“THE SCOREBOARD”
BASEBALL STATE FINALS
SATURDAY
CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL | LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 1, BARR-REEVE 0
CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL | PENN 2, CENTER GROVE 0
COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
SATURDAY, JUNE 17 [BRACKET 2]
GAME 3: STANFORD 2, WAKE FOREST 3
GAME 4: TENNESSEE 3, LSU 6
SUNDAY, JUNE 18 [BRACKET 1]
GAME 5 (2PM): TCU VS. VIRGINIA (ESPN)
GAME 6 (7PM): ORAL ROBERTS VS. FLORIDA (ESPN2)
MONDAY, JUNE 19 [BRACKET 2]
GAME 7 (2PM): STANFORD VS. TENNESSEE (ESPN)
GAME 8 (7PM): WAKE FOREST VS. LSU (ESPN)
TUESDAY, JUNE 20
GAME 9 (2PM): LOSER GAME 6 VS. WINNER GAME 5 (ESPN)
GAME 10 (7PM): LOSER GAME 8 VS. WINNER GAME 7 (ESPN)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21
GAME 11 (2PM): WINNER GAME 6 VS. WINNER GAME 9 (ESPN)
GAME 12 (7PM): WINNER GAME 8 VS. WINNER GAME 10 (ESPN)
THURSDAY, JUNE 22 [IF NECESSARY]
2PM OR 7PM: BRACKET 1 WINNER-TAKE-ALL
2PM OR 7PM: BRACKET 2 WINNER-TAKE-ALL
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS
GAME ONE: SATURDAY, JUNE 24TH AT 7PM (ESPN)
GAME TWO: SUNDAY, JUNE 25TH AT 3PM (ESPN)
GAME THREE (IF NECESSARY): MONDAY, JUNE 26TH AT 7PM (ESPN)
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
CHICAGO CUBS 3 BALTIMORE 2
PHILADELPHIA 3 OAKLAND 2 (12)
CINCINNATI 10 HOUSTON 3
SAN DIEGO 2 TAMPA BAY 0
ARIZONA 6 CLEVELAND 3
NY YANKEES AT BOSTON POSTPONED
TEXAS 4 TORONTO 2
MINNESOTA 2 DETROIT 0
KANSAS CITY 10 LA ANGELS 9
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 4 SEATTLE 3 (11)
MIAMI 5 WASHINGTON 2
MILWAUKEE 5 PITTSBURGH 0
ATLANTA 10 COLORADO 2
ST. LOUIS 5 NY METS 3
SAN FRANCISCO 15 LA DODGERS 0
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
IOWA 6 INDIANAPOLIS 3
DAYTON 5 FORT WAYNE 2
SOUTH BEND 10 CEDAR RAPIDS 2
WNBA SCORES
STORM 109 WINGS 103
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NEW YORK CITY 1 COLUMBUS 1
SALT LAKE 2 DC 1
NEW ENGLAND 3 ORLANDO 1
LAFC 2 KANSAS CITY 1
NASHVILLE 3 ST. LOUIS 1
PORTLAND 0 SAN JOSE 0
USFL SCORES
BIRMINGHAM 27 MEMPHIS 20
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MEN’S GOLF
FOWLER, CLARK SHARE THE US OPEN LEAD WITH MAJOR CHAMPS CHASING THEM
LOS ANGELES (AP) Rickie Fowler only had 3 1/2 feet left for par on what should have been his last shot Saturday in a U.S. Open round filled with far bigger moments. At stake was his first 54-hole lead in a major. Shockingly, he missed and slipped into a tie with Wyndham Clark.
Fowler wasn’t the least bit bothered.
He knows what to expect by looking ahead at a final round on a Los Angeles Country Club course getting tougher by the minute, and by looking behind at some of the players chasing them – Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson.
“It would be nice for that one to go in,” Fowler said. “Really doesn’t matter – having the lead, being one back, two back – you’re going to have to play good golf tomorrow. Bummer to have that one slip away, but tomorrow is a whole new day.
“That’s kind of when the tournament really starts.”
Fowler brought the buzz to the U.S. Open with a 70-foot birdie putt only to lose the lead with a three-putt bogey on the 18th hole, which turned into a two-shot lead and a tie for the lead when Clark boldly took on a tight pin he could barely see for a closing birdie.
Clark’s birdie put him – and not McIlroy – in the final group. And he knew it.
“I wanted to be in the final group. Every shot matters out here,” Clark said.
For all the drama over the final hour – big putts, Scheffler’s eagle-birdie finish, Xander Schauffele going from a crash to a recovery to another crash – McIlroy played a steady hand with one birdie and one bogey over his final 14 holes.
He had a 69 that left him one shot behind, poised to end nine long years without a major.
“It’s nice to be in the hunt,” McIlroy said.
Fowler had to settle for an even-par 70. Clark escaped big trouble from the barranca right of the 17th green with a 6-foot bogey putt to stay close, and then boldly took on a tight left pin at the 18th for a 6-foot birdie and a 69.
They were at 10-under 200.
The final hour brought a surprise at every turn. A long day of blazing sunshine baking the North course at Los Angeles Country Club gave way to the infamous marine layer that brought out some sweatshirts late in the day.
Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, never looked to be in the mix until he closed out his round of 68 by holing a 7-iron from 196 yards on the 17th hole and making a 20-foot birdie putt that put him in the penultimate group with McIlroy.
For so many others, it didn’t take much to lose ground.
Schauffele began his round by taking three shots to get out of a fairway bunker, making three bogeys in five holes, only to get it all back before losing ground at the end with a series of poor drives. He was at 73, five shots back.
Harris English kept pace with the leaders until he missed short putts, big drives and ended his day with a chip shot from the deep collar around the 18th green that didn’t move the ball. His fourth bogey of the back nine gave him a 71, leaving him four shots behind.
The final hour saved what had been a stale atmosphere among the glitz of LA, with just about everyone playing a part. The five players within five shots of the lead included three major champions who have been No. 1 in the world – McIlroy, Scheffler and Johnson (71).
This is the third time Fowler has been in the final group at a major. This is only the third time Clark has played in the final round of a major. He showed plenty of mettle, following consecutive bogeys with a birdie on the 13th – right after Fowler wowed the gallery with his 70-footer – and smartly took a penalty drop on the 17th before a closing bogey.
There was a lot going on at the end.
“I felt like I handled all of it really well,” Clark said. “I felt like I handled all the adversity, and I feel like my best round is still out there.”
McIlroy had a chance to end his major drought last summer at St. Andrews when he shared the lead going into the final round at St. Andrews, only for Cameron Smith to blow past him. He has been in position twice in the last two weeks, at the Memorial and Canadian Open, only to turn in a dud of a final round.
The stakes are enormous this time, on this stage. And he has the experience, though he wasn’t sure to make of that.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve done it,” said McIlroy, whose last major was at the PGA Championship in 2014. “I’m going out there to try to execute a game plan, and I feel like over the last three days I’ve executed that game plan really, really well. And I just need to do that for one more day.”
Scheffler is suddenly in the mix, all because of one remarkable shot and one big putt. He has been the model of consistency this year, even in the majors – a tie for 10th at the Masters, a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship.
“I’m standing there on 17 tee and just made another bogey, and I think I was probably 4 under for the tournament and I’m looking up at the board and I’m seven shots back and I’m thinking maybe I can steal one shot coming in,” Scheffler said.
He stole three and now is well within range.
The marine layer blocking the sun had kept LACC’s greens receptive and scoring ridiculous, at least by U.S. Open standards. The sunshine made it a stronger test, and perhaps offered a preview of what’s to come.
The scores don’t indicate this is the toughest test in golf. It’s likely to feel like way for the players chasing the silver trophy – Fowler and Clark going for their first, McIlroy hopeful of a win that will take attention away from what has been keeping him from another.
WOMEN’S GOLF
AMY YANG TAKES THE MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC LEAD WITH HER THIRD STRAIGHT 67
BELMONT, Mich. (AP) Amy Yang birdied all five par 5s at Blythefield and shot her third straight 5-under 67 to take the third-round lead Saturday in the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Yang rebounded from bogeys on the par-3 11th and 13th to birdie the par-5 14th, par-4 17th and par-5 18th to reach 15-under 201 on the tree-lined course.
“All week my ball-striking has been really good,” Yang said. “I was giving myself good chances out there. I was a little bit off with putting speed during the round, made a couple mistakes, but I tried to stay patient and just keep trying throughout the round.”
The 33-year-old Yang has won all four of her LPGA Tour titles in Asia – the LPGA KEB-HanaBank in 2013 in her native South Korea and the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
The Grand Rapids-area event is the final tournament before the major KPMG Women’s PGA next week at Baltusrol and the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach on July 6-9.
“I know KPMG is coming and another two weeks after that U.S. Open is coming,” Yang said. “Always doing my best to win my first major out there. If I play well this week it’ll definitely give me good confidence going into a major.”
Ashleigh Buhai, the 34-year-old South African who won the ShopRite LPGA Classic last week in New Jersey, was a stroke back with second-round leader Ayaka Furue of Japan and Xiyu Lin of China.
Buhai followed a bogey on 17 with an eagle 18 for a 66.
“Mindset is exactly the same as the last few months,” Buhai said. “Just trying to do my job well when I get to the ball. Only focus on one thing that I’m trying to focus on, particularly when I’m swinging, chipping, just do that one thing well. When I’m putting, try to do that one thing well.”
Lin also shot 66, and Furue had a 69.
Ariya Jutanugarn (66), Hyo Joo Kim (69) and Leona Maguire (69) were 13 under. Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho (69) was 12 under with Manon De Roey (69) and Lindsey Weaver-Wright (69).
Kupcho had an eagle and four birdies, but made three bogeys for the second day in a row.
“Definitely didn’t play as well as I thought I would,” Kupcho said. “Certainly, moving day, did not take full advantage of it. I still kept it together with what I had today and just want to go recover and come out, hopefully, and play well tomorrow.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: ROYALS ERASE 6-RUN DEFICIT, STUN ANGELS
Samad Taylor’s first major league hit lifted the Kansas City Royals to a 10-9 walk-off, come-from-behind win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday afternoon.
Making his major league debut, Taylor delivered a one-out single to deep center field as the Royals scored twice in the ninth, overcoming a six-run deficit. Bobby Witt Jr. led Kansas City’s comeback with two-run hits in both the seventh and eighth innings as the Royals plated three in each frame to tie the game.
Brandon Drury homered twice and Shohei Ohtani clubbed his major-league-leading 23rd homer of the season as the Angels built an 8-2 lead in the seventh.
Aroldis Chapman (2-2) earned the win, striking out three in the ninth as the Royals snapped a 10-game losing streak.
White Sox 4, Mariners 3 (11 innings)
Zach Remillard drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in his major league debut as Chicago rallied to defeat host Seattle.
In the top of the 11th, Elvis Andrus reached on a fielder’s choice as Seattle first baseman Ty France snared Andrus’ grounder and threw to third to nab automatic runner Jake Burger. With two outs, Andrew Benintendi singled to right, sending Andrus to third, and the 29-year-old Remillard lined a run-scoring single to right center off Tayler Saucedo (2-1) to give Chicago its first lead of the day.
The White Sox tied it in the ninth off Mariners closer Paul Sewald. Andrus lined a leadoff single to left field and advanced to second on a one-out walk to Benintendi. Remillard then grounded a run-scoring single to left to make it 3-3. J.P. Crawford homered for the Mariners.
Padres 2, Rays 0
Blake Snell threw six masterful innings against his former team and San Diego scored two runs in the fifth inning on three bunts, a sacrifice fly and a single as it defeated visiting Tampa Bay.
Snell (3-6) allowed two hits and three walks while equaling his season high with 12 strikeouts. Josh Hader picked up his 17th save as four Padres pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout.
Padres pitchers recorded 17 strikeouts. Every hitter in the Tampa Bay lineup struck out at least once, and the Rays didn’t hit a ball out of the infield after the third.
Giants 15, Dodgers 0
LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a three-run home run and J.D. Davis added a pinch-hit grand slam as visiting San Francisco rolled to a shutout over Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to a season-best six games.
Brandon Crawford had four hits and left-hander Alex Wood (2-1) went five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list as the Giants moved one win away from a three-game sweep of their longtime National League West rivals. It was the Giants’ largest margin of victory over the Dodgers since a 19-3 win in 2013.
Los Angeles rookie right-hander Bobby Miller had the toughest outing of his brief major league career, giving up seven runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. Miller (3-1) had allowed just two runs over the first four starts of his career, leaving the Dodgers in danger of being swept in a three-game series for the first time this season.
Twins 2, Tigers 0
Six Minnesota pitchers combined to blank Detroit on three hits in the third game of a four-game series in Minneapolis.
Alex Kirilloff and Ryan Jeffers drove in runs for the Twins, who dropped the first two games of the series. Reliever Brent Headrick (1-0) allowed one hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Detroit starter Joey Wentz (1-7) allowed two runs and two hits in six innings. He struck out a career-high nine batters and walked one. Both teams combined for just six hits in the game and neither had a baserunner until Tigers third baseman Zack Short walked with two outs in the fifth.
Cubs 3, Orioles 2
Justin Steele returned from injury to allow two runs through five solid innings and Nico Hoerner delivered a two-run double as Chicago won its season-high fifth straight game by beating visiting Baltimore.
Mike Tauchman’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the fifth held up for the Cubs.
Steele (7-2) yielded only Adley Rutschman’s 10th homer, a two-run shot in the fifth, plus four other hits and a walk. He struck out four on 74 pitches.
Rangers 4, Blue Jays 2
Josh Jung hit a two-run home run, right-hander Dane Dunning pitched six effective innings and Texas defeated Toronto in Arlington, Texas.
Jonah Heim and Corey Seager added solo home runs for the Rangers. Dunning (6-1) allowed two runs, six hits and one walk while striking out three.
Blue Jays right-hander Trevor Richards (0-1) allowed three runs, three hits (two home runs) and one walk in three-plus innings as the opener on a bullpen day. Daulton Varsho hit a solo home run for Toronto.
Marlins 5, Nationals 2
Visiting Miami took advantage of Washington’s ineffective bullpen for a win to remain perfect in five games against its National League East rival this season.
The Marlins extended their winning streak to three games by scoring runs on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch in the seventh to break a 1-1 tie. Joey Wendle went 2-for-4 with a double and Bryan De La Cruz drove in two runs for Miami.
Luis Garcia and Jeimer Candelario each had two hits for Washington, which has dropped four of its past five games. Chad Kuhl (0-2) took the loss.
Phillies 3, Athletics 2 (12 innings)
Kyle Schwarber singled home Cristian Pache with the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning and Philadelphia continued its mastery of one-run games with a victory over host Oakland.
Andrew Vasquez (2-0), the Phillies’ seventh pitcher in their longest game of the season, got the win after holding the A’s to one run in two innings. Jeff Hoffman threw a hitless 12th for his first save of the season as the Phillies earned their 15th victory in 22 one-run games.
Ken Waldichuk (1-5), who allowed only the automatic runner to score in each of his two innings, took the loss.
Brewers 5, Pirates 0
Wade Miley tossed five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list and Joey Wiemer homered for the second straight game as Milwaukee blanked visiting Pittsburgh.
Miley allowed two hits in his first start since May 16. Peter Strzelecki, Hoby Milner, Elvis Peguero and Trevor Megill combined for four scoreless innings to help the Brewers seal their seventh shutout of the season. Blake Perkins added a solo homer and Rowdy Tellez delivered a two-run double for Milwaukee, which has won two straight following a six-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh has lost five in a row and six of its last seven. Carlos Santana had two hits for the Pirates, who have gone 14-27 since opening the season with a 20-8 mark.
Braves 10, Rockies 2
Atlanta hit four home runs, including a grand slam from Matt Olson, and Bryce Elder bounced back to throw six strong innings in a win over visiting Colorado.
Elder (5-1) didn’t allow a hit until Ryan McMahon singled past second baseman Albies with two outs in the fourth. He worked six innings and allowed one run on four hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. Elder had given up a season-high five runs in his last outing against Washington.
Connor Seabold (1-3) took the loss. He pitched three innings and allowed a career-high nine runs on nine hits, with one walk, one strikeout and a career-worst four home runs. Mike Moustakas homered for the Rockies.
Reds 10, Astros 3
Will Benson had three hits and two RBIs, and Jonathan India slugged his ninth home run as Cincinnati extended its winning streak to seven games with an interleague victory over host Houston.
The Reds secured their fifth consecutive road series victory by combining a balanced offensive attack with a solid starting performance from right-hander Hunter Greene (2-4), who notched his second consecutive winning decision.
Yainer Diaz smacked his fifth homer of the season to right field with one out in the sixth but, excluding Jose Altuve, the Astros were mostly punchless. Altuve finished 4-for-4 with a home run, his third of the season.
Cardinals 5, Mets 3
Paul Goldschmidt had two hits, including a two-run homer in the second inning, as St. Louis halted a six-game losing streak by edging host New York.
Brendan Donovan laced an RBI single earlier in the second, Jordan Walker hit a solo homer in the third and Dylan Carlson added a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth for the Cardinals, who won for just the third time in 14 games this month. Donovan finished with two hits.
Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff homer and Luis Guillorme delivered a two-run homer in the fifth for the Mets, who had their two-game winning streak end and fell to 4-10 in June. Brett Baty had two hits.
COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
CARDINAL LOSES LATE LEAD FOLLOWING DELAY
(STANFORD RELEASE)
OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 8 seed Stanford Cardinal (44-19) took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning, but could not hang on and fell 3-2 to the No. 1 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (53-10) Saturday in the third game of the 2023 College World Series from Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Stanford, which scored in the first inning against Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder and led 2-1 after three, looked to be in control of the game before a weather delay due to lightning in the area sent the teams into the locker rooms for an hour and 28 minutes with two outs in the top of the seventh.
Drew Dowd, who pitched scoreless fifth and sixth innings, had thrown just 24 pitches but did not return after the lengthy delay. Freshman Nick Dugan contributed a scoreless seventh, but walked the leadoff man in the eighth to start the momentum for Wake Forest. Left-hander Ryan Bruno entered and walked the next man to put two aboard with nobody out. The Demon Deacons bunted the runners along, setting the table for the go-ahead two-RBI single from Danny Corona that proved to be the game winner. The single was Wake Forest’s lone hit with runners in scoring position on Saturday afternoon.
Junior Carter Graham led the way offensively for the Cardinal, going 3-for-4 in the ballgame with two doubles and an RBI-single that put the Cardinal on top in the third. Sophomore Temo Becerra compiled a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with a double. Junior Tommy Troy also chipped in, going 2-for-4 with a walk.
Stanford stranded nine runners on base and was picked off twice – the second of which preceded a double off the wall from Graham in the seventh with the score 2-1 in favor of the Cardinal.
UP NEXT
The Cardinal will now face the loser of LSU and Tennessee in an elimination game on Monday at 11 a.m. PT. on ESPN.
GAME NOTES
» With the loss, Stanford is now 12-7 in its 19 “first games” at the College World Series.
» The Cardinal out-hit the Demon Deacons at a 9-6 clip.
» Stanford pitchers limited Wake Forest to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Stanford pitchers faced 35 Wake Forest hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out eight.
» Wake Forest was led offensively by junior Brock Wilken, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
» Junior Seth Keener led the Demon Deacons pitching staff, throwing 1.1 shutout innings.
(WAKE FOREST RELEASE)
OMAHA, Neb. – In front of a near-capacity crowd, which included thousands of Wake Forest fans, the No. 1-seeded Demon Deacons earned a come-from-behind win on Saturday afternoon over Stanford inside at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, 3-2.
Wake Forest, who is competing in their third Men’s College World Series in program history and first since 1955, executed offensively down the stretch of the game as the eighth inning of Saturday’s game featured a pair of walks, sacrifice bunt and a go-ahead two-RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Danny Corona.
Dating back to the Winston-Salem Regional two weeks ago, Corona has 19 RBI in the Deacs last five games.
Not to be outdone, junior third baseman Brock Wilken launched his 31st homer of the season in the bottom half of the second inning to start the scoring for Wake Forest.
On the mound for the Demon Deacons, two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year Rhett Lowder tossed a stellar 5.1 innings on Saturday and allowed just two runs while striking out six Cardinal hitters. He was relieved by sophomore Sean Sullivan who faced five hitters, picked off two runners who were on base and was forced to leave the game when the contest was halted in the middle of the seventh inning due to inclement weather. Junior Seth Keener (8-1), who earned the win, took over after the lightning delay and struck out all four hitters he faced as he completed the seventh inning and worked a clean eighth frame.
Junior Camden Minacci took over on the bump in the ninth for the Deacs and induced three ground balls, including a game-ending double play to secure the win for Wake Forest and earn his 13th save this season.
Saturday marked Wake Forest’s third victory in 11 tries this season when trailing after seven innings.
Finally, The victory in game one moves the Demon Deacons into the winner’s bracket where they will play the winner of LSU/Tennessee on Monday night.
How It Happened
Lowder struck out a pair with runners on and then got the final out in the first by getting a popout to second base.
Trailing 1-0 going into the second inning, Lowder settled in, striking out the first batter he faced in the inning.
Marek Houston made an amazing play, tracking down a fly ball that was well into centerfield for the second out of the inning.
Lowder fanned the final batter in the inning, collecting his fourth of the game to that point.
In the bottom of the second, Brock Wilken tied the game at 1-1 on the fifth pitch of the inning.
The home run was his 31st of the second which tied him for the ACC single-season record and tied him for the nation’s lead this season. Additionally it moved him into elite company in NCAA history, tying him for 17th in single-season history:
Pete Incaviglia, (Oklahoma State) – 48 in 1985
Jeff Ledbetter, (Florida State) – 42 in 1982
Lance Berkman, (Rice) – 41 in 1997
Brandon Larson, (LSU) – 40 in 1997
Steve Hacker, (Missouri State) – 37 in 1995
Mike Willes, (BYU) – 35 in 1988
Daylan Holt, (Texas A&M) – 34 in 1999
Troy Glaus, (UCLA) – 34 in 1997
Nate Gold, (Gonzaga) – 33 in 2002
Kevin Mench, (Delaware) – 33 in 1998
Joe Dillon, (Texas Tech) – 33 in 1997
Frank Fazzini, (Florida State) – 33 in 1985
Ivan Melendez, (Texas) – 32 in 2022
Billy Becher, (New Mexico State) – 32 in 2003
Lance Shebelut, (Fresno State) – 32 in 1988
Mark McGwire, (Southern California) – 32 in 1984
Brock Wilken (Wake Forest) – 31 in 2023
Jac Caglianone (Florida) – 31 in 2023
Kris Bryant, (San Diego) – 31 in 2013
John VanBenschoten, (Kent State) – 31 in 2001
Casey Child, (Utah) – 31 in 1997
J.D. Drew, (Florida State) – 31 in 1997
Mike Willes, (BYU) – 31 in 1987
It was the fourth home run in the last seven at-bats, dating back to the Super Regional.
A couple more impressive defensive plays from the Demon Deacons highlighted the top of the third.
This included a diving play in left centerfield from Justin Johnson and he nearly doubled off the runner at first base.
Tommy Hawke legged out a two-out infield copper to the shortstop to collect his first base knock of the Men’s College World Series.
Pierce Bennett followed that up with a single through the right side.
Lowder collected his fifth strikeout of the game to start the fourth.
He then got a one-pitch groundout to first as Kurtz finished it unassisted.
A grounder back to the mound put a zero up in the score column to keep the game at a 2-1 deficit.
After a home run in his first at-bat, Wilken worked a five-pitch walk to lead off the top of the fourth.
Bennett Lee worked his way on for the first time with a walk, putting runners at first and second with two outs.
Cecere loaded the bases with an eight-pitch, full-count walk.
Lowder got a quick flyout to left field to begin his fifth inning of work.
A grounder to first retired the second Stanford player of the inning.
Lowder got his sixth strikeout of the game to put up his second-consecutive scoreless inning.
With the Deacs trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Lowder got the first out of the inning via a flyout to center before turning the ball over to Sean Sullivan.
Facing his first batter, Sullivan got a ground ball for the second out of the inning on two pitches.
He picked off a runner at first for the final out of the inning.
Down one run in the top of the seventh, Sullivan got a flyout to left to start the inning.
His second pickoff of the game retired the second batter of the inning.
After a weather delay, Seth Keener entered the game.
He got a strikeout, getting the final out of the inning.
Cecere singled to put a runner on with one out in the seventh.
Houston followed that up with a single to center.
Hawke moved both runners into scoring position.
Keener struck out the first batter of the eighth.
He followed that up with another strikeout swinging.
Keener fanned the side in order to keep it as a one-run ball game.
With 3-4-5 due up for the Demon Deacons in the bottom of the eighth, Kurtz led off the inning with a walk.
A pitching change was made before Wilken stepped to the plate.
Wilken walked to put two runners on with no outs.
Johnson moved both runners into scoring position with a sac bunt.
Corona gave the Deacs their first lead with a single up the middle, scoring Kurtz and Wilken.
Camden Minacci took over on the bump in the ninth for the Deacs.
Following a leadoff groundout, Stanford’s Eddie Park reached on an error.
One pitch later, Tommy Troy grounded into a 4-3 double play to end the game.
Minacci earned his 13th save of the season.
Words from Walter “It’s a great win for our team and I am just really proud of our guys. I told them after the game, if you are going to have a chance to win this thing, you are probably going to need to win a game where you do not play very well. I felt like we were tight early and nervous, and kind of got out of our plan offensively. We did not have great at-bats for the first seven innings, but you have to give credit to Stanford’s pitching. Joey Dixon and Drew Dowd did a great job and kind of held us at bay. We did just enough. Rhett Lowder did not have his great stuff as he has been battling a little virus the last couple of days, but he pitched through his mistakes and gave us a chance to win like he always does. Obviously, Brock Wilken getting us on the board with that homer in the second. And then, Danny Corona. What can I say about his at-bat other than clutch in that situation. It was a great timeout by Bill Cilento. He kind of pulled Danny down there, calmed him down and got him back to swinging on the top-half of the ball and kept him in the middle of the field there. Our bullpen with Sean Sullivan and Seth Keener did what they’ve done for us all year. Camden Minacci comes in pitch-after-pitch and gets that double play ball at the end there. Great team win and I’m really proud of our guys.”
Wake Forest Side of the Men’s College World Series Bracket
Game One: No. 1 Wake Forest def. No. 8 Stanford, 3-2 | Saturday, June 17 | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game Two: No. 5 LSU vs. Tennessee | Saturday, June 17 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game Three: Loser of Game One vs. Loser of Game Two | Monday, June 19 | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game Four: Wake Forest vs. LSU/Tennessee | Monday, June 19 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Standout Stats
This is the Deacs’ third ever Men’s College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program’s first national championship in 1955.
After breaking the program record for wins in its opening game of the Winston-Salem NCAA Regional against George Mason on June 2, Wake Forest (53-10) has broken the program record for regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins and overall wins this season. Additionally, the Deacs became the first team in Wake Forest history to have 50 or more wins in a single season in the NCAA Regional Final on June 4. Additionally, this year’s ballclub is just the fourth team in program history to win at least seven postseason games (2023, 2001, 1999, 1998).
Wake Forest Baseball 40-Win Seasons
2023- 53 overall wins (45 regular season, seven postseason)
2002 – 47 overall wins (42 regular season, five postseason)
1999 – 47 overall wins (39 regular season, eight postseason)
2001- 44 overall wins (37 regular season, seven postseason)
2017 – 43 overall wins (38 regular season wins, five postseason)
1998- 43 overall wins (36 regular season, seven postseason)
2000 – 42 overall wins, (38 regular season, three postseason)
2022 – 41 overall wins (39 regular season, two postseason)
Additionally, this year’s Demon Deacons squad became the 13th ACC team since 2010 to reach the 50-win mark and the 28th to do so since 2000. Additionally, the 53 wins this season marks the first 50-win season by an ACC team since 2019, the most wins by an ACC team since 2013 and is the third highest win total since 2010:
North Carolina – 2013 – 59
Virginia – 2011 – 56
Wake Forest – 2023 – 53
Louisville – 2017 – 53
Virginia – 2014 – 53
Louisville – 2019 – 51
North Carolina 2011 – 51
Virginia – 2010 – 51
Louisville – 2016 – 50
Florida State – 2012 – 50
Miami – 2016 – 50
Miami – 2015 – 50
NC State – 2013 – 50
Virginia – 2013 – 50
This year’s squad became the fastest team in program history and the first team in the nation this year to reach the 40-win mark with its 14-4 win against UNC Greensboro on May 9.
Wake Forest Fastest to 40 Wins
2023: 47 games
2002: 49 games
1999: 53 games
2001: 55 games
2022: 58 games
2017: 58 games
2000: 59 games
1998: 61 games
The Demon Deacons continue to lead the nation in wins (53) while having the least amount of losses among Division I teams (10). Additionally, the 53 wins are tied for the most in the ACC since 2017 and is tied for the third highest total since 2010:
North Carolina – 2013 – 59
Virginia – 2011 – 56
Wake Forest – 2023 – 53
Louisville – 2017 – 53
Virginia – 2014 – 53
The Demon Deacons strikeout numbers have been historic, ranking sixth in NCAA history in single-season strikeouts:
Mississippi St. 2021 68 603.2 817
Vanderbilt 2021 67 598.0 790
Ole Miss 2021 67 586.1 765
Vanderbilt 2019 71 633.2 765
Wake Forest 2023 63 545.2 748
Southern Miss. 2022 66 596.1 746
Arizona St. 1972 72 625.0 732
Mississippi St. 2019 67 600.0 718
Florida St. 1986 74 637.0 718
In The Spotlight
Lowder’s 137 strikeouts sits just one punchout off Wake Forest’s single season strikeout record
Wake Forest Single Season Strikeouts
1. Mike Buddie 1992 138
2. Rhett Lowder 2023 137
2. Josh Hartle 2023 131
3. Griffin Roberts 2018 130
5. Mike MacDougal 1999 117
6. Kyle Sleeth 2002 113
7. Parker Dunshee 2017 111
John Hendricks 1998 111
9. Mark Seaver 1996 109
10. Sean Sullivan 2023 108
Ryan Cusick 2021 108
Additionally, with six strikeouts today, Lowder is now 11 punchouts away from breaking another program record. This mark is good for fourth among active pitchers in Division I baseball.
Wake Forest Career Strikeouts
1. Parker Dunshee 2014-17 330
2. Rhett Lowder 2021-Pres. 319
2. John Hendricks1996-99 312
4. Mike MacDougal1997-99 288
5. Buddy Jenkins 1987-91 277
6. Kyle Sleeth 2001-03 271
7. Frank Humber 1986-89 266
8. Ross Atkins 1992-95 250
9. Dave Bush 1999-02 249
10. Tim Cooney 2010-12 235
Mike Buddie 1990-92 235
This season, the two-time reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year has accumulated a 1.99 ERA in 113.1 innings to go along with a career-high 137 strikeouts.
The Albemarle, N.C. native has already received multiple accolades for his historic 2023 season:
2023 ACC Pitcher of the Year
Second pitcher in conference history to win back-to-back honors
2023 NCBWA First Team All-American
2023 ABCA First Team All-American
2023 Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American
2023 National Pitcher of the Year Finalist
2023 Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
2023 NCBWA District 4 Player of the Year
2023 First Team All-ACC
2023 First Team CSC Academic All-American
2023 Winston-Salem Regional All-Tournament Team
2023 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
Lowder finished the regular season as the conference’s leader in ERA (1.73), wins (12), innings pitched (88.2) and strikeouts (108). In ACC play, Lowder also led the conference in those same categories.
Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 32 of his last 34 starts.
Brock Wilken got Wake Forest on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, his 31st long fly of the season.
The home run was his 31st of the second which tied him for the ACC single-season record and tied him for the nation’s lead this season. Additionally it moved him into elite company in NCAA history, tying him for 17th in single-season history:
Pete Incaviglia, (Oklahoma State) – 48 in 1985
Jeff Ledbetter, (Florida State) – 42 in 1982
Lance Berkman, (Rice) – 41 in 1997
Brandon Larson, (LSU) – 40 in 1997
Steve Hacker, (Missouri State) – 37 in 1995
Mike Willes, (BYU) – 35 in 1988
Daylan Holt, (Texas A&M) – 34 in 1999
Troy Glaus, (UCLA) – 34 in 1997
Nate Gold, (Gonzaga) – 33 in 2002
Kevin Mench, (Delaware) – 33 in 1998
Joe Dillon, (Texas Tech) – 33 in 1997
Frank Fazzini, (Florida State) – 33 in 1985
Ivan Melendez, (Texas) – 32 in 2022
Billy Becher, (New Mexico State) – 32 in 2003
Lance Shebelut, (Fresno State) – 32 in 1988
Mark McGwire, (Southern California) – 32 in 1984
Brock Wilken (Wake Forest) – 31 in 2023
Jac Caglianone (Florida) – 31 in 2023
Kris Bryant, (San Diego) – 31 in 2013
John VanBenschoten, (Kent State) – 31 in 2001
Casey Child, (Utah) – 31 in 1997
J.D. Drew, (Florida State) – 31 in 1997
Mike Willes, (BYU) – 31 in 1987
With the second-inning blast, Wilken solidified his position on Wake Forest’s all-time single season home run list.
Wake Forest Single Season Home Runs
1. Brock Wilken 2023 31
2. Nick Kurtz 2023 24
Brendan Tinsman 2022 24
Billy Masse 1988 24
5. Brock Wilken 2022 23
Additionally, he increased his hold on the ACC career home record which he set in his final at-bat of the Super Regional victory over Alabama.
ACC Career Home Run Leaders
1. Brock Wilken, Wake Forest (2021-Pres)- 71
2. Anthony Maisano, GaT/WF* (1986-90)- 69
J.D. Drew, Florida State (1995-97)- 69
4. Pat Clougherty, NC State (1991-94)- 61
Wilken owns the Wake Forest career home run record, Wake Forest single-season home run record and is tied for the most home runs by a Wake Forest freshman ever.
Additionally, Kurtz and Wilken’s 55 combined home runs are the most by a duo in the nation this season:
Home runs by a duo this year
1. Brock Wilken & Nick Kurtz, WF (55)
2. Jac Caglianone & Wyatt Langford, Florida (51)
3. Nick Lorusso & Matt Shaw, Maryland (50)
On Deck
The No. 1 Wake Forest baseball team is headed back to the winner’s bracket game which is set to take place on Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Deacs will face the winner of LSU/Tennessee.
The Deacs are making the program’s third ever Men’s College World Series appearance, and its first since capturing the program’s first national championship in 1955.
Stay tuned to Wake Forest’s social media accounts (@WakeBaseball) for the latest scheduling updates and information.
LATE COMEBACK BID FALLS SHORT IN LOSS TO NO. 5 LSU IN CWS OPENER
(TENNEESEE RELEASE)
OMAHA, Neb. – A late-inning comeback attempt by Tennessee fell short in its 2023 Men’s College World Series opener as the Volunteers fell to No. 5 national seed LSU, 6-3, on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 25,010 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
After trailing 5-0 going into the eighth, UT struck for three runs in the top half of the inning to cut the deficit to two. Christian Scott raced home on an RBI single by Maui Ahuna to get the Vols on the board before Hunter Ensley homered to left-center field to make it 5-3.
Ensley had a fantastic night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, including two of the team’s five hits against LSU ace Paul Skenes.
The junior right hander gave up two runs over 7.2 innings with 12 strikeouts while giving up just five hits and one walk to pick up the win.
Tennessee starter Andrew Lindsey was stuck with the loss after allowing two runs on five hits over 3.2 innings, finishing with four strikeouts and one walk issued.
Griffin Merritt and Scott had the only other hits for the Big Orange off of Skenes with a single in the fifth and a double in the eighth. Scott’s one-out double to spark UT’s eighth-inning rally was the first time Skenes and LSU allowed a runner to advance past first base.
Aaron Combs, Seth Halvorsen, Kirby Connell, Camden Sewell, Hollis Fanning and AJ Russell all saw action in relief, combining to pitch the final 4.1 innings. Sewell’s appearance makes him the first player in program history to play in two separate College World Series. The veteran right hander appeared in both games during UT’s 2021 trip to Omaha against Virginia and Texas.
Brayden Jobert led LSU at the dish with three extra-base hits, two runs and two RBIs, finishing a single short of the cycle.
Gavin Dugas opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field in second inning while Tre’ Morgan also had a hit and a pair of RBIs for the Tigers.
UP NEXT: The Vols (43-21) will take on No. 8 national seed Stanford in an elimination game on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Cardinal lost its opener to No. 1 Wake Forest, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon.
(LSU RELEASE)
OMAHA, Neb. – LSU right-hander Paul Skenes fired 7.2 innings with 12 strikeouts Saturday night , and rightfielder Brayden Jobert collected three hits and two RBI to lift the Tigers to a 6-3 victory over Tennessee at the Men’s College World Series Saturday night at Charles Schwab Field.
With the win, LSU improved to 49-15 on the season, and the Volunteers dropped to 43-21.
The Tigers move into the winner’s bracket at the CWS and will face Wake Forest on Monday night at 6 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised on ESPN, and it can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network.
“Great night tonight, unbelievable crowd,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I think two things really stand out. Our team was locked in from the first pitch. We talked a lot about just focusing on execution. And they did that really, really well.
“This time of year you win these games against these elite teams when great players play great. And that was certainly the case with Paul from the mound tonight, Brayden and Gavin (Dugas) from the batter’s box. I thought it was a solid game; we played solid baseball and our guys were guys. That’s what it takes to win games here.”
Skenes (13-2) earned the victory after working 7.2 innings and recording 12 strikeouts. He finished the outing allowing two runs on five hits with only one walk issued. LSU left-hander Riley Cooper entered the game in the eighth, taking over for Skenes and earned his first save of the season after firing 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Skenes has 200 strikeouts on the season, and he became the second LSU pitcher to reach that mark, right behind program legend Ben McDonald who tossed an SEC record 202 strikeouts in 1989.
Tennessee starter Andrew Lindsey (3-4) was charged with the loss after working 3.2 innings and allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
LSU got the scoring started on the strength of second baseman Gavin Dugas’ 16th homer of the season, a solo shot in the second inning. The Tigers added to their total in the bottom of the third on an RBI groundout from first baseman Tre’ Morgan and led 2-0 after three innings.
The Tigers struck for two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the lead to 4-0. Catcher Hayden Travinski began the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jobert delivered an RBI triple on a ball he smashed to the right-centerfield wall. With Jobert on third, shortstop Jordan Thompson singled through the left side to bring in Jobert.
In the bottom of the seventh, centerfielder Dylan Crews led off with a double, and third baseman Tommy White followed with a single to left field. Morgan produced a quality at-bat with less than two outs and lifted a sac fly to center, giving LSU a 5-0 advantage.
With his leadoff double, Crews collected his 100th hit of the season, becoming the first LSU player since Alex Bregman in 2013 to reach that mark in a single season.
Tennessee plated three runs in the eighth on an RBI single by shortstop Maui Ahuna and centerfielder Hunter Ensley’s two-run home, narrowing the gap to 5-3.
Jobert padded the LSU lead in the bottom of the eighth with a solo shot to right field, his 12 homer of the season.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WEST VIRGINIA BASKETBALL COACH BOB HUGGINS RESIGNS HOURS AFTER DRUNKEN DRIVING ARREST
(AP) — West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins has resigned a day after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving in the latest incident in a Hall of Fame career that imploded quickly.
The university announced the resignation Saturday night. It came a month after the university suspended him for three games for using an anti-gay slur while also denigrating Catholics during a radio interview.
The 69-year-old Huggins leaves as the third-winningest coach all-time in Division I with 935 career victories, behind only Mike Krzyzewski of Duke (1,202) and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse (998), both of whom are retired. Unlike the others, Huggins had no national titles, taking Cincinnati to the Final Four in 1992 and West Virginia in 2010.
Huggins had 16-year stints each with the Bearcats and Mountaineers. Both ended in the aftermath of arrests for drinking and driving.
Huggins was charged with driving under the influence on Friday night after his SUV had stopped in the middle of traffic in Pittsburgh with a shredded tire and the driver’s side door was open at about 8:30 p.m. According to a criminal complaint, a breath test determined Huggins’ blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit.
Huggins was charged with driving under the influence, released from custody and will appear at a later date for a preliminary hearing, according to a police report.
In a statement to the West Virginia community on Saturday night, Huggins said: “Today, I have submitted a letter to President Gordon Gee and Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker informing them of my resignation and intention to retire as head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University effective immediately.”
In a separate statement Saturday night, West Virginia’s athletic department said it accepted the resignation “in light of recent events.
“We support his decision so that he can focus on his health and family. On behalf of West Virginia University, we share our appreciation for his service to our University, our community and our state.”
No replacement was immediately named for Huggins. The athletic department statement said that “in the days ahead, we will focus on supporting the student-athletes in our men’s basketball program and solidifying leadership for our program.”
Huggins said his recent actions do not represent the university’s values or the leadership expected in his role as coach.
“While I have always tried to represent our University with honor, I have let all of you – and myself – down,” he said. “I am solely responsible for my conduct and sincerely apologize to the University community – particularly to the student-athletes, coaches and staff in our program. I must do better, and I plan to spend the next few months focused on my health and my family so that I can be the person they deserve.”
Huggins added that it was “the honor of my professional career” to lead the team at his alma mater. Born in Morgantown, he said it “will always be my home, and I will always be a Mountaineer. Thank you to everyone who has supported our program over the years. It has meant more to me and my family than you could ever know.”
Friday night, officers directed Huggins to move off the road so they could help with the tire, then activated their lights when they observed Huggins having trouble maneuvering the SUV to allow vehicles to pass. Upon questioning, officers suspected he was intoxicated and asked him to exit the vehicle. The report said he failed standard field sobriety tests, was taken into custody without incident and transported for further testing.
It was Huggins’ second such arrest. The other occurred in 2004, when he was the head coach at Cincinnati.
In June 2004, Huggins pleaded no contest to driving under the influence in a suburb of Cincinnati and was ordered to attend a three-day intervention program. The University of Cincinnati suspended him indefinitely with pay and told Huggins to rehabilitate himself.
Huggins was allowed to return to work two months later, saying that “I made a terrible mistake, and what bothers me most is I hurt other people. All I can do is work like crazy to be a better person, a better coach, be better at everything I do and make those people proud of me.”
By 2005, Huggins’ Cincinnati career was over; he was fired amid a power struggle with the school’s president as well as the aftermath of the 2004 arrest.
After spending one season at Kansas State, Huggins took his dream job at West Virginia, his alma mater, in 2007.
Last month, Huggins agreed to a three-game suspension, a $1 million salary reduction and sensitivity training for using the slur during an interview with Cincinnati radio station WLW. Huggins was asked about the transfer portal and whether he had a chance of landing a player at West Virginia from Xavier, a Jesuit school.
“Catholics don’t do that,” Huggins said. “I tell you what, any school that can throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t do it, by God they can get away with anything.
“It was the Crosstown Shootout. What it was, was all those (expletive), those Catholic (expletive), I think.”
In a joint statement later that week, Gee and Baker said the university “made it explicitly clear to Coach Huggins that any incidents of similar derogatory and offensive language will result in immediate termination.”
Huggins’ salary of $4.15 million had been reduced by $1 million after the slur. That reduction was to be used to directly support WVU’s LGBTQ+ Center, as well as a mental health center at the university and other groups that support marginalized communities. At the time, he was suspended for the first three games of the 2023-24 season. In addition, his contract was amended from a multiyear agreement to a year-by-year agreement that began on May 10.
Huggins entered the Basketball Hall of Fame last September. In 41 seasons, his teams have gone to 25 NCAA Tournaments, finished ranked in the top 10 of The Associated Press poll seven times and finished under .500 five times. The Mountaineers have 11 NCAA Tournament appearances under Huggins.
Huggins had assembled a solid group from the transfer portal for next season, including Syracuse center Jesse Edwards, Arizona guard Kerr Kriisa, Manhattan guards Jose Perez and Omar Silverio, and Montana State guard RaeQuan Battle.
“Man.. I knew the dude 3 months but felt like forever,” Kriisa said Saturday night on Twitter. “So thankful for really believing in me and taking me as part of your family forever. Love u coach.”
INDYCAR NEWS
After stepping over the limit of adhesion more than once earlier Saturday, Colton Herta got a grip on his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole in nearly a year.
Herta won the NTT P1 Award for the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR with a best lap of 1 minute, 40.1945 seconds in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. He led the Firestone Fast Six despite going off track twice in practice Saturday morning and during the second round of qualifying.
SEE: Qualifying Results
The top lap was nearly 4.7 seconds quicker than the 2022 pole lap of 1:44.8656 set by Alexander Rossi, as the entire 14-turn, 4.014-mile circuit was repaved last fall. But Dario Franchitti’s 23-year-old track record of 1:39.866 barely survived, set in 2000 with a different chassis and engine formula.
“We’ve been working at it the whole time,” Herta said. “This place with the repave is not easy. To have a car that was stable enough to really attack in that last Fast Six was impressive. It’s been way too long this year for us to get a pole, so it’s nice to finally get one.”
This was Herta’s 10th career pole and first since the Honda Indy Toronto in July 2022. He became the sixth different pole winner in eight races this season.
Herta will aim for his first win of the season in the 55-lap race at 1 p.m. ET Sunday (USA Network, Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network). A 30-minute morning warmup precedes the race at 10:15 a.m. ET Sunday (Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Pato O’Ward will join Herta on the front row after a best lap of 1:40.3643 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. It’s O’Ward’s best starting position this season.
Championship leader Alex Palou qualified third at 1:40.4930 in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda after a sensational salvage job by himself and the Chip Ganassi Racing crew. 2021 series champion Palou sideswiped a tire barrier heavily in practice after spinning off track Saturday morning, but the crew rebuilt the car just in time for the start of qualifying.
2023 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Josef Newgarden qualified fourth at 1:40.9530 in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Alexander Rossi, who led both practice sessions leading into qualifying this weekend, qualified fifth at 1:41.1854 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
Kyle Kirkwood will start sixth. He earned a spot in the Firestone Fast Six but didn’t participate after smoke trailed from his No. 27 AutoNation Honda right after the Round of 12 qualifying session ended.
Two multiple series champions will face a long climb to get to the front of the field after neither advanced from the first round of qualifying.
Two-time and reigning series champion Will Power will start a season-low 22nd in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Six-time series champion Dixon will start 23rd – also a season low – in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Both Power and Dixon were set on the back foot during a collision in practice Saturday morning that resulted in heavy damage for both machines. Team Penske repaired Power’s damaged car, while Chip Ganassi Racing was forced to a backup car for Dixon.
ALSO:
Will Power was left fuming after a collision with Scott Dixon on Saturday morning during the second practice for the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR.
The No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet of Power followed Romain Grosjean as the pair went through Canada Corner (Turn 12) and then approached Dixon, who was off pace after a spin in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. After Grosjean’s No. 28 Delaware Life/DHL Honda slipped by, Dixon then drifted left and made contact with Power, sending both into a heavy crash into the wall upon corner exit.
“What the ****!” Power shouted over the radio.
Upon exiting his car, an incensed Power approached six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon and delivered a quick shove before being separated by members of the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team. Power’s displeasure continued as he walked away, kicking a piece of debris from Dixon’s damaged car that was littered on the ground in the walk to the safety vehicle. Power and Dixon were 10th and 12th, respectively, at the time of the incident, which brought out the second of five red flags in the session.
“We were on really old, almost 20-lap tires just trying to get some balance checks (and) kind of spun going into (Turn) 12 there,” Dixon said. “I’m just watching the replay here now. And then I saw Grosjean out of my mirror after I recovered. I didn’t realize Power was even there. So, really sorry for him (and) obviously, his team. Yeah, mistake on my behalf and feel frustrated for wrecking our car and his car, as well.”
Power, a two-time and defending INDYCAR SERIES champion, expressed his vantage point of the collision as Dixon “moved abruptly as I was coming.”
“It was a very unfortunate incident, there was just nothing I could really do there,” Power said in measured remarks that contrasted his heated initial reaction at the incident site. “I didn’t expect him to move. (It’s) such a pity, felt like we had a pretty good car. We’ll rebuild it and see what happens.”
According to Dixon, the two drivers diffused the situation on the drive to the infield medical center.
“We ended up getting in the medical car together; he was fine after that,” Dixon said. “Everybody gets pretty fired up and especially with how tight things are at the moment. It is what it is, but I feel bad for the situation.”
Power, visibly distraught, was simply left saying, “These things happen.”
Team members for Power were seen bringing out a new rear end and bodywork pieces such as a new floor as part of the repair preparations for this afternoon’s qualifying bout. Meanwhile, Ganassi crew members were seen bringing out a backup car for Dixon.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
(IHSAA RELEASE)
LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC EDGES BARR-REEVE FOR NINTH TITLE
INDIANAPOLIS – On an historic day for the Lafayette Central Catholic baseball program, long-time head coach Tim Bordenet invoked the memory of one of his mentors.
In a game best described as a pitcher’s duel for the ages, the Knights scored a run on a balk in the third inning and made it stand up to repeat as Class 1A champions with a 1-0 win over Barr-Reeve at Victory Field.
The victory was historic for Bordenet as it gives him a state-record ninth state title. He came into the weekend tied with Andrean coach Dave Pishkur with eight state championships. However, Andrean and Pishkur were beaten in the Class 3A title game by Silver Creek.
Central Catholic (25-11) scored the game’s only run in the top of the third inning when senior shortstop Evan Dienhart reached on a walk, advanced to third on a two-out single, then scored when LCC’s double-steal attempt resulted in a Barr Reeve balk.
The rest of the game played out as pitchers Ben Mazur, LCC’s a Murray State recruit, and Vikings sophomore Seth Wagler matched each other pretty much out for out.
As the innings rolled by, Bordenet recalled the words of the late Lafayette Jefferson coaching legend Paul “Spider” Fields.
“He was my idol,” Bordenet said of Fields, who died in the fall of 2022 at age 96. “He always told me when you face a good pitcher, you score one run and then shut them out. That’s how you beat a good pitcher. As the innings went by, I thought Spider was looking down on us today.”
Whatever it took, LCC’s victory ended No. 1-ranked Barr Reeve’s 28-game winning streak. The Vikings started the season 1-3 and rolled from there into the title game.
“We’ve had a lot of great players and great assistant coaches over the years,” Bordenet said of the milestone victory. “It’s my job to prepare the players and they are the ones who perform. They did that today and have consistently for years.”
The player who performed the best this time proved to be the right-hander Mazur. He tossed the complete-game shutout, scattering four hits, walking one and striking out eight. Only twice did Barr Reeve advance a runner to third base, only to leave him stranded.
“Ben has pitched in big games for us his whole career,” Bordenet said. “I thought he was always in control (Saturday) even though they had runners on a few times. That’s his experience shining through. He was ready for this moment.”
“In big games like this, you just have to lock-in,” said Mazur, the 6-3 right-hander. “One run isn’t very comfortable, but I just put the ball in the strike zone and trusted the defense to make plays.”
Mazur worked around a one-out double in the first inning and also shut down the Vikings in the second after they put the first two runners on. Barr Reeve’s best chance after that came in the fifth inning when Ethan Graber led off with a bunt single and eventually reached third.
“I don’t know if I’ve pitched a better game … maybe,” Mazur said. “I will say I felt really good out there today and the more intense the game got, the more I locked in.”
Wagler, a sophomore, had a performance to be proud of as he nearly matched Mazur pitch-for-pitch. Wagler also allowed just four hits, while walking two and striking out 10.
“Mazur threw a whale of a game, but Seth was tremendous, too,” Barr Reeve coach Trevor McConnell said. “I just feel terrible we couldn’t scratch out a run or two. Seth deserved better.”
Junior Donnie Miller had two hits for the Vikings — who have only two seniors on the roster (only one of which is a starter).
PENN TOPS CENTER GROVE FOR SIXTH BASEBALL CROWN
INDIANAPOLIS – Penn made a habit of pulling out heart-stopping victories during the 2023 state baseball tournament, so why would one expect the Class 4A state title game against Center Grove at Victory Field would be any different?
Of course, it wasn’t different as evidenced by a 2-0 triumph over the Trojans giving the Kingsmen of coach Greg Dikos their second-straight state championship and sixth overall.
True to form, it didn’t come easily.
“This is, by far, one of the most exciting state finals finishes I’ve been a part of,” said Dikos, whose team is now six for seven in championship game appearances. “These guys were focused, kept their composure and brought it home.”
After the PHS softball team claimed the 4A championship the previous week, Penn becomes only the second school in IHSAA history to win both the baseball and softball championships during the same season. New Palestine won baseball and softball in Class 3A in 2004.
Penn escaped the LaPorte semi-state the previous week with a 7-6 win over Lake Central and a 1-0 triumph over Hamilton Southeastern.
In the final, the Kingsmen used key performances in all three phases of the game – offense, pitching and defense – to take out the top-ranked Trojans of coach Keith Hatfield.
The Kingsmen (27-8 and unranked in the final state poll) scored their only runs in the third inning. With two out, senior leadoff hitter Cooper Hums smashed a triple down the right field line off CG starter Jacob Murphy.
“(Murphy) hung a fast ball and my eyes lit up,” Hums said. “I saw it go down the line and said if it gets to the wall, I’m at third.”
Cam Dombrowski followed with a double down the left field line to score Hums and Evan Tuesley completed the rally by singling in Dombrowski.
An inning later, the Penn defense came to the fore. With one out, Center Grove’s Grant Sawa sent a screaming liner to center field, but Hums came up with a near-miraculous, over-the-shoulder catch.
A batter later, Bradley Gilliam followed with a single, but Penn starter Adam Lehmann was able to get out of further trouble.
“I saw it go up and I kept running,” Hums said of Sawa’s liner. “I didn’t know if I would get it, but when it hit my glove and I fell, I knew it was the greatest catch of my life.”
“I was smiling ear-to-ear after that catch,” Dikos said.
The Trojans (29-4) tried to get to Lehmann again, who looked shaky in the sixth inning. With two outs, Sawa singled and Gilliam walked with two out.
“Adam pounds the strike zone and his pitch count is always high,” Dikos said. “I didn’t know if he would make it through that inning.”
Lehmann, however, did escape when CG’s A.J. Beggs lined the first pitch to shortstop, where Dombrowski made a nice lunging catch.
Things got even more nerve-wracking in the seventh for Penn.
Sophomore Dawson French replaced Lehmann and, with one out, Dombrowski dropped a pop-up by Gannon Grant. Clearly rattled, French walked Noah Coy to put runners on first and second before striking out Drew Culbertson looking for the second out.
French, however, survived by getting Garrison Barile to pop out for the final out.
“When I saw the ball go up, I thought ‘not another error,’” French said. “When it was caught, I just threw my glove up in the air.”
“The expectations are always high with the Penn-Harris-Madison community,” said Dikos, who completed his 36th year as head coach. “I love coaching here because those expectations are so high.
“I’m just so pleased to bring this (championship) back.”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL
Incoming Kokomo senior center Flory Bidunga will be making a college trip to Dune next week. Bidunga played in the IBCA Top 100 Underclass Showcase Saturday.
Bidunga has made visits to Florida, Kansas, Michigan and Auburn. He is also scheduled to make a visit to Indiana soon.
Several head and assistant coaches were in Brownsburg Saturday to watch Bidunga and he is planning to make a decision by the start of the school year in August.
Bidunga is ranked as the No. 4 prospect nationally by 247sports in the 2024 class. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state as a junior after averaging 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game and leading Kokomo to the Class 4A state finals.
HART COMMITS TO KENTUCKY
Linton-Stockton forward Joey Hart has committed to Kentucky. After previously committing to Central Florida, the Indiana All-Star made a official visit to Lexington and made his decision Saturday. Hart was also considering Indiana and Rutgers.
Hart averaged 23.7 points per game was a senior for Linton-Stockton, leading the Miners to a Class 2A state finals appearance.
INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANS DROP SATURDAY NIGHT CONTEST TO I-CUBS, 6-3
DES MOINES, Iowa – Miguel Andújar extended his career high and International League-leading hitting streak to 19 straight games as the Indianapolis Indians dropped Saturday night’s contest to the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park, 6-3.
Yonathan Perlaza opened scoring for Iowa (38-28) in the second inning with a two-out, two-run double to right field after a pair of walks set up a runner in scoring position. A leadoff double off the bat of Matt Mervis and a single from Edwin Rios put runners on the corners for David Bote, who sent a long ball over the center field wall to extend Iowa’s lead to 5-1 in the third.
Indianapolis (29-37) took an early lead in the top of the second inning courtesy of a Cal Mitchell line drive to left field. Following a walk issued to Chris Owings and a single from Alika Williams, Nick Gonzales hit a sacrifice fly to send Owings home for the Indians’ second run in the top of the fifth.
After Iowa tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth on a Dom Nuñez double, Andújar connected for his second hit of the night – a double – to score Gonzales after he was walked to open the inning.
In his Triple-A debut for the Indians after being promoted from Double-A Altoona yesterday, Kyle Nicolas (L, 0-1) surrendered five runs on eight hits and fanned four in 4.0 innings of work. I-Cubs starter Chris Clarke also pitched 4.0 innings, allowing just three hits and one run with three punchouts in his outing. Keegan Thompson (W, 2-0) threw 2.0 innings in relief, yielding one run on one hit with three strikeouts.
The series finale between the Indians and I-Cubs is set for 2:08 PM ET tomorrow afternoon at Principal Park. Quinn Priester (7-3, 4.29) will take the hill for Indianapolis and Nick Neidert (3-3, 5.40) will counter for Iowa.
INDIANA FEVER
GAME PREVIEW: FEVER WELCOME DREAM TO GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE ON SUNDAY
Indiana Fever vs Atlanta Dream
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 4 p.m. ET
Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information
Fever Facebook/CBS Sports Network
Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)
The Indiana Fever return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET to take on the Atlanta Dream for the second time this season.
In the first matchup between the two teams on May 28, the Fever earned the first win of the regular season and the first win of Christie Sides’ head coaching career beating the Dream in Atlanta, 90-87. The Dream held a consistent lead from the start of the game through the middle of the third quarter. After 19 lead changes in the second half, the Fever gained its final advantage with four minutes remaining and held Atlanta to 4-of-14 shooting from the floor in the fourth quarter.
Fever forward NaLyssa Smith recorded her second double-double of the season during the first matchup as she led the team with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Smith was followed in the scoring column by five other Fever players who also scored in double-figures: Kelsey Mitchell (15), Aliyah Boston (13), Erica Wheeler (11), Kristy Wallace (10), and Queen Egbo (10).
The Dream were led in scoring by 2022 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Rhyne Howard, who recorded her still season-high 23 points. Howard enters the weekend averaging 16.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season. Cheyenne Parker followed behind in scoring with 21 points and went 9-of-10 from the charity stripe, while Allisha Gray pitched in 19 points. Entering the matchup against Indiana, Gray has led the team in scoring four times this season, averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game, while Parker leads the team in rebounds at 8.0 per game.
Last time out for Indiana, the Fever defeated the Sky in Chicago, 92-90. Mitchell, who scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half, completed a midrange jumper that left 1.1 seconds on the clock and put the Fever ahead by two to seal the win. The Fever were led in scoring by Boston’s 19 points on the night, followed by Victoria Vivians’ season-high 17 points, as well as Mitchell and Smith’s 15 points each. Smith and Boston both pulled down eight rebounds individually.
The Boston-Smith-Mitchell combination shot 100 percent from the free throw line (17-of-17) against Chicago, which was only the fifth time in WNBA history and first time in franchise history that a trio of teammates have individually had at least 15 points and at least five made free throws on perfect shooting from the charity stripe, per Across the Timeline.
Smith has led the Fever in rebounding all season and enters the weekend as the fourth best rebounder in the WNBA this season averaging 9.7 rebounds per game.
Rookie sensation Aliyah Boston continues to make her presence known on the court and in the history books as she has consistently led all 2023 rookies this season in scoring average (15.1 ppg), rebounds (7.9 rpg), minutes played (28.9 mpg) and blocks (1.3 bpg), while also leading the league in field goal percentage at 66.3 percent (61-of-92).
Probable Starters
Indiana Fever (4-6)
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (16.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Guard – Erica Wheeler (8.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.0 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (14.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Forward – Lexie Hull (4.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.7 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Atlanta Dream (4-5)
Guard – Haley Jones (5.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Guard – Allisha Gray (18.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.8 apg)
Forward – Rhyne Howard (16.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg)
Forward – Nia Coffey (4.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.78 bpg)
Center – Cheyenne Parker (15.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.8 apg)
Game Status Report
Indiana: None
Atlanta: TBA
INDY ELEVEN
RECAP BHM 2:1 IND
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Saturday, June 17, 2023) — Indy Eleven fell, 2-1, at Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday as the Legion’s Enzo Martinez scored in the 89th minute to earn Birmingham three points.
The Boys in Blue generated a number of quality chances early on, with Roberto Molina, Sebastian Guenzatti and Aodhan Quinn registering shots on goal in the first 17 minutes. Birmingham Legion would respond with a few chances of their own, and despite allowing Indy to win possession (59%-41% in the first half), prevented the Eleven from any other opportunities for the remainder of the half.
Birmingham struck first in the 55th minute when Diba Nwegbo took a pass from Anderson Asiedu and scored his first professional goal to give Legion FC a 1-0 lead.
Indy Eleven would respond right away. Just over a minute later, Eleven captain Guenzatti took a pass from Harrison Robledo and ricocheted a shot off a Birmingham defender into the back of the net to tie it at 1-1, scoring his third goal of the season, which ties for the team lead.
Following Guenzatti’s tally, Birmingham Legion took control of the game, outshooting the Eleven 7-2 over the next 27 minutes.
In the 89th minute, Martinez took a feed from Neco Brett and beat Yannik Oettl to the far post for his sixth goal this season, giving Birmingham the 2-1 lead.
From there, Indy was not able to muster up another shot, and Birmingham went on to earn the win at home.
For the game, Indy Eleven was outshot 17-8 but tied Birmingham in shots on goal 4-4.
Next up, the Boys in Blue stay on the road and head to Connecticut to play Hartford Athletic with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff Saturday, June 24. The match will stream on ESPN+.
USL Championship Regular Season
Birmingham Legion FC 2:1 Indy Eleven
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Legion FC: 6W-7L-1D, 19 pts
Indy Eleven: 4W-6L-4D, 16 pts
Scoring Summary:
BHM – Diba Nwegbo 55’
IND – Sebastian Guenzatti (Harrison Robledo) 56’
BHM – Enzo Martinez (Neco Brett) 89’
Discipline Summary:
IND – Younes Boudadi (caution) 8’
BHM – Gabriel Alves (caution) 21’
IND – Jesus Vazquez (caution) 24’
BHM – Alex Crognale (caution) 62’
BHM – Anderson Asiedu (caution) 64’
Birmingham Legion FC line-up: Matt Van Oekel, Gabriel Alves (Brett 75’), Phanuel Kavita (captain), Alex Crognale, Collin Smith, Anderson Asiedu, Mikey Lopez (Corcoran 31’), Tyler Pasher, Enzo Martinez, Prosper Kasim (Ngwebo 45’), Juan Agudelo (Mensah 91’)
Birmingham Subs: Trevor Spangenberg, Ben Reveno, Jake Rufe
Indy Eleven line-up (3-4-3): Yannik Oettl, Jesus Vazquez, Mechack Jerome, Younes Boudadi (Bryam Rebellon 69’), Roberto Molina (Robby Dambrot 88’), Aodhan Quinn, Jack Blake, Cam Lindley, Harrison Robledo (Douglas Martinez 62’), Sebastian Guenzatti (captain) (Diego Sanchez 88’), Solomon Asante
Indy Subs: Tim Trilk, Benji Chavarria, Sebastian Velasquez
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
SPORTS EXTRA
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 51 | 23 | .689 | – | 31 – 7 | 20 – 16 | 16 – 9 | 12 – 1 | 8 – 5 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Baltimore | 43 | 27 | .614 | 6 | 22 – 13 | 21 – 14 | 13 – 8 | 14 – 5 | 8 – 6 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| NY Yankees | 39 | 31 | .557 | 10 | 21 – 17 | 18 – 14 | 11 – 13 | 8 – 8 | 8 – 5 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| Toronto | 39 | 33 | .542 | 11 | 19 – 13 | 20 – 20 | 7 – 17 | 11 – 5 | 9 – 6 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Boston | 35 | 35 | .500 | 14 | 19 – 18 | 16 – 17 | 11 – 11 | 8 – 4 | 5 – 5 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 36 | 35 | .507 | – | 21 – 16 | 15 – 19 | 8 – 11 | 13 – 10 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Cleveland | 32 | 38 | .457 | 3.5 | 16 – 17 | 16 – 21 | 7 – 8 | 8 – 11 | 10 – 6 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| Chi White Sox | 31 | 41 | .431 | 5.5 | 17 – 17 | 14 – 24 | 4 – 12 | 15 – 11 | 5 – 7 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Detroit | 29 | 40 | .420 | 6 | 15 – 18 | 14 – 22 | 2 – 14 | 11 – 8 | 4 – 5 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 19 | 51 | .271 | 16.5 | 10 – 27 | 9 – 24 | 2 – 8 | 5 – 12 | 4 – 10 | 1 – 9 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 43 | 27 | .614 | – | 23 – 13 | 20 – 14 | 8 – 7 | 7 – 2 | 15 – 8 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Houston | 39 | 32 | .549 | 4.5 | 20 – 17 | 19 – 15 | 5 – 5 | 8 – 11 | 13 – 6 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| LA Angels | 40 | 33 | .548 | 4.5 | 20 – 14 | 20 – 19 | 8 – 9 | 8 – 6 | 15 – 12 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Seattle | 34 | 35 | .493 | 8.5 | 20 – 17 | 14 – 18 | 3 – 6 | 6 – 6 | 12 – 10 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Oakland | 19 | 54 | .260 | 25.5 | 9 – 28 | 10 – 26 | 3 – 11 | 3 – 3 | 4 – 23 | 6 – 4 | L 4 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 45 | 26 | .634 | – | 23 – 15 | 22 – 11 | 17 – 6 | 6 – 0 | 9 – 7 | 8 – 2 | W 5 |
| Miami | 40 | 31 | .563 | 5 | 21 – 13 | 19 – 18 | 10 – 12 | 5 – 4 | 9 – 10 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Philadelphia | 37 | 34 | .521 | 8 | 19 – 11 | 18 – 23 | 5 – 8 | 6 – 4 | 11 – 12 | 8 – 2 | W 5 |
| NY Mets | 33 | 37 | .471 | 11.5 | 17 – 14 | 16 – 23 | 12 – 11 | 4 – 10 | 8 – 8 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| Washington | 27 | 42 | .391 | 17 | 12 – 23 | 15 – 19 | 7 – 14 | 4 – 3 | 7 – 11 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 36 | 34 | .514 | – | 20 – 16 | 16 – 18 | 3 – 0 | 10 – 5 | 7 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| Cincinnati | 36 | 35 | .507 | 0.5 | 17 – 18 | 19 – 17 | 7 – 9 | 11 – 12 | 4 – 5 | 8 – 2 | W 7 |
| Pittsburgh | 34 | 35 | .493 | 1.5 | 18 – 16 | 16 – 19 | 4 – 2 | 10 – 9 | 9 – 6 | 2 – 8 | L 5 |
| Chi Cubs | 33 | 37 | .471 | 3 | 20 – 16 | 13 – 21 | 6 – 10 | 6 – 8 | 9 – 8 | 7 – 3 | W 5 |
| St. Louis | 28 | 43 | .394 | 8.5 | 13 – 21 | 15 – 22 | 1 – 4 | 10 – 13 | 7 – 13 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Arizona | 43 | 28 | .606 | – | 23 – 17 | 20 – 11 | 10 – 11 | 6 – 3 | 16 – 9 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| LA Dodgers | 39 | 32 | .549 | 4 | 22 – 13 | 17 – 19 | 9 – 6 | 12 – 11 | 12 – 9 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| San Francisco | 38 | 32 | .543 | 4.5 | 18 – 17 | 20 – 15 | 9 – 7 | 13 – 7 | 7 – 7 | 8 – 2 | W 6 |
| San Diego | 34 | 36 | .486 | 8.5 | 18 – 20 | 16 – 16 | 9 – 7 | 6 – 8 | 11 – 10 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Colorado | 29 | 44 | .397 | 15 | 16 – 19 | 13 – 25 | 11 – 13 | 8 – 7 | 4 – 15 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1911 In the sixth inning in Detroit, the White Sox lead the Tigers, 13-1; after eight innings, the Pale Hose still are ahead, 15-7. The Tigers, however, use five singles and two walks to narrow Chicago’s lead to 15-13 in the eighth and then complete their incredible comeback in the final frame when Ty Cobb strokes a two-run single, his fifth hit of the day, and then scores on Sam Crawford’s double to win the Navin Field contest, 16-15.
1919 At Fenway Park with two outs in the ninth, Red Sox catcher Wally Schang is the victim of third baseman Jimmy Austin’s hidden ball trick. The play ends the game with the Browns beating Boston, 3-2.
1927 On Charles Lindbergh Day, the transatlantic pioneer flyer helps the Cardinals raise the National League pennant before the team’s 6-4 victory over New York at Sportsman’s Park. The game marks the return to St. Louis of Rogers Hornsby, the Redbirds’ former player-manager who guided the team to a world championship last season but was traded to the Giants in the offseason after having disputes over salary with owner Sam Breadon.
1938 Knowing he will not be considered for the manager’s job when Burleigh Grimes retires at the end of the season, Babe Ruth accepts GM Larry MacPhail’s offer to coach first base for the Dodgers. The Bambino will quit at the end of the season, severing his ties with major league baseball, when team captain Leo Durocher becomes the skipper of the Brooklyn club.
1940 Dodger Ducky Medwick, acquired in a trade less than a week ago, is beaned by former Cardinal teammate Bob Bowman and needs to be carried off on a stretcher. Brooklyn president Lee MacPhail accuses the St. Louis pitcher of deliberately beaning Medwick because the two had quarreled in a hotel elevator before the game.
1947 At Crosley Field, Reds hurler Ewell Blackwell no-hits the Braves, 6-0, with first baseman Babe Young hitting two three-run homers to account for all the runs in the game. The 24-year-old Cincinnati right-hander misses duplicating his teammate Johnny Vander Meer’s feat of throwing back-to-back no-nos when he holds the Dodgers without a hit through 8.1 innings in his next start.
1950 In the second game of a twin bill against the A’s at Cleveland Stadium, the Indians establish an American League record by scoring 14 runs in the first inning as they rout Philadelphia, 21-2. Cleveland also won the first game from the Mackmen, 7-0.
1953 Sending twenty-three batters to the plate at Fenway, the Red Sox enjoy a 17-run and 14-hit seventh inning when they pound the Tigers, 23-3. Sammy White sets a modern major league record, scoring three times in the frame, and outfielder Gene Stephens collects three hits in the inning to establish an American League mark.
1960 Tom Sheehan becomes the oldest person to debut as a major league manager. The 66-year-old replaces fired Giant skipper Bill Rigney, resulting in the second-place club finishing the fifth, 16 games behind the Pirates.
1961 Pirates rookie Don Leppert hits a home run on the first pitch thrown to him in his major league career, going deep off southpaw Curt Simmons in the second inning of the Bucs’ 5-3 victory over the Redbirds at Forbes Field. The 29-year-old freshman catcher’s feat will not be accomplished again by another Pittsburgh player until 2012, when Starling Marte homers on the first pitch he sees in his big league debut.
1961 Eddie Gaedel, the 3′ 7″ small person, made famous by Browns’ owner Bill Veeck, who employed him to lead off for one at-bat in a 1951 game, is found dead lying in his bed with bruises on the left side of his face after returning home from a Chicago bowling alley. Bob Cain, the opposing Tiger pitcher who issued a base-on-balls in the infamous stunt, is the only person from major league baseball to attend the funeral of the 36-year-old, whose cause of death will be determined to be the result of a heart attack.
1961 In Game 1 of a doubleheader at Fenway Park, the Red Sox, trailing by seven runs entering the bottom of the ninth, beat the Senators, 13-12, after Jim Pagliaroni’s two-out grand slam tied the score. In addition to catching all 22 innings of the twin bill, the Boston backstop hits a walk-off home run in the 13th inning of the nightcap, giving the Boston a 6-5 victory.
1967 Red Sox third baseman Joe Foy, spending the night with his parents before a series against the Yankees, helps his parents get safely out of the building when a fire breaks out in their Bronx home. The house blaze will result in losing the many souvenirs and keepsakes the 24-year-old infielder has accumulated as a baseball player.
1967 Astros’ hurler Don Wilson no-hits the Braves, 2-0, striking out 15 of the 30 batters he faces. Next season, the right-handed fireballer, who will pitch another no-no for Houston, becomes the tenth rookie to throw a no-hitter.
1973 The A’s stage a Father’s Day’s Mustache Day promotion, giving fans with hair above their upper lip free admission into the ballpark. Charlie Finley offers his players a $300 bonus for growing facial hair for the event, and all do except Vida Blue, who is still bitter about his recent contract negotiations with the team owner.
1975 At Tiger Stadium, Red Sox rookie outfielder Fred Lynn hits three home runs, driving in ten runs in the team’s 15-1 rout of Detroit. The 23-year-old Chicago native also hits a single and third-inning triple that misses being a homer by a few feet.
1977 In the bottom of the sixth inning of NBC’s Game of the Week at Fenway Park, Yankees manager Billy Martin pulls Reggie Jackson out of the game after the outfielder’s lackadaisical effort in right field turns a fly ball into a cheap double for a Jim Rice. In the dugout, the skipper and the stunned sensitive superstar begin screaming at one another and have to be separated by coaches Yogi Berra and Elston Howard.
1979 Billy Martin returns to the dugout to manage the Yankees for the second time, replacing Bob Lemon, the skipper who replaced him last season and led the team to a World Championship. Martin will be at the helm for 95 games, and the fourth-place team will win 55 of those games.
1986 Angels’ hurler Don Sutton becomes the 19th major league pitcher to earn his 300th victory when the Alabama native three-hits the Rangers, 4-1. The 43-year-old right-hander will finish with 324 wins during his 23-year playing career.
1989 The Phillies trade second baseman Juan Samuel to the Mets for outfielder Lenny Dykstra, relief pitcher Roger McDowell, and a player to be named later that will be minor league pitcher Tom Edens. Unfortunately, the Mets’ experiment to turn their new infielder, who plays only 86 games, into a center fielder fails miserably, and ‘Nails’ becomes a three-time All-Star and a cog in Philadelphia’s National League championship in 1993.
1996 Chris Anderson becomes the first player representing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to get a base hit. The Hudson Valley catcher, the team’s 66th-round draft choice, delivers a run-producing single in the second inning of the Renegades’ 7-6 loss to New Jersey in the New York-Penn League contest.
1996 In a twin bill at Wrigley Field, Brant Brown hits the first three career home runs on the same day. The 25-year-old rookie goes deep as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning off Chan Ho Park in a 9-6 loss to the Dodgers in the opener, but his two additional round-trippers contribute to Chicago’s 7-4 victory in the nightcap.
2000 The A’s slam the Royals, 21-3, as every player in the Oakland starting lineup has at least one hit and one RBI and scores a minimum of one run. The 18-run difference is the largest margin of victory for the A’s and the largest margin of defeat for the Royals in the team’s respective histories.
2000 In a 19-2 drubbing of the Diamondbacks, Mike Lansing needs only the first four innings to hit for the cycle. The Rockies’ second baseman gets a triple in the first, a two-run homer in the second, and a double in the third, completing the rare event with a single in the fourth inning before the game becomes official.
2001 Citing he wants to spend more time with his family, Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. announces he will retire at the end of the season. The two-time MVP’s streak of playing in 2,632 consecutive games established a new major league record, surpassing the once-thought insurmountable mark set by Lou Gehrig.
2001 A mandate issued by the commissioner’s office imposes a two-minute limit for warm-up tosses thrown by relievers who come in during an inning, starting when the pitcher enters fair territory. At the beginning of a frame, the allotted warm-up time for a hurler will be one minute and forty seconds, twenty seconds longer if the game is on national television.
2002 At Pro Player Stadium, Marlins infielder Luis Castillo beats out a dribbler to the box, extending his hitting streak to 33 straight games. The sixth-inning single in Florida’s 2-1 victory over the Indians ties Rogers Hornsby’s 80-year-old record for a second baseman getting a hit in consecutive contests.
2002 In the first major league game to feature four players with 400 career homers, the Cubs beat the Rangers, 4-3, when Alex Gonzalez hits a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. Sammy Sosa (475), Fred McGriff (459), and Juan Gonzalez (401) watched Rafael Palmeiro add his 460th home run to the total.
2004 At Shea Stadium, Hall of Fame catchers Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, Gary Carter, and Yogi Berra participate in a pregame ceremony to honor Mike Piazza for hitting the most home runs as a catcher in baseball history. The Mets’ backstop established the new mark, breaking Carlton Fisk’s record, with his 352nd home run on May 5.
2005 Julio Franco becomes the oldest player to hit multiple home runs in a game when he goes deep on two occasions in the Braves’ 6-1 victory over Cincinnati. The 46-year, 299-day-old Atlanta first baseman homers twice off Cincy starter Eric Milton, going yard in the first and third innings at the Great American Ball Park.
2005 Derek Jeter, who will average 13 home runs during a 20-year career, hits his only major league grand slam in his 156th plate appearance with the bases loaded. The 30-year-old All-Star shortstop, who collects two round-trippers in the Bombers’ 8-1 victory over the Cubs at Yankee Stadium, clears the bases in the sixth inning with a blast off Joe Borowski that clears the fence in left-center field.
2006 In a game in which veteran hurler Kenny Rogers wins his 200th career victory, the Tigers go yard eight times to set a club record. Cubs starter Mark Prior, who recently returned from the 60-day disabled list, gives up three of Detroit’s home runs in the six-run first inning of the 12-3 barrage at Wrigley Field.
2007 Trailing the Red Sox by 15 games in the AL East after playing just sixty-nine games, the last-place Orioles fire Sam Perlozzo as the team’s manager. As the club embarks on a West Coast road trip, the team names bullpen coach Dave Trembley the interim manager amid Baltimore’s eight-game losing streak.
2010 President Obama and his two daughters make an unannounced trip to Nationals Park to watch Stephen Strasburg pitch against his favorite team, the White Sox. The Commander in Chief is on hand to see the 21-year-old fireballer strike out ten batters to bring the phenom’s three-game total to 32, three more than the rookie record of 29 established by J.R. Richard in 1971.
2012 With his one-out, solo home run off Shawn Kelley in the seventh in the Diamondbacks’ 7-1 victory over Seattle at Chase Field, Aaron Hill becomes the fifth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle. The Arizona second baseman, the first D-Back to single, double, triple, and homer in four at-bats, joins Kelly Johnson (2010), Stephen Drew (2008), Greg Colbrunn (2002), and Luis Gonzalez (2000) in accomplishing the rare feat.
2012 At Citi Field, R.A. Dickey, allowing a single by Oriole third baseman Wilson Betemit, throws his second consecutive one-hitter, becoming the first pitcher to record back-to-back one-hit games since Dave Stieb accomplished the feat in 1988. The 37-year-old Mets’ knuckleball pitcher, who hasn’t allowed an earned run in 42.2 innings, also limited Tampa Bay to a lone safety in his last start.
2012 After a lengthy ten-week trial, the jury acquits Roger Clemens on all charges of obstructing justice and lying to Congress when he testified at a deposition during a 2008 nationally televised hearing. The seven-time Cy Young winner, who won 354 games during his 24 years in the major leagues, contended that the success in the latter part of his career was due to an over-the-top work ethic and not the result of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
2014 With the only batter reaching base due to a throwing error by shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the seventh inning, Clayton Kershaw no-hit the Rockies at Dodger Stadium, striking out a career-high 15 batters. The left-hander’s teammate Josh Beckett also threw a no-hitter 24 days ago, making it the shortest span between no-hitters by a team since the Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer accomplished it in consecutive starts, four days apart, in 1938.
2015 Carlos Correa, the number one overall pick in 2012, becomes the second-youngest player in the modern era to steal three bases in a game when he swipes a trio of bags in Houston’s 8-4 victory against the Rockies at Coors Field. In 1979, Rickey Henderson was 20-year, 241-days-old when he accomplished the feat, 18 days younger than the Astro shortstop.
2017 On Father’s Day, Nolan Arenado becomes the fifth major leaguer to hit a walk-off homer to complete a cycle when he blasts a three-run homer off Mark Melancon to beat the Giants at Coors Field, 7-5. The game-ending round-tripper caps the team’s first four-game sweep of San Francisco in the 25-year history of the franchise.
2018 In the continuation of a game that started May 15, Juan Soto pinch-hits a two-run homer that proves to be the difference in the Nationals’ 5-3 victory against the Yankees. The stats of the game will indicate the 19-year-old rookie outfielder accomplishment preceded his big league debut, an oddity that also includes Dave Parker (1973) and Barry Bonds (1986) among the players who also recorded hits before making their big league debuts.
2019 At Target Field, Twins’ pinch-hitter Max Kepler collects a game-tying single in the eighth inning, a game-tying home run five frames later, and ends the contest with a one-out walk-off single in the 17th to beat the Red Sox, 4-3. The overtime performance marks the 24th time since 1925 a player records a game-tying hit and a go-ahead hit in extra innings.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
June 18, 1921 – Detroit Tigers football franchise forms after being known as the Detroit Heralds the year prior and only survives part of the 1921 season. In the middle of the season the franchise folded and sent their roster to the Buffalo All-Americans.
NCAA PROPOSES RANDOM DRUG TESTING FOR ATHLETES
This was in reference to the June 18, 1973 policy established where the NCAA set up mandatory random urine tests for all participants to test for illegal forms of drugs and narcotics. NCAA spokesman Robert W. Pritchard stated that, “The situation is critical,” and that the tests would not lead to punishment but were “only to gather facts that we hope will provide us future direction in fighting drug abuse.” According to the NCAA.com the organization still tests for steroids, peptide hormones and masking agents year-round and also tests for stimulants and recreational drugs during championships.
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First NFL Helmet Logo
June 18, 1948 – The first use of a logo on an NFL helmet is credited to by Fred Gehrke, a running back for the Los Angeles Rams. According to a PFRA article written by Peter Vischansky for the organization’s Coffin Corner Publication in 2000, Gehrke sat down in his garage the summer of 1948 to paint a yellow laquer on his team’s leather helmets. He did not realize at the time that he was creating a muti-million dollar business and placing his name football immortality as well. Peter V. goes on to write that it was the blandness of helmets and uniforms of that time didn’t sit well with the art major Gehrke. He toyed with the idea of painting a helmet. Later after expressing this and at the urging of his coach, Bob Snyder, Fred made a pen and ink drawing to illustrate what the design would look like. Coach Snyder suggested the halfback paint a helmet with the ram horns on it that he could present to owner Dan Reeves. Using his skills as a technical illustrator, Fred painted two ram horns on an old college helmet. An intrigued Reeves had reservations about the legality of having an adornment on a helmet and said he would have to check with NFL. According to Gehrke, the answer Reeves got back from NFL was “You’re the owner; do what you want!” That did it! Dan Reeves commissioned Fred Gehrke to paint 75 helmets at $1.00 per helmet. The project took Gehrke all the summer of 1948 and history that stuck was made!
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR JUNE 18
June 18, 1912 – Wharton, Texas – University Texas halfback from 1930 to 1932, Harrison Stafford claimed his date of birth. The NFF’s bio of Harrison says he and another back named Ernie Koy provided Texas football with one of the nation’s best backfield punches during the early 1930s. Stafford laid enemy defenders low with blocks that blew holes in the line wide open for Koy to dash through and gain yardage and score points. The two became the most feared tandem in the Southwest. During the sophomore season of 1930, a year when Texas finished 8-1-1 to claim the Southwest Conference championship the tandem made their debut and dropped jaws in every stadium they and the ‘Horns played in. Stafford played an important role in the clinching of the title. In the next-to-last game of the season, Texas and Texas Christian were locked in a defensive battle until Harrison hammered home the only touchdown of the day and provided the Longhorns with a 7-0 victory. In 1969 he was named to the Southwest Conference 50-year team, covering the years 1919-1968. The National Football Foundation selected Harrison Stafford for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
June 18, 1921 – West Springfield, Massachusetts – The starting quarterback of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1941 to 1943, Angelo Bertelli was born. Bertelli, the “Springfield Rifle,” played in only six games during the 1943 season, yet won the Heisman Trophy per the National Football Foundation. Angelo Bertelli was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972 after the National Football Foundation tabulated their votes.
June 18, 1937 – Brooklyn, New York – Bob Reifsnyder, Navy’s tackle from 1956 to 1958 arrived in the world. The FootballFoundation.org website informs the reader that in 1957 Reifsnyder was named All-America and won the Maxwell Trophy, given to the nation’s best player. This was the first time the Maxwell Award was given to a guard or tackle. Bob Reifsnyder received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
June 18, 1963 – Norfolk, Virginia – Virginia Tech’s defensive end from 1981 to 1984, Bruce B. Smith was born. When Smith came to Virginia Tech, the Hokies were a mediocre program. His play helped boost the program’s profile into the decades of subsequent success per the NFF. Smith had a rare combination of strength, quickness and raw talent that played very nicely into his success on the defensive line. Injury forced Bruce Smith to miss most of his freshman season but as a sophomore Smith had eight sacks and in his junior year he became a first team All-America selection adding 22 sacks to his resume. He capped off his senior year with 16 more QB take downs behind the line.. Bruce was honored as a consensus All-America selection and won the Outland Trophy. Over his career, his 46 sacks and 71 tackles for loss resulted in an incredible total of 504 yards lost. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Bruce Smith into their legendary museum in 2006. In the 1985 NFL draft he was the first player taken overall by the Buffalo Bills. He was named the defensive Rookie of the Year. When his 19-year pro career ended he sat on top of the game’s all-time sack list with 200. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times. The Pro Football Hall of Fame shares how the Bills teams that won six AFC Eastern Division championships and four AFC titles, many observers feel that 1990 was Smith’s finest season. That year he recorded 19 quarterback sacks and his dominant play frequently changed the complexion of the game. Smith’s 13 seasons with 10 or more sacks is also an NFL record.. Bruce Smith was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
TREV ALBERTS
Position: Linebacker
Years: 1990-1993
Place of Birth: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Date of Birth: Aug 08, 1970
Jersey Number: 34
Height: 6-4″
Weight: 245
High School: Northern University (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
One of the most decorated defensive players in Nebraska history, Trev Alberts became the Cornhuskers’ first Butkus Award winner in 1993 as the top linebacker in the nation. He becomes the 17th Husker to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A unanimous First Team All-American following his senior season, Alberts was named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year in 1993. The senior team captain is Nebraska’s all-time career leader in sacks and is tied for the school’s single-season record. A two-time first team all-conference selection, Alberts led Nebraska to at least a share of three conference titles and four bowl appearances, including three-straight Orange Bowl berths. Alberts was named Defensive MVP following Nebraska’s loss in the 1993 Orange Bowl, and he helped the Huskers to an undefeated regular season and the national title game against Florida State at the Orange Bowl his senior year. The Football News Defensive Player of the Year in 1993, he earned Second Team All-America honors as a junior, and he was the Big Eight Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 1990.
Excelling off the field, Alberts was named an NFF National Scholar-Athlete and a First Team Academic All-American following his senior season. The three-time academic all-conference selection was also a recipient of the NCAA Today’s Top Eight Award and an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. At Nebraska, Alberts played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Osborne and alongside Hall of Famers Tommie Frazier and Will Shields and 1994 William V. Campbell Trophy winner Robert Zatechka.
Alberts was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, spending three seasons with the franchise. The Cedar Falls, Iowa, native had his number retired by Nebraska in 1994, and he is a member of the university’s All-Century Team and the state of Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. After his playing career, Alberts spent time as a college football analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports Network, and he now serves as the director of athletics at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
47 – 19 – 8 – 38 – 40 – 19
June 18, 1947 – The Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ewell Blackwell, wearing Number 47 tossed a no-hit gem against the Boston Braves in a 6-0 blanking at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.
June 18, 1950 – The Cleveland Indians set an American League Baseball record by tallying 14 runs in just the first inning in a blowout 21-2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics in Cleveland Stadium. This was a the second game of a double header where the Indians bats heated up in a 7-0 victory with ace Bob Feller, Number 19 on the hill in game one of the twinight double-header in a steady drizzle. Number 8, Ray Boone had a great day at the plate for Cleveland, batting .500 for the day between both games with 2 Home Runs.
June 18, 1953 – Boston Red Sox rookie Gene Stephens, Number 38 became the 1st player in AL history to register 3 hits in an inning. The young slugger helped Boston scored 17 runs in just the 7th Inning in a 23-3 rout of the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.
June 18, 1967 – Houston Astros pitcher Don Wilson, Number 40 threw his own no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves for a 2-0 victory at the Astrodome in Houston.
June 18, 1975 – Boston Red Sox Fred Lynn wearing Number 19 knocked in 10 RBIs in a single game in a 15-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
HONUS WAGNER
Hall of Fame skipper John McGraw called Honus Wagner “The nearest thing to a perfect player no matter where his manager chose to play him.”
Wagner played 21 seasons, primarily with his hometown team the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was the total package. He hit for average and power and could change the dynamics of a game on the base paths and in the field: He played every position on the diamond in his major league career except for catcher.
Nicknamed “The Flying Dutchman” in reference to his German heritage, Wagner had a bit of an awkward look about him. He gripped the bat with his hands inches apart and went the other way on outside pitches – or slid his hands together in a more traditional grip and pulled pitches down the line.
Burleigh Grimes, who as a youngster was a teammate of Wagner, recalled: “One day he was batting against a young pitcher who had just come into the league. The catcher was a kid, too. A rookie battery. The pitcher threw Honus a curveball, and he swung at it and missed and fell down on one knee. Looked helpless as a robin. I was kind of surprised, but the guy sitting next to me on the bench poked me in the ribs and said, ‘Watch this next one.’ Those kids figured they had the old man’s weaknesses, you see, and served him up the same dish – as he knew they would. Well, Honus hit a line drive so hard the fence in left field went back and forth for five minutes.”
Wagner hit .300-or-better for 15 straight seasons from 1899-1913. In that span, Wagner won eight National League batting titles, led the NL in doubles seven times, stolen bases five times and RBI four times. He paced the league in slugging percentage six times and on-base percentage four times.
When he retired following the 1917 season, Wagner had totaled 3,420 hits, 643 doubles, 1,739 runs, 1,732 RBI and 723 stolen bases to go with a .328 batting average.
“You can have your Cobbs, your Lajoies, your Chases, your Bakers, but I’ll take Wagner as my pick of the greatest,” McGraw said. “He is not only a marvelous mechanical player, but he has the quickest baseball brain I have ever observed.”
Wagner was among the first five players elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936. He passed away on Dec. 6, 1955.
TV SUNDAY
| COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES | TIME ET | TV |
| VIRGINIA VS. TCU | 2:09PM | ESPN |
| ORAL ROBERTS VS. FLORIDA | 7:07PM | ESPN2 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| US OPEN | 1:00PM | NBC |
| LPGA: MEIJER CLASSIC | 2:00PM | GOLF |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| BALTIMORE AT CHI. CUBS | 1:05PM | PEACOCK MARQ MASN/2 |
| COLORADO AT ATLANTA | 1:30PM | MLBN ATTSN-RM BALLY SPORTS |
| MIAMI AT WASHINGTON | 1:35PM | BALLY SPORTS MASN/2 |
| ST. LOUIS AT NY METS | 1:40PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS SNY |
| DETROIT AT MINNESOTA | 2:10PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| LA ANGELS AT KANSAS CITY | 2:10PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| CINCINNATI AT HOUSTON | 2:10PM | ATTSN-SW BALLY SPORTS |
| PITTSBURGH AT MILWAUKEE | 2:10PM | BALLY SPORTS ATTSN-PIT |
| TORONTO AT TEXAS | 2:35PM | SPORTSNET BALLY SPORTS |
| PHILADELPHIA AT OAKLAND | 4:07PM | NBS-PHI NBCS-CA |
| TAMPA BAY AT SAN DIEGO | 4:10PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS |
| SAN FRANCISCO AT LA DODGERS | 4:10PM | MLBN NBCS-BAY SPECTRUM |
| CLEVELAND AT ARIZONA | 4:10PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| NY YANKEES AT BOSTON | 7:00PM | ESPN YES NESN |
| MOTORSPORTS | TIME ET | TV |
| INDYCAR: ROAD AMERICA GRAND PRIX | 1:00PM | USA |
| FORMULA ONE: CANADIAN GRAND PRIX | 2:00PM | ESPN |
| RUGBY | TIME ET | TV |
| MLR: HOUSTON AT NEW ENGLAND | 1:30PM | FS1 |
| MLR: SEATTLE AT SAN DIEGO | 7:00PM | FS1 |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| NWSL: RACING LOUISVILLE FC VS NJ/NY GOTHAM FC | 4:00PM | CBS |
| CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE: THIRD PLACE MATCH | 6:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |
| NWSL: CHICAGO RED STARS VS PORTLAND THORNS | 6:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |
| NWSL: KANSAS CITY CURRENT VS WASHINGTON SPIRIT | 7:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |
| CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE: FINALS | 9:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |
| USFL | TIME ET | TV |
| NEW ORLEANS AT HOUSTON | 4:00PM | FS1 |
| PHILADELPHIA AT MICHIGAN | 7:00PM | FOX |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| PHOENIX VS NEW YORK | 12:00PM | CBS |
| CHICAGO VS WASHINGTON | 3:00PM | |
| ATLANTA VS INDIANA | 4:00PM | CBSSN |
| CONNECTICUT VS LOS ANGELES | 7:30PM | WNBA LEAGUE PASS |
| MINNESOTA VS LAS VEGAS | 9:00PM | WNBA LEAGUE PASS |