“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA BOYS STATE FINALS
SESSION 1
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 9:30 AM ET
10:30 AM ET | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
CLINTON PRAIRIE (26-2) VS. ORLEANS (24-4)
Class 1A State Championship Preview by Mike Beas: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-1a-state-championship-preview-4
APPROX. 12:45 PM ET | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
MANCHESTER (25-2) VS. UNIVERSITY (20-9)
Class 2A State Championship Preview by Lewis Bagley: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-2a-state-championship-preview-4
FIELDHOUSE CLEARED
SESSION 2
PUBLIC GATES OPEN AT 5 PM ET
6 PM ET | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH (26-3) VS. INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS (22-6)
Class 3A State Championship Preview by Mike Beas: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-3a-state-championship-preview-4
APPROX. 8:15 PM ET | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FISHERS (30-0) VS. JEFFERSONVILLE (23-5)
Class 4A State Championship Preview by Rich Torres: https://www.ihsaa.org/media/news/class-4a-state-championship-preview-4
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL TV SCHEDULE/RESULTS
THURSDAY
ALABAMA 113 BYU 88
FLORIDA 87 MARYLAND 71
DUKE 100 ARIZONA 93
TEXAS TECH 85 ARKANSAS 83 OT
FRIDAY
(2) MICHIGAN STATE VS. (6) OLE MISS, 7:09 P.M. | CBS
(2) TENNESSEE VS. (3) KENTUCKY, 7:39 P.M. | TBS
(1) AUBURN VS. (5) MICHIGAN, 9:39 P.M. | CBS
(1) HOUSTON VS. (4) PURDUE, 10:09 P.M. | TBS
NIT SCORES
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT TV SCHEDULE
SWEET 16 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MARCH 28 (SWEET 16)
(2) DUKE VS. (3) NORTH CAROLINA | 2:30 P.M. ON ESPN
(1) SOUTH CAROLINA VS. (4) MARYLAND | 5 P.M. ON ESPN
(2) NC STATE VS. (3) LSU | 7:30 P.M. ON ESPN
(1) UCLA VS. (5) OLE MISS | 10 P.M. ON ESPN
SATURDAY, MARCH 29 (SWEET 16)
(2) TCU VS. (3) NOTRE DAME | 1 P.M. ON ABC
(1) TEXAS VS. (5) TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. ON ABC
(2) UCONN VS. (3) OKLAHOMA | 5:30 P.M. ON ESPN
(1) SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VS. (5) KANSAS STATE | 8 P.M. ON ESPN
WNIT
BUFFALO 76 SOUTHERN INDIANA 64
RUTGERS 89 CHARLESTON 67
TROY 88 N. TEXAS 86 OT
ILLINOIS STATE 78 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 68
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 59 WASHINGTON STATE 51
INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCOREBOARD
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE MEN’S LAX
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA COLLEGE WOMEN’S LAX
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
NBA SCOREBOARD
DALLAS 101 ORLANDO 92
CLEVELAND 124 SAN ANTONIO 116
INDIANA 162 WASHINGTON 109
MIAMI 122 ATLANTA 112
OKLAHOMA CITY 125 MEMPHIS 104
CHICAGO 119 LA LAKERS 117
HOUSTON 121 UTAH 110
SACRAMENTO 128 PORTLAND 107
NHL SCOREBOARD
BUFFALO 7 PITTSBURGH 3
TAMPA BAY 8 UTAH 0
OTTAWA 4 DETROIT 3
PHILADELPHIA 6 MONTRÉAL 4
MINNESOTA 4 WASHINGTON 2
ST. LOUIS 3 NASHVILLE 2
DALLAS 5 CALGARY 2
COLORADO 4 LOS ANGELES 0
SEATTLE 6 EDMONTON 1
SAN JOSE 6 TORONTO 5
MLB SCOREBOARD
NY YANKEES 4 MILWAUKEE 2
BALTIMORE 12 TORONTO 2
PHILADELPHIA 7 WASHINGTON 3 (10)
MIAMI 5 PITTSBURGH 4
SAN DIEGO 7 ATLANTA 4
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 8 LA ANGELS 1
HOUSTON 3 NY METS 1
SAN FRANCISCO 6 CINCINNATI 4
CLEVELAND 7 KANSAS CITY 4 (10)
ST. LOUIS 5 MINNESOTA 3
LA DODGERS 5 DETROIT 4
CHICAGO CUBS 10 ARIZONA 6
SEATTLE 4 LAS VEGAS 2
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NCAA TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP: ALABAMA RIDES HISTORIC SHOOTING TO DOWN BYU
Mark Sears led a historic 3-point barrage with 10-of-16 accuracy from deep, racking up 34 points to power No. 2 seed Alabama to a 113-88 victory over No. 6 seed BYU in an East Region Sweet 16 matchup Thursday in Newark, N.J.
Alabama (28-8) made 25 3-pointers on 51 attempts, breaking NCAA Tournament records with both marks. The Crimson Tide are looking for their second straight Final Four berth.
Sears added eight assists and came one 3-pointer shy of tying the individual tournament record (Jeff Fryer, 1990 Loyola Marymount). Aden Holloway joined in with 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the arc.
Richie Saunders paced BYU (26-10) with 25 points and Egor Demin contributed 15 points and seven assists. The Cougars outscored the Crimson Tide 50-16 in the paint but went 6-for-30 (20 percent) on 3-point tries.
No. 1 Duke 100, No. 4 Arizona 93
Freshman star Cooper Flagg tallied 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three blocks as the Blue Devils survived the Wildcats in Newark.
The Blue Devils (34-3) made 13 consecutive shots from the floor, including their first nine of the second half, to leap ahead before fending off a valiant Arizona comeback spearheaded by Caleb Love’s season-high 35 points.
Kon Knueppel scored 20 points and Sion James 16 for Duke. Jaden Bradley contributed 15 and Henri Veesaar added 13 for the Wildcats (24-13), who couldn’t keep up despite making 12 3-pointers.
WEST
No. 1 Florida 87, No. 4 Maryland 71
Will Richard scored 15 points to pace six players in double figures, and the Gators defeated the Terrapins in San Francisco.
Alijah Martin added 14 points and Walter Clayton Jr. had 13 for Florida, which held a 29-3 advantage in bench scoring. The Gators (33-4) also outrebounded the Terrapins 42-20.
Maryland freshman Derik Queen, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and potential NBA draft lottery pick, scored 27 points for Maryland (27-9). Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 17 points.
No. 3 Texas Tech 85, No. 10 Arkansas 83
Darrion Williams’ driving layup with seven seconds left in overtime completed a dramatic comeback for the Red Raiders and salvaged an otherwise off night for Williams against the Razorbacks in San Francisco.
Williams also hit a 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the arc with nine seconds left in regulation to force the extra period. In the first half, he was only 2 of 12 from the floor.
Christian Anderson led Texas Tech (28-8) with 22 points while JT Toppin added 20. Kevin Overton had 12 off the bench. Arkansas (22-14), which led 61-45 midway through the second half, got a game-high 30 points from Johnell Davis and 20 from Karter Knox.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: ORIOLES BLAST RECORD 6 HOMERS TO ROUT BLUE JAYS
Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman each hit two home runs and the visiting Baltimore Orioles trounced the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Thursday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.
Mullins was 3-for-5, including a three-run homer and five RBIs as Baltimore outhit Toronto 14-4.
Tyler O’Neill also smashed a three-run blast in going 3-for-3 with two walks and Jordan Westburg added a solo homer for the Orioles. O’Neill has homered on Opening Day a record six consecutive seasons, adding to his major league record.
The six home runs were an Orioles’ record for Opening Day.
Orioles starter Zach Eflin (1-0) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings, allowing Andres Gimenez’s two-run homer. Toronto starter Jose Berrios (0-1) completed five innings, allowing six runs, nine hits and two walks.
Astros 3, Mets 1
Framber Valdez tossed seven shutout innings and Houston beat visiting New York.
Valdez scattered four hits, issued two walks and recorded four strikeouts. The Astros took a 3-0 lead in the third inning as Yainer Diaz hit an RBI single and Christian Walker scored on an error.
The Mets scored their run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Francisco Lindor. Juan Soto, the prized free-agent signing, went 1-for-3 with two walks in his Mets debut. Clay Holmes, a converted reliever making his first start since 2018, allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Padres 7, Braves 4
Jackson Merrill knocked in four runs and Gavin Sheets homered to spark a four-run seventh inning that allowed San Diego to rally for a win over visiting Atlanta.
San Diego’s bullpen shouldered 6 1/3 innings of work after Michael King struggled in his 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits and four walks. Wandy Peralta (1-0) got the last out of the top of the seventh to earn the win, and Robert Suarez closed it out in the ninth for the save.
Ozzie Albies drove in three runs, two on a home run, for Atlanta. Austin Riley also homered. Braves starter Chris Sale left with a 4-3 lead after yielding six hits, a walk and three runs in five innings, striking out seven.
White Sox 8, Angels 1
Rookie right-hander Sean Burke pitched six scoreless innings in his first Opening Day start and Austin Slater, Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa homered as host Chicago routed Los Angeles.
Burke (1-0) became the seventh pitcher since 1929 to make an Opening Day start with fewer than 20 career innings pitched. He retired the final 14 Angels he faced while giving up three hits and three walks and hitting one batter. Miguel Vargas hit a two-run double, Benintendi drove in three with his eighth-inning homer and Sosa hit a two-run shot in the eighth.
The Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) scattered three runs and five hits with five strikeouts over six innings. Los Angeles avoided the shutout in the ninth on Logan O’Hoppe’s two-out, two-strike solo homer against Cam Booser.
Giants 6, Reds 4
Patrick Bailey singled home the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning and Wilmer Flores broke the tie one batter later with a three-run homer as San Francisco rallied to win a season opener in Cincinnati.
Heliot Ramos hit a two-run homer for the Giants. Starting pitcher Logan Webb was charged with three runs on six hits over five innings, striking out five and walking three.
Jeimer Candelario singled twice and drove three runs for the Reds. Starting pitcher Hunter Greene struck out eight in five innings. He allowed three hits and two runs, striking out eight and walking one on 84 pitches.
Yankees 4, Brewers 2
Carlos Rodon pitched effectively into the sixth inning and was backed by two early homers as host New York hung on for a victory over Milwaukee.
Austin Wells hit a leadoff homer three pitches into the home half of the first inning and Anthony Volpe connected in the second as the Yankees improved to 7-1 in season openers under manager Aaron Boone. Aaron Judge added an RBI double in the seventh and Cody Bellinger followed that at-bat with a sacrifice fly in his Yankees debut.
Vinny Capra, in his 21st career game, hit his first homer in the third. The Brewers, however, struck out 13 times. Leadoff batter Jackson Chourio struck out five times.
Red Sox 5, Rangers 2
Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-3 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored as Boston earned a win over host Texas. The top slugger among American League rookies last season, Abreu homered in the fifth and ninth innings to lead the Red Sox to their second straight season-opening victory.
Abreu’s second round-tripper broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth, coming after Trevor Story drew a one-out walk and stole second before highly rated prospect Kristian Campbell recorded his first MLB hit on a line single to third base. David Hamilton pinch ran for Campbell before the deciding swing.
Josh Jung and Kevin Pillar each had multiple hits for Texas, while the Red Sox won late after recording two runs on three hits and striking out nine times across Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi’s six-inning start.
Phillies 7, Nationals 3 (10 innings)
Alec Bohm smacked a tiebreaking two-run double in the top of the 10th inning and the visiting Philadelphia went on to beat Washington on Opening Day.
With two outs in the 10th inning of a 3-3 game, runner Bryson Stott stole third and Bryce Harper walked against Colin Poche (0-1). Bohm then lined a double into the gap in left-center to score both runners, and JT Realmuto added a two-run triple to make it 7-3.
Harper and Kyle Schwarber hit seventh-inning solo home runs for the Phillies. Keibert Ruiz had two hits, including a homer, for the Nationals. Zack Wheeler allowed a run on two hits over six innings, striking out eight and walking two. MacKenzie Gore tossed six innings of one-hit ball and struck out 13 for a new Nationals Opening Day record.
Guardians 7, Royals 4 (10 innings)
Kyle Manzardo was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs for Cleveland, which overcame a blown save by All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase to beat host Kansas City in an Opening Day clash.
Steven Kwan led off the 10th with the tiebreaking RBI double for the Guardians, who also got a two-run double in the inning from Manzardo. Manzardo began the comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the fourth, when he tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jhonkensy Noel.
Vinnie Pasquantino hit a three-run homer in the third before he began the Royals’ comeback by lacing a leadoff double against Clase (1-0) in the ninth. Salvador Perez followed with a single to send pinch runner Freddy Fermin to third before Fermin trotted home on Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly.
Marlins 5, Pirates 4
Catcher Nick Fortes tripled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and Kyle Stowers drilled a no-out, line-drive single down the right-field line as host Miami rallied for a walk-off win over Pittsburgh in the opener for both squads.
It was Miami’s first walk-off victory on Opening Day. After Fortes’ first triple since 2022, Stowers then hit the winner off closer David Bednar (0-1). Marlins reliever Jesus Tinoco (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless top of the ninth. Sandy Alcantara, who missed the 2024 season, allowed two hits, two runs and four walks in 4 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
Pittsburgh’s biggest offensive plays were Bryan Reynolds’ two-run single in the fifth and Nick Gonzales’ two-run homer in the sixth. Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, allowed three hits, two walks and two runs and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings.
Dodgers 5, Tigers 4
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman hit home runs, Blake Snell went five strong innings and defending champion Los Angeles capped a day of celebration with a victory over visiting Detroit.
In his Dodgers debut, the free-agent addition Snell (1-0) gave up two runs on five hits over five innings with two strikeouts. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was able to work around four walks. Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save.
In his first start since winning the American League Cy Young Award last season, Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal (0-1) gave up four runs on six hits over five innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Spencer Torkelson hit a home run with four walks for Detroit, while Manuel Margot had a sacrifice fly in his Detroit debut.
Cardinals 5, Twins 3
Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run homer and scored twice to lead St. Louis to a season-opening victory over visiting Minnesota.
Nolan Arenado hit a solo homer and Brendan Donovan went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Cardinals. Starter Sonny Gray (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings to earn the victory. Ryan Helsley, the sixth St. Louis pitcher, earned the save.
Minnesota starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (0-1) allowed four runs, two earned, on eight hits in five innings. Harrison Bader hit a two-run homer and Willi Castro hit an RBI double for the Twins.
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: JOSH GIDDEY, BULLS STUN LAKERS AT BUZZER
Josh Giddey buried a miracle shot from beyond halfcourt at the final buzzer as the Chicago Bulls overturned an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-117 on Thursday.
The Bulls trailed 115-110 with 12.6 seconds remaining before delivering down the stretch with a wild sequence of plays. Patrick Williams and Coby White hit 3-pointers for Chicago before Los Angeles’ Austin Reaves made a layup with 3.3 seconds left, setting the stage for Giddey’s heroics.
Giddey finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season, while White scored 26 points and Kevin Huerter added 21 for Chicago. The Bulls won their fourth game in a row.
Reaves scored 30 points for the Lakers, and Luka Doncic had 25 points, 10 boards and eight assists. Los Angeles took its fourth loss in five games.
Pacers 162, Wizards 109
Nine players scored in double figures as Indiana set multiple franchise records in a blowout of host Washington.
The Pacers began to pull away with a 12-0 run in the first quarter. That spurt set Indiana on its way to scoring 83 first-half points, just three shy of matching the franchise’s single-half record. But while the Pacers did not quite reach a half scoring mark, they broke their single-game record of 157 points reached twice last season.
Tyrese Haliburton’s 29 points led the Pacers. Haliburton hit 7 of 10 from 3-point distance, helping Indiana set another organization record for 3-point makes with a 27-of-47 night from beyond the arc as a team. Alex Sarr scored 22 points in the most lopsided loss in Wizards history.
Heat 122, Hawks 112
Tyler Herro scored a game-high 36 points on 13-for-17 shooting, helping guide Miami over visiting Atlanta.
Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell added 16 points apiece for the Heat, who have won three consecutive games. Bam Adebayo collected 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Trae Young had 29 points and 12 assists for Atlanta, which dropped its second in a row. Caris LeVert scored 17 points off the bench.
Cavaliers 124, Spurs 116
Jarrett Allen scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and Darius Garland produced five key points in the final 1:16 as host Cleveland defeated San Antonio.
Donovan Mitchell added 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who have won three straight games. Max Strus scored 18 points.
Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Devin Vassell also had 22 points as the Spurs dropped their second game in a row.
Mavericks 101, Magic 92
Jaden Hardy scored 22 points and Anthony Davis added 15 to go along with seven rebounds, fueling Dallas to a victory at Orlando.
Brandon Williams scored 14 points and Klay Thompson and Max Christie each had 12 for the Mavericks, who changed the complexion of the game by erupting for a 20-2 run to end the third quarter.
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero finished with 35 points to eclipse the 30-point plateau for the fifth straight game, and he grabbed 10 rebounds. Franz Wagner recorded 20 points and nine rebounds as the Magic saw their three-game winning streak end.
Rockets 121, Jazz 110
Alperen Sengun totaled 33 points and 10 rebounds to boost Houston to a victory over Utah in Salt Lake City.
Jalen Green added 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Rockets posted their 11th win in 12 games. Amen Thompson and Tari Eason each had 15 points, and Thompson pulled down 10 rebounds.
Collin Sexton led Utah with 21 points, but the Jazz fell for the fourth consecutive outing. Brice Sensabaugh and Keyonte George each contributed 17 points off the bench.
Thunder 125, Grizzlies 104
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points to lead Oklahoma City over visiting Memphis, the Thunder’s eighth straight victory.
Gilgeous-Alexander added six assists and three steals and didn’t have a turnover. Oklahoma City All-Star Jalen Williams scored 20 points in his return from a hip injury. Isaiah Hartenstein scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points to lead the Grizzlies, who have lost four of their last five to drop to fifth in the Western Conference standings. Scotty Pippen Jr. added 17 points.
Kings 128, Trail Blazers 107
Zach LaVine scored 29 points on 13-of-18 shooting to help Sacramento break a four-game losing streak with a win over visiting Portland.
Domantas Sabonis recorded 22 points, 19 rebounds and six assists and DeMar DeRozan had 21 points and 10 assists for the Kings, who shot a season-best 64.9 percent.
Deni Avdija registered 24 points and nine rebounds and Shaedon Sharpe added 22 points and seven rebounds for Portland, which clinched a losing season with a third straight loss.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: SIDNEY CROSBY SETS RECORD IN PENS’ LOSS
Jiri Kulich scored twice for the Buffalo Sabres in a 7-3 win against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, spoiling a record night for Penguins star Sidney Crosby.
Buffalo’s Tage Thompson, Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist. Defensemen Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin each had two assists, and James Reimer made 23 saves for the Sabres, who have won five of seven.
Crosby scored to set an NHL record with his 20th season averaging at least one point per game, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky. Blake Lizotte and Kevin Hayes also scored for the Penguins, who have lost three in a row.
Tristan Jarry stopped eight of 12 shots for Pittsburgh before he was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic, who finished with 15 saves.
Wild 4, Capitals 2
Frederick Gaudreau scored a pair of goals and Minnesota handed Washington a rare loss in Saint Paul, Minn.
Matt Boldy finished with a goal and an assist for the Wild, who snapped a two-game skid. Jon Merrill added a goal. Matt Roy and Brandon Duhaime scored one goal apiece for Washington, which lost in regulation for only the second time in its past 12 games.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin tallied three shots on goal in 19:03 of ice time but did not find the back of the net. Ovechkin remained at 889 career goals, five shy of matching Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.
Stars 5, Flames 2
A quartet of Stars collected a goal and an assist to lead visiting Dallas past Calgary.
Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund, Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen each tallied a goal and a helper for the Stars, who are riding a four-game winning streak and sit four points behind the Winnipeg Jets for top spot in the Central Division. Wyatt Johnston also scored, and Casey DeSmith stopped 46 shots.
Nazem Kadri scored both goals for the Flames, who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Dustin Wolf stopped 14 shots.
Flyers 6, Canadiens 4
Hours after firing their head coach, Philadelphia received two goals apiece from Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov in a home victory over Montreal.
With the team riding a six-game losing streak (0-5-1), the Flyers parted ways with John Tortorella earlier Thursday. Brad Shaw took over behind the bench on an interim basis, and the players delivered an inspired effort in his debut.
Couturier and Michkov each added an assist, while Tyson Foerster and Nicolas Deslauriers also scored for Philadelphia. Samuel Ersson made 26 saves, sending Montreal to its fourth straight defeat (0-2-2). Alex Newhook, Cole Caufield, Christian Dvorak and Patrik Laine scored for the Canadiens, while Jakub Dobes made 24 saves.
Senators 4, Red Wings 3
Ottawa opened up a three-goal lead then held off a furious rally by host Detroit.
Thomas Chabot, Tim Stutzle, David Perron and Michael Amadio scored for the Senators. Linus Ullmark made 31 saves as Ottawa, which leads the Eastern Conference wild-card race, won the season series 3-1.
Lucas Raymond had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored, while Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot combined for 28 saves.
Lightning 8, Utah Hockey Club 0
Jake Guentzel scored twice and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy tied for the league lead with his sixth shutout as Tampa Bay walloped visiting Utah.
Guentzel broke a tie with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with his NHL-leading 16th power-play tally in a four-goal second period, while Nikita Kucherov hit the net and dished three assists. Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for his 40th career shutout.
Brayden Point potted his 300th career goal and had an assist, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, and Victor Hedman added a goal and two assists. Gage Goncalves also tallied. Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka surrendered four goals on 11 shots before being replaced by Jaxson Stauber, who stopped six shots.
Avalanche 4, Kings 0
Martin Necas and Logan O’Connor scored 92 seconds apart in a three-goal second period and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 22 shots as surging Colorado beat Los Angeles in Denver.
Necas finished with two goals and an assist and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist as Blackwood notched his fourth shutout of the season and third with Colorado. Cale Makar had two assists for the Avalanche, who have won four in a row. Nathan MacKinnon picked up an assist to extend his home point streak to 23 games.
David Rittich made 22 saves for Los Angeles, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Blues 3, Predators 2
Dylan Holloway scored twice, including the tiebreaker with 7:41 left, as visiting St. Louis extended its winning streak to eight games with a victory over Nashville.
Cam Fowler scored the tying goal less than a minute before Holloway’s winner for the Blues, who overturned a 2-0 deficit. St. Louis’ Robert Thomas had two assists, and Joel Hofer made 16 saves.
Fedor Svechkov and Brady Skjei tallied for the Predators, who have lost six of eight (2-5-1). Juuse Saros finished with 18 saves.
Kraken 6, Oilers 1
Jaden Schwartz scored twice as host Seattle collected five goals in the second period en route to a blowout of Edmonton.
Jani Nyman, Andrei Burakovsky and Jared McCann each collected one goal and one assist while Matty Beniers added a score for the Kraken, who set a franchise record for goals in a period during a home game and snapped a three-game skid (0-2-1). Joey Daccord made 36 saves.
Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who have lost three of four games. Calvin Pickard stopped 24 of 29 shots before Olivier Rodrigue turned aside 7 of 8 shots in relief in his NHL debut.
Sharks 6, Maple Leafs 5 (SO)
Macklin Celebrini scored the shootout winner as host San Jose overcame Toronto scoring twice in the final minute of the third period to force overtime.
Tyler Toffoli tallied twice in regulation and added an assist while William Eklund had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who improved to 3-2-0 over their past five. Collin Graf and Alexander Wennberg also scored in regulation. Timothy Liljegren added two assists, and Alexandar Georgiev made 30 saves.
William Nylander scored twice, John Tavares had a goal and an assist and Auston Matthews and Scott Laughton also tallied for Toronto, which took over the sole position of first place in the Atlantic Division. Mitch Marner had three helpers for the Maple Leafs, Matthew Knies added a pair of assists and Joseph Woll stopped 30 shots.
GOLF NEWS
FOUR-WAY TIE AS FIRST-ROUND PLAY SUSPENDED AT HOUSTON OPEN
Four golfers were bunched atop the leaderboard at 5-under-par 65 when play was suspended due to darkness Thursday in the first round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Ryan Gerard, Keith Mitchell, Canada’s Taylor Pendrith and Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti share a one-stroke lead at Memorial Park Golf Course.
There were 16 competitors on the course when play was stopped at 7:28 p.m. local time.
Pendrith’s opening 65 was his career low in 11 rounds at the event, besting a 66 in the first round in 2023. Pendrith tied for 36th in Houston last year, his best finish in four tries.
He could have had the lead by himself but carded his lone bogey at No. 18 following six birdies.
Tosti had a bogey-free round, while Mitchell blended an eagle on the par-5 No. 16 with five birdies and two bogeys. Gerard started on the back nine and posted seven birdies before registering bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to finish his round.
Last year, Tosti tied for second in his Houston debut, the best finish of his PGA Tour career, after holding a share of the lead entering the final round.
Jackson Suber was in the lead at 6 under with six birdies and no blemishes shortly before play was suspended, but he three-putted on No. 18 to fall to 4-under 66 for the day.
Suber missed his 9-foot par putt, then a 6-foot bogey attempt before sinking a 2 1/2-footer to escape without further damage at the par-4, 485-yard hole.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot a bogey-free 67 and is tied for 13th at 3 under. He birdied the par-5 No. 3 as well as par-3 holes 13 (making a 19-foot putt) and 14 (sinking a 35-footer).
Rory McIlroy, the World No. 2, started on the back nine and shot even-par 70 to tie for 57th. The Northern Irishman made birdies at par-5 holes at Nos. 3 and 8, and bogeys at Nos. 14 and 4 — both par-4 holes.
Defending champion Stephan Jaeger, whose lone PGA Tour victory was at this event, also completed 18 holes at even par. He countered a double-bogey at the par-4 No. 14 with birdies on two par-5 holes, No. 3 and No. 16.
CHARLEY HULL CHARGES TO LEAD AT FORD CHAMPIONSHIP
England’s Charley Hull produced a career-low, 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to take the opening-round lead at the Ford Championship in Chandler, Ariz.
Following her bogey-free round at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail Course, Hull sits one stroke ahead of Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
Amanda Doherty, Taiwan’s Peiyun Chien, Japan’s Minami Katsu and Canada’s Brooke M. Henderson are tied for third at 7 under with four South Koreans: Ina Yoon, Jin Hee Im, Mi Hyang Lee and Sei Young Kim.
Defending champion and world No. 1 Nelly Korda shot a 5-under 67, leaving her tied for 17th place.
Hull opened on the back nine and had four birdies at the turn. She then birdied Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and she added two more birdies. In all, she put the ball in 11 of 14 fairways and made the green in regulation on all 18 holes.
“I kind of tweaked my driver at the beginning of the week … and I really, really, really hit it well today,” said Hull, whose latest of two career LPGA wins came in 2022. “I felt like that put me in a lot of good positions. I putted pretty well. I chipped pretty well. I hit it pretty well with my iron shots. I don’t think I missed a green and didn’t really miss any fairways.
“I was hitting it good and felt confident. Just felt good out there.”
Koerstz Madsen matched Hull with nine birdies, but she carded one bogey, at the par-4 fifth hole.
“Stayed in fairways, so that made it a little easier,” said Koerstz Madsen, who tied the second-lowest score of her LPGA career. “I had a fun birdie on 10. I hit it in the bunker and … my bunker shot would definitely have gone 8 feet past, but it hit the flagstick and went straight in, so that was a good one. Other than that I made a couple good putts and some good, steady birdies.”
Korda was just 1 under par at the turn to start her title defense with two birdies and one bogey, but she ran off consecutive birdies at Nos. 12-14 and added another at No. 17.
She is coming off a six-week break since posting back-to-back top-10 results to start the season.
“When you take that much time off and you come back into competition, … you’re rusty, (you feel) a lot more nerves,” Korda said. “So happy with the way today went. Was a little slower on the front nine but fought back on the back nine. Hopefully can take that momentum into tomorrow.”
TOP INDIANA HEADLINES
INDIANA PACERS
GAME REWIND: PACERS 162, WIZARDS 109
Game Recap
The Pacers traveled to Washington to take on the last-place Wizards on Thursday night on the second night of a back-to-back and coming off a last-second loss to the Lakers.
But they showed no signs of fatigue or letdown in D.C. Instead, they put together their most dominant offensive outing of the season, never trailing in a 162-109 rout of the Wizards (16-57).
The Pacers (43-30) set franchise records for points scored and 3-pointers made, knocking down 27 triples in the victory. Nine players scored in double figures for the Blue & Gold, who have now won six of their last seven and inched closer to clinching a playoff spot, with their magic number down to two thanks to their win and Atlanta’s loss in Miami.
The Pacers are still in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings and are now two games ahead of fifth-place Detroit and 2.5 games ahead of sixth-place Milwaukee.
“Very proud of them for bouncing back,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. “Last night was rough. It was rough on everybody. Tonight we had a short meeting to turn the page and concentrate on (Washington).
“Second night of back-to-backs you never know what’s going to happen exactly. But our ball movement was good, Tyrese (Haliburton) got us going with the threes…Those things triggered us and the ball was going in. It’s obviously fun to watch when you’re coaching a team making all the shots. But there was a spirit of unselfishness, which is really what Indiana’s about.”
Tyrese Haliburton led all scorers with 29 points in just 25 minutes, going 7-for-10 from 3-point range and dishing out six assists. Myles Turner added 17 points while going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Rookie forward Jarace Walker went 4-for-5 from long range on his way to 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
“Shots were falling,” Haliburton said. “There’s just certain nights in the NBA when shots just seem to always go in. Everybody has a couple nights a year like that and tonight was one of those nights for us. We just kept making the right play, kept making shots. And it was a lot of fun.”
The Pacers first created some separation immediately following a technical foul on Wizards guard Jordan Poole with 4:49 remaining in the first quarter with Indiana leading 22-20.
Haliburton made the technical free throw, then followed that up with 3-pointers at 4:38 and 4:13. Toppin then stole the ball from Poole and raced ahead for a dunk. After a Washington timeout, the Pacers kept coming, getting another stop before Myles Turner knocked down a three to cap a 12-0 run over just an 80-second span.
The Blue & Gold continued to extend the margin over the remainder of the frame, leading by as many as 17 and taking a 45-31 lead into the second quarter. Haliburton scored 14 points in the first quarter, going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.
The lead grew even more in the second quarter. Seven straight points from Obi Toppin midway through the frame — capped by halfcourt alley-oop from Haliburton — jumpstarted a 12-2 run that pushed the lead to 77-52.
The Wizards whittled a few points off that lead before halftime, but Indiana still headed to the locker room with a commanding 83-61 advantage.
The Pacers shot 64.6 percent from the field and 14-for-36 (53.8 percent) from 3-point range and their hot shooting continued into the second half.
The Blue & Gold made eight more threes in a 42-point third quarter, with Haliburton, Turner, and Aaron Nesmith each knocking down two triples and Thomas Bryant and Walker each making one. They led 125-88 entering the fourth quarter.
Toppin had 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench. Pascal Siakam added 13 and five assists, Bryant had 12 points and seven boards, Nesmith scored 11 points, and Bennedict Mathurin contributed 10.
T.J. McConnell narrowly missed out on a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in just 17 minutes of action.
The Pacers wrap up a two-game road trip on Saturday night in Oklahoma City before returning to Indiana for a three-game homestand that begins on Monday against Sacramento and continues against Charlotte on Wednesday and Utah next Friday.
Inside the Numbers
The Pacers shattered the previous franchise record for 3-pointers made in a game (23), going 27-for-47 from beyond the arc. Their 27 3-pointers are tied for the fifth-most made by any team in a single game in NBA history.
Indiana also surpassed its NBA franchise record for points scored in a single game (157). The Pacers’ 162 points are the most in an NBA game this season and the most scored in a non-overtime game since 2008.
The Pacers dished out 48 assists, the second-highest single-game total in franchise history and the most in an NBA game this season. The franchise record is 50 assists, set in a win over Atlanta on Jan. 5, 2024.
Indiana won by 53 points, the third-highest margin of victory in franchise history. They led by as many as 59 points.
Haliburton had his 25th 20-point game of the season. The Pacers are 22-3 on the year when he scores 20 or more. His streak of 12 straight games with double-doubles came to an end, however, as he played just 25 minutes and sat out the entire fourth quarter with the outcome well in hand.
Walker set a new career high with four 3-pointers. His 16 points were one shy of his career high.
All 14 players who saw the floor for the Pacers on Thursday scored. 13 of them scored at least five points and nine finished in double figures.
INDIANA BASEBALL
BASEBALL CENTRAL: USC
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Baseball team (14-11, 5-4 B1G) continues a two-week homestand this weekend with a series against Big Ten newcomers USC at Bart Kaufman Field (March 28-29). The Hoosiers won a 13-0 contest over Bellarmine on Tuesday (March 25) following a series loss at UCLA last week in Los Angeles.
Heading into the weekend, IU has won five-straight Big Ten home games and each of the last four home conference weekend series. The Hoosiers began their home slate in league play two weeks ago with a commanding sweep of Ohio State.
IU’s pitching staff has to come to life over the past 10 games – a stretch that the Hoosiers have gone 7-3 in. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Cole Gilley has been a revelation in those 10 games. He’s made five appearances (three starts) in that timeframe with a 3-0 record. He’s thrown 14 innings and worked a 0.64 earned run average with 15 strikeouts.
The Hoosiers have gone to graduate student right-handed pitcher Ben Grable in a one-starter rotation. The model has allowed head coach Jeff Mercer to use high-leverage arms at any point in the weekend to win games. Gilley, redshirt senior Gavin Seebold and senior Ryan Kraft have thrived in those roles and haven given IU quality innings in Big Ten series.
As has been the case under Mercer, IU’s true freshmen have been tremendous offensive producers in the lineup this season. First baseman Jake Hanley leads all conference first-year players in hits (38) and is top five in the entire conference in base knocks. Infielder Cooper Malamazian has swung a hot bat with three home runs, nine doubles and 18 RBIs this year.
The weekend series is slated to start on Friday (March 28) with IU’s fourth Friday doubleheader of the season. The first game will go at 2:00 p.m. and the second one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Saturday’s game (March 29) has been moved up to Noon.
Gameday Info
vs. USC (Friday, March 28th – 2:00 PM ET)
Live Video: t.ly/08fXl
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/OtMRl
vs. USC (Friday, March 28th – 6:00 PM ET)
Live Video: t.ly/jdsYf
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/qu8ME
vs. USC (Saturday, March 29th – 12:00 PM ET)
Live Video: t.ly/4ofz0
Live Audio: bit.ly/IUAudio
Live Stats: t.ly/1h6y9
Probable Starters
USC
• Friday – 1: LHP Ryan Kraft, Sr. (0-1, 5.29 ERA)
• Friday – 2: TBD
• Saturday: TBD
Leading Off
IMPORTANT STRETCH: IU picked up a 13-0 win over Bellarmine to kick off a nine-game homestand at Bart Kaufman Field. Still on the docket in this run of home games are seven top-85 RPI games (USC, Louisville and Michigan State). This is IU’s longest stretch of home games the rest of the season.
Last year, IU got hot right as April began. It beat Indiana State at home before taking series against Maryland and Penn State. The Hoosiers will hope to do something similar in the upcoming stretch. IU has won four-straight Big Ten series at home and are looking to extend that streak to six by the end of next week.
KEEPS HITTIN’: Freshman first baseman Jake Hanley went hitless in the first two games of last week but broke out of the mini-slump with five hits in the final two games vs. UCLA. He is the freshman leader in the conference with 38 hits and is the early favorite for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The Hoosiers started four true freshmen in the lineup in Tuesday’s win over Bellarmine and played seven in total. On the season, IU’s freshmen offensive players have combined for 80 hits, 68 runs scored, 53 RBIs, 18 doubles and nine home runs.
THAT DUDE KD: Redshirt sophomore outfielder Korbyn Dickerson had a tough weekend at UCLA but has been one of the best players in the entire league this year. He’s the first Big Ten player to reach both 40 hits and 40 RBIs this season and is tied for the conference lead with 11 home runs.
KRAFT ON TRACK: Since opening weekend, senior southpaw Ryan Kraft has settled back into an important role in IU’s rotation. He had his best outing at UCLA (4.1 innings with zero earned runs). He’s only allowed seven earned runs in his last 15.1 innings of action. Kraft has a 3.48 ERA in Big Ten play.
PITCHING PROVIDES: IU’s pitching staff has quietly been outstanding over the past 10 games. The Hoosiers are 7-3 in that stretch with the team holding a 4.12 ERA. Graduate student Cole Gilley has a 0.64 ERA in five appearances during that 10-game stretch.
The Hoosiers are hoping to get some impact arms back into the rotation in the coming months. Junior right-handed pitcher Aydan Decker-Petty threw an inning on Tuesday while redshirt sophomore Jacob Vogel and sophomore Jackson Yarberry will likely be back in the coming weeks.
RECORD WATCH: Junior outfielder Devin Taylor is closing in on Hoosier history over the next couple of weeks. He needs three home runs to break the program’s all-time home run record. He also needs 13 hits to become the 25th player in IU history to reach 200 base knocks.
Taylor’s fellow junior teammate, Tyler Cerny (167), isn’t far behind him in the chase for 200. Cerny and Taylor could be the first pair of teammates from the same recruiting class to reach 200+ career hits since Kyle Schwarber and Sam Travis (2012-14). Josh Pyne and Brock Tibbitts fell just short last year with Tibbitts finishing on 199 career base knocks.
Scouting the Opponent
USC
• The Trojans were one of the hottest teams to end last season, finishing a win short of qualifying from the NCAA Tournament. They’ve kept that momentum going and are 14-10 on the year. After getting swept by Oregon to begin the Big Ten season, the Trojans have won consecutive series over Michigan and Nebraska.
• USC’s strength has been on the mound this year. It has worked a 4.63 team earned run average, led by junior lefty Caden Hunter and senior right-handed pitcher Caden Aoki. Those two have combined for 68 strikeouts and just 16 walks this year. Aoki has a 15-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio this year.
• The bulk of USC’s offense has come through the bat of junior Ethan Hedges. He leads the team with 34 hits, 25 RBIs, three triples and six home runs. He has a .374 batting average, over 70 points higher than the next qualified hitter for the Trojans. He also doubles as the team’s closer and has a 4.50 ERA with six saves.
• The Trojans have impressive wins over Michigan, UConn and Vanderbilt this season. The only common opponent between the two teams has been UCLA. USC lost a 5-1 non-conference tilt while the Hoosiers lost two-of-three to the Bruins last weekend in Los Angeles.
Inside the Series
USC
• These two teams have played just one time ever. Same as before the UCLA series began, the lone meeting came on a neutral field in Riverside, California. USC won that matchup 7-0. This is believed to be the first time any of the new west coast programs have visited Bloomington in a baseball series.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTRE DAME, TCU SET FOR REMATCH IN SWEET 16
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With a trip to the Elite Eight on the line, No. 3 Notre Dame (28-5) and No. 2 TCU (33-3) will meet at Legacy Arena in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.
The Irish are coming off of a pair of blowout wins over their first two NCAA Tournament opponents, Stephen F. Austin and Michigan. Notre Dame won the contests by an average of 36.5 points, including the program’s largest win in NCAA Tournament history, a 106-54 victory over the LadyJacks. The Irish shot a combined 54.1 percent from the floor.
There were several notable individual efforts across the two games as well. Both Sonia Citron and Hannah Hidalgo had 24 points each against SFA. Citron added 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks, recording her eighth game of the year with 3+ steals. Liza Karlen posted her first double-double of the year with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Kate Koval became the first Irish freshman since at least 1999 to record a 4-block game in the NCAA Tournament.
Against the Wolverines, Liatu King went 7-7 from the floor, 4-4 from the free throw line and finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. In doing so, King became the sixth player in Irish history to record at least 15 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game and the fourth to notch a 15-15 showing in the Big Dance.
Like Notre Dame’s star backcourt, TCU has a couple stars of its own in Third Team AP All-American Hailey Van Lith and Honorable Mention AP All-American Sedona Prince. The offense starts with Van Lith, who is averaging 17.7 points and 5.5 assists per game. Prince dominates in the paint for the Horned Frogs with 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest with a field goal percentage of 58.8. In TCU’s win over the Irish in November, Prince had 20 points, 20 rebounds and 8 blocks.
Notre Dame and TCU will air on ABC at 1 p.m. ET. The Irish are 3-1 all-time against the Horned Frogs, and this is their first postseason meeting. Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray will be on the call.
NOTRE DAME BASEBALL
IRISH RETURN TO ACC PLAY, HOST FLORIDA STATE
Notre Dame vs. Florida State – Game Notes
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame baseball team continues an extended homestand as the Irish are set to host No. 4 Florida State for a three-game ACC series beginning on Friday.
| Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | Location | Probable Starters | TV |
| Mar. 28 | 4:30 PM | No. 4 Florida State | Jake Kline Field – Frank Eck Stadium | RHP Jack Radel vs. LHP Jamie Arnold | ACCNX |
| Mar. 29 | 2:00 PM | No. 4 Florida State | Jake Kline Field – Frank Eck Stadium | RHP Rory Fox vs. LHP Joey Volini | ACCNX |
| Mar. 30 | 1:00 PM | No. 4 Florida State | Jake Kline Field – Frank Eck Stadium | TBD vs. LHP Wes Mendes | ACCNX |
THE MATCHUP
- The Irish enter the weekend with a 13-9 overall record and a 1-8 mark in ACC play.
- The Seminoles are 21-3 overall and 5-1 in ACC contests.
- Florida State leads the all-time meetings between the teams with by a 28-16 margin.
- The Seminoles took all three games of the series at home by 8-4, 4-2, and 4-3 scores.
LAST TIME OUT
- Notre Dame hit through the batting order before recording an out en route to a nine-run second inning against Michigan State.
- Kellan Klosterman picked up his first collegiate pitching win on the mound, and Tobey McDonough earned his fourth save of the season.
- Parker Brzustewicz and Nick DeMarco each drove in three runs in the win.
2025 CAPTAINS
The 2025 Irish baseball team will look to four captains to help guide the way this spring. John P. and Catherine Murphy Head Baseball Coach Shawn Stiffler announced graduate students OF Brady Gumpf and RHP Jackson Dennies, senior RHP Radek Birkholz, and junior INF Estevan Moreno as team captains for the season.
TOP TALENT
The Irish have four players listed in the D1baseball.com Preseason rankings by position.
- Junior Estevan Moreno was 24th on the Top 50 shortstops list.
- Sophomore Carson Tinney was tabbed 47th on the Top 50 catchers listing.
- Graduate student Jared Zimbardo was 40th on the Top 100 outfielders report.
- Junior Rory Fox was 106th on the Top 150 starting pitchers list.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S LAX
GAME 7 PREVIEW: #11 DUKE
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 6/7 Fighting Irish open ACC play at noon on Saturday, March 29, as they take on No. 11 Duke at Alrotta Stadium in a top-15 matchup. The game will air on ACCN.
GAME DETAILS
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Arlotta Stadium
Schedule: March 29 — Noon ET
TV: ESPNU
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Twitter Updates: @NDlacrosse
For a more in-depth look at the matchup – Game Notes: Notre Dame
THE DUKE SERIES
• Saturday will be the 34th meeting all-time between Notre Dame and Duke.
• The Irish hold a slight edge in the all-time series, leading the Blue Devils with a record of 17-16.
• Notre Dame has won each of the last six meetings and seven of the last eight dating back to the 2021 season.
• The Irish defeated Duke twice last year, winning by a score of 15-12 in Durham during the regular season before claiming a 16-6 victory in the ACC Championship title game in Charlotte.
• Notre Dame has averaged 15.5 goals per game in each of the last six meetings against Duke.
KAVANAGH LEADS THE ATTACK
• Chris Kavanagh picked up right where he left off to open the 2025 season, posting a career-high nine points (4G, 5A) to finish just one point shy of the program record held by his brother Pat.
• The senior leads the Irish in points this season with 30 off 19 goals and 11 assists.
• Kavanagh turned in the greatest statistical offensive season in Notre Dame history last year, setting the program record for points in a season with 81.
• The attackman totaled 44 goals and 37 assists during the 2024 season.
• Chris joined his brothers Matt (42G, 33A – 2015) and Pat (31G, 49A – 2024) as the only players in program history to record 30+ goals and assists in the same season.
• The Rockville Centre native earned NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player honors after a prolific four-game stretch in the tournament in 2024, recording 22 points off 14 goals and 8 assists.
• The attackman put an exclamation mark on his season with a 5-goal performance in the national title win over Maryland, tying the program record for goals in an NCAA tournament game.
• Kavanagh set the program record for points in an NCAA Tournament game against Georgetown in the quarterfinals, totaling eight points off five goals and three assists. The five goals tied the program record for most goals scored in an NCAA Tourney game.
• The senior has 206 points off 131 goals and 75 assists and currently ranks fourth in program history.
• Kavanagh not only paced Notre Dame’s offense in 2023 but his 46 goals ranked third all-time in program history for a single season, just three behind Randy Colley’s record of 49 goals set in 1995.
• The Rockville Centre, New York, native has scored a goal in 28 straight games and has recorded a point in 50 of 51 games in his career. Kavanagh has posted multiple points in 46 of 51 games in his career.
LYGHTS OUT
• It didn’t take long for Shawn Lyght to make a name for himself in the college lacrosse world, as he cemented himself as one of the top cover defenseman in the country during his 2024 freshman season.
• Lyght consistently drew the No. 1 option for the opposing attack throughout the season.
• The defenseman held Connor Shellenberger to just one goal between the two matchups, both resulting in wins and he limited Joey Spallina to just one point in their only matchup of the year.
• The sophomore opened the 2025 season against Cleveland State holding his main defensive assignment to zero points.
• Lyght was the only sophmore to earn first team All-America status in the Inside Lacrosse preseason honors.
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE
• Despite losing two starting defensemen and standout goalie Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame has allowed only two of the six teams it has faced this season to reach double-digit goals in a game and none have scored more than 11 goals in a game.
• Notre Dame is allowing just 8.67 goals per game this season.
• The Irish finished 2024 allowing just 8.94 goals per game, leading the country, despite playing six games against opponents that ranked in the top 15 in goals scored per game.
• Notre Dame held opponents to 10 or fewer goals in 12 of 17 games during the 2024 campaign, including seven of the last eight on the way to the title.
• The Irish limited the opposition to 12 or fewer goals in 16 of 17 outings last season.
• Preseason All-Americans Ben Ramsey, Will Donovan and Shawn Lyght each return to the defensive unit along with the addition of Greg Campisi from Harvard.
TAYLOR MADE
• Graduate student Jake Taylor is one of the great finishers in lacrosse, totaling 115 goals in his Fighting Irish career.
• The attackman scored seven goals in the season opener to become the 11th player in program history to reach the 100-goal milestone.
• Taylor has 17 hat tricks in his Fighting Irish career and has recorded three hat tricks this season.
• The grad student is shooting 48.5 percent on the season, ranking eighth in the country.
• The Denver native finished the 2024 season with 41 goals on 83 shots, giving him a shooting percentage of .494 which ranked fourth in the country.
• Taylor scored one of the biggest goals in program history, sending the 2023 NCAA semifinal into overtime with a twister against Virignia in the final minute of regulation.
GREATEST SHOW ON TURF
• The Irish attack has been borderline unstoppable over the last couple of seasons, leading the country in goals per game in 2024 with an average of 15.65.
• The Blue and Gold has scored 95 goals through six games this season, averaging 15.83 per game, the third best mark in the country.
• Notre Dame ranks third in the nation in points per game (25.0), second in shot percentage (.363) and seventh in assists per game (9.17).
• The Irish scored 24 goals in the season opener and recorded 19 assists to total 43 points, finishing just three points shy of the program record for points in a game.
DOMINATING THE DOT
• Senior FOGO Will Lynch has won 69-of-108 faceoffs this season for a win percentage of .639 along with 48 ground balls.
• The senior enters Saturday with 318 career ground balls, the most by any player in program history. Lynch set the record in the win over Georgetown, passing Billy Ahmuty (280 GBs – 1991-94) for the top spot.
• The senior is averaging 8.0 ground balls per game, good for the sixth best average in the nation.
• Lynch is coming off his best season in his Fighting Irish career, winning 61.2 percent of his faceoff attempts to lead the ACC and rank fourth in the country.
• The FOGO won 202-of 330 attempts and scooped up a team-high 113 ground balls.
• Over the four NCAA Tournament games Lynch was even better than his season average, winning 63-of-97 (64.9%).
• Lynch added a career-high four goals last season, including one in the ACC Tournament and one in the NCAA Tournament.
• Lynch was named to the All-ACC Team and to the ACC All-Tournament Team.
• The standout won over 50 percent of faceoffs in 12-of-16 games last season.
ANGRICK’S BREAKOUT SEASON
• Just over halfway through the regular season, senior Will Angrick already has set a career high for points in a season with 15.
• His nine goals and six assists are both tied for his career highs in a season.
• Angrick has recorded multiple points in five of six games during the 2025 campaign, as has 2+ goals in four outings.
• The senior leads the Irish midfield in scoring with his nine goals.
FAMILY STYLE
• Everyone is eating in the Irish attack this season, as 15 different players have recorded multiple points on the season.
• Seven Irish players have racked up double-digit points through six games.
• The Irish have racked up 55 assists on the 95 goals with Chris Kavanagh leading the way with 11.
• In the win over Marquette, all three starting attackmen and all three starting midfielders finished with mulitple goals.
• Notre Dame’s midfield has accounted for 42 of 95 goals this season.
FROM THE GRIDIRON TO THE LACROSSE FIELD
• Three Notre Dame lacrosse players on the 2025 squad also suited up for the football team in the fall, as Jordan Faison, Tyler Buchner and Matt Jeffery are both dual-sport athletes.
• Faison finished the season with 30 receptions for 356 yards and a TD, including a seven-catch, 89-yard performance in the first round of the College Football Playoff win against IU.
• Buchner was used in trick plays on special teams, picking up a first down on a fake FG against GT and completing a 23-yard pass on a fake punt against USC.
• Jeffery played in three games on special teams during his freshman season, seeing the field against Purdue, Stanford and Navy.
• All three have seen action during the 2025 lacrosse season, as Buchner has played in all four games as a SSDM and Faison and Jeffery made their debuts in the win at Georgetown.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
NOTRE DAME, #22 VIRGINIA TO FACE OFF THIS WEEKEND
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – For the second weekend in a row, the Notre Dame Softball Team will welcome a ranked opponent to Melissa Cook Stadium when the No. 24/22 Virginia Cavaliers come to South Bend for a three-game series. Game one will begin Friday night at 6 p.m., Saturday’s first pitch is at 1 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is at noon. Admission is free to all Notre Dame softball games and all games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
The Irish close out their nine game homestand this weekend. Notre Dame has two wins so far at home, posting victories over Western Michigan and UIC.
Virginia will be the eighth different ranked opponent Notre Dame has faced this season already. The Irish have ranked wins over No. 15 Missouri and No. 23 San Diego State so far this year.
Through the first 33 games of the season, the Notre Dame pitching staff ranks second in the ACC with 201 strikeouts, one of only two teams to eclipse 200 strikeouts as a staff (Virginia Tech). Micaela Kastor leads the team with 67, which is eighth-most in the conference. Over her last 10 appearances, Brianne Weiss has 43 strikeouts and has emerged as a reliable option as a freshman after getting her first career save in the win over UIC.
In the batters box, both Anna Holloway (.417) and Addison Amaral (.400) are hitting .400 or better at Melissa Cook Stadium so far this year. Holloway has a hit in three straight games while Amaral has four extra base hits in six games at home.
Game one of the series is set for a 6 p.m. start tomorrow evening at Melissa Cook Stadium. Admission to all Notre Dame softball games is free. Tomorrow’s game features a poster giveaway featuring the six sophomores this season.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BECKI AND BISCHOFF RECEIVE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT ACCOLADES
MUNCIE, Ind. — Two members of Ball State women’s basketball’s “Core Four” — Madelyn Bischoff and Ally Becki — have been named to the Academic All-District Team, as honored by the College Sports Communicators. Bischoff is a repeat member of the Academic All-District Team. Bischoff and Becki both have earned annual distinction on all-academic teams in the Mid-American Conference, too.
Bischoff sports a 3.6 grade-point average while pursuing a marketing degree at Ball State. Becki, the MAC Player of the Year in 2024-25, boasts a 3.5 GPA in marketing.
The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Women’s Basketball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women’s basketball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
BASEBALL BACK TO MAC PLAY WITH FRIDAY MORNING SERIES OPENER AT AKRON
The Ball State baseball team is set to play a three-game series at Akron starting at 10 a.m. on Friday.
There will be an ESPN+ broadcast for each game, and links to the broadcast and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State (17-9, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) is coming off a 5-4 win over Southern Indiana on Tuesday afternoon in Muncie. The Cardinals rallied back from a 4-1 deficit, scoring three runs in the eighth inning including a go-ahead two-run single by Clay Jacobs. Blake Bevis had two solo home runs in the triumph.
Akron (6-18, 0-9 MAC) has lost eight games in a row after falling 8-2 at Oakland on Tuesday afternoon and being swept at Western Michigan last weekend. The Zips in their second season being led by head coach Bryan Faulds.
The Akron pitching staff is second in NCAA Division I in hitting batters with 65 so far this year. The Zips’ batters have taken the most walks (136) in the league.
Projected Saturday starter Jared Schaeffer has 36 strikeouts, which is the third-most in the MAC, while right-handed pitcher Josiah Ross has made the most pitching appearances in the league at 12.
Ball State will next return home to face Bellarmine at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
1,000 CAREER WINS: Head coach Rich Maloney hit the 1,000-win milestone with the 13-10 triumph over Purdue Fort Wayne on March 11.
Maloney is the 10th active skipper to reach the milestone among NCAA Division I coaches. The group consists of Paul Mainieri (South Carolina, 1,522 wins), Danny Hall (Georgia Tech, 1,432), Elliott Avent (NC State, 1,277), Dave Van Horn (Arkansas, 1,277), Rich Hill (Hawaii, 1,191), Steve Owens (Rutgers, 1,057), Rick Heller (Iowa, 1,055), Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt, 1,047), and Mike Bianco (Ole Miss, 1,025). Of the nine ahead of Maloney, only Hall, Mainieri, Avent, Van Horn and Bianco have more wins at the Division I level.
CLUTCH CLAY: Graduate outfielder Clay Jacobs hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eight inning on Tuesday against Southern Indiana, which proved to be the game-winner in a 5-4 decision over the Screaming Eagles.
The Huntsville, Ohio native also hit his first two home runs of the year over the weekend at Xavier and bats .295 with a league-best 11 stolen bases.
PICKING UP THE POWER: Ball State had its first two multi-home run performances of the season in the span of a week, with Ty Davis hitting three homers on March 18 against Valparaiso and Blake Bevis blasting two last Tuesday vs USI.
Bevis leads the team with eight home runs as Davis follows in second at six. The Cardinals are second in the league and 33rd nationally with 36 total long balls.
CATCHERS CRUSH: The trio of Garrett Arnold, Max Kalk and DJ Scheumann have proven to be dangerous with the bat in the first month-and-a-half of the season.
Arnold is batting .377 and hit a walkoff on March 15 against Toledo, while Kalk went 4-for-4 on March 19 vs Butler to raise his season batting average to .500. Scheumann hit a go-ahead home run in the Feb. 15 win over Maryland.
HIT MAN: Junior Dylan Grego is the MAC leader with 35 hits so far this year while batting .347 with a .960 OPS.
The everyday shortstop has four home runs, 16 RBI, and eight steals and hit a walkoff homer in the March 9 win over Western Michigan.
FINDING A WAY TO GET ON BASE: Senior Alex Richter has been hit by a pitch 15 times this year, which leads the MAC and ranks No. 5 in NCAA Division I.
The third baseman is third in the conference with 20 walks and reaches base at a .437 clip.
CLEAN FIELDING AND TURNING TWO: The Cardinals enter the weekend ranking third in the country with a .986 fielding percentage.
Ball State has committed 13 errors in 910 opportunities this year through the first 26 games. Ball State paces the nation in double plays turned at 26.
PROFICIENT PITCHING: The Ball State pitching staff paces the league in ERA (5.66), WHIP (1.50), strikeouts per nine innings (9.7) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (8.90).
Keegan Johnson (4-0, 2.86 ERA, 32 strikeouts in 34.2 innings) and Jacob Hartlaub (3-2, 3.73 ERA, 37 strikeouts in 31.1 innings) have been leading the starting staff while Owen Quinn (3.43 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 27 strikeouts in 21.0 innings) has been coming on strong out of the bullpen including picking up his first win of the year on Tuesday vs Southern Indiana.
BALL STATE SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO BOWLING GREEN FOR WEEKEND SERIES
» THIS WEEKEND IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: The Ball State softball team will look to carry over the momentum from Tuesday’s 5-3 win at Indiana State this weekend, when it travels to Bowling Green for a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Meserve Field … The Cardinals and Falcons, who are currently tied for third in the league standings, are scheduled to play a single game Friday (3 p.m.) and a doubleheader Saturday (1 p.m.).
» NEXT TIME IN MUNCIE: After its weekend trip to BGSU, the Cardinals return to the Ball State Softball Stadium on Tuesday, April 1 for a 1 p.m. league doubleheader versus Northern Illinois … The twinbill will serve as Faculty / Staff Appreciation Day with members of the team honoring members of the Ball State community who have made an impact in the collegiate lives.
» THE OVERALL RECORD: Ball State enters the week with a 1196-1179-4 (.504) overall record dating back to 1975 … The Cardinals have tallied 30-or-more wins in 16 seasons, most recently a 37-18 mark in 2021 … Of the 16 seasons with 30-or-more wins, 11 have come in the past 17 years.
» QUOTING COACH PEÑA: “Our goal this season is to have fun competing. If we can compete every single pitch, and have fun doing it, I believe we are going to have a really good season. It’s truly about getting better every weekend and not putting so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect.”
» AGAINST THE FALCONS: With six straight wins over Bowling Green, the Cardinals have managed to tie the all-time series at 54-54 … Over the six-game winning streak, which includes three games in Muncie last season and three at BGSU during the 2023 campaign, Ball State has out-scored the Falcons 52-7 and earned three run-rule victories … The Falcons do hold a slim 24-23 edge in games played in Bowling Green.
BALL STATE NEWS & NOTES:
» MAC PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS: Ball State was picked to finish fourth among 11 teams in the Mid-American Conference’s annual preseason poll … The Cardinals, who finished sixth in the league last season with a 12-13 MAC record, are looking for a third consecutive MAC Softball Championship berth, with the league’s top six teams advancing to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, for the three-day event which runs May 7-10 … BSU also picked up one of the 11 votes to win the MAC Tournament title.
» WATCH OUT FOR TIMMONS: McKayla Timmons was named a player to watch this season, ranking 36th on the Softball America Top 100 Preseason list and as the No. 8 ranked utility/designated player in the country by D1Softball.com … Most recently, Softball America named her the nation’s seventh-best catcher in its March position rankings while D1Softball.com named her the nation’s fifth-best catcher in its player power rankings … Timmons enters the week ranked first on Ball State’s career list in on base percentage (.513), second in slugging percentage (.794), second in home runs (52), third in batting average (.385), third in RBI (159) and ninth in runs scored (137) … She also owns the program record for being hit by a pitch at 39.
» EARNING THE ACCOLADES: So far, McKayla Timmons has earned the accolades, ranking first in the MAC and 14th nationally with a .492 batting average … Timmons, who is currently on a 53-game streak of reaching base safely, has blasted 11 home runs so far this season including at least one home run in eight of the last 14 games … In addition to her solid batting average, she leads all NCAA Division I players in on base percentage (.686), ranks fourth in the nation in slugging percentage (1.108) and is 47th in runs scored (34) and 60th in RBIs (34).
» FREE PASSES: McKayla Timmons received a big boost to her on base percentage in the weekend series versus Toledo, reaching base in all 14 of her plate appearances over the three games … She started the series with a two-run home run Friday and was walked in each of her next eight plate appearances … The Rockets gave her one more opportunity to swing in the series finale and she blasted the ball to the wall in right center for a first inning single … She then drew four more walks, bringing her weekend total to 12 … The 12 walks versus Toledo, along with another in Tuesday’s win at Indiana State, helped her climb to second in the nation with a 1.11 walks-per-game average … She is also tied for sixth in the nation at 30 total walks.
» SHINING BEHIND THE PLATE TOO: In addition to pacing the offense, McKayla Timmons has proven to be one of the nation’s top threats behind the plate and finished the 2024 season ranked as one of the nation’s best catchers by Softball America … She was fifth on SA’s final catchers list and 47th among the nation’s top 100 players … The effort was aided by Timmons throwing out 11 of the 37 runners attempting to steal a base on her last season … She has already caught seven runners trying to steal this season, while surrendering just 10 stolen bases.
» ON THE BASES: Ball State has also proven to be one of the nations’ craftiest teams on the base paths, ranking first in the MAC and 34th nationally with a 1.89 stolen bases per game average … The Cardinals have successfully stolen 51 of the 55 bases it has attempted to steal, led by a MAC-leading 13 stolen bases from McKayla Timmons … Overall, 12 different Cardinals have stolen at least one base, with redshirt junior second baseman McKenna Mulholland ranking second on the squad and third in the MAC with 10 … Conversely, Ball State has limited opposing squads to just 12 stolen bases in 19 attempts this season … Only 14 teams in the country have limited teams to less stolen bases, with the next best MAC school being Miami at 15.
» ON THE OFFENSIVE FRONT: Ball State has been putting on an offensive clinic so far this season, ranking 17th nationally by averaging 7.48 runs per game … The Cardinals have earned seven run-rule victories so far this season and have scored 10-or-more runs in seven games … Overall, Ball State is out-scoring opponents 202 to 115 this season and owns a 16-4 record when scoring at least five runs … In fact, Ball State’s 202 runs scored are already the 19th-most in a season in program history, with the record being the 368 runs scored by the 2012 squad.
» THE WHITNEY EFFECT: Ella Whitney, who played her first two seasons of collegiate softball at FIU, leads the MAC and ranks 28th nationally with her 11 pitching victories … Over 84.1 innings of work, the two-time MAC Pitcher of the Week honoree has compiled a 1.99 ERA which ranks 63rd in the country … Whitney has also limited opposing batters to a .231 average against which ranks fourth in the league.
» MORE ON WHITNEY: A two-way player for the Cardinals, Ella Whitney is also a big offensive threat, boasting a .326 average and ranking second on the team in both home runs (4) and RBIs (27) … She recorded Ball State’s first triple of the season and leads the squad with six doubles … Whitney also enters the week ranked second on the squad with a 14-game streak of reaching base safely.
» SHUTTING ‘EM OUT: Freshman Breanna Severino picked up her first collegiate complete game shutout in BSU’s 7-0 victory at Butler (March 18) … She limited the Bulldogs to just seven hits over her 7.0 innings of work in the game … She also struck out one batter and worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth.
» LONG BALL NUMBERS: The Cardinals currently rank second in the MAC with 33 home runs, trailing only Miami’s 46 … Timmons leads the way and is second among all league players and 26th nationally with her 11 home runs … Overall, 10 different Ball State players have blasted at least one home run this season … On the opposite spectrum, Ball State’s pitching staff ranks first in the MAC and tied for 34th nationally by allowing just 11 home runs … Toledo and Ohio are tied for second in the league with 18 home runs allowed.
» SOME OF THE NATION’S TOUGHEST: Sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak and senior outfielder Kara Gunter enter the weekend as two of the nation’s toughest batters to strike out … Pietrzak is fourth in the MAC and 41st nationally at one strikeout per every 29.7 at bats, while Gunter is sixth in the MAC and 54th nationally at one strikeout per every 26.3 at bats.
» D-FENSE: Ball State enters the weekend ranked first in the MAC and 32nd nationally with a .973 fielding percentage … The Cardinals have committed just 21 errors in its first 27 games, including 13 games without an error … The current program record for best fielding percentage in a season is .974 for the 2010 squad which committed just 40 errors.
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
INDIANA STATE SET TO VISIT DRAKE FOR THREE-GAME SERIES IN DES MOINES
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Sycamores continue MVC play this weekend as they head to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Drake. The games will begin as a doubleheader on Friday, with the first game starting at 3:30 p.m ET. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
This weekend’s schedule has been adjusted due to predicted weather.
Friday: The games have been moved to a doubleheader, with the first game starting at 3:30 p.m ET and the second game anticipated to begin at 6 p.m ET.
Saturday: The exact time is TBD based on weather, with the earliest possible start time being 11:30 a.m ET.
Last Time Out:
Indiana State dropped a 5-3 decision to Ball State on Tuesday. The Cardinals took an early 5-0 lead in the first inning, after a grand slam by Gunter and an RBI single by Lovett.
The Sycamores responded with a run in the bottom of the first and chipped away at the lead, scoring once in the fourth and fifth innings to make it 5-3.
Despite solid relief pitching from Hailey Griffin and Lauren Sackett, Indiana State couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Sycamores finished with just three hits, with Lauren Marsicek contributing two.
Annie Waggoner (0-2) took the loss in her second start of the season, allowing five runs in three innings.
Sycamore Standouts:
Sycamores are fourth in the MVC, hitting .243 as a team with 185 hits and 106 RBIs in 761 at-bats. They have recorded 30 doubles, six triples, and eight home runs, posting a .330 slugging percentage. The team has successfully stolen 21 bases in 28 attempts and has a .945 fielding percentage.
Lauren Marsicek leads the Sycamores offense, posting a team-best .314 batting average while also leading in doubles with seven. She has recorded 22 hits, eight RBIs, and scored 11 runs through 28 starts.
Abby Widmar, Hannah Welch, and Sophie Esposito each lead the Sycamores with two home runs this season. Widmar is hitting .277 with 12 RBIs in 15 starts, while Welch has a team-high eight stolen bases and a .350 on-base percentage. Esposito has collected 19 hits and 8 RBIs across 24 starts.
Brailey Mills and Livi Colip have been key contributors for the Sycamores, each starting 20 games this season. Mills is hitting .288, recording 15 hits, six RBIs, and a .413 on-base percentage while adding a triple and two stolen bases.
Colip has posted a .274 average with 17 hits, four doubles, and eight RBIs, maintaining a .309 on-base percentage.
In the Circle:
Hailey Griffin has been strong in the circle, holding a 5-4 record with a 2.34 ERA over 71.2 innings. She ranks second in the MVC with a .184 opposing batting average, fourth with 64 strikeouts, and fifth with a 2.34 ERA.
Lauren Sackett has made the second-most appearances for the Sycamores, holding a 2.94 ERA over 69.0 innings. She has struck out 56 batters, ranking 8th in the MVC, and is second in the conference with 24 strikeouts looking.
Scouting Drake:
Drake heads into this weekend’s matchup with a 9-19 record and a 1-5 mark in the Missouri Valley as they are currently placed at eighth.
The Bulldogs were swept by Belmont and posted a 1-2 record against Bradley last weekend, with their sole conference win coming on Saturday in a 4-2 victory.
Emma Dighton leads the Drake offense this season, with a .351 batting average starting in all 28 games. Dighton records 26 hits, 15 runs, four doubles, one triple, six homers and 18 RBIs.
Paige Bedsworth enters this weekend with an ERA of 1.72, with a 4-1 record over 36.2 innings. Bedsworth has struck out 18 batters, allowed 24 hits, and given up 11 walks and nine earned runs.
Up Next:
The Sycamores will head to Indianapolis on Tuesday, April 1 to face Butler in a rescheduled matchup at 4 p.m ET.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE SOFTBALL
HOLLOPETER’S HUGE DAY LEADS MASTODONS TO TWO LEAGUE WINS
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Grace Hollopeter went 6-for-6 with three home runs and nine RBIs to lead Purdue Fort Wayne softball to a pair of wins over Detroit Mercy on Thursday (March 27).
GAME 1: Purdue Fort Wayne 6, Detroit Mercy 5
The Mastodons did all of their damage in the first two innings and held off the Titans the rest of the way to pick up the win in game one. The first five batters reached the base paths and the first four scored. Bailey Manos walked, then advanced to second after a single from McKenna Minton. On the first pitch she saw, Hollopeter sent a bomb over the left field wall for her first home run of the day, pushing the ‘Dons up 3-0 early. Aglaia Rudd singled then worked around to third after an Addison Zimpleman walk and Kennedy Peckinpaugh single. Brooke Lickey then had a sac fly on an 0-2 count to give the ‘Dons a 4-0 lead.
In the Titans’ next inning, Alanah Jones struck out three, stranding one on base. She finished with nine strikeouts, eventually earning the win. She moved to 5-9.
In the second, the ‘Dons started back at the top of the order, getting a single from Bailey Manos to start. Two ABs later, Hollopeter ripped a pitch deep over the left field wall, right in line with the foul pole for her second homer of the day.
Detroit Mercy threatened later on, scoring three in the fifth and two in the seventh. The Titans had a two-run homer in the seventh, but Jones delivered from the circle, forcing a pop-up and striking out the final Titan with an 11-pitch at bat.
Detroit Mercy’s Erin Flynn took the loss to fall to 2-3.
Hollopeter finished 4-for-4 with five RBIs. She had four of the Mastodons’ 11 hits and five of the six RBIs.
GAME 2: Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Detroit Mercy 4
Detroit Mercy took a 2-0 lead, and even had a 4-3 lead in the fourth, but the heart of Purdue Fort Wayne’s lineup torched the Titans in the first, fourth and sixth innings.
Rudd did her best Hollopeter impression in the first inning sending a long ball past left field to give the ‘Dons a 3-2 lead. Detroit Mercy answered with a run in each of the second and fourth innings to retake the lead.
In the fourth, Peckinpaugh singled, Gwen McMenemy walked, then Manos doubled to score both. Two at bats later, Hollopeter doubled to bring Manos home.
Two innings later, Alexa Carter walked and Minton was hit by a pitch to bring up Hollopeter with two runners on. In her sixth AB of the day, Hollopeter did what she had been doing all day long, sending bombs over the left field wall. This put the ‘Dons up 9-4, closing the book on the Titans’ chances at a league win.
Gracie Brinkerhoff threw all 7.0 innings and struck out three batters to pick up the win. Jordan Kavanagh took the loss for Detroit Mercy.
The Mastodons improved to 7-16 and 3-2 in Horizon League play. Detroit Mercy falls to 5-16, 2-3. These two teams will meet again at 4 p.m. on Friday (March 28).
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
‘DONS AND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES PLAY THIS WEEKEND
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Oakland comes to Fort Wayne this weekend for a Horizon League baseball series with the Mastodons. The series will be played at both Indiana Tech and Mastodon Field. Keep an eye open for schedule/location adjustments due to weather.
Game Day Information
Who: Oakland (7-20, 2-4 Horizon) at Purdue Fort Wayne (3-20, 2-4 Horizon)
When:
Friday, March 28 | 3 p.m. | Indiana Tech
Saturday, March 29 | 2 p.m. | TBD
Sunday, March 30 | 1 p.m. | Mastodon Field
Live Stats: Link
Series History: Oakland leads 31-21. The Mastodons eliminated Oakland from the Horizon League Championship last season.
Know Your Foe: Oakland earned a 10-9 win over Cleary on Wednesday thanks to a five-run ninth inning. It came a day after a win over Akron. The Golden Grizzlies took 2-of-3 at Northern Kentucky last weekend. John Lauinger is hitting .323 with 13 walks. Taylor Tomlin has a 1.043 OPS. Hunter Pidek allowed three runs in 5.0 innings against NKU last week. He has a 5.40 ERA.
On That 20-16 Win: The Mastodons took 2-of-3 from Youngstown State last weekend. The 20 runs in the final game of the series is tied for 6th in the Division I era program history for runs in a game. The ‘Dons tied for 1st in the Division I era program history for walks in a game with 13. The 12 walks in game one of the doubleheader on Sunday tied for second for most walks in a game.
‘Dons & Ends
– Brooks Sailors (18) and Justin Osterhouse (11) own current on-base streaks.
– Justin Osterhouse has a team-best eight multi-hit games.
– Jackson Micheels and Justin Osterhouse are the only two Mastodons to start every game this season.
– Brooks Sailors is second in the league in walks (21).
– Zane Danielson’s 4.64 ERA is third in the league, he is also third in opposing batting average (.242). He is first in innings pitched (33.0).
– Dillon Fischer is third in the league in innings pitched (31.1).
– Brooks Sailors leads the league in runners caught stealing (6).
Fischer Honor: Dillon Fischer was picked as a top 100 pitcher from the fourth weekend of the season by DI Baseball. Fischer allowed no runs in 6.1 innings at Tennessee Tech.
Nice to Meet You: This season isn’t the first time Kevin Hall and Nick Hockemeyer are teammates. They spent the summer of 2024 playing for the Elizabethton River Riders of the Appalachian League. Hall had a .453 OBP in 26 games for the River Riders. Hockemeyer hit .296 in 18 games.
Blood Lines: Mastodon head coach Doug Schreiber coached Trent Murphy’s father, Rob, when Schreiber was an assistant at Ball State.
Up Next: The Mastodons host Central Michigan on Tuesday (April 1) in a 3 p.m. start.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
ACES BASEBALL HOSTS FIRST MVC SERIES WITH VALPARAISO
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — After beginning conference play on the road, the University of Evansville baseball team gets to host its first Missouri Valley Conference series of 2025.
The Purple Aces returned to German American Bank Field on Tuesday night after over a month on the road. UE wasn’t quite able to get back to home field advantage against Western Kentucky as the Hilltoppers got a 13-3 win. Evansville will have a second opportunity to pick up a win against WKU at the end of April in Bowling Green as part of a two game home-and-home series.
The Aces will quickly have a chance to get their first home win of March this weekend as the Valparaiso Beacons visit GAB Field. Last season UE took two of three games from the Beacons winning the first game in eight innings with 13 runs and shutting out Valpo in the series finale. The Beacons do lead the overall series 42-29 but Evansville has an 18-10 advantage in the Division I portion of the series dating back to the 1978 season.
Valparaiso comes into the weekend with a 5-15 overall record and went 1-2 in the opening weekend of Valley play. The Beacons win over Indiana State on March 21 was their only win over the past week as they fell to Purdue 6-3 on Tuesday and lost to Ball State on 14-10 on March 18. Valpo is led by Friday night starter Connor Lockwood who earned his third career MVC Pitcher of the Week honor this week. Lockwood’s honor came after he pitched Valpo to a victory over Indiana State, helping the Beacons beat the Sycamores for the first time since 2007. Lockwood threw 120 pitches over seven innings and did not allow an earned run while racking up 10 strikeouts,scattering five hits and walking one batter.
Sophomore left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) earned some national attention for his big weekend against Murray State. Going 7-for-12 (.583) with four doubles and three RBIs made Longmeier one of the 100 best hitters in Division 1 baseball. D1Baseball listed Longmeier as having the 75th best performance in the country with a weighted on base average of 0.692 as he only struck out three times in 16 plate appearances.
Due to projected weather over the weekend both Saturday and Sunday’s games for UE have been moved up to a 12 p.m. first pitch. Friday’s game remains a 6 p.m. first pitch while Evansville will celebrate its 2024 MVC Tournament Championship at Saturday’s game. The Aces will hold a banner unveiling Saturday morning before the second game of the series.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL OPENS WEEKEND WITH FRIDAY DOUBLEHEADER AT VALPO
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to pick up its first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season, the University of Evansville softball team travels to Valparaiso for a 3-game weekend series. An updated schedule will see the teams play a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Friday before squaring off in a single game on Saturday at 12 p.m. with all three games set to be televised on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
– A late rally saw Missouri State take a 4-3 win in Saturday’s series finale to secure a series sweep over the Purple Aces
– Taylor Howe went 4-for-5 in the contest as UE opened a 3-0 lead before the Bears tied the game with a 3-run fifth inning before scoring the winning run in the 8th
Finishing Strong
– In the series finale at Missouri State, Taylor Howe recorded a career-high four hits as she went 4-for-5 while adding a run
– The effort improved her season batting average to .301
– Howe is tied for 2nd in the MVC with 9 doubles, tied for 6th with 23 RBI and is tied for 10th with 18 runs scored
– On Feb. 25, Howe was named the MVC Player of the Week after batting .455 with four home runs and nine RBI
Hitting Streak
– Sophomore Niki Bode paces the Evansville offense with a .408 batting average, which puts her third in the MVC and enters the weekend with a 5-game hitting streak, the longest current streak on the team
– She is tied for second in the league with three sacrifice flies, 9th with an on-base percentage of 0.455 and 10th with 17 runs scored
Top Six
– Jess Willsey ranks in the top six in the MVC in multiple statistics
– Her rankings include 2nd in runs (24), T-3rd with 98 at-bats, T-4th in home runs (7), T-4th with 8 doubles, and T-6th with 23 RBI.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
EAGLES’ SEASON ENDS AGAINST BULLS IN WNIT SUPER 16 BATTLE
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball had its 2024-25 season come to an end Thursday night in the Super Sixteen of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) at Liberty Arena, home of the Screaming Eagles, falling 76-64 against the University at Buffalo.
After reaching the second round of the WNIT in 2023-24, Southern Indiana (23-13, 12-8 OVC) was making its first-ever appearance in the Super Sixteen. Following a first-round bye and a 60-51 win in the second round of this year’s tournament against Campbell University, the Screaming Eagles welcomed Buffalo (27-7, 13-5 MAC) to Liberty Arena Thursday night in front of 2,000-plus fans.
Buffalo jumped out to a 9-2 lead three minutes into the contest, forcing USI to take an early timeout. Out of the huddle, sophomore forward Chloe Gannon came off the bench and scored back-to-back baskets. Gannon scored again a couple of minutes later to keep USI within five, 13-8, at the 4:46 mark of the first quarter. After Buffalo went ahead by nine later in the first, a three-pointer by junior guard Ali Saunders and a transition bucket by graduate forward Madi Webb sparked the crowd and got USI within two, 17-15. The Bulls led 20-17 at the end of the opening period.
The Bulls started the second quarter taking control of the momentum, scoring 12 unanswered points in the first four minutes and grabbing a 32-17 lead. Gannon continued her strong start to the game, reaching double figures in the middle of the second. Late in the first half, senior guard Vanessa Shafford drained a pair of jumpers, but Buffalo increased its lead to 16, 41-25, going into halftime.
Early in the second half, Webb knocked down a pair of shots to bring USI within 12, 43-31. Following nearly a three-minute scoreless drought in the middle of the third quarter, Southern Indiana continued to chip away with a three-pointer by sophomore guard Triniti Ralston and a layup by Gannon to cut the deficit down to single digits, 45-36, by the 4:21 mark. Buffalo was able to add back onto its lead to carry a 56-42 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
Graduate forward Meredith Raley sparked USI in the first minutes of the fourth quarter with a three-point play. As the Screaming Eagles kept trying to bring the deficit back down to single digits, Buffalo seemingly had an answer to keep the lead above 10. A layup by Webb with under five minutes to go brought USI within single digits, 61-52, but the Bulls answered with a three. Southern Indiana responded back with a triple from Ralston to make the score 64-55 Buffalo with under three minutes left. However, that would be as close as USI could get it down the stretch.
Southern Indiana could not get the ball to drop through the net, shooting nearly 35 percent overall (22-63) and 20 percent (6-30) from beyond the arc. USI was effective at the foul line once again converting at nearly 88 percent (14-16). The Screaming Eagles outrebounded the Bulls 41-34. Ralston led the Eagles in scoring with 15 points. Gannon finished with 14 points, while Raley tallied 10.
Buffalo shot the ball for over 46 percent (27-58) from the floor and 32 percent (8-25) from three-point range. The Bulls were 14-22 for just over 63 percent at the charity stripe. The Bulls had four players in double figures, led by graduate guard Challia Watson’s 16 points.
The 2024-25 campaign and USI Women’s Basketball’s third year in Division I came to a close after seeing the program accomplish more firsts, including its first-ever appearance in the Super Sixteen of the WNIT. USI also reached at least the semifinal round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament for the second year in a row in its second consecutive berth into the conference postseason tournament.
Thursday also spelled the end of the USI careers for Southern Indiana’s five seniors, who helped lead the program through its transition to Division I and reach new heights with OVC championship titles in 2023-24 and two WNIT berths. Within the USI record books, Raley and Shafford conclude their careers among the best in USI history. Raley, who set a USI record with 140 games played, registered 1,701 points for third on the all-time scoring list and 687 boards for seventh on the all-time rebounding list. Raley also finished top five in USI history in field goals made (608) and free throws made (380). Shafford, who set a USI record with 232 three-pointers made, totaled 1,429 points for sixth on the career scoring list and 779 rebounds for fifth all time. Shafford is also fourth in program history with 124 games played and sixth with 528 field goals made.
Now the program will turn its attention to getting set for the 2025-26 season and taking another step forward in its Division-I era.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
SCREAMING EAGLES HOST LITTLE ROCK THIS WEEKEND
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball starts a seven-game homestand this weekend when it hosts the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for a three-game series at the USI Baseball Field. The USI-Little Rock series starts Friday, continues Saturday at 3 p.m., and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
Saturday’s game is Jersey Day at the USI Baseball Field. Fans wearing a jersey to the game will receive a free popcorn and will have a chance to win St. Louis Cardinals tickets in a sixth-inning drawing.
Following the USI-Little Rock series, the homestand continues next week with the Screaming Eagles hosting Northern Kentucky University April 1 and concludes with a three-game series against Morehead State University April 4-6.
With the ever-changing weather in March, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook.
Links to follow the Eagles all season can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.
USI Baseball Notes:
USI falls late at Ball State. The USI Screaming Eagles lost a lead late and fell at Ball State University, 5-4, Tuesday afternoon in Muncie, Illinois. USI scored all four of its runs in the third inning, three coming on a three-run blast by junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens. The Cardinals rallied from the 4-1 deficit with one in the seventh and three in the eighth to get the win.
USI wins opening OVC series. The Eagles opened the 2025 OVC schedule with a 2-1 series win over Western Illinois University last weekend. USI lost the opening game, 15-5, but bounced back to win 8-6 and 6-4 in the final two games. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley led the Eagles at the plate with a .571 mark (4-7) in the first two games, while junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit .400 (6-15) with two RBIs and two doubles. Sophomore outfielder Cameron Boyd drove in a team-high four RBIs during the series.
Kitchens, Coakley have hot sticks. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens has had the big bat for USI the last 10 games, hitting .488 (21-43) with eight runs scored, four doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 10 RBIs. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley is batting .444 (12-27) with four runs scored, three doubles, and seven RBIs.
Overall Eagle leader at the plate. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens is the top hitter at USI and the OVC with a .451 batting average (37-82). The OVC batting average leader also leads in home runs (4) and RBIs (20); and second in doubles (9).
On the mound: Junior right-hander Blake Kimball led the USI starters in the opening weeks with a 2-3 record and a team-best 4.36 ERA. Junior right-hander Andres Gonzalez has a team-best 22 strikeouts this season. Kimball is sixth in the OVC in ERA through March 23.
USI in the OVC. USI ranks second in the OVC with a .305 team batting average. On the bump, the Eagles are eighth in the league with a 7.54 ERA.
Eagles in the OVC. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens and junior first baseman Kannon Coakley are one-two in the OVC in batting average, boosting a .451 and .405 average, respectively.
USI starts homestand with the Little Rock series. USI opens a seven-game homestand Friday when the University of Arkansas at Little Rock visits the USI Baseball Field. Little Rock is 9-16 overall this season and started OVC play by going 0-3 versus Tennessee Tech University. The Trojans lead the all-time series with USI, 5-1, after taking three of four last spring. Little Rock swept the regular season series in 2024, while USI won the meeting in the 2024 OVC Tournament, 2-0, in Marion, Illinois.
USI hosts NKU. USI hosts Northern Kentucky University for the first time since 2011 next week. NKU, which will enter the weekend at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Friday, has a 14-9 record. USI leads the all-time series with NKU, 48-45, after losing all four of a GLVC series in Highland Heights, Kentucky, in 2012. The last time NKU was at the USI Baseball Field, the Eagles took three of four from the Norse.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SOFTBALL
USI STARTS HOMESTAND AGAINST TENNESSEE TECH
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball returns home to USI Softball Field for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series against Tennessee Tech University Friday and Saturday.
The series was originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, but it was moved up a day to avoid bad weather in the forecast later in the weekend. Friday will feature a doubleheader starting at Noon with Saturday’s series finale also slated for Noon.
The series is also Women’s History Month Celebration weekend and Women’s USI Faculty and Staff Appreciation.
The weekend series against Tennessee Tech (10-20, 4-5 OVC) kicks off a six-game homestand for Southern Indiana (6-17, 3-5 OVC). USI comes back to USI Softball Field for the first time in three weeks after a stretch of what ended up being six straight road games.
Most recently, USI was on the road at Morehead State University last weekend. The Screaming Eagles went 1-2 in the series, claiming the series finale 14-4 in five innings. The 14 runs were a season high and it was the first run-rule victory of the season for USI. In fact, it was the first time this season that USI scored 10 or more runs in a game.
Freshman catcher Jordan Mackey once again led USI in run production for the second week in a row. Mackey batted .375 with two runs, a double, two home runs, and four RBIs while slugging 1.250 in the Morehead State series. Mackey recorded her first multi-home run game in the series finale win. Overall, Mackey is hitting just below .300 but tops the squad with four home runs and 15 RBIs.
Mackey has had quite the offensive surge as of late. In the last six games, Mackey is hitting .500 (9-18) with three doubles, three home runs, and 13 RBIs. The freshman had only two RBIs through 17 games going into the game at Indiana University on March 12. Mackey has three games in the last six with three or more RBIs.
Junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton also had a solid series last week at Morehead State. Stapleton hit .556 with three runs. Stapleton is batting .365 on the campaign with a team-high 15 runs scored.
On the pitching side, freshman pitcher Kylie Witthaus (2-6) has a team-best 3.95 ERA in 49.2 innings with 28 strikeouts this season. Witthaus tossed her fourth complete game in the middle game of the Morehead State series. Witthaus struck out three and gave up only two earned runs in the start. Senior pitcher Josie Newman (4-10) has thrown the most innings with 80.2 innings pitched, including 10 complete games. Newman still leads the team and the OVC with 121 strikeouts this year.
Tennessee Tech heads into the series looking for its first true road result of the season, as the Golden Eagles are 0-7 in true away contests. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 1-0 midweek loss against the University of Chattanooga on Tuesday. Prior to Tuesday, Tennessee Tech swept Western Illinois University at home last weekend. Tennessee Tech took the series opener in extra innings, 5-4, before securing back-to-back run-rule wins, 14-6 and 12-3.
Senior utility Abby Shoulders paces Tennessee Tech with a .362 batting average and 20 runs. Senior infielder Sydney Kirby leads the squad with 17 RBIs while hitting just below .300. Sophomore utility Abbee Klinefelter has 15 RBIs with two home runs and is also batting just below .300. In the pitching circle, sophomore pitcher Emily York (4-5) has been the primary starter for Tennessee Tech, recording a 3.02 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 60.1 innings of work.
USI leads the all-time series against Tennessee Tech, 4-2. The Screaming Eagles last beat Tennessee Tech last May in the OVC tournament, 10-9 in 10 innings. The Golden Eagles took two of three in Cookeville, Tennessee last March. USI went 2-0 in Tennessee Tech’s last visit to USI Softball Field in 2023.
The three-game series will not be available on ESPN+ but can be heard on The Spin 95.7 FM. Additional coverage can be found at usiscreamingeagles.com.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/
MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/
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”
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
March 28
1976 — Media sources report a potential blockbuster trade between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers which involves two future Hall of Fame pitchers. According to the rumor, the deal will send Tom Seaver to the Dodgers in exchange for Don Sutton. Mets fans respond negatively to the proposed deal, perhaps influencing management to call off the trade. Seaver will remain with the Mets until 1977, when he is traded to the Cincinnati Reds, in a trade which will be universally rued by Mets fans.
1990 — A plan to allow starting pitchers to earn victories with only three innings pitched (because of the abbreviated spring training period caused by a lockout) is scrapped, but teams will be allowed to open the regular season with 27-man rosters instead of the normally allowed maximum of 25.
1999 — The Baltimore Orioles make the first visit to Cuba by major leaguers since 1959, and defeat the Cuban national team by a score of 3 – 2 in 11 innings. Pitcher Jose Contreras hurls eight innings of two-hit, ten-strikeout ball in relief for the Cubans, while catcher Charles Johnson hits a two-run home run and DH Harold Baines drives in the winning run for the Orioles. The two teams will play a rematch at Camden Yards in Baltimore on May 3rd.
2012 — Major League Baseball opens its season at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, with a 3 – 1 Seattle win over Oakland. The two teams are tied at 1 after exchanging runs in the 4th until the Mariners, who are considered the visiting team, score a pair in the top of the 11th off Andrew Carignan. Brendan Ryan opens the frame with a double and is driven home by Dustin Ackley’s single; Ackley then proceeds to steal second and scores on a single by Ichiro Suzuki, the local favorite’s fourth hit of the night. Both starters, Felix Hernandez and Brandon McCarthy, are excellent, but the win goes to reliever Tom Wilhelmsen.
2014 — Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera signs an eight-year contract extension with the Tigers. Including the two years remaining on his present contract, the deal is worth $292 million, making it the biggest in major league history. It surpasses the ten-year extension signed by Alex Rodriguez in 2006 for $275 million. In fact Rodriguez had held the record since signing as a free agent with the Texas Rangers for $252 million in 2001. The huge deal makes the six-year contract for $144.6 million that Angels OF Mike Trout also signs today seem like an anecdote.
2019 — It’s Opening Day across Major League Baseball as all 30 teams are active, one week after a preliminary two-game opening series in Japan. A record number of homers are hit today – 48 across the majors. Leading the charge are the Dodgers, who hit an opening day record eight long balls in their 12 – 5 win over the Diamondbacks.
2024 — It’s Opening Day in Major League Baseball, with all 30 teams scheduled to play today – although two games on the East Coast are rained out. Highlights include great pitching performances by Corbin Burnes, Frankie Montas and Shane Bieber, a game-saving throw by Juan Soto, and a 450-homer by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.Tyler O’Neill, now with the Red Sox, homers on Opening Day for the fifth straight year, setting a new record, and C Jonah Heim of the Rangers plays both the goat and the hero, allowing the Cubs to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 9th when he argues in vain with umpire Chad Fairchild that a ball that got past him had been tipped by the batter, instead of retrieving it, and then driving in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th on a bases-loaded hit for the defending World Series champions. Finally, the D-Backs score an Opening Day and franchise record 14 runs in the 3rd inning of their 16 – 1 win over the Rockies, and do so without the benefit of a homer.
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March 29
1973 — The “Alert Orange Baseball” is used for the first time in major league history. The unique baseball, an invention of Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley, is used in an exhibition game between Oakland and the Cleveland Indians. Finley contends the ball, painted the color of a construction worker’s hat, will be easier for both players and fans to see. But pitchers complain that the ball is slippery and hard to grip, while batters are unable to pick up the spin of the ball without seeing the seams. Although Finley pushes for the use of colored baseballs during the regular season, the idea will never come to fruition.
1975 — Pitcher Mel Stottlemyre, suffering from a torn rotator cuff, is given his unconditional release by the New York Yankees. He compiled a 164-139 record and a 2.97 ERA as well as 40 shutouts in an eleven-season major league career with the Yankees.
1983 — While some clubs are concerned about low attendance at the start of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers become the first team in major league history to cut off season ticket sales before the start of the season. The Dodgers, with 27,000 season tickets already sold, implement the cutoff so that group sales won’t be impeded and fans will be able to buy tickets for individual games.
2000 — In Japan, the Chicago Cubs open the major league season at the Tokyo Dome by defeating the New York Mets, 5 – 3, in the first major league opening day ever played outside of the United States, Canada or Mexico. Jon Lieber gets the victory and Mike Hampton takes the loss. Shane Andrews, Mark Grace and Mike Piazza hit home runs in the game.
2002 — Rickey Henderson is added to the Boston Red SoxOpening Dayroster as his contract is purchased from Triple-A Pawtucket. Henderson, who joined the exclusive 3000 hit club on the final day of last season, will begin his 24th year in the majors appearing with his eighth different club.
2005 — First baseman Andres Galarraga announces his retirement. A five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner in a 19-year major league career, Galarraga was a .288 hitter with 399 home runs and 1,425 RBI in 2,257 games played.
2006 — Outfielder Marquis Grissom announces his retirement after a 17-year major league career that saw him play with six teams. A two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, he finished with 429 stolen bases, including a career-high 78 in 1992. Grissom leaves as one of seven players with 2,000 hits, 200 home runs and 400 stolen bases.
2008 — The Dodgers celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to Los Angeles, CA by playing an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox in their original home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 115,300 is present, the largest ever assembled at a baseball game anywhere. The previous record of 93,103 had been set in the Dodgers’ second season in L.A., for an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in honor of paralyzed catcher Roy Campanella on May 7, 1959.
2012 — The A’s secure a split of their season-opening series with the Mariners with a 4 – 1 win at the Tokyo Dome. Among the A’s three homers is the first one in the major leagues by CubandefectorYoenis Cespedes; Josh Reddick and Jonny Gomes, both also acquired over the winter, hit the other two, while Justin Smoak hits a solo shot for Seattle’s only run. Bartolo Colon earns the win with eight solid innings of work.
2023 — Major League Baseball strikes a tentative deal with minor league baseball players that will more than double their salaries on average. They will still be paid peanuts compared to major leaguers, but now will at least approach a living wage.
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March 30
1966 — The Koufax-Drysdale holdout ended. The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signings. Sandy Koufax got $120,000 and Don Drysdale $105,000, making them the highest paid teammates in history.
1978 — The Boston Red Sox acquire pitcher Dennis Eckersley and catcher Fred Kendall from the Cleveland Indians for pitchers Rick Wise and Mike Paxton, catcher Bo Diaz and infielder Ted Cox.
1992 — The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox made a trade. The Cubs sent outfielder George Bell to the White Sox for outfielder Sammy Sosa and pitcher Ken Patterson.
2001 — Pitcher Dwight Gooden announces his retirement. The four-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner posted a 194-112 record with a 3.51 ERA and 2293 strikeouts in 16 seasons.
2004 — The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays opened the season in Japan with Tampa Bay posting an 8-3 victory behind the pitching of Victor Zambrano and the hitting of Tino Martinez. Martinez had three hits including the 300th homer of his career.
2008 — Nationals Park opens for action with the host Nationals beating the Braves, 3 – 2.
2019 — In a very rare occurrence, position players take the mound for both teams in the Dodgers’ 18 – 5 win over the Diamondbacks.
2023 — For the first time ever, all 30 teams are active on Opening Day as no rainouts affect the schedule.
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March 31
1961 — The Pacific Coast League’s proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.
1968 — Seattle, the American League’s second new team, announced its nickname — the Pilots.
1994 — The Chicago White Sox assign NBA superstar Michael Jordan to the Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League.
1995 — Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.
1996 — The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball’s season opener, the first major league game played in March.
1998 — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers’ first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.
2001 — The Pittsburgh Pirates move into PNC Park, losing to the New York Mets, 4 – 3, in an exhibition game.
2003 — The Cincinnati Reds played their first regular season game at the Great American Ballpark. The Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled the day with a 10-1 win.
2008 — The Chicago Cubs unveil a statue of Ernie Banks outside of Wrigley Field.
2009 — The Detroit Tigers cut DH Gary Sheffield, who is one home run shy of 500 for his career.
2013 — The Houston Astros, coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons, made an impressive debut in the American League, trouncing the Texas Rangers 8-2 in the major league opener. Having switched from the National League to the AL in the offseason, the Astros earned their first opening day victory since 2006 and the 4,000th regular-season win in franchise history.
April 1
1931 — Pitcher Virne Mitchell, 17, signed with the Chattanooga club of Tennessee, becoming the first woman to play for an otherwise all-male baseball team.
1942 — Major league owners decide not to allow furloughed players in the military to play.
1969 — The Seattle Pilots trade minor league OF Lou Piniella to the Kansas City Royals. Piniella will go on to win American League Rookie of the Year.
1970 — An investment group headed by Bud Selig bought the Seattle pilots for $10.8 million.
1972 — The first collective players strike in major league history began. The strike lasted 12 days and canceled 86 games.
1988 — For the first time since 1956, the Special Veterans Committee does not elect anyone to the Hall of Fame.
1989 — A. Bartlett Giamatti took over as baseball commissioner.
1996 — Longtime umpire John McSherry collapses and dies from a heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, in the 1st inning of a game between the Reds and Expos. The game is cancelled.
2001 — The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 when the major league baseball season opened in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
2008 — The New York Yankees set a major league record by winning their 11th straight home opener.
2013 — Bryce Harper homered in his first two at-bats, Stephen Strasburg retired 19 batters in a row and the defending NL East champion Washington Nationals opened the season with a 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Harper, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, hit solo shots over the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center field off Ricky Nolasco in the first and fourth innings.
2013 — Clayton Kershaw launched his first career home run to break a scoreless tie in the eighth inning, then finished off a four-hitter that led the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants 4-0 on opening day. Kershaw became the first pitcher in the majors to homer on opening day since Joe Magrane of St. Louis in 1988. He was the first pitcher to throw a shutout and hit a home run in an opener since Bob Lemon for Cleveland in 1953.
2018 — Three days after starting at DH on Opening Day in his major league debut, Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani makes his debut on the mound, pitching 6 innings in leading the Angels to a 7 – 4 win over the Athletics.
2024 — Ronel Blanco of the Astros throws the earliest no-hitter in major league history in terms of calendar date as he defeats the Blue Jays, 10 – 0. He walks the first batter of the game, George Springer, but retires the next 26 batters in a row before walking Springer again with two outs in the 9th. He then gets Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground out to second to end the game, which is also the first career win for Houston manager Joe Espada.
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April 2
1931 — Virne Beatrice “Jackie” Mitchell, the first woman in professional baseball, pitched against the New York Yankees in an exhibition game in Chattanooga. Babe Ruth waved wildly at the first two pitches and took a third strike. Lou Gehrig timed his swing to miss three straight pitches. Tony Lazzeri, after trying to bunt, walked and Mitchell left the game.
1952 — Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin of the New York Giants broke his ankle in an exhibition game. Irvin played just 46 games that season.
1976 — The Oakland Athletics trade two key members from their recent World Series championship teams, sending OF Reggie Jackson and P Ken Holtzman to the Baltimore Orioles.
1984 — The New York Mets lost to the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 for their first opening-day defeat in 10 years.
1995 — The longest strike in major league history comes to an end. Having the first 23 days of this major league season canceled and 252 games of the last season lost, the owners accept the players’ March 31st unconditional offer to return to work. The players’ decision to return to work is made after a US District Court issued an injunction restoring terms and conditions of the expired agreement. Teams will play 144-game schedules. The strike had begun on August 12, 1994.
1996 — St. Francis of Illinois pummeled Robert Morris 71-1, with Robert Morris coach Gerald McNamara ending the after four innings.
1997 — For the first time, the salary of one player — Albert Belle — exceeded the payroll of an entire team — the Pittsburgh Pirates. Belle, the game’s highest-paid player for 1997 at $10 million, made $928,333 more than the whole Pirates payroll of $9,071,667.
1998 — By hitting a home run at Bank One Ballpark, Ellis Burks sets a major league record by having homered in 33 different stadiums.
2001 — For the first time in major league history, a Japanese position player participates in a regular season game. Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, hitless in his first three at-bats, singles in the 7th inning to ignite a two-run rally, and bunts for another single in the 8th in his debut at Safeco Field. He will go on the be both the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP this year.
2001 — Roger Clemens became the AL strikeout king, getting five to pass Walter Johnson as the Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3 in their season opener. Clemens fanned Joe Randa for his 3,509th career strikeout.
2003 — Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 300 home runs, connecting for a three-run drive in the Texas Rangers’ 11-5 loss to the Anaheim Angels. Rodriguez at 27 years, 249 days old, surpassed Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (27 years, 328 days).
2003 — The Detroit Tigers became the first team to have four pitchers make their major league debuts in the same game — Jeremy Bonderman, Wilfredo Ledezma, Chris Spurling and Matt Roney. The Tigers lost 8-1 to the Minnesota Twins.
2007 — Tampa Bay’s Elijah Dukes homered in his first big league at-bat in a 9-5 loss to the New York Yankees.
2008 — Kevin Youkilis plays his 194th consecutive error-free game at first base, breaking Steve Garvey’s 23-year-old major league record.
2010 — The Minnesota Twins open their new ballpark, Target Field, with an 8 – 4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in an exhibition game.
2011 — Ichiro Suzuki breaks the franchise hit record for the Seattle Mariners in the Mariners’ 6 – 2 win over Oakland. Ten years to the day after his first major league hit, Ichiro collects safety number 2,248, passing Edgar Martinez, with an infield single that drives in the winning run in the 9th.
2011 — Ian Kinsler of Texas became the first major leaguer with leadoff homers in each of his team’s first two games. Kinsler hit the first of four homers by the Rangers in a 12-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
2012 — Matt Cain and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a $127.5 million, six-year contract, the largest deal for a right-handed pitcher in baseball history.
2017 — Madison Bumgarner hit two homers but the Arizona Diamondbacks scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off new San Francisco closer Mark Melancon to beat the Giants 6-5 in a wild season opener. Bumgarner retired his first 16 batters and became the first pitcher to hit two home runs on opening day. He struck out 11 with no walks in seven innings.
2019 — Returning to Washington, D.C. for the first time since signing a record free agent contract with the Phillies in the spring, Bryce Harper is back. He collects 3 hits, including a 458-foot two-run homer to lead the Phillies to an 8 – 2 win over the Nationals.
2021 — Commissioner Rob Manfred announces that the 2021 All-Star Game will not be staged in Atlanta, GA, as planned, but will be moved to another location to be determined, in response to the state of Georgia’s adoption of rules aimed at restricting the voting rights of African-Americans. This follows only two days after President Joe Biden stated he supported such a move, given the discriminatory nature of Georgia’s law.
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April 3
1923 — In Chicago, Ill., two Black Sox sue the White Sox. Swede Risberg and Happy Felsch seek $400,000 in damages and $6,750 in back salary for conspiracy and injury to their reputation in the aftermath of the scandalous 1919 World Series court case. Their suit will be unsuccessful.
1966 — The New York Mets sign University of Southern California star P Tom Seaver to his first contract.
1974 — The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-6 in 11 innings before a crowd of 52,000 at Riverfront Stadium. In his first at-bat, Hank Aaron hit a three-run homer off Jack Billingham. It was his 714th, tying Babe Ruth’s career record. The Braves had considered keeping Aaron on the bench for the season-opening series in Cincinnati so that he could attempt to tie the record four days later in Atlanta. But commissioner Bowie Kuhn would not allow it and ordered the Braves to put Aaron into the lineup for at least two of the three games.
1985 — A major league owners’ proposal is agreed to by the Players Association. The American and National leagues playoff formats are changed to best-of-sevens.
1987 — The Chicago Cubs trade starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers. Eckersley will emerge as the game’s dominant closer, saving 291 games over the next eight seasons.
1988 — George Bell became the first player to hit three home runs on opening day, leading the Toronto Blue Jays past the Kansas City Royals 5-3. Bell, bitter throughout spring training with his move to designated hitter, homered three times in that role off Bret Saberhagen.
1989 — Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners makes his major league debut.
1994 — Chicago’s Karl Rhodes hit three solo home runs off Dwight Gooden in a 12-8 loss to the New York Mets on opening day at Wrigley Field. Rhodes became the second player to homer three times in an opener.
1998 — Mark McGwire tied Willie Mays’ National League record by hitting a home run in each of his first four games of the season. McGwire launched a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning of an 8-6 victory over the San Diego Padres.
1999 — America’s pastime opened in Mexico for the first time. The Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 in baseball’s first season opener away from the United States and Canada.
2000 — A new major league record for Opening Day is set with five players having multiple home run games.
2001 — Hideo Nomo became the fourth pitcher in major-league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues in Boston’s 3-0 victory over Baltimore. Nomo, who threw the first no-hitter in Colorado’s Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996, for Los Angeles, walked three and struck out 11 in the first no-hitter in the 10-year history of Camden Yards. Nomo joined Cy Young, Jim Bunning and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers with no-hitters in both leagues.
2003 — Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs became the 18th player to hit 500 career homers, connecting for a solo shot in a 10-9 loss to Cincinnati. He became the fifth player to reach 500 homers before his 35th birthday. Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Jimmie Foxx were the others.
2005 — Dmitri Young became the third player to hit three homers on opening day, and Jeremy Bonderman won as the youngest opening day starter in the major-leagues since 1986 to lead Detroit over the Royals 11-2.
2005 — In his first outing for the New York Yankees, Randy Johnson allows a run and five hits in six innings as New York open the major league season with a 9 – 2 win.
2006 — Seattle Mariners rookie Kenji Johjima, the first catcher from Japan to start a major league game, hits a home run for his first hit.
2015 — MLB suspends P Ervin Santana, who signed the largest free agent contract in Twins history this off-season, for 80 games for testing positive to the anabolic steroid stanozolol.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
March 29
1929 — The Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers to complete a two-game sweep.
1940 — Joe Louis knocks out Johnny Paychek in the second round at Madison Square Garden in New York to retain the world heavyweight title.
1941 — Wisconsin, led by Gene Englund’s 13 points, wins the NCAA basketball championship with a 39-34 victory over Washington State.
1952 — George Mikan of the Minneapolis Lakers scores an NBA playoff record 47 points in an 88-78 loss in Game 1 of the Western Division Finals against Rochester.
1960 — Boston’s Bill Russell pulls down an NBA Finals record 40 rebounds, as the Celtics lose to St. Louis 113-103 to even the series at 1-1. Bob Petit has 35 points and 22 rebounds for the Hawks.
1962 — Elgin Baylor (45) and Jerry West (41) of the Los Angeles Lakers become the first teammates to both score 40 or more points in an NBA Playoff game. It isn’t enough as the Lakers lose to Detroit, 118-117, in Game 4 of the Western Division finals.
1966 — Muhammad Ali defeats George Chuvalo in 15 rounds for the heavyweight boxing title.
1976 — Indiana beats Michigan, 86-68. First time 2 teams from the same conference (Big Ten) play in title game.
1982 — Michael Jordan’s jump shot with 16 seconds remaining gives North Carolina a 63-62 victory over Georgetown for the NCAA men’s basketball championship.
1984 — The NFL Colts leave the city of Baltimore in the early hours of the morning, headed for Indianapolis.
1985 — Wayne Gretzky breaks own NHL season record with 126th assist.
1990 — Houston’s Akeem Olajuwon is the third player in NBA history to achieve a quadruple double during a 120-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. He scores 18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocked shots and 10 assists.
1992 — Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi becomes the first American woman to win consecutive world figure skating championships since Peggy Fleming in 1968.
1994 — Jimmy Johnson quits as Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
1996 — The Vancouver Grizzlies break the NBA record for consecutive losses in a season with their 21st in a 105-91 loss to the Utah Jazz. The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1993-94 Dallas Mavericks lost 20 straight.
1996 — Cleveland Browns choose new name for their relocated team – Baltimore Ravens.
1999 — UConn beats Duke 77-74 in the Men’s NCAA National Title game. Huskies’ first National Championship.
2003 — Michelle Kwan becomes the third American to win five World Figure Skating Championships. Kwan, a seven-time U.S. champion, ties Dick Button and Carol Heiss for most world crowns by an American.
2008 — Curlin rolls to a record-setting 7 3/4-length victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race. Curlin is the fourth horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic and then take the World Cup the following year.
2015 — Seventh-seeded Michigan State caps an improbable Final Four run with 76-70 overtime victory over Louisville. Duke beats Gonzaga 66-52 to send coach Mike Krzyzewski to a 12th Final Four, matching coaching record by John Wooden.
2015 — Belmont breaks three NCAA Division I records and tied a fourth during a 20-run sixth inning in a 34-10 victory over UT Martin.
2016 — The United States fail to qualify for consecutive Olympic men’s soccer tournaments for the first time in a half century. Roger Martinez scores twice, Americans Luis Gil and Matt Miazga are ejected and Colombia’s under-23 team defeats the U.S. 2-1 to earn the last berth in the Rio de Janeiro Games with a 3-2 aggregate win in the two-leg, total-goals series.
2017 — Russell Westbrook has 57 points — the most in a triple-double in NBA history — 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-106 overtime win over the Orlando Magic.
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March 30
1940 — Indiana routs Kansas 60-42 for the NCAA basketball championship.
1943 — Ken Sailors scores 16 points to lead Wyoming to a 56-43 victory over Georgetown in the NCAA basketball championship.
1976 — Paul Silas of the Boston Celtics joins Bill Russell and Bill Bridges as the third player in NBA history to collect 10,000 career rebounds before scoring 10,000 career points.
1979 — Robert Parish of Golden State becomes the first Warrior in 10 years (since Nate Thurmond) to get at least 30 points and 30 rebounds in a game. Parish scores 30 points and grabs 32 rebounds in a 114-98 win over the New York Knicks.
1980 — San Antonio’s Larry Kenon scores 51 points and George Gervin adds 37 to lead the Spurs to a 144-124 win over Detroit in the final game of the regular season. Gervin wins the scoring title with a 33.1 points per game and becomes the fifth player to win at least three consecutive scoring titles, joining George Mikan, Neil Johnston, Wilt Chamberlain and Bob McAdoo.
1981 — Sophomore guard Isiah Thomas scores 23 points to lead Indiana to a 63-50 victory over North Carolina to win the NCAA basketball title.
1987 — Keith Smart’s 16-foot jump shot gives Indiana a 74-73 victory over Syracuse for the NCAA men’s basketball championship.
1990 — Jack Nicklaus makes his debut on the Senior PGA Tour with a 71 (-1) in the first round of The Tradition at Desert Mountain; wins event by 4 strokes over Gary Player.
1995 — Maine beats Michigan 4-3 in triple overtime, the longest hockey game in NCAA tournament history, to advance to the NCAA title game.
2001 — Michael Phelps becomes the youngest American swimmer to set a world record, winning the 200-meter butterfly in the USA Swimming Championships in 1 minute, 54.92 seconds. Phelps, 15, breaks the record of 1:55.18 set by Olympic gold medalist Tom Malchow in June.
2007 — American Ryan Lochte pulls off a stunning upset in the 200-meter backstroke, beating the supposedly invincible Aaron Peirsol with a world-record time of 1:54.32. Lochte erases Peirsol’s old mark of 1:54.44 to give Peirsol his first international loss in the 200 since the Sydney Olympics seven years ago.
2007 — Kobe Bryant scores 53 points for his eighth 50-point performance of the season as the Los Angeles Lakers lost to Houston 107-104 in overtime.
2008 — The Boston Celtics hold Miami to an NBA-record low 17 field goals, coasting to an 88-62 victory. The previous record for fewest field goals in a game came against Miami in April 1999, when Chicago managed only 18.
2013 — Syracuse shuts down Marquette with a 55-39 win in the East regional final and reached the Final Four for the first time in a decade. The Golden Eagles’ 39 points are a record low for a team in an NCAA tournament regional final since the shot clock was introduced in 1986. The 94 combined points was also a record low for a regional final.
2014 — Aaron Harrison makes a 3-pointer from about 24 feet with 2.3 seconds left to lift Kentucky to a 75-72 win over Michigan and the program’s 16th trip to the Final Four. Eighth-seeded Kentucky is the first all-freshman starting lineup to make the Final Four since the Fab Five at Michigan in 1992.
2014 — Shabazz Napier scores 17 of his 25 points in the second half, and UConn beats Michigan State 60-54 to return to the Final Four a year after the Huskies were barred from the NCAA tournament. The Huskies rally from a nine-point second-half deficit to become the first No. 7 seed to reach the Final Four since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
2020 — International Olympic Committee announces postponed 2020 Summer Olympic Games will be held July 23-August 8 in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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March 31
1923 — The Ottawa Senators of the NHL completes a two-game sweep of the WCHL’s Edmonton Eskimos with a 1-0 victory to win the Stanley Cup for the third time in four years. Harry “Punch” Broadbent scores the goal.
1931 — Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne and seven others die in a plane crash in a wheat field near Bazaar, Kansas. During his 13 years at Notre Dame, the 43-year-old coach, led the “Fighting Irish” to 105 victories, 12 losses, five ties and three national championships.
1968 — The American League’s new franchise in Seattle chooses Pilots as its nickname.
1973 — The Philadelphia Flyers tie an NHL record for most goals in one period, scoring eight goals in the second period of a 10-2 win over the New York Islanders.
1973 — Ken Norton scores a stunning upset by winning a 12-round split decision over Muhammad Ali to win the NABF heavyweight title. Norton, a 5-1 underdog, breaks Ali’s jaw in the first round.
1975 — UCLA beats Kentucky 92-85 for its 10th NCAA basketball title under head coach John Wooden. Wooden finishes with a 620-147 career record after announcing his retirement two days earlier.
1976 — Cleveland Cavaliers beat Jazz to clinch club’s first ever NBA playoff berth.
1980 — Larry Holmes scores a TKO in the eighth round over Leroy Jones to retain his WBC heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
1980 — Mike Weaver knocks out John Tate in the 15th round to win the WBA heavyweight title in Knoxville, Tenn.
1982 — NBA and NBAPA reach 4-year agreement on return for minimum & maximum payrolls, the first of its kind in team sports.
1984 — Mike Bossy becomes first player in NHL history to record 7 straight 50 goal seasons.
1985 — Old Dominion beats Georgia in the 4th NCAAW National Championship.
1986 — Freshman center Pervis Ellison hits two free throws with 27 seconds left to seal Louisville’s 72-69 victory over Duke in the NCAA basketball championship.
1990 — 20-year old C Joe Sakic becomes the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a season
1991 — Tennessee edges Virginia 70-67 in overtime for its third NCAA women’s basketball title. It’s the first overtime in the NCAA’s 10-year history.
1991 — Amy Alcott wins the Dinah Shore golf tournament with a record eight-shot victory over Dottie Mochrie.
1994 — Chicago White Sox assigns former NBA superstar Michael Jordan to the Birmingham Barons of Class AA Southern League.
1995 — Major league baseball players end their strike.
1997 — Martina Hingis becomes the youngest No. 1 player in tennis history. The 16-year-old Swiss sensation, who claimed her fifth title of 1997 at the Lipton Championships on March 29, supplants Steffi Graf in the WTA Tour rankings.
1998 — Expansion clubs, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks both suffer losses in their MLB debuts.
2002 — UConn women’s basketball team beat Oklahoma, 82-70; Huskies conclude perfect season (39-0).
2002 — Andre Agassi wins his 700th career match and captures his second straight Key Biscayne Title.
2005 — Tarence Kinsey hits a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left to lift South Carolina to a 60-57 victory over Saint Joseph’s for the NIT championship.
2012 — Ray Whitney passes 1,000 career points with a goal and assist in Phoenix’s 4-0 victory over Anaheim.
2013 — In one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NCAA women’s tournament, sixth-seeded Louisville stuns defending national champion Baylor in the regional semifinals, 82-81. It’s the end of a remarkable college career for Baylor’s Brittney Griner, a record-setting 6-foot-8 post player who ended up as the second-highest scoring player in NCAA history.
2013 — Pete Weber ties Earl Anthony by winning his 10th major Professional Bowlers Association title with a 224-179 win over Australian Jason Belmonte in the Tournament of Champions.
2017 — UConn’s record 111-game winning streak comes to a startling end when Mississippi State pulls off perhaps the biggest upset in women’s basketball history, shocking the Huskies 66-64 on Morgan William’s overtime buzzer beater in the national semifinals.
2018 — Anthony Joshua beats Joseph Parker by unanimous decision to become a three-belt world heavyweight boxing champion. Joshua adds Parker’s WBO belt to his WBA and IBF titles, and moves within one belt of becoming the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000.
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April 1
1930 — American golfer Bobby Jones starts his Grand Slam season by winning the Southeastern Open.
1938 — Joe Louis knocks out Harry Thomas in the fifth round in Chicago to retain his world heavyweight title.
1940 — Governor Herbert Lehman of New York signs the Dunnigal bill, which legalizes pari-mutuel wagering and outlaws bookmakers at the state’s racetracks.
1954 — Detroit Red Wings right wing Gordie Howe scores 2 goals and an assist, and sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for fastest goal from the start of a game (:09).
1972 — The first collective player’s strike in major league history begins at 12:01 a.m. The strike lasts 12 days and cancels 86 games.
1973 — Boston’s John Havlicek connects on 24 field goals and finishes with 54 points the Celtics defeat Atlanta, 134-109, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
1978 — NY Islanders RW Mike Bossy becomes first NHL rookie to score 50 goals in a season.
1981 — Edmonton C Wayne Gretzky has an assist (his 103rd) to break Bobby Orr’s 10-year mark for most assists in a single NHL season.
1984 — Southern Cal beats Tennessee 72-61 for the NCAA women’s basketball title.
1985 — Villanova shocks Georgetown with a 66-64 victory to win the NCAA basketball title. The Wildcats, led by Dwayne McClain’s 17 points, shot 79 percent from the field, making 22 of 28 shots, and added 22 of 27 free throws.
1989 — Jim McAllister of Glassboro State hits four home runs and drives in nine runs in four at-bats in a 21-5 five-inning rout of Delaware State.
1990 — Betsy King holds on for a two-stroke victory over Kathy Postlewait to win the LPGA Dinah Shore tournament.
1991 — Duke ends years of frustration with a 72-65 victory over Kansas for its first national title in five championship game appearances and nine trips to the Final Four.
1992 — A week before the Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin, the NHL players strike for the first time in the league’s 75-year history. The strike lasts 10 days.
1996 — Kentucky wins its first national title in 18 years with a 76-67 victory over Syracuse.
1999 — Detroit Pistons G Joe Dumars becomes 10th player in NBA history to play 1,000 games with the same team.
1999 — Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Brown wins his 900th pro game.
2000 — Michelle Kwan wins her third World Figure Skating title by pushing through all seven triple jumps. The triple toe-triple toe lifts Kwan above Russians Irina Slutskaya and last year’s champion, Maria Butyrskaya.
2001 — 20th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Notre Dame beats Purdue, 68-66.
2002 — With Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter leading the way, Maryland wins its first national championship with a 64-52 victory over Indiana.
2007 — Morgan Pressel becomes the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Pressel plays her final 25 holes over Mission Hills without a bogey as Suzann Pettersen blew a four-shot lead with four holes to play.
2007 — American super swimmer Michael Phelps smashes his own world record in the 400m individual medley (4:06.22) to win his record 7th gold medal at the World Championships.
2011 — Jarome Iginla scores his second goal of the game with 5:03 left to reach 1,000 points and help Calgary rally to beat St. Louis 3-2.
2016 — Golden State Warriors consecutive home winning streak ends at 54 games.
2018 — Arike Ogunbowale hits a 3-pointer with a tenth of a second left to give Notre Dame a 61-58 win over Mississippi State and its first women’s national championship since 2001. Notre Dame, trailing 30-17 at halftime, pulls off the biggest comeback in title game history, rallying from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter and a five-point deficit in the final 1:58.
2020 — All England Lawn Tennis Club cancels Wimbledon for the first time since World War II because of the COVID-19 pandemic; entire grass-court season abandoned.
April 2
1939 — Ralph Guldahl beats Sam Snead by one stroke to capture the Masters golf tournament.
1969 — Toronto center Forbes Kennedy sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for most penalties in one game with 8.
1978 — Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova wins her first WTA Tour Championship.
1980 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the youngest player to reach 50 goals at 19 years and 2 months of age.
1983 — New York Islander Mike Bossy becomes the first player to score 60 or more goals in three consecutive seasons.
1984 — Georgetown, led by junior center Patrick Ewing and freshman forward Reggie Williams, beats Houston 84-75 to win the NCAA championship in Seattle. Houston becomes the second team to lose in two consecutive finals.
1985 — Edmonton C Wayne Gretzky sets an NHL record with his 34th career hat trick.
1986 — The 3-point field goal, at 19 feet, 9 inches, is adopted by the NCAA.
1989 — 8th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Tennessee beats Auburn, 76-60.
1990 — UNLV pounds Duke 103-73 to win its first NCAA championship and extend the Blue Devils’ streak to eight Final Four appearances without a title. The Runnin’ Rebels become the first team to score more than 100 points in a championship game and the 30-point margin is the largest ever.
1995 — Connecticut caps an unbeaten season by defeating Tennessee 70-64 for the NCAA women’s championship. The Huskies, 35-0, become the winningest basketball team for one season in Division I.
2000 — Connecticut wins its second women’s national championship with a 71-52 victory over Tennessee. The top-ranked Huskies beat No. 2 Tennessee for the second time in three meetings this season.
2001 — New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens becomes American League all-time strikeout leader.
2001 — Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has 2 hits and becomes first Japanese position player to play in a regular season MLB game.
2001 — 63rd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Duke beats Arizona, 82-72.
2003 — At 27 years, 249 days Texas Rangers infielder Alex Rodriguez becomes the youngest MLB player to hit 300 home runs.
2005 — Bubba Stewart becomes first African-American to win a major motor sports event when he takes out the Monster Energy AMA Supercross C’ship event in Irving, Texas.
2007 — The Florida Gators keep their stranglehold on the college basketball world with an 84-75 victory over Ohio State for their second straight national championship. The Gators are the first team to repeat since Duke in 1991-92.
2010 — Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant signs a three-year contract extension with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers worth $87 million.
2011 — The Detroit Red Wings clinch their 20th straight playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Nashville. The Red Wings extend the longest active playoff streak among North America’s four major professional sports and extend their NHL record with 11 straight seasons with 100 points.
2012 — Doron Lamb scores 22 points as Kentucky wins its eighth men’s national championship, holding off Kansas for a 67-59 victory.
2013 — Shoni Schimmel scores 24 points and giant-slaying Louisville claims another big upset, beating second-seeded Tennessee 86-78 and earning the school’s second trip to the Women’s Final Four.
2014 — The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-102 to give the Lakers their 50th loss of the season. The last time the Lakers had 50 or more losses was 1974-75 (30-52).
2016 — Villanova advances to the national championship game with the biggest margin of victory in Final Four history, overwhelming Oklahoma in a resounding 95-51 victory. The margin topped 34-point Final Four wins by Cincinnati over Oregon State in 1962 and Michigan State over Penn in 1979.
2017 — 36th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: South Carolina defeats Mississippi State, 67-55.
2018 — Pernilla Lindberg makes a 30-foot birdie putt on the eighth extra hole to win the ANA Inspiration for her first professional victory. Lindberg finishes off Inbee Park on the par-4 10th, the fourth playoff hole at Mission Hills.
2018 — Villanova wins its second men’s national championship in three years after a 79-62 victory over Michigan. Donte DiVincenzo comes off the bench to score 31 points for the Wildcats. Villanova wins all six games by double digits over this tournament run, joining Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001) and North Carolina (2009) in that company.
2019 — OKC guard Russell Westbrook becomes 2nd player in NBA history to have 20+ points, rebounds and assists in a game; records 20-20-21 in 119-103 win over LA Lakers.
2023 — Caitlin Clark scores 41 points in the Final Four for Iowa against South Carolina.
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April 3
1923 — “Black Sox” sue White Sox (unsuccessfully) for back salary.
1930 — The Montreal Canadiens win the NHL Stanley Cup with a two-game sweep of the Boston Bruins.
1933 — Ken Doraty’s overtime goal gives the Toronto Maple Leafs and 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins in semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The goal comes at one hour, 44 minutes and 46 seconds of the overtime beyond the one-hour regulation game.
1966 — P Tom Seaver signs with the NY Mets.
1975 — Bobby Fischer stripped of world chess title for refusing to defend it, title awarded to Russian Anatoly Karpov.
1977 — Jean Ratelle of the Boston Bruins scores his 1,000th point with an assist in a 7-4 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1982 — Buffalo’s Gil Perrault scores his 1,000th point with an assist in a 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
1983 — 2nd NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: USC beats Louisiana Tech, 69-67.
1987 — Chicago Cubs trade Dennis Eckersley to Oakland A’s.
1988 — Louisiana Tech wins the NCAA women’s basketball championship with a 56-54 come-from-behind victory over Auburn.
1988 — Amy Alcott shoots a 1-under 71 to win the Dinah Shore by two shots over Colleen Walker.
1988 — Mario Lemieux wins NHL scoring title, stopping Gretzky’s 7 year streak.
1989 — Michigan beats Seton Hall 80-79 in overtime to win the NCAA basketball championship. Rumeal Robinson hits two free throws with three seconds left for the Wolverines. It’s the first time that a first-year coach, Steve Fisher, wins the national title.
1991 — Bo Jackson signs 1-year contract with Chicago White Sox.
1993 — For the first time in its 157-year history, the Grand National steeplechase is declared void because of a false start. Esha Ness crosses the line first, but most of the jockeys are unaware a false start is called and the majority of the 39-horse field continue the 4½-mile race around the Aintree course even though nine stay behind at the start line.
1994 — Charlotte Smith’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gives North Carolina a 60-59 victory over Louisiana Tech in the NCAA women’s basketball championship game.
1995 — UCLA wins its first national basketball championship in 20 years and record 11th NCAA title, keeping Arkansas from repeating with an 89-78 victory.
1996 — St Francis Fighting Saints scores college baseball run record with 71.
2000 — 62nd NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Florida, 89-76.
2004 — St. Louis clinches its 25th consecutive NHL playoff berth, the longest in major league sports, with a 4-1 win over Nashville.
2006 — Joakim Noah dominates UCLA with 16 points, nine rebounds and a record seven blocks to key a 73-57 blowout for Florida’s first national title in men’s basketball.
2006 — Steve Yzerman scores his final NHL goal (#692).
2007 — After a nine-year title drought, Tennessee and coach Pat Summitt are NCAA champions. The Lady Vols capture an elusive seventh national title, beating Rutgers 59-46.
2010 — Bernard Hopkins wins a brutal unanimous decision over Roy Jones Jr. in their long-delayed rematch, emphatically avenging his loss in the famed champions’ first fight nearly 17 years earlier.
2012 — Brittney Griner scores 26 points and grabs 13 rebounds to help Baylor finish off an undefeated season with an 80-61 win over Notre Dame in the women’s national championship game. Baylor becomes the first team in NCAA history to win 40 games.
2017 — Justin Jackson delivers the go-ahead three-point play and North Carolina scores the last eight points for a 71-65 win over Gonzaga and an NCAA title that heartbreakingly eluded the Tar Heels last year. It’s an ugly game, filled with 44 fouls and 52 free throws. Carolina was down 2 with 1:40 left when Jackson took a pass under the bucket from Theo Pinson, made a layup and got fouled. The free throw made it 66-65, and after a Gonzaga miss on the other end, Isaiah Hicks made a shot to help North Carolina start pulling away to the school’s sixth title.
2019 — San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich is ejected after an NBA record low 63 seconds in the Spurs 113-85 loss in Denver; receives 2 technical fouls in a verbal confrontation with a referee.
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April 4
1921 — The NHL champion Ottawa Senators beat the Pacific Coast Hockey Association champion Vancouver Millionaires 2-1 to win the Stanley Cup 3 games to 2.
1937 — Byron Nelson shoots a 283 to win the Masters by two strokes over Ralph Guldahl.
1938 — Henry Picard beats Ralph Guldahl and Harry Cooper by two strokes to capture the Masters.
1959 — France beats Wales, 11-3 at Stade Colombes to win the Five Nations Rugby Championship outright for the first time.
1974 — Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth’s home-run record by hitting his 714th.
1983 — Lorenzo Charles scores on a dunk after Derek Whittenburg’s 35-foot desperation shot falls short to give North Carolina State a 54-52 triumph over Houston in the NCAA championship.
1985 — Tulane University cancels its basketball season.
1986 — Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky breaks his own NHL single-season points record with three assists to increase his total to 214. He scored 212 points in 1981-82.
1987 — New York’s Denis Potvin, the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history, scores his 1,000th point.
1988 — Danny Manning scores 31 points and grabs 18 rebounds as Kansas wins its second NCAA championship with an 83-79 victory over Oklahoma.
1989 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays final NBA game.
1989 — NY Yankee Tommy John ties record of playing 26 seasons.
1993 — Sheryl Swoopes shatters the women’s championship game record by scoring 47 points to lead Texas Tech to an 84-82 victory over Ohio State.
1993 — Mario Andretti, at 53, wins the Valvoline 200 in Phoenix to become the oldest driver to win an Indy car race and the first driver to win a race in four different decades.
1994 — Arkansas wins its first men’s national championship with a 76-72 victory over Duke, depriving the Blue Devils of a third title in four years.
1997 — Anaheim Ducks clinch their 1st-ever playoff berth.
1997 — Braves officially open Turner Field.
1998 — Mark McGwire ties Willie Mays’ National League record by hitting a home run in each of his first four games. McGwire launches a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning of an 8-6 victory over the San Diego
2001 — Hideo Nomo becomes the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues in Boston’s 3-0 victory over Baltimore.
2003 — Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs becomes the 18th player to hit 500 career homers, connecting for a solo shot in a 10-9 loss to Cincinnati.
2004 — Carolina’s Brad Fast beat Florida goalie Roberto Luongo with a wrist shot to tie the game at 6-6 late in the third period. It’s the final tie game in NHL history.
2005 — North Carolina defeats Illinois to win the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship. Sean May has 26 points and the Tar Heels don’t allow a basket over the final 2 1/2 minutes to defeat Illinois 75-70.
2006 — 25th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Maryland beats Duke, 78-75 OT.
2011 — Kemba Walker scores 16 points and Alex Oriakhi has 11 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead Connecticut to a 53-41 win over Butler in the men’s NCAA championship game. g 2015 — The United States defends their women’s world hockey championship with a 7-5 win over Canada.
2016 — Kris Jenkins hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Villanova to the national title with a 77-74 victory over North Carolina — one of the wildest finishes in the history of the NCAA Tournament. Jenkins’ shot comes moments after Marcus Paige hit a double-clutch 3 from beyond the arc to tie the game at 74 with 4.7 seconds left.
2021 — 39th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Stanford Cardinal defeat Arizona Wildcats, 54–53.
TV SPORTS FRIDAY
| MLB | TIME ET | TV |
| Colorado at Tampa Bay | 4:10pm | Rockies.TV FanDuel Sports Sun |
| Baltimore at Toronto | 7:07pm | Apple TV+ MASN2 Sportsnet |
| Pittsburgh at Miami | 7:10pm | ATTSN-PIT FanDuel Sports FL |
| San Francisco at Cincinnati | 4:10pm | NBCS-BAY FanDuel Sports Ohio |
| Boston at Texas | 8:05pm | NESN RSN |
| NY Mets at Houston | 8:10pm | Apple TV+ SNY SCHN |
| Atlanta at San Diego | 9:40pm | FanDuel Sports South Padres.TV |
| Chi. Cubs at Arizona | 9:40pm | DBacks.TV MARQ |
| Athletics at Seattle | 9:40pm | NBCS-CA ROOT |
| Detroit at LA Dodgers | 10:10pm | FanDuel Sports DET SNLA |
| NBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons | 7:00pm | FanDuel Sports DET FanDuel Sports Ohio |
| Charlotte Hornets vs Toronto Raptors | 7:30pm | Sportsnet FanDuel Sports CHA |
| Los Angeles Clippers vs Brooklyn Nets | 7:30pm | YES FanDuel Sports SoCal |
| Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves | 8:00pm | NBATV SCHN FanDuel Sports North |
| Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans | 8:00pm | NBCS-BAY GCSN |
| New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks | 8:00pm | MSG FanDuel Sports WI |
| Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets | 9:00pm | KJZZ ALT |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Utah Hockey Club vs Florida Panthers | 7:00pm | NHLN Utah16 Scripps |
| Montreal Canadiens vs Carolina Hurricanes | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports South Sportsnet |
| Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports Ohio Sportsnet |
| New Jersey Devils vs Winnipeg Jets | 8:00pm | ESPN+ MSGSN Sportsnet |
| Vegas Golden Knights vs Chicago Blackhawks | 8:30pm | ESPN+ Scripps CHSN |
| New York Rangers vs Anaheim Ducks | 10:00pm | ESPN+ MSG2 Victory+ |
| MEN’S NCAA MARCH MADNESS | TIME ET | TV |
| NCAA Sweet 16: (6) Ole Miss vs (2) Michigan State | 7:00pm | CBS Paramount+ |
| NCAA Sweet 16: (3) Kentucky vs (2) Tennessee | 7:30pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| NCAA Sweet 16: (5) Michigan vs (1) Auburn | 9:30pm | CBS Paramount+ |
| NCAA Sweet 16: (4) Purdue vs (1) Houston | 10:00pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| COLLEGE HOCKEY | TIME ET | TV |
| NCAA Tournament | 2:00pm | ESPNU |
| NCAA Tournament | 5:00pm | ESPNU |
| NCAA Tournament | 8:30pm | ESPN2 |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| NASCAR Truck: Boys and Girls Club of Blue Ridge 200 | 7:30pm | FS1 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour:Houston Open | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| LPGA Tour: Ford Championship | 7:00pm | GOLF |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Ligue 1: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bochum | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Olympique Lyonnais | 3:45pm | Fanatiz USA beIN SPORTS |
| NWSL: Washington Spirit vs Bay FC | 8:00pm | Prime |
| Liga MX: Necaxa vs Querétaro | 9:00pm | VIX |
| Liga MX: Mazatlán vs Atlas | 11:00pm | VIX |
TV SPORTS SATURDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Milwaukee at NY Yankees | 1:05pm | YES FanDuel Sports WI |
| LA Angels at Chi. White Sox | 2:10pm | FanDuel Sports West NBCS-CHI |
| Minnesota at St. Louis | 2:15pm | FS1 Twins.TV FanDuel Sports MW |
| Baltimore at Toronto | 3:07pm | MASN2 Sportsnet |
| Philadelphia at Washington | 4:05pm | NBCS-PHI MASN |
| Pittsburgh at Miami | 4:10pm | ATTSN-PIT FanDuel Sports FL |
| San Francisco at Cincinnati | 4:10pm | NBCS-BAY FanDuel Sports Ohio |
| Cleveland at Kansas City | 4:10pm | CleGuardians.TV FanDuel Sports SW |
| Boston at Texas | 7:05pm | NESN RSN |
| NY Mets at Houston | 7:15pm | FOX |
| Atlanta at San Diego | 7:15pm | FOX |
| Chi. Cubs at Arizona | 8:10pm | DBacks.TV MARQ |
| Detroit at LA Dodgers | 9:10pm | SNLA FanDuel Sports DET |
| Athletics at Seattle | 9:40pm | NBCS-CA ROOT |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Sacramento Kings vs Orlando Magic | 5:00pm | NBCS-CA FanDuel Sports FL |
| Brooklyn Nets vs Washington Wizards | 7:00pm | YES MNMT |
| Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers | 7:30pm | NBCS-PHI FanDuel Sports Sun |
| Boston Celtics vs San Antonio Spurs | 8:00pm | NBATV NBCS-BOS FanDuel Sports SW |
| Dallas Mavericks vs Chicago Bulls | 8:00pm | KFAA CHSN |
| Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies | 8:00pm | Spectrum FanDuel Sports MEM |
| Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder | 8:00pm | FanDuel Sports IND FanDuel Sports OKC |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Buffalo Sabres vs Philadelphia Flyers | 1:00pm | ESPN+ MSG-BUF NBCS-PHI |
| New York Islanders vs Tampa Bay Lightning | 2:00pm | ESPN+ MSGSN FanDuel Sports Sun |
| St. Louis Blues vs Colorado Avalanche | 4:30pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports MW ALT |
| New Jersey Devils vs Minnesota Wild | 6:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports North MSGSN |
| Vegas Golden Knights vs Nashville Predators | 6:30pm | ESPN+ Scripps FanDuel Sports South |
| Columbus Blue Jackets vs Ottawa Senators | 7:00pm | ESPN+ Sportsnet FanDuel Sports Ohio |
| Toronto Maple Leafs vs Los Angeles Kings | 7:00pm | ESPN+ Sportsnet FanDuel Sports West |
| Boston Bruins vs Detroit Red Wings | 8:00pm | ABC ESPN+ |
| Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers | 10:00pm | ESPN+ Sportsnet |
| Ottawa Senators vs New Jersey Devils | 10:30pm | ESPN+ MSG Sportsnet |
| Dallas Stars vs Seattle Kraken | 10:30pm | ESPN+ KONG Victory+ |
| MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| NCAA Elite Eight | 6:30pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| NCAA Elite Eight | 9:00pm | TBS truTV MAX |
| COLLEGE HOCKEY | TIME ET | TV |
| NCAA Tournament | 4:00pm | ESPNU |
| NCAA Tournament | 6:30pm | ESPNU |
| COLLEGE BASEBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Stanford at Virginia | 1:00pm | ESPN |
| Oklahoma at Alabama | 1:00pm | SECN |
| Auburn at Georgia | 4:00pm | SECN |
| COLLEGE SOFTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Tennessee at Oklahoma | 2:00pm | ESPN |
| Stanford at Virginia Tech | 4:00pm | ACCN |
| California at Clemson | 6:00pm | ACCN |
| South Carolina at LSU | 7:00pm | SECN |
| BOXING | TIME ET | TV |
| Welterweights: Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan | 10:00pm | ESPN |
| MMA | TIME ET | TV |
| UFC: Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| Xfinity: Marine Corps 250 | 5:00pm | CW |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour: Houston Open | 1:00pm | GOLF |
| PGA Tour: Houston Open | 3:00pm | NBC |
| FIGURE SKATING | TIME ET | TV |
| World Championships | 3:00pm | USA |
| World Championships | 8:00pm | NBC |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| FA Cup: Fulham vs Crystal Palace | 8:15am | ESPN+ |
| La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Real Valladolid | 9:00am | ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Como vs Empoli | 10:00am | Paramount+ |
| Serie A: Venezia vs Bologna | 10:00am | Paramount+ |
| Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs RB Leipzig | 10:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Heidenheim | 10:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Augsburg | 10:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Bayern München vs St. Pauli | 10:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Holstein Kiel vs Werder Bremen | 10:30am | ESPN+ |
| La Liga: Espanyol vs Atlético Madrid | 11:15am | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Reims vs Olympique Marseille | 12:00pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| NWSL: Orlando Pride vs San Diego Wave | 12:00pm | ESPN ESPN+ |
| Serie A: Juventus vs Genoa | 1:00pm | Paramount+ |
| FA Cup: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Nottingham Forest | 1:15pm | ESPN+ |
| La Liga: Deportivo Alavés vs Rayo Vallecano | 1:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Stuttgart | 1:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Saint-Étienne vs PSG | 2:00pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| MLS: New England vs New York RB | 2:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Toronto FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps | 2:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| Serie A: Lecce vs Roma | 3:45pm | Paramount+ |
| La Liga: Real Madrid vs Leganés | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ligue 1: Monaco vs Nice | 4:05pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| MLS: Colorado Rapids vs Charlotte | 4:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| Liga MX: Juárez vs Puebla | 6:00pm | FS2 fuboTV |
| Liga MX: Toluca vs Pachuca | 6:00pm | VIX |
| NWSL: Kansas City Current vs Utah Royals | 6:30pm | Tubi ION |
| MLS: Atlanta United vs New York City | 6:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: DC United vs Columbus Crew | 6:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union | 6:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Chicago Fire vs CF Montréal | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Dallas vs Sporting KC | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Minnesota United vs Real Salt Lake | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: Nashville SC vs Cincinnati | 7:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| Liga MX: América vs Tigres UANL | 9:05pm | Peacock Telemundo fuboTV |
| NWSL: Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers | 9:30pm | Tubi ION |
| NWSL: Portland Thorns vs North Carolina Courage | 10:00pm | Tubi ION |
| MLS: LA Galaxy vs Orlando City SC | 10:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: San Diego vs Los Angeles FC | 10:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| MLS: SJ Earthquakes vs Seattle Sounders FC | 10:30pm | MLS Season Pass |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul | 11:05pm | Peacock Telemundo fuboTV |
| Liga MX: Monterrey vs Tijuana | 11:10pm | VIX |