CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES
NORTHEASTERN 12 HAGERSTOWN 0
BLUE RIVER 11 MUNCIE BURRIS 1
SHELBYVILLE 8 NEW CASTLE 0
CASCADE 10 SPEEDWAY 0
FRANKLIN 7 GREENWOOD 6
NORTH CENTRAL 12 BEN DAVIS 3
RISING SUN 8 S. DEARBORN 5
RICHMOND 11 MONROE CENTRAL 2
SCECINA 2 RITTER 1
WARREN CENTRAL 17 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 4
MADISON GRANT 7 LAPEL 5
IRVINGTON PREP 13 HERRON 3
UNIVERSITY 33 ANDERSON PREP 6
LAWRENCE NORTH 7 PIKE 6
BEECH GROVE 4 LUTHERAN 3
NEW PALESTINE 8 PENDLETON HEIGHTS 0
OLDENBURG ACADEMY 15 SETON CATHOLIC 0
BREBEUF 8 PARK TUDOR 7
MOUNT VERNON 5 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 1
MOORESVILLE 7 PLAINFIELD 1
TRI-WEST 11 DANVILLE 1
GUERIN CATHOLIC 9 RONCALLI 7
CENTRAL INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCORES
BREBEUF 7 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 4
MISSISSINEWA 8 KOKOMO 5
TRI 4 NEW CASTLE 2
CHRISTEL HOUSE 7 IRVINGTON PREP 3
WAPAHANI 10 BLACKFORD 5
COWAN 13 YORKTOWN 3
RIVERTON PARKE 3 PARKE HERITAGE 1
TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 5 INDIANA DEAF 2
TRITON CENTRAL 8 SPEEDWAY 0
NEW PALESTINE 3 FISHERS 0
WINCHESTER 30 DALEVILLE 15
WHITELAND 17 PERRY MERIDIAN 10
FRANKLIN 9 GREENWOOD 3
BROWNSBURG 9 HARRISON 4
BISHOP CHATARD 15 WARREN CENTRAL 5
WESTFIELD 15 HAMILTON HEIGHTS 5
CASCADE 13 RITTER 0
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 13 MONROVIA 3
MARTINSVILLE 6 DECATUR CENTRAL 3
CENTERVILLE 11 DELTA 1
RONCALLI 10 NOBLESVILLE 0
MOORESVILLE 6 PLAINFIELD 0
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 25 RICHMOND 0
MOUNT VERNON 6 LAWRENCE NORTH 4
NBA PLAYOFFS
NEW YORK 112 MIAMI 103
GOLDEN STATE 121 LA LAKERS 106
NHL PLAYOFFS
TORONTO 2 FLORIDA 1
EDMONTON 4 VEGAS 1
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA 2 TORONTO 1 (10)
BOSTON 5 ATLANTA 2
MINNESOTA 4 SAN DIEGO 3 (11)
NY YANKEES 11 OAKLAND 3
DETROIT 5 CLEVELAND 0
TEXAS 4 SEATTLE 3
HOUSTON 5 LA ANGELS 4
BALTIMORE 2 TAMPA BAY 1
KANSAS CITY 9 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1
COLORADO 4 PITTSBURGH 3
LA DODGERS 8 MILWAUKEE 1
MIAMI 5 ARIZONA 4
WASHINGTON 11 SAN FRANCISCO 6
NY METS 2 CINCINNATI 1
CHICAGO CUBS 10 ST. LOUIS 4
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 4 ST. PAUL 2
BELOIT 6 FT. WAYNE 5
SOUTH BEND 10 WISCONSIN 6
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
DAYTON 7 BUTLER 6
INDIANA 8 XAVIER 6
ILLINOIS CHICAGO 7 PURDUE 3
COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES
INDIANA STATE 4 VALPO 1
GREEN BAY 5 IUPUI 1
GEORGIA TECH 8 NOTRE DAME 1
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
STEPHEN CURRY, WARRIORS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION, FORCE GAME 6 BY BEATING LAKERS 121-106
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Draymond Green loved Golden State’s defensive energy against LeBron James and knows the Warriors must bring that same urgency back to Los Angeles with another chance to save this topsy-turvy season and defend their title.
They need the same focus again whether or not Lakers star Anthony Davis is clogging up the middle after he suffered a head injury in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry had 27 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the reigning champion Warriors staved off elimination by beating the Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.
The Warriors have rallied before with this core group on the big postseason stage, becoming the first defending champion to come back from 2-0 down to beat Sacramento in the first round.
“We’re champions, so there’s pressure every time you step on the floor,” Green said. “You go out there, you don’t win people are ready to crush you. People forget about the things that you’ve done in the past.”
James had 25 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Davis added 23 points and nine rebounds but went to the locker room late after getting hit in the head by Kevon Looney as they fought for position in the paint on D’Angelo Russell’s layup with 7:43 remaining.
Davis grabbed at his head grimacing before going to the locker room. His status for Game 6 on Friday night back in Los Angeles is unclear but coach Darivn Ham was encouraged afterward without providing details on what evaluation – such as concussion testing – the big man went through once in the locker room. TNT reported Davis required a wheelchair to go to the locker room.
“Obviously, everyone saw he took a shot to the head, but we just checked in on him, he seems to be doing really good already,” Ham said. “That’s just where he’s at. That’s the status of it right now.”
Austin Reaves made a 3-pointer with 5:25 to play that cut the Warriors’ lead to single digits at 104-95 only for Curry to answer with five straight points, then he hit another big shot after Russell connected from deep.
Green contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State played tough defense that led to better chances on the offensive end – just as coach Steve Kerr has challenged his team to to.
“Our defensive mindfulness was there,” Curry said.
Now, it’s back to LA where the Lakers 5-0 at home this postseason, having won eight consecutive games on their own floor since losing to the Bulls on March 26.
Golden State is trying rally from a 3-1 series deficit for only the second time in franchise history and will try to win one more to bring Game 7 back to Chase Center on Sunday. The Warriors rallied from 3-1 down in the 2016 Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.
Curry beat the halftime buzzer with a 3-pointer over Lonnie Walker IV as the Warriors took a 70-59 lead. The 70 first-half points were the most Golden State in the playoffs since scoring 72 in a Game 6 first-round win over the Clippers in 2019. The last team to score 70 or more in a first half of a playoff game versus the Lakers was Phoenix with 71 in Game 4 of the 2000 second round.
Green and Wiggins took turns on James and Golden State tried to take Davis out of rhythm after he had 23 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two assists in Game 4.
Curry shot 12 for 24 but just 3 of 11 from long range coming off his third career playoff triple-double in a 104-101 Game 4 loss.
“I have a lot of confidence we can come back in this series,” Curry said. “And until otherwise, we stay in that kind of mindset.”
LINEUP LOOK
The Warriors, who had used five lineup combinations in their initial 11 postseason games, stuck with Gary Payton II for the second straight game – and it paid off.
He scored 13 points and converted a timely three-point play with 7:34 remaining to go with six rebounds.
Jordan Poole came off the bench and hit his first 3 since Game 1 late in the second quarter after going 0 for 8 the previous three games.
Klay Thompson struggled again. He went 3 for 11 in Monday’s loss to mark just the eighth time in his 150 postseason games that he scored in single digits – and three of the previous seven came before Kerr became coach in 2014.
On Thursday, he missed his initial four shots and 6 of his first seven to finish with 10 – but has a history of spectacular Game 6 performances and goes back to LA with a chance to shine.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Los Angeles was outrebounded 18-17 in the first half and 48-38 overall. … The Lakers scored 20 points off the Warriors’ 14 turnovers but committed 16 leading to 20 Warriors points. … James has never squandered a 3-1 playoff series lead. … The Lakers lost for only the six time since March 19 (17-6).
Warriors: Six Warriors accounted for seven first-quarter 3s after Golden State made only 12 total in Game 4 (12 of 41). … Golden State is 16-4 in Game 5s and 8-2 when facing elimination dating to its 2015 title run, including 4-2 at home. In addition, the Warriors are 34-12 in postseason games following a loss.
JALEN BRUNSON SCORES 38 POINTS, KNICKS BEAT HEAT 112-103 IN GAME 5 TO CUT DEFICIT TO A GAME
NEW YORK (AP) Jalen Brunson never talked to his coach about how minutes he would play, or how many points he had to score.
In the situation the Knicks faced, there’s no need for talk.
“Nothing was said at all,” Brunson said. “Whatever it takes.”
It might take the same effort again in two nights.
Brunson had 38 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while playing all 48 minutes in a season-extending performance, and New York beat the Miami Heat 112-103 on Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks denied the Heat’s first attempt to become just the second No. 8 seed to reach the conference finals and sent the series back to Miami for Game 6 on Friday night.
RJ Barrett added 26 points and Julius Randle – his face a little swollen after getting hit by Bam Adebayo in the first quarter – had 24 for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who stayed alive in hopes of reaching the conference finals for the first time since 2000. They did that by getting by the Heat in seven games in the second round, a possibility that still exists.
The Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, then hung on when the Heat finally got their 3-pointers to start falling and cut it to two with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
“You’ve got to kind of scratch and claw and do whatever you can to win the game,” Barrett said.
Jimmy Butler had 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Heat, getting held below 25 points for the first time in this postseason. Bam Adebayo added 18 points and Duncan Robinson had 17.
Butler poured in 42 points when the Heat finished off Milwaukee in Game 5 in the first round but took only 12 shots Wednesday, even while playing the entire second half.
“It doesn’t matter if I score 40 or 50 or 19 or nine, we always have enough to win,” Butler said. “And if I score 10 points in that game and we win, that wouldn’t be an issue, wouldn’t be a question and I will continue to play the right way.”
The 1999 Knicks, for now, remain the only No. 8 to get to a conference finals in the current playoff format that began in 1984. They got all the way to the NBA Finals after upsetting the top-seeded Heat in the first round.
The Knicks used a pair of huge quarter-opening runs – 18-2 to begin the second and 23-7 in the third – to build a 73-54 lead midway through the third quarter. The Heat got it all the way down to 103-101 before Isaiah Hartenstein – in the game because the Heat were intentionally fouling starting center Mitchell Robinson – slammed home a follow dunk to start New York’s finishing kick.
Only once the Knicks had held on could Brunson finally get a break.
“You have to respect him as a competitor and then find a way to get the job done,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And he was able to get the job done, make those big, important plays.”
Quentin Grimes also went all 48 minutes for the Knicks, finishing with eight points. Coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t rule either using both his starting guards the same way in Miami.
“We’ll see what Game 6 brings,” he said. “If it requires them to do that, then I’m not afraid to do it.”
The Heat dominated Game 3 and outworked the Knicks in the fourth quarter to hold on and take Game 4, positioning themselves to wrap up a series in five games for the second time in this postseason. They began it by knocking off Milwaukee, which had the best record in the league.
But they missed 21 of their first 25 3-pointers and were still down 13 with 9 1/2 minutes before Robinson and Kyle Lowry each made a pair in a 12-3 burst that trimmed it to 95-91 with more than half the final period remaining.
Butler had one of his typical do-everything stretches with a basket, a blocked shot and a free throw to cut it to 103-101, but the Heat couldn’t come all the way back like they did in the deciding game against the Bucks, when they were down by 16 points.
They led 24-14 after one, but Butler began the second quarter on the bench and the Knicks capitalized. They pushed the pace to get rare easy shots and Barrett made two 3-pointers in an 18-2 spurt that gave them a 32-26 lead.
Randle’s 3-pointer made it 50-47 at the half. Kevin Love got the first basket of the third, but Barrett and Brunson answered with consecutive 3-pointers to ignite the Knicks’ next spurt. The lead was eight before an 11-0 surge, featuring back-to-back 3-pointers by Brunson and Randle, pushed it to 73-54 midway through the period.
Robinson finished 4 of 8 at the line, ending with eight points and 11 rebounds.
TIP-INS
Heat: Max Strus scored 14 points. … Butler was voted Wednesday to the All-NBA second team. It was his highest career finish after being voted to the third team four times.
Knicks: Brunson and Grimes are the first Knicks duo to both play all 48 minutes in regulation in a playoff game since Walt Frazier and Jerry Lucas in 1972. … The Knicks were without sixth-man Immanuel Quickley for a second straight game because of a sprained right ankle and also without guard Evan Fournier, who has not been part of the rotation, because of illness. … Randle was voted to the All-NBA third team, adding that to his second-team selection in 2021.
MVP JOEL EMBIID LEADS ALL-NBA TEAM; RUNNER-UP NIKOLA JOKIC LANDS ON 2ND TEAM
(AP) — Denver’s Nikola Jokic now knows how Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid felt during two previous NBA award seasons.
Second in the MVP race – but only second-team All-NBA.
Embiid – the newly crowned MVP – headlined the All-NBA team unveiled Wednesday night. He was the first-team center, while Jokic was the second-team pick at that position. It was a reversal of the results from 2021 and 2022, when Jokic was MVP over Embiid, who then had to settle for the second-team All-NBA center spot.
And this should be the final time such a quirk happens. Starting next year, the All-NBA team will no longer be broken down by position – meaning the presumed second-best player in the NBA one season, such as Embiid in 2021 and 2022 and Jokic now, will not have to be relegated to second-team anything.
Joining Embiid on the first team were Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo at forward, and Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at guard.
On the second team along with Jokic were Miami’s Jimmy Butler and Boston’s Jaylen Brown at forward, and Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell at guard.
The third team center was Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, with the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James – now a 19-time selection, extending his record – and New York’s Julius Randle getting the forward spots and Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Portland’s Damian Lillard the guard selections.
Omitted this year after making it last year: first-teamer Devin Booker; second-teamers Ja Morant, Kevin Durant and DeMar DeRozan; and third-teamers Karl-Anthony Towns, Chris Paul, Trae Young and Pascal Siakam.
James is a 13-time first-team, three-time second-team and now three-time third-team pick. Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were all 15-time selections, tied for the second-most in NBA history.
The picks were made by a panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA.
Antetokounmpo was the only unanimous selection this season as a first-teamer. Tatum got 92 first-team votes, Embiid got 87, Gilgeous-Alexander got 63 and Doncic got 60.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell, Brown, Sabonis and Fox all made All-NBA for the first time. Embiid was first-team for the first time, while Butler made the second team for the first time after four appearances on the third team.
The league has utilized the current format of picking three All-NBA teams, by position – two guards, two forwards, one center on each – since 1989. From 1956 through 1988, there were two teams picked by position; from 1947 through 1955 there were two teams picked, but with no regard for position.
More often than not, the system works without a glitch. The top finalists for MVP typically have found their way onto the All-NBA first team.
But there have been notable exceptions – often involving centers, who are vying for just the one All-NBA first-team spot instead of the two that have been available to guards and forwards.
Embiid was second in the MVP race but only second-team All-NBA in the most recent two seasons. Other examples:
– 1994-95, MVP David Robinson got the first-team nod and runner-up Shaquille O’Neal wound up as the second-team center pick.
– 1993-94, Hakeem Olajuwon won MVP and was first-team at center, while Robinson was No. 2 in the MVP race and on the second team.
– 1976-77, Bill Walton was No. 2 in the MVP race, then second-team All-NBA behind MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
– 1975-76, Bob McAdoo was second in the MVP race and didn’t even make All-NBA, with the center spots that season going to MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and third-place finisher Dave Cowens.
There have also been some split votes, albeit none under the current voting methods, where the MVP somehow didn’t make the All-NBA first team. It happened to Bill Russell in 1958, 1961 and 1962, and then to Cowens in 1973.
WEST VIRGINIA’S HUGGINS AGREES TO $1M PAY CUT, 3-GAME SUSPENSION FOR HOMOPHOBIC SLUR
(AP) — West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins has agreed to a three-game suspension, a $1 million salary reduction and sensitivity training for using a homophobic slur during a radio interview, the university announced Wednesday.
The agreement allows Huggins to keep his job as the school’s coach, but the blunder will leave a lasting mark on his Hall of Fame career.
West Virginia University President Gordon Gee and athletic director Wren Baker said in a joint statement that the university has “made it explicitly clear to Coach Huggins that any incidents of similar derogatory and offensive language will result in immediate termination.”
Under the agreement, Huggins and all current and future athletics coaching staff will be required to undergo training that will be developed by the university’s LGBTQ+ Center to address all aspects of inequality, including homophobia, transphobia and sexism. Huggins also will be required to meet with LGBTQ+ leaders from across the state.
“We will never truly know the damage that has been done by the words said in those 90 seconds,” Gee and Baker said. “Words matter and they can leave scars that can never be seen. But words can also heal. And by taking this moment to learn more about another’s perspective, speak respectfully and lead with understanding, perhaps the words ‘do better’ will lead to meaningful change for all.”
Under the agreement, Huggins’ salary of $4.15 million will be reduced by $1 million. That reduction will 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.
Huggins will be suspended for the first three games of the 2023-24 season. In addition, his contract will be amended from a multi-year agreement to a year-by-year agreement that will begin on May 10 of this year and end on April 30, 2024.
“Over the past 48 hours, I have reflected on the awful words that I shared on a radio program earlier this week,” Huggins said in a separate statement Wednesday. “I deeply regret my actions, the hurt they unfairly caused others and the negative attention my words have brought to West Virginia University.
“West Virginia and West Virginia University are my home. I love this University and know first-hand that the education and experiences students receive here make a difference. I am truly sorry for the damage I have done. And I am grateful for the chance to move forward in a way that positively represents this University and our state.”
Huggins used the slur to refer to Xavier fans on Monday while also denigrating Catholics during an appearance on Cincinnati radio station WLW. The West Virginia athletic department called the comments “offensive” and said it was reviewing the matter.
During the radio show, 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 speech on Wednesday, Xavier President Colleen Hanycz called Huggins’ comments “repulsive and offensive.”
“The deplorable mischaracterizations and homophobic slurs directed towards our LGBTQ+ and our Catholic communities were repulsive and offensive,” Hanycz said before a press event detailing plans for a new medical school. “To those in our Xavier family who were directly targeted and harmed by these hateful words, be assured that you are invaluable members of our Xavier family and you belong here,” Hanycz said. “Your presence makes us better.”
Under the agreement, Huggins also will make a “substantial” donation to Xavier to support its Center for Faith and Justice and Center for Diversity and Inclusion.
Remarks about Catholics have been an issue with Gee in the past. Gee was hired at West Virginia in 2013, a year after he announced his retirement as Ohio State’s president when he came under fire for jokingly referring to “those damn Catholics” at Notre Dame and poking fun at the academic quality of other schools.
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 had finished under .500 five times. The Mountaineers have 11 NCAA Tournament appearances under Huggins.
Huggins spent 16 seasons at Cincinnati before being fired in 2005 in a power struggle with the school’s president as well as the aftermath of a 2004 drunken driving arrest. After spending one season at Kansas State, Huggins took his dream job at West Virginia, his alma mater, in 2007.
WOLL STOPS 24, MAPLE LEAFS AVOID ELIMINATION BY TOPPING PANTHERS 2-1 IN GAME 4
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) There was an unintentional assist from one of the referees. There was a nearly flawless performance from a rookie goalie making his first playoff start. And there was no sense of panic.
Toronto is going home – for another game, not to start the offseason.
Joseph Woll stopped 24 shots in his first playoff start, Mitch Marner and William Nylander had the goals and the Maple Leafs staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Wednesday night.
“It was a pretty awesome game to get put into,” Woll said.
Another pretty awesome chance awaits Friday, when Game 5 will be on Toronto’s ice.
Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, which got 23 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers still lead the series 3-1, though their franchise-playoff-record six-game winning streak is now over.
“We lost a game today. That happens in the playoffs,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We’re good. We’re OK. We get to play the next one. I think we’re all good with that. It wasn’t so fabulous a win that they’re not going to let us play the next one.”
Nylander was the beneficiary of an odd bounce for a power-play score in the second period, Marner scored midway through the third and Woll did the rest as he took the place of injured starter Ilya Samsonov.
Woll, who turns 25 on July 12, was bidding to become the youngest Toronto goalie to have a playoff shutout since Felix Potvin – then 23 – stopped 42 shots to beat Chicago 3-0 on May 9, 1995.
He was 7:47 away from pulling it off.
Reinhart – who had the OT winner in Game 3 – took a quick pass from Matthew Tkachuk and found a way to just get the puck through Woll’s leg pads for a power-play score, cutting Toronto’s lead to 2-1. The Leafs called their time-out immediately after the goal, just to calm everyone down.
“I thought we were playing a really good period to that point,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “It really was to give our guys a breath. … I didn’t have to say much.”
Woll didn’t have to do the job alone, either. Toronto blocked 21 shots as a team.
“We’re just going to keep fighting,” Leafs forward John Tavares said.
Nylander’s surname is pronounced KNEE-lander, which seemed fitting on the opening goal.
Toronto went more than five full periods – 107 minutes and 46 seconds, to be exact, going back to late in the second period of Game 2 – without a power play until Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen got called for high-sticking the Leafs’ Michael Bunting early in the second period.
And they cashed in, thanks to the hockey gods who oversee crazy bounces.
Bunting tried dumping the puck around the net from the right-wing boards, only to have it bounce off the knee of referee Jon McIsaac as he tried to get out of the way. It skipped to the front of the net, where Nylander knocked it past Bobrovsky for a 1-0 Toronto lead.
“A bit unlucky bounce, but it is what it is,” Bobrovsky said. “Again, I thought we had a good game. We compete. We fight. We played a solid defensive game. They are a good team as well, so that’s the score tonight.”
It was the first goal of the series for Toronto’s big four players of Nylander, Auston Matthews, Tavares and Marner.
“It’s not going to get easier,” Nylander said.
The score stayed 1-0 going into the third, though Toronto had a big chance to go up two in the final seconds of the second period. Tavares got loose down the center of the ice on a breakaway, but Bobrovsky knocked away his attempt to the stick side to keep Florida within one.
Marner made it 2-0 with 9:57 left, and the Leafs held on. They haven’t been swept in a playoff series since 1980 – a best-of-five against the Minnesota North Stars – and not in a best-of-seven since Montreal ousted them in four games in 1979.
“We were right there to the end,” Florida forward Sam Bennett said. “And that’s playoff hockey.”
STILL NO SWEEP
Florida has never swept a playoff series. The Panthers also haven’t clinched a series on home ice since 1996.
AROUND THE RINK
It was the 12th career start (first in a playoff game) for Woll and the 680th for Bobrovsky (54th in a playoff game). … With Samsonov hurt, the Maple Leafs recalled G Dennis Hildeby from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to be the team’s emergency backup goalie. Matt Murray backed up Woll.
NUGENT-HOPKINS HAS GOAL, ASSIST TO HELP OILERS BEAT GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4-1, EVEN SERIES AT 2-2
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 Wednesday night to even their second-round playoff series at two games apiece.
Nick Bjugstad, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm also scored as the Oilers built a four-goal lead in the second period. Connor McDavid had two assists and Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots.
Nicolas Roy scored in the third period for Vegas. Adin Hill stopped 29 shots in his first NHL playoff start after playing minutes in the two previous games of the series.
Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night at Las Vegas, and Game 6 will be back in Edmonton on Sunday.
Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo took a major and a game misconduct with less than 90 seconds remaining. After Leon Draisaitl shot wide of an empty net, Pietrangelo slashed the Oilers’ forward across the arms.
It capped a penalty-filled third period, with all the infractions coming in the final 10 minutes. Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson and Jonathan Marchessault were assessed misconducts, along with Edmonton’s Kailer Yamamoto and Evander Kane earlier in the period. Also, the Golden Knights’ Nicolas Hague and the Oilers’ Darnell Nurse were sent off for fighting, with Nurse also getting an instigator penalty and a misconduct. Vegas’ Brett Howden also received a misconduct with 25 seconds remaining.
Bjugstad, coming off Edmonton’s bench, forced a turnover by Shea Theodore in the offensive zone. When Klim Kostin missed the net, Bjugstad got the puck behind the goal line and banked a backhand off Hill’s leg at 6:46 of the first period to give the Oilers a 1-0 lead.
With Theodore serving a slashing minor, Bouchard earned his fourth power-play goal of the playoffs at 7:38 to double the lead. McDavid, from behind the goal line, fed Bouchard for a one-timer.
Ekholm scored his first of the playoffs with a blast from the top of the faceoff circle to beat Hill far side for a 3-0 lead with 6:30 left in the opening period.
Vegas captain Mark Stone trailed that play in pain after he went down by Edmonton’s net. Stone missed 39 regular-season games after back surgery, but returned for the playoffs.
The Oilers killed off consecutive penalties midway through the second period. Zach Hyman took a cross-checking minor and Skinner was penalized for playing the puck outside the trapezoid. Pietrangelo rang a shot off the crossbar during the Knights’ second man advantage.
Nugent-Hopkins also got his first of the playoffs as he beat Hill with a wrist shot from the slot off a pass from McDavid from the boards to make it a four-goal lead with 5:15 left in the second.
Roy chipped the puck upstairs over Skinner’s glove at 5:58 of the third period for his first goal of the playoffs.
Edmonton’s power play, which came in converting at a 56% pace in the playoffs, went 1 for 6. The Oilers also held Vegas to 0 for 4.
NEXT GOALIE UP
Vegas started five different goalies during the regular season because of injury. That trend continued into the playoffs.
Laurent Brossoit started eight straight playoff games. He was replaced by Hill in the first period of Game 3 because of what appeared to be a left leg injury. Hill stopped all 25 shots he faced over the remaining 48 minutes in the Knights’ 5-1 win.
Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy said before Wednesday’s game he wouldn’t know how long Brossoit would be sidelined until the team returns to Vegas.
Jonathan Quick, acquired at the NHL deadline, drew in at backup behind Hill, with Jiri Patera the third-stringer.
STEELE MOVES TO 6-0, CUBS GET HRS FROM WISDOM AND GOMES IN 10-4 WIN OVER CARDINALS
CHICAGO (AP) Patrick Wisdom and Yan Gomes homered to lead unbeaten Justin Steele and the Chicago Cubs past the St. Louis Cardinals 10-4 on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game skid.
Steele (6-0) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out three and walking three. He joined Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw as the only six-game winners in the National League.
“I felt really good tonight,” said Steele, who had gone 14 consecutive starts without allowing more than two earned runs. “I felt like I had all my pitches working. … It was a fun game.”
Nolan Arenado hit his first triple of the season for St. Louis, which had won three straight after dropping eight in a row.
Jordan Montgomery (2-5) lost for the fifth time in six starts after giving up six runs in five innings. He issued a pair of walks to load the bases in the second but caught Christopher Morel looking at a third strike to escape the jam.
Montgomery’s luck changed an inning later when Wisdom hit his 12th homer, a two-run shot that gave the Cubs the lead for good. Gomes, reinstated from the seven-day concussion injured list earlier in the day, added a two-run drive an inning later that came a few feet short of clearing the left-field bleachers.
“Definitely feels good to be back,” said Gomes, who helped a scuffling Cubs offense rack up 14 hits. “This game is contagious and momentum is a big thing and we hope it goes our way now.”
Dansby Swanson hit a two-run double off Drew VerHagen in Chicago’s three-run sixth to break the game open. Morel finished with a pair of RBI singles and Trey Mancini drew three walks and scored three times.
Arenado knocked in the Cardinals’ first run with his triple in the first and Willson Contreras singled home a run in the third to stake Montgomery to an early 2-0 lead.
“Today the game got away from us on the pitching side but overall, we still feel pretty good about some of the pieces coming together,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Good series win.”
ACROSS THE POND
The season series between the NL Central rivals resumes in late June when they meet for a two-game set in London. The Cardinals will be the home team at London Stadium, which served as the track and field venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
HELLO AGAIN
Contreras welcomed the boos as he went to first base after driving in the Cardinals’ second run. The former Cubs catcher smiled and waved his arms to fans along the right-field line and got an even louder reaction an inning later when he struck out swinging. He finished the night 1 for 4 with two strikeouts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: C Miguel Amaya was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to open a roster spot for Gomes.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals get an off day before opening a series Friday night in Boston, where RHP Adam Wainwright (0-0, 7.20 ERA) faces LHP James Paxton in his 2023 debut.
The Cubs are also off Thursday. They’ll send LHP Drew Smyly (3-1, 3.05 ERA) to the mound against RHP Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.35) on Friday in Minnesota.
VERLANDER GETS 1ST WIN WITH METS, GOES 30 FOR 30 IN MLB, AS ALONSO HOMER HELPS NY EDGE REDS 2-1
CINCINNATI (AP) Justin Verlander pitched seven innings of two-hit ball for his first victory with the Mets, and Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 13th home run as New York squeezed out a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.
Brandon Nimmo had three hits, including a go-ahead single in the fourth to help the Mets win for just the fourth time in 16 games.
Cincinnati had been the only MLB team Verlander had never beaten. The three-time Cy Young Award winner became the 21st pitcher in big league history with at least one win against all 30 current clubs. He joined Gerrit Cole, Zack Greinke and teammate Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to do it.
“Any time you do something that not many people have done in this game is pretty cool,” Verlander said.
Verlander (1-1), who signed a two-year deal worth almost $87 million during the offseason, retired 18 of the last 19 batters he faced in his second start for New York after returning from a muscle strain in his upper back. He struck out seven and walked two as the Mets (18-19) snapped a three-game skid. They had lost six of seven overall.
Mets manager Buck Showalter thought Verlander got stronger later in the game after giving up a run in the first.
“Yeah, I think so,” Showalter said. “Like most of those guys, you see him in the first inning, you better get them. But then he smelled it. The last couple of innings, you could tell he was smelling it.”
Adam Ottavino pitched a perfect eighth before David Robertson struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save in seven opportunities.
Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (0-3), in his fourth start since signing a $53 million, six-year contract on April 17, stranded six runners in six innings. He allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a season-high four walks. He also hit a batter with a pitch.
“I did a good job of getting ahead of hitters, but I couldn’t put them away,” Greene said. “I felt I was able to keep the game under control. I got a lot of good swings and misses, but there were times when I was hit. It was not my best game with stuff, but I’m proud that I kept the game under control.”
All three of Greene’s losses have come in his last four games, but he has a 3.09 ERA during that stretch.
Alonso drove Greene’s first pitch of the second inning into left field for his second solo homer in two nights.
The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth with a two-out rally sparked by the bottom of the order. Luis Guillorme doubled to right, Francisco Álvarez walked and Nimmo delivered an RBI single.
The Reds (15-21) grabbed a first-inning lead on Jonathan India’s leadoff single and Jake Fraley’s two-out double into the right-field corner. That was their final hit of the night.
“Verlander got out of the first,” Reds manager David Bell said. “That was our opportunity right there to turn it into a big inning. To his credit, he settled in after that. He was outstanding.”
FIRST-INNING BLUES
The Mets have been outscored 30-9 in the first inning this season.
UNDER THE RADAR
Guillorme went 2 for 3 with a walk to raise his career batting average against Cincinnati to .375 (12 for 32).
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: C Tomás Nido was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, with dry eye syndrome. C Michael Pérez was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse, and RHP Elieser Hernández (right shoulder strain) was transferred to the 60-day IL. … LHP Brooks Raley (left elbow inflammation) was sent on a rehab assignment to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
UP NEXT
LHP Nick Lodolo’s scheduled start Thursday for Cincinnati was pushed back to Saturday. RHP Derek Law (2-4, 3.00 ERA) will be the opener for the Reds in his first major league start since 2019 with Toronto. RHP Kodai Senga (4-1) goes for the Mets.
RODRIGUEZ STRIKES OUT 8 IN 4TH STRAIGHT WIN, TIGERS SHUT OUT GUARDIANS
CLEVELAND (AP) Eduardo Rodriguez struck out eight over seven innings, Javier Báez had two hits and two runs and the Detroit Tigers cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday to win their three-game series.
Rodriguez (4-2) gave up four hits and two walks, allowing only two runners past first base in his sixth straight dominant performance. The left-hander is 4-0 with a 0.43 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings since April 12, including a current 19 1/3-inning scoreless streak.
“Whatever pitch is working, I keep using it – and I feel like all my pitches are working right now,” said Rodriguez, who used a four-seam fastball on 50 of his 99 pitches. “As long as I keep getting guys out, I’m going to keep using it.”
Báez singled, doubled and scored twice in the first three innings as the Tigers built a 5-0 lead. Andy Ibañez and Akil Baddoo each had RBI doubles, Spencer Torkelson singled in a run and Riley Greene plated another off Cleveland starter Peyton Battenfield (0-4).
In two starts against the Guardians this year, Rodriguez has thrown 15 scoreless innings and earned two wins. He also bested Battenfield on April 18 at Comerica Park and is 4-0 in his career against Cleveland.
“When (Rodriguez) is on the mound, we’re all like, ‘Let’s go!’” Greene said. “Watching him from center field, he’s incredible. He is not missing his spots.”
Jason Foley and Chasen Shreve wrapped up the combined four-hitter and Detroit’s fourth shutout of the season. The Tigers are 7-2 in May and moved back in front of the Guardians for second place in the AL Central.
“There are a lot of positive things going on,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said.
Tyler Freeman singled twice and David Fry had his first major league hit for Cleveland, which loaded the bases in the fourth before Rodriguez struck out Mike Zunino to end the threat.
The Guardians were shut out for the second time in six games, and fifth this season. The defending AL Central champions scored just four runs in the series and 19 in their last 10 games.
“We didn’t do a whole lot,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “Rodriguez has got three really quality pitches and he commands extremely well.”
Battenfield gave up a season-high five runs on seven hits in six innings, striking out four. The right-hander is the first Cleveland pitcher to begin his career 0-4 in six appearances since Carlos Carrasco in 2010.
The Guardians have won only one of their six home series and have a 7-11 record at Progressive Field.
“With them being aggressive, they pretty much scored all five runs within 45 pitches,” Battenfield said. “So with the runs given up, I was pretty efficient throughout the game.”
AFTERNOON OFF
Guardians 2B Andrés Giménez was not in the lineup after batting .134 over the previous 20 games, managing just nine hits in 67 at-bats. Giménez was a first-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner last season.
“Mentally, it’s probably good for him,” Francona said. “He’s having a tough time and (Rodriguez) is tough on everybody. Sometimes, it just will do a kid good.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort), who has been on the 15-day injured list since March 30, has resumed throwing. Brieske has not pitched in the majors since July 12, 2022, at Kansas City but made five spring training appearances.
Guardians: RHP Aaron Civale (left oblique strain) threw 20 batting practice pitches Tuesday in Goodyear, Arizona, reaching 91-93 mph. Civale will throw again Saturday, continuing his comeback from the injury that occurred on April 7 against Seattle.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (2-2, 5.28 ERA) takes on Mariners LHP Marco Gonzales (2-0, 4.70 ERA) as Detroit begins a five-game homestand Friday.
Guardians: LHP Logan Allen (1-1, 2.70 ERA) faces Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (1-0, 5.40 ERA) on Friday in the opener of a three-game home.
FREEMAN GETS 3 RBIS, KERSHAW WINS NL-BEST 6TH GAME IN DODGERS’ 8-1 ROUT OF BREWERS
MILWAUKEE (AP) Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs and Clayton Kershaw won his National League-best sixth game as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-1 on Wednesday to take the three-game series.
Will Smith and Miguel Vargas also went deep for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who top the NL in home runs (64).
Kershaw (6-2) struck out eight batters and walked none over seven innings while allowing five hits. Besides giving up a home run to William Contreras, he allowed only one other runner to reach second base.
It was the seventh time the 35-year-old Kershaw pitched six or more innings and came a day after the Dodgers used seven relievers. Kershaw had won four straight before giving up four runs and walking five batters in 4 2/3 innings in his last start, a loss at San Diego.
“Overall, just better fastball command, just kind of the way it all started for me,” he said. “I was able to put the ball on both sides of the plate, which was definitely helpful.”
The Dodgers scored seven runs in five innings off Milwaukee starter Wade Miley (3-2).
The 36-year-old Miley, signed as a free agent after pitching for the Cubs in 2022, retired the first 10 batters before Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning when Freeman and Smith hit back-to-back home runs.
After Contreras’ homer in the fourth inning, Freeman extended Los Angeles’ lead to 4-1 with a two-out single in the fifth. Miley had loaded the bases by allowing a single and two walks.
“I felt a little bit better at the plate,” Freeman said. “My body was moving toward the pitcher and not away from the pitcher today. I still had a couple bad swings here and there, but progress was made a little bit today.”
The lead was extended to 6-1 on Vargas’ home run in the sixth.
“I didn’t execute pitches out of the stretch, out of the windup everything was going good,” Miley said. “Too many walks in situations where I need to go after guys.”
Los Angeles’ Wander Suero pitched the eighth and ninth innings, striking out three.
Milwaukee closer Devin Williams appeared in a rare non-save opportunity, throwing a perfect ninth. He hadn’t pitched since Sunday.
KERSHAW SHUT DOWNS YELICH
Christian Yelich entered Wednesday with a career .474 average (9 for 19) against Kershaw, the highest of any player. The rest of the Brewers’ lineup entered 1 for 37 against Kershaw. Yelich, who hit cleanup rather than his customary leadoff position, went 0 for 3.
BESTING LEFTIES
The game featured veteran left-handed starters against the two NL teams with the lowest batting averages against lefties. The Dodgers entered Wednesday hitting .197 against left-handers and the Brewers .207.
“I think you can pick any stats you want in the first month of the season, but over the course of 162 (games), things are going to work themselves out,” Freeman said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Manager Dave Roberts said a decision likely will be made Friday on whether to put RHP Noah Syndergaard on the IL. Syndergaard left his start Tuesday after one inning because of a cut on the index finger of his pitching hand.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Host the Padres for a three-game series starting Friday, with RHP Dustin May (4-1, 2.68 ERA) taking the mound. San Diego did not announce a starter.
Brewers: Host the Royals for a three-game series starting Friday, with RHP Corbin Burnes (3-2, 3.86 ERA) taking the mound. Kansas City did not announce a starter.
PRATTO, MASSEY, OLIVARES HOMER AS ROYALS BLAST WHITE SOX 9-1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Nick Pratto homered and Brad Keller won for the first time in nearly a month as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 9-1 on Wednesday night.
Keller (3-3), who leads the majors with 32 walks allowed, got into immediate trouble walking the first two batters he faced, but escaped first-inning damage with a double play and strikeout.
“We had a chance to put some runs on the board in the first inning and we didn’t,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “We had them on the ropes there and he was able to get out of it.”
Gavin Sheets walked to lead off the second and scored on Hanser Alberto’s single for Chicago’s lone run.
“The walks in the beginning, he easily could have fought himself hard,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “(He showed) some resolve. He really executed some pitches, especially with the off-speed stuff. The third inning he came out and threw some good fastballs in the zone. That kind of reset the match-up. It wasn’t just one pitch they had to worry about.”
Keller finished five innings, allowing one run on three hits and four walks, striking out four to earn his first win since April 12.
“I think that (third) was by far my best inning,” Keller said. “The offense putting up numbers like they did allowed me to just go out there and throw strikes. That inning gave me confidence to keep going.”
The Royals batted around in the first, collecting six hits, including Pratto’s two-out RBI single, grabbing a 4-0 lead while forcing Lance Lynn (1-5) to toss 37 pitches in the inning.
“Making pitchers work, making them earn their outs, that’s a big thing in this game,” Pratto said. “If you can make the other team work we’re going to get opportunities to do damage.”
Lynn surrendered seven runs on nine hits two walks, fanning four over five innings.
“A lot of mistakes in the middle of the plate,” Lynn said. “I couldn’t get the ball elevated when I needed to and when I tried to go down it was in the middle of the plate, too. They made me pay for it.”
Pratto’s homer, a two-run shot to right, gave Kansas City a 7-1 lead in the fifth.
Michael Massey opened the fourth with his first home run of the season and Edward Olivares opened the seventh with his third homer. Massey and Vinnie Pasquantino each produced three hits.
“The home runs, obviously, were big,” Quatraro said. “It was just nice that it was production up and down. Walks, tough at-bats that we fought through. Really positive night overall for the offense.”
Four Royals relievers fanned seven over four scoreless innings.
Chicago had six hits, all singles. Luis Robert Jr. struck out four times, snapping an eight-game hitting streak.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox OF Billy Hamilton was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 7 with a left hamstring strain.
TRANSACTIONS
White Sox RHP Nick Padilla was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, OF Jake Marisnick’s contract was selected from Charlotte, and RHP Alexander Colomé was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
RHP Mike Clevinger (2-3, 4.84 ERA) will oppose RHP Brady Singer (2-4, 8.82) in Thursday’s series finale.
JAGUARS WILL PLAY TWICE IN LONDON, 2 GERMANY GAMES SET
(AP) — Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars will become the first NFL team to play two international games in the same season when they spend back-to-back weeks in London this year.
The Jaguars will “host” the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 1 and “visit” the Buffalo Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8. The Jaguars were set to play two designated home games in London in 2020 but the pandemic canceled those plans.
The NFL also announced dates for three other international games and released the opponents for a few other games, including the first Black Friday matchup.
The Tennessee Titans will “host” the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 15. NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will “host” the Miami Dolphins in Germany at Eintracht Frankfurt Stadium on Nov. 5. The New England Patriots will “host” the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12, also in Frankfurt.
Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets will host the Dolphins on Nov. 24. The reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the New York Giants on Christmas Day in a playoff rematch. The Chiefs will host the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year’s Eve in another playoff rematch.
The entire NFL schedule will be released on Thursday night.
“Hosting the Falcons at Wembley Stadium will be awesome only to be followed by playing on the road against the Bills at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,” Lawrence said in a statement. “I’m pumped for the experience and know the support from Duval will be strong at both games.”
The Jaguars have played nine games in London, including a 21-17 loss to the Denver Broncos last October in front of an NFL-record international crowd of 86,215 fans at Wembley Stadium. Under first-year coach Doug Pederson, who guided Philadelphia to a Super Bowl title in 2017, the Jaguars last year became the first team to win a playoff game after having the worst record the previous season.
It’ll be the second trip to London for the Titans and the Ravens.
“It’s exciting to witness and play a role in the NFL’s rise in popularity across the globe,” Ravens president Sashi Brown said. “This is an incredible opportunity to play in front of and connect with Ravens fans in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Munich in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Germany last season.
“We are thrilled to be headed to Frankfurt this fall to play the Dolphins,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “The Chiefs have a long history of helping to grow the game of football around the world, and we have been eagerly anticipating our chance to play in Germany.”
The Patriots are 3-0 in international games while the Chiefs are 2-0.
“Germany has some of the most passionate sports fans in the world and has always been an international leader in enthusiasm for American football and the NFL,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. “I’m thrilled to play a home game in this new market and to continue to build upon our team’s long history and engagement with German fans. Our goal is to connect with fans at the local level and I look forward to expanding that fan base and fostering additional relationships and opportunities for partnership in Germany as well as Austria and Switzerland.”
There will be no international game in Mexico in 2023 because of renovations taking place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The five international games in 2022 set record-breaking attendance and viewership. Each game was sold out with a total of 356,116 in attendance.
“We are excited to bring three games to London once again, a city with a huge love for the sport and a passionate fan base across the UK,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president, club business, major events and international. “We are also pleased to confirm that the two games in Germany will be played in Frankfurt, a city steeped in NFL heritage. We look forward to staging both games at Eintracht Frankfurt’s Stadium, building on the incredible atmosphere experienced at last season’s game in Munich.”
The NFL’s expansion to 17 regular-season games in 2021 gives teams a ninth home game in alternating seasons. Up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams are eligible for that ninth regular-season home game are designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.
The Jaguars host a game at Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing in Britain.
“The addition of the road contest against Buffalo allows us to maximize the logistical efficiency of our travels to and from the United Kingdom, while maintaining a strong slate of games in our true home at TIAA Bank Field,” Jaguars President Mark Lamping said in a statement.
EX-RAIDER HENRY RUGGS PLEADS GUILTY TO DRIVING DRUNK AT 156 MPH, CAUSING FATAL CRASH
LAS VEGAS (AP) Ex-Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs pleaded guilty Wednesday to driving his sports car drunk at speeds up to 156 mph on a city street before causing a fiery crash that killed a woman and her dog.
“Guilty,” said the former first-round NFL draft pick, 24, who will avoid trial and is expected to be sentenced Aug. 9 to three to 10 years in state prison under terms of his plea deal with prosecutors. The minimum three-year sentence cannot be reduced by converting the year-and-a-half that he has spent on house arrest to time already served.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson cited possible legal obstacles to obtaining a conviction at trial, said he met several times with relatives of the woman who died, and said the plea agreement with Ruggs “accomplished our three most important goals.”
Ruggs was convicted of felony DUI causing death, will go to prison, and won’t be able to appeal his conviction and sentence, the elected district attorney, a Democrat, said in a lengthy written statement. “When someone dies as the result of a drunk driver’s actions, this is the most serious charge the law allows.”
Ruggs declined to comment as he and a group of about nine people left the courthouse following his brief court appearance. He remains free pending sentencing.
“Henry entered his plea today in hopes that it will further the process of healing the wounds caused by the accident,” his attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in written comments. They promised a “more complete” statement following sentencing.
The Raiders dropped Ruggs while he was still hospitalized following the predawn Nov. 2, 2021, crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her pet dog, Max.
Tintor’s mother, brother, uncle and several other family members were in the courtroom Wednesday with their attorneys, Paul Albright and Farhan Naqvi.
In a statement issued after the hearing, the family thanked the district attorney’s office for its work and said they look forward to putting the case behind them.
“Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken from us that fateful night,” the statement said. “No sentence will ever bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other families suffer like we do.”
Tintor, 23, was a Serbian immigrant who graduated from a Las Vegas high school, worked at a Target store, wanted to become a computer programmer and was close to obtaining her U.S. citizenship, friends and family members said following her death.
“The family appreciates privacy during this time of mourning,” Naqvi said later in a written statement.
Ruggs’ girlfriend, Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, was with him in his 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and also was injured. Prosecutors said Ruggs suffered a leg injury, and Kilgo-Washington received an arm injury. Kilgo-Washington and Ruggs have a daughter together, and Kilgo-Washington was not cooperative with prosecutors as a victim in the case.
Last week, Ruggs waived a long-delayed preliminary hearing with his agreement to plead guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, causing death, a felony, and a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charge carrying a six-month jail sentence that will be folded in with his three-to-ten year prison term.
Wolfson said shortly after the crash that Ruggs would face a mandatory minimum of two years in prison if convicted and could get more than 50 years. The district attorney said investigators learned that Ruggs spent several hours drinking with friends at a sports entertainment site and golfing venue, and may have been at a friend’s home for several more hours before he and Kilgo-Washington headed home.
Since the crash, Ruggs’ lawyers lost several bids to challenge evidence, including that Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16% – twice the legal limit in Nevada – after the rear-end wreck that ignited a fire that killed Tintor and her pet dog.
Wolfson said in his statement that Ruggs might have escaped conviction at trial because Ruggs was not administered a field sobriety test following the crash and his defense attorneys argued that that Ruggs’ blood-alcohol test was improperly obtained at the hospital.
“There was virtually no other evidence to prove Ruggs was under the influence,” Wolfson of the blood test.
“I recognize this outcome is not sufficient to punish Ruggs for the loss the Tintor family has suffered,” the district attorney conceded. “But there was a legitimate concern that a court would have suppressed the result of the blood draw. We would have lost the felony DUI charge. We couldn’t take that chance.”
Police reported that air bag computer records showed the Corvette slowed slightly from 156 mph (251 kph) to 127 mph (204 kph) seconds before slamming into Tintor’s Toyota Rav 4. The speed limit in the area was 45 mph (72 kph).
Other charges against Ruggs were dismissed under the plea agreement, including felony reckless driving, driving under the influence causing substantial injury to Kilgo-Washington, and a misdemeanor gun charge stemming from the discovery by police of a loaded handgun in his demolished Corvette. Ruggs agreed to forfeit the gun.
Ruggs posted $150,000 bail to be released from jail after leaving the hospital, and has remained on house arrest with strict conditions including electronic monitoring and alcohol checks. A judge’s order allowed him to attend a gym for three hours of physical training twice a week.
Ruggs’ full name is Henry James Ruggs III. He grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and won an NCAA championship with the Crimson Tide before he was drafted by the Raiders in 2020. He signed a four-year rookie contract reported to be worth more than $16 million and had been emerging as a star NFL player before the crash. Records show he bought a $1.1 million home in April 2021, not far from the scene of the crash.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANS BASEBALL
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Ryan Vilade capped a three-run sixth inning with a two-run single through a drawn-in infield, and Quinn Priester tossed his second consecutive quality start to lift the Indianapolis Indians to a 4-2 win over the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday night at CHS Field.
Trailing 2-0 through the first five innings, Indianapolis (16-18) broke through in the sixth against Saints starter José De León (L, 0-2). With one away, Chavez Young and Nick Gonzales collected singles ahead of a run-scoring double into the right field corner by Endy Rodríguez. Two pitches later, Vilade knocked an off-speed pitch up the middle to give the Indians a 3-2 advantage.
Priester (W, 3-3) returned to the bump for the bottom of the sixth – his final inning of work – and delivered his second 1-2-3 inning of the night. He yielded two earned runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Three Indy relievers silenced the Saints (19-14) down the stretch. Angel Perdomo pitched a scoreless seventh and recorded the final out when Andrew Stevenson – who represented the tying run – was caught in a rundown trying to steal home. The southpaw has allowed just one earned run over his last 9.2 innings pitched (0.93 ERA) spanning eight appearances. Cody Bolton pitched around a two-out walk in the eighth in his first appearance since being optioned by Pittsburgh, and Colin Selby (SV, 2) struck out the side in the ninth to strand a one-out walk.
Gonzales, Cal Mitchell, Malcom Nuñez and Young all had two hits apiece.
The win marked Indy’s seventh in its last nine games and improved the club’s road record to 12-8.
Indianapolis continues its series at St. Paul on Thursday at 7:37 PM ET. The Indians have not yet named a starter. The Saints’ Simeon Woods Richardson (0-3, 6.35) gets the nod for his fifth start of the season and second against Indy.
INDIANA BASEBALL
CINCINNATI – A fever pitch of scoring opened the game, before the Indiana baseball team gritted out an 8-6 win on Wednesday (May 10) afternoon against Xavier at Hayden Field. IU piled up eight runs over the first five innings, before XU trimmed the lead to two runs in the eighth but could get no closer.
Indiana (35-14) scored in each of the first five innings with two in the first inning and one in the second inning before Xavier (30-19) got two runs in the bottom of the second. Two more in the third and fourth innings pushed IU’s lead to 7-1. The Musketeers got two back in the bottom of the fourth, IU added one run in the fifth and Xavier made it a two-run game with three in the eighth.
Sophomore Brock Tibbitts paced the offense with his third career multi-home run game. He was 2-for-3 with two home runs, walked once, drove in four RBIs and scored three times. Sophomore Josh Pyne and freshman Tyler Cerny each hit home runs in the game. Pyne added a sacrifice fly to produce his 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
Senior Ty Bothwell (3-1) allowed one run over three innings of work with four strikeouts to earn the win. He walked one and allowed two hits in his fifth start of the season. Freshman Connor Foley fired two scoreless innings with four strikeouts and stranded two inherited runners in the fifth inning.
Freshman Brayden Risedorph (5) picked up the save by throwing the final 1 2/3 innings of work scoreless. He allowed one hit and struck out two to earn the save in the third straight game for Indiana.
Teddy Deters drove in four of the six Xavier RBIs with a home run and triple in the game, while Jared Cushing also hit a home run. Nick Boyle (1-2) took the loss with five runs allowed on three hits over three innings of work.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Phillip Glasser walked to start the inning and Brock Tibbitts hit a two-run home with two outs.
Indiana 2, at Xavier 0
Top Second
Josh Pyne led off the inning with a home run to left field.
Indiana 3, at Xavier 0
Bottom Second
A one-out solo home run from Jared Cushing got Xavier on the board.
Indiana 3, at Xavier 1
Top Third
Devin Taylor was hit by a two-out pitch and Tibbitts followed with his second home run of the game.
Indiana 5, at Xavier 1
Top Fourth
A one-out home run from Tyler Cerny got the scoring started in the frame. A single from Peter Serruto was followed by a fielder’s choice from Sam Murrison. A walk to Glasser moved runners to first and second, before a failed pickoff attempt allowed Murrison to score from second.
Indiana 7, at Xavier 1
Bottom Fourth
A leadoff single from Carter Hendrickson was followed by a pair of outs. Teddy Deters pushed the run across with a two-run home run.
Indiana 7, at Xavier 3
Top Fifth
Tibbitts walked and Carter Mathison doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. Pyne’s sacrifice fly accounted for the lone run of the inning.
Indiana 8, at Xavier 3
Bottom Eighth
A leadoff walk to Hendrickson and one-out single from Alex Helmin put two runners on base against Gabe Levy. After Deters triple cleared the bases, Brayden Risedorph entered and allowed a sacrifice fly to score score the third run of the inning. A strikeout ended the threat.
Indiana 8, at Xavier 6
Up Next
Indiana will host Purdue in a three-game Big Ten series starting on Friday, May 12 at 6 p.m. on Bart Kaufman Field. All three games will be carried on the B1G+ and the Indiana Sports Radio Network
INDIANA SOFTBALL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana softball (40-15, 18-5 B1G) will play No. 7 Penn State (31-15, 11-11 B1G) in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals in Urbana-Champaign, Ill., at Eichelberger Field on Thursday afternoon.
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana (40-15, 18-5) closed out the regular season with their sixth conference sweep over Michigan State at Andy Mohr Field last weekend.
Freshman Taryn Kern earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the third consecutive week after she hit .714 with five hits and two walks with six runs scored. She recorded three doubles while holding a 1.571 slugging percentage with a 2.371 OPS on the weekend.
Minnick held a team high .750 batting average on the weekend, earning three hits including one double, triple and home run with six walks, reaching base in nine out of 10 of her at bats. The Bloomington, Ind., native held a 2.250 slugging percentage and an OPS of 3.15.
Sophomore pitcher Brianna Copeland picked up two wins against the Spartans for her 20th win of the season. She also picked up one save with seven strikeouts, one walk in 11.1 innings pitched.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
No. 7 seed Penn State (31-15, 11-11 B1G) defeated the No. 10 seeded Michigan Wolverines, 3-2, in a walk off win after capitalizing on an error to score two runs.
Junior Emily Maddock leads the Nittany Lion’s offense with a .456 batting average on the season as she leads the conference. She holds a 1.032 OPS in 90 at bats. Maddock has tallied 41 hits with three doubles and 14 RBI.
Senior Kaitlyn Morrison ranks second on the team with a .328 batting average on the season.
Penn State’s pitching staff is led by fifth year Bailey Parshall who holds a 1.46 ERA and is second in the league. Teammate Kylee Lingenfelter holds a 2.13 ERA.
SERIES NOTES
The Hoosiers leads the series 49-31 against PSU and dropped the series 2-1 in 2022.
IU saw action against the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Tournament in 2022, falling 2-1 in a close game in eight innings.
TEAM 50 IN THE BOOKS
Team 50 is etching itself in the record book after setting new single-season records for most home runs, RBI, doubles and runs scored.
Indiana is on pace to set season records in three additional categories: hits, stolen bases and batting average.
RECORD TRACKER (Current Standing)
RBI (354)
1. 278 (1994)
Home Runs (72)
1. 56 (2022)
Runs Scored (378)
1. 328 (1994)
Hits (442)
1. 466 (1994)
2. 462 (1987)
Doubles (96)
1. 95 (1994)
Stolen Bases (101)
1. 141 (2019)
2. 120 (1987)
3. 114 (2022)
4. 112 (2018)
5. 96 (2020)
Batting average (.320)
1. .293 (1997)
BIG TEN PLAYER + FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
• Taryn Kern was unanimously named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in addition to the league’s Player of the Year award.
• Kern leads the Hoosiers with two unanimous selections to the All-Freshman Team and as Freshman of the Year and the All-Freshman Team in addition to being awarded the Big Ten Player of the Year and to the First Team All-Big Ten
• She has tallied six Big Ten weekly awards including three Player of the Weeks, and six Freshman of the Week honors. She began the season with three consecutive weekly honors and finished the regular season with three straight league awards.
• The San Jose, Calif., native has set single season program records in home runs, RBI and runs scored and is the only Hoosier to win two individual postseason awards in program history.
SIX HOOSIERS EARN ALL-BIG POSTSEASON HONORS
• Kern leads the Hoosiers with two unanimous selections to the All-Freshman Team and as Freshman of the Year in addition to being awarded the Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten selection.
• Indiana’s Taylor Minnick was also named to the First Team All-Big Ten alongside Kern earning back-to-back All-Big Ten honors after she was named to the Second and All-Freshman Team in her first season with the Hoosiers.
• Minnick is currently ranked second in the Big Ten in three categories: slugging percentage (.768), OBS (.549), OPS (1.317). In addition, she ranks in the top five in RBI (52) and batting average (.413).
• Redshirt-junior Cora Bassett, freshman Avery Parker and Sarah Stone earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
• Parker and freshman Cassidy Kettleman were also selected to the league’s All-Freshman Team with classmate Kern after stellar performances in their rookie season.
B1G RECORDS
• Freshman Taryn Kern leads the nation with 21 home runs this season for the second-most by a Big Ten freshman (23 by Michigan’s Sierra Romero in 2013). She is also tied for seventh-most in conference history.
• The Big Ten record is 24 by Illinois’ Angelena Mexicano in 2008)
• Kern also captured her fifth Big Ten Freshman of the Week award, tying for third-most in conference history (most since Michigan pitcher Meghan Beaubien was a five-time honoree in 2018).
SWEEP, SWEEP – HOOSIERS ARE CLEANIN’ UP
• Indiana won its first three series going 9-0 to start conference play sweeping No. 22 Maryland, Purdue and Ohio State.
• IU finished just like they started, strong. They earned their sixth sweep with three consecutive series sweeps against Rutgers, Michigan and Michigan State in the last three weekends of the regular season.
BASSETT WITH A B1G PERFORMANCE
• Bassett was named Big Ten Player of the Week after she hit a .500 batting average in the series sweep over Michigan. She recorded six hits including one triple and one home run for two RBI, highlighted by her third leadoff homer of the season in the series finale.
• The Newburgh, Ind., native held a .917 slugging percentage with a .538 on-base percentage for a 1.455 OPS.
• She scored five runs in the series for a season total of 62. Bassett currently leads the Big Ten ahead of Kern in addition to breaking the record for most runs in a single season that she set in 2022.
• She surpassed her own school record for most runs scored in a single season (62). In 2022, she set the record with 57.
TARYN IT UP
• Indiana freshman Taryn Kern earned her fifth Big Ten honor after she was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week, while teammate and redshirt-junior Cora Bassett earned Big Ten Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday.
•Kern hit .455 on the weekend in the series sweep over Michigan, with a 1.091 slugging percentage and a 1.629 OPS. On the weekend, she totaled five hits, one double, two home runs and five RBI with five runs scored.
• In game two of the series, Kern hit a couple of two-run homers recording four RBI for the Hoosiers. She has totaled 21 long balls on the season and is tied with Louisville’s Taylor Roby to lead the NCAA.
•She also got it done in the field this weekend coming up with some big defensive plays for the Hoosiers, totaling 12 assists with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
•The San Jose, Calif., native leads the Big Ten in seven categories: slugging percentage (.992), OBS (.595), OPS (1.587), RBI (62), home runs (21), walks (39), and hit by pitch (19). The Indiana freshman is second in runs scored (59) and third in conference in batting average (.423).
•Kern has reached base in 44 consecutive games and has 10 multi-RBI games on the season as the leader of Indiana’s offense.
MONEY MINNICK
• Sophomore Taylor Minnick is ranked top-five in the Big Ten in five categories: RBI (49), OBS (.529), OPS (1.261), doubles (13), slugging percentage (.724) and batting average (.403).
• Minnick hit .500 on the week as the Hoosiers defeated Butler and swept Purdue and Ohio State as they made program history with 21 straight wins. She totaled eight hits, two doubles, two home runs, six runs, eight free passes and seven RBI on the week.
• The Bloomington, Ind., native hit a team high .750 against Ohio State with a 1.750 slugging percentage and a 2.555 OPS. She hit two home runs, four RBI with six hits and five runs scored against the Buckeyes.
• On the season, she has totaled 54 hits, 49 RBI, 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 28 walks.
• She was selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Second Team All-Big Ten after a dominating season performance.
• She had one of the best debut seasons in program history in 2022. The Bloomington native hit .305 with 29 hits, 17 runs scored, eight doubles, five home runs, 24 RBI and six stolen bases.
• In conference play, she held a .310 batting average, 15 runs, 22 hits, seven doubles, five home runs and 22 RBI in 23 games. Minnick also started in 22 of the Hoosiers 23 conference games in the B1G.
COPELAND IN THE CIRCLE
• Sophomore pitcher Brianna Copeland is 20-2 inside the circle this season.
• The Pelham, Ala., native holds a 3.10 ERA with 131 innings pitched and 120 strikeouts.
• Offensively, Copeland is batting .336 on the season with 50 hits. She has 26 extra base hits and 41 RBI on the season.
• She threw her first career no-hitter against Prairie View A&M tallying a career-high ten strikeouts, along with no hits, one run and zero walks. After opening weekend, she has an era of .60 after pitching 11.2 innings and totaling 14 strikeouts.
PURDUE BASEBALL
CHICAGO – Down 5-0 early, Purdue baseball fought back to make it a two-run game and had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth inning when UIC escaped the jam; it proved to be a turning point as the Flames went on to take the midweek rematch 7-3 Wednesday at Granderson Stadium.
Connor Caskenette singled twice to extend his hit streak to 18 consecutive games and on-base streak to 25 straight. It remains Purdue’s longest hit streak since 2011. He’s now just the 13th Boilermaker since 2001 with an on-base streak of 25 consecutive games.
Jake Parr drew a pair of free passed to extend his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games. Couper Cornblum’s 13-game hit streak became a 14-game on-base streak after he was held hitless for the first time since game 1 of the April 15 doubleheader vs. Penn State.
STREAKS EXTENDED WEDNESDAY
• Connor Caskenette (2-for-4, Run) – 25-game on-base streak; 18-game hit streak; 9-game on-base streak in road games
• Jake Parr (Walk, HBP, Run) – 21-game on-base streak
• Couper Cornblum (Walk, Run) – 14-game on-base streak
• Paul Toetz (RBI Single, HBP) – 97 consecutive games started (every game since start of 2022); 9-game on-base streak in midweek action
Evan Albrecht entered the game defensively at shortstop in the seventh inning, taking the field for his 200th game as a Boilermaker. The five-year starter became just the second player in the program’s Alexander Field era (since 2013) to see action in 200 career games.
Cornblum, Caskenette and Parr all reached safely to begin the sixth inning. Toetz was hit by a pitch to force in a run, earning his second RBI of the night and team-leading 49th of the season.
With the Boilermakers (23-24) having the go-ahead run at first base, UIC (23-21) went to the bullpen for righthander Ryan Karst. A comebacker led to an out at the plate and an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play followed.
The Flames doubled down on the momentum swing with consecutive doubles plus a two-out RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. Instead of an opportunity to at least tie the game, Purdue’s deficit had doubled in size from 5-3 to 7-3.
UIC turned another double play the following frame and erased Mike Bolton’s two-out triple when catcher Jackson Bessette erased the fastest Boilermaker on a back-pick pickoff.
Bessette also accounted for three of the Flames’ eight hits, including an infield single that produced an RBI to open the scoring in the home team’s four-run second inning.
UIC scored its first three runs on soft ground balls that didn’t leave the infield. Free passes (walks and HBPs) coupled with wild pitches set the stage for scoring opportunities. Cleanup hitter AJ Henkle’s two-out, two-run single made it 5-0 Flames as the second inning came to a close.
Purdue initially got back into the game via four consecutive productive plate appearances from the middle of the order in the fourth inning. Toetz delivered an RBI single to plate Caskenette and alertly took second when UIC tried to cut down Parr at third. CJ Valdez followed with an RBI ground out.
Cal Lambert, Davis Pratt and Avery Cook teamed up for seven innings of two-run ball for the bullpen. All three pitchers worked at least one 1-2-3 inning. Lambert induced an 1-6-3 double play and retired eight straight at one point. Pratt struck out three of the final four batters he faced.
Bolton’s triple was his 10th as a Boilermaker, moving the senior into sixth place in team history as just the ninth player to record a double-figure total.
Purdue has two more Big Ten series remaining on its schedule, both of which will be pivotal in the Big Ten Tournament chase. Friday’s series opener at rival Indiana is slated for 6 p.m. ET.
PURDUE WOMEN’S GOLF
RALEIGH, N.C. – Purdue Women’s Golf outperformed its No. 9 seed and nearly made a return to the national championship stage. The Boilermakers placed sixth at the NCAA Raleigh Regional, finishing at 9-over par (287-291-295—873) and only three shots back of qualifying for the NCAA Championships.
Ashley Kozlowski led the Boilermakers throughout the tournament, including the final round. She fired a final round 70 (-2) to move up the individual leaderboard and tie for fourth at 3-under (71-72-70—213). The 54-hole total was Kozlowski’s season best, securing her third Top 10 of the season and the fifth of her career. She made 13 birdies and played the par 3s 2-under throughout the week, ranking second in the field in both categories.
Using the slope on the left side of the first green, Kozlowski nearly chipped in for eagle and settled for a tap-in birdie to start her round. The junior added another birdie at the par-4 fifth, playing a bogey-free front nine and making the turn 2-under. Following three straight pars to start the back, Kozlowski threw a dart into the 13th green for her third birdie of the day. She alternated birdies with bogeys over a four-hole stretch before parring her final two holes to produce Purdue’s best round of the day.
Seniors Kan Bunnabodee and Danielle du Toit shot matching 74s (+2) in the final round. Bunnabodee’s round featured a trio of birdies, while du Toit made two on each side for a total of four. Tying for 20th, Bunnabodee cracked the Top 20 for the sixth time this spring.
Du Toit got hot towards the end of the front nine, recording back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth before adding another at No. 10 for three birdies in a four-hole stretch. Playing in her 127th round Purdue, du Toit drained her putt on No. 18 to birdie her last hole as a Boilermaker. She placed 30th in her final collegiate tournament.
The Boilermakers’ season comes to an end at regional play, but they had plenty of positives from the 2022-23 campaign under first-year head coach Zack Byrd. Purdue made the NCAA postseason for the eighth straight year and also captured the first team tournament title in five years with a win at the Tulane Classic to start the spring. Individually, Momo Sugiyama earned Second Team All-Big Ten accolades in her first season as a Boilermaker.
BOILERMAKERS
T4. Ashley Kozlowski: 71-72-70—213 (-3)
T20: Kan Bunnabodee: 70-74-74—218 (+2)
T30. Danielle du Toit: 77-69-74—220 (+4)
T40: Momo Sugiyama: 72-76-77—225 (+9)
55. Jocelyn Bruch: 74-82-81—237 (+21)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. NC State: 282-288-287—857 (-7)
2. Arizona: 286-292-281—859 (-5)
3. #2 Wake Forest: 292-285-287—864 (E)
4. TCU: 292-288-286—866 (+2)
5. #14 Florida State: 283-296-291—870 (+6)
6. Purdue: 287-291-295—873 (+9)
7. #11 Arizona State: 284-288-302—874 (+10)
8. #21 Florida: 290-293-295—878 (+14)
9. Nebraska: 296-302-295—893 (+29)
10. Campbell: 297-299-305—901 (+37)
11. North Texas: 308-299-304—911 (+47)
12. Richmond: 310-308-325—943 (+79)
BUTLER SOFTBALL
STORRS, Conn. – The Butler softball team produced 13 hits – all singles – against DePaul in its second game of the BIG EAST Tournament, but, with only two runners tagging home, lost by the final score of 4-2. The loss eliminates the Bulldogs from contention, while the Blue Demons will advance to tomorrow’s competition.
How It Happened
DePaul opened the scoring with a run in the first inning and then added a second in the fourth.
Butler loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but a called third strike ended the threat.
In the sixth, the Bulldogs loaded the bases once again, this time with only one out. Cate Lehner hit a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Kaylee Gross to score, but a ground out in the next at bat retired the side. The Blue Demons added two more in the home half of the inning and extended their lead to 4-1 entering the final inning of play.
In the top of the seventh, Butler loaded the bases with one out. After an infield fly led to the second out, Olivia Moxley (3-4) hit an infield single, knocking home Sydney Cammon and bringing the Bulldogs to within two. That was as close as Butler would get, as a strikeout ended the game.
Mackenzie Griman got her second start of the day for Butler, and, with this complete game, threw 10.1 innings over two games. In the nightcap, she allowed four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Bulldog Bits
Mackenzie Griman’s seven strikeouts were a season high. She totaled 13 over both games.
Butler outhit DePaul, 13-6, but stranded 13 runners on base.
Seven Bulldogs notched at least one single in the game.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
STORRS, Conn. – The Butler softball team was forced into an evening elimination game in the BIG EAST Tournament with a 9-6 opening-round loss to St. John’s. The No. 4 seed Bulldogs led, 5-3, after four innings, but the No. 5 seed Red Storm scored six runs in the fifth and sixth innings to move on in the winner’s side of the bracket.
How It Happened
St. John’s opened the scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half, Butler loaded the bases with no outs. Back-to-back singles from Ella White and Olivia Moxley brought three runners home. After one complete, the Bulldogs held a 3-1 lead.
In the third, hits from Paige Dorsett and Monique Hoosen put runners at second and third. A White double sent one more home and extended the Butler lead to 4-1.
After the Red Storm scored two in the top of the fourth, the Bulldogs got one back. Ellie Boyer stole third and advanced home on a throwing error. The score was 5-3 going into the fifth.
St. John’s re-took the lead on back-to-back home runs and forced a pitching change. In the middle of the fifth, the Red Storm was up, 6-5.
In the sixth, a three-run home run from St. John’s extended the lead to 9-5.
Butler threatened in the seventh when it loaded the bases with only one out. Boyer was hit by a pitch, pushing White across, but a strikeout and a foul out ended the game.
Mackenzie Griman (9-16) started in the circle for Butler and took the loss. In 4.1 innings, she allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six. Sydney Cammon
(2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, K) entered in the fifth and finished the game.
Bulldog Bits
Ella White’s triple was her second of the season and the fifth of her career. Her double was her ninth of the season and the 20th of her career.
Monique Hoosen’s double was her ninth of the season and 15th of her career.
Ellie Boyer’s stolen base was her second of the season and the 18th of her career.
Kaylee Gross’ stolen base was her 16th of the season and the 18th of her career.
Up Next
With the loss, Butler is now scheduled to play at 6 p.m. this evening (Wed., May 10) in an elimination game. The opponent will be the loser of No. 3 Seton Hall vs. No. 6 DePaul.
BUTLER BASEBALL
DAYTON – The Dayton Flyers hit two, two-run home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to find the win column against Butler on Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs had three more hits than their opponent, but they stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the eighth and would leave seven runners on base in the game.
Scott Jones was the player of the game for the Bulldogs. The BU leftfielder went 2-for-5 from the plate with a double and three RBI. He tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth with a two-RBI double and gave BU the lead in the seventh with an RBI single.
Jake DeFries and Garret Gray also had extra base hits for Butler. DeFries ended the contest 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. He led-off the third with a triple and Gray delivered a double in the fourth.
Dayton opened the scoring on Wednesday with a sac fly from Pujols in the first inning. Daniels doubled to right center in the second to score two Flyers and Dayton would enjoy an early 3-0 advantage.
Castillo homered to left to give Dayton a 5-4 lead in the seventh and Pujols would widen the gap with his own two-run home run in the frame to give Dayton a three-run lead.
Butler battled back and scored two runs in the eighth. Billy Wurch was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to send Kollyn All home and a sac fly from DeFries would get Butler within one at 7-6.
The win would go to Jake Tedesco and the save was credited to Antony Hattrup. Butler used six pitchers in the setback with Cade Thune getting the start. Colin Davis ate up 2.1 innings and didn’t allow a hit on the hill. The loss would land on Jon Vore.
Butler will travel to Storrs, Conn. on Thursday to prepare for a three-game road series at #9 UConn this weekend. First pitch for Friday is set for 6 PM at Elliot Ballpark.
IUPUI SOFTBALL
GREEN BAY, Wis. – IUPUI softball’s season came to an end today as they were knocked out of the Horizon League Tournament in the opening day. The Jags were sent to the consolation bracket when they fell to host Green Bay in the first game then were knocked out by Youngstown State.
In game one of the tournament, IUPUI fell to Green Bay, 4-1. The two teams were evenly matched until a late rally in the seventh inning proved the difference.
The Jags pounced first with one run in the bottom of the first inning. Rachael Gregory hit a sacrifice fly to score Kendal Calvert to give IUPUI the 1-0 lead.
Madison Bryant was cruising until the fourth inning. With a runner on third and two outs, Bryant struck out the Green Bay batter, but the pitch got away from the catcher allowing the batter to reach and the runner to score, 1-1.
The Phoenix rallied in the seventh inning, scoring four runs on five hits to seal the lead at 5-1. IUPUI’s offense couldn’t overcome the difference falling, 5-1.
Bryant took the loss in the circle for the Jags, giving up five runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work.
After getting knocked down to the consolation bracket, the Jags faced Youngstown State in the elimination game. The Penguins jumped up on the Jags with three runs in the first inning, 3-0.
IUPUI’s pitching settled in after the first inning throwing six scoreless innings. The Jags offense strung enough hits together to score one run in the fifth inning. Jaida Speth singled up the middle to score Kennedy Cowan. Although the Jags would record a couple more hits, they couldn’t complete the comeback falling, 3-1.
Alexa Holman took the loss in the circle throwing a complete game giving up three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
IUPUI finished the season with an overall record of 16-31.
BALL STATE SOFTBALL
CLEVELAND – – For their strong play over the course of the 2023 Mid-American Conference season, six members of the Ball State softball program were honored by the MAC’s 11 head coaches Wednesday (May 10) with the release of the league’s postseason honors.
Leading the way for the Cardinals were a pair of All-MAC First Team selections in redshirt sophomore catcher McKayla Timmons and senior third baseman Haley Wynn.
Ball State also placed three student-athletes on the All-MAC Second Team, with senior shortstop Amaia Daniel, redshirt freshman utility player McKenna Mulholland, and sophomore pitcher Angelina Russo all earning a nod. Mulholland, along with pitcher Bridie Murphy, were also selected to the MAC All-Freshman Team.
With Timmons and Wynn both earning All-MAC First Team accolades in 2023, the Cardinals have now had 34 first team selections since the 2009 season, the most of any league school. Miami is second during the span at 31, while Northern Illinois is third at 26.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Thursday when it opens play in the 2023 MAC Softball Championship as the No. 4 seed with a 3:30 p.m. matchup versus top-seeded and tournament host Miami.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team returns to the friendly confines of the Ball Diamond First Merchants Ballpark for a three-game Mid-American Conference series against Miami. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday are both slated for 1 p.m.
The Cardinals are coming off an 11-1 loss on the road against the Indiana State Sycamores on Tuesday. Ball State enters Friday with an overall record of 30-17 and a MAC record of 17-7. Miami enters the series with an 18-32 overall mark and is 12-15 in league play.
Gold Glove Peltier
At the conclusion of last season, Ryan Peltier was honored as the best defensive third baseman in the NCAA and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. After being named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earning a spot on the All-MAC Second Team for back-to-back seasons, Peltier was awarded the first Gold Glove in BSU history. He was a 2023 Preseason All-American honoree from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Peltier is first on the team with a .386 batting average, which is tied for 60th in the NCAA and third in the MAC. He has pelted a team-best 14 homers and has a team-high 51 RBIs. His 14 home runs are tied for 90th in the NCAA and are tied for fifth in the conference. He has a slugging percentage of .730, which is 46th in the country and first in the MAC. Peltier has scored 60 runs, which is tied for 23rd in the NCAA and is tied for first in the MAC. He leads the team in doubles with 17 and he has added three triples. His 17 doubles are tied for 57th in the NCAA and are fifth in the conference. His three triples are tied for 112th in the country and are tied for third in the MAC.
What Can Brown Do for You?
Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. Brown was the only Mid-American Conference player selected to the top-100 list. He was also tabbed as one of the top mid-major prospects for the 2023 season. Brown also landed on the 2023 MLB Draft: Rising Righthanded Pitchers watch list. Last season, Brown earned recognition as a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American along with the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He also earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team.
Brown currently has 54 strikeouts, which is second on the team. He his 4-1 on the year and has thrown 27 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .170 against him for the season. He has a 4.88 ERA.
Don’t Mess with Tex
Trennor O’Donnell leads the team with a 3.24 ERA. His ERA is tied for the 85th best in the country and is third in the MAC. His 71 strikeouts are tied for 110th in the NCAA and ninth in the MAC. He has a 4-2 record and has thrown 66 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .232 against him.
Scouting the Cardinals
Decker Scheffler is second on the squad with .372 batting average, which is tied for 105th in the NCAA and is fifth in the MAC. He has 38 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 11 doubles, four homers, and three triples. His three triples are tied for 112th in the country and tied for third in the conference. Scheffler is tied for 80th as the toughest player to strikeout in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Adam Tellier is third on the team with a .328 average. He has 46 runs scored, 30 RBIs, 22 walks, 10 doubles, six home runs, and three triples. His three triples are tied for 112th in the NCAA and are tied for third in the MAC. Justin Conant rounds out the .300 hitters with a .308 average. He has 22 runs scored, 18 walks, 15 RBIs, five doubles, two triples, and one home run. Nick Gregory might only be hitting .263, but he leads the team with 41 walks. His 41 walks are tied for 47th in the NCAA and are third in the MAC. He has scored 40 runs and driven in 18 runs. Blake Bevis is second on the team with 10 home runs and is hitting .270 for the year.
Ty Johnson is second on the team with 55 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings of work. He has a 4-2 record with a 3.30 ERA and has two saves. Logan Schulfer is tied for second on the team with 54 strikeouts. He as a 3-2 record with a 6.10 ERA. Ty Weatherly has 52 strikeouts on the season and is fifth on the staff. He has a 7.47 ERA in 47 innings of work and a 1-3 record. Tanner Knapp has 42 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings. He is 2-2 on the season with a 6.35 ERA. Sam Klein has 31 strikeouts. He is 5-1 on the season with a 4.18 ERA. Jacob Hartlaub is the remaining pitcher with more that 20 strikeouts, with 25. He has a 3-2 record with a 6.35 ERA and has one save.
Ball State vs. Miami: The Series
Ball State and Miami will meet for the 151st time on Friday. The RedHawks hold the series advantage 77-73. The Cardinals have won the last eight meetings, including all four matchups last season. Ball State is 40-28 at home against Miami. Under the direction of Head Coach Rich Maloney, BSU is 33-17 versus Miami.
Scouting the RedHawks
Ryland Zaborowski leads Miami with a .304 batting average. He has a time-best 19 home runs, 47 RBIs, and team-high 47 runs scored. His 19 home runs are tied for 16th in the NCAA and lead the MAC. He has added 12 doubles and two triples. Cooper Weiss is second on the team with a .303 batting average, 12 home runs, 44 RBIs, and 43 runs scored. He leads the squad with 13 doubles. Zach MacDonald is third on the team with 11 home runs. He has a team-high 16 doubles.
Kenten Egbert leads the RedHawk pitching staff with a 3.39 ERA and a 5-2 record. He is second on the team with 77 strikeouts, which tied for 56th in the country and sixth in the MAC. Connor Oliver has a team-high 94 strikeouts, which is tied for 11th in the nation and leads the MAC. He has an ERA of 3.65 with a 2-5 record. Zach Maxey is third on the team with 56 strikeouts and has a 7.61 ERA. He has a record of 3-6. Patrick Mastrian IV has a team-best two saves.
MAC Standings
1. Kent State – 35-13, 19-5
2. Central Michigan – 31-15, 17-7
3. Ball State – 30-17, 17-7
4. Ohio – 18-25, 14-10
5. Western Michigan – 16-28, 13-10
6. Toledo – 23-25, 11-13
7. Miami – 18-32, 12-15
8. Bowling Green – 15-28, 9-15
9. Akron – 18-30, 10-17
10. Eastern Michigan – 22-23, 8-16
11. Northern Illinois – 8-38, 4-19
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame softball team dropped the opening game of the 2023 ACC Championship Tournament at Melissa Cook Stadium Wednesday evening by a score of 8-1 to the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets. Georgia Tech put up runs in five of seven innings to secure the victory and advance to face Duke in the second round. With the loss, the Fighting Irish fall to 29-17-1 on the season.
Payton Tidd started in the circle. The graduate student worked 2.2 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, only two of which were earned. Shannon Becker worked the next 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs and recording a strikeout. Micaela Kastor threw the final frame, working a clean seventh with a strikeout.
The Irish offense managed just five hits. Joley Mitchell connected on a lead-off home run in the fourth, as Lexi Orozco, Leea Hanks, Jane Kronenberger and Mickey Winchell each added singles in the contest.
How it Happened
The Yellowjackets struck first, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back singles started the inning before a fielding error on a bunt attempt loaded the bases. Two more singles brought in two runs as Georgia Tech took the 2-0 lead.
Georgia Tech added a run in the second. With one out, a single and a stolen base moved a runner into scoring position for Emma Kauf who drove a double to left center to bring in a run to extend the lead to 3-0.
A pair of errors led to two more Georgia Tech runs in the third inning, extending the lead to 5-0. A single and a walk started the top of the fourth. A single to left scored one, and another bloop single to center scored another to extend the lead to 7-0.
Mitchell led off the fourth inning with a bang, hitting her 10th home run of the season. A couple more singles had a rally going, but the Irish offense couldn’t break through.
Georgia Tech regained their seven-run cushion with a solo run in the sixth by virtue of a pinch hit sacrifice fly.
Notre Dame drew a two-out walk in the seventh, but the rally fell short as the Irish dropped the contest.
Up Next
The Irish await their postseason fate Sunday evening. The NCAA selection show will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame softball team had five players earn All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for their performance on the field this season. Carlli Kloss highlights this year’s squad as the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning Third Team honors as a catcher. Joley Mitchell and Karina Gaskins were selected to the league’s first team, Lexi Orozco was a second team honoree and Mickey Winchell earned All-Freshman honors.
Kloss’s Defensive Player of the Year award is the first of its kind for the Irish program as its the fifth time it has been awarded by the league.
Kloss has caught every pitch from Fighting Irish pitching this season. In 287 defensive chances, Kloss earned a .990 fielding percentage, and caught 13 of 27 attempted base stealers. Her stolen base allowed percentage of .519 ranks as the best in the league by any player, while her three passed balls is among the lowest of any team’s primary catcher. She also added four pick-offs during the year as the Irish led the conference by limiting opponents to just 14 stolen bases on the season. This is the first All-ACC honor for the junior catcher.
In addition to her stand-out defensive work, Kloss has been the primary lead-off hitter for the Irish offense. She hits for a .359 average and is tied for the team-lead in extra base hits at 20. She leads the squad with 14 doubles, three triples and has scored 41 runs. She adds nine stolen bases to go with a .424 on-base percentage.
Gaskins earned her second first team All-ACC selection for her efforts this season. The junior hit for a .350 average, starting all 46 games at first base. She leads the Irish with 14 home runs, adds six doubles, driven in 40 and scored 36 runs. She’s also drawn 40 walks this season, tying her single season mark from 2022, and ranks second all-time in program history in walks in a year. She’s earned a .509 on-base percentage and leads the team with a .740 slugging percentage. It’s her third All-ACC honor after earning second team honors as a freshman, in addition to her 2022 Player of the Year and first team All-ACC honor.
Mitchell earned first team All-ACC for the first time in her career. The senior was an NFCA All-Region honoree in 2022, and followed up that campaign with the best season of her Irish career. The Rose Bud, Arkansas native leads the team with a .384 average, hitting nine doubles, nine home runs and is third on the squad with 39 RBI. She added 37 runs scored and was the team’s top base stealer, swiping 15 in 17 attempts. She started every game at third base this season for the Irish, and is currently on a 31-game reached base streak. Its the longest of its kind since the 2021 season for Irish softball.
In just her first year at Notre Dame, Orozco picked up her first All-ACC honor. Orozco was named to the second team for her efforts on the offensive side, playing as a shortstop, and working as the designated player towards the end of the season. Orozco hit for a .349 average, starting all 46 games. The graduate student led the team with 44 RBI, hitting 14 home runs, five doubles and adding her first career triple. Orozco adds 29 walks and owns a .472 on-base percentage.
Winchell rounds out the honors with an ACC All-Freshman Team. The outfielder hit for a .333 average in her rookie season, scoring 20 runs. She went for three extra-base hits with a pair of doubles and a triple while driving in 16. She stole six bases and earned a .384 on-base percentage.
2023 ACC Softball Awards
Player of the Year: Valerie Cagle, Clemson, Jr., P
Pitcher of the Year: Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
Defensive Player of the Year: Carlli Kloss, Notre Dame, Jr., C
Freshman of the Year: Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
Coach of the Year: Lonni Alameda, Florida State
First Team
C – Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
INF – Ana Gold, Duke, So., 3B
INF – Abby Settlemyre, North Carolina, Sr., 2B
INF – Karina Gaskins, Notre Dame, Jr., 1B
INF – Joley Mitchell, Notre Dame., Sr., 3B
OF – D’Auna Jennings, Duke, Fr., OF
OF – Jahni Kerr, Florida State, So., OF
OF – Korbe Otis, Louisville, So., OF
P – Valerie Cagle, Clemson, Jr., P
P – Cassidy Curd, Duke, Fr., P
P – Kathryn Sandercock, Florida State, Sr., P
At-Large – Deja Davis, Duke, Gr., DP
At-Large – Aminah Vega, Duke, Fr., 2B
At-Large – Taylor Roby, Louisville, Gr., DP
At-Large – Yvonne Whaley, Pitt, Sr., SS
Second Team
Gisele Tapia, Duke, Sr., 1B
Jala Wright, Duke, Jr., P
Michaela Edenfield, Florida State, So., C
Devyn Flaherty, Florida State, Jr., 2B
Kaley Mudge, Florida State, Jr., OF
Makenna Reid, Florida State, Fr., P
Emma Kauf, Georgia Tech, Sr., C
Daisy Hess, Louisville, Sr., SS
Lilli Backes, North Carolina, So., P
Alex Brown, North Carolina, So., SS
Lexi Orozco, Notre Dame, Gr., DP
Kelsey Brown, Virginia Tech, Gr., OF
Emma Lemley, Virginia Tech, So., P
Bre Peck, Virginia Tech, So., DP
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech, Jr., OF
Third Team
Caroline Jacobsen, Clemson, Gr., OF
Alia Logoleo, Clemson, Jr., SS
Ally Miklesh, Clemson, Gr., OF
Millie Thompson, Clemson, Jr., P
Kalei Harding, Florida State, Jr., 3B
Mack Leonard, Florida State, Sr., 1B
Easton Lotus, Louisville, So., 2B
Alyssa Zabala, Louisville, Fr., P
Carlli Kloss, Notre Dame, Jr., C
Kiersten Licea, North Carolina, Sr., 1B
Hannah Goodwin, NC State, So., 3B
Sarah Seamans, Pitt, Sr., 1B
Eden Bigham, Virginia, Fr, P
Jayme Bailey, Virginia Tech, Gr., 1B
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech, Jr., 2B
All-Freshmen Team
Cassidy Curd, Duke, Fr., P
D’Auna Jennings, Duke, Fr., OF
Aminah Vega, Duke, Fr., 2B
Makenna Reid, Florida State, Fr., P
Sarah Gordon, Louisville, Fr., C
Alyssa Zabala, Louisville, Fr., P
Mickey Winchell, Notre Dame, Fr., OF
Madison Knight, Syracuse, Fr. P
Eden Bigham, Virginia, Fr, P
Jade Hylton, Virginia, Fr., 2B
INDIANA STATE SOFTBALL
CARBONDALE, Ill. – No. 5 seed Indiana State opened their trip to the MVC Tournament with a 4-1 victory over Valparaiso, advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinals where they will face the No. 4 seed in Murray State at 2 p.m. ET.
The Sycamores won their fifth-straight game over the Beacons, sending Valpo home from the MVC Tournament for the third consecutive season. Wednesday’s win gives the Sycamores 30 wins on the year.
The Action
Lexi Benko caught the first batter of the game looking to set the tone early on Wednesday afternoon at Charlotte West Stadium. She got a fly out to retire the side on a scoreless top of the first. Olivia Patton raced out an infield single to start the bottom half but that would be all for the Sycamores in the frame.
The Beacons put runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the second but Benko got a swinging strikeout to put an end to the scoring threat. Indiana State would jump out in front in the bottom of the inning as Kennedy Shade scored on a wild pitch. Shade led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a Maeve McDonough sac bunt and then stole third. On the very next pitch, the ball went to the backstop to put ISU up 1-0.
Benko worked a 1-2-3 inning in the third, recording her third punch out of the contest. Olivia Patton picked up her second hit of the game with another leadoff single but Valpo again was able to strand her on base.
A pop up and a pair of groundouts from the Beacons gave Benko another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth. The Sycamores put runners on second and third with two outs but Valpo got a flyout to keep the score at 1-0 after four innings.
In the top of the fifth, Benko again set the Beacons down in order, making it 11-straight batters retired for the Sycamore ace. Indiana State would extend their lead in the bottom of the frame as Olivia Patton drew a one-out walk to reach for the third time on the day. Patton would move to third on a Danielle Henning double to left center. With Patton on third and Henning on second, Isabella Henning single up the middle to score them both and put the Sycamores up 3-0 still with just one out. After advancing to second on the throw, Henning then moved to third on a Annie Tokarek single to right center. Kennedy Shade then grew the ISU lead to 4-0, bringing Henning home with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Valpo would get on the board in the top of the sixth with a two-out RBI single to make it a 4-1 game. Lexi Benko would finish with six innings of work while allowing just the one run on four hits while striking out three. The Sycamores went down quiet in the bottom of the sixth.
Replacing Benko in the top of the seventh would be Lauren Sackett who ran into some trouble but was able to leave runners on the corners and get a strikeout to end the ballgame. Sackett got the save, her fifth of the season. Lexi Benko moves to 14-8 on the year with the victory.
Indiana State finished with six hits, getting a 2-for-3 day from Olivia Patton while, Danielle Henning, Isabella Henning, Annie Tokarek and TeAnn Bringle each had one hit.
Thursday’s quarterfinal against Murray State will be streamed live on ESPN+.
ST. LOUIS – Indiana State softball had five players named to All-MVC teams as Abi Chipps, Danielle Henning, Isabella Henning, Olivia Patton and Annie Tokarek each garnered honors, the Valley office announced Wednesday.
Danielle Henning, Isabella Henning and Annie Tokarek were named to the All-MVC First Team, Olivia Patton got Second Team honors and Abi Chipps landed on the All-Defensive Team. This is the first time since the 2009 season that Indiana State has had three players named to the First Team and the five selections are the most ever for the Sycamores.
One of three Sycamores to start all 53 games this season, Danielle Henning is third on the ISU offense with 49 hits, entering the tournament batting .287. She has driven in 23 runs and scored 26 which is second-most on the team. Henning also has the lone triple for Indiana State this season. This is her first All-Conference award of her career.
Isabella Henning enters the tournament hitting a team-best .389, which is good for third-highest in the MVC. Henning has 10 home runs on the year, putting her at 25 in her career which is tied for third-most at ISU. Henning, a two-time All MVC selection, also ranks fifth at ISU with 37 career doubles. This is Henning’s third total All-MVC honor and her second consecutive First Team selection.
Annie Tokarek finished the regular season on a hot streak, recording four-straight multi-hit games and driving in a run in six-straight games enter the postseason hitting .327 with a team-high 37 RBI. Tokarek ranks second all-time at ISU with 27 career home runs and fourth with 106 career RBI. This marks Tokarek’s first-career All-MVC honor.
Olivia Patton has started every game of the season in center field, owning a .989 fielding percentage with just one error in 91 chances. She is batting .277 with a career-high 48 hits while leading ISU with nine stolen bases. Her 213 career games played are second most in program history. Patton was named to the 2021 All-Tournament and All-Defensive Teams.
The second basemen for the Blue & White, the junior is a perfect 8-for-8 on the season with stolen base attempts, Abi Chipps is a serious threat on the base paths. Chipps has scored 21 runs on the season and ranks first in the country in the toughest to strikeout category. She has struck out just once this season in 101 at-bats. This is the second consecutive All-Defensive Team honor for Chipps.
EVANSVILLE SOFTBALL
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Six combined runs in their final two innings lifted Drake to a 7-0 win over the University of Evansville softball team in Wednesday’s opening game of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Charlotte West Stadium.
Evansville’s defense kept things close in the early innings. After the Bulldogs scored a run in the first, things would remain at 1-0- until the bottom of the 5th when Drake scored twice before a grand slam pushed the lead to 7-0 in the 6th. UE was limited to three hits on the day with Jenna Nink earning a pair and Lacy Smith picking up the other.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Drake saw four consecutive batters reach base, resulting in the first run of the game. A single, error and walk loaded the bags for Skylar Rigby. Rigby singled to plate the first run of the game.
Hanhah Hood made a diving defensive play at third base to save a hit in the second and the Purple Aces were able to get their first baserunner in the third. After the first eight UE batters were retired in order, Lacy Smith singled to right to reach base.
It was the defense who starred in the fourth as Jess Willsey and Marah Wood each made important stops to send the game into the 5th. Jenna Nink opened the 5th with a single and Taylor Howe would reach on a walk before Bulldog pitcher Mackenzie Hupke got out of the jam.
Drake added two insurance runs in the bottom of the 5th as Carey Koenig picked up a 2-run single to extend their advantage to three runs. They put the finishing touches on the contest in the 6th when Emily Valtman launched a grand slam to give her squad a 7-0 lead.
Tossing five innings, Sydney Weatherford suffered the loss. Just one of the three runs she allowed was earned. Megan Brenton threw the final frame. Hupke threw the complete game for the Bulldogs and allowed three hits. She struck out nine batters.
UE wraps up the 2023 season with a 22-32 record. The Aces enjoyed a strong home season that saw them win 15 out of 23 games inside Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.
VALPO BASEBALL
Valparaiso (18-21, 8-13 MVC)
at Belmont (21-28, 6-15 MVC)
E.S. Rose Park (750) | Nashville, Tenn.
Friday, May 12, 1 p.m. CT – RHP Griffin McCluskey
Saturday, May 13, 2 p.m. CT – RHP Nathan Chasey
Sunday, May 14, 1 p.m. CT – TBD
Next Up in Valpo Baseball: The Valparaiso University baseball program is enjoying its best season since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, but there is still work to be done to secure a place in the 2023 MVC Tournament. For the first time since Valpo joined the league, not every team will advance to the conference tournament, as the top eight clubs from the 10-team league will make the field for the event, which begins on May 23 in Terre Haute. Valpo is currently in seventh place and plays two of the teams behind the Beacons in the standings over the next two weekends, starting with a huge three-game series in Nashville against Belmont, the final three road games of the regular season.
Last Time Out: After dropping two of three to Southern Illinois but earning a key win in Game 1 against the MVC preseason favorites, Valpo used a six-run third inning to defeat Western Michigan 9-6 in Tuesday’s nonconference finale at Emory G. Bauer Field. Kyle Schmack collected three of the team’s 10 hits, while pitcher Kaleb Krier earned the win with four innings of one-run, three-hit ball.
Following the Beacons: The Friday and Sunday games will air on ESPN+, while the Saturday game will be carried on ESPN3. Links to live video and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com. For all the latest in Valpo Baseball, follow @ValpoBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.
Head Coach Brian Schmack: Brian Schmack (186-288) is in his 10th season in charge of the program. He ranks third in program history in seasons coached and games coached as he entered 2023 having skippered 435 Valpo games. He entered the season with 168 victories, one of four coaches in program history with over 150. The former big-league pitcher led Valpo to 25 wins in his inaugural campaign in 2014, a school record for victories by a first-year skipper. Schmack, a member of the 2003 Detroit Tigers, served as pitching coach/associate head coach at Valpo for seven seasons prior to his promotion.
Series Notes: Valpo and Belmont will get together on the baseball diamond for the first time since Feb. 17, 2013 this weekend. Head coach Tracy Woodson’s team dropped that game 7-3 in Nashville. That was the second meeting in three days between the two squads as the Bruins also prevailed 4-3 in the 2013 season opener. Belmont picked up home wins over Valpo in 2012 and 2001 as well. The Beacons will look for their first ever win over Belmont as they currently hold an 0-4 all-time mark against one of the three new teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
In the Other Dugout – Belmont
Picked to finish sixth of 10 in the MVC preseason poll.
Won nearly 40 games last season, going 39-20 with an 18-6 Ohio Valley Conference record.
Reached the title game of the OVC Tournament last year before falling to SEMO.
Started this season at 5-1 in Valley play with a series win over Illinois State and a sweep of Evansville, but are just 1-14 in their last 15 league games.
Were swept by UIC last weekend in Chicago before dropping a midweek home game to Lipscomb 8-7.
Program Progress
Valpo currently has 18 wins, recently surpassing the team’s win total of 16 that was reached each of the last two seasons.
With the 9-8 victory over Southern Illinois on May 5, Valpo secured its highest overall win total since the 2018 campaign.
The team’s highest overall win total comes despite the fact that six games have been called off due to poor weather.
With the team’s next win, Valpo will tie its 2017 overall win total of 19.
Two more wins would give the Beacons their first 20-win season since joining the Missouri Valley Conference prior to the 2017 campaign.
If the season ended now, Valpo’s current overall winning percentage would mark the program’s best since 2016.
Valpo needs one more conference win to match and two to surpass its highest conference win total since joining the league.
Valpo is on pace to secure its highest conference-only winning percentage since joining the league.
If Valpo qualifies for the MVC Tournament, that would also represent the first time the program has finished ahead of more than one team in the conference standings since joining the league. The team finished seventh of eight in 2018 and 2019 and eighth of eight in 2021 and 2022. There was no MVC play in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Talkin’ Schmack
Head coach Brian Schmack is one win away from tying and two from surpassing his predecessor Tracy Woodson for third on Valpo’s all-time wins list.
Entering the Belmont series, Schmack owns 186 career wins, while Woodson is third in program history at 187.
With two more victories, Schmack would sit behind only Paul Twenge (1986-2006, 378) and the legendary Emory G. Bauer (1954-1981, 359) on Valpo’s all-time wins list.
Terre Haute Quest
At 8-13, Valpo sits in seventh place in a 10-team league in which the top eight teams qualify for the MVC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, May 23 in Terre Haute.
Valpo plays the two teams that are nipping at its heels in the MVC standings over the next two weekends, visiting ninth-place Belmont (6-15) before hosting seventh-place Illinois State (7-14).
If Valpo wins both remaining series, the Beacons are guaranteed to qualify for the MVC Tournament.
Valpo still has work to do as its current Valley win total of eight is guaranteed to not be enough to make the conference tournament for the Beacons based on the remaining schedule.
com’s MVC scoreboard will get plenty of page views at ballparks around the league – and perhaps even in a few dugouts – this weekend as team’s battle for Valley tournament seeding. Valpo will especially keep a close eye on the UIC at Illinois State series, while also having some investment in Bradley’s three-game set at Evansville.
Notes Wrapping Up May 9: Valpo 9, Western Michigan 6
Kyle Schmack had a three-hit game, his second of the season, matching his season high in the hit column that was set on April 8 at Evansville.
Schmack’s three RBIs marked his highest single-game total since four on Feb. 26 at UT Martin. He had a walk and two runs scored to go along with his big day that featured a pair of doubles.
Jake Skrine had a triple, his first in a Valpo uniform.
Valpo extended its head-to-head winning streak against Western Michigan to five.
The Beacons improved to 10-0 when scoring nine runs or more this season.
VALPO SOFTBALL
The 2023 campaign came to an end for the Valpo softball team in the first round of the MVC Tournament in Carbondale, Ill., as the 12th-seeded Beacons fell to fifth-seeded Indiana State, 4-1.
How It Happened
Valpo had the first quality scoring chance of the game, as juniors Emily Crompton (Salem, Ill./Christ Our Rock Lutheran) and Autumn Acord (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone [Kent State]) delivered back-to-back one-out singles in the top of the second. A grounder moved both runners into scoring position, but a strikeout ended the threat.
The Sycamores opened the scoring in their half of the second, plating a run without the benefit of a hit.
Starting pitcher Easton Seib (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs South) kept Indiana State from adding to its lead in the third and fourth innings, despite the Sycamores getting a runner into scoring position with less than two outs in both frames.
Indiana State broke through for a three-run fifth inning, stringing together a walk, three hits and a sacrifice fly.
A pair of seniors teamed up to get Valpo on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. One pitch after narrowly missing a base hit down the left-field line, Taylor Herschbach (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) drove a single into center field. A pair of groundouts advanced Herschbach 60 feet apiece, and fellow senior Lauren Kehlenbrink (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) delivered the run-scoring hit, lining an infield single off the pitcher’s glove to make it a 4-1 game.
Valpo had one final shot at a rally in the seventh, as Crompton drew a walk to lead off the inning and junior Kayla Skapyak (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) later singled with two outs to bring the potential tying run to the plate before a strikeout ended the game.
Inside the Game
Wednesday marked the third consecutive year that Valpo and Indiana State have matched up in the opening round of the MVC Tournament. It is the fourth time in Valpo’s five MVC Tournaments it has opened tournament action against the Sycamores.
Crompton was the lone Valpo player to reach base twice Wednesday, picking up a hit and a walk.
The loss brought the careers of Valpo’s three active seniors to an end. Herschbach tallied the 135th hit and the 73rd run scored of her career, while Kehlenbrink finished with 77 base hits and 51 RBIs. Seib made her 98th career pitching appearance and her 66th start, going the first five innings in the circle.
U OF I WOMEN’S GOLF
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The UIndy women’s golf team extended its season Wednesday with a runner-up showing at the NCAA DII East Regional. The Greyhounds were one of six teams to advance, punching their ticket to Eureka, Mo., for next week’s NCAA DII Championships.
UIndy secured its 11th consecutive trip to Nationals with a final-round team score of 292 to finish the week at +11, 19 strokes ahead of third-place Grand Valley State. Both teams will be moving on to the DII Championships next week, however, as will East-champ Findlay, Wayne State, Tiffin and Missouri-St. Louis. The three-day, 54-hole regional was held at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill.
The Hounds were led by co-medalist Elyse Stasil (-2). The fifth-year senior fired a final-round 68—lowest 18-hole score on the week—to vault eight spots on the final day and share the top spot on the leaderboard. She tied for first with Findlay’s Gabby Woods and Wayne State’s Rebeca Vestman, with Woods later birdying the first tiebreaker hole to win the hardware.
Anci Dy also had a great week, finishing at -1 to share fourth place. Her first-round 69 gave the Greyhounds a big boost earlier in the week. Senior Catharina Graf (+5) held on to 10th place with a final-round 73. Senior Katelyn Skinner (+11) finished T-22 and freshman Ava Ray settled at T-42.
The NCAA DII Championships are scheduled for May 16-20 at Fox Run Golf Course just outside of St. Louis.
ROUND 2
The UIndy women’s golf team had another solid day on the course Tuesday, tightening their grip on second place at the NCAA DII East Regional. Sophomore Anci Dy remained at the top of the individual leaderboard as one of four Greyhounds in the top 15.
Dy followed her opening-round 69 with a one-under 71 on Tuesday, maintaining a one-stroke lead over the field. Fifth-year senior Elyse Stasil (+2) made it back-to-back 73s to climb into sole possession of ninth. Senior Catharina Graf (+4) dipped to T-10, while classmate Katelyn Skinner (+5) is one stroke back at T-15. Freshman Ava Ray (+17) is now at T-49.
ROUND 1
The UIndy women’s golf team is well positioned after Monday’s opening round of the NCAA DII East Regional. With sophomore Anci Dy topping the individual leaderboard, the Greyhounds combined for a two-under 286 – two strokes back of team-leader Findlay and seven ahead of third-place Wayne State.
Dy fired a three-under 69 as one of 10 golfers to finish day one at par or better. She found herself at +1 after six holes but finished on a bogey-free tear over the final 12 holes to set a collegiate low.
Senior Catharina Graf also hung a red number of the board, as her one-under 71 is good for a share of sixth place. Elyse Stasil and Katelyn Skinner are tied for 11th at +1, while freshman Ava Ray (+8) sits at T-40.
U OF I MEN’S LAX
WINGATE, N.C. – The sixth-seeded UIndy men’s lacrosse team (12-3) avenged itself on Wednesday with an 11-10 win at third-seeded Wingate (12-3) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Greyhounds advance to the South Region quarterfinals with a 1 p.m. contest against second-seeded Limestone on Sunday in Gaffney, S.C.
Triston Schaffer led the Hounds with four goals, while UIndy netminder – and transfer from Wingate – KC Carlson made 10 saves between the pipes.
INS & OUTS
Wyatt Auyer and Jake Allen stretched the Greyhound lead to 11-7 with under nine minutes left, seemingly putting the game on ice. The host Bulldogs had other plans, however, scoring three times in 68 seconds to sneak back within one.
Wingate successfully cleared the ball with less than 20 seconds remaining on the clock, but UIndy refused to allow an opposing shot to reach Carlson to secure the victory.
The Hounds nipped an earlier three-goal Wingate run in the bud between the middle quarters, with Owain Braddock sandwiching a tough score from Ben Foster early in the fourth frame.
UIndy led by as many as three on a pair of occasions, including a 6-3 advantage when Auyer joined Schaffer and Kyle Basch in the scoring column early in the second quarter.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Schaffer netted each of his four goals in the first 18+ minutes of the contest.
– Six of Carlson’s 10 saves came in the second half, including four in the third quarter.
– Drew Billig dished out a pair of assists on Wednesday, while scooping up one ground ball.
– UIndy forced 10 of Wingate’s 17 turnovers, with defensive guru Josh Jackson adding four causes to his eight ground balls.
– Basch was no slouch in the midfield, scooping up five loose balls and recording two caused turnovers.
– Caleb Parker won the advantage at the faceoff x, securing 13 wins against the Wingate combo of James Kotcamp and Dylan Ruppecht.
MORE NOTES
UIndy joins Saint Anselm as the other No. 6 seed to win on Wednesday … the victory marks the first in the NCAA tournament for the Hounds since May 11, 2019 … UIndy is now 3-3 across four NCAA postseasons … it is the second straight season the South’s No. 6 seed won in the opening round … Wingate survived UIndy in 2021 with a 10-9 victory in a national quarterfinal in Hickory, N.C.
UP NEXT
Limestone leads the all-time series with UIndy, 4-1. Sunday marks the second time the Greyhounds and Saints will square off in an NCAA tournament game. Limestone ended the Hounds’ run back in 2019 with a 16-7 victory on its home turf.
U OF I BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – Five University of Indianapolis baseball players were announced to be All-GLVC honorees as announced by the conference during the pre-GLVC tournament banquet.
Drew Donaldson and Caleb Vaughn were selected to the first team, while the trio of Brady Ware, Seth Spencer and Brandon DeWitt were given second-team honors. Donaldson’s first-team selection was unanimous, becoming just one of three to earn such a distinction.
The league also recognized one student-athlete from each team as honorees for the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award, with senior E.J White earning the nod for the Hounds for the second straight year. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals must also be of good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners.
The All-Conference awards are nominated and voted on by league coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own players.
A complete list of the 2023 All-GLVC teams and postseason honorees can be found below.
GLVC Player of the Year: Luke Napleton, Jr., C, Quincy #
GLVC Pitcher of the Year: Jake Karaba, Jr., SP, Lewis #
GLVC Freshman of the Year: Adam Brouwer, SP, Illinois Springfield
GLVC Coach of the Year: Matt Schissel, Quincy #
U OF I MEN’S TENNIS
ORLANDO, Fla. – Down in the sun of Orlando, Fla. the No. 5-ranked University of Indianapolis men’s tennis team is on the hunt for a national championship, taking on the 2023 NCAA DII Men’s Tennis National Championship Tournament. The 3rd-seeded Greyhounds will battle the Jefferson Rams (21-4) in the round of sixteen on Thursday May 11, at 4 p.m. ET.
All action is taking place at the USTA National Campus which features over 100 tennis courts and is regarded as the home of American Tennis. The USTA will utilize the 12 courts at the Campus’ state-of-the-art Collegiate Center—with a maximum capacity of nearly 2,000 fans—for the duration of the championships, as well as multiple of the Campus’ Team USA courts for select days of competition.
The DII tournament is not the only show in town at the National Campus, with both the DI and DIII tournaments being played in Orlando, Fla. Tickets are free of charge for all DII matches.
While live streaming information is yet to be available, live stats can be found here.
For more information, please go to the USTA National Campus website, which has developed a tournament homepage.
MARIAN SOFTBALL
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2023 Softball All-League honors on Wednesday, following Marian’s sweep of the CL regular season and tournament championships.
The Knights claimed 20All-Crossroads League honors, including four First-Team awards from Savannah Harweger, Olivia Stunkel, Sierra Norman and Sydney Wilson. MU also took CL Coach-of-the-Year honors for Scott Fleming, as well as CL Player-of-the-Year honors for Savannah Harweger and CL Pitcher-of-the-Year honors for Olivia Stunkel. Marian also led the league with All-Tournament Team honors, with Harweger, Wilson, Norman joining Abby Madere and Mackenzie Dalton on the team.
For the first time in her career, Savannah Harweger was named the Crossroads League Player of the Year, leading the CL First Team honors. Harweger is now a three-time All-CL honoree, and this season is the nation’s leading hitter entering the NAIA postseason with a .505 batting average. Harweger has 94 hits which leads the Knights, and has scored 61 runs on the year. Showing her power, Harweger has 10 doubles, two triples, and six home runs, slugging .677 on the year with 37 RBI. Harweger was also named to both the Crossroads League Gold Glove and Tournament Teams, as the shortstop flashed the leather throughout the season, making 168 outs.
Following her honor as a freshman, pitcher Olivia Stunkel repeated her success and was tabbed as the Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year in her sophomore campaign. Stunkel dazzled throughout the year, leading Marian in wins and appearances with 23 victories in 29 outings, throwing 13 complete games. Stunkel registerred 154 strikeouts in her 148.2 innings of work to date this season, and carries an ERA of 1.27 into the NAIA postseason. In league games, Stunkel led the entire Crossroads League in ERA and wins.
Sierra Norman and Sydney Wilson were both named to the All-Crossroads League First Team, following dominant seasons at their positions. Norman carries the second-highest batting average on the Marian team with a .364 clip, boasting a team-leading 52 RBI. Norman also leads the team in home runs with 10 on the year, doubling 11 times and tripling once as earns her second career All-CL First Team honor. Wilson had one of her best seasons as a fifth-year senior, carrying a 19-3 overall record on the year. Wilson made 27 appearances and has logged 145.1 innings to date, striking out 46 batters on the year. Both Norman and Wilson also earned All-Crossroads League Tournament Team honors.
Marian had three players on the All-Crossroads League Second Team, with Hayley Greene and Grace Meyer headlining the group as both Second Team and Gold Glove honorees. Greene turned in a strong season at the plate recording 46 hits, with 14 standing as extra base hits. Greene is hitting .317 going into the NAIA Opening Round, carrying 45 RBI and a .937 fielding percentage at the hot corner. Meyer is batting .307 on the season, with a team-leading 17 doubles to her name. The catcher has been strong behind the plate holding a perfect fielding percentage, catching four runners stealing.
Also on the All-CL Team is freshman Abby Madere, who had a strong season by earning the every-game right field starting spot. Madere holds a .351 batting average and is the third-best hitter on the team, posting 32 RBI on 46 hits. Madere was also named to the All-CL Tournament Team, posting three hits in the tournament championship game with a team-best four RBI, slamming the go-ahead two-RBI double in the top of the ninth inning.
Marian’s Savannah Baker and Anna Pritchett cashed in on their freshmen seasons by earning All-Crossroads League honors, with Baker standing as a member of the Honorable Mention Team while Pritchett was named to the Gold Glove Team. Baker has 32 hits on the year in 34 starts, seeing time throughout the season in the outfield and as the designated player. Baker has four home runs, four triples, and four doubles in her rookie season so far. Pritchett earned Gold Glove honors after making multiple outstanding catches throughout the season, playing both left and center field. Pritchett has made 75 outs in the outfield, and holds a .975 fielding percentage to go with her .289 batting average.
Mackenzie Dalton was named to the All-Crossroads League Tournament Team, playing a stellar second base throughout the tourney. Dalton made five putouts and five assists with her glove in the field, and at the plate batted .500, picking up a pair of runs scored and RBI in the Knights championship run.
The final honor for the Knights is head coach Scott Fleming, who was tabbed as the Crossroads League Coach of the Year. Fleming’s honor as Coach of the Year is the ninth in his career, and first since the 2019 season. During the year, Fleming recorded his 700th win as the Marian head coach, and led the Knights to both the Crossroads League Regular Season and Tournament Championships.
Marian will host the NAIA Opening Round May 15-17, taking on Tennessee Wesleyan in their first game of the tournament. First pitch between the Knights and Bulldogs is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
SPORTS EXTRA
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 29 | 9 | .763 | – | 19 – 3 | 10 – 6 | 8 – 5 | 9 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Baltimore | 24 | 13 | .649 | 4.5 | 11 – 5 | 13 – 8 | 6 – 6 | 10 – 3 | 5 – 2 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Boston | 22 | 16 | .579 | 7 | 13 – 7 | 9 – 9 | 7 – 7 | 7 – 2 | 3 – 1 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| Toronto | 21 | 16 | .568 | 7.5 | 9 – 3 | 12 – 13 | 4 – 6 | 8 – 2 | 5 – 4 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| NY Yankees | 21 | 17 | .553 | 8 | 14 – 8 | 7 – 9 | 4 – 5 | 7 – 6 | 6 – 4 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 20 | 17 | .541 | – | 11 – 7 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 5 | 10 – 6 | 2 – 1 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Detroit | 17 | 19 | .472 | 2.5 | 8 – 7 | 9 – 12 | 2 – 14 | 4 – 2 | 2 – 1 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| Cleveland | 17 | 20 | .459 | 3 | 7 – 11 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 6 | 4 – 5 | 6 – 4 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 13 | 25 | .342 | 7.5 | 6 – 10 | 7 – 15 | 2 – 11 | 4 – 5 | 2 – 2 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Kansas City | 11 | 27 | .289 | 9.5 | 5 – 17 | 6 – 10 | 2 – 5 | 3 – 7 | 3 – 9 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 22 | 14 | .611 | – | 12 – 6 | 10 – 8 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 1 | 8 – 4 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| LA Angels | 20 | 18 | .526 | 3 | 10 – 9 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 7 | 2 – 1 | 9 – 7 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Houston | 19 | 18 | .514 | 3.5 | 8 – 11 | 11 – 7 | 4 – 2 | 4 – 6 | 4 – 5 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Seattle | 18 | 19 | .486 | 4.5 | 10 – 12 | 8 – 7 | 1 – 2 | 3 – 4 | 7 – 5 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Oakland | 8 | 30 | .211 | 15 | 3 – 15 | 5 – 15 | 1 – 9 | 3 – 3 | 3 – 10 | 3 – 7 | L 4 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 25 | 12 | .676 | – | 10 – 9 | 15 – 3 | 10 – 3 | 6 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Miami | 19 | 19 | .500 | 6.5 | 10 – 9 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 12 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 3 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| NY Mets | 18 | 19 | .486 | 7 | 7 – 8 | 11 – 11 | 7 – 6 | 1 – 4 | 7 – 6 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Philadelphia | 18 | 19 | .486 | 7 | 11 – 7 | 7 – 12 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 3 – 4 | 4 – 6 | W 3 |
| Washington | 16 | 21 | .432 | 9 | 6 – 12 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 3 | 4 – 3 | 5 – 5 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Pittsburgh | 21 | 17 | .553 | – | 10 – 9 | 11 – 8 | 2 – 1 | 7 – 4 | 6 – 3 | 1 – 9 | L 2 |
| Milwaukee | 20 | 17 | .541 | 0.5 | 10 – 8 | 10 – 9 | 3 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 10 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
| Chi Cubs | 18 | 19 | .486 | 2.5 | 11 – 11 | 7 – 8 | 3 – 7 | 3 – 5 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Cincinnati | 15 | 21 | .417 | 5 | 11 – 9 | 4 – 12 | 4 – 8 | 3 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| St. Louis | 13 | 25 | .342 | 8 | 6 – 13 | 7 – 12 | 0 – 3 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 9 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 23 | 15 | .605 | – | 12 – 6 | 11 – 9 | 4 – 2 | 10 – 6 | 9 – 7 | 8 – 2 | W 2 |
| Arizona | 20 | 17 | .541 | 2.5 | 11 – 9 | 9 – 8 | 4 – 5 | 4 – 2 | 9 – 8 | 5 – 5 | L 2 |
| San Diego | 19 | 18 | .514 | 3.5 | 10 – 11 | 9 – 7 | 5 – 5 | 4 – 6 | 9 – 6 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| San Francisco | 16 | 20 | .444 | 6 | 10 – 10 | 6 – 10 | 4 – 6 | 5 – 2 | 1 – 4 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Colorado | 16 | 22 | .421 | 7 | 7 – 9 | 9 – 13 | 5 – 6 | 6 – 6 | 3 – 6 | 8 – 2 | W 2 |