseman Eddie Murray records his 1,510th run batted in during 15-1 thrashing of Pittsburgh Pirates to pass Mickey Mantle as all-time RBI leader among MLB switch-hitters.
1998 — Real Quiet is denied the Triple Crown when Victory Gallop edges him at the wire in the Belmont Stakes.
1999 — Andre Agassi rallies to win the French Open and become the fifth man to complete a career Grand Slam. After losing the first two sets, Agassi surges back to beat Andrei Medvedev 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Agassi won the 1992 Wimbledon, 1994 U.S. Open and 1995 Australian Open.
1999 — Juli Inkster wins the U.S. Women’s Open with a 16-under 272, the lowest 72-hole score in the championship’s 54-year history.
2007 — The Anaheim Ducks capture the Stanley Cup with a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, ending the series in five games.
2007 — Trevor Hoffman becomes the first major leaguer with 500 career saves when he closes out the San Diego Padres’ 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
2010 — Rafael Nadal wins his fifth French Open title and avenges his lone Roland Garros defeat, beating Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Nadal improves to 38-1 at Roland Garros, with the only loss to Soderling in the fourth round a year ago.
2011 — The Bowl Championship Series strips the Southern California Trojans of their 2004 title, leaving that season without a BCS champion. BCS officials vacated the championship after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year for rules violations committed during the 2004 and ’05 seasons.
2015 — American Pharoah leads all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 5½ lengths, becoming the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The bay colt, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Victor Espinoza, is the 12th horse and first since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown.
2015 — Serena Williams overcomes a mid-match lull and a third-set deficit to win her third French Open title and 20th major singles trophy by beating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2.
2015 — Tiger Woods hits a new low with the highest score of his career — an 85 in the Memorial at Muirfield Village, the course where he has won eight times. Woods ends his front nine of the third round with back-to-back double bogeys and finishes with a quadruple-bogey 8.
2015 — UEFA Champions League Final, Berlin: FC Barcelona beats Juventus, 3-1 for 5th title and second treble (Spanish La Liga & Cup champions).
2018 — LeBron James passes Michael Jordan’s record of 109 for the most 30-point games in NBA playoff history in a 110-102 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
2023 — In a stunning development, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf League agree to unify to create its own for-profit entity to be run by the PGA Tour and funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
TV SPORTS WEDNESDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| ATLANTA AT BOSTON | 1:35PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS SOUTH NESN MLB.TV FUBO |
| ST. LOUIS AT HOUSTON | 2:10PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS MIDWEST SCHN MLB.TV FUBO |
| CINCINNATI AT COLORADO | 3:10PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS OHIO ROCKIES.TV MLB.TV FUBO |
| SAN FRANCISCO AT ARIZONA | 3:40PM | MLBN NBC SPORTS BAY AREA YURVIEW MLB.TV FUBO |
| MILWAUKEE AT PHILADELPHIA | 4:05PM | BALLY SPORTS WISCONSIN NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA MLB.TV FUBO |
| NY METS AT WASHINGTON | 4:05PM | SNY MASN MLB.TV FUBO |
| LA DODGERS AT PITTSBURGH | 6:40PM | MLBN SNLA ATTSN-PITTSBURGH MLB.TV FUBO |
| TAMPA BAY AT MIAMI | 6:40PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS SUN BALLY SPORTS FLORIDA MLB.TV FUBO |
| KANSAS CITY AT CLEVELAND | 6:40PM | BALLY SPORTS KANSAS CITY BALLY SPORTS GREAT LAKES MLB.TV FUBO |
| MINNESOTA AT NY YANKEES | 7:05PM | BALLY SPORTS NORTH AMAZ PV MLB.TV FUBO |
| BALTIMORE AT TORONTO | 7:07PM | MASN2 SPORTSNET1 MLB.TV FUBO |
| DETROIT AT TEXAS | 8:05PM | BALLY SPORTS DETROIT BALLY SPORTS SOUTHWEST MLB.TV FUBO |
| CHI. WHITE SOX AT CHI. CUBS | 8:05PM | NBC SPORTS CHICAGO MARQ MLB.TV FUBO |
| SAN DIEGO AT LA ANGELS | 9:38PM | FS1,PADRES.TV BALLY SPORTS WEST MLB.TV FUBO |
| SEATTLE AT OAKLAND | 9:40PM | ROOT SPORTS NBC SPORTS CALIFORNIA MLB.TV FUBO |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: DENMARK VS SWEDEN | 1:00PM | FOX SOCCER PLUS FUBO |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: BELGIUM VS MONTENEGRO | 2:30PM | FS2 FUBO |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: FRANCE VS LUXEMBOURG | 3:00PM | VIX |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: SPAIN VS ANDORRA | 3:30PM | VIX |
| MEN’S FRIENDLY: MEXICO VS URUGUAY | 7:30PM | FOX DEPORTES FUBO |
| USL CHAMPIONSHIP: SAN ANTONIO VS EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE | 9:00PM | CBSSN FUBO |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| LAS VEGAS VS DALLAS | 8:00PM | NBATV BALLY SPORTS SOUTHWEST EXTRA SSSEN |
| MINNESOTA VS LOS ANGELES | 10:00PM | SPECTRUM BALLY SPORTS NORTH EXTRA |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| FRENCH OPEN | 5:00AM | TENNIS |
| FRENCH OPEN | 2:00PM | TENNIS |