CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES
NORTHEASTERN 5 WINCHESTER 2
MITCHELL 8 BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 4
WAPAHANI 3 DALEVILLE 0
RANDOLPH SOUTHERN 9 SETON CATHOLIC 4
MUNCIE CENTRAL 4 MONROE CENTRAL 3
MISSISSINEWA 8 MADISON GRANT 5
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON 6 CRISPUS ATTUCKS 4
KNIGHTSTOWN 27 WALDRON 1
TRI 12 SOUTH DECATUR 1
LAWRENCEBURG 10 N. DECATUR 7
WARREN CENTRAL 9 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 1
NORTH CENTRAL 7 BEN DAVIS 0
SCECINA 4 RITTER 2
LAWRENCE NORTH 11 PIKE 0
TRADERS POINT 5 IRVINGTON PREP 4
PARK TUDOR 17 BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 0
PURDUE POLY NORTH 18 LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 3
BREBEUF 9 UNIVERSITY 3
SHELBYVILLE 8 NEW CASTLE 2
UNION CITY 13 LINCOLN 0
GREENWOOD 5 FRANKLIN 2
SULLIVAN 6 CLOVERDALE 4
TRITON CENTRAL 23 MONROVIA 6
GREENSBURG 6 UNION COUNTY 4
INDIANAPOLIS GENESIS 16 INDIANA DEAF 5
FRANKTON 13 ALEXANDRIA MONROE 3
BATESVILLE 11 HAUSER 0
INDIANAPOLIS KINGS 12 EASTERN HANCOCK 2
SHENANDOAH 2 LAPEL 0
HAGERSTOWN 6 CENTERVILLE 5
TRI-WEST 9 DANVILLE 5
GREENCASTLE 10 BROWN COUNTY 5
NEW PALESTINE 8 PENDLETON HEIGHTS 1
CENTER GROVE 11 BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 1
MOUNT VERNON 5 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 3
MOORESVILLE 9 PLAINFIELD 1
LAFAYETTE JEFF 4 FISHERS 1
GUERIN CATHOLIC 15 RONCALLI 5
MARTINSVILLE 4 DECATUR CENTRAL 3
NOBLESVILLE 4 KOKOMO 0
WES DEL 8 COWAN 0
CATHEDRAL 5 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 1
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/BASEBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/9/2023
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES
UNION COUNTY 6 LINCOLN 3
IRVINGTON PREP 17 GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 7
DALEVILLE 28 ANDERSON 6
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE 7 SEYMOUR 4
TRITON CENTRAL 22 RITTER 1
PARK TUDOR 9 BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 8
LAWRENCE NORTH 8 PIKE 2
RUSHVILLE 7 FRANKLIN COUNTY 5
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 4 BEECH GROVE 2
MOUNT VERNON 11 SHENANDOAH 5
INDIAN CREEK 1 N. PUTNAM 0
BISHOP CHATARD 12 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 2
TRI 7 WINCHESTER 1
CENTERVILLE 5 KNIGHTSTOWN 4
SULLIVAN 23 CLOVERDALE 1
RONCALLI 2 SHELBYVILLE 0
FRANKLIN 4 GREENWOOD 3
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 12 GUERIN CATHOLIC 0
TRI-WEST 9 DANVILLE 2
HERRON 25 TRADERS POINT 9
NORTHEASTERN 3 UNION CITY 2
BREBEUF 12 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 2
YORKTOWN 10 NEW CASTLE 0
NORTH CENTRAL 15 BEN DAVIS 0
WESTFIELD 1 HAMILTON SE 0
AVON 5 ZIONSVILLE 3
MOORESVILLE 3 PLAINFIELD 1
CONNERSVILLE 13 LAWRENCEBURG 3
COLUMBUS NORTH 7 BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 1
BROWNSBURG 10 NOBLESVILLE 7
PENDLETON HEIGHTS 4 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 0
MARTINSVILLE 4 DECATUR CENTRAL 3
FRANKLIN CENTRAL 3 FISHERS 2
BLOOMINGTON NORTH 7 SOUTHPORT 3
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/SOFTBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/9/2023
NBA PLAYOFFS
PHILADELPHIA 115 BOSTON 103
DENVER 118 PHOENIX 102
NHL PLAYOFFS
CAROLINA 6 NEW JERSEY 1
DALLAS 6 SEATTLE 3
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA 8 TORONTO 4
ATLANTA 9 BOSTON 3
SAN DIEGO 6 MINNESOTA 1
CLEVELAND 2 DETROIT 0
BALTIMORE 4 TAMPA BAY 2
NY YANKEES 10 OAKLAND 5
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4 KANSAS CITY 2
HOUSTON 3 LA ANGELS 1
SEATTLE 5 TEXAS 0
COLORADO 10 PITTSBURGH 1
CINCINNATI 7 NY METS 6
LA DODGERS 6 MILWAUKEE 2
ST. LOUIS 6 CHICAGO CUBS 4
MIAMI 6 ARIZONA 2
SAN FRANCISCO 4 WASHINGTON 1
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 7 BUTLER 6
VALPO 9 WESTERN MICHIGAN 6
INDIANA STATE 11 BALL STATE 1
EVANSVILLE 6 BELLARMINE 5
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
EMBIID SCORES 33, 76ERS BEAT CELTICS 115-103 FOR 3-2 LEAD
BOSTON (AP) Having silenced the TD Garden crowd and put the defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics on the brink of a second-round exit, 76ers players barely cracked a smile as they walked off the court.
“It’s not over. We have to get one more,” Joel Embiid said. “All of us. We have to show up.”
They’ll soon get that chance.
Embiid scored 33 points and Philadelphia easily took a 3-2 lead in the East semifinals, beating Boston 115-103 on Tuesday night.
The 76ers led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter as home fans booed the Celtics, and can close out the series and advance to the conference finals when they host Game 6 on Thursday night. Philadelphia hasn’t reached that stage of the playoffs since 2001.
“What we did tonight, it’s easier said than done. But we have to do it again,” Embiid said.
It was the third straight 30-point game in the series for the reigning MVP, who used his full array offensive weapons to pick apart the Celtics defense. He also had seven rebounds, four blocks and three 3-pointers.
Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and six 3-pointers. James Harden finished with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Coach Doc Rivers likened Harden’s play to that of a catcher in baseball calling the perfect game, putting his teammates in optimal position while also scoring big buckets in key moments.
Rivers said it helped his team endure each of Boston’s attempts to get back into the game.
“You just have breathe through it and our guys did that,” Rivers said.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 36 points but was just 11 of 27 from the field. Jaylen Brown finished with 24 points. The Celtics went 12 of 38 from the 3-point line.
“I think we just didn’t have it today,” Tatum said.
If there’s any solace for Boston, it’s that the Celtics survived this exact scenario last year in this round, overcoming a 3-2 deficit to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks.
“If you’re not willing to get dirty, if you’re not willing to pretty much bleed, if you’re not willing to break something…then you shouldn’t be on that court,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. “Because that’s what it is. That’s what the playoffs are about.”
The previous two occasions the 76ers were in a second-round series that was tied 2-2, they were blown out in Game 5 – a 36-point loss to Toronto in 2019 and 35-point loss to Miami last season.
Not this time.
The 76ers led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter and took an 88-72 lead into the fourth.
A quick flurry by the Celtics cut the deficit to 11, but Philadelphia responded with a 10-2 run to push it back up to 102-83.
It was 105-89 when Brown got free on a fast break and attempted to drop in a layup. But Embiid, who stayed in pursuit, was there to swat it away.
Philadelphia made a concerted effort to get the ball to Embiid in the post from the outset. He was able to knock down midrange jumpers, helping to open the floor for his teammates as Boston’s big men were pulled out of the paint.
Meanwhile, the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout.
The 76ers enjoyed an early rebounding advantage and had success with Embiid running pick-and-roll sets at Al Horford. It led to scoring opportunities for Embiid and contributed to Philadelphia building a 15-point lead in the first half.
Tatum missed his first six attempts before hitting a runner with 5:48 left in the second quarter. He finished the first half with 15 points but was just 3 of 11 from the field (1 of 6 from 3-point range).
Boston eventually cobbled together a 10-0 run to cut into the deficit, but Philadelphia settled down and went into halftime with a 58-49 lead.
Harden said the Sixers’ mindset heading back home with a chance to closeout the series is clear.
“Don’t think too much of it, just go out there and play our brand of basketball,” he said.
TIP-INS
76ers: Embiid had 21 first-half points, going 9 for 9 from the free throw line.
Celtics: Their 103 points were their fewest of this postseason. … Boston shot 5 of 19 from beyond the arc in the opening 24 minutes.
STREAKING
Embiid’s three consecutive 30-point games is tied for his longest streak within a postseason in his career. The only other players in franchise history with longer streaks are Allen Iverson (five in 2001) and Wilt Chamberlain (four in 1965).
NUGGETS BEAT SUNS 118-102 IN GAME 5 TO REGAIN SERIES LEAD
DENVER (AP) Nikola Jokic had a triple-double after making up with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Michael Porter Jr. sank five 3-pointers to help the Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix 118-102 on Tuesday night for a 3-2 series lead.
Joker had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in NBA history.
“To be honest, I just like to win the game, so whatever it takes,” said Jokic, who was coming off a career-best 53-point performance in Game 4.
Game 6 is Thursday night in Phoenix.
“If we play the way we did today,” Jokic said, “we’re going to have a chance” to close out the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the NBA bubble in 2020.
The Suns are confident they can shake this one off just like they did in bouncing back from two losses in Denver last week.
“Yeah. I’ve been in here a couple of times now,” Phoenix star Devin Booker said. “I love it. Every game has is its own character. Every game is its own movie, its own different preparation and everything to go with it. We’re going watch over film, see how we can be better for Game 6.”
The home team has won every game in the series. If that holds true again, the decisive winner-take-all clash will come Sunday back in Denver, where the top-seeded Nuggets own the NBA’s best home record at 40-7, including 6-0 in the playoffs.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone devised a five-point plan for the Nuggets to regain control of the series after losing two in Phoenix: patch up their transition defense, slow down Booker, get more from his bench, unleash MPJ and knock down open 3s.
Check, check, check, check and check.
Porter bounced back from a quiet night in Game 4 with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from long range. Denver outscored Phoenix 31-23 in fast-break points; Booker scored 28 points but missed 11 of 19 shots; Bruce Brown boosted the Nuggets’ bench with 25 points and the Nuggets sank 13 of 27 from long range.
Jamal Murray added 19 points for Denver, and Kevin Durant chipped in 26 points for Phoenix but also had an uncharacteristic five turnovers.
The Nuggets turned a three-point halftime lead into a 91-74 cushion with a domiinant third quarter in which Jokic made seven of eight shots for 17 points and Booker was just 1-for-8 for 3 points.
The chippiness of the series reached a new level in the final minute of the third quarter when Nuggets swingman Brown antagonized the Suns as they huddled up on the court and Durant gave Jokic a forearm shiver. A double technical was assessed on Durant and Brown.
“Just to see what they were drawing up,” Jokic said when asked why he and Brown were spying on the Suns.
Durant called the dust-up “absolutely nothing, it wasn’t anything serious. They were excited, they were up big and we were trying to draw up some stuff. So, it was nothing.”
So, no need for a hug and a handshake next time they play.
Before this game, Jokic shared a warm pregame embrace – and the basketball – with Ishbia 48 hours after their kerfuffle over a loose ball in Phoenix in Game 4 resulted in a technical foul and a $25,000 fine for the Nuggets big man.
“I was hoping he was going to pay my fine,” Jokic cracked after the game.
“I think he’s just making light of a situation that was way overblown,” Malone said. “The NBA handled it the right way and I give their owner, Mat Ishbia, a lot of credit when he came out after the game and said, ‘Listen, I don’t want anyone to be suspended. Let’s let the players decide this on the court.’ So, kudos to him for that.
“But yeah, I think it just speaks to Nikola’s personality and him being a little bit of a smart (aleck).”
The NBA had stickers placed on the first several rows of seats – including Ishbia’s – reminding spectators, especially those close to the action, of its fan code of conduct policy and a reminder that violations could result in ejection and revocation of tickets.
TIP-INS
Suns: Seated courtside alongside Ishbia was Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker, derisively known in much of Colorado as “Midnight Mel” for his departure from the Buffaloes job only hours after telling boosters he was in Boulder to stay.
Nuggets: This marked the first game in the series that the leader after one quarter held on to win the game. … Among the VIPs in attendance was Broncos new head coach Sean Payton, his quarterback Russell Wilson and John Calipari, who coached Booker and Murray at Kentucky.
HURRICANES HAVE 5-GOAL 2ND, ROUT DEVILS 6-1 FOR 3-1 LEAD
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) All the Carolina Hurricanes needed to push the New Jersey Devils to the brink of elimination was a five-minute span in the second period where everything went right and the puck just kept going in.
Jordan Martinook had a goal and two assists and the Hurricanes scored five times in the middle period to beat the Devils 6-1 on Tuesday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Hurricanes have outscored New Jersey 17-3 in their three wins. The five goals in the second period were the most the Devils have given up in a period this season.
“The game was decided in a five-minute span and the rest of the game was ehhh,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
Martin Necas scored twice and Brett Pesce, Jesper Fast and Brent Burns added goals as the Hurricanes routed the young Devils for the third time in four games. Frederik Andersen made 21 saves in a relatively easy game after giving up an early goal to Jack Hughes.
The Hurricanes, who edged the Devils for the Metropolitan Division title, can wrap up the best-of-seven series Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“We did what we wanted to do,” said Carolina captain Jordan Staal, who had two assists. “It’s great to see everyone contributing and winning battles.”
Despite being down 2-1, New Jersey seemed to have the momentum coming into Game 4. It posted an 8-4 win Sunday and had things and the crowd going their way after Hughes’ early tip for his sixth goal of the postseason.
Things changed late in the opening period when Martinook set up Necas with a deft flip pass for shot in close that beat Vitek Vanecek.
Everything went the Hurricanes way in the second period. They got a couple of friendly bounces off Devils’ sticks, and then poured it on as a time out by New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff and later a goaltender change to first-round hero Akira Schmid didn’t change the luck.
“We had guys that just went rogue,” Ruff said. “It’s hard to explain how poorly we skated and handled the puck. You can’t let one goal deflate a team. We didn’t skate.”
Martinook, who didn’t score a point in the six-game first-round win over the Islanders, was at the center of things in the big second period, which featured the first four goals in a 5:20 span.
Necas put Carolina ahead at 7:26 when Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler deflected a cross-ice pass by Pesce and it went to the Carolina forward alone in front.
Martinook, who has nine points in this series, had a hand in the final two goals. He had the secondary assist on Burns’ first of the postseason at 12:46.
Martinook closed out the five-goal spree by beating Schmid on a break at 19:36.
“It’s good to contribute but being up 3-1 and going home is the main thing,” Martinook said. “In Game 3 we hung him out to dry (Andersen) and tonight we slowly took over the game.”
Vanecek allowed five goals on 17 shots.
Hughes got the Devils on the board at 1:55, tipping Timo Meier’s shot between Andersen’s pads for his sixth goal. Necas tied at 17:40 in close.
The second period changed the series.
“It obviously took the wind out of our sails,” Devils defenseman Damon Severson said. “It’s not fun to fall back like that.”
NOTES: The Devils made no changes in their lineup after their one-sided win on Sunday. Ruff again used seven defenseman. … New Jersey D Ryan Graves missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. … Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour made one changing, sitting Jesse Puljujarvi and inserting MacKenzie MacEachern on the fourth line. … Martinook has three goals and six assists in the series. D Jaccob Slavin got a point to pass Kevin Dineen and move into fifth place (32) in playoff scoring in Whalers-Canes history
JOE PAVELSKI SCORES 6TH OF SERIES, STARS TOP KRAKEN 6-3
SEATTLE (AP) Joe Pavelski, Max Domi and Miro Heiskanen refused to let the Dallas Stars have two straight dud performances.
“This team doesn’t have two bad games in a row,” Domi said. “We showed that tonight.”
Pavelski scored his sixth goal of the series as part of a four-goal second period for Dallas and the Stars routed the Seattle Kraken 6-3 on Tuesday night in Game 4 to even the Western Conference semifinal series.
After a pair of tight games in Dallas to open the series, Games 3 and 4 in Seattle were blowouts. The Kraken rolled to a 7-2 win in Game 3 and the Stars responded with their best performance of the series in a dominant Game 4 victory. Game 5 is Thursday night in Dallas.
“We weren’t ready to play in in Game 3,” said Heiskanen, who returned from a nasty facial cut on his left cheek that knocked him out of Game 3. “Tonight was whole different story and we had a real good effort at the beginning, got the goals, played well.”
Pavelski scored four goals in the series opener, added a fifth in Game 2 and gave the Stars a 4-0 lead midway through the second period of Game 4.
Pavelski’s goal came on a power play after Seattle and challenged for goaltender interference on Domi’s second goal of the playoffs that gave Dallas a 3-0 lead. The challenge failed and Pavelski made Seattle pay on the ensuing power play.
Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said he felt goalie Philipp Grubauer had been bumped twice by Jamie Benn and led to his decision to challenge.
“I have no idea what the hell goalie interference is anymore,” Seattle forward Jared McCann said. “I really don’t. I don’t think anybody does in this league.”
Pavelski’s goal was his 70th career playoff goal, tying him with Steve Yzerman for 19th place. The only active players with more playoff goals are Alex Ovechkin (72) and Sidney Crosby (71).
Benn scored late in the first period to give Dallas the early advantage, just his third goal in his past 23 playoff games, and defenseman Thomas Harley made it 2-0 early in the second period. Harley had one career goal in 40 regular-season games, but beat Grubauer high on the stick side.
Roope Hintz capped Dallas’ big second-period outburst with his sixth of the playoffs at 19:07 of the period.
“We were better everywhere than we were the game before and I think that was the goal,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “When we’re playing well, that’s what we look like. We’re not giving up much, we’re putting pressure on the other team. We fixed a lot of things.”
Seattle’s Jaden Schwartz scored late in the second period to cut it to 4-1 and added a second goal early in the third period. Adam Larsson scored with 4:11 remaining to pull Seattle to 5-3 after Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger had made several key saves earlier in the third period.
Domi scored an empty-net goal with 2:21 left for the Stars.
“We didn’t get to our game until the third period. They had a higher desperation to start the game,” Schwartz said.
Oettinger, who was pulled after allowing five goals on 17 shots in Game 3, had quiet first two periods before some key stops in the third, and finished with 16 saves.
Meanwhile, Grubauer was peppered by Dallas chances from the very start and the damage from the Stars could have been far worse. Grubauer finished with 17 saves on 22 shots and was replaced by Martin Jones for the third period.
WELCOME BACK
Dallas got a boost with the return Heiskanen after he left early in the second period of Game 3 when a puck hit him in the face. Heiskanen had two assists and played 31:02.
“I felt pretty good out there. It didn’t bother me. I felt pretty normal,” Heiskanen said. “It was a nice thing to get minutes up again.”
Seattle didn’t get the same boost from the return of McCann after he missed the previous six playoff games due to injury. McCann was hurt on a late hit from Colorado’s Cale Makar early in Game 4 of the opening round series.
McCann played 13:11.
INJURIES
Dallas’ Mason Marchment was shaken up on a hit in the first period and played just three shifts. The Stars were also down defenseman Jani Hakanpää and forward Ty Dellandrea. Hakanpää was out with a lower body injury, while Dellandrea was ill and did not participate in morning skate. Seattle was without Daniel Sprong (upper body) after he was injured midway through the second period of Game 3. Hakstol said Sprong was day-to-day.
MLB ROUNDUP: YANKEES BLAST A’S IN AARON JUDGE’S RETURN
Gleyber Torres homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs as the New York Yankees beat the visiting Oakland Athletics 10-5 on Tuesday night.
The Yankees welcomed Aaron Judge back from the 10-game injured list due to a strained right hip and saw him go 0-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Judge scored during New York’s five-run third off Oakland starter Drew Rucinski (0-3) as the Yankees have scored 24 runs in their past three games.
Judge drove in the tying run when his hard grounder went off third baseman Jace Peterson’s glove and Jose Trevino scored in the third inning. Judge then lifted a sacrifice fly in the eighth to round out the scoring. After Judge’s RBI fielder’s choice in the third, Anthony Rizzo, Torres and Harrison Bader followed with RBI singles. Jake Bauers capped the inning by lifting a sacrifice fly, and he later hit a two-run homer in the seventh.
New York’s Clarke Schmidt (1-3) allowed two runs on five hits in a career-high six innings for his first career win as a starting pitcher. Jordan Diaz homered in three straight at-bats for the A’s. He hit solo shots in the fourth off Schmidt and seventh off Albert Abreu before connecting for a two-run drive off Greg Weissert in the eighth.
Giants 4, Nationals 1
Casey Schmitt homered in his major league debut, Logan Webb scattered nine hits over seven innings and San Francisco evened a three-game series with visiting Washington by posting a victory.
Mitch Haniger’s two-run double in the first inning gave the Giants a lead they never relinquished en route to their fifth win in the past seven games. Schmitt launched a 420-foot bomb to center field in his second look at Nationals starter Patrick Corbin (1-5), extending the Giants’ lead to 3-0 in the fourth.
Webb (3-5) took a shutout into the sixth before a double by Joey Meneses and single by Dominic Smith got the visitors within 3-1. But the Giants ace escaped a two-on, one-out jam. Webb allowed one run and one walk while striking out seven.
Astros 3, Angels 1
Framber Valdez went eight strong innings and Martin Maldonado hit a two-run home run against his former team as Houston earned a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif., handing Shohei Ohtani his first loss of the season in the process.
Valdez (3-4) gave up one run on three hits over 99 pitches with no walks and 12 strikeouts to end a two-start losing streak. Ohtani (4-1) gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings with two walks and seven strikeouts for the Angels as he took the loss for the first time since his final start of the 2022 season.
Ohtani’s strikeout of Jeremy Pena in the second inning was the Japanese star’s 502nd career whiff on the mound. With Babe Ruth’s career strikeout total at 501 — according to MLB’s official statistics — Ohtani now is the all-time leader in strikeouts by a player with at least 100 career home runs. Los Angeles rookie Zach Neto hit his first career home run.
Guardians 2, Tigers 0
Amed Rosario had four hits and an RBI to help Cleveland to a win against visiting Detroit in the second game of a three-game series.
Cleveland starter Shane Bieber (3-1) threw six shutout innings. He scattered seven hits, struck out a season-high nine and walked one. Tigers starter Michael Lorenzen (1-2) allowed one run and five hits over seven innings. Akil Baddoo and Spencer Torkelson each had three hits for the Tigers, who had won six of seven.
Steven Kwan led off the bottom of the first with a double for the second straight game. He took third on a single by Rosario and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jose Ramirez for a 1-0 lead. Will Brennan led off the eighth with his second hit of the game, stole second and came home on a triple by Rosario to make it 2-0.
Orioles 4, Rays 2
Adley Rutschman hit a two-run homer to back 5 2/3 strong innings by rookie Grayson Rodriguez to lead Baltimore past visiting Tampa Bay.
Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-4 with a run for the Orioles, who ended a season-high, three-game losing streak. Rodriguez (2-0) limited the Rays to two runs, both on solo homers. Felix Bautista threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his eighth save.
Taylor Walls and Wander Franco went deep for the Rays. Zach Eflin (4-1) yielded four runs on seven hits in six innings.
Rockies 10, Pirates 1
Jurickson Profar homered twice and Ryan McMahon hit a two-run triple as visiting Colorado clobbered Pittsburgh.
Charlie Blackmon and Randal Grichuk each added an RBI single for the Rockies, who have won seven of their past nine games. Colorado starter Connor Seabold (1-0) gave up one run and three hits in five innings, with three strikeouts and three walks, for his first major league win.
Pittsburgh starter Luis Ortiz (0-1), just called up to make his 2023 debut, allowed five runs — only two of them earned — and seven hits in five innings, with one walk and one strikeout. Andrew McCutchen hit an RBI single for the Pirates, who have lost eight of nine.
Reds 7, Mets 6
Jonathan India doubled and drove in three runs while TJ Friedl contributed a key two-run triple as Cincinnati held off a late charge from visiting New York for the Reds’ second win in three games despite nearly blowing a 7-1 lead.
Alexis Diaz worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and retired the side in order in the ninth for his seventh save in as many chances. Rookie Francisco Alvarez homered twice, and Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso also went deep for the Mets, who have dropped 12 of 15 to fall a season-worst two games below .500. Alonso is tied for the major league lead with 12 homers.
Before the game, the Mets scratched scheduled starter Max Scherzer due to neck spasms. David Peterson (1-5) was recalled to make a spot start. Cincinnati starter Luke Weaver (1-2) allowed three solo homers, running his total to eight over four starts.
Phillies 8, Blue Jays 4
Nick Castellanos hit a home run, double and single and drove in two runs to lift host Philadelphia past Toronto, ending the Blue Jays’ three-game winning streak.
Brandon Marsh added a two-run double and Alec Bohm had two hits for the Phillies, while starter Aaron Nola (3-2) gave up five hits and two runs with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.
Bo Bichette homered, doubled and knocked in two runs for the Blue Jays. Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah (1-3) tossed 4 2/3 innings and allowed four hits and three runs with one strikeout and four walks.
Braves 9, Red Sox 3
Charlie Morton pitched six strong innings and Sean Murphy drove in four runs to lift Atlanta to a win over visiting Boston in the opener of a two-game series.
Atlanta has won three straight and improved to 6-4 in interleague games. Morton (4-3) allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. He improved his career record against the Red Sox to 8-1.
Boston starter Nick Pivetta (2-3) pitched four innings and allowed a season-high seven runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts. His career record dropped to 6-4 against Atlanta.
Dodgers 6, Brewers 2
Los Angeles pounded out three homers and the bullpen covered eight innings after starter Noah Syndergaard exited with an injury to preserve a victory over host Milwaukee.
Syndergaard had a cut on his right index finger and left after a 20-pitch scoreless first inning. Justin Bruihl (1-0), the second of seven relievers, got the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Evan Phillips retired the only batter he faced for his sixth save.
Miguel Vargas had a two-run homer and Mookie Betts and Will Smith had solo homers for the Dodgers. The Brewers got solo homers from Rowdy Tellez, his 10th, and Victor Caratini, his second, off Shelby Miller in the seventh.
Padres 6, Twins 1
San Diego snapped a tie by scoring two unearned runs in the top of the seventh without the benefit of a hit, then broke the game open on Manny Machado’s three-run, ninth-inning homer to defeat Minnesota in the opener of a three-game series in Minneapolis.
The Twins made three errors in the seventh — two on bad throws by catcher Christian Vazquez — and reliever Griffin Jax issued two walks to allow San Diego to break a 1-1 deadlock.
Padres starter Michael Wacha (3-1) got credit for the win. Jax (1-4) took the loss on the two unearned runs.
Cardinals 6, Cubs 4
Paul DeJong hit a tiebreaking, ninth-inning homer and Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbaar also went deep as St. Louis won its third straight game, beating host Chicago.
Chicago’s Javier Assad (0-2) threw five scoreless innings of relief before DeJong drove a pitch well into the left field bleachers to break a 4-4 tie. DeJong, who went to high school in Antioch, Ill., finished 2-for-3 with a walk to raise his average to .350.
Dansby Swanson had a homer, two doubles and three RBIs while Christopher Morel also homered in his season debut for the Cubs, who have dropped three straight and nine of 12. Chicago twice left the bases loaded without scoring and was on the wrong end of four double plays.
White Sox 4, Royals 2
Andrew Vaughn smacked a two-run homer and Lucas Giolito won for the first time in three weeks as Chicago picked up a win over host Kansas City.
Giolito (2-2) struck out a season-high nine over six innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking two.
Chicago failed to get a ball out of the infield as Jordan Lyles (0-6) retired the first 11 batters he faced before Luis Robert Jr. ripped his eighth homer of the season 430 feet to left, tying the game at 1-1 in the fourth.
Mariners 5, Rangers 0
George Kirby tossed seven shutout innings and Ty France delivered a two-run single to help Seattle beat visiting Texas.
Tom Murphy added a two-run homer as Seattle won for the seventh time in its past nine games. France and Murphy each had two hits for the Mariners. Kirby (4-2) matched his career high of nine strikeouts while winning for the fourth time in his past five starts. He gave up six hits and didn’t walk anyone.
The Rangers have tallied just two runs in the first two matchups in the three-game series after scoring 58 runs over their previous six games. Texas prevailed 2-1 in Monday’s series opener. The Rangers’ Andrew Heaney (2-3) gave up four runs (three earned) and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Marlins 6, Diamondbacks 2
Jorge Soler drove in five runs on two home runs, Jesus Luzardo pitched six strong innings and Miami defeated Arizona in Phoenix.
Soler hit his first homer of the night 468 feet to left-center field off Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt, driving in Jon Berti and Jazz Chisholm Jr. The deep blast followed a Luis Arraez RBI single in the first, giving Miami an early 4-0 lead that proved to be more than enough for Luzardo.
Luzardo (3-2) allowed just one run on seven hits and struck out five while walking two. All six Miami runs were credited to Pfaadt (0-1), who came into Tuesday’s contest with a 13.50 ERA after allowing seven runs in his only other appearance.
DENNY CRUM, WHO COACHED LOUISVILLE TO 2 NCAA TITLES, DIES
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Denny Crum took everything he learned from legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, added his own touch and built his own sparkling legacy at Louisville.
Crum, who won two NCAA basketball championships and built the Cardinals into one of the 1980s’ dominant programs during a Hall of Fame coaching career, died Tuesday. He was 86.
The school announced Crum’s death in a release after being informed by his wife, Susan. No cause was given, but Crum had battled an extended illness. He had a mild stroke in August 2017 while fishing in Alaska and another two years ago.
Nicknamed “Cool Hand Luke” because of his cool, unflinching sideline demeanor – legend has it he never uttered a curse word – Crum retired in March 2001 after 30 seasons at Louisville with 675 victories, which ranked 15th all-time then, and championships in 1980 and ’86. A disciple of the legendary Wooden, Crum often wore a red sport coat and waved a rolled-up program and stat sheet like a bandleader’s baton as he directed Louisville to 23 NCAA Tournaments and six Final Fours.
The second half of his tenure was not nearly as successful as the first, however, as Louisville endured two separate NCAA investigations and never returned to the Final Four after Crum’s second championship season. He accepted a $7 million buyout in March 2, 2001 – his 64th birthday – and was replaced by Rick Pitino, an eventual Hall of Famer who guided Louisville to a third NCAA title in 2013 that the governing body later vacated following a sex scandal.
Nonetheless, Crum was inducted into the Hall of Fame in May 1994, with Wooden, his college coach and longtime mentor at his side. Crum had 11 more overall wins and 55 more than his most influential adviser amassed at UCLA.
UCLA mourned Crum in a release that noted his 1990 induction into its athletics Hall of Fame and achievements as a Bruins player and coach.
Crum remained a beloved, revered and respected presence around Louisville whose legacy has been recognized in many ways. He frequently attended Cardinals games played on the KFC Yum! Center home court bearing his name and signature. And Crum was present for the September 2022 dedication of Denny Crum Hall, a new campus dormitory for athletes and students.
“You try to remember all of the things that you did, things that happened,” Crum said at a February 2020 ceremony honoring the 1980 title team. “Some was bad, but most of it good. It just makes you really proud that you were a part of it.”
Crum had a front-row seat in March 2022 for the introduction of one of his former players, Kenny Payne, as Cardinals coach. There were plenty of the Hall of Famer’s other pupils present to not only support Payne, but enjoy another meeting with their mentor and friend on and off the court.
Payne expressed prayers for Crum’s family and called his former coach a true treasure who gave so much to the school and community.
“Today is a sad day for me personally, as well as the basketball world,” Payne said in a statement. “My thoughts go through all the lessons that he taught, not just to me, but every player he ever came in contact with. … Rest in peace, Coach. You touched so many. Well done.”
Former Cardinals great Junior Bridgeman echoed Payne on Crum’s impact on generations of players.
“He said if you are good at what you’re going to do, we’re not going to worry about what the other team is going to do,” said Bridgeman, who played for Crum from 1972-75. “That’s a life lesson that’ll carry you farther and in whatever area you go into.”
A native of San Fernando, California, Crum played guard for two seasons at Los Angeles’ Pierce Junior College before transferring to UCLA in 1956. The Bruins went 38-14 in Crum’s two seasons as a player.
He briefly served as a graduate assistant to Wooden before coaching Pierce in the mid-1960s.
Wooden hired Crum as his assistant and chief recruiter in 1968, when the Bruins were in the midst of their dynastic run to 10 NCAA championships. Crum is credited with luring Bill Walton to UCLA, and the Bruins went 86-4 and won three NCAA titles during Crum’s three seasons there.
Crum succeeded John Dromo as Louisville’s coach on April 17, 1971, but Wooden figured his former assistant would soon return to succeed him.
“Denny was so good that I knew I wasn’t going to keep him very long,” Wooden told the Courier Journal of Louisville back then. “I was pleased when he got the job at Louisville. I had always hoped when I retired that he’d be the one to succeed me, but he left and proved to be just what I thought he was.”
Louisville had enjoyed little postseason success before Crum’s arrival, reaching the 1956 NIT championship and the 1959 NCAA Final Four. The Cardinals lost Crum’s first game, 70-69 to Florida, before reeling off 15 consecutive victories.
They won the Missouri Valley Conference – the first of 15 regular-season league titles for Crum – then reached the Final Four, where they met Wooden and UCLA. The Bruins won 96-77 on their way to a sixth-straight championship.
The schools met again in the semifinals three seasons later with a similar result as UCLA won 75-74 in overtime. By then Crum employed much of Wooden’s fundamentally focused style, but with pressure defense and a fast-breaking flair. Instead of an offense built around a dominant center, Crum used athletic guards and forwards who could finish plays with the high-flying dunks Wooden eschewed.
His philosophy made the Cardinals perennial NCAA Tournament participants with 20 or more wins each season from 1975-1979. Their breakthrough came in the 1979-80 season, when homegrown star guard Darrell Griffith and the so-called “Doctors of Dunk” marched through the regular season 26-3 and won their second Metro Conference championship in three years.
Crum’s second-seeded Cardinals reached their third Final Four in nine seasons and encountered UCLA again, this time coached by Larry Brown. Louisville finally prevailed with a 59-54 championship-game win in Indianapolis led by Griffith, an All-American and Wooden Award winner known by his popular nickname of “Dr. Dunkenstein.”
“It means more to me probably than the other guys because I’m from Louisville and I’ve seen how we came so close so many times and were never able to get over the hump,” Griffith said in 2020. “And to be able to get over the hump, that means a lot to everybody, but to me in particular, an extra special reason.”
Crum’s second title followed in 1986 with freshman Pervis Ellison, Billy Thompson and Milt Wagner leading the way as Louisville beat Duke 72-69.
Tributes and condolences began pouring in, with U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky saying, “The Cardinal community loved their coach and will miss his calm leadership both on and off the court.”
JUDGE SEEMS SKEPTICAL OF TIGER WOODS’ EX-GIRLFRIEND’S CLAIMS
STUART, Fla. (AP) A Florida judge appeared skeptical Tuesday to arguments made by an attorney for superstar golfer Tiger Woods’ ex-girlfriend Erica Herman, who is trying to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement that would require the ongoing legal disputes between the two be decided privately by an arbitrator.
During a 45-minute hearing, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger repeatedly questioned why the mandatory arbitration clause in the couple’s disputed agreement wouldn’t invalidate Herman’s lawsuit against Woods. She even appeared to agree with Woods’ attorney, J.B. Murray, that even the question of whether Herman actually signed the August 2017 document or her signature is forged should, for now, be left to an arbitrator.
Neither Herman nor Woods was present. Herman, 39, is suing both Woods, 47, and the trust that owns his $54 million Florida mansion, seeking $30 million from the latter amid unspecified allegations of sexual harassment. Forbes Magazine estimates Woods’ net worth at $1.1 billion.
“Contract law tells me I look at the document and I ask, ‘Is it valid on its face?’ I’ve got dates, I’ve got signatures, I’ve got terms,” Metzger said. Given that, she asked Herman attorney Benjamin Hodas, what choice did she have but to invalidate the lawsuit and require that Herman take the case to arbitration if she wants to pursue it further?
At the least, Hodas asked that Metzger conduct a future hearing to determine whether his client signed the document or it was forged. He acknowledged that Herman signed a nondisclosure agreement at some point, but said the one presented by Woods’ attorneys may not be the true contract.
“We don’t know,” Hodas told Metzger. “My client cannot say for certain that is her signature and she does not recall signing this document.”
Murray called the dispute over the signature “a bit of a red herring.”
“One thing you did not hear Mr. Hodas say is that she did not sign it,” Murray said. “They are not bold enough.”
Metzger said she would issue her decision in writing, but did not say when.
Herman is suing Woods to get out of the agreement, saying she was the victim of his sexual harassment. She has also filed a separate illegal eviction lawsuit against the trust that owns the mansion.
Herman, who managed Woods’ Palm Beach County restaurant before and during the first years of their romantic relationship, argues that the nondisclosure agreement is unenforceable under a new federal law that says such contracts can be voided when sexual abuse or sexual harassment occurred.
She alleges in court documents that Woods threatened to fire her if she didn’t sign a nondisclosure agreement. Hodas argues that is a type of harassment, treating one employee different that others because they have a sexual relationship.
But the sexual harassment allegation was barely mentioned during Tuesday’s hearing. Metzger told Hodas she needed more information about what allegedly happened to consider it. He said he couldn’t provide more information publicly in fear that he would be violating the nondisclosure agreement if it is ultimately upheld.
Murray has called those accusations “utterly meritless.”
In Herman’s lawsuit against Woods, she wants Metzger to either void the nondisclosure agreement or at least give her guidance about what she can say publicly. For example, can she discuss events that happened before their agreement or after their breakup last October? What about information she learned about Woods from others? She is also arguing that the contract covers only her work relationship with Woods, not their personal matters.
In her unlawful eviction lawsuit against the trust, she is basing her $30 million claim on how much it would cost to rent a property like Woods’ beachfront mansion north of Palm Beach for six years of residence she was allegedly promised by the golfer and then denied.
Before they dated, Woods hired Herman in 2014 to help develop and then operate the golfer’s The Woods sports bar and restaurant in nearby Jupiter – but they do not agree when their romantic relationship and cohabitation began.
Herman says in her court filings that their romantic relationship began in 2015 and that in late 2016 she moved into Woods’ nearly 30,000-square-foot (2,800-square-meter) mansion in the ritzy Hobe Sound community. She says that in 2017, Woods verbally promised she could live there at least 11 more years.
Woods, in his court documents, says their romantic relationship began in 2017, shortly before she moved in with him that August – about the time the disputed nondisclosure agreement was signed. In March 2017, Woods had placed the mansion into the Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust, an entity he created that has only himself and his two children as beneficiaries.
Court documents filed by Woods’ attorneys on Monday include an August 2017 email exchange between Herman and Christopher Hubman, the chief financial officer of Tiger Woods Ventures. Herman says she will sign the nondisclosure agreement, but expresses concern about how her romantic and professional lives are now intertwined.
“My only concern is if by chance TW does something that brings our relationship to an end, do I automatically (lose) my job?” she wrote. “I don’t have any problem with what’s in the document because I wouldn’t go public or use anything I know to hurt him or the kids but with my whole life in his hands now I would want to have some kind of control over my future in the business.
“If something happened 5-10 years down the road I don’t want to be in my 40s, heartbroken and jobless,” she wrote.
Herman says Woods pressured her to quit the job in 2020 so she could spend more time taking care of him and his children.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANS BASEBALL
The Indianapolis Indians couldn’t overcome a strong offensive start from the St. Paul Saints, who piled up 15 hits to end the Indians’ five-game winning streak in the series opener at CHS Field on Tuesday night, 11-3.
The Saints (19-13) jumped out to a first inning lead when two-hitting shortstop Michael Helman plated second baseman Edouard Julien with an RBI double down the left field line. Helman struck again in the third against reigning International League Pitcher of the Week Caleb Smith (L, 1-3), connecting on a three-run home run to extend the St. Paul lead to 4-0. In the win, the St. Paul shortstop finished a triple shy of the cycle with five RBI.
St. Paul put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth with a four-run inning, highlighted by a three-run double from recently-optioned left fielder Trevor Larnach. With eight early runs, Saints starter Jordan Balazovic and reliever Patrick Murphy (W, 2-0) kept the Indians off the board for six innings.
The Indians (15-18) cracked the scoring column in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from center fielder Chavez Young. An inning later, Young secured a multi-hit game with a single to right field, plating both right fielder Cal Mitchell and first baseman Aaron Shackelford to account for all three Indianapolis runs scored.
In his Indians debut, third baseman Jared Triolo hit the first pitch he saw since returning from a rehab assignment into center field for his first Triple-A hit. The former second round pick out of the University of Houston also made a diving catch in the middle innings to steal extra bases from Saints right fielder Kyle Garlick.
The Indians and Saints play the second game of their six-game series on Wednesday night at CHS Field at 7:47 PM ET. Top Pirates pitching prospect Quinn Priester (2-3, 5.96) gets the ball for Indianapolis, while St. Paul has yet to announce a starting pitcher.
INDY ELEVEN
TAMPA/INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 9, 2023) – For the second consecutive week, Indy Eleven placed a player on the USL Championship Team of the Week, with defender Younes Boudadi earing Week 9 accolades.
In the Eleven’s 2-1 comeback win at Loudoun United FC on Saturday, the defender registered an assist on Sebastian Guenzatti’s equalizer, his first of the 2023 season. Boudadi completed 56 of 65 passes, won nine of 12 overall duels and two of three tackles, while also notching nine recoveries in the match.
This is the first honor of 2023 for Boudadi, who joins four Boys in Blue on the league’s recognition list.
2023 Weekly Honors
GK Yannik Oettl (Week 1)
MF Bryam Rebellon (Week 3)
D Adrian Diz Pe (Week 3 – bench)
F Solomon Asante (Week 7 – bench)
D Adrian Diz Pe (Week 8)
D Younes Boudadi (Week 9)
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 9
GK – Trey Muse, Charleston Battery: The 23-year-old produced a six-save shutout, including a key penalty kick save on Erick “Cubo” Torres in the second half, to help the Battery earn a 1-0 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC on Friday night at Cashman Field.
D – Younes Boudadi, Indy Eleven: The Moroccan full back notched one assist and completed 56 of 65 passes, won 9 of 12 overall duels and 2 of 3 tackles, and made nine recoveries as the Boys in Blue rallied for a 2-1 victory at Loudoun United FC.
D – Derek Dodson, Charleston Battery: Dodson put in a strong defensive display against Las Vegas in the Battery’s 1-0 win, making six clearances and 13 recoveries while winning a combined 12 of 17 duels and also hit the woodwork on one of his two shots in attack.
D – Eder Borelli, El Paso Locomotive FC: The Mexican full back recorded one assist and won 3 of 5 tackles and 6 of 8 duels in Locomotive FC’s 3-2 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Friday night.
M – Florian Valot, Miami FC: The French midfielder put in a sterling all-around display in Miami’s 3-1 win against Birmingham Legion FC on Wednesday night, recording one assist and two chances created while winning 11 of 13 duels and recording 12 recoveries defensively.
M – Petar Petrovic, El Paso Locomotive FC: The Serbian notched a goal and assist in the first half to help lead El Paso Locomotive FC to a 3-2 victory at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, completing 14 of 16 passes overall while putting all three of his shots on target.
M – Charlie Dennis, Tampa Bay Rowdies: The English midfielder earned a second consecutive selection as he scored a brilliant free kick shortly before halftime to highlight a strong all-around display in a 2-0 win against Phoenix Rising FC that saw him complete 27 of 32 passes and notch eight chances created.
M – Ryan Spaulding, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Spaulding was effective on the left flank for the Rowdies, recording one assist and three chances created in the side’s 2-0 victory against Phoenix Rising FC while also winning 8 of 9 duels and completing 19 of 24 passes.
F – Albert Dikwa, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: The Cameroonian forward scored a pair of goals, although was denied on a penalty kick, to move into a tie for the league-lead with seven on the season as the Hounds played to a 2-2 draw against Monterey Bay F.C. on Friday night.
F – Samuel Adeniran, San Antonio FC: The Texan standout notched his first goal for SAFC since he returned to the club to open the scoring in San Antonio’s 2-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC and recorded five shots and two chances created overall at Cashman Field.
F – JJ Williams, Tampa Bay Rowdies: Williams scored the opening goal for the Rowdies against his former club – his first in Tampa Bay’s colors – and put three of his six shots on target while winning 5 of 6 aerial duels in the Rowdies’ 2-0 win against Phoenix Rising FC.
Bench: Bill Hamid (MEM), Harry Swartz (NM), AJ Paterson (CHS), Taylor Davila (RGV), Enzo Martinez (BHM), Laurent Kissiedou (MEM), Christian Volesky (MB)
INDIANA BASEBALL
CINCINNATI – For the first time since 2016, the Indiana baseball program will travel to Xavier for a midweek contest on Wednesday (May 10) at Hayden Field.
Indiana (34-14) and Xavier (30-17) both swept road weekend series last weekend, with IU winning all three games at Northwestern and XU taking all three games at Creighton. Xavier is 7-4 in midweek games this season, while Indiana has won nine of 11 games on the midweek docket.
Gameday Info
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 | 3 p.m. ET
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: bit.ly/IUStatbroadcast
Quick Hitter
Indiana and Xavier will meet for the 34th time in program history on Wednesday in Cincinnati. Indiana owns the all-time edge, but Xavier won three of four in Bloomington in 2022.
The Hoosiers have won 22 of 26 home games in 2023. Its 15-straight wins to open the season marks the longest home winning streak in Bart Kaufman Field history and the second-longest streak in program history.
Senior Phillip Glasser saw his 45-game reached base come to an end at Northwestern over the weekend, which is tied for the longest streak in program history since at least 2005.
Glasser is also among the top-50 active hitters in a bevy of categories, including No. 6 with 263 career hits.
Freshman Devin Taylor carried a 32-game reached base streak that spanned Feb. 25-April 28, which is the longest streak for an IU freshman since at least 2005.
Taylor earned his third B1G Freshman of the Week award on April 17 and joined some exclusive company at IU and the Big Ten in the process.
Sophomore Luke Sinnard struck out 12 Iowa batters over six scoreless innings for his second career double-digit strikeout game of the season.
Sinnard is tied for the biggest strikeout game in the conference this season at 13 versus Morehead State.
Head coach Jeff Mercer became the eighth IU skipper to reach 100 victories in the cream and crimson with a series finale win at Auburn on February 19, 2023. He then won his 200th career game as a head coach at Illinois on April 15.
Scouting the Opponents
Xavier sits at 30-17 overall and 11-4 in the Big East after a weekend series sweep at Creighton. The Musketeers have won four straight games and eight of the last 10 on the schedule.
In midweek games, Xavier is 7-4 with wins in five of the last six midweek tilts.
Jared Cushing has 43 RBIs to lead the team, while his 11 home runs are tied with Matthew Deprey and Jack Housinger for No. 2 on the team.
Matt McCormick leads the team with 13 long balls, 106 total bases, a .458 on-base percentage and 11 hit-by-pitch on the year.
The pitching staff has allowed six-or-fewer runs in 33 of 47 games this season and leads the Big East with a 4.63 ERA, which ranks No. 45 nationally. A 3.44 WHIP sits No. 17 in the NCAA and leads the Big East.
As a team, XU is fielding .979 to sit No. 26 in Division I and No. 3 in the Big East.
Inside the Series
The 34th all-time meeting between Indiana and Xavier will commence on Wednesday afternoon in Cincinnati, and IU owns a 27-6 all-time mark on the ledger.
The last meeting came in 2022, when Xavier came to Bloomington and took three of four games in a weekend slate at Bart Kaufman Field.
Nearly half of the all-time meetings have been decided by six-or-more runs, including two of the four games last season. In turn, 10 of the 33 previous meetings have been one-run games.
The first meeting in the series came in 1932, a 7-1 win for Indiana. The first meeting at Xavier came in 1988, a 5-7 win for the Musketeers.
All-time, Indiana is 6-2 at Hayden Field, with the last trip to the venue in 2016.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the 40th straight season and 113th time overall, IU Men’s Basketball will play in Indianapolis when it takes on Harvard on Sunday, Nov. 26, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“Playing a game in Indianapolis is very important to our program,” said IU Coach Mike Woodson, a native of the Circle City who graduated from Broad Ripple High School in 1976. “IU Basketball has a long-standing tradition of playing whenever it can in Indianapolis and giving fans who may not otherwise get to see us in person an opportunity to experience a Hoosier game for themselves.”
This will be the second meeting all-time against the Crimson with IU winning 97-76 on Dec. 2, 1972, in Bloomington.
Current IU Men’s Basketball season ticket holders can purchase their seats for the Harvard contest when they renew their season tickets for the 2023-24 season. Non-season ticket holders can purchase tickets to the game here. The priority deadline is July 28, at which point all seats will be allocated based on the IU Athletics Priority Point Policy.
Woodson is in his third year with the Hoosiers and has led IU to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a final top 25 national ranking at the end of the 2022-23 season. The Cream and Crimson have played every season in Indianapolis since 1984 and have an 85-27 record overall since 1940. Last year, IU defeated Miami of Ohio, 85-56, in the 2022 Hoosier Classic.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – IU men’s basketball coach Mike Woodson has announced that Anthony Walker, a 6-9, 215 lb., forward who played for the University of Miami for four seasons will join the program as a graduate transfer and use his final season of eligibility playing for the Hoosiers. He competed in 125 games in his four seasons at Miami averaging 15.1 minutes, 4.9 points, and 2.5 rebounds per game. He shot 51.0% (210-of-412) from inside the arc and had 22 games scoring in double digits. His best season was his sophomore year when he started 16 times and averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Miami advanced to the Final Four this past season and tied for the ACC regular season championship. IU faced Walker in the NCAA Tournament this year with the Baltimore native posting four points and two boards in nine minutes of action. In 2021-22, the Hurricanes advanced to the Elite Eight.
He graduated from Brewster Academy (N.H.) and helped them win the National Prep Championships and a region championship, as well as reach the NEPSAC AAA title game, during his lone year with the team. He led Perry Hall (Md.) to 4A state crowns, the first two in school history, as a junior and sophomore. In his junior year, he made a basket at the buzzer to send his squad to the state title game. He attended Hope Academy (Ga.) as a freshman and did not play basketball.
He is the son of Anthony Walker, Jr. and Towanda Hayes and has a younger brother, Darius. He graduated with a degree in sociology. He was born February 9, 2001.
WOODSON ON WALKER
“Anthony has been a winner at the high school level and in college and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our program,” said IU Coach Mike Woodson. “He is a veteran player who is very athletic and has great length. He’s very active on the defensive end and we love his competitiveness.”
INDIANA FOOTBALL
Former Merrillville standout JoJo Johnson committed to Indiana on Tuesday. Johnson spent timer at Iowa Western and Notre Dame.
Johnson had offers from Illinois, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech and several MAC schools.
At Iowa Western in 2022, Johnson posted 14 tackles and three interceptions.
PURDUE WOMEN’S GOLF
RALEIGH, N.C. – Danielle du Toit fired a bogey-free 69 (-3) to push Purdue Women’s Golf up the leaderboard in the second round of the NCAA Raleigh Regional. The Boilermakers shot a 3-over 291 on moving day of regional play, jumping up the leaderboard into fourth place (+2) alongside Arizona heading into Wednesday’s final round.
At the conclusion of tomorrow’s play, the top five teams advance to the NCAA Championships in Scottsdale, Arizona (May 19-24). The Boilermakers and Wildcats sit one shot above the cutline with 18 holes remaining, holding a slight edge over No. 14 Florida State (+3). The two teams are also just one stroke behind No. 2 Wake Forest for third place. The Demon Deacons posted the lowest round of the day with a 285 (-3).
The first Boilermaker on the course, du Toit got the Boilermakers off to a fast start with her 3-under par 69. She was the only golfer in the field to make it around the par 72 Lonnie Poole Golf Course without making a bogey. Her first birdie came at the par-4 sixth before she added another at the par-3 eighth to finish the front side 2-under. Du Toit took advantage of her length with a birdie at the par-5 11th, and she stayed steady with seven pars to close out her bogey-free round.
Du Toit recorded her fifth round in the 60s this season, becoming just the 10th Boilermaker in program history to card at least five rounds in the 60s in a single season.
Ashley Kozlowski posted an even-par 72 to remain in red figures after 36 holes, tied for ninth a 1-under. The Littleton, Colorado, native made a team-high five birdies throughout her round, including a trio of deuces on par 3s. Kozlowski birdied the second, sixth and eighth holes on the front nine, all par threes, to help her make the turn at 2-under. Following her play Tuesday, Kozlowski leads the field in par-3 scoring through two rounds (-3).
Kan Bunnabodee added a 74 (+2), beginning her round with nine straight pars. Heading to the back nine, she sank a 20-foot downhill putt on No. 10 for her first birdie of the day. Bunnabodee made another birdie at the par-4 16th, but four bogeys on her final nine prevented the Boilermaker from producing her second under-par round of the regional.
With just three shots separating five teams from third to seventh on the leaderboard, Wednesday’s final round is set to be an entertaining battle to crack the top five and secure a spot to the NCAA Championships. Purdue (+2) begins the round at 8 a.m. ET with Arizona (+2) and Florida State (+3).
For updates throughout the rest of the tournament, follow Purdue Women’s Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T9. Ashley Kozlowski: 71-72—143 (-1)
T16: Kan Bunnabodee: 70-74—144 (E)
T26. Danielle du Toit: 77-69—146 (+2)
T32: Momo Sugiyama: 72-76—148 (+4)
T56. Jocelyn Bruch: 74-82—156 (+12)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. NC State: 282-288—570 (-6)
2. #11 Arizona State: 284-288—572 (-4)
3. #2 Wake Forest: 292-285—577 (+1)
T4. Purdue: 287-291—578 (+2)
T4. Arizona: 286-292—578 (+2)
6. #14 Florida State: 283-296—579 (+3)
7. TCU: 292-288—580 (+4)
8. #21 Florida: 290-293—583 (+7)
9. Campbell: 297-299—596 (+20)
10. Nebraska: 296-302—598 (+22)
11. North Texas: 308-299—607 (+31)
12. Richmond: 310-308—618 (+42)
PURDUE WOMEN’S SOFTBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Bobinski announced on Tuesday that softball head coach Boo De Oliveira will not return.
“On behalf of the University, our softball program and the entire Purdue community, we are grateful to Coach Boo De Oliveira, her staff and our student-athletes for their dedicated efforts on behalf of Purdue Softball,” said Bobinski. “We wish Boo the best of luck as she embarks on her next chapter. The Boilermakers are well positioned for the future, and we are intently focused on pursuing and sustaining success.”
De Oliveira led the Boilermakers from 2017-23, compiling an overall record of 150-202.
Purdue Athletics will begin a nationwide search to identify and bring aboard the Boilermakers’ next head softball coach.
PURDUE BASEBALL
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Purdue (23-23, 10-8 Big Ten) at UIC (22-21, 9-12 MVC)
Wednesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET / ESPN+
Granderson Stadium / Chicago, Illinois
Probable Starting Pitcher: Carter Doorn (So, RHP) vs. TBA for UIC
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Purdue leads 13-10
All-Time in Chicago: UIC leads 6-4
First Meeting of 2023: UIC 6, Purdue 4 (March 21 in West Lafayette)
2022 in Chicago: UIC 9, Purdue 6 (April 19)
Purdue’s Last Win in the Series: Purdue 5, UIC 3 (April 2014 in West Lafayette)
Purdue’s Last Win in Chicago: Purdue 17, UIC 10 (March 2013)
First Meetings: Purdue swept a doubleheader 5-0 & 14-4 (May 1982 in West Lafayette)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball closes out its midweek schedule Wednesday with a trip up to Chicago for the backend of its in-season home-and-home series with UIC.
First pitch at Les Miller Field at Curtis Granderson Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. ET. The Boilermakers get another look at the amazing skyline view on Chicago’s Near West Side, visiting UIC’s campus for the second season in a row following a seven-year hiatus in the series.
Purdue’s Mike Bolton Jr. is a Chicago native, growing up on the South Side and attending high school at Brother Rice at 99th Street & Pulaski Road.
The Flames are closing out a season-long eight-game homestand Wednesday. Highlighted by a three-game sweep of Belmont this past weekend, they’re 5-2 on the homestand and 11-7 at home overall this season. UIC dropped last week’s Tuesday game vs. Northwestern, snapping an eight-game win streak in midweek action.
The Boilermakers are 3-5 in midweek action and have not won a standalone true road game – not part of a weekend series – since March 2, 2022 at Charlotte.
Late-inning runs have powered the Flames to three straight wins in the series dating back to last season. From the seventh through ninth innings, UIC has outscored Purdue 17-1 over the last three meetings. That includes the 10 unanswered runs in last year’s comeback at Alexander Field, a game-deciding three-run eighth inning in Chicago last season, and the four-run ninth inning in the comeback on March 21 at Alexander.
Conversely, the Boilermakers have outscored UIC 18-8 over the first six innings of the three games but don’t have much to show for that advantage after being unable to close out wins.
Purdue enjoyed a pair of comeback victories of its own while winning two of three vs. South Dakota State over the weekend, posting its fifth series win over the last six weekends. Sunday, the Boilermakers won after trailing entering the ninth inning for the first time since March 20, 2022. The two losses on the flip side of that – carrying a lead into the ninth inning – during that span had both come at the hands of UIC.
Purdue has won five series over six weekends for the first time since claiming six straight series wins during their 2012 Big Ten championship season.
CJ Valdez enjoyed a big night a year ago in Chicago, connecting for his first home run as a Boilermaker as part of a two-homer game. He drove in five of Purdue’s six runs, the first of his two five-RBI games during his first-team All-Big Ten campaign. He was riding a 29-game on-base streak at the time as one of four Boilermakers to extend their 20-game on-base streaks on that April night.
A year later, the team’s top active streaks belong to Connor Caskenette, Jake Parr and Couper Cornblum. By the end of the week, Paul Toetz (96) should become the first Boilermaker to start 100 consecutive games since Skyler Hunter (110 consecutive starts) from 2017 to 2019.
Meanwhile, Evan Albrecht (199) is in line to play in his 200th career game this week. He’ll join Harry Shipley (222, 2015-18) and Hunter (219, 2017-21) as the only Boilermakers to reach the benchmark in the program’s Alexander Field era (since 2013).
NOTABLE ACTIVE STREAKS
• Connor Caskenette – 24-game on-base streak; 17-game hit streak ; 8-game on-base streak in road games
• Jake Parr – 20-game on-base streak; 6-game hit streak; 6-game RBI streak; 6-game hit streak in road games
• Couper Cornblum – 13-game hit streak; 8-game on-base streak in midweek action; 5-game hit streak in road games
• Paul Toetz – 96 consecutive games started (every game since start of 2022); 8-game on-base streak in midweek action
THREE BOILERMAKERS WITH HIT STREAKS OF 10+ GAMES IN SAME SEASON (Since 2001)
• 2023: Connor Caskenette (17), Couper Cornblum (13), Jo Stevens (12)
• 2019: Zac Fascia (15), Skyler Hunter (14), Cole McKenzie (11)
• 2018: Skyler Hunter (13), Nick Dalesandro (11), Ben Nisle (10), Alec Olund (10)
• 2011: Cameron Perkins (20), Eric Charles (15), Kevin Plawecki (11), Stephen Talbott (10), Tyler Spillner (10)
• 2010: Ryan Bridges (13), Barret Arthur (11), Jon Moore (11), Cameron Perkins (10), Eric Charles (10)
• 2009: Brandon Haveman (20), Eric Charles (14), Drew Madia (11)
• 2008: Jon Moore (14), Ryne White (14), Brandon Haveman (13), Ben Wolgamot (13)
• 2007: Ryne White (24), Jordan Comadena (14), John Cummins (10)
• 2005: John Hunter (14), Mitch Hilligoss (13), Andy Dahl (11)
• 2004: Mitch Hilligoss (12), Mike Coles (11), John Hunter (11)
• 2001: David Blomberg (19), Nate Sickler (14), Daniel Underwood (12), David Harrell (12), Nick McIntyre (10)
BUTLER BASEBALL
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky Norse broke a 6-6 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to record a 7-6 win at Friendship Field on Tuesday afternoon. Scott Jones had two of Butler’s four RBI’s in the contest and the Bulldogs came up with three more hits than the home team, but a three-run home run in the first followed by some small ball in the seventh would lead NKU to their 27th win of the season.
Jones helped Butler score in the top of the first with a two-RBI double to right center. The game quickly changed in the bottom half of the inning after the NKU three-run home run.
BU tied the contest at 3-3 in the fourth, but the Norse would answer with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to double Butler up at 6-3.
Butler fought back with a single run in the fifth followed by two in the sixth to knot the game at 6-6. Urban doubled to score Wurch and Xavier Carter hit a hard ground ball to second that scored Urban.
Butler hit a batter to lead off the bottom of the seventh and a sac bunt and wild pitch would move that player 90-feet away. The Norse executed another bunt to score the game-winning run.
Shane Kilfoyle got the start and would toss the first two innings of the game before handing the ball off to Cooper Robinson for the next three. Robinson struck out three and didn’t issue a walk. Gabe Pancratz, Dawson Taylor and Cole Graverson also pitched an inning on Tuesday afternoon.
Butler will have a quick turnaround as they face the Dayton Flyers tomorrow at 11 AM. Thursday will be a travel day for the ‘Dawgs as they head to Storrs, Conn. to face the #9 Huskies.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
NEW YORK – With the BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by JEEP getting under way on Wednesday, the conference announced its annual regular-season awards on Tuesday. Butler’s Sydney Carter was unanimously selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team, while Paige Dorsett, Mackenzie Griman, and Cate Lehner each received All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
The league’s top three teams were represented among the five major awards, led by Villanova center fielder Tess Cites, who was voted BIG EAST Player of the Year. Kelsey Carr, from Seton Hall, collected the BIG EAST Softball Pitcher of the Year award after posting a 1.82 ERA and producing seven wins. The Pirates also garnered the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award, as the coaches selected outfielder Abby Wingo. UConn’s catcher, Grace Jenkins, was tabbed BIG EAST Freshman of the Year following her first season of play. Rounding out the major award winners, Seton Hall, which finished in a tie for second in the final standings, collected BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year recognition.
An All-BIG EAST First Team and All-BIG EAST Second Team were also named, each consisting of 12 players made up of at least two pitchers, with the remaining spots selected at-large. All-BIG EAST Teams and major awards are selected via a vote of the league’s head coaches who are not allowed to vote for their own players or coaching staffs.
Carter, a sophomore from Mason, Ohio, had Butler’s highest batting average (.389) in BIG EAST games. The second baseman’s 21 hits included two doubles and a triple, and she accumulated seven RBI in conference play. She was also successful stealing four bases.
Dorsett ranked seventh in the BIG EAST with a .643 slugging percentage, and her eight home runs ranked tenth. A redshirt-sophomore from Martinsville, Ind., she was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Mar. 13 after batting .500 with four RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a series sweep of BIG EAST preseason favorite DePaul. The first baseman led the team with 23 hits and seven home runs in conference games, and she was second with 18 RBI.
Griman led Butler with six BIG EAST wins in the pitching circle, producing an ERA of 2.77 while striking out 40 opponents. The senior, from Mishawaka, Ind., made 12 conference starts, completed seven games, and picked up one save.
Lehner, a freshman from Indianapolis, produced the Bulldogs’ second-best batting average in conference play, going 22-for-58 (.379). The right fielder notched one triple and one double and was 9-of-10 on steal attempts against BIG EAST opponents.
No. 4 seed Butler opens the BIG EAST Tournament on Wednesday with a 12 pm first pitch against No. 5 seed St. John’s. The double-elimination tournament in Storrs, Conn., is scheduled to run through Saturday.
2023 BIG EAST Softball Awards
BIG EAST Softball Player of the Year: Tess Cites, Jr., CF, Villanova
BIG EAST Softball Pitcher of the Year: Kelsey Carr, Jr., P/INF, Seton Hall
BIG EAST Softball Defensive Player of the Year: Abby Wingo, Sr., OF, Seton Hall
BIG EAST Softball Freshman of the Year: Grace Jenkins, Fr., C, UConn
BIG EAST Softball Coaching Staff of the Year: Seton Hall
Head Coach: Angie Churchill
Assistant Coaches: Laura Messina & Emily Schaffer
First Team
Kelsey Carr, Jr., P/INF, Seton Hall*
Sydney Carter, So., INF, Butler*
Tess Cites, Jr., OF, Villanova*
Ava Franz, So., INF, Villanova
Ally Jones, Sr., C, Villanova
Brooke Johnson, Sr., 1B, DePaul
Payton Kinney, Jr., P, UConn
Cameron Kondo, Gr., OF, Georgetown*
Cayla Nielsen, Jr., OF, Creighton*
Shelby Smith, Sr., P, Seton Hall
Abby Wingo, Sr., OF, Seton Hall
Anna Wohlers, So., 3B, DePaul*
Second Team
Paige Dorsett, INF, R-So., Butler
Mae Forshey, Gr., INF/C, Georgetown
Kat Gallant, Fr., P, Villanova
Mackenzie Griman, Sr., P/INF, Butler
Jacque Harrington, Jr., INF/UT, Providence
Ryan Henry, Gr., C/DP, Villanova
Lexi Hastings, So., OF, UConn
Aziah James, Gr., OF, UConn
Grace Jenkins, Fr., C, UConn
Cate Lehner, Fr., OF, Butler
Victoria Sebastian, Sr., 1B, Villanova
Kailey Wilson, Gr., INF, Creighton
*unanimous selection
BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler women’s basketball team added an Indiana All-Star to the roster late last week by signing former Ben Davis standout Cristen Carter. The 6-4 forward averaged 18.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as a senior and was an Academic All-State selection in the classroom.
“We are very excited to add Cristen to this already talented freshmen class,” Head Coach Austin Parkinson explained. “She is one of the best rebounders we’ve recruited coming out of high school. We love how hard she plays on both ends of the floor. Her ability to run the floor and get deep post position will be great for our offense.”
Carter helped Ben Davis win two sectional championships and a regional title during her time as a Giant. She earned All-County and All-Conference honors as a junior and senior while maintaining a GPA over 3.5. Carter set the Ben Davis single-season rebounding record (355) and scored a career-high 30 points in a game against Noblesville.
“I decided to come to Butler because of the culture and opportunities it offers,” Carter stated. “Butler will help me grow as a student, an athlete, and as an overall person. I can’t wait to be a part of the Butler family!”
IUPUI SOFTBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – Six Jaguars earned #HLSB All-League Honors with Jaida Speth highlighting the list named to the Horizon League First Team. Kendal Calvert, Kayla Freiberg, Jordan Jenkins and Madison Bryant were named to the All-League Second Team while Kennedy Cowan earned All-Freshman Team honors.
Speth was named to the All-League First Team after leading the Jags at the plate with a .376 batting average. The graduate student from Delavan, Wisconsin totals 20 runs with eight doubles, two triples and 12 RBI while starting in all 45 games. The outfielder was also named to the #HLSB All-Academic Team this season.
Kendal Calvert added to her conference awards with Second Team honors. The sophomore from New Palestine, Indiana holds a .360 batting average with a team-high tying 23 runs. She totals four doubles, one home run, 12 RBI and is tied at the top of the Horizon League with four triples. The outfielder holds a team-high 11 stolen bases with an on base percentage of .383, making 34 starts in the outfield. Calvert was also named to the 2023 All-Academic Team.
Kayla Freiberg also earned All-League Second Team. The transfer from Kenosha, Wisconsin hit .269 during the regular season starting in 38 games behind the plate at catcher. She totaled 13 runs, a team-high 11 doubles, a team second-high four home runs and 20 RBI. The junior recorded a season-high four hits against Green Bay on March 30 with one run, a double and one RBI. She was also named #HLSB Player of the Week for her efforts in IUPUI’s sweep over Detroit Mercy.
Joining Calvert and Freiberg on the All-League Second Team is Jordan Jenkins. The senior transfer from Indianapolis, Indiana hit .233 starting in all 45 games at first base for the Jaguars. Jenkins totals 14 RBI with one triple and one double. This marks back-to-back years Jenkins has earned All-League honors as she was named to the First Team All-Horizon Team last season.
Representing IUPUI on the Pitchers Second Team is Madison Bryant. The junior from Urbana, Ohio recorded a season 3.14 ERA and 2.79 ERA in conference play. She earned six wins in #HLSB play with nine complete games and three shutouts. Bryant totals a team leading 155 strikeouts in 107.0 innings pitched. She pitched a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts against Detroit Mercy on April 27.
Freshman Kennedy Cowan was named to the All-Freshman Team after leading the team in slugging percentage (.545). The freshman infielder from Maumee, Ohio totaled a team-high six home runs with 10 doubles, 22 RBI and 23 runs. She finished the regular season batting .333. The Jags leadoff hitter has made 42 starts in 44 appearances.
The IUPUI softball team travels to Green Bay for the Horizon League Tournament this week. The Jaguars earned the No. 4 seed and will face No. 5 Green Bay in the opening game of the tournament on Wednesday, May 10 at 1:00 PM ET.
IUPUI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – Head coach Kate Bruce and the IUPUI women’s basketball team adds four newcomers to the 2023-24 roster. Transfers Tahlia Walton, Katie Davidson and Faith Stinson join freshman Kaylin Moorehead along with the previous three commits of Alexa Hocevar, Kace Urlacher and Azyah Newson-Cole on the Jaguar roster.
“We are thrilled to add Faith, Katie, Kaylin, and Tahlia to our Jaguar family,” said head coach Bruce. “Our staff worked hard to recruit players that bring size, skill, and versatility to our program and these four check all those boxes. In addition to their talents on the court, they are excellent students.”
Moorehead, the Michigan native, joins the Jaguars for her freshman campaign. The 5’6″ point guard comes to IUPUI after leading Westfield Prep High School to back-to-back elite eight appearances.
Along with freshman Moorehead, Bruce signed three transfers, Tahlia Walton, Kate Davidson and Faith Stinson.
Walton, a graduate transfer from Stanley, Wisconsin spent the last four seasons with Division II Kentucky-Wesleyan. The 5’11” guard/forward appeared in 30 games averaging 12.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for the Panthers during her senior season. She was named to the Great Midwest All-Conference First-Team for the second straight year. Walton also earned Second-Team honors after the 2020-21 season.
Davidson, a 5’10” guard/forward transfer spent two seasons at Miami (Ohio). The Indianapolis native averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds for the RedHawks. Davidson earned Academic All-MAC during the 2021-22 season.
The third transfer added to the roster comes from another MAC school, Akron. Faith Stinson, a 6’2″ forward from Thronville, Ohio spent her freshman season with the Zips where she averaged 3.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 30 games. During her high school career at Sheridan, she was a two-time first team All-Ohio and was named Southeast District Player of the Year.
All four additions along with previous freshman commits, Alexa Hocevar, Kace Urlacher and Azyah Newson-Cole look to make an instant impact this upcoming season for the Jags.
IUPUI MEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI basketball program has announced the signing of Buffalo-transfer Kidtrell Blocker to an athletics aid agreement to join the program, beginning with the 2023-2024 season. Blocker, a native of Rochester, N.Y., played for the Bulls the past two seasons, appearing in 44 games and making one start. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
This past season, the 6-foot-5 guard played in 32 games and averaged 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest while shooting 38.6 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from three-point range. He had a season-high 11 points in just 18 minutes at UConn this past season for his lone double-digit outing of the season. He also had an 11-point scoring game as a freshman against St. John Fisher, doing so in just nine minutes on the floor.
Blocker starred at Tennessee Prep Academy in Memphis for his final two high school seasons, including averaging 26.6 points during a 12-game span his final year. He tallied 30-or-more five times during that stretch, including a 36-point effort against Dream City Christian (Ariz.).
“We’re excited to be adding Kidtrell to the program,” head coach Matt Crenshaw said. “He’s a good kid who just wants to come in, play a role within our team and help us win. He’s a great addition to our program. We like a lot about his game and how he’ll fit in with the guys we have coming back. He brings really good size, length and athleticism to the backcourt and we think with his size and athleticism, he’ll be able to guard a number of different positions. He can come in and be a lockdown defender in this league and really make life tough on some of the other guards we’re going to face.
“Offensively, he can knock down shots and create for himself off the dribble. He’s a crafty scorer and has the vision to get his teammates involved as well. I think our fans are going to really like him.”
Blocker joins a strong returning nucleus as Crenshaw’s team is expected to return all-league guard Jlynn Counter (14.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg) and #HLMBB All-Freshman Team honorees Vincent Brady II (10.9 ppg, 58 3’s) and DJ Jackson (9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg). The Jags are expecting a lift from Bryce Monroe (12.0 ppg, 3.8 apg in 4 games), who missed virtually all of last season due to injury. Other key returners will include Daylan Hamilton (6.4 ppg), John Egbuta (6.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg), Armon Jarrard (5.3 ppg, 19 3’s), Amhad Jarrard (4.5 ppg) and Cooper Dewitt (1.2 ppg).
BALL STATE BASEBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team returned to the diamond for a midweek contest with Indiana State on Tuesday. Decker Scheffler drove in the lone run for the Cardinals as they fell to the Sycamores 11-1.
With the loss, Ball State fell to 30-17 overall, while Indiana State improved to 33-13 on the year.
Nick Gregory led off the first with a single through the left side. Gregory was thrown out trying to steal second. Adam Tellier singled through the left side. Ryan Peltier followed with a single to left center and advanced to second on the throw to third. With runners on second and third, Scheffler drove in Tellier with a ground out to the shortstop. BSU took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first.
The Sycamores scored two runs on two hits in the home half of the first and took a 2-1 lead into the second inning. Indiana State added a run in the bottom of the third on two hits to extend its lead to 3-1. In the home half of the fourth, the Sycamores plated four runs on four hits, including a Mike Sears three-run home run.
Indiana State added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on one hit. Sears hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the seventh and extended the Sycamore lead to 11-1.
Will Jacobson got the start on the mound for the Cardinals. He got the loss and fell to 0-1 on the year. He went 2 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. He gave up three earned runs on four hits. Casey Bargo added a 1/3 of an inning in relief. He surrendered four earned runs on four hits. Owen Quinn tossed 2 1/3 innings. He gave up two earned runs with one strikeout. Brady Owens threw 1 1/3 innings in relief. He struck out one batter and gave up one earned run on one hit. Blake Bevis went a 1/3 of an innings with one strikeout. He surrendered one earned run on two hits. Graham Kelham closed out the game with an inning in relief. He struck out one batter.
Brennyn Cutts started the game for the Sycamores and went five innings. He picked up the win and moved to 2-3 on the season. He struck out five batters and gave up one earned run on four hits. Zach Davidson threw three innings in relief. He struck out six batters. Jacob Pruitt closed out the game for the Sycamores with an inning of relief. He notched one strikeout and gave up one hit.
The Cardinals return to the friendly confines of the Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark for a three-game Mid-American Conference series. Ball State and Miami are slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch on Friday, May 12.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S SOCCER
CHICAGO – One of the young staples of Notre Dame’s starting lineup has been selected for Team USA’s roster for the upcoming 2023 Women’s U20 CONCACAF Championships. Freshman defender Leah Klenke will be 1-of-21 athletes donning the Stars and Stripes May 24-June 3 down in the Dominican Republic.
Klenke is coming off a breakout year with the Irish, where she started all 23 games. Klenke was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team, ranked as a top-10 freshman in the country and was named to Top Drawer Soccer’s Freshman Best XI. The Houston native finished with six points – two goals and two assists.
Team USA will take aim at one of three berths to the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (for which a host has yet to be named) and a record eighth Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship after dominant runs to the confederation crown in 2020 and 2022 during tournaments also played in the DR.
The U-20s kick off Group A play against Panama on Wednesday, May 24 (7 p.m. ET on FS1), face Jamaica on Friday, May 26 (6 p.m. ET on FS2) and finish the group stage vs. Canada on Sunday, May 28 (6 p.m. ET on FS2).
Before heading to the Dominican Republic, the team will train in Florida for a week, beginning on May 14.
2023 CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION (COLLEGE OR CLUB; HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Valentina Amaral (Florida Kraze Krush SC; Oviedo, Fla.), Mackenzie Gress (Penn State; Lyndhurst, N.J.), Teagan Wy (California; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Tessa Dellarose (UNC; Grindstone, Pa.), Ella Emri (San Diego Surf SC; San Diego, Calif.), Elise Evans (Stanford; Redwood City, Calif.), Savannah King (Slammers FC HB Koge; West Hills, Calif.), Leah Klenke (Notre Dame; Houston, Texas), Gisele Thompson (Total Futbol Academy; Studio City, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Jasmine Aikey (Stanford; Palo Alto, Calif.), Sofia Cook (UCLA; Huntington Beach, Cali), Jill Flammia (Virginia; Manakin-Sabot, Va.), Shae Harvey (Slammers FC HB Køge; Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Ally Lemos (UCLA; Glendora, Calif.), Lauren Martinho (North Carolina Courage Academy; Cary, N.C.)
FORWARDS (6): Maggie Cagle (Virginia; Phoenix, Ariz.), Madeline Dahlien (UNC; Edina, Minn.), Jordynn Dudley (United Futbol Academy; Milton, Ga.), Onyeka Gamero (Beach FC; Cerritos, Calif.), Kat Rader (Duke; Stuart, Fla.), Ally Sentnor (UNC; Hanson, Mass.)
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Two of Notre Dame’s biggest names this spring are heading out West with international implications.
On Tuesday, USA Basketball announced the 24 athletes who are expected to participate in the group’s Women’s U19 National Team Trials in Colorado Springs beginning May 12. Among them is five-star Irish signee Hannah Hidalgo. Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey is one of two coaches who will serve as court coaches during the trials. It is her first USA Basketball Appointment.
At the conclusion of the trials, a 12-member team will be announced on May 15, and the 2023 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup is scheduled for July 15-23 in Madrid. It will feature 16 teams from across the globe, and the United States will be a part of Group B with Chinese Taipei, Germany and Mali.
“On behalf of the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, I am thrilled to announce this group of two dozen gifted athletes who will compete for a spot on the 2023 USA Women’s U19 National Team,” said Doug Bruno, DePaul University women’s basketball head coach and chairman of the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee. “Many of these young women have prior USA Basketball experience, which will make trials even more exciting. The FIBA Women’s U19 World Cup is a challenging competition and we look forward to selecting a team that will represent the U.S. in the best possible way.”
The 24 women represent three different high school classes. Eight of the athletes recently completed their freshman years, 10 are graduating as part of the class of 2023, and six women are part of the 2024 group.
Twenty-two of the 24 athletes have previously participated in USA Basketball experiences, including Hidalgo. Most recently, the guard from outside of Philadelphia was a member of the inaugural USA women’s team at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit. The United States defeated the World Team, 100-79. Hidalgo also made the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup team.
Hidalgo shined this spring when she posted a record-breaking 26 points at the McDonald’s All-American Games in late March. She signed with the Irish in November and will arrive on campus in a few weeks for the summer. Hidalgo was the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2023 class, per ESPN’s HoopGurlz rankings.
Ivey’s 2022-23 team won the ACC regular season championship after posting a 15-3 conference mark and a 27-6 record overall. The team advanced to the Sweet 16 despite losing starters Dara Mabrey and Olivia Miles to injuries in January and February, respectively. Ivey was named 2023 ACC Coach of the Year.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S LAX
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A multitude of awards were handed out in the college lacrosse world on Tuesday and the Irish collected 18 different honors on the day. The headliner was Liam Entenmann earning ACC Goalie of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year as voted on by the ACC head coaches.
Entenmann picks up Notre Dame’s sixth ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, which marks the most for any program since it was created during the 2012 season.
Entenmann has been exceptional between the posts for the Irish this season, leading the ACC in save percentage (.561) and goals against average (9.65) and ranking in the top 10 in the country in both categories despite facing the top attacks in the country week in and week out.
The senior finished the regular season with 10 straight games of double-digit saves and has 143 on the season. For his career Entenmann has 495 saves, ranking seventh in program history. The goalie will become just the fourth player in Notre Dame history to reach the 500-save milestone.
Entenmann was one of seven Irish players on the All-ACC team, being joined by Pat Kavanagh (A), Chris Kavanagh (A), Eric Dobson (M), Chris Fake (D), Will Donovan (LSM) and Ben Ramsey (SSDM).
The seven Irish honorees are tied for the most All-ACC selections of any team in conference history. Of the 18 total All-ACC Team members, Donovan represents not just the only LSM of the group but also the lone freshman selection.
USA LACROSSE MAGAZINE ALL-AMERICANS
Earlier in the day the Irish also picked up seven All-America honors, as announced by USA Lacrosse Magazine on Tuesday morning. Pat Kavanagh, Dobson and Entenmann were each first team selections while Fake and Brian Tevlin were named to the second team. Chris Kavanagh and Chris Conlin were added as honorable mention citations.
Notre Dame and Duke were the only programs to have three players on the first team and the Irish were the only team to have five players on the first two teams combined.
ACC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
To go along with the 16 yearly honors the Irish racked up on Tuesday, they also swept the ACC Players of the Week awards as well. Chris Kavanagh picked up Offensive Player of the Week and Ben Ramsey earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Kavanagh led the Irish in goals in the win over UNC, matching his career high with five while adding an assist, two ground balls and a caused turnover.
Ramsey had a career day, posting personal bests in ground balls (4) and caused turnovers (3) while adding a goal in transition, his fifth of the season.
UP NEXT
No. 3 Notre Dame opens up the NCAA Championships with a first round matchup against Utah at Arlotta Stadium at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 13.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse standouts Brian Tevlin and Chris Fake had their names called on Tuesday night during the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League draft. Tevlin is headed to the Redwoods and Fake to the Waterdogs.
With the two selections, the Fighting Irish now have had 50 players selected in the history of pro lacrosse drafts.
Tevlin was the first Notre Dame player off the board, as the Redwoods took him 10th overall in the second round. A 2023 USA Lacrosse Magazine Second Team All-American, Tevlin can do nearly everything on a lacrosse field as a two-way midfielder.. The grad student has 10 goals, three assists, 28 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.
Fake has been a lockdown defenseman for the Irish during the 2023 season, consistently matching up with the opposition’s top attackman. The grad student was recently named to the All-ACC Team along with garnering USA Lacrosse Magazine Second Team accolades. Fake has held his primary matchup to a combined four goals this season when he is actually the one defending.
Tevlin, Fake and the Irish open up the NCAA Championships with a first round matchup against Utah at Arlotta Stadium at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 13. The game will air on ESPNU.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
SOUTH BEND, IN – Just a little over a month into the job and Glenn & Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach Micah Shrewsberry has himself a top-25 ranked incoming freshmen class thanks to three signings on Tuesday – Carey Booth, Logan Imes and Braeden Shrewsberry. Add in Mr. Indiana Basketball Markus Burton, and that brings the 2023 class to four signees which rank 23rd in the country according to 247Sports.com.
Let’s first start with four-star signee Carey Booth. A 6-10 forward out of Englewood, Colorado, Booth has risen in the national rankings to 49th overall and 11th at his position.
Booth played three seasons at Cherry Creek High in Colorado before enrolling at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire for his senior season. Booth averaged 10.6 points and 7.7 rebounds in 22 games as a senior, leading Brewster to a 35-6 record in one of the most competitive prep conferences in the nation.
Booth played AAU ball with KC Run GMC where he helped lead the squad to the 2022 UAA Finals semifinal round. Booth was also a 2022 NBAPA Top-100 camp invitee, a Pangos All-American camp invitee and a top-30 Cream of the Crop game participant.
“Carey will be a great addition to our program. His combination of size, athleticism, & skill will make him a unique player for opposing teams. He is a player that keeps rapidly improving. I can’t wait to get him on campus, because his best days are ahead of him,” Shrewsberry explained.
The next signee is Logan Imes, a 6-4 guard hailing from Zionsville, Indiana. Imes is rated as the 7th best prospect in the state of Indiana, where he attended Zionsville High and played AAU ball with Indiana Elite.
Imes was named a 2023 Associated Press Boys Basketball Third-Team All-State selection. He was also named to the 2023 Indiana All-Stars team alongside future Irish teammate Markus Burton.
Imes averaged 16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals during his senior campaign. Furthermore, he became the ninth 1,000-point scorer in Zionsville program history.
“Logan’s versatility will be a big asset for us. He can play multiple positions and is comfortable with or without the ball in his hands. He is also a tenacious defender who enjoys taking on tough challenges on the defensive end. Logan is a strong student and a great teammate. He will be a great fit at Notre Dame,” Shrewsberry stated.
Last but not least is someone all too familiar with Coach Shrewsberry, his son Braeden. At 6-3, Shrewsberry is the No. 32 shooting guard and No. 6 recruit in Pennsylvania. He just finished his prep career at State College Area High, but also played two years at West Lafayette High in Indiana. Important to note, Shrewsberry played AAU ball on Indiana Elite alongside future Irish teammate Logan Imes.
Shrewsberry is 1-of-6 finalists for Mr. Pennsylvania Basketball, with the winner being announced later this month. Shrewsberry averaged 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals during his senior year, leading the Little Lions to a 25-3 record.
The year prior, Shrewsberry was a first-team all-conference pick, leading State College Area High to a District 6 championship, averaging over 20 points per game. In his first two years, Shrewsberry played at West Lafayette High during which he earned first-team all-area honors, scored a school-record 42 points in a single game during his sophomore season and scored the most points by a freshmen in school history.
“Braeden is going to be a great addition to our program. He is a great shooter who has also improved his overall game. He is a relentless worker who will embrace the culture of hard work that we want our program to be about,” Shrewsberry said.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State seized control of the game early and Mike Sears homered twice as the Sycamores took the Tuesday contest at Bob Warn Field over Ball State, 11-1.
The No. 11-ranked Sycamores (33-13) jumped ahead in the bottom of the first inning on Josue Urdaneta’s two-out, two-run double and Indiana State never looked back. The Sycamores pounded out 11 hits and taking advantage of 10 walks and three hit-by-pitches issued from the Ball State (30-17) pitching staff in the midweek win.
The win extended ISU’s home winning streak to 13 consecutive games dating back to mid-March. The 13-game winning streak sits behind just Kent State (14) among the active home winning streaks in the NCAA Division I through Tuesday’s games.
Sears picked up his third multi-homer game of 2023 with a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth inning and a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh on his way to powering the Sycamore offense. The redshirt junior’s two-homer day gave him a team-high 15 on the season and made him the first ISU player in the Mitch Hannahs coaching era to post three multi-homer games in the same season.
Brennyn Cutts (2-3) was the recipient of the win as the sophomore right-hander went 5.0 innings allowing four hits and a run while walking two and striking out five. Reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week Zach Davidson struck out six batters and didn’t allow a runner over 3.0 innings on the mound, while Jacob Pruitt pitched around a single to retire the Cardinals in the ninth.
Urdaneta went 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, while Sears and Luis Hernandez had multi-hit games as ISU picked up their 14th consecutive home win against Ball State. The winning streak against the Cardinals in Terre Haute dates back to the 1991 season.
Five different Ball State players recorded hits in the game with Zach Lane’s double the lone extra-base hit for BSU. The Cardinals opened the game with three consecutive singles, but the ISU pitching staff limited BSU’s opportunities throughout the game allowing just Lane’s fifth-inning double and Clay Jacobs’ ninth-inning single the rest of the way.
Will Jacobson (0-1) took the loss on the mound allowing four hits and three runs while walking six and striking out two over 2.2 innings. Five relievers spent time on the mound for the Cardinals with Owen Quinn going a team-high 2.1 innings of hitless relief.
How They Scored
Decker Scheffler put Ball State on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with an RBI groundout to short scoring Adam Tellier to give the Cardinals the 1-0 lead.
Indiana State loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame before Josue Urdaneta’s two-out, two-run double cleared the BSU first baseman and scored Randal Diaz and Luis Hernandez to give ISU the 2-1 lead.
The Sycamores made it 3-1 in the bottom of the third as Urdaneta scored on Miguel Rivera’s infield single.
Sears connected on his first home run of the day, a three-run blast over the trees in left center, and Rivera added a sacrifice fly scoring Urdaneta to give the Sycamores the 7-1 edge.
Grant Magill connected on a bases-loaded, two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning scoring Urdaneta and Sears to make it a 9-1 game.
Sears closed out the scoring with his second home run of the contest in the bottom of the seventh as the third baseman drilled an 0-1 pitch over the wall in left center scoring Hernandez to cap the 11-1 final margin.
News & Notes
Indiana State ran their winning streak to nine consecutive games against Ball State dating back to April 6, 2021. The Sycamores have not lost in Terre Haute to the Cardinals since the 1991 season – a stretch of 14 consecutive home wins against BSU.
ISU ran their current home winning streak to 13 consecutive games following Tuesday night’s win.
The Sycamores are also on a seven-game winning streak now dating back to April 29 against Evansville.
ISU is 21-1 since April 2 and 25-2 since March 25 as the Sycamores remain one of the hottest teams in the NCAA heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Mike Sears became the first Sycamore in the Mitch Hannahs coaching era to record three multi-homer games in the same season following his two blasts on Tuesday night.
Sears previously hit two home runs on March 26 against Valparaiso and April 2 at UIC.
Sears’ 15 home runs put him tied for the ninth-most in a single season in ISU history according to current records on hand equaling the marks by Dane Gielser (2018) and Tyler Thompson (1998).
Adam Pottinger ran his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games on Tuesday evening as the junior outfielder went 1-for-5 from the plate with a single to lead off the fourth inning.
Josue Urdaneta posted ISU’s third four-hit game of 2023 and his first of the season after going perfect from the plate on Tuesday. Urdaneta reached in all five plate appearances drawing a walk in the bottom of the sixth.
Urdaneta’s four-hit day matched Seth Gergely (4 at UIC, April 2) and Randal Diaz (4 vs. Illinois State, April 9) for the most by a Sycamore this season.
Urdaneta has reached base in nine of his last 10 plate appearances dating back to May 7 against Bradley. The Sycamore second baseman is 7-for-7 with a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt to his name over the last two games in raising his season batting average to .316.
Urdaneta added his second multi-steal game of 2023 with two swipes on Tuesday night. He previously had two stolen bases back on April 7 against Illinois State
Seth Gergely and Josue Urdaneta both extended their on-base streaks to 14 games on Tuesday evening.
Three more Sycamores were hit by pitches on Tuesday as Seth Gergely, Randal Diaz, and Mike Sears Miguel Rivera, were all plunked. ISU continues to lead the MVC with 86 HBPs through 46 games.
The Sycamore defense continued its strong play again on Tuesday night as the NCAA’s leader in fielding percentage (0.985) went error-free for the ninth time in the last 11 games.
ISU entered the week sitting in the NCAA Division I top-10 in team ERA and the Sycamores saw that number drop to 3.89 on Tuesday night after allowing just one earned run against the Cardinals.
Indiana State improved to 9-1 on Tuesday games in 2023 with the win.
Up Next
Indiana State closes out the home portion of the regular season schedule this weekend as the Sycamores welcome Murray State to Bob Warn Field for a three-game Missouri Valley Conference weekend series running from May 12-14. First pitch in Friday night’s opener is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State softball begins its quest for an MVC Tournament crown on Wednesday as the No. 5 seed Sycamores will take on 12 seed Valparaiso in Carbondale, Illinois at SIU’s Charlotte West Stadium with first pitch set for 2 p.m. ET.
Each game of the tournament will be streamed live on ESPN+. The winner of Wednesday’s game will take on No. 4 seed Murray State on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET.
The Sycamores finished the regular season with historic numbers, winning 29 games which is the program’s most since 1989. ISU also won 17 conference games which is the most MVC wins in program history.
With ISU being the fifth seed this week, it is their highest MVC Tournament seeding since 2018 when they were also a No. 5 seed and defeated Bradley in the opening game of the tournament.
Wednesday will mark the third consecutive season that the Sycamores and Beacons have squared off in the opening round of the MVC Tournament. The Sycamores have eliminated Valpo in back-to-back seasons including a 9-5 victory last season as Lexi Benko got the win in the circle, throwing six innings and striking out five. Cassi Newbanks threw a scoreless seventh to close out the contest. Isabella Henning went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Indiana State has won four straight games over Valpo dating back to last season’s MVC Tournament matchup and are 22-6 all-time against the Beacons.
Sycamore Stats & Notes
Isabella Henning enters the tournament hitting a team-best .389, which is good for third-highest in the MVC. Henning has 10 home runs on the year, putting her at 25 in her career which is tied for third-most at ISU. Henning, a two-time All MVC selection, also ranks fifth at ISU with 37 career doubles.
Annie Tokarek finished the regular season on a hot streak, recording four-straight multi-hit games and driving in a run in six-straight games enter the postseason hitting .327 with a team-high 37 RBI. Tokarek ranks second all-time at ISU with 27 career home runs and fourth with 106 career RBI.
One of three Sycamores to start all 53 games this season, Danielle Henning is third on the ISU offense with 49 hits, entering the tournament batting .287. She has driven in 23 runs and scored 26 which is second-most on the team. Henning also has the lone triple for Indiana State this season.
After playing a limited role in her first two seasons, Kennedy Shade has broken out in her junior year, hitting .336 which is second-highest on the Sycamore offense. Shade has 49 hits including 10 doubles and four home runs. She tied an ISU single-game record on 3/20 with 3 doubles against UIC.
The ace of the Sycamore pitching staff, Lexi Benko leads ISU with a 2.32 ERA and 13 wins to go along with five shutouts. Her ERA is eighth-lowest in the Valley while her wins are tied for fifth. She ranks fifth all-time at ISU with 36 career victories. Her 265 career strikeouts rank eighth in program history.
Lauren Sackett has enjoyed a successful freshman season, ending the regular season with a 8-8 record and a 2.90 ERA while leading the pitching staff with 118 strikeouts, four saves, and an opp. batting average of .215. Sackett threw a no-hitter in the first appearance of her college career, walking just one hitter against Maine on February 18.
A perfect 8-for-8 on the season with stolen base attempts, Abi Chipps is a serious threat on the base paths. The junior second basemen has scored 21 runs on the season and ranks first in the country in the toughest to strikeout category. Chipps has struck out just once this season in 101 at-bats.
Olivia Patton has started every game of the season in center field, owning a .989 fielding percentage with just one error in 91 chances. She is batting .277 with a career-high 48 hits while leading ISU with nine stolen bases. Her 213 career games played are second most in program history.
After starting just 14 games in her first three years at ISU, Kaylee Barrett has made 49 starts in right field this season, recording 30 hits including nine doubles and four home runs while driving in 25 runs. The senior outfielder had a pair of five RBI games, 3/10 against Memphis and 3/20 against UIC.
Cassie Thomerson has posted career-high numbers at the plate, collecting 23 hits including two doubles and two home runs with 15 RBI. She is ISU’s all-time leader in hit by pitches with 27 in her career. Thomerson hit a walk-off single to defeat Murray State in 12 innings on 4/21.
Cassi Newbanks has made a great improvement from last season, almost cutting her ERA in half to 2.67 this year. Newbanks is 5-5 with two complete games and a save. She has allowed 10 less home runs than last season and has nearly matched her strikeout total from 2022, facing 108 less batters in 2023.
Hailey Griffin is second on the staff with three saves on the season, currently owning a 3-2 record with a 3.94 ERA. In 20 innings from 3/4 to 3/21, Griffin allowed just one earned run. She struck out a career-high six hitters in a relief appearance against IUPUI on 3/15.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE SOFTBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – Six Purdue Fort Wayne softball players earned All-Horizon League honors on Tuesday (May 9), the league announced. Taryn Jenkins was named a First Team selection, Tori Countryman, Bailey Manos and Sonia Solis were Second Team, while Countryman, Grace Hollopeter and Alanah Jones were All-Freshman Team.
Jenkins was Purdue Fort Wayne’s leader with a .387 batting average, .619 slugging percentage, 21 stolen bases, 60 hits, 15 doubles, three triples and five home runs. Jenkins led the league in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, hits, doubles and total bases. Her 21 runs and 34 hits in league play also led the league. Her 21 stolen bases is the third-most in a season in program history. This is Jenkins’ first All-League honor of her career. She is the first Mastodon to be named to a league’s First Team since Lauren Watson in 2019.
Countryman, an All-League Second Team and All-Freshman Team pick, batted .309 overall and .303 in Horizon League play. Playing the majority of the season from the designated player spot, she recorded 30 hits with 20 coming once league play began. Countryman was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on April 11.
Manos joined her fellow freshman on the All-League Second Team. She batted .325 overall, which shot up to .367 in league play, the latter of which was eighth in the league. Manos finished her freshman campaign with 40 hits, 19 runs and nine RBIs.
Solis was the Horizon League’s best RBI-collector in league play, which earned her a spot on the Second Team as well. Her 22 RBIs in Horizon League play was the best of any player. She batted .366 and slugged .620 with 26 hits and four home runs in league games, which all are top-10.
Hollopeter was named the Horizon League Player of the Week twice this season, one of only two players of any class to be selected twice, and the only freshman. She was the first Mastodon field player to earn two Player of the Week awards in a season since Kristina Karpun in 2010. She had 43 hits, 29 runs, four home runs and two triples, all of which ranked in the top-10 in the league.
Jones earned a spot on the All-Freshman team after comfortably leading the Horizon League with 170 strikeouts in her freshman campaign. The next-closest pitcher had 155 K’s. Jones’ 170 strikeouts ranks 35th in the nation. In league play, she struck out 89 batters.
Purdue Fort Wayne finished 2023 with a 17-32 record, which marked its most wins since 2018. The Mastodons’ four combined representatives on the first and second team is the most for Purdue Fort Wayne since 2014.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug and junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse had back-to-back RBI base hits in the bottom of the seventh inning on Tuesday night to help the Purple Aces rally for a 6-5 win over the visiting Bellarmine Knights at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“Give credit to Bellarmine, I thought they played an outstanding game tonight,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “We were just able to put together some great at-bats there in the seventh inning to go ahead late. Then, our bullpen was outstanding tonight to help us secure the win.”
With Bellarmine leading 5-4 going into the bottom of the seventh, graduate third baseman Eric Roberts roped a lead-off single to right-center field. With Roberts running on a 3-1 pitch, Hug crushed a double that got past the Bellarmine right-fielder and two-hopped the wall in right to score Roberts from first and tie the game at 5-5. After a passed ball advanced Hug to third base, Fougerousse rocketed a ball up the middle to score Hug and give UE a 6-5 advantage.
From there, senior reliver Jakob Meyer (1-3) worked a scoreless eighth inning to cap two scoreless, hitless innings on the mound, and junior closer Nate Hardman worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his seventh save of the year and help Evansville improve to 29-19 overall.
Bellarmine opened the contest scoring a run in the first inning, only to have Evansville answer back with three in the bottom of the first, as UE took advantage of wildness from the Bellarmine starter to jump to an early lead. The Knights would not back down though, scoring two runs in the second inning on a two-out, two-run double by outfielder Dylan Byerly to tie the game at 3-3.
Roberts would lead off the bottom of the second inning with his first triple of the year to right-center field, and he came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Hug to give UE a 4-3 lead. The score would remain 4-3 until the fifth inning, when back-to-back two-out doubles by Bellarmine designated hitter Casey Sorg and second baseman Peyton Back gave the Knights a 5-4 lead. The score would remain 5-4 until the game-deciding bottom of the seventh inning.
Roberts and Fougerousse both had two hits for UE, with Roberts adding three runs. Hug drove in a pair for UE. Byerly paced the Bellarmine (11-38) attack by going 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI.
Evansville will return to Missouri Valley Conference play for its final home series of the 2023 season this weekend, as the Purple Aces will entertain the Bradley Braves at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium. The series will begin Friday night at 6 p.m. and continue on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday’s game will honor all mothers, as all moms will get in free to honor Mother’s Day. Sunday will be “Senior Day” for UE, as the Purple Aces will honor pitchers Jarrett Blunt, John MacCauley, and Michael Parks, outfielder Danny Borgstrom, utility player Eric Roberts, and catcher Max Malley prior to their final home baseball game at UE.
Friday’s and Sunday’s games can be seen on ESPN+, with Saturday’s game available on ESPN3. All three games can also be heard on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Missouri Valley Conference Championship opens on Wednesday for the University of Evansville softball team with the Purple Aces facing Drake at 10 a.m. in Carbondale, Ill. ESPN+ will have the live coverage.
UE at the MVC Championship
– This marks the third year in a row that the Aces will play in the opening game of the championship, which pits the 8th seed against the 9th
– UE took on Loyola in each of the last two MVC Championship openers with the Ramblers taking both games
– Evansville looks for its first win in the championship since 2013 when the 7th-seeded Aces advanced to the championship game where they fell to UNI by a score of 2-1
– The 2013 championship was the last time Evansville and Drake met at the tournament; UE won by a 2-1 final, defeating the #2 Bulldogs on their way to the final game
Last Time Out
– Scoring three runs in the first inning, Northern Iowa added six in the third to pull away for a 9-1 win on Sunday in Cedar Falls
– Zoe Frossard picked up an RBI single, scoring Alexa Davis in the top of the second
– Megan Brenton made the start with nine earned runs scoring in 2 2/3 innings
Finishing Strong
– Since March 19, Jess Willsey has batted .329 with 27 hits in 82 at-bats
– She has been even better over the last 11 games, hitting .382 in a stretch that included an 8-game hit streak
– The recent streak has vaulted Willsey into the team lead with a season mark of .282
– Willsey finished the Illinois State series with five hits in seven trips to the plate
– In game two against Southern Illinois, Willsey was a perfect 3-3 with four RBI in a 4-0 win for the Aces; the win came less than a day after SIU opened the series with a 17-1 victory
– Willsey has six home runs on the season, which is tied for second on the team
12-Game Hit Streak
– Between April 11 and April 30, Marah Wood posted a 12-game hit streak, which marked the longest for the Aces since Eryn Gould posted a 12-game streak in 2019
Marah Wood begins the weekend with a 12-game hit streak, which is the longest for the team in 2023
– During the streak, Wood recorded 18 hits in 43 at-bats (.419) while picking up multiple hits in five of those games
– It was the longest streak in her college career as she registered a hit in eight consecutive games in 2022.
Wrapping up her Career
– Batting .320 over the last eight games, senior Hannah Hood is wrapping up her senior season on a strong note
– She has accumulated 8 hits in her last 25 trips to the plate to improve her season mark to .270
– Hood earned MVC Player of the Week recognition on Feb. 21 after batting .571 with six runs, five walks, five RBI, four stolen bases and two home runs in the home-opening tournament.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL
OXFORD, Ala. – The Ohio Valley Conference announced during its postseason awards banquet Tuesday that University of Southern Indiana Softball sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) and senior designated player Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) earned All-Ohio Valley Conference first-team honors. Goodin was also named OVC co-Player of the Year on Tuesday evening.
Goodin paced the Screaming Eagles with a .406 batting average, 15 doubles, six home runs, and 37 RBIs. Her average, doubles, and RBI numbers rank among the top three of the OVC. Her batting average is top 50, and her doubles total is top 20, respectively, in the nation. She was also inside the top ten in the OVC with 85 total bases, a .435 on-base percentage, and a .664 slugging percentage.
In the conference season, Goodin hit .442 with eight doubles, six home runs, and 30 RBIs. In OVC play, Goodin led the OVC in batting average and RBIs and is top-six in doubles, home runs, on-base percentage (.470), and slugging percentage (.779). She was also first in OVC play with 60 total bases.
In the rubber game against Tennessee State University on April 23, Goodin led USI to a 5-1 win to clinch a series win against the Tigers. Goodin had a big performance with two home runs and five RBIs. Her multi-home run game was the first by a USI player this season and the fourth such game in Goodin’s USI career. Her last multi-home run game was May 13, 2022, against Lindenwood University. In USI’s 8-7 win in game 2 against Tennessee Tech University on May 6, Goodin had a clutch two-run home run that tied the game 7-7 before USI won in walk-off fashion.
“Allie has been an irreplaceable part of our offense for her entire career, but this year has been exceptional,” USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle said. “After having to back away from pitching this season, she has embraced her role as our offensive leader.”
This season, Goodin moved into the top ten in USI Softball’s all-time history with 18 career home runs. She also surpassed 100 career RBIs, sitting just outside the top ten in USI history.
Newman led the pitching rotation with a 15-10 record, 2.32 ERA, 139 strikeouts, and 17 complete games with six shutouts. The right-hander made 22 starts in 26 appearances, totaling 145 innings of work. Newman held opposing batters to a .206 average. Overall, Newman finished the regular season tied for first in the OVC in wins and complete games, alone in first in strikeouts and shutouts, and second in innings pitched and opposing batting average. Her shutout and strikeout totals are top-20 and top-75, respectively, in the nation.
In OVC play, Newman’s 10 OVC wins were first in the league along with her 95.1 innings pitched, 83 strikeouts, 14 starts, and 13 complete games. Her three OVC shutouts tied for first in conference-only action.
During the season, Newman posted two one-hit shutouts during the non-conference season and had three starts with 10 or more strikeouts. Plus, she had a dominant stretch between March 7-12 when USI competed at The Spring Games in Florida. Newman went 4-0, and all four victories and starts during that week were complete games. Newman struck out 31 batters in 28 innings pitched, and she struck out nine in two of the four starts.
“Josie has been a workhorse for us this season, displaying a strong presence on the mound and her great ability to control her pitches,” Kunkle commented. “After tearing her ACL at the NCAA II World Series last May, she put the work in to come back stronger.”
This season, Newman moved into the top eight in USI Softball’s all-time history with 324 career strikeouts and inside the top ten with 12 career shutouts. She sits just outside the top eight with 32 career wins.
Newman was named to the OVC’s Preseason Players to Watch List before the 2023 season started. Newman also earned OVC Pitcher of the Week three times this season, most recently on April 3 and in consecutive weeks on March 13 and 20. The last two honors came after series wins in OVC play against Lindenwood and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Following the USI Softball program’s first season in the Ohio Valley Conference and as an NCAA Division I program, Goodin and Newman are the first-ever USI Softball players to earn All-OVC accolades, and Goodin is the first to win OVC Player of the Year laurels.
“Both Allie and Josie have done a great job this year, having successful seasons while adjusting to the challenges and the new opponents from the transition to the D-I level,” Kunkle added.
USI Softball begins tournament play Wednesday at the 2023 OVC Softball Championship. The Screaming Eagles are the No. 3 seed after going 20-21 overall and 13-9 in the conference season. USI gets a first-round bye and will play Wednesday at 3 p.m., awaiting the winner of the 6/7 matchup between Tennessee State and Lindenwood on Wednesday morning.
Championship tournament coverage from Oxford, Alabama can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. USI Softball radio coverage can be heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage links are on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Basketball announced that it will play in the Duke Blue Devil Challenge, a four-team, three-game round-robin tournament organized by the Gazelle Group, in November. USI is slated to play at LaSalle University November 17; Bucknell University November 20; and Duke University November 24.
Duke will host three games at Cameron Indoor Stadium (Bucknell on November 17; La Salle on November 21; and USI on November 24), while LaSalle will host a pair of contests (Bucknell on November 14; USI on November 17). Game times are to be announced.
USI was 16-17 in their first season as a Division I program, earning a postseason bid to the College Basketball Invitational and the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. USI Head Coach Stan Gouard hopes to build momentum as he returns for his fourth year at the helm of the Screaming Eagles.
“We are excited about the opportunity to play at such a historic venue,” said Gouard. “For years Duke has been the blue blood of college basketball with its rich tradition. Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) has left that program in a great place and Jon Scheyer has done a spectacular job of picking up where Coach K left off.
“Playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and in front the Cameron Crazies, will be a moment in time that our student athletes will never forget,” continue Gouard. “As we enter into our second season of the Division I era, it is important to compete against teams that are going to help our program and our University grow on a national level and playing at Duke does that.”
Duke is coming off a 27-9 season last year, winning the ACC Tournament and earning the fifth seed in the NCAA East Regional. LaSalle reached the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in 2023 after posting a 15-19 mark, while Bucknell was 12-20 last season and earned a trip to the Patriot League Tournament.
The full schedule for challenge is:
November 14: Bucknell at La Salle
November 17: USI at La Salle; Bucknell at Duke
November 20: USI at Bucknell
November 21: La Salle at Duke
November 24: USI at Duke
VALPO BASEBALL
The Valparaiso University baseball team grabbed control of the game with a six-run third inning and held the lead for the day’s duration on Tuesday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field, besting visiting Western Michigan 9-6 in the final nonconference game of the season. Kyle Schmack had three hits to pace a 10-hit effort.
How It Happened
Western Michigan tallied the game’s first run in the top of the second, but starting pitcher Kaleb Krier (Altoona, Iowa / Southeast Polk [DMACC]) limited the damage in that frame and faced the minimum in both the first and third.
In the bottom of the third, two walks and an infield single loaded the bags, before Nolan Tucker (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central) was nailed with a pitch to force in the game-tying run. That prompted a Western Michigan pitching change – their first but certainly not their last of the day as they ran out eight different hurlers.
Schmack greeted the new moundsman with a two-run double, then Ryan Maka grounded out to drive in a run. Jake Skrine (Longmont, Colo. / Mead [Indiana]) lifted a sacrifice fly, and later Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central) ripped a run-scoring single to make it 6-1.
Schmack picked up his second double in the fourth, again driving in a run.
Skrine tripled to lead off the fifth and crossed the dish on a sac fly by Thurston that widened the gap to seven, then Olive worked a bases-loaded walk to force in a run in the sixth to increase the lead to eight.
Krier went four innings of one-run, three-hit ball before Josh Cottrill (Pewaukee, Wis. / Pewaukee) worked two scoreless, hitless innings. Jacob Rosenkranz (Lincolnshire, Ill. / Stevenson) pitched a shutout seventh, and all was smooth sailing with Valpo leading 9-1 going to the eighth.
Valpo’s cruise control hit a speed bump in the eighth when the first three Broncos to come to the plate reached base, leading to a Valpo pitching change. A pair of two-run singles cut the deficit to four, then WMU got within three on a base hit that produced the final out of the five-run frame when the batter tried to stretch it to a double.
Valpo’s Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka, Ind. / Mishawaka) bounced back in the ninth, sending down the side in order.
Inside the Game
Schmack’s three-hit game was his second of the season, matching his season high in the hit column that was set on April 8 at Evansville. His three RBIs marked his highest single-game total since four on Feb. 26 at UT Martin. He had a walk and two runs scored to go along with his big day that featured a pair of doubles.
Skrine’s triple was his first in a Valpo uniform.
Krier picked up the win to improve to 2-1.
Valpo extended its head-to-head winning streak over Western Michigan to five.
Valpo secured its 18th win, the team’s highest win total since 2018. Valpo needs two more victories to nail down its first 20-win season since 2017. This comes despite the fact that six games have been canceled due to poor weather this season.
Up Next
Valpo (17-21, 8-13) will visit Belmont for a three-game series in Nashville starting on Friday. Note that the start time for Friday’s series opener has been moved to 1 p.m.
VALPO SOFTBALL
Valparaiso (8-40, 4-23 MVC)
at MVC Tournament (Carbondale, Ill.)
May 10 – vs. Indiana State (29-24, 17-10 MVC) – 1 p.m. | May 11 – vs. Murray State (33-20, 17-10 MVC) – 1 p.m.
May 12 – vs. UNI/Drake/Evansville – 1 p.m. | May 13 – MVC Championship game – 1 p.m.
Next Up in Valpo Softball: The Valpo softball team heads to the 2023 MVC Tournament this week in Carbondale, Ill. As the 12th seed, Valpo opens tournament play against fifth-seeded Indiana State on Wednesday afternoon. The Beacons will have to win four games in a row in the single-elimination bracket to claim the tournament title.
Previously: Valpo dropped its final series of the regular season to Indiana State last weekend, falling 7-0, 3-2 and 11-0.
Following Valpo Softball: Every game from the 2023 MVC Championship will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with R.C. McBride and Kerri Blaylock on the call for the first two games and Connor Onion and Laura Leonard for the final two games. Live stats for all of Valpo’s tournament games will also be available via ValpoAthletics.com.
Head Coach Meaggan Pettipiece: Meaggan Pettipiece was hired in September 2022 as head coach of the Valpo softball program. Pettipiece brings over a decade of experience as a collegiate head coach, most recently the last three seasons at the Division I level at Akron. Prior to her time at Akron, Pettipiece spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Kent State and was head coach at Northwood for 10 years. Pettipiece, who owns 258 career coaching victories, was an All-American on the diamond and helped California University of Pennsylvania to a D-II national title in 1998 collegiately before playing internationally for Team Canada, including at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Series Records: Indiana State – 6-22 overall; 4-14 since joining MVC; 0-3 this season
L4 streak (most recent win: March 20, 2022 at INS – 1-0)
Murray State – 0-3 overall; 0-3 since joining MVC; 0-3 this season
You Again?: It’s a familiar foe in the opening game of the tournament for Valpo in more ways than one, as the Beacons take on Indiana State in first-round action on Wednesday. Remarkably, this is the fourth time in five MVC Tournaments that Valpo opens tournament action against Indiana State. It is the third straight year that the teams have met in the opening round of the tournament bracket, while in 2018, Valpo had a bye to the second round and met an Indiana State squad which won its opening-round game.
We Just Played You: Valpo also just met Indiana State in the final regular season series last weekend. Notably, with the first-round matchup against the Sycamores set going into Sunday’s season finale, the Beacons started a pitcher other than Easton Seib or Caitlyn Kowalski for the first time this year. It is the first time since 2013, when the program was in the Horizon League and took on Youngstown State, that Valpo will face the same team in its opening tournament game as it closed the regular season against.
Valpo in the MVC Tournament: Valpo holds a 2-4 record in the MVC Tournament in its four tournament appearances, with the 2020 tournament canceled due to the COVID pandemic.
2018 (#4 seed) – 1-1 – W 3-2 vs. Indiana State, L 2-0 at Drake
2019 (#10 seed) – 1-1 – W 5-0 vs. Evansville, L 4-1 vs. Illinois State
2021 (#10 seed) – 0-1 – L 9-5 vs. Indiana State
2022 (#10 seed) – 0-1 – L 9-5 vs. Indiana State
Saving the Win: Dating back to 2016, this is the sixth time in Valpo’s last seven conference tournaments that it has opened the tournament against a team which swept the regular season series from Valpo (the only exception being last season). Despite not winning any regular season contests against those opening foes, however, Valpo owns a 4-1 record in those five first-round games.
Winning Series: Despite finishing the regular season in 12th position, Valpo claimed a pair of series victories in conference play, winning two out of three against both UIC and Bradley. It is the second straight season that the Beacons have won series against the two teams directly ahead of them in the standings, as last year’s squad had series wins over Evansville and Loyola.
Record Book Watch: A pair of Beacons have impacted the program’s record book this year. Fifth-year infielder Taylor Herschbach has four triples this season, the most by a Valpo player since 2018 and moving her into a tie for sixth place in a single season in program history. With one more triple, Herschbach would move into a tie for second on the program’s single-season chart. Another triple would also move Herschbach into the top-10 in program history for career triples. Meanwhile, senior pitcher Easton Seib ranks 10th in program history with 97 career pitching appearances.
Standouts Against the Sycamores: While Valpo did not capture a win last weekend, a number of players had strong series against Indiana State. Senior catcher Lauren Kehlenbrink went 3-for-8 with two doubles and a hit by pitch, while junior outfielder Regi Hecker was 3-for-9 with a double. Herschbach reached base four times in 10 plate appearances, with two hits and two hit by pitchers, while freshman pitcher/utility player Lexi Szostak had a hit and two walks in seven plate appearances. In the circle, Seib limited ISU to just one run in her first six innings of work before a couple of tough-luck deflections resulted in scoring in the seventh inning, and she also tied her season high with five strikeouts.
Hecker Continues to Hit: Junior outfielder Regi Hecker continued her strong recent performance at the plate last week. Over Valpo’s last 12 games, Hecker is hitting .412 (14-for-34) and has at least one hit in 10 of those 12 games, including four multi-hit games. She has scored five runs and driven in five during that span as well. Her season batting average sat at .256 following the first game of Valpo’s doubleheader at Bradley April 15, but has gone up 42 points since then to a team-best .298 average.
The Pitching Roundup: Pitchers Easton Seib and Caitlyn Kowalski combined for one of the most impressive stretches of games pitched by Valpo players in program history in mid-April.
4/11 at Northern Illinois – Easton Seib one-hitter (first of her career, sixth inning infield single)
4/14 at Bradley – Seib one-hitter (second of her career, third inning infield single)
– First pitcher in program history to throw one-hitters or better in back-to-back starts
– First Valpo pitcher since Emily Richardson in 2018 to throw multiple one-hitters or better in the same season
4/15 at Bradley – Caitlyn Kowalski no-hitter (First of her career)
– 12th no-hitter in program history
– First no-hitter by a Valpo pitcher since March 2019; first seven inning no-hitter since Feb. 2018
– First no-hitter in program history in a 1-0 game
4/19 vs. UIC – Seib and Kowalski combine on 4-0 shutout
– Largest shutout win over UIC in program history
– Just the program’s third shutout of UIC since 1990
More Pitching Beacon Bits: – First time since 2018 Valpo has had at least three one-hitters or better in the same season
– Shortest span between three such games in program history (previous shortest span was 28 days in 2007)
– Second time in program history team threw a one-hitter and no-hitter in consecutive games (March 2002 vs. Philadelphia and St. Thomas Aquinas)
– First time throwing four shutouts in a six-game stretch since Feb. 24-March 5, 2019
– First time throwing three shutouts in a stretch of four conference games since April 5-6, 2014
U OF I WOMEN’S GOLF
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The UIndy women’s golf team had another solid day on the course Tuesday, tightening their grip on second place at the NCAA DII East Regional. Sophomore Anci Dy remained at the top of the individual leaderboard as one of four Greyhounds in the top 15. The three-day, 54-hole tournament is being held at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill.
Dy followed her opening-round 69 with a one-under 71 on Tuesday, maintaining a one-stroke lead over the field. Fifth-year senior Elyse Stasil (+2) made it back-to-back 73s to climb into sole possession of ninth. Senior Catharina Graf (+4) dipped to T-10, while classmate Katelyn Skinner (+5) is one stroke back at T-15. Freshman Ava Ray (+17) is now at T-49.
Play concludes tomorrow with the third and final round. The top six teams plus the top two individuals not on an advancing team will advance to the NCAA DII Championships May 16-20. UIndy’s tee times are scheduled to start at 11:10 a.m. ET, with live results available here.
ROUND 1
The UIndy women’s golf team is well positioned after Monday’s opening round of the NCAA DII East Regional. With sophomore Anci Dy topping the individual leaderboard, the Greyhounds combined for a two-under 286 – two strokes back of team-leader Findlay and seven ahead of third-place Wayne State.
Dy fired a three-under 69 as one of 10 golfers to finish day one at par or better. She found herself at +1 after six holes but finished on a bogey-free tear over the final 12 holes to set a collegiate low.
Senior Catharina Graf also hung a red number of the board, as her one-under 71 is good for a share of sixth place. Elyse Stasil and Katelyn Skinner are tied for 11th at +1, while freshman Ava Ray (+8) sits at T-40.
INDIANAPOLIS—The Great Lakes Valley Conference announced Tuesday its 2023 postseason awards. The Greyhounds led the way, accounted for half of the league’s 10 All-GLVC honorees.
Catharina Graf, Katelyn Skinner, Elyse Stasil, Anci Dy and Ava Ray earned all-conference status. The former three made the list after a top-five finish at the GLVC Championships, while the latter two were voted in by the league’s coaches.
UIndy has now placed no less than four individuals on the all-conference team in each of the last 12 years. All five of this year’s honorees are currently competing at the NCAA DII East Regional.
The league also recognized a GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award nominee from each team, with Dy earning the honor for UIndy for the second year. The 11 student-athletes chosen have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals are also in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced later this month.
See below for a complete list of All-GLVC performers and major postseason award winners.
ALL-GLVC
Shehna Akbary, So., DU*
Heather McLean, Gr., UIS**
Anci Dy, So., UIndy**
Cathi Graf, So., UIndy*
Ava Ray, Fr., UIndy**
Katelyn Skinner, Sr., UIndy*
Elyse Stasil, Gr., UIndy*
Kendall Farm, So., Lewis*
Tove Brunell, So., UMSL**
Wilma Zanderau, Fr., UMSL**
*based on top-five finish at GLVC Championships
**based on coaches vote
GLVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tove Brunell, So., Missouri-St. Louis
GLVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Wilma Zanderau, Missouri-St. Louis
GLVC COACH OF THE YEAR
Michael Leotta, Illinois Springfield
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Shehna Akbary, DU
Heather McLean, UIS
Anci Dy, UIndy
Kendall Farm, Lewis
Chloe Davidson, MU
Martina Hicks, McK
Tove Brunell, UMSL
Karlie Schnepp, QU
Caroline Setter, RU
Jordan Marshall, TSU
Katye Vausbinder, WJC
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD
Illinois Springfield
MARIAN WOMEN’S GOLF
LACONIA, Ind. – Sitting in the lead through the opening two rounds of the Crossroads League Championship on Monday, the Marian women’s golf team held on in the final 18 holes on Tuesday to capture their fifth Crossroads League title for the first time since 2016.
DAY 1 RECAP
On the final day Marian finished with a team score of 308, beating out Taylor by six strokes as the No. 11 Trojans came in with a 314. Marian’s total score for the three rounds was 898 (300+290+308), 16-strokes better than Taylor’s 914 (304+296+314). No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan finished in third with a 931 score, while No. 24 Bethel totaled 937.
Individually, Marian dominated the field as every player finished in the top-10. Sidney Parmer and MacKendzie Dresbaugh led the Knights, finishing in a four-way tie for first with a 224 score. The two Knights battled in out with Brette Hanavan from Grace, and Shayne Lim from Taylor, before the two were the only left. After four playoff holes, it was Dresbaugh taking the individual medalist honor. Dresbaugh finished the tournament carding 77+72+75, while Parmer went 75+72+77.
Ava Hedrick joined Parmer and Dresbaugh on the All-Tournament team, finishing fifth overall. Hedrick carded an 81 in her final round to finish with a three-round score of 226. Keara Eder finished four over par in her final round, shooting a 76 to bring her total score to a 228 to finish in seventh. Elizabeth Hedrick finished eighth overall, turning in an 80 on the final 18 to bring her total to 229 after three rounds.
With Marian’s win, they clinched an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships, held May 23-26 in Silvis, Ill. More information about the NAIA National Championships will be released at a later date.
MARIAN WOMEN’S TRACK
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2023 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field All-League Team and Coach-of-the-Year honors on Wednesday, following Marian’s third-straight team title.
The Knights earned 21 All-Crossroads League honors from 15 different events and claimed victory in six of the 22 events at the meet. Erin Oleksak was one of the standouts for Marian with top-three showings in the 100 Hurdles, 200, 4×100, high jump, and long jump, while MU’s Michael Holman was named the Crossroads League Coach of the Year.
The All-Crossroads League honors are awarded to any individual or relay that finished among the top-three in an event. The Crossroads League Coach-of-the-Year honor is voted on by the league’s track and field head coaches.
2023 Crossroads League Coach of the Year
Michael Holman, Marian
2023 All-Crossroads League Performers
100
Giorgia Mameli, Marian
MaKayla Melvin, Marian
100-Hurdles
Erin Oleksak, Marian
200
Giorgia Mameli, Marian
Erin Oleksak, Marian
Makayla Melvin, Marian
400
Taylor Thomas, Marian
Hanna Reuter, Marian
5,000
Ali Ray, Marian
10,000
Ali Ray, Marian
4×100 Relay
Aya Dunn/Erin Oleksak/MaKayla Melvin/Giorgia Mameli, Marian
4×400 Relay
MaKayla Melvin/Nora Steele/Taylor Thomas/Giorgia Mameli, Marian
High Jump
Erin Oleksak, Marian
Gina Butz, Marian
Pole Vault
Alli Taylor, Marian
Long Jump
Erin Oleksak, Marian
Jai-Lyn Norwood, Marian
Triple Jump
Jai-Lyn Norwood, Marian
Shot Put
Arriana Benjamin, Marian
Hammer
Arriana Benjamin, Marian
Heptathlon
Emma Bock, Marian
MARIAN MEN’S TRACK
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2023 Men’s Outdoor Track and Field All-League Team and Coach-of-the-Year honors on Tuesday, just days after Marian took its third-straight title and seventh in the past eight years.
The Knights earned 18 All-Crossroads League honors from 13 different events and claimed victory in six of the 22 events at the meet. Christian Rios was one of the bright spots in the dominant showing for MU, winning the discus and finishing second on the shot put and hammer. Marian’s Michael Holman was also once again voted the Crossroads League Coach of the Year.
The All-Crossroads League honors are awarded to any individual or relay that finished among the top-three in an event. The Crossroads League Coach-of-the-Year honor is voted on by the league’s head track and field coaches.
2023 Crossroads League Coach of the Year
Michael Holman, Marian
2023 All-Crossroads League Performers
100
Manny Manneh, Marian
200
Olivier Lifrange, Marian
Steeplechase
Robin Aguilar-Gonzalez, Marian
4×100 Relay
Kanye Wright/Olivier LifrangeConnor Maple/Manny Manneh, Marian
4×400 Relay
Murray Ross-Harman/Olivier Lifrange/Drew Thornton/Eli Givens, Marian
4×800 Relay
Howard Hendricks/Andrew McDade/Owen Pittman/Drew Thornton, Marian
Long Jump
Armani Glass, Marian
Triple Jump
Chase Maxey, Marian
Armani Glass, Marian
Eli Felton, Marian
Shot Put
Jacob Netral, Marian
Christian Rios, Marian
Discus
Christian Rios, Marian
Isaiah Tipping, Marian
Hammer
Isaiah Tipping, Marian
Christian Rios, Marian
Javelin
Nic Novotny, Marian
Decathlon
AJ Wrenn, Marian
MARIAN WOMEN’S SOCCER
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian women’s soccer team has released their 2023 schedule, as announced by head coach Justin Sullivan on Tuesday afternoon. Coming off of a 21-1-2 season in which the Knights finished as the NAIA National Runner-Up, Marian has built another tough schedule that will feature seven teams either ranked in the NAIA Top-25 or receiving votes.
Marian will begin their season on August 11, with the Knights hosting the first of two preseason friendlies against (RV) Campbellsville. Following a friendly against Thomas More on Monday August 14, Marian will begin their 17-game regular season slate on August 19 at Saint Ambrose. The Knights will then hit the road again when they take on IU Kokomo on August 26, before hosting their first game of the 2023 season with a contest against Indiana Tech on August 29.
To kick off the month of September, the Knights will travel to Arizona for a pair of games over Labor Day weekend. Marian will play No. 16 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) and Ottawa (Ariz.) on September 2 and 4. The Knights will finish their non-conference slate with two of three games at home, traveling to Saint Francis (Ill.) for their lone road game on September 6. The final two non-league matchups will be on September 9 and 13, hosting Missouri Baptist and University of Northwester Ohio.
Crossroads League play begins with No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan, with the Knights welcoming the Wildcats to Indianapolis on September 23. Marian will wrap up the month of September with a road contest at Goshen on September 27, before a home game against Taylor on September 30. October begins with back-to-back top-25 foes, as Marian will travel to No. 18 Grace on October 7 and host No. 4 Spring Arbor on October 11.
Marian will be on the road for three of their final four Crossroads League matches, heading to Bethel on October 14, Saint Francis (Ind.) on October 21 and Mount Vernon Nazarene on October 25. In the final game of the regular season, the Knights hosts Huntington on October 28.
The Crossroads League Tournament is scheduled to begin on November 4, with the championship match to be played one week later. The NAIA Opening Round are slotted for November 16 and 18 at campus sites, and the NAIA National Championship Final Site will be held from November 27 through December 4.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
SPORTS EXTRA
MLB STANDINGS
| AMERICAN LEAGUE | |||||||||||
| EAST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| TAMPA BAY | 29 | 8 | .784 | – | 19 – 3 | 10 – 5 | 8 – 4 | 9 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| BALTIMORE | 23 | 13 | .639 | 5.5 | 10 – 5 | 13 – 8 | 5 – 6 | 10 – 3 | 5 – 2 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| TORONTO | 21 | 15 | .583 | 7.5 | 9 – 3 | 12 – 12 | 4 – 6 | 8 – 2 | 5 – 4 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| BOSTON | 21 | 16 | .568 | 8 | 13 – 7 | 8 – 9 | 7 – 7 | 7 – 2 | 3 – 1 | 8 – 2 | L 2 |
| NY YANKEES | 20 | 17 | .541 | 9 | 13 – 8 | 7 – 9 | 4 – 5 | 7 – 6 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| CENTRAL | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| MINNESOTA | 19 | 17 | .528 | – | 10 – 7 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 5 | 10 – 6 | 2 – 1 | 4 – 6 | L 3 |
| CLEVELAND | 17 | 19 | .472 | 2 | 7 – 10 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 6 | 4 – 4 | 6 – 4 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| DETROIT | 16 | 19 | .457 | 2.5 | 8 – 7 | 8 – 12 | 2 – 14 | 3 – 2 | 2 – 1 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| CHI WHITE SOX | 13 | 24 | .351 | 6.5 | 6 – 10 | 7 – 14 | 2 – 11 | 4 – 4 | 2 – 2 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| KANSAS CITY | 10 | 27 | .270 | 9.5 | 4 – 17 | 6 – 10 | 2 – 5 | 2 – 7 | 3 – 9 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| WEST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| TEXAS | 21 | 14 | .600 | – | 12 – 6 | 9 – 8 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 1 | 7 – 4 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| LA ANGELS | 20 | 17 | .541 | 2 | 10 – 8 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 7 | 2 – 1 | 9 – 6 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| HOUSTON | 18 | 18 | .500 | 3.5 | 8 – 11 | 10 – 7 | 4 – 2 | 4 – 6 | 3 – 5 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| SEATTLE | 18 | 18 | .500 | 3.5 | 10 – 11 | 8 – 7 | 1 – 2 | 3 – 4 | 7 – 4 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| OAKLAND | 8 | 29 | .216 | 14 | 3 – 15 | 5 – 14 | 1 – 8 | 3 – 3 | 3 – 10 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| NATIONAL LEAGUE | |||||||||||
| EAST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| ATLANTA | 25 | 11 | .694 | – | 10 – 8 | 15 – 3 | 10 – 3 | 6 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 8 – 2 | W 3 |
| MIAMI | 18 | 19 | .486 | 7.5 | 10 – 9 | 8 – 10 | 5 – 12 | 4 – 2 | 5 – 3 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| NY METS | 17 | 19 | .472 | 8 | 7 – 8 | 10 – 11 | 7 – 6 | 0 – 4 | 7 – 6 | 2 – 8 | L 3 |
| PHILADELPHIA | 17 | 19 | .472 | 8 | 10 – 7 | 7 – 12 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 3 – 4 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| WASHINGTON | 15 | 21 | .417 | 10 | 6 – 12 | 9 – 9 | 3 – 3 | 4 – 3 | 4 – 5 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| CENTRAL | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| PITTSBURGH | 21 | 16 | .568 | – | 10 – 8 | 11 – 8 | 2 – 1 | 7 – 4 | 6 – 2 | 2 – 8 | L 1 |
| MILWAUKEE | 20 | 16 | .556 | 0.5 | 10 – 7 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 9 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| CHI CUBS | 17 | 19 | .472 | 3.5 | 10 – 11 | 7 – 8 | 3 – 7 | 2 – 5 | 5 – 5 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| CINCINNATI | 15 | 20 | .429 | 5 | 11 – 8 | 4 – 12 | 4 – 7 | 3 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| ST. LOUIS | 13 | 24 | .351 | 8 | 6 – 13 | 7 – 11 | 0 – 3 | 5 – 4 | 4 – 9 | 3 – 7 | W 3 |
| WEST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| LA DODGERS | 22 | 15 | .595 | – | 12 – 6 | 10 – 9 | 4 – 2 | 9 – 6 | 9 – 7 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| ARIZONA | 20 | 16 | .556 | 1.5 | 11 – 8 | 9 – 8 | 4 – 4 | 4 – 2 | 9 – 8 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| SAN DIEGO | 19 | 17 | .528 | 2.5 | 10 – 11 | 9 – 6 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 6 | 9 – 6 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 16 | 19 | .457 | 5 | 10 – 9 | 6 – 10 | 4 – 5 | 5 – 2 | 1 – 4 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| COLORADO | 15 | 22 | .405 | 7 | 7 – 9 | 8 – 13 | 5 – 6 | 5 – 6 | 3 – 6 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1909 CHURCH BELLS RING WHEN FRED TONEY COMPLETES THE LONGEST NO-HITTER IN ORGANIZED BASEBALL HISTORY, A 1-0 VICTORY OVER THE LEXINGTON COLTS OF THE BLUE GRASS LEAGUE. AS WORD SPREAD AROUND TOWN ABOUT THE CLASS D WINCHESTER HUSTLERS RIGHT-HANDER’S PERFORMANCE ON THE MOUND, FANS CONTINUED TO STREAM INTO THE BALLPARK BEFORE THE CONTEST’S LONE RUN SCORED ON A SQUEEZE PLAY IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 17TH.
1910 BILL PURTELL GETS THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF BECOMING THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER TO STRIKE OUT TWICE IN THE SAME FRAME. DURING THE SIXTH INNING OF THE WHITE SOX’ 10-3 VICTORY OVER WASHINGTON, THE CHICAGO THIRD BASEMAN IS VICTIMIZED TWICE BY FUTURE HALL OF FAMER WALTER JOHNSON.
1934 BEN CHAPMAN, WHO WILL LEAD THE PROTEST AGAINST JACKIE ROBINSON IN 1947, HARASSES A JEWISH FAN DURING A YANKEES’ 13-3 VICTORY OVER THE WHITE SOX AT THE BRONX BALLPARK. THE NEW YORK LEFT FIELDER SHOUTS DISPARAGING EPITHETS AND TAUNTS THE TEAM’S SUPPORTERS WITH NAZI SALUTES.
1934 IN AN 11-3 ROUT OVER THE WHITE SOX AT COMISKEY PARK, LOU GEHRIG TIES A BIG-LEAGUE RECORD, STROKING FOUR EXTRA-BASE HITS, INCLUDING TWO DOUBLES AND TWO HOME RUNS. THE YANKEE FIRST BASEMAN ACCUMULATES 12 TOTAL BASES AND SEVEN RBIS IN JUST FIVE INNINGS WHEN HE BENCHES HIMSELF DUE TO HAVING A SEVERE COLD.
1939 IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF ONLOOKERS GATHERED TO WATCH THE BIZARRE PUBLICITY STUNT, PHILLIES’ BACKSTOP DAVE COBLE CATCHES A BALL THROWN FROM THE TOP OF PHILADELPHIA’S CITY HALL. THE 26-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE CATCHER, WEARING A LEATHER FOOTBALL HELMET, HANDLES THE 521-FOOT DROPPED BALL CLEANLY BUT LIKENS THE EXPERIENCE OF A MAN JUMPING INTO HIS ARMS.
1953 WITH A DOUBLE AND HOME RUN, ROY CAMPANELLA DRIVES IN ALL THE RUNS IN THE DODGERS’ 5-0 VICTORY OVER THE PHILLIES AT EBBETS FIELD. CAMPY’S 40+ RBIS IN THE FIRST 30 GAMES STAY UNEQUALED UNTIL TINO MARTINEZ ACCOMPLISHES THE FEAT IN 1997 WITH THE YANKEES.
1955 DODGER RIGHT-HANDER DON NEWCOMBE FACES ONLY 27 BATTERS WHEN HE ONE-HITS CHICAGO AT WRIGLEY FIELD, 3-0. GENE BAKER, WHO RUINS NEWK’S BID FOR PERFECTION WITH A FOURTH-INNING SINGLE, IS THROWN OUT TRYING TO STEAL SECOND BASE.
1958 THE TIGERS NAME BILL NORMAN, THE FIELD BOSS OF THEIR TRIPLE-A AMERICAN ASSOCIATION CHARLESTON SENATORS AFFILIATE, AS THE TEAM’S MANAGER. THE SECOND-DIVISION CLUB WILL FINISH IN FIFTH PLACE, POSTING A 56-49 RECORD FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THEIR NEW SKIPPER.
1967 BRAVES’ OUTFIELDER HANK AARON HITS AN INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER OFF FUTURE HALL OF FAME RIGHT-HANDER JIM BUNNING IN THE TEAM’S 4-3 LOSS TO THE PHILLIES AT CONNIE MACK STADIUM. THE EIGHTH-INNING ROUND-TRIPPER WILL BE HAMMERIN’ HANK’S ONLY HOMER, WHICH DOESN’T CLEAR THE FENCE OUT OF HIS RECORD-SETTING 755 ROUND-TRIPPERS.
1968 DENNY MCLAIN WINS HIS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE START, ALL COMPLETE GAMES, GOING THE DISTANCE IN THE TIGERS’ 12-1 ROUT OF THE SENATORS AT D.C. STADIUM. WITH THE VICTORY, DETROIT TAKES POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE, A POSITION THE EVENTUAL WORLD CHAMPS WILL MAINTAIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON.
1969 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH INNING, ORIOLES HURLER JIM HARDIN GOES DEEP OFF ROYALS’ RELIEVER MOE DRABOWSKY, GIVING THE BIRDS A 6-5 WALK-OFF WIN AT MEMORIAL STADIUM. BESIDES EARNING A VICTORY THANKS TO HIS ONE-OUT SOLO BLAST, THE RIGHT-HANDER BECOMES THE LAST HURLER TO END A GAME WITH A HOME RUN FOR 25 YEARS UNTIL WEAK-HITTING PADRES SOUTHPAW CRAIG LEFFERTS ACCOMPLISHES THE FEAT IN 1986 AGAINST THE GIANTS.
1970 HOYT WILHELM BECOMES THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHER TO APPEAR IN 1000 GAMES WHEN HE ENTERS IN THE NINTH INNING WITH THE BASES FULL AND NO OUTS, TRYING TO PROTECT A 5-3 LEAD AGAINST THE CARDINALS. THE 46-YEAR-OLD BRAVES’ KNUCKLEBALLER, WHO WILL END HIS 21-YEAR CAREER IN 1972 WITH 1070 APPEARANCES, BLOWS THE SAVE IN THE TEAM’S EVENTUAL 6-5 LOSS AT ATLANTA STADIUM.
1981 EXPOS’ HURLER CHARLIE LEA NO-HITS THE GIANTS, 4-0, BECOMING THE FIRST FRENCH-BORN PITCHER TO ACCOMPLISH THE FEAT. THE 24-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDER WAS BORN IN ORLEANS, FRANCE.
1993 MARLINS RIGHT-HANDER RYAN BOWEN HURLS THE FIRST COMPLETE GAME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. THE 25-YEAR-OLD GIVES A LONE RUN ON THREE HITS BUT LOSES THE SHEA STADIUM CONTEST, 1-0, TO THE METS’ BRET SABERHAGEN, WHO ALSO GOES THE DISTANCE.
1999 NOMAR GARCIAPARRA HITS TWO GRAND SLAMS IN THE SAME GAME AND ADDS A TWO-RUN HOMER IN A 12-4 ROUT OF THE MARINERS AT FENWAY PARK. THE RED SOX SHORTSTOP BECOMES THE FIRST AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYER TO DRIVE IN 10 RUNS IN A GAME SINCE FRED LYNN, ALSO PLAYING FOR BOSTON, ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT IN 1975.
2001 AN MRI REVEALS WHITE SOX’S FIRST BASEMAN AND TWO-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER FRANK THOMAS HAS A RIGHT TRICEP TEAR, WHICH WILL REQUIRE SURGERY. THE INJURY CAUSED BY DIVING FOR A GROUND BALL WILL KEEP THE ‘BIG HURT’ OUT OF ACTION FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.
2002 THE DEVIL RAYS LOSE A FRANCHISE-RECORD 15 GAMES IN A ROW, DROPPING A 6-5 DECISION TO THE ORIOLES AT TROPICANA FIELD. THE 9-AND-25 LAST-PLACE TEAM STARTED THEIR SEASON WITH A THREE-GAME SWEEP OF THE TIGERS AT TROPICANA FIELD, MARKING THE BEST START IN ITS FIVE-YEAR HISTORY.
2005 TONY PENA, THE 2003 AMERICAN LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR, RESIGNS WHEN THE ROYALS START SLOWLY. BOB SCHAEFFER, THE TEAM’S BENCH COACH, WILL TRY TO IMPROVE THE WORST RECORD IN THE BIG LEAGUES (8-25) WHEN HE BECOMES KANSAS CITY’S SKIPPER ON AN INTERIM BASIS.
2006 AT SAFECO FIELD, THE DEVIL RAYS BEAT THE MARINERS, 1-0, WITH THE LONE RUN CROSSING THE PLATE DUE TO A FIFTH-INNING BALK COMMITTED BY JAMIE MOYER. WHEN THE SEATTLE SOUTHPAW TRIES TO ADJUST HIS GRIP ON THE BALL WITHOUT REMOVING HIS FOOT FROM THE RUBBER, HIS BODY SWAYS ALLOWING TOBY HALL TO CROSS THE PLATE ON THE MISCUE.
2008 WITH THE PADRES’ 3-2 VICTORY OVER THE ROCKIES AT PETCO PARK, GREG MADDUX, ON HIS FIFTH ATTEMPT, WINS THE 350TH GAME OF HIS CAREER. THE 42-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDER GIVES UP THREE HITS IN SIX INNINGS TO BECOME THE NINTH PITCHER IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY TO REACH THE MILESTONE, AND ONLY THE THIRD HURLER, ALONG WITH WARREN SPAHN AND ROGER CLEMENS, TO ACCOMPLISH THE FEAT SINCE 1928.
2010 TO HONOR THE REQUEST OF THE LATE ERNIE HARWELL, THE TIGERS ASK JOSE FELICIANO TO RETURN TO DETROIT TO PERFORM THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, 42 YEARS AFTER MANY FANS WERE UPSET BY HIS ORIGINAL RENDITION AT TIGER STADIUM. THE LEGENDARY BROADCASTER ASKED THE PUERTO RICO-BORN MUSICIAN TO PERFORM DURING THE PREGAME CEREMONY IN 1968 BEFORE GAME 5 OF THE FALL CLASSIC, NOT KNOWING THE SINGER’S GUITAR-BASED, BLUESY INTERPRETATION OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WOULD BECOME VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
2011 BILL GALLO, THE CREATOR OF COLORFUL CHARACTERS SUCH AS GENERAL VON STEINGRABER, A CARICATURE OF THE LATE GEORGE STEINBRENNER, AND BASEMENT BERTHA, A ROOTER OF THE HAPLESS METS WHO RADIATED GOOD-HUMORED OPTIMISM FOR THE FANS OF THE FLEDGLING TEAM, DIES FROM COMPLICATIONS OF PNEUMONIA AT THE AGE OF 88. THE CARTOONIST’S FINAL PUBLISHED DRAWING, WHICH APPEARED LAST MONTH IN THE DAILY NEWS, HIS EMPLOYER FOR SEVEN DECADES, FEATURED BERTHA WINDOW SHOPPING WITH THE HOPE OF BEING INVITED TO THE ROYAL WEDDING OF PRINCE WILLIAM AND CATHERINE.
2012 AT CAMDEN YARDS, THE ORIOLES START THE GAME WITH BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK HOME RUNS WHEN RYAN FLAHERTY, J.J. HARDY, AND NICK MARKAKIS GIVE THE TEAM A 3-0 LEAD ON THE FIRST EIGHT PITCHES THROWN BY RANGERS STARTER COLBY LEWIS. THE BIRDS’ FIRST-INNING TRIO OF ROUND-TRIPPERS IS THE FOURTH OCCURRENCE IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY BUT MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE.
2013 IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME CROWDS, CARDINAL ROOKIE SHELBY MILLER AND RED SOX SOUTHPAW JON LESTER THROW A ONE-HITTER AGAINST THE ROCKIES AND BLUE JAYS, RESPECTIVELY. EACH HURLER FACES ONLY 28 BATTERS, ALLOWING NO WALKS OR HIT-BY-PITCHES IN THEIR ERRORLESS COMPLETE-GAME SHUTOUT PERFORMANCES.
2013 TAMPA BAY STARTER ALEX COBB STRIKES OUT 13 SAN DIEGO HITTERS BUT DOESN’T MAKE IT OUT OF THE FOURTH INNING IN THE RAYS’ 6-3 VICTORY AT THE TROP. THE RIGHT-HANDER RECORDS 12 OF HIS 14 OUTS WITH K’S, INCLUDING FOUR IN THE THIRD FRAME, WHEN A WILD PITCH ON STRIKE THREE ALLOWS THE BATTER TO REACH FIRST.
2015 ON MOTHER’S DAY, 29-YEAR-OLD FELIX HERNANDEZ BECOMES THE FOURTH-YOUNGEST PLAYER TO STRIKE OUT 2,000 BATTERS WHEN HE WHIFFS A’S OUTFIELDER SAM FULD IN THE MARINERS’ 4-3 VICTORY AT SAFECO FIELD. ONLY WALTER JOHNSON, BERT BLYLEVEN, AND SAM MCDOWELL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT AT A YOUNGER AGE THAN THE SEATTLE RIGHT-HANDER KNOWN AS KING FELIX.
TV WEDNESDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| OAKLAND AT NY YANKEES | 12:35PM | NBCS-CA YES |
| COLORADO AT PITTSBURGH | 12:35PM | ATTSN-RM ATTSN-PIT |
| DETROIT AT CLEVELAND | 1:10PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS |
| LA DODGERS AT MILWAUKEE | 1:40PM | MLBN SPECTRUM BALLY SPORTS |
| MIAMI AT ARIZONA | 3:40PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| TEXAS AT SEATTLE | 3:40PM | BALLY SPORTS ROOT SPORTS |
| WASHINGTON AT SAN FRANCISCO | 3:45PM | MASN/2 NBCS-BAY |
| TORONTO AT PHILADELPHIA | 4:05PM | SPORTSNET NBCS-PHI |
| HOUSTON AT LA ANGELS | 4:07PM | ATTSN-SW BALLY SPORTS |
| TAMPA BAY AT BALTIMORE | 6:35PM | BALLY SPORTS MASN/2 |
| NY METS AT CINCINNATI | 6:40PM | SNY BALLY SPORTS |
| BOSTON AT ATLANTA | 7:20PM | MLBN NESN BALLY SPORTS |
| CHI. WHITE SOX AT KANSAS CITY | 7:40PM | NBCS-CHI BALLY SPORTS |
| SAN DIEGO AT MINNESOTA | 7:40PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| ST. LOUIS AT CHI. CUBS | 7:40PM | MLBN ROOT SPORTS MARQ |
| NBA PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| EAST SEMIFINALS GAME 5: MIAMI AT NEW YORK | 7:30PM | TNT |
| WEST SEMIFINALS GAME 5: LA LAKERS AT GOLDEN STATE | 10:00PM | TNT |
| NHL PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| GAME 4: TORONTO AT FLORIDA | 7:00PM | ESPN |
| GAME 4: VEGAS AT EDMONTON | 10:00PM | ESPN |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO VS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 12:00PM | FS2 |
| CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: USA VS PANAMA | 1:00PM | FS2 |
| CONCACAF BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: GUADELOUPE VS TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS | 3:00PM | FS2 |
| UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: MILAN VS INTERNAZIONALE | 3:00PM | CBS |
| NWSL CHALLENGE CUP: WASHINGTON SPIRIT VS ORLANDO PRIDE | 7:30PM | CBSSN |