THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY MAY 4, 2023

CENTRAL INDIANA BASEBALL SCORES

ALEXANDRIA MONROE 3 BLACKFORD 2

BISHOP CHATARD 12 SCECINA 5

RIVERTON PARKE 9 N. VERMILLION 1

IRVINGTON PREP 7 INDIANA DEAF 0

CASCADE 12 TRITON CENTRAL 1

PURDUE POLY NORTH 17 EMINENCE 7

DECATUR CENTRAL 6 WHITELAND 3

CATHEDRAL 30 INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON 2

BENTON CENTRAL 11 TWIN LAKES 1

WINCHESTER 6 WES DEL 5

DALEVILLE 7 KNIGHTSTOWN 3

MARION 11 ELWOOD 8

LAWRENCE NORTH 11 LAWRENCE CENTRAL 4

NORTHEASTERN 18 TRI 5

BATESVILLE 7 LAWRENCEBURG 2

EASTERN GREENE 10 WHITE RIVER VALLEY 3

LAPEL 10 MONROE CENTRAL 0

WARREN CENTRAL 8 BEN DAVIS 0

EASTERN HANCOCK 8 BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 4

MUNCIE CENTRAL 2 ANDERSON 0

WAPAHANI 14 FRANKTON 3

COVENANT CHRISTIAN 20 PURDUE POLY 1

FRANKLIN 9 MARTINSVILLE 2

MOORESVILLE 2 GREENWOOD 0

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 5 SOUTHPORT 0

SOUTHRIDGE 13 CORYDON CENTRAL 3

FISHERS 10 AVON 0

HAMILTON HEIGHTS 9 LEWIS CASS 1

GUERIN CATHOLIC 8 PARK TUDOR 2

PERRY MERIDIAN 4 PLAINFIELD 3

CRAWFORDSVILLE 10 WESTERN BOONE 6

YORKTOWN 6 SHELBYVILLE 3

BROWNSBURG 12 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 1

UNIVERSITY 12 SETON CATHOLIC 0

MOUNT VERNON 10 NEW CASTLE 0

NEW PALESTINE 11 DELTA 3

NORTH MONTGOMERY 7 LEBANON 6

RONCALLI 13 COLUMBUS EAST 0

TRI-WEST 3 FRANKFORT 2

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/BASEBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/3/2023

CENTRAL INDIANA SOFTBALL SCORES

LOGANSPORT 7 KOKOMO 5

NEW CASTLE 9 WAPAHANI 2

HAGERSTOWN 13 ANDERSON 4

RIVERTON PARKE 18 N. VERMILLION 2

GREENFIELD CENTRAL 5 SHENANDOAH 2

FISHERS 7 BISHOP CHATARD 3

LAWRENCE NORTH 14 BREBEUF 0

DECATUR CENTRAL 7 WHITELAND 6

SCECINA 11 PARK TUDOR 1

CATHEDRAL 12 CARMEL 5

FRANKLIN COUNTY 10 BATESVILLE 5

WESTERN BOONE 19 CRAWFORDSVILLE 5

TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 25 RIVERSIDE 5

MADISON GRANT 7 LAPEL 3

LIVING WATER 13 N. CENTRAL 6

RONCALLI 13 NEW PALESTINE 4

PLAINFIELD 5 PERRY MERIDIAN 2

PENDLETON HEIGHTS 13 EASTERN HANCOCK 3

LEBANON 22 N. MONTGOMERY 2

SPEEDWAY 10 SOUTHPORT 8

TRI-WEST 22 FRANKFORT 0

EASTBROOK 15 WES DEL 9

INDIAN CREEK 10 GREENCASTLE 0

CENTER GROVE 12 BLOOMINGTON NORTH 3

MOORESVILLE 13 GREENWOOD 1

NORTH POSEY 7 SOUTHRIDGE 3

LEBANON 10 BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 2

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/SOFTBALL/SCORES/?DATE=5/3/2023

NBA PLAYOFFS

BOSTON 121 PHILADELPHIA 87

NHL PLAYOFFS

CAROLINA 5 NEW JERSEY 1

VEGAS 6 EDMONTON 4

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

DETROIT 6 NY METS 5

ARIZONA 12 TEXAS 7

SAN FRANCISCO 4 HOUSTON 2

TAMPA BAY 8 PITTSBURGH 1

DETROIT 8 NY METS 1

LA ANGELS 6 ST. LOUIS 4

NY YANKEES 4 CLEVELAND 3 (10)

BOSTON 8 TORONTO 3

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6 MINNESOTA 3

KANSAS CITY 6 BALTIMORE 0

SEATTLE 7 OAKLAND 2 (10)

LA DODGERS 10 PHILADELPHIA 6

SAN DIEGO 7 CINCINNATI 1

ATLANTA 14 MIAMI 6

WASHINGTON 2 CHICAGO CUBS 1

COLORADO 7 MILWAUKEE 1

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

TOLEDO 4 INDIANAPOLIS 3

INDIANAPOLIS 9 TOLEDO 9 0

CEDAR RAPIDS 9 SOUTH BEND 5

FT. WAYNE AT LAKE COUNTY PPD

COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES

EVANSVILLE 4 BUTLER 1

MIAMI 12 SOUTHERN INDIANA 2

COLLEGE SOFTBALL SCORES

ILLINOIS CHICAGO 5 BUTLER 4 (8)

TOP NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS

NBA PLAYOFFS

BROWN SCORES 25, CELTICS SPOIL EMBIID’S RETURN IN 121-87 WIN

BOSTON (AP) The Celtics walked off the court angry and frustrated after giving up home-court advantage in their series-opening loss to the 76ers.

Boston called on those emotions – and its defense – to dominate in Game 2.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points and the Celtics rolled past Philadelphia 121-87 on Wednesday night, spoiling the return of new league MVP Joel Embiid.

The Celtics tied the series at one game apiece as the Eastern Conference semifinal series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.

“I think we’ve just got to take more pride in ourselves. That’s it,” Brown said. “I just feel like we underperformed last game. We wanted to come out and play to the best of our ability. And that’s what we did.”

Malcolm Brogdon added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston’s 20 3-pointers. Derrick White and Marcus Smart added 15 points apiece. Jayson Tatum played most of the game in foul trouble and was held to seven points.

Boston ratcheted up its defense and limited a 76ers team that hit 17 3-pointers in its Game 1 win to just 6 of 30 from beyond the arc on Wednesday. The Celtics led by as many as 36 points in the fourth quarter.

Brogdon said their charge now is to maintain the same mindset going forward.

“It doesn’t mean anything if there’s no carryover,” he said.

Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 16 points. Embiid finished with 15 points, three rebounds and five blocks in his first game back from a sprained right knee that caused him to miss the final game of the 76ers’ first-round sweep of Brooklyn. He also sat out Philadelphia’s Game 1 win on Monday.

James Harden, who tied his postseason career high with 45 points in Game 1, missed all six 3-pointers and shot 2 for 14 overall while finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Embiid’s return came a day after being voted MVP for the first time.

He was cleared to play by doctors and training staff following a pregame, on-court workout. That was after he did some light work during the 76ers’ morning shootaround.

Embiid said he was told it could take four to six weeks for his injury to heal and the opportunity to take a 2-0 lead ultimately made him want to play, even if there was rust.

“I felt pretty good to play and I felt like I could help the team,” he said. “I feel like I just got this out the way. Disappointed by the loss. But that’s a step toward getting back to myself.”

Tatum picked up three fouls in the first half. He was called for his fourth at the 7:34 mark of the third quarter when he knocked Harden to the floor while trying to fight through a screen.

It forced him to play a little less aggressively and helped Philadelphia cut what had been an 18-point Boston lead to 73-60 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter.

But Tatum’s teammates picked up the slack, leading the way as the Celtics closed the quarter on a 19-5 run to get it back up to 92-65 entering the fourth.

Embiid started slowly offensively, but with the 76ers struggling to make shots from the outside, he made an almost immediate impact defensively.

First, he blocked an early shot by Smart and then forced White to adjust another attempt. Embiid had five blocks his first 13 minutes of action.

But his conditioning was noticeably lacking as he lumbered into sets at times. He played just shy of seven minutes in the first quarter before getting his first rest. He returned for the final 1:05 of the period.

Embiid knocked down his first field goal of the night. a jumper over Grant Williams, with 21.4 seconds left before tripping as he backpedaled back down the court. He quickly rose to his feet. He finished the first half with 13 points, going 7 of 8 from the free throw line.

Brown said they expect to arrive in Philadelphia and face a 76ers team motivated after losing for the first time this postseason.

“Hostile environment. But it should be fun,” he said. “We should all be excited to embrace that challenge.”

TIP-INS

76ers: Shot 1 of 13 from the 3-point line in the first half. … Didn’t get their first offensive rebound until the 9:41 mark of the second quarter

Celtics: Tatum’s seven points marked the first time he was held to single digits in a playoff game since Game 2 of Boston’s 2021 first-round series against Brooklyn, when he had nine. … Boston led 57-49 at halftime. … Had just three turnovers in the opening 24 minutes.

NHL PLAYOFFS

HURRICANES TOP DEVILS 5-1 IN GAME 1 OF 2ND ROUND

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Hurricanes spent the first period swarming the puck and closing just about any fleeting bit of open ice the New Jersey Devils could find.

It was a dominating start to their second-round playoff series – and the blueprint the Hurricanes know they must follow going forward.

The Hurricanes got goals from Brett Pesce and Seth Jarvis alongside a suffocating defensive performance in the first, allowing Carolina to jump quickly on New Jersey en route to a 5-1 win Wednesday night to start this best-of-seven series.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brady Skeji and Jesper Fast also scored for the Hurricanes, who took the Devils completely out of any type of first-period flow while surrendering a single shot on goal. Meanwhile, Pesce scored on a low-flying shot through traffic to beat Akira Schmid and Jarvis blew past Ryan Graves near the blue line to beat Schmid over his glove for a 2-0 lead.

By the time Kotkaniemi followed early in the second, Schmid was headed for the bench.

“That’s a super-skilled team that is fast and comes in waves,” said Carolina forward Jordan Martinook, who found Kotkaniemi for his point-blank putaway. ” If you can stay on top of them and kind of limit their space, that’s what we’re going to have to do.

“Yeah, it’s hard. It’s a lot of work, but we’re willing to put it in.”

Game 2 is Friday night in Raleigh.

Nathan Bastian scored for the Devils, who played this one without trade-acquisition Timo Meier following his huge hit from New York Rangers forward Jacob Trouba during Monday’s Game 7 win. Bastian’s goal came when he got loose coming into the zone to beat Frederik Andersen at 5:02 of the second period, but the Devils got not closer.

“They backed us into a corner right away,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said.

The Hurricanes pushed into the second round after beating the New York Islanders, with the Game 6 clincher coming Friday night. That gave a team with an injury-hit group of forwards a few extra days to regroup, and Carolina jumped right back in to establish its style and play confidently from in front with the backing of a loud home-ice crowd.

“We played fast, physical,” Skjei said. “We got some pucks to the net. It was just the way we wanted to start, that first period.”

The Devils are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and won a series for the first time in 11 years. But they had less than 48 hours following the Game 7 clincher against the Rangers to get ready for Wednesday’s puck drop. Ruff had said Tuesday he liked jumping right into a series to keep rolling.

Instead, the Devils’ lone shot in the first period was a wrister from Bastian that looked more like an entry pass from the blue line before dribbling its way to Andersen at 12:15.

New Jersey eventually began to establish its style in the second, but by then, the Devils were fighting uphill.

“We didn’t get to our game,” forward Jesper Bratt said. “We were a little sloppy on the puck. We were a little slow getting to pucks and supporting each other. When you’re not supporting each other against a team like this … you’re not going to create that much.”

IN NET

The Hurricanes went back to Andersen in net over Antti Raanta after Andersen got his first start of the playoffs in the Game 6 clincher against the New York Islanders. He finished with 18 saves.

The 22-year-old Schmid had been terrific in the first round, posting a 1.38 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage while posting two shutouts. But he surrendered three goals on 11 shots.

“It had nothing to do with our goalie,” Ruff said. “I could’ve taken multiple players out.”

Vitek Vanecek had 10 saves on 11 shots in relief, though he survived one second-period power play that saw Carolina’s Sebastian Aho hit the left pos, then Jarvis follow with his own ping moments later.

AT STAKE

This is a matchup of the top teams in the Metropolitan Division, with the Hurricanes winning their final regular-season game to edge the Devils by a point (113-112) in the standings. And with Boston gone in a first-round stunner after a record-setting regular season, the winner of this series will have home-ice advantage for the rest of the playoffs.

NOTEWORTHY

Fast’s goal was an empty-netter. … Devils star Jack Hughes managed two shots while seeing plenty of defensive attention from Carolina captain Jordan Staal. … New Jersey lost Games 1 and 2 of the Rangers series by the same score at home before rallying to win. … Carolina forward Jack Drury returned after being knocked from the first-round series against the Islanders on a jarring hit into the boards from Ryan Pulock in Game 4. … Jesper Boqvist was back in the lineup with Meier out after playing five games against the Rangers.

Golden Knights Beat Oilers 6-4 Despite Draisaitl’s 4 Goals

LAS VEGAS (AP) Ivan Barbashev scored two goals, including one that put Vegas ahead for good, and the Golden Knights overcame Leon Draisaitl’s four goals to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 in Game 1 of the second-round series on Wednesday night.

It was the second night in a row a team had won despite allowing an opposing player to score four goals. Seattle beat Dallas 5-4 on Tuesday even with Joe Pavelski scoring four goals for the Stars. Teams with a player scoring four goals had been 36-3 before that game in the playoffs, and it had been 30 years since a team had overcome such a performance.

In addition to Barbashev, the Knights also received goals from Chandler Stephenson, Michael Amadio, Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. Eichel’s goal was an empty netter from deep in his zone, and he and Stone also each had an assist. Zach Whitecloud had two assists.

Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Zach Lyman and Connor McDavid each had two assists for the Oilers.

Game 2 is Saturday in Las Vegas.

Draisaitl extended his goal streak to four games, and he has at least a point in all seven playoff games. He had never scored four goals in a playoff game, and had reached that mark just once in the regular season – March 2, 2020, against Nashville.

Two of his goals game on the power play, making Edmonton 11 of 19 this postseason with the man advantage. The Oilers set an NHL record during the regular season by converting 32.4% of their chances.

This series was billed as the Oilers’ star power against the Knights’ balanced attack, and that’s how the opening game played out. Vegas found a way even with one of the NHL’s most dynamic scorers having a career night.

After Draisaitl scored on a power play less than two minutes into the third period to make the score 3-3, the Knights took the lead for good with two goals in 50 seconds. Barbashev scored on a rebound and Stephenson from the right circle.

NOTES

Oilers forward Mattias Janmark took an awkward spill into the boards in the first period and was taken into the locker room. … Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner is one of three finalists for the Calder Trophy, which goes to the league’s top rookie. … In addition to Draisaitl, Bouchard also has points in all seven games this postseason, and McDavid has a six-game point streak. For Vegas, Mark Stone has points in five consecutive games.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB ROUNDUP: DODGERS STUN PHILLIES ON WALK-OFF SLAM

Max Muncy hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw from former teammate Craig Kimbrel as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied past the visiting Philadelphia Phillies for a 10-6 walk-off victory Wednesday afternoon.

Muncy’s 12th home run of the season reached the seats down the right-field line after Chris Taylor singled to lead off the ninth inning, Freddie Freeman was walked intentionally and Will Smith walked to load the bases.

Miguel Vargas hit a home run for the Dodgers, and right-hander Gavin Stone gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits in four innings with two walks and a strikeout in his major league debut.

Bryce Harper (three hits, two walks) reached base five times for the Phillies, who saw their losing streak extend to four games. Down to their last out in the ninth inning, Harper singled and two batters later, Bryson Stott blooped a single to left field to tie the game 6-6.

Rays 8, Pirates 1

Shane McClanahan became the majors’ first six-game winner, Josh Lowe and Wander Franco each hit solo homers, and Tampa Bay Rays beat Pittsburgh in St. Petersburg, Fla.

McClanahan (6-0) remained unbeaten after yielding one run on five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over six innings. Mitch Keller (3-1) gave up five runs in five innings, but only one run was earned as the Pirates made a pair of errors that led to four runs scoring.

Lowe and Franco had two RBIs apiece for Tampa Bay, which has won 25 of its first 31 games and leads the majors with 64 home runs. Pittsburgh, which had won 11 of 13 entering the series, went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and has lost three straight games for the first time this season.

Angels 6, Cardinals 4

Jake Lamb and Mike Trout hit ninth-inning homers as visiting Los Angeles rallied past St. Louis on a night Shohei Ohtani dominated both on the mound and at the plate.

Brandon Drury also hit a homer for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in their last eight games. Ohtani allowed four runs on five hits and one walk in five innings. He tied a career high by striking out 13 batters and earned his 500th career strikeout. He also went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

Reliever Ryan Tepera (2-1) pitched the eighth inning to earn the victory, and Carlos Estevez closed out the ninth inning for his seventh save. Reliever Giovanny Gallegos (1-1) allowed three ninth-inning runs to take the loss.

Padres 7, Reds 1

Brett Sullivan drove in the first four runs of his major league career as host San Diego defeated Cincinnati in the rubber game of their series.

Juan Soto added a bases-clearing double for the Padres. Starter Seth Lugo (3-2) held the Reds to one run on seven hits over six innings to earn the win. The right-hander issued two walks and had five strikeouts.

Sullivan laced a double in the second to drive in the game’s first two runs and added a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 4-0.

Tigers 6, Mets 5 (Game 1)

Eric Haase homered and drove in five runs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth, as host Detroit edged New York in the first game of a split doubleheader.

Haase’s long ball was his first of the season. Javier Baez also supplied his first homer and scored three runs for Detroit. Tyler Alexander (1-0) got the win in relief and Alex Lange notched his fourth save. Starter Joey Wentz gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings.

Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer, while Tommy Pham and Mark Canha added solo shots for the Mets. Starter Joey Lucchesi allowed four runs and five hits in four innings.

Tigers 8, Mets 1 (Game 2)

Michael Lorenzen pitched seven solid innings, Matt Vierling hit a two-run homer and the host Detroit completed a doubleheader sweep by pounding New York.

Lorenzen (1-1), who signed with Detroit as a free agent in the offseason, earned his first win this season by holding the Mets to one run and four hits. Eric Haase, who had five RBIs as the Tigers took the first game, hit a solo homer in the nightcap and scored twice. Andy Ibanez had three hits and drove in two runs.

Mets starter Max Scherzer (2-2) was battered for six runs, including two homers, and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Scherzer was making his first start since serving a 10-game suspension for having a foreign substance on his pitching hand in his last start.

Braves 14, Marlins 6

Marcell Ozuna hit a grand slam and a solo homer against his former team as Atlanta rolled past host Miami despite losing starter Kyle Wright early.

Wright, who topped the majors in wins last season with 21, left the game with right-shoulder soreness with Atlanta leading 8-3 with no outs in the third. Collin McHugh (1-0) replaced Wright and worked three scoreless innings to get the win. He was the beneficiary of an Atlanta offense that collected 18 hits, including six homers.

Braxton Garrett (1-1) took the loss, allowing 14 hits, two walks and 11 runs with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. His ERA increased from 2.45 to 5.81. The Braves are 14-3 on the road this season, and they have won seven of their past nine games overall.

Diamondbacks 12, Rangers 7

Brandon Pfaadt’s highly anticipated major league debut had a few rough patches but the offense more than made up for it, as Arizona defeated Texas in Arlington, Texas.

The victory snapped a two-game skid for the Diamondbacks, who were led by Christian Walker’s two home runs and five RBIs. Pfaadt, a touted pitching prospect, went 4 2/3 innings and allowed nine hits — four of which were home runs — and seven runs. However, four Arizona relievers combined for four scoreless innings. Joe Mantiply (1-0) earned the win.

Texas starter Andrew Heaney allowed six runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with four walks and five strikeouts. Josh Sborz (0-1) was tagged for the loss after allowing three runs on two hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings in relief. Josh Jung had two homers for the Rangers.

Giants 4, Astros 2

Joey Bart doubled in a run and scored another, Wilmer Flores clubbed a home run and San Francisco left Texas with a series win after a victory over Houston.

Webb (2-5) took a shutout into the eighth before walking David Hensley and serving up a single to Martin Maldonado, bringing the potential tying run to the plate with no one out. But Webb got former teammate Mauricio Dubon to ground into a double play, which became critical when Alex Bregman followed with a two-run homer to draw Houston within 3-2. The homer was Bregman’s fourth of the season.

Flores bombed his fifth homer of the year in the ninth, a solo shot, to give the San Francisco bullpen some breathing room. Scott Alexander struck out Yordan Alvarez to end the eighth before closer Camilo Doval worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his fifth save.

Nationals 2, Cubs 1

Lane Thomas tripled and scored on CJ Abrams’ single in the seventh inning and Washington beat visiting Chicago for the Nationals’ second consecutive victory.

Five Washington pitchers combined on a six-hitter on a night when right-hander Jake Irvin started in his major league debut. Irvin logged 4 1/3 innings and gave up a first-inning run. He allowed two hits, walked four and struck out three.

Cubs starter Marcus Stroman turned in a strong six-inning effort, holding the Nationals to one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked three.

Yankees 4, Guardians 3 (10 innings)

Pinch hitter Jose Trevino hit a game-ending single with one out in the 10th inning as host New York earned a victory over Cleveland.

Trevino won it when he lined an 0-2 slider from Trevor Stephan (1-1) into center field to score automatic runner Oswaldo Cabrera. It was Trevino’s fourth career walk-off hit and third since joining the Yankees before last season.

Albert Abreu (1-0) quickly got through the middle of Cleveland’s lineup in the top half to earn the win.

White Sox 6, Twins 4

Eloy Jimenez lined a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning among his two hits and Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal had three hits apiece to spark host Chicago to a win against Minnesota.

Chicago, which got a three-run homer from Luis Robert in the first inning, secured its first series victory of the season while winning for the third straight time following a 10-game losing streak. The Twins have lost two in a row and three of four.

Keynan Middleton worked around a walk to strike out the side in the ninth to notch his first save since May 2021. Minnesota’s Carlos Correa hit a two-run double in the third and scored on Byron Buxton’s double one batter later.

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 3

Triston Casas went 3-for-5 with game-tying singles in back-to-back innings, and host Boston went on to beat Toronto.

The Red Sox totaled 15 hits and scored in their last five innings en route to their fifth straight win and third in a row to begin the four-game series. Masataka Yoshida and Enmanuel Valdez had two hits and two RBIs apiece for Boston. Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (2-2) struck out six and allowed three runs on five hits over six innings.

Pivetta allowed solo home runs to Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who were each 2-for-4 for Toronto. Alek Manoah (1-2) allowed five runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out three in five innings. Toronto also committed four errors, and the Red Sox made two.

Royals 6, Orioles 0

Zack Greinke pitched five scoreless innings for his first win of the season, Vinnie Pasquantino went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run, and Kansas City evened up its home series against Baltimore.

Greinke (1-4) delivered his best outing of the season, striking out three with three hits and no walks, en route to his first win since Aug. 11 of the 2022 campaign. He came out after just 44 pitches — a coach’s decision, via the Kansas City Star — but the bullpen maintained the club’s first shutout since last Sept. 17.

Taylor Clarke, Aroldis Chapman, Amir Garrett and Josh Staumont each pitched an inning in relief. Clarke struck out two in the sixth inning with the Royals holding a 1-0 lead after Pasquantino’s fourth-inning, solo home run.

Rockies 7, Brewers 1

Kris Bryant and Charlie Blackmon homered, Alan Trejo drove in three runs and Colorado beat Milwaukee in Denver to run its winning streak to a season-high three games.

The Rockies’ Kyle Freeland (3-3) tossed five scoreless innings before leaving with what the Denver Post reported was an aggravation of a neck injury. He allowed three hits and struck out five.

Owen Miller had two hits and Tyrone Taylor hit a sacrifice fly for Milwaukee, which has dropped three straight and six of its last nine. Losing pitcher Eric Lauer (3-3) allowed four runs — all unearned — on four hits and struck out six in 4 2/3 innings.

Mariners 7, Athletics 2 (10 innings)

Eugenio Suarez hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the 10th inning as Seattle defeated host Oakland in a game that was delayed 66 minutes at the outset by rain.

Seattle’s AJ Pollock tied the score at 2-2 with a solo shot to center field with one out in the ninth off Zach Jackson. Suarez went deep to right-center off Adam Oller (1-1), scoring ghost runner Jose Caballero and Julio Rodriguez, who led off the inning with a walk.

Matt Brash (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory, Seattle’s third in a row. A’s left-hander JP Sears pitched six scoreless innings but was unable to earn the first victory by an Oakland starter this season. Sears allowed four hits, walked two and struck out seven.

NFL NEWS

PATRICK MAHOMES’ BROTHER JACKSON CHARGED WITH SEXUAL BATTERY

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) Jackson Mahomes, the brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was briefly jailed Wednesday on aggravated sexual battery charges over an alleged altercation at a Kansas restaurant in late February.

Jackson Mahomes, 22, was charged Tuesday in Johnson County, Kansas, with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of battery. He was released later Wednesday after posting $100,000 bond. During a brief virtual court appearance, the judge scheduled the next online hearing for May 11.

Under conditions of his bond, Jackson Mahomes won’t be allowed to discuss his case publicly.

The probable cause affidavit in the case was not immediately available. But The Kansas City Star reported that police previously confirmed they were investigating a Feb. 25 incident involving Jackson Mahomes at a restaurant in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas.

Jackson Mahomes’ attorney, Brandan Joseph Davies, said in a statement that the court prohibited him and his client from commenting. But he released a statement in March, when the allegations first surfaced, saying there was “substantial evidence refuting the claims of Jackson’s accuser,” The Star reported.

Aspen Vaughn, the owner of Aspens Restaurant and Lounge, told the newspaper in early March that Jackson Mahomes was friends with her stepdaughter and had frequented the restaurant, where her stepdaughter works. She said he had been there earlier on the day of their encounter and had been pleasant.

Vaughn said after he returned to Aspens that night, Jackson Mahomes grabbed her neck with enough force that it left a faint bruise while they were talking in her office about an incident in which he allegedly shoved a member of the wait staff.

She provided The Star with a photo of a bruise on her neck and a video that she said showed Jackson Mahomes grabbing her by the throat and kissing her at least twice.

“He forcibly kissed me out of nowhere,” she said, calling the advances unwelcome and shocking and noting that she thought he was intoxicated.

Aspen Vaughn didn’t immediately reply to a Facebook message, and the restaurant didn’t immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment about the charges.

The Chiefs declined to comment, saying it was a personal matter involving the relative of a player but not a member of the organization. Patrick Mahomes doesn’t have a spokesperson and he hasn’t commented about the matter on Twitter.

JETS SIGN FORMER PACKERS WR COBB TO JOIN BUDDY RODGERS IN NY

(AP) — The New York Jets signed veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb on Wednesday, adding another of Aaron Rodgers’ former Green Bay Packers teammates to the roster.

The 32-year-old Cobb, who had two stints with Rodgers in Green Bay, adds depth to a suddenly crowded wide receiver room in New York.

The Jets also have Garrett Wilson, the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, as their No. 1 receiver to go along with Allen Lazard – another former Packers player – Corey Davis, Mecole Hardman and Denzel Mims. Malik Taylor, who spent four seasons in Green Bay, is also on the roster, along with Diontae Spencer and Irvin Charles.

Cobb was mentioned by Rodgers when he met with the Jets in March as someone he’d like to continue to play with. The two walked off the field together in January after Green Bay’s season-ending loss to Detroit – which turned out to be both players’ final game at Lambeau Field.

The Jets acquired Rodgers from the Packers last week and formally introduced him at a news conference last Wednesday.

Cobb was a second-round pick of Green Bay in 2011 and played for the Packers for eight seasons before signing with Dallas as a free agent in 2019. He played the next season in Houston before being re-acquired by the Packers – at Rodgers’ request – in 2021.

Cobb, who has served primarily as a slot receiver, had 34 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown last season. In 12 NFL seasons, he has 625 receptions for 7,585 yards and 53 touchdowns.

In addition to Cobb, Lazard and Taylor, the Jets have backup quarterback Tim Boyle and offensive linemen Billy Turner and Adam Pankey as players who were teammates of Rodgers in Green Bay. Cobb is also reunited with Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, whose system Cobb played in for the Packers in 2021.

MEN’S GOLF

PGA RULES ‘CUT AND DRIED’ WHEN IT COMES TO MCILROY $3M BONUS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Rory McIlroy says he had his reasons for skipping his second elevated event at the RBC Heritage.

That wasn’t enough for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to pay out the remaining $3 million of McIlroy’s Player Impact Program bonus.

Monahan announced Wednesday that the world’s third-ranked player won’t receive the $3 million sum – a day after the 33-year-old McIlroy said he presented his case.

McIlroy finished second to Tiger Woods in the PIP program, which measures a player’s popularity and impact on tour. He was set to make a $12 million, but that payout has been reduced by 25% after he missed his second elevated event.

Under the PIP rules, the top players are only allowed one “opt-out” for the season’s 12 designated “elevated tournaments” on this year’s tour, not including the four major tournaments and the Players Championship. McIlroy’s decision to skip the tournament in Hilton Head, South Carolina, was his second opt-out after missing the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Monahan said the rules are “cut and dried.”

“When we made when we made the commitment to this schedule with the Player Impact Program, we adjusted for one opt out,” Monahan said at the Wells Fargo Championship. “For any second opt out, you would forfeit to 25% unless there was a medical issue. … So in terms of precedent, in any situation like that we’re going to look at the criteria against the situation at hand and make a decision, There’s nothing really unusual about that.”

McIlroy won’t have to pay anything back; the money will simply be deducted from what he was scheduled to earn.

McIlroy said Tuesday night at a FedEx Founders Fund charitable event in Charlotte that he had planned to play at the RBC Heritage but opted out because he needed a “reset” after missing the cut at the Masters.

McIlroy indicated the stresses that engulfed the PGA Tour over the last year -like player defections to the LIV Tour and setting up a new schedule for 2024 – have weighed heavily on him while serving as player director for the PGA Tour’s policy board. He hopes to take time away from the board after his commitment is complete.

“I’ve always thought I’ve had a good handle on the perspective on things and sort of where golf fits within my life, and trying to find purpose outside of golf in some way,” McIlroy said. “But I think over the last 12 months, I sort of lost sight of that. I’d lost sight of the fact that there’s more to life than the golf world and this little silly squabble that’s going on between tours, and all sorts of stuff.”

McIlroy indicated Tuesday that he’d spoken with Monahan about his absence, but wasn’t sure if the $3 million would be withheld.

Monahan said he completely understands McIlroy’s need to be refreshed, but the rules still stand.

“He knew the consequences of that,” Monahan said. “First of all, players should be able to make a decision not to play. That’s the beauty of our model. But he knows the consequences of that based on that criteria. And that’s our position.”

TOP INDIANA RELEASES

INDIANS BASEBALL

TOLEDO, Ohio – Caleb Smith dazzled in a 7.0-inning complete-game shutout as Indianapolis routed Toledo in Game 2 on Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Third Field, 9-0. The Mud Hens’ four-run third inning put them past the Indians in Game 1 as the two clubs split the doubleheader.

Smith (W, 1-2) cruised through the Mud Hens (18-10) lineup, allowing just three total baserunners while striking out five. He became the first Indians pitcher to toss a complete-game shutout since right-hander James Marvel on July 5, 2019 vs. Toledo. It was also Smith’s second career complete-game shutout, following a 7.0-inning one-hitter on June 18, 2017 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Buffalo.

The Indians (11-17) took an early one-run lead in the second inning off Garrett Hill (L, 1-1) and continued to back Smith. In the fifth inning, Canaan Smith-Njigba launched a homer for his first hit since being optioned by Pittsburgh last week. The offense later exploded for an additional seven runs in the top of the seventh with five hits and 11 batters coming to the plate. The frame was highlighted by a two-RBI single off the bat of Grant Koch to give Indy its 9-0 lead.

In the opener, a four-run third inning was all Toledo needed for the win. The Mud Hens took the lead on an Andre Lipcius two-RBI double off John O’Reilly (L, 0-2) with runners on the corners.

Indianapolis got on the board first in Game 1 with an RBI triple by Josh Palacios in the top of the first frame. Indy tacked onto its lead with an RBI sacrifice fly by Ryan Vilade to build a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning before Toledo’s four-run frame.

Down two runs in the fourth, the Indians threatened a comeback when Aaron Shackelford ripped an RBI triple off the right-field wall to cut the deficit in half.

Mud Hens starter Reese Olson (W, 1-2) tossed 5.0 innings and allowed all three of Indy’s runs. Matt Wisler (S, 1) came in relief of Olson and held the Indians scoreless in their final two at-bats to earn the save.

Indianapolis and Toledo will continue their six-game set on Thursday night at 6:35 PM ET at Fifth Third Field. RHP Quinn Priester (1-3, 7.78) will toe the rubber for the Indians against Mud Hens LHP Zach Logue (1-1, 3.00).

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Zionsville High School senior shooting guard Logan Imes has committed to Notre Dame. Imes, a three-star prospect averaged 16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals his senior season at Zionsville.

Ian Stephens of New Palestine will walk-on at IU. Stephens averaged 15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game his senior season. New Pal went 23-3 and won a sectional title last season. Stephens shot 59% from the field and 40% from the 3-point line (17-for-42) as a senior.

IU WSOCCER

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University head women’s soccer coach Erwin van Bennekom announced the team’s 2023 schedule. 

“We are very excited about our 2023 season,” van Bennekom said. “Our schedule is challenging, and we have some top-level games in and out of conference play, at home and on the road.”

Indiana will start the season with two exhibition matches against Ball State on Aug. 6 and Bellarmine on Aug. 9.

The Hoosiers welcome three opponents to Bill Armstrong Stadium as they begin their non-conference slate. They host Illinois State (Aug. 17), Virginia Tech (Aug. 20) and Morehead State (Aug. 24).

IU will travel to Evansville, Ind. (Aug. 27) for a match against the Aces before heading to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Tennessee Volunteers. 

The Hoosiers will return home to close out the non-conference schedule with NIU (Sept. 3), Louisville (Sept. 7) and Hanover (Sept. 10).

Big Ten play begins with Rutgers (Sept. 17) in Bloomington before their first B1G road trip to Illinois (Sept. 21). 

IU returns to Bloomington to host Northwestern (Sept. 24) before closing out the week at Ohio State.

The squad kicks off October as they welcome the Golden Gophers (Oct. 1) with the rivalry game against Purdue (Oct. 8) at the end of the week.

It’s a border battle as the Hoosiers welcome Michigan State (Oct. 12) and Michigan (Oct. 15) to Bloomington for the final home matches of the season.

They head to the east coast for a pair of matches at Penn State (Oct. 19) and Maryland (Oct. 22) to close out the regular season.

The Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals is set for Sunday, Oct. 29. 

IU MEN’S GOLF

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana men’s golf team has earned a bid to the 2023 NCAA Auburn Regional played at the Auburn University Club, the NCAA announced on Wednesday via a selection show on The Golf Channel.

After making the 2021 NCAA Tallahassee Regional and the 2022 NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional, Indiana has made three-straight regional appearances as a team for the first time since making six-consecutive NCAA events from 2008-13. In total, the Hoosiers have made it to 12 NCAA Regionals under head coach Mike Mayer.

“We are thrilled to be back in the NCAA Regional for a third-straight season,” Mayer said. “We feel really good about where we are as a team right now. We are getting closer to peaking, and this is the right time of year to feel that way. This is a strong field, so we are going to have to play great golf if we want to reach our goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championship.”

The 2023 NCAA Regionals will be held May 15-17 at one of six sites across the country: Auburn University Club (Auburn, Ala.), The Cliffs at Keowee Falls (Salem, S.C.), Eagle Eye Golf Club (East Lansing, Mich.), Bear’s Best Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.), Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club (Norman, Okla.), and The Institute Golf Club (Morgan Hill, Calif.).

Three of the regional sites will have 13 teams and 10 individuals competing, while three will have 14 teams and five individuals. The top five teams (30 teams total) and the low individual not on an advancing team from each regional site (six individuals total) will advance to the NCAA Championships, set for May 26-31 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

2023 NCAA Auburn Regional Teams

1. Vanderbilt

2. Tennessee

3. Auburn

4. Colorado State

5. Ohio State

6. Washington

7. TCU

8. Chattanooga

9. Houston

10. Marquette

11. Indiana

12. Augusta

13. Siena

2023 NCAA Auburn Regional Individuals

1. Alex Goff, Kentucky

2. Brantley Scott, Troy

3. Erik Jansson, Jacksonville State

4. Tobias Jonsson, Mercer

5. Cameron Clarke, Southern Miss

6. Brian Ma, Harvard

7. Jackson Skeen, Tennessee Tech

8. Luka Naglic, Arkansas State

9. Hugo Thyr, South Alabama

10. Killian McGinley, Fairfield

NCAA Tournament Appearances Under Mike Mayer

2022-23: Regional

2021-22: 12th (Regional)

2020-21: 9th (Regional)

2017-18: Jake Brown – t-14th (Individual Regional)

2012-13: 13th (Regional)

2011-12: 9th (Regional)

2010-11: t-8th (Regional)

2009-10: 9th (Regional)

2008-09: 12th (Regional)

2007-08: 10th (Regional); 21st (NCAA Finals); Jorge Campillo (NCAA Finals individual runner-up)

2006-07: Jorge Campillo – t-72nd (Individual Regional)

2005-06: t-11th (Regional)

2004-05: t-18th (Regional)

2003-04: t-20th (Regional); Jeff Overton (NCAA Finals individual t-20th)

2002-03: Jeff Overton – t-38th (Individual Regional)

PURDUE MEN’S GOLF

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the eighth time in the last nine tournaments, the Purdue men’s golf team has been selected for the NCAA Regional Championships announced Wednesday afternoon on the Golf Channel.

The Boilermakers earned the No. 7 seed in the Clemson Regional and will be joined in seed order by North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Arkansas, New Mexico, Clemson, Furman, Middle Tennessee, Northern Illinois, Long Island and Longwood  at the Cliffs at Keowee Falls, played May 15 to 17.

“We’re obviously thrilled to be selected for NCAA Regionals and we’re excited to get to Clemson and see how we stack up,” Purdue head coach Rob Bradley said. “We’ve had a solid spring and have really been playing better in the last month, so to get down there and compete against the best teams in the country is exciting for us. This is a great field with a lot of very good teams, so we will have to play very well to advance, but I’m excited to see what this team can do. We will be ready.”

Under Bradley, Purdue is currently in one of its best stretches in school history, reaching the postseason for the eighth time in nine tournaments, the best stretch for the program since the 1950s and 60s. Purdue has been a top-10 seed in all eight regionals and surpassed its seed in five of the previous seven regionals.

“Our program has been a model of consistency in our conference, but to take it to the next level, we need to compete in Regionals and advance. That will always be the goal. This is another chance to take our program to the next level,” Bradley added.

Purdue enters the NCAA Clemson Regional ranked No. 38 in the country, posting six top-five finishes in 10 events and posting a head-to-head record of 87-45-1 (.658). The Boilermakers won the Boilermaker Invitational, placed third at the Purdue Fall Invitational and fourth at the Isleworth Intercollegiate and Hootie at Bulls Bay. Included in its head-to-head record are head-to-head victories over Oklahoma (#9), Arizona (#19) and Ole Miss (#20).

On the individual side, the Boilermakers are led by All-America candidate Herman Sekne, who was just named first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season and owns the single-season school record in stroke average and rounds in the 60s, while posting seven top-10 finishes in nine events. Purdue’s other five individuals that have seen significant action all have a stroke average under 73.50 strokes per 18 holes.

During the Bradley era that started before the 2013-14 season, Purdue has made the National Championships in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Purdue’s three appearances are the second most in the Big Ten during that span (Illinois 7, Purdue 3, Ohio State 2, Northwestern 1, Penn State 1).

BUTLER SOFTBALL

CHICAGO – Monique Hoosen is now the single-season record holder for home runs as she launched her 14th of the year on Wednesday. It was not enough, as the Butler softball team dropped a midweek, non-conference, extra-inning affair to Illinois-Chicago. The Bulldogs (17-31) led after one inning and came from behind to tie the game in both the fourth and sixth innings, but the Flames (7-41) hit a walk-off fly ball in the eighth to claim the victory.

How It Happened

Butler took an early, 1-0, lead in the first inning off three consecutive two-out singles coming from Paige Dorsett (2-3), Teagan O’Rilley (2-4), and finally Monique Hoosen (2-4, HR, 2 RBI), who picked up the RBI.

In the bottom of the third, Illinois-Chicago responded and took the lead. Two singles and a pair of errors by the Bulldogs allowed three to cross the plate. The Flames held a 3-1 lead going into the fourth.

Leading off in the fourth, Hoosen hit a solo home run just over the center field fence, bringing Butler to within one run. After a Kieli Ryan double and a Kaylee Gross single, Ellie Boyer (2 RBI) put the ball in play and Ryan tied the game, 3-3.

In the fifth, UIC regained the lead with a double and a single. The Flames led, 4-3, entering the sixth.

Butler tied the game again, at 4-4, in the sixth. Loren Simpson walked and advanced to second. Boyer sent a ball out to center field, and a UIC error allowed Simpson to tag home.

Neither team scored in the seventh, and the game went into extras.

In the eighth, the Flames loaded the bases with one out, and a deep fly ball to right field pushed a run across and ended the game.

Mackenzie Griman (4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) started for Butler and lasted a full three innings. Sydney Cammon (3 H, 1 R, 2 K) entered with the game tied, 3-3, and pitched the fourth and fifth innings. Rylyn Dyer (5-7) entered with the game tied, 4-4, and took the loss. In 2.1 innings of work, she allowed two hits and three walks with one strikeout. The one run attributed to Dyer was unearned. 

Bulldog Bits

Monique Hoosen’s home run was her 14th of the season and the 27th of her career. She is now Butler’s single season record holder for home runs in one season, surpassing Erin Falkenberry (2011).

Kieli Ryan’s double was her 10th of the season.

Up Next

Butler will complete the regular season with a trip to Seton Hall for its final BIG EAST series from May 5-7.

BUTLER BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS – The Evansville Purple Aces limited Butler to just two hits on Wednesday night to defeat the Bulldogs by the final score of 4-1. BU will now shift their focus to an upcoming three-game BIG EAST series at Georgetown.

Tyler Denu, John MacCauley, Max Hansmann and Nate Hardman kept the Bulldog bats quiet in Evansville. Denu recorded his fourth win on the mound. He struck out seven batters over four innings and only walked one Bulldog. MacCauley is a graduate transfer from Butler. He threw three clean innings and struck out two. Hansmann threw the eighth and Hardman collected his sixth save to finish the action.

For BU, Cade Thune got the start, but the loss went to Luke Zmolik. Shane Kilfoyle, Jon Vore, Ben Whiteside and Cooper Robinson also touched the rubber for the ‘Dawgs.

The game got underway with the Purple Aces scoring a single run in the first inning off an RBI single from Waggoner. BU tied it up in the fourth by capitalizing on a Purple Ace error. Ryan O’Halloran put the ball in play to score Scott Jones.

The go-ahead run came quickly after as Danny Borgstrom hit a solo home run down the line in right. Insurance runs for the home team came in the sixth. Brendan Hord doubled to center to score Borgstrom and the game would end at 4-1 after a BU error helped Hord score.

Jones and Carter Dorighi were responsible for the BU hits on Wednesday night. The middle of the Evansville order did the damage for the Aces. Evan Waggoner, Borgstrom and Hord combined for four hits, three RBI and three runs scored.

NOTRE DAME BASEBALL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are back in action at Frank Eck Stadium for a three-game series against NC State starting on Thursday, May 4. The Irish are 13-11 in the ACC as they host the Wolfpack in their final home ACC series of the 2023 season.

Irish Host NC State

• The Irish will take on NC State in their final ACC series at home this season. 
• Notre Dame is looking to keep momentum going as they have won their last two ACC series at Frank Eck with a series win over Florida State and a sweep over No. 8 Virginia.
• This is the 26th matchup between Notre Dame and NC State as the Wolfpack lead the overall series 12-13. The Irish are 8-4 at home, 4-7 on the road, and 0-2 at neutral sites. 
• The Irish won the last three series against the Wolfpack, with the most recent coming last year, even though only two games were played due to inclement weather. The Irish took home game one 8-4 (12) in extra innings and game two 11-4 last March. 
• In the 8-4 (12) win, the Irish trailed 4-0 heading into the seventh but scored four runs over the next two innings to force extra innings. 
• After a scoreless 10th and 11th inning, Zack Prajzner put the Irish ahead with a solo blast in the 12th. Notre Dame added three more runs in the inning and Jack Brannigan closed the door to secure the win. The Irish bullpen tossed eight scoreless innings starting in the fifth inning to help the Irish mount the comeback.
• The Irish head into the weekend with Carter Putz leading the way with a .291 batting average, followed by Zack Prajzner who is hitting at a clip of .286.
• Prajzner has tallied a team best 48 hits and 10 doubles. 
• Putz is leading the Irish with 31 RBI, as he’s recorded 46 hits, nine doubles, and eight home runs. 
• Jack Penney is leading the team with 10 home runs this season, followed by Vinny Martinez with nine home runs.

Florida State at Frank Eck Stadium 

• The Irish took home their fourth conference series win as they took down the Seminoles last weekend. After falling 3-2 to FSU in game one on Friday night, the Irish dominated game two 12-2 and completed the series win with a 12-8 win in game three.
• The Irish tallied 27 hits between games two and three as they were led by Brooks Coetzee with five hits on the weekend, followed by Brady Gumpf, Vinny Martinez, Carter Putz, and Zack Prajzner, who finished with four hits a piece. 
• Coetzee finished the weekend with three doubles and his second home run of the year, as well as drove in eight runs for the Irish. 
• Brady Gumpf went 4-6 at the plate, batting .667 on the series.
• Putz had a big day in the final game of the series as he finished the day 3-5, recording four RBI, scoring three runs, and homering twice in the 12-8 win. 
• Blake Hely started on the mound in game two, advancing to 3-1 on the year as he pitched 7.0 innings, striking out eight batters, and giving up just two runs on five hits. 

Irish Take on MSU for the Second Time This Season

• The Irish fell to the Spartans for the second time this season on Tuesday, April 25 in East Lansing. 
• Tied at 5-5 in the sixth, Michigan State recorded a six-run inning in the seventh to take the lead 11-5. The Spartans would tack on one more run in the bottom of the eighth to take the win 12-5. 
• Carter Putz and Brady Gumpf led the Irish with two hits a piece and DM Jefferson recorded his first triple of the season.
• The Irish fell to Michigan State in their first extra-inning game of the season at Frank Eck Stadium on Tuesday, April 11 in the first Irish-MSU matchup of the season. 
• TJ Williams went 3-4 on the day, recording four RBI and his third home run of the year. Zack Prajzner finished the day with two hits as he tallied homer number four of the season.
• Falling 7-6 after a Spartan home run in the top of the 11th, the Irish were unable to get the offense rolling in the bottom frame and dropped their first midweek of the season. 

Notre Dame Sweeps No. 8 Virginia 

• The Irish notched their first sweep of the season as they downed No. 8 Virginia at Frank Eck Stadium April 21-23, playing in their fifth doubleheader of the season.
• The Irish recorded six home runs in the first win of the series on Friday night as Estevan Moreno led the way with three homers for the Irish. Jack Penney, DM Jefferson, and Brady Gumpf each recorded a home run as well in the 10-7 victory. Penney leads the Irish with nine home runs on the season. 
• Jefferson’s long ball was the first home run of his career as Gumpf tallied his first homer of the 2023 season. 
• The Irish finished with a season-high 17 hits in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, April 23 as they took home the series with a 10-2 win.
• Jack Penney led the Irish with four hits, followed by Zack Prajzner and DM Jefferson who recorded three hits a piece. Carter Putz and Vinny Martinez finished with two hits, while TJ Williams, Danny Neri, and Estevan Moreno each finished with one hit in the win.
• The Irish capped off their weekend sweep with a 5-4 victory in the second game of the doubleheader. 
• Blake Hely finished with a season-high 7.1 innings pitched and season-high eight strikeouts as he took home his second win of the season in the final game.
• Vinny Martinez batted .700 in the series against No. 8 Virginia, finishing the weekend with seven hits, six RBI, three runs, two doubles, and one home run.

Valparaiso and Western Michigan Come to Frank Eck

• The Irish defeated Valparaiso and Western Michigan in their home midweeks to advance to 8-4 at home.
• Winning 7-3 over Valpo, the Irish were led by Vinny Martinez who finished the day with two home runs. He also recorded three hits, three runs, and two RBI.
• The Irish defeated Western Michigan 2-1 on Wednesday at home as they were led by TJ Williams, who finished with two hits, including a double to left center field.

Irish Travel to Clemson 

• Notre Dame took game one of the three-game series at Clemson as the Irish offense was hot to start the series, recording 11 hits while winning 10-4 on Friday.
• The 10-4 victory was sparked by a big third inning as Notre Dame picked up their eighth ACC win of the year.
• Jack Penney and Brooks Coetzee each recorded three hits a piece in the win with Coetzee also recording three RBI and Penney recording two runs.
• TJ Williams also tallied his fourth home run of the year in the fifth inning for a two-run home run that extended the lead 8-2.
• The Irish fell 5-1 in game two on Saturday and 6-4 in game three on Sunday.
• The Irish are now 8-10 in the ACC after dropping the Clemson series on the road.

Michigan State Matchup at Frank Eck

• The Irish fell to Michigan State in their first extra-inning game of the season at Frank Eck Stadium on Tuesday, April 11. 
• TJ Williams went 3-4 on the day, recording four RBI and his third home run of the year. Zack Prajzner finished the day with two hits as he tallied homer number four of the season.
• Falling 7-6 after a Spartan home run in the top of the 11th, the Irish were unable to get the offense rolling in the bottom frame and dropped their first midweek of the season. 

Conference Play Resumes at Pitt

• The Irish took the series at Pitt after winning games one and two on Thursday and Friday. After winning 10-8 in game one, the Irish took game two 11-2 after a big offensive frame in the ninth. 
• The Irish fell short of the sweep as they dropped Sunday’s game 9-5 against the Panthers.
• A six-run first inning gave the Irish an early advantage in game one as Danny Neri capped off the scoring frenzy with his fourth home run of the year in the top of the first. 
• Jack Penney led off the second with his seventh home run of the season as he homered to right center to tack on another run for Notre Dame and make it a score of 7-2.
• The Panthers were able to close the gap to 10-8 with just one out in the bottom of the ninth as Sammy Cooper would come in to close for the Irish. 
• Pitt chopped a ground ball to Penney at third who turned a double play to preserve the Irish lead. Cooper picked up his second save of the season as Notre Dame took home the 10-8 victory to open the series.
• Jackson Dennies started on the mound in game two and finished the day pitching 4.2 innings, recording six strikeouts, and allowing no runs and just one hit.
• Leading 4-1 heading into the top of the ninth, the Irish offense dominated in the final inning scoring seven runs off of six hits in the frame to go on and take the 11-2 win.

Irish Take on Northwestern

• The Irish are now five-for-five in midweek matchups as they defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 12-0 on Tuesday, April 4 at Frank Eck.
• Notre Dame is now 6-3 after their second shutout win of the season. 
• Jack Penney recorded his sixth homerun of the year in the bottom of the seventh and Joey Spence would record his first career home run in the bottom of the eight for a two-run homerun to extend the Irish lead 12-0 heading into the ninth.
• The Irish will face the Wildcats again on the road on Tuesday, May 16. 

UNC Heads to South Bend for Another ACC Series 

• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-11) dropped the three-game series at Frank Eck as they fell to No. 13 North Carolina (20-8) in games one and two of the series. 
• Looking for redemption after a tough loss to the Tar Heels on Friday night, the Irish fell 5-2 in the first game of day, but were able to take home the final game in a 9-1 victory on the home turf. 
• Jackson Dennies recorded a career-high seven strikeouts across 4.2 innings in the game three win. He also allowed just two hits, while giving up no runs and walking no batters. 
• Vinny Martinez had himself a weekend at the plate, recording five hits and five runs on the weekend, as well as three home runs and seven RBI.

Midweek Matchup at Frank Eck Against Butler 

• The Irish are 4-for-4 in their midweek matchups so far this season, with two neutral site wins over Saint Joseph’s in Holly Springs, a win over Valpo in the 2023 home opener, and a 4-0 win over Butler at Frank Eck.
• Jackson Dennies started on the mound as he recorded a career-high six strikeouts across a career-high four innings pitched.

Irish Make History in Series Win Over No. 2 Louisville

• The Notre Dame Fighting (12-9) Irish defeated the No. 2 Louisville Cardinals (19-4) in a historic fashion, taking the first game of the series on Friday, March 24 and the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, March 26.
• The 5-4 win on Sunday afternoon clinched the first-ever home series win over Louisville in program history. After falling 2-1 in the second game of the doubleheader, the Irish are now 4-5 in conference.
• In game one, Notre Dame trailed 2-0 heading into the fifth.
• The Irish held Louisville scoreless in the top of the inning, while the Irish offense really started to get hot in the bottom of the frame. The Irish led off with singles from DM Jefferson and TJ Williams, and a sac bunt from Jack Penney would put runners on second and third for Notre Dame.
• Zack Prajzner scored both as he doubled down the left field line to add two Irish runs to the board and make it an even 2-2 ballgame. Zyska followed with a double of his own as he sent it to the wall in the left field gap to score Prajzner and take the lead 3-2.
• The Cardinals would score another run in the top of the sixth to tie it up at 3-3.
• The Irish immediately responded as Estevan Moreno ripped a home run to deep left, his second of the season, to put the Irish back on top at 4-3 and lead them to eventual 4-3 victory to take game one.
• In Saturday’s doubleheader, the Cardinals would put their first run of the day on the board on the first pitch of the game as they opened up with a home run to right field to take an early 1-0 lead. And after leading off the top of the fifth with another home run, Louisville led 3-0.
• Notre Dame wasn’t going anywhere, as the Irish bats started to get hot in the fifth. Notre Dame would score all five of their runs in the bottom of the inning. The Irish’s five runs would come off of just three three hits, all of which were home runs. Jack Penney would hit the first homer, followed by back-to-back home runs from Carter Putz and Brooks Coetzee.
• The five-run inning lifted the Irish to a 5-4 win to clinch the series win over the Cardinals.

Notre Dame Opens up at Home Against Valparaiso

• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took down the Beacons in the 106^th matchup between Valpo and Notre Dame as the Irish lead the overall series 86-21 with the very first game taking place on May 14, 1918.
• The Irish defeated Valpo in a 8-4 victory in their home opener on Tuesday, March 21 at Frank Eck. 
• Both graduate students, Zack Prajzner and Jack Zyska both recorded their first home runs of the season in Tuesday’s win. Prajzner’s homer to left field came in the bottom of the third and Zyska followed with his left field home run in the bottom of the fourth. 
• David Lally Jr. made his second career start on the mound, throwing 2.1 innings before he was relieved in the third inning by Carter Bosch.  Bosch recorded a season-high six strikeouts across 3.2 innings and gave up no runs while allowing only two hits. Sammy Cooper came in to close in the top of the seventh, taking home his second win of the season.

Irish Resume Conference Play at No. 4 Wake Forest

• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finished the series 2-1 at no. 4 Wake Forest last weekend after falling in both doubleheader games on Saturday, but taking home Sunday’s game in a 3-1 victory. 
• The Irish are now 9-8 on the year and 2-4 in the ACC after the road series. 
• Due to Friday’s game being postponed for inclement weather, the Irish and Demon Deacons played a doubleheader on Saturday, March 18. 
• Wake Forest took game one 4-1 and game two 12-3.
• Jackson Dennies started on the mound for the Irish in game one, finishing the day with three strikeouts while allowing two runs and five hits across 3.2 innings pitched. 
• Aidan Tyrell came in relief with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, throwing 3.1 innings, recording four strikeouts, and giving up just one run and one hit.
• Trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the third, Danny Neri led off for the Irish with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a sac bunt from TJ Williams. Estevan Moreno followed with his first hit of the day as he singled through the left side to score Neri for Notre Dame’s only run of the game
• The Irish struggled to score in game two on Saturday. Trailing 12-1 heading into the top of the ninth, Connor Hincks singled to center field for his first career hit and was sent home on a two-run home run from Tony Lindwedel. Lindwedel’s first career home run would close the gap to 12-3 as Wake Forest took home the second game of the series.
• Wake Forest was undefeated 14-0 at home so far this season until Notre Dame took game three with a score of 3-1.
• The Irish offense sparked in the top of the second with a double to right center from Carter Putz, who scored after Jack Zyska hit a single to left field. 
• The Irish posted an early 1-0 lead, while Findlay continued to shut down the Demon Deacons from the mound as he closed the first two innings with three strikeouts.
• DM Jefferson started the third with a lead-off single to center field and advanced to second on a passed ball with TJ Williams up to bat. Jefferson was able to score and tack on another run for the Irish as an RBI single from Brooks Coetzee brought Jefferson home for the 2-0 lead.
• Coetzee led off the sixth with a double to right center field, which was followed by a walk from Putz. With runners on first and second and Jack Penney up to bat, Coetzee was able to steal third on a wild pitch. Penney reached on a fielder’s choice, recording an RBI as Coetzee ran home to give the Irish a 3-0 edge heading into the bottom of the sixth.
• Findlay recorded his 10th strikeout of the day before he was relieved by Blake Hely with two outs in the sixth. Findlay absolutely dominated from the mound, throwing 10 strikes across 5.2 innings and allowing just two hits and no runs.

Midweek matchup in Holly Springs

• The Irish took down the Hawks on Tuesday, March 14, and Wednesday, March 15, in their first midweek matchup of the year. 
• Notre Dame defeated Saint Joseph’s 6-3 on Tuesday and 10-9 on Wednesday at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, NC..
• Matt Bedford made his first start of the year in game one and freshman David Lally Jr. made his first career start on the mound in game two.
• Carter Putz recorded his second home run of the year in game one with a 440’ rocket to right field in the game one win.
• The Irish took game two in a close 10-9 win, finishing the game with a bases loaded walk-off HBP as Coetzee was hit by the pitch for the fourth time that game for the walk-off win.
• Putz, Penney, and Neri each recorded their third home runs of the year in game two against Saint Joseph’s.

Conference Play Opens Up at Georgia Tech

• The Notre Dame Fighting Irish start the 2023 conference season 1-2 in the ACC after falling in games one and two, but taking home game three against the Yellow Jackets on the road.
• The Irish fell in a close one on Friday night (March 10) at Russ Chandler Stadium. While the Irish trailed 2-0 early, a strong fifth inning that included five singles allowed Notre Dame to put four runs on the board to take the lead 4-3. However, the bottom of the seventh inning would lift the Yellow Jackets to the 7-4 victory in game one.
• Due to Sunday’s weather, a double header was played on Saturday where the Yellow Jackets took the first game of the day 15-2.
• While the Irish struggled to find the strike zone, the Yellow Jackets were hot from the plate, bringing in nine runs in the first three innings.
• The Fighting Irish scored their first run of the day in the top of the third after Estevan Moreno singled up the middle and was sent home from an RBI double down the right field line from Jack Penney.
• The Yellow Jackets would tack on another two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead 11-1 and wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the seventh.
• Freshman Caden Spivey made his debut on the mound in the bottom of the fourth, striking out his very first batter faced. Spivey allowed only one hit and gave up no runs in his two innings pitched.
• Norte Dame wasn’t going anywhere though, as they came out strong to start the second game of the day and went on to take the final game 17-4. The Irish finished with 16 hits, their best offensive outing of the season.
• Zack Prajzner started the Irish offense with a double to left field, followed by a base hit from Brooks Coetzee. Nick Juaire reached first after being hit by a pitch and it was bases loaded for the Irish. Jack Zyska was walked in his first at bat of the game, which scored Prajzner and put Notre Dame on the board 1-0.
• Jack Penney stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and two outs and crushed a ball down the right field line for a grand slam. Penney’s second home run of the season scored Coetzee, Juaire, and Zyska to give the Irish the 5-0 advantage after one.
• Leading 5-2 heading into the third, Carter Putz led off and started the inning with his first home run of the season with a 418’ homer to deep center field. Juaire followed with a base hit to left field and scored on an RBI double from Penny, his fifth RBI of the game.
• Jackson Dennies started on the mound for the Irish, pitching 2.2 innings, throwing three strikeouts, and giving up three runs.
• Dennies would give up one run in the bottom of the third before he was relieved by Aidan Tyrell, who finished with a game-high five strikeouts. Tyrell allowed no runs and only gave two hits across four innings pitched.
• Vinny Martinez kept the offense going with a 434’ rocket out to left field, his first home run of the season with the Irish in the top of the seventh. Notre Dame tacked on another five runs in the seventh to take home the 17-4 victory.

INDIANA STATE WSOCCER

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State soccer first-year head coach Paul Lawrence has announced the signing of four individuals to the 2023 roster. The diverse group of signees includes a pair of incoming freshmen from two different states and a pair of transfers from two different countries, and each of them occupies a different position on the pitch.

Trystyn Divich | 5-4 | Forward | Las Vegas, Nev. | Faith Lutheran High School

Trystyn Divich is an incoming freshman forward from Las Vegas, Nev. who was a top goal scorer for Heat FC and a four-year letterwinner for the nationally-ranked program out of Faith Lutheran High School. A two-time 5A State Champion, Divich was a Lutheran All-American her freshman year and earned the Crusader Award for Leadership her senior season. Divich was a four-time scholar-athlete in high school and plans to pursue a pre-law degree at Indiana State.

Coach Lawrence on Trystyn Divich…

“Trystyn is a player that we were able to identify at ECNL Florida as she showcased her abilities against top competition over the course of the event.  As a forward, she has the mentality that we are seeking and is eager to drive at defenders at pace, but she also has the willingness to use her strength to hold off and break away for a finish when required. Trystyn comes from a Heat FC program that has seen past Sycamores come in and have tremendous careers, and we look forward to Trystyn joining our program and continuing that tradition.”

Audrey Roberts | 5-8 | Defender | Lagrange, Ky. | Oldham County High School

Audrey Roberts is an incoming freshman defender from La Grange, Ky. She’s a four-year letterwinner out of Oldham County High School who also played for Racing Louisville Academy. Roberts is a four-time KHSAA Academic All-State recipient who started every game junior and senior year while serving as team captain her senior year. She was named Kentucky Army National Guard Female Athlete of the Month in January 2023. Her junior year, Roberts earned OCHS Defensive MVP, All-Region Second Team, and District All-Tournament Team Honorable Mention for the second time before earning OCHS Team MVP, All-Region First Team, District All-Tournament Team, and All-State Honorable Mention her senior year. A dual-sport athlete, she also lettered all four years in basketball and served as team captain her senior year.

Coach Lawrence on Audrey Roberts…

“Audrey was also identified at the ECNL Florida event and comes from a tremendous club as well in Racing Louisville. At the ECNL Florida event, she had a great weekend in the back line winning multiple 1v1 battles with forward and connecting through the lines in possession. Audrey brings a great combination of toughness and composure. We are excited to add a defender of Audrey’s quality, and we know that she will be a great fit for our program moving forward.”

Lina Fasquelle | 5-5 | Midfielder | Lille, France | Cowley College

Lina Fasquelle is a junior transfer coming to Indiana State as a midfielder from Cowley College. Originally from Lille, France, Fasquelle attended Lycée Henri Darras and played for the LOSC Féminines U19 Division 2 team as well as the Pole Espoir Academy. In her sophomore season at Cowley College, Fasquelle notched five goals alongside five assists and was named Second Team All-Conference.

Coach Lawrence on Lina Fasquelle…

“Lina comes from a very talented junior college known for playing great soccer and producing high-end talent. She is an athletic and technical attacking threat who can operate in several positions for us. Simply put, Lina fits the profile for what we need in the midfield. Her French background and soccer IQ are things our program will benefit from immediately. Lina comes highly recommended from a coaching staff that I believe has accelerated her career here in the United States.”

Alexa Seiler | 5-9 | Goalkeeper | Karlsruhe, Germany | Chicago State

Alexa Seiler is a junior transfer goalkeeper who is coming to Indiana State after playing her first two seasons at Chicago State. She is a native of Karlsruhe, Germany and attended Justus-Knecht-Gymnasium while playing for Karlsruhe SC. Seiler collected 30 starts and a pair of shutouts in her two-year stint as a Cougar. She amassed a career-high 14 saves in a 2-1 win at Valparaiso her sophomore year.

Coach Lawrence on Alexa Seiler…

“Lexi is a player I have been tracking for some time. Her personality is contagious, and she is a real character and special kid off the field. Her maturity and professionalism from her German roots will make her an ideal fit for our team. On the field, her athletic range is outstanding. She is a true shot-stopper with the ability to manage the game. Proven at the Division I level already, her experience will be invaluable to our program.”

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S GOLF

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golf team had its name called on the NCAA Men’s Golf Selection Show on Wednesday (May 3) for the first time in program history. The Mastodons were selected as the No. 13 seed in the East Lansing Regional.

The Horizon League champions will play in the NCAA Regional on May 15-17 at the Eagle Eye Golf Course in East Lansing, Michigan. The top five teams and top individual from the regional will move on to play at the NCAA Championship on May 26-31 at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The East Lansing Regional consists of:

1. Illinois, 2. Florida, 3. Texas, 4. Oregon, 5. Kansas State, 6. Georgia, 7. Liberty, 8. San Diego, 9. Little Rock, 10. Michigan State, 11. Wisconsin, 12. Illinois State, 13. Purdue Fort Wayne.

The Mastodons, led by Horizon League Coach of the Year Billy King, won the Horizon League title with a five-shot margin over Wright State with a team score of 870.

EVANSVILLE BASEBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  Four University of Evansville pitchers combined on a two-hitter on Wednesday night, as the host Purple Aces cruised past the visiting Butler Bulldogs, 4-1, at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.

“Tonight was another great effort on the mound in a mid-week game,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “Tyler Denu had multiple pitches working tonight, which was great to see.  John MacCauley had to deal with some emotions, but handled it well, and didn’t give up a run or hit in three innings.

“We are ready to hop on the bus and head to Illinois State this weekend.”

Denu set the tone for the evening in the first inning, as he struck out two in a scoreless frame.  Evansville then gave him the lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to an opposite-field RBI single by sophomore catcher Evan Waggoner.  Denu struck out the side in order in the second inning, and UE’s strong night on the mound was in full force.

The Bulldogs would take advantage of an Evansville error to score a two-out run in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1, but that would be the next-to-last Butler batter to reach base on the evening.  Evansville would also quickly respond with a solo home run by fifth-year outfielder Danny Borgstrom to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to grab a lead UE would never lose.

The Aces would tack on two more runs in the sixth inning on an RBI double by junior designated hitter Brendan Hord off of the center-field wall, a ground out and a Butler throwing error to grab a 4-1 lead.  From there, Evansville’s bullpen trio of graduate reliever John MacCauley, freshman pitcher Max Hansmann, and junior closer Nate Hardman combined to allow just a one-out walk in the eighth inning to nail down the victory.

Denu (4-3) earned the win in a scheduled short-start by scattering an unearned run on two hits, while striking out seven men on just 55 pitches.  MacCauley, pitching against a team which he pitched five seasons for before transferring to UE this season, tossed three perfect innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts.  Hansmann and Hardman both worked a scoreless, hitless frame with a strikeout to finish out the contest.

Offensively, Hord led Evansville by going 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.  Borgstrom, meanwhile, went 1-for-3 with his third home run of the year and two runs scored.  Waggoner, junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse and junior shortstop Simon Scherry had UE’s remaining three hits.

Evansville improves to 26-18 overall with the win, while Butler falls to 9-35 overall.  The Purple Aces will return to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend in Normal, Illinois, as UE will take on Illinois State in a three-game series beginning on Friday night at 5 p.m. in a game that can be seen live on ESPN+.  The series will continue on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 1, with all three games being heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.

SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost to Miami University (Ohio), 12-2, to start a four-game homestand at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 15-30 overall, while Miami is 16-31 this spring.

The Screaming Eagles trailed from the start of the opening frame as the Redhawks built a 6-2 lead after the first three innings. USI cut a 2-0 first inning deficit in half with an RBI-sacrifice fly by senior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs).

After Miami extended its lead to 6-1 with four in the top of the third, the Eagles scored on their sacrifice fly of the game when junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) knocked in a run to cut the margin to 6-2.

The Redhawks would get all of the runs from the fourth inning on as they closed out the 12-2 decision.

Eagles senior right-hander Brady Bowling (Lexington, Kentucky) took the loss in his first USI career start. Bowling (1-1) allowed six runs, five earned, on seven hits, while striking out two in 2.1 innings of work.

Up Next for the Eagles: 

The four-game homestand continues with USI Alumni Weekend May 5-7 when the Eagles host the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series. Friday is 6 p.m. first pitch before the series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. start; and concludes with Senior Day Sunday at noon.

The Eagles, who are 6-12 in the OVC, and the Trojans, who are 25-16 overall and 10-5 in the OVC, will meeting for the first time in the history of the two programs.  Little Rock started its week with a 12-10 loss at the University of Mississippi and has lost three of its last four games.

Schedule Change:

The USI road game at Indiana University, scheduled for May 9, has been canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WBB

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball has signed Ariel Kirkwood, a 6-0 junior guard/forward from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who is transferring from Eastern Kentucky University.

Kirkwood spent the last two seasons with EKU, making 26 starts in 60 games played. She averaged 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, shooting over 40 percent from the floor. Kirkwood also recorded over one assist and one block per contest.

“We are very excited to welcome Ariel to our team and the USI family!” USI Women’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Stein said. “Ari’s experience at the D-I level and in the Ohio Valley Conference will be very beneficial to our team this year.”

In the 2022-23 season, Kirkwood posted 5.7 points and 4.8 boards in 20.1 minutes per game. Kirkwood appeared in 31 games, making 12 starts. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native tallied a season-high 15 points on February 18 against the University of Central Arkansas. Kirkwood entered the Colonels’ top-10 list for career blocks last season.

“Ari’s versatility as a player will be seen on both offense and defense, which will help her make an immediate impact with our team,” Stein added. “Ariel is an elite shot blocker who can defend anywhere on the court. Ari can make plays on the perimeter and in the paint on the offensive end, and she fits perfectly into our style of play.”

Prior to Eastern Kentucky, Kirkwood played two seasons at Morehead State University. In her sophomore season, Kirkwood averaged double figures and ranked top-25 nationally in blocks and blocks per game. Kirkwood was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year in her freshman season, second-team All-OVC, and OVC All-Newcomer. She scored over 10 points per game and tied a Morehead State freshman record with 82 blocks, the seventh-highest single-season total in the Morehead State record book.

Kirkwood played her prep basketball at Vincent High School in Milwaukee, scoring over 1,500 points during her high school career. She was named an Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention. Kirkwood also lettered in volleyball and track in high school and graduated in the top 10 of her high school class.

VALPO MEN’S GOLF

The Valparaiso University men’s golf team will be well represented in the NCAA Tournament as two members of the program will compete in NCAA Regionals.

Sophomore Anthony Delisanti (Sanborn, N.Y. / Niagara Wheatfield) earned an automatic NCAA Regional berth by taking medalist honors at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, while senior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) received an at-large NCAA Regional bid, as announced on the NCAA Selection Show that aired on The Golf Channel on Wednesday afternoon.

Both Delisanti and VanArragon have been assigned to the Bath Regional, which will be hosted by Michigan State at Eagle Eye Golf Club from May 15-17 in Bath Township, Mich.

Both All-MVC honoree, VanArragon (70.85) and Delisanti (71.03) own the top two scoring averages in the conference. The recipient of the MVC Elite 17 Award for the third consecutive season, VanArragon will make his first NCAA Regional appearance, while Delisanti will appear for the second straight year. 

Delisanti, the MVC Player of the Year, shattered a modern program record and an MVC Championship record that had stood since 1950 with his 54-hole score of 200 (-13) at the MVC Championship last week. That helped him win medalist honors at the event for the second straight season.

VALPO BASEBALL

Southern Illinois (25-20, 11-7 MVC)
at Valparaiso (16-19, 7-11 MVC)
Emory G. Bauer Field (500) | Valparaiso, Ind. 

Friday, May 5, 3 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 6, 1 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 7, 1 p.m. CT

Next Up in Valpo Baseball: Three weekends remain of regular-season action, and the Valparaiso University baseball team will look to take another step toward locking up a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament berth as the Beacons welcome MVC preseason favorite Southern Illinois to Porter County for a three-game series that cranks up on Friday. Valpo enters the weekend in sixth place in a 10-team league in which the top eight teams reach the conference tournament, but three teams are tied for seventh and only one game behind the Beacons.

Last Time Out: Valpo’s scheduled midweek game at Western Michigan was canceled due to horrific weather after the Beacons dropped three games at Missouri State last weekend in Springfield. The first game went extras thanks to a heroic game-tying three-run homer by Patrick Ilitch with two outs in the ninth inning, but the Bears walked off with a 4-3 win in 10. The hosts invoked the 10-run rule with a 12-2 win in Game 2 before fending off a late Valpo rally for a 9-6 triumph in the series finale.

Following the Beacons: The Friday and Sunday games this weekend will stream on ESPN+, while Saturday’s contest will be streamed on ESPN3. Todd Ickow (Friday/Sunday play-by-play), Sam Michel (Friday/Sunday analyst, Saturday play-by-play) and Joshua Lipowski (Saturday analyst) will have the call this weekend. Links to live video and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com. For all the latest in Valpo Baseball, followed @ValpoBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.

Head Coach Brian Schmack: Brian Schmack (184-286) 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 holds a 10-7 lead in an all-time series that dates back to 1966. Last season, Valpo dropped two of three in Carbondale but prevailed 11-10 in a high-scoring series finale after dropping the middle game in a similar slugfest, 15-12. SIU blanked the Beacons in the series opener, 4-0. Valpo has had good success at Emory G. Bauer Field against the Salukis, taking three of four in 2021 and sweeping a three-game series in 2019. Valpo is 6-1 all-time when hosting SIU.

In the Other Dugout – SIU  

• Looking to rebound after losing two of three at home against Illinois State last weekend. After utilizing the 10-run rule in an 11-1 win in Game 1, the Salukis dropped a pair of thrillers, 5-4 and 10-7 in 12 innings.
• The Salukis were swept by nationally-ranked Indiana State the previous weekend, but own series wins over Evansville and Bradley and sweeps of UIC and Belmont.
• Preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Coming off a 44-16 season in 2022.
• Enter the weekend in third place in the 10-team league, looking up at only Indiana State and Missouri State.

Program Progress

• Valpo currently has 16 wins, which was the team’s final win total each of the last two seasons. That comes despite the fact that six games have been canceled and not made up and 10 games still remain on the regular-season schedule.
• With the team’s next victory, Valpo will secure its highest overall win total since the 2018 campaign.
• If the season ended now, Valpo’s current overall winning percentage would mark the program’s best since 2016.
• Valpo needs two more conference wins to match and three 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.

Maka-ing Good Things Happen

• Ryan Maka has hit safely in his last eight games, and has recorded multiple hits in six of those eight contests.
• Of the six multi-hit games during that stretch, three of them have been three-hit outputs.
• Entering the second game of the doubleheader on April 15 at Bradley, Maka was hitting .268 for the season. Since then, he is hitting .563 to go along with a .583 OBP and .969 slugging percentage, leading the team in all three slash-line categories in that stretch.
• Of his 18 hits during those eight games, seven have gone for extra bases, including three home runs. He has totaled 31 bases and driven in 12 runs while scoring 11.
• Maka has suddenly made his way onto the league-leaders page in batting average, as his team-best average of .341 ranks sixth in The Valley.

Olive Branches

• After starting the season with a .217 average over the first eight games he played, Matt Olive has hit .429 over his last eight games.
• Five of his 12 hits during that stretch have gone for extra bases including three home runs.
• Olive owns 11 RBIs and 23 total bases during those eight games, and he’s slugging .821 to go along with a .528 on-base percentage.
• Olive has hit safely in all eight games during that stretch – which was interrupted when he missed time due to a hamstring injury. He has multiple hits in four of his last seven.
• He has also notched multiple RBIs in four of his last eight.

Schmack Swiping Sacks  

• Kyle Schmack has lifted his season stolen base total to 10, which ranks tied for eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Schmack becomes the first Valpo player to reach double figures in the stolen-base column since Chase Dawson back in 2018.
• With one more steal, Schmack would own Valpo’s highest single-season stolen base total since 2017, when James Stea swiped 21 bags.

Banged Up Beacons

• Valpo played without four starting position players during its recent series at Missouri State as third baseman Kaleb Hannahs, catcher Kade Reinertson and outfielder Spencer Warfield are all currently on the shelf, while first baseman Brady Renfro also missed the series after he was a late scratch prior to Friday’s series opener.
• Furthermore, Valpo has been without two potential weekend starting pitchers as Connor Lockwood went down with a season-ending injury and Trent Turzenski has yet to take the mound this season as he recovers from an injury.
• OF/1B Kyle Schmack, DH/OF Matt Olive and DH/C Jake Skrine have all either missed games or left a game early during this recent injury-riddled stretch.

Storybook Moment (Minus the Fairytale Ending)

• The series opener at Missouri State on Friday, April 28 was all but over with two outs and nobody on base in the ninth inning and the lower third of the Valpo batting order due up with the Beacons trailing 3-0.
• Back-to-back walks to the No. 7 and No. 8 hitters set the stage for redshirt freshman Patrick Ilitch, who was inserted into the starting lineup less than an hour before game time due to an injury-related scratch and had just two career at-bats prior to the game.
• Ilitch – whose family owns Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings – delivered by smacking his first career home run to left, leveling the score at three.
• Missouri State eventually won on a walk-off home run in the 10^th.

Notes Wrapping Up Missouri State

• Valpo outhit Missouri State 8-7 in the series opener, but incurred the team’s sixth loss of the season when outhitting the opponent. Seven of the eight hits were singles, with the lone exception the game-tying home run by Patrick Ilitch in the ninth inning.
• Valpo played its eighth one-run game of the year in the series opener, dropping to 5-3 in such contests.
• The series opener was the team’s fourth extra-inning contest of the year and its first extra-inning defeat.
• Matt Olive hit his fifth home run of the season and the seventh of his career in the windy series finale.
• Kyle Schmack worked four walks in the series finale, becoming the first Valpo player to reach four times via the base on balls in the same game since Spencer Mahoney on April 2, 2014 vs. Northern Illinois.

U OF I SOFTBALL

EAST PEORIA, Ill.—The UIndy softball team took home a haul of awards Wednesday night at the annual GLVC Awards Banquet. On the eve of the GLVC Championship Tournament, the Greyhounds garnered a total of seven All-GLVC awards, while junior Kenzee Smith was dubbed GLVC Pitcher of the Year and Melissa Frost was voted the Coach of the Year.
 
The GLVC regular season champions led all league programs with five first-team choices, including unanimous selections Smith and her catcher Lexy Rees. Jocelyn Calvin (2B), Megan Nichols (OF) and Emily O’Connor (3B) also garnered All-GLVC First Team laurels, while Jayden Casebolt (P) and Shelby Cook (1B) took third-team accolades.

The league also recognized one student-athlete from each team as honorees for the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award, with senior Tara Williams 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 in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners.
 

From GLVCsports.com
Pitcher of the Year: Kenzee Smith, Jr., P, Indianapolis

• Wins fifth Pitcher of the Year honor for UIndy, with the last coming in 2021.
• Led league in GLVC-only games for wins (12), shutouts (5), and runs allowed (8), while tying for the lead in home runs allowed (0).
• Paced league in total wins (28), complete games (21), shutouts (10), and innings pitched (181.1).
• Recorded 83 strikeouts, .158 opponent batting average, eight complete games, four saves, and a 0.56 ERA in 75.2 innings during GLVC contests.
• Posted 186 punchouts, .167 opponent batting average, five saves, and a 1.39 ERA overall.
• Appeared in 35 games for the Greyhounds, starting 27.
• Named GLVC Pitcher of the Week on Apr. 10 and May 1.
• Earns third-straight selection to All-GLVC First Team.

Coach of the Year: Melissa Frost, Indianapolis

• Secures eighth Coach of the Year honor for Indianapolis – seven by Frost and one by Sue Willey in 1989.
• Managed the Greyhounds to an impressive 47-6 overall record and 20-3 Conference mark, claiming the GLVC Regular Season title and No. 1 seed in the GLVC Championship.
• Led UIndy to No. 6 ranking in the NFCA poll.
• In addition to guiding Smith to her major award and All-GLVC First Team selection, she mentored four more players to First Team distinctions, as well as two others who were named to the Honorable Mention team.

A complete list of the 2023 All-GLVC teams and postseason honorees can be found below.
 
GLVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Lauren Harris, Fr., SS, McKendree
GLVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR:  Kenzee Smith, Jr., P, Indianapolis
GLVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:  Lauren Harris, SS, McKendree
GLVC COACH OF THE YEAR:  Melissa Frost, Indianapolis
 

FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM
Kenzee Smith, Jr., P, UINDY #	Reagan Miles, Sr., P, UIS
Ellie Quaethem, Jr., P, MCK #	Jenna Towle, Sr., P, UMSL
Kristina Bettis, Sr., P, DU	Charlye Rowland, Sr., P, S&T
Olivia Stansbury, Sr., 1B, MCK	Isabella Wilson, So., 1B, UIS
Jocelyn Calvin, So., 2B, UINDY	Margo Frossard, So., 2B, SBU
Lauren Harris, Fr., SS, MCK #	Irene Travis, Sr., SS, UMSL
Emily O’Connor, Sr., 3B, UINDY	McKenzie Lamos, Sr., 3B, UMSL
Lexy Rees, Sr., C, UINDY #	Taylor Downen, Sr., C, QU
Megan Nichols, Jr., OF, UINDY	Bailey Mitchell, Jr., OF, QU
Kylie Swinney, Jr., OF, MU	Ashley Klinzing, Gr., OF, UIS
Taylor Shingler, Gr., OF, MU	Rylee Kolb, Jr., OF, DU
Delaney Garden, So., UTP, LEWIS	Taylor Zawacki, So., UTP, UIS
Danielle Dennis, Gr., UTNP, UIS	Ashley Gerber, Sr., UTNP, QU
Calli Wibbenmeyer, Gr., DP, RU	McKenzie West, Sr., DP, TSU
THIRD TEAM	SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Jayden Casebolt, So., P, UINDY	Karsyn Smith, DU
Chayse Ramey, Jr., P, MU	Danielle Dennis, UIS
Avery Huffman, Fr., P, RU	Tara Williams, UINDY
Shelby Cook, Fr., 1B, UINDY	Carrie Anderson, LEWIS
Anna VanGundy, Gr., 2B, UMSL	Carly Nolde, MU
Emily Corona, So., SS, MU	Skyler Davis, MCK
Ella Brinkley, So., 3B, UIS	Elizabeth Viox, S&T
Emma Garcia, Sr., C, UIS	Annie Scaramuzzi, UMSL
Corinne Daley, Gr., OF, UMSL	Jayle Jennings, QU
Hannah Antzoulatos, Sr., OF, S&T	Calli Wibbenmeyer, RU
Kelsie Burrows, Jr., OF, UIS	Emma Wood, SBU
Emersen Heron, So., UTP, MU	Macy Taylor, TSU
Courtney Settles, So., UTNP, UMSL	Payton Totzke, WJC
Jillian Mathis, Sr., DP, UIS

SPORTS EXTRA

MLB STANDINGS

American League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Tampa Bay	25	6	.806	–	16 – 2	9 – 4	5 – 2	9 – 1	4 – 2	7 – 3	W 2
Baltimore	20	10	.667	4.5	9 – 4	11 – 6	4 – 5	9 – 3	5 – 2	7 – 3	L 1
Toronto	18	13	.581	7	9 – 3	9 – 10	4 – 5	8 – 2	5 – 4	6 – 4	L 4
Boston	18	14	.563	7.5	12 – 7	6 – 7	6 – 7	7 – 2	3 – 1	7 – 3	W 5
NY Yankees	17	15	.531	8.5	11 – 8	6 – 7	3 – 3	7 – 6	3 – 4	4 – 6	W 2
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Minnesota	17	14	.548	–	10 – 6	7 – 8	5 – 5	8 – 4	2 – 1	6 – 4	L 2
Cleveland	14	17	.452	3	4 – 8	10 – 9	3 – 6	1 – 2	6 – 4	4 – 6	L 2
Detroit	12	17	.414	4	7 – 7	5 – 10	2 – 14	2 – 1	2 – 1	5 – 5	W 2
Chi White Sox	10	21	.323	7	6 – 9	4 – 12	2 – 11	3 – 2	2 – 2	3 – 7	W 3
Kansas City	8	23	.258	9	2 – 13	6 – 10	2 – 4	1 – 6	2 – 7	3 – 7	W 1
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Texas	18	12	.600	–	12 – 6	6 – 6	4 – 3	5 – 1	4 – 2	5 – 5	L 1
LA Angels	17	14	.548	1.5	8 – 5	9 – 9	3 – 7	2 – 1	7 – 3	7 – 3	W 3
Houston	16	15	.516	2.5	8 – 11	8 – 4	4 – 2	4 – 6	1 – 2	5 – 5	L 2
Seattle	14	16	.467	4	7 – 9	7 – 7	1 – 2	3 – 4	3 – 2	5 – 5	W 3
Oakland	6	25	.194	12.5	3 – 14	3 – 11	1 – 6	1 – 2	3 – 9	2 – 8	L 2

National League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Atlanta	21	10	.677	–	7 – 7	14 – 3	9 – 3	6 – 0	3 – 4	7 – 3	W 2
Miami	16	15	.516	5	10 – 8	6 – 7	5 – 11	3 – 0	4 – 2	4 – 6	L 2
NY Mets	16	15	.516	5	6 – 6	10 – 9	7 – 6	0 – 3	6 – 4	2 – 8	L 2
Philadelphia	15	17	.469	6.5	8 – 5	7 – 12	1 – 2	4 – 3	3 – 4	5 – 5	L 4
Washington	12	18	.400	8.5	5 – 12	7 – 6	3 – 3	3 – 3	2 – 2	5 – 5	W 2
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Pittsburgh	20	11	.645	–	9 – 4	11 – 7	2 – 1	7 – 4	5 – 1	6 – 4	L 3
Milwaukee	18	12	.600	1.5	9 – 6	9 – 6	3 – 0	4 – 2	4 – 5	4 – 6	L 3
Chi Cubs	15	15	.500	4.5	8 – 8	7 – 7	1 – 5	2 – 3	5 – 5	3 – 7	L 2
Cincinnati	13	18	.419	7	9 – 6	4 – 12	3 – 7	3 – 6	1 – 2	6 – 4	L 1
St. Louis	10	21	.323	10	5 – 10	5 – 11	0 – 3	3 – 4	4 – 9	2 – 8	L 5
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
LA Dodgers	19	13	.594	–	12 – 6	7 – 7	4 – 2	8 – 5	7 – 6	8 – 2	W 6
Arizona	17	14	.548	1.5	8 – 6	9 – 8	1 – 2	4 – 2	9 – 8	5 – 5	W 1
San Diego	17	15	.531	2	9 – 9	8 – 6	5 – 5	4 – 6	8 – 4	7 – 3	W 1
San Francisco	13	17	.433	5	7 – 7	6 – 10	3 – 4	3 – 1	1 – 4	6 – 4	W 2
Colorado	11	20	.355	7.5	6 – 9	5 – 11	3 – 5	3 – 5	3 – 6	5 – 5	W 3

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1871      Bill Lennon becomes the first catcher to throw a runner out trying to steal second. The National Association’s Fort Wayne (IN) Kekiongas backstop accomplishes the feat in the seventh inning of the first major league game ever played.

1901      Fred Brown makes his major league debut, the first appearance of a brief nine-game career, all for the Boston Beaneaters over two seasons. The 22-year-old outfielder, who goes 4-for-20 at the plate without making an error in the field, will enjoy a far more extensive career as a politician, winning a Senate seat as a Democrat in then-conservative New Hampshire in 1932 after serving as the state’s governor.

1910      President William Taft leaves Robison Park, where the Cardinals are routing the Reds, to catch a great pitching duel between the Naps’ Cy Young and the Browns’ Joe Lake at Sportsman’s Park. The chief executive will stay to the last out of the American League contest, which ends in a three-to-three tie after 14 innings of play.

1919      An SRO crowd attends the first-ever major league game on a Sunday in Brooklyn. The Ebbets Field contest, in which the Dodgers beat the Braves, 6-2, was made possible when the New York Legislature passed the Sunday Baseball Bill.

1931      To put less strain on Babe Ruth’s leg, the Yankees have him play first base, moving Lou Gehrig to right field. The ‘Iron Horse’ commits an error in the outfield, helping the Senators beat the Yankees, 7-3.

1939      In his first-ever at-bat in Detroit, Boston rookie Ted Williams becomes the first player to hit a homer that clears the right-field seats at Briggs Stadium. The 20-year-old’s prodigious poke proves to be the difference when the Red Sox edge the Tigers, 7-6.

1944      For the first time in the city’s history, blacks are allowed to buy grandstand seats in St. Louis. The Browns and Cardinals are the last major league teams to integrate seating for fans, restricting the minority to the bleachers in previous years.

1954      The Phillies and Cardinals set a major league record by using 42 players in one game, including future Hall of Famers Richie Ashburn (1995), Robin Roberts(1976), Red Schoendienst (1989), and StanMusial (1969). Philadelphia wins the eleventh-inning contest at Busch Stadium, 14-10, collecting three singles, a double, and two bases-on-balls in the final frame.

1954      In a contest delayed 12 minutes by snow, the Braves move out of last place thanks to Warren Spahn’s six-hitter when the team beats the Pirates and former teammate Max Surkont, 6-1. The reported temperature in Milwaukee dropped to 37 degrees during the game.

1956      Boston manager Pinky Higgins accepts a Red Sox schedule printed in braille from Francis B. Ierardi, the founder and manager of the National Braille Press. The slate of games, which will appear in the May 7th publication of the Weekly News, marks the first time a baseball schedule has been available for the blind.

1963      In a 7-5 loss to Chicago at County Stadium, Bob Shaw commits five balks to establish a new major league mark. The Braves’ right-hander balks three times after walking Billy Williams in the third inning, allowing a run to score.

1963      The first reported use of the familiar refrain “Let’s Go Mets” is heard at the Polo Grounds in the bottom of the ninth inning during a rout by San Francisco. Trailing by 13 runs and down to their last out with bases empty, the rallying cry begins to be chanted by some of the ‘New Breed,’ an affectionate name given to the fans of the National League expansion team.

1966      In a 6-1 victory over L.A. at Candlestick Park, Willie Mays becomes the all-time National League home run leader when he strokes his 512th career round-tripper off Dodger starter Claude Osteen. The San Francisco center fielder passes another Giant, breaking the mark established by Mel Ott in 1946.

1968      The Simon and Garfunkel tune “Mrs. Robinson” debuts on the Billboard’s Top 40 survey. The song’s lyrics include the memorable question for the Yankees’ former center fielder, “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.”

1969      At Anaheim Stadium, Royals’ center fielder Bob Oliver collects six hits, including a double and home run, in the expansion team’s 15-1 rout of the Angels. The 26-year-old rookie accomplishes the rare event in the franchise’s 24th game in history.

1969      At the Astrodome, Houston sets a National League record, turning seven double plays against the Giants, with first baseman Curt Blefary taking part in all of them. The abundance of twin killings helps the Astros win the game, 3-1.

1970      With his third-inning RBI single in the Braves’ 5-3 victory over Pittsburgh, Rico Carty establishes an Atlanta team record by getting a hit in his 23rd consecutive game. The 30-year-old left fielder, who hasn’t had a hitless game since Opening Day, will win the National League batting title with a .366 average.

1975      In the team’s 8-6 loss to the Giants at Candlestick Park, the Astros’ Bob Watson scores the major league’s one-millionth run, winning $10,000 and one million Tootsie Rolls provided by the event’s sponsor. The Houston first baseman crosses the plate on Milt May’s homer just seconds ahead of the Reds’ Dave Concepcion to earn the distinction, thanks to a teammate’s awareness of the situation from a clubhouse TV, alerting the trotting baserunner to run home at full speed.

1976      Illinois Eugene F. Schlickman, a co-author of the House of Representative Resolution 747 declaring today as Rick Monday Day, will be in attendance when Los Angeles’ GM Al Campanis presents Rick Monday with the flag about to be burned in the outfield at Dodger Stadium. Last month, the former Marine reservist ran in from his position, swiping the ‘Stars and Stripes’ away from a father and a son who intended to set the Stars and Stripes on fire.

1981      In the first inning, Jose Cruz’s three-run home run proves to be the difference in the Astros’ 5-4 win over the Chicago. The Houston left fielder’s brother, Hector, homers for the Cubs in the sixth frame of the Wrigley Field contest, making the natives of Arroyo (PR) the tenth different pair of siblings to go deep in the same game.

1981      Ron Davis establishes a major league mark for consecutive strikeouts by a reliever when he fans eight straight Angel batters in the Yankees’ 4-2 victory over California. The right-handed reliever, entering the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, gets Don Baylor to pop up, and then he proceeds to strike out all of the other hitters he faces en route to his second save of the season.

1984      Dave Kingman’s 180-foot pop-up enters a drainage valve located in the Metrodome roof, and much to the surprise of the Twins infielders waiting to make the catch, the ball doesn’t drop back into play. The A’s slugger goes to second base with a ground-rule double, with the will ball staying put in the lining of the dome until tomorrow.

1985      Baltimore’s Cal Ripken, en route to baseball’s all-time mark for consecutive games, breaks Brooks Robinson’s club record when he plays in his 464th straight contest. The Orioles shortstop marks the occasion by hitting a double and a home run in the Birds’ 8-6 loss to the Twins at the Metrodome.

1989      Junior Felix becomes the 53rd player in major league history to hit a home run in his first at-bat. The Blue Jay rookie’s initial blast comes off California’s Kirk McCaskill in a 10-inning loss to the Angels, 3-2.

1989      At Arlington Stadium, before the Rangers’ 11-7 loss to the Yankees, Barbara Bush, wife of the 41st president of the United States, becomes the first First Lady to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a regular-season major league game. George’s spouse and the mother of George W., the managing general partner of the team, does the honors after promoting her literacy program.

1991      At Shea Stadium, Mackey Sasser and Mark Carreon, the first two batters in the ninth inning, both go deep as pinch-hitters off Jeff Brantley to knot the score at two runs apiece in the Mets’ eventual 4-2 victory over San Francisco in 12 innings. It is the first time in the 30-year history of the franchise that two pinch-hitters have hit back-to-back round-trippers.

1991      Chris James establishes the club record for RBIs in a game by driving in nine runs with a pair of homers and two singles, helping the Indians crush the A’s, 20-6. The first baseman’s offensive output will account for 22% of the 41 runs he will drive in for Cleveland this season.

1996      A fifth-inning home run by Mark Lewis is the only hit Ranger right-hander Roger Pavlik yields in his 3-1 complete-game victory over Detroit. Teammate Ken Hill, who retired the last 26 batters he faced yesterday, also allowed only one hit, making Texas the first American League club in 79 years to have one-hitters thrown in consecutive games.

1999      After 6,136 at-bats without a bases-loaded homer, Mark Grace hits his first career grand slam in the Cubs’ 12-11 victory over Colorado at Wrigley Field. The Chicago first baseman’s accomplishment now leaves Reds’ shortstop Barry Larkin the active player with the longest drought with the bases juiced, spanning 5,817 at-bats.

2000      Doug Glanville collects five hits in a game for the second time in his career in the Phillies’ 14-1 pounding of Cincinnati at Veterans Stadium. The Philadelphia outfielder’s first hit, a lead-off two-bagger, is the first of four consecutive doubles hit in the bottom of the first frame to start the game, tying a major league record.

2001      En route to a Blue Jay 8-3 victory over Seattle, Raul Mondesi strokes four extra-base hits, collecting 12 total bases. The outfielder’s 4-for-4 performance includes two home runs, a pair of doubles, and six RBIs.

2005      The fifth pair of 300-game winners in baseball history face off against each other when Cubs starter Greg Maddux (305) bests Roger Clemens (329) and the Astros at Minute Maid Park, 3-2. The other pair of milestone moundsmen includes Don Sutton vs. Steve Carlton (1987), Don Sutton vs. Phil Niekro (1987), Don Sutton vs. Tom Seaver (1986), and Tim Keefe vs. Jim ‘Pud’ Galvin (1892).

2006      In its May 8 issue, Forbes Magazine estimates the New York Yankees are the first baseball team worth more than $1 billion. At the opposite end of the economic study are the $209 million Devil Rays, valued the least among the 30 major league teams.

2006      On the first pitch he sees in his first major league at-bat, Mike Napoli hits a home run at Detroit’s Comerica Park. The Angels catcher becomes the third player in franchise history to make such a dramatic debut, joining Don Rose (1972) and Dave Machemer (1978), who also accomplished the feat.

2006      The Nationals’ new owners are on hand for the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Washington ballpark, a venue they hope will be ready at the start of the 2008 season. Theodore Lerner, head of the ownership group chosen by MLB yesterday to buy the team, has already thought of changes for the $611 million neighborhood ballpark.

2007      Except for Nick Altrock’s 1933 at-bat against the A’s Rube Walberg, the second inning Chase Field matchup of Mets first baseman Julio Franco against Diamondback fireballer Randy Johnson marks the oldest hitter-pitcher confrontation in big-league history. With a mere 92+ years of age between them, the nearly 49-year-old goes deep off the southpaw, who is four months shy of 44, to extend his record as the oldest player to homer, and with his ninth-inning swipe of second, he continues to be the most senior to steal a base.

(Ed. Note: The oldest matchup in MLB history occurred on the season’s final day when 57-year-old pinch-hitter Nick Altrock, in his only plate appearance in 1933, faced Rube Walberg, 37, for a combined age of 94 years – 80 days. Our thanks to frequent contributor D. Karpinski for correcting the original entry. -LP)

2008      Yogi Berra is one of the 15 inaugural honorees inducted into the newly conceived New Jersey Hall of Fame. Although the Yankee legend considers fellow inductee Albert Einstein to be “a pretty smart guy,” he is not convinced the Nobel Prize winner for physics would have made a good manager.

2009      With their 7-2 win over Arizona, the Dodgers establish a National League record for consecutive victories to open a season at home. Their 11-0 start surpasses the NL mark shared by the 1918 Giants, 1970 Cubs, and 1983 Braves and is one shy of the major-league record set by the Tigers in 1911.

2009      Ryan Howard’s grand slam powers the Phillies past St. Louis at Busch Stadium, 6-1. The slugging first baseman’s seventh career grand salami ties Mike Schmidt’s franchise record.

2009      In the bottom of the second inning, with two runners aboard at Dodger Stadium, the Diamondbacks pull off their second triple play in franchise history. The 6-4-3 triple killing starts with shortstop Josh Wilson’s backhanded grab of Casey Blake’s scorching line drive (1), with his throw to Felipe Lopez doubling off Russell Marin at second (2), and Matt Kemp becoming the third out when the relay easily beats him back to first base (3).

2010      The Phillies announce the team is discussing with the Philadelphia Police Department the appropriateness of using a stun gun at Citizens Bank Park. Yesterday, a city police officer tasered a 17-year-old when the young fan jumped onto the playing field of Citizens Bank Park.

2010      During the seventh-inning stretch in a game against Detroit, the fans honor Ernie Harwell with a standing ovation upon hearing the broadcasting icon’s death. In September, the 92-year-old Hall of Fame announcer, who started his major league career with Brooklyn in 1948 and spent 42 years broadcasting Tiger games, publicly shared his diagnosis of inoperable bile duct cancer.

2010      “He brings out the best in his players and exemplifies what the sport of baseball is supposed to be about — hustle, grit, loyalty, and determination.” – U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), praising Braves’ manager Bobby Cox. At the United States Capitol, Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) present Bobby Cox framed copies of their statements submitted into the Congressional Record on April 20, honoring the Braves’ skipper. The 68-year-old skipper has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season, after 51 seasons in professional baseball.

2012      A winning bid made at Heritage Auctions of items from the collection of LA songwriter Seth Swirsky includes an anonymous buyer paying $418,250 for the baseball hit by Mookie Wilson that rolled through the legs of Bill Buckner in Games of the 1986 World Series. Reggie Jackson’s third home run ball from Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic ($65,725), the Ranger cap that Jose Canseco was wearing in 1993 when a ball bounced off his head over the wall for a homer ($11,950), and a 1965 baseball signed by the Beatles from the Shea Stadium concert ($65,725) also fetch record amounts.

2013      En route to his first major league win, Marlin rookie right-hander Jose Fernandez hurls one-hit ball, striking out nine in the team’s 2-0 victory over Philadelphia. Mike Dunn’s perfect eighth and closer Steve Cishek’s save follows the 20-year-old’s superb seven-inning outing to preserve the one-hitter at Citizens Bank Park.

2018      Angels’ first baseman Albert Pujols records his 3,000th career hit when he singles off Mike Leake in the fifth inning of the team’s 5-0 victory over the Mariners at Safeco Field. The historic safety ties the ten-time All-Star with Roberto Clemente for 31st on baseball’s all-time hit list, who he will pass with his second hit later in the contest.

2019      After retiring the first eight batters of the game, White Sox southpaw Manny Banuelos gives up ten consecutive hits in a nine-run third inning of the team’s 15-2 defeat to the Red Sox at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field. The Chicago starter’s string, which includes giving up four singles, three singles, and three home runs, falls short of the record of 11 straight hits established in 2010 by the Rockies against the Cubs during a 17-2 victory at Coors Field.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

A Tale of one of the 4 Horseman

May 4, 1903 – Davenport, Iowa – The famous Notre Dame fullback of 1922 to 1924, Elmer Layden was born. The National Football Foundation has a really good bio on Layden that says that he was one of the famed Fighting Irish Four Horsemen. He was the heaviest of the four at 162 pounds but yet his nickname was “thin man.” New Year’s Day, 1925, at the Rose Bowl, and the final curtain call for Notre Dame’s famed Four Horsemen. Their opponent was the Stanford Cardinal team, who had prepared for the Irish offensive firepower which had been headlined across the nation. Instead, it was the defensive prowess of Elmer Layden which buried Stanford. The Los Angeles Times had an article the next day that stated “BREAKS DECIDE ROSE BOWL FRAY, Cards outscore Notre Dame in all but points.” The article says that the Stanford defense prevented the Irish from even registering a first down in the second half! Layden scored first on a three-yard run before turning a pair of pick sixes  of 78 and 60 yards! Knute Rockne could afford to play a bit more conservatively in the back half of the game when your defense is churning out points like that with splash plays. Elmer had tallied three of four Irish touchdowns to provide a final triumph in a perfect 10-game season which brought Notre Dame its first undisputed national championship. Layden’s unique running style at fullback was equally uncanny. “He developed a straight-line dive that made him one of the most unusual fullbacks in football”, stated coach Knute Rockne. The Irish posted a combined record of 27-2-1 during Layden’s varsity career. Elmer Layden’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1951. The prolific player later became the head coach at Duquesne and then served as Irish coach from 1934 to 1940, compiling a record of 47-13-3 before leaving to become Commissioner of the National Football League for six seasons.

 If you want to be able to be able to read through some old articles like _the LA Times, you need to check out Newspapers.com. At Newspapers.com, you can get access to over 640 million pages’ worth of news from the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland and more dating back from 1798 to yesterday.  Get a free one week subscription to Newspapers.com by visiting SportsHistoryNetwork.com/newspapers. And with a paid subscription, you’ll also be helping to support the production of this and other Sports History Network shows.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR MAY 4

Here are the bios on some birthday boys that are either in the College Football Hall of Fame or the Pro Football Hall of Fame that were born on this day. There is plenty more about them to read by either clicking their high-lighted name or at the top of this page clicking the “On This Day in Football History” and going to May 4 Football History.

May 4, 1910 – Milton, Massachusetts – Barry Wood the Harvard University quarterback from 1929 to 1931 arrived into this life.  The National Football Foundation selected Barry Wood for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.

May 4, 1928 – Ponca City, Oklahoma – Michigan State’s fine tackle of 1949 to 1951, Don Coleman was born. Coleman’s good name and collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1975. 

May 4, 1938  – Hampton,    Arkansas – Wayne Harris who played center for Arkansas from 1958 to 1960 arrived into this life.  Mr. Harris was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004 after the National Football Foundation tabulated their votes.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

4 – 26 – 22 – 34 – 13 – 27 – 87 – 8

May 4, 1871 – The first official league game of baseball was played in the National Association of Baseball Players.  In the contest Fort Wayne outscored Cleveland 2-0. Ft Wayne Deacons player Jim White is the player that recorded the first hit, which was a double.

May 4, 1929 – Yankees star, Lou Gehrig, Number 4, belts three consecutive Home Runs to help New York to an 11-9 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Gehrig knocked a total of 35 pitches over the wall that season for the Yanks.

May 4, 1963 – A very strange record was established by a player on this date. Pitcher Bob Shaw, Number 26 of the Milwaukee Braves was called for five balks in one game as the Chicago Cubs outlasted the Braves 7-5 in a contest that had a total of 7 balks called!

TOP MAY HOCKEY MOMENTS

May 4 1972 – Bobby Orr, Number 4 scored a goal during a 5-2 Boston Bruins loss to the New York Rangers to set a new record for career goals by a defenseman with 17. And it only took Orr 47 games to break the record Red Kelly had set in 90 games.

May 4, 1976 – Reggie Leach, Number 27 scored in his eighth straight playoff game to help the Flyers beat the Boston Bruins 4-2 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Leach tied the postseason record for the longest goal-scoring streak, held by Maurice Richard, by tying the game at 2-2 in the second period.

May 4, 2009 – Sidney Crosby, Number 87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Number 8, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals take their rivalry to a new level when each scores three goals in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

After tying the game early in the second period, Ovechkin powers the Capitals to a 4-3 victory by completing his hat trick with two goals in a span of 2:29 in the third period. His power-play goal at 12:53 puts Washington ahead 3-2, and his shot through a screen and over the glove of Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at 13:22 makes it 4-2, triggering a deluge of hats.

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME MOMENTS FOR MAY 4

May 4, 1970 – The New York Knicks, with Dave DeBusschere, Number 22 forced to play center against Number 13, Wilt Chamberlain after a leg injury sidelined Willis Reed, nevertheless defeated Los Angeles 107-100 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks ultimately captured their first NBA title with a Game 7 victory.

May 4, 1994 – The “Round Mound of Rebound”, Charles Barkley, Number 34 of Phoenix hit 23-of-31 field goal attempts and finished with 56 points, leading the visiting Suns to a 140-133 win over Golden State and a three-game sweep of their Western Conference First Round series. Barkley’s 56 points tied for the third-highest total ever in an NBA Playoff game, and his 38 points in the first half set a record.